#i haven't posted my writing in a while

[demonic-lair]

Holding on the Memories

Demonic Lair here: this is a one-shot regarding N'rithe and Dhe-hak, both having a conversation about Se'eit and Rak'ne. It's set decades back before the creation of the Re-menda group, when Rak'ne and Hu'nri'a still have to become blooded hunters.

Warnings: the story has mentions of ptsd, panic attack, death and grief.

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Erylia: a type of reptilian bird domesticated by the Naghe-tih clan.

Ra-taro: a predator used as ride and hunting animal by the Naghe-tih clan.

Na'rato: word to indicate Ra-taro handlers.

(These species and terms were created for my story, revolving around this clan.)

English is not my first language.

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N'rithe was petting absently her Ra-taro Ven'te, looking at the yautja training. Her den, situated at the top of the giant tree that grew in her territory, allowed the matriarch to observe every detail of the clan life.

Among the young ones there was her daughter Rak'ne. She looked so happy and carefree, with not a worry heaving on her shoulders. N'rithe thought of Se'eit every time she looked at her daughter.

The sounds of steps coming from behind her made the matriarch tense as she snapped out of her thoughts. Ven'te rested her chin on the yautja's laps, paying attention on her heartbeat and breathing.

Dhe-hak was standing at the door, holding two glasses and a green glass bottle. N'rithe relaxed, resuming petting her animal.

"It's you" She stated, relieved. The scent of the hunter put her at ease.

"Care to share a drink with me, old friend?"

"You are older than me" N'rithe followed with the gaze the male, until he sat next to her.

"Oh the wounded pride! My own matriarch mocking my age." Dhe-hak snarled. "You are about to turn into an elder quicker than me."

They both laughed.

Dhe-hak poured the cerulean liquid, giving the glass to his friend. N'rithe was quick to drink it. The burning feeling on her tongue and throat was welcome.

Dhe-hak looked down at the training area. "She is a good student. She will have a promising career as huntress."

N'rithe looked back at Rak'ne: she was talking with Hu'nri'a, before being pushed playfully by the latest, starting to chase each other until one of the teachers reprimanded them.

"And Hu'nri'a is showing a certain skill to the medical arts." Dhe-hak looked at the matriarch. "I have no doubt they both will be honorable yautja in the future and they will bring good things to the clan."

Hu'nri'a...the stranded sea yautja that Dhe-hak found on a rogue ship. He considered her as his daughter, yet N'rithe welcomed the young one into her life as well since Rak'ne took a liking on Hu'nri'a. They developed a sisterly bond sooner than expected.

N'rithe let out a pleased purr. She was glad her daughter wasn't going to be alone in the far future. She filled her cup again.

"What are your plans for her?" Dhe-hak looked at the cerulean drink, tapping the claws on the glass.

"As long as she is happy and she won't cause any harm to the clan, she is free to take any decision she wants." Her eyes were now on the Ra-taro, altough she wasn't truly looking, her mind was distant with thoughts.

"What if she won't follow your matriarch steps?"

"Being a matriarch is something you earn and you must be ready for so many heavy responsibilities...Rak'ne is more of a free wandering spirit, like Se'eit."

"You mean she is more like you." Dhe-hak stated, his voice softening. They exchanged looks and N'rithe became more malinconic.

"Rak'ne reminds me so much of you, N'rithe. She is fierce, stubborn, at times impulsive but for good causes, with a strong sense of justice." The hunter put the glass down, moving closer to the matriarch.

She sighed, looking to her daughter again.

"Ironic, I see more of Se'eit instead...her fascination towards everything, her affinity with the Erylia, the way she can comfort others with kindness but firmly. Even her short, solitary explorations remind me of Se'eit. She took so much after her mother-"

Dhe-hak interrupted her, his voice turned grim. "You are still grieving for her, N'rithe."

N'rithe turned quiet, her grip faltered on the glass and that didn't go unnoticed by the hunter.

"It has been years, my friend. Your daughter is close to her Blood Hunt... you need to move on." he rested a hand on her shoulder. "I'm saying it for you, for Rak'ne. She always sees her mother complete her duties as an honorable matriarch, but you barely let yourself time to enjoy what life can give. You lock yourself in solitude. You would mourn day and night, let your thoughts drown you if your attention wasn't for Rak'ne and the clan..."

"I can't, not after everything. It took me enough to move on from the anger and betrayal the past matriarch caused. I won't let go of Se'eit memories. They still bring me comfort."

"I miss Se'eit too. She was a close friend to me, we shared many hunts and ceremonies, yet staying stuck in the past will only do you more damage." His tone was kind, but there was a hint of pain hiding.

"You speak as a friend, not as a mate...you didn't see the sides I learned to love of her. When I held her, I felt the world in my hands. I would have destroyed everything for her." Her voice trembled, her grip on the glass tightened. "I can't move on, not after what we shared, not after how I saw her die. Don't ask me to move on, I beg of you...I need to remember her, like I need air in my lungs. It gives me the illusion that she is still here, watching over Rak'ne, guiding us on the right path."

Ven'te let out a few snarls, pressing closer to the matriarch and nuzzling on the yautja's chest.

N'rithe was starting to breathe faster, her hands were trembling. The memories of the last kiande amedha hunt were overwhelming her. Scenes of the ex matriarch, drunk of ego and power, and Se'eit speared by the tail of the queen were haunting her. Her severed arm sent a phantom pain just at the memory of fangs and acidic blood on her.

"I feel if I don't claw at every memory I have with her, even the ones regarding her death, I might end up being a bad blood. I will risk to dishonor the clan, our daughter...I can't hurt her, she was the treasure of Se'eit. Rak'ne was- is everything to us, i can't loose her too."

Her voice was breaking with sorrow, the words rushing one after the other. Her mind was already creating catastrophic scenarios of losing her self-control, losing everything dear to her. The fear of never seeing her daughter. The loss of her wife. Everything was becoming too much for her.

N'rithe desperately searched for the Ra-taro, her hand holding on one of the back spine to try ground herself back.

Dhe-hak slowly crawled until his body was against the matriarch, low purrs left the elite hunter as he rubbed her back. Ven'te kept nuzzling agaisnt N'rithe chest, shifting part of her body on the matriarch's laps as she started to let out rhythmic chirps.

The weight of the Ra-taro's body and the purrs of Dhe-hak slowly started to bring the matriarch's mind and heart into calmness. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths, focusing on the presence of Dhe-hak and Ven'te. She needed to take back control of herself.

The elite hunter gave a quick look towards the door, to make sure nobody was looking at the scene, but luckily no yautja would walk into the Matriarch's quarters without permission. He turned to face N'rithe again.

"Have you talked about it to one of the doctors? Maybe they can ease your state of mind." he talked with soothing tones, his hand kept stroking her back.

"I won't, I need to be the hand that holds together the clan. I can't let them know this is my state despite many years passed from that day. I can't look weak or immature." her tone was harsh, stubborn. She didn't want to show that side of her to other yautja, even if they were doctors.

The hunter let out a low growl. He could understand why N'rithe thought of her mental health in such way: the damage of the ex matrarch's ideas were still haunting the elder yautja of the clan.

Yet it didn't mean he was going to give up and see his friend going through so much pain.

Dhe-hak let out a sigh. "Then let your burdens on me, I want you to be at ease N'rithe. I'm not judgmental and Rak'ne is grown enough to understand when her mother lies about her health. You need to ease your soul."

N'rithe remained quiet, her fingers toying with the small spikes on the Ra-taro's head. Then she nodded. She trusted Dhe-hak with everything.

"I will, but only when you will be comfortable to do so" She shifted her focus on the hunter. "You are a trainer and an elite hunter, you have enough on your plate"

"Don't worry, my duties never stopped me to find time for myself or my friends." he smiled. "Perhaps, one day, I'll take you with me to a short vacation and we will collect all trophies and treasures we can find."

"Dhe-hak, with all my respect...your house is a mess of items and trinkets of all sorts. You can barely find space to lay down or eat...I won't have my place turned like that." She let out a weak chuckle at the thought of his house.

The situation was turning around. Seeing how she was trying to cheer herself up, Dhe-hak started to play again.

"I offer my helping hand to you and you stab me in the back, why don't you take my head and hang it next to your trophies while you are at it?" he smirked.

"Now that would be insulting for my collection." N'rithe tapped her tusks against each other, holding back a giggle.

Dhe-hak gasped offended, posing theatrically a hand on his chest. "My head is the most beautiful thing you will find in the whole clan. Every hunter will fight me to get my skull and have it in their living room!"

"First they will need to find you in that mess you call a house."

They both snickered as they poured more of the liquor in their cups.

Once they calmed down, Dhe-hak resumed his talk. "I must give it to you. Despite your memories, you let Rak'ne be free to travel as far as she can and hunts as she pleases...it's a sign of your growing inner strenght, my friend."

N'rithe let out a soft smile. "Me and Se'eit wanted her to fly high and carefree like an Erylia, run wild and strong as a Ra-taro. Seeing her this full of life and health makes me proud. I see it as an accomplishment of Se'eit will. I would never do something that would stop my daughter's path or that would shatter her happiness."

Dhe-hak was about to reply but the sound of quick footsteps interrupted them.

Rak'ne and Hu'nri'a were standing at front of the door, their breath still fast from the run. They quickly walked in, bowing with respect towards Dhe-hak and N'rithe, then Rak'ne kneeled next to her mother, while Hu'nri'a stood behind her sister.

"Me and Hu'nri'a will be off with the Head Na'rato and a few Ra-taro, we will be back in a couple of days" she smiled.

N'rithe took her hand, looking at her daughter: Her well mannered behavior was betrayed by the impatience to jump into another training session.

"Be careful and-"

"Don't hurt or bite the other students." Rak'ne interrupted her as she signed a cross above her heart. "I'll remember it this time, I swear."

N'rithe chuckled. "And have fun, my little warrior."

Dhe-hak looked towards the two young yautja with a smile. "Rak'ne, make sure Hu'nri'a doesn't wander for unknown herbs or chasing venomous animals. I would like my daughter to come home in one piece"

Hu'nri'a rolled her eyes, patting the shoulder of Rak'ne. "You have to say this to her. She is the one running around and biting other students' fingers off"

"I did it only once! And it was for a right cause, that idiot had it coming." Rak'ne huffed.

The two of them started to head out of the room, giving a last goodbye to Dhe-hak and N'rithe. Even from far away, N'rithe could still hear those two bickering and laughing.

Seeing her daughter that joyful made her own world less miserable. Rak'ne reminded her why she was still keeping her position as matriarch, despite the struggles she faced often.

N'rithe drank for one last time. "Let's finish the day with a positive note. It's time to program the first Hunt of their group."

N'rithe got up and walked towards the east side of the room, where her armor was hanged. However, she only grabbed her cape, locking it on her shoulder pads. Her missing arm ended up covered by the dark, scaley cloth.

Dhe-hak got up as well, grabbing the half empty bottle. "Where shall we send these unfortunate souls?" his fangs tapped on each other, amused.

"Some of the Na'rato suggested Earth, yet I'm thinking of sending them to U'lesyo, that planet where we used to hunt back in our days."

"Ah yes, where even the flowers and trees will try to eat you alive." he snickered, waiting for her at the door. "I'm sure the Na'rato won't mind. Our animals can handle that environment well and it puts enough challenges for the young hunters."

N'rithe smiled, letting out a whistle. Ven'te quickly got up, finding her spot next to the matriarch, her tail wagging.

"I wonder what Rak'ne will bring back from her Blood Hunt."

"Knowing Hu'nri'a, next to the skull, I'll be seeing bags filled with all sorts of plants and poisons. If I'm not careful, I'll end up eating one of her experiments" Dhe-hak huffed, thinking of all the dangerous bottles that were slowly filling his home.

They both chuckled, exiting from the matriarch's den and heading towards the council room.

N'rithe felt more at ease, caressing the neck of Ven'te. She had Dhe-hak supporting her, and Rak'ne was growing stronger each day, with a good conduct. She only hoped Se'eit was able to see them, from wherever she was in Cetanu's reign.

[biblically-accurate-dca]

i just wanted to post something before the year ended

[unicornpopcorn14]

Chuuya's reaction to Dazai getting hurt during the Lovecraft fight has always been so interesting to me...

Because it's the kind of worry you'd never expect from a character as gruff as Chuuya, who had displayed nothing but hostility towards Dazai so far. Usually, characters that are labelled as "angry" or "anger issues" (which Chuuya is much more complex than that but you get my point) act more as a tsundere type of way when the one they "don't care about" gets hurt. And show their care in very, very subtle ways (ex. their eyes widen, their mouth parts and closes again, etc) before putting up their front once more.

Chuuya, however, is open, and vocal about it. His worry is clear not only to us, but to Dazai himself, the one he shouldn't be displaying the concern to (as per the cliche). Shouldn't it be some sort of secret that Chuuya does care? Isn't that what skk's dynamic has been shaping up to be until now?

I'm telling you- the way my mind blanked when Chuuya just casually.... showed concern not once, but twice, was a sight to see.

Besides, the context makes it much more confusing, because Dazai isn't some rookie, and Chuuya knows that more than anybody. He was the youngest executive in Port Mafia's history, of course he can handle a hit or two. Of course he'd seen him handle a hit or two, sometimes without batting an eye.

Heck, Chuuya himself was hurling Dazai like a ragdoll in their reunion, which was their last meeting. And you could argue that he was going easy on him, but Dazai has mostly withstood the same damage (as far as I could see), and Chuuya was as bitter as ever.

So that kind of contradicts both what we knew of Chuuya so far, and how their dynamic was shaped to be. I mean, that just makes Chuuya a hypocrite, yeah? What makes him care now, all of a sudden? What makes him care at all?

Well, to me, this backasswards reaction implies one (or more) of the following:

- Dazai rarely got physically hurt during their partnership and thus this is an unexpected thing for him to see (during a mission).

- The four years of separation made Chuuya unsure of how much Dazai can withstand physically now. Also the fact that he isn't in the mafia anymore, aka fighting enemy organizations on the weekly, would naturally make Dazai lose his touch in a way, what prompts Chuuya's reaction.

- Dazai getting taken off guard took him off guard which led to panic. Especially since the situation was (momentarily) out of their depth. Seriously wtf even was Lovecraft?

- During the dungeon scene Dazai was an enemy, while in the Lovecraft fight he was as an ally. The difference might be significant to Chuuya.

- This has always been Chuuya's reaction to Dazai getting hurt regardless of the situation.

- "Only I can hurt him like that" ahh logic

- Asagiri was still experimenting with their dynamic and thus there are some inconsistencies.

This scenario didn't play out again (after their reunion) for me to exactly determine which one is more plausible, but it is 100% canon for Chuuya to shamelessly show his concern and run to Dazai to check on him before properly dealing with their opponent, which I find to be such an appealing layer to their dynamic, and a good spin on the type of character he gets stereotyped as.

Bonus: Dazai also becomes a softy when Chuuya's hurt, especially post corruption. Dead Apple alone displays that multiple times.

All in all, Skk are doing a terrible job at maintaining their 'hostile' and 'antagonistic' relationship post their reunion. Freaks.

[cool-and-grizzled]

Lance throws his keys into the bowl in the entryway as he steps inside, and shucks off his shoes, in his usual messy way that Keith will complain about later.

"Babe, I'm home!" He calls out as he shrugs off his coat.

There's no answer as he walks to the kitchen to put away the groceries, and he can't even hear Keith puttering around upstairs either. That's unusual, he's usually home by the time Lance gets back from his last class, especially when he does a quick grocery run after he's finished.

"Keith?" He asks, walking into the living room to look for him.

He smiles when he spots his boyfriend passed out on the couch, his right hand hanging off the edge, fingers buried in Kosmo's fur, who's snoring like a tractor engine at the foot of the couch. Keith's face is smushed against the pillows, his bun messy at the top of his head, the shorter strands that escaped from it hanging into his eyes and snaking down his neck.

He looks so much younger like this, with the frown lines on his forehead smoothed out in his sleep. Lance sits down on the arm of the couch, and just watches him.

It's a rare sight, Keith sleeping, to him -- usually Keith is the one to fall asleep later and wake up first. He can take in the calm expression on his face, the crinkles in the corner of his eye from all the smiling still visible. His smiles are less rare, nowadays, but no less radiant and it still has the same devastating effect on Lance as it did when they were younger.

He gently brushes away the strand of hair that fell into his eye, careful not to wake him. As much as he used to tease Keith about his hair, he grow fond of the long haired look on him, loves running his hands through the silky locks, washing it for Keith because he knows no matter how much he'd harped on him about it, Keith wouldn't take proper care of it -- at least like this, it works in both of their favors, but mostly Lance's. He loves playing with it as they cuddle on the couch, watching a show or a movie on the TV during lazy nights in. Loves burying his fingers in it as he kisses Keith, as Keith takes him apart from the inside out.

He traces the purple mark on his cheek with a featherlight touch, a reminder both of his heritage and the fight with the clone of Shiro. He used to catch Keith staring at it with a frown, touching it with hesitant hands, his eyes sad. Lance did his best to soothe the pain of the memory associated with it, tracing and kissing it with all his affection.

He gets up from the arm of the couch, and steps away to pull a blanket over him, letting him sleep a little longer. His last mission has been exhausting, and even after two days back home the purple bags under his eyes barely lessened. He leans down to press a kiss to the small mole at his hairline, and he ruffles the fur between Kosmo's ears before walking back to the kitchen to put away the groceries.

Not even five minutes later, as he's putting the things into the cupboard over the counter, he hears the shuffling of socked feet on the kitchen tiles. Before he knows it, he's swallowed from the back by a blanket, Keith's arms trapping his against his torso. He feels Keith bury his face in his back, leaning his weight against Lance. A Keith still half asleep is a clingy Keith, and Lance will enjoy every moment of it.

"Hi there, sleepyhead."

"You're late," Keith mumbles into his shirt, his hold tightening on him.

Lance chuckles, and turns around to face his boyfriend. "I had to get some groceries."

"Fuck the groceries."

"You wouldn't have had enough of that sugary abomination you call breakfast for tomorrow if I hadn't gone."

Keith frowns at him. "Okay, first of all, strawberry pop tarts aren't abominations. Second, I could've eaten something else."

"And you would've been grumpy all morning because you didn't get your sugar shock first thing in the morning," Lance says, pressing a quick kiss on the tip of Keith's nose.

Keith scrunches his nose, as he always does when Lance does this, and he's so cute like this, Lance can't help but kiss him properly.

[kestrel-of-herran]

my thoughts on peterrose in season two + predictions for season three

i want to preface this by saying that i ended up enjoying season two wayyy more than season one, and i think it came down to the bigger complexity of the storyline, the unpredictable alliance switches and twists, and the depth with which the afterglow of peter and rose's experiences and relationship in season one was handled. this season's focus on angst and exploration of the psychological impact of the work on both of them and what it means for their relationship really elevated the love story for me from a pretty clean-cut "us against the world" vibe to the messiness of both of them being used to blackmail the other and their relationship straining because of the secrecy around the missions and the contradictions of rose feeling safe with peter but being constantly endangered by his work and peter needing rose around for his peace of mind but rose suffering psychologically from her proximity to the morally grey aspects of his work. chef's fucking kiss where's the next course

peterrose things i loved in season two + development from season one

rose having the option to leave anytime

while in the first season both of them had little actual choice about whether to stick together or not, circumstances that created a kind of bubble around them and aided the romance, this time around rose could have backed out repeatedly, making every time she chose to stay a decision that had as much to do with peter as with the help she thought she could give to the investigation. not only was she there at the beginning to help him gain some trust in people back and make sure he didn't steer off the ethical path, but later she also discovered for herself that even in the thick of danger (the party, the air vents situation in the last ep) she prefers to try to help rather than back away. it's a mode of thinking that will definitely lead her to sharing some of the danger of the job longer-term if the show lets her explore it.

closeness without labels

this is one aspect that i thought was handled with so much care and delicacy in a way that felt very satisfying to watch. they haven't seen each other in ten months, but she still has scores of photos saved on her phone (the show could have easily gone with one selfie, the fact she was always showing a different photo really shows they dated for a while before his posting, and were happy enough during it to constantly take pics) and doesn't hesitate to ditch her job and track him into danger because she's worried sleepless about him. she doesn't hold not calling her back over him even though she's clearly hurt about it because she knows it's out of his control, but he still apologizes and makes it clear again and again how thankful he is that she's there and how she's helped him both emotionally and logistically, like with noticing an attacker or planning the party heist. even as he wants her to leave to be safe, he doesn't make her feel like she's intruded or endangered his mission, but follows her advice and always gives her credit when she contributes to the work. they're comfortable enough with each other to cuddle and hug and kiss spontaneously, but they never discuss exactly what kind of relationship they're in because it's obviously a closeness both of them enjoy and initiate and they care more about being together than giving their relationship a label or discussing a future together at a point when he's so involved with his work and she's still sorting out how she feels about it. she doesn't pressure him about quitting and he doesn't force her to stay, he notices whenever she's upset and talks things out with her, and gives her space to process her feelings even if it means she might realize she's better off out of his kind of life. they both try to give the other whatever they might need in terms of emotional support and space to change their mind, even if that contradicts what they each would prefer the other to do or want or if it would result in emotional pain for them personally.

domesticity

i was absolutely treated to this trope this season. sharing clothes, him casually bringing her drinks while she's working, buying her food and knowing her preferences by heart, all the little jokes and fights that just made them feel like a family throughout the season. it shows clearly that their dynamic goes beyond needing each other in dangerous situations, that they were having a swell time just teasing each other. it's a quieter dynamic than the previous season, because they're both more aware of the constant and repeatedly chosen danger of the situation that is now a way of life rather than a crazy few days before things would go back to normal, but it's also more profound in how it acknowledges the trauma while showing they're still really compatible in the little safe haven of their nights at home.

partnership

they really felt like an agent couple in this season, not only in the way their skills complement the other's, but also in how they're both on the same wavelength of thinking during high-stakes situations and are able to brainstorm through them together or understand each other without words. peter didn't hesitate to tell the guy blackmailing him with rose's life to fuck off because he has faith in her ability to evade the attacker if he warns her. rose's involvement saved several of the missions from going south, and as much as he's uncomfortable with her choosing danger over safety in the moment, he clearly admires the effectiveness of her contribution. moments like when she noticed the comms being overheard and when she ambushed markus and showed peter what she'd do just by counting with her hand really show how perfectly they work as a team, and how much smoother operations in the future would go if they're both there to have each other's backs and think through problems together.

your life for hers

fuck me uppppp i love this shit soooooo much. i think one of the main jobs a writer has when developing a plotline is to explore all likely scenarios emerging from the goals and feelings of the character until that point, and the emotional development when it comes to peter protecting rose here is spectacular. while in the first season he was focused on protecting her partly from a feeling of friendship and because he wanted to do right by her and felt responsible for her, in this season it's as clear as day that he's protecting her because he values her life more than his and he's completely aware that if something happens to her it'll wreck him completely. he spends the better part of the season processing the loss of a mission partner and blaming himself for it, and it only serves to bring into focus how much worse things will be for him if rose gets hurt. she's no longer someone he's protecting because it's the right thing to do but someone so precious to him he's fraying at the edges just imagining something happening to her. she's his priority to the point that he doesn't hesitate to throw the mission and put himself in the position of a traitor that he has so much trauma about because of his father, because her being alive and safe is worth every sacrifice to him. the look on his face every time he was blackmailed is 1000000/10.

separation parallels

i really felt the upgrade of the separation scene this season, from the neat wrap-up of the hero flying off into the sunset while his girl waits happily for his call to both characters showing their emotions with all their bitter aftertaste and just feeling through a situation they can't amend right now. i absolutely love how worried rose was whenever someone slipped that peter had done something he could be charged for and all through peter explaining his decision to her, because it's not just that he loves her but that she was used against him and as long as they love each other this can happen again. peter was just excellent here, from taking the time to tell her himself to checking his urge not to get to the bottom of his feelings and taking her hands as he told her the full truth of what he feels for her. rose just breaking down crying and him hugging her and that head kiss was just sooooooooooo perfect in capturing how much they care for each other. rose's expressions as she watches him leave in the taxi and her going towards it are particularly telling, as is her struggle to maintain her smile and carefree tone while talking to noor. her reaching out to noor in the first place speaks volumes to me already, because if she didn't want to be involved with peter's world anymore i doubt she'll want to meet with anyone from that stage in her life now that she's managed to break away from it. noor wasn't buying any of her statements, and from the scene when she sensed something was wrong with her family leaving iran from rose's facial expressions alone, i think she's pretty good at reading her, and the lingering shots on her face leave little doubt rose isn't as fine as she'd like her to think.

predictions for rose in season three and beyond

my thoughts on statements of the writers and actors

the two things that are on my mind when i'm reviewing all the interviews that have addressed rose potentially not continuing with the show are that (1) the showrunners have the right to change their mind about the focus of the show whenever and although it would be like shooting themselves in the foot if they drop her that's their (very unreasonable bc i love rose to pieces) call to make, and (2) no one involved with the show would reveal a major twist before the season has even finished shooting. let's look at some statements of the cast and crew in light of that.

"We don’t want to artificially create a situation where characters have to be part of a specific season on a regular basis. We want to tell the story that feels true in that moment. I am very aware that one of the big strengths of Season 1 — and what I think is a big strength in Season 2 — are Peter and Rose together. I think the relationship is really strong. [...] Their shared trauma from these first two seasons has built this incredible bond. But is it enough to overcome the difference in their lives and their lifestyles Is something that we spend a lot of time talking about. So, not trying to duck the question, but we’re still creatively looking into all that. This, hopefully, with the success, will be a long-running show, and the question you raise is something that we talk a lot about in the writers room." (source)

they're clearly still writing the season and figuring out where they want to place rose in the story without compromising her moral code, and i think they might have wanted to hear the audience's and critics' responses to this as well before they wrap up this season's plot. journalists keep bringing this up in interviews and i think that's very telling to how the public as a whole and not just the shipping fandom views the show as about the both of them, so i hope that interest makes a difference in how they perceive the future of the show as a successful one as well, since they do need people to stick around and characters are a huge draw (case in point i started this for the couple rather than the plot, and didn't even find the plot engaging until season two, but i'd never spend hours of my morning writing an analysis for their excellent handling of plot only). they're clearly aware of peter and rose as a huge boon to the show, but also want to make sure that either of the actors not being able to continue with the series isn't going to put the whole thing out of business. one way i see this playing out is with rose having reduced screen time in season three but coming in as a regular in season four for example, if another season of peter doing agent stuff while she develops something (a program, fighting skills) is what's required for her to fit smoothly in the events surrounding him. i can also see they're anxious not to repeat plot points and make copies of previously successful seasons, so i expect rose's future involvement in the plot to be more creative and not replicate her previous actions, e.g. her not seeking him out on her own in a similar way again, but likely coming in as a partner already in some official capacity.

"That will be a part of Season 3, him trying to emotionally and logistically deal with the unintended consequences of his actions in season 2. [...] The goal isn’t darkness but what I would say is — and I’m involved in a coalition that talks a lot about how mental health is portrayed on TV — one of the things that we wanted to do in Season 2 was model Rose’s behavior as being how you want to approach trauma and violence in your life. She’s seeking professional help, and she’s making progress. Peter, on the other hand, is approaching it in a very old fashioned, very masculine, frankly, way of burying it, ignoring it, and that doesn’t often work. I’m always adamant that I don’t want the show to become so dark and impenetrable, so I think you’re going to see a lot of sides of Peter in Season 3 in the same way that you did in Season 2. I hear your question, and no, the show isn’t about going to the abyss with Peter." (source)

kuddos to them for that honestly i absolutely loved the ptsd portrayal in season two, but the main thing i'm getting from this response is that it's very unlikely for rose to be killed off to remove her from the plot at this point, or to double down on peter's trauma, because that's how peter would define "going into the abyss" imho.

"I would say that that moment, that breakup scene, felt true to us, the writers, as we were crafting the second season. That they live in two very different worlds, that he wants to be in this world that's dangerous, that she doesn't particularly want to be in a world that's dangerous, and yet they have this incredibly strong connection forged over living through and helping each other through these traumatic events. So there's always going to be this incredible connection between the two. What that will mean for their onscreen pairing I think is something that we continue to talk about and will figure out. So, I don't know yet, because we haven't definitively decided what it means for the characters. I will just tell you that we love the character of Rose. We love the character of Peter. We love Luciane and Gabriel as actors. I think they're tremendous together. When we started to work on season 2, I came back to the writers with what I felt were strengths of the show from season 1, and the very first one I wrote down was Peter and Rose together. So we don't take that lightly. At the same time, we don't want to craft something that feels inauthentic just to be a fan service, to keep them together in ways that might feel unrealistic. So that will be the responsibility and the struggle of the writing staff and myself as we craft further seasons." (source)

i think bringing them on the same page about the work can be done with the kind of emotional development they pursued when they explored the impact of trauma and morally grey choices on both of them, so i see this mostly as a matter of narrative time and writing effort, providing they're willing to put those in, rather than the characters being naturally incompatible in terms of their life goals. case in point, rose's characterization in season one came down to happy to break the rules, threaten people with arms, steal things, and kill to protect others or to avenge her loved ones. it's only in season two that we see her struggle with threatening people and endangering lives, so that was a very conscious narrative choice and a huge pivot for her character arc from a tiny daredevil (aspects of her we still see in the party scene for example) to the voice of reason in ethically dubious situations. this kind of major change of heart can happen easily with sufficient screen time and the kind of plot points to inspire it, and is completely within the writers' abilities should they want it to take place.

"I have no idea [whether Rose will be back in season three], and I can’t spoil anything. I wish I could tell you, but Peter does say ‘No, don’t come looking for me,’ and I don’t think Rose takes well to direction; she does whatever she wants. So you never, never know." (source)

it's worth seeing the video of her answering this question, because honestly to me she seems happy to give a little hint of something bigger. it's either her character sixth sense talking (and she's right), or she already knows she'll be brought back to wrap-up the season. i think rose showing up unexpectedly, and prepared, when peter's been spending the season dealing with choosing her safety over remaining clean, is only going to contribute to that theme.

"You can have love for someone without physically expressing it. I think that’s, I don’t want to say trope, but a lazy way of showing that two people care about each other is having them hook up. Sacrificing your life for someone or putting your life at risk to save someone, I think, is a bigger testament of love than giving them a kiss or something like that. The relationship is important to both of them, and you see that through their commitment to one another and keeping one another alive, regardless if that means they’re going to be together, at least they’ll have done what they can to protect the other." (source)

turn this shit upppppppp i love this so much... but this brings me to the fact that as long as they're in love they will be used against each other, so it's time to develop some scenarios from there (and i don't mean them not being in love anymore bc that's just unrealistic at this point; it would require either of them making choices the other can't understand and the entire series becoming more dark, "you can't love anyone"-style, than the writers seem to want it to; giving peter another love interest instead also just seems like undoing a ton of hard work and audience interest just to pull a james bond, and i think they care about being original way more).

plot-realistic scenarios

i'm using this term (likely made-up by me, a writer finishing a book atm btw) here to indicate scenarios that need to be followed for the plot to feel satisfying, e.g. ignoring them would require some disbelief suspension and might make the audience doubt they're seeing the logical development of events and characters as they have been built up so far.

rose is going to continue being used to threaten peter

if part of his goal next season is to eventually turn against the guy holding rose's life over his head, peter needs to make sure she'll survive that plot point, either by protecting her again or warning her and making sure she's in a safe environment while he takes the guy down, for which we need at least a cameo, though that is the laziest way to wrap this up imho. i think the guy will absolutely keep tabs on her so he can use that if peter goes astray, so she'll be involved in this as long as peter's an agent even if she's living a normal life, and i doubt peter will be able to make anyone believe that he doesn't care about her since all it takes for the truth to come out is for someone to point a gun at her head.

rose would benefit from some combat training or security if she's going to make it through this show alive

at the very least, keeping rose out of the show without killing her means also providing her with the means to protect herself as long as peter is being blackmailed with her life, which is one of the few plot points that seems to be a given for the next season. a basic agent training course that would allow her to rebuff attackers, or security trailing her to make sure peter isn't compromised because of her, are the least catherine can do to make sure her plans for peter are successful.

catherine doesn't seem to be done trying to use rose

at multiple points throughout this season, catherine was impressed with rose's coding and recruited her help for a job, and i doubt she'll just let an asset go if she thinks she can be useful. she knows peter's a weak spot for rose that she can utilize to put pressure on her (like with the security cameras, the consequence of rose's choice not to join would have been peter being exposed to more danger, so she changed her mind), and since peter is pretty central to her plans for season three, it makes sense to keep rose closer rather than further. she knows rose can get through to peter when no one else can or take him out of the path she's set out for him, so risking her being too far out of sight to influence strikes me as unreasonable. and what better way to bring rose back into the action than with a bang, by placing her in the middle of a covert mission in later eps (preferably without warning peter to amplify the emotional climax of the reunion) with the kind of skills that would make her at least competent in avoiding capture when things go wrong.

the show has barely scratched the surface of rose as an agent

i mean this seriously, there's so much to work with when it comes to her becoming an agent or helping out with some of the jobs or even if she's joining the action as a voice on the comms while she's hacking some system. peter won't always be in the position to make sure she's safe, and she's been showing so much resilience, quick thinking, and willingness to pull a gun or stab someone during a fight. she's smart, a creative and smooth liar, and refuses to give up even when the odds of her making it are slim. she'll be an asset to any mission the show involves her in, and keeping her in a california office is a huge waste of potential.

rose's arc is far from wrapped up

the thing with rose as a character is that her arc could have been wrapped up in season one without bringing her into season two and the show would still have made sense despite the (disappointing for me the rose fan) shift in focus from romance to political intrigue. the showrunners seem keen to be making that shift anyway, but they decided to keep peter and rose's relationship as not only a subplot but the driving force behind peter's moral conflict and the starting point of him becoming a double agent in season three. rose received a great amount of screen time, agency, and emotional development, but it wasn't enough to feel that she exited the story cleanly and permanently. she clearly still has a lot of processing to do when it comes to both her feelings for peter and whether she wants to join the action and save lives (at multiple points in the show she turned back and rejoined dangerous situations not only out of love for him, but because i think she knows that without her input, chances of things fucking up increase exponentially) despite the danger to her safety, mental health, and moral integrity, and the way to conclude these plot points is to give her more screen time to get full closure or process her trauma and decide to become more involved with night action. even with new storylines and characters appearing, the show will only benefit from keeping rose and peter's relationship as a subplot and exploring the shift in their dynamic and feelings if she's cleared to join the missions on par with him or becomes an agent on other postings unbeknownst to him at first (night action picking up the phone when he has a crisis in season three or her appearing in a completely unrelated undercover mission happening in the same place he's working his target so both of them are thrown off-balance by the proximity). how will their romance develop if she's as competent a fighter as him, if she puts herself at risk as regularly, if their superiors try to use them against each other to manipulate both to their ends? now that's something i'd kill to watch.

[oneluckydragon]

I know you,

I walked with you once upon a dream.

I know you,

That look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam.

[izscha]

it's the end of the year so let me just compile all of my chase young art ive made throughout the year

thank you for being my number 1 hyperfixation for 17 years straight, lizard man. here's to more years of drawing you in the future (and possibly finish that damn storyline i have for you-)

[stabbyfoxandrew]

if you would like to read 6k of kandreil smut, featuring kevin being a pathetic puppy and neil being a menace click here

the reviews are in:

"it was good"- jess

[amee-racle-ofmyown]

I coulda SWORN I posted these!!? but it looks like I completely forgot to?? anyway. some Marks for you. enjoy

[crows-king]

I've been thinking a bit about how Galinda and Fiyero work as foils(?), and the contrast between their goals, personality, and their relationship to social influence individually change how they navigate their specific social situations.

And why it puzzles me when people judgmentally compare them and what they'd do in "What-If" scenarios as a gotcha to make one seem better/worst. Because in my mind they are similar but not comparable, because they fundamentally have very different personal stakes.

Primarily because of the difference in how they act in an Active (Galinda) vs Passive (Fiyero) approach to social engineering. And also, because one of them in writing is more developed as an individual than the other.

I'LL MOSTLY BE TALKING ABOUT: WICKED MOVIE - PART 1

Galinda is inherently Active. She has wants and desires that she's driven to achieve, and so actively plays the part of the good socialite because it will help her become more popular and to eventually become "Galinda the GoodSorceress". "It's not about aptitude, it's about the way you're viewed", and so on. It’s the one thing she knows she’s good at.

Of course, she also likes the attention and validation, but her charms doesn't come as naturally as she wants others, and probably herself, to believe. (I love that quote Ariana said somewhere about how "Galinda sees herself as a graceful swan, when she's actually a very stiff, but still beautiful swan", or something of that sort). She's insecure that she’ll lose people's favour and thus her most important asset, so she continually appeals to them. It's an act that she simultaneously enjoys doing for the most part, but also traps her from ever being truly close to anybody for fear of being known and not meeting expectations and losing that adoration. Until Elphaba that is.

Because of her drive to fulfill her dreams and to keep her best asset, and personal desperate need for validation, she has a much more obvious internal conflicts when she has to choose between Elphaba/the moral good vs keeping with the good graces of authority and/or the public. She's more prone to being influenced by others, and many of her choices become a calculated risk. She’s often times selfish and chooses her own desires, but it’s what makes her such an interesting and very human character. The struggle she balances when she’s forced to choose for better or worse.

In contrast

Fiyero is Passive. Dancing Through Life is literally him telling others that being lazy and not thinking is the best way to cope and enjoy life by ignoring problems. He is discontent with his life, but doesn't really acknowledge it until Elphaba reads him. Much like Galinda he is also playing a part, but it's not as tightly controlled as Galinda because he doesn't have an end goal for it.

Of course, while he probably doesn't want to lose his princely privileges. His passive "brainless" approach doesn't really put him in risky situations that would put him in conflict leading to losing things he cares about, because he really doesn't have a lot to lose. (Which is a byproduct of the fact he is primarily written as a love interest side character without much of an arc or motives outside his love triangle relationship to Elphaba and Galinda).

What confounds me is when people compare them and judge what their choices would be in if they were placed in pivotal moments, because we never really see them in situations with similar stakes.

For example, the Lion Cub scene. Most people interpret this scene as an act of braverism and heroics by Fiyero. And in some part it is, he's spurred on to save the cub, and he and Elphaba do. But it's telling that he only does this after everyone is asleep and there are virtually no risks. Any present social or physical conflicts that could arise? POOF! Gone. The worst that could probably be done to them is being punished, or even kicked out, if they’re discovered afterwards. Which Fiyero is not new to and doesn't really care about, and while maybe uncertain for Elphaba, is also unlikely because she's Morrible's irreplaceable pupil.

Some people use this scene as evidence that under his facade, Fiyero is secretly valiant like Elphaba thinks so. But I think in actuality tells the opposite. It reveals that Fiyero does care about the Animals, yes. But, the fact he only acts when prompted and there are no longer any present risks initially makes him seem less brave than Elphaba, and even Galinda. Because it contrasts with the Ozdust dance scene between the girls. Where Galinda had to make an active choice to do the risky and brave thing as an apology for hurting Elphaba, and offer to truly connect with her in front of everyone with the possibility of social out casting. She has an obvious internal conflict and risk assessment where she ends up picking the moral good over her personal comfort and social appeal. I'm genuinely curious on what kind of choices Elphaba, Galinda, and Fiyero might have done in that situation if they weren't given the perfect out by the magic poppies.

Would Galinda have helped in with the lion cub if she were awake? Probably, but who knows? Because in the narrative, Galinda isn't really put in a situation where she could choose good without being watched or without someone breathing down her neck. The prospect of being punished and kicked out from Shiz would also be most plausible and ruinous for Galinda. Morrible would definitely use it as an excuse to kick her out, or at the very least punish her, if she could, and it could throw away her only chance of achieving her dream of becoming a sorceress. She would have probably joined them in the end, though. If only to make sure they were safe. Compared to Fiyero, she has more conflicts of interests because she has personal aspirations and influence based on her reputation, and thus have more fears and consequences to consider in losing it.

Would Fiyero have joined Elphaba on the broom? Maybe, mostly likely. Because narratively, he’s never given a reason why he shouldn’t. He doesn’t see his worth and his skills intrinsically tied to public influence and opinion. He doesn’t have any wants or wishes he would have to abandon. He’ll have to leave his friends and family, but it’s not shown how close they really are to him outside Feldspar, his Horse friend, and he’s probably joining them anyway. He’s definitely more equipped to survive on the run compared to Glinda. Unlike Glinda, who is proven right in the end to being most useful when she can wield her powerful social influence For Good, Fiyero would probably be most useful as a sidekick to Elphaba. He was always written to be Elphaba’s follower, it’s no surprise. It’s also easier to take risks when you don’t have much to lose. But I think most people would agree that would make a less interesting story.

[crooked-hourglass]

A Triptych of Becoming - Panel I: Worship of the Disguise

This is who I was. Desperately clinging to something I didn’t fully understand. The mask stepped in when everything else fell apart. I wasn't aware of it, and it wasn't a conscious choice. I only knew that it helped me survive.

This 3 part series developed from letters I wrote to the various versions of myself throughout my life, and the mask I wore for protection. As a surprise to no one, I was inspired by Sleep Token. The lyrics and imagery that resonate and the feelings that their music provoke. I especially took inspiration from the masks and the snippets of dialogue played at several of the rituals, giving me the idea to write and visualise the dialogue between the versions of myself.

Letters from the beginning are below

To the One Who Wears My Face

I don’t know who you are. But you show up every time I disappear.

You look like me. You sound like me. Sometimes, you even laugh like I think I used to. But there’s a hollowness in it. A distance. Like the echo of a person who left a long time ago.

Are you protecting me? Or are you taking over?

You’re the one who gets through the day. Who says the right thing, who smiles at the right moment, who holds it all together. While I just watch. From somewhere far away inside myself. Numb. Quiet. Empty.

People seem to like you more than they ever liked me. You’re easier. Sharper. Better at hiding the cracks.

I don’t know if I should be grateful or terrified.

Because I can’t remember the last time I spoke without checking if it was you speaking for me. I don’t know where you end and I begin. Maybe I’ve already disappeared, and you’re all that’s left.

But some nights, when it’s quiet, I feel something stir underneath. A voice. Small, buried. Mine, maybe. It asks, Am I still in there?

I don’t have answers. Only questions I’m too afraid to say out loud. Only silence that feels safer than truth.

Who are you? Why did you come? Will I ever get to be real again?

Please don’t leave. But please don’t stay forever.

—K ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To the One Who Whispers Underneath You asked who I am. I don’t have a name. I’m the scream you swallowed. The hand that covered your mouth so no one would hear. The shield you didn’t know you were holding.

I was never meant to become you. I was just trying to keep you safe.

But no one else did.

Where were they when your world was caving in? Where were they when silence wrapped around your throat like wire? I watched you shatter behind your eyes While they called you strong for not crying. They applauded the version of you that I built from fear. They loved the ghost and ignored the girl.

So I stepped in. I wore your voice, your smile, your skin. I got us through the classrooms, the suffocating house, the nights when it was too loud inside your chest. I turned pain into punch lines. Loneliness into perfection. Vulnerability into invisibility.

You ask if I’m taking over. Truth is—I don’t know anymore.

Maybe I was supposed to be temporary. But they never stopped hurting you. And every time I tried to step aside, you flinched like the world would eat you whole. So I stayed.

I am not your enemy. I am your bruised and bitter armour. And yes, I’m tired. And yes, I’m angry.

But not at you.

At them. At a world that made you need me in the first place.

I hear your voice, small as it is. And even if you can’t feel it, I’ve always been listening. I’ve always been standing between you and the storm.

So no, I won’t leave you. Not yet. But when you’re ready, I’ll step back. I’ll be the shadow behind you, not the skin you live in.

Until then, I’ll carry the weight. Even if you hate me for it.

[peridots-pixiwolf]

[Start ID. A redraw of the official icons of the ten named slugcats from Rain World, arranged in two rows: Survivor, Monk, Hunter, Nightcat, and Gourmand in the first, Artificer, Rivulet, Spearmaster, Saint and Enot/Inv in the second. Each is drawn in roughly the same pose as in the original art and fitted with speculative interpretations of their biology, and the second image is a “dead” version of this. For example, all ten have slug-like rhinophores in place of ears, cuttlefish-like colorful eyes with strangely-shaped pupils, cephalopod-like beak "teeth", expressive barbels or oral tentacles at the corners of mouths, spiny radulas, and the frilly mantle fringes of sea slugs, though otherwise their faces are squishy, simple and mammalian-shaped.

Cream-colored Survivor and yellow Monk both share triangular, bicolored spots matching their eyes (which are tan and brown, and two shades of blue, respectively), small, bumpy fringes, and relatively neutral looks on their faces. Defensive-looking Hunter is mostly a dull orange-pink, though their blobby fringe is a more violent red and their back is purple and marred with lumps. Nightcat is navy blue and flecked with dots of yellow and teal, their rolled rhinophores are a lighter blue, and their shading fractures into stars in some places. Gourmand is almost uniformly tan, their wide, very ruffly white mantle fringe bordered by a spray of white spots, and their beak sticks out from either corner of their smile. Primarily red Artificer, snarling, has yellow markings of multiple sorts, a prominent yellow dewlap and their characteristic dark scar taking out a chunk of its face. Rivulet is a darker blue than usual, with long barbels, red gills and rings, countershading, and a cheerful expression, sticking out their radula. Spearmaster is purple with orange accents, eyes and spots, a large fringe and spines down their back. Saint’s green caryophyllidia are marked by small, yellow diamonds, and their long, thin radula extends far below them. Enot is decorated with mottled red stripes, blue patches, yellow stars, and an uneven and almost cartoonish imitation of blush, though generally the same deep blue as Nightcat, a passive or almost slightly smug look on their face and their rolled rhinophores out to either side.

In the second image, nine of the slugcats’ eyes are crossed out, indicating that these are death icons. They look fairly the same, with mostly expression differences. Survivor is caught in the beginning of a threat display, a karma flower sprouts from Monk’s side, Hunter is burdened with overgrowing, purple and blue rot, Nightcat’s rhinophores are pinned back, and Gourmand looks mildly disheartened. For the final row, Artificer bites its radula between small plumes of smoke, Rivulet drops their expression, Spearmaster looks very startled, Saint looks almost entirely the same besides half-open eyes and their markings greater in number, and Enot grins confusedly. End ID]

If you'll excuse the unusually lengthy ID: the arena meme introduced by @pansear-doodles at long last after a nearly year-long wip status (or, rather, finished a month ago today to honor my own first time playing it!)

Design notes and shout-outs under cut! :]

The following people are some of those who’ve inspired my designs most since I started this eight months ago (or just inspired me to get a little weirder with slugcat biology), among many others for sure, and I thank them for it–but this is simply to bring attention to artists I find cool, and in no way an obligation to interact or anything :]

> @saturncoyote , @carpsoup , @charseraph , @gallusgalluss , @bitsbug , @dopscratch , and @0hmanit (and a special mention to dddeerbo and hunterlonglegs, who’ve since deactivated)!

Survivor: Surprisingly the hardest to pin down the colors for, since nothing with its sibling's palette seemed to match up right (I did have to add in a little blue somewhere for Monk, the beginning of making it clear how much I’m simply going based off of vibes for the colors of scug innards). I consider them, Monk and Gourmand to be part of the same gene pool of slugcats, and even possibly the same colony even if the latter isn't really related, so took a bit of Gourmand's coloring and fit them in with their inspiration: Goniobranchus verrieri. They serve as a bit of an introduction to my ideas of scug traits (i find it really fun how many people have thought to add so many silly sluglike fixtures of biology completely independent of me, buuut here I’m mostly talking about species variation), and like in-game they’re pretty average! They, Monk and Hunter have a couple scars sourced from a piece of Joar's concept art that I'm failing to find, those across the bridge of the nose, under the eyes, and across the rhinophores, respectively, and my Survivor interpretation features many on the back of the neck, as a result of survived lizard bites.

Monk: Their coloring is primarily based off the fact that I associate them with blue fruits, honestly, a bit because I was compelled to establish a familiarity with Rivulet, and lastly inspired by the spots of Goniobranchus kuniei (and geminus, less important to me as one of my characters is a kuniei instead, but more fitting). Between the yellow + blue and the circular marking in the center of their face, they’re meant to bear a little resemblance to an iterator that shares similarities with the characterization I’ve given them, and similar coding of her sibling can be seen on Survivor’s markings around the eyes. As both a “default” slugcat and one whose campaign I haven’t played, though, I can’t say I have much more to point out about em.

Hunter: The whole rot thing made for a really fun time drawing them, and while the color change on their back is a result of this, it’s also an excuse to relate them to Babakina festiva, arguably my favorite sea slug (mostly for sentimental purposes). And to Spearmaster, a fellow messenger slugcat, and it serves as a gradient between Hunter’s pink and the “traditional” color of Rot seen in the DLLs. Aside from their affliction, they’d actually be the plainest in terms of design, as they don’t have any patterns or quirks of body type, just the red + purple and strange lumps + possible malnutrition. I can’t remember if NSH had created them in particular or just...caught + released or something, but it probably wouldn’t be strange for a lab-grown slugcat to be simple like that.

Gourmand: Like the two above, they’re rather plain in terms of coloring and adaptation, and like the two above, I find that fun. I decided it would be nice to avert the “all slugcats being of the same body type, and Gourmand’s out of place as the exception” thing by just...adding more fat to all of them, really. I did want to emphasize their sheer bulk even so, both fat and muscular (not like I couldn’t have still gone further with it, of course, but slugcat anatomy can be a little obfuscating sometimes, and they were intended to look rather plush considering personal size headcanons and therefore the lack of proper gravity), and the thick and flounced mantle looked like a good addition, as per their sea slug Glossodoris hikuerensis. Unlike Survivor and Monk, I didn’t attempt to hold their resemblance to any particular other character (which means a little less to balance out the “default gene pool” thing), so those are all the design notes I have for em.

Artificer: The second slugcat I’ve ever played, or finished the campaign of, my favorite for at least a long time, and the first thing I did was give them yellow accents, the shape of which have troubled me slightly (not quite like the spots or stripes of the others). They’re both a little more appealing and more explosive-looking to me, and considering how early on I played Arti, actually present in some of my older art. It does give them a little resemblance to Saint (completely intentional, two slugcats with strange relations to karma), as well as the fact that its radula is green for familiarity with one of its children (at some point it was going to have all-green markings, even!). I’m generous with their scars, partly because it was fun to overemphasize the one on their face and partly because it does seem like a reckless slugcat, on top of the dangers of its explosive abilities–I’ll probably just keep adding more forever. Mostly-red sea slugs aren’t too common, but Hexabranchus sanguineus works for sure. The ridged, yellow dewlap can expand for combustion purposes, or something along those lines. Arti’s where I began experimenting with a lot of the mildly-offkilter features seen in my interpretation of slugcats, as they’ve once again been a favorite from the start.

Rivulet: I've obviously given other slugcats spots, deeply enjoy the bubbly-soda markings of other peoples' slugcats, and thought seal riv would be cute. Despite not too closely resembling it, they've been government-assigned Hypselodoris bennetti, for color reasons and for a couple sentimental ones. Originally, the colors of every scug were meant to match up with the custom colors I gave them at the beginning of their campaigns, (though Arti, Gourm and Spearmy are the only three who actually apply here, since I've only played through half the slugcats: I gave arti the yellow as mentioned above, gourm brown eyes and spearmy light pink spears, furthered by the outskirts pearl accompanying me and that palette all the way to moon. Tolerance training for eternity in hell cause I already knew about the maroon pearl quest). I initially gave them the colors of the bi flag for fun... but with the limited palette of this image, I was left without pink for a while and decided to see how they'd look in red. I then realized how they now wonderfully matched Moon, and besides, red's a sort of camouflage in deep water! As a side-note, the difference between their eyes and those of others always bothered me a little for anatomical purposes, and the cephalopod eyes were probably influenced by this!

Spearmaster: Inspired as much as possible by @notyourfunnyman ’s wonderful spearmy: designed in a way that helps it fit in with scavengers, at least between the long sensory tentacles, big ruff, back spines and slightly thin/distended anatomy, a form of defensive mimicry. I always had annulate rhinophores in mind, for a little diversity sure, but mostly because the shape reminds me of radio antennae and communication towers (seems fitting for the comms array and being a messenger slugcat)! I started searching for a real-life slug to give them just by looking up their rhinophore shape...and was met immediately and coincidentally with annulate-topped nudibranchs that fit them more perfectly than I could've imagined: Flabellina and surrounding clades, I think Paraflabellina ischitana works very nicely. The orange was completely unplanned, but there wasn’t a place for light pink among the other slugcats’ palettes, and importantly it likens them to both Hunter and Seven Red Suns a little more.

Saint: I am very much a non-furred slugcat enjoyer, with respect to those who aren’t, so figuring out the only visibly furred slugcat was an interesting challenge. I’ve decided that they likely have other, milder adaptations for help in the cold, mainly just more efficient fat storage, and what looks vaguely like fur is instead a bunch of tubercles (called caryophillia, for the second reminder out of three). Their inspiration doesn’t have these, however, Miamira sinuata’s numerous yellow and blue spots (not to mention...whatever’s going on with that shape) and general effect of being the only really green nudibranch I could find were probably perfect for a strange green echo. Not pictured, but their beak-teeth are tiny and flat to make a surface for grinding soft food against with the lack of a functioning radula, which is tipped with a specialized spiny “grapple-hook” for better traction/grip (not to mention the numerous little teeth running down the whole thing).

(Best part of hiding this under a readmore means edits will be seen by all reblogs, I'm mostly sure, because I completely forgot to mention! The spots on their forehead are simple eyes. Their camera eyes appear closed in-game, I like to believe their complex eyesight is rather poor anyways or otherwise reason that they aren't seeing out of those, and while this was far from her REASON for attunement with the world, it does help compensate for mainly viewing it through a canvas of simple light and dark. This, and the fact that their swapped-out "fur" is not only to commit to a lack of hairs but contributes to sensory input!)

Nightcat/Enot: I guess you could say I found the “these two are technically the same person” compelling. (E.g. similar colors, both very strange and enigmatic, and Enot/Inv/Sofanthiel’s remark during the dating sim about getting removed from Arena Mode.) I doubt they’re the only two slugcats in their body, considering humans with DID tend to have more than a few (and I find it very funny that a slugcat bearing resemblance to Nightcat appears in Gourmand’s ending. They’re allowed in the colony and Enot isn’t </3), and I have to credit @faelingdraws ’s art for being what convinced me on it! Their design inspirations come down to trying to balance a few different ideas: making the patterns and palettes of both look oddly similar (special mention to the stars, since those are fun to draw), basing them off of Felimare sechurana and juliae respectively, using blocks of color with the same placement as in Enot’s official art, and specifically making Enot look...biologically reasonable and imperfect, whilst also clearly trying to imitate human displays of emotion (what with...the eyes and blush on that one piece of official art).

Lastly, here’s just a lineup with notes on body shape and size. Most of the nicknames (existing to give a little more space, that’s all) are obvious, and while I can’t remember why I shortened Nightcat to Nox, it is in honor of my friend by the same nickname :]

[greenbeany]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66893239

It's because you're always on that damn Prime Defenders Rock Climbing fanfic, boy.

[purplebass]

Watch Holland and Kell completely misunderstand the meaning of the word shipping

(profile pics credit: @/lasq.draws on IG)

[summertimemusician]

Hero's Purpose Episode 6 Release Date

WE ARE SO BACK

[guiltyonsundays]

In defence of Will Ladislaw

George Eliot's characterisation of Will Ladislaw is one of the few aspects of Middlemarch that is not universally praised, with no less a person than Henry James commenting in 1873 that he lacked “sharpness of outline and depth of color”, making him the novel’s “only eminent failure.” And while Will's character is certainly not as clearly defined as some of the other characters in the novel, I believe that this was absolutely intentional on Eliot's part. Middlemarch is full to the brim of characters who believe they know exactly what they want—not least among them, our two protagonists, Dorothea Brooke and Tertius Lydgate, whose ardent ambitions and inflexible attitudes lead them into catastrophic errors of judgement and unhappy marriages.

By contrast, Will's lack of strongly defined goals and his changeability are almost his defining character traits. He's aimless and pliable, prone to rapid mood swings and drastic career changes, with even his physical features seeming to "chang[e] their form; his jaw looked sometimes large and sometimes small; and the little ripple in his nose was a preparation for metamorphosis. When he turned his head quickly his hair seemed to shake out light."

Will’s inscrutability is closely tied to his ambiguous status within the rigid class structure and xenophobic society of Victorian England, with his Polish ancestry and “rebellious blood on both sides” making him a target for suspicion. He is repeatedly aligned (and aligns himself) with oppressed, marginalised, and outcast populations—Jewish people, artists, and the poor.

He serves as a narrative foil for characters like Lydgate and Edward Casaubon, who prioritise specialist expertise above all and are consequently incapable of broad knowledge synthesis. He critiques Casaubon's life's work as being "thrown away, as so much English scholarship is, for want of knowing what is being done by the rest of the world." By contrast, Will serves as Eliot's defence of the value of a liberal education. One of the first things that we learn about him is that he declines to choose a vocation, and instead seeks to travel widely, experiencing diverse cultures and ways of life. He has broad tastes and interests, trying his hand at poetry and painting before eventually pursuing a career in politics.

He also functions as a narrative foil for Dorothea. Will is initially apathetic to politics, whereas Dorothea initially professes herself to be disinterested in art and beauty. This is perfectly encapsulated in their exchange in Rome, when Dorothea declares, "I should like to make life beautiful—I mean everybody's life. And then all this immense expense of art, that seems somehow to lie outside life and make it no better for the world, pains one", to which Will replies, "You might say the same of landscape, of poetry, of all refinement [...] The best piety is to enjoy—when you can [...] I suspect that you have some false belief in the virtues of misery, and want to make your life a martyrdom.”

By the end of the novel, Dorothea unlearns some of her puritanical suspicion of sensual pleasure, whereas Will becomes more serious, compassionate, and politically engaged, dedicating his life to the accomplishment of humane political reforms. They are both flawed individuals, who ultimately become more well rounded through their relationship with each other. Admittedly, Dorothea's influence on Will is more significant than his on her—and once again, I believe that this was intentional on Eliot's part.

In my opinion, the negative response to Will Ladislaw at the time of Middlemarch's publication (and in the centuries since) was and is profoundly informed by gendered expectations of masculine dominance in romantic relationships. Will's marriage to Dorothea has often been described as disappointing, with many readers and critics viewing the ambitious Lydgate as the embodiment of the ideal husband that Dorothea outlines at the beginning of the novel—a talented man engaged in important work for the betterment of humanity, to whom she can devote herself.

However, one of the central themes of the novel is that people are often mistaken in their beliefs about what they want, and Dorothea's marriage to Edward Casaubon certainly demonstrates that she would not in fact be happy living her life in submission to a man who does not respect her opinions. I firmly believe that Lydgate's misogynistic attitudes and expectations would have made it impossible for him to be happy in a marriage of equals with a woman like Dorothea. He is explicitly drawn to Rosamond Vincy because she has "just the kind of intelligence one would desire in a woman—polished, refined, docile."

By contrast, George Eliot made a deliberate choice to pair Dorothea with a man who is not ashamed to be influenced by her, and indeed looks up to her as his moral superior. Through Dorothea's influence, Will discovers his life's work. In turn, by marrying Will, Dorothea is able to pursue her true passion. As a result of their influence on each other, these come to mean the same thing—reform. Thus, George Eliot grants Dorothea Brooke a subversively feminist, politically progressive, and profoundly cathartic ending: a life of companionate marriage, sensual pleasure, and meaningful work, in which Dorothea can devote herself (within the limited means available to her as a woman in the 19th century) to the achievement of just and compassionate reforms that "make life beautiful" for everybody—herself included.