Selkie Boyfriend: Fionn (complete)

Every winter, it’s a tradition in your hometown for people to gather around the frigid beach, strip off as many clothes as they are comfortable with, and plunge into the nearly frozen waters. This isn’t anything strange, but in your town, the selkies join in.

It started centuries ago as a sort of courtship ritual, where the men would try and impress the female selkies. Your stepfather was a selkie, and every winter you watched as your mother plunged into the icy ocean and swam into his coat, which kept her warm until he brought her up on land.

Back then it seemed like the most romantic thing. But then it wasn’t a tourist hotspot. These days it’s gotten massive, lasting a whole three-day weekend. People take it as something folksy and fun, not the loving tribute to tradition it used to me. They just want fun and laughs, or to meet hot eligible selkies. You no longer partake in the festivities, and use the holiday as a chance to get out of town. You usually go to a bed-and-breakfast further upstate that’s always totally empty, because everyone is staying in town for the Selkie festival.

This year, that doesn’t happen. Your beloved bed-and-breakfast is closed early for the winter, and you’re stuck at home during the festival for the first time in years. You plan to stay cooped in your apartment, stocked with all the snacks and digital distractions your heart could desire. But your little brother, Lukas, is adamant about getting you to attend this year. Half-selkie himself, he takes the festival more seriously than he should. And first thing on Friday morning, he’s pounding on your door.

“Open up! Mom and Dad are making their special seafood cakes for lunch!” He bangs on the door and rattles the doorknob.

You look up from the coffee pot and stare at the door, scowling and hunched.

“I know you’re in there! I brought Fionn with me as a threat!”

“Don’t say that,” Fionn grumbles.

Fionn is your brother’s best friend, a troubled selkie that your father took in. His home life hadn’t been great, and he was headed down a rough path until your dad stepped in. As teens you and Fionn fought constantly, especially over how he treated your family. As time went on and Fionn grew up, he became respectable, upstanding, and a hard worker. He’s also the biggest son of a bitch you ever met.

You scoff and rub the bridge of your nose. “Please don’t rip off my door.”

“I’m gonna!” Lukas shouts back.

“No,” Fionn growls.

You open the door and look up at them. Lukas is like a clone of his father, tall, pretty and soft, with copious white-and-black curls. His dark eyes brighten as he looks down at you.

You sigh heavily. “What do you want?”

Lukas’ expression is instant, judgemental, and slightly cute. “What do I want? What do you want? This is your first festival home in years! You should be enjoying it.”

Fionn is standing back, being a bit more understanding than Lukas. He towers over even Lukas, very close to seven feet tall. He’s broad and muscled, but still has that softness all selkies possess. His skin is mottled dark and pale, and his long gray hair is tied back in a thick braid. His facial hair is a thick scruff, but even that looks soft to the touch.

“Too many people,” you say to Lukas. “I’m not risking it.”

“But it’s fun!” Lukas scoffs.

“For you, maybe, but it’s not been fun for me since we were teens. The crowds get to me.”

Lukas pouts. “But I’m going to be in the swim this year with Owen!”

You pat his shoulder. “Good for you. I’ll watch Mom’s videos.”

“Hey,” Fionn suddenly speaks up. “This is important to Lukas. Catch his hint already, and stop being crabby.”

You frown up at Fionn. “What hint?”

“I’m proposing! It was supposed to be a surprise.”

You gasp and look apologetically back to Lukas. “To Owen?”

“No, to Dad. Of course Owen!” He breaks into a big grin. “I want our families to be there during the swim to surprise them, so don’t tell anyone about it!”

“I’m sorry, Lukas.” You settle back, growing nervous as you think about the crowded beach. “I’ll make it to the swim.”

Lukas points up to Fionn. “He’ll be there too, so you can ride his shoulders if the crowds bother you.”

“Don’t volunteer me for things,” Fionn sighs.

Lukas grabs your hands and tugs. “So come on! Get out of your cave and come home with us.”

“I haven’t showered yet,” you grumble.

“Then just come home for lunch,” Lukas urges.

You grimace again. “The traffic will be horrible.”

“I can pick you up,” Fionn interjects quickly.

You gulp. “On your motorcycle?”

“Bundle up.” Fionn points at you. “I have a helmet, so just wait outside for me around noon.”

“No, I...”

Before you can argue, Lukas stops you with a big hug. “I can’t wait to see you! Mom and Dad will be so excited!” He gives you a kiss on the cheek and turns to go.

Fionn looks down at you hesitantly. “Noon.”

“I got it, Giant.”

“Smidge,” he smirks before following after Lukas.

Another thing about Fionn - even with all your arguing in your youth, the two of you had more romantic dalliances than you cared to admit. Even now you carry a torch for Fionn that won’t snuff out. During college, when you were stressed and visiting home, he provided distraction and comfort when you needed him most. Even now the thought of his massive, gentle hands on your thighs makes you warm and soft all over.

At noon you stand outside the apartment building, bundled up in warm sweaters, a scarf and your favorite leather jacket. Town started getting busy on Monday, but now it’s so slammed that there isn’t a parking spot for miles. Fionn appears in the distance, zooming between cars until he pulls up to you. His shining silver motorcycle has been with him since high school, and he’s kept it up like it’s his baby. He tosses a helmet your way.

“Ready?”

“No.” You put the helmet on and adjust the straps. Fionn’s driving always terrified you. No matter how many times you’ve ridden with him, you never get used to it.

“Then hop on.” He pats the seat behind him.

You climb on and put your hands on his back, holding on to his jacket. “No, no,” Fionn fusses. “Hold on. The roads are too busy for you to be falling off.”

You frown and slowly put your hands and arms around his waist. His big, gloved hand pats yours. “Good girl.”

You huff and kick the back of his leg. “Just drive already.”

He takes off, motor roaring. You hide your face in his back, but you can feel the cars whizzing by you. “Hey, can you hear me?” Fionn’s voice comes through the helmet.

“Shit!” you exclaim from shock.

Fionn laughs. “Sorry. I just put radios in the helmets.”

“Taking a lot of people on your bike these days?” you huff.

“Just Lukas, really. We carpool.”

You chuckle. “That explains why the helmet smells like strawberries.”

His laugh is bright and nostalgic. “It’s been a while since I’ve had you on the back. You feel nicer than Lukas.”

“Lukas is probably warmer than me. I’m freezing back here!”

Fionn puts his hand over yours, and it’s toasty-warm. “I told you to bundle up!”

“I did, but sweaters and fat only get you so far! I’m not a selkie, this isn’t my habitat.” You squeeze your arms tighter around him.

“I could warm you up, but we’re going to your parents.”

His sultry teasing makes your face burn. You sputter in embarrassment, only making him laugh more. “Shut up!”

Once you get home, your dad piles your plates high with food, while your mother has you go through the clothes she’s going to donate to see if you want anything. After a while, your parents lie down for a nap and you join Lukas and Fionn in the living room. Your folks still have all your childhood gaming systems, so they’re playing an old Mario game. You sit down on the couch beside Fionn and start to doze while you watch them play.

Fionn nudges you. “Wanna play?” he asks.

You rub your eyes and yawn. “I was never any good at this. I prefer Street Fighter.”

“You’re too good at that,” Lukas scoffs.

You snuggle into the sofa as Fionn’s warmth flows through you. After a while, Lukas gets a call from Owen and goes to get him for dinner that evening. You and Fionn are alone. “I’ll put on Street Fighter.” Fionn stands up and he lays his thick, heavy coat aside.

You touch the silky fur, then watch as he bends over. He always had the best ass. “This doesn’t feel nostalgic at all,” you chuckle. “You and me staying up late to play fighting games. Lukas passed out on the floor with his blankey.”

Fionn smirks as he sits back down, placing a controller in your hand. “Well, we pretended to play to keep him asleep.”

Your cheeks burn. “Yeah, well, we’d been fighting most of the day.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about you recently,” he says as the game starts.

“Oh, no,” you sigh.

Fionn looks down at you while you try to select a character. “Since you don’t like the festival, what if we went to the aquarium until the swim starts?”

You flick your eyes back up to him. “For what?”

Fionn shrugs. “For whatever.”

You look him up and down, then press your lips into a firm line. “What have you been thinking about me for?”

He nods to the TV. “Beat me, and I’ll tell you.”

You bite your lip to try and suppress a smile. “What if you beat me?”

Fionn leans down. “I’ll show you.”

Your heart sputters and rapidly accelerates. You turn back to the game, playing until you win. Once you do, Fionn grabs you and kisses you.

“That’s what you’ve been thinking about?” you swoon.

“No. That’s what we always did when you won. Just keeping up tradition.”

You go in to claim another kiss, and Fionn moves himself on top of you. You grab his braid, stroking it between your fingers until your hands descend to his back. He feels so warm that you’re actually starting to overheat. You press a finger to his lips. “Stop. Stop.” You push against his face. “I’m being easy.”

Fionn chuckles. “Feels like old times, all right.”

You look into his dark eyes as a loose hair falls into his face. “I still like you, but I thought we agreed...”

“That was years ago, and we were dumb and stressed. Now, we’re wise and tired.”

You smile and kiss him softly. “Nah, still dumb too.”

“I want to take you on the swim next year,” he whispers into your ear. “So let me try all this year to make that happen.”

You grab his face and look directly at him. “Shit, you’re crazy.”

Fionn grins. “Maybe so, but what do you say?”

You can feel the heat radiating from his body. It reminds you of stolen kisses, hiding in the old treehouse, and being pressed together in the closet. You gently brush away the hair falling into his eyes. “Let’s just get through this weekend,” you murmur. “Lukas and Owen should be the stars. Let’s just… get reacquainted.”

Fionn kisses you, and you can hear your parents begin to get up from their long nap. You try to push him off, but you really don’t want to break the kiss now. “You turn me on like nothing else,” he whispers.

“Shut up!” You finally push him away, flushed, breathless, and smiling. “You’re still a fucking teenager.” You adjust your hair to smooth it out.

He kisses your cheek. “Only for you.” He gets up as your parents walk into the kitchen.

That evening you enjoy talking with Owen, Lukas’ boyfriend and future fiance. As the evening wears on, the family splits and goes their separate ways. Mom and Dad go to drink wine before bed, and Owen and Lukas go to his childhood room to make out, leaving you and Fionn alone again. You go down into the basement, which was Fionn’s room when your dad took him in. It’s pretty much the same, only there’s storage taking up one side of the room where he used to have a massive bookshelf. You have hot, spiked cider in your hands, watching Fionn as he takes an old guitar from the closet. He sits on the foot of the bed playing it, although it’s horribly out of tune.

“God, I remember how much I both hated and loved seeing you with a guitar,” you scoff.

He grins. “Oh, really?”

You smooth your hand over his coat which is laid beside you. “I thought it was both stupid and hot.”

“That was me in high school.” He strums then attempts to tune but one of the strings breaks. He sets it down then steals your cider.

“You were smart, top of class and everything.”

He sighs after a long sip. “Thanks to your family. I would’ve been in real shit without you.”

“Even after all I put you through?”

Fionn inches closer. “Especially.”

“Mind taking your hair down?” you ask shyly. “I wanna see it.”

“You pervert,” he teases. He takes down the braid, combing his thick fingers through the long grey locks.

“You’re so pretty,” you huff. “It’s not fair.”

He inches in again, setting aside the hot glass so he can kiss you. “You’re beautiful,” he whispers.

“Oh god, don’t start.” You wrap your arms around him.

“We’ve never stopped.” He lays you down on the bed, his curtain of long silver hair falling around you. “We’ve been colliding against each other since the day we met.”

You touch his face, smoothing your fingertips over his lips. “You’re serious about this?” you murmur. “Us?”

He bites your fingers, then moves down to kiss you. His huge body makes you forget the chill of the basement, and his hair is overflowing with his pure, concentrated scent. “I want to wrap you in my coat now, but I want to wait a year.”

“After this weekend,” you reassure him. “I want Lukas to have the spotlight.”

Fionn kisses you softly. “I know. That’s why I said the aquarium.”

You run your fingers through his hair, taking his kisses gladly. “You could have anyone. You don’t have to focus on me, you know?”

He frowns at this. “What do you mean? Who is anyone?”

“Anyone!” you scoff. You both sit up so you can talk. “Look at you, then look at me.”

Fionn shakes his head. “I am looking at you. That’s the point.”

“I’m small and round, and you’re big and…. big!”

He grins and places his hand on your thigh. “I like small and round. I can pick you up and still have my hands full.”

Your face burns bright red. “Shut up,” you say softly.

Fionn leans in closer to you, placing a soft kiss to the tip of your nose, then another on your temple. “No.”

You press your palm against his chest. “We used to just fool around, what changed?”

“Age,” he sighed. “I never felt like myself when I dated. I felt the most like myself when I was with you, Smidge.” His smile is warm, and his hands feel gentle as he places them around your waist. “Even when we aggravated each other, I felt safe and at peace.”

“Pervert,” you tease.

He arches a brow. “I’m being serious, ass.”

“Sorry,” you smile. “I know that feeling. I get it with you too.” You take hold of his hand. “It just is a little scary. You're my friend, my family, and I don’t want to lose that if we go through with it.”

“I know.” He lies down on the bed, pulling you down beside him. “That’s why I gave it a year.”

“Then can we stop talking about it for now?” you whisper. “I know that sounds childish, but I feel a bit drunk and it’s making me wanna cry. Maybe we can just… fool around a bit?”

Fionn kisses your forehead. “Let me take you upstairs to bed.”

You cling to his shirt. “No. I wanna stay here.”

Fionn puts his arm around you. “You sure?”

You nod, burying your face against his shoulder. “Please.”

Pulling up the blanket around you, Fionn lets you snuggle up close to him. You eventually fall asleep in his arms with your face buried in his long hair. In the morning, you’re snuggled up to his back, spooning with him. You smile softly, kissing his broad back and then wrapping yourself around him. You think you could get used to this.