#i've been in trek fandom too long

[liminal-zone]

JAMES T KIRK, DEAD WIFE.

Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, up to 2x9

So not a lot of people are talking about this (the state of trek fandom in 2023 is such a surprise to me, having lived through 2009 especially, but also the last decade of the 1900s), so IMMA TALK ABOUT IT. 

My one complaint about Strange New Worlds is that it is way too straight, but lol at me, my one very strong shippy feel is a straight pairing - let’s fucking go:

SO. THE USS ENTERPRISE SECURITY CHIEF LA’AN NOONIEN SINGH, DESCENDANT OF KHAN (from the <s>90s</i> 2020s) FELL IN LOVE WITH HER OWN EDITH KEELER IN TIME TRAVEL HIJINKS: A CAPTAIN KIRK FROM A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE WHERE HIS LIFE IS AWFUL <s>and spock hates him</s> AND HIS BROTHER IS DEAD. BUT HE IS STILL A GOOD MAN. SUCH. A GOOD. MAN. 

(and specifically, he’s such a good man in that HE COMES FROM A DARK TIMELINE, he’s from SPACE!, he’s never lived in Iowa! His brother is dead! And he could be mirror kirk but he isn’t! He’s a good honorable man shaped by different traumas, and he fell in love with her because she’s a great fish out of water, holy shit, GET THAT FISH OUT OF THE WATER)

and then romulan mary queen of scots from reign shoots this Kirk dead and the GOOFY TIME TRAVEL AGENCY FROM DS9 (The Department of Temporal Investigations) is like “lol la'annie, babes, you can’t tell a soul about this” and La’an, our poor dear traumatized tightly-wound perfectionist, can only weep into her pillow. 

but as the tweet by twitter user campy alien says: 

SO NOW SHE IS FACED CONSTANTLY WITH THE REAL JAMES TIBERIUS (tiberius? that’s the worst) KIRK and he’s not her kirk and he’s not anyone’s kirk (is he carol marcus’ kirk? ha ha not for long)

And it’s just buckets of angst (affectionate).

(re the title to this post: in the musical episode, she has a fantasy of smiling at her kirk under a white sheet in bed and WE KNOW THE TROPE, PARAMOUNT. THANKS FOR GIVING US, DEAD WIFE JAMES T KIRK. 13 out of 10, no notes.)

I think this would all be nonsense if it wasn’t for how Paul Wesley is playing Kirk (and the writers are writing Kirk) as this very GENTLE KIRK (Pine, Shatner; not defined by gentleness). He’s deeply charming and romantic and fun and yes full of himself and just a very gentle interested heroic person in the periphery of the current USS Enterprise. Makes sense that he would inherit the chair, makes sense that this Kirk would get cocky in a few years, makes sense this Kirk would fall in love with every woman he sees, <s>doesn’t yet make sense how this Kirk and this Spock would fall in love, that’s another post to make; also as your resident kirk x bones, i’m tapping my gd foot (slowly, i love m'benga!!)</s>. AND I LIKE THAT A LOT. (I live in a house divided, my wife hates him.)

Because there are knives in La’an under that tightly wound surface and there’s just a wonderful bruise there to press on. THIS KIRK IS NOT HER KIRK, AND WILL NEVER BE HER KIRK. HER KIRK IS DEAD AS IF HE NEVER EXISTED AT ALL. How do you process this and move on? Loved to see her tell Kirk about it (loved to see her christen him as Jim) and hope to see how this progresses. 

Final thought (for now): La’an being a new character with a Very Famous Name; where does she end up when a changed USS Enterprise goes on its five year mission (without a security chief apparently)?

[whichcouldmeannothing]

big big marvey fic rec list

marvey is currently my most bookmarked ship, so trust me when i say i've been around the bend for marvey content. i have dug through a lot of it the past few months, so trust that these fics have been highly rated!

fics are loosely grouped, with the summary and my thoughts under the cut :3 no spoilers ofc bc i love you

MY PERSONAL FAVOURITES

A Specter-Ross Affair by @frivoloussuits (15k+, au)

“You ordered an ‘extra-hot, extra-wet cappuccino, single-origin, properly layered, to-go and ready five minutes ago to make up for your service speed or lack thereof.’” In which Mike is a barista, Rachel is a lawyer, and Harvey is paid excessive amounts of money to plan their joyous Christmas wedding.

"Love is just a particularly socially accepted form of fraud. It's a series of increasingly complex and fragile deceptions between two or more people, and, more alarmingly, between each participant and their own deluded subconscious."

i literally cannot recommend this fic enough. this might be my favourite read of the entire year, dead serious. this sounds fluffy but trust me, the pining and the angst go well like salt on a chocolate chip cookie: extremely decadent. everything about this fic goes insane and this should be your gateway drug into marvey, im so serious about this. READ IT. (weddingplanner!harvey)

of all the gin joints by @frivoloussuits (10k+, au)

Hanging around a neighborhood bar one night, Harvey befriends a guy named Mike after realizing they can both quote The Princess Bride on demand. In the law offices of Rand, Kaldor, Zane and Pearson, senior partner Harvey Specter takes on an unusual case, representing his managing partner's daughter as she divorces a Michael James Ross. Harvey sees no connection until it's far too late.

"They’re playing a virtuosic duet with inhuman ease, as if the intoxication has broken their boundaries and blurred them into a single entity."

this. obsessed with fics that really use the law in their plots, and this is a prime example. a lot of chemistry in this one that is described in a way that makes you jealous of the bond they share and there are still lines in this fic that i think about almost everyday but honestly, such a top-tier read. PLEASE PLEASE IF YOU LIKE SUFFERING ANF REALLY REALLY GOOD CHEMISTRY PLEASE

5U175 by Closer (26k, canon-adjacent)

Harvey sometimes moonlights as a Star Trek BNF. Mike might have an attitude problem on the internet. TiberiusGhost is strangely compelling, for a recluse who never goes to meetups, and Harvey's finding this kid Photohead vaguely familiar…

i know that the terminology in this one is hella old-school but trust me. as someone who doesnt read a lot of fandom fics, this fic has changed it all for me (also bc the author replied to my comment hehehe) stick with this fic because the way fandom weaves with the character development is absolutely delicious, i remember saying this in my og comment but this fic was written with love for fandom and you should definitely read it too!!! you'd absolutely love it! (also ben stans rise up ^^)

fics to sink your teeth into (20k+)

needs must by @melthemagpie (98k+, au)

When Grammy needs an upgrade in care, Mike knows that the usual one-off gig as a paid submissive won't be enough. He takes a job he's been refusing for a while - a long-term, full-time contract. He expects his client to be a sadistic asshole. He expects not to like it. He's wrong on both counts.

this is a fandom classic, every fic rec has this on the list (cw for dom/sub and prostitution, so if you're uncomfy please dont read) but i swear there are so many romantic moments in this one that make me swoon and the smut is very good, i usually tap out in long fics really quickly but this hooked me the whole way through twice. thats my ringing endorsement, READ THIS

Lobster and Other Catastrophes by @andthetardis (21k, canon-compliant)

After months of silence, Mike starts texting Harvey again out of the blue. Funny thing to do on his honeymoon, really.

BRO PLEASE. this was so good. angsty and pining-y enough even though it's mostly a text fic. text fics to me are more like comedic, but this one had substance and heart (and funny and enjoyable btw). pulls you in and really makes you want to stick it out and get to the beautiful ending <333 (harvey being soft is probably a category on its own :3)

The Game by @frivoloussuits (27k, hunger games au)

Harvey Specter and Donna Paulsen are efficient and elegant killers. They have trained since childhood, mentored personally by Jessica Pearson and marked for years as District 1's Tributes for the Hunger Games. Mike Ross is an orphan from District 12, a drug dealer, and an underage gambler. After years of scrutinizing the Hunger Games on TV to make savvy bets, he finds himself on the wrong side of the camera, now playing the odds just to survive. Harvey and Mike cannot, should not trust each other. Still, they strike a backroom deal.

"Because he’s clever and quick-thinking and he’s learned her main lesson well– don’t love anyone you wouldn’t be willing to see dead. Ideally, don’t love anyone at all."

I READ THIS WHEN I WAS REVISITING HUNGER GAMES AND OHHHHH THIS HAS THE ANGST. absolutely riveting. ths is the third fic im reccing from them bc i love frivoloussuits. i would die for them HHFSHFHKSDGDHFG i love the angst and the life-threatening situations that the hunger games provide and harvey as a career is correct. its just correct. everything here grips my soul

Disaster Stories by agatestones (22k, canon-compliant)

"Hold on," Mike asked, "you made Donna come into work in the middle of a blizzard?" "I don't make Donna do anything. Haven't you learned by now?" Harvey gave Mike a mean little smile, but under that was relief for anyone to see. "You, I can make come into the office in a blizzard."

reads like a novella to me, and it's really good!!! very episodic and you really feel like these are things that have happened in universe. its very slice of lifey and i reread it a lot as a comfort read, its like a big hug to me

Pizza and a Movie by Closer (30k+, au)

In an alternate universe, Harvey's still a lawyer but Mike's not a pot runner -- he's a deliveryman for Rollo's Pizza and Ribs, which happens to be Harvey's favorite pizza place. Once Harvey finds out his pizza guy is a genius, Mike's life takes a few turns he would not have expected...

i swear this is the most rom-commy fic marvey has to offer. i like aus that slap me in the face more with the alternate universe, but this is such a rom-com plot. fandom classic as well and it really reads like a hugh grant 90s movie and if thats not enough to pull you in idk what will tbh

Imprimatur by Closer (22k, au)

Mike was raised to believe Imprint was a life-changing event for those few lucky enough to experience it. Harvey was raised to believe it was a form of mental illness. When it actually happened, neither of them noticed.

this goes absolutely crazy. one of those fics where you read it and you almost want to throw your phone at the wall because the characters could make it so easy if they werent so stupid (but in a good way of course) but the way it was written, you feel the depth of the soulmate bond and why its so important (which a lot of soulmate aus forget to do loll) but goes down like an expensive and delicious dinner :)

afternoon reads (10k+)

Sony SRF-39FP by @frivoloussuits (11k+, canon-adjacent)

Anita Gibbs won’t settle for Mike, not when there are name partners within her reach. She offers only one deal– two years, no other charges against anyone else in the firm, as long as Harvey Specter turns himself in. And even as Donna and Jessica and Louis and Mike beg him not to, he jumps on the grenade. “Time to get busy living or get busy dying,” he remarks, and Mike gives a small chuckle. Then Harvey smirks, straightens his suit jacket, and strides into FCI Danbury.

“I can’t believe they’re trying to lock you in a box and forget about you,” Mike sighs as he leaves.

“Well, as long as you don’t forget me, I figure I’ll survive.”

“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but forgetting’s never been my strong suit.

cw for depersonalization and desc of solitary confinement, very very heavy but the way mike is there throughout everything makes my heart twinge. i really dont know how to describe this fic at all but its really good. it makes me cry a lot. also made me start listening to jazz which- uh

Here at the end of all things by @tattooedsiren (10k, au)

When he arrives at the Pearson Hardman building the lights are dimmed and the floor is deserted. His feet carry him to Harvey's office even though he expects it to be empty. Because Harvey probably fled the city via helicopter or teleporter or sheer force of will. But when he approaches the office he can see that Harvey is there. He has moved the couch so that it now faces the floor to ceiling windows and Mike silently sits beside Harvey, joins him in looking down at the chaos engulfing the city below. [Apocalypse AU]

I LOVE APOCALYPSE FICS UP UP UP badass!harvey makes me bark, but im a really big fan of people who find happiness in the worst circumstances and this fic does it so so so well. reminds me a lot of tlou episode like 2? the one with the strawberries. please this is what i revisit when i miss marvey and i dont have a lot of time because the world and the characters are jsut so delicious!!!

quick reads (1k+)

This Love is Silent by kim47 (8k, canon-compliant)

She should have known. She had known, that something was off, at least. She knew he was hiding something. She just never imagined it could be this. Despite Harvey's warnings, Mike tells Rachel the truth about everything. She's shocked, naturally, and more than a little angry, but she agrees to keep his secret, and even to date him. So when they break up, Harvey goes into damage-control mode.

RACHEL!! HELLO RACHEL!! im always up for smart and discerning rachel (this shows up in of all the gin joints too btw!!!) this runs realistic to me because it shows that rachelxmike arent some hopelessly wrong for each other couple, they have good and bad times. this feels more real to me than other fics bc its not like the world conspires for marvey to be apart, its just life. i know this makes it sound so sad, and it is, but trust me: this is really really really good i love this so much

an archive of harvey specter's expressions by @frivoloussuits (2k, canon-compliant)

Five old expressions that Mike rediscovers in new contexts once he and Harvey are (finally) together, and one that he sees for the first time. Alternatively titled “An Ode to Gabriel Macht’s Face.”

this was written for me. this is literally me. writing fic because gabriel macht is too pretty, like this fic is literally for me. a lot of peering at him to get this fic as masterfully written as it is, and i thank you author everyday for it. to me, this reads like it's been written with love and care and true adoration (Truly, like Mike)

Coffee-Cart Client Privilege by @frivoloussuits (7k, au)

Mike runs a coffee cart. The coffee cart.

"Why not? They're too big and dense to be a snack." So are you, Mike thinks, and yet.

IM SORRY I KEEP RECCING FRIVOLOUS SUITS THEYRE MY FAVOURITE WRITER IN THIS FANDOM HFBKABFDKHFBHKDSA this has the hand-wavy logic the show has itself but mike's internal monologue in this one is one of the best ive ever read and the way mike's integrated in the offices is just so well-done ahhhh

Objection by yeah its frivoloussuits again i feel bad tagging them like 7 times (2k, canon-adjacent)

When Mike announces he’s leaving, Harvey plans to hide the jagged pieces of his broken heart deep inside, where no one will ever find them. His heart would like to object.

BIGG fan of physical hurt/comfort!!!! also big fan of people absolutely freaking out in the hospital in fics, it makes me bounce of the wall!! very short but the angst and love really hits you quick and leaves you on the floor gasping for air. very good (also cant prove this but im very sure this is a scrubs reference.t hanks)

Excerpts From The Gospel of Harvey Specter, edited by Michael "Forever Awesome" Ross, 2011, 1st Ed, by @rcmclachlan (7k, canon compliant)

Mike can totally read people. Well, most people. Some people. Or maybe just Harvey, who's pretty much an open book.

this one's really funny! it doesent follow direct prose and instead plays a lot with the setting its in (where mike's a documenter of harvey) and its just so funny and adorable. has a lot of heart too, it isn't just crack or anything but you really feel everything mike does as he writes all this, read this!!1

One More Sleepless Night by @sal_si_puedes (9k, au)

Soul Bonds are one-sided �� there’s usually mutual affection, but only one party feels the crippling need to be together as often as possible. If separated at length from their love, that party becomes crushed by longing, panic, and sheer hopelessness, and so it is illegal to forcibly keep Soulmates apart. Some days, Harvey Specter hates the Bond that skews his judgement and weakens his resolve, and he fears what would happen if anyone in his world ever discovers he is so compromised. He certainly never planned to disclose the Bond for the first time in the middle of Anita Gibbs’ office, in a last-ditch attempt to invalidate the deal sending Mike to prison.

HSDGFHSDKGHRLKGHK THIS FIC. i love fics that use more than just prose to tell their stories (see above fic) and this does my favourite thing that soulmate aus do, which is where they integrate in-universe explanations for the phenomenon. the amount of work and dedication put into this fic makes it absolutely sing and was absolutely lovely!!

also pspspsps

golden like the daffodils by @mini-mart (2k, canon-compliant)

Poetry holds meaning, for anyone who reads it. It obscures and dances around the literal and metaphorical, because it’s imbued with so much of something that it overflows out of any definition. It can make someone mad, or lovesick, or aroused, and the reactions would be absolutely warranted. Mike is poetry, to Harvey. - Harvey Specter could be a good politician, as he believes in pragmatism over poetry. He won't let his progress fall apart, won't let someone knock it down. And then someone unceremoniously cracks open a suitcase at his feet. Or: Harvey, pretty boys and poetry.

yeah yeah i wrote this yeah yeah self promo smth smth

there's a lot more that isn't here but i'll probably write a new one when i go for a deep dive through the ship tags again :3

^^ ao3 etiqutte applies! if you like the fic, kudos and comment and bookmark!! show your love! happy reading marveys! my gift to u :3

[dduane]

Hi! I'd love to hear ur take on the whole Spirk Canon discussion going on right now as someone who's written licensed Trek books. Like besides the whole "did Unification 765874 make spirk canon" thing, is it even fair to talk about spirk being canon or not? What would it take for spirk to "be canon"? It strikes me as a very fandom-y (positive) way to interact with media, which is funny since k/s invented fandom culture. But at the same time ur Supernatural comparison was right on the money and paramount has been VERY weird about addressing their relationship in nutrek. What are ur thoughts??

First of all: Despite the excitement of any given moment, people need to be careful about mistaking anything I reblog without further-amplifying comment, on any subject, as necessarily implying agreement or approval. Lots of times I reblog things just to direct attention to them (and sometimes because I think they're funny).

"ur Supernatural comparison" was not mine. It was somebody else's. I reblogged it to direct attention to it. (And maybe I thought it was funny.)

...Also, wut iz dis "nutrek" u speak of? When you've been working in this universe for long enough, with the necessary perspective to look up and down the length of it without idiosyncratically-added heat... then all Trek is Trek. The spectrum along which its varying species all coexist is ever more complexly and interestingly braided than it once was, sure. But that's all. I've got enough on my plate at the moment not to have time to waste trying to force different aspects of Trek into cage fights with each other.

And: "Paramount"? Who is that, exactly? At the pointy end, all corporations are made up of people. Which ones are we talking about? Which production entities? Which creative teams? Which execs, working under whose supervising auspices, and when? Working with whose (character/worldview/policy) decisions, and for how long?

None of this stuff is simple to work out, and it's not helpful to try to come at it as if it's necessarily going to be easy to tease out who's doing what to whom. Briefly: it's normal for it to look weird. But don’t mistake a Big Corporate Monolith for something actually monolithic.

Also, for the moment, ffs, let's all just step away from the business of defining what K/S and/or Spirk actually involves. Enough ink and electrons have been spilled over this whole spectrum of character relationship since the 1960s, and frankly, life's too short. Definitely too short to be trying to resolve it all in terms of something that dropped...when? About this time last night, or the night before? :) Jeeeez, people. Take a breath or three and let things settle.

So I don't think anybody needs to be hearing my deep cogitations about the new short film right now... because there aren't any. No question, Unification's beautiful to look at—and I've told Dave Blass he did nice work, about which i don't think there can be any possible doubt. (Not to mention the high-end technical aspects dealt with so seamlessly in such a small tight package, which have left my jaw on the floor.) The Giacchino score's also quite lovely, but that also is more or less a given.

As for everything else: I decline to spew opinion all over the joint until I've had a chance to assimilate what I've seen, and actually acquire a useful opinion from somewhere or other. Meanwhile, y'all just keep doing what you're all doing, and I'll go make some more tea. :)

[captainsophiestark]

Not A Doctor

Bones McCoy x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic being posted every Friday, all year long :)

Fandom: Star Trek

Summary: Bones' SO hurts themselves on an away mission and has to stitch themselves up as well as they can to buy time for a med evac to the Enterprise

Word Count: 1,533

Category: Fluff, Humor, a little bit of Angst

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"Shit," I hissed, pressing a hand to my side as I slid down the wall. When I finally got up the courage to pull my hand back and look, it came away with a lot more blood than I'd hoped to find. I'd fallen pretty far and managed to avoid any broken bones based on my pain levels, but the wound in my side was gaping and looked concerningly serious.

I could practically hear the extended bridge crew chorusing "I told you so" from here.

As if on cue, my communicator beeped. I grimaced, but managed to take it out of my bag and open it to respond.

"What's up?" I groaned.

"Y/N, where are you?" came the voice of Jim Kirk, one of my best friends and the captain of the Enterprise. "Scotty's reporting he can only find two targets to beam up."

Dammit. That figured.

"I'm... not totally sure. I was trying to follow the signature on my tricorder to that plant I've been looking for when the ground just gave way under me. I'm not sure how far I fell, but I hit something pretty hard on the way down and I've got... quite the gash in my side."

Silence on the other end for a few moments, then:

"Hang tight. We're coming to find you."

The communicator hung up with a click, and I sighed, ignoring the flare of pain in my side. I had faith in Jim's determination and ability to find me, especially with Spock here helping him, but I still needed to do something if I wanted to be alive when they found me.

Thankfully, I'd watched my boyfriend, Doctor Leonard McCoy, stich people up often enough that I felt fairly confident I could do a passable job on myself. I dug some sewing supplies out of my bag that I hadn't removed from my last away mission misadventure, and pulled the hem of my shirt up to get a better look at the wound.

I grimaced, gritting my teeth and trying to prepare for this. I'd been so excited to join Kirk and Spock on this away mission. This planet was supposed to have one of the rarest plants in the galaxy, and I'd been looking forward to finding it since I'd first heard we'd be coming here. And now, I was at the bottom of this pit or cave or whatever, slowly bleeding out, without even a picture of the plant to show for it.

Ugh.

I tried to focus on my breathing as I threaded a needle and put it to my skin. I knew the wound needed to be disinfected before I totally closed it, but I didn't have anything on me to do that with, and I knew Bones would be able to take care of it for me if I could manage to get back to him.

I took a few deep breaths to steel myself, then stuck the needle through. I swore loudly and kept up a steady stream of expletives as I sewed up the wound. I pulled it closed as tightly as I dared, then held my jacket to my waist to try to staunch the remainder of the bleeding.

I sighed, long and hard, then leaned my head back against the wall of whatever hole I'd fallen into. I had no idea how long those stitches had taken me, but it certainly hadn't been quick. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too much longer before I heard Jim and Spock stumbling down some passage towards me.

I focused on deep breaths as the pain continued to throb in my side, completely zoning out to the time and environment around me. Finally, I heard some shuffling movement from a slightly more gradual incline up ahead of me. The voices of my friends echoed out, curious and searching.

"Y/N!"

"I'm here!" I called back, my voice a little weaker than normal. I cleared my throat, then tried again. "Here!"

A moment later, my friends came into view. Jim grinned at me as Spock started scanning the space, probably trying to decide on the best way to get me out of here.

"How're you holding up?" asked Jim. I forced a smile.

"Living the dream."

He scoffed, then moved to crouch beside me and put one of my arms over his shoulder.

"Spock! Come help me."

"We'll need to get around the corner and most of the way back up the incline we came down to reach a spot where Mr. Scott can register us," said Spock as he joined us. "There seems to be some property of this rock that's prohibiting the transporter signal from reaching us."

"Great," I huffed, grimacing as my friends pulled me to my feet. Even resting most of my weight on them, I was still seeing spots. "This is gonna be great."

Between the three of us, somehow, we managed to get back into transporter range. I almost lost consciousness at one point, but we'd paused, and I'd managed to pull myself back from the brink. When the Enterprise's transporter room finally materialized before me, the relief was palpable, not least of all because Bones was waiting for me.

"Y/N," he said, jumping to attention and rushing onto the pad to replace Jim at my side. With Spock's help, we started moving immediately for the Med Bay. "What happened?"

"I was following the signature of the plant I was looking for on my tricorder. Then all of a sudden, the ground gave way underneath me. It wasn't a straight drop, I don't think, but I fell a pretty long way, bouncing off the rock slide and the walls of the cave I fell into on the way down. I'm bruised, but I don't think it's anything bad besides the cut on my stomach."

Bones nodded. "We'll get you to Med Bay and make sure."

Luckily, my boyfriend was very good at staying calm and focused in a crisis for his patients. He was completely in the zone as he and Spock helped me into a bed once we reached Med Bay, and then Bones started checking my vitals and assessing my injuries. I watched him carefully for any break in his usual bedside manner to tell me if I needed to be worried about something, but none came.

Hopefully that was a good sign, and not just because he was an incredible doctor.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity to me, Bones returned from his testing and reappeared by  my bedside. His hands were on his hips, but he seemed calmer, and definitely out of intense doctor mode.

"Alright, the good news is you'll be just fine. But I'm still gonna need to disinfect the wound and stitch you up," he said. I gave him the best smile I could muster.

"Sounds like a plan."

He sighed, then gently lifted my shirt high enough to give him access to the gash in my side. The light touch of his fingertips sent goosebumps along my skin, but I did my best to ignore them, especially as Bones frowned.

"What the hell did you do to yourself?" he asked, not looking away from his work on my side.

"Uh... I slammed into a rock. We covered this already, remember?"

"No, I didn't mean your injury." Bones paused and looked up at me, the smallest smile tugging at his lips. "I meant these stitches. Yikes."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes, making Bones chuckle as he got back to work.

"Okay, whatever. I'm a biologist, not a doctor, dammit. I think I did a pretty good job, considering the circumstances."

"Mm, I guess so. Barely."

"Hey!" I laughed, hitting him lightly in the shoulder. "You better knock it off or I'm gonna start practicing my stitches on you."

Bones snorted, but I could see the smile on his face as he continued working. Thanks to the medical facilities of the Enterprise, it barely hurt as he undid my messy job and redid it with a much better one of his own.

"So... what are you doing after this?" I asked after a few long moments of letting him work in peace. He paused to look up at me again, one eyebrow raised.

"Don't tell me you're hitting on your own boyfriend after only the low-level painkillers I gave you?"

"I can and will hit on my own boyfriend whenever I want, no painkillers required. But I was mostly asking if you had other patients to deal with after me, or if you'd be free to come cuddle on the couch and eat junk food with me. I think it'd really help speed up my recovery process."

Bones' mouth quirked into a smile again as he put the finishing touches on my stitches.

"Well if it's for the wellness of a patient... I think Nurse Chapel might be willing to take over from me for the rest of the day."

"Thank goodness for Christine."

Bones and I shared a smile, then he returned to his work and I watched him contentedly. Obviously, life and death situations on away missions were never ideal—but I couldn't really bring myself to be upset about how this one had played out, even if I hadn't managed to get my plant in the end.

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989

[sparklywaistcoat]

I'm going to preface this by saying that I haven't watched OFMD yet; I only know it from the fine meta and gifsets and caps that all you good people have been posting.

(Please don't pester me to watch it. I can't right now for reasons related to abuse that was entirely too similar to what I've seen perpetrated by A Certain First Mate. I do want to watch it and will do so when I'm ready. Thanks for understanding.)

Anyway.

This morning I had A Thought while I was lying there trying to convince myself to get out of bed (like you do).

And that thought is that OFMD plays against the long tradition of captaincy being a state of aloofness at best or isolation at worst. This tradition in literature goes back at least to the Horatio Hornblower novels, and in television that tradition is repeated in characters like James T. Kirk in Star Trek, who Roddenberry consciously modeled on Hornblower.

In OFMD, Ed is initially kept aloof and isolated by the machinations of Izzy Hands (and we all see where that goes), but Stede actually tries to relate to his crew as human beings.

So OFMD is working against not only toxic masculinity, racism, and colonialism, it's also working against the longstanding Western seafaring narrative of the captain as an island unto himself, whose isolation from the crew is necessary to his successful functioning as captain.

Maybe folks in the fandom have already said something about this, but I want to put this out there anyhow.

Thanks for listening.

<scootches back out to the edge of the fandom>

[verstarppen]

A THANK YOU LETTER

an apology and update! for all you beautiful people - 2 for the price of 1

hello! over the months i've written and deleted this letter because i was too much of a coward to show my face after i left. i contemplated if it would be adequate enough, if it even matters. At the end, i owe this fandom too much, so here it is:

THE APOLOGY

i am truly sorry. there's no better way of putting it.

the more i create the more i realise how this fandom held my hand and i simply wouldn't be the person i am now if this blog never existed. i've always struggled with sharing art and writing online, as i thought it was too lame and took the coward route of keeping it to myself and my closest friends.

ever since this blog, i've found that less of an issue. the more i think about how much i let you and myself down by disappearing the more i feel the shame weigh me down. i never wanted to leave, but life has this funny way of forcing your hand when you least expect it.

without getting too personal, this year hasn't been great for me or anyone close to me - friendships died, family members were hospitalised, university crushed me, expectations from everyone around me made me question if i'm failing in every aspect of my life, i lost passions like art - something i've always thought of as my dream career, and i fear the stress will only grow rather than die down.

in some of those harder moments i would always turn to a distraction, create something for a fandom i enjoy to get my mind off things. to see your comments and your messages always kept me going even when i physically couldn't take the stress of everything around me anymore. being busy made my flame for F1 dwindle, too. it's one of the main reasons i didn't return earlier. I've missed half the races this year, yes that includes both lando and oscar's wins, and although im looking forward to the summer break ending and the racecs coming back, i don't think the enthusiasm will ever return to the way it was when this blog was at its peak.

i feel like a coward for disappearing and it's a big regret of mine this year. i can't promise to write for F1 again, but what i've made will always be archieved here :)

THE UPDATE

not great. i can't even lie i'm not doing too hot right now. i promised i would return to writing when things finally calmed down and yet the more stress there was the more one off projects i made to combat it. throughout the months i've accumulated a lot of side projects for different fandoms like star wars, star trek, dc, merlin and lesser known fandoms such as heavy rain, mortal kombat, the sims (no seriously have you seen the lore) etc. that i have nowhere to post. in april i decided i can't afford (literally) to distract myself with any hobby projects for the sake of my situation and thus... i was an idiot and i deleted my ao3 account. there weren't that many stories on there anyway, but i regret it even if it was the right decision.

i owe @wtfisakilometer2 so much for telling me that the people who love the blog wouldn't mind what fandom it is as long as it's by me, even if i don't fully believe it. it did open my eyes to finally write this, though, so direct all your love to her.

so that leaves me here, sort of homeless on my own blog and with very conflicting feelings about it's direction. i intend to preserve it as an archive of my F1 writing without messing with it, but still let you know about my new ao3 and everything on it so i can keep both our interests in mind.

thank you for reading if you made it this far, i hope you have an awesome day and a lot of cat memes in your pinterest. thank you for all the lovely messages (i read everything) and thank you for everything this fandom has offered me. i will truly never get over you guys.

- star :)

[remholder]

J7 fic rec list

FINALLY sitting my ass down and getting one of these written up! wanted to make a list that had fics ive never seen rec'd before and as someone who has dug pretty deep in some mucky trenches (ff.net and passion and perfection specifically), i thought itd be cool to hand over some of my favs ive read over the years while these are in no particular order, there is one fic i really want to highlight: 16 Hours by Bailey B. (explicit) Captain Janeway interrupts Seven of Nine's regeneration cycle to invite her to dinner in the captain's quarters. Things progress from there, but not everything is as it seems. now, this fic right here - it was the very first j7 fanfic i had EVER read. all the way back in (roughly) 2007. no big deal, really, youd think? except i was 14 and i had no real business reading this fic (its explicit and i was underage). another thing - i had NEVER seen anything of Star Trek: Voyager. i knew the very, VERY basics of it, but i was the needle in the haystack here. because of this fic, and how kind it was with explaining the basics of Kathryn Janeway and Seven of Nine - ive been a fan ever since. --- Can't Take My Eyes Off You (orphaned account) While on an alien planet, a few of Voyager's crew get distracted by a former Borg. But let's be honest, who wouldn't get distracted by a Borg that looked like THAT? a fic where everyone (and i mean like...everyone) realizes how attractive Seven of Nine is - however our favorite exBorg only has eyes for Voyagers Captain. --- Past Tense by Patrica L. Givens (daxilla) (explicit) A threat from the past returns to threaten the very existence of Voyager and her crew. Can Seven save them, and deal with the realization of her changing feelings for the Captain at the same time? TIME TRAVEL SHENANIGANS!!!! also Seven bonding with Gretchen will always hold a very special place in my heart. --- The Adventure of a Lizard Captain by Captain Thrace A teleport accident transforms the Captain of Voyager and forever changes her relationship with the resident Borg Drone, Seven of Nine. After both spend years orbiting each other, will this event finally bring them together? i had taken a long break from j7 content, and when i got back into the fandom (around early/mid 2020), this was one of the first fics i read. it's silly, it's a angsty when it needs to be, it's an all around good time. i love it so much i make art based off it like every year! --- Antarra IV by JanewayorNoWay (explicit) The Captain has fallen in love with a certain tall, blond ex-Borg, but the sentiment hasn't been reciprocated. Furious with herself for getting herself in too deep, and upset with Seven for not returning her feelings, she does something hasty and stupid. I've noticed that a lot of fics have Kathryn putting her foot down in regards to a relationship (a possible one or one already in effect) with Seven - so when I came across this one, where's SEVEN being the one to do so, it immediately became a favorite. Angst, hurt/comfort, and some good ol FUCKING! what more could you ask for? --- a special shoutout to The Golden One, a very beautifully written fic that was a rewrite of Scorpion pt. 2 that was deleted last year that i have a .txt file of and will forever hold dear

[hereghostslive]

comfort fan fic recs

tagged by @liminalmemories21

prompt: - what are your old school comfort fics? The ones from fandoms that haven't been active in yeeeaaars, but you've read so many times you can practically quote them.

very excited for this tag so i can gush about my favorite fics. some of these fandoms are definitely still active but i personally don't read them as much anymore.

Pointing at the moon series by shoulderbone (lavenderforluck) (Skam - post series - (Even/Isak)

Three stories detailing how Isak and Even come back together after a break-up. Like to think of them as long meditations on grief, reconciliation, and second chances. Isak and Even are written so well they feel like a perfect version of canon, just a few years in the future.

Graduate Vulcan for Fun and Profit by @lazulisong (Star Trek AOS - Gen)

Summary:

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.

One of the most memorable fics I've ever read. I think about the funeral scene all the time. Jim's realization of what Sakel did is so satisfying. Plus, secret genius Jim and Tarsus IV are my kryptonite when it comes to Star Trek fic.

Retrograde by Pinkninja (The Old Guard - Joe/Nicky - Time Traveler's Wife AU)

Summary: Nicky's lives and deaths are different. He is unstuck from time - at every death he revives into a different point in his life. Each time he is struck down he wonders, will he awaken to deserts and swords? Will it be gunshots in cities? Joe and Nicky build a fractured life together, falling in love across two different sets of centuries, then patiently waiting for the other to fall in love too. He meets the rest of their little family out of order, but they still build a family around Nicky's involuntary time-traveling.

The amount of times I've read this is kinda wild. I don't even like The Time Traveler's Wife, but the concept works so well for immortal beings.

Men for all Seasons by new_kate (Merlin - Merlin/Arthur)

Summary: Reincarnation story set in 1940. In Albion's hour of need Arthur is brought back from his rest in Avalon. He learns that the world is at war, and that the enemies have dark magic at their disposal. With the help of the mysterious Vril society the invaders are about to gain air superiority and become unstoppable. Only Merlin could fight the new magical threat, but Merlin has been missing for a long time.

Cool take on the King that was Promised mythology, and immortal Merlin.

None the Wiser by @loftec (Shameless - Gallavich)

Summary: AU. Slow burn. The real time accounts of Ian visiting Mickey's dingy diner and slowly becoming his friend. Day 152 (167)

Talk about fics always on my mind. This is a WIP but there's so much of it there that it is possible to live in the world of Mickey's dingy diner and settle in for all the times Ian drops by and scoots his way into Mickey's life.

Your Name for a Capital by @the-prophet-lemonade (Shadowhunters - Alec/Magnus)

Summary: Magnus Bane meets a man from his future, interwoven throughout moments in his past.

More time travel angst! this one made me cry, even though, like, obviously they end up together. but Magnus's loneliness is so palpable here.

Malasadas for the Healing Soul by thoughtreflex (Hawaii Five-O - Gen)

Summary: The one where Danny has a secret, people discover this secret, Steve gets hurt, Danny gets hurt, Steve goes all ninja-possessive-SEAL, and Chin and Kono have to break out the BAMF routine to try and fix things. Not a typical Five-O month at all.

Actually just did a reread of this one. It's so good. The buildup of Danny's secret is one of my favorite parts of this story.

We Are Young (I'll Carry You Home Tonight) by @femmequixotic (Harry Potter - Harry/Draco - Political AU)

Summary: Harry and Draco have been falling into bed on and off again since the last election five years ago, much to the amusement--and financial gain--of their circle of friends. But when Harry agrees to work with Draco to put Kingsley Shacklebolt into the Minister's office, they can't work side-by-side again every day and sleep together; that would be courting disaster. Wouldn't it?

The dynamic between Draco and Harry in this one is so sharp. But what I like most about it how good of friends they actually are.

The Interaction series by ConstantCommentTea

Series Summary: Angel had thought that he'd done the Detached Misanthropic Vampire thing pretty well. He lived alone, his only "friends" were other vampires and demons, and his only enemy was Human Attachment. He saved if it was convenient for his conscience, and he went back to drinking human blood. His scowl was perfect.

After 200 years, he'd practically succeeded in fading away from humanity.

Practically.

This literally does not get enough love. A fully realized series that takes place 200 years in the future, full of OCs, but it's still Angel being the lone wolf who's heart slowly melts into caring about other people. and it's great. Bonus: The same author co-authors another series called Blood and Time, which is a Doctor Who/Angel crossover, that ALSO crosses over with their Interaction series ocassionally.

--

Those are all the major ones, I think. I do want to do a special shoutout to some series that no longer exist on ao3 or ff.net:

The Genesis-verse by beamirang - Star Trek AOS. i loved that series so much and am always thinking about it.

Methuselah's Children by wind-ryder (The Old Guard). also another one i read a lot.

--

Open tag for anyone that want's to play!

[beatrice-otter]

Hi, I saw you post a fic and cross-post it to something called Squigeworld? I've never heard of it and wondered if you could share about what it is if it's not inconvenient. I saw it was an archive for fandom purposes, but what's the idea of it?

The Squidge archive has been around in one form or another since the early 90s, run by a guy named Walter. Fandom used to be a lot more decentralized than it is now; individual fandoms, pairings, characters, or groups of friends would have their own archives instead of having one big one, and Squidge hosted lots of different smaller archives. It also hosted (and still does) NSFW fanart, which not a lot of places do.

You can still see the old archives linked from this page!

The main archive that Squidge hosted was a multifandom archive called Peja's Wonderful World of Make Believe. Problem is, the software they were using was old and creaky and full of vulnerabilities to exploit. The smaller archives are mostly dormant, so it doesn't really matter, but the WWoMB needed modern software. So Walter figured out how to use the OTW software (the one AO3 runs on, which is open source but really hard to figure out how to set up), transferred all of the WWoMB stories to it, and renamed it Squidgeworld. Also, he turned it into a nonprofit with a board, so now it's not just one guy doing it as long as he's willing to spend his own money.

I believe that too much centralization in fandom is a bad thing; in the thirty years I've been hanging around online fandoms I have seen too many beloved pillars of fandom crumble and die. I don't think AO3 is in any danger of that, but redundancy is a good thing, and multiple options are a good thing. So I upload all my fics to both Squidgeworld and AO3. (And when I write Star Trek fics, I also upload them to Ad Astra, which is another really old, beloved fic archive that has made the jump to using the OTW software.)

[greghousepogging]

just changed my name from toomanyfandomshelpmehelp to Greghousepogging because I thought it'd be funnier. might as well introduce myself while I'm at it!

I'm 28 from Australia

I've got autism, I was dx'd at five because I displayed more classical symptoms for an afab kid. It didn't give me an advantage though as I'm still traumatised by life.

I've also got ADHD-I and complex PTSD (cPTSD), major depression, generalised anxiety - the fun stuff

I think I'm Agender but for convenience she-nouns work too. I've never really felt any sense of gender - I am just Me. Definitely don't feel like a woman lmao.

I love a lot of fandoms, rn House, Sherlock, Dead Poets Society and Star Trek being my current focuses.

I'm also chronically ill - Stage 4 Endometriosis and Hashimotos Disease, both were mis/undiagnosed for far too long.

I work in fin crime to help find and prove fraud in a company - I hate working for a capitalist system, but I figure the best way to know and beat the enemy is to work within

Been chronically online since I was 12 lol including a yaoi reader and former writer

Considering restating poetry and other creative writing thanks to dsp c:

[gaywatch]

What are some ships/pairings/otps that have buried themselves so deep in your heart that you won’t ever be able to be anything but absolutely insane about them?

Like they are either constantly on your mind and you can’t shake them or you don’t think about them as often but when you do (or something reminds you of them) it’s like a punch to the gut and all the feelings come rushing back to you at once in an overwhelming way… I’m so curious because you obviously watch so many things and see a lot of connections between characters so I’m just wondering which ones have dug their claws in just a little too deep?

Okay, first of all, this is a banger question and a banger way to phrase it so good on you. <3

Any of the first five ships I ever had can make me feral at a moment's notice, and I could write an essay about any of them with zero prep time. My peak shipping period for all of them was high school and college, when my obsessive capacity was... particularly impressive. I made fanvids for four out of five (in one case I made 10+), fake trailers for a couple, and at least began writing a fanfic for four out of five of these as well:

Phantom/Christine (Phantom of the Opera)

David/Maddie (Moonlighting)

Jack/Elizabeth (Pirates of the Carribean)

House/Cameron (House MD)

Jareth/Sarah (Labyrinth)

This list alone tells you a lot about me, tbh.

Every single one of these come with the warning that you should never bring them up to me unless you're prepared for a highly intense and opinionated lecture.

And it's always difficult to compete with the formative stuff, right? They hit you hard at a hard-hitting age, that's a lot to surpass.

WELL.

I got into queer ships when I was 22, just out of college but still in the vital Young Adult stage, and long story short the rest of my life is quite literally all Star Trek 2009's fault. I saw the movie and (hilariously) got enough of a Kirk/Spock vibe that I wondered if anyone and the WiLd AnD cRaZy IdEa that they should be together or maybe that was just me and this was a Brand New Idea.

That gives you a good idea of how ignorant of queer fandom I was.

Anyway, fifteen-going-on-sixteen years later I'm drowning in queer ships but these ten in particular have some kind of cryptic Lovecraftian hold on my being despite the fact that as I've gotten older my appreciation for the fictional gays has grown wider, meaning it's usually less concentrated. So instead of having a list a mile long to answer your question, it still ultimately boils down to a top ten (in no order, don't do that to me):

Kirk/Spock (Star Trek: TOS)

Eliot/Quentin (The Magicians)

Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian (The Untamed)

Kang Yohan/Kim Gaon (The Devil Judge)

Thor/Loki (MCU)

Holmes/Watson (Sherlock Holmes, Guy Ritchie films)

Lestat/Louis (Interview with the Vampire)

Shiro/Keith (Voltron)

[redacted] (redacted)*

Arthur/Merlin (Merlin)

Nowadays the big indicator that I don't just love a ship, I love a ship, is if I'm so compelled that I feel the urge to Make Something (huge mega ADHD bonus points if I actually do it), usually a fanvid or a fic. And that holds true for...yeah, 9/10 of these.

Every now and then I'll remember one of these and feel that obsessive urge to think about nothing else for like a month and fully re-immerse. But Gaywatch, writing, and DMing for my D&D group make that really difficult. They're always there, though, and if I can ever think of way to shove them into Gaywatch for the excuse to obsess I totally do. (Merlin, for example, came in a really strong second for a Patreon poll last year but didn't win. And I was like 'fuck it this is my house and I'll watch Merlin after the winner' because I'd been waiting actual years to watch it for the channel.)

So yeah, if any of these--even the First Five because I'm obnoxious--make it into Gaywatch content somehow, that is not an accident. (If you were looking for details about each one I'm legit not capable of that. It'd be paragraphs per ship at least and we'd never get out of here.)

*Redacted because purity culture froths at the mouth whenever this ship is so much as mentioned. If anyone ever asked me point-blank if I shipped this I'd tell the truth, but Tumblr specifically can make talking about the ship insufferable/impossible.

[maple-moose-muffin]

Seeing olds vs youths fandom etiquette discourse breaks my heart because there's such a lack of empathy. It's literally ageism and generation vs generation bullshit playing out the same way as always, except because it's painted over with a veneer of pixel men and literay analysis we preted it's actually a human rights fight and we're justified for spitting on our juniors.

I saw a post talking about squicks, where the Fandom Youths who hadn't encountered the word before were rolling their eyes and calling it millenial baby talk nonsense, while the Fandom Olds were responding with statements like "omfg why didnt you google it you dumbass!!" As if you, Fandom Old, ever learned that word by googling it. Fuck me, but I don't remember ever googling what 'whump' meant. I learned it by having it demonstrated by the fandom figures I looked up to. For years of my early fandom life I thought 'slash' meant gore. It wasn't until I saw other fans talking about the fluffiest slash pairings that I realized it was another word for yaoi, which was the term *I* knew, coming from an anime background.

Fandom is huge but we are still a subculture, and culture is taught through interaction, demonstration, and the kindness and *patience* of your culturemates. That means listening to each other and fucking explaining shit to those who will inheret our Discord servers and our Archives, not screaming at them for being too stupid to know the stove is hot before they touch it. And it means opening your damn minds and ears, and absorbing those lessons when your foremothers give them to you. It goes both ways. It's just that this post is mostly aimed at the Fandom Olds, my peers, whom I see berating people simply for being new. Who take screenshot of tags from Youths asking what the hell Superwholock is and wail, "What is the world coming to??" Instead of answering them. Instead of teaching them our history. Their history.

Do YOU know all about every Star Trek email chain that came before you? Do YOU know all the big names of the OG Buffy circles? Xena Warrior Princess? Do you even know the most famous fics of the contemporary fandoms you never participated in? YuGiOh, Sailor Moon, Homestuck, Big Time Rush? When exactly did you learn omegaverse was born of the Supernatural fandom? When did you discover hanahaki? Why didn't you just know about it the day you made your tumblr?

We cannot fall into the curmedgeoning ways of gatekeeping fandom from the new bloods simply because they haven't been around long enough to know their own history. I've been writing fanfic for fifteen years, and I learned the Fuck or Die trope was born in Star Trek THIS WEEK. Ignorance does not make you lazy, entitled, or unworthy. It does not make you a fake fandom citizen. For fuck's sake, do you really want to be the person who says "Oh you like fanfiction? Name five tropes that aren't fake dating and there was only one bed"?

Yes, there has been an uptick in lack of etiquette. Yes there is an issue of purity policing. But correct me if I'm wrong, as it was before *my* time -- isn't that what killed LiveJournal? Isn't that why we now have an Archive who explicitly states in their ToS they won't take down content just because it is deemed offensive? This shit isn't new, and the Fandoms Youths aren't single handedly killing the kinky fic industry.

The Youths These Days are not ruining fandom anymore than I used to ruin it when, at age 14, I used to lash out at female characters for 'ruining' the gay ships. I've grown. You have grown. The Youths will grow.

But not if you alientate and refuse to teach them.

[a-most-beloved-fool]

fanfic writer interview

tagged by: @spirkme915! Thanks for the tag <3

what fandoms do you write in? Star Trek, pretty much exclusively. Only TOS and DS9 so for (and I haven't even really finished anything DS9, I just have plans and WIPs). I may branch out a smidge someday, but I'll probably stay mostly in Star Trek.

how many words have you published in 2024? 4,763. I am a very slow writer lmao. Honestly even answering these questions feels like overkill with so few words published, but c'est la vie. I'll just pretend that I'm a Real Fanfic Author™, and if I do that for long enough, I eventually will be.

what is your greatest achievement this year? Posting anything at all! I had hoped I would, at the start of last year, but I hadn't really expected it. Now, I'm very glad I did (and that I joined Tumblr!).

what are your top three fics you've written this year? I only wrote two! So. Those.

what was your biggest pit of despair moment? I've had a fic that's been sosoclose to done since. like. July. And I have noooot finished it. So, probably that one. I wound up getting wildly discouraged with it, and have just kind of been, um. ignoring it. in the hopes that it'll start feeling salvageable again soon. It's not bad, I know it's not bad, but I can't actually convince myself that it's not bad, and I can't find the right ways to finish the few areas that still need more meat on their bones. I am fighting the urge to just up and delete half of it

what have you learned? That it feels really, really good to receive comments! I've also been slowly figuring out how best to wrangle my brain into Actually Writing, but it's. a work in progress!

did you beta any fics? any faves you want to shout out? So far, I've not had the chance to beta for anyone.

what three fics have you read this year that you love? Um. Oh god. Just three?? I suppose I'll say We can only be who we are by @jennelikejennay, Vision Awry by @walkingstackofbooks, and there may be a power cut (and maybe i love you so) by granspn (who afaik doesn't have a tumblr, but if they do, lmk and I'll tag them too)

(My bookmarks are always a good place to look for fics I've particularly enjoyed, so if ever you are in need of a rec list, that's a good place to start)

what ideas are percolating for next year? Oh, I have so many WIPs. There are a few in there that I'm very excited about, including one where Kirk drags Spock out of Kolinahr early and one where Spock is pining so obviously (to everyone except Kirk). I'd also kind of like to get a DS9 fic or two (and/or my mcspirk fic) published this year, but that relies on me being considerably more prolific than I was this year, so we'll see what happens. (Though, I should be getting ADHD meds at the end of the month, provided that my EKG checks out, which. will hopefully make things a bit easier lmao. I'll need to fight my brain a little less.)

If I am very, very lucky, I'll even be able to get a fic done for the KS Spring Fever. I've got an idea, but, well. Deadlines are rough, and the mind is fickle. I'll do my best (and anyone reading this has permission to hassle me about it and hold me accountable)!

who do you want to thank? Pretty much everyone who has given me a warm welcome on Tumblr & in the Trek fandom, @spirkme915 and @walkingstackofbooks in particular! I have... never really tried to join a fandom space before, and am also Bad And Lousy at starting conversations and getting to know people, so I'm really very grateful to people who have gone out of their way to be friendly and welcoming. <3 Even if all you've done is Exist As My Mutual or Occasionally Reblog My Posts, I am sending you internet hearts <3 <3 <3

tagging: uhhh @walkingstackofbooks, @purple-iris, @wwillywonka, and anyone else so inspired

[deepspacedukat]

Hey DSD!

Nonny here, do have a list of any writers you would recommend and maybe even one or two of their fics?

Would love some more reading material and thank you so much if you do end up sharing with me.

Hi Nonny! Absolutely, I do! There are a ton of amazing writers, both here and on AO3, especially for Star Trek since it's such a long-standing fandom. I will absolutely list some of my favorites, but please do not be afraid to explore the tags both on AO3 and here on tumblr, because there are a ton of amazing writers that I haven't encountered yet, and I'm probably leaving some out unintentionally. (I'm so sorry! My memory is like that of a gnat at times!)

Also, on my pinned welcome post under the "Keep Reading" there's a link you can click that will (hopefully) take you to all the posts I've tagged on here as fic recs! So feel free to take a look at that too!

I highly recommend any/all stories by the following authors, and beneath their names I'll list 2-3 of my favorite stories from each:

@creature-of-the-stars - on AO3 here as ToeBeansMcGee

"Weeds Among Stones" <- this is ongoing and brilliant and amazing and i love it 🥰

"Oh, Don't Mind Us" <- this is a oneshot sequel to another favorite called "Be Still" which is a multi-chapter that I adore 🫶

"Keep Your Enemies Closer"; the sequel "Rekkhai"; and the follow-up "Beyond Fortunate" <- just pure perfection *chef's kiss* 🤌

@bigblissandlove1 - on AO3 here as bigblissandlove

"The Raptor's Descent" <- many chapters and it gave us S'Talon and just utterly delicious 😍

"The Assignment" <- a gorgeous oneshot that gave me emotions 😭💖

"Surrender To Me" <- a long oneshot that made me fall in love with a side character 💚

@horta-in-charge - on AO3 here as Horta-In-Charge

"X Minus 1" <- it hab sad, wet-eyed Weyoun, I mean, what more could you want??? 👀💜

"Broken Covenant" <- cannot words enough to praise this sufficiently, so just go read it 🧡

"Fantasy" <- the emotions omfg THE EMOTIONS 😭💖

@starrynightgardens - on AO3 here as jaylens_twin

"Proposition" <- this fic and it's epilogue are gorgeous and I have read it so many times 🫶

"Things Unseen" <- this is an amazing multi-chapter fic and there are so many emotions 💚

"Regenesis" <- I...there are no words, this is so amazing 💜

@leopardcoffee - on AO3 here as Leopardcoffee

"Ashayam, I despise you" <- beautiful, chef's kiss, excellent! 💙

"Maroon" <- it's a wip and a damn good wip 🥰

"On Pause" &lt;- the angst omfg 😭❤️

@crowfootwrites - on AO3 here as CrowfootWrites

"Devotion & Diplomacy" <- as far as I know, this is the first Star Trek fic they've written, and it's an absolutely gorgeous wip 💖

@stay-neurotic - on AO3 here as stayneurotic

"A Prisoner's Needs" <- how do I even words about this??? 🥵💜

The entire "Keevan and the Spy" series <- read the tags before you start; this scratches a very specific itch ❤️

The entire "A Hostage Situation" series <- read the tags before you start; this also scratches a very specific itch 💖

@maybeamultiverse - on AO3 as maybeamultiverse

"A Matter of Security" <- it has young Vreenak, so how could I not adore it??? 💚

"The Vulcan's Limerence" <- Solok/Sisko!!!!! 💙

"War Birds" <- this is honestly such a well-written Letant fic. ngl, the whole fic is fabulous, but the first three chapters live rent-free in my brain and they always will 🥵

@emilie786 - on AO3 as Emilie_786

The entire "Discs" series <- apparently I'm v behind in this series, but I've read the majority of it and I am SO IN LOVE WITH HOW THEY WRITE SHRAN 💙

"Paranoid" <- this is...how do I even describe how much I love this fic??? 🫶

"The Hug" <- god, this is just SO CUTE 🥺

@foreverforty2 - on AO3 as forever_42

"His Eyes Speak" <- read the tags for this one; honestly such an amazing fic! 👀 (have I even talked about this fic here?? if I haven't, then I've been very remiss!) to be completely transparent, I haven't read any of their other works, because (I believe) most of the rest are Star Wars centered, and I don't know pretty much anything about Star Wars.

@indignantlemur - on AO3 as IndignantLemur

"Emigre" <- obviously this is on there. a fabulous fic, excellent, wonderful, stupendous, glorious! if you like Andorians, this is the fic for you! 💙

"The Stars Keep Watch" <- badass Andorian from SNW my beloved 🥰

@sleepycat82 - on AO3 as MeowMeowPowPow

"Grace Under Pressure" <- a gorgeous Letant/Reader/Vreenak fic that deserve a ton of love 💜

"Emergency Surgery" <- istfg one of the few good things to come from PIC is Krinn, and I'm so excited to see where this wip takes his character 👀

"The Wager" <- I literally just saw that this existed and I'm about to go start it. 💚

@ericbogosbian - on AO3 as Vorta_Scholar

"Testing the Effects" <- yes i'm outing myself as a Data smut enjoyer, but this...it's good Data smut 💛

Any of their Sito Jaxa/Vorik works 🫶

"Reprieve" <- omfg this is some good smut that i honestly didn't know I needed til I found it!! 💜

@attention-bajoranworkers - on AO3 as beyond_antares

"Just this once (and then once again)" <- this is a gorgeous wip and it will continue to be gorgeous. Dukat smut, my beloved 💖

"Moments" <- such sweet Malcolm fluff 💙

@schn-tgai-scripted - on AO3 as SchntgaiScripted

"A Good Vulcan Husband" <- this fic has made SUCH A MESS OF ME (in a good way, obviously) 💚

"See A Need" <- this was the first Vorik fic I ever read and I will always recommend it. it has some smut, some feels...i love it 💛

"A Bad Vulcan Prophet" <- read the tags; I...I don't even...I just love it 🖤

@brokenblade-legendarycreature - on AO3 as BrokenBlade

"Exceptional Airs and Dances" <- MORE WIIIINEEE 🍷

"Make It Harder" <- I feel no shame for the copious amount of times I've read this particular Dukat smut 💖

"Spa Service (Relief)" <- I just...yep. 💜

@love-at-first-contact - on AO3 as Graphite_crumble

The entire "Gwemmer" series <- Hemmer and an OC being adorable af. what more could you want??? 🤍

The entire "Vorik and Juna" series <- this pair is just utterly precious. I love them 💛

"Together" <- Vorik/Reader/Taurik fic...omfg I just...I have so many feelings about this 👀

@shibonoku - on AO3 as Shibonoku

Literally any of their Vorik fics. they're just absolutely fabulous 💖

Also, any of their Solok fics 💙

itsthemirrorforme on AO3 (no idea if they have a tumblr tbh)

literally all of them. read the tags first, of course, but all of them!! 💜

WikkityTweak on AO3 (no idea if they have a tumblr)

"Holosuite Number 3" <- This is THE FIC that made me fall in love with Senator Letant 💚 the author mentioned a potential sequel, but they haven't updated since 2016, so...for now i'll simply savor this fic's existence.

"True Weakness" <- this is an awesome Solok fic 🖤

@eyes-of-the-fox - on AO3 as dhiamn_aehallhh

"Small Tales" <- these are gorgeous stories; the Soval/Forrest ones are my favorite 💙

Honestly, all of their Maxwell Forrest/Soval fics are gorgeous 🫶

@the-stags-cave - on AO3 as StagofRomulus - alternately find vem on Quotev here as Stag of Romulus

"Ahr'ehraet Hru'rhaarhno: Season 1" <- half Romulan McCoy!!!!!!! Also McCoy/Spock SCREEEEE 💜

Admittedly I haven't read all of ver works, but vey are such a great writer, I can't help but recommend literally all of those stories!!

[optimumonprime]

Fanfic Writer Interview

tagged by: @illegalpaladin (dank you kelly!!!)

what fandoms do you write in? Currently, Star Trek and Yugioh. My history is uh. varied.

how many words have you published in 2024? 59,693, though it honestly feels like more.

what is your greatest achievement this year? Not giving up on my first WIP in like a decade plus! I'm very proud of the story I've created with Something Like Magic and I'm excited to write the last chapter.

what are your top three fics you've written this year? My faves were:

Something Like Magic

Physician, Heal Thyself

Hard to Let Go

what was your biggest pit of despair moment? This will sound a bit glib but honestly it was when Physician, Heal Thyself hit 10,000 words. I was like, oh god. This was just supposed to be a pwp how could this happen to meeeeeee

what have you learned? Honestly just to write what you want to read and fuck the consequences. When I started Something Like Magic I was convinced that no one would read it because there were only two mageshipping fics in the 25 year history of the English yugioh fandom before that and I made my peace with that. It ended up being a delightful surprise that people DID like it. Likewise, I'm now writing mostly mccoy-centric star trek porn, and that's because I would like to read it.

did you beta any fics? any faves you want to shout out? I had the distinct honor of betaing @illegalpaladin 's Take Me/Let Me Go and hope I have the chance to do so again for future fics of theirs. I know we're not mutuals so I hope this isn't too weird but I do also want to shout out the work of @muirmarie who understands Star Trek characters, and specifically Bones, in a way I've see very few other writers achieve.

what three fics have you read this year that you love?

oh my god. okay.

Take This Sinking Boat and Point It Home by Punished Pyotr

we won't last long (give it our best shot) by Muir_Wolf

and the last one is kind of cheating because this wasn't the first year i read it but i did reread it and it remains probably the best fic ive ever read:

Send Us a Blindfold, Send Us a Blade by Trinary

what ideas are percolating for next year? It's all porn, babes! Here's what I got in the lineup:

-Bad Case of Loving You: Bones gangbang. When a parasite causes, ahem, tumescence in the away team, McCoy comes to the obvious solution on how to alleviate symptoms, and who is he to argue with Occam's Razor?

-Lay on Hands: the manhandling one. McCoy is the physician here, so why is it that he's always the one getting pushed around?

-You've Got the Touch!: real Spock possessive hours. A visiting Vulcan doctor is flirting relentlessly with McCoy. Spock is the only one to understand. Why he cares is a different matter.

-Debrief: everyone has a mirror!verse porn fic, right? After a rare diplomatic mission, Kirk employs Spock's assistance to recreate the mission for McCoy, so he can get an accurate mission report.

-Don't You Want to Come with Me?: a reversal of the odd man out McCoy fics. Kirk and Spock are together. McCoy loves them both and joins them frequently in bed on a strictly friends with benefits basis. Somehow McCoy is the only person satisfied with this.

I've also had this idea percolating around about bones medically prescribing, uh, himself as a sub to spock and jim who are in a relationship with each other but are both doms. so that will be fun to think about.

who do you want to thank? like Kelly, the @mcspirkevents events server has been so critical to how loved and accepted ive felt in fandom spaces this year. Couldn't do it without all you enablers!

tagging: @charaznablescanontoyota @fruitsboots @ncc1701ohno @cloudilicious

[wr1t3-my-wr0ngs]

So I've lost the tag list for people who wanted updates of this story. It's been a crazy time for me, and I'm happy to once again get to share a new chapter with yall. As always, this is crosspoted on Ao3, so go and check it out!

He hates the desert. Even with his heat reducing gear on, the air is suffocating. His layers cling to him with sweat and sand, and every move he makes rubs his old battle scars the wrong way. The burn left by Volga throbs the worst, not as bad as it did the day he got it, but more than enough to make itself known.

He had tried to rest after being escorted to the tents, really he did. But between the weight of Times lingering glare, the betrayal rolling through his stomach, and the ever so subtle shakes that the long trek through the desert and subsiquent introduction to an entire village of Gerudo did not make better, rest would not come. Outside the tent, Warriors can make out the sound of Times voice pitched low as he speaks to someone. A fresh spike of betrayal lances through his heart.

He knows why Time is just outside, it's for the same reason his one time little brother had placed himself between Warriors and Twilight on the trek through the sands. Time doesn't trust him, and the lack of trust stings almost as much as the memory of the one eyed man turning sword against the Captain in favor of protecting that liar.

Twilight.

Even thinking about the rancher, if he can be called that, sends emotions and panic rising through Warriors in an unstoppable wave. All this time...all this time and Ganondorfs heir was right there. Sleeping next to them, laughing with them, getting them to trust him...

The tent walls seem to close in, and the phantom sound of a war long over rings in his mind. Its accompanied by the smell of blood, of faces he had trusted turning sword against him, fighting for his life through a battle field of a time and place he was never meant to be. Killing people he was responsible for all because of him.

The snarling Gerudo of his memory towers over him, the historic enemy of Hyrule bigger than life and oh so much worse than any text could convey.

The tent grows smaller and taller at the same time, perception distorting as the panic attack grips the Captain. He can't stay here, but leaving through the front of the tent isn't an option and with such a blatant guard, he's far too noticable in his current state. Piece by piece he strips himself of his outer gear; first the scarf, then the green tunic, then the chainmail till he's left in the soft cream shirt. Divested of the most noticable parts of his attire, he crawls over the numerous carpets to the back of the tent and inelegantly begins pulling up a stake from the sand. It's longer than expected by a factor of at least a foot, but it pulls up with little resistance and allows just enough slack in the back tent wall to slip out.

He makes for the first free tent he sees that doesn't have people milling about it. it wouldn't be his first choice of hiding spot, but now that he's out of his makeshift prison, he feels exposed without his armor. The tent flap allows him easy entry, and he takes a moment to breathe and get his heart rate back under control.

He doesn't expect to see the prone figure of Four, propped up on soft pillows, and the sight of the familiar face trips something in his mind. Quietly, Warriors creeps towards the Smith. A tight bandage has been wound across Fours face, the smell of foreign medical herbs and potions strong enough to be overwhelming. The young man's colorful tunic has been removed and carefully folded beside them, and the tell tail padding of further bandages and poultices can be made out under the shift Four wears.

They look...small. Smaller than normal, and the Captain's guilt mixes with the hurt and fear that still thrum through him.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, resting a hand on Fours brow and pushing wayward strands of hair away from the foul smelling bandage over their eyes. "I should have done something. Anything. But I let you get hurt, by him no less and-"

From out of nowhere, a sharp slap fires across the back of his head, hard enough to hurt but nothing more.

"ACK-"

"Do not lie,"

Looking over, Warriors finds himself suddenly face to face with one of the Gerudo. Deep lines and dark skin make up a face that seems as old as the desert around them, and fabric in clashing shades of blue, puce green, and muddy orange wrap around a body that is easily twice the Captain's own height from head to toe. How he missed her, he doesn't know, as even sitting down he can tell that she is easily among one of the tallest people he has met.

"You come to my tent, you will refrain from lying." She says, expression hard and unreadable. Her voice is heavily accsented with the same foreign curl that Warriors can hear floating around outside the tent, but hers is thicker. It clings to her voice from some point deeper than just her lips, native sounds repurposed in non native ways to service communication without any drive for mastery of the second language. It reminds him of the older Sheikah who sometimes visit the castle, the ones Impa bows to with difference, and whoes accents tell of a time before the Hylian language was common to the tribe and who learned it out of necessity. That resemblance alone is what keeps him from doing something rash.

Instead, Warriors rubs the back of his head, the sting still sharp from the hit, and glowers at the woman who has not moved from her corner where she sits calmly drinking tea.

"I wasn't lying-"

This time he sees the incoming blow and ducks the slap to the head, but he is entirely unprepared for the other hand that flicks him in the forehead with needle like precision.

"Another lie!" She chastises, clicking her tongue disappointedly and setting her cup aside with reverence. "You learn fast but do not *think* about what you say. You may not think them a lie, but that only makes them worse. You lie to yourself and believe it. What could you have done, eh?"

Her golden eyes drill into him, and Warriors swallows.

"Your friend has told me how the battle went. Do not take the fault for things that are not your fault."

Warriors opens his mouth to retort, but a fresh surge of pain from his aggravated scar makes him gasp instead. The adrenaline of his nerves had dulled the sensation, but moving around has been bad for it, and as the adrenaline leaves his system Volga's burn flares once more.

The old woman frowns.

"What is wrong?"

"Nothing," he grits out. "An old scar."

"Those are not nothing." She responds mater of factly, "I will examine it."

New fear shoots through him. It's bad enough he has to be in this tent village of Gerudo with an old war wound that won't stay calm, but the idea of any of them touching him-

Before he can begin to voice a complaint, his shirt has been removed without disturbing a hair on his head. Warriors blinks, fear and panic freezing in place within him, though he is of no mind to notice how comically fast it happened.

"How-?"

"Practice, now quiet."

Though her tone is brusque and her words cutting, the hands that begin examining the old burn scar across his side are gentle. He can't help flinching from her touch, the voice in the back of his head that kept him alive for so long screaming warning of an attack at being touched so suddenly.

The woman's hands pull back.

"You do not trust Sumati? That is fine. But you are in pain, so I will fix you."

"I don't-" Warriors tries, attempting to scootch away, but an iron grip prevents any escape.

"I say quiet, unless you wish to speak about trying to kill Meti'vi."

"Who?"

The old woman, Sumati, looks up briefly before continuing with their work. 

"Meti'vi, our Little Wolf."

Her fingers find the knot of inflamed tissue that throbs in the ambient heat, the remnant of magic fire that refuses to stop burning. Understanding flashes through the Captain's mind and he tries to pull away, but the press of a cool something - herbal and sticky- to the painful scar instantly soothes and stills him in place with sheer relief.

"None of your people have said anything, but it is not hard to know. I recognize your kind, Soldier. I remember the battles of my youth. You are a Hylian Soldier. The Gerudo have not been friends with Hyrule for many many lives. I am not surprise that you made attempt. When he first came to be with us, there are many even of eh Gerudo that would have tried also were it not for Anish."

She sighs, almost imperceptible.

"There are fewer now who know not to try again,"

Warrior starts, turning to look at the older woman, making Sumati tut when the action takes his wounds out of her reach and the bandage she had begun to apply over the sticky herbs.

"You mean, there are Gerudo who tried to kill him?"

The idea boggles the mind.

"There were," Sumati stresses, once again gripping Warriors by the shoulders and turning him to face the way he had been. "We have not had a king in many centuries. Our last one lead eh Gerudo to ruin. The King of Black Lies was not only enemy to Hyrule,"

She sets the bandage and Warriors swallows.

"You're still helping me,"

"I am a healer, it is what I do."

"...I don't understand."

Sumati sighs, long and deep, and her hands pull back from their careful examination of each old injury and point of pain. Warriors looks around, confused to see the old woman sweep the puce green scarf from her head. Curls that are more gray then red spring back up in a short hair style when freed. The cut is practical, harsh, and meticulously maintained. With her head and shoulders now exposed, she reminds him of the old captain, the one before him who took Warriors under her wing. He's even more confused when, moments later, the fabric is draped over his bare shoulders.

"I spent my youth in wars, some started by us, some not. I know soldiers. And I know war does not end for us when killing stops. I see it in your eyes, the battles you still fight."

She leaves him for a few seconds, turning away to do something and he briefly considers ducking back out the way he came in. But he has begun to feel the exhaustion of the day, the wrung out emotional drain that fighting back the horrors of the war always leaves him with. So, when Sumati turns around and reverently sets a small wooden cup filled with steaming tea down, Warriors is still there.

She waits for him to take a sip before nodding, adjusting the scarf over his shoulders so that it covers him more fully, then retrieving her cup and taking a slow thoughtful sip.

"I know why eh Gerudo tried to kill Meti'vi. I know why Hylians have tried to kill him also. But I do not know why *you* tried, Warrior."

Rather than answer, Warriors looks down at the cup and takes one last sip of warm liquid.

Sumati sighs and takes the empty cup from his hands, tucking them into a fold of her skirts.

"You do not have to talk to me, but know that my tent is safe to you. I will not tell any where you are."

This time when Sumati reaches out to him, Warriors does not flinch, and even though his mind protests being manhandled into laying down, as soon as his head touches the ground his eyes begin to droop shut.

"What was in that tea?" he slurs out, fighting off sleep as a light cloth is lain over him

"Only tea, you bring your own exhaustion."

Without his permission, he falls asleep.

Sumati sighs, eyebrows pinched in thought as she considers her new patient. It had been odd watching the sand covered voe crawl into her tent from the back door like a man being set on fire. The fear in his eyes had given her pause. T'i knew fear, after more then sixty winters of life, much of it spent tending to wounds on bloody sands while those still able to fight climb over the bodies of those beyond help. Fear, anger, grief— these Sumati knows as well as joy or triumph.

But this fear had not been of a man in battle, or one haunted. This was the fear of the hunted and the lost, and it was relieving to see how the blonde relaxed when he had caught sight of his injured friend.

Then he had opened his mouth and started talking, and Sumati's relief morphed into resignation as the guilt and the weight of burdens unshared crushed the soldier before her eyes.

Treating this soldier will be a challenge.

A slight dampness soaking through t'i's skirts reminds Sumati of the cups that need cleaning, and with a groan, she crawls out of the tent and into the still too warm air.

Outside the tent is chaotic, but this is not unusual. Getting to set up at Kara Kara is a treat, a novelty that before the ban was lifted could not have happened. Having access to the oasis is strange and a blessed relief all at the same time. Water in a desert is a precious resource, and in all t'i's life t'i had never seen so much in one place. Still, something about it's depths keeps the old woman wary, and she keeps t'i's distance.

It is chaotic, but it is good, so Sumati doesn't pay it any attention until the frantic voices starts.

"Did anyone see him?"

A one eyed man, another from Meti'vi's group stands before a tent, gripping one of the long stakes in a hand.

"He's missing?" Another man asks, this one shorter and more square across the shoulders and wearing more layers then Sumati would have thought a Hylian capable of wearing in the heat.

The one eyed man runs a hand through his har, face twisted with worry.

"I went in to bring him some water, but all I found was this-" he gestures at the stake, "And most of his gear." The man looks grave, "Including his scarf."

A soft gasp of horror from the shorter of the pair is almost enough to make Sumati approach and ask what the problem is, until the next words offer her a final piece of information.

"Warriors left his scarf?"

Shakeily, the one eyed man nods. Meanwhile, Sumati's mind, older than it once was but no less as sharp, has put together the last piece of the mystery.

Warrior..., she thinks, they must mean the Soldier. She turns away from the pair and offers herself a rare smile of amusement. So, their prisoner has escaped? Too bad for them. After seeing the state of agitation the Soldier had come to her tent in, perhaps letting his captors sweat will be good for them.

---

Food has done wonders for Twilights mood and part of his mind frowns at how much of his depression was probably driven by unrecognized hunger. He is still shaky and uncertain, but the horrid little siren song of a voice in the back of his mind has quieted. That, at least, is progress. He takes his time getting ready to face the world again. Careful sweeps of a small brush over his lips add the bright yellow color of his lip balm to his encemble. Though not the best at applying the make up, there is something reassuring about the simple ritual. Once done, Twilight reluctantly leaves the tent.

The air around the oasis is cooler than the rest of the desert, and though his kurta isn't warm, he relishes the opportunity to shed the outer layer and walk around in his sleeveless blue undertunic.

There is something to be said for the power of a familiar place to ease anxieties, and the oasis is as familiar to him as the rest of the desert is by now. Even more familiar is the sprawl of tents around the water. The larger of the tents ring the encampment, offering a wall of sorts against the wind and sand for the smaller personal tents to take shelter in. Normally, a small collection of cooking slates and wide pans over hot fires would sit in the center of the encampment, but with the oasis this set up wasn't possible. Instead, the various cooking stations ringed the pool, each cooking area with a small group gathered around it.

Striding up to a near by palm tree, Twilight leans against the trunk and surveyed the area. 

"No crown?"

"Absolutely not." Is the instantaneous response the rancher gives Legend.

"Funny, I thought kings had crowns."

Twilight sighs.

"Not me. It's not something I've ever been interested in. Besides, the money is better spent on them." He nods at the tents around him, indicating the Gerudo as a group.

Afraid of what he might see but starting to be resigned to the worst case event, Twilight looks over at Legend. For his part the red clad hero looks very relaxed among the hustle and bustle of the village.

"What do you want, Legend? An apology?"

Legend snorts.

"Oh hell no. Believe me, I get it. Heavy is the head and all that noise."

"You aren't mad?"

"Eh, I'm always a little ticked off with something. But not at you. Not anymore. Like I said, I get why you didn't say anything. Gotta admit I didn't see this twist coming, and yeah, I'm hurt you didn't say anything. But I've cooled off...metaphorically."

It's Twilights turn to laugh.

"You're gonna want to take mid day rest pretty soon. Trust me, heat resistant clothes are not enough."

"Yeah, I'll do that in a bit." Is the flippant response. "One of the women here was kind enough to offer us tents. Nali I think her name is."

"I know her. She's good at the hospitality game."

Legend nods, turns and then pauses.

"Sorry I snapped at you when we all found out. You don't deserve that."

Twilight doesn't get a chance to respond before Legend walks off towards a set of smaller tents.