Julian watched the clock on his desk hit 2000 as he transferred the last of his reports to their appropriate recipients. He was famished and more than a little agitated as he turned off his monitors and left the infirmary. He started for Quark's when Dax appeared and took him by the arm.

"Hello Julian."

"Jadzia. Hello, what are you doing out, didn't your shift end a few hours ago?" She smiled and steered him towards the turbo lifts.

"Oh,I just got done with dinner at Quark's. You know how Morn likes to keep a conversation."

"Funny. I was heading there now." Julian attempted to pull away and resume his course, but Jadzia's grip was firm.

"No Julian, I believe you were heading to your quarters." Julian glanced back and then stared at Jadzia, who was looking straight ahead and keeping a firm pace.

"Dax. What's going on, why must I go to my quarters." Jadzia glanced around and guided Julian into a turbo lift, quing the computer to take them to his level. "Jadzia."

"You'll find out in due time, Julian. I just can't discuss it with you right now." Concerned. Julian pulled away and attempted to stop the turbo lift. He gasped when his access codes were denied.

"Lieutenant Jadzia Dax I demand to know what's going on this instant!" Dax sighed and stepped out of the turbolift as the doors opened.

"You know, I remember a time when you'd have killed to have me blindly leading you to your quarters." Bashir huffed and remained in the turbolift with his arms crossed.

"That was before I decided that I had had enough of being teased and toyed with" Dax scoffed.

"I hope not, otherwise you're going to have a boring night." Bashir stood slack jawed at the Trill's comment. She took the pause to her advantage and pulled the doctor from the turbolift and into the corridor.

"Jadzia, you know that I can't- I mean, you were there when I- Garak and I are kind of-" Dax laughed.

"Julian. I'm not propositioning you." She stopped them in front of his quarters and smiled. "I'm warning you." She keyed open his doors and pushed him in, firmly sealing the door behind her. Once Julian came to his senses he noticed that his room had been thoroughly demolished. A large number of his possessions were strewn around the room, and his furniture had either been toppled or emptied.

"I've been robbed!" Jadzia laughed once more and elbowed Bashir in the ribs.
"No, Julian, you've been examined. Im sure mostly everything is still here. Though he said he'd been careful." Julian grabbed Dax by the shoulders and spun her to face him.

"You know what happened here? Who did this?" Dax sighed.

"Julian. Of course I know. I wouldn't be here if I didn't know. The state of your room isn't important right now. What you need now is to get out of that uniform and into something nicer. Now." Julian ran his hands through his ahar in frustration.

"Who can I wear anything nice if everything I own is on the floor right now?" Dax shrugged.

"I suspect the outfit you'll want to wear is hanging up in your bathroom, if I had to take a guess." Angrily, Bashir stomped into his bathroom and sure enough a pastel blue ensemble was hanging on a hook on his wall. Julian stormed out of the bathroom with the outfit, only to find the room devoid of the Trill. A note tacked onto the door said simply "Get Dressed"

The doctor, perplexed by the current goings on of his evening, did as he was told. And was surprised at the sheer comfort and fit of the garment that he had dressed in. The color was one that he himself would never have chosen, yet he had to admire how the whole of the outfit seemed tailor made for him.

It was at this moment that the Doctor could have slapped himself for his stupidity. Of course Garak would be responsible for this. Bashir would have expected nothing less. Working off of conjecture, Bashir left his quarters to find a trail of flower petals lining the floor of the corridor.

Julian laughed to himself at the ridiculousness of the gesture,but found himself blushing at the thought of Garak making such an obviously overblown attempt at a "traditional" human date.

The doctor made his way to Garak's quarters and found the door ajar, he stepped in to a dimly lit room, with soft music playing and a candle lit table occupying the space where Garak's des had been. The temperature in the room was far hotter than the specifications of the station ought to have allowed, yet Julian found that he didn't mind.

"Doctor Bashir." Garak's voice filtered in from the room adjacent to the main room. Julian turned to see Garak standing in the doorway, dressed in an impressive red suit with a neckline that anyone of any species would recognize as revealing.
"Garak I-wow." Julian found himself completely in awe. He didn't know whether it was the heat, the atmosphere, or the view of the Cardassian's shoulders that had rendered him so.

"I'm glad to see you've managed to bring your most eloquent vocabulary with you this evening." Garak smiled and moved his way from the door, brushing past the doctor and seating himself at the table. "Would you care to join me?"

Bashir nodded and sat across from the Cardassian. It was then that he noticed the scintillating smells coming from the dishes on the table.

"I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of replicating some traditional Earth dishes, as well as a few of my personal Cardassian favorites." Bashir lifted the lid from his plate to find Chicken Masala and Moukhbaza, as well as Tojal and Sem'hal Stew

"I've also acquired some Chocolate cake for dessert, if you're still hungry." Bashir sighed and placed his head in his hands with his elbows braced against the table. Garak looked on with concern,the good humor slipping from his face.

"Doctor , is something wrong?" Bashir glanced up from his hands and wiped his face.
"No, nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect. You are-" Julian shook his head and grinned. "This is wonderful, Garak. How did you get all this together." He paused and closed his eyes. "Wait. Don't tell me. Dax."

"And others. Chief O'Brien was quite helpful in helping me get everything set up more comfortably. Odo managed to uncover the recipe for your favorite foods, by whatever And of course Siko was invaluable at helping me with what he assured me was authentic romantic ambiance for the occasion." Bashir stared forward, horror struck.

"Was there anyone on this station who wasn't involved in this production? " Garak grew concerned by the sharp tone the doctor took.

"Well Morn stayed relatively to himself." Bashir laughed and took a bite of the food on his plate. Garak took on a tone of concern. "You aren't upset, are you?" Bashir glanced up from his food and shook his head.

"No! No Garak, I'm not upset." He wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I'm honored. Truely. You went out such great lengths to put together-" He gestured around the room. " a perfect date. By whatever means it was achieved I appreciate it." Bashir reached a hand across the table and laid his fingers atop Garak's. "I mean it."

Garak glanced down and gripped the doctor's hand quietly. The pair ate quietly for a few moments, before Bashir interjected, confused.

"Hold on. How long have you been planning this?" Garak looked up from his plate.

"Only since this morning, why?" Bashir let go of Garak's hand and gestured to their outfits.

"How did you manage to tailor two unique outfits in less than twelve hours?" Garak chuckled and smoothed out the fabric of his outfit."

"My dear doctor, this ensemble is well over a decade old. And nowhere near one of my designs. Though I am truly flattered that you think my handiwork to be at this level of quality. I purchased it while I was on Cardassia from Silara Makbar herself! A significant investment, but well worth it, don't you think?"

Bashir nodded in agreement, hoping that it wasn't inherently obvious that he had no idea who Silara Makbar was, or why any of that was important.

"As for your suit, well, I actually began working on it last night. Not that I had any foresight as to an occasion where it would be necessary, but rather, as a gift."

"A gift?"

"Yes. You stated yesterday that you liked the fabric of the dress Lieutenant Dax was wearing, so I began working on a suit for you. Sisko did say a gift was customary for these sorts of occasions." Bashir chuckled.

"Yes, a bouquet of flowers or some chocolates." Bashir leaned forward on his elbows. "Then again what else could I expect from you but an overly thought out, over the top, piece of Cardassian artistry." Garak sighed and sat up straighter in his seat.

"Doctor, if you don't like the suit, I'll be happy to take it back and get you a more suitable gift." Julian smirked.

"Oh I'd bet you'd love to get this suit off of me." Garak guffawed.

"Oh really doctor. What immaturity! Is physical satisfaction all that you think of?" Bashir leaned back in his seat and put his arms behind his head.

"I don't know Garak. Perhaps the answer lies with the reason you're wearing woman's makeup." Garak crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Honestly, I do not know what you're talking about." Bashir pointed to Garak's forehead.

"Blue paint on your central crest, as well as on the second and fourth neck ridges. Not to mention the light blue powder on your chest." Garak glanced down instinctively. " Oh wait. That's just you, blushing." Garak glared at the doctor. "You see, Garak, I've been studying up on Cardassian customs and traditions. So I'm well aware of what such painting indicates on a female Cardassian." He leaned forward over the table, his face close to Garak's. "What does it mean for you?"

Garak could feel a slight agitation rising in his chest , and he was having far more trouble than normal containing it.
"Well, Julian." He spit out the word. "Perhaps it was my attempt at respectfully making sure that my intentions were clear." Julian smiled.
"Your intentions, huh? And what are those." Garak rolled his eyes.

"Really doctor. What are you hoping to get out of agitating me like this." Bashir sat back down and shrugged.

"Laid, preferably." Garak looked truly confused as he stared at the doctor.

"Pardon?"

"Wasn't it you who spoke of Cardassian flirting being 'all about get the blood flowing, to kindle that fire to the point where there are only two possible options, to back down or to act on it' I was simply trying my hand at your version of romance." Garak sighed, but a smile tugged at his lips.

"Generally, Doctor, such debate is done with far more finesse and decorum." Bashir shrugged.

"Forgive me for being too distracted to pay too much mind to delicacy. After all, you are an extrodinarily attractive individual." Garak rolled his eyes once more.

"Flattery Doctor?" Bashir shrugged and leaned in conspiratorially.
"Is it working?" Garak smiled and pulled Bashir up into a kiss. It was light and brief, but still left both of them breathless.

"To put it briefly Doctor. Yes."