☁️⛅🌤️

The ocean felt colder than Hinata had remembered but maybe it was because the weather was getting colder above ground as well. It had only been a few hours since she had come back with her cousin and Itachi. They had left her alone in her room in hopes that she would talk to them clearly about any information she had obtained while on the island.

Her room felt smaller and she felt a little awkward now with no clothing. Although it had only been almost two months since she had arrived in Konoha, she had become so accustomed to their living.

Or maybe a certain human was just a big influence is all.

Kissing. Hinata had never personally been interested in any kind of physical affection since it was uncommon to even think about that kind of stuff in the ocean before you were wed. Humans were always affectionate with each other. Of course she knew that affection came in different forms, Sasuke had taught her that.

But then Naruto leaned down to her. His hand held her own and his other had gently cradled her face. His lips were just a breath away from her own until they were interrupted. And she was going to go to his dorm!

Given, she didn't exactly know what a dorm was but she assumed that it was where he was living.

She was going to be alone with him! Would they have kissed? Would he have liked to kiss her multiple times as she saw in the few moving pictures that she watched with Naruto? Would he have wanted to go further? Hinata once again was in unfamiliar territory with physical affection but she figured she could ask Sasuke about it once she got back to Konoha.

"Hinata?" her mother's gentle voice called. The door to her room opened and she saw her beautiful mother. "You're here? What happened to Japan?"

"Neji and Itachi came for me because I hadn't checked in for about a week." she explained. "Did they not tell you?"

Her mother shook her head before sitting on the bed. Her long lilac and grey colored tail stretched out beyond. "No. Your father said that he was going to try summoning you to the portal, not that he was going to send your cousin."

Hinata cocked her head in confusion. She was going to question her mother further before the door to her room opened once more. 

"Your father would like to speak to you, Hinata." Neji said once he entered. "He is in the study."

Hinata squeezed her mother's hand before swimming out and towards her father's study. She was confused about why she was brought back here so suddenly without so much as an explanation from either Neji or Itachi.

Once they arrived in her clearing they simply directed her to "get in the portal, we're going home." And then they swam her to her room and asked her to stay put until one of them came back for her. She didn't see a reason to protest so she just stayed in her room.

"Father," Hinata greeted as she closed the door behind her. "Why have you called me back so suddenly? Is something wrong?"

"You were tasked to find Sasuke," he said. "Not to play nice with humans."

She frowned at his words. Had Neji and Itachi told him of what they witnessed? Nothing had even happened between herself and Naruto.

"It is difficult father. I needed to make at least one connection in Konohagakure in order to get help finding Sasuke. And mother told me to summon the most powerful human creature I could so I did just that. He has been helping me with no questions ever since."

Hinata's mind was reeling. She didn't know how much information she should disclose to her father in fear that he would not let her return to the land above.

Hiashi turned from the window outlooking the architecture of the village to face his daughter. "Neji told me he was touching you."

"We are friends," she responded quickly. "Humans are affectionate."

He narrowed his eyes at Hinata. He didn't want to believe her but he knew that it was far too late to send someone else to look for Sasuke. Hinata spoke their language

"Maybe so but you are not human. You've been there for what? A month?" He scoffed.

"Six weeks..." She mumbled beneath her breath but let her father continue.

"Hinata," Hiashi said sternly. Hinata looked up at her father with an expression just as stern. "Have you even found anything on Sasuke?"

Hinata pulled her lip between her teeth as she thought for only a second to come up with a believable answer. She couldn't just say the truth or else she'd definitely be stuck here. If she said that she hadn't then they'd send Itachi to go look instead.

She sighed. "I've become acquainted with a close friend of his. I need to build a closer relationship with her before she is willing to introduce me to her other friends."

Hinata's eyes dimmed as silence engulfed the two of them. Her tail dusted awkwardly on the floor as her father stared at her. He knew that this wasn't the complete truth but he also knew that Hinata wasn't a liar. Five years ago she truly didn't know Sasuke's whereabouts and five years later she's trying her best.

"Very well," Hiashi sighed before swimming up from his chair and past her to the door. "You'll return in a few days."

Hinata frowned. "A few days?"

Hiashi hummed as he swam out of the study. Hinata followed him as she waited for his response.

"Yes," he turned to the front door of their house. "You still don't have full control of your powers. You need to stay in the ocean to replenish your magic so you don't get sick on land."

Hiashi bid goodbye to her and left, saying he was headed to the Uchiha's residence. Neji followed him soon after he left, also bidding goodbye to his cousin.

She swam back to her room and sighed once she laid on her bed. Her father was right. She had been feeling a little low in the two weeks and some odd days that'd she'd been away from the ocean. Sasuke probably went through the same thing before his 21st birthday.  She'd have to ask him about it when she returned to Konoha.

She hoped everything would be normal when she returned.

☁️⛅🌤️

Naruto hadn't slept well the past couple nights. He maintained his classes and grades but he had been worried.

Sasuke said he hadn't sensed her magic. Once he knew Hinata was in town he had been able to feel her magic coexist with his own, before he hadn't noticed because he hadn't expected any other merfolk to be on land.

The blond checked the clearing in the woods every evening and texted Sasuke even more to check. He hoped she would be home soon.

Well, technically she was home at the moment. But he yearned for her presence at his side.

Her airy laugh and small voice that didn't match her blunt words. The way she would hold onto his whole arm while they walked when it got to be cooler in the evenings and the curious way she inspected everything.

Hinata was a mermaid. Everything made so much sense to him now but he was still just as clueless about her. Before he thought she was just sheltered from many things but it turns out she had lived a completely different life from him.

He was jealous of Sasuke.

"Hey," a voice said cooly while he felt a jab on his shoulder. "Where's your puppy?"

Naruto winced at the pencil jabbing into his shoulder and looked up at the culprit. He had been in the library to get away from his dormitory and maybe clear his mind a bit before he went to check the woods for Hinata.

"Puppy?" Naruto scoffed. "What're you getting at, Kiba?" He looked at the fanged cheeked boy as he sat across from himself.

"No need to get so defensive," Kiba laughed while pulling his laptop from his backpack.  "I just meant where's the girl I met the other day. Hinata? Was it? I just hadn't seen her with you lately. "

Naruto chewed his bottom lip for a moment,  thinking. He reached over and shut his laptop before sighing heavily.

"She's gone back home for the time being," Naruto said. "It's my fault anyways."

Kiba laughed at his pouty face and tone before scoffing at him. "Your fault that she's home? What's wrong with her spending time with her family?"

"No, not that.  It's my fault that her family is upset with her."

"Why're they upset?"

Naruto hesitated for a moment before letting out yet another sigh. "Her, uh,  brother? Yeah brother I think, caught us fooling around. That's the simplest way to put it. And she hadn't been staying in touch with them while she was with me, apparently. "

Kiba nodded thoughtfully while listening and typing something on his laptop.  He looked up from his assignment and to the blond.

And then he let a cheeky grin spray spread across his face. "Thought you guys weren't dating."

"Oh shut up," he groaned and felt his cheeks heat up. "We aren't. It's just, we–" Naruto groaned and pulled his hood over his head and laid his head on his arms. "It's complicated right now."

"Well," Kiba reached over and patted his head over his hood. "Uncomplicate it. Tell her how you feel and fool around more, haha." He snickered. "And apologize to her family. Especially  if her family is important to her, which it sounds like it is."

Naruto stared at him for a moment before letting out a brief chuckle and shoving his notebook and laptop into his backpack. "Thanks," he pulled his jacket on then his backpack. "I'll see you later."

Kiba watched him jog out of the library with a determined look on his face. The brunet turned back to his assignment and let out a sigh.

"He's hopeless."

☁️⛅🌤️

Naruto swung his car door open before exiting his car and locking it. He was determined. For what? He didn't quite know but he decided that four days with no word from Hinata was enough. 

The park lights were on as it was well past sundown but he walked quickly off the sidewalk and to the restricted woodland area. It was never any less scary to go into the woods but he felt more secure in the steps he took.

But then he stopped.

He felt a buzz.

"Hinata?" Naruto called rather meekly once the familiar sensation of Hinata calling for him. He turned on his cellphone flashlight and looked around him and saw nothing.

The blond continued to where the small clearing was, snapping twigs and crunching leaves on his way there. He pushed through the thick leaves until he saw the familiar pool of water.

It was just as the first night he came across this clearing. The water was glowing, seemingly nearly iridescent. He didn't even think when he began to walk towards it, slipping off his shoes and jacket.

"Hinata?" He called again,  leaning over the pool of water. Naruto reached his hand in and felt it slimey just as he had the first night. 

He assumed that he was feeling the magic which meant that the portal was opened. Sasuke said that humans couldn't actually travel through the portal but it was worth a shot, right?

The blond removed his t-shirt then the rest of his clothing until he was down to his boxer briefs and shivered in the quickly cooling night. If this worked, he would be in the ocean with no oxygen. Some merperson would save him...

He dipped his foot into the water and hissed at the cold. "Man up, " he said to himself.  "Big breath and man up."

Naruto jumped into the water and emerged to the surface to catch his breath. The water was much colder than he anticipated but he could feel the magic in the water. It was almost as if he could feel Hinata.

He said a quick prayer then inhaled deeply before plunging himself into the water and swimming down. It got darker, no light or anything the further he went. Naruto called out for Hinata but there was no response.

The magic got stronger but he couldn't tell if he had actually gone through a portal or not. His lungs burned and the blond had to swim back up for air.

Naruto gasped when he returned to the surface and thanked his luck for allowing him not to drown. He rested his arms on the grass to give his legs a break and decided to rest from paddling before trying again.

It was odd to be in what seemed like a endless pool in the middle of the woods but at the same time feel so tranquil.

"I miss you,  Hinata." Naruto moaned out pathetically. He turned his cheek onto the grass and laid there in the cold.

"I missed you too, Naruto Uzumaki Naruto."

BRO WHAT IF I ENDED IT HERE

lmfao jk pero that would be kinda funny.

i am suffering from my mental health these days but writing really helps!! I enjoy it but I just never get any inspiration due to my poor mental health ahaha it's a horrible cycle

Thank you so much to those are still here reading this! It's been over a year since I first published this and while I had completely different plans for it,  I'm so glad that it still is getting some recognition.

You're all worth something! If you think no one cares, remember that I do. We're going through difficult and seemingly endless times so if you need help please don't hesitate to reach out to me. I have one reader who checks up on me every month or so and it's the sweetest thing,  so please never think I'll  turn my back on you just bc i have a small following. It may take a day or some for me to respond but I'm here for everyone!!

Love you guys ❤❤