Chapter Text
Vash never knew who his real mother or father was, Rem always telling him and Nai that she had found them washed up on shore in silky coats wrapped around them. She never kept the fact that they were selkies hidden from them trying to inform them on what is known about selkies. Both Vash and Knives cared for Rem deeply as the lighthouse keeper was their mother in their eyes. She was the one who cared for them, kept them safe, giving them a warm place to sleep. Vash and Nai often played in the sea during the day in their seal forms as Rem kept watch of the twins making sure they didn’t go too far out.
Life at the lighthouse was calm minus the times the twins would start roughhousing and Nai ending up getting bit by Vash and Vash getting sent to time out. No one other than Rem knew about her boys’ existence and that’s how she wanted to keep it. She would keep them both safe and sound from people who would take them and sell them to be married off or something worse, treating them like animals, sometimes even less than animals. Selkies were less than human in most people's eyes hiding away their coats so they can never return to the sea trapped as humans longing to return to their seal selfs. No, Rem would never let that happen to her boys.
But one night there was a horrible storm, Rem pulled Vash and Nai into their coats trying to keep them calm. “It'll be okay, I promise I just need you two to go into the sea, yeah?” She carries them out only putting them down once they reach the shoreline, rain pelting down on them, the sky lighting up and roaring with thunder. “You're coming with us, right Rem?” Vash looked up at her with his big blue eyes full of fear as all three of them were being soaked to the bone. Rem nods and gives them both a hug, “of course, I just need you two to wait in the water, I have to turn on the light.” And with that Rem ran back to the lighthouse Vash and Nai waiting there for her. There was a rockslide from the cliff destroying the Lighthouse, their home was gone, their mother was gone. Nai pulled Vash into the water trying to be strong for both of them as they transformed into seals swimming into the depths. They were lost.
Over the years they had watched the lighthouse be rebuilt, new keepers coming and going, none of them really sticking around for too long. Knives tried to keep Vash safe, warning him about the stories Rem had told them about how humans will trap selkies on land and force them into marriage. This had kept Vash away from humans mostly but they couldn’t all be bad, could they? Rem wasn’t like that. So Vash stuck to late night visits to the shore shedding his seal skin and sitting on the rocks while Knives slept, it was harmless and his brother didn’t need to know about this it was Vash’s little secret. All he did was stare at the stars and voice his thoughts out loud as if talking to Rem knowing he’ll never get a response.
Vash and Knives were watching the newest lighthouse keeper take boxes inside, “He’s younger than the others we get” Knives voiced both their thoughts “about our age I’d say.” Vash nodded watching the dark haired man. “Don’t get any ideas” Knives mutters glaring at Vash. “What?” Vash stops staring at the man to look at his brother. “You heard me”
“What ideas would I even get?”
“You know exactly what, last time you tried to talk to someone his age they freaked out and now you’re down an arm.”
“Okay, Maybe jumping out of the water into their boat wasn’t the best idea” Vash smiles sheepishly earning a snort from Knives. “Fine, I swear I won’t try anything” he pouts though it’s not as effective as a seal, resting his head on the rocks they were laying on.
Over the next few months Vash had continued to watch the new lighthouse keeper he was yet to put a name to, but Vash had learned that he smokes quite a lot, had at least three friends or maybe relatives that visit him, he speaks english and some other language Vash couldn’t understand, he doesn't get much sleep at night, and likes to sit and stare at the stars during the night just like Vash himself does! Vash had even been acknowledged by the lighthouse keeper a few times, usually saying how he always thought seals lost the white fluffy fur once they were full grown, or saying he can’t believe he’s so lonely he’s resorted to talking to a seal. Vash found him to be quite interesting. Something about his eyes just made Vash feel that this lighthouse keeper was a good guy. “What are you so smiley about? You're not planning anything stupid, are you?” Knives looks at his twin. “What, me? Noooo neveeer” Vash shakes his head drawing out his words slightly. Knives glares at Vash “come on, it’s getting late” he sides off the rock into the water waiting for Vash to follow before he leads him to their little cove they slept in.