There were a few more harsh breaths, and then Veli shuddered.

"S'cold." He said, trying to scramble out of the bathtub. His legs looked to be working, at least!

Noah sighed and pulled him out.

"Well, maybe that's a good thing." ...and he held Veli tight, trying to warm him by body heat alone.

Veli wrapped himself around the man, sighing.

"... I think I know what's wrong with me."

"What?" Noah asked, still petting Veli's hair.

Veli sighed, and felt like crying again.

"I... Been neglecting a ritual we merpeople got. To keep my special talents, I have to spend a night back where I was born. Until I do, I won't be able to take my merform, or heal like I used to. I'm essentially human. Probably can't even talk to Artie and Lizzie anymore..."

Noah's head fell. He wasn't going to say he wasn't at least slightly miffed at that.

"...and...where were you born?"

"... Hawaii." Veli sighed. Oh, he didn't want to go back, Noah. He'd put it off for years...

Too bad.

"C'mon. We're going. Now. We have to pack."

And Noah stood.

That was that.

Veli looked up in alarm.

"Now?!"

"Right now," Noah said, "You don't put shit like this off." And he was already on his way to the other room grabbing a jacket from the closet on the way.

So Veli followed him, looking worried, throwing a few changes of clothes into a bag.

"We.. We only gotta stay one night." He said, looking apprehensive. "I know you're busy..."

"No, you're more important," Noah said sternly, packing something with a clank and padding it with clothes. Aside from that, though, he said nothing.

Veli sighed, tugging on clothing and trying to not look miserable. Great. Now not only did he have to go back... There, but he made Noah angry. Nice. Great Job, Veli.

Noah sighed, pulled the handle from his suitcase, and began to roll it toward the door. He looped an arm around Veli's shoulders, because as much as he was pissed, he still loved the man somehow...and it wasn't right to make a sick man sad.

"We have to stop at the bank first."

"Whatever you wish." Veli said, picking up his bag.

Ugh. Human and miserable. Now he knew why humans sometimes threw themselves overboard.

And from the bank Noah had removed an absurd hunk of bills, which he purposely hid from Veli.

Within three hours, they were on the plane.

Staring out the window, chin resting in his hand, Noah stared. And stared. And stared. Boy, was he trying to not be angry...

Veli sat beside him, legs up on his seat and gnawing at a nail. It was going to be fine. It was going to be fine.

... Oh, God, he'd almost rather be human forever than have to go back...

And, a brutal few hours later, they had landed.

"We can go for it tomorrow," Noah said as they entered a motel in alright shape. It was no Ritz-Carlton, but it wasn't horrible.

"Right now, I'm fucking tired."

...and, truth be told, Noah had used that word perhaps twice...

"All right." Veli said, staring out the window. Oh, God, he could hear them already. "I'mma take a shower, if you don't want one first."

"Nah, go ahead," Noah said with a dismissive hand-wave and began to change into more comfortable sleeping clothes.

So Veli hid in the shower, trying to drown out the voice he heard that whispered and mocked him. He soaped up his hair and sighed, finally moving to leave, since he didn't want to inconvenience Noah any.

... Did Noah want to sleep with him? Should he curl up on a chair?

Mm, no. Back in the room, Noah was laying under the blankets of one bed, Veli's usual side folded down, inviting him in. It would perhaps not be the best night they'd spent together, but it wouldn't be unloving.

So Veli crawled in beside him, moving his head under his pillow. Ugh.

And Noah moved. It wasn't obvious whether he was asleep or not, but the man wrapped an arm around Veli, nuzzling his pillow and then going still again.

Snuggling against him, Veli tried to sleep. He really did. But between the fact that he knew that Noah was mad, the more human temperature, and the fact that he could still hear taunts on the wind, he just couldn't sleep.