The BLTS Archive - Somnifere/Sleeping Aid
by BGM (bgmanic@gmail.com)

---

Julian sighed, craning his neck and feeling the muscles seize all the
way down to the small of his back. He'd been hunched over his console
for a number of hours, researching a stubborn virus that had suddenly
decided to run rampant on the station. The effects weren't deadly and
certainly didn't warrant a quarantine, but the flu-like symptoms were
serious enough to justify a quick remedy.

The problem with that, of course, being that Doctor Bashir had known
little to no rest in a few hours.

He rubbed the back of his neck, twisting his head sideways before he
blinked deliberately to refresh his vision. "Okay," he exhaled,
renewed with determination. He was about to input a different approach
when the doors to the Infirmary parted to admit an unexpected visitor.
Julian looked up in surprise. "Garak," he said, straightening up. "Are
you all right?"

"Never better, my dear Doctor," his Cardassian friend enthused,
looking quite healthy in fact. "We Cardassians tend to be immune to
this type of contagion. Rather, the point of my visit was to inquire
on your condition." Garak approached his console, lacing his hands
laxly behind his back.

"Oh," Julian smiled with relief, relaxing his shoulders. "That was
very sweet of you, Garak. I'm afraid I can't really talk for long,
though. As you can see, this contagion is keeping me rather busy."

Garak gave the console a sidelong glance. "Hm, yes - I was under the
impression you'd be tied up for quite some time. However, since Chief
O'Brien once remarked that Doctors make the worst patients," he
smiled, a teasing inflection to his voice, "I took it up myself to
make sure you were treating yourself well."

Julian chuckled with a shake of his head as he switched consoles,
swiveling his chair and turning his back to Garak in the process.
"I've never been better, Garak. We genetically enhanced Humans are
usually made of sterner stuff," he joked pleasantly.

Garak took the counterstrike with good grace. "Genetically enhanced or
not, it's well past midnight and you've had no sleep in well over
fourteen hours."

"I see you've been keeping tabs on my schedule," Julian said with a
glance over his shoulder.

"Not at all, Doctor!" Garak said, apparently surprised at the
implications.

"Hm hmm," Julian nodded, not at all convinced. He returned to the
console and tilted his head at Garak in a show of thanks. "As I've
said, it's very sweet of you to care."

Garak smiled, his eyelids lowering halfway as they usually did when
Garak was especially pleased. "Believe it or not, I came here with a
purpose," he added, walking around the computer to stand beside the
seated doctor. He was amused to note that Julian was too focused on
the data stream on his monitor to notice his sudden proximity.

"Hmm, and what purpose would that be?" Julian said absently, rising
from his chair and ejecting a data rod from the computer. When he
turned, he nearly sat back on the monitor itself. Garak made no move
to back away, and he glanced with faint curiosity at the rod in
Julian's hand.

"It's been my experience that Humans don't know when to stop," he said
casually, plucking the rod from Julian's unresisting fingers. The
young man cleared his throat, looking away as he waited for Garak to
make his point. He hadn't left him much room to move, and he remained
awkwardly bent backwards, one hand on the computer. Garak also found
it amusing that Julian was making every effort to look as though he'd
meant to do just that and that Garak's closeness wasn't bothering him
one bit. "I came here to make sure you were properly rested for
tomorrow."

Garak smiled and leaned forward. Julian's eyes widened fractionally,
and Garak was certain the young man would start stammering; he kept
quiet, however, as Garak slid the rod back in its slot. He lingered in
his position for a few moments, his eyes riveted on the fidgeting
doctor. "Research will have to wait," he breathed finally, his lips
inches from Julian's ear.

Hesitantly, Julian reached up with one hand and splayed it carefully
over Garak's chest. His intention had been to push him away, but
something stopped him. He left his hand to rest there while he bowed
his head, inhaling deeply. "I can't ... stop ..." he said softly.

Garak smirked, reinforced by the doctor's encouraging response. He
reached up and took Julian's hand from his chest and forced it down on
the console. He did the same with the other. Pinned, Julian's next
inhale was audibly fractured. "Of course you can stop," Garak said,
pressing himself against the length of Julian's body. "It would be
most unfortunate if I was to remove you from the Infirmary by force. I
doubt your staff would let you live it down."

The remark roused the Doctor from his daze and he blinked. His staff!
He suddenly remembered that the night shift would be arriving at any
moment. He squirmed anew. "Garak ..."

"Yes?"

"Garak, let me go ..."

"It wouldn't be prudent to do so."

Julian stopped, looking up. He nearly gasped when he saw the look in
Garak's eyes. It was the sort of stare he might have expected from a
seasoned interrogator and he was aghast to think that he had forgotten
that Garak had been one at some point in his life. The penetrating
force of his glare abated Julian's resistance. He felt weak in the
knees and had to stifle an overpowering urge to sink down at Garak's
feet.

Garak saw this, of course, and took action. "I will expect you at my
quarters in precisely ten minutes. If I should wait a minute more, I
will come find you, and I promise you I won't be so ... courteous."
Giving a little bow of the head, Garak walked out of the Infirmary.

Ten minutes!

Julian scrambled, all the while wondering why he had allowed Garak to
speak to him that way. Why, in fact, all of this was affecting him so
much. Garak and he had been lovers before, albeit briefly and without
consequences, and it should certainly not surprise him that when Garak
struck a mood, Julian was the first he came to see.

Ensign Selt, who had walked in just as Garak was leaving, looked at
him curiously. "Is everything all--" He stepped back as Julian
suddenly unloaded a pile of PADDs in his arms.

"I'm exhausted, I need some sleep," Julian interrupted, out of breath.
He proceeded to show Selt the progress of his research, summarizing in
the space of a few sentences what it had taken him hours to
understand. Selt looked confused, overwhelmed and dazed. He nodded
when he could, shook his head when he didn't understand. Julian
started again, more patient but not by much.

"If you need any help, contact me - but not unless it's really
pressing," Julian said, transferring his codes to the Nurse. "Uh,
yeah, that's about it. I'll see you in the morning," he said, grabbing
his gray overcoat as he sped out of the Infirmary.

Ensign Selt, arms full of PADDs, could only watch helplessly.

All right, so Garak had excited him, he had to grant him that. It
certainly justified his sudden agitation. Julian pulled on his
overcoat, nodding hurriedly at passers-by as he closed the distance
between Infirmary and Habitat Ring in record time. He hopped onto the
lift and waited as it brought him to the third level.

He kneaded his hands, breathing a little faster. And certainly, Garak
was a skilled lover. When Julian was in between what Garak liked to
call his 'time-killers', they met regularly for sex. Julian had asked
him once whether Garak felt cheapened by the act. With his
characteristic flair, the Cardassian had replied that as long as they
continued their stimulating lunches, sex was merely a welcome
enhancement. The question had been returned, but Julian had dismissed
it with a judicial change of subjects. Garak hadn't been fooled, of
course.

Level 2. Eight minutes.

But he hadn't inquired further. Garak hadn't asked him to meet
privately after that, and Julian had hated him for it. For a while
they stopped seeing each other entirely, while Ziyals and Leetas and
countless other encounters streamed by. Then slowly, they began having
lunch again, weekly at first, then daily. Garak had confessed that he
had missed the sort of intellectual stimulation he'd found with the
Doctor. He also denied that his renewed interest had anything to do
with Bashir's genetic revelation.

Level 3. Eight minutes and a half.

Julian swiftly exited the lift and looked up at the wall. He suddenly
cursed when he realized he'd taken the lift from the wrong side. He
needed to reach 901, and the door opposite him was marked 500. Any
side he chose would mean a significant walk. He started on his
journey, keeping a close watch on the time.

But in the Infirmary, minutes ago, Garak had made a move to continue
their intimate trysts. Julian wouldn't have objected. He was
conveniently in between 'time-killers' and to be truthful, he missed
their exchanges. But Garak's attitude had been different this time.
Usually they invited one another to a dinner or a late-night cap
during lunch. Or then, a message was sent. In retrospect, it had been
somewhat impersonal, but the goal hadn't been to be obvious about it.

700. Nine minutes.

Certainly, though, Garak had never been aggressive as he'd been
tonight. Julian was disturbed by it, but unmistakably aroused. He
suddenly hoped that Selt hadn't noticed his embarrassing condition.
They'd once discussed at great length how Cardassians courted one
another. Garak had laughed and dismissed Julian's concerns, assuring
him that under the circumstances, Garak would moderate his approach.
Had he seen something Julian had tried to conceal? Had he seen,
perhaps, that Julian had been in fact disappointed?

901. Nine minutes and a handful of seconds. Julian had lost count.
Inhaling, he pressed the door chime.

"You're late." Garak's voice wafted from the shadows behind him and
Julian turned around quickly.

"I most certainly am not," Julian said, keeping his tone level. "If
you're not going to play fair, I will have to postpone as I have
better things to do with my time than be played around." After all his
self-reflection, Julian suddenly couldn't bear having it all for
naught.

"Played around?" Garak emerged from a nook in the corridor, assessing
the doctor with smiling eyes. "What a curious expression. It certainly
invites intriguing interpretations."

Julian stepped back against the wall as Garak advanced further. "Not
here," he whispered.

"I have no intentions to offer an unsuspecting insomniac a show,
Doctor. You should know me better than that by now." Garak seemed
content to remain where he was, enjoying Julian's discomfort.

"Can I ask you a question?" Julian asked, barely keeping his voice
steady.

"You may, though I don't promise an answer."

"What made you change your mind?" he whispered.

"What makes you think my mind needed to be changed at all?" Garak
retorted evenly.

Julian narrowed his eyes. "All right, let me ask another one. Why are
you being ... this way?"

"What way would that be, Doctor?" Garak leaned forward, nuzzling his
nose in the crook of Julian's neck. Bashir jumped slightly when he
felt the Cardassian's teeth nibbling at his jugular.

"This ... way ...," Julian said with difficulty. "You've never been
... this aggressive before ..."

"Are you complaining?" Garak asked, his voice muffled as he moved to
the base of Julian's throat, his tongue swirling in its hollow.

"N-no," Julian said, squirming. In fact, he loved it. He wanted more
... he felt excited and conquered.

"Good." Still mouthing the length of Julian's neck, Garak reached up
and pressed the panel next to his door. "I've been waiting for some
time to take you as I would a Cardassian lover," Garak breathed in his
ear, making no move to retreat even as his door parted. "Before a few
months ago, your delicate heritage refused me that pleasure. In light
of your recent disclosure, I feel it's only appropriate that I should
... catch up on what I've been denied," he smiled, his eyes dark and
forbidding as he leaned back and waved at the entrance to his
quarters.

Julian glanced sideways. "I only have one request," he said, willing
for a moment to show Garak how serious he was.

Garak picked up on it and nodded wordlessly.

"I have no idea what to expect," he said. "But I admit that the
possibilities are exciting me at the moment. But I have to be sure ...
trust has never been easy between us, but it's vital that you honor
this. If I tell you to stop at any time during this, you have to
promise me that you will."

Garak chuckled, trailing his hand down Julian's side and resting his
palm against the small of his back. "That's a request that never needs
to be said, Doctor. Of course," he nodded.

"Good," Julian breathed, a little relieved but still apprehensive. He
had told him the truth - he had no idea what to expect, and Garak
wasn't exactly forthcoming with the details. But it was part of the
excitement, he supposed.

Inside, Garak moved away from the door and opened his palm at the
sofa. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll get us a few drinks," he said.

"Thank you. Make mine a synth, please," he called.

"Of course. It wouldn't do to have you wake up with a headache. Have
you made any progress with the cure? I'm beginning to be depressed at
the lack of customers these days." Garak smiled and handed Julian a
drink. During these informalities, Garak had reverted to being the
courteous host. Julian assumed this was part of their courtship. Much
like Kotra - strike, retreat and conquer.

"I left it in Ensign Selt's hands, but I've made a few encouraging
discoveries." Julian sipped his juice. A silence stretched between
them as they assessed each other across the living room table.
"Garak--"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever given any thought to ... us?" Julian asked casually.

"Considerably."

Julian looked up with raised eyebrows.

"You look surprised, Doctor."

"I am. I never thought you would ... I mean, given our distance lately
..." he shrugged.

"It's precisely that distance that's made me think of us. But you're
not speaking of purely physical matters." Garak, as always, had
managed to divine Julian's cryptic thoughts.

"No, I suppose I'm not." Julian looked down into his drink, unable to
bear Garak's probing stare. "We've known each other how long now?
Seven years?"

"More or less."

"So why haven't we ever ... moved on? There's so much casual sex
people can have before they decide to part ways or stay together and
build something more."

"Under the circumstances, either options were never available. For
seven years our respective stations kept us on Deep Space Nine. I
don't see how we can avoid one another under such conditions. And as
for staying together ... I was under the impression it was
impossible."

"For you, or for me?" Julian queried.

Garak smiled suddenly. "I'll leave that up for you to answer."

Julian frowned, clearly frustrated. "All right." He leaned forward,
elbows on his knees. "We've never discussed it before, first of all. I
can't really know how you feel about it. For me ... well, I had my
career. In the beginning, I had no idea how long I'd be staying.
Getting together with you was a casual way of ... well, getting
together. If it's not apparent yet, I never really kept a relationship
going for longer than a few months."

"Aside from ours."

Julian looked up. Yes, Garak was right. Probably the most consistent
relationship he'd kept was theirs. "Right. So we keep coming back to
the same question. Why haven't we done anything about it?"

Garak pondered this. "Would you be averse to living with a Cardassian?
Would you be willing to stand your friends' contempt?" Julian opened
his mouth, but Garak continued, "If I was offered to go back to
Cardassia, would you come back with me? If our positions are reversed,
would I consider settling on Earth?"

Julian closed his mouth; he seemed disappointed. Garak smiled, leaning
forward. "I'm merely asking the questions that need to be asked."

"Maybe we should sleep on it," Julian murmured.

Garak's eye ridges lowered. Yes, perhaps they should indeed. He stood
up and rounded the table. He plucked the drink from Julian's hand and
placed it aside. Next he sat down at a comfortable distance from the
doctor. "I've waited for this moment for some time," Garak said, his
gaze encompassing the young man. Julian smiled fondly.

Garak reached up with a hand, resting his thumb at the hollow of his
throat and his fingers wrapped over his shoulder. He squeezed, feeling
the Human's muscles tense up at his touch. Julian sighed, rolling his
head sideways. "That feels wonderful," he said.

Garak continued his massage, pointedly aware that Julian's body was
stiff with stress. There would be no better time to strike. But
Julian, while tougher in consistence than his fellow Humans, needed a
quiet seduction. With his free hand, Garak parted the lapels of
Julian's coat and snaked it inside to unzip the front of his uniform.
Inch by inch he unraveled the smooth golden flesh, a pair of dark
nipples and finally a flat stomach.

Julian shuddered under his ministrations, leaning back to lean on the
armrest. Garak followed, arching over him as he followed the path of
his hand with his mouth. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of
arousal and the musk of a long day. Garak then knelt on the couch,
pressing his knee at the doctor's hardening crotch.

"Garak, in my condition, I may not last very long ..." Julian said,
his eyes closing.

"My intention is to let you have a restful night, my dear," Garak
said, toying with a sensitive nipple between his teeth. This seemed to
rouse the doctor. He moaned, bucking his hips lightly.

"Aren't you getting undressed?" Julian whispered as Garak toiled to
remove Julian's pants.

"Not at the moment. And from now on, Doctor," Garak added, rising to
press his hand over his mouth, "I suggest you keep quiet." He felt the
excitement ripple through Julian's body. Yes, the boy certainly wanted
this. "You'll keep quiet while I fuck you," he whispered against his
ear. "And you'll keep quiet when I make every inch of your body mine
... you'll learn to beg me with your eyes, Doctor ..."

A voluptuous moan escaped the doctor's throat. All the while, Garak
had undressed him until all that was left were his briefs, doing
nothing to hide the erection that strained against them. Garak leaned
back and grabbed Julian's ankles, pulling harshly until the Human was
sprawled over the length of the couch.

When Julian opened his eyes, Garak had finished ripping his underwear
away. "You've no idea how desirable you look right now, Doctor."
Julian wanted very much that Garak use his proper name, but somehow
the endearment never sounded more threatening. He parted his lips to
speak, but soon remembered Garak's warning. By the sudden look on the
Cardassian's face, Garak hadn't forgotten either. Garak patted his
naked thighs. "Spread," he said simply.

Julian inhaled sharply, parting his legs. His cock lay flat against
his stomach, not quite hard but certainly aroused. Garak leaned down
and trailed his tongue along its length, a lecherous gleam in his
eyes. Julian buckled with a groan. Smiling, Garak replaced his mouth
with his hand and stroked the Doctor with slow, measured movements. He
began a conversation. "Have you given any thought to our earlier
discussion?"

Julian opened his eyes wide. Hesitantly, he nodded.

"Good. I wouldn't want you to lose track of our purpose here, but it's
nice to be able to think about the possibilities. I'll ask you a few
questions, and you'll answer them. Depending on whether or not the
answers please me, you'll get a just reward." Pleased at himself,
Garak used his free hand to take the doctor's, and he forced it on his
own cock. Hand in hand, they caressed the doctor's erection. "Would
you care about your friends' reaction if I should kiss you in their
presence?"

Julian tried very hard to think about it. He was growing close to
coming, but Garak had a way of slowing down just as he approached the
critical point. He shook his head.

"Good." Garak leaned down to bestow a kiss on the tip of his cock. "Do
you care to pursue an exclusive relationship?"

Julian moaned, lost in his pleasure. He tried to formulate a nod, but
Garak was being very distracting. His own hand was trying to speed up,
but the Cardassian's hold was firm and wouldn't allow it. Finally he
nodded.

"I believe you," Garak whispered. "As for what the future may hold for
us, we'll let time decide for us," he added, pumping steadily now. He
was satisfied when Julian arched his back and cried out, his seed
gushing over his stomach.

Julian shuddered, relaxing into the couch. He looked at Garak, wanting
to say the words that he wanted, but an overwhelming fatigue consumed
him and he closed his eyes, murmuring under his breath.

Garak smiled, proceeding to wash Doctor and hands. He was careful not
to wake the exhausted Doctor, even to move him to his bed. So when
he'd been cleaned, Julian shifted on his side, heedless of the blanket
that was carefully placed on him and the kiss on his neck. "Good
night, dearest," he whispered.

He closed the lights, locked his quarters then went to a content
sleep, knowing in the morning he'd extract his own pleasure from his
beloved. A good hand would serve him in the interim.

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The End