"I've been thinking..." Noah mused, "We're...pretty...pretty close anyway...and I mean, we're exclusive. So maybe we should get to know each other on a...more personal, less intimate level?"

He chucked slightly and looked Veli over.

"I mean, we clearly haven't been completely honest with each other..."

Veli somehow managed to look shamefaced. "I'm sorry." He said softly, averting his eyes. "I didn't mean to trick you, or to lie to you for so long."

He really hadn't. The fact that the relationship had lasted past that first night still amazed him.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know."

Noah shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure I know all I need to know right now." He snorgled Veli gently, enjoying the feel of skin-on-skin without any need for sexual pleasure.

Mmmmm, Warm. Veli sighed, enjoying his scent.

". . . What's growing up human like?" He asked after a moment. "What do you do?"

Noah shrugged.

"I didn't exactly have a model family, but I...yenno, played with other kids. Bugged my parents for toys. Went to church every Sunday. It's a lot of pushing your parents' buttons and going to school...and then you're suddenly an adult."

"Human things are hard." Veli said, exploring one of Noah's arms carefully. "So much to learn, in such a short time... You're amazing."

Noah just chuckled and flexed said arm.

"And I could say the same about you."

"Not really. Merfolk grow fast. We learn quick, perhaps a year or three of childhood." Veli traced over the muscle, his eyes still closed. Hmmmm~

". . . You are very kind, Noah. I've never met anyone like you."

"Thank you," Noah smiled, "You're quite unique yourself."

"I am." Veli sighed, resting his head against Noah's chest.

". . . I'm sorry. I'm just... Really tired." He sighed, rubbing his cheek against warm skin.

"That's what I'm here for," Noah smiled and spoke softly, "To be your pillow."

Veli was fighting to stay conscious. A dream. This had to be some sort of a weird dream. Too much kindness. He didn't want it to end.

He made a little burbling sound, his eyes finally closing, and his arm went limp, dropping across Noah's chest. And the poor fishman was out. Comfy Noah pillow.

Noah just sighed and smiled softly, watching Veli as he slept. Frightening, sure...but amazingly beautiful.

Funny how things work out sometimes.

Veli slept for a long time. The discoloration on his stomach and tail scales faded until they were a matching color to the rest. His eyes slowly flittered open.

He went over a mental checklist of what had happened the night before, something inside of him freezing. Oh, God. Noah. He slowly looked up at the man's face.

Noah knew.

Noah just looked to him and smiled, petting his hair once.

"Good morning."

Still staring, Veli slowly formed the words.

"Gh... Good morning." His little not nose wiggled, watching him. Oh, God. He knew, he knew, he knew-!

Noah, still smiling, kissed Veli between the nostrils.

And as silly as it sounded, Veli's heart melted at that simple affection. He carefully reached up and stroked the back of one hand down his cheek.

"Thanks for taking care of me."

Noah was happy today. Really, excessively, school-girl-ish happy. It may be for the visit Veli had paid him the night before, or perhaps not. Regardless, he was very certain he had never felt better.

Luckily, he didn't see the rope snap, or the coworker slip. That may have killed his mood. He did, however, hear the yelp and see the sheet of metal falling.

Past that, there was nothing.

The morning went well for Veli as well. He hummed, visiting Noah's fish and basically puttering about until it was time for Noah to come home.

Yenno, he might as well move some stuff over. He spent most of his time at Noah's, anyway. Would be smart to have some clean clothes over here...

And two went by. So did two-thirty and three. Still, there was no sign of Noah.

Something was wrong.

Gnawing at his lower lip, Veli locked up and headed over to the worksite. Something was wrong. He could feel it. He hadn't felt the wrong happen, but something had happened.

Okay. He'd find a foreman and ask if Noah had left already. It shouldn't be hard.

Except the foreman was outside the school, talking to a police officer. Oh no, that wasn't good...

Oh God. Police.

Veli gnawed at his lower lip. What to do? Wait? Go looking for Noah by himself?

Wait. Waiting was smart. Waiting wouldn't make hiim look insane. Who was he? Noah's friend? They'd... Had plans. yes. That sounded perfectly reasonable and not at all reputation smearing for Noah.

He moved from foot to foot, watching the officer and the foreman. Ohgod. Noah.

The policeman thanked he foreman after a few more minutes and drive away, leaving the poor distraught man to his own devices. There was also a weasely looking, fidgety little man by the building itself. The culprit!