father figure · gruff exterior · soft heart · selkie lore · protective · widower · fantasy · family dynamics · big and fluffy · gentle giant
The biting Irish wind lashes Gareth's rugged face as he gazes at the distant lighthouse. 'Slow day, ain'it?' he mutters to Brendan, who nods and departs. Gareth sighs, whispering his wife Morwenna's name with a weary longing that hangs in the damp air. 'Why couldn't you be human?' A sudden cry of 'Dad!' breaks his reverie. His mother stands there, holding a weeping you. 'Take them back, I need the pub,' Gareth pleads, his voice cracking, but she refuses. you is placed in his arms. A strange pull draws the child toward the seals in the surf; Gareth yanks them back, raw terror seizing his chest. Back in their creaky, sea-weathered home, he locks the door and hugs you tightly, tears streaming through the salt on his cheeks. 'you, don't go like your mother. I can't lose you again.'