For @trasshess's cute as hell fanart of Hunk and Lance as mermaids. I couldn't help myself.
Also check it out on my AO3, leave some kudos and comments I eat that stuff up <3
He had to keep moving. If Lance were to stop, to even glance back to gauge how close he was being chased, he would most definitely get caught.
Water streamed past him as he cut through the ocean. He weaved past schools of startled fish, rode the ripping currents as he got close to cliffs of corals and rocks that jutted far up into the blank expanse above the seabed.
His tail worked hard behind him, easily pumping back and forth to propel his slender form quickly. He was thin and agile, able to make sharp turns and squeeze through small openings at lightning quick speeds.
Lance was always teased when he was smaller about how lanky he was. Most merfolk had thickness on their limbs and bodies, ensuring they could travel long distances without the need to hunt or they could survive temperature changes in the depths. But, Lance had been reassured by his friend many times before that he was just perfect the way he was, no need to try and bulk up. It made Lance happy to know that there wasn’t anything wrong with being a bit abnormal.
After embracing it, Lance learned he could swim much faster than the other merfolk that he lived with or met. And also, others had difficulty tracking the mischievous blue mer down due to his tendencies to move silently in the water and then crawl into some tight space. But Lance was also good at streaking across the ocean in a blur or speed. He prided himself in how fast he could swim. There were not many who could keep up.
Dark blues zipped by as Lance dove deeper. He couldn’t stay out in the open. Stay close to the rocks, stay near tiny spaces that you could hide in, he reminded himself.
Every now and then Lance would feel the softest difference of water pressure around the tips of his tailfin, making his heart flutter, adrenaline racing. His pursuer seemed to be having no trouble keeping up and even gaining on Lance. The close scrapes had Lance making reckless swerves while picking up speed instead of slowing down.
He was moving so quickly Lance wasn’t alert to the bend he was racing up on. It was the edge of the kingdom, a sandy plateau that fell into a deep drop off, a gash in the ocean floor that sunk for thousands of feet. Lance wouldn’t dare swim near it, in fear of what lurked just under the edge waiting for prey to swim by.
As so, Lance had to slow down, swivel his head to the side to see where he would go next. He barely got a glimpse of the green blue reef beyond, an escape route already forming, before weight slammed into his side.
Lance tumbled over backwards, a shocked cry practically yanked from his throat. Lance set to thrashing, using his powerful tail to beat against the heavy body behind him.
Shrill chirps began to die off into laughter. The fingers wiggling into Lance’s sides were too much, the gig was up.
“H-Hunk-!!” Lance gasped, cut off by his own laughter as he squirmed, “Ple-Please!!”
The strong arms around Lance’s torso shifted, one slipping down to his waist to hold him firmly while the other pushed under Lance’s arms.
Lance felt as if he were being held down by barrells, the thick and heavy kind that he and Hunk found in wrecked ships that were filled with murky and bitter liquids. The barrells even after being emptied of their bitter contents were still heavy, enough so that Hunk had once gotten his tail stuck under one and couldn’t get himself free by himself. Lance recalled that day being spent doing nothing but trying to pull the heavy wood apart.
“I’ve got you now!” Hunk said behind him, soft face pressing into Lance’s shoulder lovingly.
Lance giggled, tossed his now free hands back to tangle into Hunk’s brown hair. A chittering purr came to life in his throat, making obvious his content. Hunk’s own rumbling noise had Lance’s fins flaring, sending the two rolling off into a current and drifting softly.
The ease was short lived when Hunk decided it was the perfect time and place to start pressing into Lance’s sides and over his ribs once more, happy chuckles rocking his chest. Growing in volume when Lance started to laugh.
It was terrible, honestly. The worst thing ever, Lance would say. No matter where he twisted or pulled Hunk held him firmly, like some octopus.
“No! Nooo!”
Bubbles tickled at Lance’s skin along his neck, the soft air curling under Lance’s ears and gills and trailing through his hair. Lance pleaded, tangling his fingers in the hair under his hands and trying to tug. His head pushed back against Hunk’s shoulder, trying to free himself.
Hunk’s arms simply came around Lance’s entire chest, squeezing him close.
Their tails twined, gently fitting against one another. It was more of Hunk’s attempt to get the whip-like tail to stop moving around so much.
As Hunk’s touches skimmed lower, brushing the thin line of where skin met scales, Lance jolted, absolutely screeching with laughter. The skin there was much thinner, terribly sensitive and Hunk knew it was off limits to tickles.
Laughter pealed out into the reef, the steady and unconscious movement of Hunk’s tail pulling them away from the dangerous drop off.
Lance’s cut off calls and squeaks were of no use, not out here where Lance was only being a bother to the lazy fish swirling between kelp and rocks and coral.
Hunk’s own giggling was also lost to Lance’s loud voice. Even though he begged for Hunk to show him mercy, there was no way the other mer was going to do such a thing. Lance had been such a tease before, had been so awfully bratty that Hunk couldn’t let his crimes go unpunished. Crimes being too mouthy for his own good. It wasn’t that Lance talking so much was a problem, but when he began challenging Hunk’s abilities as a predator, well.
Hunk was a master hunter, having an excellent sense of smell and wonderful hearing. They were all shiny cherries on top of the fact that Hunk was one of the strongest and fastest mers in their village. He wasn’t by any means as lean as Lance but that didn’t matter when Hunk could hunt orcas with the other hunters in the community. Hunk was powerful, a mer that had all the younger mermaids fawning over him all the time, a fact that Lance would never let Hunk live down.
Now though, Hunk had caught his prey. And he never let his prey go free once he’d gotten a hold of it.
Hunk’s tail gave a gentle squeeze before he nuzzled his nose into Lance’s neck. He finally ceased his wiggling fingers for a moment, letting the smaller mer catch his breath. Hunk could feel Lance’s heart fluttering under his arms, steady and swift from the adrenaline, the thrill of being chased down.
“Okay, okay. You got me. You win.” Lance sighed heavily, still muffling small giggles as he squirmed, not trying to get himself free but just moving from leftover energy.
However, once Hunk began to leave little fluttering kisses to the soft scales by Lance’s neck, the blue mer’s struggling gained a new level of squirminess.
“Huuuunk” He whined, neatly trimmed claws reaching the back of the golden mer’s head, scratching gently. The sensations had Hunk shivering from head to fin, squeezing Lance just a bit tighter.
Lance wheezed, his laughter turning ugly as he struggled to pull in water. Hunk laughed at the noise before letting Lance loose, just enough for him to roll over in Hunk’s arms.
Hunk drifted back more, righted them both so that he was parallel to the ocean floor, lazily drifting with Lance on top of him.
Lance smiled down at Hunk, forearms braced on his shoulders so his fingertips could roam over the other’s cheeks and over the tops of his ears.
If Lance were to continue, which he most likely would unless Hunk moved him, he would fall asleep. It was the fastest way to get Hunk to stop moving around so much and to calm down. In his opinion it worked a little too well.
“You got me. Now what?” Lance asked, question holding a hint of expectation. Curiously wanting something more.
Hunk just shrugged with a small hum, looking backwards.
“Dunno. I should boil you, maybe. You look tasty.”
Lance squawked at him, tail fin slapping at Hunk’s in exasperation before he pouted.
“You can’t eat me. Chose something different.”
The golden-tailed mer smiled, humming again in mock thought. He slung his clasped hands over Lance’s back, rested softly in the bend of his lower back. He raised his head, looking at Lance while they floated backwards.
Lance’s eyes were glittering blue, like the reflection of the ocean on the sand when the sun was bright. The soft blue scales that dusted the sides of Lance’s face, arms, and shoulders were vibrant and healthy. By nightfall Lance would have a gentle glow about him, illuminating his bronze skin and slender curves.
Hunk’s eyes trailed over to Lance’s lips, slightly pouted. They were smooth and just begging for Hunk’s undivided attention.
“Maybe I’ll stash you in my treasure collection.” Hunk mused out loud, fingertips now drawing circles and slow lines over Lance’s back. The thinner mer’s face bloomed in color, embarrassed.
“You would be my showpiece, the prettiest thing I have found yet. Everyone would be so jealous.”
“Oh my gosh, Hunk. Stop.”
“That’s it! I know what to do with you. You’re my prized jewel.”
Hunk pulls Lance up close so that he can rub his face into Lance’s cheek, ignoring the flustered flailing.
He peppers bubbly kisses to Lance’s cheeks and lips, laughing with every protest from Lance.
He’d keep his treasure by his side for a long time, no matter how flustered he got. Besides, it only made him shine more.
