"I mean I call you when I need you," Noah explained, slathering more cement on the floor and spreading it flat, "you call me when you need me, we don't go to other people."

He refused to look Veli in the eye.

Okay. The first part he understood. Like a booty call. He was fine with that. He had a lot of people's numbers for that.

It was the second part that confused him somewhat. Not going to other people...?

"So... Friends with benefits, but just with me and you?"

"Yeah," Noah chuckled, "I don't wanna share somethin' so amazing."

And was that an illusion, or were the tips of Veli's ears turning red?

"Mmm, I don't want to share you, either." He said, remembering the night before. Noah had ruined him for others, anyway. "And... Should I come over tonight?"

Noah shrugged.

"If you want to. You can even stay, if you wish."

Veli just looked at him, like he was some sort of odd creature. Huh!

"Okay..." He still looked confused. Poor Baby.

Noah chuckled.

"I mean for the rest of today."

Veli tried his best to cover up his confusion. Coming over in the daytime was something he hadn't expected.

"Oh. Okay." He thought about it for a few moments. "So, what'll we do?"

Noah shrugged.

"I'm still stuck here for another coupla' hours. That should be enough time for you to figure out what you wanna do. Just keep my salary in mind."

Veli nodded.

"All right. I'll meet you back at your place at three thirty, then? Or do you want to meet somewhere public?"

Noah turned back to him and smiled.

"Sounds good. You can hang out there 'til then. I'll try t'finish quicker. I don't care who sees me with you."

"I need to go home and change." And take a proper shower, but, hey. "But if you get done early, I left my number on your fridge. Just give me a call and I'll be over as soon as I can walk."

Oh, reeeeally?

"Alright. It's a deal. Have your mind made up by then."

Noah winked and went back to work.

The wink made something squishy happen inside. Veli had nodded and left, returning home and giving himself a good bath. He'd mulled around for a bit, thinking, before walking back to Noah's home, looking nervous.

Huh. This boy could do anything when it came to sex. But put him in a normal relationship and he was lost.

Seeing that his truck was home, Veli walked up and knocked on the door.

Ah, well. That explained why he wasn't answering his phone. Noah hung up and went for the door, opening it and smiling.

"Welcome back."

Veli smiled at him, running a hand through his hair. The green streaks somehow looked odder in the daytime.

"Thanks for welcoming me." He said, nodding. "Can I come in?"

"Mmhm," Noah nodded, stepping aside.

"Have you decided where you want to go?"

Veli shrugged, looking at the ground after a moment. "I dunno. Like, a movie, maybe?"

"Sounds good," Noah nodded, pulling his wallet and keys from a small table, "So I invited you inside...why?"

As Veli started out for Noah's house, he couldn't believe how well the past few weeks had went. He was amazingly comfortable in the man's presence, and Noah certainly knew how to treat him.

The slight fluttering in his chest bothered him from time to time when he looked at Noah, but the usual empty-after-sex feeling had left, which was a good thing.

Things were nice. Really incredibly nice. Veli grinned to himself and started across the street. He couldn't remember when things had been this nice bef-

Something hit him. Something hit him hard. All the air went out of his body as things inside of him started to snap. He could hear, in a strangely slow fashion, screeching tires. He hit metal, hot, then cool glass, and then there was more pain as he fell back onto concrete.

Silence.

And then the car drove away.

Groaning, tears in his eyes, Veli forced himself to ignore the pain. There was something up with one leg, but he wasn't too far from Noah's. He could make it, no problem.

Oh God. It hurt. Veli gave a little sob, forcing himself to move the rest of the way. Water. He needed water.

Finally, not a moment too soon, Veli reached Noah's. He collapsed against the door, knocking as best he could.

Noah opened it, expecting to see the usual healthy, happy Veli. When he saw the pitiful heap on his doorstep, he experienced just a little bit of a brainsnap.

At first he didn't know what to do. It wasn't every day you found a bleeding man in front of your door. His second reaction, though, was the pick the poor man up.

"Godhehityoudidn'the."

Veli cried out, and when he moved tehre was a very audible grinding noise. Lots of things broken. There was blood coming from his nose and mouth.

Veli was not in a good way.

"Hurts. S'cold." He managed, trying to look at him. Shit. Vision was starting to go. He was dying. "Need water. T'be innit."

Noah held Veli to him and went back inside, closing the door with his foot. When people were very obviously dying, you learned to not question it.

"Like...a bath tub?" He'd drawn one for himself earlier, and he'd ever used it. It was probably a bit cold, but he said water, not warm water.

And it was then that Noah realized, hey, Veli was dying. He was losing him before he even had him. His eyes filled, but he disallowed him the right to cry.

More blood. More tears. "Water." He repeated again, hands spasming against Noah. He looked up at him, with eyes that didn't see, wanting to warn him somehow.

"Differen't. I'm odd. Don't... Nnnn... Still me-"

Noah's brow furrowed and a single tear fell, simply from the fluid overflowing. That made no sense. Bath tub water was water, was there a different kind of water? What?

Giving a little sniff, Noah moved to the bathroom, knelt, and placed Veli in the water. Oh, God, it was turning pink.