"Doctor, I confess I don't quite understand. Why the — tuxedo, did you call them?" Garak asked, tugging at his own lapels with a curious expression. "What is their significance in spywork?"
Julian looked at him, heart doing another funny leap in his chest at the sight of Garak in a tux. He might have imagined he'd be used to it, now, after so many hours in Garak's company, but instead, every glance in Garak's direction sent another fluttering of attraction through him, drying his mouth and heating his face. He coughed, clearing his throat.
"I don't think actual spies wore them often," he offered, trying in vain to recall everything he knew about ancient Earth intelligence systems. "Spies in movies wore tuxes, though, so the image was popularized."
"Indeed? Why, then, were they used in movies, if they were not actually used by spies?"
Garak's eyes were sharp and fascinated as they looked at him, an odd edge to them, and Julian gulped, feeling strangely paralyzed beneath them.
"Well, I don't know, Garak. They just — look nice, I suppose," Julian managed. "They're, ah — considered sexy. Or were, at least. They still are, mostly, but—" He cut himself off, flushing.
Garak widened his eyes at him, looking half-scandalized and half-delighted. "Sexy? With so much skin covered?" Tugging again at the fabric, Garak let out an incredulous scoff.
"Ah, but that's the appeal, Garak!" Julian countered, taking refuge in the familiarity of an argument. "Covering up so much skin means there's more to look forward to when you take it off. It's about the anticipation."
Then Garak's eyes seemed to pin Julian to the wall, and every speck of composure he'd gathered dissolved in an instant.
"Is that so?" Garak purred, stepping, suddenly, closer. One grey-scaled hand reached up and teased carefully at Julian's bowtie, and Julian realized all at once that he had, perhaps, erred. Garak tugged once, and the ribbon unraveled, falling easily away from Julian's neck. "I admit, it's a fascinating prospect, when you put it like that."