The Casualty «Dukat/Damar & OFC» 🔞 ✔️

5. Old wrongs

After the extra long shift, Nyran did not feel like talking to Dukat, even if she knew what to say to him. Damar had poured oil into the fire of her doubts. The station's systems were fried*, which was the only thing stopping her from looking up any data on Dukat's deeds that might still be accessible. Luckily, those twelve hours were mainly about paperwork and warehouse inventory; the only time she had to talk to her boss was when she ushered two people into his old-new office. He was playing around with a strange white-ish ball left behind by Sisko, casting her tender looks, but did not try talking to her.

When she arrived at her quarters, she found a huge bouquet of flowers waiting for her. There was no card, but she did not need one to know who sent them, just as he knew there was nothing that would fit on a card that would help his case. Nyran sighed and enjoyed the sweet scent for a moment before changing into her night-clothes and heading straight to bed.

.

The next morning she managed to be at her post on time. Damar acknowledged her presence with a nod, which was more than she expected and more than he had offered her in the last two months. Dukat's schedule for today was full, but after a good night's sleep she felt a lot better prepared to face her demons.

She still felt lost and had no one else to talk to about it. She needed help to decide what to do next and it seemed like trying to talk to Damar about it would be plain unfair to her boss. Dukat deserved the chance to explain himself. Knowing he might have an hidden agenda only made her more determined to uncover the truth -- whatever his plans were, she had to search his feelings, she had to see just what she meant to him, before she could decide her next step.

When his first meeting ended and there was an hour long gap before another was due, she knocked on his door. He lifted his gaze and when he saw her through the glass, his expression softened.

"Come in, Nyran."

"Hi," she greeted him coyly when she entered.

"Darling, I was hoping you'd talk to me," he smiled warmly, and gracefully rose to his feet. "I've missed you terribly."

And before she gathered the resolve to stop him, he crossed the room and took her in his arms. She instinctively melted into him, feeling the sweet dose of oxytocin filling her veins. Pressed against his body once more, she realized how much she had missed him as well.

Then it hit her: what she actually missed the most were the times when she had little reason to be afraid and believed he really cared.

"Do you?"

The words slipped out of her mouth without a previous council with her brain. It was a silly thing to say without context, without warning -- but it came from the heart.

"What?" Dukat leaned back and held her by her arms to get a good look at her.

"Do you... really care about me?"

"Of course I do!" Dukat frowned, as if it was supposed to be a given. "You're an important part of my life, darling. Who's been filling your head with these things?"

Nyran considered lying not to get Damar in trouble, but she had already told on him once, Dukat would figure it out without much effort. Besides, why did Damar tell her all that? He could have an agenda of his own and may not have her best interests at heart.

Which Dukat confirmed as soon as she gave him the name. He scoffed angrily and began pacing across the office.

"Don't take it personally, Damar means well. And for the most part he doesn't even have to lie," he admitted mournfully. "He goes out of his way to protect Cardassia. I've never met a soldier more loyal to the empire -- or to me. Which is why he's trying to protect me too -- sometimes even from myself."