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sporkandpringles · 2 years
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Some folks say “Knives to the throat or don’t bother”. What’s your take on “Enemies to Lovers”?
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ussjellyfish · 2 months
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Here's an ask for you! Was there a specific on-screen moment when you started shipping Michael/Laira?
Oh thank you!!
They have an ARC. They have an on screen arc, and I'm so accustomed to making things up (Beverly Crusher/Kathryn Janeway), or working with a handful of episodes that don't have an arc (Maleficent/Regina Mills).
Long post!
Michael is finally captain, which has been a long time coming, and she loves it, she's good at it. Season 4 is peak Michael.
I have wanted to have a ship for Michael since the show started, because I adore Michael, and nothing really hit me until Laira and Michael started talking to each other.
Episode 1 - wrecking ball era
They don't really like each other at first. Laira is "using a moment that should be about the cadets" and Michael is "a huge swing of the pendulum" who doesn't understand that sometimes she might lose.
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Michael hasn't lost for awhile, so Laira has a point. Michael needs to save everyone (this is a really common rock star captain thing).
And fate has handed Michael a whole set of events where she was literally the only person in the galaxy who could fix it. Michael found a way to peacefully end the Klingon war without going as dark as parts of Starfleet wanted too.
Michael and her crew literally saved the future by going ahead in time, preventing control from getting the sphere data. It's a huge sacrifice, and they were willing to make it, and it's also a huge win. Everyone was saved.
They have this really honest, almost brutal conversation, where they both have very valid points and they're polite to each other, but they are in opposite places. Michael wants to bring everyone home. She doesn't want to mitigate life and death. Laira thinks she might need too.
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And they're from very different places. Michael's from this incredibly optimistic time, where bad things happened (the Klingon war, losing Captain Georgiou, Control tries to evolve and Starfleet really grasps at straws) but the bad things are brief, and traumatic, but they persevere. They're rebuilding after the war and maybe they can be allies with the Klingons some day: Michael has retained her hope, and for good reason. Things improve, she has solutions. Her skillset is phenomenal.
Laira grew up in a universe with scarcity. She was a cargo pilot, and didn't go to the Science Academy, or the Academy on Earth, or even really see the Federation or Starfleet as what they were in Michael's time. Starfleet has hundreds of ships where Michael came from, Starfleet is a force for hope. Laira's whole life has been in a galaxy where Starfleet is tiny, and can't help, and they try, but the needs are so great, and everyone is so isolated that hope is a harder thing.
They have a whole set of conversations about leadership, and balance, and hope, and Laira pushes Michael to be better in the beginning.
They start out standing together, and end standing on opposite ends of a table. The blocking is fun, their whole conversation is so fun. They're an mildly antagonistic allies to lovers at this point. They believe in the Federation, but have differing approaches to leadership, and don't have a high opinion of each other but the mutual respect is there.
I rewatch this episode when they need banter, or I need to have them argue. I desperately wanted them to talk more after this episode. I loved Laira immediately, but I didn't write fic for them yet.
So I had interest, but I wasn't shipping shipping yet.
Episode 4 is when I did that.
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In episode 4, mutual respect era, Laira conspires with Vance to get Michael and Saru to come help her with diplomacy. It's an fun insight into Laira's personality that she asked Vance to pretend to be sick, or told him to, because she wasn't sure if she wanted to ask Michael and Saru directly.
She moves pieces, and Michael's a really powerful piece.
Laira (and T'Rina) perform their political theater (and you find out at the end that they've been friends for a long time, and kind of set it up together, which is also interesting. I like the world building in this ep.
The shipping comes when Michael goes to convince Laira that they shouldn't give up. Michael and Saru come up with a plan, and it's a very Michael plan. It wouldn't work if she wasn't who she is.
Bringing Michael in is Laira's last ditch gamble, and it works. Michael throws herself at the problem and comes up with an elegant solution and proves that she is actually so adept at the thing she doesn't like. (politics).
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(the table is BACK and they're at opposite sides again, but they move closer to each other! There's a whole meta I need to write about this table.)
The last scene of this episode is the one that launched my ship. They're achieved the mission. Ni'Var is coming back into the Federation. Saru and T'Rina are flirting so they're both amused by that. They're alone together and there's a fire and Ni'Var conference rooms are romantic, pretty lighting.
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Laira walks around Michael, and sits on the conference table. It's one of the first times we see her relax. She sits down, not because the meeting is sitting, but because she wants to. Maybe when it's just Michael she can?
It's this shift in power and an opening and vulnerability because she must have had such a long day, and Michael saved it, and she doesn't have to be the President for Michael.
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They open up to each other! Laira complements Michael for being good at politics even though she hates it. Laira admits that Vance wasn't really sick (in a roundabout way, she's coy and flirty about it, so it's not a real admission, which suits her).
Michael looks at her like THAT. Sonequa has the most beautiful face and this looks absolutely destroys me.
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Laira tells Michael that she had to protect President T'Rina (who warned her that the negotiations were going to implode).
They have this exchange.
Michael walks over to her. "If you wanted my help, you could have just asked me."
They lean on the table together. Laira bites her lip. "Truth be told, I wasn't sure you were the right person for the job, but I'm glad you were."
"I appreciate that. I know transparency isn't always possible in your position but it is what I need, to best serve you and the Federation. So if you could be more forthcoming in the future, I'd appreciate that as well."
"Understood, Captain."
So much happens here. Michael says what she needs, and she's direct and polite. She has the most impeccable etiquette and always calls Laira 'ma'am'. Here she doesn't. Laira listens, nods, accepts what Michael needs and she's the one who uses her rank as a sign of respect.
Then they shake hands, which Laira initiates and it's beautifully shot with the fire in the background, AND Laira covers Michael's hand with hers before she leaves. The music swells. There are strings and horns!! (it's so fun!).
(Also this was on during touch starved COVID era and holding hands felt like a BIG DEAL).
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Laira takes Michael's request to heart and asks her for help the next time she needs it.
I shipped them, so very much after this. Laira's not in the next two episodes, but she is in episode 7!
Episode 7 - power couple era.
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Michael teases Laira about wanting Earth back in the Federation, Laira admits that her mother's family is from Earth and her mother never got to see it. (Vulnerability! ambition! Michael reading her so easily).
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Michael stands next to Laira through the negotiations. Laira tells Michael that she has to be neutral but she thinks Michael can steer the negotiation, if she's ready for that.
(transparency!)
Michael gives an fantastic speech for peaceful first contact, and they're successful. (Laira's hands her are really cute).
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Then there's "Captain, I need you with me" and I was so gone. They work together so well to accomplish things. Laira sees Michael's incredible abilities. Michael reads what Laira is thinking. They achieve something they both want together.
Episode 8 - not many people have the ability to surprise me, captain.
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The episode starts out with Laira livid. She paces, her diction is razor sharp, and she fidgets with her hands. It's the most unsettled we've seen her so far.
Laira not being able to deal with something and Michael trying to help was what set off my 170,000+ word WIP that is over two years old. Something unexpected should happen and Laira should be mad about it was the starting point.
(also the episode bookends with this shot, which is really clever).
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I have a whole set of thoughts about episode 10 and the end of the season, but this was how I got started. This look helped. Michael surprises Laira by how competent she is. Michael does looking several steps ahead thing and turns a loss into a win and it's very coy and fun.
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Laira wings her hands later in engineering and that obviously meant she needed to go through something with michael and the Discovery crew could help and...
I did the most shipper me thing I could possibly do and started a fic where she got pregnant.
Thank you so much for asking!!! this was so fun to put together. (and took days).
Special mention to the way Laira can make "captain" both a compliment and an insult, depending on her mood. (it's the other half of my Michael saying "ma'am" kink.
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whimsicalli · 8 months
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Soft sleepy idiots.
Happy belated birthday @ussjellyfish , you marvelous magical human. You are literally made of talent.
Brainrot with you is one of my favorite things ever and having you in my life is a gift💖 I love you very much, my friend.
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jordanlafordan · 8 months
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Laira Rillak & Michael Burnham | Your Song
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I originally posted a clip of this in January for the Star Trek Winter Gift Exchange (inspired by the amazing fics of @ussjellyfish), but here's the whole thing!
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the-shanone · 1 year
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I wish you would write a fic where...Michael and Laira get caught in the rain and end up very caught up in mutual pining.
This is probably not quite what you had in mind, but it's what came out, so . . . I hope you like it anyway!
“Remind me why we didn’t take our badges, again?” Laira’s thin blouse is so completely soaked with rain, it’s almost see-through.
Michael does her best not to look. “Because you wanted to play hooky from your security team.”
“I’m not playing hooky, Captain Burnham,” Laira shivers, “I just wanted to take a walk without being surrounded on all sides.”
“So you brought me instead?”
It’s a good thing Michael is walking out ahead of her, because Laira can feel a slight warmth blossoming in her cheeks.
When she doesn’t reply, Michael continues, “Suppose you couldn’t have warned me you were planning to take your walk on top of a mountain in the middle of a thunderstorm, huh?”
“The storm wasn’t a part of the plan.” Neither was Michael looking this good in rain-soaked clothes.
The rain is coming down harder now; a solid wall of water unhindered by the sparse tree canopy above. Thunder rumbles in the distance.
Michael glances back to look at Laira. She’s quickly following the path Michael’s setting down the mountain. “Just a little farther. I scanned the area before we beamed down, and there should be some kind of shelter just past this ridge.”
Laira nods determinedly, but Michael can see her visibly shaking; her Cardassian side makes her more sensitive to the cold.
They scramble down the rocky slope, and they’ve almost reached the bottom when Michael hears a sharp inhale and the sound of sliding rocks behind her.
Laira is lying on the ground violently shaking, her left ankle turned at an odd angle. “Stepped in a hole, then slipped on the rocks,” she says as Michael sprints over to her.
One look at the ankle causes Michael to wince, “Well, we’re not going anywhere now. You can’t walk on that.”
“I have Cardassian bones, they don’t break that easily.”
“Well Madam President,” Michael gives a tiny smile, “somehow you’ve managed to do just that.”
Laira is suddenly very aware of how close Michael’s face is to hers.
“Madam President doesn’t break bones, Captain.” The pounding in Laira’s ears is definitely the drumming of the rain and has absolutely nothing to do with the way Michael’s hands are lightly ghosting over her, checking for other injuries.
“Oh, of course, my apologies,” Michael slowly and gently brushes her thumb over Laira’s brow ridges to keep the water dripping from her hair out of her eyes. “Madam President doesn’t break bones, only Laira the mountain-walker does that.”
“Yes,” Laira’s voice is a mere whisper as her teeth chatter in the wind. “Now you’ve got it.”
Michael is looking at Laira’s lips to make sure they haven’t turned blue.
“Captain —”
Michael raises her gaze to meet Laira’s eyes, “Is this Madam President talking, or Laira the mountain-walker?”
“Laira,” she smiles faintly.
“Ah, well then, she should call me Michael, don’t you think?” Michael winks, trying to keep lighthearted. “Just so I know who I’m talking to.”
“Michael?” Laira’s eyes are still bright, even if she is shaking like a leaf. “I’m cold.”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Michael takes a deep breath, “I’m going to lie on top of you; my body heat will help keep you a little warmer and it’ll protect you from some of the rain without disturbing your ankle.”
Laira’s eyes grow fractionally larger.
Michael gently lays down over Laira’s shivering form, wrapping her arms around Laira’s head and neck and laying her own head down on Laira’s chest. Laira turns her head so that her cheek rests against Michael’s wrist and inhales deeply.
“Michael?”
“Yes?” Michael breathes against Laira’s collarbone.
“How much longer until the time we told Saru to beam us back up?”
“Soon,” she whispers. “Very soon.” In her head, just briefly, she allows herself to wish for another moment in time where they’re lying like this. A moment where Laira kisses her wrist, and she kisses Laira’s collarbone, and they laugh and roll over in the warm, sunny grass. But she pushes the thought away. This Laira is injured and shivering, and it’s Michael’s job to keep her safe.
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Do you have any fic rec lists for the various Discovery ships? Would love to go back and read some old highlights while enjoying the new stuff! Thanks for organizing this event!
Hi! We're not a fic rec blog ourselves, but we accept rec lists as submissions to the fortnight for Free Choice Sundays, or when they're themed to a daily prompt! So far, we've never gotten one as a submission, but maybe someone wants to be the first this year?
For now, some recs from us mods:
A dinner date that doesn't imply dating by @ussjellyfish
Rillham early relationship, 1.6k rated T
The Road To Christmas by @pers-books
Milippa Prime modern AU getting together, 14k rated E
In a Starry Glade by @nomi--sunrider
Milippa Prime sick fic, 2.5k rated G
I found a martyr in my bed tonight by @aliceinthinkland
Mirror Milippa sex pollen fic, 6.8k rated E
You like spices, and sacrifices by @onaperduamedee
Pippakat Prime friends with benefits, 2k rated M
Proprioception by @tripleburger
Jola friends to lovers, 4k rated T
When I do it all again (I know I'll go back to you) by @the9muses
Jola love confessions, 1.6k rated T
For more you can also check out the mods' Ao3 bookmark recs - you can find us on the collection's people page, and the recommendatios by going in the account's bookmarks and filtering for the fandom and 'recs only'!
If you haven't yet, also have a look at last year's tumblr submissions and Ao3 collection - the creators will always be happy about more reblogs and comments!
Hope we could help find you some new reading material!
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emteazi · 2 years
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Started this because.. why not? They are so shippable.
Feel free to add to it!
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ussjellyfish · 10 months
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Written for @startrekpotluck 2023 edition, August 9th. (many thanks for having me)
Rating: Mature | No Archive Warnings Apply | Star Trek: Discovery
Relationship: Michael Burnham/Laira Rillak
Summary: Regulations state that the President of the Federation has to be accorded certain honors while on a Starfleet ship. Michael tries to give Laira the kind of dinner she might actually need, and they end up sharing a pilot's breakfast. In the traditional style...
Notes: written for Star Trek Potluck 2023, many many thanks for having me again! Set after season 4, at some point. (many thanks to @whimsicalli for the concept of a pilot's breakfast)
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ussjellyfish · 6 months
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Unwritten/Unpublished fics asks!
#9, 10, 13, 15, 16
😁
Thank you for asking!!
These are mostly from Lulu's travels across universes, which has not been published and sitting partially done in my WIP folder since this summer.
9. Is there anything in the fic you're not so excited about writing?
I have an partially completed fic where Lulu from Firefly universe jumps into basically post-season 4 canon. She's about 4. The fun part is that she's from Firefly, which is soft, and Katrina and Philippa are both alive, and together, and Michael and Laira are married. Laira's pregnant in that one, which let me have a very funny (to me) line in Quantum.
The part that will NOT be fun to write is when the universes intersect and there are two sets of people all in one scene. Really anything more than a handful of people talking is difficult, but two Michael's, two Laira's...nightmare to write.
Fun though! there's lots of fun little things, but uh...yikes for me and the pronouns and how to differentiate.
10. If unpublished, can you show a sneak peek of what you've written?
Rillak walks over by the window, still carrying Lulu in her arms. She turns so Lulu can see out of the viewport. "See the ships? The pretty one with sails is Bajoran." Lulu lifts her head, and Rillak turns closer. "Can I put you down? Admiral Vance knows how to get ice cream from his very important replicator and I bet if we ask nicely, he can get us some."
"We're not supposed to eat in the office."
Rillak crouches down, making herself even with Lulu's tearstained face. "The secret is, it's my office, and I can do what I want."
"And me?" Lulu smiles at that.
"And you, because you're my guest."
Walking over to Vance and offering her hand, Lulu stares up expectantly. "Let's get ice cream."
With Lulu occupied, Rillak eyes the wet patch on her suit and finds Michael's gaze. "I was coming out of a meeting and she came around the corner, sobbing, and threw herself at me. My security is a little embrassed, but it was fine."
Today is full of too many surprises. "She ran to you, ma'am?"
"She knows me. I don't know how, I've never—"
"Things are different in her universe, ma'am."
Rillak tilts her head, smiling a little. She raises her eye ridges. "Obviously, captain. How different?"
13. Is there any unwritten/unpublished fics you haven't mentioned you're gonna do?
Right now there's Quantum, Lulu's travels across universe, a fic where Laira and Michael are dating (but not for very long) and Laira gets sick so Michael goes to rescue her from herself. (and they talk about how it is all right to be comforted and looked after), and a fic where Michael gets pon farr, and her crew realizes if they ask Laira to have sex with her, it'll be less awkward for everyone.
I don't have anything else I've thought about writing enough to have a WIP for.
15. Do you have any unwritten scene that you think about a lot?
Philippa getting to see Michael (canon-y Michael). She loves Michael so much, getting to see any version of her is wonderful. This one she can make fun of because she's a captain, but she's lonely. Why is she so lonely? She could...Laira's right there are you haven't figured out how much of a crush you have on her?
The private goodbye where Philippa tells her to go get Laira. You're happy with her in my universe, like stupidly happy, and you don't have me here to tell you what to do, so, go. Will be fun, and heartfelt.
16. Is there any written scene that you think about a lot?
Laira and Michael trying to give Lulu a bath, which all the chaos that would entail. The two of them deciding that calling each other by their first names is okay. Lulu getting Laira's hair all wet and the two of them laughing while Michael realizes how lonely she is.
She is captain, and she has her crew but she doesn't have an imperial niece or an almost mother working for Federation security, and a step-mother who is an admiral (Kat Cornwell) or Laira, who she married about a year ago in this universe, and they're having a baby. (Laira's probably the same amount of pregnant in Quantum right now that she is in Lulu's home universe.)
Michael realizing she's lonely for this life she doesn't have. Laira admitting the same thing. Lulu is delightful chaos that she'd never allow herself to have.
(and maybe she should)
and they look at each other, all wet in their tank tops and jackets off and Lulu's falling asleep in her pajamas and...they're going to miss her.
and each other when she goes home because they're not even friends here.
(but maybe they...)
They're very very cute when they're being awkward together. The "I don't love you yet, but obviously I could" feeling.
unwritten fic asks
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ussjellyfish · 7 months
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Fic : Quantum Variations on a Love Theme | part 29
Star Trek Discovery | Michael Burnham/Laira Rillak.
Summary:
Discovery visits Kaminar, Laira prepares for the annual memorial for the Burn. Michael integrates her new junior cadets into the crew.
Notes:
I got swept up in work and new job and other chaos and I was finally in the right place to come back to this recently. Many thanks for your patience.
Coming back to this feels like home, and I forget when I'm too tired or just too...lost, but recently I've had it again.
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ussjellyfish · 8 months
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fic: migrations and other recurring phenomena | Star Trek Discovery | Michael Burnham/Laira Rillak | explicit
Summary: Michael and Laira are stuck in a turbolift on the way to Saru's celebration of the sea frogs. Like migrating amphibians, maybe some things are written in the stars.
Notes: Written for the Year of the OTP event July prompt "stars" I started writing this for Star Trek Femslash week, but life happened, and it turned into a good fic for Year of the OTP. I've been so busy with new job and all that entails that I haven't been writing, so coming back to something I love (like these two) is so important. Thanks to @whimsicallii for the middle of the night brain rot I need to fuel my creativity. All the love.
Coming back to writing after a break is also so hard, until it isn't, and then it's wonderful. (kind of like the getting a tattoo, with the rush of endorphins).
@yearoftheotpevent - July prompt "stars".
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ussjellyfish · 2 months
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Behind a cut for mild discovery s5 spoilers.
I can totally make "President Rillak needs you to come shake hands." Shippy. Just watch me.
Also Michael's hair is cute and Laura's new hair is fun and complex.
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ussjellyfish · 2 months
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For a silly little fic, this took a lot of tweaking.
For the @yearoftheotpevent November prompt "growth".
Michael has to deliver a message in the middle of the night. Laira has a really great nightgown. Flirting is difficult and fun.
(Or if Michael had a nickel every time she turned up and her superiors were partially undressed and very attractive, then she'd have two nickles).
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ussjellyfish · 4 months
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http://archiveofourown.org/works/37321696
Quantum Variations of a Love Theme, part 35.
Where the Hitchhiker arrives. (And I'm so proud of it).
Two years getting to this point!!
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ussjellyfish · 6 months
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Unwritten fics asks 5 and 9 please :)
thank you for asking!!
I ad this wild idea about a pon farr fic and I haven't written one for awhile (like a decade, so...) it was time. (and I love awkward Michael more than anything)
5. Is there any scene you're excited about writing?
I'm not a very visual person. I don't picture much in fic. I had an image or this one, and it's Laira in her fantastic nightgown, sitting her quarters, off duty. I'ts late and night, and Michael's darling crew-family come to ask her to have sec with Michael and save her life.
And I can picture them, all uniforms and maybe jackets off, black t-shirts and casual. Very starfleet, very comfortable.
And Laira has this incredible nightgown (it should be blue, and v-necked and long, like period nightgown, if Gersha made it, it would be gorgeous).
I love the contrast of outfits and what it says about who they are. Also she'd be really gorgeous, and that's important for the blood fever pining.
And it's her personal time, she's not in her suit, she's undressed and vulnerable (and she'd have a robe) and she'd be vulnerable but not because shes secure in her own power and beauty and...
I think it's in Joann's pov too and she's such a pleasant one. She's so classy and kind and thoughtful. I love Joann.
9. Is there anything in the fic you're not so excited about writing?
The sex parts. I love the build up and the flirting and the tension and the talking about it, because Michael is so wonderfully Michael about things. All of that's fun and how do we afterwards and what are we know and this didn't mean anything but it did mean something and it's all right that it meant something, what really happens now...all of that is fun.
The actual sex scene is so difficult and I feel like I don't write it well and it's stressful. If one partner is compromised how do I make sure it's very consensual? (though that part is sexy because how you manage that (very slowly) when there's an urgency (have sex or die) is a fun tnesion to have.
I don't think I've been competent enough of a writer before, to be able to write it as well as I should have, so all the lead up around the sex and after the sex is fun.
Sex itself is so hard to write (for me). I don't think I'm any good at it at all, when the other parts I am confident abut.
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ussjellyfish · 6 months
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16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?
17. Your favorite character to write this year?
29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?
16. What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?
I have tagged pregnancy 75 times. That's only 18% of all my fics! (It's a big chunk of my word count...but...uhhh). I feel bad, and don't, and do...I like it, I'm good at it. Someone has to do it? It's a valuable fandom niche.
17. Your favorite character to write this year?
I have written mostly Michael Burnham and Laira Rillak, mostly together. I wrote a handful of drabbles and other short things (like 3000 words worth) but most of my word count has been these two.
I love Michael's logic, and her kindness, how she thinks and feels deeply about everything. She has this great impulsive side too, that's fun to write. She's very thinky, and gentle. I love her caring and optimism.
I love Laira's patience, and her calm. Her sense of humor and her commitment. I love how she's so classy and important, but a wild space pilot at heart. She's more chaotic in her internal monologue, her heart is more of a mystery, while Michael knows hers.
29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?
In migrations and other recurring phenomena (Star Trek: Discovery, Michael Burnham/Laira Rillak, rated E). Laira manages to very carefully avoid saying she is or isn't ill, distracting Michael from climbing out of the turbolift they're trapped in. It's all very careful dialogue (Michael worries, Laira evades, in the end she's totally fine and they have sex). It was really fun to write. The flirting and the not-flirting. I loved it.
I also really love this section that I haven't published yet.
"In this hypothetical scenario, are you still pregnant?"
"Is there a universe where I'm not?"
"Maybe one or two."
ao3 wrapped questions.
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