#cursedteme

“We’ll go over the map more during dinner. I’ll be right back,” he says to him while hopping over the railing and landing on the main deck of the ship. He walks up to where Sakura is causally leaning against. He ignores the shit-eating grin on her face and peers over the edge.

“He’s not my boyfriend Sakura,” he mentions while waving his hand. It catches the attention of the man below. Well…merman. Err yeah, long story about that. 

“Hey! It’s been a few weeks!” Naruto yells when the other turns up to give him a flat stare. Naruto grins in response. Sakura laughs behind her hand and then startles when her captain begins to undress.

“H-hey,” she calls upon having a shirt thrown over her. Naruto smirks at her before diving off the ship in nothing but his underwear. His descent into the water is smooth, slicing it without much disturbance. When he surfaces, he shakes his head, sending water in every direction. 

Naruto opens his eyes and looks around. The merman appears beside him, then circles him with his usual intense stare. It’s like he’s sizing him up, but Naruto is not quite sure. Never asked, but uh this is a good time to point out he’s never had an actual conversation with him. He doesn’t speak, okay well he’s never spoken to him. Plus Naruto’s noticed the merman uses his hands to communicate. Like when he wants to say something he’ll lift his hands, then drop them. Probably because he remembers Naruto can’t understand. 

Naruto has wondered if that’s how his kind talks to one another. Though he’s not sure. He’s tried to look up information on his kind, but none of it is like for sure. Some say they talk to their own through their minds. Others think they can’t speak or communicate. Just like animals. Though he’s pretty sure that’s crap. 

“It’s been a few weeks,” he says to fill the silence. Though for some reason he never doubts he doesn’t understand him. It’s weird, this feeling that fills him when they meet each other eyes. Like they can’t talk, but just staring at his eyes, looking at his face Naruto can feel and tell they understand each other. Something connects them. Though that doesn’t make the the need to be able to communicate with him any less. If anything it grows stronger. He’ll have to get Sakura-chan to get more books on his kind. One day he hopes to exchange names. To have a name to call to him beside merman or him. 

Naruto smiles at him and follows his movements, this time he’s circling around him. He watches as his dark furrows together, trying to make sense of his movements. To show he’s teasing, Naruto sends a splash in his direction and laughs at his startled expression. A moment later Naruto yelps as he’s caught by the ankle and dragged beneath the sea. 

Closing his mouth to keep from swallowing salt water, Naruto blows out nose bubbles to exhale his laughter. Though his amusement stops when he appears before him. Like always, Naruto is caught off guard by sight of him in his natural state. Underwater, all his fine features just seem to glow. The water caresses him like a fine jewel. He’s alluring and Naruto has a hard time looking away. 

He blinks when he swims closer. They’re noses an inch apart. Staring into his dark eyes, Naruto is searching the dark abyss they contain. Then he closes the distance, their foreheads touching and Naruto’s eyes grow wide. His mouth opens and he kicks away. He pushes himself to swim up to the surface. Swallowing air into his lungs, he coughs as well. When he appears beside him Naruto stares at him wide-eyed.

“Y-you…you have a deep voice,” are the first words out of his mouth. Deep and smooth! Wow wow! What did he do? The merman only tilts his head and watches Naruto closely. It had been a shock to both, but his older brother had dropped the suggestion. A piece of an old legend their mother would tell them long ago. It spoke of humans and their kind speaking with each other. 

“Do it again,” Naruto demands and the command is understood. He swims closer and Naruto moves in as well. They hesitate for a brief second, then toss away their reservation and let their foreheads touch again. 

Naruto doesn’t know what to think at first, but he can hear him clearly. That deep smooth voice…well they’re his thoughts right? So it can’t be a voice, but that’s the best way to describe it. Blue eyes widen as he gets a taste of his–

“HEY! I’m not an moron!” He cries out looking at the smug merman. Though his brows furrow as he concentrates. Naruto settles down to focus too.

“Sasuke…” he whispers, “that’s your name! Sasuke!” Naruto exclaims at last. He meets his gaze and smiles when he receives a nod. 

“M…mo-ro…moron,” Naruto hears him croak, too shocked to be offended at first. Then he shakes his head.

“No that’s not my name,” he says to Sasuke with a frown that looks close to a pout,” it’s Naruto.” 

“Say it with me,” Naruto instructs with a happy kick of his feet, “Na-ru-to,” he says breaking it down for him. 

“Moron.” Naruto splashes him.

“Okay, now you’re just being a jerk,” he accuses with a huff, but even Naruto can’t hide the twitch of his lips. Plus Sasuke looking smug like that isn’t such a bad expression. Gah! Pretty merman is making him think weird things! 

“Na..ru…to.” The blond turns and nods in encouragement, blue eyes dancing with excitement.

“Naruto.” 

“That’s me! Oh man I’m so excited I could almost kiss ya!” This…it’s just made his entire year. No! More than that! Who else can say they’ve spoken with a merman. He has a name too!

He catches the curious expression on Sasuke’s face. He leans forward again to touch their foreheads together. 

Kiss?

Naruto swears he turns several shades dark. Ahhh…well don’t merman and mermaids kiss? Or do they uh…do it different? Then again they got the tail goin’ on…maybe it’s a whole different process for them. Naruto looks at him and nods.

Kiss. It’s this…

Since they’re already so close, he might as well show him right? He grabs Sasuke’s cheeks, seeing him startle him some Naruto smiles in hopes of reassuring him. Then glancing down at his lips he finds himself curious about this…

He finds Sasuke’s thoughts becoming clearer. The more he touches him, does it open a better connection? 

What could a kiss do? 

They’re about to find out.