Fussing over orchids

Val had picked a large bouquet and fastened it together with some vines, then made a sort of hammock out of his scarf to collect fruit. He picked anything and everything not found on Bajor. He chuckled. "She's going to be so confused. But she'll like it."

"She's lucky to have a son like you," they said. "I'll have them sent priority in the morning. Really, what's the point of having a place like this if not to make others happy?"

"It's very nice of you," Val wrapped up the fruit in his scarf and delivered both bundles to Da-an. "I sent her a package two days ago - so this will be another surprise," he said.
"Do you have family groups? Or do you just sort of spore and live on your own?"

"We have used to have fruitings of our own, small cooperative groups of closely related Phylosians. As our population dropped, we learned asexual reproduction-- self pollination if you will."

"Huh," Val considered this. "Have you ever wanted to self-pollinate?"

"Sometimes, but it would ultimately be a clone of myself. A copy. It is a delay of the inevitable," they said resignedly.

"Oh, I see," Val said quietly, sorry for bringing up such a subject.
"Well, pollinating me doesn't work, so no need to try that again," he grinned.

"It may not work, but it is terribly fun," they said, winding a long tendril around his waist.

Val pulled away from the grasp, but made no effort to unwind it. He pulled gently with both hands splayed over the base.
"We must figure out what to do about your pollen. It's not good for me."

"Isn't there an antihistamine you can take? I heard Bajorans are sensitive," they suggested meekly.

Val let his fingers glide over the tendril around his waist.
"I can take something, but it won't help the 3 days of burning when you come inside me. So you can't do that anymore. All right?"

"Agreed, of course. I can't begin to express how sorry I am for that. Is there a way I could make it up to you?" they asked earnestly.

"No need," Val assured them. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me. But let's make sure to keep all pollen external, ok?" He grinned, giving Da-an's tendril a squeeze. "You want me to cry for help this time?"

"Yes, but I'd like to try something different tonight," they said, leading Val to the side of the artificial pond.

"Oh?" Val smiled, dipping his fingers in the pond. "What do you have in mind?"

"Just kneel," they said, and gently applied pressure to his shoulders.

Val's brows shot up at the request, and he knelt, looking up at Da-an for explanation or instruction, but of course finding the creature utterly impossible to read.