Veli gave an odd little chirp, nuzzling him. Wrapping both arms around his torso, he hefted the man up onto his feet.

"C'mon, need to nap for a bit. Mama wants us to wait. She said something about "Getting present for nice Baby's mate." It should be amazing."

Noah shuddered as he half-shuffled, half-stumbled into the bedroom. Ugh. Dead fish? He cold do without, thanks. And he collapsed into the bed, taking Veli with him...and....the...BAM. Out like a light.

Veli snuzzled against him, smiling and stroking at his face. Such a good man, so loving. He hummed under his breath, touching him every so often, to let him know he was loved.

Noah smiled as he slept, occasionally pulling Veli closer, petting, loving. Aww, even when unconscious, he was loving.

Veli hummed and crooned, stroking Noah's skin. His eyes were closed, happy and content to wait for Noah to wake up. Such a good man.

Sleepy Noah slept for only two hours before his eyes opened. Ah, so much better.

Nose wiggling, Veli looked up at him, grinning. "Good morning, Noah." He said, beaming. "Feel better?"

"Mm," Noah said about as articulately as he could, "Definitely."

"Good." Veli stroked his cheek, kissing at his neck. He loved and snuzzled and kissed, happy and healthy and full of energy.

"Should we start back?" Noah smiled, "I'll be damned if I know how to work this thing."

"I can..." Veli tipped his head to one side, listening. "Okay. I can pilot us. But get a bucket, Mama caught your present."

Oh, shit. Noah blinked and pulled the fish-holder from the floor.

"Pleasetellmeshedidn'tkillanything," he begged.

"I told her you don't eat fish. You eat seaweed and stuff." Veli explained, moving towards the side of the boat.

"She feels swimmy fins in her mouth, so they're alive."

EH. SHARK.

Noah carefully lowered the bucket into the water beneath the shark's mouth.

"Hiii, Mama..."

Mama watched him, blinking, great mouth opening-

And very carefully released several whole, but terrified, clownfish into the bucket. She made a noise, shaking her head, and moving up the side of the boat. Veli kissed and loved on her, hanging over as far as he could.

"Mmm, Bye Mama." He said, giving her one last kiss on the snout. Mama looked to Noah, then to Veli, made another odd noise, and slid back into the ocean.

Noah patted her tail as she swam off. Hey, her back end was less scary than her front end...and then he remembered the holes in the bucket. Shit. SHIT. He ran back and dropped it into its proper space in the floor...and then he aid down to watch the fishy.

"Hiiii~"

Veli giggled, leaning over his back. "Mama did good. Told her about your little finny friends. She said she wanted to get you more finny friends, 'cause you take care of me. She's a good old girl."

Hell, she was better than his own mother.

"Smart shark," Noah said, dipping his hand into the water. Ah, fishies~

"She is. Good girl." Veli leaned over and kissed the back of his neck.

"I'mma take us to shore now." He said, nodding, and stopping on the dock to reclaim his pants. After all, couldn't pull up to civilization naked.

"Kay," Noah nodded. When confronted with a new fishy friend, he as like a kid again.

Humming to himself, feeling great, Veli piloted them towards land. He had a Noah, and Noah had new fishies, and everything was good again.

Once they reached land, Noah put the fishy in a little baggy and got off on the boat, returning his extra three tanks of air. Okay, so maybe I was a little excessive.

"We still have an hour or five to kill before we have to go back."

Veli hummed, light on his feet, wanting to dance and run and do anything now that he felt good. Leaning his head back towards Noah he grinned.

"What do you wanna do?"

"Put this poor fish in a bowl," Noah chuckled, "but after that? Lunch? Sight-seeing?"

"Food sounds good. And we can get you something better than trail mix." Veli nodded. He was hungry. "Find a bowl for the fish, and... Look around a bit. S'changed a lot since I was here last."