The next morning, Keith entered the kitchen with a loud yawn. "Good morning."
But the morning was not good, Keith realized as soon as he opened his eyes; he found Shiro and Adam staring at him.
"Keith." Shiro's tone was stern.
"Takashi..." Adam held his shoulder wearily, "don't be too hard on him."
"Geez." Keith muttered, grabbing a bowl for cereal. "I come home disheveled one time and you're already pissed."
"I'm more pissed about the fact that you were disheveled because of a mermaid."
The bowl slipped from Keith's fingers and fell the floor with a crash! Adam jumped at the sound, then cautiously grabbed the broom to sweep up the glass.
The brothers stared each other down, until Keith muttered, "...I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know damn well what I'm talking about!"
"Takashi." Adam warned him. "Please."
"No! Don't please me! First it's Coran, then it's an actual one! I won't stand this any longer!"
Keith noticed the unmistakable hint of red under his brother's nails. "Shiro, what is that?"
"We're not talking about that right now."
"WHAT IS IT!?" Keith trembled, ignoring the stinging sensation in his eyes. "What did you do to him?"
"Don't refer to it like it's a person-"
Keith slammed his fist on the table. "Tell me!"
"Both of you!" Adam spread them apart, hoping to avoid any violence. "How can you be fighting so early in-"
"I don't want him to suffer the same fate his mother did!" Shiro cried. "He's my brother! He's too important to me to let anything happen to him!"
"His mother?" Keith repeated. "What do you mean his mother?"
Shiro didn't answer, only staring at Keith pathetically. Instead of waiting for a response, Keith spun around and darted out of the house. Adam reached forward for him. "Keith, wait!"
Not true. Keith told himself as he sprinted down the street. He'll be there. He'll be there!
The more he tried to convince himself it wasn't true, the more Keith believed it had to be. Especially when he reached the grove and was faced with a puddle of blood.
"No..." his legs gave out from exhaustion and was overcome with shock.
There was splashing... like the same splash Lance made-
Keith was suddenly thrown on his back and a heavy weight sat on his stomach. "Woah woah woah!" He held his hands up; two eel like creatures with human torsos pointed spears at him. Kind of like mermaids but... yanno, eels.
"Where's the prince!?" One with long, blond pigtails demanded.
"You're talking about Lance?" He clarified.
The other jabbed his spear at Keith's face. "So you know who he is! Answer the question!"
"I... I don't know where he is. He was here just yesterday but-"
"Don't lie!" The woman snapped. "His scent is all over you! You must have him somewhere!"
"I know! I know. I admit, he was here, but my brother... I don't know, he took Lance."
