Chapter Text
The water ripples softly as the pod glides through the tropical waters, small fish darting out of their way hurriedly. Chirps and trills echo off the surrounding coral, dust filling the water as two mers playfully scuffled.
"Konohamaru, Moegi, behave!" a voice yelled, the two accused mers darting back to the safety of the pod in an instant. "How many times do I have to tell you—stay close while we migrate!" The shells covering Naruto's body chimed as he threw his hands around, trying to emphasize the dangers of open water to the younger pups, he sighed deeply, the younger mer never listen. Not that he can say much, he wasnt ecactly a golden pup, a soft chuckle escaped his lips as the fond memories of him causing havok for the pod played in his head.
"whats got you smiling so brightly, naruto?" the mentioned mers head shot up, shooting a grin in the direction of his adopted father. "just thinking about how easy the pups have it." iruka flashed a knowing smile and a chuckle. "yeah, i renember when you used to steal the 3rds hat and hide it, you where such a pain" naruto grinned brightly, "haha! you better believe it!" the pod buzzed with laughter as they continued to swim through the warm waters, searching for a new area to call home for the the breeding season.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Deep in the depths of the ocean lay a siren in wait, claws locked onto the dead coral as he stared down his prey. A lone goblin shark—a perfect meal for a pod of young, hungry mouths. Using his tail, he lured the shark closer to the sand, the twitches and twirls of his fins acting as bait. Once close enough, the siren let out a low grumble, darting at the shark with a snarl, using the weight of his tail to slam into its side.
Thrown off course, the shark didn’t have time to react when the siren hit it again—this time smacking it into the sand , The stunned shark struggled to gain its bearings—not that it mattered—as above it, an electric hum started up. Crackles of bright blue and purple warped wildly around the slender black fins of the siren. A primal screech was the last sound the shark heard before the black blur smashed into its skull, sending shocks down the entirety of its body, harshly convulsing as the waves blasted through its system.
Dirt and sand fogged the water, blood seeping into the mix as the body settled. The raven peered down at his prize, red eyes swirling to life, fists clenching as the leftover adrenaline pumped through his veins. This wasn’t enough—it never was. He had grown tired of sharks a long time ago, eventually going after bigger and more aggressive prey, but nothing could offer much of a fight when faced against him.
with a grunt he swam down, eyeing the damaged he caused, with a displeased hum he began tearing chunks of meat from the kill, his sleek webbed claws glding through the flesh like butter. with full arms he began the short trip back to his pods cavern, a dark moss infested crack in the side of a clift. "i brought food, theres some scraps left but i figured the crabs and vermin could have that" the sirens nose twitched thinking of all the bottom feeders that would likelly be swarming his victory by now, greedily feasting on whatever they could get their claws on. with an angered snort he placed the chunks of flesh infront of his family, eyes flickering up as he waited for a response.
"sasuke, why are you always so cold? you need to chill out" slurred a pufferfish from deeper with the cave, the blunt yellow tail flickering lazily. "tch, dont tell me to chill out, just because your useless and cant hunt for yourself" bit back the raven male, flashing his fangs at the wall the puffer sat behind. "haha, whatever you say prince charming" the voice sang back.
"leave him alone dei, he was kind enough to provide us with a meal after all" a larger raven appeared from the shadows, loose black hair swirling into eye catching spirals as he glided towards the meat, webbed hands assesing it.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Loud laughs and frantic yelling were muffled by the mounds of seagrass that draped over the entrance to the cave system, where the pups were causing trouble—swimming wildly through the twists and turns, thumping into the sides every so often as they went.
"I said give it back!!" the blonde mer squealed at the younger mers, tail thrashing as he chased after Konohamaru.
"You snooze, you lose!" replied the brown-haired mer, a grin plastered on his face as he avoided Naruto’s outstretched hands.
"I worked my butt off for those shells, you little demon!!" The spines on Naruto’s tail flared as his voice rose, clearly getting aggravated. Not that it bothered the pups much—they were used to his hot temper by now.
After some pushing, shoving, and a bit of hair-pulling, Naruto managed to acquire his shell purse back from the pups, frantically checking through his shells in case they had punched any.*
"You need to stress less, Naru. You’re getting wrinkles." A frown formed on the mer’s face as he looked over at his sensei, Kakashi.
"Meh, you have more wrinkles than me, old man," he pouted, closing his purse and tucking it back into the net belt he had made from discarded fishing nets, shells, and loose trinkets.
The area the pod had settled in was beautiful—a complex, lush cave system on the edge of a floral grassy field. Perfect for new pups to play in, and plenty of places to hide if the need were to arise.
Naruto’s pod wasn’t your ordinary one—it was more of a mismatch of mer types. While pods were typically made up of one or maybe two types of mers, Naruto’s pod had many. Almost everyone was a different type of mermaid. Kakashi-sensei was a great white, with a big, strong gray tail and sleek fins that kept him nimble in fights. Iruka was a clownfish—smaller than Kakashi but just as fast, quick when it counted, and a fast thinker. The rest of the pod was a mix of shark, common fish, and a few cold-water mers who had gotten lost in the warmer seas.
Naruto himself was an exception. He was far from common or ordinary. His bright gold hair was laced with sky-blue chunks, curling beautifully around his jewel-like eyes. His golden skin faded into royal blue scales, giving his hands and ear fins a unique glow. His tail wasn’t just blue—his peacock-like fins had blotches of blood red and orange, bright swirls mixing into the blue and gold tones. Naruto was a sight to behold. His unique tail markings, combined with the gold jewelry, pearls, and shells he adorned himself with, made him a living treasure chest, the true trophy of the pod, thought the others where just as beautiful and unique.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
The Uchiha eels had feasted, stomachs now full, and the moon high in the sky meant it was time to take off—seeking new land for the breeding season.
Unlike common sirens, the Uchihas were unique in many ways: blood-red eyes that could see in the dark, pick up on body heat, and read moves easily, paired with long, sleek, spiked tails—black-scaled fins blending into dark purples, reds, and blues, continuing up their spines and heads, creating horn-like ear fins.
The Uchihas were born from a fated meeting long ago, when a beautiful inky siren fell in love with an eel. Their love bloomed into the bloodline that kept the seas on edge. Though the two brothers didn’t know much about their past family, they knew they had expectations to uphold. Being feared and seen as the reapers of the deep meant others were less likely to attack them, granting them immunity in the chilling waters.
Sasuke’s eyes flickered from the scurrying crabs to the few shells that decorated the dark sands below him, hand lazily dragging across the floor creating spirals as he swam.
"What seems to be bothering you, brother?" the bigger raven asked, tired eyes resting on the younger siren’s figure.
" Hn. Don’t you ever get tired of swimming from place to place? I mean, you already have a mate—so why do we need to continue this endless hunt?"
Itachi’s brows furrowed in understanding. His brother had never been one for new things—especially when it came to the breeding season. He saw himself as an outcast.
" Well, some of us still don’t have mates, and we need to continue to grow the Uchiha bloodline."
He knew his words wouldn’t mean much to his younger kin, but he still tried. Sasuke grunted, tail angrily flicking as he sped into the distance, kicking up sand as he went.
Itachi sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he watched. He wished Sasuke would just give it a chance—find a mate and settle down. Lost in thought, it took him a moment to notice Dei’s arm around his waist. Once he did, a soft smile spread across his face. A low hum came from Dei’s throat, clearly trying to ease his partner’s stress.
" Thank you, Dei," Itachi mumbled as he placed a kiss on his head.
He had met Dei when exploring an abandoned ship. He had found him pinned under some scrap, fin pierced and pinned into the floor. The Uchiha approached the puffer slowly, eyes never leaving their face as he edged closer. As he did, the blonde noticed him, eyes instantly widening as his fins—well, the ones that weren’t pinned down—flared up. Itachi stilled, hands coming up in front of him to ease the other.
" I mean you no harm. You look like you need help," he spoke softly, beginning to float toward them once again.
"I don’t need your help!" the blonde snapped, fins flaring fully now.
Itachi cocked a brow, eyeing the scene in front of him.
"Just let me help."
The puffer grunted but didn’t make much of an effort to stop the Uchiha as he gripped the scrap and pulled it from the floor, easily tossing it aside. Now freed, Itachi could see the full extent of the damage—gold scales snared with rough cuts.
"You should come back with me. My pod can help you heal up."
The puffer grunted.
"Just because you helped me doesn’t mean I’ll come back with you and play housewife!"
Itachi sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
"I have no interest in hoarding you away as a mate. I merely want to patch you up. Then you can be on your way."
He didn’t look back as he began to swim away, but he could hear the other mumbling under his breath as he trailed behind.
"My name’s Deidara, by the way."
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
After about a week’s worth of traveling, the Leaf pod had arrived at their new home—an open, coral-covered landscape filled with bright flowers, corals, and multiple kinds of fish. The area was lively and bright, a perfect place to meet a lifelong mate. The idea had Naruto’s cheeks burning—he had longed for someone to call his own, but he hadn’t had much luck.
He didn’t remember much about his childhood. From what he was told, Iruka had rescued him after he was thrown as bait at oncoming sharks, choosing to raise him as his own pup alongside his mate, Kakashi.
What he did remember was how many times he had been rejected—whether it was because of his quirky personality, obnoxious habits, or his unique orange markings. He had grown used to it. He used to hate who he was, but his pod helped him to love himself. That’s what he adored about his family—how diverse and accepting they were. He was glad Iruka had chosen to save him back then.
...
Eager to begin getting comfy, Naruto scavenged for things to fill his den with, loading his arms with as many textures as he could find. His favorite was the bright yellow and orange corals that lined the floor, and the shiny shells that lay hidden under the sand. They made his nest look perfect—they gave life and color to an empty space, and it was perfect.
A few more last-minute details, and the nest was ready. Loose, glowing sea vines were strung up around the walls of the cave. Heaps of moss and other spindly materials lay in a dip in the floor, creating a round-ish, bed-like structure that Naruto lowered himself onto, breathing a deep, relieved sigh as he settled into his new home.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
After some time, the Uchihas had settled on a place to stay—a wide coral reef that looked over the other pods below. They didn’t normally come this close to other pods, but it was clear Itachi was trying to nudge his younger brother into conversing.
Reluctantly, and after a few stern glares from his brother, Sasuke wandered from the safety of the reef, floating deeper into the depths and bodies of other mers. He was aware of all the eyes that had landed on him—some of the bodies around him shrinking back in fear, some coming closer. He knew people were afraid of his kind. After all, they were known as the most hostile hybrid species around, once having owned over half the sea lands in the cold waters.
Sasuke puffed his chest out, stretching his fins lazily as he steered through the bodies, avoiding the "accidental" bumpings of needy mers as he looked about, eyes searching for something—anything—to occupy him while the others fooled around.
And that’s when he caught it—a faint blur of gold and blue in the corner of his eye. His head snapped to the side, eyes darting for the swirls of color he saw. Finally finding the puddle of blue again, his heart fluttered, brows furrowing at the sudden warmth in his chest.
He had never seen such a combination of patterns—sun-kissed skin blending into vibrant blues and oranges, adorned with many trinkets from the sea. He knew that warm-water mers had a range of brighter colors than his own kind, but this was something he had never imagined. The complex, almost tiger-like markings of the orange clashed against the depths of the blue, yet somehow contrasted perfectly with the almost peacock-patterned fins. The honey-blonde hair floated effortlessly as the mer sat amongst some fish, eagerly feeding them with a warm smile.
A throb blurred his vision, hand darting to his mouth as a searing pain took hold. He grunted as two of his fangs seemed to push out, getting larger. Pupils shrinking into slits, his eyes locked onto the mer. Sasuke was about to lunge forward until his path was blocked by a mess of pink and purple.
"Are you an Uchiha!?"
"Omg, I’ve never seen a tail like yours!"
"Your markings are so unique!"
"Are you a siren? Or an eel? What are you??"
The onslaught of questions made the Uchiha’s head spin, quills tensing as he grounded himself. In front of him was a set of mermaids—one covered in pastel pink, short hair clipped out of her face with a set of white shells. A simple yet cute green-tinted outfit covered her body and led to a sakura-pink tail. The other mer was a busty blonde, long hair wrapping around her arm as she flashed Sasuke a smile. Purple corals and shells acted as a bra and belt that led to her deep-purple tail. There were other women behind them, but they weren’t much to look at—nor as loud as the two in front.
"Hn," was all he offered them, but that seemed to be enough by the screeching.With a displeased grunt, Sasuke covered his ears, not paying attention as the pink mer scolded and scared off the others.
"Sorry about that, heh—I’m Sakura, and this is Ino~" The young mer offered a hand to him as she spoke, but was ignored. This didn’t seem to deter her though, as her smile only got wider. She leaned in, arms pushing her breasts up to be more appealing to the male.
"You looked lonely, so we thought we’d introduce ourselves," she giggled softly, eyelashes fluttering up at him.
"Hn. And why should I care?" Sasuke didn’t hide the dissatisfaction in his voice. The blonde seemed to be less interested the more he spoke—her interest already drifting toward another male in the **distance**.
"Well, I thought we could maybe go for a swim together. I’m new here too, so maybe… we could explore together?"
Before he could deny the mer, his brother’s voice cut through.
"I’m sure he would love to look around with you," the elder brother spoke, a charming smile on his face as he ignored the death glare.
The pinkette smiled brightly as her cheeks flushed.
"Perfect! I’ll go get ready!"
She almost surprised Sasuke with how fast she swam away.
"What was that for?!" snapped the raven, quills shaking angrily as he balled his fists.
"I told you, you need to look for a mate. You are getting older, Sasuke."
The voice was stern—lecturing. He knew he wouldn't win the argument with his brother, so he just snarled as he swam away. He may as well get tidied up then.