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Keith liked this. The quiet of the cool water around him was the reason he often snuck away from home. He loved his adoptive father and sister, but sometimes it was too much. Keith was a simple merman who just wasn’t used to the sounds and sensations of living in a crowded area. He wasn’t good with people. Even after he had been taken in all those years ago, just a kid when his dad had died and he had been left to drift on his own, he had never liked the loud crowds.
Keith glided through the water at a comfortable pace. He had no need to hurry right now. His scarlet tail swayed back and forth as he took in calm breaths. The dark water was easy to see through with his eyes as he moved along but it was empty ocean in all directions, so there was no need to worry about swimming into anything. Even the roaring waves crashing overhead couldn’t disturb Keith from his peaceful mood. He could feel the slight change in the water every time the water slammed into the rest, and so he timed his breathing to it.
In. Tail flap. Out. Reverse tail flap. In. Tail flap. Out. Reverse. In. Flap. Out. Revers-
Something thrashed in the water. Keith blinked as he looked to his right about ten yards above him. He could see the waves rolled through the water like storm clouds on a bad day. As they turned and twisted, he saw another object get thrown upside down. All he could see were limbs, so he rushed forward, using the speed he’d always been born with. He was there in under four seconds, grabbing out at the thing.
Letting out a gasp, he was temporarily stunned to see it was a human. Then he noticed the human wasn’t breathing. Grabbing the fading man by the arms, Keith towed him up towards the surface. Breaking the waves, he felt the cold wind whip at his hair and face. Knowing that there was no way the human could breathe in this mess of a storm, he quickly picked a location and took off for it. In what would take a boat ten minutes to there took Keith little than two as he swam, too afraid that the slightly older teen in his arms would never get to breathe again.
Landing on the shore just as the sun shone down on him, he dragged the boy inland a few feet. Not sure what to do, he laid his hand on the other's shoulder just as he roared up and coughed the water out. As the other fell to the ground, Keith looked him over. He was well-muscled, shoulders fairly large and probably twice the size of Keith's. He had an arm that looked very familiar like tech Keith had seen before. He couldn't place where it was from though. The teen was dressed in a light purple shirt and black pants. He was almost as pale as Keith, with skin a bit more tan than his. From what Keith could see from under his arm, he had a scar covering the bridge of his nose. White hair hung in a wet bunch on his face whereas the rest was black.
They struck up a conversation then. Keith would have stayed there all day if he could have. He wanted to, but he could see someone coming from far out inland. He couldn't be seen by humans (except Shiro because he'd already seen him) so when the older turned, Keith dove back into the water, shooting into the water quickly. Racing to the nearest rock, he hid behind it, peeking out to look at the humans. They were walking away, the larger glancing backward a few times. Knowing the prince was in good hands, Keith swam away.
In about an hour's time, Keith swam into his room, sneaking through the open window. Ready to put his jewelry on, he heard a soft cough.
“Allura!” He twisted around as his adopted sister chuckled at him, her blue eyes on him, “What?”
“I was wondering where you were this time?” She asked as she folded her hands, “Father was quite worried.”
“Sorry,” Keith winced, hating the fact he was bothering his family like that, “I...I needed out.”
“I get that,” she smiled as her white hair flowed around her shoulders, “So what did you see? Anything…?”
“Nothing sparkly,” Keith snickered at her pout before he continued, “But I did see someone.”
“It better not have been another Galra,” she gave him a stern but concerned look, “They've been giving you enough trouble. All because-"
“It doesn't matter,” Keith muttered as he watched her, “I'm glad you guys took me in. Your dad took care of me even though I'm a Galra. Even though I'm not fully merman.”
“Of course, we care about you, Keith,” she carefully pulled him into a quick hug, “And it's not what's in your blood, but who you are that matters...So who was this person?”
“Well,” Keith felt his cheeks heat up and hoped Allura couldn't see it, “First of all, he's human.”
“Human?” She asked with a raised brow, “Ooh...Tell me all about it.”
That's what he loved about Allura. You'd figure as a princess, she'd be serious way too often, and at times she was, but there were moments she was like this. She loved sparkly things like that brooch Keith had found a few months back. She liked to gossip if it wasn't about something that would hurt someone else. So he told her all about this adventure and saving the human. She teased him a little but said she was happy he got to see that.
…..
Keith blinked tiredly as he felt something drag against his back, something warm on his skin. Everything was hazy as he felt arms holding him close. Letting out a breath, he settled down when a voice washed over him.
“Get some sleep, Keith.”
Keith's eyes closed on their own as he drifted back to sleep.
…..
Less than a week later, Keith was swimming from the castle to the training area nearby when something tugged at his gut, telling him something wasn't right. About to swim back to the large building, he froze as he saw a few Galra swim up. It was the same three who always bothered him.
“What do you want?” He snapped as he glanced for an exit.
“Is that any way to talk to your own people?” The leader mocked as he smirked wickedly, “In any case, you'll be out of the way in about ten minutes.”
“What does that mean?” Keith shouted as he wiggled backward as the two henchmen slid forward, “What are you doing here?”
“Hunting,” the merman waved his hand as the two paused for a moment, “And you're the pray.”
The two raced forward. Keith booked it out of there, shooting his way through the water like a torpedo. A few minutes in, Keith glanced back to see the three were quite the distance back. Knowing it wasn't just because of his speed, the raven-haired boy glanced forward. Letting out a gasp, Keith braced himself as he slammed into a large, thick net sitting in the water. Trying to pull his limbs out of it, he twisted around only for the net to cover that side. Struggling in the rope, he panicked as he felt the net squeeze around his tail and arms. It was pulling him up to the surface, and Keith renewed his fighting, clawing at the bindings and panting when it got him nowhere. Glancing left, he saw the Galra smirk, yellow eyes watching him as the net cut across Keith's throat, leaving rough cuts on his skin.
“Have fun at the surface,” the man cackled he dismissed the other two who swam away, “Perhaps your half-breed status will make them end you faster.”
And then Keith was out of the water. The air felt chilly to him as the net pulled him upward. He thrashed in the net, but it only cost him his energy.
“Look at what we've got here,” a man stood there as Keith glared at him, “Such a fine specimen. Sedate it.”
Keith's fear skyrocketed as he lurched away from one of the men. The net swung back and forth until a couple of hands gripped his flailing arms. He fought as best as he could as he felt something stab his tail. As everything faded, his breathing picked up. Everything faded to black as he was laid down on his back and man-handled by at least four people.
…..
Keith tried to bolt upright but was stopped as something held him down. He thrashed as he attempted to get whatever was holding him down to let him go. His throat hurt where the rope had cut it, and he didn’t dare open his eyes in case if the men were still there. Feeling hands touching him, he growled as he panicked even more. Everything grew blurry again as Keith breathed too quickly. His tail felt weird, felt split into two when it shouldn't have. Felt wrong. He wanted them to stop. He needed them to stop.
“Guys!” A voice shouted as Keith dug his claws into something hard, “Stop! You’re making it worse!”
The hands let go of him, but he couldn’t move still. He was breathing too quickly as he panicked even more.
“Keith,” the voice called as he hissed in warning, “Keith. It’s just me. It’s Shiro.”
He didn’t remember a human named Shiro on the boat. He couldn’t focus. He couldn’t think as his feelings went haywire.
“Keith, open your eyes,” Keith resisted for a moment as he focused on the soft voice, “I need you to open your eyes, buddy. Come on. You can do it.”
Keith forced his eyes to open. Everything was tinted yellow as his eyes burned from the light. He glanced around quickly to see humans he didn’t recognize. Something within him freaked out more as his natural merman instincts came out. Keith felt his teeth sharpen even more as he hissed louder. He wanted out. He wanted to get away. He wanted-
“Keith,” the other gently laid a hand on his shoulder, and instead of being more scared, Keith settled down a little, vision clearing quite a bit, “Keith.”
All at once, his vision snapped back to normal. His teeth went flat again as his fingernails went blunt. Keith blinked as his mind reeled back to functioning like a human again. He felt his face hurt on his right cheek and his throat burn a little.
“Shiro?”
“Yeah,” Shiro nodded as he looked down at him, blocking some of the blinding light, “I’ve got you.”
“Hurts,” Keith was starting to fade again, everything going out of focus again.
“I know,” Shiro smiled softly as Keith’s vision blurred badly again, “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
And everything went black.
…..
Waking up slowly, Keith looked around. He was resting at the bottom of a tank. Bars surrounded him on all sides, and glass walls surrounded that feet beyond them. Keith had just enough room to move comfortably in all directions. The water wasn’t the best. It wasn’t at all what he was used to in the ocean. It was kind of stale. Keith could feel the pebbles digging into his skin and scales as he laid there.
A shadow moved.
“Good, you’re awake,” the man from before stood in front of Keith, “Now it’s time to train you. I have a show in a few month’s time, and I want you ready to be the main attraction.”
“Why?”
“Because no one’s seen a merman before,” the man chuckled wickedly as Keith moved back into one of the bars, “And I need to show them how monstrous you beasts truly are.”
“Wait,” Keith frowned as he stared in confusion, “We’re not bad. Let me go!”
“I can do no such thing,” the man stepped away, “You’ll be turned by the time that show happens. Then you’ll show the rest of the world just what you’re truly like. Perhaps they’ll hunt down the rest of your kind. Destroy them while they’re at it. Maybe I’ll keep you as a slave in that amount of time. A pet.”
And he was gone. Settling down, Keith thought hard. It made no sense. Why did the man have an issue with his group? Keith had to get out of there. Looking out at the glass, he felt himself frown...He had to figure a way past the bars, out of the glass, onto the boat, and back to sea all the while not tipping the men off to what he was doing. Gripping a bar in his hand, he waved his hand and arm through. He could fit it all through the metal beam. Getting an idea, he squeezed his body sideways. Forcing his body through the bars, he swam to the glass. Putting a hand to the sturdy clear wall, Keith glanced from side to side before his eyes wandered upward.
No roof. Not smart on their part.
Swimming as far as he could, which was on this side of the bars, he gathered up his strength. Seconds in, he pushed himself forward in a burst of energy. Leaping out of the tank, he braced himself as he flipped onto the floor. It got tricky from there as he slithered back and forth towards the door. It was even trickier to open it, but he managed with his tail. Letting out a huff and being glad his human side let him breathe air without any consequences even with the tail, he wriggled down the halls, following and avoiding the noises he could hear. Knowing he was getting dry, and it would be difficult to go forward on dry scales, he hurried.
Rounding the next corner, he felt something creep up on him. Turning quickly, he saw nothing back there. Just the empty hallway that he’d been through. The feeling didn’t fade as he moved forward a few feet. Pausing, he felt the energy buzzing in his body still. Every few inches, it grew stronger until it felt like electricity under his skin. Finally understanding what it was about, he turned just as a sharp blade came at him. Letting out a breathless gasp as the black sword sliced through the air, Keith fell back into the wall.
“That was quick,” the man wandered up into the room as the bigger guard stood feet in front of Keith with the blade in hand, “I knew you’d be out of there in no time.”
It had been a setup. Keith wanted to smack himself. Of course, it had. That’s why it had been too easy. No one to be seen? No extra security? No lid on the tank? Keith frowned as he pressed into the wall even more. He didn’t know how he’d fallen for it.
“But you’ll still need your punishment,” the man chuckled as Keith’s eyes widened before they narrowed, “Can’t be letting this go unpunished. Gruntter, do what you must.”
The man smirked as he stepped forward, thick sword raised into the air. The other man sent Keith a brief, disapproving look before he stepped back out of the hallway. Keith turned his head from him back to the other who advanced on him. Keith had nowhere to move, but he scooted backward. The man moved forward as Keith glared at him.
“It’ll only hurt a little bit,” the man gave him no time to digest anything as he swung the sword at him. Pain flared in his right shoulder a blood splattered everywhere, and his vision went white with agony. He heard someone shouting in the distance as he curled up on himself.
…..
“It’s okay,” a voice spoke as Keith woke to burning pain on his right side, “Go back to sleep. They need to check your injuries and stuff.”
Keith let out a tiny whimper as he felt someone rub their fingers over his cheeks. It was almost like how his dad had once done it, and he calmed down a little. Focusing on the warm, gentle fingers on his face, he drifted back to sleep.
…..
Months had passed. Keith had been “trained”, but the man never seemed happy with any result. Keith had fought them at first. He had gone silent and uncooperative at another point. He had worked with them reluctantly for the last two weeks. The leader was still never happy with it. He was muttering to himself more often now, pacing around angrily.
Keith heard some of it through the lid now firmly placed on his tank. The bars were no longer there, but the glass was just as thick with a one-way viewing system so they could see him, but all he saw past the glass was darkness. Keith quickly ate one of the fish they had released into his tank. It was not a good fish, too malnourished to be worth eating, but Keith munched on it anyway. Tossing the bones into the small pile in the corner, he did a few laps. He’d been keeping his tail and arms in shape the whole time. When half an hour was up, he knew someone was coming. They thought the walls had stopped him from knowing, but he could hear them anyway.
“Get up here,” Gruntter stated sternly as Keith swam to the lid. The covering was peeled back mechanically before the leader stood in front of him. He was angry, eyes glaring at Keith for the first time. The man wasn’t happy, and Keith almost smirked at that.
“You have not gone rabid yet,” the man nearly growled as Keith tilted his head, “The show is in less than an hour! I will not show them a tame, docile merman.”
Keith was about to make a smart remark when something grabbed him by his neck, moving him closer to the deranged man. Keith panicked at the wild look in the man’s black eyes as the other leaned over him with a wicked grin. Keith tried to back up, thrashing his tail, but whatever was holding him didn’t budge. Keith leaned back as the man nearly spat on his face as he raised a device to Keith’s face.
“Boss,” Gruntter spoke with uncertainty lacing his voice, “Maybe you shouldn’t d-”
“Leave us!” The man glared at his henchman who let out a quick laugh before quickly backing out of the room. A moment of heavy silence settled over the room before the man put his attention back on Keith.
“You will go out there as I want you to,” the man hissed as he held the device closer to Keith’s right cheek as Keith stared at it worriedly, not wanting it any closer, “We’ve tried physical pain and we’ve tried emotional pain. Maybe I have to do both at the same time.”
A small sound echoed from the machine before a burst of red-purple light flashed in the corner of his eye. Heat poured onto Keith’s skin like lava onto ice. Keith let out a loud grunt as he tried fighting his way away from the burning light. Plasma. Human weapons didn’t have plasma. Keith had only seen them used in the sea, so the heat could still work in the cold water. White flashed in his vision as he cried out, shuffling back and forth. He didn’t get what the man wanted from him. What he was aiming for.
Keith’s cheek burned as the light came closer, agony rising as it inched forward.
“I wonder what that so-called “Shiro” would think if I were to find him,” Keith glanced at the man, pain forgotten as he smirked, knowing he was hitting a soft spot, “Cause him permanent damage.”
“Leave him alone,” Keith didn’t notice his voice had come out huskier than usual, “He has nothing to do with this.”
“And your parents,” Keith grew angrier as more pain washed over him, his inner merman growling in untapped hatred as his body burned like fire, “They must be-”
“Stop it,” Keith hissed as he hissed in anger, “Shut up!”
“They must not have wanted a half-breed like you,” the man mocked as he watched Keith pant, “Poor daddy and mommy-”
Keith snapped. His vision turned bright yellow as he growled at him. His teeth sharpened into points. Pain flared through his flesh as the blade of energy touched him. His instincts screamed at him to get out of there, kill the man and get away. Survive as best as he could. Hurt the man like he’d been hurt. Do something. Do something now! Move! Get away! Hunt!
Keith ripped his sharper claws through the rope holding him down. It splintered away like a fish through water. Whipping his head to the side, he snapped his teeth at the monster who ducked just out of his reach. Keith threw an arm out as he saw the smug smirk on the man’s face. His claws raked through the man’s arm as he let out a yell. Keith felt something within him beg for more. More blood, more pain, more everything. He snarled at the man who just chuckled like he’d just won.
“We’ll be showing you off for sure,” he grinned as he gripped his arm, “No one will ever doubt how beastly you are.”
Something moved in the corner of his eye. Keith twisted to it but was too late as something wrapped around his waist, linking his wrists to it. He snarled and hissed as he struggled, sinking to the bottom of the tank as some noise filtered through the closing lid. Keith turned and fought to get out, his merman instincts wanting to be free. He clawed and tried to bite the metal holding him down. He felt the tank move, sides closing in on itself as it shrunk. He panicked as his right side burned painfully. Breathing much too quickly, everything went dark again.
…..
“Keith,” the same voice called softly as Keith slowly woke up, “Keith.”
Keith slowly peeled his eyes open. Everything was a bright grey color as Keith buried his head to the side. Soft fabric greeted his face as he opened his eyes again, seeing black. Confused as could be, he glanced upward.
It was Shiro.
The teen was leaning over him, a frown of concern on his face. His grey eyes watched Keith carefully as his hand rested on the merman’s shoulder. Keith hummed as he leaned his head against the mechanical arm. Letting out a small sigh, he stared up at the other. Remembering the details of his nightmare, he didn't move at all. He left kind of numb but wasn’t too worried. Shiro was there.
“You okay?” The prince watched him with those big, worried eyes, “You were kind of out of it.”
“I’m okay,” Keith smiled when he saw the look Shiro gave him, “Seriously, I’m okay. Just problems.”
Shiro moved his thumb over Keith’s newest scar. Keith didn’t even flinch, knowing Shiro wasn’t going to hurt him. Shiro would never do that. He smiled as Shiro settled beside him on the large bed.
“Where are we?”
“My room,” Shiro nodded as Keith glanced around at the tidy and almost empty room, “I wanted to be near when you had nightmares and figured you’d be comfortable here.”
Shiro wasn’t wrong. The bed was comfy, swallowing Keith up like he was a pearl in a clam. Keith snickered as he thought of it. Shiro tilted his head, a grin on his face even though he was confused as could be. Keith shook his head as he patted the spot beside him.
“Come on,” he invited Shiro to lay down with him. Shiro let out a small chuckle as he agreed, settling right by Keith’s side. Keith snuggled close as he let out a yawn, already getting tired again.
“Go to sleep,” Shiro spoke gently as Keith started to fade, “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Keith hummed softly as he fell into a deep sleep.