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Garak sat on the corner of the couch in his quarters, PADD in hand, relaxing and reading after a fruitful day in his shop. He tended to enjoy a quiet evening with a book. However, without warning the doors to his room open, revealing a very tired doctor. He also tended to enjoy a less quiet evening with Bashir.
Bashir's hair was all over the place, black and almost long enough to attempt to curl. Garak had grown fond of his natural hair that appeared when the doctor was too busy to tame it. The dark circles under his eyes that tended to accompany the hair he was less fond of. An worse of all, his already terribly designed Starfleet uniform, made worse by looking disheveled on Julian's thin frame.
He took that to mean his double shift was not only a double, but also busy. Garak makes a mental note to remind Julian he does not need to be the only one covering shifts for staff that is on leave. Garak knows it won't be a successful reminder, but it will allow him to say, "I told you so," next time the handsome young doctor collapses in his quarters.
Julian doesn't even say hello when he enters, tossing his bag by the door. He flops down on the couch, his long limbs stretched out dramatically. Garak sets his PADD to the side to allow Julian to land his head in his lap. He glances up for a second before closing his eyes and sighing.
"Rough day, my dear?" Garak asks as he runs his fingers through Bashir's hair.
"It was just busy, its not even if it was anything exceptionally crazy, just so many little, frankly stupid things apparently happening all over the station," Julian sits up, clearly about to start on a rant, "For one, I swear one of these days I'm not going to fix Miles' shoulder."
Garak chuckles at the impossible thought of his doctor neglecting his duty. "Now, we both know that's untrue. I believe you'd better relax a second, and then we'll get you something to eat, since I'm assuming the many holosuite accidents led to you neglecting yourself again". Julian huffs a little at being shut down and called out for taking care anyone but himself. He lets himself lay back down again. Not wanting to admit Garak is right, he shifts gears.
"Well I can think of something that could help me relax," as he pulls Garak down for a kiss. Garak of course obliges. He has grown quite found of this previously impossible alien mode of affection. The doctor's hands begin tracing on Garak's neck ridges. Julian abruptly freezes and Garak immediately breaks the kiss.
"Julian, what's wrong?" His bright blue eyes wide and staring with concern.
"Oh I messed up," Julain's voice was shaking as he pushed himself up to sit normal on the couch, his hand wiping his mouth. "I- I was too busy... I think I forgot-". His mouth was growing numb, and he was having focus harder to make it form words.
Garak lept up, "Now Doctor, you can't be saying what I think you're saying, because I'm not going to have you die on my sofa today because you insisted on fighting nature". As if Garak had not become a willing participant in Julian's research for once.
Julian stood up slowly, wobbling, "Gar-AK, Itsss, not that serrrious. I- I just need," he takes a couple wobbly steps and stumbles into Garak's clearly panicking arms.
"Doctor?", Garaks holding him up, and probably too tight, afraid to let him go.
Julian wiggles in his arms. "I'm fiiiine," he whined at the panicking lizard. "The hypooo". He points at his bag by the door.
Garak practically throws the Doctor back onto the couch behind him and runs to sift through the bag. He returns quickly, kneeling at the doctors side to administer the antivenom hypospray Julian had assured would keep him safe. If only he had not been distracted from taking it before coming over like he usually did.
Julian winced as Garak pushed the hypo into his neck, but relaxes after. "Thaaaanks Garak". Garak looked unsure, his dear Doctor still woozy on the couch.
Julian's large brown eyes stared up at him, slightly unfocused, his cheeks flushed. "Taaakes time," Julian's weak hands pull at Garak's. "Siiiit with meee". Garak allows himself to be pulled down next to Julian. The young man messily drags himself into Garak's lap and wraps his arms lazily around his torso.
The cardassian still unsure of what to make of the situation asks, "Are you quite sure we shouldn't be going to visit your friends in the infirmary? I'd hate-"
"Garakk, I just feel a little drunk and my mouths fuzzyy, haaardly life threat'ning," Julian interrupted. "Actually, feeeels kinda goood. If I get worssse, you-" Julian lazily pokes Garak's nose, "caaan get usss both arrested if it'll make you feel better". Then to punctuate the sentiment he nuzzles into his lizards neck. Julian, though impaired, is correct. By all accounts, a non augmented human would have been paralyzed by the time he had given Julian the hypospray. An infirmary visit would bring up uncomfortable questions no one wanted to answer. Plus, the illegal augment and the cardassian who poisoned him would probably not be allowed to share a holding cell.
"If you say so my dear," allowing himself to relax slightly as he holds his poison drunk human, who would eventually doze off into a quiet snore, Garak content to watch over him.
Julian would wake up the next morning, still in his now sleeping lizard's arms, ready to research his previous night's experience. Though he might have to convince Garak to allow him to do a couple more practical tests.