AN: Hello! Here's a bit of a longer update, hope you like it!

The Curse of Suijin Shima
Chapter 3: Uhyou

Tsuyu – Day 102

Seafaring life is difficult. I'm not sure if it's just because I'm more tired than usual, but the days are harder to get through with each passing moment. There's something out there. I don't know what, but I can feel it. The villagers are hurting too. There've been so many losses. I wish I could do more to help.

Things have been a bit awkward. With Sasuke. He uh…gosh I don't know what to say. When I think about him lately, I feel strange. I don't know what I would do without him. Is that weird? It's like he's always there when I need someone. I…ugh this is stupid. Forget it.

What else…what else…oh!

Kakashi says he thinks we're being watched, but he's not sure why. He's sensed a presence one or two times. It might be nothing. Maybe just curiosity. But we'll have to keep an eye out I guess.

Hey! Do you think mermaids are real? If they are, it'd be fun to meet one!

-Naruto

"This feels like a terrible idea," Sakura muttered as the four of them boated along the edge of the coastline towards Kaika Cove. The sea was not quite as bad as their first day of travel upon it, though still rough, and Sasuke had to agree. Not a single other ship could be seen in the vicinity, which told him all he needed to know about how ludicrous this so called 'plan' was. The boat fought against them the entire way, and Sasuke wiped both sweat and rain from his face for the millionth time that day as he struggled with a paddle against the current.

It had been several days before they were able to set out to investigate the cove. They'd spent as much time helping the villagers as they could, and then been hit with such terrible weather that they opted to stay inside for much of it. Even still there was plenty to do, and it was difficult for them to make the decision to take some time away from the village. But the mission had more than one goal, after all, and they needed to investigate all leads, apparently no matter how ridiculous they were.

The edge of the coastline opened up into a small passage, and Sasuke was grateful when the waves eased slightly as they turned into the entrance of the cove. He looked up, and then stopped rowing as the rest of the cove came into view. The water widened into a large bay, filled with what appeared to be a mass of sunken ships. He could see the hulls sticking up out of the surface of the water, various masts and sails torn apart by some mysterious force. There were hundreds of them. All clumped together in the isolated space. Beyond the wreckages lay a cave like opening that the water flowed into. It was dark and ominous, and a feeling of dread overcame him as he looked towards it. He probably should have been more concerned, but his attention was immediately stolen away from all of that when he spotted the strange lights dancing above the surface of the water everywhere around them. They looked like tiny little flames, burning away as they floated oddly just above the ripples.

"What…what are those?" Sasuke spoke, his gaze shifting across the bay as they slowly drifted through it.

"Those…are the Kaika," Sakura answered quietly. "They say the lights form where treasure is buried. They are the spirits of the humans buried with it."

"Treasure?" Naruto blurted, and he reached out towards the nearest flame, leaning out over the edge of the boat, but Sakura tugged him back immediately before his fingers had a chance to get too close.

"Don't touch them!" she shouted.

Naruto gaped at her and then stuttered, "W-why not?"

"It's a trick, to lure you in," she warned. "And I don't particularly fancy drowning in icy waters."

Sasuke tilted his head slightly and Naruto looked down at the edge of the boat with a raised eyebrow. It was steaming, like an onsen. It looked inviting, and Sasuke eyed Sakura with narrowed eyes.

"Icy? What do you mean, it looks warm," Naruto commented.

"You didn't feel the change in temperature when we entered the cove?" Sakura asked, and then she smirked. "Be wary of what you see. Kaika create mirages." She lifted the paddle in her hand, and sure enough, ice was clinging to the edges and falling off in chunks. Sasuke widened his eyes and activated his sharingan, doing the same with his own paddle, but he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The ice appeared to melt into the surface of the water when it hit it.

Sakura chuckled and looked across at him. "Your sharingan won't help. It's not a genjutsu, there's no escaping it."

Sasuke frowned before letting his eyes switch back to normal. "Where'd you learn all of this?"

"I've been reading in the evenings. About the folklore of the region. There's a surprising number of stories, and variations of said stories."

"You believe in it?" He wondered, genuinely surprised. Sakura wasn't typically the type to believe in fairy-tales and ghost stories. Not anymore. She believed in what she saw. In what she learned. In facts. He wondered if Shiori's words had something to do with it.

"You don't?" She asked, gesturing towards the mysterious flames all around them.

"I believe in some of it I suppose. But mermaids? Really?"

She paused then, and lifted her chin to stare at the sky. "Hmm…I wasn't sure about that either. I'm still not. Not really. But the mermaids here aren't like the ones in the stories we were told as kids." Sasuke watched her as she looked at the cave entrance warily. "They're more like sea monsters, honestly. And something's caused all these ships to crash. What's harder to believe? That there's a mysterious current that drew them into the cove and capsized them here? Or that they were destroyed by something much larger?"

Sasuke supposed it could be the work of shinobi. But the ships were clearly a collection built over years. It could have been natural disasters in the surrounding seas, but again, within a cove so well protected from the elements, that seemed very unlikely.

"So…if we find one, what, we just…ask it questions and hope it doesn't kill us?" Sasuke muttered.

He wasn't really looking for an answer but Kakashi chuckled lightly and drawled, "That does appear to be our current plan." The three of them glared at him, but he only smiled behind his mask, his visible eye forming a little crescent as he did so.

"Maybe it'll be friendly," Naruto said with a hopeful grin.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and leaned back against the back of the boat. "As if, idiot." He saw Naruto pout dramatically and mouth an insult of some kind. But the two of them smirked at each other not long after.

"Well, shall we?" Kakashi gestured towards the cave opening up ahead, and then started paddling them closer. The four of them worked together to guide the boat through the maze of broken ships. They weaved carefully between the masts and avoided anything too close to the surface. The Kaika flickered ominously around them, and Sasuke watched the reflection of their flames dance in Naruto's eyes. He was staring at the spirits in awe, stopping his paddling every so often just to take in their surroundings. Sasuke couldn't blame him. It was remarkable, in an eerie, unsettling way.

Sasuke looked away when they entered the mouth of the cave, and his gaze lingered on the icy stalactites hanging above them. They hung down in long menacing points, and Sasuke swallowed before searching the darkness of the cave. He activated his sharingan again. Even if he couldn't see through the Kaika's mirages, it would help him to track movement in the darkness.

They were nearly silent, the only sounds the splashing of droplets inside the cave and the slight rippling of the water as Kakashi and Sakura paddled. Sasuke turned his head to the side as he stared down at the water, certain for a moment he had seen a shadow of something beneath the surface. The boat rocked slightly, and all of them froze, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. He leaned over the edge and focused on the water more intently. Sure enough, he saw something again. Just a slight hint of movement, deep below the boat.

Kakashi signalled a question, Threat?

Sasuke waited a moment before signalling back, One, large, fast.

Kakashi held his paddle still and gestured for Sakura to do the same. They waited as their boat floated in place, moving into a ready position just in case. Sasuke couldn't see or hear anything, and he looked towards Naruto, catching sight of his uncertain gaze. Naruto frowned at him, and then a rumbling started up beneath the water and a moment later something burst through the surface several metres away from them.

A monstrous creature soared up above, hidden largely in shadow, and Sakura screamed as it came rushing back down. Sasuke held his arms up just in time as they were showered with freezing cold water. The tiny ice pellets cascaded over the boat, hitting them all in the face like falling needles and leaving violent red marks in their wake. A loud roar sounded and Sasuke moved his hands to his ears, as his hair and clothing flapped against the assault of wind it caused. He heard whatever it was crash into the water, the splash rocking their boat wildly, and Sasuke hurried to grab hold of the edge. Sakura flew across it, and he reached for her, just barely keeping her from falling overboard. She still slammed into the side of the boat with a loud thwack and a grunt.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke hissed. She shook her head out, then nodded and looked beyond him, eyes opening wide.

"Look out!"

Kakashi lunged to the opposite end of the boat, sticking in his paddle and sweeping them to the side in a hurry, just barely managing to avoid them getting crushed as a giant fish tail flopped down in the water beside them. They were splashed over the side of the boat, and Sasuke held fast, doing his best to steady them. They took on a fair amount of water, but it wasn't enough to sink them…yet. His heart thundered in his chest. Never in all of his days as a shinobi had he encountered something quite like this. He'd faced off against giant animals, the summons of their foes, even seen a bijuu or two, but this creature was unpredictable in its movements, seemingly worked alone, and possessed unnatural strength. He suddenly remembered the graveyard of ships just outside of the cave and felt an immense amount of fear.

"This is a mermaid?! It's huge!" Naruto shouted as he clambered atop his seat. His cry was followed immediately by another loud roar. The sound echoed in the cave, and several of the stalactites shook and fell down at their sides.

"I am no mermaid you cretin! I am Hisame, the great akugyo of these seas!"

The four of them flinched and stared into the darkness in surprise. Sasuke blinked the water from his eyes, and wiped his face off on his sleeve. Even with his sharingan he could barely make out the silhouette of the giant beast in the shadows. There were two large glowing eyes, suspended in darkness and glaring out at them, and a hint of pointed teeth along a mouth split wide across its face.

"Get out of my cove before I tear all of you apart," it growled.

"Wait!" Sakura shouted, scrambling to stand in the middle of the boat. Kakashi leaned forward and grabbed onto her ankle to hold her slipping feet in place. "I apologize for my friend's insensitive words great….H-Hisame," Sakura stumbled over the name, gritting her teeth slightly as she spoke. "We need to speak with you, if you have a moment to spare."

"I care not for the woes of humans," Hisame rumbled. Kakashi held up a finger to argue and then lowered it and closed his mouth. Sasuke wondered what the heck he thought he could say in the first place. Who were they to reason with a mythological creature?

Hisame slunk through the water, still keeping to the darkness, but its hulking presence was undeniable, and Sasuke jerked every time the tail moved within reach of their boat. At any moment it could decide to capsize them. He tracked the movements anxiously. "Have you come to imprison me, like you have my brethren?"

"Imprison you? We only came to talk!" Naruto chimed in, and then Hisame's tail began to fly around wildly.

"Just like the ones who came before you?!" Hisame breathed in then, and it blew out a great gust of air. It wasn't until it nearly reached them that Sasuke realized it was filled with swirling, jagged chunks of ice. Sasuke's eyes widened, but before he had time to react Naruto stood up and balanced on the ledge of the boat. He knelt down, drew out three chakra tails, and shot a spinning flame out in front of him. The ice melted on impact, the heat of his fire warming the air in their vicinity for a few moments.

"Stop!" Naruto shouted. His eyes were red with the power of Kurama, and he bared his teeth, clutching against the boat and rocking it to one side. Kakashi and Sakura both moved to counterbalance him, while Sasuke eased behind him in case he needed further support. "We aren't here to hurt you!"

Hisame paused in its attack, slinking beneath the water even further, and then it crept closer, eyes glinting in the darkness. "Not entirely human after all," it murmured in surprise. It studied Naruto for a long time, and they rocked unsteadily atop the water as the waves began to ease. The four of them watched the beast warily, unsure what exactly it was planning, but it made no move to approach them. Eventually Hisame spoke again. "A waterlogged fox is a pleasant sight for sore eyes. I've not seen one of your kind for a very long time. Come here, come closer, let me look at you." Its voice was low and sultry, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes apprehensively.

Naruto glanced at the water suspiciously, and he scratched at his head, clearly unsure if he trusted it enough to walk above the surface, but then Hisame lifted one of its arms from the water and several icy platforms rose up to form a little pathway. Naruto stared down at them timidly. He was breathing quickly, and from so close, Sasuke could see the slight shaking in his limbs. He wasn't sure if it was from the cold, fear, or something else entirely. Naruto squatted, and inched one of his legs over the edge of the boat, letting his foot come into contact with the first step. His boot slid around atop it as the ice melted slightly, but the platform stayed steadily in place.

"Naruto…," Sasuke breathed. "Be careful."

"Obviously."

Naruto smirked at him, but then paused, staring ahead for a moment as he strengthened his resolve. Sasuke watched him climb down off of the boat and hop away on the ice pathway with worry. His fingers clenched against the side of the hull as all of the muscles in his body tensed, ready to move at a moment's notice should anything go awry. He didn't like this. It was a dangerous position. With Naruto so far away, there was no easy escape for all four of them. And if he got into trouble, Sasuke wasn't sure he'd be able to get to him in time. The thought of potentially having to leave him behind made Sasuke's throat tighten uncomfortably.

Sasuke glanced at Kakashi who was looking stonily ahead, gaze not flinching from the beast for a single second. Sasuke turned back and did the same. He watched as Naruto bent forward, jumping across the last few platforms like an animal might. His hands gripped the edges of the ice aggressively, his claws digging into them and holding him in place. He'd likely have damaged skin as a result, but at least Kurama should be able to heal that much.

As Naruto reached the furthest platform, Hisame slinked further into view, and Sasuke swallowed nervously. He heard Sakura's sudden intake of air, saw Kakashi stiffen.

It truly was gigantic. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he took in the sight of it. If Sasuke had to guess he'd say it was easily the size of a tall ship. Half its body was still hidden in the water, but he could tell from the scaly mass peeking above the surface that it was massive. Its eyes were disturbing, with blue irises floating in dark black scleras. It stared at them hauntingly. Atop its head were two misshapen horns and a thick mane of hair, and then jagged sharp points ran all along its spine. He could see webbing between its claws, and twitching fins along its arms. It could probably swim across the entire cove in just seconds.

No, it was not the same as the stories at all.

Sasuke jerked slightly when Hisame lifted an arm out of the water, dragging a fall of droplets out along with the movement as it reached for Naruto. Its claw just barely touched Naruto's face, running along one of his whisker marks, and Sasuke's knuckles turned white from how tightly he grasped the wood in his hands.

"Tell me…what has brought you to my cove, demon," Hisame asked languidly, before dropping its arm back down. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. He knew Naruto hated being called that. Even from this distance Sasuke could see the way his body tensed at the word. He wanted to go over there and yank him away, shout at the beast that Naruto was more than that, but he knew it wouldn't do anything to help them in that moment. If anything, the fact that he was part…demon, was why they were still alive at all.

"We're seeking answers," Naruto spoke through gritted teeth. He stayed crouched down, looking up at the akugyo's face warily. It didn't move away, but it did glance beyond him briefly.

"To what questions?"

Naruto swallowed and took a deep breath, relaxing slightly and standing up atop the icy stepping stone. "The flooding. Do you know what's causing it?"

Hisame bobbed up and down and let out a low hum. "It is the tears of the gods and the spirits of the sea."

"The rain, the waves, the storms? All of it?" Naruto asked.

"Their woes, their sorrow, their anger. They are sad, and so comes the mist. They cry, and bring forth the rain. They rage, and the tsunamis grow in size. This is but a reflection of their anguish." Hisame ducked down and then stared directly into Naruto's eyes. "Surely…you can feel it."

Naruto paused, closing his eyes and dropping his gaze to his feet. "I…can." He stood there silently for a second before whipping his head back up. "Where can we find them?"

Hisame laughed heartily, flapping in the water. "What business is it of yours, little fox," it jeered.

"I want to help them."

Hisame studied Naruto in great depth, and then it glanced behind him again, directing its gaze towards their boat. Sasuke stiffened. "You want to help your people," Hisame sneered.

"I do, yes. But if the gods and spirits are hurting, I want to stop their pain as well," Naruto insisted.

The akugyo narrowed its eyes and then huffed, blowing water and air out of its nostrils. "Even if you say so, I know not where the others can be found. I cannot leave my cove. If I could, I would have gone searching myself long ago," Hisame's gaze darkened and it looked out at the cave opening, staring beyond the bay longingly. "What I know is but echoes on the waves, stories from travellers, and from spirits who've lost their way."

Hisame swam into the back of its cave, inching into the darkness and clawing at the walls as it slipped from the water. "If you wish to find answers, you will have to search on your own, I'm afraid. The gods and spirits are not so easy for a mortal being to find. But…it shouldn't be hard for you. Just follow the pull of the sea. If you are honourable, perhaps they will not kill you. Your friends however…may not be so lucky. We care not for those who cause our pain."

"What do you mean…," Naruto trailed off, inching back slightly on his step.

The akugyo's eyes blinked at him from the darkness. "Humans…are a disease upon us all. Humans have poisoned our waters, destroyed our seaside, and sought only power with no regard for the pain they cause to others. Acting like they are above the ones who created the very sea they swim in," Hisame growled. Its tail swished through the water, then hit the cave wall with a loud thwack. Sasuke cringed, staring up at the crumbling stone and ice above them apprehensively.

"Surely you saw the ships at my cove's border," Hisame continued, and Naruto nodded slowly. "Dirty things, violent things, vile things. What other creature takes such pleasure in needlessly killing even its own kind?" Hisame bared its teeth then, showing off far more jagged fangs than Sasuke thought possible to fit in a single mouth. The akugyo hissed slightly, slinking back beneath the water and swimming out towards Naruto slowly. "Perhaps I could have tolerated that. The lives of humans are none of my concern. But then they came for me and mine. Wearing the faces of the spirits and hiding their own like cowards. My children, my lover. All of them stolen from me, for their foolish whims." Hisame breathed in and out violently, and the walls of the cave rumbled again along with his anger. "My kind cannot survive beyond this cove, it was death for them to leave, but they did not listen. They did not care."

Sasuke watched as Naruto stumbled slightly, his fingers clenching tightly into fists.

"Humans are of little value to this world," Hisame snarled.

Naruto gasped and stuttered, "N-not all humans are evil." Sasuke could hear the pain in his voice, and he sat up, just barely holding himself back. It looked like Naruto was breathing harder than before, as if even standing was taking all of his energy.

"I have yet to see proof of that."

There was another slight rumbling in the cave, and Sasuke glanced around as pieces of the walls began to fall into the water. He reached for his sword, and saw both Kakashi and Sakura steady themselves out of the corner of his eyes.

"I promised I would not allow another to leave my cove alive," Hisame purred. It sank down until just its head breached the surface. The ice platforms shifted atop the water, and Naruto slipped a bit. He staggered back onto the step behind him, reaching down to grab hold, finally managing to stabilize atop it.

"I will not eat a demon, but your friends…they are not demons, and I am very hungry," Hisame warned. It left little time to think after that, disappearing into the water completely, and Sasuke gripped the hilt of his blade frantically. Naruto turned around in a panic, gaze meeting Sasuke's, and then the platforms started to sink and he began jumping across the rapidly disappearing steps as the water splashed wildly around him. Sasuke felt the shifting of the surface already. The waves increased in size, the boat rocked, and as the rushing shadow beneath the water approached he drew his blade. They had to hold out, at least until Naruto got back aboard.

"Sensei! What do we do!?" Sakura cried, and a moment later the beast jumped out of the water, lunging right at them.

Sasuke focused chakra into his blade, using his chidori and wrapping it around the sword immediately. He swung it out to the side, twisting it into a position to lunge. But then Naruto crashed into the side of the boat. The impact sent it veering way off course, and Sasuke dropped his sword and it landed with a clatter atop the wooden slats. He watched as the chidori fizzled away into nothing, and struggled to regain his balance.

What the hell was that? Couldn't Naruto just jump inside like a normal person? Sasuke had it covered, did he have to do everything on his own? Sasuke stood in surprise, watching as the akugyo dove in the water, just barely missing them, and when Naruto jumped aboard clumsily Sasuke spared a moment to glare at him. Seconds later the boat rocked unsteadily, and he refocused his attention on the beast now swimming beneath them. He stood at the edge of the boat, already forming the hand seals for his katon. He breathed in, and then blew out as strongly as he could manage.

"No!" Naruto shouted, slapping his hands away from his mouth and the flame dissipated into a small cloud of smoke before it moved an inch from his face.

"Dobe! What the hell are you doing?!" Sasuke yelled. That was twice now Naruto had interrupted his attack. He stared wildly at him, but was surprised when Naruto met his gaze with pleading eyes.

"Don't!" he begged. "Don't hurt it!"

Sasuke gaped at him. Was he completely insane? They were being attacked by a glorified fish monster twenty times their size, and Naruto wanted to show it mercy? But then he saw something in Naruto's eyes. Undeniable pain. He looked so desperate in that moment that Sasuke nearly forgot how to breathe.

Naruto blinked at him, and then glanced to the side before jumping out and into the water at the boat's side. He gritted his teeth against the cold temperature, but reached out and kicked the boat away with as much chakra force as he could muster in his legs. "Go!"

Sasuke watched the distance between them grow in horror.

"Naruto!"

What on earth was he thinking? Sasuke grappled at the back end of the boat, while Kakashi and Sakura both paddled furiously in an attempt to keep up their speed. The akugyo surfaced again, this time clawing its way through the water towards Naruto, who blocked its next blow with a gust of wind. The akugyo flew back in the water, and then shrieked angrily.

"If you intend to fight me then I shall kill you as well!" Hisame shouted, and then it crashed its claws down into the water, catching Naruto in the undertow and turning the surface to solid ice immediately after. Sasuke panicked as he watched the ice creep towards the boat, effectively trapping Naruto beneath the thick sheet and holding them all in place. Ice rushed up the wooden panels of the boat and over the paddles, and Sakura let out a surprised cry as her hands froze against the paddle clutched within them. She dropped it in surprise, but it stayed upright, stuck solidly in place.

Sasuke stood quickly, leaning over the edge of the boat as he searched the frozen expanse frantically. "Fuck! Where's Naruto, do you see him?"

The three of them scanned the ice, but there was no sign of Naruto or the akugyo nearby. Sasuke's fingers gripped the edge of the boat forcefully as he felt his chest begin to constrict. How long had it been? Realistically how long could Naruto hold his breath? Was it even possible he was still alive somewhere down there? He glanced back and forth anxiously, and then Kakashi pointed to their left and shouted, "There!"

Suddenly Naruto's claws slammed up beside them, and he scratched at the underside of the ice near the boat's hull urgently. Sasuke let out the breath of air he was holding in and scrambled over to him.

"Shit! Katon!" Sasuke yelled, and this time it went off successfully, blowing over the surface and melting it slightly. It wasn't enough to allow Naruto to break through. Sasuke saw him press up against it, could just barely see the details on his face. His scratches were lessening in speed and strength, and Sasuke let out a strangled noise and reached for his sword. He stabbed at the ice furiously, shouting as his blade chipped away at it far too slowly. Kakashi snapped one of their paddles in half and began doing the same

"Stand back!" Sakura yelled, pushing them both aside, and she put as much chakra into her fist as she could manage and slammed it down atop the surface. It shattered beneath her effort, and she moved around the boat doing her best to break them completely free.

Naruto's hands grappled along the ice until he managed to find the nearest opening. He broke the surface with ragged coughs, sputtered the water from his lungs, and clutched at the side of the boat with his claws. He was violently shivering and gasping for air, but before Sasuke could pull him aboard the akugyo crashed through the ice right behind him, wide terrifying eyes staring down at them menacingly.

"Naruto hold on!" Kakashi shouted. He put his hands together, forming several seals Sasuke had never seen in conjunction together, before pressing his palm down against the top of the water behind their boat. With a jerk the boat shot out, skidding through the shattered chunks and breaking their way through the remaining solid parts on impact. Sasuke flew backwards, slamming into the back of the boat next to Kakashi, and he searched out Naruto to make sure he was still holding on as they sped through the slush and blocks of ice. He looked like he was struggling, but Sasuke didn't have time to go to him. Hisame was gaining ground.

"Suiton: Suijinheki no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted, and he spread his arms out and drew up a wall of water as a blockade. The entire cave rumbled, the ceiling beginning to fall in around them, and Sasuke struggled to hold the wall in place as the boat bumped beneath his knees. He watched the akugyo's head breach through, and glanced behind him to see how much further they had to go.

They were nearly there! But he faltered when a rock formation appeared out of nowhere, blocking the only exit from the cave. Kakashi's visible eye widened in surprise as they headed straight for it, and he eased off on their speed.

"Ignore it, just go right through it!" Sakura cried.

"Eh?" Kakashi blurted, and he scrunched up his face and eyed her warily.

"It's a mirage! It's not real! The Kaika, remember?"

Kakashi shook his head in disbelief, glancing once again at the rocks before forcing more chakra out of his fist. Shortly after, Sasuke's water wall collapsed, splashing down behind them and letting the akugyo through. The four of them held on tightly, and Sasuke closed his eyes when they flew right into the oncoming rocks. He gasped in relief as they soared through it and out into the bay. While Kakashi sped them towards the cove's exit, Sakura focused on keeping them from crashing into one of the ships, shouting directions and doing her best to help with steering. They managed to reach the little canal the led out of the cove without incident, and Sasuke sighed in relief when the akugyo finally slowed and hissed at them one last time before retreating back into its cave.

They came to an unsteady stop inside the small channel, and Sasuke moved towards Naruto swiftly, yanking his body from the water immediately. He winced as his hands froze slightly at the touch, and then a moment later Naruto's arms scrambled around him, encasing him in a cold and wet embrace. Sasuke flinched, but he let Naruto's weight pull him forwards slightly. He was shivering heavily, claws still out and barely scratching at Sasuke's back. The part of the boat he'd been holding onto was a mess of broken slivers of wood, and Sasuke pushed him away slightly to stare at his face. Naruto's eyes were still red and fox like, his teeth were chattering, and his lips had gone purple. There were little scratches all over his skin from shards of ice he'd impacted with during their escape.

"I've got you," Sasuke soothed, and Naruto clutched at him tightly while Sasuke eased him down atop a seat in the boat. His entire body was covered in frost, and Sasuke's eyes widened when he knocked into a lock of blond hair and it snapped off in a solid block of ice.

"Keep him warm," Sakura muttered, while she and Kakashi worked to paddle them back into the sea. They had a lengthy trip back to their lodgings, and the sooner they got there the better.

"S-sorry," Naruto stuttered through chattering teeth. His fingers tightened and loosened where they clung to Sasuke's clothes, and his limbs trembled, even as Sasuke pressed his hands against him and surrounded him with warm air. "Sa-su-ke I'm s-sorry."

"Shut up," Sasuke muttered lowly. He worked quickly, guiding his jutsu across Naruto's skin, taking care not to heat it too quickly and send him into shock. Naruto's fingers loosened over time as Sasuke circulated warm air around him. They were already beginning to blister and go black from severe frost bite, and Sasuke stared at them worriedly. He lifted each hand between his fingers, inspecting them both with gritted teeth. Naruto would be down for the count for several hours, even with Kurama's regeneration. Without it, he likely would have lost both his hands.

He tilted Naruto's head up, taking in the frost covered eyelashes and foggy eyes, now returned back to their usual blue. His gaze lacked any sort of clarity however, and Sasuke felt his throat constrict slightly. He mentally chastised himself for the sudden assault of feelings picking away at his mind. It wasn't the time. He needed to focus. Sasuke breathed in deeply, before moving on to check Naruto's feet. As expected, they were just as damaged as his hands. He frowned and rolled up his pants, running warm fingers up and down his legs. Each droplet of water that landed on Naruto froze on impact and Sasuke wished they could get out of the damn rain.

"I do believe our mission is now classified as S rank," Kakashi mentioned, staring back towards the entrance of the cove warily. Sasuke and Sakura both turned toward him and glared.

"No shit!" they chorused, and Kakashi smiled ruefully beneath his mask.

Naruto recovered quickly, at least physically. Thankfully Kurama was still able to heal him at a normal rate despite whatever else was going on with the fox. But the following day Sasuke began to notice things weren't quite right as they worked together to rebuild one of the damaged homes along the coast.

Naruto was lagging behind, and his movements had greatly slowed. Sasuke might have been able to write it off as more of his recent absentmindedness until Naruto sneezed loudly, and rubbed at his sniffling nose. Sasuke narrowed his eyes before walking over to him, pressing his palm against Naruto's brow roughly. It was burning hot.

"I thought you couldn't get sick," Sasuke grumbled.

Naruto blinked in surprise, and then dropped his gaze, staring wearily at the ground. "Guess even Kurama has limits," he muttered. He offered Sasuke a brief smile, before rubbing at his eyes and returning to work, and Sasuke watched him struggle to lug around even the lighter materials. It was unsettling, witnessing Naruto struggle with something so simple.

As the day progressed, he visibly worsened, sometimes pausing just to catch his breath. Sasuke watched him worriedly, while Sakura watched them both, and Kakashi eyed all three of them like a wolf scrutinizing its newborn pups.

Mid-afternoon Sakura walked over and physically forced Naruto down to the ground beneath an overhang. "Sit down and rest, for goodness sake, it's obvious you need it," she chastised.

Naruto struggled against her hold weakly, and pouted up at her as she held him in place. "I'm fine, really! I can keep helping," he insisted, but it was followed by yet another sneeze, and Naruto wiped at his nose in annoyance.

"Sakura's right, you should probably stay dry for a bit, relax and fight off this cold," Kakashi commented. He stood by casually, hands in his pockets, but it was clear he was concerned.

"Dobe, you can't even keep your eyes open," Sasuke added as Naruto's head drooped, the movement startling him awake.

Naruto pouted and crossed his arms, but he gave in, leaning back against the building wall. "Maybe…just for a minute," Naruto conceded. Hardly any time passed at all before he was snoring lightly, head lolling back against the building behind him. Sasuke sighed before getting back to work.

The rest of the day dragged on, mainly because Sasuke kept stopping to make sure Naruto was still okay. Every time he looked over, the dobe was still fast asleep, scrunched up in a different position that looked ridiculously uncomfortable. He lost count of how many times he turned to check on Naruto, it was like his eyes searched him out unconsciously.

He must have been more obvious than he thought, because several hours before they would usually pack it in for the day, Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder, and suggested that they head back to their lodgings early for the night. Sasuke wasted no time heading over to Naruto and hoisting him up in his arms. He didn't even stir on the walk back.

Naruto's temperature had risen since earlier in the day, and Sasuke listened to his raspy breaths as he changed him into something dry. He was hyper-focused on him, didn't even realize that Sakura had gone for food and returned while he worked on getting Naruto into bed.

"Let's take it easy for a couple of days. We'll keep helping the villagers while we wait for him to recover. We can't continue on without him anyway. We don't even have any real leads," Kakashi commented as Sasuke tucked Naruto into one of the futons in their room. "I'm going to do some reconnaissance, eat and get some rest."

Sasuke didn't watch him go. He crouched beside Naruto, taking in his flushed face. Sasuke reached out and checked his temperature again, but it was no less hot than the several times before. "Idiot," he muttered, staring down at him in concern. He only pulled his gaze away when Sakura sat cross legged beside him, sliding a bowl of curry toward him. Sasuke's stomach rumbled when the scent of food hit his nostrils, and he dug in to it eagerly. He watched as Sakura poured some kind of liquid down Naruto's throat, and then she picked up her own bowl and ate alongside him.

His gaze lingered on Naruto's form as he lifted his chopsticks to his mouth. He wished there was something more he could do. But even a common cold needed time to run its course. He felt stupid for being so worried. But there was just something about Naruto's crumpled expression that made him feel sick to his stomach.

"Sasuke…," Sakura began, taking a moment to shovel some rice and veggies into her mouth. She chewed the bites thoughtfully, before pointing her chopsticks at him. "You know I'm not totally oblivious right?" He whipped his head towards her, his heart skipping a beat. Huh? Just…what was she talking about? Had she seen him watching Naruto? He raised an eyebrow, staring at her through narrowed eyes. Well of course he was! It was only natural to keep an eye on him. The idiot would run himself into the ground given the chance. It was totally normal.

He glanced towards Naruto unconsciously, gaze landing on his face. Naruto's whiskers shifted slightly in his sleep, and Sasuke felt a sudden urge to reach out and touch one of them. Maybe press his palm over his brow and attempt to soothe away any bad dreams. He put his bowl down and nearly did so, stopping himself just barely, letting his fingers hover in the air in front of his body awkwardly.

Wait a minute…

Sasuke frowned, staring at his suspended fingers with widened eyes.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh no.

This wasn't normal at all.

Sasuke's face flushed slightly. Impossible. Absolutely not. There was just no way.

Sasuke dropped his hand, pulling the bowl of curry into his grasp fiercely. He lifted it, and then began shoving the food into his mouth at a ridiculous rate. He scoured his memory, trying to recall every moment he'd spent staring at Naruto perhaps a little too closely during the day. Throughout the entirety of the mission. Before even that. Fuck.

"There's something going on with Naruto, right? Something more than just…a cold?" Sakura spoke then, and Sasuke nearly choked on the bit of rice still lodged in his throat. He almost sighed in relief. Gods he was an idiot. His heart thundered in his chest as he swallowed down his food and he nodded a little more aggressively than he needed to.

"He's having nightmares again," Sasuke admitted, managing to keep himself from stuttering over his words, and Sakura hummed in understanding.

"Does…Kurama know what's going on?" she asked. Sakura swirled her chopsticks around in her bowl, mixing up the seasonings a bit.

"I…don't know, not really," Sasuke admitted. He grimaced, glancing down at the floorboards sullenly. "Naruto just said he was feeling off, says it's the rain."

"Think it has something to do with all of this?"

Sasuke sighed and rubbed at his face. How many times had he asked himself that very same question? "I don't know…," he started. Then a few seconds later added, "Probably."

His gaze shifted back towards Naruto, appetite suddenly gone. He pursed his lips and watched as Naruto struggled atop the futon a bit. It looked like it was going to be a restless night for him. Naruto rolled onto his side, coughed a few times, and the blankets slipped down his shoulder. Sasuke reached out and tugged them back up.

"Sasuke…," Sakura whispered, but Sasuke didn't turn to look at her. He made a noncommittal grunt while he continued to watch Naruto's unsteady breaths, hand slipping from his shoulder to wipe the hair away from Naruto's brow. He barely even heard her response.

"Ah…never mind."

Sasuke found himself up and awake on and off throughout the night. He just couldn't seem to relax enough to sleep for longer than an hour at a time. He kept glancing over at Naruto, making sure he was resting okay and well tucked in. Sometime after midnight Naruto started to shiver, and Sasuke pushed away his covers and knelt down beside him. Naruto stirred before opening his eyes and groaning uncomfortably. Snot ran down from one of his nostrils and he sniffled before wiping it away and stared up at Sasuke blearily.

"Geh…colds suck," he muttered.

Sasuke smirked at him slightly, and reached out to check his temperature. His fever was down thankfully. "Are you warm enough?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. Naruto stretched a bit and rearranged the blankets around his body while Sasuke helped him adjust his pillow. "Sorry 'bout this."

Sasuke paused and looked towards Naruto's face. His expression was downcast, and Sasuke frowned. Why did he keep apologizing? Because he was sick?

"Don't be," Sasuke murmured. He glanced into the room, making sure both Kakashi and Sakura were still asleep before crossing his legs and sitting down in a more comfortable position. "You helped us get out of there alive."

"Sorry for stopping your attacks too," Naruto added, and Sasuke opened his mouth to respond but wasn't quite sure what to say. At the time, he'd been furious. It hadn't made sense. But now…now he just wanted Naruto to get better. "I…didn't want to hurt it," Naruto continued, and Sasuke watched his face crumple up in anguish. His eyes were glassy, and though it was probably partially from sickness, Sasuke saw the beginnings of tears forming along his lashes as well. Sasuke tightened his hands into fists and looked away. "It's just like Kurama. Lost its family…suffering. I can feel its pain."

Naruto coughed again and then let out a frustrated sigh. His eyes squeezed shut, and he lifted his head slightly only to throw it back down against the pillow.

"It's…okay," Sasuke whispered. He wanted to ask more. To find out if this was why Naruto was so run down. If whatever had happened to that creature was the cause of his nightmares. If he knew more. If Kurama had said anything yet. But Naruto looked so tired. Sasuke breathed in deeply and exhaled. It wasn't the time. "I get it. Go back to sleep."

Naruto blinked up at him again, and then pushed the blankets down so that he could reach out and grab hold of Sasuke's arm. His fingers tightened in the sleeve of Sasuke's robe. "Sasuke…there're others like it out there…," he trailed off, and then his eyes shut again, and he let sleep take him.

Sasuke watched Naruto's fingers loosen as his muscles relaxed, but before they fell away he reached for Naruto's hand and gripped it in his own. Sasuke shifted slightly, resting Naruto's arm across his lap and leaning in closer to brush away the strands of blond hair falling across Naruto's brow. He studied the features of Naruto's face, watched his nose twitch every now and then, and his eyebrows furrow. His hand slid down, encasing the crown of Naruto's head gently.

He was hit with a sudden urge to be closer. To lie down next to him, and stay with him, and talk to him throughout the night. Sasuke's heart thrummed faster than usual. He swore it was trying to hammer its way out of his chest, and he could feel the burning heat running up his neck and into his face. What…what was this? What was going on? He didn't usually let his emotions get to him like this. But no matter how hard he tried, Sasuke couldn't shake the foreign feeling threatening to overtake him.

"What...what's wrong with me?"

It was going to be a very long night.

Uhyou: Freezing Rain
Akugyo: A fish like sea monster/spirit from Japanese folklore.

AN: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think :).