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Well shit. Shit, shit, shit. I'm in deep shit now. Wow, Lance you're a shitty shithead. Delirious and stupid, Lance. What were you thinking? This is bad, so bad, shitting bad.

As soon as Lance had made eye contact with the hottie-emo-surfer-man, he hadn't even had time to react before the boy had promptly turned and slammed the door closed.

Lance was lounging in the small tub of their "dorm", very confining but it was water nonetheless, pressing scale tape over his wounds. The adhesive sunk between his scales within seconds, mending them so they stopped bleeding even if they weren't completely healed yet. Of course, his huge tail was flopping out of the end of the tub, blue and shiny and sleek.

Alarmed from the intrusion, Lance shoved his tape back into his satchel (which had surprisingly survived the waves, strapped tightly to his back) and used his arms to prop himself out of the tub. As soon as he was suspended over the warm water, his tail split, burning the whole time, and he grimaced, knuckles turning white as he clutched the sides of the tub.

Panting slightly, he drained the water from the mysterious tub (he had no idea how it worked, but the fresh water tasted good and helped him heal faster), and wrapped a towel around his waist. His hair was already a bit damp, drying quickly.

"I don't want to be an outcast. I definitely don't want to be the cause of the death of this human. So the only way to prevent it is to make sure that he tells no one." Lance, brow set, opened the door to the bathroom and peeked outside. The dude, Lance remembered his name was Keith, was stuttering to the buff one.

"He- he's uh- a, uh- um- he's...!!!"

"He's a what you idiot?" Shiro looked confused.

Lance stepped forward, "He's an incredibly hot man." He grabbed Keith by the wrist and dragged him into the bathroom, shutting the door behind them. He promptly pushed Keith against the door and pinned him there with his body weight, faces inches apart. Keith was gaping like a fish out of water.

"You're a-" Lance slapped a hand over his mouth, frowning.

"You're going to die if you tell anyone, I'm not kidding. The council will find out, they might anyways, so you best bet that if you mention one word of what you just saw to a single other living soul, I swear to Alfor, you'll regret it." Keith's cheeks were flushed and he looked pretty intimidated, but Lance honestly no idea if he was doing this right.

Keith's expression suddenly changed. "I know you." Lance blinked and pulled back a bit. His hips were pressed flush against Keith's and he realized now why his cheeks were red. Whoops.

"What?"

"Oh my god- you're the guy! Cheesy pick-up line guy!" Lance groaned inwardly. He wanted to slam his head on the tile floor.

"Yeah, well, thanks for saving my life but I have to go home right now. I'm glad your reconsidered my offer, though," Lance sighed.

"What? Nonono, I told you. I'm not gay." Lance wanted to roll his eyes. Oh, of course you aren't. I wouldn't be surprised if you had a hard-on right now, the way your cheeks are the color of Fire coral.

"Whatever you say," Lance said, "Just bring me to the beach and you don't have to see me or question your sexuality ever again, okay?" He let Keith off the door and turned away, crossing his arms.

Keith shrugged. "Five minutes."

...

Lance gingerly stepped off the motorcycle, wearing the swim trunks from his satchel and one of Shiro's shirts (Keith's were too small). Long legs wobbly from the ride, and still a bit weak from his wounds, he held onto Keith's shoulder to steady himself. Keith remained on his bike, idling by the side of the road.

Right next to the near-empty beach, Keith looked beyond Lance to the sky, wispy clouds still a bit pink from the sunrise, cotton candy in the robins'-egg-blue sky.

"Okay well... thank you," Lance said awkwardly, mirroring Keith to look out to the horizon, "And remember, not a soul. Your life's in danger." He really didn't mean to make it so dramatic, but what else was he supposed to do? Have Keith blab about mermaids to the whole world? No, thanks.

"I'll remember," Keith grumbled. He was staring at Lance, as if not really believing he was real.

"I'll make sure to stay out of your way but..." Lance looked sheepish, "this is my home too, so if we see each other, just pretend you don't know me."

Keith nodded, then it almost looked like he was about to smile, "I'll be fine with that, you're pretty obnoxious."

Lance clutched his chest dramatically. "Ow," he deadpanned, and Keith chuckled under his breath. "Alright. Bye." Lance waved over his shoulder, then stumbled down to the dunes. Keith watched him plunge into the water and he swore he could make out the flick of a fin above the surface of the water as he watched the pretty fish-boy go home. And yet, still, he could feel the warmth of the boy's arms around his waist as he sped off on his bike.

Later, Blue Eyes.
...
Lance found his way back to the colony easily, only after slapping Shiro's sopping shirt on the rock where Keith had been laying yesterday. His own shorts however, had not fared so well during his change, and he watched the pieces of fabric slowly drift away in the current as the salt-water filled his gills and everything came rushing, crushing back.
Dad. Mom. Ulaz. Thace. The fight. The Dark Kingdom. Lotor. Humans.

Inhaling deeply, Lance swam into a current and pulsed on his fluorescence, frankly terrified of what would happen when he got home. There would be no school today, not after a lockdown, so the twins would likely be home, as well as his parents. Everyone was... probably disappointed in him. How would he explain what happened? How was he supposed to avoid telling them about Shiro and Keith?

The sunlight was as grimy as ever as Lance dove into the neighborhood, and his skin already missed the bright rays of the surface. Cold wrapped its long fingers around his chest and tail, pressing in on him and making him shiver. Not many people were out and about, but the people who were stared at Lance as he passed. He felt their stares on his back as he weaved through the caves to his home.

He only paused for a few seconds outside the door, taking time to collect himself and his pile of excuses. Upon entering, Elena dropped the fishnet she was holding and rushed to Lance, throwing her arms around him. "Lance, Lance, Lance," she chided softly, "You're an idiot, my Lance. I was so worried." Elena pulled back, looking Lance over to make sure he wasn't injured. Thankfully, the scale tape had mended his wounds well and she didn't notice the thin, reddish slices across his tail.

"Hola, Mama. I'm sorry. I'm okay, though." Lance avoided the topic of his father completely- he could enjoy this peace with his mother before his father's rage ruined it. Lance glanced around and didn't notice the twins anywhere, which was odd. His father was probably in his room.

"Lance," Elena looked nervous, "Alfor came by." Lance's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Excuse me?" If Alfor had stopped by, that only meant one thing. He knew. He knew about Keith, he knew about the whole thing. And now Elena and Carlos knew too. Lance wished the rocky floor would open up and swallow him, and he'd never have to face anyone ever again. He'd be banished, Keith would be killed, and everything would go to hell. Lance felt his heartbeat jump and then accelerate, thumping so hard he could hear it in his ears.

"Oh! Please don't worry, I promise it's not anything bad! Well... sort of."

"That only makes me more worried!" Lance said, alarmed.

Suddenly, Lance saw movement in his peripheral and turned. His jaw slackened. Carlos swam towards him slowly, eyes downcast. In a rush of water, Lance found himself between his father's arms, cheek on his broad shoulder. It took him a second to register that his father was legitimately hugging him and not trying to strangle him.

"I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry," Carlos was saying, his long, dark hair that brushed his shoulders waving in front of Lances face. He couldn't bring himself to hug his father back, but he accepted being held, his father's shoulders shaking slightly. When he pulled back, Carlos' eyes were red and the bags underneath them were the color of his tail- deep grey.

Elena drifted over and put her hand gingerly on Carlos' shoulder, no doubt a signal that they had fought the previous night. Lance didn't blame her- his father's words still stung his skin. "Alfor came and talked to us early this morning. He has something he needs to talk to you about, and said to send you to the council as soon as you returned."

Confused, Lance looked between his parents. "Now?" Elena nodded. Carlos was staring at the floor, unable to meet Lance's eyes. Since his tail was so dark, his florescence was white, and the sparks on his shoulders were pulsing slowly. Lance knew what that meant.

Each type of marking had different meanings, the ones on a mer's cheeks were meant for happiness, friendliness, the ones on their ribs for a warning, and the list went on. Shoulders were meant for sadness, despair, in some cases even an apology. In fighting, it meant a retreat or surrender. Lance didn't want to accept it.

"I'll be back soon, then," Lance said loudly, and his father snapped out of it. He turned to go out the door, but Elena put a hand on his arm.

"Lance, whatever you chose, we support you." Lance nodded solemnly.

...

"Lance McClain-Sanchez, you are here today for committing an offense against the Council and the Mermaidian Code of Laws. I will now read your charges-"

"That's enough, Belthor." Alfor was positioned behind the dais, looking down on Lance. To his left was Allura, waiting impatiently behind her own dais, with the other 10 members of the council positioned around Alfor in a semi-circle. The cave that the Council used was hallowed in the shape of a half moon, it's walls high and sloping.

Each dais was a tall, chiseled block of stone, positioned around the room, with one in the middle for the accused. Lance had never been in the council room before- it was only meant for trials, but it was less grand than he had initially expected.

"Mr. McClain," Alfor started, clasping his hands together. "We are aware of your transgressions." Lance gulped. So this is it. "We are aware that last night, Ulaz and Thace told you of the Dark Kingdom, and you were then approached by humans, though you remained undiscovered. Your parents told me of the... ah... conflict of last night, and informed me that you then left your cove. It was then brought to my attention by a sentry that you were caught in the storm and badly injured. What I wasn't aware of until this morning was that you washed ashore and were found by two humans, who presumably took you with them. And yet here you are again." Alfor pinned Lance with his piercing gaze. "Tell me, Lance. Did either of these humans discover your secret?"

No, Lance wanted to say. He pushed the word forward to his lips, tried choking it out, but all of Alfor's stripes were illuminated and his face was swimming in Lance's vision. Lance foggily remembered Allura saying something about this before, how Alfor had a gift to compel people to tell the truth. It's how he became the head of the council, no one could lie to him.

Lance looked down. "Yes." He heard Allura's small gasp echo through the water. He could barely look up, but he forced himself to. "Yes," he said again, louder. What else was he supposed to do.

Alfor's lights dimmed. He leaned back, rubbing his beard. "I see." Alfor wasn't that imposing up close. He wasn't heavily-muscled, in fact, he looked relatively frail, but Lance wasn't so easily fooled. He knew that when he was younger, Alfor had been second-in-command of the Pacific Army, his strategic plans of action conquering hundreds of Dark outposts. His tail was deep, royal blue, tinged pink at the ends just like his daughter's.

On his right shoulder blade, a trident was tattooed in Indian henna ink, only a few shades darker than his natural skin tone. It wasn't permanent but it was symbolic- the ink was from his late wife's home village. Every two months, Alfor made the week-long trip to the village to get it renewed and to visit his wife's family and village. Sometimes he took Allura with him. At present, Allura had a wave-patterned tattoo encircling her upper bicep.

"Lance, I have two options for you."

Two?

"The first is the routine process for this transgression: you will be banished, likely to a community by Asia, and the human will be disposed of." Lance felt his scales prickling. I'm so sorry, Keith.

"However, there is a second option. The council and I have been discussing a project that needs attention. It would entail you living on land for a period of time. You would collect data about what humans think mers are, if they have any ideas about our existence, and report back every week. You would experiment to see if it's harder to change back every week after exposure to your human form for so long. Record if your luminescence fades the longer you stay on land," Alfor paused, "and the human who knows of your secret would not be harmed."

Lance stood there dumbly, staring this beautiful, promising opportunity in pure bliss. Alfor might think that extended time as a human was a rightful punishment, every mer probably should, but... something deep inside Lance was pushing forward, excited and eager and foreign to Lance's mind. He felt his sail lift and his luminescence flared, every spot, every stripe, brighter than ever.

He'd made up his mind.

...

Keith was running next to a shirtless Shiro on the beach, heaving for breath as the damp sand dragged on his sneakers. He'd muddled several orders at Starbucks today due to an overflow of thoughts and emotions. After Blue Eyes left, Shiro and Keith had gone to Matt and Pidge's house, moving in easily with how little they had.

While Shiro claimed the guest room, Keith had been more than happy to take the basement, a furnished, warm room with strings of lights and old space posters everywhere. It was the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck on the ceiling that had caught Keith's eye. He didn't mind sleeping on the couch either- it was wide enough for two people and well-worn and it smelled like pine trees and campfire smoke. His clothes lay tucked away in plastic bins, but he knew they'd soon be splayed across every inch of his room.

He was looking forward to living with the Holts, it would be like having siblings. Since he was an only child, he loved that feeling, it was why Shiro's brother-like personality made them such a good pair, but also why he was so bad with little kids. He wasn't very nurturing, but he felt included and a part of something bigger when he was with close friends.

It also didn't hurt that he now had studio space for his art- a second dining room that he and Matt had cleared out to create a small art studio for Keith, complete with a new easel (a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Holt when they heard that Keith and Shiro were coming to stay), an ocean view- double doors that opened to the wide beach and then the sea, opportune for sunrises and sunsets and a minutes walk to the waves where he could surf.

The floor was already covered in clear plastic to protect the floorboards. Keith had spent 10 minutes just sitting cross-legged on his stool in the studio, eyes closed as he reveled in the tranquility of it all.

Everything was pretty overwhelming too, especially the fact that Blue Eyes was a mermaid. Merman? Keith couldn't get the image out of his head, the boy's sleek, wet back stretching over his tail, sparkling light blue, floppy but so, so elegant, feathery and slim and strong all at once. Blue Eyes, more like Blue Tail, Blue Hands, Blue Blue Blue. And he'd been so...

No, I'm not gay for a mermaid. I'm not gay in general.

Keith sighed, focusing his breathing. "In, two, three, four, hold, two, three, out, two, three, four, hold, two, three." His therapist's voice from when he was 15 stuck in his head, but he was heaving to hard to follow her advice.

"One more time around?" Shiro's voice broke Keith out of his trance. Keith slowed to a walk and Shiro continued to jog circles around him. Putting his hands on his knees, he shook his head. "Alright. I'll be right back!" Keith waved him and his abs and toned calves away. Fucking Shiro. Muscular as fuck.

Keith stretched up and put his hands behind his head. "It opens your chest up. In, two, three..." Keith pushed her voice away. It was sunset time, his second-favorite time of day, the first being 2:00am on the beach where the sky opened and the stars shone down and kissed Keith's cheeks and eyelashes. People gathered around metal bins that contained large fires fueled by driftwood, dried seaweed, and the songs that people sang around them.

Red streaked across the sky, mixing with purple and orange and pink, dyeing the clouds a saturated mix as the sun dipped below the ocean. Keith sighed in wonderment. And then a figure emerged from behind a patch of rocks, tall and lean, with a dark tan and- "Keith!"

"I have no idea who you are," Keith said lamely, watching Blue Eyes flick his hair out of his eyes. He was wearing oversized orange swim trunks, and he had exchanged his large satchel-thing for a small pouch around his wrist. Keith wondered what was inside of it.

"Nice try. Can I move in with you? Also we need to stop at the bank. I'll explain everything." The boy's white teeth shone like pearls, and his eyes sparkled. Keith blinked, a little dizzy.

"What?"

Just then, Shiro jogged up to them, beaming. "New record!" He told Keith enthusiastically. "Oh, hey! Glad you're back, Blue Eyes."

"The name's Lance." Keith felt himself smiling, and looking to the stranger with brilliant eyes, he saw that he was too.

...

Hey guys! First off, I'm so sorry this took so long! I know I shouldn't make excuses but,, I've been in Maine the past four days skiing with my family so I haven't been able to write, and then before that I had a really big standardized test, and then before THAT I had a huge project due,,, anyways, I've been hella busy, but I should be good now :)) we hit 1k and I screamed, thank you so much. Only a few chapters in, and so many more to come. I hope you continue to like my story :)

PSA: sooooo Beat Drop, my first klance fic, is going to hit 30k soon, and my gift to the readers is a lemon chapter (they wanted it, I hope I can write it well lolol) so if you're interested in that stuff, go check it out when I update!

Do you guys want smut/lemon/whatever it's called in this fic? Lemme know,,, slide into my dms ahahaha

I'm open to anything lol

Anyways. I'll try to update by this weekend, stay tuned! Ilyilyilyilyily 💕💕