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For the third or fourth time Odo watched Quark drop another fresh ice cube into the glass. By now its contents were probably more water than alcohol. Though Quark had yet to take so much as a sip; he seemed content to look at it, maybe swirl it around every now and then, watch the ice clink around until it melted and the cycle began anew. It was strangely fascinating.
Odo had noticed Quark’s absence from the festivities almost immediately. In spite of everything, old instincts had kicked in and he had excused himself to investigate. That had been almost an hour ago, and in that time Quark had never said a word to him — he either hadn’t noticed him or hadn’t cared.
At long last, the Ferengi gave a heavy sigh. ‘Did you just come here to stare or do you have something to say?’ He asked, his back still turned.
‘Not particularly.’ Odo replied. ‘I just thought you might like the company.’
‘Well, I don’t.’ Quark snapped. ‘You can leave now.’
Against his better judgement, Odo found himself approaching the bar, taking a seat next to Quark and asking with all the sincerity he could muster: 'What's the matter?'
Quark whirled around on his stool. ‘I’ll tell you what’s the matter!’ He said. ‘Everything’s changing! Sisko’s gone, my brother’s on his way to dismantle Ferengi society as we know it, and pretty soon you and your little Starfleet friends will be zipping off to all four corners of the galaxy! And where does that leave me?’ He finally drained his glass, made a face and slammed it back down.
Odo raised what could charitably be called his eyebrows. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were actually sad to see me go.’
‘Sad?’ Quark scoffed. ‘Why the hell would I be sad? I’ll finally be able to go about my business without you breathing down my neck! I should be celebrating!’
‘And yet here you are.’
For once, Quark had no snappy retort to offer. ‘If you’ve come here to gloat, then just go.’ He muttered. ‘I’m not in the mood.’
Quark turned his back to Odo once more and poured himself another glass.
On any other occasion, Odo might have happily taken him up on that offer, content with getting the last word as he always did. And yet he found himself hesitating.
If Quark had wanted to get drunk, he would have done it. But his bottle was nearly full, and he didn’t even seem tipsy. He wasn’t so much drowning his sorrows as he was wallowing in them. Odo knew that feeling all too well. Not long ago he had been in a similar position, sulking like a child amidst a pile of broken furniture.
And who should show up then but a certain Ferengi, ostensibly there to complain about noise and lost profits?
Something had changed between them then. There had been a moment, however brief, where it had felt like Quark had been talking from a place of genuine concern. Not just as a rival, but something… more.
Now it was time for the favour to be repaid. He at least had to try. He owed him that much.
‘There’s nothing stopping you from leaving.’ Odo suggested. ‘If I remember correctly, you weren’t exactly eager to stay after the occupation.’
Quark gave a hollow laugh. ‘Believe me, I’ve thought about it. But where would I go? I don’t even have my own ship. Hell, I’ve been working my lobes off since I was old enough to barter and what do I have to show for it? One crummy little bar on a backwater space station.’
You could always trust Quark to make things difficult. This might be harder than he’d expected. And Vic had always made it look so easy.
Then it hit him. It wasn’t exactly appealing, but it was the best he could come up with. At the very least Quark wouldn’t be able to laud it over him for long.
‘Yes, and who would have thought one little bar could cause me so much trouble?’ Odo said.
That made Quark perk up a little. ‘What?’
‘Do you remember the first time I arrested you?’
‘Vaguely.’
‘It was towards the end of the occupation. Bajoran victory was all but guaranteed, so you were smuggling in food to meet the demand.’
‘Corellian groat cakes.’ Quark corrected him.
‘Yes, that was it. I pondered reporting you to the authorities. But since that was your first offence, I let you off with a warning. Then the very next week you were at it again. It seemed that every moment my back was turned, you were plotting something new.’ Odo swallowed. ‘You were… persistent. One might even say tenacious. Even when you knew I was watching your every move.’
‘Is there a reason you’re telling me all this?’
Odo could barely believe the words coming out of his mouth. But at the same time they felt strangely natural, almost concerningly so.
‘My point is, I always saw you as a nuisance. A thorn in my side. And it’s only now that I realise you gave me something I’d never had before: a worthy adversary.’
Quark slowly turned to face him again. ‘You really mean that?’
Odo leaned in and placed a hand on Quark’s shoulder. ‘What do you think?’
With that, he got up and headed back upstairs to the holosuite.
‘I always knew!’ He heard Quark call.
Odo kept walking, stride unbroken. He’d let him have it, he thought. Just this once. It would be the closest thing he’d get to a parting gift.