s/he looked up at them with one eye, "So how does this stuff work?"
"It doesn't work any particular way. There's no magic formula or anything. Just patience."
"So, this is your genius plan?"
S/He kept sipping their drink and reading their own book, when a gentle next step occurred to them.
S/He looked up with a raised eyebrow,
S/He looked at them for a while before continuing, "Any chance you feel like doing it now?"
"Noooooo," s/he snickered through their answer, "Now let me finish this chapter would you?"
They both read, waiting out the midday sun. The entire time, Vin'yla's right tentacle slowly worked back and forth. By three o'clock they had enough reading.