letsdeadaland | Wouldn't you like to use more than words?

Wouldn't you like to use more than words?

The last thing you recall is likely your own death. Whether it was fast or slow, it's over now. And you're... where are you?

One moment, you were among the living. The next - you may be one of the unfortunate ones who actually died. In which case, you've found yourself flowing in the lazy rivers of the river Styx, unfathomably deep underground. Just for a moment, mind you. It's not long before your consciousness is yanked from the waters by some scary monsters, shoved into a healed body, and pushed through a portal.

Or, maybe you were caught red-handed and sentenced to your doom. But, instead of a proper death, you were whisked down into the Veins of Tartarus. And there's really only one place that could lead to... Or is it?

You've been tossed down here by the will of the Titan, but what you find is A helping hand swooping you up - possibly literally, and potentially out of the grasp of the Titan himself.

Not a moment after, you're whisked through another rift, this one a shimmering gold. Into a realm of slightly more stable platforms and a lot more shit to look through. The area is practically littered with the ill-gotten goods of a thieving God (who is happy to note via pop-up illusion that you are touching his stuff). Here, however, you are safe; assured that Typhon cannot find or hurt you here.

For the moment, you can breathe before the next part comes.

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[ it takes every but of willpower to not charge Quark like dog left at home a little too long. But he manages, somehow. Instead the first time their eyes meet he nods and walks away- any reunion, happy or furious, would be on Quark's terms.

The fact that his death wounds are clearly memorable thanks to the gold thread Aglaea used to patch his shirt probably doesn't help. That huge gold stitched gash on his blouses' chest stands out like a scarlet letter.]

[To be honest, Ferdinand isn't going to get very far. When their eyes meet and he does nothing but give him some silly little head nod and then turn and start to walk away like some sad, kicked Targ, Quark's mouth twists into a scowl.

He immediately starts to storm after him, raising his voice.]

Ferdinand von Aegir!

[ Ferdinand freezes mid step, head hunching down into his shoulders like he was caught with a sweet he wasn't allowed to have. Saints, he hasn't been fullnamed like that since his last governess!

Like then he wants to bolt. But running is what got him here, wasn't it? So instead he turns, chin up. He would take his earned lashes with some attempt at dignity]

I had... somewhat foolishly I suppose... hoped you wouldn't want to do this in public.

[Quark's scowl deepens, irritation pricked further as Ferdinand lifts his chin like that, like he's some dignified martyr.]

"Foolishly" describes a lot'a what you've been doing lately, doesn't it?

[He stops in front of him.]

Bend down a bit.

Edited 2025-08-27 10:04 (UTC)

[ well, here it comes. After Alex it is not surprising. He hunches over a bit, eyes not closing fully but slightly squinted in preparation for a blow]

[Well. It's not a blow he's going to get. Not exactly, anyway. Rather, Quark reaches out to grab onto his ear and twist it.]

What were you thinking?!

[ oh he was NOT prepared for that. The high pitched pained squealing would shame any proper noble to death- thankfully he is no longer one of those. So he can just be embarrassed a normal amount.]

Ahhhh-! Owoowowoooo-

[ he sounds like a proper Aegir hound]

I-ah-ah wasn't thinking!!

[Ferdinand yelps and howls in response. It isn't nearly as satisfying as Quark would like it to be.]

Oh, no, you were thinking alright! [snapped, as he releases him, shoving him away a little as he does so, and also taking a step back himself.]

So much that you forgot everything important! What happened to the whole "working together" thing, huh? Or was that just to placate me or something? [He's angry. He sounds angry. But somewhere underneath that--]

Did you even ever care about going to the station or did you agree to that to keep me from noticing what you were up to?

[--is a bitterness and hurt that seeps into his voice at the edges]

Edited 2025-08-27 10:40 (UTC)

[ its enough to make him fall back on his ass, cupping his red ear. Oh, it was going to cauliflower for sure. But that ache was nothing compared to Quark's accusations. And the realization that came with them.]

Oh... you didn't- no, of course not.

[He mumbles to himself. The rational part of him that he had been carefully rebuilding over the past week was glad: there was nothing in those letters anyone should read. Just the panicked justifications of a sleep deprived mad man. But a larger and still stronger part was hurt. Angry. He certainly read Alex's, hadn't he? They all had read Misane's watch notes with shared agony.

He had to accept he wasn't like them. If anything he was closer to Seymour, with his weeks worth of lies and plotting. But he could still do something the other had not yet. Might not ever do if his mid battle ramblings were anything to go off of:]

... I'm sorry. I... I told myself I was helping but... I was just scared. I have no explanations that will satisfy you because I do not even understand it myself.

[ he feels tears wanting to form but holds them back. He could not take accusations of sympathy baiting right now]

[Quark wants to be angry. He wants to be so furious and mad, like he was when they found out what happened, at the trial. Like he was at their gathering afterwards, watching Omega's recordings. He wants to reach for that anger that he's been sitting on the whole week, but he's finding only embers left of it, with that bitterness and hurt remaining to cling to. Nevertheless, he’s trying to keep it, that anger, even if he doesn’t fully feel it any more. And it works, at first.

But, then:"... I was just scared."
Something in Quark’s stomach lurches in reaction. Ferdinand was just scared. He doesn’t even understand why he did what he did himself.

And Quark had wanted to be so, so angry. But that takes the solar wind out of his sails, because it’s Vanity all over again (it won’t happen again,) and that anger fully disappears into frustration, hurt ]

You--we were all scared, why-- [he starts, and then stops, because Ferdinand’s already told him. He doesn’t know. Quark presses a hand to his eyes and turns his back on him for a moment, breathing out harshly. He’s really having to fight to hold on to even a scrap of that anger anymore, because all he can see is finding his figurine with the arm torn off hidden under Rom’s mattress and how his brother had quailed at the look on his face, or the shattered glass on the floor of the kitchen, and Nog looking up at him, wide-eyed, and–"It's... why it really sucks, sometimes. Loving people."
It does, because he deserves to be angry about this, surely, but all he can feel is hurt and upset, and thinking about Ferdinand being so scared and just keeping it to himself and doing what he did because of that, and for reasons he doesn’t even know…it doesn’t excuse anything, but it does make something in his chest ache–

"It's because you care."
...yeah, he does. Ain’t that the kicker.

Quark sighs, heavily, shoulders slumping, still turned away.]

...look. Just promise me you're not gonna do something that stupid again. And if you think you're gonna, you tell Velvet, or Jeira, or me, or someone besides Astarion, anyone, before you do anything. Got it?

[ he sits there and he did not know what he expected. But it was not this tired but earnest reaching out. More yelling, maybe? The harsh but needed rubbing in his face Alex had given him? Some childish part hoped for a sudden understanding that would tell him what as going on in his own swirling head. This was none of those things. It makes the tears start, fat and wet onto his lap. He nods]

Got it.

[ he looks up, eyes too wide]

It wasn't a lie, I swear... I wanted to go to the stars. I did. I never... wanted to hurt anyone. You, or Velvet or Omega or...m... myself. I just did not know... what else to do to make this stop.

[ he couldn't begin to even try to explain what "this" was. A stone in his chest. A heavy pressure that paradoxically made him jitter more than any coffee. A desperation that calmed when using his power, only to be replaced by a cold detatchment that scared him just as much. Is this why his power never grew like some of the others? The speed of the mind useless when said mind was a storm of chaos and air pressure at his temples.

He takes a deep breath. The only thing to do now was, for once, follow through with his usual pretty words and promises]

I think... something is wrong with me.

[ he doesn't expect Quark to know what to do about it. But just saying it loosens some of the grip on his heart]

Edited 2025-08-27 13:46 (UTC)

[He's turning back around just in time to catch the start of those tears, how Ferdinand looks at him with too-wide eyes and tries to explain, and..."I think...something is wrong with me."]

...yeah, probably. [Quark huffs out breath with that agreement, taking a couple steps closer so he can stand in front of him] I couldn't tell you what, but once we get to the station, I know someone that can. And not just tell you, but help you with it.

You... still want me to come back with you?

[ its more than he could have ever dared hope for]

Well, that'll be up to Velvet. And I did tell her about the war happening, and Starfleet. So that'll be on her to decide how she feels about that, and whether she'll want to risk this whole thing happening again.

But if that's what she decides, then...yeah.

I think... after Typhon is handled... that I might be done with that.

[ of course it'll take putting his spear where his mouth is in the long run. But in the moment he believes it]

I can not promise to not disappoint again, but... thank you.

Don't thank me yet. Velvet hasn't made her decision.

[he'll...hold out a hand to him, though, after a moment]

C'mon, up. There's gotta be some place here that has something cold to put on your ear.

True, she has not. I may be maidenless AND spaceless.

[ he would not blame her. He takes the offered hand]

Ah- perhaps Sayo has the parlor set up?

Edited (you know why) 2025-08-27 16:41 (UTC)

Something tells me you'll be alright on that font. [dryly]

...the what now? [...wait] Oh, that thing they were talking about at the seance, with the tea.

[he pauses] Y'know, I wonder...[Quark pulls in a slow breath through his nose...and then pushes that energy outwards. First the force field appears, then expands--and next, the Phantasmal Bar appears around them.]

I never did get the chance to explore this place. C'mon. [and he's heading back behind the bar]

Edited 2025-08-27 16:59 (UTC)

[he feels a spark of hope at that- he's only been able to see Velvet a little in the cauldron, and never in regards to himself and how she feels. Maybe for the best: he would feel dirty spying on her like that. But still, he's aching to know.

But wisely he doesn't bring it up. He has a feeling Quark will say something biting right now that he would, fairly, deserve]

Whoa...

[He follows Quark dutifully]

Is this what your bar in the station looks like?

It sure is! [he doesn't even bother to keep the pride out of his voice] we've been through a lot together.

[he steps behind the bar, reaching out to trail his hands over the bottles. It's fully stocked.]

Would you look at that...

It is a lot to take in! I have never seen a pub like this before...

[he peers at the stock]

I wonder if it is drinkable...

Edited 2025-08-27 19:22 (UTC)

One way to find out! [Quark tugs a couple bottles off the shelf, turning back to the bar counter to mix a quick drink, which he'll hold out to Ferdinand]

Here. A Risa Sunrise.

A Risa Sunrise...

[Sipsip]

Oh!

[Well I mean it has a lemon wedge on it, odds are he was going to like it. Easiest patron ever]

That answers that.

[he does look pleased about that]

Now, let's see, something cold for that ear...[he walks over to the replicator] Cold pack.

[the replicator makes a sound, and a blue, palm sized gel pack appears. Quark picks it up, tossing it to Ferdinand]

Here, put this on your ear.

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Wouldn't you like to use more than words?

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cw: mental health crisis/ suicidal ideation

cw: mental health crisis/ suicidal ideation

cw: mental health crisis/ suicidal ideation

cw: mental health crisis/ suicidal ideation

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