I don’t know who or what this is but omg a watermelon suit irl??!! I can’t unsee it. It’s burned into my brain now. Is this really the human equivalent of Garak and his iconic tunic?
Garak goes out in his watermelon outfit, and Julian goes with him wearing this.
Julian Bashir’s parents… I FUCKING HATE THEM! For argument’s sake I’m going to accept that Julian had a disability that would make him dependable of external care for all his life (which I’m not so sure about, but lets go with it), if these parents wanted to give their son a chance of an independent “normal” life, they would have made him normal (average), they would had engineered him into standard parameters, intelligent yes, but not genius intelligent, a healthy body yes, but not better stamina and better eye hand coordination than normal, nothing about his external appearance should have been touched (height for example), if they had done it this way i think no one would had care, I think most people would have seen it as if we could give the hability to see to the blind, or hearing to the deaf, it’s nothing better than the rest, is just like the rest. What they did instead is assured themselves that their son had not a chance to fail, Julian is, simply put, better than humans in general. And by doing that these parents robbed their son the chance to have a normal life, they robbed him the chance of living an open life, he had to hide himself for half of it (fuck but he saw himself as a monster for all that time), he had to lose on purpose, he had to fail on purpose, and he had to lie to everyone he knew because of what was done to him. It’s not an “easier” life when you live all of if with the fear that one day everything you gained could be rip away from you, that you could lose your title, your career, your job, everyone of your achievements and the respect and care of those you love. Julian was sadly right, he isn’t his father’s son, he is his father’s creation, and is fucking heartbreaking AND I WANTED THIS STORY TO BE MORE EXPLORED IN THE SHOW! I wanted for the show to explored the fact that for years Julian has hated himself, you can see it in the episode, the despondency with which he talks about himself, the solitude with which he has lived so far, is just… is truly sad, is no wonder that he connected with Garak the way he did, after all, they are not that different as people and they are (unknowingly for Garak) pretty much in the same position, they are, the both of them, outcasts… but that is for another post. To end this one and the central point of it… Julian Bashir’s parents are shitty parents and I hate them.
“…so by that logic the whole second canto is obviously a veiled critique of Meroc’s appropriation of the Hebitian epic style for State propaganda purposes, and - uh - Garak?”
“Yes?”
“Are you playing footsie?”
“What a charming term! I’m not familiar with it. But please do continue, Doctor - I’m eager to see how this fascinatingly wrongheaded analysis of yours will play out.”
“Hang on - I’m winning, aren’t I? I’m winning the argument, and you’re trying to distract me.”
“Whatever do you mean.”
I’m sure everyone’s seen this, but I’ll reblog it anyway because it’s perfect.
normal doylist brain: alexander siddig wore truly hulking shoulder pads as bashir due to some bonkers costume design decisions galaxy watsonian brain: julian bashir voluntarily customized his starfleet uniform with shoulder pads to look burlier
Hey, @jimkerk how dare you make me emo about shoulder pads?
Garak and Julian fanfiction is a strange thing. They have so many changes and character development throughout DS9, that I feel like, depending on when they might have gotten together, their entire dynamic changes.
If they get together right away, their relationship is very superficial. Garak is high as a kite, and is trying to kind of distract himself from all he’s lost while likely trying to get an inside man just in case he can somehow become a spy again. Julian is wet behind the ears and honestly super naive. Probably in the relationship because it’s EXCITING. And you know what? That’s a great place to be. There’s a lot of growth that can happen there. They can grow together.
And if the relationship starts up at The Wire, then you’ve got some vulnerability there. A lot of truth and truth within lies, and that, too, is a great place to be. To work towards a mutual understanding. To unravel the mystery. To heal a bit. To open up just a little.
And of course, the after-the-show get-together is incredibly full of potential. Garak is so vulnerable, yet loyal to his people. Julian has always wanted to help the underdogs. The challenge. But there’s a lot of history there, and a lot to work through, but they’re both in a state of things needing change. They can change together.
And then there’s this weird middle ground.
Somewhere mid-show, when the Dominion War is just heating up, and Julian and Garak were in the internment camp, and Ziyal is a thing, and Garak just watched his father die, still refusing to admit what Garak wants him to, and he’s just lost his people to the Dominion and Dukat, and he’s had to self-torture himself to escape that camp and save everyone in that cell with him, and he’s in a really poor spot emotionally. He’s lost his people, his father, and any hope of ever returning to his home.
And Julian! He’s been in that camp for far longer. He’s learned that no one really noticed he had been replaced by a changeling, and not even a few weeks later, he’s outed as genetically enhanced, nearly loses his job, and has to watch his father go to jail.
They’re both kinda broken around that point. and writing a fic with them starting a relationship in that time frame is hard.
Which is why my fic has been sitting unfinished for FOUR FREAKING YEARS.
I went and reread it last night, which I do every once in a while, thinking, you know, I really should finish this. And then I never do.
I’m working on the why’s, but I’m thinking that my slow burn needs to be even slower. I’m moving them too fast, and they’re fighting me. They’re both too broken for this, and need to work on fixing themselves before they can really help each other.
I’m going to try really hard to get a new chapter out by the end of the month. I have some ideas, but the corner I’ve written myself into may need something creative. I’m working on it.
Do fics often come back after a 4 year hiatus? I really do want to make this one work.
being a dumbass really doesn’t have anything to do with intelligence. for example, bashir has a superhumanly augmented intellect and his dumbass energy is off the charts
jadzia dax is a gifted science officer who also has several life times of wisdom at her disposal and she still frequents dumbass territory like it’s her job
McCoy constantly seeing Julian at medical conferences because he still attends them.
McCoy always talking to Julian because the boy is bright for an idiot who thinks frontier medicine is anything but the worst damn thing anyone could ever have the utmost privilege to engage in and he’s so proud of this kid.
McCoy learning of Julian’s status and telling him it ain’t natural that Starfleet would consider punishing a man simply because of something he had no choice in since he’s met Khan twice and the damn fool wasn’t anything to write home about, augment or not. Julian though, he’s a good kid.
McCoy also pointing out that Julian can’t be that augmented if he’s dumb enough to have a crush on a Cardassian spy and still too cowardly to do anything about it.
Leonard Horatio McCoy just being a salty mentor/father figure to Julian Subatoi Bashir.
Julian writing letters to McCoy constantly and getting a response only once a year that basically just say “You’re an idiot kid, but damn I wish I had your energy. Stay away from Vulcans!”
