I Love This So Muucchhhh

I love this so muucchhhh

Bowuigi Selkie AU

Chapter 3: Falling Hard

Bowser observed from a distance, anxiously clasping his hands. The moon cast its luminous glow overhead, providing sufficient illumination to discern the offering gently swaying on the waves. Would they even be awake at this time? Do selkies even sleep? He thought. These thoughts occupied his mind as he shook his head in disbelief and exhaled audibly. Determined, the captain remained steadfast, yearning for any indication of the enigmatic creature's arrival.

 As the minutes turned into hours, the captain's mind raced with questions. Would the selkie be lured by the offering he had carefully prepared? Would it even be interested in what he had to offer? Doubt gnawed at him, making him question whether this endeavor was worth his time and effort. Yet, deep down, Bowser knew that this encounter could change everything for him and his crew. A selkie’s blessing could be of great help against King Boo and-

Swish…

Bowser swiftly redirected his focus to the levitating basket. He delved into his pocket and extracted a spyglass. The captain observed with mounting astonishment as a seal cautiously approached, gracefully gliding around the basket before drawing nearer. The creature delicately brushed the flowers with its snout, then fixated its gaze upon the radiant gemstone. With a fluid motion akin to removing a garment, the selkie effortlessly shed its skin, revealing its true form.

A gasp escaped his lips. 

Part of the seal’s body turned into a human form. A very breathtakingly handsome human with the most mesmerizing azure eyes he’s ever seen, conveying a sense of intelligence and warmth. Despite the seawater, he had a gorgeous mane of brown ringlets that practically glowed. The transformed selkie turned to the side and locked eyes with Bowser.

Bowser felt a jolt of surprise shoot through him as he found himself captivated by the selkie's gaze. Those blue eyes seemed to hold a depth of knowledge and understanding that Bowser had never encountered before. It was as if the selkie could see into his very soul, unraveling the layers of his being with just one look.

As their eyes met, an unspoken connection formed between them, transcending the boundaries of species and language. Bowser could sense a mixture of curiosity and compassion emanating from the selkie's gaze.

Then they dove underwater, shattering the eye contact. 

Bowser gathered his jaw from the floor, then feverishly looked for the selkie once again. He couldn’t believe what just happened; he actually saw his alternate form! As he frantically scanned the water's surface, Bowser's heart raced and his tail wagged madly with anticipation. This was more than what he hoped for. And it felt like the selkie allowed the moment to happen. Bowser felt like he was going to faint-

“Mrrrp?”

The tiny, adorable noise interrupted his thoughts. The large Koopa looked down and was met with the selkie as he leant forward out of the water. Bowser yelped in surprise, then fell backwards; he wobbled back and forth as instinctually tried to right himself up. A splash came from in front of him and a drenched hand grabbed his shirt, pulling him to his side. Just perfectly so he was face to face with the handsome man of the sea once again.

“Stai bene?” {Are you okay?}

Bowser raised an eyebrow at the strange language. “Um… uh-”

The hand holding his shirt moved to his chest. Bowser let out an involuntary purr and felt his face heat up. The selkie didn’t seem to mind his reaction. He simply nodded his head, as if to say he was satisfied with something. “Cuore molto forte... Adatto a qualcuno come te,” {Very strong heart… Fitting for someone like you.}

“Um… hello you too?” said the captain. 

“Grazie per la gemma... è molto carina,” {Thank you for the gem… It’ very pretty.}

Bowser nodded, despite having no clue on what he was saying. Suddenly the selkie turned his head towards an unknown sound. He removed his hand from his chest and started to move back into the sea. The captain whined at the loss of contact. The half-transformed man frowned at him. “Mi spiace devo andare,” and with those words, he disappeared.

╚══ ≪ °❈° ≫ ══╝

Luigi floated on a bed of seagrass, watching the rays of sunlight glisten through the water. He fiddled with the gemstone in his flippers. After receiving that basket… he felt like he was eternally floating. He had been right… These gems had been a gift for him. The captain was trying to get his attention. Their interaction from last night nurtured the seed of affection that was planted in his heart.

Luigi could still feel the warm, smooth scales beneath his fingertips, how the captain seemed to enjoy the short-lived contact. His face had even changed color after a little while; the selkie didn’t even know landfolk could do that! And the way he was looking at him and how comfortable Luigi felt with his presence. The captain was also very powerful, harboring an inner fire of such potency that he has never sensed before.

Suddenly sand floated down on him.

The selkie jumped, swimming upwards. He looked to the side and saw Mario, bobbing his head up and down in silent laughter. Luigi bared his fangs and slapped him with his tail, causing his twin brother to spin. With a scoff, Luigi tucked the gemstone into a hidden pocket then swam off. He doesn’t want Mario to know about the captain’s gift or his intention of pursuing the captain romantically. A small part of him still couldn’t believe his forwardness.

As Luigi swam away, his heart raced with a mix of excitement and nervousness. The selkie had been enchanted by the captain's gift, a beautiful gemstone that seemed to hold the essence of the sea itself. It was a token of affection, a symbol of their deepening connection. Oh, how he wished they could understand each other.

Without realizing it, Luigi found himself on land and into their cove home. He walked over to his bed and touched the flowers he had woven into the strands. The plants had lost some of their petals but that didn’t make them any less beautiful or meaningful to him. 

Mario walked into their home, shaking water off his hair. Luigi groaned and tried to move away from the spray. The older twin smiled and laughed mischievously, “What are you hiding?” he asked.

Luigi’s breath hitched. “N-nothing.”

Mario raised an eyebrow, his mischievous smile widening. He knew his brother too well to believe that response. "Come on, Luigi," he teased, stepping closer and playfully tousling his wet hair. "I can always tell when you're hiding something."

“I’m not hiding anything; you’re being weird.”

His older twin hummed, unconvinced. Luigi made a face, then came up with the perfect distraction. “D-don’t you have to see the princess today?”

Mario’s eyes dilated. “Oh! I totally forgot!”

“How could you forget you had a date with Peach?!”

“It's not a date. Not this time anyway… She wants an update on the pirates and see if they’ll leave or not,” he replied. “If they do plan on staying, she wants us to chase them away.”

Luigi tensed at that. He understands that Peach had a horrible interaction with a pirate before it felt wrong to generalize landfolk like that. Especially, considering the fact that he wanted to court a certain pirate captain. Luigi rubbed his arm, “W-well, what if they did want to stay? They’ve been rather peaceful so far,” he said.

Mario sighed. “Luigi, I appreciate your optimism, but they cannot stay,” he said firmly. “They may appear peaceful now, but when they expand, they’ll tear down the trees and eventually end up in the lagoon-”

“I still think this is unfair.”

Mario pressed his lips together, looking like he wanted to argue but stopped himself. He knew Luigi had a big heart and always saw the best in everyone, but this situation was different. Even if Luigi had made a further argument, Mario’s decision would have been the same considering everything he has heard about the sea voyagers. Mario sighed, “We’ll see how it goes,” he said. “Keep an eye on them; I’ll be back by sundown.”

Luigi fought back the excited noise that built up in his throat. Mario had basically given him permission to see the captain. He was still a little upset over how dismissive he was but he would try again later. Right now, he has a very handsome pirate to see.

.

.

.

As soon as Mario was gone, Luigi put on his coat then swam towards the ship. He looped around, looking around for the familiar spiked shell. He stayed underwater and would surface on occasion to look. He stopped by the rocks where they met, but sadly he wasn’t there. Luigi quickly moved on and eventually caught sight of the family shell. The captain was gathering wood, near the estuary. 

Overcome with excitement, the selkie galumphed onto the sandy shore and towards the large male. Luigi's heart raced with anticipation as he approached the captain, his flippers propelling him forward in swift, graceful movements. The captain turned around, startled by the unexpected visitor, and his eyes widened in astonishment at the sight of Luigi.

“It’s you!”

Luigi had no idea what he was saying, but judging by the tone, the pirate was just as happy as he was. With a joyful bark, the selkie approached closer. The captain sat on the sand, grinning; his tail was slightly wagging behind him. 

Without slight apprehension, the land creature reached out his hand towards Luigi, who instinctively nuzzled against it affectionately. Their connection transcended language barriers as they communicated through gestures and expressions alone. It was as if they understood each other on a deeper level than mere words could convey.