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After leaving Vic’s, Quark led them to another holosuite before stepping away to get one of his own programs. Upon return, he handed Julian the data rod for inspection.
Las Vegas (Earth) - 2350.
“Same city?”
“Call it time travel.”
It was a nice program—not one Julian had tried before. Another club, more crowded, only a little outdated-looking in its closer time period. They had a reserved table waiting, of course. The performers were wearing substantially less clothing and more glitter.
They spent a couple of hours watching the acts and sipping synthesized champagne without talking much.
On stage, another acrobatic and scantily clad routine was happening. Julian decided to reach across the table. He made about a second of contact with Quark’s ear when Quark gently took hold of his wrist and pulled his hand away. He looked at Julian with suspicion.
“No?” Julian asked.
“Is this an examination, Doctor?”
“It’s a helical caress.”
Quark grinned, though not without wariness. He let go, lowering his own hand back to the table.
Julian returned his finger back to where he’d previously touched him and drew it slowly upward.
The inhale from Quark would have been audible to anyone in their vicinity.
But everyone else was a non-sentient hologram. No one turned to look.
Julian continued tracing a slow clockwise circle, dipping back behind the lobe and adding a bit more pressure to create intentional drag, tugging on it. Quark breathed out shakily. Returning to the outer helix, Julian began the move again.
After a couple of passes, he pinched the ear’s lower edge. It made Quark gasp and shift around in his chair. Julian thumbed the second rim of cartilage, squeezing it between his fingers as Quark squirmed in place.
Quark dropped his gaze from where it had been fixed on the ceiling, flicking his eyes over to Julian, lashes fluttering in a way that looked involuntary, lips parted.
Julian maneuvered into a tragal tease. Quark's reaction was immediate—more shifting around, the movement of his hips obvious. Julian knew what would be happening out of sight: tissue swelling, growing slick.
From there, things became a pattern of techniques while Quark writhed. When Julian slid a finger into his ear, Quark let out a broken moan and went tense, clenching his hands into fists before opening them into the empty air before him, sans awareness, reaching towards nothing. His eyes were shut, pleasure turning his expression into something blissful, transcendent. Julian watched closely, adding a few twists of his wrist as Quark slowly came down from things.
“Uh—okay,” Quark whispered, managing a trembling wave. Julian withdrew his hand.
Quark pitched forward onto the table. Slowly, his panting changed to laughter. After moments, he pushed back upright. “Well,” he said. “That was something. I could return the favor?”
Julian shook his head. “No need,” he said, and smiled at him. “You know, I think my curiosity… has been satisfied.”
Quark nodded with some consideration, looking amused. “Happy to help.”