#constablegoo

The station was a confusing, bustling hub. Not quite so bewildering, perhaps, if she weren't already at a crossroad, a final argument ringing in her ears. Nicole stared about her, taking in the docks and perhaps looking as lost as she felt. She had no plan. She should have made a plan.

And then-- evidently-- someone recognized the ship she'd arrived on. There was a bustle of activity, guards moving toward the connecting airlock. Amidst the crowd, Nicole turned to watch the ship-- and the criminal who'd given her a home, these last years-- disengage and pull away. No violence enacted on this station. A concession... or a final gift.

Fuck, this was so different from leaving her mother, but her chest still ached. And now she was alone again, without home or connections. She could only hope her anonymity would protect her, as she tried for a new start in life. Again.

odo insisted on walking him back to his quarters. they’re right there, he’d argued, just down the corridor. but, odo and mutt arguing is like an unstoppable force meeting an immoveable object. he relented, if only to stop before the exasperation in odo’s tone turned into anger directed at him. even still, he knows the cardassians and jem’hadar were too stupid to catch him sneaking back, but the vorta-- but weyoun--

his door slides open with the same old muted mechanized release. mutt habitually chews on his lower lip, turning. “ ...you can come in. ‘f you wa-- “ he’s stopped mid-offer when he finds himself gathered in odo’s arms. (or, rather, his approximation of arms.) he locks up, eyes wide-eyed and bordering bristling. it was merely shock, and he finds himself warming to the situation, if only a little. if only enough to be lukewarm. 

"huh? this kinda whining isn't like you." quark casts a glance over his shoulder at odo, pausing with a carefully folded shirt in his hand, just shy of placing it in his suitcase. "you can come if you REALLY want to, but you're gonna be bored. also i don't really want you hovering while i'm trying to do business. i don't need your commentary."

beyond that, quark knows there's more important things odo could && probably should be doing, rather than traveling around with him. && yet the selfish part of him hopes that odo won't heed his warning, && insist on coming anyway.

it gets lonely, sometimes.

     ❝ SOMEONE NEEDS to clean this up. ❞

     THE UNSPOKEN last part of the phrase is: and that someone, obviously, isn’t going to be me. 

when kira nerys was a girl, she had nothing to lose & only everything to gain.  yet now, when she stood on the promenade, overlooking quark’s bar she could only see her own reflection faintly mirroring back from the bronze — she couldn’t even recognize who she is. day after day, night after night her self-image deteriorates as that brave girl she once was dies with every step she takes in deep space nin — no, it’s terok nor again.  she’s a traitor to her own people and nerys knows that. 

she’s seated in silence for what feels like hours now. @constablegoo​ can’t hold his state much longer, & she’s debated speaking — odo wouldn’t get it. they’re different despite how long they’ve known each other.