Chapter Text
Sarada snuck Boruto into her room after checking her mom was still out. The two of them sat on her bed, looking at each other, just soaking each other in. Sarada frowned, looking at his left eye, and lifted her hand, tracing it down.
“I am so sorry,” she whispered, and was about to retract her hand before he grabbed it, holding it there, “Boruto… I can’t ask you to stay.”
He frowned, “I…”
She sighed, “I have been fighting for you for years.”
“Like three.”
“If I didn’t miss you so much, I would beat the fuck out of you,” she growls, “I swear.”
He rubs his cheek into her hand and sighs, “It’s been a long three years.”
She sighed, laying down looking at the ceiling, and felt a breath of relief pass through her when he laid down— maybe he’d stay till she fell asleep if she were lucky. It’s not like they were anything more than friends… but she couldn’t help but wonder if there was something she needed to address. Was there something there—
“Maa, Sarada, no need to be all grumpy with me,” he hummed, turning her so they were facing each other.
She blushed, “Boruto… Sumire… she—“
He sighed, “I know, but… you have to know there isn’t anything there for me, right?”
She sighed, “Sumire was the only person who didn’t forget you besides me. Without her… I would have gone insane. But, I can’t… I can’t give you up. You left for all these years because of what Kawaki did— or what he was feeling… I just…”
Boruto grabbed her, bringing her to his chest again, tucking her head under his chin and sighing, “I know. Me too. But, I think we need to wait till this is all figured out till we do something about it, -ttatebasa.”
She sighed in relief, “That’s why it’s there.”
He snorted, “I’m guessing your expert way of communicating your feelings comes from Mas- Uncle Sasuke?”
She scoffed, “Yeah right— you come in wearing his cloak, with his sword and his headband, but I’m the one compared to him?”
“Please do not tell me you only hugged me because you thought I was Sasuke-san?”
“Don’t be a jackass,” she grumbled, looking up at him from beneath his chin, “I hugged you because it was you, Boruto.”
He sighed happily, “Good. Now soak it in, I’ll probably be gone by the time you wake up.”
-
He was right.
He was gone when she woke up.
She wasn’t sure why it hurt so much, but the emptiness of the bed made her want to cry. But, she had done enough of that. She needed to find her mother, speak to her, then find her friend, and speak to her, and then do some training.
There was a lot to do.
But, before she could get up to start on any of it, there was a knock on her door. She knew it couldn’t be Boruto or papa— so mama?
The door opened and there she was, wearing her tiredness like a crown, “Hello, Sarada… I was so worried—oh!”
Before her mother could rant on about how worried she was, Sarada was in her arms.
“Mama!”
“Oh my sweet baby,” Sakura whispered into her hair, kissing her forehead lovingly, “Come, let’s sit. Tell me everything. You’re lucky I taught you the chakra concealing jutsu— if not for my genjutsu affinity, I’d probably not be able to tell… he was here…”
She flinched, forgetting her mother was the reason for her being able to do some of the things she did. When she wasn’t learning to control things from Kakashi or her father, she was training with her mother and her mother’s good friend, Rock Lee. She hated being around Metal, given he was always trying to ask her out, but her mother was very fond of Rock Lee, so she put up with it.
“Oh come on, dear, you didn’t think I was stupid did you? Your father didn’t just marry me to revive his clan, you know,” she winked, before deflating a little bit, “I… anyways, dear, tell me.”
-
Sasuke was drunk out of his mind, and Sakura thought this was the silliest she’d ever seen him in the twenty years they’d been together. Hinata and Naruto had finally worked their shit out, and Sakura was so, so proud of Hinata! Naruto could be an idiot, could be oblivious, but he was kind and sweet when he really wanted to.
Sakura understood.
She held her boyfriend— well that word didn’t quite fit. They were not married, but they were not just “boyfriend and girlfriend”. Their relationship was much more complex than that.
“Honey, should we go home?”
“Naruto said he’d be here.”
She giggled, it was not often Sasuke said Naruto’s name, but she relished in the way her partner loved his friend. Perhaps there was something more there. But, Sakura knew Sasuke loved her as much as he loved Naruto. There was a special connection between the three of them, and that was okay.
-
Sarada should have been training. She should have been working towards something greater than herself.
But, here she was, sitting on top of the Hokage’s mountain, looking over the village, wondering about what her mother said.
“Loving someone when they’re here is easy, it’s hard when you do it when they’re missing.”
After she confessed that Boruto was more than what Kawaki made him out to be, Sakura told her about Sasuke’s… journey. About the numerous times he tried to kill her, and how she learned to forgive him. How it was hard. How it was possible— if she wanted Boruto, then the work could be done, but it was not permanent. Someday it will be as easy as “hello”.
Sarada had seen her parents interact and she would never have been able to tell her papa was like that. She couldn’t tell the scars were irreversible.
Even when her mama showed her the scar from his hands around her throat— how she refused to heal it completely because it was part of their story— her story.
“Wouldn’t have expected you to be here,” his voice echoed from behind her, but of course, it wasn’t his, “Sarada.”
She looked over her shoulder and frowned when it was Kawaki approaching her, and he plopped down next to her and sighed, “It’s pretty.”
“I don’t do small talk with chronic manipulators and liars,” she scoffed, “What the hell do you want from me?”
“To test a theory.”
Something about that made her skin prickle, but she didn’t dare move until there was without a doubt something more sinister than whatever he was dishing out. She glanced to her side, uneasy, and her eyes widened when she noticed that karma was activated. Startled, she jumped back, activating her sharingan and searching his face for answers. Giving none, he glared back at her, as she continued to scrutinize his face, trying to find an answer.
Then, as if summoned by the Gods, he appeared in front of her, cloak covering him like a suit of armor, his sword— no, her papa’s sword— and the face of someone who was angry. The fury she thought she felt coming off of him when he attacked Code was nothing compared to this unbridled anger.
Perhaps it was because Kawaki had taken everything from him, and the one thing he couldn’t have… well, he wanted that too.
“Kawaki.”
“It seems I was right,” Kawaki murmured, eyes set on Sarada still before the eerie feeling fell onto Boruto, “He does come when you’re in danger. If I’d known that, I’d have attacked you sooner, Sarada-chan.”
The honorific made her vomit in her mouth a bit, and it seemed Boruto had a similar sentiment, and he rushed forward, dodging Kawaki’s attack, punching the boy in the stomach, leaving him on the ground.
“Even if I hadn’t made a promise, I’d still protect her, stay down if you know what’s good for you, Kawaki. This battle is not set to happen yet.”
“Boruto, stop being dramatic, he’s out cold. You went overboard.”
He scoffed, “How was I supposed to know he didn’t get stronger. I thought all that time in the spotlight would offer some guidance.”
”Isn’t it usually hardship that breeds talent, not the other way around?”
Boruto shrugged, “Who knows, but seriously Sarada, waiting out here alone? You’re basically asking him to jump you. Kawaki is a little freak.”
She deadpanned him, “Oh I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware you thought so little of me. I can take care of myself.”
Boruto looked as if he were trying to fight back a groan of annoyance, putting his palm to his face and dragging it down, “I didn’t say you couldn’t, Sarada. I just need to protect you, -ttabasa.”
Sarada frowned, “Sure. Whatever. Look, I’m just saying I can look out for myself. It’s extremely risky for you to be hanging out here. Didn’t my father teach you better— speaking of which, where is my father?”
“Sarada…”
”I am going to kill you myself once your name is cleared Boruto Uzumaki,” she growled, “Tell me.”
“He’s been captured by a tree,” Boruto frowned, “Not dead, just sealed…”
She took a deep breath, “Okay… seals are solvable. But, you’re saying he was in a tree? Which means a buffed copy of him is gonna show up or something…”
Boruto grimaces, “Yeah.”
“Great,” she sighed, “Absolutely fantastic. Anyways, what are you doing here, what promise are you talking about and why in God's green earth would you pull up if you knew Kawaki was trying to lure you?!”
“You were in danger,” Boruto shrugged, “When you call, I’ll be there.”
“But, I didn’t—“
“It doesn’t have to be out loud.”
Sarada sighed, looking down at Kawaki, “What are we gonna do with him?”
“People heard the commotion. I need to go. But know, if you need me, I’ll be here. Always.”
She rolled her eyes, “I can take care of myself.”
He walked up to her, like he was letting himself relax, just this once and grabbed her face, “But, you don’t have to.”