Give Up Your Dream Of Going Away (Forget Your Sailors In Galway)

Secrets run deep in the vastness of space. As a selkie, Lance has guarded his true nature and his magical pelt—until one careless moment changes everything. When Keith accidentally tosses him his jacket, he unknowingly bonds them together for eternity. Now Lance belongs to Keith, bound by ancient magic neither understands. But as fear gives way to something unexpected, they discover that fate's mistakes might just lead to the greatest adventure of all: falling in love.

Give Up Your Dream Of Going Away (Forget Your Sailors In Galway)

Secrets run deep in the vastness of space. As a selkie, Lance has guarded his true nature and his magical pelt—until one careless moment changes everything. When Keith accidentally tosses him his jacket, he unknowingly bonds them together for eternity. Now Lance belongs to Keith, bound by ancient magic neither understands. But as fear gives way to something unexpected, they discover that fate's mistakes might just lead to the greatest adventure of all: falling in love.

I sit on my bed, staring at the jacket spread before me. One moment it's my familiar green army jacket, the next it shimmers and shifts, revealing the soft seal fur beneath—the true form of my selkie pelt. My hands tremble as I run them over the fabric, still processing what just happened.

When Keith tossed me this jacket in the common room, he didn't just throw me clothing. He unknowingly bound us together for eternity. According to selkie lore, whoever handles our pelt owns us. And now... I belong to Keith.

The knock on my door startles me. Speak of the devil.

"Lance?" Keith's voice sounds through the metal. "Are you okay, man? I didn't mean to hurt you with the jacket. Did you get a zipper to the eye or something? I'm sorry."

My throat tightens. How do I respond to the man who now owns me—body and soul? The man I've secretly been pining for, despite our constant bickering?

"It's fine," I manage, my voice coming out weaker than I intended. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" He sounds concerned, and something in his tone makes my heart ache.

"Yeah."

"'Cause you don't sound fine, really."

"I am."

I hold my breath, straining to hear him on the other side. I can make out his gentle breathing, the rustle of his clothes as he shifts position. The silence stretches between us, thick with unspoken tension.

"...Can I come in?"

The question hangs in the air. Can I even refuse him now? According to the old stories, a selkie can't deny their pelt's owner. But I need time to process, to understand what's happening to me.

Every instinct is screaming conflicting messages—part of me wants to hide from this overwhelming new reality, while another part, traitorous and hungry, wants to let Keith in, to face this strange new bond together.