Sidenote - Genshin Is Fun To Write - Blog Posts

Had this idea since stumbling upon this post, and couldn't get the idea of kaveh being the selkie out of my mind. Will I probably end up writing more of this? Perhaps, but setting up the scenario was fun.

Masterlist

You still weren't entirely sure what you'd gotten into last night. A small gesture, something most people wouldn't have even thought of after a couple of seconds, yet here you were with a person who you'd barely spoken a complete sentence to, awkwardly trying to propose. 

It was simple, really, a small favour that hadn't even been thought through. Not even paying attention to the person when you saw their expensive looking coat had fallen to the floor while you were walking past. Pausing with drink in hand to pick it up, tapping him on the shoulder and passing it back with a murmured, “Excuse me, I think you dropped this.” 

Honestly, he was cute, tall, well built, blonde, with freckles that decorated his face in just the right way and the most striking ruby red eyes you've ever seen. You didn't speak to him, and he didn't say a word in return. He simply stared at you like a deer in headlights for long enough for you to find it awkward, so you gave him a smile, a wave, then returned to where your friends were talking in the bar. 

You hadn't known the significance of what you'd just done. 

Not until now. With Kaveh, that's what he said his name is, looking rather flustered as he's attempting to get his words out. He gives up after a moment, passing you a small velvet box that feels quite expensive to the touch. After staring at him for a moment more you carefully open it under his anxious gaze. 

“Is this - This is a wedding ring.”

After a second of tense silence more you tear your eyes from the - admittedly beautiful - wedding ring to look back up at the man. 

“I- Well, yes - yes it is a wedding ring. I thought since you uh… well since we - considering you-” 

He pauses in the midst of his stammering, evidently struggling to phrase why he's giving you, a stranger, a wedding band. A small groan of embarrassment and a hand ran through his hair later and he's finally managing to get his words out properly. 

“I thought you'd appreciate getting married by human customs as well, in all truth I've wanted a wedding because watching shows with them and seeing people getting married? The parties and the fact you can choose between such beautiful venues and how you can decorate them-” 

Kaveh continues rambling for a few moments more, but you've already tuned him out. Your ears ringing as the weight of his words set in. How were you married to him, you'd spoke perhaps seven words? 

“Wait, wait no go back a second. Married?” 

The man blinks owlishly, his jaw clicking shut mid ramble as you say that. If there had ever been a better example of someone mentally blue screening it would be hard to find it. 

“Yes, well it's an old tradition. Not everyone follows it now but I've always wanted a partner for life and it's still a very respected practice.” 

“I'm sorry, but I don't know what practice you're talking about.” 

His face doesn't show disappointment if there is any; he still looks utterly besotted by you, staring like you hung the very stars in the sky. He takes your hand into his as he speaks, clasping it around the ring box all while not breaking eye contact. 

“You gave me back my coat.”

There’s no choice but to follow his movements as he lets go, only to shove the coat you had picked up off the floor yesterday back into your face. It’s expensive looking, but unless it’s a family heirloom with the tradition he mentioned attached to it, there’s no reason that returning a coat, that’s honestly more of a cloak the more you look at it, should mean that you’re married to him. 

“You didn’t try to keep it to yourself, you just handed it back.”

“I still don't know what you mean, that's just basic courtesy -” 

You can't find the will to finish that sentence, not with how he's looking at you. Of course, you still want an explanation, some kind of reason, some kind of answer as for why he's acting like this. However the way he keeps shoving the sealskin cloak in between you like it answers everything isn't enough for you. No matter how much he'd like for it to be one. 

Your confused expression seemed to be enough to get him to relent somewhat, lowering the cloak and quietly muttering a sentence that makes his attitude understandable. 

“I'm a selkie.”

Oh.

Selkies and other beings that could be described as mythical aren't entirely rare where you currently live. At least not rare enough for some basic information for them not to be known. You just didn't connect the dots, missing the fact of what he was entirely.

“That's why you…” 

He nods, taking a moment to carefully drape the sealskin - his sealskin over your shoulders adjusting it with slightly trembling hands. A stark contrast to the confident, almost blinding smile on his face. Your unfinished question doesn't get answered verbally, the way he so freely gives you an item many would steal to keep him acts as one. 

“You don't have to follow the tradition, if you didn't know what it would mean the I'm not - I can't bring myself to hold you to it.” 

There's a moroseness to his tone, one that gives away more about kaveh than he probably would ever want to reveal. It screams of how he's used to getting hurt, of having to set his hopes aside, or worse yet, of being hurt by those very hopes. For what it's worth he doesn't seem like a bad person, but you can't just throw yourself into marriage with a stranger. 

“What about a compromise then?” 

“..?” 

“A compromise. I'm not comfortable with being wedded to someone who I don't know. However, you don't seem like a bad person. I'd like to get to know you before committing.” 

You’d never seen someone light up the way he did because of those words.

“Thank you, thank you, I'm glad you gave me a chance. I promise, you won’t regret it.”