My DS9 Corner

poorly executed memes and unsolicited opinions

[aurora-nova-fic]

So I got an AO3 commercial content warning on the following note from Altering Course:

If you're in a position to do so, please consider donating to your local food bank or another worthy organization that helps put much-needed food on tables.

I'm removing it, but I fail to see how that is commercial.

[spnyuri]

someone apologized for commenting late… 2 months after the fic was posted 😭😭 girl that’s EARLY thats fresh

[spnyuri]

times it’s appropriate to comment on a fic:

- if it was written sometime between 10000 years ago and 3 seconds ago

times it’s NOT appropriate to comment on a fic:

-if you’re gonna be mean 🥺

[ectogeo-art]

Garashir Wedding Registry

Announcing the Garashir Wedding Registry, an ao3 prompt challenge collection for marriage- and wedding-related Garashir fanfics!

I got married a few weeks ago, and my wonderful friend @wanderingwriter87 wrote me a Garashir fic, a slight complication, as a wedding gift! My spouse saw how happy I was after receiving this gift fic and joked that we should have made a wedding registry that just asked for various fanfics, and I was like "...okay, hold on a second, that’s actually genius" lmao!

So! I’ve decided to use the occasion to humbly request/encourage some Garashir (well, mostly Garashir*) marriage fics from the fandom! (*My two most cherished cursed rarepairs, Sloanshir and Siskarak, will also appear briefly in the prompt list as well, so just scroll on by those prompts if you only are interested in Garashir lol. But, because of who I am as a person, my cursed rarepairs are actually always secretly Garashir anyway, so I've made that a stipulation in the collection too haha!) There is absolutely no pressure to write anything for this, I just thought it was a very funny concept to have fanfic wedding registry haha, so please only join in if it seems like fun to you! And despite the shameless self-indulgence of it all, I truly do hope this prompt challenge brings joy to not only me but to the rest of the Garashir community too! Every day is a good day to celebrate Elim Garak and Julian Bashir's undying love! May these prompts inspire you, and may any contributions to this collection delight you! <3

Click here for more info and the (very minimal) set of rules, and click here for the list of prompts (sorry that the non-Garashir rarepair prompts show up near the top... I wanted them at the bottom but I can't seem to fix the order now that I've posted the prompts lol). Feel free to message me via asks or DMs if you have questions or need help with adding a fic to the collection! <3

[sapphosewrites]

I have a surprise day off from work today due to weather so I decided to try something new! This is an interactive DS9 fanfic made using Inklewriter. It's my first time using the program so there are bound to be errors but it was fun to experiment with a new way of telling a story! Please consider playing it and let me know what you think :)

[sapphosewrites]

Oh yeah, might help if I gave literally any information! This is an Elim Garak & Miles O'Brien fic, and can become a Miles/Keiko, Garak/Julian, or gen (no romantic relationships referred to) depending on what option you choose. The ultimate ending is always the same, but you can get there in slightly different ways.

The summary is that Miles O'Brien is having a Bad Day.

[writergeekrhw]

In Destiny (DS9), we learn that Cardassians flirt by arguing. It's often been used in fandom to support the idea Garashir is canon. Was it on purpose or was it just for subplot needs?

It's hard not to read Garak's behaviour as flirting after that.

I didn't write "Destiny," but my guess is it was more for subplot reasons in that particular episode.

That said, Garak was 100% flirting.

[writergeekrhw]

Hello Robert! I wanted to thank you for your blog. I LOVE DS9!!! It’s my favourite trek and really helped me through the worst parts of the pandemic.

With all that being said, Julian is my favourite character. Can you please tell us something about the character, writing process, or anything that we might not know that you think is interesting?

Thank you, LLAP 🖖🏼

I identified a lot with Bashir back in the day because Sid and I are about the same age, and both Bashir and I were eager young junior officers on their first assignment. Which means I used the character to work out some of my own issues.

So, for example, "Distant Voices" is about my own anxiety over turning 30 (laughable looking back at it I know). And "The Wire" is a bit about my relationship with my father, a story-telling, unreliable narrator, professional killer (career US Special Forces, 2 tours in Vietnam, multiple Bronze Stars and Air Medals) who was also an alcoholic and a closeted bisexual. And I'm not saying the Bashir/O'Brien relationship isn't somewhat based on my relationship with Ira... But it's not NOT based on that.

I also worked to make Bashir slightly less pervy and less awkward over time, which I know was always Michael's intention, but I was impatient to make him a bit cooler.

[unamccormack]

Also I was so resistant to exploring the DS9 novels with Kelas in them out of misplaced loyalty to Julian, but now I see that the authors (I.e. you and Andrew Robinson) have done such a good job writing everyone that I've been swayed over to Kelas. Realistically, do you think there would ever be a scenario where they were poly? Garak certainly seems to love them both, and Kelas also seems to understand the nature of his relationship to Bashir and encourages Garak to honor that relationship (granted it's easier to be kind and understanding about your bf's past love when that love is comatose). I am concerned that Bashir's insecurities couldn't handle it though. In my head it would be a very messy and high maintainence relationship but perhaps one that in time could be fruitful and successful. Thoughts?

This was going to be one of the main emotional arcs in my never-to-done third Cardassian book, The End of This Day's Business. The emotional "bumps" that I was interested in exploring were:

Bashir's emotional and physical recovery, which would be (imho) coupled with a significant crisis of self (who am I really, what am I doing with my life, why the hell didn't I come to Cardassia sooner), his sense of being a third wheel, and his fear that he's missed his chance with Garak (given Garak's clearly well-functioning relationship with Parmak).

Garak's bewilderment as to how to handle the unexpected appearance on Cardassia of the love of his life when he's finally found deeply emotionally rewarding intimacy with Parmak.

Parmak's habit of appointing himself the emotional adult in the room: can he allow himself to be taken care of, as much as taking care.

The fact that Bashir and Parmak don't really know each other very well would need to be explored. It's been tricky, given that Garak's always there being not only Garak, but castellan. Kind of tilts the centre of gravity towards him.

So one of the story arcs in this book would have gone into this in some detail, and, hopefully, brought about a convincing and satisfactory conclusion!

[edelweiss-in-space]

I know it's a risk to recommend WIPs when for all I know it could turn into The Mutant Zombies Attack DS9 in a few chapters so please don't @ me if it does 😂

Here are a few of the current WIPs that make me do a mental happy jump when there's an update (I've picked the more recent ones):

--------

Mutually Exclusive by ToriCeratops

What the show lacked to address in DBIP: what a terrible idea it was to make a literal copy of Julian just after it'd been kidnapped and replaced by a changeling.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

Across Time And Space by Elemental_Queen

The cutest thing really: Jujube and Elim growing up sharing a private universe.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

Like sorts inside a dream by spacebrock

Stowaway teen Julian meets young OO agent Garak

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

The Exile by Themadwomanwhoisunfortunatelylackingabox

Exiled!Julian AU where Garak is as subtle as in Past Prologue 😂

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

Does Your Mother Know series by hingabee and PunishedPyotr

Age swap AU my beloved 😍 (how are these always insanely good in this fandom?)

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

there is a light that never goes out by cemetrygatess

Post canon Garak goes to Earth to find Julian but is held back by his lies and gets friend zoned.

(There's another one by cemetrygatess I'm watching but I don't want to jinx it 🤞)

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

Of course Kaelio's RRR

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

Fade Into You by Onamallard

Your typical runabout crash on an isolated planet with lots of feels and miscommunication.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

Gul Een by ConceptaDecency

Post canon Garak as the ultimate drama queen. Thinks his handsome human husband is cheating on him.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

‐--------‐

I just discovered this one today but I'm already intrigued:

A continuation of WYLB and the transition from canon Jezri to Garashir

Abandoned Memories by UnfairUnknown

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[edelweiss-in-space]

We all know that Garak is the kind of little sh.t that'd pay Quark a fortune to bring this bottle to Julian's table whenever he's on a date with someone else.

[edelweiss-in-space]

Sometimes, after a challenging day at work, I drink Gin&Tonic, check the latest drabble challenge on discord and ask @conceptadecency 'what's the dumbest thing Jujube would do?'

Of course nothing good comes out of it 🤷🏼‍♀️

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[lukeishope]

real and canon

[image ID: a fake twitter conversation. the first tweet is from jim kirk, twitter handle “@captainkirk.” there is an attached photo of spock and the caption reads “my boyfriend. thoughts?” the tweet has 551k likes and 246k retweets. the second tweet is a reply to jim, from mccoy, twitter handle “@bones” which reads: “and prayers 🙏” the tweet has 6.5k likes and 2.5k retweets. end image ID]

[lukeishope]

it’s true i was there

[image ID: an image of jim kirk (chris pine) sitting in the captain’s chair. a text message overlays the image and reads: “i was put on this earth to cause problems and be pretty” end image ID]

[ectogeo-art]

I’m sorry, but the old Julian can’t come to the phone right now…

[Video ID: A fanvid/amv set to Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift about the dynamic between Sloan and Bashir. A tribute to all of the terrible things they did to each other and made each other do.]

(youtube link: Look What You Made Me Do - Sloan and Bashir amv)

[lorenzobane]

triptych (a love story in three parts)

(A/N: Just a tiny piece of fluff)

The first time Garak realizes he's taken Bashir for granted is when the Doctor cancels their plans for lunch at the last minute. It is not the first time Bashir has been called away on some emergency or another. But when he receives the message, he feels a flash of irritation. He had expected to spend time with the man discussing La Belle Dame Sans Merci, a poem by a human poet named John Keats.

It's the irritation that surprises him. The idea that he had felt entitled to the man's time. That he had simply expected his company, that Bashir was a given in his life- like a rule in a logic puzzle. Always unyieldingly true.

Elim Garak is an exile, a spy, and, apparently, still a fool.

The first time he realizes he feels safe around the Doctor, he is turned around with his back facing him. The Doctor is chattering cheerfully about a style of poetry that emerged after the development of Earth's lunar colony.

"- it was a style primarily focused on rotations, with words often looping back over each other to mimic the feeling of disorientation humans had at the time for seeing their own planet move. Some even compared it to the feeling of watching their blood being drawn; there is something odd about seeing something so fundamental to your sense of self exist outside of you."

Garak is finishing a particularly fiddly piece of hemming in his shop. He hasn't glanced up or behind him in at least ten minutes. Worse, it hadn't even occurred to him that he should be on his guard. Bashir could have been right behind him with a dagger, and Garak wouldn't have been able to stop him.

What he says is, "humans will come up with any excuse to justify poetry with no clear meaning."

"Maybe, my dear friend," Bashir says, and though Garak is still turned around, he can imagine his twinkling eyes. "Maybe you see more of yourself in human nonsequiturs than you care to admit."

Garak wonders when Bashir slipped between his scales.

The first time he feels loved is not their first night together. It is not even their second. It is not the first night that they simply go to Julian's (yes, now Julian) quarters to simply read and sleep.

It is tonight, months later.

"It is not emotional manipulation," Julian says, rolling his eyes in exasperation while settling more comfortably onto his side (his side!) of the bed. "Partners often remark on particular pieces of their lover's body that they find particularly remarkable. After all, how many times now have you commented on my fine eyes or my dimples. The ones on my face and back, incidentally."

"And who's to say I am not attempting to emotionally manipulate you?" Garak replies a bit lazily. The bed is warm, and Julian is tangling their legs together. He's so tactile.

Julian laughs a bit, "I am nowhere near fool enough to believe you are half as calculating as you pretend to be, darling."

Garak huffs a complaint, "well, fine then. I suppose you are also a fan of my lovely eyes, or perhaps my posterior? I have heard some colorful commentary."

Julian shakes his head, "wrong again! So many incorrect conclusions tonight."

"Are you planning on telling me? Or are you perhaps going to enjoy feeling smug and mysterious for a while longer?"

"I really ought to, you know," Julian replies, warmly amused. "But no."

With that, he slowly reaches for Garak's left hand, flips it, and carefully traces an imperfection in his scales. It is what humans might refer to as a birthmark. It is thin, jagged, and not at all remarkable, though Garak feels his breath catch at being known so intimately.

"A birthmark?" Garak asks archly.

Julian smiles, unabashed. "Yes, it looks like a heartbeat, you know."

"It looks like a heartbeat?" Garak can't help but wonder.

"Yes, our machinery measures a heartbeat's electrical signal and represents them through waves."

"Once again, Doctor," Garak starts, placing sarcastic emphasis on his title, "it appears you take your work home with you."

Julian chuckles again, "no. No, I just... Like it. The idea that you, of all people, wear your heart on your sleeve, so to speak. It makes me feel like... Like it is possible to know you."

Garak feels off-kilter that this creature in his bed would know his body so well, that he would want to know him, that he could (he thinks incredulously) love him.

He considers many replies before gently tugging Julian even closer and says, "no, my dearest."

Not merely dear, anymore.

"No, what?" Julian whispers.

"I do not wear my heart on my sleeve," Garak replies softly. "I wear it on yours."

[the-last-dillpickle]

the idea of famous fancy boy tennis star Julian with a boatload of fans constantly driving up his ego drives me insane ngl. i want it so bad

[cemetrygatess]

I’m obsessing over the idea that he’s outed for his augmentation as a celebrity fancy tennis boy… like Star Trek doesn’t show us tabloids but imagine the tabloids! He was criminally good at tennis! And now he has fled the federation… where might he go?? Why Cardassia, to his rich new benefactor, Mr. Garak, who is desperately pretending to not be one of Julian’s fanboys and instead he’s just a benevolant guy trying to help someone going through a hard time. 

[writergeekrhw]

ASKS ARE ON!

I turned on Asks… I think. 

Also, wow, thanks for the kind welcome. Was not expecting that. 

Anyway… ask stuff. I’ll answer.

[decepti-geek]

at some point when Julian and Garak's kids are roughly around their teens Julian comes back from some political function where he's had a bit too much to drink and treats them to the 'your dad was high when I met him' story and suddenly a whole lot more about their parents' relationship makes sense