Selkie & the Beast: Finale (complete)

male Lead x Male Monster (both cis)

Kota was knocked breathless by the appearance of his sister. He rushed out, forgetting how hurt his leg was or how hard it was to run on that rocky beach. Esperance’s family made such a racket, that he couldn’t hear Ivet yelling for him as she, too, made her way along the shore. Being wrapped up in her arms again relaxed Kota to such a degree that he could not help but weep in relief.

“I knew I would find you! I just knew it!” Ivet kissed his head and held him so tight, afraid if she let him go, he’d vanish. “Twice I felt you.” She cupped his face between her hands. “When I felt most lost, I suddenly felt you, like you were standing there beside me.” She smiled with relief and joy, taking Kota back into her strong arms. “And here you are!” Her eyes looked up towards the castle. “Whatever here is.”

Kota placed his hands upon her arms. “This is the moon castle.”

“What?” Ivet laughed.

Kota took her hand and pulled her towards the door. “It’s hard to explain! Come inside! I want you to meet someone.” Esperance was not at the door anymore, and when Kota brought Ivet inside, he saw that Esperance was hiding in his nest.

“Have you been here all this time?” Ivet’s eyes examined every inch she could. She studied the hall, the growths on the wall, her eyes became fixated upon the fireplace before she ever realized there was something cowering in the corner.

“Yes, it’s been strange but-” Kota went to the nest. “Esperance, come out. This is Ivet, the one I’ve been telling you about.”

“And you’ve not been alone?” Ivet murmured.

Kota tugged on the blanket Esperance was using to cover himself, but he fought back. “This is Esperance,” Kota struggled. “He saved me.”

Ivet came close. “Then I would very much like to meet him.”

“I thought you wanted to meet her?” Kota spoke low and quiet so only Esperance could hear.

“I do, but-” Esperance couldn’t finish his sentence. All this time he’d wanted to meet Ivet. It had all hinged on meeting her and the two of them falling in love! But now he felt terrified.

“What’s wrong?” Ivet asked.

“He’s shy.” Kota stood back up, glancing nervously towards Esperance’s nest. “It’s a long story.”

Ivet arched a brow and smirked. “Okay.” She placed her hands upon her hips. “What are you wearing? Where’s your coat?”

Kota’s brow furrowed. “You don’t have it?”

Ivet’s complexion went pale and her hands dropped down. “No. You lost it in the storm? Don’t pull my leg!”

“I’m not Nina, I wouldn’t joke about that,” Kota huffed. “I don’t have it. If I did, I would have been able to swim away from here.”

Ivet huffed. “It was hard enough swimming by myself here. But I suppose we’ll figure it out. If you can stay here while we search, it shouldn't be too bad.”

Kota shook his head. “That’s part of the story, there isn’t much time left here.”

With a heavy sigh, Ivet dropped her shoulders. “Then spill it. Leave no stone unturned, Kota.”

Kota took Ivet back to his room; they cuddled up on the bed together and Ivet wrapped them both up in her coat. He told her the story as he knew it. How the moon castle, imbued with magic stolen from the moon, only appeared during the year before the lunar eclipse. Once the eclipse arrived, the castle would sink back down into the sea.

“Then we’ll just have to leave before then,” Ivet stated simply.

Kota shook his head. “I can’t-” His voice cracked. “Esperance will still be stuck here. He’ll die.”

“Oh, there’s more.” Ivet sighed.

“Don’t be like that!” Kota snapped at her. “This is serious, I like Esperance, he saved my life. The least I can do is try to help him. He’s cursed.”

Ivet rolled her eyes.

“This is serious! He really is cursed! He can’t swim anymore because of it. All that noise out there when you arrived, that’s his family waiting on him.”

“The orca merfolk?” Ivet turned her eyes towards the window. “You’ve been with an orca this entire time?”

Kota sat up to make his argument. “Ivet, listen to me-”

Ivet put her hand upon his arm. “The orca merfolk are dangerous, Kota!”

“I know! Stop it!” He ripped her hand away and held her wrist firmly. “But Esperance-” He stopped, realizing that telling her the reason for his curse would do nothing to assuage her feelings. Ivet wouldn’t fall in love with Esperance, it would take more than a couple of days or a week for her to trust him. And then it would be uncertain if she would even like him, let alone love him and give him the kiss needed to end the curse.

The realization hurt, and Kota wanted to cry. “Esperance is a good man,” he whimpered. “He made a mistake. He doesn't deserve to die for it.”

Ivet sighed and rubbed her little brother’s back. “I’m sorry, Kota. But it’s going to be hard enough to swim you away from here.”

Kota clasped his hands around his face, taking deep breaths as he tried not to cry. “But I can’t just leave him.”

“And I’m not leaving you to die here. So, I’m sorry.” Ivet’s hand rested on his shoulder. “If only one of you has to die, I know my choice.”

Kota took deeper and shorter breaths. He felt angry, more than he had ever been in his life. Ivet may have had her choice all set, but so did he. “But I’m not going to go!”

“Yes, you are.”

Kota turned at the sound of Esperance’s voice. He stared at him as he stood hunched over in the doorway. “No,” he murmured.

Esperance’s nod was short and defiant. “Go home, live your life. I would much rather know you’re safe and sound with your family, Kota. I’ve asked mine to look after you on your journey home. They’ll be able to help with the long trip.”

“I can take him on my own,” Ivet argued.

“I promise no harm will come to you. My family only wants what’s best and they have come to adore Kota. I just want Kota to be returned home safely.” Esperance rubbed up his arm. “Rest as long as you need.” He turned to leave and Kota jumped up from the bed, running out to stop him in the hallway.

“How can I just go home knowing you’re going to die?” Kota cried. He grabbed and pulled at Esperance to look at him. “How can I live with that?”

Esperance smiled down sadly at him. “It will make me happy.”

“That’s so stupid!” Kota barked.

A laugh came from Esperance, but it did not make Kota happy. “I’m serious. I want you to go home. It was hard enough to get you to be my friend. Your sister seems...really scary.” he then sighed. “Knowing I had a friend like you in the end, I know now what I was meant to learn from this curse.”

“No! That’s dumb too!” Kota grabbed hold of his hand and held it tightly. “You’re not supposed to die!”

“Maybe I am.” Esperance gave him a smile. “But you’re meant to live.”

Kota opened his mouth to speak but then Ivet screamed. “This crab is fucking talking! Kota? Kota!”

Kota sniffled and hung his head.

“What crab?” Esperance muttered. He then petted the top of Kota’s head. “I’ve decided. You won’t change my mind.” He escaped Kota’s hands and walked away.

Kota leaned against the wall as he started to cry.

“The talking crab is flirting with me!” Ivet screamed. “Kota!”

A few deep breaths and Kota went back into the room. “Both of you are assholes; you know that, right?” He snapped.

“Kota, darling, you did not tell me how intoxicatingly muscular your sister was,” Muireann giggled as she hung from the edge of Ivet’s coat.

“Get it off!” Ivet was trying to swing her coat around so Muireann would fall off. She spun in circles then shook the coat hard.

Kota grabbed Muireann and pulled her off. He then set her back down on the ground and Ivet hopped up onto the bed. “My best friend is going to die!”

Both went uncomfortably quiet.

“And there’s nothing I can do to help him!” Kota sat down on the bed and held his head in his hands as he wept.

Ivet rubbed his back. “I’m so sorry.”

Come morning, Ivet and Kota set out to head back home. Kota searched the entire moon castle, but he could not find Esperance to say goodbye. He felt heavy and unbearable as they set out into the ocean. Esperance’s family followed alongside them. Ivet swam while Kota held onto her. The water was so cold, and without his coat, they had to make as many stops as they could when land appeared.

A few days into their journey, they had found a small island they could rest on. Esperance’s family sang softly as Kota laid upon the beach. He’d been crying often since they left, but luckily the salt water hid his tears.

“Kota,” a voice beckoned.

Kota ignored it, thinking he was hearing things.

“Kota,” the voice sang again.

He sat up, looking to his sister who was fast asleep. He then looked out over the water, seeing nothing until he turned. Along the edge of the beach, just around the corner, he saw a glow that moved with the water.

“Over here,” the voice continued to sing out to him.

Having been through a few odd events, Kota decided to follow. He walked down the beach, and the closer he got to the glow, he saw something in the sand. Bending over, he saw it was his coat. He cried out in joy and wrapped the coat around him, hugging himself as the coat settled onto his form.

“There now, much better,” the voice said.

Kota looked back to the glow in the water. A giant mermaid peaked her massive head out of the waves and she smiled at him. “You look so much more lovely in that coat.”

Kota’s mouth just hung open as the giant mermaid came up onto the beach. Her long hair flowed around her even without the water. Her skin was semi translucent, and the shape of her bones could be seen from inside. She reminded Kota of the mermaid from the book Muireann gave him.

The mermaid tapped a fingertip under his jaw and closed his mouth. “Don’t stare. It makes me self conscious. I do so enjoy startling you. I will miss it.”

Kota’s lips pursed. “Muireann?”

She smiled brightly. “You recognize me?”

“Muireann?” Kota screeched.

“Come now, you can’t be that surprised. I was a talking crab after all.” Muireann chuckled, giddy at Kota’s reaction.

“You were in the book! The fireplace!”

Muireann sighed dreamily. “I made them both.” She gazed up into the sky where the moon was almost full. “The eclipse is coming in a few days, you know?”

Kota put both his hands on her huge arm. “Then take me back!”

Muireann’s expression became sad as she gazed at the moon. “I never expected someone like you to show up. It didn’t go along with my plan.”

“Plan?” Kota huffed. “Look, Muireann, enough with being cryptic! Take me back to the moon castle. I can save him now.”

She scoffed and tilted her head to the side. “You could before!”

Kota’s heart stopped beating.

“He bit the hand off of one of my children, of course I had to punish him,” she scoffed. “I’m not exactly a nice person either. You’ve met me. In my anger, I didn’t want him to survive. But then everything had to go and change. You happened and well, I grew attached.” She patted the top of his head with three fingertips. “There’s a reason the moon castle is cursed.”

“You’re still being cryptic!” Kota snapped.

Muireann smiled at him. “I can’t take you back, the curse doesn’t work that way. But you have time to swim back now.” She gently tucked his coat around him. “You found your coat, and I think you know how you really feel.”

“I should have eaten you when you were a crab!” Kota huffed. “But thank you.”

A wink was all Muireann gave him before she sank back into the water. “But then this wouldn’t have been so much fun.”

Kota rushed back to the other side of the beach and shook Ivet awake. “Kota, what the hell?” She grumbled. “What are you-is that your coat?”

“I’m going back!” He told her. “You can’t stop me.” he rushed to the water, pulling his hood up over his head and diving into the water.

“Kota!” Ivet gave chase. “Kota!” She dove into the water as well.

As Kota went below the water, he saw ahead of him massive dark shapes. Not as big as Muireann was, but still big. The orca merfolk came towards him, great big smiles upon their faces. This was Esperance’s family. His mother, his siblings, all of them were excited to save him as much as Kota. They swam alongside him, helping him swim and guiding him back to Esperance. They carried Kota on their backs when he grew tired, and helped him to hunt when he grew hungry. They even took care of Ivet as she gave chase.

On the night of the lunar eclipse, Kota was almost back to the moon castle. He had been chasing the horizon all day, trying to get close to it. Finally, he set foot on shore and bolted as fast as he could.

“Esperance!” He cried as he ran inside. The castle jolted and began to sink. “Esperance!” Kota cried out again. “It’s me! I came back!”

He searched the castle, but he couldn’t find him.When he went back into the entrance, the floor was beginning to pool with water. He then heard Esperance’s mother singing and he followed her voice. It guided him upstairs, going to the very top of the highest tower. There, he saw Esperance balled up against the wall.

“I must be dreaming,” Esperance muttered weakly. “I can only see you when I dream.” He didn’t move or try to rise. “At least I’ll dream of you one last time.”

Kota raced to his side and laid over top of him. “Get up,” he urged. “It’s not a dream. Get up!”

“It’s too late,” Esperance sighed.

“No, it’s not! There’s still time.” Kota pressed his head against Esperance’s arm. “Look at me, get up!”

Esperance sighed heavily, turning over so he laid on his back. He gazed at Kota above him and smiled. “You really are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” he reached up to cup Kota’s face. “I should have told you that before. But I was afraid.”

“You’re not dreaming.” He held Esperance’s hand to his face. “I’m here. I found my coat. I came back to save you.”

A soft look came to Esperance’s eyes. “This is a nice dream. My last one.”

Kota smacked him. “You’re awake!”

“Ow!” Esperance sat up like a shot. “What did you do that-” he stopped when he realized. He looked at Kota, his eyes wide and his lungs breathless. “You came back.”

Kota took his hand back. “Of course I did. I had to.” he nuzzled his face into Esperance’s large palm. “I couldn't leave you here.”

“Oh, Kota.” he wrapped his arms around him and held him close. “I am glad to see you, but I do not wish for you to watch this.”

The castle jolted again, and Esperance’s embrace became that much more intense. “I’m not leaving you, and the only thing I am going to watch is us swimming away.”

Esperance sighed. “I can’t. Kota, there is no way this curse will be broken now. Who is going to love me? Who could now?”

Kota’s breath could not keep up with his heart. He licked his lip, gazing hopefully at Esperance so that he may realize in time. Kota still was afraid, worried that it would not be enough to save him if he just announced it. “Are you stupid or something?”

Esperance’s brow pinched. “I’m about to die, could you not be mean to me?”

“No! I mean, I’m not. I’m trying to-” Kota bowed his head and rested it against Esperance’s chest. Water began to pool around them. “I do,” he whispered.

Esperance’s breath halted and shuddered within his chest. “What?”

Kota rose as the water filled the tower, pouring through the windows and surrounding them. “I love you!” He bent over, kissing Esperance as the castle fully sunk under water.

Was it too late? Kota was afraid to move as he floated in the water. He felt Esperance’s hands around his waist, his lips fall away. It was, wasn’t it. Just a second too late! Kota then felt Esperance’s hands tighten and he was flung out of the water. Esperance cheered and hollered, thrusting Kota into the air then catching him.

“I love you too!” Esperance hollered. He kissed Kota again and smiled at him. “I thought you said you didn’t want me to kiss you again?”

Kota beamed happily, nuzzling his forehead to Esperance’s. “What did I know?” He laughed, tears streaming down his face. “Kiss me, kiss me all the time!”

“I will!” Esperance threw Kota up into the air again.

The orca merfolk were singing happily, all rushing upon the spot where they swam. Esperance kissed Kota over and over, peppering his face with many. “I thought it had to be a woman!” Esperance laughed. “But it was you! I didn’t think I could fall in love with you too!” he laughed. Esperance’s family crowded around them, hugging and singing happily. Ivet was somehow thrust into the middle, part of the family now too.

“Am I more handsome now?” Esperance asked. They had found land for Kota and Ivet to rest on, and Esperance laid on the beach beside Kota. With the curse lifted, he now had his orca merfolk form returned. His long, elegant tail, his strong body and chest. His arms and hands are still big, but more proportioned to his body.

Kota touched his face. “I fell in love with you before.”

“That’s true,” Esperance huffed. “But, I am more handsome, right?”

Kota kissed him lovingly. “Yes, you’ve always been very handsome.”

Esperance chuckled shyly. “Did you think you’d ever fall for a guy like me?”

“No,” Kota shook his head. “I never thought I’d fall for anybody. I’d never felt that attraction before. Not until I started to get closer to you.”

Esperance’s arm around Kota tightened, pulling him in closer. “I thought I only liked girls, but I fell harder for you than anyone else.” He kissed Kota’s cheek and neck. “I love you so much I feel crazy.”

Kota put his arms around Esperance’s neck. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t understand it,” Esperance huffed. “When your sister showed up, I was so confused.” He then kissed Kota’s chest and shoulder. “Say it again.”

“I love you,” Kota whispered.

“Again,” Esperance chuckled.

Kota kissed his lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Esperance purred.

Kota sat up and took off his coat. “Then I want you to take this.” He placed the coat into Esperance’s hands and smiled.

“No,” Esperance shook his head. “You just got it back. I can’t-” He stopped and held his breath. “Oh.”

Kota wiggled excitedly. “Yeah?”

Esperance took the coat and draped it back over Kota’s shoulders. “You really didn’t need me to do that, did you?”

Kota nodded. “I wanted to.” He reached up and pulled Esperance close, kissing him once he was bent over. “I don’t want anyone else to put my coat on me.”

“I hope that never changes,” Esperance breathed. He returned each of Kota’s kisses. “I can’t wait to take it off you either,” he growled suggestively.

Kota snickered. He pet his hand down Esperance’s chest. He would be lying if he didn't say he’d not been flustered by Esperance’s hands and arms before this. “Oh, I see where your mind is.” He kissed Esperance’s shoulder.

“How can I not think about every inch of you?” Esperance kissed Kota’s palm. “But I am nervous.”

They both laid back down together, snuggling up to sleep. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out together,” Kota murmured. “We’ll figure out everything.”

“Happily ever after, right?” Esperance chuckled, but his heart was pulsing so fast. He hugged Kota tight and kneeld his head onto his shoulder.

Kota smiled, feeling so safe and secure in his arms. All these dreams and fairy tales he’d been chasing as a child, he’d never imagined such a perfect moment. “Forever if we’re lucky.”