The BLTS Archive - The Unlikely Teacher
by BGM (bgmanic@gmail.com)

---

"It's a lesson in subtlety, my dear Doctor. Never trust your mouth to
anything but the finest things, and such things should never include
the art of conversation; subtlety, I fear, completely eludes you at
times."

Julian slumped over Garak's work table, leaning on his chin with an
expression that spoke heavily of his disappointment. "So what you're
saying, then, is that I tend to put my foot in my mouth?"

Garak, who was presently fussing over the delicate bindings on a
Rigellian bodice, smiled indulgently. "What a curious expression. And
a prime example of what I mean."

"You're delving into cultural differences, now," Julian protested,
holding up an odd instrument. "I can't help being Human." He peered at
the cutting implement, thinking that it would serve better in a
torture chamber than in a tailor's toolkit. However, given this
particular tailor, Julian suspected the two professions had been
blended in an almost artistic fashion.

"That's true enough," Garak conceded, cutting the last thread with the
implement tailors preferred above all; his teeth. "You cannot help who
you are. More's the pity; I happen to suspect you'd make a fine
Cardassian."

"Oh?" Julian smiled, amused. He deposited the instrument and
straightened up. "And what exactly made you suspect such a thing?"

"For one thing, your inflated ego seems perfectly suited for the kind
of Cardassian I believe you'd make."

Julian laughed, shaking his head. "No, there you're mistaken Garak;
that's a trait you *all* share."

Garak affected a properly insulted look as he brushed past the doctor.
"If you're not interested in my poignant view of characteristic
similarities, then don't ask." He fastened the bodice he'd just
tailored over a faceless mannequin and fussed over the creases.

"Look, I didn't come here to argue," Julian said with a smile. "I
simply wanted to ask you out for lunch. You're the one who launched
into a tirade about my 'foot-in-the-mouth' tendencies. And how,
exactly, did we get onto that subject?"

"Ensign Fiorinal."

"Ah yes."

"I don't believe I've ever seen a Bolian turn such revealing shades of
cobalt. You must have seriously injured her pride." Despite the
injured look from before, Garak now seemed utterly entertained by the
anecdote.

Julian rolled his eyes. "I only mentioned that she could maximize her
productivity by archiving the dossiers in a ..." he trailed off,
seeing that Garak was unaffected by his excuse. "I've lost another
one, haven't I?"

"Hmm," Garak agreed with his sinuous smile. "I believe it's becoming
increasingly difficult for you to find a head nurse, isn't it?"

Julian sighed. "I'm not doing anything wrong," he protested. "It's my
duty to see that they do an efficient job."

"Ah, of course," Garak nodded. "Only, you seem quite clueless as to
the way to do it." Garak went over to his counter and entered a quick
command into the main control. "I believe I'm free for lunch now,
Doctor."

"Splendid. You can tell me exactly what the Hell I'm doing wrong
then," Julian said.

"Ah, well, that could very well take more than an hour. Are you sure
your schedule permits it?"

"I'm sure it will give my staff more than enough time to carry on
their mutiny."

---

The replimat was packed with midday rush-hour so they opted for
Quark's; the bar rarely knew such traffic during the day. They settled
into their seat on the second floor balcony and ordered a quick meal.

Putting his menu aside, Julian leaned in. "So," he said. "I have an
inflated ego, I speak without thinking, and I scare any potential
personnel away with my higher-than-thou behavior. Is there anything
else I should know about?"

Garak was leisurely browsing the menu items, shaking his head. "The
fact you take this criticism so lightly leads me to believe you're not
taking this seriously at all. In fact, I do believe you're in denial."
Having finally decided, he placed his menu over Bashir's. When he
looked up, he was pleased to see that the doctor had lost his earlier
ebullience. "A few from your staff happens to dress at my
establishment, Doctor. I've heard some tales about the way you run the
Infirmary. I believe it was Lieutenant Keshi who suggested I should
braid a whip to accessorize your uniform."

"He did not," Julian said moodily.

"Frankly, I never give this sort of idle gossip any consideration. For
a while I simply thought they were magnifying their situation. After
all, you'd never been anything but pleasant in my company and to your
patients ... I had a difficult time imagining you otherwise."

"I hear a 'but' coming."

Garak smiled perversely. "I caught you yelling at Nurse Jabara over a
trifle mistake. It was pure happenstance, of course; I was walking by
the Infirmary at the time."

"That's not fair!" Julian protested. "I was in a bad mood, the
equipment wasn't working, the--"

"And," Garak cut in, holding up a finger in exaggerated thought, "I
told myself, "Could this be Doctor Bashir? With such anger in his
voice and so little appreciation for the poor Bajoran nurse?" I'm
quite surprised you never noticed the tears in her eyes."

Julian lowered his head and focused on his fork. "I apologized to her
later on," he said.

"Of course you did," Garak said with a sympathetic pat on Bashir's
hand. "And as you've said, all these things had been conspiring
against you. Malfunctioning instruments, hormonal unbalance ...
surely, you had every right to ventilate your frustrations on Nurse
Jabara."

"Lay off, Garak. It's not always like that. Yes, I happen to keep a
tight ship. But that's only because the Infirmary needs to be
efficient and--"

"Engineered to your specifications?" Garak offered. When Julian looked
up with a flicker of anger in his eyes, the tailor could not resist
adding, "I'm sorry, Doctor. We're not all genetic marvels. And I, for
one, know the irritation that comes with having to deal with
slower-paced individuals."

There was no denying the indignation in Julian's eyes, but whatever
retort he had readied was interrupted by the arrival of their food.
When the Ferengi set their plates and drinks down, Julian stabbed
angrily into his salad.

"There's no need to attack the foliage, Doctor. I am merely pointing
out the things you wanted to know."

"It has nothing to do with the fact I'm ... that way." After all these
years of living in secrecy, Julian still had trouble pronouncing his
condition. "Look, just let it go. It won't do to explore this any
further. You've made your point."

Garak dipped his spoon in his stew and smiled enigmatically. "Have I?
Hmm." He took a sip. "Perhaps," he added, cloaking his insidious smile
behind a napkin. He'd touched a nerve, and they had made more progress
in the last few sentences of their argument than Julian even realized.

---

Later that day, when Julian had simmered down and given more thought
to what the Cardassian had said over lunch, Garak showed up at the
Infirmary. It had been several minutes that the tailor stood there,
chatting amiably with Nurse Jabara, before Julian realized he was even
there. As he walked out of his office, he caught sight of him and
widened his eyes in surprise. Usually when lunch was over, Julian saw
nothing of the tailor until the next day.

"Garak, is something wrong?"

The Cardassian touched Jabara's elbow in a conspiratorial gesture and
they both took their time to chuckle. Julian suddenly felt alienated
and vulnerable to their derision. But when Garak turned to face him,
his expression was that of genuine affection. "I came by to make
dinner plans."

"Oh, well, uhm ..." Julian flushed slightly and flashed a quick smile
at the smirking Jabara. "Don't let me stop you." He turned to leave
the two alone and sheltered himself in his office. When he heard
Jabara's muffled laughter, he sighed and stood up to close the door.
When he approached it, Garak entered, his hands clasped behind his
back.

"You were mistaken, my dear Doctor," he announced.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing to apologize for; it was an honest mistake. I came by to make
dinner plans with you."

"Oh."

Garak appraised him curiously. "Have you already made other plans?"
Julian had the distinct impression that his friend knew the answer to
that.

"No, it's not that. I assumed that ... uh, sure," he sighed, resigned.
"Dinner it is. Quark's?"

"No, I've had quite enough of foul leftovers for one day, haven't you?
Come by my quarters. It will allow me the opportunity to teach you a
bit of Cardassian subtlety we talked about earlier." By the look on
Garak's face, it was clear the tailor had something up his sleeve.

Julian didn't know why the temperature in his office suddenly seemed
to have risen. "I'll be there."

Garak's eyeridges rose slightly in amusement.

"What?"

"The evening is comprised of several hours, my dear Doctor. Don't you
want us to agree on a time?"

"Look, you're being very secretive and strange right now," Julian
blurted out. "You're making me nervous. What, exactly, do you have in
mind for dinner?"

Garak chuckled. "It astonishes me how simple questions can fracture
your countenance so completely, Doctor. I merely wanted to specify a
time." He sighed. "Very well, if it suits you better, we can dine at
your quarters."

Julian's eyes narrowed. "No, it's fine. Your quarters, say ... 0700?"

Garak nodded. "Acceptable. I'm pleased to meet another late-eater." It
was an odd word out of the Cardassian's mouth, but Julian dismissed
it.

"Sure," he said. When Garak didn't seem to want to move, Julian looked
at him crossly. "I'll see you then."

Garak snickered once more. "Doctor, I never thought you could be so
entertaining. We shall have ... a very good time tonight."

Julian's color paled slightly at those words ... somehow, there was an
underlining of danger in them. The way, perhaps, he had rolled his
tongue.

---

Julian fussed over his appearance, then wondered why he even bothered.
He was trying to wrap his head around Garak's unusual behavior. This
sudden attention that had never been shown before. Julian had to admit
... his curiosity was piqued.

At 0700 sharp he arrived at Garak's quarters, half an hour after he'd
sated his anxious throat with a drink at Quark's. The ale hadn't been
synthetic, and it had helped him to soothe his nerves and loosen his
tension. When Garak invited him in, Julian felt pleasantly warm and
relaxed.

"Whatever it is you're making, it smells wonderful," Julian commented
as he took a seat on the Cardassian's couch.

Garak chuckled from the kitchen area. "I'm afraid you'll have to thank
the replicator for that. My schedule was busier than I expected and I
had no time to prepare properly." Little did Julian know that his
'schedule' had included other, more important preparations than that
of food.

"Here, let me help you with that," Julian said, hurrying over to help
Garak transport the trays. When he peered into his plate, Bashir
smiled. "Kardasi delicacies?"

Garak widened his eyes. "You can prepare all the Human foods you want
when we dine in your quarters. When you're here, I'm afraid you're
obliged to taste a little bit of Cardassia." In more ways than one,
Garak thought, setting his own tray on the table. He motioned for the
doctor to join him and together they began to eat.

"Well, I'm not complaining," Julian said mid-bite. "This tastes as
good as it smells."

"Not too spicy, I trust?"

"A bit, but I can manage."

Garak smiled mysteriously behind the rim of his glass. He watched
Julian eat everything off his plate with great delight, while he only
picked certain morsels from his own. No, his appetite needed an
entirely different cure.

He set his kanar down. "Now then, back to our erstwhile discussion
..." he prompted. Julian shook his head as he gulped down a swallow of
wine.

"Not tonight. I really don't feel like talking about this. Besides,
this is an enjoyable meal, let's not ruin it." Julian leaned back
slightly, sticking out his lower lip to blow fresh air on his face. It
was rather hot all of a sudden - the kind of heat that radiated from
within. "God, what was in this?" he said, fanning himself.

"Oh, a plethora of assorted spices, my dear Doctor. Nothing quite
lethal, although you're positively glowing at the moment. I do hope
you're not allergic," Garak said with concern, but the worry was only
superficial. He knew quite well what was going on inside Julian's body
at the moment.

Julian was unfastening his collar, splaying his hand over the base of
his throat. He seemed to have trouble breathing, but Garak recognized
that the young man was only panicking. Once the anxiety abated, the
doctor would be fine. A little ... immobile, but fine.

"Garak," Julian exhaled, pushing away from the table. "I may have an
allergy after all ..." He was blinking sweat from his eyes, and his
vision was no doubt failing at the moment. Garak remained calmly
seated, sipping his kanar as Doctor Bashir ambled clumsily toward the
bathroom.

He leisurely began to clear away the plates, all the while keeping a
vigil on the chrono. Two minutes had passed and still Doctor Bashir
remained in the washroom. Garak smiled, smoothing his hand over the
table cloth. He rearranged the various pieces he kept there, humming
under his breath.

Three minutes.

Garak took off the overcoat he'd worn for the occasion, revealing a
form-fitting tunic beneath. He draped the jacket over a chair, pushed
it in, then surveyed the chrono once more. Nodding to himself, he
padded over to the replicator and ordered himself a warm glass of
water. Sipping it casually, he headed for the washroom. He leaned on
the entrance jamb and saw Julian seated against the sonic stall,
looking at him with a glassy gaze. His face was wet, presumably from
the water he'd thrown on it, and his shirt was opened half-way down.
Garak appraised the sight his young friend made, and caught the
healthy rise and fall of his chest. He sipped the water once more.
"Now then, are we comfortable?" Garak asked gently. Julian was making
a supreme effort to answer, but Garak merely shook his head. "No,
don't try to speak - such an effort strains your energy, and I want
your endurance quite intact for later."

Panic had touched Julian's eyes now, and Garak deposited the glass of
water on the counter. He hiked his pants up and crouched down at
Julian's level, inspecting him as he would a curious specimen. "By
now, I assume you're wondering what's going on. Far be it for me to
spoil the mystery so soon, but I will assure you that no harm was done
on your delicate Human physique. I say delicate, of course, only in
relation to me. In fact, I anticipate that you'll be a most strenuous
challenge to handle once the Daja wears off." With his smallest
finger, Garak moved a damp curl away from Julian's temple. "I suspect
you have many questions you'd dearly love to ask, my dear. I see your
eyes straining with inquiry. I may not divulge everything just now,
but let me be quite clear; you have nothing to fear from me."

He almost laughed when Julian's eyes widened in reproach.

"I suppose learning to believe me will also be on tonight's
curriculum." Garak smiled widely, pinched Julian's chin then
straightened up. "Now then, Doctor, come with me," he said, leaning
down and lifting the doctor by his arms. The drug offered an adequate
paralysis without seizing the muscles themselves. Julian was
wonderfully pliant in his arms as he carried him to the living room.

He sat him down on the armchair and patted his hand reassuringly. "At
this time, I'm assuming the drug lost its potent effect on your
temperature, so allow me," Garak said, carefully clasping Julian's
shirt. He fussed over the lapels, smoothed them over, then smiled with
satisfaction. "Good as new." Garak glanced at the chrono. "In
approximately fifteen minutes, you'll be able to speak. Then we can
begin." This said, Garak nodded then disappeared into the bedroom.

---

Garak kept a careful watch on the chrono, but he doubted he'd need it
to know when the time was right. Indeed, barely fourteen minutes had
passed and Julian was screaming.

"Doctor, Doctor," Garak warned, walking into the living room. Julian
wasn't able to move his head yet, but his eyes and mouth moved with a
furious life of their own. "Stop that infernal racket."

"You goddamn son of a fucking whore," Julian spat viciously.

Garak's eyes darkened. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me!" Julian was making another desperate effort to move,
but all his attempts were obviously in vain. "Garak, I can't begin to
understand what the fuck was going on in your head for you to drug me
like this, but I'm not laughing, and as soon as this wears off, you're
in serious trouble."

Garak laughed pleasantly. "What could you do to me?"

"Not me," Julian hissed. "But half of station security, who will be
more than happy to look into this matter once I tell them what the
Hell you did to me!"

"Hmm, I appreciate the forewarn, but my dear ... the drug is not about
to wear off just yet, and we have many more hours of quality time
together, so let's make the most of it." Garak approached the chair
and leaned in, his hands on the armrests. "Besides, I don't appreciate
your reaction, considering how much thought I put into this. All for
you, I might add!" he said forcefully.

"All for ... are you insane?" Julian yelled. "Look at me! Is this what
you did to your prisoners, Garak? Immobilize them so you could conduct
your interrogation uninterrupted? Are you so fucking weak you need to
stun your victims?"

Julian's words stung, but Garak made no outward reaction to that
effect. Instead, he smiled slowly, tilting his head sideways as he
appraised the young doctor. "You know what I like most about Daja,
Doctor? You may want to make a note of it for medical purposes. It
paralyses the nervous system, and yet ..." Garak's fingers crawled
playfully up Julian's arm, until they rested at the junction between
his neck and shoulder. He squeezed a small area just behind the collar
bone and watched as Julian's mouth quivered in a voiceless scream.
"... the nerve endings themselves remain miraculously alive.
Especially the pain receptors. It was quite useful in my time, and I'm
pleased to see the skill hasn't dulled with my years aboard the
station. What an innocuous gesture, and so potent, hmm?"

He released Julian's shoulder and straightened up. "Yes, many hours, I
suspect. And then your staff will see a whole new Julian Bashir enter
his cherished Infirmary." Julian's eyes rolled up and Garak clucked
his tongue as the young man fainted in his chair.

---

When Julian came to, he noticed he'd been moved. He had been laid
rather artistically over Garak's bed, his arms positioned so that they
crossed at the wrists over his heart. He could still move his lips and
eyes, and now could wrinkle his nose. He wondered how long had passed
since he had lost consciousness, but he felt as though it had been a
while. Maybe half an hour. Garak had been right - the drug wore off
only a bit at a time and by his calculation it was only 0830.

He surveyed the room with his limited vision, noting that Garak was
nowhere to be found. The lights had been dimmed to near darkness, and
though he could still detect the forms and silhouettes of the
furniture, some of the room remained bathed in mysterious black.

"I'm not finding this funny at all," Julian growled, resigned to his
fate when he again tried to move his limbs. "But whatever it is you
want, get it over with," he sighed.

A hint of fear touched his mind - would Garak hurt him? He'd assured
him otherwise, but who knew what was going on in that Cardassian mind
of his. For a moment he entertained a possible contamination ... the
psychotropic drug perhaps? But Garak had seemed lucid enough. A little
too lucid. Controlled and determined.

"Garak!" he called out in frustration. "Where the Hell are you," he
mumbled, closing his eyes. This was actually comfortable, if he forgot
that he was paralyzed. Like sleeping, and dreaming of being awake.

"Doctor, you're screaming again, and it won't do at all," Garak called
from the washroom. He emerged from it, drying his hands with a towel.
He touched the wall beside the door and the lights rose to an adequate
level. "We won't be able to start if you can't learn to listen
dutifully to what I have to say. I really don't advise tempting me in
using another dose of the Daja," he warned. Dropping the towel on his
writing desk, Garak moved toward the bed.

"Garak, all I want to know is why you're doing this. For God's sake,
if you wanted to talk to me, there was no need to stun me like this,"
Julian said, making a supreme effort to keep the tension out of his
voice.

"But there was," Garak retorted. "It's been my experience that bondage
encourages attention. Your senses, such as they are, can only be
focused at listening. You are not distracted by the flurry of your
nervous hand, or the anxious pacing you seem so fond of." Garak sat at
the edge of the bed and appraised the young man thoughtfully. "True, I
could have opted for more conventional means of bondage, but it would
destroy my purpose."

"Look, maybe this is acceptable on your world, but not on mine. This
is not the sort of thing you do your friend," Julian said.

Garak smiled. "But this is precisely what *you* need, regardless of
whether you are a friend to me or not. Your staff is quite discontent
with you, even Miss Dax has approached me with concerns over your
attitude."

"WHAT attitude!" Bashir cried in despair, frustrated that Garak wasn't
getting to the point.

Garak leaned closer, though remained a respectful distance from the
young man. "Ever since it's become public knowledge, your genetic
enhancements have seemingly turned you into this God walking amid
peasants. You deride and condescend constantly. Now truly, Doctor ...
is that any way for a man of your station to be acting?"

"I haven't changed," Julian said fiercely. "I'm still the same Julian
Bashir of before. I've just ..." he trailed off, forgetting for the
moment that he was still bound by a drug. Garak's words were making
him think, and if truth be told, without the freedom to walk away or
pace, his mind was clearer. "I'm still me," he reinforced.

Garak, pleased that they were finally making progress, inched closer.
"You were about to follow quite an entirely different train of
thought, Doctor. Please, continue." He was so delicious, in this
state. Garak supposed it was because of the relaxed state the drug had
induced. His features were lax, not the rigid mask he perpetually wore
these days. Such as scowling over casualty reports. In this condition,
Julian looked peaceful. The Daja, he hadn't told Julian, was used as a
wonderful relaxant on Cardassia. Not quite the interrogation tool he'd
let the Doctor assume it was. Of course, Daja didn't quite paralyze
Cardassians as it did Humans.

"Okay, you're right," Julian was saying. "I have changed. But you
can't expect me to be the same person, after everything I've seen,
after everything I've experienced. Years tend to change a person,
Garak."

The tailor sighed softly. "Perhaps there lies my fault. Cardassians
very rarely change over the years and through experience. We merely
move through the fluidity of our present. Humans, I've noticed, tend
to dwell on the past entirely too much."

"You're trying to make me into something I'm not, Garak," Julian
sighed.

"Not at all. I'm simply trying to understand what it is that's changed
you so drastically lately. You can argue all you want about the
horrors of your profession and how they've scarred you, but one does
not let those horrors affect them so quickly. Your change was brought
on by the revelation of your genetic background. And you know what I
think of coincidences." Before Julian could say a word, Garak leaned
in and adjusted the Doctor's shirt collar. "You seem a little
constricted there," he whispered. His cool fingers brushed over his
collar bones as he adjusted the lapels, unclasping the first button.
Julian shuddered at the sensitized touch, but made no comment. "You
were saying?" Garak prompted, a viper's smile on his lips.

"I was trying to say," Julian said, clearing his throat uncomfortably,
"that whatever it is you think happened, it's my own business. And
that you have no right to interrogate me on why you suppose I've
changed, and how it's effecting everyone. I'd thank you not to meddle
in my life. We're friends, but we're not that close friends."

The comment stung, and Garak had a difficult time not to allow himself
to show it. He did recoil slightly, as though he'd been physically
assaulted. After a moment, he found the momentum to say, "Is this what
you think it is? An interrogation?" His eyes darkened. "You have an
embellished idea of what an interrogation is, in that case. I would
never traumatize a friend that way." The suggestion was clear and
Julian closed his eyes.

"It's not what I meant."

"Oh no, Doctor. Let's not placate, now. This evening is for the
expressed purpose of saying what's on our minds. I'd be disappointed
if you went back on your words now." Garak left the bed and moved a
chair toward it. He felt suddenly alienated, unable to remain so close
to his friend.

And Julian, who had subconsciously begun to enjoy the heat Garak
radiated, felt suddenly cold. "What's on *our* minds? Yes, let's say
what's on our minds, Garak. Because I'd love to know what you're
thinking at this moment."

Garak mused for a long while - so long Julian was sure he'd never
answer the question. But eventually the Cardassian leaned back on his
chair and said, "The wonderful asset of the Daja, Doctor, is that it
prevents one from fleeing from emotions. I could make you revisit past
sorrows and watch you weep before my eyes, knowing you would never
walk away to shield yourself from the humiliation. It makes you quite
vulnerable, in that respect. I admire you far too much to ever
entertain the thought of physically harming you. But the prospect of
discovering *you*, the real you that lurks behind that genetic mask of
superiority ... that appeals to me."

"You haven't answered my question," Julian said tightly.

Garak sighed. "I believe I have, Doctor."

Silence stretched for long minutes, both men staring at one another.
It was Julian who looked away first, but it was Garak who spoke. "It's
ironic, Doctor, that with every lunch we've shared, every experience
we've endured together ... that the one who veiled more about himself
was not me ... but you." Garak leaned over his knees and added, "I may
have lied, yes. But those lies merely constructed a truth. A truth you
chose never to see. Perhaps the greatest truth of all, Doctor, is that
I've allowed you to see the sorrow over my father's death. And you've
never once thought that this might make me as vulnerable, if not more,
as yourself. Whatever lie I may have thrown your way were irrelevant.
Who I am was never a mystery. A lonely exile aboard a station, trying
to make the best of his situation. However, everything you've ever
told me about you has had to be revised. You've had to deliberately
'tone down' your intellect for the purpose of hiding your true self.
Now I ask you, Doctor ... who is the true enigma between us?"

Julian listened intently to the outpouring of 'truth' and 'self' from
Garak, growing distinctly more embarrassed by the minute. Everything
the tailor was saying made sense. It churned his stomach to think that
Garak might have actually felt betrayed by his 'secret'. He also felt
as though the evening had taken a turn - was now very important for
the sake of their friendship. Perhaps the tailor had arrived at a
crossroad - in a desperate attempt to understand? Julian closed his
eyes again. "I never meant to lie like that."

"But you did, Doctor. You've seen me in the most humiliating condition
any Cardassian could ever endure. You have seen me a despondent
addict, nothing more than a mind-alterer. On Cardassia, such a
weakness would have been eradicated by disposing of the body. I may
have been reticent with you at first, but I revealed my shameful
secret in the end. Because you were my friend, and all you wanted to
do was help." Garak tilted his head. "Were you afraid I'd use *your*
secret against you, then?"

"No, Garak, you have to understand ... this was my career ... my
*life* on the line! I had been living a lifetime of secrecy ... a
habit. It wasn't ... Garak, I never meant to keep it from you. But I
had to." Julian was increasingly irritated now at his bondage. Now
more than ever he wanted to pace.

"Well." Garak leaned back with a kind of finality that startled the
doctor. "I see we're at a standstill," he said reflectively. Garak
reached in his pocket and retrieved a hypospray. For a moment, dread
colored the doctor's eyes, and Garak shook his head sadly. "I must
confess," he murmured as he approached Julian, "that my immobilizing
you had another purpose than that of conversation." He exhaled slowly,
trailing the hypo down the length of Julian's face. "It would allow me
to do something I've wanted to do for some time. You must understand,
that with your current mood, it was impossible to do. You would sooner
run from my quarters in fright, I'm afraid."

Julian tried to recoil, but his head hadn't shaken off the drug
completely. Though his features were mobile, nothing else worked and
he feared what Garak had in mind. "Garak, whatever it is that--"

"I've shown you the pain I can induce," Garak interrupted. "But if you
had allowed me only a moment into your life, Julian, you would have
known much ... affection." Garak bent his head down and pressed his
lips to Bashir's. It became very quiet around them. The kiss was not
groping, desperate or savage. It was a simple press of lips. Julian
inhaled sharply, closing his eyes. With his body so immobilized, he
couldn't believe the sensation that stabbed at his nerves. All at once
a barrage of sensations hit him, scents, emotions ... he felt as
though his lips were made entirely of nerve endings and that Garak had
stroked them softly with his own.

And then ...

... the hiss of a hypospray ...

... and he stopped breathing.

---

Garak was washing up in the lavatory, considering the evening a
complete failure. What he had attempted to do merely ended with
stubborn Human persistance. If truly there had been a worthy
interrogation victim ... he had to smile at that one.

He heard sounds from the other room, and he called out, "The door is
open, Doctor. You are quite free to leave." He looked his reflection,
wondering when it is his face had lost the anticipation ... the
manipulative mask. No, his face was raw and open. Painfully so. Julian
must be having quite a laugh at his own pitiful--

"Elim."

The sound of his proper name jolted him to reality. He half-turned,
surprised. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. "More secrets. I am ...
disturbed by the knowledge you have, Doctor."

"Believe it or not, I know what you tried to do. In your own way,"
Julian said. He was leaning on the door jamb, all his motor skills
back to normal.

"Did you now," Garak sighed. "I doubt that, Doctor, since I am no
longer sure at what I set out to do." It was a lie, of course.
Something to soften the brunt of his failure.

"We Humans do this over a cup of coffee, but ... you're Cardassian. I
can hardly fault you for that," Julian smiled.

"If you're quite finished, Doctor, I'd like to--"

"No, I'm not quite finished," Julian cut in. "Sit," he said, pointing
at the recycler.

Garak widened his eyes. "Surely you don't mean to--"

"We did it your way, now we'll do it mine."

An ironic smile lifted the tailor's lips. "So I am to assume you
regularly converse with your friends in the bathroom?"

"Forget the damn setting for now. I just want you to listen to me."
Julian knelt down, gathering his bearings. When he looked up, Garak
was looking at him very intently. "You probably feel as though seven
years have passed and that I never took one of them seriously. You
probably think I only used you."

"I wouldn't go that--"

"Will you just listen? Or I might be forced to give you some of that
Daja," Julian threatened.

Garak was amused, felt compelled to comment, but decided to listen.

"The truth is, I was lying to myself. I was scared that if everyone
knew about my past ... yes, my career would be ruined. But I feared
something much worse. I feared that people wouldn't look at me the
same. Maybe that's why I changed ... I convinced myself to be
something I'm not, so that it confirmed what I was scared of most."
Garak made an admirable effort not to comment on such a ridiculous
notion. In any case, his thoughts were quite utterly forgotten when
Julian's hand came to rest on his knee. "Your opinion of me matters a
lot. Whether you believe it or not, I do consider you a close friend.
I can't really deny that I felt ... thrilled, in some way, that I had
kept something like this from you. You! Who made it a point to know
everything about everyone. But in hindsight, it was a stupid way of
dealing with it. Obviously, it hurt you ..."

Garak remained silent. He absorbed what Julian had said, staring
solemnly at a point beyond his shoulder. When Julian spoke again, he
blinked away his ghosts. "Now Garak, how about telling me what this
was really about," Julian whispered.

"I thought I made that very clear," the Cardassian muttered.

"Oh yes. That kiss made everything very clear," Julian murmured.

Garak lowered his eyes. "I was certain you'd bolt from my quarters."

"That the only way you could kiss me was to paralyze me," Julian
completed.

"It sounds pathetic when you put it that way."

"No. It sounds as though you underestimated me, yet again." Julian
straightened up, then quite unexpectedly sat himself on Garak's knee.
Wrapping his arms over the tailor's neck, he smiled. "There's one
thing you have to understand about us Humans, Garak. We can be quite
responsive to subtle seduction."

Though rattled by the doctor's rather bold move, Garak found the wits
to laugh. "Subtle seduction?" His voice lowered dangerously. "I fear
to ask you what you think I've been doing all these years during
lunch."

Julian rolled his eyes, grinning. "All right, so I'm not the brightest
man when it comes to that." His voice lowered as well, though held a
distinct seductive note. "Maybe that's what you should have set out to
teach me."

"My priorities were woefully misdirected," Garak agreed, leaning in
for a kiss on Julian's neck.

"Another thing," Julian said, leaning back. "If you ever do this to me
again," he hissed, pinching a select scale from Garak's neckridge -
Garak jerked back, gasping, "I'll be forced to retaliate with a most
aggressive response."

When he let him go, Garak slumped. "You know ... I think that actually
helped my circulation," he smirked.

"Hmm, I can think of other ways to stimulate circulation," Julian
murmured, parting his lips over Garak's. His tongue gently traced the
contours of his lips, trailing warmth all over his mouth.

Garak moaned softly, his hands convulsing into the folds of Julian's
shirt. "I can think of worse things than dating a doctor," he smiled.

"But not on a recycler," Julian said firmly, standing up.

Garak got up as well, wincing. "I quite agree."

They retreated to the bedroom. While Garak stripped off his shirt,
Julian casually glanced over the writing desk. A small petri dish with
its cover opened laid among other tools and Julian picked it up
curiously. "Daja?" he asked.

Garak glanced at him. "Hmm," he nodded.

Julian smiled impishly. When Garak turned away to remove his shoes,
Julian wet his finger and dipped it in the fine powder. He placed the
dish back, then stripped off his clothes as well, mindful of the
weapon he'd picked up.

"Computer, lights, 50%," Julian ordered. In the pale light, both
embraced near the bed, smiling in each other's arms. "You'll have to
be gentle, it's my first time with a Cardassian," Julian said
wickedly.

"That could be a problem," Garak mused, lacing his arms around the
Human's waist and pulling him tightly against him. "I have seven
years' worth of ... tension to release."

"Seven ..." Julian pulled back, looking closely at the tailor. "Seven
years?" he repeated. "Surely, you've--"

"No, Doctor. I was quite truthful when I said 'lonely exile'."

"But Ziyal ..." Julian protested.

"Ziyal ... was attractive. But ..." he hesitated.

"What?"

"She was not you." Garak smiled so vulnerably at that moment that
Julian pulled away. "Have I said something wrong?"

"No, Garak ... I ..." Julian muttered and disappeared in the washroom.
Shaking his head, he washed off the Daja. Seven years! Julian couldn't
claim the same, and it felt awful to want to deny the Cardassian the
full measure of his senses at this moment. Perhaps later, when they
had gotten to ... yes. Julian nodded.

Outside, Garak glanced at the petri dish and smiled loftily. Trust the
doctor to want to take his revenge so soon. And so if he had lied?
Surely he would be forgiven, to want to taste and actively take part
in the pleasure they would soon share. He looked up when Julian
emerged, smiling beautifically.

"I feared you'd changed your mind," Garak said innocently.

"Not quite," Julian said, crawling into bed. "Old habits die hard, is
all," he said non-commitally. "Now, where were we?" he whispered.

"I believe you were about to show me the advantages of dating a
physician," Garak rumbled pleasantly.

---

Julian settled next to Garak and smiled, caressing his hand over the
tailor's forehead. "Hmm. Let's see. Shall I begin with a physical?"
Julian murmured, trailing his long fingers down, over the curve of
Garak's neckridge. "Temperature slightly elevated, but I won't know
for sure until I measure orally," he smiled, parting his mouth
invitingly. Garak followed the gesture, bestowing teasing kisses over
the doctor's lips, over his chin and down to the hollow of his throat.

Julian sighed. "Definitely hot," he murmured. "Pulse at a high rate,
breathing is heavier and labored ... I'd have to examine more
thoroughly," he groaned, tilting his head sideways as Garak's hands
pulled him roughly against him.

"My diagnosis," the Cardassian rumbled, "is that you should remain
quiet so that I may appreciate this moment more fully." He heard no
protests, instead he felt the doctor lie back on the bed, raising one
knee so that his foot could stroke the length of Garak's thigh.

Eventually, the silence became too much. Julian pushed Garak slightly
away and stared at him closely. "What is it, Doctor?"

Julian laughed. "Do you have to call me that?"

Garak laid back on his side, leaning on an elbow as his free hand
caressed Bashir's temple. "I've grown used to it. Calling you by your
first name seems ... alien." His brow rose with a sardonic look. "If
you're uncomfortable by it, I could call you other choice words."

Julian's eyes widened in challenge. "Such as?"

Garak smirked, his fingers curling into the curls of the doctor's
hair. "How about Eloya? Arsjk? Ekara?" he said, using his grip to pull
Julian's head back. He accessed his throat, nibbling at the salty
flesh.

"It would help if I knew what those meant," Julian chuckled, his
adam's apple bumping into Garak's lips.

"Oh they all mean the same thing on varying degrees," Garak said
enigmatically, his other hand reaching for the young man's chest. His
fingers toyed lightly with his nipples, intrigued by their nature.

Bent as he was, Julian could do very little but brace himself on the
bed and enjoy the Cardassian's attention. Like the Daja, Garak's hold
was inexorable, but it was colored with an exciting danger. Julian
squirmed, feeling Garak's lips caress down his chest. "I could find a
few choice words for you too," he murmured.

"I doubt any of them would hold any truth," Garak derided, pausing at
the curls of hair adorning the Doctor's groin. He used his fingers to
part them curiously, raking down to the length of his cock. "Such
curious decorations you Humans have ..." he said thoughtfully.

Julian parted his thighs, too busy moaning to reply.

Garak looked up. "You'll have to pardon me, Doctor. I'm unfamiliar
with your courting practices. I should like to impart a bit of
Cardassian wisdom at the moment, but you look quite vulnerable at the
moment ..." he whispered lecherously.

"I'll be sure to let you know if you go to far," Julian said, looking
down since Garak had let go of his hair.

"Hmm," Garak said, an odd serpentine smile on his lips. He explored
further down, trailing a wet trail with his tongue over the doctor's
slender thighs. His journey was slow, as though he made certain to
investigate every inch of Julian's flesh. He eventually returned to
his erstwhile interest, his mouth lingering on the pliant skin of
Julian's balls. He probed them with his hands, finding their texture
fascinating. When he glanced up, he was satisfied to see that Julian
was utterly lost to his arousal.

"If you don't do something soon, Garak, I'll be--" the rest of his
sentence was interrupted by his own cry as Garak closed his teeth
around the head of his cock. A flicker of pain erupted at his groin
but he knew the Cardassian hadn't bit that hard. The pain soon merged
into pleasure, and he inclined his head over the sheets. By God, was
this what Cardassians did? Garak didn't suckle, didn't even use his
hand. All he did was concentrate on the cluster of nerves at the end
of his cock, using his teeth and tongue to lavish an unbearable mix of
ache and pleasure. By now his cock had grown almost purple in need and
he sat up suddenly, wrapping his forearms around Garak's head and
pushing.

Garak's eyes widened as his mouth was forced down the slender cock,
forced to swallow down every inch. If he had wanted, he'd have easily
pulled out of the restrictive embrace, but the taste pulled him
further in, and soon he was swallowing against the length. Cardassians
didn't exactly have the same reflexes as Humans, so what would have
easily choked his young friend was merely a curious and intriguing
pursuit for the tailor.

Julian was panting, his hands turning into claws and tangling the
slick black hair. A keening moan fled from his throat as he came, his
thin frame shaking as he felt his seed slide down the hot mouth that
held him fast. When the ecstasy faded, Julian fell back languidly on
the bed. He breathed a long sigh, blinking in amazement.

Garak smiled, pulling himself up. His fingers brushed instinctively
over the corners of his mouth in a fastidious manner. "I believe this
was a complete failure," he sighed, though still smiling.

Julian looked up blearily. "Huh?" In his sated condition, he couldn't
find the energy to say more.

"I believe I was trying to show you the ways of Cardassian practices,
but in your impatience, you completely turned the purpose into your
own." Garak shook his head. "Perhaps there's no hope for you, Doctor."

"Oh come on," Julian breathed. "It's barely 1000. We have more than
enough time to explore your ways," he added wickedly.

Garak cleared his throat. When Julian lifted his head to look at him,
he gasped. Garak was still not satisfied. True to the Cardassian's
words, he'd been selfishly impatient. "Well, since we started my way,
maybe you'd like to end it your way," he smiled impishly.

Garak's eyes lit up. "I was hoping you'd say that."

"I hope your genetic background rendered you physically stronger,"
Garak murmured. "My ways may be a little intimidating to your more
conventional peers."

Julian held his breath for a moment as Garak advanced on him. In this
position, the doctor could see the Cardassian's cock, the scales that
decorated it tough and raised. A ridge ran up its length and ended in
a smooth tapered head much like his own. "Only if you promise
Cardassians aren't as violent as Klingons," he said.

"Hmmno, we're not quite that primitive."

"Well thank God for small miracles." Garak kissed him slowly, using
his hands to massage down to Bashir's waist. "So, how do Cardassian
males 'do it' together?" Julian asked when he was freed of the
intrusive embrace.

Garak smiled and led Julian's hand downward to his cock. "Hold it," he
whispered. "Firm."

Julian nodded, his fist closing over the ridged length. It felt
different, but not unlike Garak's flesh. What he thought were rigid
scales were actually quite pliant and bent under his hold.

Garak's eyes fluttered close. "Harder than that, my dear. As hard as
you can. You won't hurt me," he assured.

Julian swallowed, using both his fists. He closed them tightly, so
tightly his knuckles turned white. He looked up nervously, saw that
Garak was lost in a sudden ecstasy. He hadn't expected both hands to
be used, apparently.

Garak leaned in, kissed him open-mouthed, biting down viciously on the
doctor's tongue. Bashir jerked, gasping in shock. He felt a warm
rivulet of blood trickle down the corner of his lips, but quickly
forgot about it as Garak leaned in further, suckling that very blood.

So ... for lack of a better thing to do ... Julian bit back.

Garak groaned pleasantly, thrusting his hips into Julian's fists as
both of their blood mingled in their mouth. Julian soon felt an
indescribable feeling assault his senses, as he swallowed. A question
fluttered through his mind: *What's in his blood??*, but he allowed
the sensation to consume him.

It was not unlike an orgasm, Julian thought. He felt his stomach
clench and his groin stir. But he was not hard, he could tell. No,
this sensation was within, filled his entire body with a warmth that
addled his brain. *I'm coming,* he thought through the dizzying haze,
*I'm coming, and it's not stopping.*

Garak was coming too, he could tell. Through his half-closed eyelids,
he saw Garak swaying, clutched by the same vertigo. But nothing was
spilling onto his fists. They remained gripped by this powerful
pleasure for a few moments more before it finally faded, leaving them
with an overall well-being. Julian looked down quizzically as Garak's
organ softened in his hands. The Cardassian winced, pushed his hands
away. "It sufficed before, but not now," he smiled.

"Did you ... go?" Julian asked innocently. He was confused ... perhaps
Cardassians didn't ejaculate at all.

"Oh yes."

Julian frowned.

"That," Garak added, winking, "is the way males do it."

"Ah." Julian was obviously still clueless.

"The pressure told my body not to ... ah ... 'seed' you," Garak
elaborated further. "That's why males prefer it this way."

Julian chuckled, finally understanding. "You can't get me pregnant,
Garak. I'll have to show you the way *we* do it in my culture. While
this was ... quite invigorating, there are other ways to proceed."

Both quietly lay on the bed, side by side. They were thoroughly
satisfied, though Julian's tongue throbbed uncomfortably. "You won't
mind if I analyze your blood later," he said. "I want to be sure what
it is I swallowed," he smiled.

"Oh, I assure you, it's hardly toxic."

"Forget about that - I want to know how I can market that thing! You
could make a fortune!" Julian ducked Garak's playful slap.

"I'm amazed we have such differences separating us. My ... experience
with you turned out quite differently from what I've known before.
Your blood had no effect on me, but you were more than adequate in ...
other ventures," he smiled.

"Oh Garak, we haven't begun to scratch the surface of what you and I
could do," Julian grinned impishly.

Garak's eyes brightened at the prospect. "It seems the roles have
reversed, my dear Doctor." He embraced the Human to him, wrapping his
arms protectively around his chest as they snuggled under the sheets.

"Well, you know what they say ..." Before Garak could ask what that
was, Julian suddenly looked at him over his shoulder and said, "Oh,
and I'll expect an apple on my desk everyday."

Garak shook his head and leaned his chin on Julian's shoulder. "Go to
sleep, little fool. The lessons are far from over, and I'll be damned
if I have to be late tomorrow morning for our session."

Julian chuckled against his pillow, drifting off to a pleasant
slumber, the weight of Garak's limbs on him only heightening his
pleasure.

The following day, once both had kissed and indulged in a bit of
morning foreplay, Julian headed for the infirmary. He stopped by the
replimat for a quick breakfast, humming happily to himself.

"Good morning!" he sangsong to his nurse as he entered. She nearly
dropped the PADD she was carrying and barely managed to stutter a
response. Whistling, Julian went to his office.

"By the Prophets, what was that?" Jabara hissed at her colleague.

Keshi shrugged. "Hell if I know ... but you know, early this morning,
Garak was in here."

Jabara's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Garak?"

"Hmm hm. Wasn't here for a physical either. He was looking for Doctor
Bashir, then left him something in his office. He looked unnaturally
cheerful as well."

Jabara suddenly smirked. "Well thank the Prophets, it was about time."

Inside his office, Julian laughed and shook his head as he polished an
apple on his chest.

---

The End