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“…of course I’ll be there, I wouldn’t miss your wedding for anything. Tell me when you decide on the date so I can put in for leave.”
Jadzia loved a good wedding. At heart she was a romantic soul and she was thrilled for her sister. Plus this meant that within a few years she could expect a niece or nephew to spoil; children had long been part of her sister’s life plan and Jadzia intended to be a fun aunt.
Before she could resume her video letter, someone rang the door chime. “Computer, pause recording. Come in.”
Julian didn’t so much walk as bound in to her quarters. “Am I interrupting?”
“Nothing that can’t wait a little longer. I’m recording a message for my sister. Make yourself comfortable.”
He sat on one end of the couch, grinning. “I have a date with Garak the night after tomorrow.”
This didn’t surprise Jadzia as much as he seemed to think it would. He hadn’t mentioned an interested in Garak, but she had suspected, and the Cardassian’s interest in him was fairly obvious. “That’s wonderful, Julian.”
“You really think so?”
“Of course I do.” Garak worked by his own set of rules, as he’d recently demonstrated, but he was obviously very fond of Julian and it was good for Julian to finally see a man romantically. Far be it from her to judge his taste in men. “It’s been clear that he’s interested in you.”
This was evidently news to Julian, though she had no idea how he’d missed it. “What? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought you knew, and you know I don’t like to give unsolicited advice.”
“I had no idea.” He considered for a minute. “I’m bad at this.”
He wasn’t great, but far better than he’d been when they first met. From what he’d mentioned about his repressive upbringing, he probably started adult life at a disadvantage. “You’re improving. So how did this come about?”
“Well, I told him a couple of weeks ago about being gay. My holocounselor said I needed to tell another person.”
“And you chose Garak?” Not Chief O’Brien, which was interesting and rather telling.
“Yes. At the time he expressed his utter confusion regarding homophobia, and then he said it would be hypocritical of him to share such views anyway.”
“And?” This was shaping up to be a good story.
“He came to my quarters tonight and made a shocking offer…”
Julian always set aside time to read medical journals and the latest work on spinal surgery out of Denobula was quite interesting, though he wasn’t sure the theory would hold up for some of his patients. The Bajoran nervous system differed in subtle but important ways from that of many other species which might make this new technique impossible. He was examining diagrams from the study alongside an image of the Bajoran spine when someone rang his door chime.
“Come in.”
Garak stepped inside. “Good evening, Doctor.”
“Hello Garak.”
“If this is a bad time, I can return…”
“No, not a bad time. Just considering some new medical research from Denobula. I won’t bore you with the details. Would you like to sit?”
Apparently not, because he remained standing. “I expect to remain on the station for the foreseeable future.”
Julian had guessed as much, and was selfishly glad. Did that make him a terrible friend, he wondered? Possibly. But he’d missed Garak, and even though he wasn’t happy about what his friend might’ve put Odo through (the details of which nobody would share), he was pleased Garak was back. Besides, Odo wasn’t holding anything against Garak, so why should Julian?
“As much as I enjoy our lunches, I’m sorry,” he said. “I know this isn’t your first choice.”
“Please, don’t misunderstand me. I didn’t come to discuss my misfortunes.”
“Oh?”
Garak looked slightly less sure of himself than usual, which had Julian’s complete attention. “I wish to speak to you regarding our conversation on your sexual interest in men.”
“It was a memorable conversation.” And one which had gone very well, even if learning that Garak was also not heterosexual (he gave the impression of an unexclusive sexuality) had prompted a bit of awkward soul-searching. On the bright side, Julian now had two friends who knew about his preference and were entirely unbothered. His holocounselor thought it excellent progress. He was starting to feel better about his future.
“It’s customary on Cardassia for one to have a kon’lo’ut. As precisely as I can translate, a teaching lover. If you find yourself in need, I would be happy to serve as your kon’lo’ut.”
That was unexpected. So unexpected that Julian’s brain just froze for a moment. “I…”
“I won’t be offended if you’re not interested, Doctor.”
“No. Yes. I need to sit down.”
Julian was in no way ready for this conversation. He’d only come to terms with his interest in Garak recently and – oh. Maybe he hadn’t hidden that so well as he thought. In any case he didn’t have the luxury of more time to mull everything over, but at least his brain wasn’t frozen anymore. It was galloping off in several directions at once now, presenting various ‘what if’ scenarios which weren’t very helpful to Julian’s focus.
“Well, that’s unusual. Generally one either answers ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ not both,” quipped Garak, who joined him on the couch.
He was thirty years old and perfectly capable of holding a reasonable adult conversation about sex and relationships with a friend. “Garak, I can’t just have sex with you.”
That didn’t come out like he wanted, but Garak picked up on the important word nevertheless.
“Just?”
“I don’t know what this kon’lo’ut practice entails, if it’s just sex or more, but I don’t want someone who’s only a sexual partner. I want more.”
Garak’s face gave away nothing. “Could you define more?”
“A relationship. I’m not asking for promises of forever. I’m asking for dates and affection in addition to the physical intimacy.” He did want sex, if not immediately, but he also wanted someone to spend time with, someone who could ease the frustration of a bad day and join him on holiday when he had leave. He wanted kissing and laughter and companionship.
“Something between sex without any attachment and eternal love?” suggested Garak. He was still sitting on the couch, which Julian decided had to be a good sign.
“Exactly. Something to enjoy in the here and now. A boyfriend, really.” There was an awkward pause before he echoed Garak’s earlier words. “If you’re not interested, I won’t be offended.” There was, after all, a considerable difference between what Garak offered and what he wanted.
“I am certainly interested. And surprised. I’m not an easy man to surprise, Doctor.” Garak was pleased, though whether that was from the boyfriend aspect or the surprise Julian couldn’t be sure.
“You are? Interested?” He wanted to make sure he had heard correctly.
“Of course.”
Julian didn’t think there was any ‘of course’ about it. In the interest of disclosing relevant information, he admitted, “The thing is, I’m not ready to jump into bed quite yet.” Wanted to, yes. Ready, not quite. Still working through a few decades’ worth of issues there and the last thing he needed was performance anxiety.
“I am content to wait for you to share my bed as long as you share more of my time,” said Garak.
“Oh yes. Absolutely.” Julian’s heart rate picked up considerably at the thought.
“You entrusted me with personal information. By Cardassian custom if this is to be a relationship of equals, I am therefore obligated to disclose to you that this will be a new experience for me as well. I’ve enjoyed my share of liaisons, but never had the opportunity to develop any… attachment.”
He suspected that revelation required a light answer, so despite his considerable relief that they were in some ways even, he said, “An occupational hazard for tailors, or so I’m told.”
Garak nodded. “It’s the hours. I’m obligated to work late nights on inconvenient occasions.”
“I can say the same. Emergency surgeries are part of the job description.”
“I believe there’s an appropriate human idiom about residing in the same vehicle.”
“In the same boat.”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
At this lull in the conversation, Julian decided they ought to get around to scheduling a date. “I have holosuite time at 2000 the evening after next. Would you like to join me?”
“Very much. Will I need any special clothes?”
What program should they visit? He’d intended to take skiing lessons but Garak wouldn’t enjoy that in the least, so something else. Something much warmer. Inspiration struck when he remembered that Garak had just finished Jones, Ltd. Besides being arguably the greatest novel of the mid-twenty-first century, the book had several scenes set at Stonehenge that had piqued Garak’s curiosity. Julian was certain he’d seen a ‘wonders of Earth’ program listed in Quark’s database which included Stonehenge.
“No special clothes. How about visiting Stonehenge?”
“I would enjoy that. Shall I meet you at Quark’s?”
“Yes.”
Odo chose that moment to comm. “Odo to Dr. Bashir.”
“Bashir.”
“It will be best for all concerned if you certify the Algorian fungal colonies so the Algorian freighter can get on its way.”
The Algorians had only arrived that afternoon and Julian wasn’t scheduled to inspect their cargo until the next morning. Terrible timing. “Which docking port are they at?”
“Three.”
“I’ll meet you in fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you. Odo out.”
“Sorry,” he told Garak, “Duty calls. If all goes well Quark will be serving fried mushrooms soon.” Algorian mushrooms (real mushrooms, not the sub-par replicated variety) were delicious and particularly good when fried, so Julian hoped the colonies were healthy for consumption.
“Let it never be said that I interfere with your responsibilities, Doctor.”
“We’re going on a date. You really should call me Julian.”
Garak angled his head slightly, a movement Julian had learned to associate with deliberate contemplation. “I prefer Garak to my own given name.”
“It’s your name, at least. Doctor is my title.”
“True,” conceded Garak as they stood. “Julian, I look forward to seeing you the evening after next at Quark’s.”
“So do I,” he said, though he was fairly sure his face made his happiness quite clear.
“…and the Algorian mushroom colonies are more than fit for consumption, except of course by Vulcans, so maybe we’ll have some after the holosuite,” concluded Julian.
Jadzia was happy for him and more than a little relieved that he was going into this relationship with reasonable expectations. Garak didn’t strike her as the promises of forever type, but he’d be good for Julian in the here and now.
“I’m happy for you.”
“I’m quite happy myself,” he said with a smile.
Yes, she approved of this development wholeheartedly because he was so pleased. It was adorable to see him jittery with excitement over the first date, a sentiment Julian wouldn’t appreciate but which was nevertheless entirely true. Jadzia liked to see her friends happy and Julian was a good friend, the man who didn’t hesitate to cancel his plans and instead spend an entire afternoon keeping her company when her grandfather died and who tracked down an obscure Klingon opera recording for her birthday just because she’d mentioned the piece offhand.
Others would object to the relationship with Garak and she would try to reason with them if necessary; she had enough life experience to recognize that what mattered here wasn’t the list of ways this could go wrong but the ways in which it was definitely right for Julian.
She couldn’t agree on the Algorian mushrooms, though.