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Cody was struggling to stay afloat. There had been a terrible storm, he had been swept overboard. He was treading water and treading water. It was the only way he could survive in the stormy seas.
He was a strong swimmer, but this was nothing like he had ever experienced before. He wasn't sure he would last until someone saved him. He wasn't sure anyone would ever notice he was missing.
He was just one more of the giant Fett family, after all. One more on the Fett ship. One less cousin or brother to worry about.
It wouldn't be too bad. His family liked to hunt for legends between bringing in enough fish to feed the village, which was half Fett anyways.
He wouldn't have to worry about that anymore if he died.
Cody felt his lungs slowly struggling from all the gasping for air. Felt his legs aching from treading water. Felt his arms burning from working to keeping him balanced in the water, fighting the rough waves as the storm kept going. He had burning cuts from getting smacked with wood. Especially near his eye.
And Cody felt exhaustion creeping up on him. He'd had the night shift and had not slept during the day as that had not been allowed due to other things including his skill being needed at one point. It wouldn't have been so bad... but now it was affecting him. Now it might kill him.
He decided that wasn't too bad. Maybe if he fell asleep drowning wouldn't be too painful.
A wave crashed over his head and he flailed around, struggling to find his rhythm again. He then let out a breath when he finally caught it and was back to aching and treading water and hurting and treading water and burning and treading water and sleep...
His eyes started drifting closed, his movements slowed. When his head dipped beneath the water, he woke with a splash, eyes wide. That was close.
But he was so tired. He closed his eyes for a moment, movement slowing again. This time when he sank beneath the water, his arms felt like lead, and he didn't have the will power to fight any longer.
That was when a seal smacked into him and dragged him back to the surface. Cody weakly flailed, tired and confused. He drifted to sleep.
.
Cody woke up as he landed on the hard rocks. He blinked in confusion, exhaustion and pain clouding his mind. Then it hit him and he sat up. He was home? There was a human next to him. Naked and with red hair.
"Take my coat," he said urgently, handing it to Cody.
Cody tore his gaze from one of the many scars that looked like the man had been hunted at sea. He looked down at the coat. It was... soft. Like a seal.
...like the seal that rescued him. Those legends were real?
He shook his head and tried to give it back. "I haven't earned it."
The Selkie gave him an impressed yet disapproving look. "I saved you because you saved me. You have at least partially earned it. That storm threw your crew off the scent of my family, and I'd like to keep it that way. You got observant people in this place, especially those that look like you. They'll notice if I go back out to sea. Take my coat and hide it so I can't go back."
Cody blinked, then stared at the coat before looking back at the Selkie. "You're going to risk staying here?"
"I am not leading them to my family. As long as I do not know where my coat is hiding, I should be able to resist the call of the sea."
"And how do we explain you?"
"I'm not the only Selkie who's gotten stuck here. I know one of my friends is here somewhere. We'll get me some clothes, you hide that. I'd say the first impulsive place won't hold for more than a few days so make sure you move it. And then we can go find Quinlan."
Cody found his voice. "Quinlan is a Selkie? He's married to my brother!"
Obi-Wan hummed. "Good for him. I'm glad he found some happiness in his sacrifice."
Cody shook his head. "You're lucky I live alone. This way." He was struggling to process that not only had he apparently saved a Selkie once (maybe more?) from his family, that Selkie saved him, and now could not return to his family for risk of leading Cody's family to them. The only silver lining was that his friend was here. Married to one of Cody's brothers.
...this explained why Fox was so insistent on staying with Quinlan instead of ever going back on hunts. Cody was tempted to do the same. Depending on the story they used, he could claim Obi-Wan needed him around, at least after the first time, and then maybe he could say he found something to do at least? He always did like making furniture out of wood...
Cody let out a breath. Obi-Wan had saved him and was trusting him with his secret. Cody would have to do everything he could to protect Obi-Wan. It was even the push he needed to start refusing to go on the fishing trips. He hated those and how they were always about finding every seal and trying to kill them while getting enough fish to feed the village.
He hid the coat away, got Obi-Wan some clothes and then took Obi-Wan to Fox and Quinlan's house. He forgot to take care of his wounds. The urgency of making sure Obi-Wan was taken care of had driven all thoughts of pain from his head.
Fox opened the door. He raised an eyebrow at Cody. "You're back early, and injured."
"I, ah, I got tossed overboard in the storm. He saved me." Cody nodded to Obi-Wan who was standing a bit awkwardly to the side.
Quinlan came to the door, leaning on Fox. "Foxy, who's visiting in this st-Oh, hi Cody, aren't you supposed to be at s-OBES!" Quinlan darted past Fox and swept Obi-Wan up in a hug.
"Quin!" Obi-Wan returned the hug tightly.
Fox's other eyebrow went up. "Did he give you a coat?"
Cody nodded mutely.
"Come in, you look like you could use a drink. And some patching up." Fox gestured at him to enter.
Cody entered, starting to feel a bit numb. Now that Obi-Wan had Quinlan, he would probably be fine.
"So, tell me about what happened?" Fox request after he placed a glass in front of Cody.
Cody drank. "I went overboard. Was treading water for hours, I think, every part of me was hurting from it, and then I got so tired I started falling asleep and the next thing I knew a seal was grabbing me and then we were on the rocks and there he was shoving his coat at me and insisting I had to take it. Apparently he saved me because I saved him some time ago."
Fox nodded, unsurprised, and more worried about making sure the cuts weren't that bad. "Take off your shirt. There's cuts you need to get taken care of. I'm going to start with your face."
Cody sighed and removed the shirt before drinking some more. He stared at Obi-Wan, gorgeous red haired man in Cody's clothes talking and catching up with Quinlan, both animated with excitement.
"Well, congratulations, Cody." Fox sighed.
"What?"
"It was a risk that Obi-Wan took with you, no matter that you did save him once. Because for Selkies? Giving their coat to another is such a huge sign of trust they either only give it to someone they call family... or their spouse. Which means just Obi-Wan giving you the coat and you accepting it means that according to Selkies, you're married."
Cody spluttered. "I barely know him! I don't even get why he saved me, I don't... married?"
Fox snorted. "Yes, married, you idiot. He apparently is perfectly happy to stay here for a while. And unlike Quinlan when he gave me his coat, he knows someone here. They can get along. Now, the best way to hide his origins is to keep as close to the truth as possible."
Cody gave him a confused look, then hissed as the cut on his head burned.
"This is going to be a nasty set of scars," Fox commented. "I rescued Quinlan from a trap, yes, but he was in the water. And a seal. And he definitely followed me home." He sent a fond look Quinlan's way.
Cody nodded slowly. "So Obi-Wan...?"
Fox shrugged. "You'll have to work it out with him, but I suggest he's been trying to find Quinlan for a while since they'd been separated, you got washed close enough to shore for him to see you, he saved you, you were so in shock you brought him here instead of taking care of your injuries."
"...I guess that's close enough to the truth. Easy to remember." Cody nodded, touching the bandage Fox had awkwardly wrapped around his head for the scar. It was in such a weird place, it didn't quite work nicely. But it should be fine.
Obi-Wan looked up and smiled at him before going back to his conversation.
Cody smiled back, heart pounding.
Fox snorted. "Well, at least you'll have no problems when Obi-Wan decides to make the marriage a reality as a human, too."
"Uh... what?" Cody managed.
"Let me give you some advice. When he asks you out, just get it over with. If he's anything like Quinlan, he's not going to give up. He trusted you with the most important thing. He wants to honor what that means for us. Marriage."
"I... uh..."
Fox let him sit in shock until his injuries were taken care of. "There ya go. Now talk to your husband."
"He's not my husband yet!"
"Yet?" Fox smirked.
Cody spluttered.
Fox joined Quinlan. Quinlan automatically hugged him and cuddled. They were such a cute couple, they fit so well together.
Cody had never thought anything was going on underneath all that. And he could maybe have that with Obi-Wan? He stood and wobbled his way over to Obi-Wan.
His legs put up quite a protest. Apparently he had been treading water for far too long just to keep himself alive. They didn't want to support his weight after that. He nearly collapsed before he reached the couch.
Obi-Wan jumped up and caught him, carrying him over to the couch. He ignored the smirk on his friend's face. So what if he was infatuated with the man who kept saving him from nets when he attempted to save the younger ones? Who even did something about the spear wound once?
At least now he had a real chance, even if it had come at a far greater cost than he would have ever liked. He could already feel the draw of the sea, feel the draw of his coat, though he could not pinpoint where it was calling from since he did not know where it was. Cody had picked a good hiding place to start.
For now, Obi-Wan was content to start the courtship slowly. He wasn't Quinlan, but he was quite eager to move it along. Even if this was at the same time the hardest thing he had ever done, leaving the sea, and his family behind.
Cody, being exhausted, fell asleep as soon as they were settled on the couch. He'd deal with the feelings and insanity the night had been in the morning.