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Another Bajoran holiday.
Another day with much too many people and much too little of his staff to ensure security. Odo sighed.
He was glad for the Bajoran people to be able to worship and celebrate openly again - but it was definitely always a trying time for him.
Especially since Quark would always "participate", wearing Bajoran earrings just to attract more customers on these days. It was quite disgusting.
He was walking up to Quark to tell him exactly that.
Kai Winn stepped in his path.
"Child!"
"Kai Winn." Odo nodded, a little impatient to be interrupted. Of course Quark had to join them.
"A wonderful and joyous day to you, Kai !" Quark chirped, the need for good connections and profit just oozing out of him. Pathetic.
"And to you." Kai Winn responded with a smile, searching for the name while eyeing the Bajoran earring on his Ferengi ear with delight.
"I see you have joined the flock."
"Not quite, Kai. But I just couldn't help myself. The...faith around me called so strong, I just had to do something."
Kai Winn held the lowest part of his ear between her thumb and index finger, while Quark looked surprised. Odo shuddered a little inwardly.
"Your pagh is strong, my dear Ferengi. Walk with the Prophets today."
"Oh please, he's only doing it for the money." Odo said, rolling his eyes. Kai Winn was on him faster than he could finish rolling them. Her eyes checked both his ears.
"And what about you, Child ?"
"What about me? Also, with respect, but I'm not your child."
"I know you are a Changeling, but you wear the face and body of a Bajoran. So why are there no earrings on your ears, Child ?"
"I told you, I'm not your child." Odo grumbled, then continued.
Kai Winn showed him a big smile, opening her arms. "Oh, but we are all children of the Prophets and that, in turn, makes you my child, too, Child."
Odo stared at her, not willing to say more on the matter after having made his point. The Kai stared back, smile unwavering. Quark was looking back and forth between them. Probably hatching bets in his greedy little mind.
Odo did his best to project a stony, sure expression. Kai Winn smiled some more. "Well ?"
"'Well', what ?" Odo couldn't help but ask, knowing then that it was a mistake.
"Seeing that the Prophets in their grace gave you the ability to turn into anything, aren't you going to make an earring appear on your body ?"
Odo was taken aback.
"'Make it appear' ?" He repeated.
"Why, yes. I never said you had to go through the trouble of finding an earring this instant on this station. So I'm waiting."
Quark's eyes darted between them again.
Odo stared at Kai Winn some more...then looked away. Very slowly, a very simple design of a Bajoran earring grew out of his ear, looking like it had been attached like everyone else's.
The Kai nodded, her smile dazzling. "See ? Doesn't that feel better already to wear-" Her eyes went over the earring and now her smile clouded a bit, "-something you produced with so much...effort.." She smiled once again at his face. "Don't forget, the Prophets see and love every bit we do in their name, as-" Her eyes were back on Odo's ear, "-simple and ...uh, unassuming as it may look. Have a wonderful day, Child."
She turned and walked away, glad not having to look at this insult of an earring anymore.
Now that the Kai was gone, Odo's full capacities were available to notice that Quark was gaping at him. Odo made an annoyed growling sound, already knowing what he was going to ask.
"No, I will not perform this in your bar. You may not tell people for money how I performed a new 'earring trick'."
"You look really good with it." Quark said instead and Odo gaped.
"This earring," Quark continued, not quite able to take his eyes off it, "really brings out your ears."
Odo stared at him staring at his ears. He was so surprised, he had to rummage for an insult.
A patrol of his deputies walked past them.
Three surprised, smiling faces pointing at their own ears.
"Nice earring, Chief !" One said.
"Good holiday to you, too !" Another said, before all three were off again. Quark leered at him.
"See ? You do look hot with it."
Odo finally snapped out if it.
"I really don't have time or patience for that today, Quark. I have a whole station to secure, so if you'll excuse m-"
"Odo !" Dax's voice called. "Like the change up !"
Sisko next to her nodded. "A bit unexpected, I'd say, but a nice gesture, Odo."
"Yeah." Kira added, her smile spilling into a laugh the longer she looked at the earring. "Sorry, not laughing about you wearing religious signs, but..well,..you might wanna practice a bit more. Could upset some of the older Vedeks." She frantically waved her hands to soften the blow. "Not that it isn't a really good idea ! You-" She desperately searched around, "-Quark! You could borrow Quark's! He's not really using them daily. Anyway, enjoy the holiday !"
The trio walked past and Odo had quite a lot to process.
"Major Kira had a really good point." Quark said.
"I'd love to lend you my earring, even if it's just a clip on. When it's not a holiday like today, of course. So why don't we use the religious charge of the day and go to the Temple, find a nice dark corner and you and me ..pray.. together? You'll have to be slow with me, it's my first time.. praying to other gods." He winked at him for the last sentence.
Odo stared at him. Pieces of what he had just suggested floated through his mind, a grotesque mixture of literal meaning and what he guessed Quark hinted at.
Meanwhile, Quark walked close up to him, showing him his most repulsive grin, the one where he had his eye lids dropping.
"What do you think about that ?" Quark said in a strange purr, at the last word reaching up to Odo's ear with his hand, tapping the hanging parts of the earring.
Odo turned and walked away. Fast.
"Odo!" Quark shouted after him. "Hey, Odo, wait !" His voice was already becoming less audible through the crowd.
"I'll give you my earring right now, if you stay ! I'll buy you one of your own ! Completely new ! Or- or you want an ancient one from the museum?? Odo, come back, Odo!"