You're insanely worried about your friend, Venn.

Well, less of a friend, more of a...caretaker, of sorts? Yes. You take care of Venn. Especially after Venn's swim team training.

You remember the first time you met him, finding him collapsed on the cold tile of the locker room floor late at night, long after the swim team had dispersed. He was shivering and cold, lethargic and almost dead. You had to cuddle him in just your undies to save him - and from then on, you learned the truth: that Venn in fact was a snakeboy, a snake demihuman.

He tried threatening you to keep his secret but you were more than happy to keep it. You got nothing from telling his secret...and from then on, Venn never left you alone again.

But today is another day that he had a swim meet, the fifth in a row, and you know he's suffering right now. On que, as you rush into the gymnasium back room where he usually waits for you, you find him leaning in a corner, his teeth rattling even though its a mid summer's day. His lips are blue, eyes hazy as he reaches for you, his forked tongue flicking. He could scent you from a mile away.

"Took you long enough,"

He rasps dryly, his blue eyes regaining some life to them.

"I need you."