There were oft times that Garak wished that he was less schooled at reading expressions, at being able to tell the open and honest truth from a banal mask that someone had put into place to conceal the truth of a situation. But the Order had trained him too well. The Order had trained him in all things too well but in this most of all as he peered at Julian, quietly filing away his even and placating greeting after the mess of a conversation that had prompted him even coming here in the first place. What hurt about being able to read Julian's masks, though, was that Garak knew that the only reason that was even there was likely because of him. His dear doctor had been so open, sincere, expressive when he'd first arrived on the station, and while he didn't think it tutelage had done anything to lessen the truth of that, it had certainly given him the tools to conceal the truth of his emotions far better than he'd been able to before.
And while normally he would have been proud of the progress that had been made, all Garak really needed right now was a clear answer.
Oh, the irony.
"I believe to may own you an apology, doctor," Garak said, the words quiet, barely audible, as he stepped into the apartment at Julian's behest, his gaze fixed firmly on the ground, his posture that of a man defeated. "It seems I've... reasserted myself back into your life without any consideration for the boundaries that had been previously drawn."
Garak left any of the 'I had hoped' or 'I thought' or 'Without the war' additions that he'd wanted to tack onto the end of that statement to clarify his position, to assert his hope for their continued acquaintance, to swim isolated in his head, ping-ponging off of each other in a cascade of thoughts and emotions left unsaid. What would be the point of lingering on them? After all, they'd never gotten him anything good before. Why would it start now?
"Sentiment, it seems, is still my greatest failing, no matter what I try and do to clear that flaw," Garak murmured, sighing to himself, lingering for a moment in the statement before clearing his throat. He hadn't really meant to just barrel forward without any consideration for the niceties, but it had seemed rather perfunctory to bother with them right now. Julian likely wanted rid of him as quickly as possible.
"Whatever objections you have to voice towards my behavior, I am happy to hear them to at least... improve enough for my presence to not be a burden. I just..." worry. I worry about you. But again, Garak left that go unvoiced, swallowing down on the statement as he lingered awkwardly just inside the door, hands hanging supplicatingly at his side. No sense in giving Julian reason to wonder if these were just honeyed words for an ulterior motive by hiding his hands behind his back, no matter how much he wanted to shrink in on himself. "Just tell me what you need me to do, and it will be done."