#selkie reader

The literal tsunami that had brought both chaos and wonder into his life.

When had it started?

A month ago, maybe. The day he met you.

It struck Adrian a second too late, the significance of what he was handing you.

Just a cloak, or so he thought. A soft, shimmering thing, faintly damp and fragrant with salt. He’d found it discarded on the shore while walking alone, post-hunt. Something precious, clearly, but odd. Carefully folded, bound in sea-silk cord.

He’d picked it up and offered it out. “Is this yours?”

You turned, eyes wide. And then your expression shifted, parted lips, breath caught, awe blooming across your face like sunrise.

Then: joy.

“I accept,” you gasped, clutching the pelt to your chest like a heartbeat. “I accept it. I accept it a thousand times over!”

Before he could speak, you flung your arms around his neck.

Adrian staggered back, startled. His arms moved on instinct, catching you, steadying you. You burrowed your face against his collarbone, sighing in utter peace.

He blinked, thoroughly confused. “...What exactly are you accepting?”

You pulled back just enough to look at him, brow furrowed in gentle confusion. “The bond,” you said, as if it were obvious. “You returned my skin to me. That makes you mine. And me yours.”

His mouth opened. Closed. “I’m sorry—the what now?”

You beamed. “It’s old magic. Very sacred. Selkies don’t give away their pelts unless they’re ready. But when someone gives it back, willingly, without being asked, it means they’re kind. Good. Worthy.”

He stared at you like you'd grown a second head.

“I was just... returning something I found in the sand,” he muttered. “I thought I was doing you a favor.”

“You were,” you said sweetly. “The greatest favor.”

He groaned under his breath. “And now I’m what? Married to a sea spirit?”

You tilted your head, considering. “Is that what humans call it?” You brightened. “Then yes. That.”

Adrian stepped back, holding you gently at arm’s length, holding you by the scruff and you almost purred. “Do you even know what that means?” he asked hesitantly.

You frowned. “It means we belong to each other now. I’ll take care of you. You’ll stay with me. I’ll braid kelp in your hair when the tide’s kind.”

He closed his eyes, exhaled slowly. “That’s... not quite what marriage is.”

You blinked. “Is there more?”

He hesitated. You stared at him, full of awe and unshakable trust. No calculation, no demand. Just wonder. And it unraveled something in him.

“Where I’m from,” you whispered, brushing a fleck of blood from his cheek, “we gamble our pelts hoping they’ll find good hands. Hoping someone will be gentle. That they’ll understand what they hold. Most never do. They keep it. Hide it. Use us.”

Adrian’s chest tightened.

“But you gave it back,” you said softly. “And that means everything.” Then you leaned forward. And innocently pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Adrian froze.

“Thank you,” you whispered. “For choosing me.”

You tucked your face against his shoulder again, pelt clutched tightly to your chest like a sacred relic. Already settled. Already his.

Adrian stared at the sky. “…I need a drink.”

You hummed in agreement. “Will we share one now? Is that part of bonding too?”

He didn’t answer.

You smiled brightly. “I shall follow you now.”

“I was afraid of that.” Adrian turned, fully intending to walk back to the village and pretend none of this had happened. But then he heard the gentle padding of your bare feet behind him, utterly content to trail after him like an obedient cat.

“Do you eat fish?” you asked, conversational.

“No.”

“Do you eat anything?”

“Unfortunately.”

You paused. “Do you have a nest prepared?”

He stopped walking. “What?”

“For us,” you said. “Soft things. Feathers. Kelp. You’ll need to start collecting.”

Adrian turned, very slowly, to stare out at the ocean. He took a long, suffering breath, the kind that rattled all the way down to his ribs, and muttered a curse into the laughing wind.

You repeated it, bright and curious. Perfectly pronounced.

He groaned. “Don’t say that.”

“But you said it.”

“Yes. That was a mistake.”

You grinned. “Like giving me back my pelt?”

Adrian didn’t answer. Just kept walking.

Homesick, that was all Neteyam was all he felt the last couple days he's been at the Metkayina village. As much as he appreciated Trireya and Roxto for their help in adjusting. But that didn't stop the feeling of missing home. He missed the forest and everything that it had to offer.

He's start spending time on his own. Trying to adjust on his own. He needed space, he rare got it since his parents expected him to keep an eye out on his younger siblings. He cared for them, but he just wanted for some time to be on his own. Without having to worry about someone else.

His parents were always onto him if something happened to his brother or sisters. Ever since Lo'ak was tricked into going past the reef and returned in one piece, it was like things became more complicated. Ever since that 'And where were you?' from his mother. It made him even more frustrated and angry. Why did he have to be responsible for his siblings, because that's what they were. Siblings. Not his children. He wasn't a parent. But an older brother. An older brother treated like a parent. That made him not want to have children of his own, since he's practically raising his siblings. He wanted alone time. Lots of it.

It's gotten so bad to the point where he just wanted to cry out of frustration. He was homesick, frustrated and just angry at everything. Why did the humans have to come back and ruin everything? He wanted to go home and everything be back to normal. But unfortunately, things had changed. Not for the better. What was the Great Mother's plan and why did she come up with this plan for his family?

He was sitting alone again, just watching the waves and listening to the wind blow. A bit hard. It's been windy and sort of humid. In the forest it would been a bit more cool and refreshing. Here? It felt so hot. So hot that sweat began to run from his forehead and neck. He hated sweating. A lot.

He groaned in frustration. Kicking the sand like it had personally ruined his day. The wind had picked up, along with sand. Getting on his sweaty skin. Making it worse. He growled. Getting up and kicking the sand around him more. He was angry, even more angry. Pacing and almost pulling at his hair. A moment passed and he just broke down. Tearing up, covering his face with his hands. Sobbing into them. He missed home. He wanted to go home so bad. He couldn't take it anymore.

After he had his cry, he noticed something at the distance. He squinted his teary eyes to see what it was. Moving closer to the shore. The water touching his toe. A seal? The seal was staring right back at him. From what he saw, the seal was a dark blue color with a lighter blue front and what he assumed where teal looking spots. It was sort of hard to tell do to how far the seal was. Not to mention the now forming grey clouds. Those beaty small black eyes stared at him from afar. Neteyam felt a pull towards the creature that stared back at him. He walked a bit more into the water. The creature didn't move. Just waited there. For him?

The further he want into the water, the seal remained in place. "Neteyam!" He snapped out of it until he heard a voice call him. He turned and saw his brother. Looking back at the sea, the seal was gone. Like it wasn't there at all. "Bro, what are you doing? It's gonna rain and it's not smart to go swimming on a rainy day." Lo'ak said, followed by loud thunder. "Nothing." He said, rubbing his eyes and sniffling a bit. "Thought I saw a seal." Neteyam said, getting out of the water. "A seal? Tsireya said that it wasn't time for them to come around yet. They're in migration or something like that." Lo'ak corrected his brother. "I know what I saw." Neteyam said, annoyed. Almost lashing out at him.

Lo'ak raised his hand up. "Alright, calm down. Just saying. It's not possible." He added. "Let's just go before dad goes off on us." Lo'ak said, beginning to head back. Neteyam followed, but looked back one more time. He knew he saw something.

That night he laid in his hammock, listening to the rain hitting the marui. It was soothing, but that didn't help him really sleep. The sound of the rain was different here. He looked out the small crack from the home, giving him a good view of the sea again. Wondering, why was a seal there? Was he now seeing things? He didn't know anymore. He finally went to sleep after over thinking.

That night his dream was strange, he dreamt of the ocean. It was in it, alone. No sea life or movement. Just him. He tried swimming up but it felt useless. He reached no surface. He began to feel scared. It felt like he couldn't breathe. Before anything could happen, he woke up. Startled. He thought it was probably because of his sleeping position. He didn't go to sleep for the remainder of the night. He didn't want to have a bad dream again.

In the morning, he couldn't stop thinking of the dream and how that seal almost lured him into the sea. He knew there was something about the sea creature. He just didn't know how to word it without sounding crazy. His brother had already doubted him. But he wasn't crazy. He knows what and who he saw.

He was back at that beach again, looking out into the distance. Trying to find the seal again. He moved around the beach, for a better view of the sea to try and see if he spotted the seal again. He even got into the water, trying to find the seal. But nothing. Was he going crazy. Over a seal he thought he saw a day ago. Now frustrated, as he walked out of the water. He heard the water move. He slowly turned to see what was behind him. The seal. It was back, but closer now. But keeping its distance.

"So, you are real." He said, as if the creature understood him. The seal swam up close. Neteyam remained still. Watching how the seal swam in a circle around him. Doing some spins and chirping at him. He knew that majority of the time animals were curious. He just let the seal do its thing. Unless it attacks. "Are you suppose to be in migration?" He asked, watching the seal continue to swim around him.

Neteyam chuckled. Watching the seal slap its four tail flippers against the water. The seal moved it's head up, doing some sort of water dance. Which Neteyam just watched. Seeing this intelligent and gentle creature catch his attention with a sort of dance. Looking at its eyes. He knew this wasn't a normal seal. "You... you're not a normal seal... aren't you?" He asked. He noticed how the seal 'smile' at him. Almost as if it knew what he was talking about.

But his name got called again, that made the seal go stiff and took off swimming. "Wait!" Neteyam yelled, but the seal was gone. Turning to see, about to go off on whoever it was. Probably Lo'ak, but it was Tuk. He instantly switched up. "Tuk, what do you need?" He asked, getting out of the water. "I was looking for you. I wanted to show you how I rode an ilu." She said, ever since she came to the village, she adjusted faster than he did. She was sad at first, but now? She was excited and was already trying to make friends with the metkayina children.

"Oh right, sorry. Just needed some time for myself." He said. Looking back at the water. "Will you come watch me then?" She asked, not sure if she should pester him. "Yes I'll come watch you." He said. Making her smile and take his hand, having him follow her. He followed his sister, but couldn't help and look back at the ocean. Thinking of the seal that wasn't exactly a normal seal.

He stayed with Tuk for the rest of the day, watching her ride the smaller ilu and even swam with her. But he thought back on the seal. Why did it leave? Was it shy? Or was it not fond of others? Did he take a liking to him and him only? He didn't feel as homesick as before, now he wanted to learn more about the seal.

"Ah seal?" Tsireya asked, while feeding some ilu fish from a basket that was filled with fish from the early morning catch. Whatever was left once the villagers took what they needed. "Yeah. It swam up to me and left when Tuk approached." Neteyam explained. Helping her out by also feeding some ilu. "Strange, all I know is that they're in migration. Due to the summer. They prefer the cold environment." She paused.

"Unless, it's a selkie." She added. "A selkie?" Neteyam asked. "A selkie is a sort of shapeshifter. They turn into people when they reach the shore by shedding off their pelt. There's stories where fisher men hide the women's pelts and mate with them. Because they belong in the ocean no matter what. The ocean is their home. It is not right to hide their pelt. It's considered cruelty." Tsireya explained.

That made sense to Neteyam. "But who knows. It's just a tale. Some seals do like to play tricks on other living beings." She added, giving more fish to the ilu who clicked for more. Neteyam hummed, as he continued to hand out fish. It's just a tale. Even at this age, he still believes in those tales. It had to be real. There's no way a seal is here, around the summer. The only person who can attract animals without even trying is Kiri. So this seal had to be a selkie. At least that's what he believed.

As crazy as is sounded, the seal had made him curious. Well, selkie. He wanted to learn more about them. Ever since he saw it a couple days ago. It had kept his mind off his homesickness. Was that a good thing? He no longer felt sick or have the need to cry. It was like his mind was distracting him somehow. Trying to figure out who the seal was.

It was already getting dark, the sea water was glowing and brushing up against the shore. Neteyam was back at the beach. Looking from a distance, trying to spot the seal. Was it asleep somewhere? Should he go into the water to find it? Or let it come naturally like it has been. He was gonna have to go home soon, he didn't want to before seeing the seal again. He was drawing patterns on the sand, to pass the time. Hoping it would go by faster or spot the seal again.

Just as he was thinking of the seal, it appeared. Near the shore. He heard water splashing again, he looked over and saw it. "Oh, you're back." He said, sounding happy. He got up and walked over. The seal smiled at him, then it spat something at him. It was hard, but Neteyam managed to catch it on time before it fell into the water. Looking at it, a stone? But this stone was shiny, a deep blue color. Very smooth. Like someone had been working on making it smooth.

"For me?" Neteyam asked. The seal nodded its head. Smiling even wider. "Dunno what to say." He said, still looking at the stone. There was no way this seal was just a regular seal. Unless, this seal was an expert on tricking at people. "You're not tricking me are you?" He asked. The seal smiled and splashed water at him. That startled him a bit, but chuckled by the seals action. It understood him, he knew they did. Why else would the seal do that? Did it took offence on his claim of being a tricky seal? Neteyam couldn't help but laugh. Normally he'd be annoyed, since Lo'ak had a habit of splashing water on him while swimming. But this time? Somehow felt refreshing and funny.

This was the first time in a while he's felt relaxed. He couldn't explain how or why. Maybe it was his curiosity towards the seal. Selkie. He's only seen it a few days ago and his been thinking about for those days. What it foolish? Maybe, but rather his mind being distracted than have himself crying. It was justifiable. He was frustrated, away from home, very homesick and the responsibility of taking care of his siblings got ten times worse. But his simple moment with a water mammal, was different than anything that he was dealing with at the moment.

That night back home, he fidgeted with the blue rock. He wondered how a seal got it to be smooth. Unless they found it in some beach and gifted it to him. Either or. He liked the small blue stone. He didn't know either to make it into a bead or just add it to his songcord. He had a few ideas.

The next couple days, it had been raining. It was either a thunder storm that day, or just sprinkling the other. It became cold and cloudly. No sign of the selkie. Maybe they didn't like harsh weathers or just decided to leave completely.

That made Neteyam a bit sad. He was starting to get sort of familiar with it. Was the blue stone a goodbye gift? It couldn't be. That idea made him even more sad. The only thing keeping him from losing it, was gone. He didn't know what to say or do. What could he do? It's not like he can talk with his brother, as much as he loves Lo'ak. He thinks that he wouldn't understand him, on this topic. He already made fun of him for talking about seals. He wasn't in the right mind to try and talk to his little brother without getting made fun of again. He also didn't feel like bickering. He'd just deal with this on his own.

Another rainy day, it was sprinkling. A bit breezy, cold air and wet sand. He walked near that same beach, thinking. Where did the selkie go? Maybe it wasn't a selkie afterall. Just a seal. What a fool to think selkie were real. That was just a tale told to children to sleep or to keep them entertained. He shouldn't be thinking about childish things anyway, he was a warrior, an adult in the clans eyes. He should be keeping his head cleared. Specially with everything that was going on.

When walking further at the private beach, there was someone there. Great, now his spot. Well, not really his spot. But the spot he'd come to be alone in was occupied by someone. Someone with very long hair that covered her whole body. But seemed to be wearing something that looked like an old fishing net. Similar to the beaded shawl his grandmother wore. They looked like a regular metkayina, but teal looking spots instead of water ripples stripes. Neteyam stood, frozen.

When they turned around, there eyes. Her eyes locked with his. Pure black with faded blue outer rings. Those same beaty black eyes. It was her, the seal. She was a selkie. She carefully began to stand up. Slightly wobbling over, but caught herself. But holding what looked to be a pelt of skin. Of a deflated seal. This was her. They just stared at one another, Neteyam didn't know whether to approach her or let her come to him like he has before.

The sun was high in the clear blue sky as Sanji wandered along the rocky coast line. Sanji and the other Straw Hats had decided to stop on this grassy yet rocky island when they had begun to run low on all sorts of supplies they would need to keep living on while traveling through the Grand Line. Supplies Sanji was out hunting for while having a smoke and taking in the beautiful clear waves that rolled lazily over the rocky beach. 

He inhaled his cigarette deeply as his long legs lifted him up onto one of the higher rocks, seeing if this would give him a better vantage point. And it did, just not of the supplies he had had in mind. 

Just below was a small alcove worn away by the waves into the sheer rocky side of the small hill he was starting to ascend. The waves licked up its sandy bottom in a lulling rhythm. And on a small boulder near it the furthest end, was a gray mass. 

Curiously take hold of Sanji as you exhale the heavy smoke from his lungs. A curiosity he allowed to move his body down into the sandy alcove. 

He approached it carefully, knowing nothing could turn into something dangerous in a blink of an eye. 

The closer he got to it, the more he could tell it wasn’t just gray, but made up of brown and white shades as well that created a dotted, blotting patterning. The closer he got, the more he could tell it was textured, like some sort of fur. Like an animal’s fur. 

He took another drag of his cigarette as he reached down to touch the strange object. It was smooth, yet the short hairs--it was definitely covered in a furring of some kind--made it a bit rough. 

Sanji hauled the heavy weight into his hands, finding the underside just as soft but in the way a tanned animal hide would be. He thought over all the animals he had ever seen or learned about in his time on the sea and as a chef and came quickly to the answer. 

This was a seal skin. 

Now, why a seal hide would be sitting on a rock out on some, supposedly, empty island, he had no clue. But it was beautiful. Very beautiful and well maintained and Sanji thought it might make a nice coat for either of his female crew mates. 

“Excuse me?” A small, female voice spoke. A voice so stunning and elegant it reminded Sanji of the sea on calm and pleasant days such as today. He turned and nearly fainted at the start of a woman standing there, the water lapping at her ankles. 

A very naked woman. 

“Are you taking that hide?” You spoke again in a small voice that was practically a breath.

You were very stunning. Breathtakingly so. With skin that glowed like it had absurd the sun itself and hair that was beyond words and breasts that peddled in the semi-chilled breeze. 

Sanji blinked, clearing his throat as he pulled his eyes from your unclothed body to look into your eyes. Eyes he could lose himself entirely in. Eyes that were wide. Wide not due to their natural shape but because--was that fear? Anxiety? Terror?

“Uh--this?” Sanji asked after shaking his mind of thoughts of your body. “It’s yours?” He asked, pulling his cigarette from his lips. You gave a small, anxious nod. One that looked like you were trying not to move too much. Like, if you did, you would scare Sanji off. 

“Are you taking it from me?” You asked again, a bit more firm than the first time you had asked. 

“Stealing from an enchanting beauty such as you? No. Never.” Sanji extended the hide out to you, but when you bulked at him, he placed it back on the boulder he had found it from.

“I--am no such thing.” You said in a disbelieving chuckle once you saw your skin safely out of his hands. Hands you tracked as he snuffed his cigarette out on the rock wall, placing the filter in the pocket of his black suit pants, where they found rest. Hands that had been unmarred and strong and rippled with a few veins running just underneath the skin. 

You stopped your staring and found his blue eyes again. Eyes that looked as if the sea and the sky had pooled there. 

“No such thing? Lies. You are stunning. Gorgeous.” Sanji said. He couldn’t allow you to go on not believing you were anything but a goddess coming down from the heavens. You shook your head but said no more on the matter. “Are you alright?” Sanji moved on.

“Am I--alright?” Sanji nodded at your question. “I’m fine. I was just--sunbashing. Taking a small dip in this for--uh--in this area of the beach.” Sanji brow cocked in curiosity at you. 

“Are you from this island? Is there a town or civilization we missed on our way in?” Sanji asked. You shook your head. 

“Oh. No. I’m not from this island.” You took a small, cautious step forward. When Sanji didn’t move one muscle, you took another. And then another. 

“Ah. Then you’re a traveler like me.” Sanji said with a quirk of his lips. He moved only when you had reached your seal hide and only to turn to keep watching your elegant body move. Only to keep you talking to him. 

You pressed the hide tightly against your body, hiding it from view. Held it in a way that made Sanji think it might not be so heavy to you. 

“Something like that.” You smiled. “Thank you. For returning my skin back to me. Others have not been so kind.” Sanji smiled right back at you. 

“Of course. It’s yours.” Your smile seemed to ease. Seemed to become a bit more genuine at his words. “I’m Sanji.” And against your better judgment, you gave him your name back. “A very beautiful name. Fitting for a beautiful lady.” 

“Oh…thank you.” You said, that softness creeping back into your voice. A softness that might have had to due to how hot your face was getting thanks to all the flattery this random stranger was peppering your way. “I--I have to go home. It’s getting late.” You hesitated to even say it. Hestatied because you were so--enthralled by this handsome, charming stranger. 

“Of course.” He gave a small nod of his head, his smile turning bittersweet at the sudden loss of you. He extended his strong hand out to you once more. 

You paused. Stared at that hand you found so impossibly attractive before gingerly placing yours in it. His fingers oh so gentle circled around yours. 

His hand was warm. Not an unpleasant warmth. Not sticky or clammy from the heat. Warm. Like how it’s warm under a blanket. Warm like how it was warm sitting on that rock as you sunbathed. Comfortable. Homey. 

He leaned down, moved ever so slow as to not startle you, and placed his full, pillowing lips on top of your hand. 

“It was an unimaginable pleasure getting to meet you. If just for this sort of moment.” Your heart pounded against your ribs. Pounded so hard you thought there was no way Sanji couldn’t hear it.

“Thank you…again. For not taking.” He smiled against your skin before standing back to his very tall height. He gave a small nod. And then, against your heart’s sudden deepest desire, let you go. 

Sanji watched as you watched him for a drawn out moment, as if you didn’t want to leave. As if you wanted to stay and talk with him just as much as he wished to keep talking to you. To discover all your secrets. To learn your heart’s wildest dreams. To know who you are inside and out.

But you took a step back towards the sea, slowly pulling the seal skin around your perfect body. A step you took slowly, eyes taking in every last detail of Sanji, as if to commit them to memory. As if to make this moment last and last…

You turned away from him and walked slowly into the water until it was deep enough for you to take a jumping dive into the sparkling water. 

Sanji almost called after you as he took a step closer to the sea. Almost went swimming after you because where was home? Would you swim all the way there? Would you be safe? Would you be warm with just that seal’s hide to keep you warm? 

But Sanji’s spiraling thoughts stopped when a sleek seal’s head peeked above the surface. A seal Sanji knew, deep down and no matter how wild it might be, was you. He could see your brightness shining in its dark, round eyes. 

He raised his hand and waved, that bittersweet smile pulling at his lips all over again. 

Agott stared. Tetia looked seconds away from vibrating out of excitement. Olruggio pinched the bridge of his nose like he could already sense future problems approaching. Qifrey, meanwhile, simply crouched in front of the child with calm curiosity and smiled warmly. “Well,” he said gently, “that certainly explains the hat.” Sitting crookedly atop the child’s damp hair was a pointed witch hat that nearly covered their eyes.

You introduced the child as Neri, explaining that they were a young selkie from your coastal colony who had recently shown magical aptitude and had become hopelessly fascinated with witches after hearing stories about them. Neri, still dripping seawater onto the floorboards, had immediately pointed at Qifrey and announced with complete seriousness that his hat looked nicer than everyone else’s. Qifrey had laughed softly at that, clearly charmed from the very beginning, and before long Neri officially became part of the atelier. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the apprentices quickly discovered that selkie children were dangerous in one very specific way: they were impossible to refuse when transformed into seals.

Neri’s seal form was painfully small and round, with enormous dark eyes and twitching whiskers that made every expression look devastatingly pitiful. It started innocently enough. Coco would sneak them extra pastries because “they looked hungry.” Tetia would let them nap in her lap during lessons because “they looked sleepy.” Even Agott, despite insisting she was immune to manipulation, once surrendered an entire tray of candied nuts after Neri stared at her silently for less than thirty seconds. You warned Qifrey about this one evening while the two of you cleaned brushes together in the workshop. “They know exactly what they’re doing,” you told him while watching Neri flop dramatically across the floor in seal form because Coco stopped petting them for five seconds. “Selkie children figure out very early that people think they’re cute.” Qifrey glanced over at the tiny seal sprawled across the floorboards and smiled faintly. “I can’t imagine that becoming a serious problem,” he said.

It became a serious problem almost immediately.

Within a month, the apprentices had developed an entire system around Neri’s seal form. If Coco wanted extra art supplies from Olruggio, suddenly Neri would appear nearby blinking up at him with impossibly mournful eyes until he got distracted enough to give in. If Tetia got caught causing trouble, she would shove Neri forward like a shield while whispering dramatic apologies behind them. Agott pretended to hate all of it, but you once caught her carrying seal-form Neri tucked carefully beneath her arm while muttering that the floorboards were too cold for them to sleep on. The worst betrayal came from Richeh, who absolutely started using Neri to distract Qifrey during lessons whenever he forgot assignments.

Qifrey finally realized how bad things had become after walking into the kitchen one evening and finding obvious chaos. Richeh was hiding a tray of stolen pastries behind his back. Tetia looked guilty in the way only Tetia could. Coco was laughing so hard she could barely breathe. And sitting proudly in the center of the table was Neri in seal form wearing Qifrey’s hat. “What,” Qifrey asked slowly, “is happening here?” The tiny seal blinked up at him innocently. Behind him, you made the mistake of laughing out loud. Qifrey turned toward you immediately, narrowing his eyes with amused suspicion while you tried unsuccessfully to compose yourself. “You warned me,” he accused. “I did,” you replied. “You didn’t listen.” Neri barked proudly at that before scooting toward Qifrey across the tabletop in tiny determined wiggles.

You recognized the tactic instantly. “Don’t look directly at them for too long,” you warned between laughs. “That’s how they get you.”

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Qifrey looked down. Neri looked up with enormous glossy seal eyes. There was a long moment of complete silence before Qifrey sighed softly and scooped the tiny seal into his arms anyway. The room erupted immediately. Coco cheered triumphantly while Agott groaned in disappointment and Tetia loudly declared that another victim had fallen. Neri chirped in obvious victory before curling comfortably against Qifrey’s chest while he absentmindedly rubbed a hand along their back. The sight made something warm settle in your chest before you could stop it. Qifrey noticed your expression almost instantly because he always noticed everything about you. “What?” he asked quietly, smiling when you looked away in embarrassment. “Nothing,” you murmured. “You’re just good with them.” His expression softened immediately at that, becoming gentler in a way that always made your heartbeat feel unsteady. He glanced down at sleepy little Neri bundled comfortably in his arms before looking back at you with quiet amusement lingering in his eyes. “I think they remind me of someone,” he said. You laughed softly. “Mischievous?” “Very.” “Troublemaking?” “Absolutely.” You smiled. “Cute?” Qifrey’s gaze warmed so visibly it nearly hurt. “Dangerously so,” he answered.

For a moment the noisy kitchen faded into the background completely. The apprentices were still arguing. Neri was still stealing affection from everyone in reach. Somewhere nearby, Olruggio was probably developing another stress headache because of this household. But Qifrey only looked at you with that impossibly fond expression while warm lamplight caught against his hair, and suddenly it became very difficult to remember why you had ever tried keeping your distance from him at all.