Notes:
This is a (waaay too late) birthday fic for burntsugarandhalfawilltolive which is her name on AO3 and on Tumblr. She did an AMAZING art piece as a thank you and I love it so much!
(See the end of the work for more notes.)
Chapter 1
In the ocean's depths lurked things beyond human imaginings. Eyeless fish, glowing creatures that would provide lifelong nightmare fuel, and even squids the size of whales… and larger.
Lance lived among those creatures. He was neither large nor small compared to other creatures, especially compared to the creatures that his tail's appearance shared, which was a tiny plankton that moved around using its hundreds of glowing legs.
Like the plankton, Lance's tail had hundreds of legs along the sides with a large frill at the end and luminescent streaks that swirled all over. He wasn't built for speed, but it didn't matter. His prey usually came to him in the dark abyss he lived.
Lance was content living there… for the most part. The times he didn't like were when loneliness would plague him. His family had to keep a certain distance to maximize effective hunting strategies and for protection. If more than one of his family were grouped together, the light would illuminate them enough that fish would be able to see and avoid them. There was also the added worry of predators seeing and trying to make a meal of them.
Too much light was dangerous.
The time Lance usually longed for more contact was during the mating season when he was supposed to find a partner. His family was quite large, and it was hard to find a female that he wasn't related to. His sisters had already had children of their own, but Lance hadn't had a single child. A fact that was slowly gnawing at his mind.
It was a spur of the moment decision to try venturing out of the depths in search of a partner.
The first thing Lance noticed on his ascent was the feeling that his insides were pressing against his skin. The feeling was uncomfortable, but Lance didn't think he was in any danger.
He supposed he should have been grateful for the intense pressure change, it helped him know he was going up instead of down, where creatures dwelled with eyes larger than Lance was long… or so his mother had warned him.
He'd learned later that whales that had died would drift down to the bottom and attract all sorts of scavengers. Lance wasn't ashamed to admit he had partaken more than once when the opportunity presented itself.
'I wonder if this blackness continues forever?' Lance mused to himself as he continued his slow ascent. Almost like it was answering Lance's question, the ocean began to brighten.
In the corner of his eye, he spotted a massive creature illuminating much of the ocean. He could tell it was very far away, but the way it lit up the entire ocean meant he most certainly didn't want to get any closer to the glowing behemoth.
Lance continued on hesitantly, keeping a watchful eye on the creature's movements.
The creature was still far above him when Lance reached some sort of barrier. He extended his hand to touch the strange ripples and felt a shock go through him at the rush of cool air and the lack of water.
He pulled his hand back instantly and frowned at the feeling. His hand was still attached, so whatever was on the other side probably wouldn't kill him.
He carefully peeked his head above the water and he felt a wave of serenity wash over him at the sight of the moon and stars shining over the ocean's surface.
He lifted a hand up, eyes twinkling, and tried to see if it was possible to climb closer to the creatures and get a better look. Forgetting for a moment that he used the same technique to lure his prey close to him.
When the gills on his neck rose above the surface, Lance felt a moment of panic when he wasn't able to breathe. He quickly ducked back under water and took a few greedy gulps of oxygenated water.
Lance knew he probably looked ridiculous gasping the way he was and was thankful that no one had been around to witness his display.
Feeling a little embarrassed, Lance's glow brightened before he could stop himself. His eyes caught how it reflected against the surface of the water and he straightened himself out, so he could see what he looked like. He had always suspected he'd look like his brother, but the image before him looked more like his mother.
He was tracing the luminous shapes on his tail when he noticed a figure moving in the corner of his eye. He twisted his body towards the newcomer and his light flared brighter to make him look larger.
"Leave me alone!" He warned by making a flare of light ripple down his tail. He bared his teeth threateningly to complete the message.
The large creature swam a little closer until it was illuminated by Lance's own light. It was a merman from the Shark Clan, if his body was any indicator. Not that Lance had seen one personally, but he'd heard enough stories about their cannibalistic ways that he had a picture in his mind of what one would look like.
It was male, that much he could see, but it wasn't until the mershark swam even closer that he was able to see the white tips of the large fins accompanied by a white tuft of hair on the mershark's head.
It didn't escape Lance's notice that the mershark had powerful muscles rippling under the surface of the stranger's entire body.
The stranger continued to circle Lance with equal parts caution and curiosity.
Lance was at a loss for how to communicate with him. Could mersharks even talk?
Should Lance treat him like prey? Or like a predator?
The mershark was nearly as big as Lance's mother, so Lance knew he didn't have the advantage of size on the stranger.
Lance decided the safest course of action would be to try and distract the mershark. He was able to generate an electric shock that would hopefully stun, or at least dissuade, him from eating Lance.
Lance carefully reached out with his frilled tail, forcing himself to lessen the glow a bit in a show of submission. "I'm not going to hurt you, just leave me alone. See? I don't even look tasty."
The mershark was immediately entranced with the display, and Lance felt something in his chest relax. Hopefully he wouldn't be eaten today.
The larger male swam closer nervously before he reached out to trace deceptively gentle fingers along Lance's tail.
Lance was so stunned by the display that he forgot to shock the other. It wasn't until those hands followed the glowing pattern up towards the patch of scales that hid his reproductive bits that Lance startled and shocked the other unintentionally.
The mershark darted away from Lance in surprise and Lance braced for the mershark to attack him. He was helpless to do any more than watch the mershark circle around him again with renewed caution. When the stranger approached again, Lance didn't even try to offer any part of himself for investigation.
He had no clue what to do. Creatures of the deep didn't dance around their prey like this. They simply struck when their prey was close enough. Was the mershark going to eat him? Or was he just curious?
The stranger watched him with wary, near-black eyes when he reached out to run a hand over Lance's tail once more. So, the mershark was curious? Lance couldn't tell. It was so hard to read the other's intentions.
Lance hesitantly brushed his hand along the other's tail to show he was curious about the other too. The rough texture of the skin felt so weird compared to the squishy texture of Lance's tail.
When the stranger didn't do anything to stop him, Lance grew more confident in his exploration. It wasn't until Lance neared the front of the other's tail that his wrist was grabbed firmly.
He instinctively tried to pull away and panic started to grow until he was released.
When his wrist was free, Lance swam backwards to put a little distance between them. The mershark observed Lance's retreat before he pointed towards a shape resting on the ocean floor, which was nowhere near as deep as Lance was used to.
Lance's tail glowed nervously. "What do you want?"
The mershark waited a bit more before he swam towards the shape, turning back to look at Lance expectantly after he'd only gone a short distance.
"You want me to follow you?" Lance asked as the glow of his tail faded.
When the stranger didn't move, Lance began to warily follow after him. Lance was much slower than the other, and he felt like was barely moving compared to him.
Apparently the mershark felt the same way because a moment later he was back at Lance's side, grabbing Lance's hand, and placing it on the white-tipped dorsal fin of his tail.
Lance grabbed initially hesitant, at first. His grip only tightened when the other darted off. Lance had never gone so fast in his life, and the feeling of the water rushing past him was exhilarating.
His tail was glowing so brightly, that there was even a trail of light that followed after them in their wake.
The shape the mershark had been pointing to was massive and unlike anything Lance had seen before. It was a sunken ship that had been lost in a storm.
The stranger pulled Lance into the ship and into a small enclosed section that was full of various shiny objects. When he had stopped completely, the mershark twisted to look at Lance in a clear message. "You can let go of me now."
Lance released his grip to stare in awe at the stranger's collection.
It was full of things he'd never seen before. There were so many vibrant colors that were pretty and exotic to Lance.
After all, even if the treasures were colorful, they didn't exactly shine. It wasn't until Lance's tail waved over some of the treasures that Lance realized that the trinkets only shined when light hit them. With his newfound knowledge, Lance brightened until he illuminated the entire room to appreciate the objects fully.
He wasn't disappointed.
Gems, pearls, metallic objects, golden coins, interesting shells, each had its own beauty and Lance couldn't deny how much prettier they were compared to the things in the deep.
When he'd finished admiring the mershark's treasures he turned around and thanked him for sharing with a grin and a flash of light from the tip of his tail.
The mershark smiled widely, seeming proud of his collection and the delight it brought Lance.
The smile disappeared when Lance tried to make his way out of the room.
Lance was grabbed gently and pushed back into the room.
"What? Was there something else?" Lance worried with a tilt of his head and a flash of the swirls on one side of his tail.
When the mershark didn't make another move, Lance slowly tried to leave again.
The stranger was careful to avoid Lance's tail when he grabbed him and guided him back into the room again.
Lance bared his teeth and his tail glowed warningly. "Let me leave."
The mershark flashed his teeth aggressively and Lance shied away from him and towards the wall. He rested on the ground angrily fuming about his apparent captivity.
It was clear the mershark hadn't intended to upset him, but Lance wasn't having any of it. Any time the other reached out, Lance was quick to lift the frill of his tail and administer a shock as punishment for the other's transgressions.
Slowly the night passed, and Lance had the realization that, like him, the mershark didn't need to sleep.
They spent several hours doing the same routine. Lance would try to leave and be denied, sometimes giving the mershark a shock. It lasted until the ocean began to lighten enough that it was difficult to tell if Lance's tail was even glowing.
Finally, the mershark seemed to understand that Lance was not going to be staying in the room like one of his treasures. He drifted to the side of the door and motioned for Lance to leave.
Lance carefully swam past him and into the center of the ship, which opened out into the ocean. In the warm light, he could see the various aquatic plants that danced in the ocean's currents and the colorful fish that lurked in them.
With the brightness, came a warmth that made Lance feel overheated and lethargic. He hesitated to retreat back into the treasure room in order to stay in the cool shade the room offered.
The mershark watched him with confusion but didn't try to stop Lance. If anything, he appeared happy Lance had returned to the room.
Luckily, there was a small hole where Lance could look out over the sea life without having to endure the uncomfortable warmth. He wasn't able to swim out of it, as he'd learned the hard way after smacking face first into it. He would be more wary of windows in the future.
The mershark left him alone and Lance watched as he made his way into the underwater forest.
"Finally, some peace."
Lance thought about escaping but the warm water was uncomfortable, and he was much slower than the other without the added lethargy he was feeling now.
He would have to wait until the light faded before he left. He just hoped that the mershark wouldn't change his mind and try to eat Lance before then… or try to keep him trapped.
While Shiro swam as close to the sea floor as he dared searching for anything shiny to gift to his newest treasure, his thoughts were captivated by the glowing being he'd picked up.
His people didn't really like to live among their own kind, there wasn't much food to go around, so they often stayed miles apart. They would occasionally see each other over a large meal but other than that Shiro was left alone with the few pilot fish that trailed after him. It was a lonely existence.
That was why when he'd spotted the creature all alone, he'd wanted to bring him home and share it with him.
Shiro was starting to question if the other was sentient. He'd made no attempt to communicate with Shiro. He used facial expressions Shiro recognized, but he hadn't said anything.
He had been the first possibly sentient being that Shiro had met in a long time and he wanted to keep the other happy, so he'd stay and keep Shiro company. The only problem was that he didn't know how to go about making the other want to stay.
Shiro wasn't too worried about him leaving while he was away. He moved so slowly that even the sedated pace Shiro maintained made him feel like a marlin compared to him.
No matter how distracted he might have been, he immediately noticed the golden flash of a trinket half buried under the sand. He had enough time to uncover it and see that it was another golden coin before the light shifted over the ocean where Shiro was able to tell it was time to head back.
Shiro returned home to find Lance messing with the mershark's collection. He felt a wash of territorial aggression before he calmed down. It wasn't like Lance was trying to steal his treasures, or even that he could escape if he did decide to take something.
Shiro swam around Lance, making sure to give him a wide berth. He was particularly sensitive to the shocks Lance gave him and didn't wish to receive another one if Lance electrocuted him by surprise.
When Lance spotted him, Shiro held out the coin with an open hand.
Lance reached out slowly and grabbed it, wary the other might try to snatch his wrist again.
It wasn't until after Lance had pulled his hand back that he looked at the coin. It shined brightly when Lance tilted it towards the dying light.
"Is this for me?" Lance asked by illuminating the shapes on one side of his tail.
Shiro pointed towards the coin and then towards Lance's chest. "It's for you." He explained with tiny electric signals his people used to communicate.
Lance understood the gesture and felt a little thrill run through him. He'd never received a gift before and this one was found just for him. Despite the situation and the frustration of not being able to leave, Lance couldn't help but feel touched by the gesture.
His tail shined happily, and Lance reached out to gently run a hand along Shiro's arm in a show of gratitude, like Lance's mother would do for him when he'd occasionally share his meals with her.
Shiro felt a tingle course through his body at Lance's touch.
It was either from the memory of Lance's shocks, or it was getting close to time for him to find a partner for the season. He'd have to find a way to keep Lance safely in his home before he went searching for a female.
Shiro decided he didn't want the feeling to continue and grabbed Lance's hand before pushing it away firmly.
"Don't touch me." He warned, using his expression and the grip he had on Lance's hand to pass the message over the language barrier.
Lance glowed apologetically before he slowly drifted back into his already designated spot along the wall. He placed the coin on the floor of the ship gently.
Shiro watched with a surge of guilt. He hoped he hadn't upset Lance again so soon. He really wanted the other to want to stay with him. They could make each other so happy.
Shiro would provide food and shelter and Lance would provide company during the sleepless nights.
Shiro dreaded the fact that he would have to leave Lance alone so much in the next few days while he searched for a partner.
Lance was running out of time. He was nearer the end of his cycle than the beginning and with Shiro's ever watchful presence there was no way Lance was going to be able to find a partner.
He supposed he could try to kill Shiro and escape, but it wouldn't feel right when the other hadn't hurt him, and it wasn't like Lance was going to eat him afterwards… if he didn't become the meal himself if he lost.
No, Lance decided it would be best if he just waited it out. It wasn't like Lance needed to partner with someone, his sisters and brothers were more than happy to take on the task of repopulating, with most of them having already taken a partner and produced several children.
Lance supposed he would just wait out this season and hopefully escape before the next one.
Shiro decided to go out during the day to search for a willing partner, assuming that Lance wouldn't venture far from the shade of the ship while he was away. He always made sure to return home before the light was gone completely so he could admire the way Lance glowed in the night and enjoy the company of another seemingly sentient being.
Lance was getting increasingly agitated, Shiro noticed.
One night, Lance was so grouchy that his tail glowed as bright as it had the first night Shiro had met him.
It was the most beautiful sight Shiro had witnessed. He only wished it wasn't because Lance was angry.
He promised himself he would make it up to Lance someday soon as he felt himself drawn closer to the other.
His hand cautiously reached out to touch the glowing stripes and didn't notice that Lance had stilled completely at the touch.
Shiro traced the lines up Lance's tail and the many legs that slowly propelled Lance through the water tickled his hand when he edged too close to the sides.
He didn't realize how close he'd gotten to the spot Lance had prevented him from touching until Lance gripped his wrist powerfully and flashed his teeth in warning.
Without thinking, Shiro returned the gesture with a menacing snarl of his own before he realized what he'd done. He relaxed and gently tried to pull his wrist back to alert Lance that he was going to pull his hand away.
Lance held him for a moment longer before he released the mershark's wrist.
It was odd seeing Lance so vulnerable, curled up on the floor trying to hide his glowing tail. Females in his experience were always cranky and aggressive. He always had to coax them into having sex before he was chased off after the deed was done. The males' attitudes weren't any better.
Mating season was always a hassle for Shiro, but he couldn't deny that it felt good. He spared a moment to wonder how the merfolk of the Dolphin Tribe could stand having sex year-round before he shook the thought from his head.
Those thoughts weren't important.
He decided he would stay with Lance tomorrow to make sure that no one saw the glow and tried to steal Lance from him while he was vulnerable without Shiro guarding him.
Shiro spent the next day with Lance writhing on the ground trying to hide his brightly lit tail and failing. He wasn't able to control himself until well after the light had faded from the ocean.
When Lance recovered, Shiro grew a little worried that the glow of Lance's tail had faded until it was hardly visible, even in the darkness.
Shiro chanced leaving Lance alone in order to catch a meal for them in the hopes that would make Lance feel better. He brought him all sorts of fish, he even managed to kill a massive tuna and bring it to Lance before other predators took it away from him.
Nothing managed to bring Lance out of his lethargy.
If he was being honest, Shiro was just glad Lance was still eating. He'd watched others of his kind waste away from starvation, and he had no wish to see Lance suffer that fate.
The mershark tried his best to provide some comfort to Lance, but with the language barrier between them, there was nothing he was able to do.
He wasn't able to ask what was bothering Lance, and it wasn't like he knew if Lance was even capable of speaking a language.
The other mostly used gestures, but those were vague and mostly conveyed emotions… knowing Lance was sad wasn't a problem, it was that Shiro had no way to help him feel better.
Shiro was consumed by the thought of Lance suffering. It wasn't until after a few days had passed before Shiro had the idea that Lance would be happier if he was back home with his own kind.
At first, he was against the idea. Believing he could somehow make Lance want to live with him. It wasn't until the first time Lance turned down food that Shiro found his resolve.
Lance couldn't help but feel like Shiro was worried for him. The other was constantly fussing over him.
The first time Lance didn't shock him when he tried to touch him, Shiro's face had looked so comical with how pinched his features had become.
It wasn't like Lance had wanted to keep shocking Shiro in the first place, that took a lot of energy, but he felt like it was expected of him. Now that he was too tired to produce any sort of charge, Lance was grateful for the warm hands that had poked him in an attempt to get him to eat.
He mustered enough energy to glow the message, "I'm too tired to eat."
Shiro seemed to perk up at that but when Lance let his tail dim, so he could conserve energy, the mershark wilted once more.
After that day, Shiro had grabbed Lance carefully and had carried him out of the treasure room Lance had gotten used to.
Lance blearily watched as the ocean floor grew sparse and a familiar drop-off appeared where Lance had ascended from. He looked up to find Shiro watching him.
Was Shiro letting him go?
Lance struggled a bit and Shiro released him immediately. Lance floated there for a bit before he began to sink. He watched as Shiro started to swim after him before he seemed to stop himself.
Lance smiled and gave him a brightly lit, "Thank you!" Before he began to swim further down.
He was finally going home.
After he'd regained his strength, Lance enjoyed his time back home. The environment was much more tolerable, and he was able to communicate with his family via the distant glowing of their tails.
It was nice in its own way, but Lance often found himself longing for the beautiful greenery, and the fantastical colors out of the deep. He even found himself missing the company of the silent mershark that would look after him.
He always shook his head clear of such thoughts. He had probably just gotten too used to being held captive. He was sure he would settle back into his normal routine soon.
Shiro was lost. Lance's presence had given him a sense of purpose he'd never had before. Without him there Shiro found himself avoiding his treasure room, the one thing that had made him happy.
All he could feel was how empty it was.
He even grew desperate enough that he tracked down the Whale Tribe in search of an old friend.
Shiro's friend was a trusting creature. He'd even taught Shiro some of his own language when Shiro used to live alongside his pod, in the hopes of becoming his friend.
Shiro searched carefully through the whales swimming around. Their black and white exterior was as dizzying as it was menacing. If they wanted, Shiro would be lunch before he could think to do anything to stop them.
It took longer than Shiro was comfortable with before his eyes landed on his friend's much smaller black and white tail.
"Hunk!" Shiro called.
The other paused before he twisted around. His face brightened into a smile as he answered Shiro's call with a cheery greeting.
Knowing Shiro was a slow-moving creature, Hunk powered his way through the pod of killer whales until he was in front of Shiro. "What brings you all the way out here?"
Shiro took a few moments to collect his thoughts before he tried to explain brokenly. "I was lonely. Thought I'd stop by for a visit…" He shook his head. "I lost someone soon."
The whales nearby turned towards the mershark with interest when they heard their language coming from a creature so different from them.
Hunk's face twisted in confusion. "You're going to lose someone? Or you lost someone recently?"
Shiro tilted his head at the unfamiliar word. "Recently?"
Hunk clicked tonelessly a few times as he searched for a way to define the word for Shiro. His eyes widened when he finally found a way to get the idea across. "I will eat kelp soon."
Shiro nodded to show he was listening and Hunk swam down a bit before rejoining Shiro with a handful of freshly plucked kelp. He hesitantly took a bite of the kelp and chewed it while making a face.
If Shiro's face was any indicator, he was just as disgusted as Hunk felt about eating the plant.
Hunk swallowed before he released the kelp and let it sink. "I ate kelp recently."
Shiro nodded in understanding, but his face was still set in a grimace. "Right. I lost someone recently."
Hunk tried to imagine Shiro with someone, but he just couldn't see him living with one of the violent females. Was he perhaps living with someone of a different species? That had to be it. Shiro had always been an oddity of his kind. Much more interested in collecting treasures and living quietly, rather than living with a group of his own people, constantly moving around in search of food. It was what had drawn him to the mershark in the first place.
Hunk placed a gentle hand on Shiro's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Do you want help finding them?"
When Shiro shook his head sadly, Hunk felt his stomach sink.
"Are they… dead?"
Shiro's eyes widened and he shook his head violently. "No!"
Hunk raised his hands defensively. "Okay, okay. Don't hurt yourself. So, this person isn't dead, but you don't want to find them… what do you mean you lost them?"
Shiro felt himself grow agitated when he couldn't think of the words to use to explain himself. It got to the point even Hunk felt the aggressive energy. He looked over to find his whale friends growing more tense by the second.
Hunk had to defuse the situation quickly, or his friends might attack Shiro to protect Hunk.
"Calm down, buddy! It's okay. So, you can't find the person? That's fine. Why not try to find someone else in the meantime?"
The negative energy surrounding Shiro dissipated at the thought. He looked up at Hunk hopefully. "You?"
Hunk squeaked out an amused laugh and his whale friends returned to minding their own business. "No, not with me. You'd probably be eaten before a week passed." Hunk added, knowing Shiro would understand.
"Then who?"
"Try finding someone who you get along with. It could be your own kind… or something else. Just know that I'm here for you to visit if you ever need a friend to talk to."
Shiro nodded, wishing that Hunk had belonged to any other Whale Tribe but the killer whales. "I will try."
Hunk smiled and gave Shiro another encouraging pat. "Good luck, my friend."
Shiro let the thought of finding a companion consume him as he went an entire year letting his body run on autopilot. What would he like to have in a partner?
He was collecting shiny trinkets from the sea floor when he decided he would prefer someone who appreciated his treasures.
Shiro was eating a bird that had been resting on the surface of the water when he decided it would be best if his partner wasn't a picky eater.
He was awake and alone in his ship in the middle of the night when he realized he would love to have a partner that he could share all of these waking moment with, since he never truly slept.
He caught himself looking into the archway of the treasure room where Lance used to stay when he tried to picture what his ideal partner might look like. He stopped trying to imagine who he would like to spend the rest of his days with after the only image that came up was Lance.
He would just have to wait for another chance encounter for someone to share his home with.
Lance couldn't deny it any longer.
He was lonely.
He'd finally broken down and visited his mother and one of his sisters, but the entire time he was with them, the three of them couldn't stop looking over each other's shoulders waiting for some deep-sea behemoth to make a snack of them.
The entire encounter was so stressful, he hadn't tried to visit any of his family ever since.
Now that he knew he could venture out of the depths, the thought always tugged at him to return… just for a moment.
Lance knew if he left, he would be hard pressed to return to the black abyss he called home.
The water was murky with the body of a decaying whale Shiro was scavenging while he was lost in thoughts about Lance again. It was getting more difficult to deny the way he felt about him every time the other popped into his head. The fact that it was wrong for him to pine after someone he hadn't even thought of as an equal for so long was slowly becoming irrelevant.
Out of the corner of his eye, Shiro saw a large shadow circle around him.
He spun so that his back was to the carcass and twisted around to see what had passed him. It could have been a seal or a dolphin… but the waves of electricity in the water told him it was something much bigger.
It was impossible to see more than a few feet in front of him, and other than himself and whatever was lurking nearby, there wasn't another soul nearby.
The water was deadly calm, and even the distant sound of dolphins that had been nearby had disappeared.
He didn't spare another moment lingering. Whatever was there was bigger than Shiro, and he had no wish to become another creature's meal.
He cautiously swam in what he hoped was a safe direction, trying not to provoke an attack with frantic movements. He looked over his shoulder searching for whatever had been closing in, but he didn't see anything. The water was still murky, and he could no longer see the whale carcass.
He was alone.
Shiro picked up his pace. His biggest concern was that he didn't know where the creature was. It could be in front of him and he wouldn't be able to tell until it was nearly upon him.
He searched the water for any sort of electric signals while he continued his retreat. He figured with the thing's size it would give off massive amounts of energy and be easily detectable.
Shiro was a good distance from the kill before he even thought about relaxing. He chanced looking over his shoulder to make sure whatever it was hadn't decided to stalk him.
The water was slightly clearer here, and it was just as empty as it had been before.
He turned around in time to watch as massive jaws clamped over his arm. His world became a blur of water rushing past him while he was being dragged to the surface.
When whatever had attacked him exploded out of the water, the cold wind whipped about him violently. He managed to find the air to cry out in pain when he felt his arm tear completely and sent him flying.
He caught a glimpse of a massive white shark curling back into the water with his arm dangling from its mouth before his side slammed into the ocean's surface a short distance away.
He was stunned for a long moment before he gathered his wits about him. His arm was throbbing, well… what was left of it… and somehow even the part that was no longer there was burning painfully.
The ocean turned red with his blood, and Shiro knew this was probably where he was going to die. He had no weapons and no escape, not that he was even fast enough to outrace a great white.
He decided his safest bet was swimming to the ocean floor, so the shark wouldn't be able to pull a similar stunt like the one it had before.
By the time he'd made it to the sand far below he had used most of his energy.
Shiro recovered at the same time he braced himself to dodge a second strike, his eyes shifted wildly as he twisted around trying to see in every direction.
He knew the blood spilling out of his arm was like a beacon, and it wouldn't be too much longer before the shark struck again.
It was pure luck that Shiro was facing the direction the shark had decided to come barreling towards him from. He probably wouldn't have stood a chance if the beast had attacked him from behind.
Shiro used his left hand to push against the shark's sensitive nose. His thumb accidentally hooked into one of its nostrils and he managed to push his body out of the way of its jagged teeth.
His hand slipped and Shiro felt the shark continue charging past him. When something sharp slashed across his nose, he instinctively snapped at the offender and managed to snag the dorsal fin.
He cracked open his eyes to find a large hook in the shark's fin, a piece of his flesh was caught on its sharp edge.
Blood trailed past Shiro's left eye from the new wound to join the trail from his missing right arm.
The fin slowly tore itself from the shark's back and nearly broke free.
The shark thrashed beneath him and dislodged Shiro from it entirely, its fin still in his mouth, having ripped completely.
Shiro watched as the shark continued on its charge for a bit before it lost its balance and spiraled uncontrollably in the water.
It froze, belly up, before the stunned great white sank to the sand and Shiro knew the fight was won. It wouldn't be too long before the shark drowned.
Shiro felt his wounds throb painfully as he began his journey back home. He nearly swam headfirst into several things before he realized that he wasn't able to sense anything like he was before.
The next rock he nearly hit, Shiro stopped and pressed his sensitive nose to the rock's face. He could hardly feel the coolness of it.
With a sinking realization Shiro came to the conclusion that he had lost one of his most vital senses. The one that allowed him to maneuver in murky water, the one that allowed him to hunt, the one that allowed him to communicate with his own kind… it was gone.
Shiro wandered home wondering if he should have just let the shark eat him and been done with it.
It wasn't until after Lance had anguished over his decision for an entire month that he decided he would venture to the surface once more. Just for a quick glimpse. So he could remember what exact shade of green the kelp was.
He was a little warier this time about being spotted by other merfolk. He didn't want a repeat of last time.
The mershark had eventually let him go and he had taken wonderful care of him, but Lance had no wish to return to feeling as useless as the gems that had surrounded him.
Despite his caution, Lance did enjoy himself. He played on the colorful reefs he had seen outside of Shiro's ship and when he swam through the tall seaweed he enjoyed the way the plants tickled his sides.
The light was fading from the ocean, so it wasn't quite as bright and unbearable as Lance had been forced to get used to during his first stay here. In fact, Lance had acquired an appreciation for the way the warm sand felt against his skin.
He even admired the simple and ugly-looking fish that swam by him in their own schools. Despite their plain features, their colors were wonderful, and Lance had a hard time looking away. Though, he supposed it wasn't fair to judge these fish against the glowing, bulging eyed fish that dwelled in the deep with him.
Lance was having a wonderful time playing until he caught the faint taste of blood in the water. Was there a kill nearby? Not that Lance was particularly hungry, but he figured a meal was a meal.
It wasn't until he followed the trail out of the tall kelp that he realized it led him back to a very familiar ship.
Was the mershark bleeding up there? Was he hurt?
Lance felt his stomach twist at the thought. He hoped that the other was just eating, but Lance knew there was too much blood for that to be the case.
He swam in a small circle as he tried to decide if he was brave enough to check on the other.
The biggest thing that motivated him was the fact that the other had let him go and hadn't hurt him during his time in captivity.
Lance, moving slower than usual, approached the ship. He swam over the edge and made his way to the only room he was familiar with.
The blood was pouring out of the hole in the room in a thick cloud and Lance felt his resolve weaken. He didn't want to see the other dead!
He forced his eyes away from the slowly dissipating red cloud and moved further into the room. His pounding heart froze when he found Shiro resting on the ground clutching at his missing arm, blood floated up from a gouge across his face.
Lance approached as quickly as he was able and reached forward for the end of Shiro's tail.
Shiro startled at the contact and lunged at who he thought was attacking him.
Lance felt his right shoulder throb as Shiro gripped him tightly, but the only thing he could focus on was the number of sharp teeth in Shiro's mouth when he snapped close to his face.
He accidentally shocked the other and was surprised when Shiro didn't make any reaction other than to pause.
Lance watched Shiro pull away with hopeful eyes. The other recognized him immediately after the shock, and Lance found his shoulder released.
It was oddly nostalgic, the two of them staring at each other. Shiro looked like he couldn't believe Lance was actually there, and Lance was taking in the severe injuries Shiro had sustained during their time apart.
There they were, so many questions… and no way to ask them.
Despite the tension, Lance quickly resolved to stay with Shiro while he healed.
Lance may not have been able to speak, but he figured a small gesture might help get his message across.
He slowly drifted forwards before he placed a gentle hand on Shiro's good shoulder. He gave a tentative smile and waved a hand between them before motioning to Shiro's injuries.
"I will stay with you." He promised with a bright glow of his tail. Shiro's eyes flicked down to the display before he met Lance's eyes. There was almost… understanding. Perhaps it was hope that Lance was seeing instead.
Lance decided that, whatever it was, it was better than what Shiro had looked like earlier.
It was weeks before Shiro healed enough that he didn't start bleeding every time he exerted himself. There was no doubt in either of their minds that the wound over Shiro's nose was going to leave a permanent scar.
Despite the grim circumstances, neither of them could deny this was the happiest they had been since they'd parted ways.
Shiro was happy just to have someone's company and Lance felt the same.
However, the tables were turned this time. Lance was almost the sole provider for the both of them. He tried his best to bring Shiro fish that he'd remembered the other bringing to him before. It was a bit harder for him to hunt, but he managed to feed them both.
The first time Lance left for food, Shiro had moped about the ship. Lance suspected Shiro thought he'd decided to leave him after all. The surprise that had been on Shiro's face still made Lance smile when he thought about it.
It was too bad they couldn't understand each other. Lance had checked Shiro from head to tail tip, but he didn't have a single spot on him that glowed.
So, Lance had resigned himself to using gestures and facial expressions.
Despite the lack of communication, Lance found he wasn't lonely. In fact, he found a sort of comfort in Shiro's presence that he'd missed in the depths of the ocean.
Lance knew when it came time for him to leave he would definitely miss the other's quiet presence.
He couldn't bring himself to entertain the thought of leaving Shiro and his wonderful world above the deep, of going back to the black abyss. Lance shuddered at the images compared to the radiant warmth and splendid colors that were present in the light.
With Shiro, it was easy to forget about the hollow pit of loneliness that had been building in Lance's stomach.
Maybe he could wait until Shiro kicked him out. He'd made him leave once, he'd probably do so again.
Lance half-hoped he never would.
Shiro was sure that Lance's intelligence was equal to his own in the sense that he had a language. When he'd first met the other, he had thought Lance shared the same level of intelligence that the ever-present pilot fish held. With his newfound realization, an idea was planted in Shiro's mind.
He decided to bring Lance to see his friend, Hunk, in the hopes that he could teach Lance some of the Whale language.
If it worked, then they could both learn the language better and be able to communicate.
When Shiro held Lance's hand and pulled him along, Lance seemed to lose his will to swim.
After Shiro swam past where he'd dropped Lance off earlier, the other seemed to cautiously return to his bright self again for the remainder of their journey.
The first day was spent with Lance looking around wildly at everything they passed.
Shiro noticed one of his own kind in the distance, but they didn't pay him any mind. Well, until Lance's glow caught their eye.
When they got closer, Shiro was able to see it was a young female. He figured she was probably curious about the mysterious creature tagging along with one of her own.
She looked up at Shiro nervously, he was considerably larger than her up close and it wasn't uncommon for larger sharks to attack smaller ones for a quick meal or over territory.
Shiro pointed to the scar on his nose and shook his head to indicate he couldn't talk to her.
Her eyes widened, and her hand went up to the bridge of her nose sympathetically.
"Do you know the Whale language?" Shiro chirped and the female startled at the sound. She looked up at him worriedly and only relaxed when he smiled.
Apparently, she didn't know the language.
Before he was able to swim away, the girl reached up towards his right shoulder.
Shiro froze, he was hoping the adolescent was merely curious, but he was nervous to have someone touch such a weak spot.
He was saved when he felt his dorsal fin pulled.
Lance had used him as leverage to launch himself at the female and grab her hand. He let out the loudest clicking noises Shiro had ever had the displeasure of hearing. His eardrums pounded so painfully he almost missed the female's immediate departure.
So, Lance was capable of sound. That was a relief.
He had been hoping that was the case, but Shiro hadn't heard a sound from Lance the entire time he'd known him, and he had been a little worried he was mute.
After he recovered, Shiro turned to him curiously. "Was that… Whale?"
Lance let out several ear-piercing chirps and only stopped when Shiro lifted his hand to shield his left ear from the sound. He seemed contrite about causing Shiro pain and clicked quietly.
"Well, it's nothing I've ever heard before. Perhaps I could teach you a few words on our way to Hunk's?"
Lance only continued to watch Shiro patiently.
"Okay, what was the first thing Hunk taught me? My name! That's right." Shiro pressed his hand to his chest pointedly. "Shiro."
Lance tilted his head in confusion and hesitantly pointed to Shiro. "Sheeerroo?"
Shiro smiled and nodded. "Shiro."
Lance's mouth curved into a small smile and he looked down pleased, quietly trying the new name again. "Sheero."
They continued their search for Hunk after that, with Shiro teaching Lance a few more words along the way. It wasn't anything that he couldn't teach while on the move.
Lance was a fast learner, he picked up the language quicker than Shiro had when Hunk taught him, and Shiro might have felt jealous if he wasn't so busy feeling proud of Lance's accomplishments.
Over the course of their journey, Shiro had reached the conclusion that of the words Lance had learned, Shiro's name was his favorite. Shiro's stomach felt like it was filled with bubbles every time Lance called his name only to give him a pleased smile when the mershark turned around questioningly.
Lance learned 'fish, Shiro, happy, sad, angry, scared, hungry,' and 'sneak' by the time they'd reached Hunk's pod.
Hunk and the other merfolk like him always treated Shiro well, and he appreciated them greatly for it. It was too bad the whales he lived with would likely eat Shiro the moment they caught him alone.
It was clear Shiro wasn't the only one unnerved by the massive black and white beasts. The moment Lance's eyes landed on the whales, he tried to direct Shiro's course away from them.
When Shiro continued to push against Lance towards where he figured Hunk was swimming he tried to assure him the whales weren't going to eat them.
Lance only shook his head. He finally swam in front of Shiro and looked up at him with his large, blue eyes. "Scared."
Hearing the word in their own language the whales were alerted to their presence.
They swam over curiously and formed a circle around the trespassers.
"Scared?" They kept chanting, circling around the two of them trying to see what they were scared of and if they needed to go on the defensive.
Hunk defused the situation, breaking into the circle to float beside Shiro and the stranger he'd brought with him. "It's alright everybody, these guys are friends!"
There was a chorus of, "Friend?" with a few ominous calls of, "Food?" from the whales.
Hunk was a little firmer when he answered, "Friends."
The whales swam around a bit more before dispersing, leaving the three merfolk alone.
Hunk waited until they were a distance away before he turned to Shiro with a sad smile. "I see you got into a fight since the last time I saw you. How're you holding up?"
Shiro touched his right shoulder. "I'm getting better."
Hunk acknowledged the answer with a nod before turning to Lance. "Who is this?"
Shiro turned to Lance. "This is who I lost. He found me again."
Hunk looked between the two of them before he laughed brightly at the unexpected appearance of who Shiro had grown so fond of. "Does he have a name?"
Shiro shook his head. "He speaks something, but I don't know what it was. It sounded Whale, but nothing I've ever heard before."
"Could be a different dialect?" Hunk considered.
"Shiro?" Lance touched Shiro's shoulder and waited until he had his attention before he pointed at Hunk. "Shiro?"
Shiro shook his head with a smile. He used his left hand to gesture towards Hunk and said his name.
"Huuuuuunk." Lance tried before he pointed at Shiro. "Shiro." He turned his finger to Hunk. "Hunk?"
"You got it." Shiro answered with a nod.
Hunk waited until Lance's introductions were done before he gave voice to the questions he'd come up with. "I wonder if we could get his name, or some translation of it? What did it sound like when he spoke?"
Shiro winced. "It was like," he tried to imitate the sounds Lance had made, and the other perked up before covering a huge smile.
"Shiro," Lance let out a few of those loud clicking sounds, but they were softer than they'd been before. He appeared to be demonstrating to Shiro how to speak his language.
Hunk's eyes widened, "That sounded like one of those giant squid eaters."
Shiro tilted his head. "Are you able to speak to him?"
Hunk shrugged. "Sorry, Shiro. I'm just as clueless about what he said as you are."
The mershark sighed. "Guess we're going to be learning from you for a while."
"Good to have you back with us, Shiro."
Shiro smiled when Hunk gently grabbed Shiro's left shoulder. "Glad to be back."
Lance wasn't sure what to make of his current situation. Swimming so close to the killer whales was as unnerving as it was awe-inspiring. He stayed close to Shiro for protection and to help guard him. He'd long since given up trying to swim on Shiro's affected side and had settled for keeping an eye out for anything that might hurt Shiro.
Hunk was nice. He was a better teacher than Shiro, but Lance was sure it was only because Whale had been Shiro's second language, like Lance had learned the squid eater's language after his own light-based one.
The first thing he learned was how to say his name in their language.
After that, he had learned how to string keywords into an entire sentence and was able to finally talk with Shiro.