Chapter Text
I emerged from the ocean, slipping off my coat, a ritual I had performed countless times before. This was the routine to gather the fruits that thrived on land, far simpler than the challenging pursuit of fish in the sea. As the last of the Selkies residing here, life had its highs and lows.
On the positive side, I no longer needed to sneak into other Selkies' territories to access the land and then hastily swim away. The burgeoning human population on land made it impractical for us to fight for the old territory, so many decided to find new homes.
However, left with loneliness. It wasn't like I got to play with other guppies or adults, but it was comforting to know there were others out there, even if they could be aggressive or mean. I had hoped to find someone to adopt me, but instead, I was all alone.
I left my coat in the usual spot, next to the uninhabited house. My coat was always wet and the color of snow, as I set out to hunt for edible fruit. it never took to long. And I always returned.
I made it back just before the sun, fell over the trees, arms full with my findings. I laid them out on the sand, prepared to retrieve my coat and face the ocean, which was avoiding me without it.
The sand between my toes triggered a memory of the first time I had learned to walk, stumbling onto the shore and falling back into the ocean. Now I was an expert, capable of running and jumping. As I climbed toward the old house, I was taken aback by the blinding light emanating from within. The house, which had always been abandoned, now seemed to have an owner.
Unable to return home without my coat, I peered inside, finding no one in the empty halls, though the place was now filled with furniture. A carpet adorned the floor, and there were tables and chairs. I reached for the doorknob, surprised to find it left open. I blinked as I stepped inside.
I navigated the unfamiliar surroundings with caution. I had been in this house countless times, yet the presence of light made it feel foreign and unsettling. It was not just unfamiliar; it felt dangerous with signs of life. I decided to check the last place I had left my skin, hurrying into the kitchen. The scent in the air was inviting, making my stomach rumble.
There was a pot on the counter, and I clambered up onto a chair and then onto the table, only to discover that my coat was missing.
"H-hi?" I stammered as I heard a voice.
Startled, I jumped off the seat and tumbled to the ground. Before me stood a tall human, with long blond hair and eyes as deep as the sea. He winced as I fell, making him seem even larger. He knelt down before me, his hand outstretched to help me up. I bit my lip, my eyes on the chair where my coat should have been.
"My coat," I managed to say. "I left my coat. I want it back."
He grinned, "So that was yours?"
I nodded, relieved that he had it. "I just want my coat back."
"My name is Phil," he introduced himself, helping me to my feet and placing me in a chair. "Phil... my coat," I repeated impatiently, not particularly interested in his name. I just wanted to go home.
"Why not have some food first, and then I'll get your coat," Phil suggested. I shook my head, my focus on retrieving my coat. "I have to get home. My coat—"
Phil set a plate of food in front of me. "What's your name?" he asked. I stared at the warm food, a luxury I had never experienced. "I-I..." Phil sat beside me. "Your name?" he inquired again.
"Y/n, but I can't stay. I have to go."
"Until you go, eat. I'll get your coat while you do so." Anxiously, I fiddled with the spoon, scooping some vegetables into my mouth. It was delicious, but I couldn't fully enjoy it, feeling unsafe under his watchful eyes. He patted my head for this simple accomplishment.
"Coat?" I repeated, like a broken record.
"Eat," he encouraged.
I closed my eyes and finished my plate. Phil rubbed my head. "All done, good job. For being such a good child, you get dessert."
"No, sir. I should go. I really want to go," I said, my eyes trembling. Phil ignored me and placed another plate in front of me, this one with a slice of chocolate cake.
Tilting his head, he got up, and I noticed that when he returned to the kitchen, my coat was in his hands. I couldn't take my eyes off it. He held it carefully. "I gave it a wash and dry. It's like brand new, but it doesn't matter to me. That's mine. It's a part of me, whether old or new. I reached out to take it, but Phil kept it close to his chest, out of my reach.
"It's a very pretty coat. Want to give it to me?" he asked softly. Anxiously, I shook my head. "NO! That's mine! Give it back now!"
Phil laughed and rolled his eyes. "Nope, unless you want to give it to me." I protested, "It doesn't belong to you!" He got up and took my coat with him. "I know your a baby selkie" He began, running his hand over the fur.
"I'm not old enough to marry!" I blurted out. "I never said I wanted to marry you," Phil said, tilting his head curiously. "Then why take my coat?" I questioned. Phil lifted me up. "I want a baby, not a wife. If I can have one without getting married, why does it matter? Little guppies like you shouldn't be on their own anyway." He rubbed his nose against mine, invading my personal space, and I tried to reach for my coat.
"Nah, ah," he said, pulling it away and leaving it on the chair. My eyes remained fixed on it. "I've always wanted a child," Phil said, brushing my hair back. "I never knew it could be this easy." He kissed my cheek. I was baffled by his motives. Why was he so insistent that I had to be the one?
He led me to a room I had explored once when it was empty, but now it contained a bed and a lamp. Phil pulled back the blanket and placed me in the big bed. "How about a picnic tomorrow? So we can get to know each other better," he suggested. "I don't... why are you doing this?"
Phil pulled up the blanket and said, "I told you, I want a daughter." "Why does it have to be me?" I asked. Phil gave a throaty laugh. "It doesn't have to be. Let's just say you were unlucky enough to find me first. I actually came out here to—" He paused, almost revealing his true intentions with a twitch of a smile. "You're here now... sleep well, my little goldfish."
Phil gently ran his hand against my cheek and walked to the door, where he stopped, as if waiting for me to make a move first or attempt to escape. I closed my eyes, waiting and listening. An hour passed, and then another or so I thought. I wanted to leave this place, but without my skin, I was powerless. It would be all I could think of, calling out to me. Even if I ran away, I would always be drawn back here.
I got up, moving quietly as a mouse. I had to find my coat. I had to. I wouldn't be forced to stay here, not when the sea was calling me. I felt like something was missing, and I was cold, which was a sensation I had never experienced before. I missed the rest of the saltwater. I walked down the steps, into the kitchen, but of course, my coat wasn't there. I grimaced and moved into the living room next. The place was small, with not much space to hide anything.
It was darker in here without the light. I traced my fingers along the wall to guide me...
Flicker.
I was blinded by light, and Phil was staring right at me, his calm blue eyes amused by my startled expression. My mouth hung open. He held my coat, gently petting the fur. Stoic for a moment, he suddenly burst into a grin. "I-I," I stammered, trying to come up with an excuse. "I knew you'd come looking for this... unless you give it to me. You can't have it back."
Annoyed and sleep-deprived, I snapped, "NO!" I told him firmly. "I let you hold it, only if you allow me to hold you."
An uncomfortable itch overcame me, the overwhelming need to be near my coat. Reluctantly, I agreed, walking over to Phil. He draped my coat around me, pulling me closer to his chest. I hummed, feeling more relaxed.
"Better?" he asked, to which I nodded. "Tell me, did you have a family in the sea waiting for you?" he inquired, rubbing my back. "No, I'm alone," I admitted, as he pressed a kiss to my head. "I guess it wouldn't have mattered. You're my baby now."
"I'm not—"
I yawned, and Phil asked, "Will you give me your coat?" I shot up, nervously wrapping my coat around me. "No, it's mine. You can't have it," I asserted. Phil sighed, "Alright, not today, then."
He rolled his eyes playfully and snuggled me closer. My head was pressed against his chest. Against my better judgment, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
.
..
Zzz
I awoke to the sensation of air in my lungs instead of water, a first-time experience for me. For a moment, I struggled to breathe, gasping for air as panic set in. My hands instinctively went to my throat, but then it hit me – there was nothing wrong. I was okay.
Recovering, I realized my hands were gripping the clothes of a man named Phil. Phil hushed me and started to comfort me, his gentle hand patting my head. "Guppy? You okay, mate?"
Still catching my breath, I looked around for my coat, the one I had been wrapped in the previous night. It was gone. "My coat, where is my-"
"Shh, I've got you. Your coat is safe," Phil reassured me, holding me up. Was he keeping it from me? I looked around, noticing that the room was cleaner and more organized than the chaos of the day before. How long had this man been taking care of me, doing chores, and helping me?
I felt strange and out of place in the arms of this stranger, but there was a warmth and comfort I couldn't deny.
"I'm about to start preparing for our picnic. Do you want to help?" Phil asked, catching me off guard. I was perplexed – who kidnaps a Selkie and then suggests a picnic outing?
"Hmm... Can I go home after?" I cautiously asked.
"Of course!" Phil replied, as if this whole situation was just a misunderstanding. Maybe he was just an eccentric human. Maybe all humans were like this. He would let me go after our picnic, or so he claimed.
"Okay, I'll help," I decided, thinking that if I helped, maybe things would go faster, and I could return to the sea sooner.
Phil drew me close, guiding me to the table where he let me stand on a chair. He then proceeded to show me how to spread cream on the bread and slice the brightly colored fruits. We assembled the sandwiches together, and I realized that I was becoming a part of each one.
Phil took over cutting the sandwiches in two and assisted me in placing them in the picnic basket. I couldn't resist sneaking some of the fruit into my mouth, and Phil didn't seem to mind. He placed the food in the basket, not letting me touch the ground as he lifted both the basket and me with ease.
Curious, I asked, "Can I get down?"
"When we reach the sand, I'll put you down. I don't want you to hurt yourself without shoes," Phil replied.
"Shoes?" I questioned, making a face. I didn't like wearing them; they felt strange and unnatural. I'd promised myself I wouldn't put them on again after they had washed up on the beach.
"Then you have no choice but to let me hold you," Phil said with a playful grin, looking down at me. His blonde hair sparkled like the sea, and I couldn't help but admire it.
Phil kicked the door open, and we stepped outside. I held onto his shirt, feeling a strange new height. He descended the pavement and reached the sand, and I asked, "Can I get down now?"
"We're almost there," he assured me.
I huffed, and he finally set me free. I ran toward the sea, startling Phil as he dropped the picnic basket into the sand.
My heart raced with excitement as I reached the water. "Ocean!" I announced playfully, but it receded, pulling away as if it didn't recognize me without my coat. I felt betrayed, caught between two worlds – neither a creature of the land nor the sea.
Phil picked me up by the waist, his feet touching the water's edge. "Guppy?" he said, concern in his eyes.
"The ocean... it looked like it was avoiding you," I accused, my frustration boiling over. "That's because you stole my coat!"
Phil lifted me up, and I squirmed, desperately wanting my coat back. "No, my coat, weirdo!"
"You don't get to touch it until tonight, remember? If you're good," he teased.
"That's not the deal! You said I could have it back!" I protested.
Phil chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't recall saying that."
"Then I'm not going!" I declared, biting him in frustration. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, and I fell onto the sand.
Spitting out the bite, I quickly got up, sprinting away from the beach, back into the forest. "Y/n! Selkie!" Phil's voice echoed, but I wasn't turning back.
Finding a spot in the trees, I squeezed into a hole just the right size for me. I crossed my arms, thinking that no matter how much food he gave me.
Phil was still a thief.