Description: Sarada Uchiha and Boruto Uzumaki struggle to communicate unsaid feelings in times of distress and early stages of teenage years.
“Sarada! Come hang out with me!” Himawari squealed, dragging Sarada out the hallway and up the stairs.
The Uchihas’ had come over to dine with the Uzumakis’ that evening. A habit they’ve all picked up for the past year every Saturday night.
“Hey! I thought we were all going to play a board game together?” Boruto called out, Kawaki nodding in agreement.
“Later! After dinner. I want girl time with Sarada.” Himawari replied, eagerness visibly bouncing in her tone.
“Alright, just be down in five minutes.” Hinata smiled as she beckoned Sakura to follow her into the kitchen, leaving Boruto and Kawaki lone wolves with nothing to do.
Before Boruto can say a word, kawaki started to put on his shoes, eyes swollen and tired.
Last night, he had come home with a mysterious bruise on his arm. No matter how many times the siblings urged him to explain himself, Kawaki kept his reservations.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Boruto huffed, exasperated. He could already feel the tension impending in the air. The common “none of your business” was sure to be spat.
“I’m going to get Taiyaki. You want some?” He answered in a surprisingly civilized manner.
“I’m good. Just be back in time for dinner.”
“Alright.” He nodded, making his way out the door.
“Oh, and if you see Dad,” Boruto started making his way up the stairs, “tell him to get his ass home for dinner.”
Bored out of his mind, Boruto walked towards his room in a vexed manner. Unintentionally, he caught a wisp of the girl’s conversation leaking out beneath the creak of his sister’s bedroom.
“I just…I want to see him smile again.”
As if his body suddenly had a mind of its own, Boruto, leaned silently next to the door frame, careful not to let his shadow betray him.
“I know. He’s going through a lot right now.” Sarada’s voice soothed, he could imagine her rubbing Hima’s back, as she always did in times of dismal manner.
“But something you must always keep in mind,” she continued, “is that your brother is the most courageous and selfless person I know.”
Listening closely, he can hear Himawari’s small sniffles muffled against her arms. He had no ideas how much his pain was directed onto his younger sister. It was the last thing he wanted.
“And with selflessness, comes a price.” Sarada’s tone suddenly dropped to what was now throaty and perhaps, if listened carefully, shaky.
“With the kindness that overflows his heart, he thinks nothing of his well-being and only has the image of the people he truly treasures in time of immediate action.”
Boruto stiffened, biting his bottom lip anxiously.
“B-but, it costed him his heart.” Himawari sniffed, “literally. His heart was punctured.”
“I know, I know.” Sarada’s voice allayed.
A couple of moments of silence distilled in the air. Although he stood motionless, Boruto’s mind rang boisterously. Different voices buzzing through his fearful mind all at once.
He loved his little sister. He wished nothing but the best for her, to keep her out of danger and vulnerable in certain situations.
He knew it was out of his control to keep her from the sad truth of reality.
But hearing Sarada’s words…it drove a sharp pain of uncomfortable emotions to his chest.
Emotions of all sorts. Sadness, for making everyone worry. Irritation, for the turn of events life has given him. Anger, for what he’s become. Fear, of the future and the people around him. Gratitude, for her choice of words.
She knew him too well. He knew that. They’ve been together for too long. He loved her too, no matter how many times he’s tried to deny it or suppress it.
Selflessness comes with a price?
No, love comes with a price, more costly than anything else, guaranteed.
“Hima…don’t worry. Don’t worry at all, ok?” Sarada’s voice rang once more, with a sudden wave of hope.
“I’ll protect him. He’s under my care. He doesn’t have to know that of course, but I’ll make sure that idiot doesn’t do anything impulsive.” Just listening to her, he could hear the warm smile in her tone.
“Thank you…Sarada.” Himawari’s gloom seems to lighten. Noise shifting in the room, he could guess they were in a warm embrace.
“Of course.” She chucked.
Feeling disoriented with thoughts, feelings and emotions, Boruto staggered away from Himawari’s bedroom door, walking with no sense of direction or control.
“Dinner’s ready kids!” Sakura’s voice rang from downstairs.
Kawaki came home late, but with a good reason. Well, two good reasons.
With Kawaki came both Naruto and Sauske.
Surprised and elated, the dinner table buzzed with three different conversations shooting back/to-back across the table.
The only one who ate in silence, was none other than Boruto.
Sarada, of course, caught on quickly, giving him a light tap on the foot from underneath the table. He gave her a quick glance, giving her a small smile to put her at ease, but she knew better than to trust his small smiles.
After everyone finished, the adults retreated to the patio with a couple of drinks, Himawari dragged Kawaki into the living room to set up their board game, and Sarada and Boruto were left to clean the dishes.
Silently gathering up dishes and dirty napkins, Sarada stared at her staid childhood friend.
Once a lively and outspoken boy, now stood a conservative and quiet teenager in his place.
“You heard us, didn’t you?” Sarada stared him down, giving him no choice of escape.
He looked at her apologetically, and somewhat amused. She was an excellent ninja if she was able to sense his presence from just outside the doorway.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” He gave her a nervous smile, his eyes panicked.
They stared at each other, unknowing what to say. She leaned on the other end of the counter, distanced from him. Boruto sighed, wiping his hands on a rag, making sure the remaining dish soap was off his light tan skin. He walked towards her, braving himself to face her.
“Did you mean it…?” His voice weary.
“You told my little sister that you would look after me?” His eyes lowered towards the ground.
“O-of course I did,” her face suddenly flustered, “Don’t think you can get rid of me that easily! I’m staying by your side and that’s that.” She huffed, crossing her arms in finality.
“I’m not, Sarada. You’re the most obstinate person I know. There’s nothing I can do to change your mind once it’s set on something.” His tone became flat, giving Sarada anxious tingles.
He cautiously grabbed a hold of her arms, staring into her widened eyes.
“But I was supposed to protect you…that was the promise I made whether you become Hokage or not!” His throat burning, on the verge of shameful tears. Nevertheless, he held it in, as he always did.
“Boruto Uzumaki,” her glare turned into eyes of anger, “do you think I ever want to see you on the TV news headlines stating ‘Hokage’s son on the verge of death after unfortunate accident’ !?”
He held his breath in, his grip on her arms tightened.
“Do you think, I ever want to rush into the hospital, arguing with my mother to let me in the surgery room to come see you!?”
Tears poured out of her eyes like a flowing river. Underneath his touch, Boruto could feel her shiver, as her face crumpled up in deep anguish.
“Sarada…” he took her glasses off carefully, both his hands cupped around her face, wiping her burning tears. She fell still under his warm touch.
“I-I was s-scared. I-I thought I’d n-n-never see you a-again.” She mumbled.
“Shhh,” he soothed, “I’m here now. It’s ok, look at me, I’m here ok?” He brushed a couple strands of loose hair behind her ear.
She nodded, holding tightly onto the side of his arms.
“Thank you, for being there for Himawari.” He gave her a true genuine smile.
“I love her, she’s like a little sister to me. I love your family Boruto. I love your mother, she always looked after me since we were kids. I love your Dad, he’s cares so much about the village, I’ve never seen anyone with such kindness. I love Kawaki too, he’s an asshole sometimes, but there’s good nature in him. And I love y— ”
She froze. Words itching to get out of her throat, but stayed stuck.
He stared at her with widened eyes. An uncomfortable wave of heat radiated from the two, enough to put them in a sweat.
With no warning, he leaned his head forward, moving dangerously close to her lips. His nose lightly brushed against hers. She leaned back a bit against the cold kitchen counter, feeling overwhelmed with shock.
A moment of hesitation struck, as he met her eyes for a sign of consent.
She closed her eyes in surrender. The press of his lips against hers sent spirals of shock throughout their bodies, giving them both a kick of adrenaline.
One kiss turned into multiple kisses, but none were rapid or messy. They took their time, despite the fear Boruto had in the back of his mind of Sauske coming up behind him at any moment.
Sarada’s hands clenched to the back of his shirt, to keep something tangible in her grasp, preventing her mind from tricking her that this warm, safe feeling was all some sort of dream.
It was real. It was really real. She could feel a fistful of his shirt clenched in her hands, the warmth radiating off his face and onto hers, his thumbs caressing her face tenderly.
It was only two minutes, breaking away from each other breathless and amazed. They stared at each other speechless, until Boruto came up with a witty remark.
“Geez, you’re face is red.”
She reconnected her lips to him, catching him by surprise, a muffled gasp that never escaped. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms wrapped around her waist.
Sarada leaned further against the counter, aching her lower back, but the kiss on her lips distracted her from the pain. The fast beating of his bismerched heart beat only delighted her more.
Suddenly the sound of something crashing onto the floor, startled the two, quickly ripping away from each other at once.
It was Himawari, board pieces rolled all across the floor.
Speechless, all three of them stared at one another. Boruto and Sarada were both u sure how to tackle the situation. Everything happened all so fast, what were they to say?
“U-um…I’m going to go water the cat. Ok bye!” She raced out the room, leaving the teens stranded in the awkward atmosphere.
“Crap.” Boruto and Sarada hissed in unison. Unsaid feelings and questions were still floating all over the place, all yet to be resolved.