Work Text:
"Loss"
Lance was waiting for his mate to show up. They had agreed on the place and time the previous day, and he was excited, so maybe he was early, but he didn't think he was that early.
He had met Keith when they were young, barely able to swim on their own. Their parents were good friends and brought their sons together for play dates. They would generally see each other every few days until one day, Keith and his parents didn't come by. Lance was worried, but there wasn't anything he could do but wait. Keith's absence broke Lance's heart, especially when it stretched into months without communication of any kind.
Then, out of the blue, Keith and his father came by. Apparently, Keith, his mother and father were attacked by a pack of orcas, and his mother was killed. She had managed to save her son and mate, but the attack traumatized the young mer. Opting to try to help his son by himself, his father kept Keith home, away from everyone. When Lance learned of what happened, he gave Keith a big hug, the force of it making the two tumble to the sea floor.
Keith's father watched, slightly apprehensive, until he heard Keith laugh. His son hadn't laughed since that fateful day, or really made much noise at all. Apparently, visiting Lance was what Keith needed to help cope with the loss of his mother.
Lance was pulled out of his reverie by someone tackling him to the sea floor. A flash of red told him it was Keith. The two mers tussled a little before Lance propelled them upwards, where they floated, hands clasped and their tails coming up to touch just above where their fins started. The wide grin on Keith's face was matched by the grin on Lance's face. It had only been a few years since Keith lost his mother, but the time he spent with Lance made the raven-haired mer happy, and Lance was dedicated to keeping his mate happy.
Fin