"They may not understand you, but I do". For the prompt thingy. Some Garashir if you may <3
"They may not understand you, but I do." It's soft, barely above a whisper and barely above the late-night hum of the Promenade.
They'd been walking on the upper level, just watching, when Garak spoke. At the realization of these words hit Julian hard, like a fist to the solar plexus. And indeed it took a moment for him to catch Garak's meaning.
"You mean you knew?"
"About the augmentation?" Garak replies. "But of course."
Julian opens his mouth to ask, but he catches Garak's tongue dart out of his mouth, "sipping the air," he'd called it and that makes Julian go pale.
"You knew."
"Of course."
"And you didn't tell anyone."
"My dear doctor," Garak says, putting a hand on Julian's shoulder, "it's not a crime on Cardassia to want the perfect child."
"So you're saying I would have been defective on your world."
"You were considered defective on your own planet by those who raised you," Garak points out. "It's not a crime. And you grew up to be who you needed to be."
"I understand we don't have the same concept of time, Elim," the doctor's voice is little more than a hiss, using Garak's first name venomously, "but how do you know I am who I'm supposed to be."
"Because I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you," Garak says softly.
Julian turns, studying Garak's face for a lie (he's gotten quite good at it too, Garak must confess proudly) and finds none. The barrier of his shoulders drops and he sighs. "You're quite selfish, Garak."
"It is a trait one must acquire to survive," Garak replies with a smile.
Julian laughs easy, light-hearted and looking quite boyish and it warms Garak's chest.
