Just a short story to help me get back into writing so that I can eventually get back into finishing my other stories.

AU, rating will change later.

xXx

"..." Dull expression portraying nothing, Sasuke merely stared at the scaly lump laying on his favorite spot of the surprisingly secluded beach. Well, that's why he liked the beach so much - few people liked to swim here - preferring the town pool instead with all its new installments of slides, games, and whatever else they can think up.

From where he was standing, the raven haired male deduced that it was probably some type of beached fish. And so, with a sigh, he adjusted the bag's strap on his shoulder and began to make his way to the unmoving lump.

He could always just kick it away and sit somewhere else but contrary to popular belief, Sasuke is not so cruel as to leave an animal to suffocate to death in the sand. Dropping his bag nearby, he took a couple more steps forward and narrowed his eyes.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed that this thing was clearly not just a fish. His onyx eyes roamed the creamy skin connected to the scaly tail that made up its lower body. He couldn't help but stare at the long indigo strands scattered across the sand - they reminded him of someone who disappeared much too soon.

Bending down, he carefully reached out and touched the thing's arm. Getting no response, he wrapped his long fingers around the thin appendage and flipped the creature over.

Cheeks tinting a light pink at the creature's exposed chest, he quickly darted his eyes to the side - well, it was clearly female that's for sure. Releasing a low breath through his nose, Sasuke carefully brought his eyes to look over the creature's face.

Involuntarily, he sucked in air as the color drained from his face. Rapidly, onyx orbs roved over every inch of the delicate features, taking in every contour.

Now, he was sure. This creature looked exactly like- "Hinata." He murmured, lifting a hand to brush his knuckles across her cheek.

The corner of his lips tugged down into a deep frown as his brows knitted together, but that would be impossible; his hand brushed along the area where scale and flesh connects - this is clearly not a costume.

It was then that he finally noticed the reason for the creature being unconscious, he glowered at the long jagged lines along the sides of the female's abdomen along with a few more similar lines along the fin. Figuring that she must have been attacked by a shark, he reached over and grabbed his bag to place back on his shoulder as he slipped one arm under her shoulders and the other beneath the fin.

Standing up, he grimaced inwardly at the sight and feeling of the leaking red liquid and briefly wondered if she would bleed out with this much blood loss. Well, it was a good thing he lived nearby and with that thought in mind; he tightened his arms around her and broke out into a sprint, inwardly glad for once that he lived alone and away from others.

He doesn't feel the need to explain why he has a bleeding half woman half fish thing in his possession.

Fumbling with the key, he finally pushed it into the hole and twisted open the knob - leaving behind a scarlet hand print. He made a beeline straight for the bathroom and carefully placed the pale creature into his porcelain tub.

Going under his sink, he pulled out the first aid kit. Grabbing alcohol and gauze, he leaned over the edge of the tub to reach the injuries.

Only to pause at the sight of the slightly smaller wounds - blinking, he examined the cuts; they were no longer leaking blood like a fountain and it seemed to be more shallow then when he first saw them.

Shaking his head, he decided to treat it anyways and unscrewed the cap to the alcohol and poured it right over every cut he could find while ignoring the pained hiss from the still unconscious creature. Wrapping the gauze around its torso, he noticed the teal colored tail lift up from his peripheral vision, it then slammed down harshly against the side of the tub.

"You better not break my tub," he grumbled under his breath, moving on to grabbing the fin and wrapping up whatever cuts was on it.

Pulling back, the raven haired male examined his work - it's not the best patch up but it'll have to do. He noticed the female's previously scrunched up features has softened now that the stinging from alcohol has died down.

Onyx orbs once again roamed the pale face before it, she really does look like an exact replica of Hinata - but he decided that maybe it's just a coincidence that the two look alike and let his eyes roam the rest of her features.

They wandered to the spot where ears should be and instead found two teal colored fins that stuck out on either side of her head in place of ears, his eyes drifted down to one of her arms that was hanging out of the tub to see fins similar to the ones on the sides of her head sticking out on the side of her arm.

The teal scales glimmered in the dim lighting of his bathroom. His curious eyes drifted further down to the sharp nails of her hand - probably used for hunting fish - he poked at the webbing that connected the fingers; god, this was all so strange.

Glancing back at the woman in the tub, his eyes unwillingly drifted back to her chest. Shaking his head, he let his gaze drift down to the large incisions just under her breasts, three on either side. He dismissed them as injuries when he noticed them move with each breath she took and believed them to be gills.

He broke out of his stupor when he her tail unconsciously knocked against the side of his tub again. That's when he realized that he should clean up the red liquid that this creature has leaked all over the place just in case his idiot of a friend comes over unannounced and accuse him of murder.

Heaving an irritated sigh, he picked himself up from the ground and made his way out of the bathroom; careful not to step on the scarlet drops lining his wooden floor all the way to the still open door.

Hearing a light thudding, he raised his head to see the sudden sheet of rain that began to pour outside - much to his fortune, Sasuke grunted and grabbed his mop to begin cleaning the floor. Atleast he didn't have to worry about outside, the rain will wash all the stains away for him.

Shutting the door, he began to mop the floor all the way until he reached his bathroom where he could hear knobs being twisted and water flowing. Still stubbornly scrubbing the floor, he decided to lean back and peek his head inside to see his 'guest'.

Raising a brow, he could tell that his guest was clearly better now with the way she was now awake and sitting up, messing with the knobs, he watched her as she twisted open the hot knob only to jump at the steaming water that doused her tail and immediately squeaked it back shut to instead try the other one.

Though her back was to him, he could tell that the cold water was much more to her preference with the way her shoulders slumped down and she held her hands out in the stream of water.

Absently thinking, he couldn't help but find it a bit strange that she knows how to turn on the bath.

Bringing the mop into the room, he began to clean the white tiles as he stated, "you're awake."

Glancing up from the floor, he caught her wide eyed gaze and immediately stiffened, his hands holding the mop froze in place as his onyx eyes took in the pearl-like orbs staring back at him curiously. Expression portraying nothing, his mind reeled at the sight of those milky white eyes with the light hint of lavender - eyes that could keep him mesmerized for hours with just one glance.

Eyes exactly like Hinata's.