title: splash, written for ravine
pairing: ino x sakura
prompt: mermaid au
genre: fluff / humor
rating: g

Sakura gazes at her distorted reflection on the water's surface, nose crinkling in distaste.

"Ino," She whines, high-pitched and needy. "I know you're down there, you sneaky mermaid. I want to show you something. Come up already!"

Her summons is met with a bout of silence that causes Sakura to frown.

Leaning further over the edge of the dock, Sakura reaches down to glide the fingers of her right hand across the surface of the water.

"Such a shame that Ino didn't show up today," She states to the rippling water. "The item I brought with me today is really cool and super shiny."

As soon as the words are out of Sakura's mouth, a hand escapes from the ocean's depths, wrapping itself around her wrist. With a sharp tug, Sakura's world shifts on its axis, and she only has time to release a gurgled yelp before she is swallowed up by sea water.

When she breaks the surface a moment later, hair matted to her skull, Sakura sputters, "You damn sea witch."

"Such horrible name-calling," A soft voice chides with no real ire. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Green eyes narrow from behind the fringe of wet pink hair, and with a swipe of her hand, Sakura's obstructed vision clears for a moment, only to be filled with Ino's smugly smirking face.

"I've never been in the water in front of you before. What would you have done if I couldn't swim?" Sakura pointedly inquires, beginning the trek back towards the floating pier. "I bet you wouldn't be so arrogant then."

Ino rolls her eyes, keeping pace with her easily, the fins on her tail brushing against Sakura's shins as they swim. "Gosh, do all humans nag as much as you do? Or are you a special case? And what kind of fisherman can't swim?"

Sakura chooses to overlook the blonde's questions, focusing instead on lifting herself up and onto the wooden dock. She makes it about halfway before her grip falters and she ungracefully crashes back into the water.

When she floats back to the surface a second later, Sakura tries to ignore the heat that rises in her cheeks as a result of Ino's giggles.

"Here, let me help you," Ino states, pressing herself against Sakura's back and placing her hands on the smaller woman's hips. "Pull yourself up again. I'll lift at the same time."

Sakura's heart gives a small, traitorous thump in her chest, and she swallows thickly to try and quell the sudden bout of embarrassment that overtakes her.

Without another word, Sakura tries to haul herself back up onto the dock, and this time, with Ino's assistance, she is able to make it. While Sakura takes the time to situate herself, taming her wildly unkempt hair and draining the excess moisture from her clothing, Ino climbs up onto the pier beside her.

Sakura is momentarily distracted from her tasks by the picture the mermaid presents. She not sure how Ino holds up against others of her species, but by human beauty standards, she is breathtaking.

The length of her platinum blonde hair is endless, never a strand out of place despite her time below the water's surface. Her complexion was impeccable and the way the sun glints off the myriad of purple scales that make up her tail is almost alluringly teasing.

Looking at her now, Sakura can't help but send silent thanks to whatever god conjured up the storm which caused Ino to become tangled in her fishing net.

"Well, Sakura," Ino remarks, drawing Sakura's attention. There's a broad smile on the mermaid lips, wide and earnest. "What did you bring for me today?"

Sakura couldn't help but grin at her eagerness. "Well," She starts, digging into her shorts' pocket.

It takes a moment longer than Sakura would like to extract the object from its damp denim confines, but Ino doesn't seem bothered. The blonde's face is a mixture of wonder and excitement, and it is so childishly adorable that Sakura can't help but to laugh outright.

"It's called a compact mirror," Sakura explains, holding out the sterling silver disk out in Ino's direction. "It's used to look at your reflection. We humans use them because it's small enough to take with you whenever you're on the go."

Ino snatches the looking glass out of Sakura's grasp with unhinged haste. She studies the object from varying angles, opening and closing it over and over again. The mermaid is practically vibrating with delight as she holds the mirror up to the sun, allowing the beams to reflect off its surface.

"You're right Sakura!" Ino exclaims. "It is shiny."

Sakura props her elbow on her knee, chin resting in the palm of her hand. A wave of contentment washes over her as she observes the way Ino continues to play with the mirror, marveling at the reflection staring back at her.

"I'm glad you like it," Sakura hums, appeased.

word count: 834
last edited on: 12/07/18

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