Naruto's new father is a Merman

Beginning of a New Start

When Naruto regained consciousness, his body felt like a load of lead, lifting any part of his body was nearly impossible. He squeezed his eyes shut, enduring the fireworks of pain, and opened them to study his environment. Was he successful at getting away? His head pounded against his skull, everything in his vision is blurry. He tensed at the sound of shuffling of bare feet, slapping down against whatever water, that laid on the ground. Wait a minute, water? Now that he thinks about it, he didn't feel completely dry. Why did he feel wet?

"Hey...Calm yourself, you're safe, no one will find you," A stern but gentle voice eased some of his fears, enough that he almost entirely relaxed. He still didn't know who this stranger was. Living in the leaf for a short time, let him experience that trusting a stranger, will always 100% bite you in the back, maybe this one will be different. "Here, open your mouth, and eat this."

His mind screamed at those familiar words, reenacting a horrible time in his short three years of life, and he shuddered and cried out, shaking his head, he didn't want to open his mouth, not ever again. Could he had possibly been taken in by a pervert?

"Shut your whining, or you'll end up at the bottom of the ocean," That tone spoke of a promise. So he shut the hell up, even going as far as to force down the hiccups that followed. "Open your mouth now."

He cranked open his mouth as wide as he possibly could, revealing a double chin he couldn't see, he didn't want to lose his life for this. As soon as it was open, something was dumped into his mouth, and he chewed ...chunks of salty... something?... Bletch!

His palish cheeks turned green in disgust, the bile crawling up his throat to escape from his mouth. His vision clears unexpectedly, giving him a glance of the cave-like ceiling, with waves dancing across it, it was like a light show. He turns on his side to throw up, but he was interrupted by the man, he still doesn't know.

"Spit it out and go hungry, or eat it and live. Cause that's all you're getting." the man said with irritation laced in his voice. Naruto felt him crouch down next to him, and he finally got a look at the naked man......WAIT! NAKED!?

The color drained from his face, heaving down the disgusting food and vomit, cringing at the leftover taste in his mouth. What was this man going to do to him? Who would ignore a vulnerable child-like him without ulterior motives in mind?

"Why are y-you n-naked?" Naruto stutters out, in mid of his internal panic, looking at anything but him. The man didn't answer him at once and they had an intense starring contest, only except Naruto was cowering away, instead of facing him.

"Why are you clothed?" the man had a bored look on him, Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, wasn't everyone wearing clothes because it's the norm of society. "Clothes are a nuisance, they get in the way, sooner or later you'll outgrow them, and you'll be like me."

"I could just get some more clothes," Naruto says simply lifting an eyebrow, he was puzzled by him, so this man had outgrown his clothes and just decides to stop wearing them, at least that's what he got from his words. But he could be lying about it, though he doubted that. "I have money to buy some."

"if you can get out of here, you can... we are deeper than humans can normally go, the only way, the pressure's not killing you, is a hand-drawn seal I made." The man looked down at the frightened Naruto, pointing at Naruto's exposed arm, which shows unfamiliar writing to the boy, with a sadistic smirk on his lips.

"Your life is forever in my hands, I could easily kick you out of here, and you'll die. With no one here to save you." he finished throwing away the bowl, that contained whatever bile thing Naruto had eaten.

The naked man grabs naruto by the scarf of his shirt and lifts him like a weightless doll, increasing the terrified expression on the boy. "And if you don't prove to me that you're worth keeping by my side, I'll let you die, do you understand?"

Satisfied, by the frantic nodding of his head, the man decided to drop him, smirking at the small cry of pain, turning and walking somewhere. "You will call me Hiro, and I will call you Okiami."

Naruto glares up at the man, only to look away when he met his buttocks. Krillfish?! groaning, Naruto throws himself onto his feet with a strange new strength. Was it the stuff he ate earlier? "What did I eat earlier?"

"Nevermind that, come here," Hiro gestures, the tattered boy reluctantly walks to the man with cautious steps, he stands in front of him anxiously, "Take off your clothes."

This set him on edge, What?! Naruto's incredulous face made the corner of Hiro's mouth curve up. You have to have keen eyes to see, and Naruto didn't notice it at all since it was small. "B-but why?! Why do I have to!"

The man kept a straight face even at Naruto's pleading face. But the slight furrow of the man's brow was enough for him to reluctantly oblige his orders, this man from what he witnessed so far, is very impatient and quick to anger. If Naruto didn't want to be shark bait, he'd better keep his mouth shut and do what he's told.

Naruto neatly folded his clothes with much effort, wanting to impress his, master? He doesn't know, but that offer of staying by Hiro's side, sounded like he was in a trial to be a servant, which doesn't sound bad at all, compared to his life in the Leaf Village.

The blue-haired man watched him finish folding, and to Naruto's shock and utter disbelief. Hiro picks up and throws the small pile of clothes on top of a woodpile, settings it ablaze. But it wasn't the normal red, orange, yellow (and bits of blue) colors of fire, instead was blue swirling with the color of purple like a painting of the water current.

The flames felt hot but wet (moist) at the same time, and it was bright enough to shield your eyes away. Hiro sits down crisscrossed, next to the gaping Naruto, and urges him to sit with him. Naruto was about to sit inches away, but Hiro's glaring made him sit in his lap, and sure enough, that was what he wanted.

"It's gonna get really cold, each night down here in the waters," The man wraps his legs and arms around Naruto's body. Hunching himself over him until the boy was fully encased in a ball of flesh. "We'll do this every night, so suck up your complaints."

Naruto huffs and frowns in annoyance, then why'd he burn his clothes?

"This fire burns anything, that isn't wet, but there are exceptions, within 8 meters, so your clothes would've killed you. Once the fire starts burning something it burns through all the layers even skin if it's connected to the material."

"But what about the hair on our body?" inquired Naruto with droopy eyes fighting back sleep. "Wouldn't that burn?"

"Depends...if your hair catches on fire then you will become the flame's meal, but if it's wet then the flames won't touch it, but parts of your clothes were dry so it will have no problem eating away the cloth. No more questions... sleep."

Like magic, the heat from the fire transmits onto Hiro's body, and onto him, the man felt like a living heater. All of Naruto's pain had vanished, and he could no longer feel the pounding in his head. In the Hidden Leaf Village, Naruto never had the chance to be in the heat of someone else, the children were often forbidden from going anywhere near him. It left the small blonde boy whimpering alone, underneath the playground slide.

Naruto made an effort not to move around too much, just a small bump, which was enough to let a small breath of ocean air, remove every inch of heat from his body, leaving him feeling like a fruity popsicle. He could feel the vibration of the grown man's irritation as he readjusted himself to Naruto's relief. The vibration was enough to send him off to the land of dreams.

And for once in Naruto's meager three years of life, he had no nightmares. Maybe Naruto will have a peaceful life for once, but life only lasts for so long without bumps.