#getting back to an old fandom for a moment

[alittlewordy]

Prompted Writing: A Matter Of Taste [Elim Garak x Julian Bashir (Garashir) Star Trek DS9 Fan Fiction]

Prompt: A: “can i kiss you?” B: “i'd be offended if you didn’t.” [x]

Word Count: 529

Warnings: None

Characters: Elim Garak, Julian Bashir

Summary: That dinner was their first date. Julian insisted on it. Garak played along, though he failed to understand the difference between this date and their weekly lunches. That was, until their walk to Garak's room, when usual conversation turned to a flustered doctor's attempt at romance.

---

"So," Julian said, "What did you think?"

"About your analysis of that melodramatic drivel you are insistent on labelling a classic?" Garak asked, eyes pinned to the closed turbolift doors. Julian sighed. The air brushed against Garak's cheek, a warm breeze in an otherwise cool space station.

"The Count of Monte Cristo is a classic. It has cultural significance and it withstood the test of time."

"Perhaps a reclassification of what humans consider classics is in order."

"I meant the date," Julian huffed. "What did you think about the date?"

"Ah, another matter humans must evaluate," Garak teased. The turbolift doors opened. Garak stepped free from the small space with a speed perhaps too fast for their banter.

"You can't be serious," Julian called after him. Garak paused is gait, allowed the doctor to match pace at his side. He took the chance to gaze at the bewilderment plastered across the good doctor's face. Wide eyes, slacked mouth, down-turned lips. Garak waved his scaled hand in the air, an attempt to fan the doctor's annoyance, and turned his gaze forward once more.

"That dinner was no different than our weekly lunches, except for your rather poor attempts at flattery. My dear doctor-"

"You could leave off doctor."

"I am not one of those unsophisticated women prancing about in your programs. I do not need, nor do I want, such commendation, and if that is the only alteration in our otherwise pleasant conversations, an assessment of what you consider a romatic evening is in order."

"Then what would you suggest?" Julian asked.

Garak's room was steps away. He could invite the man in, educate him on proper courtship throughout the evening. However, Garak did not believe himself to be prepared for the aftermath so soon into their courtship. Julian Bashir, though intelligent, was an emotional man who would gladly mirror the affection provided to him. Garak was certain such a quick escalation would be uncomfortable for himself, given that attempts at lasting relationships were new to him. No, Julian would have to stay out for the time being.

Instead, Garak turned, pressed his right hand in the middle of Julian's chest, and pushed him back first into the wall. His other hand remained at his side as he got close.

He savored Julian's warmth, his wide eyes, his tense body. Then Garak leaned into it, eyes half-lidded, smile toying.

"I would suggest you simply be yourself," Garak cooed. Julian swallowed. Nerves twittered under the human's skin. Garak watched the doctor lick his own lips, a tick. Garak brought his own to the surface and tilted is head a fraction to the right.

"Can I kiss you?" Julian asked. The question stumbled between them with the grace of a drunken loon. Garak let his eyes flick to, and linger on, the doctor's lips, before he glanced up at Julian's eyes again.

"I would be offended if you didn't, my dear."

Julian was a blur as the gap closed between them. Garak closed his eyes as Julian's lips pressed against his own. Warm, gentle, as natural as the coolness of the Federation run Cardassian station. Yet, somehow, the kiss felt just right.

[kastalani123]

Consider:

Leo Valdez was not born. Instead, two pairs of hands form him from bronze and steel and gold. His hair is copper wires so thin they bounce like natural curls, and his eyes glimmer with silver flakes. The joints of his body are plated so delicately, so perfectly, the segments are near indiscernible, smoothly gliding over each other. Faint traces of fingerprints and flecks of impurity are deliberately left behind for their uniqueness, a form of impossible signature of his creators.

Most importantly, gilded bars curl around each other in his chest, protecting the red-red-red flame that pushes his eyes open everyday, that beats in tune with his thoughts, that heats his body to expand and grow.

A metal child is not so different from a human one, and yet is so far from it at the same time. He is curious, about the world, about himself, and he picks apart toys and TV remotes and his arms, spilling their secrets before his constantly shifting eyes. He does not cry from fatigue or thirst or hunger, but a bump, a dent, a scratch never fail to draw tears. He splashes in the rain and snow, carefully bundled in waterproof coats and jackets, and runs from baths like he's possessed, fire flickering in fear.

The first time he meets someone like him, an endeavour he had long thought hopeless, it is a malfunctioning dragon others call for the death of; he is too unpredictable, too dangerous, too broken. Leo looks him in ever-shifting eyes glimmering with silver and sees himself if the cage in his chest ever bends, cracks, shatters, if the gears beneath his skin ever jam and stick and wear down irreversibly.

It is not golden flowers and godly aid that preserve him; just as he'd done for his twin-in-all-but-appearance, he creates a new body, with new fingerprints and impurities mapping his design. His hair is more bronze than copper, now, and his eyes more gold than brass. The plates of his joints scrape against each other faintly, and the gears of his bones grind together uncomfortably — he only had so much time, so much material to use, he could not polish every element of himself in the way he wished, but it holds together.

Most importantly, he reinforces the cage in his chest, coats it in layers upon layers of metal, to ensure his flame will not go out in the explosion, that Festus will be able to salvage it and lay it gently in the chest cavity carefully carved in his new body, bringing it to life.

He returns to Camp, movements more clunky and mechanical than should be, and his siblings finally pin down his segmented limbs, his shifting eyes, his clicking fidgeting. They are ecstatic, just as fascinated with him as they had been with Festus, and he lets them. He lets them take him apart, piece by piece, clean out the sand of Ogygia from his organs, polish and oil his gears until they glide against each other, press new fingerprints, new signatures of belonging, against his skin.

Most importantly, they craft him a secure, intricate cage, with golden flames licking up the bars, with delicate chains shielding it from the elements, and his flame settles inside it, flickering happily, finally truly, truly comfortable in the cage of his body.

Leo Valdez may not have been born, but he was crafted with the most loving hands imaginable, and is that not so much better, for a son of the Craftsman?

[ellzilla]

I am so sorry for posting old art but I find it so funny that I used to draw RLJ in mainly orange and made him bake a lot back in the 2018 ask blog days, considering what I'm doing with his character now.

I wonder if that part subconsciously stayed with me into the rewrite and manifested into malewife baker Jack Grossman or if it's just a coincidence lmao.

[rose-void-789]

Man Soriel is so queer. Fandom wise what queer relationship isn't like weirdly hated when anyone does any little analysis on them being potentially cannon. Get it's a really popular ship that people got tired of but man it's the funniest shit so many loved this ship so then people came up with an essay on why they could and would never be a thing and in fact was unhealthy and weird. It's so much funnier to with a good canonical friendship. Like I'm in the mha bakudeku space, it's crazy going from that where stuff is a lot more nuance but still see less people being upset with it then Soriel it's insane. I feel like I'm a time traveler in the trenches day after the war.

People insisting they are just friends and that a relationship will ruin them as if relationships can't just be very good friends who happen to sometimes go on dates sometimes is such a queer ship argument to have. Toby apparently confirmed Sans as AroAce even apparently Toby then said to not use his tweets for this but hey if true this is an actual queer relationship. And honestly, I'm sure after everything with Asgore Toriel is also not that keen on all that.

But can we talk about that because man I stumbled across a post that made me realize these bitches are so queerplatonic. They remind me so much of one of my friend's relationships. They just talking for ages doing flirting through puns to pull each other up. Like yes this is cannon Soriel. The first time they talked though that door they would have been there till the next day if Paps didn't need a night story. On the surface if the post pacifist interactions are anything to go by I'm sure they nabed a house together. Maybe everyone living together but in every ending where Toriel is alive, he always seems to live with her. There such good friends in the surface these two would totally be joking flrting that might turn to actual flirting but no one not even they know yet I don't think they'll go for anyone else. Toriel certainly isn't going after Asgore any time soon and Sans isn't going to go find someone when he's content. They'll be content on the couch watching some shitty comedy joking around cuddling even. They'll go to Grilbys or some random place once a week for some reason and people will just assume that date night for them. They'll see something in the store and buy it for a prank and cause it reminds it of them. They'll get married as a bit or only because of the tax benefit. If Frisk stays with her you know he's secondary guardian on school stuff. These two are just pure fluff with angsty talks they can only understand sprinkled in. Yeah maybe they won't be an a traditional relationship but honestly these two will definitely be in some weird romantic platonic limbo.

[icyfox17]

I do find it hilarious how I never actually clocked my love of father son duos until I became a fan of sandduo 😭😭 like I slash gen have always been into them (irondad was one of the first ones I got super into, but you look at any of my first written stories and there are father figures Everywhere 😭😭) but I just didn't clock it as a Thing. I was just like yeah irondad is the best fr.

Vs the fact that I've always known I've been super into best friend duos. Like if you had asked my fav dynamic before the dsmp fandom I'd answer with "best friends obviously" (which is still true!!) buttt it took my best friend (ironic) telling me "hey u have daddy issues" and pointing out all of the Father Son duos for me to be like . Oh

[auricbound]

fucking elitist

lol.

lmfao, even.

[namtanlovesfilm]

bruh the more time I spend in this fandom, the more I realize how much of a dinosaur I am lmao. I was recommended joong's tiktok of trying a filter called "thai babe" with a bunch of actors and. tell me why off wasn't there. gun wasn't there. tay-everyone's-favorite-fucking-tawan wasn't there. new wasn't there. singto. even fluke natouch. not even my baby gawin??? likeeeeeeee... not only was I upset bc I would've NEVER been happy with any of the results, but it made me feel SOOOOOO old like bruh, the kiddos & me truly stan different people 😂

[bakatenshii]

hello hi bonsoir — my dash is the sahara desert rn, a barren post-apocalyptic wasteland. pls send blogs to follow i am on my knees!! xoxoxoxo

[waybrightgender]

google how to get someone to stop reading about crypto and using degenerate

[veryspecialfungus]

what kinds of events? (if this question is too personal, ignore it)

Not personal, just profound disappointment in the OTW for...

Uh, this might be wildly triggering for some people so I'm going to throw this under a cut.

throwing their volunteers under the bus because they themselves don't seem to understand what the laws about CSAM are. Or what CSAM even is. Or why it's bad.

And before anyone starts, I'm not even remotely referring to fanfic or fanart or shipping in any capacity. I'm referring to the actual, flesh and blood human beings exploitation kind. Not having that argument, don't start it.

Anyway, I don't know if I can summarize it, so it's a really good thing someone already did:

I knew, and I knew for a long time, that the OTW was dysfunctional and at least a little bit incompetent, but that's baked into the foundation of most fandom things. This though...this feels unsupportable.

[lorelune]

the discourse on the dash today 😳

[oneknightlight]

People who started cosplaying during the thick of the pandemic, and people who got into fandom during the pandemic, and have never been to conventions really need a serious talk on convention etiquette. And I might be the guy who makes a post on it.

[starlooove]

You know I talk a lot about how fandom doesn’t realize how fucking bigoted it is in every aspect bc they get turned on by gay men and go by sock and that means they’re progressive but it hit me when someone with a viktor pfp is in the comments getting gassed up (ha. You’ll see in a second) by other braindead bitches for saying piltover gassing (get it) the streets is not bad and is actually appropriate to do in order to find one person. Like how the fuck do you watch arcane and agree with the enforcers. How is the propoganda working for you when you’re looking at EVERY angle. I will sound insane if I connect this to common viewpoints on stuff irl and I do have enough tact not to do this however I will say it’s less surprise and more. Watching another dominoe fall after it wobbled for a few minutes. What the fuck

[lunarflare64]

Our current music taste is largely disco thanks to Blood&Sugar, but our current fandom and ship calls for swing and jazz. We wanna listen to our playlists so bad but we just CANT when we're doing fandom stuff, its waaaay the wrong era, it feels so wrong

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

for whom good omens is being written

Hey maggots and the rest of the fandom, it's the Good Omens Mascot here. Today I read a post about this tweet:

The accompanying video genuinely made me cry. And I've been thinking about this for a long while, as far back as February, when I saw a lot of conflicting opinions on what people wanted from the third season. It really is true that no matter what you do, some people will be dissatisfied. But what matters is that Neil is writing this for Terry.

And I was reminded of some paragraphs from the Good Omens TV Companion, which I'd read in Amazon's sample excerpt of the book. I know this is a long post, but I really truly do think you all need to read these, I've done my best to select only the most important parts. Here you go:

'His Alzheimer's started progressing harder and faster than either of us had expected,' says Neil, referring to a period in which Terry recognized that despite everything he could no longer write. 'We had been friends for over thirty years, and during that time he had never asked me for anything. Then, out of the blue, I received an email from him with a special request. It read: “Listen, I know how busy you are. I know you don't have time to do this, but I want you to write the script for Good Omens. You are the only human being on this planet who has the passion, love and understanding for the old girl that I do. You have to do this for me so that I can see it." And I thought, “OK, if you put it like that then I'll do it."

'I had adapted my own work in the past, writing scripts for Death: The High Cost of Living and Sandman, but not a lot else was seen. I'd also written two episodes of Doctor Who, and so I felt like I knew what I was doing. Usually, having written something once I'd rather start something new, but having a very sick co-author saying I had to do this?' Neil spreads his hands as if the answer is clear to see. 'I had to step up to the plate.' A pause, then: 'All this took place in autumn 2014, around the time that the BBC radio adaptation of Good Omens was happening,' he continues, referring to the production scripted and co-directed by Dirk Maggs and starring Peter Serafinowicz and Mark Heap. ‘Terry had talked me into writing the TV adaptation, and I thought OK, I have a few years. Only I didn't have a few years,' he says. 'Terry was unconscious by December and dead by March.'

He pauses again. 'His passing took all of us by surprise,' Neil remembers. 'About a week later, I started writing, and it was very sad. The moments Terry felt closest to me were the moments I would get stuck during the writing process. In the old days, when we wrote the novel, I would send him what I'd done or phone him up. And he would say, "Aahh, the problem, Grasshopper, is in the way you phrase the question," and I would reply, "Just tell me what to do!" which somehow always started a conversation. 'In writing the script, there were times I'd really want to talk to Terry, and also places where I'd figure something out and do something really clever, and I would want to share it with him. So, instead, I would text Terry's former personal assistant, Rob Wilkins, now his representative on Earth. It was the nearest thing I had.'

(...) As Neil himself recognizes, this is an adaptation built upon the confidence that comes from three decades of writing for page and screen. But for all the wisdom of experience, he found that above all one factor guided him throughout the process. 'Terry isn't here, which leaves me as the guardian of the soul of the story,' he explains. 'It's funny because sometimes I found myself defending Terry's bits harder or more passionately than I would defend my own bits. Take Agnes Nutter,' he says, referring to what has become a key scene in the adaptation in which the seventeenth-century author of the book of prophecies foretelling the coming of the Antichrist is burned at the stake. ‘It was a huge, complicated and incredibly expensive shoot, with bonfires built and primed to explode as well as huge crowds in costume. It had to feel just like an English village in the 1640s, and of course everyone asked if there was a cheap way of doing it. 'One suggestion was that we could tell the story using old-fashioned woodcuts and have the narrator take us through what happened, but I just thought, “No”. Because I had brought aspects of the story like Crowley and the baby swap along to the mix, and Terry created Agnes Nutter. So, if I had cut out Agnes then I wouldn't be doing right by the person who gave me this job. Terry would've rolled over in his grave.'

And, finally, this paragraph:

"Once again, Neil cites the absence of his co-writer as his drive to ensure that Good Omens translated to the screen and remained true to the original vision. 'Terry's last request to me was to make this something he would be proud of. And so that has been my job.'"

I think that's so heartwrenchingly beautiful, and so I wanted you all to read this, too, just in case you (like me) don't have the Good Omens TV Companion. It adds another layer of depth and emotion to this already complex and amazing story that we all know and love.

Share this post, if you can, please, so that more people can read these excerpts :")

Tagging @neil-gaiman, @fuckyeahgoodomens and @orpiknight, even if you've definitely read these before :)

[kelocitta]

Yeah, people really do overstate just how delightful the "old" community was. It was only really nicer because it was smaller, which means there's just naturally going to be a more of a close-nit vibe and any issues that pop up were going to be far more isolated events. You see similar with people talking about how their sub-group for fandoms that focus on specific niche elements are "so much nicer and get things better" where they don't stop to realize they are comparing their lunchroom table to the whole school- of course you see less bad takes and drama, you're no longer in the middle of literally everyone! People seem to forget that fandoms are not groups of friends. They're just groups of people who like the same thing on some level. And it doesn't matter how many people like that thing, you're going to have a chance to meet assholes who no one likes, actual predators, or just people who like very specific parts or who are just there for shipping and so on. You just get more of those random, unlikable people when you have a fandom that has 1000 people vs. 100. There is no fandom that will ever avoid having that issue, and its up to you to maintain the bubble of people that makes you happy.

As a pre-downpour fan, what are the major changes/differences you noticed between the fandom pre- and post- dp?

Really the only thing I would say is a notable 'change' is a shift in how most character-based fanworks is. Base game RW slugcats are pretty straightforward lil animals with small hints of personality, but nothing really strong. It's less a personality and more a vibe. The iterators aren't much different- the ways they interact with you and with each other is something sort of hard to dig into. A lot of people came away with just understanding moon and pebbles as "the nice one" and "the mean one" and the slugcats were very similar. People complain about infantalizing Pebbles now but god I'll take that over the villianization. Funny enough, if I had a nickle for every "Robot that was characterized as a complete asshole before getting a sequel that better explained their actions and issues and suddenly they were infantalized instead" I'd have at least two, which is fun. DP has a lot more direct character, even if you don't think its fitting. The slugcats are more distinct from each other and fit nicely into archetypes if you want them too, but there is still wiggle room for people to change it up without being 'wrong'. The iterators have more in-game content of or about how they interact with the world and each other, they have more personal relationships with certain slugcats, they have actual designs for more than Moon and Pebbles, etc. Its much easier to get a feel for the characters and that means content directly about them is more appealing. Not just shipping (although absolutely shipping, since pre-DP the characters you had actual interactions for were animals, or siblings, or you had like one blurry picture and an offhand reference. People still tried!) but anything about how they would play off each other or behave is just... easier to do. So you have more of that. The less vague things are, the more people actually pick up on it. A lot of vanilla RW asked you to dig into it yourself, which a ton of people simply aren't going to do- even people who LIKE the thing. DP has a very different vibe than vanilla RW, Its well done but if you dig into it you can see the ways it attaches onto the base game rather than seamlessly extends. And I think one of those ways is just that its much more broadly appealing storytelling. Other than that its just a bigger fandom with bigger fandom issues. Not anything unique to RW, just par for the course for fandoms to get bigger and suddenly things feel more disconnected or overwhelming or less friendly or that it feels like theres more drama. And these issues aren't absent from pre-DP RW, there was its fair share of drama in regards to people who were either assholes or predators. It never didn't have that problem because thats an unavoidable problem to have when you have a bunch of people who are strictly united by the fact they like the same thing.