The BLTS Archive - The Right One #3: Not the Right Place by Karahkwa (karahkwa@startrekmail.com) --- Disclaimer: All things Trek belong to Paramount. The situation is purely my own and I mean no copyright violations. No money is being made. --- Julian stood under the shower spray and shivered as the cold water washed over him. *You're a lying bastard, Julian Bashir*, he mentally berated himself. *You should have just told him the truth. Maybe then. . . You're a fool.* It had been three weeks since his talk with Jake on the Promenade. True to their words, the two men had seen each other quite a bit. They'd said hello in the corridor a few times. They'd walked together in the Promenade one day the previous week when they'd met on the 'lift and discovered they were headed the same way. And just this morning Jake had come by the infirmary to ask some questions about Kasidy's pregnancy and his younger sister. It was driving Julian insane. He wanted to scream with frustration every time he saw Jake. He wanted to run the other direction. He wanted to. . . hold him and comfort him when he missed his father. He wanted to kiss him until there was nothing but the two of them. He wanted to. . . Julian jerked his mind away from that line of thought. His cold shower wouldn't help much if he kept that train of thought. Julian finished quickly and then hurried to dress. He was supposed to meet with Kira and Dax for supper and then they were gonna go over some reports. Dax. . . Between Ezri Dax and Jake Sisko, Julian's ego had taken a big hit these last few months. But at least he was still friends with Ezri which he wasn't so sure he could say about Jake. Julian sighed. His life was going a little crazy. But if he wanted to make it to his meeting on time, he couldn't think about it right now. --- Julian ate only a little of what he'd ordered for supper. He had had quite a hunger but Kira managed to kill it in less than two minutes. "I know I said we'd work after the meal but I had a visitor late this afternoon and I want to talk about it with the two of you. Kasidy's worried about Jake." Julian jerked. His fork had stopped half way to his mouth and he was afraid this bite would fall off it. "Julian? Are you all right?" Julian blinked. Of course Dax would have noticed. "I'm fine. I'm just a little surprised." "Why would you be surprised? Kasidy does care deeply for Jake." "Well, it's just that she has so many things on her mind. I thought that in the other things going on, she'd might not notice how withdrawn he's been lately." "So you've noticed," Kira cut in. "So what do we do about it?" "I've all ready offered to listen if he needs to talk but he hasn't taken me up on it." "As have I," Dax answered. "Well, then I guess we've done what we can. It's up to him now." --- Jake sighed as he enter the 'lift. He'd just spent most of the afternoon and evening listening to Nog complain about the women he had to work with. Jake wasn't sympathetic but he could fake it, normally. But tonight it hadn't worked and that had caused Nog to complain even more as if he had to prove it to Jake. However, the more the Ferengi whined, the more bored his human companion became. In his boredom, Jake's mind turned to Julian and that make him frown even more. *It was a vicious cycle*, Jake thought wryly. Jake tried not to think of anything as he rode to the habitat ring. All he wanted as to go to his quarters, replicate a bowl of soup, and then go to bed. Of course, it would be nice if someone were there to share that bed. . . Jake pushed the thought aside. He'd slept alone all of his life (for the most part); there was not reason for it to be bothering him now. Actually he knew the reason it was: Julian. His attraction to the doctor was upsetting not only his sleep patterns but also his appetite, his energy levels, his thought processes. If Jake didn't know better he'd say he was. . . In love. . . Just then the 'lift stopped. Jake looked up and nearly cursed when he saw he wasn't at the habitat ring. Before he could think much more beyond that, the object of his thoughts stepped into the 'lift. Julian was startled to see Jake. After the conversation he'd just had with Kira and Dax, he really didn't want to see the man. Even if certain parts of his anatomy did leaps of joy, he felt too tired mentally to pretend he didn't. . . "Hi, Julian. How are you tonight?" "Tired. But otherwise. . . How about you?" "Sick of listening to Nog, but about the same as you, I guess." "Good." Jake nodded. What else could he say without making a fool of himself? He wanted to burst out with some variation of "Hey, Julian, I love you" and then kiss him. Julian fought the urge to just push Jake against the 'lift wall and kiss him senseless. But the younger man had never given him even the slightest sign that he wouldn't be opposed to the idea. And the doctor just wasn't about to make a fool of himself again. Still there are a way. . . "Jake, are you all right? Kasidy came to Kira saying she was worried. Kira came to Dax and I to see if there was anything we could do. Are you all right?" Jake shrugged. *Let me see. . . My only parent is who-knows-where to come back who-knows-when. I'm hopelessly in love with a* man *and there's no one I can talk to. Yeah, I'm all right*. "Jake, you know you can talk to me." *No, I can't*. "Thanks, Julian, but. . . I don't think I can." Julian took a deep breath. "Is it because I kissed you the other night?" Jake gasped. "You said you didn't remember." "I implied that I didn't. I thought that if I didn't say anything about it, you wouldn't be embarrassed about it." Jake blushed and looked way. "I knew it was bothering you." Jake turned his back toward the doctor. He didn't want Julian to know. . . "'Lift, halt." He jumped when Julian put his hand on his shoulder. Jake was gently turned to face the other man. "Jake, you know I'd never. . . If it bothers you, we can get forget that night." "Does it bother you, Julian?" Jake held his breath. If only. . . "This isn't about me, Jake. You're going through a tough time and I'd hate to think that I've ma-" Jake couldn't stand it anymore and pressed his lips to Julian's. "Does it bother you?" He barely heard the answering "No" before the older man returned his kiss. Julian sighed and deepened his kiss with Jake. The man did taste exactly as he remember. It was perfect. He ran his hands up and down the younger man's back. He moaned softly when Jake wrapped his arms around his neck. Jake pulled away as Julian cupped his ass. "No, not here. Please." Julain smiled. "I do seem to remember you having aversions to 'lifts." "It's just. . . everyone saw you kissing Ezri in the 'lift. I. . . I want to keep this to ourselves for a while." Julian nodded. "Tell me when and where. We can take this as fast or as slow as you need." --- The End