#I know in my heart as soon as all this is over him and Garak are gonna make out sloppy style

[youngpettyqueen]

I didn't comment on this when I read it last night but you cannot tell me that Garak isnt BLATANTLY flirting with Julian here

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Rom

By Ames

Among your A Star to Steer Her By hosts, Rom might be the most polarizing character from all of Star Trek. Some of us (and you all know when I’m talking about Chris) worship the ground this grand nagus walks on. And some of us (oh hello, I’m Ames) would rather throw him out an air lock. His rather offensive depiction as someone who seems to have low intelligence ends up contradicted by his otherworldly engineering skills. His actually very funny scenes get offset by how his whole character becomes a goofy punchline. His Ferengi values are deplorable and yet his character journey and love of his family are commendable. And that voice…

All that to say: this blogpost is going to be our biggest roller coaster ride yet.

So get ready to dig into a bowl of tube grubs and keep your tooth sharpener handy as we dig into the moments we adore about Quark’s lesser brother and the moments we detest about him. Read on below and listen to this week’s podcast episode (jump to 1:01:34) for all the Ferengi gossip. And don’t forget to call your moogie.

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

You saved your brother’s life Let’s start off with the good stuff. In “Necessary Evil” when Trazko is pillow smothering Quark, Rom screams and screams for help, foiling the assassination plot and saving his brother’s life. And you know what, it’s actually a pretty funny button when Rom screams again when he realizes that, with Quark still alive, he won’t be inheriting the bar any time soon.

I would be proud to have a son in Starfleet Even I, a bonafide Rom hater, can admit that his relationship with his son is one of the best things about his character. We see him stand up to Quark (a rarity!) and support Nog’s desire to join Starfleet in “Heart of Stone” and we’ve got to give the guy credit for wanting Nog to pursue his dreams of becoming better than his father, low bar as that may seem.

The Ferengi not-so-Benevolent Association When the Nagus’s personality has gotten rewritten in “Prophet Motive,” he somehow ends up making Rom the senior administrator of his new Ferengi Benevolent Association. And you’ve got to give Rom credit for seeing a chance to scheme that even Quark didn’t notice, as he embezzles money from the foundation before Zek turns back to normal. He’s got the lobes!

Moogie’s got the lobes for business In addition to the lovely father-son relationship with Nog, Rom’s relationship with his moogie is also extremely sweet. He eventually supports her profit-making scheme in “Family Business” even though it’s illegal for females to make money, tricks Quark into coming to terms with Ishka, and by the end of the episode is in on the plan to hide some of her profits from Brunt, FCA!

My son’s happiness is more important to me than anything, even latinum It’s worth mentioning how supportive Rom is of Nog again because in “Facets” he foils Quark’s nefarious plan to sabotage his Starfleet Academy exam, even threatening to burn the bar to the ground because he places his son’s personal journey so highly. He also goes to Garak to have Nog’s cadet uniform made personally, which is just about the cutest moment in the show.

Our union, united, will never be divided Rom proves to be a champion of the laborer in “Bar Association” when he starts up a union for Quark’s bar to fight for better pay and working conditions. Again, it’s another practice that’s illegal under Ferengi law, but that doesn’t stop Rom (even when it gets Quark attacked), who rallies his band of waiters and Dabo girls together with confidence we’ve never seen before.

Number one dads! We don’t get a lot of scenes between Sisko and Rom, the two best dads of the station (sorry Miles, but neither of these proud papas left their child to die in the woods). When Jake and Nog are quarreling over their odd-couple habits in “The Ascent”, the two fathers concoct a scheme to get them to talk out their problems and be friends again by pretending there are no other quarters available.

Do I have a reason to stay? Maybe it’s because Lewis Zimmerman comes across as such a cretin, but it feels like a victory when Rom asks Leeta out at the end of “Dr. Bashir, I Presume?” and she decides to stay at the station instead of leaving to become Dr. Z’s sex object. Even though everyone already knew she’d say yes, it takes him the whole episode to muster the courage, but let’s take the win.

Self-replication. That’s the only answer. Rom’s contradictory character traits are nothing if not fascinating. Sure, he couldn’t find a cup of water if you dropped him in a lake, but he still comes up with the ingenious idea to have the cloaked minefield also be self-replicating to take on the Dominion in “Call to Arms.” Moments of sheer brilliance like this make Rom a character of simultaneous simplicity and complexity.

I walk through minefields Rom’s profound bravery is on display during season six when he works with the resistance to undermine the Dominion occupation. And it all caps off with “Sacrifice of Angels.” Rom may not have had time to prevent Damar from taking down the minefield, but he still sabotages their weapons array, giving the prophets the time they needed to save the day.

We’re not commandos, we’re negotiators What could have simply been a farcical play on The Seven Samurai or The Magnificent Seven gets a fresh take when Rom has a rare epiphany in “The Magnificent Ferengi”. The Ferengi don’t have the chops for fighting (except for Leck, whom we love), and Rom points out that they should treat the release of Moogie as a business deal, something more in their wheelhouse.

A kinder, gentler Nagus Rom’s entirely hyperbolized character arc concludes with him becoming Grand Nagus in “The Dogs of War.” Sure, it’s definitely entirely out of nepotism because his mother had put him there, and she’s also definitely going to be the one ostensibly in charge because she can pull his strings, but what a journey! And he’s so magnanimous about it that he even gives the bar back to Quark!

—

Worst moments

Not next to that human boy. I don’t want you to have anything to do with him. Onto the bad stuff! In “A Man Alone,” Rom doesn’t even have the caricatured voice yet, but does start the series with all the typical toxic Ferengi values. It takes a battle for him to agree to let Nog attend Keiko’s classroom, and even when he does, his anti-hooman racism shows when he won’t let Nog sit with Jake, just as Sisko didn’t want his son hanging out with that Ferengi trash either.

Now go to your room. And no studying. A few episodes later, Rom pulls Nog from Keiko’s school in “The Nagus” after getting criticized by Zek for allowing his son to learn from a hooman female. It’s one of Rom’s biggest faults (and Quark’s too): his preoccupation with displaying as a typical, profitable Ferengi even among people for whom their value system is hot garbage. Rom at least eventually overcomes it.

Rom’s. Nice name for a bar, don’t you think? Another case to make that point: Rom becomes the lackey of Zek’s son Krax and helps in the attempt to kill off Quark in “The Nagus.” It’s not until later that we see more brotherly love, one-sided though it may seem. But this early in the show, Rom is much more of a typical Ferengi, obsessed with amassing power, fame, and fortune above all else.

Ferengi, Romans, Countrymen: Lend me your ears We here at the podcast really rooted for Pel in “Rules of Acquisition,” a female who really has the lobes to break free of the government’s oppression of her gender. So when Rom outs her to Quark as a female (after a scene way too comically goofy of him literally looking through Pel’s socks to find incriminating evidence), we can’t help but start siding against him, the dirty rat.

You know, come to think of it, my ear’s bothering me too Like I did with the Quark post, I will call out all the uncomfortable uses of oo-mox whenever the show sinks to such a level. We see Rom trying to trick Faith Garland into giving him oo-mox in “Little Green Men” – while his son is actively getting it! – and I just find it so gross. For how much oo-mox is played up to be a sexual act in this show, this is sexual assault, plain and simple.

Too. Much. Oo-mox. And to make things grosser, we get even more oo-mox references a couple episodes later in “Bar Association” when we learn that Rom has given himself an ear infection from too much oo-mox. And it’s self-inflicted. So basically what we’ve learned from this scene is that Rom masturbates so much that he gives himself an infection, a detail I wish I never had to learn.

Even. More. Oo-mox. I’ve got one more oo-mox mention to get out of my system because I’m just so angry every time it comes up. Literally right after Rom has admitted to rubbing his ears raw to Leeta in “Bar Association” and she shows some sympathy for him, his response is to request oo-mox from her! They’re not even dating at this point! It’s disgusting. I hate it. Minus a hundred points.

The better to hear you with Speaking of Leeta, it’s exactly a season after this that Rom finally asks her out in “Dr. Bashir, I Presume?” (as we mentioned above!). But! This is a) after we learn that his first wife Prinadora swindled him on their wedding extension contract like a chump, and b) after we watch him literally tuning his ear to eavesdrop on Leeta and Zimmerman’s conversation. And somehow he still never gets the hint she’s into him. Like a chump!

If you liked it then you shoulda put a Bajoran earring on it I’m just gonna lump what a shitty partner Rom is to Leeta into one screed. In “Ferengi Love Songs,” he tries to make her sign a Waiver of Property and Profit just because Jadzia and Miles were teasing him about not being very Ferengi like. This after he started wearing a Bajoran-style earring, which strikes me as on the questionable side of cultural appropriation.

Later in “Call to Arms,” we see Rom trying to suggest Leeta’s wedding dress literally be a couple handkerchiefs and a loincloth (gross) and then once they’re married, he decides she’s leaving the station before the Dominion rolls in, without her getting a single say in her own life (more gross!). Why are all the men in this show so shit at relationships!?!?

You said the reward was twenty Shockingly, Rom’s incompetence hasn’t come up as much as I expected, but his ability to ruin things through miscommunication and shenanigans is on special display in “The Magnificent Ferengi.” He blurts out that Quark is cheating the other Ferengi out of reward money, riles up the rest of the team, and thus gets Keevan killed because he can’t keep big mouth shut.

Foul ball! I’m not alone in hating on the campy mess that is “Take Me out to the Holosuite” but Rom is so disruptively, dangerously bad at playing baseball that it warrants being on this list. How he makes it as far as he does in the tryouts only speaks to how terrible Sisko is at coaching. The guy breaks Quark’s damn head. That’s how bad he is. It goes past being funny to just being idiotic.

That’s why the lady is a scamp We have space for one more bad “Rom is a nincompoop” joke that doesn’t land. In “The Siege of AR-558,” we’re tortured with Rom’s deliberately atrocious cover of “The Lady Is A Tramp” just because Ira Behr really needed to shoehorn Vic Fontaine into as many of the final episodes as possible, and it shows because it’s just another lowbrow, asinine, bottom-feeding gag. Check that off the list.

—

Well, that may have gone off the rails but whenever I have to sit through oo-mox jokes, I get testy. And sadly I already know there’s going to be more of that next week with our final Ferengi spotlight on Nog! So make sure you’re following along to catch that, join us as we continue our watchthrough of Enterprise over on SoundCloud or wherever you podcast, engage in negotiations with us on Facebook and Twitter, and stop making oo-mox jokes!

[smowkie]

i finished my bingo card from @ficreadingchallenge! i've already requested a new card, because this was great fun, and it made me read things i otherwise wouldn't have. thank you for hosting this event 💗🥰

list of fics under the cut

1. de-aging/kid

Thunder Song by almaasi

Garashir, DS9, 10,776 w, rated gen

summary:

After crash-landing on a stormy L-Class planet, Garak and Bashir begin to de-age rapidly. Now a scrawny pre-augment Julian must take shelter with six-year-old Elim, a tentatively murderous but desperately lonely boy. Julian can barely speak – and without functioning translators, Elim’s words are useless. But what they can do… is sing.

2. gift giving

Thinking of You by stateofintegrity

Garashir, DS9, 788 w, rated teen

summary:

Garak receives tangible proof that Julian is always thinking of him.

3. bodyswap

when I looked to myself I was somebody else by mythicalqueen

Kiradax, DS9, 5,829 w, rated gen

summary:

She turned towards the noise, her eyes widening in shock when she saw her own body sitting up on a biobed. She looked for a reflective surface, her mouth falling slightly open when she found one. Or rather, Kira’s mouth. She reached up and touched her nose to confirm what she was seeing. “Julian, I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but I'm Jadzia.” Julian raised his eyebrows and Kira turned towards them. Confusion took over her features, followed by disbelief and then realization. She rolled her eyes. “So that's why it feels like there are seven other people in my head. There are.”

4. hurt/comfort

Cold and Comfort by GenuineSnoof

Barisi, SVU, 9,717 w, rated teen

summary:

Sequel to "The Horrible Past, all the Fish and The Deal". Rafael gets locked in a dark garage by accident for hours.

5. rec'd by a friend (@rieraclaelin)

in the burning light we see by elysiumwaits

Adoribull, DA, 1,009 w, rated teen

summary:

It's not only the snows of Emprise du Lion that have chilled Dorian to the bone.

6. under the influence

A Certain Vulnerability by AreYouReady

Lwaxana/Odo/Quark, DS9, 1,181, rated teen

summary:

Quark makes Lwaxana a Margarita. Odo makes an arrest.

7. road trip

Just Ourselves - and Immortality by archea2

Wincest, SPN, 4,119 w, rated teen

summary:

Turns out soon is Sam on a bridge, and that rare species of hug that lasts enough Mississipis to flood all of Wisconsin and Dean’s heart into the bargain. And it’s only the beginning, the wind promises, ruffling Sam’s hair over the back of his neck and Dean’s fingers. (Written as pre-Wincest, but can easily be read as Gencest.)

8. mythical creature AU

Draconids by anonymous

Garashir, DS9, 1,569 w, rated gen

9. new (to you) pairing

And A Time To Learn by rommunisms

Jake/Nog, DS9, 2,566 w, rated gen

summary:

Set after 1x11 "The Nagus". Jake has been teaching Nog to read; Nog wants to return the favour.

10. daring rescue

Odo's Hero by imnotokaywiththerunning

Quodo, DS9, 1,337 w, rated gen

summary:

In a change of circumstance, Odo relies on Quark to get him out of trouble. It goes about as well as Odo expects.

11. historical AU

The Solicitor and the Chauffeur by Robin Hood (kjack89)

Barisi, SVU, 7,080 w, rated teen

summary:

“Not a footman either,” Sonny told him, lifting the soup tureen and bringing it to the table. “I’m the new chauffeur.” “Are you indeed,” Rafael murmured as he carefully ladled soup into his bowl. “Then Carisi it is, though I should love to know your given name anyway.” Something about the way he said it — or maybe just the way he looked up at Sonny, his green eyes mischievous — made Sonny blush, and he hurried to return the tureen to its spot, less he accidentally drop it and make even bigger a fool of himself. “Oh, uh, it’s Dominick, m’lord, but everyone calls me Sonny.” “Sonny,” Rafael repeated, sounding amused once again. “Of course you would be.” Sonny frowned slightly but before he could ask what exactly he meant by that, Rafael continued, “And you needn’t call me ‘my lord’, I haven’t a peerage yet.” “Yet, my—I mean, uh, sir?” For some reason, the question caused Rafael’s smile to disappear. “Yes,” he said stiffly, stirring his soup with his spoon. “Truth be told, I’m engaged to be married to Lady Calhoun.”

12. domestic/curtain fic

the way you sound in the morning by CrimsonPetrichor

Winterfalcon, MCU, 828 w, rated gen

summary:

Bucky is on his second cup of coffee and three chapters into The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when Sam finally stirs beside him. -- A slow morning with Sam and Bucky.

13. free space

14. happy ending

From the Dust by katiemariie

Garashir, DS9, 9,384 w, rated mature

summary:

When Sisko returns to linear existence, he tasks Julian with a special mission that takes him to Cardassia and Elim Garak.

15. angst

still by brewrosemilk

Buddie, 911, 9,368 w, rated teen

summary:

For the first time, Buck longs for a bullet wound to treat. Dirt to dig at. A door to break through. Something. There’s nothing. “Your guess was correct, Diaz,” the bomb technician tells them, as he gestures to the orange circle. “You’re standing on a large sensor plate, wired to a detonator. It’s incredibly important that you don’t move. Don’t shift. When you put your weight down, it was like cocking a gun - you take your weight off, this thing is powerful enough to take the entire house with it." Inspired by Castle, S05E22: Still

16. lyrics title - listen to the song too!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name by shinealightonme

Jake Sisko & Quark, DS9, 7,329 w, rated gen

summary:

Probably the best way to prove that Jake doesn't need everyone hovering over him is not to go into business with Quark. But at least Quark isn't going to make him talk about his feelings.

17. podfic

Are you... scared? by allandrogynouscreatures read by SweetPollyOliver

Quodo, DS9, ~3 min, rated gen

summary:

While Quark and Odo are arguing in Odo's office, the station's power goes out.

18. unfinished/in progress

Fairy Tales in Deep Space by airandangels

Garashir, DS9, 21,555 w, rated gen

summary:

An interesting anthropological experiment: tell Elim Garak human fairy-tales, and see what he thinks the morals are.

19. holiday fic

A Game of Secrets by AstroGold

Garashir, DS9, 4,764 w, rated teen

summary:

It's a universal truth: Secret Santa gifts can get really elaborate. For Star Trek Secret Santa 2019

20. gen fic

Soldiers Were Children Once by sixbeforelunch

Quark, DS9, 1,297 w, rated teen

summary:

Quark understands these Federation types better than most Ferengi. This hasn't gotten him a moon yet, but maybe someday it will make him enough for a large asteroid. Set during the Dominion War, no specific spoilers.

21. fic with no comments yet

Practice by Dirge

Odo & Quark, DS9, 309 w, rated gen

summary:

"Ah. You broke into my desk drawer again."

22. rarepair

Monuments to Self-Loathing: A Par'Mach Comedy by katiemariie

Worf/Quark, DS9, 14,142 w, rated teen

summary:

Set somewhere in season four, Worf struggles to adjust to life on the station, choosing to spend his off hours alone in his quarters. When Sisko gives him a gift that obliges him to remain in public, Worf opts to hang out at the bar where he becomes a better father, rescues the innocent townsfolk, and strikes up a relationship with one person on DS9 he somehow doesn't hate talking to: Quark.

23. fic written by someone who follows you

More Simple Than Plain by LadyDrace @ladydrace

Garashir, DS9, 2,887 w, rated teen

It's the "crashed on a planet" trope, with additional "aliens made them do it". Except no one does it, and the aliens are something in the air. In any case, Garak goes feral, and it's cuter than anyone expected.

24. secret identity

Tech Support by kenshincha

Stony, MCU, 9,018 w, rated gen

summary:

A series of stories where Steve mistakes Tony for tech support and Tony goes along with it.

25. didn't know they were dating

Nice by Writer_Lethogica

Winterfalcon, MCU, 3,069 w, rated teen

summary:

Based on the fanart piece "nice" by villanette, Bucky has a mostly uneventful night at the Wilson household as he waits for Sam to come home from a mission. EXCERPT: “You need sleep,” Bucky said. Because while Sam took the mantle of Captain America, Bucky took the title of Captain Obvious. Sam snorted. Nice. Sam’s head fell onto Bucky’s shoulder lightly. “Really? I was thinking about just hanging out down here all night. Maybe throw a party,” mumbled Sam into Bucky’s skin. “Go up. I’ll meet you up there,” murmured Bucky, glancing over at his open prosthesis.

[yamoksauceforsale]

i’m in early s6 of ds9 and this is the best TV i’ve seen in a while but holy shit some of the choices make me so mad!!!

sons and daughters was a neat character piece—I REALLY like that we got this moment of more subdued character introspection when so much of the focus has been space battles recently. it grounded everything and made the foils clearer. i wish alexander had gotten to meet ziyal. and jake and nog tbh. i really would have loved to see them all talk about the experience of growing up in this war, having parents so involved in it, and trying to find themselves amidst all the chaos and parental expectations. tangentially related, I am intrigued to see how alexander and jadzia might interact though i’m spending every waking episode scared for jadzia’s safety because I know ezri exists

very upset with odo thus far and ziyal’s story getting cut short so soon. odo is straight up out of character here. or at least like. damn idk man i don’t like who this odo is. clearly kira doesn’t either. glad he got his head out of his ass finally, but he frustrates me in never saying what he means to say to the people who matter most of all.

re ziyal: I really fucking liked the potential she had. feels fucking wrong that the last scene we have of her is in sick bay with the weird forced garak romance. didn’t like that that scene turned into the forced romance, rather than kira getting to be upset about losing the child she was helping coparent. her issues with the coparenting situation were about dukat, not ziyal, so it sucks that she didn’t get to acknowledge that loss. i feel like there are missing scenes between dukat clutching ziyal’s dying body in his hands, and sisko arriving on the station, and i’d like to see that scene. maybe kira’s the one who finds him, while looking for ziyal. to be clear i hâte dukat’s creepy ass attitudes toward kira, but there is something so juicy about sharing a bond with someone you love and grieving over their passing, and the only other person who GETS that is your oldest enemy. marc alaimo acted his fucking heart out in the scene where ziyal is shot and he turned on damar. I am playing that on loop in my brain rn.

[udaberriwrites]

1. What made you start writing fanfic? 

So in the days of old, back before AO3 was the juggernaut it is now, there was a manga called D Gray Man. And in one of the early arcs, they introduced this guy:

He was friends with one of the main cast, he was perpetually happy and willing to tease the serious characters, he had hope for the future, he was so cool. My young naïve self, being yet unfamiliar with the ways of evil writers, got attached.

... only for him to be gruesomely killed a handful of chapters later in order to highlight the tragedy of the main character.

So yes, my first fic was an awful, awful self-insert AU (thankfully lost to time), where a minor character introduced for a cheap death got to have a happy(ish) ending xD

6. Name three stories you found easy to write.

Easy-to-write, huh... you know, as much as I bemoan my general slowness when it comes to fic writing, some of them were definitely easier than others!

A Tune Without Words: My first Hades fic, this one took over my brain as soon as I managed to get past Hades for the first time. As such, it's actually not fully canon-complaint, as it does rely on Greek myth for some aspects that the game answered differently... but this was one of those fics that force you to write the key-points on the back of a grocery list just to be able to get them out of your head xD

Agency: Similarly, this DS9 fic was written almost entirely on bus rides, as I had a long weekly commute at the time. Maybe it was the lack of outside distractions, but this one just flowed really smoothly for me!

Bésame Mucho: I wasn't kidding when I said that the Year of the OTP prompt bullied all my other projects and stole their lunch money. I don't know why it clicked so well (though I had been thinking about the ship before) but for a couple of days I couldn't write anything that wasn't this one!

13. Name three favorite characters to write.

Elim Garak (DS9): This guy is a riot to write for. Of course, a character that has gone on record saying that "truth is an excuse for lack of imagination" is clearly an ally of fic writers everywhere, but he just finds a way to insert himself even in stories where I wasn't planning on it. He's snarky, he's complex and he always has a hidden motive. It's great :D

Nog (DS9): Granted, I have not written for him all that often, but I love him so much, and it has always been very satisfying regardless of his role in the story. Who would have thought, when he was introduced as a petty thief, that he'd have one of the most compelling character development arcs in all of Star Trek? I love his determination to succeed, the fact that he was brave enough to reject the "traditional" Ferengi path when he realized it didn't fit him and that he clearly worked so hard to get to where he is at the end of the series, even with all it cost him.

Zagreus (Hades): Particularly in situations when he's seen as a powerful deity, even if we all know he's a dork with a heart of gold. I don't know, he's just so earnest and kind while also being absurdly powerful and not afraid to trade blows with others. There's always something satisfying about writing for him, regardless of the genre.

[ofhouseadama]

Give us a line or two from a WIP that sounds wild out of context. I think that would be fun.

oh that is fun! here's a little bit of a piece I'm currently toying with, tentatively titled Like Real People Do:

The heart defect that robbed Tain of his breath, and then his sight, and at last his life in the Dominion camp, the heart defect that when left undiagnosed and untreated knocked some forty years off his life, the heart defect that was induced by the stress of being a prisoner of war—turns out to have a genetic component. And, it turns out, the stress of living on Cardassia after the bombardment is more or less the same as the stress of living under the constant threat of death as a prisoner of a foreign power.

Close to two years after the end of his exile, Garak collapses in his office the day after Cardassia's first free and open election. And as soon as Julian Bashir reads the panicked message from one of Garak's assistants at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he's on the first transport leaving DS9 for Cardassian space.

"What did I say," Julian says when he arrives, sitting on the edge of the firm hospital mattress, enfolding one of Garak's hands between his own, "about taking care of yourself?"

"Nothing overly specific," Garak grumbles in response, then deflects as easily as he—well, breathes is not a particularly apt metaphor for the moment. “My dear, you’re frightening the other doctors.” 

Julian rolls his eyes. “I hardly see how that’s my problem.” 

“When did you get here?”

“Last night. One of your staffers—no, I will not be snitching on the brave soul who decided to contradict direct orders and contacted me, don’t bother asking—sent me a priority message that you had collapsed in your office. I caught the first shuttle leaving Deep Space Nine.” 

“I’m perfectly fine,” Garak protests, but it’s as effective as any man can protest from the prone position on a biobed with sensors and lead wires protruding out from both sleeves of a hospital gown.

Julian pretends to consider this, nodding absently. “Yes, as I can see by the fact that you’ve had two cardiac events and an anoxic seizure in the twelve hours I’ve been here.” 

“What time is it?”

“What day is it might be a better question, with how long you’ve been sedated. A course of treatment I find completely irrational and irresponsible, if you ask me.” 

Garak winces. “It is possible I was an outright terror to the staff.” 

“You’re a terrible patient,” Julian agrees, perhaps too readily, but Garak forgives him immediately. “But that hardly justifies giving you enough propofol to tranquilize a riding hound.” 

“My dear—”

“Don’t worry about anything. I’m here now, and I’m in charge.”

“I find it difficult to believe that they’re letting you just take over my care.”

“I can also be an outright terror, my dear Mr. Garak.” Julian smiles, and it’s all teeth. Garak’s favorite kind. “Besides, I know the hospital administrator from the Federation Disaster Relief Corps supervisory committee. She gave me emergency privileges in order to get me out of her office.” 

[reedalert]

Mysterious eyes

Request: Can you do a garak x reader from star trek Ds9

Requested by: anon

Pairing: Elim Garak x reader

Prompt: 79. “I never imagined that someone’s heartbeat could sound so amazing.”

Word count: 885

Notes/Warnings: nothing, just fluff. I appreciate everyone's patience! Life got in the way of my writing a bit.

Being Julian Bashir's good friend, it was only natural that you were invited to his lunches with the mysterious tailor Garak. The Doctor promised you that he was an intriguing personality and despite your initial reservations, you agreed to join them. One occasion became a reoccurrence and soon, you were also a staple of the two men's ritual.

You never knew what to make of the Cardassian. Was he ever telling the truth? Could you ever trust him? Could you ever call him a friend? Nevertheless, you developed a strange feeling of closeness, attachment to him. You were a Starfleet officer, trained to love and solve mysteries. And he was the most complex one you've ever had to face yet.

His eyes always had a specific glare to them. You always tried to guess what they hid. Was he as interested in you as you were in him? Or was it just his weariness showing, careful that he doesn't reveal anything actually true about him?

He had you wrapped around his finger and you were certain he knew that he was your weakness. A sense of embarrassment washed over you whenever you realised that you couldn't hide anything in front of him, while he hid everything in front of you. As eager as you were to solve this mystery, you could never approach him privately, too scared of what might happen.

One particularly challenging day, you had left one of your spare uniforms at Garak's to get tailored. You worked overtime and finished your shift way after his shop closed, so you called him to apologize about not picking your oder up.

"There is no need to worry, Y/N." His voice was ever so cheerful. "I have it here with me, in my quarters. You can come get it, if you would like."

Your heart beat in your throat. Visiting him. In his quarters. You couldn't decide if that was the most exciting or scary opportunity you've ever been presented in your life.

"Y/N? Are yous till there?"

"Yes." you gulped. "I'll be there in a minute."

There was no turning back now.

You shuffled in place in front of his quarters. You'd never been here. It felt like going in to take the Kobayashi Maru. Impossible situation. No way to win.

The doors slid open. In front of you stood the familiar figure of the Cardassian, dressed in what you can only assume was his pyjamas.

"S-sorry for bothering you at this time of night. Thank you for the clothes." You blurted out, rushing to leave.

"No, don't leave." He grabbed your arm, gently. "I couldn't sleep anyway."

You made eye contact for the first time since entering the room. Looking deep into his eyes, you noticed something different about his gaze. It was mysterious, as always, but there was a glint of something else as well. Longing, honesty, desire.

"I can stay a while, if you want me to." The words exited your mouth automatically. What were you thinking? This could only end badly. But your heart was urging your mind to find out what that glint in his eyes was all about.

He invited you to sit down on his couch while he took a seat next to you. A moment of silence passed. You painfully tried to find something to look at other than his eyes, but they always managed to suck you back in.

"I have to confess something to you, Y/N." He said abruptly.

You could've sword your heart stopped for a second, but before you could catch your breath, he continued.

"I have always enjoyed you accompanying me and the Doctor on our lunches. At first, I thought I just enjoyed your company, the two of you together. But then I realised..." He cleared his throat. "I just like you. I like you. A lot"

You froze. How would any sane person react to this kind of scenario?

"Now, I know this might be sudden and unexpected and... My point is, I've never done this before. I don't know HOW to do this so just bear with me, please."

How would any sane person handle this? Oh, nevermind the answer to that question. You were anything but sane.

You quickly, but gently leaned in to kiss him. You could feel that he was taken aback slightly, but it only took him a second to melt into the kiss, snaking his arms around your waist.

"We'll take it slow." You assured him.

A night of deep conversations led you to his bed, with the intention of staying the night, not willing to let go of this magical, mysterious moment. You laid over the sheets, cosy between the pillows. Garak placed his head on your chest, feeling more comfortable to be this close to you. The silence was no longer awkward, it was warm and nice.

You were about to fall asleep when Garak spoke.

“I never imagined that someone’s heartbeat could sound so amazing.”

You didn't reply. Nothing you could've said would've been as beautiful as his sentence. Instead, you reached up to his head and caressed his cheek as you dozed off to sleep.

[cicaklah]

2020 - a year in fic

2020 was a terrible year, of course, but in terms of yer girl cicak writing fic, it was the most bumper year since *checks official records* records began. (Records in this case being 2010 and in the AO3). Ten years on the ao3! What a milestone.

It was a weird year in fic. I started out super obsessed with The Witcher, and was sure this was the second coming of old fashioned big fandoms, and then almost as soon as I started, I promptly lost interest. I like writing it, but I wasn’t really interested in reading it, or rewatching the series. Therefore I just sort of...wandered away, and periodically came back when some really stupid idea grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.

These were: look what you made me do - the most popular fic I’ve written in a decade of concentrated fic writing. In which Jaskier is basically Taylor Swift c. 2014, and everyone in fantasy Poland wants to know who inspires all those bangers he keeps churning out, and Geralt has a lot of feelings about turnips and his horse and badly timed goats and also whether Jaskier really has been singing about him this whole time. Contains goatus interruptus and my second favourite OC, Titch Westmoreland, tax collector and enthusiastic shipper.

I wrote a sequel to that called Jas Queen, where Geralt goes to see Jaskier perform his new song cycle, and then gets hella laid in the dressing room by Jaskier in drag as Queen Calanthe. 

Then @nim-lock drew said hella laying and as thanks I wrote vestis virus whatever the latin is wrong, which is Jaskier, rich aesthete, taking advantage of someone stealing Geralt’s clothes to play dressup, which was an excuse to write SEXUAL TENSION, which way too many months later, I consummated in an indentation in the shape of you. 

I continue to not apologise to tswift for anything.

And then out of the blue I decided I wanted to write something stupid and so wrote how an egg makes another egg, which is the best thing I’ve written all year, you should all read it, I am a genius, all praise Meluhha and may she bless us with thick shells and double yolks in 2021. 

Anyway in the spring I got SUPER INTO Star Trek Picard, and by that I mean SUPER INTO Agnes Jurati and into how she got away with murder and shagged Santiago Cabrera, who was extra attractive this year, (and I consolidated that by watching The Musketeers, for which I wrote no fic, but I did think about writing fic for it a LOT). I wrote a small thing called ‘a knife in the country’ expecting it to get jossed within a week, and when it didn’t I went kinda...mad? and wrote a series of interlocking stories that I will collect into a series when I can think of a title. They are: red to port, green to starboard, white to guide the way, not a star in the sky that’s got our name, and nothing to fear from the siren’s call. Of these, nothing to fear from the siren’s call, my Rios manifesto that also doubles as a reflection on 10 years of my own PTSD journey, is my second favourite thing I wrote this year. 

The other thing I did this year was a WIP Amnesty, which I called the Coronavirus Decameron because at heart I am pretentious as balls. I really liked doing that, and will continue it for as long as the coronavirus continues to provide us with Unprecedented Times.

I finished off a Star Trek The Force Awakens cosmic horror story called if there is love at the end of everything that no one read because no one goes here anymore. 

I completed a DS9 erotic farce called ‘I was born like this don’t even gotta try’ which is the closest I’ll probably ever come to writing ABO (where Garak goes into heat, and asks Julian to help, so Julian volunteers his encyclopedic knowledge of holosuite wank programmes, and finally his own arse, to the cause), and then a pet gen project about Bashir’s genetic augmentation from the POV of his mother called all the sinners, saints, that led to people in the comments accusing each other of wanting autistic people to be exterminated, because this is still 2020 after all.

I wrote part 4 of lesbian han solo, it takes a village (but there’s only you and me) a series I will eventually finish at this rate sometime in 2040, where Han and Leia’s daughter is born, and their relationship begins to fail. 

I finished off one of my many, many Star Trek Discovery WIPs from 1st season when the show didn’t make me want to pull my hair out, and rediscovered my deep ashburn feels in someday I’ll love what I can’t find in you, thanks to the eternal cheerleading of @drstrangewillseeyounow. 

I also finished a Modern Raffles story that I started writing in summer 2019 when England won the world cup, that if you know your raffles and your cricket is a work of genius, but mostly went over people’s heads. It is called by the barest of margins and just, this is my third favourite thing I’ve written this year. 

Finally for the decameron, I wrote a hitman story called in every life a little rain about 47 being poisoned and hallucinating/fantasising/remembering Diana wearing fancy shoes and them maybe having a secret relationship, that I am really proud of. 

Outside of the above, I also wrote a tenet fic called never odd or even, where I attempt to fix the film somewhat, and somewhat succeeded. I’m happy with it, even if I thought it would do better in terms of engagement.

All in all I published 68,140 words of fic, most of which was written in 2020. I also wrote about 30,000 words of thesis and 20,000 words of reports for my new job. Overall, I would have written more, but I got a proper job that requires me to do things and use my brain in October, so then lost the ability to sit in front of my computer on an evening. 

Thank you to everyone who read my stories and commented in 2020, especially all the hannibal fans who discovered my old works, and anyone who reads even steak don’t cry or the rose of terok nor especially. 

May Meluhha bless us all in 2021.

[wittywallflower]

Merry Pranksters - Miles wants to play a practical joke on Julian while the doctor is off the station and asks Garak, of all people, for help.

(3,6k words, Miles & Garak gen fic)

Garak was just about to close up for the day when Miles O'Brien appeared quite unexpectedly. He was an infrequent visitor in the shop. The chief tended to leave sartorial considerations to his wife when he could get away with it. Outside of his holosuite costumes, that is, and in those cases he usually discussed things thoroughly with the doctor before letting Julian make the actual arrangements with the tailor.

"Good evening, Chief O'Brien," Garak greeted him as pleasantly as any customer. "How are those trousers I mended working out for you?"

"Fine, fine. Good as new," Miles said, but nothing more.

"Was there something you need?”

"You, uh... you want to help me prank Julian?" Miles asked.

-------------------------------------------------------

Garak was just about to close up for the day when Miles O'Brien appeared quite unexpectedly. He was an infrequent visitor in the shop. The chief tended to leave sartorial considerations to his wife when he could get away with it. Outside of his holosuite costumes, that is, and in those cases he usually discussed things thoroughly with the doctor before letting Julian make arrangements with the tailor.

"Good evening, Chief O'Brien," Garak greeted him pleasantly. "How are those trousers I mended working out for you?"

"Fine, fine. Good as new," Miles said, but nothing more.

"Was there something you need? Don't tell me young Miss Molly had another growth spurt again so soon? That would be most inconvenient to Mrs. O'Brien. I believe she said they would be on Bajor this month? There aren't many clothing shops in the mountains of Ray'laht."

Miles was surprised, and not sure how he felt about the Cardassian talking so familiarly, and knowledgeably, about his family like that. But of course Garak would know a bit about it. Keiko liked the man, naturally would she would chat with him whenever Molly's pants were getting too short again and she had need of his services. Keiko was a nice, engaging woman and most people liked talking to her. Miles wouldn't have guessed Garak would care enough to listen, but then the man was or used to be a spy. He probably filed away any bit of intel, no matter how innocuous, just in case it came in handy later.

"Not that I am aware of yet," Miles answered, and huffed a laugh. "Won't be long though, the way she's growing."

Now that he thought of it, though, he could remember Julian mentioning that Cardassians were real big on family and loved children. Both apparently being big themes in the books Julian read and discussed with Garak. Julian, bless him, didn't try to get Miles to read any of it, limiting himself to the very broadest strokes of the stories when recounting his weekly lunches with the tailor. And Molly was adorable enough to win hearts wherever she went. It was possible that Garak not only knew but had a genuine friendly interest (as well as a professional one) in not just Molly's measurements but things like her favorite colors and what she liked to do for play. Some of the stain-resistant fabrics Garak had tracked down were a godsend, given how much the girl loved to paint.

Miles might not spend more time with Garak than he had to, but that didn't mean the man was entirely removed from his life. Even if Julian wasn't friends with the man, he would still be there on the station. In his tailor shop, discussing orchids with Keiko and making a mental note that young Miss Molly O'Brien detested knitted sweaters and broke out all over in itchy hives no matter how soft the wool.

Garak looked at the human and tried not to grin widely at the man's reticence, knowing the chief would only interpret it poorly. Garak simply enjoyed drawing information out of people otherwise reluctant to give it away. That's what had made him so good at procuring information for the Order. An honest zeal for the work.

"I stand at the ready when she does," Garak said with his blandest salesman smile. Which was really the only one the chief was likely to trust. "I was just about to close up for the night, if there's no assistance I can offer...."

He trailed off, eyes widened expectantly. Obviously the human had a reason to come here. O'Brien more than most was no fan of Cardassian company. With any other potential customers Garak would have set up an appointment for the following day. But if the chief was here for a fitting it wouldn't take long and Garak suspected O'Brien would be just as happy to have to over and done with quickly.

Miles didn't immediately answer and Garak began to turn away before the chief spoke up.

"You, uh... you want to help me prank Julian?" he asked.

"Pardon me?" Garak's tone and expression were a little too politely confused by half.

"You know, a practical joke."

O'Brien didn't believe for one second that the savvy ex-spy had lived among humans for so long without learning about pranks. In fact, he was damn sure a species as naturally devious as Cardassians was already intimately familiar with the concept, so he didn't elaborate.

"Julian's back from his conference tomorrow," he said instead, "Thought we could arrange a little 'surprise' for him."

"We? As in you and I?"

"Sure! Pranks are more fun with an accomplice," Miles said with a slight smile, and squinted speculatively at him. "And you seem like you might know a thing or two about being a co-conspirator."

Garak didn't insult the chief with his usual protestations that he was just a plain and simple tailor who couldn't possibly conspire against a soul, except perhaps his fractious supplier of Orellian brocade. In truth, the oft-repeated denial of his former career was getting a little tired. One should endeavor not to repeat the same lie too many times. And he was quite sure no one else found it as amusing as Julian did.

"Why me?" he asked. The two men did not have a habit of spending time in each other's company.

"Why not you?"

Miles tried not to get annoyed by the interrogation. He knew it was only annoying because he didn't want to explain himself. He had made the decision to try to be more friendly towards Garak, to reach out and include him in some shenanigans. It was his own fault if that gave the fellow a chance to get under his skin.

And it was a fair question after all, given the usually chilly civility between them.

"Dax and I have pranked Julian a dozen times already," Miles said. "Who else am I going to ask? Sisko? He's my commanding officer. Worf's barely got a sense of humor. And Odo is the station's head of security."

"You expect to engage in acts of dubious legality then?" Garak raised his brow ridges as if scandalized, but there was definitely a hint of mischief in his gaze.

"I expect Odo would find breaking into Julian's quarters a bit dubious, yes." Miles nodded.

Hmm, interesting. Garak was already intrigued by the novelty of the situation. The chief inviting Garak of all people into his fun. There was a 'why' to be discovered there and Garak did enjoy a mystery. But even if there were any reason to suspect the chief's motives might be nefarious, the chance to snoop around the doctor's quarters a bit would still be impossible to resist.

"Actually Quark is pretty good at schemes," Miles continued on through the list, "but there's no latinum in this for him so he wont bother himself. And the Major... well, she's had a hard life. A real rough time growing up. I'm not sure she would see the point in this sort of... silliness. And it occurs to me now that might be true for you too." Miles finished awkwardly. "I mean, I understand if you aren't interested."

Miles, with the natural intuition of a man of similar age who had seen his fair share of trouble, had guessed that Garak had been through a lot in his life. Even if he didn't have any idea what exactly. Garak didn't worry about anything Julian might have told Miles about the former spy's life simply because Garak hadn't told Julian much of anything that could be confirmed as truth. Station gossip surprisingly didn't have much to say about him beyond the painfully unimaginative: that he was still a spy, loyal to Cardassia, in service of the Obsidian Order, here to steal highly classified information and disrupt Federation efforts. Largely negative, but not so bad as to stop the gruff human engineer from sympathizing where he thought they might have common ground of being victims of trauma. Garak could almost feel a sort of... camaraderie with him for it.

"Why Chief, are you implying that I'm no fun?" Garak pivoted, a playful smile served with the joke. Easing their mutual discomfort at the near brush with emotional honesty, and signaling his acceptance of the scheme.

Miles barked an honest laugh at that and grinned back, relieved and, yes, a little amused by the Cardassian.

"I'll get what we need while you close up shop. Meet me at my quarters and we'll walk over to Julian's together."

When he received a nod of acquiescence, Miles left, cheerfully whistling on his way down the Promenade.

Garak was quite sure O'Brien knew he was just as capable of breaking into crew quarters as the engineer. But the former spy lurking around on a habitat level not his own would definitely draw some suspicion from station security. He did have a history of going where he wasn't authorized to be when the situation called for it and a door lock had never stopped that. In the chief's company his presence was less likely to be questioned, but Garak knew how to handle any potential run-ins with Odo regardless.

"Hey," O'Brien greeted him when Garak arrived at the chief's quarters with a parcel under his arm. "What's that?"

"My excuse for being on this level this time of night." Garak handed the package to Miles. "For Miss Molly. They'll be a little big yet, but that hardly matters with pajamas."

"What, did you sew these in the 10 minutes since I left you?" Miles asked with mild astonishment.

"I already had the pattern cut and fabric pinned," Garak said with a dismissive wave. "they were just waiting for the updated inseam measurement. It hardly took a moment to run my handheld seamer over it all."

Huh. Prepared for anything, this one, Miles thought as he accepted the parcel with a nod of thanks and set it down next to two Starfleet issue canvas duffle bags. One of which he hefted, the other he handed to Garak.

"Shall we?"

They made short work of the walk to the doctor's quarters and even shorter work of bypassing Julian's lock code to let themselves in.

Garak crossed to a table where he could set down the bag he held. Next to a pair of data padds that he made sure to 'accidentally' bump so as to activate their screens, which he then just happened to glance at long enough to make note of their contents. All of which would have gone unnoticed even if the room had been crowded with people. Garak was very discreet.

"What's the plan, Mister O'Brien?" He asked, opening the bag to pull out its contents. Which he stared at thoughtfully a moment before he gave up guessing and turned to ask an explanation. "With all these...pieces of paper?"

The bag was crammed full with short stacks of small slips of paper in various neon hues.

"They're called Post-Its, or sticky notes back home. Not exactly a novel concept, I've seen similar things around the galaxy. They mostly fell out of fashion on Earth in the 21st century when people started carrying electronic devices everywhere. You write notes on them: reminders, messages, shopping lists. They have adhesive on the back so you can stick them wherever you need and they come in bright colors so you can't miss seeing them."

"So we're going to... write notes to the doctor on these little squares?" Garak ask skeptically. That didn't seem terribly amusing but then, it would matter a great deal what exactly was written.

"No." Miles eyes suddenly gleamed with a light that bore ill tidings for Julian Bashir. "We are going to stick every single one of these little squares to every single surface we can reach until the whole room is covered with them." As Garak caught on and began to smile, Miles smiled back. "Though, now you mention it.... it could be funny to write stuff on 'em."

"Not all of them surely?" Garak asked.

O'Brien eyed his own bag crammed full of as many Post-Its as he could replicate. His hand cramped at just the idea of all that writing and he made a face.

"Because" Garak hastened to suggest, no more enamored with the thought of that task than the chief, "I really think it would be more amusing to write only on a select few of them. Say, give each word of a sentence its own square and scatter the message around the room. This would force him to examine every last one if he wants to be sure he's found all them."

"Garak, that's brilliant!" Miles grinned. Okay, maybe now he could see how Julian found Garak's devious mind enjoyable instead of just worrisome. "He won't be able to resist finding the clues so he cant just sweep everything into the recycler, he'll have to leave it all up and stare at it until he solves the puzzle."

Miles chortled, pulling out a cube of sticky notes and handing it to Garak.

"You think up a message, I'll try to find you a pen."

"No need, Chief." Garak pulled an elegant looking pen from a discreet pocket in his trousers.

"You just carry a fountain pen around with you?" Miles asked.

Plenty of people still enjoyed the tactile feeling of writing, Jake Sisko to name one, but who actually carried such an old-fashioned writing implement? Most everything on the station could be handled through a computer or padd. And even a standard ink stylus would work more reliably than a fussy fountain pen. They never leaked and stained your uniform, for one.

"A tailor is always prepared for anything," Garak said with a smirk, unknowingly echoing Miles' earlier thought.

Miles shook his head but he was still smiling as he turned away to start covering Julian's chair.

They were both accustomed to working with brisk efficiency so it didn't take as long as either expected to work their way around the room in opposite directions, covering everything in a kaleidoscope of neon paper. Still, it would have bordered on tedious if Miles hadn't broken the silence with a few stories of past pranks. Garak warmed up to the subject as he came to find the other man could be delightfully inventive in his mischief. The prank they were currently engaged in, while diverting, was not particularly impressive by Garak's estimation. The chief agreed.

"This is a pretty amateur effort, if I'm honest," Miles said over his shoulder as he lined the doorway to Julian's bedroom with bright blue squares. "But it was all spur of the moment. I didn't have the time to plan anything more elaborate before tomorrow. Besides, Keiko would have words for me if she came home to find i blew a bunch of latinum to play a joke on Julian. This only cost me replicator credits."

Garak could understand the pressure of a deadline, and a budget. Sometimes an uncomplicated plan was best when one was in a pinch.

"I think the doctor will be amused, regardless of the simplicity," he offered as reassurance to Miles. "And if he happens to return exhausted from his travels, it will be a kindness for him that it's not something a great deal more involved."

Garak was thinking of one of the stories Miles had just shared about locking a particularly annoying Enterprise crewmate in the holodeck for several hours to play out an especially embarrassing scenario.

Miles for his part was thinking how interesting it was for Garak to be so considerate of Julian's comfort like that. The doctor was known for his abundance (some might say excess) of energy; all bounce-and-go. He wasn't exactly the type you'd ever think of as being in need of a nap. Fretting that someone would have a proper chance to rest after a long trip... that spoke of a certain level of caring, in his experience. What level exactly Miles wasn't ready to hazard a guess at. He couldn't read the Cardassian in the best of times, let alone when they were both at work with their backs to each other.

Huh. Willingly turning his back on a Cardassian, a known operative of the Obsidian Order, alone and in close quarters with no witnesses. Miles could honestly say he didn't trust the man. If Quark had a pool going, O'Brien would lay a bet that Garak had at least 2 weapons hidden on his person at any time. But he somehow knew Garak's deceit did not extend to doing violence in this sort of innocuous situation.

Their final task was to cover the shelving along one wall, full of Bashir's books and belongings. They worked their way up from the floor, with some discussion as to how to wrap oddly-shaped knick-knacks, until they reached the top shelf. And its lumpy, rather disreputable looking occupant.

O'Brien eyed it dubiously.

"I don't think Julian will thank us for messing with Kukalaka. The adhesive on these things is pretty weak but still... that bear is half dust, held together by nostalgia and stubbornness. I don't want to try sticking anything to that threadbare fur."

Garak regarded the teddy bear, largely ignored on his previous visit (intrusion) in the doctor's quarters. The chief was obviously well familiar with the toy and what it meant to Julian. Miles didn't offer further information but Garak could read between the lines and tell it important. Very important indeed. Sudden inspiration suppressed the burning curiosity he knew wouldn't be satisfied in the moment anyway.

"I think we can include... Kukalaka, is it? in on the fun without harming him," Garak smiled at the chief.

While O'Brien finished the rest of the shelf, Garak grabbed a cube of notes and began layering them until he had a large multi-colored sheet. Very carefully (the chief was right, the adhesive barely stuck to anything) he began to fold his creation. Spare minutes later Kukalaka was the proud possessor of a very dapper, day-glo hat. All sticky edges safely folded and tucked away.

"Huh, I didn't know you could do origami." O'Brien remarked as he took in Garak's handiwork.

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the term."

"Oh, its an art form from Earth's Japanese culture. Folding paper to create shapes, usually animals and flowers and the like."

"And hats?"

"And hats." Miles chuckled. "I'm not too bad at it myself. Keiko taught me, thinking with all the fiddly engineering work I do my fingers would be good at it. She was right, like she usually is."

"I would imagine several society with advanced paper industries have developed similar arts," Garak said, always interesting in cross-comparing cultures. "I'll have to ask Mrs. O'Brien to tell me more about this origami sometime."

"You should," Miles' smile was... actually genuinely friendly. It was not a sight Garak was used to seeing. "She'd enjoy talking to you about it."

They both looked around for a long moment, feeling satisfaction at the visible results of their efforts. Nearly every surface was decked in bright colors. They didn't have enough supplies to completely cover the walls so they settled for framing the doorways and viewport, and covering all the wall art. An armchair was a violent neon purple, the low table before it a yellow that hurt Garak's eyes to look at directly. The replicator in the wall was ringed in concentric stripes and Julian's desk was covered in no less than 5 different eye-searing shades.

"I wish I could see his face when he walks in," Miles chortled, almost boyish in his glee.

"I can send you the feed from my hidden surveillance devices," Garak offered with a straight face and level tone.

Any other day that line, delivered with that sort of aplomb, would have left O'Brien with a suspicious, questioning glare. Such a thing was by no means beyond Garak's capabilities or outside his morals, they both knew that. But, despite himself, the unique experience of spending this time with the chief did not lend itself to Garal projecting his usual aura of danger cloaked in affability. The engineer looked him over and he could practically see Garak radiating with a energy of what he could only describe of as.... fun.

So Miles didn't bother to take the joke seriously. Even if it was true and Garak did have illegal surveillance equipment set up, the chief would never actually get confirmation or proof of it so it didn't bear worrying about right now. If, later, Miles decided it was a credible threat he would mention it to Julian.

"C'mon," Miles said, almost going as far as giving the man a good-natured slap on the back but definitely smart enough not to push his luck. "I'll buy us a round at Quark's in the name of a job well done."

"I don't think we've ever had a drink together, Chief," Garak couldn't help but point out, because it was in his nature to stir the pot, to provoke a reaction just to see what he would get.

Miles shrugged that off, knowing it was true enough. But the whole night had been unprecedented anyway, and he for one had worked up a thirst.

"You can relieve Quark of some of that overstock of kanar he's always complaining about taking up space in his store room. The more you drink, the less I have to listen to him whinge about it," the human said.

Garak accepted that, and the offer of a drink; oddly more comfortable for it to be a matter of selfishness on O'Brien's part rather than an honest gesture of kindness from an acquaintance. What sort of life left a man unable to trust motives that weren't entirely devious and self-serving? Miles shook the thought off as they headed for the Promenade and the bar. He was much too tired to go digging around in anyone's psyche right now, much less the enigma of a man beside him.

[themadmanandhisbox]

Top ten fave characters

I was tagged by @namesonboats, thank you!

Rules: List your favorite character from 10 different fandoms then tag ten people.

Oof this will be tough. Most fandoms I have multiple favorite characters but I’ll give this a shot.

Star Wars: This is an incredibly tough one. If you’ve played Jedi Fallen Order you know how amazing Cal Kestis & Nightsister Merrin and they quickly became one of my favorite ships. But if I had to choose only one character from the universe it would be Din Djarin/The Mandalorian. His character is just so badass and awesome and goes on forever. Watching his character development over the 16 episodes as he becomes a father to Grogu. I could be here for a month with all the reasons Din is amazing so I’ll just leave it short here.

Naruto: This is another tough one but Minato Namikaze has always been my favorite character. Dude was such a gentle badass. In the Ninja World where leaving your friends to die instead of saving them to complete the mission was what you were suppose to do, and The White Fang was dishonored after choosing his comrades over the mission, Minato was so badass during the Third Great Ninja War that all the other nations had flee on sight orders if you saw him. He killed a thousand ninja in the blink of an eye and then was back home in an apron cleaning dishes for Kushina. Absolute badass. Getting to see him with Naruto during the 4th Great Ninja War was so great.

ATLA: Ugh so tough. It really comes down to Sokka and Azula for me which isn’t surprising since Sokkla is my OTP. But I think if I had to choose just one it’d be Sokka. So much of who he is as a goofy, smart, kind hearted, intelligent dumbass, is who I’ve been/tried to be in my life. I relate to both Sokka and Azula which is why I love them both so much and this answer could vary from day to day tbh.

Mass Effect: Liara T’soni. Such a badass awesome character. Every playthrough I tell myself I’m finally going to romance Tali and yet I end up romancing Liara again >.>

Star Trek: Captain Sisko. Sisko was just such a badass powerful character. Picard was the federation poster boy. He was the one Starfleet held up and said “look! Look how well he represents our utopian ideals!!!” which is great and all. But Sisko. Sisko was the man who had to make the hard calls, who had to get his hands dirty and do things that don’t fall into that morally perfect little garden the Federation liked to believe itself to be. He had to make harsh calls, do hard things, to protect utopia. In The Pale Moonlight will forever remain one of the best episodes of Trek and nothing will ever be able to change that.

So… I lied. I cheated. I bribed men to cover up the crimes of other men. I am an accessory to murder. But most damning of all… I think I can live with it… And if I had to do it all over again… I would. Garak was right about one thing – a guilty conscience is a small price to pay for the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. So I will learn to live with it…Because I can live with it…I can live with it.

 Sisko was a good man making hard choice in a brutal war the likes of which the Federation had never imagined. He had to make the hard calls to protect not only the Federation but the Alpha Quadrant as a whole. As soon as the Dominion had pacified the Federation and Klingons, they would have turned on the Romulans for sure.

Stargate: This is a tough one. Growing up I always admired Samantha Carter. Smart, clever, charming, badass, every bit a warrior as the men. It was inspiring to see a well written female character who was one of the smartest people on Earth, who was compassionate yet firm in her believes, capable of defending herself and her team mates. The Stargate franchise spawned so many great characters but I think if I had to choose one it’d be John Sheppard. A lot of considered him an O’neill lite, and he definitely had a little bit of O’neill to him, but he was different enough and his own character that I really enjoyed watching over the 5 years of Atlantis. His willingness to put his own health and safety aside to rescue his friends and team mates(See S5E01 “Search & Rescue” where despite the fact he’s got internal bleeding and probably a whole litany of other problems, he goes on the rescue mission for Teyla, disobeying a direct order from Sam while also telling her he had more respect for her than any other CO he’d ever served under). It’s that sort of selflessness coupled with his humor, charm, wit, and his ability to come up with clever ideas that leave Rodney frustrated he didn’t think of that, that makes Col. Sheppard my favorite.

SPOP: Catra. Thank you for coming to my TED talk xD

Battlestar Galactica: Lee “Apollo” Adama. This is another tough one like most of my choices, as RDM’s nuBSG had so many amazingly developed, flawed, characters that made them seem like actual, real human beings. But Apollo was my favorite I think. Smart, skilled, compassionate. Strong moral compass... for the most part(we’ll gloss over his affair with Starbuck while married to Dee). I will never not feel bad for him. I think part of him truly did love Dee, just not as much as he loved Kara, and as soon as it looked like he was rekindling the spark with Dee she killed herself. And then they finally find Earth the Second, and it looks like he’s finally going to get to settle down with Kara like he’s always wanted, poof, she’s an Angel and has completed her purpose. Bill is off burying Laura, and he’ll probably never see his dad again. Dude went through so much character growth, so much pain and hurt and ended up alone.

Dragonball: I grew up watching DBZ so it’s always had a soft spot in my heart. And my favorite character has always been a tie between Future Trunks & Vegeta. But I think I’m going to give it to Future Trunks. He was such a badass. His entry was sooooo badass, the way he dismantled Frezia and his father with his sword. When he got back to the future after the Cell Games he wasted no time killing 17 & 18 and then Cell. He was a take no bullshit, don’t fuck around like Vegeta, Goku, and SSJ2 Kid Gohan(All I can think of anymore is Dragonball Z Abridged where Gohan gets so mad at himself for letting his Vegeta show xD) Not to mention kid me for whatever reason was super enamored with his seatbelt buckle style belts he used. Idk why but like 10 year old me thought that was the coolest shit ever.

Teen Titans(the good one not GO): Raven. I always loved Raven and she’s been my favorite TT since I watched the OG show. Her character development throughout the show was amazing. Going from thinking she was too dangerous/weird to love to having friends and a family. Will always be my favorite and it’s not even a contest.

I’m not going to tag anyone in this because but if you see this and want to play, feel free to tag me as having tagged you! Thanks so much again for tagging me!

[sigynpenniman]

A Minor Injury - Garashir Fluff

Author note: I’ve been writing this weekend, this is what came out. Very early Garashir - think a couple days after Past Prologue. There’s not necessarily any canon support for Garak having any problems with doctors, but Garak definitely has some anxieties beyond just the claustrophobia. We don’t ever see him interact with any doctors who aren’t Julian, so I’m declaring “The ground is soft and I am ready to dig” with this one. Danny accuses me of projecting but...of course not. Me? Projecting? never. Also, watch as I learn how to use the read more feature, and keep the 15 mile long posts off everyone’s dashes!

You’re bleeding.

Garak looked down. A thin trickle of red liquid ran down the back of his hand. He winced as the cut began to sting. One slip with a cutter...

It’s fine. It’ll heal. You don’t need treatment. Minor injuries do not justify medical intervention. Keep working. Stop crying, Elim. Stop whining, Elim. Carry on with your work.

No. That is over. He’s not here to tell you what to do any more. Garak breathed and looked around his shop. This is your life now.

He looked at his hand again just in time to see the blood threatening to drip onto the pale fabric beneath. He grabbed a bit of fabric from the scrap pile and mopped the blood from the back of his hand.

It doesn’t matter what Tain would have told you. This is your decision. Does that need treatment? Garak processed the thought. It was a minor cut. Images flashed through his mind, memories the last time he needed medical treatment. A military doctor, leaning over him. It’s not that bad. You’ll live. This is going to hurt. He could still feel the nearly unbearable pain of the blade slicing into his skin, the sensation of the small chip of metal being removed, the burning, burning of the antiseptic.Do not show pain. Do not show fear. He could remember, as much shame as it carried, the feeling of a single tear biting at his eye. The sharp bite of a needle going through his skin as the doctor sutured the gaping wound in his thigh.

Garak centered himself again. No, this definitely does not need treatment. He did his best to get back to his work. By the time he pulled himself out of the memory, the blood was beginning to drip again. The fabric he was sewing on was blue, pale blue, and the red dripping down his hand threatened it. He would have to stay on top of it to keep it from damaging the fabric, but that was manageable. Stitch, cut, mop up the blood, stitch, cut, mop up the blood. He carried on this way for at least 15 minutes.

That really should have stopped bleeding by now. Garak night not have known much about medicine, but he knew that cuts were not supposed to bleed forever, and he couldn’t keep up with the dripping forever. He took a deep breath. This is not Cardassia, and this is not the occupation anymore. The doctors here are from the federation. It was time to take this to the infirmary, no matter how much he disliked the idea.

He carefully put down his tools, shut the shop, and stepped off in the direction of the infirmary. He was struck as soon as he stepped in by how different the room looked than he remembered. Everything was brighter and cleaner than it had ever been before. The air smelled of antiseptic. Antiseptic. He was sure he could feel the stinging in his thigh again. He could feel his heartbeat rising, rising-

“Excuse me, sir? Are you in need of treatment?”

The clear, high pitched voice of a young Bajoran woman spoke from his left. He turned to make eye contact with her and carefully prepared his words, so as not not to stutter.

“Yes, thank you. I seem to have cut my hand. It seems to be bleeding a bit more than it is supposed to.” The young Bajoran woman smiled and motioned for Garak to follow her.

“Doctor Bashir will be with you in just a moment” she said, her voice cheerful and bright. How can anyone in a hospital, a space of such pain, be so happy - wait, Bashir? The doctor. The handsome one. The one you met yesterday. Garak had forgotten. The young Bajoran woman led Garak over to an examination table and motioned him to sit on it. She turned and walked away from him, still smiling. Garak’s heart was racing, blood pressure rising. The room suddenly seemed small, smaller than he remembered. No, Elim, the walls are not closing in on you. He tried to distract himself from that particular panic by focusing on the other one. Prepare yourself for the pain. Do not show pain. Do not show anxiety. You are an agent - no, former agent, of the Obsidian Order. You do not know fear. Ha. If only that were true.

“Mister Garak!”

He’s more handsome than you remembered. Garak did his best to affect a smile.

“Just Garak. Plain, simple, Garak.” You’ve definitely said that before. “Hello Doctor.”

Julian nodded in deference. “Right. I remember you saying so. How can I help you today, plain, simple, Garak?” he asked. He’s smiling. He looks kind. No. That’s a lie. It’s always a lie with doctors. There are no kind doctors. The walls are closing in on you. Leave. Get out now.

“Thank you for your concern, Doctor, but I think this may have been a false alarm. I assure you, I am just fine. I think I’ll be going now, if you don’t mind.”

“Nice try, Garak. You came in here for a reason.” The doctor arranged his body between Garak and the door. “What was it?”

Run. He’s pushing too hard. He’s got intentions. Who knows what they are.

“I found our conversation the other day most interesting. I simply wanted to say hello.” Garak lied. Julian’s body language softened.

“It’s alright, Garak. You’re safe here.”

Do not show weakness.

“Of course I am, Doctor. Why would anyone suggest otherwise?”

A corner of the doctor’s mouth turned upwards. The expression was almost affectionate. “I can’t imagine who, Garak. So, since that’s established, do you want to tell me what brought you here?”

Fine. You win, Doctor.

“I seem to have injured my hand while cutting some fabric. I’m sure it would have been fine, only…it seems to continue to bleed, and I wouldn’t want to get blood on the fabric.”

“Of course not.” Julian added with a knowing nod.

Show him the hand. No. Show him the hand.

“Let’s see that hand.”

Garak hesitated. You’re going to have to show him the hand. Prepare for the pain.

Julian took a step closer to his patient. “It’s alright” he said softly. “I’m not going to hurt you.” Garak lifted his hand hesitantly towards the Doctor. This is going to hurt. Garak held his breath, anticipating the discomfort, the feeling of a hand wrapped too tightly around his, the feeling of his joints creaking and aching under uncareful handling. The doctor wrapped his hand around Garak’s and drew it gently towards his face.

That’s different. Julian traced a finger along the edge of the wound, studying it intently. Garak took a deep, shaky breath. The doctor’s fingers were gentle against his skin. Garak’s stomach fluttered. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had touched him so tenderly. He had prepared himself so intently, but there was no pain, no manhandled discomfort here – only a kind of physical kindness. It was a completely unfamiliar sensation. He raised his eyes to the doctor’s face. Julian’s expression was soft and focused. Garak was sure he was looking at the most beautiful man he had ever seen. The doctor turned the injured hand over in his and met his patient’s eyes.

“It’s only a minor cut,” he reassured. “The back of the hand is dense with blood vessels, so it tends to bleed more than you might expect. I’ll have you back to your sewing in no time.”

Garak nodded. He was unable to really speak. Julian rested the injured hand back in his patient’s lap. He turned to wall behind him and produced an unfamiliar instrument, and completely familiar rag. So much for a painless experience. Garak flinched. He had almost accepted the doctor’s kindness, but the memories kept flooding back into his mind. It burns. Please stop. Oh, shut up. Do you want to die of an infection? Julian lifted the injured hand again. He happened to wrap his fingers around it in such a way that they caught the pulse point on the inside of Garak’s wrist, and he paused when he realized his patient’s pulse was racing again.

“This all makes you rather anxious, doesn’t it?” he asked.

“Anxious? Me? Never, Doctor.”

Julian raised an incredulous eyebrow and went to press the damp cloth against Garak’s hand. He felt his patient flinch, again. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he repeated gently. Garak looked unconvinced.

“It’s just bacitracin, Garak. It’s not going to hurt. I promise.” Julian tenderly cleaned the dried blood from around the edges of the wound, and smiled a little as he felt Garak’s hand relaxing into his. “See?” he added, in a tone of “I told you so”. Content with the state of the wound, he lifted the unfamiliar instrument.

“It’s a dermal regenerator,” Julian answered the unspoken question, doing his best to keep his patient’s barely hidden fear at bay. “It won’t hurt either.”

You’re acting like a child. Garak watched the doctor pass the instrument, just as painlessly as he had promised, over the wound. The cut on his hand slowly disappeared. You’ve embarrassed yourself here, today. Good luck recovering from this.

“How’s that?” Julian asked with a smile, releasing Garak’s hand. Garak studied the skin on the back of his hand. It’s like you never even cut yourself. Impressive. He flexed the hand back and forth a bit, and nodded contently.

“Much better. Thank you, doctor. And I would like to offer my sincerest apologies for how I acted here today. It’s unforgivable.”

Julian’s expression softened again. He rested a hand on Garak’s shoulder.

“The Cardassian military didn’t produce particularly compassionate doctors, did it?”

“No, Doctor. It did not.”

Garak could feel the weight of the other man’s hand on his shoulder. It was a heavy, comforting reminder of a safe presence. Garak wasn’t used to feeling safe in anyone’s presence. It crossed his mind that he would prefer to be in this particular presence as much as possible.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Garak. Certainly not for being afraid. But I assure you, you will never have anything to fear from me.”

Garak’s heart flickered. The doctor was so handsome, and there was something about the kindness in his green eyes that made him irresistible. Oh wow, he has green eyes. Garak hadn’t fully noticed them before.

“Thank you, Doctor. You’ve been very kind to me.” Kinder than anyone has ever been before. Kinder than you can process.

“Everyone deserves a little kindness, Garak. No exceptions.”

You’re in love with him. Oh, You bet I am.

“I ought to thank you for your excellent care, Doctor. Would you, perhaps, allow me to take you to dinner?”

Julian smiled broadly. He looked as if he had been waiting for the question.

“I would love to, Mister Garak.”

Good job, Garak. Look what happens when you actually let people see what you’re feeling. He’s actually going to have dinner with you. Maybe more than once. Play your cards right, Garak. Maybe this is a presence you can keep close after all.

Aren’t you glad you decided to seek treatment for that hand?

[croc-odette]

here are collected ds9 thoughts so far

looooooove that sisko invites everyone over for dinner nights where he cooks family recipes. like what the fuck that’s so sweet?

i think ‘the visitor’ really chewed me up because it’s so clear that sisko only wants jake to be happy and understands him and jake just loves his dad too much to really understand that fully. when jake is like 80 years old and sisko shows up and says ‘jake’ really softly like he’s still a kid and then just smiles watching him sleep a little bit more before waking him up... like oh man

okay also unexpected father/son relationship i love: rom and nog? like it was really intense when nog was like ‘i KNOW my dad is intelligent and capable but he just never had the right chance and i don’t want that for myself’ and then for rom to be soooo proud of him like to buy him a starfleet uniform and present him to everyone at the bar...... like that’s so cute what the fuck

hating quark and loving quark is really like the swinging pendulum of emotion

i love when the ferengi’s very accurately dunk on human history... like ‘they irradiated their own planet?’ quark is like ‘why would i trust any of you when for some reason i’m informed about pre-warp earth history’ and? he’s right

oh god another thing in the visitor episode... seeing it from jake’s POV was so great bc we only got small glimpses of how everyone else felt and i think that was more powerful... like to see dax comforting jake but to also know she is like overwhelmed just by the way she’s staring off in the distance. KIRA GIVING A EULOGY. i was mad at the writer girl because i was like bitch how are you not fully breaking down right now like FEEL AN EMOTION

kira trying to comfort sisko and realizing they’re work friends but not FRIEND friends and apologizing for pushing the emissary thing on him and then at the end of the episode he invites her to baseball and she’s SO happy

i’m not super strongly attached to odo but every time someone’s mean to odo i’m like ‘hey back off. stop’. him and garak not having any kind of relationship except annoying each other and then garak is still really desperately trying to protect him from the obsidian order without seeming desperate was???? really touching and unexpected? and odo reaching out to be breakfast friends

‘our man bashir’ and garak is like ‘THIS is what you do instead of hang out with me??????’

julian idealizing and fantasizing about being james bond/hypermasculine and implications that he likes passive women is so funny because he’s not like that at all... in a good way... julian you’re a very gentle natural healer with unlimited empathy for everyone and you get pegged, embrace that

that scene where quark opens the orb case and the nagus’s head is inside glowing and like laughing.... was SO outrageous and funny to me like i can’t stop thinking about the visual and wallace shawn just going ‘AHHHHHHH!’

THE GAY WORM EPISODE... seeing jadzia dax almost in tears and like really vulnerable when she’s usually confident was so much. and she’s only really like that with sisko and sometimes your uncle figure is a 27 year old woman who is sometimes also like your bi daughter. i was really grateful that it was clear jadzia loved her and not just ‘my past man self loved your past woman self’ like as individuals they were really going through it

ZIYAAAAALLLLL i know what happens to her and i hate it (dead and kisses garak??????? nightmare) but i love her... i love disney princess cardassian, in my heart of hearts i’m already in denial and she’s alive and in love with jake’s dreamy impractical poet ass and it’s very inconvenient for sisko but he really likes her and approves

jadzia always getting dragged on klingon quests and being like ‘haha yeah i love it!’ and then later being like ‘hm. this isn’t going well’. worf is such a fucking hallway monitor????? 

i think that merchant that quark got stranded with in that one ep in season 4 and they bonded was like... quark left that experience and was like ‘well my nephew is leaving for college... there’s probably a war soon... i guess i’ll just??? EXPLORE THE IDEA I’M BI?’ and is just having that on the backburner in all the following eps like i GET THAT VIBE

realized i like miles so much because he sounds like sam gamgee

truly unbelievable that a bajoran woman loved gul dukat but okay writers you’re the same people who want me to believe that garak is straight so like i guess i can’t say i expect anything from you

[edosianorchids901]

Prompt: "Carry me"

Thank you so much for the prompt!!

Read here on AO3 - Tumblr mobile formatting has been iffy lately, so this may be your best bet if you’re on mobile.

Vicious wind blasted a wall of dust straight into Julian’sface as soon as he stepped off the transport. He squeezed his eyes shut with awince. God, this was like the time he’d used a salt scrub not meant for humans.The scrub had left his body raw, burning. And if anything, this dust scouredhis skin even more severely.

Shielding his face with one hand, Julian cracked his eyesopen. Garak hadn’t lied about the conditions or the continued struggle torebuild. All around the edges of the spaceport lay crushed and twisted remnantsof the proud structures that once stood guard.

And yet, ramshackle buildings peeked hopefully over theruins. Amid all the grey and tan, green emerged in the form of newly-plantedvegetation. And all around, Cardassians worked industriously. Some were buildinga wall, while others buzzed around inside what looked like a traffic control tower.

Impressive. Julian picked his way down the street, carefulnot to slip on any loose gravel. Other pedestrians alternately jostled him or shotsuspicious glares and gave him a wide berth. A warmer welcome than he’dexpected, really.

Now, where could he find Garak? Julian stopped to pull outhis padd, and someone immediately plowed into him. “Sorry,” Julian said, givinga quick wave and stepping out of traffic.

I probably should havetold him I was coming. But then it wouldn’t have been a surprise. The lookon Garak’s face would outweigh the inconvenience of being slightly lost.

Julian wiped a thick coat of dust from his padd screen andchecked the time. Early afternoon, which meant Garak was with the ReunionProject, probably having lunch. Julian tucked the padd back into his duffel andset off.

Perhaps from guilt over both the distance and initial delayin communication, Garak had been unusually forthcoming about his life onCardassia these past months. His messages contained a ridiculous amount ofdetail, so much that Julian’s eyes often glazed over. But knowing Garak’sfavorite lunch spots came in handy now.

Even the oppressive heat and choking dust couldn’t put adamper on this. Julian almost broke into a run when he saw the makeshift café,his hands tingling. Finally. Finally, after all these months. He flung the dooropen.

Garak sat in a typical spot, off to the side with a clearview of the entire room. He glanced up from a padd, and his eyes widened. Hisfork slipped from his grasp, bounced off a plate, and clattered to the floor.

Words rushed in Julian’s mind, tangling and wrestling fordominance. I’m here! Hallo, Elim, Idecided to move to Cardassia. Oh my god, it’s so damn good to see you. Surprised?

“Hi,” he finally managed, cheeks aching from his grin.

Mouth hanging open, Garak leapt up. He’d lost weight—alittle too much weight—since leaving DS9. His scales were dull, hair unkempt.

But delight radiated from his eyes. He crossed the café andseized Julian’s hands. “My dear Julian. What are you doing here?”

How very like him to immediately start asking questions. Julian’sthroat went dry and tight. “Moving here, if that’s all right with you.”

Garak tilted his head. “Is that so?”

God, that wasn’t an encouraging response. The others in thecafé—all Cardassian, probably members of the Reunion Project—fell silent. Thiswas probably as close as they got to theatre these days.

“Yep, it is.” Julian kept his tone light despite the knot inhis stomach. “I just couldn’t go any longer without kissing you, so I decidedit was time to change things up.” Without asking. Which was, in retrospect,maybe not the wisest idea.

Garak’s entire stance relaxed, a smile spreading across hisface. He reached up and cupped Julian’s cheek. “I meant what I said in myletter. You are always welcome here, Doctor.”

Thank god. Julian glanced around the café. Expectant facesstudied them, not even bothering to feign polite indifference. It was likebeing surrounded by a pack of raptors. “Um, should we go back to your place,or…?”

“Ah. Yes.” Garak shook himself. He scooped the fork off theground and set it on his plate, then collected his belongings. “Come, my dear.”

The heavy cloud of dust attacked again the instant theystepped outside. Julian groaned. Grit filled his mouth, burned his eyes.

Garak made a soft, disapproving sound and tugged somethingfrom his pack. “You should have known better than to go for a walk on Cardassiawithout a mask. Did you bother to read my letters at all? I do believe we spokeabout the dust at length on one of our chats as well.”

“I thought it might be more fun to make you take care of mefor a change.” The mask definitely wasn’t designed for a human, leaving gapswhere ridges would be on a Cardassian. Still, it kept out most of the dust, andJulian breathed a little easier. Maskswill complicate kissing a bit, though.

Garak cut through the crowd, occasionally exchanging a fewwords with passersby. His gestures flowed with a natural, almost calm grace.

Despite the rubble, despite the death, despite thedestruction… Amazing. Cardassians really were the hardiest of people. Knock them down and they just spring backout of the cracks and keep going on with their lives. Adapt or die.

“Here we are.” Garak gestured to the path ahead.

Even without the introduction, Julian would have recognizedthis as Garak’s home. If plants peppered other areas of the city, theypositively enveloped this land. Bushes of every kind, vines Julian couldn’t identifyeven with his enhanced memory. And, of course, orchids, their light peachblossoms unfurling at the base of nearly every monument.

And the monuments!They stretched towards the sky, another symbol of Cardassian pride anddurability. They seemed to say Wesurvived, we endured, and now we stand back up.

“This is stunning,” Julian said, his voice muffled by the mask.“How the hell do you work in the garden in all this wind?”

“Carefully.” Garak led him down the path. “And, as you cansee, my shed is expanding into quite a nice little residence.”

“It’s bigger than I expected.” While simple, the structurehad a certain elegance that ran through all Garak’s work, whether his medium beplants, fabric, or stone.

Garak’s jaw tipped up, his pride unmistakable even through amask. “I do believe I’m finding my place,” he said softly with a glance atJulian. “Particularly now, with you beside me.”

The remaining pressure in Julian’s chest vanished. “Carryme.”

“Beg pardon?” Garak tilted his head.

“It’s an old human custom, to carry someone over thethreshold when…” Heat suffused Julian’s cheeks, and he waved a hand to thehouse. “Well, technically it’s when you get married. But, I mean, we’ve beentogether for so long that I thought it might be—”

“Hush, my dearest Doctor.”

Julian found himself swept up in strong Cardassian arms. Hegiggled and looped an arm around Garak’s neck. “See, I always knew you were aromantic at heart.”

“I believe I’ve demonstrated my romantic tendencies quitewell over the years.” Garak cradled Julian a bit closer so neither of them bumpedagainst the doorframe. After a couple steady steps inside, he stopped. “Am I allowedto put you down now? Or is there more to this custom?”

“No, you can put me down.”

Once on the ground, Julian dropped his duffel and glancedaround the house. Low bookshelves lined the walls. Many of the books had beendamaged by water, fire, and who knew what else. A few Edosian orchids decoratedthe simple wooden table.

A cot huddled in thecorner, several blankets spread neatly over the mattress. “Your bed’s a littlesmall,” Julian said. Of course, Garak had complained that nights on Cardassiachilled him, so snuggling would benefit his health.

“I believe we can make do.” Garak deftly peeled off Julian’smask and then his own. He combed his fingers through Julian’s hair, and dust cloudedthe air. “Better.”

Julian’s breath caught—this time, not from the dust. Heleaned into the contact, brought his hand to Garak’s cheek, and kissed him.Finally. I’m never letting him leaveagain.

[armada-of-ships-against-antis]

Gush about some of your favorite ships please

Sorry for the long wait, but I think I might be ready for this now. (and before anybody wonders, of course it is in the middle of the night and I should go to bed now! Cause it’s the best time to gush over your ships!)

Okay lets begin with Spirk - man I was raised being a Trekkie and to be honest I never saw the great appeal of Kirk, cause my fucking younger than 10 year old heart already belonged to that vulcan! And I bailed my eyes out when he died! But after Kirk and the crew did everything to bring him back, I was like: Okay Kirk is a good one, okay! Nobody will ever be able to seperate them, only over my dead body. Back then it was more about the friendship but I’ll be dammned if I didn’t become a Spirk shipper some 10 years later when rewatching it. But why stop there, get Bones into the fun, too! Try to provoke that human side of Spock, trigger some unlogical feelings, try to beat him in 3d chess!

Okay bear with me there are three other Star Trek ships I wanna gush about!  I pretty much watched the series in the order they came out, so next was TNG that I saw, and although I loved data to every bit and byte of his android being, I was at a loss for a love interest for him. Okay there is always Geordie I guess or Picard, but TNG never hold a deep appeal for me in that field. So on to DS9. When I saw it as a kid, is was boring shit with all that politics and religion. I was around 18 when I rewatched and then in only the fourth episode I became suddenly aware of how motherfucking much Garak flirted with Julian Bashir! And I fell so deeply in love for their weird dynamic of a young and easily impressible human doctor with a mysterious cardassian spy tailor. I ran around showing scenes with them to people who were not shippers and they agreed, that there was tension. And right there was my first time finding background informations about my ship. It was there! I didn’t just interpret too much!  Andrew Robinson, the actor said himself he thought of Elim Garak as an omnisexual character who had a certain interest in Julian. It was absolutely mindblowing to me (also I started to google what omnisexual meant and found about pansexuality, so this is kinda part of finding my own identity, thanks to the closeted representation of a queer alien in sci-fi show from the 90s)

Okay two more and I’m done with Star Trek. But both are from Voyager. Throughout the series I loved the chemistry between Janeway and Chakotay. The slightly forbidden, the pressure, the loneliness of being captain of a ship so far away she probably would never see her husband again. Tragic shit and so perfect set up.  And then came Seven of Nine and manged to shake things up. Suddenly I was a multi shipper, because I couldn’t decide if she or Chakotay should be with Kathryn. The one was loving, supporting and the other was awkward, learning new things about finding humanity again. One was frowned upon because of their ranks and the other because Seven was still more borg than human in how she behaved. So pretty cold, while also confused a ton of times and Janeway ALWAYS had the time and nerves to explain it to her. Just like the doctor (who speaking between us is also a solid shipping option for Seven!)

Damn I tricked you by forgetting myself, that I did develop a shipping crush on Q x Picard. Damn have you ever seen those two interacting. The cockiness in the room, the mocking tone, the resistance. Have you seen those scenes you could perfectly take out of context and already have a “morning after sex” scenario?

Good now let’s take a deep breath and come to the Harry Potter fandom. Or in my case Severus Snape’s playground to be shipped to literally everybody! If it had Snape in it, I would read Everything during that time. Snarry was my most favourite, followed by Snape x Lucius, Remus, Sirius. But I also was looking into x Hermione, Draco, Lily, James, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Ron, Neville (Oh what a small and angsty ship), Bellatrix, Voldemort, Narcissa, Tonks, hell I even read one with Hagrid! (Okay I admit I didn’t enjoy that). Snape was my shipping bitch. Beside that I was of course loving Sirius x Remus.

Okay we move a tiny bit backwards in my life timeline, because before I started to excessively ship my ship bitch with everybody that was breathing, I had a rare ship in Final Fantasy (VII to be more precisely). Hojo x Vincent. You know just your ordinary crazy, mentally instable old (as in probably 60 years old) mad scientist having his way with a young agent from a special task force who canonly had a love interest in his wife… yeah. You know the totally normal stuff you ship every day!  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  

I mean I also had the regular Cloud x Sephiroth, Cid x Vincent, Cloud x Tifa, Tifa x Aeris, Reno x Rude or Rufus and so on, but hell yeah I wrote one of my longest fanfictions with most of my OCs for Hojo and Vincent and someone commented on it. That person became my fucking best friend for now over 13 years who went with me through so much shit but is still my shipping partner in crime till now.

Together we discovered the movie Megamind and watched it more than 10 times in one week! We were so instantly on board with Megamind x Roxanne that it nearly hurt. And when we started an rpg, we shipped the fuck out of them, gave Minion a mermaid to love and that was the most perfect and sweet shit. They are just adorable! He’s such a goofball, sick with love only hold back because of his supervillain image.

I also met my second girlfriend via fanfiction comment. I had written a smut one shot about Tarrant Hightopp, the mad Hatter with ‘his’ Alice. That was also the first one I attempted to translate into English. When we met for the first time, we also watched Alice in Wonderland around 10 times together and we were in love with the lovely dynamic. We were frustrated when we found out, there was even a kiss in the script that never made it to the fucking screen! It was outrageous! I started to learn how to write a scottish accent and strew in some scottish words in our rpg to make it more authentic.

(And after that I managed to pull her into the pit of the Harry Potter fandom, hell I even pulled her into the pit of shipping mlm which she didn’t like until Snupin. But our main ship was suddenly Snape with her OC and we wrote a lot. Like between 2-8k word for one single post in our rpg! In the end we had enough to fill two books. We did even cosplay as them.)

Let’s get back to the Final Fantasy fandom a bit and let me gush over the other ships I had over the years. I’m still a huge Squall x Quistis shipper from part 8 and Laguna x Kiros! I also have an eye on Cifer x Fu-Jin (hah one eye, cause she has a an eyepatch, urgh I know that was a bad joke). And while I started as a big Auron x Tidus shipper, it shifted more to Auron x Rikku. I shipped them when I was about 15 (her age) and I thought I wasn’t allowed to do that, so I made a whole fucking AU where she was older and it developed into a totally original story of my own, which I have never ever written down even one page). With X-2 I satisfied myself with Paine x Rikku, they were such cute opposites of each other, I couldn’t resist! Only some years ago I played FF 15 and damn it was a shipping paradise again for me. Like all of the four protagonists are a match for each other! And then Ardyn appeared and made me weak in the knees. So Ardyn x Noctis but also just because those the truly most favorite characters: Ardyn x Ignis. Not exactly the fluffy happy stuff, I can tell you that. Manipulation, angst, abuse it had it all.

I can’t talk about Final Fantasy and leave Kingdom Hearts out, so yeah I started as a typical Sora x Riku (not Rikku from FF 10) fangirl and with part 2 I also feel for Axel x Roxas. I know, I know but at least with Organisation 13 you had a whole bunch of shippable characters. Just make one or two of them your shipping bitch, in my case Xemnas and Xigbar and ship the shit out those guys with everybody you can think of in the organisation.

And when we are already talking about Kingdom Hearts, I just jump into Disney a bit. Like every girls dream was to find their prince, ect and I was like: yeah Mulan and Shan Yu seem to fit nicely… Frollo is a fucking ass creep, but damn that scene in the cathedral when he sniffs Esmeraldas hair… Jasemine you look good in that red slave outfit for Jafar to be honest and dear Adam, you should have stayed a beast for Belle. Happy ruining your childhood. You’re welcome. :D Not that I shiped those during seeing those movies the first time, but you know I rewatch stuff!

Good okay let’s check the watch… good 1 hour later…. I’m not gonna finish this any time soon…. I’m sorry. I just tried to make a list of ships that seem important to me and I would probably write another hour or two. I just hope this satisfies you for the moment ;)

If you or anybody else wants to hear about more video game, movies or series ships and me writing an essay about that shit… feel free to ask I guess LMAO

Good Night dear people (or maybe not I see 15 messages on my dash)

[jessilynallendilla]

STAR TREK Fic Rec

NR

A Moment From the Temporal War-  https://archiveofourown.org/works/16592681

Complete, WC: 553

A tiny ficlet, more of a premise than a story. This is what happened when the Temporal Cold war from ENT erupted into open temporal warfare, as seen in the "Storm Front" two-parter.

Scenes from a Disaster Zone-  https://archiveofourown.org/works/11311746

Complete, Bashir/Garak, WC: 6,861 

This fic assumes an established relationship, begun soon after Julian joins Garak on Cardassia as part of the Federation aid effort. It is not ASIT-compliant, but is definitely influenced by it and all the other wonderful post-canon fics out there.

Of Stars and Plebes- https://archiveofourown.org/works/1899546/chapters/4094982

On Going, Kirk/Spock, WC: 40,318  

James T. Kirk was not always the confident, swaggering Captain of the U.S.S Enterprise. Follow him as he makes his way through the halls of Starfleet Academy with his best friend Bones and lest we forget, an excruciatingly uptight Vulcan.

The Promise- https://archiveofourown.org/works/13877313/chapters/31926819

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 207,872

As children, Jim and Spock promised they would get married when they grew up. Jim thought it was just a silly joke between kids.When they meet again upon the Enterprise, Spock still expects Jim to fulfill that promise.

G

On Human Gestures- https://archiveofourown.org/works/10783569

Complete, WC: 757

A simple study of some of Spocks more human gestures and where he probably picked them up from.

Always Shall Be (2019)- https://archiveofourown.org/works/17766896

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 1,052

After Jim is brought back to life after Khan, he spends a short time in his recovery visiting Spock Prime.

Fallacies and Assumptions, Logical and Otherwise- https://archiveofourown.org/works/12863751/chapters/29380029

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 6,799

Spock must piece together fragments of memory to uncover the truth of who he was. He knows his own heart, but what about Jim's?

Graduate Vulcan for Fun and Profit- https://archiveofourown.org/works/17969

Complete, WC: 15,113

It really does take a village to raise a Jim.The members of the Kelvin's crew watch over Jim as much as he lets them.

I Will Have This- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14679873/chapters/33916410

Complete, Amanda/Sarek, Kirk/Spock, WC: 15,541 

Just as she finished adding a small box of sweets to her items, she felt a tug on the sleeve of her robe. Turning, she had a smile prepared, and a praise on the tip of her tongue for whatever item her son had chosen. That turned into a sharp gasp when she realized that carefully ensconced in her son’s arms was not any item for sale in the shop, but a very human baby. “Mother, I will have this.”

Nature Boy- https://archiveofourown.org/works/13499398/chapters/30958488

On Going, Kirk/Spock, WC: 25,361

The story of a young boy on an unfamiliar planet who makes friends with the trees.

No Vegas Wedding for Us- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14934444/chapters/34599873

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 28,919

Jim Kirk has loved Spock and pined after him throughout the entirety of their five-year mission. He thought, hoped and dared to believe that today, the day of their wedding, would be the happiest day of his life. But there's just one problem. Well, two problems. Okay, maybe three. Spock doesn't love Jim in return, the marriage is a sham, and now — as their wedding guests grow impatient and Jim's hope fades — Spock has gone missing.

Facing down a ticking clock, Starfleet's scrutiny, and profound misconceptions about each other's intentions, Jim and Spock had nine days to decide if the lie was worth it to keep Spock on the Enterprise. Now, it seems Spock has made that decision.

It Takes A Village- https://archiveofourown.org/works/8226730/chapters/18854419

Complete, WC: 33,227

Transporter malfunction turns Bones into a toddler. Can the crew keep him out of trouble, or will young Leonard McCoy be too much to handle?

out of obscurity into the dream- https://archiveofourown.org/works/11135340/chapters/25110768

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 87,794

Spock has lived an entire life in seclusion, brought up by a Romulan to believe he was one too. Convinced his telepathy was a rare gift that must be protected at all costs, he was prohibited to touch anyone and leave the house. Jim Kirk comes across him accidentally after he was hired to steal a Vulcan artefact. Together, they start an adventure of finding a soulmate in each other and preventing another catastrophe from happening after the artefact turns out to be a part of an ancient psionic weapon.

Also known as “How I almost died three times in two days and found my soulmate”, an autobiography by J.T. Kirk.

T

A Logical Confession- https://archiveofourown.org/works/10631613

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 1,492

Spock confesses his love to Jim, in his own logical way.

Fic: Variable Meaning- https://flagrantialuna.livejournal.com/1058.html

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 4,239

The last thing Spock ever remembers is a mission going horribly wrong.

where the long shadows grow- https://archiveofourown.org/works/15878247

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 5,957

Spock, he thinks, should be fine. So long as he still rejected the Science Academy, and didn’t get assigned there again, and isn’t on leave to visit his parents, and --

His parents.

“Oh, Spock,” says Jim, into his knees. “S'ti th'laktra.”

He feels an echo in the back of his mind, endless sadness and grief.

Tick-Tock and Fizzbin- https://archiveofourown.org/works/5670571

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 7,916

When Hikaru Sulu came to visit Spock and Jim at the small house they had recently purchased, and presented to them an air-hole equipped box that emitted a yelping noise, Spock said quickly and loudly, without stopping to consider the consequences, "No."

Irak-nahan- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14824949

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 8,447

While on a simple diplomatic mission, Spock is attacked by an unknown force. It is up to Jim and McCoy to figure out who did it and why. The only issue is that there are plenty of suspects, but none of them are very suspect. It's a race, not against the clock, but against Spock's tolerance for the psychic pain he's being put through. Spock, meanwhile, is not only fighting the strange entity taking up residence in his mind, but also the feelings he has for his captain.

The Vulcan Bite- https://archiveofourown.org/works/13582686

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 8,720

When Pon Farr hits, Spock knows he must conceal himself in his quarters or risk his violent sex-fiend behavior ruining his career. While trying to check up on his friend, Jim is shocked that a hormone fueled Spock actually bites him.

He tries to conceal it and hopes it heals on its own. But what neither of them knows is that the Vulcan bite during Pon Farr can give the victim the exact hormones and symptoms of Plak Tow.

Only one thing can resolve their mutual fever.

Fulfilling the Needs of the One (Or the Both)- https://archiveofourown.org/works/1184912

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 8,754

Spock begins to wonder if his relationship with Jim has been one-sided in his own favor.

Five Years Gone- https://archiveofourown.org/works/12910674/chapters/29496396

Incomplete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 11,671

Jim was declared dead five years ago. Spock has been in command of Enterprise. The Enterprise is sent to Drozana Station (stolen from Star Trek Online because it's the perfect crappy space station for this story) to recover something Starfleet left behind.

What Spock doesn't know is that Jim's not dead, and it's going to be one hell of a reunion.

Nothing without you- https://archiveofourown.org/works/16649242

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 12,197

After the Fal-tor-pan, Spock finds himself bereft, confused and unable to define his relationship with his Captain and friend. Torn between a present he does not entirely belong to and a past he cannot fully comprehend, he struggles against his mind and the conflicting feelings drawing him to Jim.Does he dare reach for him? Can he find a way to bridge the distance between them? Will he remember the meaning of t'hy'la?

The Walls Between Us- https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114712

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 12,898

They have been imprisoned for thirteen hours, ten minutes, and forty-two standard seconds.

Adventure Is Out There- https://archiveofourown.org/works/7580593/chapters/17247538

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 12,922

Regardless of her feelings about parenthood, Winona will be dead before she leaves her last remaining link to George on Earth.

Jim is just the average, everyday, Starfleet-brat boy genius. His time is split between the mostly-Vulcan engineering crew and raising hell on the rest of the ship. If anybody (including Jim) knew the details of what occurred during his first trip to Vulcan, they wouldn't be surprised.

Acceptable Price- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14913896/chapters/34545332

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 14,636

In which Spock fights to the death for possession of the Enterprise crew and Jim finally admits (to himself) he might be feeling more than simple friendship for him. When Spock confronts him about his strange behaviour, the Captain has no choice but to risk it all and confess.

Just As The Twig Is Bent- http://ksarchive.com/viewstory.php?sid=7061&warning=1

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 17,580

Oh, I wonder what's going to become of that boy! I just don't know …” James Kirk felt the flame of anger in his cheeks as he listened to his mother complain and whine to the Imperial guards who had brought him home.

The Gravity of Never Letting Go- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14847870/chapters/34370529%E2%80%9D%20target=

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 20,230

After George dies and the Kelvin is destroyed, Winona is left out in the black with a newborn and a choice: go home, or run away from her problems. The consequence for her decision go beyond anything she could have imagined.

Accustomed to slightly lower then natural gravity aboard Federation vessels, an extended stay on Earth is a death sentence for Jim. But he's not going to let that stop him.

Not This Time- https://archiveofourown.org/works/7991806/chapters/18290599

Complete, Amanda/Sarek, Kirk/Spock, WC: 28,432

The crack of rock startled Spock, causing him to bark for a status update from Chekov. He wrapped an arm around his mother’s waist, fingers gripping hard enough that he hoped he wouldn’t bruise his human parent. And then the ground gave way. Distantly, the words, “I’m losing them, I’m losing them!” echoed from the communicator clipped to his belt.

White surrounded them, and he felt himself falling . . .

The Captain and his Hawke- https://archiveofourown.org/works/15409014

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 35,265

Two cursed lovers, never and always touching and touched, as long as the sun rises and sets, as long as there is day and night and for as long as they both shall live.

An irreverent young thief, constantly running for his life, the one and only who knows his way inside the holy Cathedral of Aquila .A mysterious Captain, travelling only by daylight with a black hawk upon his shoulder, intent on exacting a terrible vengeance. An ethereal, sorrowful Vulcan whose sun is the moon and who can tame wolves, gliding through the night forest like a ghost.The Bishop who once desired him, and who now seeks to destroy him.

A bond that is slowly falling apart...

Spaceships, Private Jets, and Minivans: How to Start a Global Incident in 5 Minutes Flat- https://archiveofourown.org/works/9338150/chapters/21159536

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 49,227

One early summer morning in Riverside, Iowa, a spacecraft crash lands into the backyard of a highschooler by the name of James T. Kirk.

Earth history is changed forever.

Closet Key-  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8476056/1/Closet-Key

Complete, WC: 61,639

In a universe where Vulcan is pre-warp and Jim is still prone to causing trouble, what trouble can a little crash landing cause? How did Jim end up in a ship alone? And what about Spock? Do these two hold the key to each others troubles? Or can they only make things worse?

Written in the Stars- https://archiveofourown.org/works/3558830?view_full_work=true

Incomplete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 67,532

A collection of space husbands short stories ranging from the five year mission to old married bliss. <3 Each chapter can be read as a stand-alone work.

Refuge- https://archiveofourown.org/works/7760779/chapters/17697628

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 70,138

In a less powerful, less united Federation, Romulus takes an opportunity to attack Vulcan and Federation planets begin taking in Vulcan refugees. One of these refugees, a young Spock, stays with the Kirk family on their farm in Iowa. Everyone thinks it's temporary, but after a few years Earth becomes as much a home to Spock as Vulcan ever was, and the Kirks-- especially Jim-- become family

Iowa Loam- https://archiveofourown.org/works/11195496/chapters/25000587

Complete, WC: 77,912

Jim Kirk, age ten, and his friends battle the horrors of Romulans, early bedtimes, and annoying girls. AU: set when the Federation is just being formed.

All In- https://archiveofourown.org/works/12987213/chapters/29693286#workskin

Complete, Kirk/Spock, Scotty/Uhura, Coral Marcus/Bones, WC:87,831

Jim opens his eyes. Spock’s face is calm. It’s like they’re not talking about what they’re talking about at all - a living, breathing entity that’s made up of parts from both of them. She’s her own individual, sure, but they’re the ones who made her.

And Bones.Bones had something to do with it. Jim’s red blood and Spock’s green blood and this steady, soothing heartbeat.

Plugged In- https://archiveofourown.org/works/3401606/chapters/7446449

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 93,519

Spock creates a videogame in an attempt to study humans to determine if they are ready for first contact. With the new opportunity to interact with the new species, he joins the game to study them first hand.

Jim catches wind of a strange NPC that hangs out in the IDIC tavern in ShiKahr. Everyone thinks it's defective, but Jim thinks it might be a secret event and talks to him. He's strange, and he's kind of cute in a weird way. Starfleet starts getting wind that the game might be controlled by people not of Earth origin, and they begin to question the creators' motives. Will Jim choose Starfleet, a faction he had sworn his life and loyalty too, or a man he had never even met face to face?

The Button- https://archiveofourown.org/works/7824229/chapters/17859643

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 105,505

In a life tainted by magic and evil, Jim makes his way from a young age as the apprentice of a powerful medium and her monster slayer husband (though a lot of his training seems to revolve around fetching rare and expensive liqueur...).

Eventually, the stars begin calling to him, whispering of an unnatural enemy. Something will have to be done about that. Something will also have to be done about the stubborn Vulcan who thinks one shared childhood adventure makes them friends.

Before all that, though, Jim finds a peculiar key.

RESTORE, REMAKE, & REBUILD- https://archiveofourown.org/works/16186019/chapters/37823240

Ongoing, Bashir/Garak, WC: 107,034

Eight years after the Dominion War, Dr. Bashir--rather afflicted, unfortunately--is en route to Cardassia Prime. Meanwhile, Garak has re-established himself as a politician of note, and his methods may be a point of contention. Further still, Kira reflects on her role keeping the "family" together, Ezri ponders conventional Federation ethics, Miles ruminates on lessons hard-learned, Keiko benefits from being treated like a major character, and the shadow of Enabran Tain looms over a world in recovery.

100 Words-  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12174343/1/100-Words

Incomplete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 133,324

"I want this, okay? I'm just not used to it and I'm not entirely convinced it won't end in an ugly, painful mess, but I want to try it!" Spock was absolutely enraptured, his free hand was trembling on his thigh where he was keeping it to prevent it from latching itself on the human's psy-points all of its own accord… "I am willing to try if it's with you."

M

Letters from the Northern Continent- https://archiveofourown.org/works/45841

Complete, Bashir/Garak, WC: 7,966

It just figured that the first time Julian Bashir set foot on Cardassia after the war, it would be halfway around the world from Elim Garak.

Kirk and the Friend Problem- https://archiveofourown.org/works/12087084/chapters/27395046

Incomplete, WC: 13,611

The problem starts in the Starfleet Academy and doesn't end when Jim goes off into space.

Condemnation- http://www.memory-prime.de/elizabethhelena/Condemnation.html

Complete, Bashir/Garak, WC: 14,554

"Post-'The Wire,' pre-'Our Man Bashir,' when the guys are still having lunch regularly, Julian finds out about something Garak has done, something worse than he ever thought or could have imagined." Can you now see why this story has NGHE?

Bonds of Blood- https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097988

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 17,627

Spock is renowned throughout the forge as a merciless warrior, but Jim knows him only as the coward who killed his brother.

Especially the Lies- https://archiveofourown.org/works/16584785/chapters/38866268

Complete, Bashir/Garak, WC: 23,673

It started out as a simple lie. He should have known better than to get involved in a lie with Elim Garak.

On the Arrow- https://archiveofourown.org/works/11243349/chapters/25129032

Complete, Kirk/Spock, Scotty/Uhura, WC: 26,736

After receiving the serum made from Khan’s super-blood, Jim is unsure of his place in the world. Escaping a destroyed San Francisco, he travels back to Riverside to re-evaluate his future. When his first officer unexpectedly arrives on his doorstep, Jim is reminded just how much he wants Spock to be a part of it.

Entering Orbit- https://archiveofourown.org/works/864225/chapters/1657428

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 30,957

Jim escapes to Iowa to avoid the media frenzy following the Narada incident, but a late-night miscommunication results in Spock turning up on his front porch.

...And Always Shall Be- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14901614/chapters/34514093

Incomplete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 33,158

Spock hesitates only a second longer, then presses his palm to the door and it slides open. He anticipates and receives Jim into his embrace, allowing his t’hy’la to bury his face in Spock’s neck.

“Sorry. I didn’t…I wasn’t sure where to go. I needed you,” Jim says, gasping through his emotions.

After 11 years apart, Jim and Spock finally find their way to each other.

/lost+found- https://archiveofourown.org/works/8676292/chapters/19890799

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 37,960

Spock is the first Vulcan at Starfleet Academy, and Starfleet Academy is the first time Spock has been on Earth for an extended period of time. He hopes to find a place where his status as half-human isn't looked down upon so harshly, and tries to adapt to human life and human values.Then he meets some cadets who are willing to adapt to him.

They'd call us star-crossed (If they called us at all)- https://archiveofourown.org/works/15648153/chapters/36343638

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 38,479

He plucked a star from the sky and gave me back the sun

In which Spock has to come to terms with the terrible loss of his entire planet and Jim does his best to help him heal.

This is the story of how they came to be what they are - the best Command team in the Fleet - and how they found the strength and courage to trust each other completely. The story of the birth of t'hy'la.

Foundations- https://archiveofourown.org/works/333518/chapters/538714

Complete, Kirk/Spock, Kirk/Gary, WC: 44,819

Amanda only wanted what was best for her son, and after Sarek’s death, she was certain that Vulcan was not it. However, she had never expected it to be Iowa either, or rather, a poor little boy from Riverside.

To Be Wed- https://archiveofourown.org/works/10898799/chapters/24227988

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 49,610

"With a human ruling alongside King Sarek, it makes sense that they would want a Vulcan to rule alongside you. Look on the bright side. At least it's not Sybok."

Prince S'chn T'gai Spock and Crown Prince Sam Kirk are pushed by their families into an awkward courtship, sure to become an awkward marriage. Meanwhile, the younger Terran prince just wants to make sure his future brother-in-law feels comfortable in his new home. But unfortunately for Jim, the road to hopeless, unrequited love is paved with good intentions.

Hidden Realities- https://ksarchive.com/viewstory.php?sid=2558&warning=1

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 50,498

Jim resumes command of the Enterprise for a difficult mission, and miscommunication abounds. A direct sequel to “Frozen Memories.”

Malleus Maleficarum- https://archiveofourown.org/works/7846546/chapters/17915866

Ongoing, Kirk/Spock, WC: 51,329

In the summer of 1976, a man with pointed ears moved into the old abandoned Grayson house up on the hill just north of town. Right around the same time, strange things started happening in Riverside—even stranger than when Amanda Grayson mysteriously disappeared back in 1948. Jim Kirk has always wanted to know the truth. Leonard McCoy just wants to make it through the summer alive.

Thy Soul, Alight In The Dark- https://archiveofourown.org/works/15327285/chapters/35561382

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 51,686

When disgraced former Starfleet captain and current salvage runner James T. Kirk stumbles upon what appears to be an abandoned Vulcan research vessel on the edge of Federation Space, he thinks he’s finally found some luck. The state of the ship and the fate of her original crew however, turn what was supposed to have been a standard day’s work into something quite a bit stranger. As Kirk and his crew debate if they can—or should—wake a sleeping survivor, it soon becomes clear that the nightmare is just beginning.

Only Fools- https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013237/chapters/2011855

Complete, Kirk/Spock, Kirk/Gary, Scotty/Uhura, WC: 62306

Spock has just graduated with highest honors from the Vulcan Science Academy when Nero destroys his planet. Lucky to escape with his life, he is bound for Earth on a rescue ship where he meets a strange fellow traveler: an elder version of himself. Disturbed by his counterpart's experiences in his own timeline, Spock vows never to follow the desires of his human half. But when a man named Jim Kirk comes into Spock's life, he's faced with a struggle to find the balance between Vulcan and human.

The Wall- https://archiveofourown.org/works/13737003/chapters/31562937

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 89,421

Following the events of the Halka Incident, the Enterprise returns to Earth where a massive investigation awaits. They must face inevitable changes a trip to the parallel universe brought and prevent another disaster from happening: they brought back an instruction on how to create the Tantalus Field, and you can't really expect people to sit idly once learning this, right? But for Kirk, saving Spock may become a number one priority.

Finding Spock- Part 1- https://archiveofourown.org/works/9820079/chapters/22049192

Complete, Kirk/Spock, Spock/Uhura, Spock/TPring, WC: 199,758

Spock is as Vulcan as they come. Or not. Struggling with isolation, his natural emotions and his need to be a true Vulcan, he somehow builds a life at Starfleet Academy. Follow his life from his childhood to his spiritual homecoming on the Enterprise.

THE SUM OF BOTH OF US- https://archiveofourown.org/works/883469/chapters/1701844

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 207,623

Jim Kirk is nine when a massacre on Tarsus IV leaves him without a family and without a home. Spock is twelve when a strange boy in the desert saves his sehlat. Families aren't born; they're made. The look in mother’s eyes at his correction remained a mystery long after the colors of the night sky and the complex patterns of distant nebulae had become translatable by means of distinct and relatively straightforward equations.

Leave No Soul Behind- https://archiveofourown.org/works/187333/chapters/275539

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 258,951

If you're Starfleet, you spend your whole life wishing you never see an EPAS uniform right up until the moment they become your only hope. Whether you're dying a slow, cold death in space, or a long painful one on some godforsaken planet, they're going to come for you. So count your last breaths, son, and hold on tight. They leave no soul behind.

R/EX

Sure Thing- https://archiveofourown.org/works/731935

Complete,Kirk/Spock, WC: 5,120

So suddenly Kirk finds himself being courted by Spock... at first Kirk thinks it is Spock trying to mess with his mind because Spock is still pissed about the 'cheating' incident but is soon disabused of that notion and he finds himself in his first loving, committed relationship in his life.

Shelter- http://www.ksarchive.com/viewstory.php?sid=689&warning=1

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 6,944

The stark peaks, gray sentinels of a cold world that had never known life, looked down indifferently as the three men in Starfleet uniforms came hurrying over the ridge.

One of a Kind- https://archiveofourown.org/works/48653

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 7,074

Three planets. All things rare and beautiful.

Everything but This- https://archiveofourown.org/works/15650613/chapters/36350709

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 11,043

And then they were standing in front of Cat’s Eye, and Spock was opening the door for Jim, and Jim stepped inside with a mild flirtation on his lips, but then the entire club went still, and Jim froze too, and all inhabitants were looking at them.

And, god help them, they were all vulcans.

--

A week ago, Jim kissed Spock. Now they're about to have their first shore leave together as...what, a couple? This could either be very awkward or very spicy. There's a good chance it might be both.

Designated- https://archiveofourown.org/works/15206531

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 11,304

“I would like you to read over the contract and consider what you are agreeing to before you sign,” Spock says, and reaches for the PADD on the table.

And because Jim is an absolute dipshit who thinks nothing through ever at all, he just shrugs and uses his fingers to scroll to the bottom, signs, and hits send.

In My Own Skin- https://archiveofourown.org/works/11399640

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 11,477

After the events of Turnabout Intruder, Jim is trapped in Janice Lester's body indefinitely and has to learn to carry on with his normal life and duties trapped in this body. Established relationship with Spock, but things become understandably difficult as a result of Jim's situation. Complicating matters even further, the Enterprise is assigned to a difficult diplomatic mission with a new member of the Federation.

Poses- http://www.ksarchive.com/viewstory.php?sid=691&warning=1

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 16,483

Consciousness approached as slowly as dawn on a misty world, bearing two vague impressions—one of pleasure and one of pain. The pain was a faint throbbing at the side of his head, rattling like a distant drum in time to his pulse. The pleasure was more immediate: a vastly comforting warm weight pressed beside and across him—unquestionably a friend.

One on a Side, Two Together- https://archiveofourown.org/works/11343174/chapters/25385205

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 17,108

A landing party almost never starts out as an obvious disaster.

A Crack in the Mirror- https://archiveofourown.org/works/11478597/chapters/25741107

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 19,765

Nearly two years after the events of "Mirror, Mirror", Mirror Spock returns with an unusual request.

In Another World- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14391432/chapters/33233040

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 20,796

Starfleet believed Jim Kirk was destined for command. Jim Kirk would prefer to leave his father's long Starfleet reputation behind him and dedicate himself to xeno-botany. Offered a position to work on hybrid plants on Vulcan, Jim is put into contact with a tutor, the blind xenolinguistics professor, Spock. It's only after meeting him that Jim realizes how he and Spock are connected, and why the Vulcan hates him so much.

But then fate has other ideas, and long after Jim leaves earth for Vulcan, they're thrown into each other's paths once again.

Gift- https://archiveofourown.org/works/982288/chapters/1934555

Complete, Amanda/Sarek, Kirk/Spock, Stonn/TPring, WC: 30,886

Spock gets a small golden-haired, blue-eyed creature as a gift from his father (except he doesn't). The creature speaks in his nurse's Secret Language, appears to be convinced that Spock is an "elf" and calls itself "Jim." Utterly fascinated, Spock decides to keep it.

Sviksu- https://anon-j-anon.livejournal.com/84524.html

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: +40,000

"There is a Vulcan by the name of S'chn T'gai Spock.  His name is infamous in our history."

The World Well Lost- https://archiveofourown.org/works/14962537?view_full_work=true

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 42,811

When Jim and Spock meet as teenagers on Tarsus IV and endure unspeakable horrors together, it seems like nothing can separate them. Until, that is, Jim is forced to burn every last trace of himself from Spock’s mind to keep him safe. Years later, Jim is still a smoldering husk, but it seems amnesia has been good to Spock. To remind him of the world they built together before the famine—and of how it ended—would be too cruel. Wouldn’t it? But when Starfleet tasks the Enterprise with hunting Kodos down, old scars will be torn open and hidden secrets will come to light, forcing Jim and Spock to reconsider everything they thought they knew about their shared history on Tarsus IV.

Papers in the Roadside- https://archiveofourown.org/works/270668

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC:49.637

Jim owns a small bar in Chicago, keeps on picking up strays and taking care of everyone no matter how hard it makes his own life. Spock is a journalist writing feature articles for the Chicago Tribune; he depicts the world with uncanny skill, but hides more than one personal drama and is possibly under surveillance from the Vulcan royal family. They meet by accident just before their lives start to spin out of control.

Magpie- https://archiveofourown.org/works/338376/chapters/547603

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 57,648

Spock met Jim when he was 7 and Jim was 6. It has since been generally agreed that this was a mistake (or: the one where they grow up together and things are simultaneously better and worse for it).

a sequence that you never learned- https://archiveofourown.org/works/1077361/chapters/2164321

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 64,624

"'Spock,' Jim breathes out, completely overwhelmed by the gesture—not quite believing that Spock knows him so well, that's he's already started researching, that he trusts Jim with a member of his own endangered species."

When Jim gets it in his head to adopt an eight year old Vulcan, Spock presents a logical solution to the issue of Jim's humanity: marriage to a Vulcan citizen.

Kirk's War- https://archiveofourown.org/works/5135270?view_full_work=true

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 78,933

Sequel to Colony War. Not a stand-alone. Spock is recalled to Vulcan by his father and must face his family, changed by events. The war with the colonies is winding down but there are still serious issues within Starfleet Command that Kirk is determined to sort out.

Paper Tigers- https://archiveofourown.org/works/17001378/chapters/39967212

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 92,106

Thirty years ago, the war between Earth and Vulcan ended with a shaky armistice. Now, Earth's monarchs hope their volatile neighbors might formalize peace and ally with them against a growing Klingon threat. But Vulcans are fiercely independent, and are currently fighting their own war against a rebel insurgence. An alliance remains unlikely.

In spite of this, the two planets' sons, Prince James Kirk of Earth and Dorli Kahr-lan Spock of Vulcan, find themselves passionately drawn toward each other the moment they meet, and their own private alliance could change everything.

The Lotus Eaters- https://archiveofourown.org/works/277853/chapters/440466

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 93,594

Stranded on the planet Sigma Nox while searching for a missing away team, Spock and Kirk find themselves pitted against a disturbing native life form. With the captain out of commission on a regular basis and Spock struggling to preserve his stoicism, staying alive is difficult enough – but when a slim chance for escape surfaces, their resolve is truly put to the test. Together they must fight for survival in the heart of an alien jungle, and in the process, uncover the mystery of the planet’s past.

Take Refuge in What You Know- https://archiveofourown.org/works/715652/chapters/1324993

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 120,334

Kirk has moved into a apartment/house and wants to get to know his neighbors. He meets his neighbor Spock, a loner who suffers from extreme agoraphobia. Kirk thinks he's beautiful enigma."

Colony War- https://archiveofourown.org/works/4079998/chapters/9188761

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 134,709

Lt. Kirk has been given a simple mission, to clear a suspected rebel colony base. But his team fails him and Kirk must rely on his own daring and some unexpected help to save the mission. Relations between Vulcan and Earth are breaking down, threatening a three-way war. From his demoted position, Kirk must try and pull together his crew and repair a broken Federation.

Sha Ka Ree- https://archiveofourown.org/works/9488996/chapters/21471398

Complete, Kirk/Spock, WC: 180,505

The year is 2258. Jim Kirk is a Lieutenant on the U.S.S. Farragut, Spock the science officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise. When the ships come together for a priority landing party, these two strangers find themselves fighting against the odds for a chance at life in an alien world, and the only way they'll make it through is by relying on each other. 

[oblio-k]

First small fic in the first of a series called ‘Garak teaches his kids to stab people,’ ft. Julian as the father who gets stabbed

Also on AO3

Knives, My Dear

In retrospect, Julian realized it was foolish of him to try and use his enhanced reflexes against a four year old who had also inherited said reflexes from him and reacted on Cardassian instinct to what he had attempted to do. However, he’d still done it, and now both of the twins were starting to cry, there was blood getting all over the sheets, and he had a knife sticking through his hand.

And to think he’d told Nurse Jabara that he was happy to be getting out of work at a normal time and ready spend a quiet evening with the kids. He needed to stop jinxing himself, it was unhealthy, and downright dangerous.

Garak wouldn’t be home for another hour, with a fussy customer in his shop. If he got to the medkit quickly enough, he could fix himself up, change the sheets, and soothe the twins before he returned. It wouldn’t be enough to hide the scent of blood, but he could pass it off as a minor incident.

He held his wounded hand up over his heart, the basic first aid coming to him as easily as breathing. Reaching under the bed, where he usually kept his medkit, he realized it wasn’t there. Of course not. He hadn’t brought it back with him after taking it with him for a late night emergency.

Nothing to worry about. Garak kept his own medkit somewhere. He just needed to find it. Julian looked around, and realized he only knew of another medkit because Garak had once mentioned it. And knowing the man, he could have lied about that, even though it was such a strange and small thing to lie about.

He checked in places he thought it might be, the closet, bathroom, and under furniture. Nothing.

The twins were sniffling on the bed, teary brown eyes following him around the room. The one that hadn’t stabbed him was still holding her knife, one that Julian recognized as being Garak’s, the one he kept in his desk. One the twins weren’t supposed to know about. If they knew where the hidden weapons were, maybe they knew where the medkit was.

“Do you guys know where Yadik’s medkit is?”

They nodded, and pointed to a wall panel. Julian held back a groan. Why couldn’t Garak make things easy for once in his life? However, there was nothing he could do about it now, so he got to work pulling the panel off. It was difficult with just one hand, but it clattered to the ground, revealing a Cardassian medkit resting within the wall.

He pulled it out, and saw that it some sort of electronic seal attached to it that definitely wasn’t standard. He set the box down, and pressed a button on the seal. A small light on it blinked red. It had a small panel on it, a scanner of some kind. He pressed his thumb to it, and it glowed. The little red light flashed, and it gave a series of beeps, a high pitched alert. The kids flinched at the sound, covering their ears, and he winced.

Only Garak would have a medkit that needed a thumbprint to open. Just to make sure it was for Garak only, he had the kids try it. It set off the alarm for each of them as well.

Now there was blood all over the floor, and he had no other option than to take the kids with him down to the infirmary and feel like an idiot for getting stabbed by his own son by trying to take a knife from him.

“Let’s go down to the infirmary, guys. Nurse Jabara will fix me up, and everything will be okay. No need to cry.”

-

Jabara had given him a look when he walked into the infirmary, but then seeing the knife in his hand, the look faded to professionalism and she got to work. The twins clung to his legs, trying to climb onto his lap and getting in the way, but Jabara didn’t seem to mind, patting one on the head as she scanned his hand with a medical tricorder.

“Close your eyes, kids,” she told them, and then pulled out the knife. It took all his willpower not to make any noise, even though it really, really hurt. She wiped away the blood, and then retrieved an osteo-regenerator. As she mended the wound, she told the twins they could open their eyes.

Seeing that he was being healed calm them down some, and he pulled them up so they could get a better look. It was never too early to get them interested in medicine. Maybe if they wanted to become doctors they would stop playing with knives whenever they were left alone for more than five minutes.

After the bones in his hand were healed, Jabara shut off and gave the device to the twins to look at. “Either of you like learning about medicine?” They nodded. “Good. Would you like to try using this?” She held up the vascular regenerator. They eagerly reached for it, and Julian silently hoped she wasn’t going to let them actually use it on him.

Thankfully, she only let them turn it on and put it on the correct setting. Then, she took it back and used it. Once he was healed, she put the tools away.

“I thought you were supposed to be enjoying a quiet evening with these two in your quarters, Doctor. I must have heard wrong.”

God, he was going to get made fun of by all his nurses. Patient confidentiality be damned, it was going to go into the records that he’d have to go easy on his hand due to an injury, and it wouldn’t be hard to figure out what happened. “Yes, you must have.”

“What happened?” Out of spite, he refused to answer. She lowered her gaze to the twins, and lifted an eyebrow. “Ulan? Jay?”

Ulan frowned, and looked down at the floor. “I- I stabbed Papa. I didn’t mean to! He grabbed it, and...” The tears restarted. Jay quickly teared up as well, hugging his brother. Julian wrapped his arms around them.

“It’s okay, guys. I’m fine now. It was all just an accident. Don’t feel bad about it, Ulan.”

“How about I show you two how to use some more medical equipment?” Jabara’s suggestion caught their interest, and they were thoroughly distracted as she brought out a medkit and began explaining each tool. Julian wiped their faces off with his sleeve.

They were completely calm by the time they finished going through the medkit, and eager to see the rest of what the infirmary had to offer. Jabara lifted up Ulan, offering to take them into the storage room to see the surgical tools. Julian went to get up, but hearing a faint chirrup that made both of the twins’ heads turn stopped him. The two made a chirping noise in response, and wriggled to get free.

Garak stepped into the room, a faint smile on his face. The twins ran up to him as soon as they were set on the floor. “Yadik!”

He knelt down on one knee to let them hug him. “There you are. I thought you were supposed to be at home with your father.” He let his questioning gaze fall on Julian, silently demanding an explanation. “I was curious when I found our quarters empty, with human blood everywhere.”

Before Julian could come up with something that wouldn’t get him made fun of, Ulan admitted, “I stabbed Papa.”

After a brief moment of surprise, a look of amusement came over Garak’s face. He smiled at Julian, making him huff and cross his arms, before looking back down at Ulan. “I’m sure it was just an accident, my dear. You did nothing to be ashamed of. Your father looks perfectly fine, now. Though, if I may ask... Why did you stab him?”

“We were practicing knifes-”

“Knives, my dear.”

“-knives, and Papa tried to grab mine, and...” Ulan frowned at the memory. Jay chirped at him.

Julian looked away so he didn’t have to see the smug look on Garak’s face, his wide grin. “Why, he grabbed the knife? How foolish of him. Don’t look upset, dear, it was entirely his own fault.”

“Really?”

“Of course, my dear, why would I lie to you?”