Self-Care (Val's Quarters)

Val smiled and slid his hands up the back of Rai's neck again to stroke his hair.
"Feeling a little better, at least?"

"You've readied me to face the quadrant once again," he said. "I'll likely be bringing back prisoners of war from our next mission, if they're not all dead."

"Our prisoners, or their's?" Val asked.

"Federation citizens under Cardassian capture," he said. "Maybe there will be business in it for you. Maybe not."

Val shivvered a little. "Perhaps. Not everyone heals best through talk therapy."

Rai held perfectly still until Val had finished his work. "I might see you once more before I leave, I hope you'll have the time," he said. "I'm sure it's short notice."

"Not at all," Val assured him. "I think I'm going to be taking a break from sexual services for a few days... I need to recover a bit from one of my admirers. So I'm all yours."

"2300 hours then?" he asked, discretely slipping a palm with four latinum bars to Val. "Just tea, a shoulder rub, and pleasant conversation."

"Perfect," Val agreed, tucking the bars away. "I'll look forward to it."