Intended as romantic, but some of them can be perceived as platonic.
Pairing: Character x reader
Data(TNG), Odo (DS9), Soval and Archer(ENT)
Data
He loves listening to you yap. Naturally hungry for knowledge, Data feels “in sync” with someone who possesses similar kind of curiosity. It fascinates him how deeply you dive into subjects you care about. From his side, he does his best to contribute to the conversation and expand your horizons even further – Data has a much more impressive database accessible than any library after all!
Odo
Not very creative, but he is a god of physical affection. Cuddles become an everyday gift you look forward to, no matter how many times you’ve already experienced them. Reserved and strictly professional on duty, he gives the best hugs once you two get home. He actually enjoys physical contact no less! You could travel all around the galaxy and still not find a clingier partner. I like to think that, once he feels comfortable enough to express himself freely around you, Odo just melts every time you snuggle together, enveloping you in the most thorough, gentle kind of hug.
Soval
It's delightful for him to witness your interest in his culture, no matter what it is. Literature? Fashion? Cuisine? Ask any questions you like! Soval will gladly teach you about whatever you want to know. He is happy you’re able to respect, or even admire and embrace a culture so different from your own. He does his best to pay just as much attention to human customs and culture in return. It’ll take some time for him to adjust to certain things, but he is eager to learn, more so - if it makes you happy.
Archer
He is the kind of man to help you find ground beneath your feet when everything seems to fall apart. Whenever you start freaking out or act anxious, he instantly returns you back to the present moment with a grounding touch, a calming voice and a big cup of hot chocolate. Like a brick wall, he is always there to support you when you stumble. Also, if you like dogs, he will definitely employ Porthos to be your personal fluffy therapist.
CREW: ben sisko, kira nerys, jadzia dax, julian bashir, odo, miles o'brien
benjamin sisko
he doesn’t use the holosuite all that much for dates. maybe once in a while if he’s planning something very specifically tailored. usually, ben leans more toward “real” dates - cooking for you in his quarters or quiet walks around a pylon late at night. something soft and intimate where he can keep his focus on you.
holosuites don’t really offer ben that same sense of familiarity. so they’re used sparingly and with specific purposes.
of course, one of the earliest holosuite dates he plans is a baseball game. one of his favorites where he already knows what’s going to happen but wants to see your reactions to it. over the course of the game, however, ben subtly moves closer. under the guise of explaining a play or a call that just happened and he needs to get in close for you to hear him. by the ninth inning, his arm is resting comfortably over the back of your chair.
the rest of his programs are more lowkey and intimate. creole restaurants or stargazing on riverside balconies. things that feel real and lived-in.
if there’s music, ben insists on dancing with you, even when he claims he’s “rusty.”
when there’s quiet, he’ll open up. about his job, about jake, about his worries. things he never tells anybody else.
kira nerys
pretends not to care all that much about high effort dates when you’re planning them. but if she’s planning the date? kira strolls up to jadzia’s station and subtly asks if she has any good holosuite programs.
it’s not often kira chooses the holosuite. mainly when you and her need to get away from the station but can’t spare a whole day to travel to bajor for a break. she leans towards more outdoor environments that contrast from the sharp grays of the station: green mountain ridges, bajoran temples during a sunset, beside an ocean with a breeze. something open and freeing.
surprisingly, she gets quieter during holosuite dates. more tender and contemplative. if you two are in your quarters, it’s easier to loosen up and flirt and laugh. but being in a different environment has a way of calming kira - even if it’s holographic. she’ll share more about her personal feelings. her thoughts and her fears. force a smile and apologize to bringing the mood down but explains that this sunset reminds her of a sad memory from her days in the resistance.
also, don’t tease about kira’s choice in holosuite programs. even though she’ll absolutely poke fun at yours.
jadzia dax
absolutely loves the variety and stimulation of a good holosuite program. she tends to drag you there for many of your date nights under the excuse of finding one she wanted to share with you. not big on repeating programs unless you really like a certain one - jadzia finds more enjoyment out of experiencing something brand new with you for the first time.
(but you notice the repeat programs tend to be more intimate than fast-paced.)
but most of the time, it’s never really about the holosuite at all. jadzia just enjoys making new memories with you. quiet, dimly-lit nights in your quarters are fine and all, but she prefers the wild fun of a klingon tavern where you drink too much. she looks forward to showing you a simulated alien festival and then getting too competitive about the games. she wants to dance with you on a bustling spaceport bathed in the brilliant light of a nebula. these are the kinds of dates jadzia remembers for a long time.
things only really quiet down on the walk through the promenade. you’re still laughing about the antics you’d just gotten into in the holosuite before jadzia launches into a story lived by one of her past lives. that’s when she slows down. reminisces in a way you’ll never understand. takes your hand and holds it silently for a moment before smiling wide and informing you she’s already planned the next date in the holosuite.
julian bashir
absolutely loves going over the top with his holosuite programs. julian wants these dates to feel like something right out of a storybook. something grand and sweeping and romantic. and julian has a knack for not letting things get too cheesy - just whimsical enough to make you feel special and thought about. like he really went out of his way to try and impress you.
his nerves boil underneath his cute charm. julian will pay you the sweetest compliment you’ve ever heard and plant a kiss on your cheek, and then turn around and start nervously rambling about little scientific facts of the program. details about the history or architecture or, if this weren’t a holodeck, it’s very possible some hungry man-eating monster would be looking at you as its next meal. he’s a very unfortunate yapper, even if the program was specifically designed to be romantic.
but it never feels like he’s trying too hard. julian treats holosuite dates as a chance to get to know you under many different circumstances. he loves to watch candlelight dance in your hair. he loves to touch the skin of your hand when it’s dewy from a nearby waterfall. he loves seeing your awed expression glowing in a moonlit garden.
his holosuite dates feel like love letters.
odo
has pointedly avoided using the holosuite for the longest time. dates with odo aren’t the most conventional - he leans towards quiet nights where you sit with him, pretending to work. or if odo is really trying to be romantic, he’ll watch the stars with you near an isolated window. the holosuite never offered anything he’d want to do with you. plus, he didn’t want to give quark the satisfaction of knowing he’s using it for this purpose.
but he hears you talking with dax and kira. about a romantic holosuite date one of them had and odo can almost hear your voice melting at the details. he’s awkward with his holosuite dates - he doesn’t really have experience on what is and isn’t romantic. he has no fond memories of oceans or cities or landmarks to share with you.
so for holosuite dates, odo does what he does best: listens. he researches locations or events from stories and anecdotes you share with him and recreates it on the holosuite for you. a restaurant you love on earth. a planet you spent time on during your first assignment. rainy streets in the neighborhood you grew up in. odo much prefers watching your reactions to the program than really experiencing it himself.
for him, holosuite dates are primarily so he can spend some time in your world and learn you better.
miles o'brien
cozy. familiar. safe. miles likes to keep his holosuite dates nice and simple. a way to decompress after a long day. you once asked him why he never uses any of his more fun programs for dates. the ones he plays with julian - rafting or war reenactments. he tells you that he wants these dates to be something that relaxes you at the end of the day. something soft and warm. a night he can look back on during bad days and feel the same sense of peace.
miles will tell you stories of family and ancestors while drinking in an old irish pub. he’ll admit to little fears and worries that've been weighing on his shoulders lately. goes out of his way to make you laugh because to miles, the date isn’t a success until he can hear your laughter. but mostly, dates on the holodeck are less like games and more like a time to stop and catch your breath.
Why do I get crushes on the most obscure characters?
Like Anthony (the angel of death) on Touched by an Angel
Look at this cutie patooti!! How can I not love him!!
Or Chris Halliwell from Charmed
He’s a smart ass and I love him for it! He just wants to save his brothers soul
Or Ambassador Tos from Star Trek Enterprise
THERE ARE NO GIFS OF HIM!!!!
Why are there no GIFs he’s adorable
Or Judge Harry Stone from Night Court
Or Dan fielding also from Night Court (the second guy in the above gif)
Or Jenkins from The Librarians
But to be fair I might just have a crush on the actor
Or Dr Phlox also from Enterprise
He’s a family man!! He got 3 wives and so much love to give, towards the end of the series when he can’t save T’Pols, and Tuckers baby’s life he cries and says it hurts like it’s one of his own. So much love in this man that when his friends hurt he hurts
And he feels insulted when Tucker doesn’t want to sleep with one of his wives after she pursues him so we know he’s good with sharing lol
Or Ringo Langley from X-Files and The Lone Gunmen
(The blonde one in the middle here)
He’s such a sweetheart cutie pie!! How can one not love him! He plays dungeons and dragons and dresses up like his character when he does and writes for a newspaper. He matches my freak lol
Or Graverobber from Repo the Genetic Opera
He’s so dramatic!! I love him. He sings ! And I love his hair!
Or Odo from Deep Space Nine
WHY CANT I FIND A GOOD GIF OF HIM!!!
And finally (at the risk of being called a furry
Why is the no reader inserts for Skimbleshanks, Mr mistoffles, or Rum Tum Tugger!!!
THERE IS NO GOOD GIFS OF SKIMBLSHANKS!!
But look at my boi mistofflees hop and dance, he’s a tuxedo cat that’s also a magician!!
And look a tugger go! He’s a bad boi stereotype
I ran out of room for gifs but those are the main ones anyway
I’m gonna have to make an appreciation post for each of these guys individually, hell I used to write fanfic for a couple of them before I got locked out of my old tumblr account
Description: Odo becomes human and Y/N is his teacher.
Word Count:734
“You’re human?” She asked in complete shock. It had been weeks since she saw Odo with her being on shore leave and him while getting his shapeshifting abilities taken away. He nodded his head and she went to smile but saw the look on his face, he wasn’t happy. “Oh c’mon Odo it’s not that bad.” She tried. “Not that bad? I never had to eat or go to the bathroom before.” He exclaimed.
Though she was always curious about what it was like not to be forced to do those things she couldn’t truly imagine what it would be like without it. Odo has lived with that his entire life, this was a big change. “I understand but it’s kinda fun.” He looked at her like what she said was crazy. She sighed, “Let’s go to Quark’s and get some food.” Odo wanted to protest but his stomach and her grip on him didn’t let him.
“You want what?” Quark looked at her with disgust. “A burger and some fries.” Quark was so used to her trying new things that he didn’t expect her to be a basic human. “Two actually.” She motioned between her and Odo. Quark shook his head but put in the order, “Oh and two beers.” She winked at her ferengi friend. “This is gonna cost you extra.” He called as he walked away.
“A burger and fries?” Odo asked and she nodded. “It’s truly the best.” She tells him and he had to be the judge of that for himself. Quark brought out the food and she thanked him. She took a fry and motioned for Odo to try his food. Odo looked weary but watched as she took a bite of the burger and did so himself. He chewed it and hummed, “This is actually good.” He told her, almost in surprise. “Told ya.” She smiled and continued eating.
“You haven’t had any of your beer.” She pointed out as she drank hers. Odo took it and drank some, all of it. Y/N laughed with wide eyes, “Slow down.” She joked. He held up the glass, “More.” He said and a feregni took it from him and filled it up. Y/N drank hers and had the feregni fill her glass up as well.
“So this is your quarters?” He asked as they walked in the room, just a little drunk. She nodded and he sat on her couch without permission, she laughed and sat next to him. Odo looked around the room and saw pictures of her with the other members of the crew. He got up and went to the wall with all the pictures, one with Julian, one with Quark, one with Dax and so on. He stopped at the one with Kira and placed his finger on it.
Y/N walked up to him and saw what he was looking at, “You like her don’t ya?” She asked him with a small smile, a sad one but she was able to hide it. “This entire time I-” He looked at Y/N in the photo. He turned to her, “I thought I did but I was mistaken.” He turned back to the photos, “It’s the other girl in these photos. The one that’s in every one.” He said softly and her jaw nearly dropped. He stared at the photos a little longer until she whispered his name.
He turned to look at her but she was closer than she was before. He looked at her and then her lips, debating on whether or not he should lean in. She stopped his thought process as she kissed him. It didn’t take him long to kiss back, her hands cupped his face. The kiss was sweet and a little messy until she pulled away, “Well that was unexpected.” She said with a small smile on her face. “It was nice.” He said and she pulled him away from the photos and to the couch.
They sat down and she got in his lap to kiss him again. His hands went around her waist as she deepened the kiss, this lasted for awhile. Eventually they stopped kissing and started talking, “Are you still drunk?” She asked and he shook his head, “No but I feel like I need to shut my eyes.” She laughed. “You’re tired, Odo. Let’s go to bed.” She said and pulled him towards her bedroom.
I leaned back in the chair, playing my part. “You’ll have to be more specific, Constable. I deal in… a variety of goods.”
Odo circled the table slowly, the soundless glide of his footsteps echoing like punctuation between us. His gaze never wavered — sharp, disciplined — the way a calligrapher studies the space before setting ink to paper.
“Let’s start with the shipment you brought in last night,” he said. “Manifest lists industrial solvents, but the sensor logs suggest something… denser.”
I tilted my head, pretending amusement. “Maybe your sensors need recalibrating.”
He stopped just behind me. I could feel the presence — like a sentence being written across my spine, letter by deliberate letter.
“Perhaps,” he said, voice low but steady. “Or perhaps you’re simply skilled at hiding things in plain sight.”
His hand came to rest on the back of the chair—not touching me, but close enough that I could feel the tension in the air. There was precision in his posture. Everything about Odo was controlled—lines drawn neatly, rules followed exactly. Yet here, in this quiet room, something unspoken hummed beneath it all.
“You know,” I murmured, turning just enough to catch his reflection in the mirrored wall, “you have a very particular way of observing people. It’s like you’re… writing them down in your head.”
He hesitated for the briefest moment. “Observation is part of my job.”
“But you make it personal,” I said softly. “Like you’re studying their shape, the way words fit together on a page.”
That earned me one of his unreadable looks — the kind that felt like it was carving straight through any pretense I had.
“I prefer accuracy,” he said finally, his tone clipped, but his eyes lingered — steady and searching. “And sometimes, accuracy requires… attention to detail.”
The words lingered between us, each syllable pressed into the silence like an imprint.
Read the full chapter here:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
A/n: I wrote 2 versions because this song gave me so many ideas for Odo, that I couldn’t stick to one.
Song: Heads/ Tails- Hotspur
Odo still has feelings for y/n, to the point that he buys her flowers. But when a new love interest pops in, jealousy gets the best of him. Angst, no fluff, sorry.
Word count: ~800
————————————————————————
Odo: I sit alone in my quarters. “Computer, what time is it?”
“The time is 0:00 hours,” the computer responds.
I sigh. It’s midnight, but there’s no point in reverting to my gelatinous state. I pace, wracking my brain as to who could I have seen going into y/n’s quarters. Could it be Toral? No, y/n is too good for him, all he does is play games with ladies hearts. I gaze at the Bajoran Moon Flowers that I got for y/n. Was there anyway I could have another chance with her? I taunt myself with these questions long until the night, until the computer alerts me that it’s 600 hours. I jolt upward, knowing y/n will be preparing for her shift.
“It’s now or never,” I say to myself with false courage.
I walk to y/n’s quarters, flowers in hand. As I get close, I see Toral leaving y/n’s quarters. He barely misses running into me.
“Oh hello, Odo. Those flowers for a special lady?” He asks.
It takes all my strength not to grit my teeth. “I guess you could say that,” I reply.
Toral nods, “well good luck.”
My anger seethes. So what if y/n wasn’t mine anymore? I still thought I had a chance.
I storm to my quarters and throw the flowers in the trash, not caring the effort I took to obtain them. “She’s too good for him!” I yell to no one but myself.
I had no idea how long my rampage lasted, but the doorbell to my quarters chimed.
“Come in,” I say sitting on the floor.
“The ONE day I get to sleep in, and what do I hear? YOU rampaging on the floor above me!” Quark complains.
I huff, “I’ll try to keep it down next time.”
“Odo, what’s happened to you? You’ve lost your grip on things… Bajoran moon flowers, so this is about y/n,” Quark mildly changing his demeanor.
I look up at him. “She’s seeing Toral, isn’t she?”
Quark hops down beside me. “I’m not supposed to tell you, but yes. She has a date Friday night.”
“I see,” I sigh.
“Look, I know you still have feeling for her. You either need to confront her or move on. I’m losing money in the pool,” he replies.
“You bet on y/n and I?” I roll my eyes.
“No, the criminal pool. I always bet on you getting the bad guy, but this whole thing with y/n… you’re out of touch on your security duties,” quark states.
“A betting pool on my job?” I huff.
“You should be proud that pool exists, it shows how many people trust that you get your job done- better than anyone on the station,” Quark stands up to leave. “And before you think I’m trying to be a friend, just know I’m only looking out for my profits.” I hear the door close as he exits.
I decide to visit y/n after she gets off duty to try to confirm any rumors.
I ring her doorbell, and the door opens to reveal a smiling y/n.
She steps aside. “Odo, come on in,” she cheers.
I waste no time, and walk to her living area. “So, how are things with you and Toral?”
“Who told you?” She gasps.
“Quark, but I asked before he ratted you out,” I reply, crossing my arms.
“Odo, it’s not what you think, he had a really hard shift in medical yesterday. He needed a friend,” she states.
I snap back, “I’m sure he did.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She scoffs. “Oh you think that because Toral spent the night with me, it mean him and I are fucking?”
“I never said that!” I reply.
“Well, it could easily be implied that way,” she retorts.
“Look,” I sigh, “I’m just trying to look out for you. Toral is no good for you.”
She scoffs. “Since when do you know what’s good for me? You’re just jealous that I moved on!”
“I’m not jealous,” I raise my voice. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” she breaths. “Look, just get out if you know what’s good for you.”
“Fine, but don’t make me say I told you so,” I reply as I leave her quarters. I immediately regretted arguing with her, but sometimes humans, no matter how much you care for them, are hard to get through to. But I swore to myself, no matter the outcome of her situation with y/n and Toral, that I would always care for her.
Tbh, as a polyamorous person, I love thinking about how it would be to be in a relationship with the people from shows and stuff. Like the one's in a relationship or I ship together. For example, Kira and Odo. C'mon, need I say more? Think about it. How fun, neat and healthy it would be to be in a polyamorous relationship with those two. You would literally never feel unloved.
Kira would be more bold then Odo, greeting you with a kiss and a 'hi honey!:D' every time she saw you. She would def give good morning cheek kisses and good night mouth kisses (Cause morning breath). Odo, would be more subtle with his love. Gifting you and Kira little things he thinks you two yould like, keep an eye on you both to be sure you're safe. Of course you and Kira absolutely let him know he's loved, and he gets so soft in private with you both. If Kira is overwhelmed with her duty, Odo is down in his insecurity, or whatever is making you upset, no person in that relationship would be left un-comforted.
Odo and Kira are protective of you in their own ways, and those lines meld together at violence. They will not shy away from violence to keep you safe. You and Kira are protective of Odo, You and Odo are protective of Kira, and they are of you. Nobody's getting hurt in this relationship if the other two have anything to say about it. Communication is a key element in you threes relationship, that's why it works out so well. You three would be the dream team, literally. The three of you together? Unstoppable.
You guys want kids? Here are some scenarios. (Also you're going to have to work with me here, because I'm pretty sure Odo doesn't have a weninei (dick) and if he did, that means he'd have to study it in order to replicate it, I think.)
For female or those with a uterus: Odo is going to be upset that he doesn't have the right...parts, or at least, his parts don't work like a humans parts so that they may impregnate you and kira. (Assuming you're of a species akin to Kira, or a species that can mate with other species.) Will you and Kira reassure him? Oh fuck yeah. In more ways then one~ ANYWAYS. Tbh he would probably research a tone of shit to see if their was a slim chance he could knock you and kira up lol. However, it's a good thing you three are perfectly content with adopting!
AFTER ODO BECOMES HUMAN: Odo is happy he can bow provide you and Kira with a larger family. Even if you can't get pregnant by another species, assuming you're an alien that can't crossbreed, Kira will happily have the children (this applies to if you don't want to bear children. They will not hold it against you). I can see maybe three or four kids? Four at the most, two at the least.
For male, or those with a weninei (penis): Now. You may think, 'oh! Odo might be upset that only you can get kira pregnant!' and I'm shutting that down. A baby that's a mixture of the two most important people in his life? SIGN ODO TF UP. Kira is on board with this, 100%. (Again, assuming if you're a species that can procreate with other species.) Once again, if you're not able to reproduce with Kira, adoption is always on the table.
AFTER ODO BECOMES HUMAN: Kira is happy is can now bear both your children, so is Odo. I think it would be a pleasant suprise to see one of the children come out looking like you and Odo, or a mixture of you three. (Eggs can be fertilized by two men and grow up looking like both of them.)
For those with no gender or ✨parts✨: ADOPTION! A D O P T I O N.
AFTER ODO BECOMES HUMAN: CONGRATS! YOU THREE GORGEOUS PEOPLE ARE HAVING KIDS!
Now then, I think Kira would be the type to want children. No matter how, I think she'd wanna be a mom. I don't think Odo would mind not being, or being a dad.
~~~~~~~
I could expand a lot more on these two, but I didn't sleep last night and it's already 2:04. So yeah. Bye!
Ok, y'all. I've done it. I've hyperfixated on Star Trek so hard that I got back to writing fanfiction. 😅 Please go easy on me - upon checking, the last time I wrote/published any fanfic was December of 2021. Is this my best work? Certainly not, lol, but hopefully it's not terrible. This is my first time writing anything in the Star Trek fandom and as of now, I've only watched TNG, First Contact, and I'm working my way through DS9 now. I love it, I love the characters, and I'm hoping the inspiration lasts for a long while! 💕
Odo is, without a doubt, one of my favorite DS9 characters - he's my favorite lil grump and after I watched his interactions with Taya in "Shadowplay", I was inspired to write this!
Warnings: briefly losing your child in a crowd; single parenthood | Words: ~1,850
The station was packed, and you clutched your daughter’s chubby fist tightly in yours as you attempted to navigate the throngs of people streaming through the Promenade. Your heart thudded in your throat, overwhelmed by the sheer number of beings in this new place - mostly Bajorans and humans, you noted, with the occasional unfamiliar creature. The cold, metallic Cardassian architecture soaring overhead did little to ease your nerves, although the lights and colors along the Promenade were a welcome addition.
“Mama,” your daughter exclaimed from beside you, tugging on your fingers and pointing with her other hand towards a shop window displaying a dazzling green dress, aglow with intricate beading and sequins flashing beneath the shop lights.
You nodded down at your daughter with a fond smile, giving her hand a squeeze. “It’s beautiful, Elara,” you murmured. “Perhaps we’ll stop by after we get settled in,” you suggested as you sidestepped hurriedly around a group of Starfleet officers deep in discussion, hauling your daughter out of the way just in time.
It was your first time to Deep Space 9, where you’d recently been transferred by Starfleet, to work with Chief of Operations O’Brien. You’d jumped at the assignment, an opportunity to work with talented officers and, on a more personal level, a way to get you and Elara away from Earth and the memories that still haunted you there.
The few days’ journey to the space station from Earth had been uneventful, and your arrival, as the newest Starfleet crewmember, had seen you met by Chief O’Brien himself, although he’d immediately been called away, leaving you and your daughter to navigate to your new quarters.
You craned your neck slightly, attempting to find the nearest turbolift and extricate you both from the chaos of the Promenade. Sweat beaded along your hairline, the collar of your uniform suddenly suffocating. You took a deep breath and closed your eyes for a moment to gather yourself.
The breath rushed from your lungs as you stumbled backward, a deep ache forming in your shoulder as it collided with someone else’s - a group of rowdy Klingons forcing their way through the Promenade. Throwing your hands out to steady yourself, the cold metal of a support beam biting into your sweating palms, it took you only a moment to realize that both your hands were empty.
You whirled around, panic rising in your chest as your eyes darted back and forth.
“Elara!” you yelled, struggling to be heard above the din. You darted after the group of Klingons, elbowing your way around them and anyone else who managed to get in your way. Your focus sharpened to a singular point: find her.
When you didn’t find her being towed along by the Klingons, your stomach churned, your heart leaping agonizingly into your throat.
You called her name again, the desperation in your voice growing more apparent. Your breath came in short bursts and your head spun as you pivoted again and again, frantically searching.
A pair of steady hands appeared on your shoulders and you gasped as you came face-to-face with a man whose blue eyes reflected your own wild, terrified visage.
“Are you alright, Lieutenant?” he asked, his voice gruff and firm. You managed to shake your head, your eyes still wandering behind him.
“My daughter,” you gasped, teetering on the edge of a panic attack. “We got separated, I -”
Concern passed briefly over the man’s smooth features - too smooth, you realized somewhere in the back of your mind. “How old is she?” he barked, tears springing to your eyes.
“Four,” you managed to whisper, the tremors in your hands traveling to the rest of your body. It was all too much and you began to pull away from the man’s grasp, desperate to continue your search.
Scowling, he tapped his combadge. His other hand grasped your upper arm gently and tugged you close, ensuring you stayed with him.
“Odo to Ops.” The gravel in his voice and the strength of his grasp on your arm permitted no arguments.
“Go ahead.”
“We have a missing child on the Promenade. I want no ships departing this station until she is found,” he ordered. Before anyone could even respond, he had tapped his badge again.
“Odo to security - I want a team on the Promenade now,” he growled. “Fan out. Child is four years old -”
“She’s wearing yellow overalls and a pink sweater. Her name is Elara,” you interjected quickly, trying in vain to calm your breathing.
Odo repeated the information to his team, before he began escorting you down the walkway. You glanced back over your shoulder, opening your mouth to object to leaving the place where you lost Elara.
As though he could read your mind, he spared you a brief glance. “We’ll find her,” he assured you.
He led you into the security office and gestured to the seat across from his at the desk, just as a Bajoran woman with short red hair entered, slightly out of breath.
“Thank you for coming, Major,” he muttered as he rounded the desk once again and headed for the door. “Please stay with the lieutenant.”
“But-” you argued, rising quickly from your chair. The Major corralled you back into your seat, her arms spread wide with palms out, approaching you cautiously, as though you’d bolt at any second.
“Lieutenant, trust me,” the woman asserted, “no one knows this station like Constable Odo. He will find her.”
All at once, everything caught up to you and you dropped unceremoniously into the chair, your head buried in your hands as the tears spilled over. You heard the rustle of fabric as the Major took the seat beside yours, a calming hand passing over your shoulder.
“What a sorry welcome to DS9, huh?” she murmured.
Odo scoured the Promenade, communicating briefly with members of his security team as they passed him. The large number of people gathering on the Promenade today made his job that much more difficult. It reassured him to know that no ships would be departing, but he could hardly fathom the amount of trouble a four-year-old could get into on this station. He frowned and shook his head as he strode swiftly down the corridor, failing once again to understand solids’ preoccupation with procreation. He understood the importance of reproduction for a race of beings, certainly, but human offspring in particular were so… vulnerable for such a long time.
His team had reported back that she hadn’t been found on either the East or West platforms, and his officer on the northern main floor was still checking in and around the shops, airlocks, and turbolifts. That left the southern main floor, the area between his own security office, the Infirmary, and Quark’s Bar. He figured he’d start there - trouble had a way of following Quark wherever he went.
A flash of pink tugged at the corner of Odo’s vision just as he was about to enter Quark’s. He turned to follow it, and there, tucked away into a gap between the jeweler’s shop and a turbolift shaft, he spotted a small human girl cowering, her knees pulled up to her chin. Odo sighed at her tear-streaked face before approaching slowly. She flinched as he drew nearer, so Odo crouched and schooled his facial features into something other than a scowl.
“You must be Elara,” Odo muttered, studying the girl curiously. There weren’t many children this young on the station. Even Chief O’Brien’s young daughter was older than this one. “Your mother’s been worried about you.”
At the mention of her mother, Elara’s eyes darted to Odo’s, looking for reassurance. He gave her a small smile.
“My name is Odo,” he offered, stretching a hand towards her, palm up. “It’s my job to make sure everyone is safe on the station.”
Elara’s lower lip trembled as she surveyed Odo cautiously, and Odo found himself appreciating her skepticism. That seemed good for a solid child.
“I couldn’t find her,” Elara whispered, her mouth tucked behind her knees as she curled in on herself. “There were too many people.”
Odo nodded solemnly, letting his hand return to its place on his knee. “The Promenade is very busy today.” He stood and offered his hand again. “Your mother is waiting for you in my office… would you like me to take you to her?”
Elara seemed to consider this for a moment and Odo hid a smile. Finally, she nodded and placed a small hand in his as she rose from the floor. The sensation was a strange one for Odo - he was not used to much human contact and he’d certainly never held the hand of this small a child. There was something pleasant, he found, about the way her tiny fingers wrapped around his… something rewarding.
He tapped his combadge quickly to inform Ops and security that the child had been found. As he guided the child back toward his office, he felt a soft tug on his hand; he glanced down to find Elara staring up at him, her big eyes clear and curious. “Thank you for finding me,” she said before returning her gaze to the stretch of walkway before them.
“Of course,” he muttered, his usual, unamused expression sliding back into place as they approached the entrance to the security office.
You were out of your seat before the security doors had opened fully, your heart stuttering in your chest. Relief poured out of you as your daughter flew from Odo’s grasp and into your arms.
You clutched her tight to your chest, her arms and legs wrapped firmly around you as you whispered apologies and reassurances into her hair. With a kiss to the top of her head, you glanced up at Odo, tears still trembling on the waterline of your eyes.
“Thank you, Odo,” you croaked. “I- I’m so sorry about all this - this has never happened before.”
Odo looked uncomfortable for a moment, unused to being thanked for simply doing his job, but the expression passed and he nodded sincerely.
“These things happen, Lieutenant.” His gruff voice brought you a sudden sense of comfort; he had followed through on his promise to find her. You could tell he was a serious man who took his job just as seriously and though you’d been on the station for less than two hours, you’d already come to appreciate that. You allowed yourself a moment to study Odo as you placed your daughter back on her feet.
His gaze slid away from yours, uncomfortable again, and you smiled softly. “The station must be pretty safe with you in charge,” you offered.
Odo cleared his throat, glancing between you and your daughter. “I do what I can.” After a short pause in which you noticed Major Kira glancing between you and Odo with a half-smile and raised eyebrow, you shifted awkwardly and Odo spoke again. “I’ll escort you to your quarters so that you can get settled in,” he grumbled, and you bit back a smile as you followed him back out of the security office towards your new home.
