Noah sighed and fell to a squat beside the tub.

"It'll all be alright, suga'..." he said, caressing the side of Veli's face with the back of one hand.

Nodding, Veli finished washing quickly. Being in the water, but not being himself, made him feel sick. And he was tired.

"No'? Can... You please take me to bed? I'm... Really tired." He held up his arms, and they shook slightly. Tired Veli was tired.

"Of course," Noah nodded and dried Veli off quickly, bringing him back to bed and tucking him in. He plopped down at the edge, brushing some hair from Veli's forehead.

"I'm gonna take good care'a ya, suga'."

Veli touched his face lightly, smiling tiredly. The poor man just lay there limply, like he couldn't gather the energy to raise up his head. His energy had crashed, hardcore.

"I know you will, No'. You're my good man."

"Do you have any idea what might help?" Noah said, managing a small smile, "because if not, I have some more quacky human treatments."

"I don't know." Veli sighed, eyes closing as he stroked his man's skin. "I've never felt like this before... It's awful."

"Yeah," Noah said, chuckling slightly, "It pretty much sucks." He sighed and smiled.

"This is all about you until you get better. Once you feel a little better, I'll go shopping, make you the good stuff."

Veli sighed, dropping his other hand to the bed. He looked exhausted from his small bit of activity.

"I'll be holding you to that, you know." He said quietly, his eyes closing.

"Oh, no problem, suga'," Noah whispered. He wasn't living this man's bed for nothin'. Nope nope!

His smile was interrupted by a cough, but started up again.

"Thanks." He whispered. "I'm... Going to sleep, I think. M'tired." He sounded it too, the poor man.

"Of course, suga'," Noah smiled, "You do whatever you need."

The merman managed to give a little burble of sound before he went out again.

He dozed on and off for a few hours, before waking up, again scalding hot. "Nnnng..." He whined, curling up into a ball as best he could, trying to remove the blankets.

Noah removed them gently himself. He didn't want to wake Veli if he wasn't already.

"Noah... I'm hot..." Veli groaned, though he shivered. But he was. Poor man was burning up. His skin was drying out as well.

Noah suddenly disappeared, there was the sound of running water, and then Veli was placed into another little bath, cool this time.

Veli mumbled, sinking back into the water, still not changing forms.

"Hot." He mumbled again, shifting in the water.

"Want some ice?" Noah asked. Really, he didn't know what else to offer.

"Mmhm-!" Veli moaned, eyes slowly opening. Oh, god, he'd never been this hot before.

Noah nodded and disappeared again, coming back with two trays of ice, straight from the freezer.

"Here, suck on one," he offered.

Veli slowly looked up at him, his eyes looking glazed.

"S'hot, Noah. S'hot."

"I know, I'm ding everything I can," Noah sighed. He dumped one tray's-worth of cubes into the water and cracked the rest out, pulling one to rub over Veli's forehead, neck, and chest. Poor man...

Breathing hard and fast, Veli's nose flared.

"Tell me, Noah. Tell me-!" He said suddenly. It might work...!

Noah's eyes went wide and he blinked as he picked up another ice cube.

"...what? It'll be okay...?"

Having trouble breathing, still hotter than hell, Veli gasped: "No, Tell me, make me be-!"

Ooooh.

"...alright. Be cured. Right now," Noah said, still using the ice.