First a big hello, I'm a brand new reccer here at epic-recs and I'm super excited to be here. I hope you'll find something new and awesome to read in the recs I give. ~rak

Title: Learning the Language
Fandom: Star Trek Deep Space Nine
Pairing: Garak/Bashir
Categories: romance, humour, post canon
Length: Medium (13.5K)
Warnings: brief descriptions of medical trauma (he *is* a Doctor in a warzone)

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: at ao3

Author's Summary: Julian Bashir joins the post-war effort on Cardassia Prime because it seems like the most obvious thing to do: No planet is worse off after the war, he's a doctor, and they don't have enough of those. He's learning the language, because that's what you do when you're living somewhere for an indefinite amount of time. But he soon realizes that language isn't just about vocabulary and grammar, and learns a few things about his own past along the way.

Review: My absolute favourite setting for G/B fics is stories set post-series with Bashir finding himself drawn to Cardassia. And 'Learning the Language' is without a doubt, the best this scenario has ever produced.

Told from Bashir's POV it has him in that adorably-unawares state we love him in. He loves living on Cardassia and is planning on staying indefinitely, but he's avoiding thinking about the real reason he's there: Garak obviously. Garak for his part shines as the current leader of Cardassia, finally able to help his people in the way he's always wanted. They are both disgustingly in character (no small feat with these two men) and their interactions spark with unspoken love and lust, every touch and gaze written to perfection through Allemande's gorgeous writing. Cardassia itself comes to life, with Allemande describing enough details to paint a picture, but there's so much space between her words, letting your mind fill it in and it really helps make Cardassia feel like a real place in your mind.

Plus, it has the most beautiful 'getting together-we-realize-we-love-each-other' moment I've ever read in GB fanfic (if not one of all fanfic I've read).

The story does have two followup sequels; the second, Facing the Past, is adorable and definitely worth a read. The third is enjoyable, but lacks the depth and beauty of 'Learning the Language'. But go read this one, it's so fabulous; I've reread it several times and each time it's delightful.


Learning the Language