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There are a few things Lance loved in the world more than anything else. His family, memes, the ocean, and his precious dog, Blue. According to Lance, Blue is an angel in the form of a Labrador retriever mutt and he treats her like the princess that she is. Lance had first seen Blue while on a walk to the beach. Lance had walked by the same house every day for two months seeing that puppy chained to a tree, unloved and alone. She was so covered in dirt and filth, he couldn’t even tell what color her fur was. When Lance could no longer bear watching as the poor puppy was abused and starved, he showed up early one morning with bolt cutters and a ticket to a future of love and happiness.
After bringing her home, Lance didn’t have a collar for her to make sure she didn’t become lost, so he took the blue shoelaces from his sneakers and made one. After that, he started calling her Blue, and the name stuck. Now, a year later, he couldn’t be happier that he has her in his life. That yellow bundle of fur, love, and slobber soon had a brand new blue collar with a shiny name tag showing off her new, happy life.
When Lance had first taken Blue to the beach near their house, she was skeptical and wary, distrusting of the strange liquid lapping at her paws. Now, almost nine months later, you would have believed she was born in the water. Because Lance and Blue both loved the beach, they came down to visit it at least twice a week, jumping around in the ocean, playing fetch with a Frisbee, or just enjoying the warm sun on their skin (and fur). Her boundless energy could rival her owner’s any day.
Today was just like any other day the two had come to enjoy the beautiful beach. Lance and Blue were splashing around in the ocean as other people were spread out on towels and beach chairs or boogie-boarding the waves. Mothers reading trashy romance novels, teenagers with headphones or speakers playing their music, and children running after each other, screaming. As Lance play-wrestled with Blue, pushing her under the waves and being punished with wet fur and licks, Blue suddenly stopped and looked towards the sand. Her ears perked up a bit and her tail was wagging slightly, before she sprinted and splashed towards the shore. Lance quickly spun around to see what Blue was running towards. The sight before him shocked him so much, he was almost toppled over by a wave that crashed into his back.
What or WHO Blue was running towards was a guy around Lance’s age with pale skin and dark hair that almost looked like it was a mullet? He was walking along the shore wearing red swimming trunks and a pair of black sandals in one hand and a book in the other. He had a pair of sunglasses perched on top of the mop of black hair and was so engrossed in his book that he didn’t even notice the wet fur on four legs barreling towards him. Lance startled out of his small trance and sprinted, tripping several times trying to catch Blue before she could tank into the beautiful stranger on the beach.
Try as he may, Lance’s long legs were no match for Blue’s four, furry legs and by the time he had splashed ungracefully out of the water, he witnessed the collision. Blue had run and jumped at full speed onto the poor stranger’s legs and because it was so unexpected, he startled and fell sideways. His book and sandals flew out of his hands in a flurry of sand and pale limbs as he toppled unceremoniously onto his butt. The strangers’ sunglasses falling askew on the tip of his nose as Blue licked and slobbered all over his face, effectively trapping him in place in the sand. The poor guy was trying (and failing) to gently push Blue away and free himself, but to no avail.
When Lance finally stumbled to a halt in front of the two, the stranger was almost soaked from the slobbering, wet dog that was all over him. Lance grabbed Blue’s collar and wrestled her off of the stranger spewing apologies before his eyes fell again on the gorgeous boy before him. The stranger met his gaze and- Oh shit, of course his eyes are violet! As if he could possibly be any hotter! Lance averted his eyes from the stranger’s violet irises and continued pulling Blue away from him and continuing to babble apologies.
“I am so sorry about her! I don’t know what got into her and I hope you’re not hurt-- wait oh my quiznak are you HURT?!?!”
The (dreamy) stranger hauled himself onto his feet, chuckling and brushed the sand off his legs before fully facing Lance. “I’m covered in sand, slobber, and dog fur, but otherwise, I’m fine.” Hot stranger sent a sheepish smile to Lance before something seemed to have popped into his head. He whipped around and scrambled over to his book that was coated in a thin layer of semi-wet sand and brushed at the pages frantically to rid them of stray water droplets and grains of sand.
Lance jumped into action and reached for sandals in the hopes he could help the stranger a little since his dog did cause the problem in the first place. When his fingertips were just beginning to grasp the black material, the stranger’s hand brushed his. Lance blushed and quickly retracted his hand, trying to take a step back to get some distance between the two of them. Of course, because the universe hated him, he tripped over Blue and fell flat on his butt emitting a surprised oof!
It took him a few seconds to comprehend what had just happened before he registered the sound of someone’s laugh. He looked up to see the stranger holding stomach as he laughed. His sunglasses were starting to slip down his nose from how much the stranger was shaking with fits of laughter.
Lance pouted up at the mulleted stranger who was laughing at his fall. Even Blue looked amused. She was looking down at him like he was the puppy from her regal posture in the sand.
“Alright. Haha. Very funny, I know. Now help me up, Mullet.” Lance lifted his hand the stranger.
The stranger wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes before grasping Lance’s hand and hauling him up with surprising strength.
“Mullet? Really?” The stranger questioned with a slight smile.
Lance wiped at his sore, sand-covered butt and huffed at the stranger, “Well it’s not like I really know your name, so… you’re now Mullet.”
The stranger’s eyes widened a little before his smile started to grow a little and a flush made its way across his pale cheeks.
“Keith.”
“What?”
“My name,” The stranger elaborated with a smirk, “It’s Keith, in case you were wondering.”
“Oh,” Lance blinked processing that information. So hot stranger’s name was Keith. Yeah, Lance could get used to that.
“I’m sure you’re also wondering my name, the handsome stranger that swept you off your feet.” Lance said this with his signature flirty voice and finger guns.
Keith considered this for a moment before speaking. “You’re right,” he bent down to start scratching behind blue’s ears, “I was wondering what your dog’s name was.”
Lance spluttered and waved his hands for a second before settling on a slight glare. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I totally swept you off your feet, Mullet”
“Again, that was your dog, you did nothing, then fell on your butt.”
“Whatever. Her name’s Blue.” He glared at Blue for a second because: how come she got to have the hot guy’s attention?!
“She’s so cute and soft!” Keith marvelled, continuing to scratch Blue in her favorite spot: in the junction between her ear and her head. Blue licked him enthusiastically in response to Keith’s words.
Lance’s chest puffed up with pride. He knew his beautiful Blue was one of the best and cutest dogs in the world. Sometimes when Lance was having a little spa day for himself, he would groom Blue too so that both dog and owner were the best looking duo on the beach.
“Of course she is!” Lance exclaimed. “Blue is the best dog in the universe, the most beautiful too!”
Keith looked up at Lance with a soft smile on his face before starting to stand up. He looked sad for a split second before the smile was back on his face.
“Well, I should probably get going before my brother thinks I drowned or something.”
Lance’s heart dropped slightly, but he was quick to smile back at Keith, “Yeah that would probably be… best. Bye Keith.”
Keith was already walking away before turning around and waving, “Bye Lance!”
Lance smiled a bit, crouching next to blue and petting her before his eyes grew wide.
“Wait! How did you know my name?!”
“Your name is on Blue’s nametag.” Keith smirked back at him before walking a little farther down the beach, arms swinging slightly. Lance frantically looked down at the gleaming name tag that almost blended in with Blue’s fur before looking back up at Keith’s retreating form.
“Wait!” Don’t do it, Lance. Don’t sound desperate or clingy, “Can I at least give you my number?!” Way to go Lance, you did exactly what you weren’t supposed to.
Keith looked over his shoulder with another smirk, “That was also on Blue’s nametag.” He pulled his phone out, waving it slightly before taking off down the sand. Lance could’ve sworn he saw a bright smile on Keith’s face before he had turned away. Once Keith was out of sight, Lance looked down with a disbelieving smile at Blue who was already looking up at him with a slightly amused look in her deep brown eyes. Lance gave a brief squeal-laugh, pressing his face into her damp, yellow fur. She got extra belly rubs that night… and treats.
A couple months later when Lance went down to the beach with Blue holding hands with a certain black-haired cutie, Lance went over his list of things that he loved more than anything else in this world. His family, memes, the ocean, and his precious dog, Blue. But Lance added one more thing to his list: Keith, the hot stranger at the beach who was swept off his feet by Lance… and Blue.