Unchallenged

Title: Unchallenged.

Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Pairing: Garak/Bashir. Can be read as non-slashy, depending on your goggles. The slash goggles are on pretty tightly here, though. ;o)

Word count: 693.

Rating: PG.

Warnings: Direct spoiler for Season 5 episode 16: Doctor Bashir, I Presume.

Beta:

tli ! Thank you, mistress!Feedback: Yes please.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Cardies or Doctors.

Summary: Garak has a unique reaction to the recent revelation of Doctor Bashir's background.

Link to this fic on AO3.

Julian was drumming his fingers on the tabletop, waiting in agonising impatience for Garak to show up for their weekly lunch at the Replimat. Not two days earlier had his father gone to prison, leaving Julian to pick up what he could of his career and friends now that he had been outed as a genetic freak. To assume that Garak didn't know everything already was a pointless assumption and Julian was torn between believing that Garak would hate his lying hide – or worse - that he wouldn't show up at all.

But he did. Right on schedule – which in Garak's case meant almost half an hour late – with his hands full of padds.

“I do apologise for my lateness, Doctor, I hope I haven't kept you from your meal?” Garak chatted easily while he sat down and started arranging the padds in front of him.

Julian glanced at the completely empty table and wondered if Garak had even looked before he started his usual greeting. But he was very happy that Garak at least seemed perfectly friendly, if somewhat distracted.

“That's perfectly all right. I wasn't very hungr-”

Apparently ignoring the doctor entirely, Garak interrupted: “I really must apologise again. Clearly, I have been remiss in my instruction of you, and I can hardly blame you for not showing me the full span of your skills when I keep giving you inferior tasks.”

Blinking, Julian said quietly: “Pardon?”

As if he finally realised that his lunch companion was even there, Garak fixed his intense eyes on Julian and waved a padd in front of his face. “This! Is a pile of rubbish when read in the sorry excuse for a Federation translation, so it's no wonder you never understood the subtle nuances and exquisite phrasing of Preloc's works.”

“Uh... Garak...”

“I mean, how could you possibly experience the entire, exhilarating journey of The Never-Ending Sacrifice, if you only ever read it in such an inferior language – no offence – and trust me, you will never hear a word of reproach from me on the subject in the future. It's entirely my failing as an instructor that has kept our literary discussions at such an unsophisticated level. I should have realised ages ago that you were simply under-stimulated!”

Julian started waving his hands, trying to get Garak's attention. His eyes were glazed over with frenzied excitement and even the doctor in Julian was getting a little worried.

“Garak, please, listen-”

“And don't even get me started on the Enigma Tales!” Garak pushed on. “How you ever managed to play through entire scenarios with only such bland translation is clearly testament only to your unacknowledged skills and my blindness. I must apologise once again for underestimating you, and I do hope you can find it in your rigid, Federation heart to forgive me. Now, I thought we could start again with Preloc in Kardasi and if you get bored before we find time for another lunch, I've brought some Vulcan poetry-”

“GARAK!” Julian bellowed, finally putting a stop to the one-sided conversation. “I'm sorry, but I think you've misunderstood. I haven't been holding back on you. At all. I swear I'm not feeling under-stimulated.”

Blinking as if not really understanding the words spoken, Garak merely took a breath and carried on. “Well, don't worry, I realise now of course that you've been playing my game right back at me and I salute you for that, but trust me, I shall never underestimate you again.”

He started piling the padds in front of Julian. “These should keep you busy for the next week and now that I'm aware of my mistake, I've no doubt that you know exactly what to look for if I still haven't provided enough for you.”

“But... but, Garak,” Julian stammered. “I don't speak or read Kardasi!”

Getting up from the table with a truly terrifying smile, Garak replied: “Perhaps not. But by this time next week... you will. Have a nice day, doctor.”

Garak then left Julian sitting there, clutching the padds and wondering if Garak wasn't going to be the biggest challenge of them all.

End.