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Dukat had clearly won whatever argument he’d come to have with Sisko – or at least, had gotten enough concessions that he could think of it as a win. He came out of the Commander’s office with a swagger and a smirk. Julian knew Dukat was aware of the hateful eyes of every person in the room fixed on him, and was sure the man reveled in it.
And then Dukat paused. A puzzled expression crossed his face.
Uh oh.
He lifted his chin slightly and sniffed the air.
Uh oh.
Dukat’s eyes darted across the room and Julian did not manage to look away in time. For a split second, their eyes met – and that was all Dukat needed. Julian pretended to be focused on the computer readout O’Brien was reviewing. From the corner of his eye, he saw Dukat began to move his way, hands behind his back, his stride casual and contemplative.
Damn.
“Good day, Doctor,” Dukat said. Julian could feel the leer, and when he steeled himself and turned around, yes, there it was. “You seem to be doing well today.”
“I was doing better this morning,” Julian said. He’d intended it to mean the rest of the day had been ruined by Dukat’s presence, but Dukat smirked. His eyes flicked up and down over Julian.
“Yes, I can tell.” His nostrils flared. “You had a very good morning, didn’t you?”
Miles instantly rose to Julian’s defense, which Julian would have appreciated at any other time, about any other subject.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he demanded, bristling.
“Let it be, Miles,” Julian muttered.
“Cardassians have an excellent sense of smell,” Dukat said airily. “We can communicate quite a lot of information to each other with the release of certain…pheromones.”
Julian began to blush. Damn, damn, damn. He should have known this would happen, he knew how good the Cardassian sense of smell was! The minute Dukat arrived, Julian should have made himself scarce.
Too late now.
“Julian’s no Cardassian," Miles said, "So whatever you think you’re smelling, I doubt you are.”
“He’s not a Cardassian.” Dukat inhaled again and leaned in. Julian refused to lean away. “I know some of my officers were on the Promenade this morning. I’m curious which of them managed to catch you.” He chuckled. “Ah, sorry – the phrase is ‘catch your eye’, isn’t it?”
“The only reason I would touch your men is if they were suffering a medical emergency,” Julian said tightly.
“Nice try, doctor.” Another inhale. “Older, male…Perhaps Glin Lukor? He always had an eye for youth and beauty.”
“Older ma—” Suddenly Miles groaned. “Oh for God’s sake, you had sex with Garak in the infirmary supply closet again, didn’t you?”
The effect was immediate. Dukat jerked back several steps.
“Garak?”
“I did not!” Julian sputtered.
“I suppose you two were just having a lively debate in there, then?”
“Garak?” Dukat said again. “You and Garak are—”
“Romantically and sexually involved, yes,” Julian snapped at him before turning back to Miles. “I have never and would never have sex with anyone in the infirmary supply room. There’s sterilized medical equipment in there, it’s not sanitary!”
“Publicly?” Dukat demanded.
“More semi-public, I’d say,” O’Brien said snidely.
“We lock the door!” Julian protested.
“That doesn’t make it any less semi-public.”
“I meant, you are public about your…you…you and him. You let people know?”
“Why wouldn’t I let people know?” Julian asked, although he knew exactly why Dukat found that so disturbing. Cardassians took appearances and social standing deadly serious. Garak, an exile, had nothing but his charm to recommend him – for a Cardassian with Julian’s equivalent standing, it would be an outright scandal to be connected with him.
“Of all the Cardassians in galaxy you could have, you chose that one?”
“As opposed to who?” Julian demanded. “You?”
Dukat drew up sharply, glaring at him.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” he growled. Julian opened his mouth to point out that Dukat had referred to him as ‘youth and beauty’, when Miles spoke.
“Hold on. Not in the infirmary supply closet? Then what supply closet are you having sex in?”
Silence.
“Julian.”
Julian squirmed.
“What supply closet, Julian.”
Julian glanced at his watch and hissed.
“Ohh, look at the time, I just remembered I have a surgical consultation, got to run, goodbye.”
“Julian!” Miles bellowed after him as Julian took off down the hall. “Julian!”