An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/6
Fandom: Star Trek: Discovery
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Michael Burnham/Laira Rillak
Characters: Michael Burnham, Laira Rillak, Zora (Star Trek), T'Rina (Star Trek), Jett Reno
Additional Tags: Worldbuilding, non-corporeal aliens, Possession, Mission Fic, moving in, living starships
Summary:
Captain Michael Burnham and President Laira Rillak try to take small steps forward in their relationship. Michael's mission to study an ancient abandoned energy source makes everything more complicated, for them and Zora, with unintended consequences for all.
Written for @disco-bang (many thanks for having me!)
Art by @lanoyeeâ (thank you! Itâs gorgeous!!) (the scene from this is in chapter two)
I originally posted a clip of this in January for the Star Trek Winter Gift Exchange (inspired by the amazing fics of @ussjellyfish), but here's the whole thing!
I wish you would write a fic where...Michael and Laira get caught in the rain and end up very caught up in mutual pining.
This is probably not quite what you had in mind, but it's what came out, so . . . I hope you like it anyway!
âRemind me why we didnât take our badges, again?â Lairaâs thin blouse is so completely soaked with rain, itâs almost see-through.
Michael does her best not to look. âBecause you wanted to play hooky from your security team.â
âIâm not playing hooky, Captain Burnham,â Laira shivers, âI just wanted to take a walk without being surrounded on all sides.â
âSo you brought me instead?â
Itâs a good thing Michael is walking out ahead of her, because Laira can feel a slight warmth blossoming in her cheeks.
When she doesnât reply, Michael continues, âSuppose you couldnât have warned me you were planning to take your walk on top of a mountain in the middle of a thunderstorm, huh?â
âThe storm wasnât a part of the plan.â Neither was Michael looking this good in rain-soaked clothes.
The rain is coming down harder now; a solid wall of water unhindered by the sparse tree canopy above. Thunder rumbles in the distance.
Michael glances back to look at Laira. Sheâs quickly following the path Michaelâs setting down the mountain. âJust a little farther. I scanned the area before we beamed down, and there should be some kind of shelter just past this ridge.â
Laira nods determinedly, but Michael can see her visibly shaking; her Cardassian side makes her more sensitive to the cold.
They scramble down the rocky slope, and theyâve almost reached the bottom when Michael hears a sharp inhale and the sound of sliding rocks behind her.
Laira is lying on the ground violently shaking, her left ankle turned at an odd angle. âStepped in a hole, then slipped on the rocks,â she says as Michael sprints over to her.
One look at the ankle causes Michael to wince, âWell, weâre not going anywhere now. You canât walk on that.â
âI have Cardassian bones, they donât break that easily.â
âWell Madam President,â Michael gives a tiny smile, âsomehow youâve managed to do just that.â
Laira is suddenly very aware of how close Michaelâs face is to hers.
âMadam President doesnât break bones, Captain.â The pounding in Lairaâs ears is definitely the drumming of the rain and has absolutely nothing to do with the way Michaelâs hands are lightly ghosting over her, checking for other injuries.
âOh, of course, my apologies,â Michael slowly and gently brushes her thumb over Lairaâs brow ridges to keep the water dripping from her hair out of her eyes. âMadam President doesnât break bones, only Laira the mountain-walker does that.â
âYes,â Lairaâs voice is a mere whisper as her teeth chatter in the wind. âNow youâve got it.â
Michael is looking at Lairaâs lips to make sure they havenât turned blue.
âCaptain ââ
Michael raises her gaze to meet Lairaâs eyes, âIs this Madam President talking, or Laira the mountain-walker?â
âLaira,â she smiles faintly.
âAh, well then, she should call me Michael, donât you think?â Michael winks, trying to keep lighthearted. âJust so I know who Iâm talking to.â
âMichael?â Lairaâs eyes are still bright, even if she is shaking like a leaf. âIâm cold.â
âReally? I hadnât noticed.â Michael takes a deep breath, âIâm going to lie on top of you; my body heat will help keep you a little warmer and itâll protect you from some of the rain without disturbing your ankle.â
Lairaâs eyes grow fractionally larger.
Michael gently lays down over Lairaâs shivering form, wrapping her arms around Lairaâs head and neck and laying her own head down on Lairaâs chest. Laira turns her head so that her cheek rests against Michaelâs wrist and inhales deeply.
âMichael?â
âYes?â Michael breathes against Lairaâs collarbone.
âHow much longer until the time we told Saru to beam us back up?â
âSoon,â she whispers. âVery soon.â In her head, just briefly, she allows herself to wish for another moment in time where theyâre lying like this. A moment where Laira kisses her wrist, and she kisses Lairaâs collarbone, and they laugh and roll over in the warm, sunny grass. But she pushes the thought away. This Laira is injured and shivering, and itâs Michaelâs job to keep her safe.
Do you have any fic rec lists for the various Discovery ships? Would love to go back and read some old highlights while enjoying the new stuff! Thanks for organizing this event!
Hi! We're not a fic rec blog ourselves, but we accept rec lists as submissions to the fortnight for Free Choice Sundays, or when they're themed to a daily prompt! So far, we've never gotten one as a submission, but maybe someone wants to be the first this year?
For now, some recs from us mods:
A dinner date that doesn't imply dating by @ussjellyfish
Rillham early relationship, 1.6k rated T
The Road To Christmas by @pers-books
Milippa Prime modern AU getting together, 14k rated E
In a Starry Glade by @nomi--sunrider
Milippa Prime sick fic, 2.5k rated G
I found a martyr in my bed tonight by @aliceinthinkland
Mirror Milippa sex pollen fic, 6.8k rated E
You like spices, and sacrifices by @onaperduamedee
Pippakat Prime friends with benefits, 2k rated M
Proprioception by @tripleburger
Jola friends to lovers, 4k rated T
When I do it all again (I know I'll go back to you) by @the9muses
Jola love confessions, 1.6k rated T
For more you can also check out the mods' Ao3 bookmark recs - you can find us on the collection's people page, and the recommendatios by going in the account's bookmarks and filtering for the fandom and 'recs only'!
If you haven't yet, also have a look at last year's tumblr submissions and Ao3 collection - the creators will always be happy about more reblogs and comments!
Hope we could help find you some new reading material!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Trek: Discovery
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Michael Burnham/Laira Rillak, Michael Burnham & Crew of the Starship Discovery, Laira Rillak & Crew of the Starship Discovery
Characters: Michael Burnham, Laira Rillak, Crew of the Starship Discovery
Additional Tags: background Saru/T'Rina, date the captain date the crew, Cooking, Marriage Proposal
Summary:
Michael asks Laira to join her for a cooking contest on a small space station in Sector Sixteen. Michael doesn't really know how to cook, but that's not a problem. She's a fast learner.
Written for @startrekpotluck, August 8th! Thank you for putting this on again and having me back. Itâs one of my favorite parts of the summer and such a joyful experience every time.