"You need to tell her!" the voice insisted.
"But I couldn't," Odo protested, "the risk far outweighs the reward. I'm not like you, Curzon. My experience is limited. More than that, I'm not what one could call aesthetically pleasing."
"Ha!" the voice trumpeted. "You mean you weren't. Don't you worry, Odo, my newfound friend. I'll walk you through it. Just trust me."
It was difficult to argue with the other subconscious. Sisko had always said that Curzon Dax was a persuasive fellow. Now, mingled with his own consciousness as he was, Odo found his reasoning sound—whether it was wise or not. "Very well," he reluctantly agreed, "proceed." Curzon urged his feet forward, leaving the sanctity of his security office and heading straight for one Major Kira Nerys' quarters. The changeling—or perhaps Trill was more accurate to say at this point—confidently walked right up to her door and rang the bell.
There was laughter within, and when Kira opened the door, her eyes were still bright with humor. "Odo!" she greeted him happily. Even despite himself, Odo returned her smile with a small one. That she was so pleased to see him brought him pleasure in itself. "Or should I say Curzon?" she teased. "What can I do for you?" Odo glanced further within the room and found Dax leisurely sitting on Kira's sofa. The two were apparently having a girl's night.
"My apologies for interrupting, Major," Odo said, his shoulders relaxed. Although his voice remained the gruff, guttural voice that it always was, his posture itself was completely changed. Confidence and self-assurance was noticeable in the set of his shoulders and lift of his chin. If Odo was still uncertain, Curzon was keeping a tight lid on it. "I had hoped to speak to you . . . alone." His gaze traveled to Dax, who lifted a curious eyebrow, but smiled and excused herself to the other room, so they had some privacy.
Warmth yet glimmered in Nerys' eyes, but there was a question there as well. Once she voiced once Dax was gone. "Is something the matter?"
"Yes," Odo replied bluntly. Before the mirth could be entirely replaced with worry, he continued, "the matter is that I have borne feelings for you for years and have done utterly nothing about it." Odo felt the smallest of jabs at this. It was odd knowing the words from his lips weren't all of his words. "I intend to change that," he informed a seemingly stunned Kira. "Dinner. 19:00 hours."
"W-What!?" Nerys managed to choke out. "That's . . . in an hour!" she exclaimed, glancing at her clock.
"Precisely," Odo smirked, looking both sure of himself and a touch smug. "Don't be late." With a tilt of his head, Odo left as confidently as he had arrived, even with some small part of him internally horrified at what had just occurred.
Nerys could only stare at the wall opposite of her door where Odo had once stood utterly flabbergasted. When Dax returned to the main room, she found her friend gaping. Jadzia cleared her throat. This made her friend turn around, but she still had her mouth open and seemed unable to form words. "What did Odo want?" Dax prompted. "Or Curzon? You can never be too sure with that one," she said, teasing lightly.
"A . . . a . . . a d-date!" Nerys finally burst, and then the words came spilling forth. "Was he serious? He said he had feelings for me. And that he expects me at dinner. In an hour!" Nerys paced about her room, talking quickly, barely pausing for breath. "I mean is that Odo? Or is it Curzon? How am I supposed to know? I didn't even notice it, and I've known Odo a long time. You'd think I'd have noticed. I can usually tell when a guy is into me. They're pretty persistent."
Dax listened quietly as her friend continued to explode about this turn of events, and what she was going to do. In all, Dax found it quite amusing. "I knew," she said, finally, during a space when Kira took a breath. "I mean it's obvious," she shrugged. "You're really the only person he can consistently tolerate. The only one he even remotely lets close to him. I wasn't sure if he could have sexual feelings towards someone, being what he is, but I never doubted that he could feel something romantic."
This seemed to stagger Nerys as well. Obviously choosing to just roll with that bit of news, she asked, "so, what do I do?"
"Well," Jadzia sat back down on the sofa, "what do you want to do? Are you interested in him?"
"In who?" Kira pointed out, joining her back on the sofa. But only for a moment. She quickly jumped back up and started pacing once more. "I mean is it Odo? Is it Curzon? A girl has to know who's getting to know on a date, right?"
"Hmm, good point," Dax nodded, her brow furrowing in thought. "Say it was Odo. Just Odo. Would you?" she asked, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
Kira released a puff of air from her lips. "I mean, come on. It's Odo! He's one of my closest friends. I couldn't . . . I mean . . ." Her nose wrinkled as she struggled to examine just what she felt towards the Constable. "I suppose I could give it a try. If it's horribly awkward, at least I know we can laugh it off. He'll probably lose those feelings the second he realizes just what he's getting into."
Dax looked pleased by her answer. "He may surprise you. Better yet, you may surprise yourself." Getting to her feet, she took Nerys' hands in her own. "Now we get to do the fun part," she said, smiling brightly and pulling Kira towards her bedroom, "picking out an outfit for you to wear!" The resounding groan did little to dampen Dax's spirits.
Later that evening, the trill remained in Kira's quarters, determined to hear every detail about her date with Odo. She was mostly concerned about Curzon's involvement and how he might impact Kira's impression of Odo as a romantic partner. As soon as the door swung open, she was on her feet. Nerys walked in alone, looking almost as bewildered as she had when she had left. There was a full minute of silence between them before Dax prompted with a, "well?"
"I . . . have a second date," she said, as if she didn't believe the words coming out of her own mouth. Dax seized her as if she were prey.
"Tell. Me. Everything."
Kira barely concealed rolling her eyes, but gave her friend an indulgent smile. The two walked over to her sofa where Kira collapsed in her deep purple dress that Jadzia had specifically chosen for her to wear. "Well, he was cocky at first," Kira said, resting her cheek against her hand atop the sofa. "So, I told him I was there to date Odo . . . not Curzon." Jadzia lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Suffice it to say, I think I fixed that problem of yours. Odo's ready to return Curzon. Once he took a back seat, and it was just me and Odo—more or less-it was . . . surprisingly natural. He's a bit like a puppy, really. So unsure, but so eager." A soft smile touched her lips, and Dax zeroed in on it immediately.
"So, second date," she nudged her friend.
"Yeah," Kira sighed, looking almost surprised by the truth of it, "yeah. We'll see how it goes."
"Well," Dax pushed herself up. "I'll let you rest now, but in the morning, I expect every detail. For now, I'm going to collect that wily former host of mine. Wouldn't want him getting in the way of any possible kissing on your second date," she waggled her eyebrows for full effect.
"Dax!" A shoe accompanied Dax's laughter as she darted out of Kira's quarters, the attempted attack not keeping Jadzia from noticing the telltale blush on Nerys' cheeks. She knew her friend too well.