2. The Ocean's Lullaby

Kirigakure. 12 years ago.

The turbulent waters were throwing up seashells and other treasures from the ocean. Maemi picked up an empty clam's shell, and dumped it in her boonie hat. She'd requested to spend her birthday at the beach, but it wasn't as much fun as she'd expected. She'd initially hoped to spend some time with her mother, but it hadn't been a surprise when she'd excused herself to meet up with a potential informant.

Boredom rapidly caught up to her, and the girl took a deep breath. The air was thick with moisture, and her lungs still hadn't gotten used to the change of atmosphere. There was just barely a light rain falling on the shore, leaving a thin layer of moisture on her skin. Her mother's last mission had brought them to the Land of Water, and they'd been staying there for over a month, now. Maemi sighed loudly. She couldn't wait to go back to their home in Konoha. At least, she had some friends to play with there.

"What are you doing here?" asked a gruff voice, sending a shiver through her spine as it rattled against her skin. "You're on my part of the shore."

Turning around swiftly, she almost dropped her boonie hat. As she visually associated the voice with its owner, a light blush covered her cheekbones. The boy had the strangest shade of skin, a soft blue that reminded her of the sky on a rainy day. "I'm collecting seashells for my sandcastle," she timidly explained, showing him the content of her pink hat. "Would you mind if I hang out on your shore until my mother comes back?"

Even if her mother had promised to come back in an hour, Maemi knew that she'd be gone for the whole afternoon, at least.

The boy seemed to be taken aback by her polite request. Uncrossing his arms, he ran a hand through his hair darker than a raven's feathers. Slightly shorter than her, he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with a small collar partly covering his neck.

"You can't stay," he replied. "I'm training."

She cocked her head to the side, curious. "What are you training for?"

"To be a shinobi, what else?" A bit of condescendence was transpiring in his tone as he looked down on her, and she frowned. He raised his chin arrogantly. "I'm the strongest of my class."

"Well, I'm also training to become a shinobi."

As soon as they'd get back to their home at the end of the summer, she'd attend Konoha's Academy for the autumn session.

"You?" he scoffed. His dark gaze slowly trailed down on her from head to toes, unimpressed. "You're so frail that I could knock you out with a single punch, princess."

Princess? Frowning, she dropped her hat on the ground, and her hands turned into fists along her sides. She'd show him who's a princess– A cold wave suddenly licked her feet, and she jumped out of surprise. It'd have been less humiliating if she'd hadn't squealed like a scared mouse.

He chuckled mockingly. "Are you scared of water?"

Her cheekbones took on a rosy hue. "I-I'm not!"

A lie. She didn't even know how to swim.

He defiantly lifted his chin up. "Prove it."

Her pride pushed her forward until the cool water was up to her knees, wetting the edge of her flowery dress. Goosebumps covered her skin. Petrified, the girl looked up at the endless body of water as it lifted itself up in gigantic waves.

"You go first," she finally stammered.

He scoffed. "As you wish."

In a jump, he disappeared into the water. Maemi quickly lost his form under the agitated surface. Her mouth opened slightly, agape. A few minutes later, he walked out of the water to join her. His shirt was sticking to his body and drops of water were dripping from his hair.

"Aren't you coming?" he challenged her. His grin showed off the tips of his canines. "Or are you too scared?"

The girl let out a huff, trying to come up with a credible excuse like a rare medical condition, or something. Drawn to him like a magnet, her gaze eventually refocused on the boy in front of her. The ocean seemed to have calmed down around him, the waves crashing almost gently on his legs. She suddenly noticed the fine slits on each side of his neck, which the collar wasn't covering anymore. Her eyes widened.

"Can you breathe under water?" she gasped, impressed.

His whole body tensed as his hand quickly came up to hide the gills on his left side. His expression lost its teasing smirk, darkening. In a matter of seconds, he'd lost his arrogant façade. Unable to meet her gaze, his lips formed a tight line. "I'm not some kind of freak, if that's what you're thinking-"

"I don't think you're a freak," she frowned. Her curiosity grew, and she slightly leaned forward to take a better look at his peculiar features. She tried to find the right words to express her thoughts. "Actually, I think it's really… pretty."

Surprise struck his expression. His piercing eyes trailed over her face, searching for the lies in her words. No longer hiding his neck, his hand fell to his side.

"You think I'm... pretty?"

"Why wouldn't I?" she pouted. A light blush covered her cheeks, and she looked down at the hem of her dress dipping in the water. "And you're actually kind of cool, also."

When she raised her head, he'd extended a hand to her. A glint of curiosity had appeared in his eyes, softening his features.

"Come on, princess." He agitated his fingers invitingly. "I'll teach you how to swim."

His arrogance had toned down a bit, and his voice now carried a disarming sincerity. As if her honesty had unlocked something in him. Taking a step forward, Maemi took his hand. She excitedly thought that she'd maybe just made a new friend.

"I'm Maemi," she said as they went deeper into the water. Soon, her feet weren't touching the ocean's floor anymore, but he didn't let go of her hand. "What's your name?"

He grinned. "I'm Kisame."

...

Seaweed wrapped around her ankle, and Maemi screamed. Flapping her legs furiously, she swam away from it. Against all odds, Kisame had turned out to be a good teacher. He'd also proclaimed that she was swimming like a drowning dog, but she didn't care. In a week, she'd mastered three different swimming techniques, and she now felt confident enough to venture into the deeper parts of the ocean.

"We're never going to see any dolphins if you keep screaming like that, princess."

"Stop calling me a princess," she groaned. She lazily flipped herself onto her back, letting the waves push her body around. "Plus, I bet that I'm older than you!"

"I doubt it," he grinned. "I'm fifteen."

Damn it. She scrunched up her nose, thinking. "Well, I'm... seventeen?"

"You're a bad liar."

Flipping herself back into a vertical position, she splashed a wave of water at his face out of spite. "Fine. I just turned thirteen."

"Such a baby," he mocked her.

Maemi attempted to drown him by putting all of her weight on him, but he quickly disappeared under the water. Each time, she'd be impressed by the way he'd move as one entity with the ocean. A moment later, he popped up in front of her, offering his back.

"Hang your arms around my neck."

She didn't move, believing it to be some sort of scheme in order to trick her. "Why?"

Slightly amused, his gaze lightened up with a glint of mischievousness. For a moment, she couldn't stop herself from admiring the uniqueness of his traits, mesmerized. He'd ceased to wear his long-sleeved shirt, the one with the small collar that partially hid his gills. He also wouldn't recoiled anymore when she'd playfully push him, grazing part of his skin where pale scales were faintly reflecting the sun's light. But he'd still purposefully avoid being touched near his gills. They're sensible, he'd once explained to her with a slight blush.

So, she hesitated.

"Just do it," he insisted. Under his impatient gaze, she eventually complied to his request. She tried to avoid putting too much pressure on his gills, sliding her arms around his neck. "And hold your breath."

Hold my breath? Without a warning, he dived under the ocean's surface and a few bubbles of air escaped her nostrils. Kisame swam as if she weighed nothing against his back. She tightened her grip around his neck.

They ended up reaching a coral reef, and Maemi slowly let go of him. It was... gorgeous. So colorful and full of life. Tiny fishes of every color were swimming around freely, and some even came to give a peck on her bare legs, curious. A seahorse came to play with a strand of her hair, and she lost a couple of air bubbles laughing. Her lungs eventually started to miss the surface's oxygen, and she lightly tapped on Kisame's shoulder to inform him. Nodding, he grabbed her by the hand to bring them back up to the surface.

"Again," she eagerly requested. Barely taking the time to breathe some fresh air once they'd reached surface, she didn't let go of Kisame's hand. "I want to see it again."

She didn't care if her fingers were as wrinkled as dried prunes. In a simple week, she'd irremediably fallen in love with the ocean. Through the foggy air, she gazed at the horizon. It felt so… peaceful. She suddenly heard a small chuckle, and she quickly turned her head into the sound's direction to meet Kisame's eyes. His lips curved slightly upward into a hint of a smile.

"Could it be that you're smiling?" she teased him.

"Maybe," he huffed. "We can go sightseeing whenever you want. I'll teach you how to hold your breath under water for longer."

She happily agreed.

...

Maemi found the drawings she had hung on the refrigerator for her mother in the trash. She swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing her mother hated when she wept. She'd actually begged her mother to not leave her alone for the whole summer. With all her begging, she'd also promised to behave. Her mother had refused at first, until she'd considered her presence as an advantage to her mission. After all, who would suspect a single mother from being a dangerous assassin?

The girl joined her mother in the living room. The coffee table was covered with index cards, profiles and notes. There was a half-empty coffee cup on today's newspaper. Maemi caught the bold title of the first-page article.

"A Butcher Hangs Himself in his Cold Room. His Wife Finds Out About his Affair with Another Woman Soon After."

She looked up at her mother. Two days ago, she'd gone to buy pork chops from the butcher, and she had eventually come back empty-handed.

"Is there something you need, child?" she asked without lifting her head up from the documents.

The girl smiled brightly. "I made a friend."

Her mother looked up, and bubbles of excitement burst in the girl's chest at the thought of getting her attention. Her mother's lips formed a thin line as she fixed her stern gaze on her. She let out an annoyed sigh. "What's my job, child?"

"You're a consultant for a food company," Maemi recited, knowing the lines by heart. "You're looking for a new flavor to add to their menu's options. The company specializes in-"

"It's enough," she interrupted her. "You can leave now. I'm busy."

She nodded. "Yes, mother."

...

"Crap, I forgot to put on some sunscreen," Maemi groaned. She rummaged through her bag for the tube. "If I stand under that sun for too long, I'll just grow more freckles."

She'd always get picked on because of the constellation of small spots that covered her cheekbones. She didn't need to add any more to the collection.

Walking by her side, Kisame frowned. "I think your freckles are alright."

She pouted, seeking a tree's slim shadow. "Yeah, because they aren't on your face."

Shoving his hand in his short's pockets, he chuckled faintly. A thing he'd started to do more frequently around her. She couldn't stop her lips from lifting up into a smile. Your freckles are alright, he'd said. Her heart warmed up a bit. She stood at the shore's edge, her gaze fixated upon the vast expanse of the sea. The salty breeze tousled her air, chilly. The sun had started to disappear behind the horizon's line. It seemed like she wouldn't need the sunscreen for now, after all. Kisame didn't seem too intent on going back home, as he lazily sat down on the sand. She copied him.

"Thank you, Kisame."

"For what?" he frowned.

"For being such a good friend."

She kicked her sandals off in order to dig her feet into the sand. When he didn't reply, silent, she rested her chin against the top of her knees.

...

As the sun began to set on the last day of summer, a feeling of melancholy began to wash over her. She couldn't believe that it was time to leave this magical place that had captured her heart. She would miss the long days spent building sandcastles, exploring the hidden cities of the ocean, and the lazy afternoons spent dozing off on the shore.

Sitting on the soft sand, she wrapped her arms around her knees and listened to the gentle sound of the waves crashing on the shore. To her left, Kisame lay stretched out, eyes closed, lost in thought.

"When I'm older, I'll buy a house by the ocean," she murmured, resting her chin on her knees. "I'll have a dog too."

"Living by the ocean doesn't sound too bad," Kisame replied.

"You'll come visit me, won't you?" she asked, looking at him with pleading eyes.

He chuckled. "You're not serious, are you?"

"I am!" she exclaimed, punching him on the shoulder. He acted as if she had really hurt him, clutching at his arms in mock pain. She rolled her eyes. "Even if I'm leaving now, I'm sure we'll eventually meet again."

He got up, stretching his muscles. "I doubt it, since the Land of Fire isn't exactly next door." When she pouted intensely, staring at him for an uncomfortable amount of time without blinking, he finally caved in. "Fine, I'll visit you."

As they made their way back to their respective homes, Maemi's heart felt heavy. The memories of their time together on the beach lingered in her mind. She didn't want this to end. Kisame seemed to be in a similar mood as he trudged beside her, his gaze fixed on the ground. They eventually reached the spot where they had to part ways. Maemi smiled up at Kisame, trying to hide the tears that were threatening to spill over. He returned the smile, but his eyes held a hint of sadness. She couldn't help but wonder if he was feeling the same way she was.

Just as he was about to bid her goodbye, she quickly jumped to engulf him into a warm hug. Kisame tensed up for a second, until he finally returned the gesture. He breathed deeply into the crook of her neck. She could feel his warm breath on her skin, and she closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

When he pulled away, Maemi noticed a delicate necklace around her neck. She ran her fingers over the shells, admiring the craftsmanship. "You bought me a necklace?"

"No," he mumbled. A slight blush covered his cheeks. "I made it."

She looked up at him, smiling brightly. "I will always treasure this," she whispered, her voice catching in her throat.

They both knew that their time together was coming to an end, but the memories they had created on the beach would last forever. As she waved him goodbye, Maemi felt hopeful that they would cross paths again someday, and that their bond would only grow stronger.

Until next time, Kisame.