Turning a Leafy Trick

Val didn't have hours to wait for Dr. Ozan's tests to be complete, not unless he wanted to stand Da-an up. So with the intention of their date being celibate for the time being, he wore his sleek black suit without the eye catching reflective disks or bangles. Though he did wear his new scarf.
He got himself a Breen iced lemonade and leaned over the railing, observing the coming and going of the merchants and pilots. All things considered, this probably wasn't the safest place for a being with a vulnerable immune system. This station was practically a petri dish.

Da-an didn't primp before their date, they had no need to. They placed a meek tendril on Val's shoulder to get his attention.

Val turned and looked up at Da-an with a fond smile.
"Oh, hello Da-an," He leaned back against the railing submissively. "How are you today?" He reached his arm out and let the creature's tendril slide off its length.

"I've started work on the Pleasure Gardens, today. The station boasts a number of overgrown orchids which, when re-bulbed and transplanted, should produce stalks within a few months. And you?"

"Ooh, I would like to see that very much," Val said. "I'm well. I was thinking of those tendrils of yours as I laid down to sleep last night," he smiled, biting his lower lip.

"These old things?" they asked, waving a tentacle in the air. "I only put them on when I don't care what I look like," they caught Val by the hand, and slithered up his sleeve, caressing the soft skin on the inside of his wrist.

Val shivvered after chuckling at Da-an's absurdist humor. He exploited the inside wrist in many of his clients because it was effective - but also because it was particularly effective on himself.
"Shall I give you that tour of the station now?"

"I'd be delighted, lead the way!" said Da-an. They extended their tentacles in a loop, in case Val wanted to link 'arms' with them.
"Show me all the beautiful places, and all of the places I need to fix. Show me where you like to go."

Val slipped his arm into Da-an's grasp gladly and brought them around to the various observation points.
"This station commands some very beautiful views to the surrounding systems, but unfortunately the inside is by and large how the Cardassians left it. I'm of the mind that Bajoran climbing vines would look just wonderful weaving in and out of those otherwise pointless flying buttresses that are everywhere."

"That's feasible," they said. "It's such a bleak place, I'm glad they called me in. It must be terrible for you as a Bajoran. Do you think the Commander would allow it?"

Val shrugged. "It's better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission," he said. "Once he sees how pretty it looks, how could he refuse?" He brought Da'an to the mostly decorative staircase that he loved to make entrances on.
"Oh!"
He covered his mouth as an idea occurred to him. "I don't know if you do aquatic plants, but wouldn't water lilies be wonderful for the seaweed baths at the Two Moons?"

"I like the way you think," they said. A tendril brushed Val's cheek. "I brought bulbs of the Andorian blue lotus with me, they're very bold and they smell just like honey. Do you know anything as sweet?"
Da-an had drawn nearer to him, and encircled his shoulder with an errant vine.

"I know something as bold.." Val smiled slyly at the entity, pausing to back himself against the wall coquettishly.
"But I've never seen an Andorian blue lotus. I can't wait to see them bloom."

"Neither can I. I can't wait to get settled in here. Have I seen all there is to see? If so, would you like to watch me terraform the Pleasure Gardens? I have micropods and cellular permaculturation kits ready to go. It's a colorful process, something a colorful person like yourself might enjoy," they said. The colors of their head-like structure fluctuated from a bright green to a pale lavender, indicating a kind of embarrassment or shyness.

Val's expression brightened, and he took hold of one of Da-an's tendrils excitedly.
"Oh, yes!" He said. "I'd love to see you do your work. Lead on."

(posting in the Pleasure Gardens)