#bc of a certain deadly virus that makes it impossible for me to be physically close to the people i love?

[rikerxworf]

Hey guys! Today marks this blog’s one-year anniversary. That’s honestly amazing and I can’t believe how many people came together in this place for Worfriker :’) I wrote a little something down below, but long story short – thank you all so much. And be kind to yourselves! It’s an absolute blast gushing about two Star Trek characters with you on tumblr dot com. Love you all ❤️

The truth is, this past year was not the kindest to me. I know that this is true for most people in the world, so I won’t go into detail. But what I want to tell you is that you guys have really helped me keep my thoughts focused and happy. Some nights, when I was in a really bad place, I would look at my phone and find a new Worfriker artwork uploaded, or a crack headcanon, or see someone sending me a gif, or tagging me on a screenshot, or sending me a happy ask or DM, and it would make everything better immediately. Someone reblogging from me with added keysmash tags? Unparalleled lmao.

The serotonin is honestly too much, and I say this with the utmost sincerity. Worf and Riker look like they deeply love each other when they’re just standing next to each other, and more than once I was like – “you know maybe true love DOES exist” lol

It sounds so ridiculous to type this out, especially with all the memes and jokes surrounding this particular pairing. Jokes that I myself make, à la ‘just two big men squeezed into a 4:3 frame’. I think that’s perfectly understandable, they are a fun pair after all. They are fun people. And at times they look like cartoon characters, so it’s only natural we pick up on that physicality I guess lmao.

But beyond our lovely community and all those memes, their physical closeness is what comforts me about this ship. I believe everybody finds a special comfort in the ships and fanworks they enjoy; I for one have different ships to vibe with different kinds of comfort I need.

And Worf and Riker, they’re just… “I need you by my side”. And that’s what they are, they are by each other’s side. The need is stated and it’s met, unquestioned, unwavering. I see them standing on a field side by side, just talking, and I think that the world isn’t so bad at all. After all, I could be that! People I care about could be that! There is a possibility for us to find someone who stays close to us when we need them to stay, mentally AND physically! What!!! Someone who will stay and love us unconditionally! And oh, there’s also someone who I will want to be close to, unconditionally, and they will let me.

I could go on and on, but that’s basically what the comfort of this ship boils down to for me. Like, especially that special physicality about them – like we have physical, visible evidence that these two characters are close to each other. It’s okay to seek physical closeness – playful, grave, friendly, sensual, sexual, whatever the feeling is, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. “You’d be surprised how far a hug goes with Worf.” That’s so reassuring to me. Like – technically I know all this. Of course I do. But it’s nice to have a visual reminder about it once in a while, especially when you’re in a place where you feel like you’re undeserving of touch and comfort. Or unable to have touch and comfort.

I like drama and angst in my ships. I like reading heartbreaking galaxy brain posts about grand themes and watching video edits that make me bawl my eyes out, but that’s not what Riker and Worf are primarily about to me. They’re a very basic comfort of staying with another person. Because at the end of the day, after every fight or joke or hardship, that’s what you are, you are together. There are no opportunities to miss, no moments to be too late to. The affection is timeless, without condition.

That’s not to say these two characters don’t have any conflict at all (despite being from TNG lol). But even the few canonical conflicts they have, e.g. in Ethics, boil down to, “I want you by my side. I don’t want you to leave, you’re not a burden to me”. “Join me”. “I’m right behind you”. “You plan to leave, so I’ll come with you”. “What you’re going to do is dangerous, there’s no way I’m letting you go alone.” So many sweet scenes come my mind spontaneously as I type this. Also the entirety of Frame Of Mind, where Worf is essentially the mental manifestation of Riker’s need of security, both emotionally and physically. Reaching out to his friend. “Hold onto me, hold onto this, because together we can make it.”

Before this gets too long… I guess what I want to say in the end is that – we can learn from this. I have lmao, during this hellish past year.

Someone will be there for you. And I don’t even mean this in a romantic sense necessarily. You will have people in your life who you can trust and who will be with you unconditionally and without ulterior motives. People who just want you to be safe, because they care deeply about you. Don’t push them away. Reach for them, to quote Michael Burnham. Allow yourself to have these people in your life; you deserve that, because you deserve to be loved. ❤️