aterat | Logs for October

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Logs for October

Who; Caelan and you!
What; Phone troubles, pillow forts, discussions on the weird goings on, and a seal in the tub
Where; Red building, and the docks.
When; End of September / Early October
Warnings; Mentions of nudity (Not descriptive, shape changing just doesn’t work with clothes), references to alcohol abuse (marked in thread with Nida), references to suicide (marked in thread with Nida)

What Do You Mean It’s Not Water Proof?

Caelan was experiencing some very obvious levels of confusion and frustration as he wandered up from the docks post swim that evening. His hair was still dripping and damp as he walked, eyes glued to the tell-phone that was looking rather... Less functional than it was meant to be. He hadn’t even bothered to button his shirt all the way, after the damn thing slipped out of his pockets and into the water when he was getting himself dressed and presentable by human standards.

At first, he’d only been annoyed because he’d had to stop what he was doing to fish it out of the water. Now he was doubly annoyed because the screen wasn’t lighting up. It was like the damn thing didn’t have any life in it...

Weird and very inconvenient if he had anything to say on the matter.

Which he was... At length, muttering under his breath and his accent growing a touch stronger than usual as he forgot himself. “The bleedin’ hell kind of joke is this? Really? Give the man who spends copious amounts of time near the water something that up and dies just because it gets a little wet. Can’t handle your drink at all, can yah? You finicky little box of nonsense.”

Speaking of a drink, he had a feeling he was going to need one very soon. Between that weird energy pulse a while back, the nightmares and now this? He was willing to admit he might need several.

A Fortress Fit for a Princess

Caelan wasn’t asleep when a mist slipped under his doorway, he’d come to expect at least one interruption a night since a few prior when something exploded somewhere and released a shockwave of mysterious energy. It had upset a whole lot of people (him included, for all he said he wasn’t bothered). Holly had become the most frequent guest, especially when the nightmares had begun.

Tonight he was ready though, and hoping to get the kid to talk a little more rather than the sullen insistence that she was completely fine and whatever other absurd excuses she came up with for her visit that night. Because honestly, she wasn’t the only one having nightmares, and he was starting to worry more about what they actually might have meant.

Hard to tell though if there were any connections or similarities if you weren’t talking.

Thus, tonight he was more than prepared for the visit. The living room space in his apartment had been entirely disrupted, cushions and pillows moved to the floor along with some of the chairs from the dining area, the sheets from his room and the pillows for good measure. All because he’d gotten it in his head that he was going to try one of those ‘Pillow Fort’ things that Holly had mentioned once or twice in one of her super-fact-filled-rambles.

When Holly materialized into a solid form again, she would be greeted by the sight of a very large, very chaotic looking fortress of pillows and blankets. If she ate food, there would have been all manner of sweets and snacks. Unfortunately, as happy as he was to make sure she could feed safely, he wasn’t confident in grabbing a random person off the street for her to snack on.

Someone would be bound to ask questions if they saw him lugging an unconscious body up and down the stairs... right?

So... No snacks, only a structure that was only slightly stable, but magnificent to behold (in his personal opinion).

Splish-splash

If there were any human creation that Caelan favoured over any other (aside from motor cars, they were fun) it was most decidedly the bathtub. A place to soak and relax at the end of a long day? A place where you could safely just splash around or doze off for a little nap without worrying about a predator?

It was brilliant. A private bath was practically a requirement when he was staying somewhere on a job. It wasn’t a replacement for the ocean by any means though, it did little to quiet the call in the back of his mind. It was, however, the nicest substitute on days when the call wasn’t loud, and he couldn’t be fussed with sneaking down to the shore.

Even the Lighthouse he’d purchased had a nice one installed, despite the fact that the ocean was just down the cliff side.

So after he’d finished a day busking in the market he hadn’t taken long to run a nice hot bath, grabbed his pelt, and slipped into the water like the delighted seal he was. It wasn’t as though he didn’t have the time, he wasn’t expecting any company for a while yet. Usually his visitors tended to show up slightly later.

Wildcard!
Have something you want the seal boy for in particular? Throw it at me! Also, if anyone wants something specific in a starter they should let me know. I can totally write one. <3

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Caelan had thought he’d locked his front door, really he did... But sometimes thinking you did something and doing it? Two very different things... So in his rush to relax after a long day busking at the markets, he didn’t get around to actually locking it. Slipped the silly seal’s mind entirely!

So when Jacob entered, there was no answer. At least not a verbal one...

No, instead the man would hear some splashing noises coming from the bathroom. The entrance was open as the light inside filtered through the doorframe. If Jacob investigated further, he would find a very interesting sight. In the bathroom, in the tub to be exact, was a large grey harbour seal looking quite content and pleased with itself. It was splashing around, trying to get comfortable in the steamy hot water.

The door swung open, revealing an empty apartment.

Jacob frowned. He was ready to turn and go home when he heard the splashing in the bathroom. That would explain why Caelan didn't answer the door. The thought of his friend in the bath made him blush but he fought it down. He'd just knock on the door and let Caelan know that he was here. Maybe he'd be allowed to wait. It was better than going back to his room.

So he walked towards the bathroom, only to find the door open and a seal splashing around in the water. "What?" His expression completely dropped before he started to laugh. "Leave it to Caelan to have a pet seal."

"Hey there little guy." He stepped forward, careful not to spook the create. "Whoa. Not so little." Jacob laughed. "Aren't you pretty. Though I don't think this bathtub is big enough. We should get you to the ocean where you can be free to swim around as much as you'd like. I bet if we ask Caelan he'd get you there. He's a good guy."

Jacob loved animals. It didn't matter that seal's were wildly dangerous creatures. At the moment, this one was stuck in a bathtub, so he hoped that it'd be able to sense his good will.

The seal didn’t really notice Jacob at first, at least not until the guy started laughing. The sound causing him to freeze and stare at the doorway with wide eyes. He’d almost expected to see Nida there. The guy had been coming in his window for a while now and had also happened upon him in the bath like this earlier in the month. The problem was, that laugh wasn’t Nida’s... It was Jacob.

Fuck! How many times was he going to see this happen? Can’t a selkie have a bath in peace??

This was exactly why he lived in a secluded lighthouse when he wasn’t on a job or with his pod.

The question now was, how was he going to play this? It wasn’t like he was going to let the man drag him down to the ocean. That would be an absurd waste of both their time. Well... not necessarily his. He did need to go down there tomorrow anyway when the call was stronger, but that was beside the point!

Slowly the selkie tuned back in to what Jacob was saying to him, just in time to hear the guy call him pretty. Don’t mind the rather pleased, intelligent little tilt of the seal’s head at that, Jacob. He knows he’s pretty, but he certainly likes to hear it. What? It’s nice to know people noticed!

Making a rather happy sound, he stretched his neck forward a bit over the tub as he played along with it for just a little longer. The last person who had happened upon him like this had a second sense for magic, they’d figured out it was him a lot more quickly. Which meant less playful fun before the big reveal...

Jacob smiled at the wide-eyed creature. He was truly beautiful and kind of amazing. Jake had never seen a Seal up this close before.

He took a seat on the closed toilet lid before reaching out to lightly rest his hand on the slick skin of the Seal's head. He had no idea that this was his friend nor did he think that it was strange to find a Seal in a bathtub. This all seemed kind of normal given the circumstances.

"I bet you know that you're pretty, don't you?" He teased while gently running his fingers down Caelan's neck. "Doesn't mean you shouldn't hear it. I bet Caelan helped you didn't he. He's a good guy. Even if he doesn't believe it." Jake leaned forward and held the finger of his free hand over his mouth. "Want to hear a secret?"

It was easier to talk to animals.

"I was hoping to find Caelan because things have been coming up again. Not sure I want to be alone. I miss my music." His smile faltered. "I hope you don't mind the company."

Oh, yes, the little head pat and neck scritches were nice. His eyes narrowed slightly with a contentment a moment or two later, looking quite relaxed as he eventually rested his head on the side of the tub. It wasn’t like he was exactly unused to attention from unsuspecting humans, especially curious kids exploring the beach that were a little more respectful of the sea-dwelling creatures.

Of course, most humans in his world did still realize that there was always a chance they were dealing with the fae and not an ordinary creature. So they were regarded one of two ways. Some humans knew it was always smart to be respectful, because you didn’t want to slight the fae... Other humans, unfortunately, were less kind about their dealings with them. Sad, because selkie-folk were known to be very good to communities that were respectful. Helping make sure fishermen caught enough to help feed the community, saving those who were drowning, and other things.

Now the mention of a secret does get his attention, eyes opening again and a curious sound escaping as he lifted his head a little again. The secret itself... leaves him feeling a little bad that he was kind of deceiving his friend here. As sneaky and secretive as Caelan was (with good reason), he was also prone to being a tad soft at times. Especially when someone was having a rough time. It was probably why his apartment was becoming something of a hub this month for those who were having a difficult time with the nightmares.

The game of tricky-seal-man was less fun when you remembered that people were more prone to divulging things to animals that they might not want their human friends knowing.

The seal huffed a little at the idea that he might not enjoy Jacob’s company. He always enjoyed his ‘Lucky Charm’s’ company. It was just that Jake didn’t know it was him... Still, Caelan nudged his head forward a little to bump the guy’s hand like ‘yeah, of course you can stay.’

It was just... he had a nagging feeling that it was time to drop the act and deal with the potential ‘Situation’ with a capital ‘S.’ Don’t mind the light splashing, Jacob, as the seal slides and moves about to get into a more comfortable position to change.

Jacob smiled at the touch of the cold nose against the side of his hand. "Oh? Thanks. I was hoping to talk to Caelan about it but if you'll listen I can tell you. I don't know if Seal's dream, maybe of fish or the ocean." He smiled feeling sheepish after speaking to a Seal like this.

His hand rose and he went back to petting him. "It's always bad but it's been worse, ya know. Less killing things and blood. Now it's like there is something happening. I'm not good at this magic stuff. Not like my family. I just... was born normal. I think I'm the only normal one in the whole group." It was awkward when he realized that every member of his family was going to likely outlive him.

Jacob didn't mind the water. His shirt got wet and so did his pants but he'd let it dry before he walked out into the October air. He was at least going to make sure he didn't get a cold.

Oh for the love of... Now he absolutely felt bad (after getting a little distracted by the head pats again), because this was a very personal confession. Not only that, it was... well; it was going to make changing a little more awkward. Because here he was, a bloody fae. Practically made of magic, while Jacob was confessing to being born without that which the rest of his family apparently did.

So it wasn’t that he didn’t want to hear it. On the contrary, he really felt for the guy... He only wished he could have been hearing these things under different circumstances. Continuing the deception would only make it worse, and Jacob was actually one of the people in this place that he’d rather not have angry with him... So, hopefully this didn’t quite break the promise he’d just made recently about being careful. A reveal was different from an information dump, after all.

So while Jacob was distracted by the splashed water, Caelan finally shifted partway. For now, he was only half seal/half human. Just to... Alright, he was hoping to ease Jacob into it a little. “You know, most people aren’t so easygoing about a seal in a bloody bathtub, Jakey.” His tone is light and joking, masking the vague amount of apprehension he was feeling, considering the guy had been saying an awful lot of serious things moments before.

Still, this was a far cry from the Caelan that Jacob was used to seeing. Eyes still rather large and dark, freckles blending along into spots similar to a seal’s coat. His hands, that were hanging lazily over the sides of the tub were webbed between the fingers. There was also a nasty, U shaped scar, sitting between his neck and shoulder on the left side...

Don’t. Panic. Please. It was about all he could hope for, considering his scale thus far went from Holly yelling loud enough to wake the dead about what he looked like, to Nida laughing at him and calling him a punk when he realized the seal was not a seal.

Jacob didn't panic, not exactly.

He was looking down at his shirt and then staring back at Caelan's large black eyes. His cheek's flushed a bright rosy red before he began to stammer. "O-oh! Caelan. I should have guessed it was you. A Seal in a bath isn't normal." He was utterly embarrassed. "It's funny too because most of my family can shift." Jacob didn't think it was funny. He thought it was kind of sad that he hadn't put the pieces together. Then again, maybe he had wanted to tell Caelan all those things.

It was easier not to think about that right now.

His eyes danced down the scaled curve of his friends neck and then dipped to his chest before he quickly looked away. Jacob knew that those who shifted, did so without clothes on.

"Ah. Sorry. I shouldn't have just barged in like this. I was just. Well- I already said. You seemed to not mind. You're very beautiful. As a Seal. Um... do you want me to step outside so you can get dress?" He wasn't scared or upset at Caelan. It was hard to be when he was wrestling with an entirely unrelated panic that sent shivers down his spine; attraction.

Maybe Nida was right about him though in Jacob's mind, it was only another reason to hate him.

"Or maybe I should just go. I interrupted your bath. You were probably trying to relax." He really needed someone to shut him up.

Alright, the guy wasn’t flipping out... So that was a good sign! A really good sign.

And it would be a lie to say Caelan didn’t get just a tad distracted by the rosy blush spreading across the man’s cheeks. It was very cute, if not another reminder that the guy had given him the vague idea that he might be more than a little repressed or struggling with a certain aspect to himself. Humans, absolutely ridiculous with their societal norms and expectations. Which was also why he wasn’t particularly embarrassed himself, because nudity was just a normal everyday occurrence for Selkie-folk.

If he didn’t know better, and have a twelve-year-old often misting her way into his apartment, he’d be naked a lot more often.

“I suppose perhaps it is, in the ironic sense? But Jacob, it’s not like I’ve given any indication of what I am. I’ve had a very long time to practice keeping this under wraps.” He smiled, unable to keep some of the fond amusement out of his face at the man’s reaction. It was simply his nature, though he at least refrains from his usual antics for the moment. Jacob had been dropping some rather serious thoughts on him prior to this, after all.

Then the guy was apologizing and definitely giving Caelan the impression that he was going to leave in a panic or something. Which just wouldn’t do, especially not without having a serious conversation or two on both their parts. “Hey, no, Jacob, just settle yourself a minute, yeah?” He huffed and shifted the rest of the way, because no legs were getting a little inconvenient, standing up and placing a webbed hand on the guy’s arm. “It’s not your fault, I must’ve been a complete sunfish and left the door unlocked. That’s on me!”

Yes, he’s naked. Yes, he knows. No, he doesn’t care that someone is seeing him naked. His current priority is, you know, calming Jacob down and assuring him that he hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Wait, as a seal? You don’t think I’m beautiful otherwise? That’s fair rude, sir.” Alright, yeah... The selkie got side-tracked once the rest of what Jacob had set registered properly, and teasing or joking while panicking inside comes rather naturally. His tone was definitely light, and his head tilted in a slightly amused fashion.

"No. No! Of course you're beautiful!" It felt like his face was on fire. "I just- You know, guys don't- that is... I-" His blush deepened as the wet palm soaked into the fabric of his shirt but Jacob didn't immediately pull away. "You're um.. fair prettier than I am."

His eyes wondered away from Caelan's face and while it was a brief glance before looking away, it was enough. "Um." He found a very interesting spot on the floor and stared at it. "But it's cool. I understand wanting to keep it a secret. I know a lot of people who are the same way. I only really know by accident. Because of my sister. My blood sister. She's a god. The Allaways adopted me after-" He coughed and wished that someone would shut him up. "But anyway, they're werewolves and I've met a few others. Like a tiger who worked at a night club. I don't go there a lot. So I don't know a lot about him. It's all kind of complicated."

What was he talking about?

"But yeah. It's fine. I mean- even. I walked in and you didn't tell me right away. You didn't have to at all really. Tell me that is." It was a really interesting spot on the floor but it didn't stop the blush or the nearness of Caelan's nakedness.

Jacob never talked about his buried sexuality. If he didn't admit it out loud, then he could pretend that it wasn't true.

Caelan grinned a little, or a lot. It was hard not to. The ramble that poured out as Jacob took his teasing rather seriously was just... It was kind of adorable. His face was getting so red! Humans were the modest sort, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen one get that red when witnessing a naked fae unless—

Oh, right... That sneaking suspicion that the man was repressed was back. Why humans were so ridiculously silly about things like who they were attracted to would never make sense to him. Was it not exhausting? Was it not painful? Was it not putting yourself in a position to be lonely when you needn’t do that?

Not that Caelan should be taken as an example of what to do about relationships or your feelings. He had a terrible track record. Between unhealthy pursuits and dodging ones that actually could amount to something.

‘Caelan,’ someone once said, ‘wouldn’t know what was good for him if it punched him in the face.’

The thing that gets him to cut in was the comment about him being prettier than Jacob. “Well, yes, I am.” He’s so modest. Isn’t he so modest? “But that’s because you’re bloody handsome, has no one ever told you that?” He asked as though he were also stating a fact, head tilting (so like the seal he was before) with a rather perplexed expression. Humans, they were so weird about these things!

Perhaps Caelan should have stopped Jake from rambling on, but these were all things he’d like to know about. Not to mention, he was studying the guy rather hard now. Noting the way his eyes darted before fixing on a random floor-tile. The way his face was still very red. The jumpy frequency of his words... It was very telltale now that he was actually paying attention to it.

“Speaking of blood,” He finally spoke up again, a call back to Jake mentioning his ‘blood sister’ (a god, wow... that was a lot to unpack and they would circle back). His tone was curious but light, “Why does it look like all yours has collected in your face. You okay, lad?”

Or is there something very specific on your mind...?

He would get back to the matter of telling Jake about himself, and whether or not he should have, later. Bigger fish, and all that.

It was exhausting but Jacob didn't know what else to do. He had been seeing a therapist for the last five years and it felt as if the pair of them had only scratch the surface of his troubles. Now he was trapped in this city, away from his family and his coping methods.

"Huh?" He looked up at Caelan and for a fraction of a second, forgot that the other man was completely naked. "I mean yeah but-" It hadn't made his heart flutter nervously in his chest like this. It'd always been his family or girls... which he was realizing he hadn't been interested in. It was always easier to talk to girls than it was to guys.

His thoughts tumbled down an uncertain hole before he realized that he was staring at Caelan. He looked away, his face remaining flushed while his pulse quickening.

"You're very naked Caelan." His voice trembled a little bit. "It's making me-" Embarrassed? Flushed? Turned-on? It was hard for Jacob to say what he was feeling.

"Red."

That was a safe word... right?

Caelan tilted his head one way, and then another, still thinking on how incredibly flustered the guy was getting. Yeah, it was pretty damned clear what was going on here. The selkie wasn’t an idiot for all he acted the fool sometimes. Maybe he felt a little bad for getting Jacob all worked up like this, but it was balanced with his need for mischief that had been sorely neglected since arriving in this world. “Not just very, I’m completely naked, lad. It goes with the territory.”

What? The fae, especially selkie-folk, were playful by nature.

Red? “That the term you use for it in your world?” He asked, amused expression making it entirely clear what he meant by that. “Really, you humans with your need to put terms to things like that, and your idea of ‘propriety’ is so different from ours.” He’s telling you, without telling you, that he’s entirely fine with the idea of a man being attracted to him, Jacob. He knows very well that he’s pretty, and he enjoyed the attention.

That said, he finally backed up to give Jacob some space. “But yes, I get it, let me get ‘decent’ by human standards and we’ll have a chat.” It wasn’t a suggestion, they were going to have a conversation. It was necessary for multiple reasons at this point.

He reached out and snagged his seal pelt from where it was left hanging over the edge of the tub, tucking it under his arm as he sauntered casually out of the bathroom. No, he’s not rushing, this is his apartment and now that the cat was out of the bag he wasn’t particularly fussed with the idea of rushing to hide now. His clothes had been left on the bed, and he started by pulling on his trousers and throwing the shirt on to button up part-way lazily. He’s not worrying about the layers or fixing the shirt collar back in place, that’d just take more time and he wasn’t going out again today so why worry?

Nor was he going to put his glamour back together. Now that Jacob knew he wasn’t human there was no point in wasting magic and focus hiding that.

"I know. The rest of my family does it too. That is, shift naked. It's just that they're family and..." He was trying to justify himself but Caelan had pinned him against a wall. There was no talking himself out of the situation and while Caelan wasn't stating it, Jacob knew that he knew what was going on.

It only made him more embarrassed.

He yelped when Caelan began to move and landed hard on the bathroom floor. As if that wasn't enough, he covered his eyes with his palms as his friend walked out of the bathroom. It was only when Caelan was in the other room that he spoke again. "You know, you're teasing is going to be the death of me!"

Jacob waited on the cold bathroom floor to cool off and get his body under control. It was only then that he stood, tried to ring out his pants and shirt, and then peeked out of the bathroom. "It's... complicated." It wasn't but Jacob hated himself and he wasn't ready to talk about it. Besides, it wasn't like he thought he could have a relationship anyway. He was too broken for that kind of thing.

"Is it safe?" His voice was a little lighter now, nearly teasing Caelan who was still changing in the bedroom.

Jacob was still hovering by the bathroom door but he was at least not hiding in the bathroom.

“Yeah? You’re going to have to tell me more about this family of yours.” He responded from outside the bathroom absentmindedly as he took a moment to stow his seal pelt away where it wouldn’t be seen again for the night. He liked Jake well enough, but no one knew where he hid the thing. It was a secret, and an important one. The damned thing had to stay in his possession, otherwise he was well and truly fucked (and not in the fun way). So it was the one secret he didn’t share with others, and unfortunately he wouldn’t be telling Jake why that was either if he didn’t already know. He’d recently made a promise about that.

He tried very hard to stifle the small, delighted giggle at the chastising he was getting over teasing. “Well, don’t make it so damned easy for me, Jake.” Or cute, for pity’s sake. Reactions like that would get him eaten alive (metaphorically or otherwise) by many fae who fancied taking handsome young men back to the realms with them.

“Besides, you can’t die on my now. I’ve never murdered anyone before, and I don’t intend to start with someone who doesn’t deserve it!” A technicality, mostly because he didn’t see turning the blind eye to another’s fate as murder when it suited him. He wasn’t about to save humans who didn’t deserve it, not if they’d earned their untimely demise.

He’s a fickle thing, what can he say?

The next question brings a smile to his face, like a cat who’d been into the cream. “In a strange world, far from home, where there are plenty of mysterious goings on of late? No, we’re never safe. But if you’re referring to my state of dress, yes, it’s safe. I’m no longer a naked fae, I’m decent enough by mortal standards. Well, as decent as I’m willing to be right now.”

He walked over to the bathroom door and stuck his head in to look down at Jacob on the floor. “Now get you and your blushing face out here. I need a drink and I’ll wager that you could use one too, at least for the conversation we’re about to have. I have as many questions for you as I imagine you do for me.”

He’s not going to let your reaction go, Jacob. He can’t help it, he’s curious. Also, he had a feeling there were some things on that topic that the guy needed to hear.

Jacob snorted. "As long as you're wearing underwear, I'm good." He was still blushing but as he walked from the bathroom he looked more composed than he had before. His shirt was soaked and sticking to his chest but his pants were mostly dry.

Laying on the bathroom floor, whether accidental or not, wasn't a great choice when a seal had been splashing around in the tub. "I'm just- not used to it. Try not to tease me too hard and I won't die or I'll come back and haunt you at inopportune moments or something." It was a totally reasonable statement.

He scratched the back of his head as his eyes dropped down to Caelan's shirt. "I see why you like being naked. Shirt's foil you." He walked forward and began to fix Caelan's buttons. It was a strange gesture but Jake moved without thinking about it.

"I don't really have any questions. I want to know more about you Caelan. I like you. But I also know what it's like to have to hide and how hard it is to trust people. You don't have to trust me and I won't ask for it." Jake wasn't sure he could trust another person and so, he didn't expect anyone to trust him.

"As for my family. I don't mind talking about them. Their loud and the story has a lot of blanks. I don't really understand it all myself but they're family." He shrugged and while he was still blushing, Jake looked more relaxed.

"Oh. You also aren't the first Fea I've met but you are the prettiest. Unless you meet Lily. Then she has to be the prettiest but that's because I think she'll make my life hell if I say anything opposing that." She was a very vain Fea.

The response to his teasing gets a rather amused sound out of the selkie, shoulders shaking lightly as he watched Jacob finally leave the bathroom behind. “I don’t know, lad. I’ve never been haunted before, and I get the distinct feeling that inopportune moments would be more of an issue for you than for me.” He responded with a quirk of his brow. Yes, he’s being a cheeky little brat again, thinking of specific situations that clearly Jake would not enjoy haunting.

“Or maybe I like being naked because it’s just my natural state?” Really, Jake. You’re so close to a man who was very naked moments before, and the assistance with his shirt is cute. It was lazily buttoned at best, because he couldn’t be fussed with going to that much trouble once he at least had his pants on.

Caelan’s expression did soften a touch as Jacob explained his reasoning for not really having questions, and the suggestion that he didn’t need to trust the guy if he wasn’t inclined to. “Well, to be fair, there is a certain degree of trust that I have to grant you, now that you know this much.” He responded with a small tilt of his head, “It’s not like you can unsee all that.” Even if Jake might want to forget about the very naked man, though the selkie was talking more about the seal situation himself.

As much as he’d like to keep focusing on the joking and the teasing, he does make himself pull it back a bit. If only because this was a little more serious. “If you’ve met the fair folk before, you know we’re a varied and complicated people. A lot of us are better off with fewer humans knowing what specific kind of fae that we are.”

Jake quirks a small smirk in response to Cealan's teasing. After seeing his friend naked, it was going to be a little harder for Caelan to make him flustered. "Oh? I'm sure I could find a good moment. It just might not be what you're thinking of."

He stepped back and leaned against a nearby wall, pushing his hands into the pockets of his damp jeans. His expression was open and warm but his eyes reflected a deep, almost pained, understanding of Caelan's situation. "I know. I guess those might not have been the right words. I won't tell anyone anything. I'm used to keeping secrets and I want to keep you safe, all Fea safe. What's what I'm... well, my family, is fighting for at home. To keep those who hide from society safe. I've seen some pretty messed up stuff and I won't do that to you."

Jacob wanted to say something to make Caelan feel more comfortable but he didn't know if words were enough. "It'll take time to show you that I am serious but maybe I can do something to ease your worry now? I can tell you about myself. Not all secrets but some." He just wasn't going to tell Caelan any of his family's secrets. Luckily, his family isn't all that secretive.

“That sounds like a challenge, Jake.” He responded with a quirk of his brow, giving the man a slightly curious look. “I’m very used to unexpected interruptions in my own world, goes with the territory of my work there. Though I have to admit that the fact that I’ve had my bath interrupted twice in less than a month is definitely a sign that it’s possible.”

The reassurance is sweet, and Caelan had gotten a pretty good sense for Jacob over the last few months. If a few other people were to try telling him that, he’d probably be less willing to believe it. People lied all the time in his experience, kind words and reassurances could just as easily be meant to lower a person’s guard. Jacob didn’t seem like that to him though, so he smiled a little and shrugged. “I appreciate that, selkies have a whole lot of unfortunate conditions and vulnerabilities that humans like to take advantage of. I try very hard to avoid them being exposed, hence the caution in this world. No telling who knows anything about the fae and the rules that go with specific kinds.”

He nodded though, gesturing to his sofa that was still a bit of a cluttered mess of blankets and pillows from the last fort he’d set up for Holly. Jake was welcome to make space and have a seat. If it got wet, it would dry. Being what he was, his hair rarely dried properly. So sometimes furniture got a little damp. “Have a seat, then. Tell me more about yourself and this family of yours. They already sound like the sort my group would get along with, and I admit I might be interested in knowing a little more about you.” Or, you know... a confirmation on his suspicions.

Jacob grinned but said nothing. Instead he took a seat on the couch and tried his best not to get it wet. He was sure that Caelan didn't care but he cared and that was enough to put forth the effort.

"I get it. I don't want you to share your weaknesses either. I'd be really upset if something happened to you. Besides, that's why its a secret, right? It wouldn't be a secret if you shared it with everyone and sometimes secrets can be fun." They help people feel close and connected. Jacob won't take that from Caelan, with whoever he wants to be close too. After all, they didn't know each other all that well; even if Jake has seen Caelan in his entirety.

"But yeah. Family. What do you want to know? It's pretty messy. I have my sister. My parents passed away and we never really knew our extended family. I think my parents eloped or something? Grandma used to stop by the house when we were growing up and she'd tell Air and I that we were royal but I think she was senile. She died a few years before my parents. After that, Air and I were adopted by a werewolf family called the Allaways. They've been my family for the last ten years or so. Airy is a god called the Creator. I don't really know much about how that happened. I was told that there hadn't been a Creator in a long time and it was something in our blood."

Caelan definitely didn’t care. Things getting wet went with the territory of being a water fae.

He smiled lightly, some of his teasing mood bleeding back in at the admission that Jacob would be upset if something happened to him. “Would ya? That’s sweet, Jakey. I won’t, I’m happy to answer any questions unrelated to weaknesses though, if you have any.” He was getting used to it now, answering questions and explaining selkies to people who didn’t know what they were beyond ‘a magic seal.’

He huffed a little at Jake’s statement, “Family is always messy though, isn’t it?” His was, and Caelan was of the mind that it was just the norm among most people. It just wasn’t always a bad kind of mess. “I admit, I’ve never met werewolves, they tend to stick to their own in my world. Same as the vampires.”

Caelan plopped himself down in a chair, grabbing his violin to idly fuss with while he listened. “So... If your sister is a god, does that make you one?” Because werewolves he understood well enough, people being gods was a little rarer. Jacob seemed pretty humanish to him, so the god thing is a little more complicated.

Jake smiled. "Yeah. It is but that's not a bad thing." He liked that his family was messy and imperfect, even if his relationship with his biological sister was strained. "Yeah. I've met both. They still stick to their own world but we watch Ghostbusters every Halloween and family game nights." It was important to the Allaways to remain a strong family after everything that they'd been through and Jacob and Airy were both wrapped into that category.

"No, I'm not. I'm just a human guy. There isn't really anything special about me except that my sister is a god. I don't really get it myself and I have no family I can ask. Air's been looking into it but the Creator is shrouded in a lot of mystery and fake histories." Jacob shrugged. "I wish I knew. Sometimes I wish I was special."

He looked up at Caelan and smiled. "I only have two questions. 1. Do you like being a seal better than shaped like a person? 2. Will you use your music to hypnotize people? I don't think you need music to do that." The last question was just a little bit teasing.

“... I don’t can’t say I know what a Ghostbusters is, but I at least expect I understand Halloween?” That holiday that had been moved to coincide with Samhain. Which for most fae involved a lot of drinking, bonfires, food, and cursed looking carved turnip lanterns. Caelan thought it was a lot of fun, though he wasn’t fond of the turnip lanterns. Sea-fae didn’t really have turnips, anyway.

Now... Let it be known that Caelan was generally pretty well spoken, dramatic, and chooses his words carefully when it came to delicate topics. He controlled his tone, and his accent very well. But Jacob saying he ‘wished he was special’ gets the selkie surprisingly irritated. “Just a human guy. You realize what a load of rubbish that is, yeah? Special... Jake what someone is isn’t what makes ‘em special. It makes ‘em different, yes, but not special. Fuck, just because I’m fae doesn’t make me special either. Selkies are a dime a dozen, I have over twenty half siblings! Probably more than! Because my father sleeps his way up and down the Irish coasts.” Huffing, he pointed at his friend with the violin bow. “You’re a human, yeah, fine. But you’re a human that’s here in this weird fishbowl of a ‘world,’ adapting with plenty of other people. You know things I can’t even picture!”

There he goes, lads. Off on a passionate tangent. It’s like he’s home again, almost.

“Not special, he says. I wouldn’t call you my lucky charm if you weren’t.” His chin is raised lightly, “Don’t come ‘round here spoutin’ shit like that. The fae don’t take kindly to a friend fo theirs being insulted, even by their own self.”

Alright, he’s done the ranting. It’s fine. He’s got his violin and he’s going to play it while he considered those questions. “Better? I don’t know, I’m comfortable in either form. I need to spend time in both, as I’m something of a balance as fae go? I’m both this and the seal, there’s not really any separating that. At least not pleasantly. Though I’ll admit I’m probably a wee bit more comfy as a seal. We start out in that form when we’re born, unless we’re a half fae.”

The second question, now that gets an mused giggle out of the selkie. Caelan’s been asked this more than once in his life, “On the subject of my music hypnotizing people, no. I’m not a siren, though my songs do enchant fish. I’ll show you that sometime. Makes it easy to catch them or to use for cover in a pinch. Humans do tell stories about is inspiring romantic desire in humans unsatisfied in their lives, but that’s just that. A story. At least as far as selkie go, there are some fae that do.”

Edited (Words) 2020-11-09 20:14 (UTC)

"Huh." Jacob shifted his weight awkwardly as Caelan bombarded him with a ramble that he can't really argue against. It made sense though he wasn't sure when Caelan had gotten such a high opinion of him. He didn't think he was anything special but it made him happy. "Um.. thanks. I have a tendency to get down on myself. Sorry about that."

He paused awkwardly before adding. "You're special. Just so you know. I know that there are a lot of Fea. Not that I've met a lot but I've never met anyone exactly like you. I'm happy. To know you. So yeah." He tried not to be awkward but that was nearly impossible after everything that had happened today.

He decided to talk about music instead. "Your music could captivate me but I don't think it has anything to do with magic. It's just beautiful. I can't help but love the violin and you play so well." Jacob wished that he was musically inclined though him and Caelan had already had that conversation. "How long have you been playing?"

“Apology accepted.” He responded, tone light, before he added. “Just don’t let it happen again.” Because he’ll rant at you again, Jacob. Slights against a fae’s friend, even by that friend, were not acceptable. Especially where Caelan was concerned, he was also fiercely protective and loyal to his friends.

The compliment gets a rather proud grin, oh that was a very nice thing to say. Not that Caelan’s ego needed boosting at all. Sometimes it could stand to be deflated a bit. “Thanks Jake, I am special. Just not because I’m fae, but because of what I do with my time.” He grinned, “Just as you’re special for being who you are and doing what you do.”

Jake... Jake, stop complimenting him. It goes straight to his head. “I wish I had some of my other instruments, I’m quite good at a few of them. The violin is just my favourite.” Which does tie in with Jacob’s question quite well. “I’ve been playing... Well, I’m not sure? Time is a bit funny to the fae, it’s a very human construct. I’ve been around a long time, and I can’t really say precisely how old I am. As for how long I’ve played... At least as long as I’ve known my friend Dietrich. He’s a Nix, taught me to play as it’s their specialty. So about...” He hummed a little, “I want to say fifty or so years.”

He’s almost two hundred, which is honestly still pretty young as far as his kind go.

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Oh gosh, Jake you made him ramble at you.

He feels like he's back home with the Fam lol.

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