Singing for new patrons at the Eel

Gammon gave his best wounded look at Lorelei's accusation of flattery. "It isn't flattery if it's true," he protested.

He laughed at the scarf draped over the Bajoran's face. "You make a very becoming human bride. I'm sure you'll make the lieutenant very happy."

"I doubt it," Val sighed dramatically, sliding the scarf from his face. "But some day perhaps I'll make some sincere, honest human with a particular fondness for Bajoran culture very happy. Hopefully they'll also have very nice hair."

Lorelei looked down at Val. "Nice hair?" She asked, perplexed.

"Sure," Gammon agreed with Val. "Who doesn't like a good head of hair to grip?" He inclined his head after a moment's thought and added, "Although I have had some very good times with the hairless."

"I like nice hair on a sentient being.  No offense to Da-an, of course. But when you've got tentacles I guess hair doesn't matter," he hung his head, chuckling at what he just revealed.

Lorelei giggled with him, sipping her drink. The bar had grown quieter - the hologram was tidying up. "Well, gentlemen," she crooned with a sigh, "It's, as the humans say, the witching hour, and I'm afraid I'll turn into a pumpkin." Lorelei furrowed her brow, "what a strange saying..." She stood, gathering her dress around her.

"Tentacles," Gammon sighed with nostalgia, and as Lorelei got up, he stood. Not because he was going to be leaving, but because it seemed the proper thing to do. "Humans always do have the most nonsensical idioms," he agreed, and then reached to take Lorelei's hand to kiss it again. "You performed exquisitely," he told her earnestly, once again not taking his eyes from hers as he bent to put his lips to her skin.

Lorelei turned her hand to expose her wrist instead of the back of her hand. "You boy's close up the bar."

Val had laid his head down on the bar. He waved his fingers to Lorelei.
"Good night," he said woosily.

"I'll take care of him," Gammon promised Lorelei after giving her wrist an extra kiss and a graze with the tip of his nose. He kept his voice low, either because he didn't want Val to hear or because he didn't want anyone else to hear. "Sweet dreams, Lorelei." He again made her name sound absolutely decadent on his tongue.

Then he stepped over to Val and rested his hand on the Bajoran's hair. "That's why I got you pure water, you lightweight."

Val turned his head and smiled, gazing up at Gammon with hooded eyes.
"Falten doesn't usually make my kanar this strong," he said, then joked, "it's a good thing you're here, or someone could take advantage of me.."

Lorelei looked from one to another. "Are you sure you'll manage?" She lowered her voice jokingly, "I think you may have to carry this one home. Do you know where his quarters are?"

Val sat up straight and weaved slightly, his completely false but completely relied-upon haughty air in full flow.
"I do not take clients in my quarters, thank you."

"I'm practically betting I'll have to carry him," Gammon laughed. "I'll just toss him over my shoulder for everyone to see. He'll love it."

Then he rolled his eyes at Val. "I'm not a client. I'm a family friend."

"I suppose I have been known to make exceptions," Val sighed. "But it's almost never worked out well."

Lorelei looked at Val kindly and bent down to help him up. "Can you stand, honey?"

"Yes, of course I can stand," Val said carefully, pushing himself up from the bar and swaying slightly. He maintained a serious expression. "Shall we continue these festivities in my quarters?"

Gammon looked skeptically at Val and then raised his brows in question at Lorelei. He gave a Fezzik-like shrug, bent at the waist, and wrapped his arms around the Bajoran's thighs. As he promised, he tossed the slighter man over his shoulder with barely a grunt. "If you can stay awake all the way to your quarters, it'll be a miracle."

"I better show you where it is," Lorelei replied with a chuckle. Val looked like a rag doll kitten tossed over the man's shoulder.

Val yelped as he was tossed over Gammon's shoulder, and chuckled merrily. "Turbo lift 4 is closest," he offered. "And don't let Papus out when you go in!"

"Papus!" Gammon exclaimed with manly delight. "I wonder if he'll remember me."

At Lorelei's offer to accompany them to Val's quarters, she received a glad smile from the Kriosian. "Only if it's not too far out of your way. I'm sure I'll find it eventually if he passes out."

"Not at all," Lorelei replied. "Though..." She leaned on the table and bent over to take off her towering heels, "I'm done with these for tonight!" She tossed the pair over her shoulder to hang by the straps and led the way out of the bar.

Val raked his nails over Gammon's back like an impatient cat.
"I wonder what ever happened to those nice humans.." He pondered idly, thinking back on the man who gave him Papus as a kitten.

Gammon sucked in a breath and shifted his shoulders at Val's fingernails. "A little lower and to the left."

Meanwhile he watched Lorelei relieve her feet with something between lust and fascination. When she was ready, he popped the Bajoran playfully on the butt. "Lead the way, Siren."

"Goodnight, HJ!" Lorelei called out to the flickering bartender, heading for the exit. "It's just on deck 5, not far from here," she went on as the odd threesome turned onto the Promenade. The hallways of the station were sparsely populated this late at night. The Risan looked up at Gammon carrying Val, who dosed off between jostles. "Your last workout for the evening," she chuckled.