So @ectogeo-rebubbles suggested I post a snippet of my current unnamed fic with the document title “The Bite in “Cardassians”” about how Julian seems to treat garak twice for a relatively minor wound so here is a bit of it:
“This might sting a bit.” Julian ran the disinfectant over the two crescents of pierced flesh. Garak did not react but rather stared at his hand loosely nestled in Julian’s.
“Damn. I have never seen a boy take a bite out of a man’s hand like this.” Julian lifted Garak’s hand up to eye-level and turned it over from one side to another.
“Cardassians have strong teeth and jaws.” Garak spoke mildly but he was transfixed and he was sure his pulse was racing. Get control of yourself, Garak, he thought he’s just treating a wound.
“Yes, but they also have thick skin.” Julian glanced up at him. “And it’s not as if your hands are delicate or small.”Julian pressed his smaller hand flat against Garak’s to prove the point. Garak flinched at the welcome but also unwelcome affectionate gesture.
“Oh, sorry, that probably hurt. I wasn’t thinking.” Julian dropped his hand away from Garak’s and reached for a tricorder. “I should probably make sure he didn’t break any bones.”
Julian picked up Garak’s hand again and began to run the tricorder over it. He held it loosely but curled his fingertips into Garak’s sensitive palm with his thumb resting on the back of his hand. Does he really need to pick it up so much? Garak grumbled internally. Why can’t he just have me put it on a table or something?
“Well, no broken bones. That’s good.” Garak hmphed in response. Julian smiled at him as he put down the tricorder and grabbed the regenerator. He began moving it across Garak’s hand in smooth, even passes. It seemed to Garak that he was even trying to hypnotize him with the treatment as well as drive him crazy by holding his hand like that. “The punctures are still quite deep, I might need you to come back for another round with the regenerator.”
“Doctor, do you really think you’re going to get me in here twice?” Garak raised his eye ridges. I couldn’t stand another round of this.
“No, but it’s worth a shot.” Julian laughed and brushed his thumb over the back of Garak’s hand. Garak nearly jumped off the bed at that, but luckily it went unnoticed by the doctor who was flipping Garak’s hand over to run the regenerator over the punctures on his palm. Now it was Julian’s thumb pressing gently into his palm. Garak stared intently at it.
“It’s not as bad as it looks.”
“Hmm?” Garak looked up in confusion and met Julian’s wide reassuring eyes. Oh, the dear doctor thinks I’m worried about this little wound. A little insidious voice, okay, maybe not such a little voice, spoke in the back of his mind to advise him to play into it. So he lowered his gaze then flicked his eyes back up to Julian’s. “Oh, you don’t think it’ll scar, do you?”
“Oh.” Julian’s gaze immediately softened and his fingers twitched around Garak’s hand. “No, it shouldn’t, but if you are worried about it, let me do the second treatment.”
“I suppose I will have to brave your infirmary a second time.”
“Oh, it can’t be that bad.” Julian grinned. “Look you’ve been in here, what, ten minutes? And nothing terrible has happened.”
If only you knew, Garak thought bitterly but smiled at the doctor anyway. Julian looked up at him and his grin morphed into a softer smile.
