Nico and Cor

Kian and River

•••

In an effort to express more of our OCs’ personalities, I will be matching them up with tumblr posts, because I love doing it the easy way.

Cor and River belong to @slamncram

In honor of the @rw-ship-showdown I wanted to write about Artihunter as someone who jokingly slapped them together pre-downpour and still thinks they are actually very compelling. Just not in the super soft love wins kinda way (Although I get why people like that more) And the only way I know how to do that is talking too much so heres a far too long slug essay-

Obviously the slugcats don't offer a ton of characterization but theres not nothing to work with. Their stories, whether by their roles in it or the overarching themes do provide a backbone to work with. Even gameplay itself can provide a bit. (for some more than others) Hunter, to me, is ultimately a story about selflessness. The goal is to revive Moon, which is very much an act of kindness from both Hunter and NSH. But the weight of that action is much more significant for Hunter- Hunter is deeply sick. They're on the clock, and for all their skill in combat none of that will ultimately help them to survive longer than their body can hold out. Moon is a close friend of NSH but that means little Hunter- Hunter really gets next to nothing out of helping them, and ultimately pays quiet a bit spending their limited time alive fighting to deliver that neuron so that someone else can live.

To spend ones limited days on helping another, in a game that very much stresses the unwavering cruelty of the world and nature- is pretty notable. (And you could even say that Hunter being the Hardmode of Rain World adds another layer to this)

And then we have Artificer. A storyline that very much stands out to people as more… villainous (so to speak) than the other slugcats. Artificer's story covers a lot of things. Trauma, violence, revenge, etc. Revenge is a bit of a selfish desire- That need to see someone hurt as they have hurt you. A punishment that ultimately does not fix whatever harm was done- but feels good to see because you were hurt and now those responsible share that pain.

Artificer's actions are founded in that need for revenge, their pups killed for overstepping boundaries they didn't know existed. Is it not fair for them to be angry at that, to punish the scavengers for their violence with their own? Why should the scavengers ever be forgiven when they and their pups were not? And that's how you get that loop- Harm for harm over and over.

The original action has been lost in a spiral of violence for violence. And here stands Artificer- their very spirit scarred. Not just because they sought revenge, but because they never ceased trying to scratch that itch for violence as an answer. Artificer only has two paths for their story- killing the scavenger king (Someone who, really, has little to do with the original 'crime' of the scavengers, but represents an important individual to them- as did the slugpups to Artificer), locking themselves as karma one for good and spending the rest of their life chasing creatures that no longer even fight back in a warped sense of closure- or to dissolve themselves in the acids of the void sea because they're too far gone to find any real peace.

They can't meaningfully recover from that state, not alone, twisting in on themselves. Even if they halt their actions, they've been using violence as a feeble defense against their own pain- violence that no longer has any real direction or basis. Artificer gets no real closure from killing the scavenger king. All they can do is continue the cycle, or try to scrub it away. No real peace in a prison of their own making. So you have a creature, who even with a strict timer on their life- a body that will crumble to disease, spends its last bit of time on saving another. And another who was so caught up in the pain of loss that were eaten alive by their own anger, poisoned their own soul on such a deep level even self-proclaimed gods have no solution for them. What peace can they offer each other? For Hunter, its only a fleeting moment of happiness- of selfish love, before their own body fails them. A bit of indulgence in something for themself. For Artificer, its a single, comforting thread to ground them again, something tangible to protect and care about again. But thats a thread that will ultimately be snapped under the cruel indifference of the world. Hunters timer will tick down regardless of if it takes another with it. Its a tragedy- its doomed to end badly. Whatever good it offers to either of them to find each other will only provide the fleeting comfort of a band-aid that will be ripped away too early. But all that can be worth indulging in anyway, if only for the moment. It doesn't change the ending, but the ending was never going to be happy. Its can so yuri

i just want to say that these two have been on my mind literally all of january. the thought of the debauchery they would indulge in. bobby and his pretty boygirlfriend. using him as a decoy in robberies, his cute lil thing an easy distraction while he takes what he needs, allowing them both to easily slip away. getting to show off his pretty baby in clubs, having a sweet little thing as his passenger princess during long drives through the dessert. a doll for him to dress up and have hanging off his arm wherever they go. anyway <3

it's been pointed out on here before that a lot of terf arguments are actually rooted in sexist idealology that feminists fought and died to unnormalise decades ago and that's its own kettle of fish but one thing i also find very frustrating about this so called 'radical' feminism is that it's so... defeatist? like the moment you categorically label an entire section of society as Bad and Inherently Evil then there's also the implication that nothing can be done about it, and it completely takes all accountability away. saying all men are evil is just another way of saying boys will be boys. he raped her because he's a man. he hit her because he's a man. he didn't listen because he's a man - it's almost offensively oversimplified. there's no point trying to fix this issue in society because men are just Like That, okay! so now what? it's not like they're going anywhere, so you just accept that 50% of the population are evil and will forever treat you terribly and there's nothing to be done about it bc they're biologically predisposed to it? like is that fr the argument here? you're soooo radical for that

yk. the resistance ppl have to so much as considering the idea that mike might not jump to immediately and enthusiastically engaging in obvious n indisputably gay shit with will publicly is kinda funny in a puzzling way when season three and season four, where he does exactly that the entire way through, are literally right there for us all to watch on netflix.com. like. Okay ❤️

Constantly torn between “I want to see details of Crowley’s fall in s3” and “keep it vague so we can forever play with the possibilities”

breaking news: surprising absolutely no one, pik has fallen in love with the fast paced fps game where the big, silent badass of a main character's sole goal is to protect the small, squishy innocents.

that moment when everyone's hyping show for anakin cameo/thrawn/ezra/etc. and you're here only for an old tired fallen jedi and his little ukrainian chihuahua-looking daughter

Where's that post talking about how shipping two characters can sometimes undermine the deep relationship and character dynamic they share in the original work? I feel like I really need it roght now

whenever I see someone arguing about how buddy daddies isn't queer and people who think it is are ruining the anime for others I just go 🤨 for well... obvious reasons of how tf enjoying the show through queer lens would ruin it but also because how do these people think the show will end?? like... genuinely, how do you think this slice of life with two men each with hard past and trauma raising a daughter together which forces them to confront said traumas and grow as individuals and partners (let's also ignore the ambiguous connotations of using this word and history of using if we must) is going to end? cause obviously it's going to end with this imperfect makeshift family creating their home together and staying together. loving and supporting each other in their own ways for years to come. these two men raising Miri together, completely comfortable in this home they've created and existing together, completely fine with no other romantic relationships in their lives spending their years together as parents. just saying that's...that's pretty gay of them you know? and honestly even if you argue about it and pull two friends can raise a child together card... this anime still provides so much wholesome and good content for queer community in such basic ways "our bank account", "you think work's more important than our kid?!", Miri saying she loves having two dads, "these are our genes at work" and much more... just a lot of positivity all around so it's no wonder queer community is enjoying watching it, read their relationship as queer and take comfort from the show? and there is really nothing wrong with that especially when as I said we all know it will end with heart-warming closure of this found family being happy and together

it’s honestly kinda crazy to me that kel & co were literally the first OCs i ever made

there's a very specific kind of vibe that comes with living with your friends in final year that it just does not have in first year or even second year. like as a fresher it's usually the first time any of you have lived away from home let alone with SO MANY people your age and it's terrifying and exciting and randomised to boot so it's generally carnage for a whole year in the best and worst ways, and then second year you pick who you're living with and it feels like for the first time you're doing this adult thing PROPERLY. you have a place of your own now. these are the people you've chosen to live with. studying gets serious etc. but it's still fresh. it's still new. you still don't know how to navigate it. but final year? final year is when you actually get it right. you know how to manage your time better. you know what works for you and what doesn't. studying is the main focus and you've been out in the world for three years now and it's not loud and boisterous like it was in first year and you're not exciteable and awkward like you were in second year. you're comfortable. every single one of my flatmates has their own friend group and we mainly keep to our own social circles, but we'll still meet each other back at the house after a night out and sit in the kitchen or my room to do the debrief. sometimes i'll go days not seeing either of them despite sharing a house but every now and then someone will softly call up the stairs that 'the heating's on!' or one of us will sneeze and the other two will yell 'bless you!' through the walls. the lack of interaction isn't interpreted as dislike in ways it would have been even last year, because we're all just old enough to be past that now and settled enough in our friendship not to worry about it. idk. uni is very loud and unsettling a lot of the time so it's been really sweet to see how almost boringly comfortable final year is.

favourite things about the new genshin event

kaveh getting emotionally manipulated by stray desert foxes because he’s too nice for his own good

nahida admiting that she basically made scaramouche take part in the championship because she’s trying to domesticate him like a feral cat (it is not working)

alhaitham instinctively knowing that kaveh would save some leftovers from the restaurant for him

the second round of the championship, where faruzan says ‘yes I fell into a desert dungeon for a little while but I got out. don’t worry about it.’

kaveh never shutting the fuck up about alhaitham

as appropriate punishment for his crimes and atrocities nahida will be punishing scaramouche with a fate worse than death (making him study politics)

allow me to indulge my gay theatre nerd side for a moment. now if i'm being perfectly honest, i normally don't like jukebox musicals. they usually feel too forced to me and i prefer a musical that actually has songs, y'know, written specifically for it and isn't just trying to fit songs into a story they weren't made for. it just feels more creative to me. if i wanted to listen to preexisting songs, i'd just listen to them at home without the extra story. i don't need a musical for that. HOWEVER. if anyone wanted to write a jukebox musical using fall out boy or mcr songs i would eat that shit UP no questions asked. in fact if i had any talent i'd write one myself 

Watching Andor and rewatching Rogue One for the first time in awhile had rebelcaptain soaring above all my other Star Wars ships in terms of personal rank. In my heart, no other Star Wars ship can compare to Jyn & Cassian. They never even kissed or "were together" but the connection they had was so strong. The way they gravitated toward each other and the way their expressions showed everything they felt about the other is enough for me to make them number one.

But do Lorcan and Elide ever have a conversation about being mates outside of that Maeve induced nightmare?!? What kind of 😭😭

SJM if we ever meet in person it’s on sight for robbing me of what Lorcan did and for no follow through with the mates convo between these two. (EDIT; AND NO WEDDING SCENE. SJM. WHAT IS YOUR DAMAGE?!) I mean wtf.