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It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.
This hadn’t been the plan. They messed up, and now things were a huge mess. None of this was supposed to happen – no matter how badly the both of them had secretly wanted it. Not here, not in this lifetime, not while the world was on the verge of falling into shambles. Not while the entire world had turned against Boruto. Not while Sasuke was encapsulated in a tree and reduced to a claw grime. And certainly, not with them in the mental state that they were currently in.
It was a mistake.
They both knew better than anyone that this was wrong. That this was selfish and never going to end in a desirable manner. As far as the world was concerned, the two of them were cut from completely separate cloths. Strangers that were once cordial to one another but were now enemies. Omnipotence had induced the entire world – everyone that they loved – to deem Boruto as nothing but Konoha’s traitor. The boy who took advantage of Lord Seventh’s warmth and kindness, and killed him.
That’s right. He was the outsider. He was the interloper of the tight-knit village they called Konoha, only it wasn’t nearly as tight-knit in Lord Seventh’s absence. He had not a single friend left in the world that didn’t reek of distrust in his presence. Not a single familiar face to fall back on that knew him for him. He had been ostracized, discarded, before he could even be given the chance of explaining himself. Explaining his true position in the world which was now hidden – which he shouldn’t have to explain.
He had quickly realized that not a single soul would dare hear him out as long as Eida’s omnipotence had lingered into their innermost memories. It wouldn’t matter what he said, or what proof he could offer of his identity. It didn’t matter that he was Naruto Uzumaki’s son, because he had been stripped of that identity before he could even process what happened.
Uzumaki Boruto. What a distant memory.
Yet while the rest of the world had deemed him a treacherous monster, while his existence had been promptly given to Kawaki on a silver platter – unwavering, unrelenting, a hidden variable emerged from the irrefutable darkness that was meant to sink her down with everyone else. That variable came in the form of raven hair and dark, onyx eyes that coated themselves with the powerful crimson resolve that would bring Boruto back someday.
With eyes that shined a deep scarlet red, with the fiery sun-shape that resided in her pupils, Boruto miraculously gained an eternal ally that would defy fate, just for him.
It brought him more comfort than she would ever know, knowing that she was still out there somewhere no matter how far he traveled. There was really someone that still knew him. Someone who could look him in the eye and see him as the boy he really was.
He had been tough about it. Hell, he just kept pushing and pushing and refused to stop until he got his way. Until he could bring Kawaki back to his senses and bring his family back together once again. Until he could finally ensure the world’s safety. And in some capacity, somewhere along the way in all his endeavors, his goal of proving his innocence had lost its flame. He had extinguished it, agreeing to dispose of the Uzumaki Boruto concoction he had in his head. It served no purpose in this world anyway.
He had to be strong in keeping up his new face, he knew that. Because now he was Otsutsuki Boruto. And if he wasn’t careful, he’d really turn into the monster that everyone saw him as.
He’d be lying if he said that he hadn’t thought about her often during his travels. Of course, the fact that her father was his traveling companion for a while played a part in that, but even despite that, she had carved a spot rent-free in his head. And he saw her everywhere.
It hurt how much he enjoyed her imaginary company. When her father had sacrificed himself to let him run, he entrusted her to him, and Boruto’s heart grew heavy.
He knew he had to stay strong. He knew he had to stick to the convictions he had settled on previously. After all, he could never forget what Kashin Koji had told him. He knew it so well.
But god, the privilege of laying his eyes on her for the first time in years – broke something in him. A part of him wanted to cling onto her and never let go. Bury his head into her warmth to remedy the icy darkness he had been living in. She was the only home he had left. He could tell instantly, easily by the gaze that they shared with each other. Even as he felt her gaze on his back as he stood in front of her, Even as he heard her utter his name for the first time in years, her voice slightly matured. He could still tell…
Uchiha Sarada would never abandon Uzumaki Boruto, and it would be her downfall.
But Uzumaki Boruto refused to be the death of her.
This hadn’t been his plan, as much as it certainly hadn’t been hers.
After his departure, a day hadn’t gone by that her heart didn’t longingly ache for a warmth that had been taken from her. A day where she didn’t secretly cry to herself in frustration and sadness of the fact that her friend – her Boruto – was now gone. Apart from Sumire, no one would ever understand what she was going through. The emptiness he had left behind in the village left a huge dent in her heart, a dent that only he could reverse.
It was foolish, really. How she would never understand just how much she needed him until he was gone. He had always been there for every stage of her life, so even just the notion of living felt wrong without him.
Those who are immune to the technique are the ones that suffer the most.
Sarada repented at the fact that Boruto would probably never know just how much he meant to her. Enough to unlock her Mangekyo Sharingan, for god’s sake. In a desperate attempt to save him, a selfish, wretched plea at changing his fate, she somehow managed to convince her father enough to save him. Somehow manage to tip the scales even slightly in his favor.
And now the two of them were out somewhere, and in a village of people that remembered her, she felt lonelier than ever. She hated it. She didn’t get it, why it was always Boruto. It wasn’t fair. Why was it always the kind people that had to suffer? He was always the one having to save everyone, but there was no one left to save him.
You save everyone, but who saves you?
Sarada knew that Boruto was too good of a person to forcefully carve his existence back into the world, but to hell with that. He may not have had a problem with sacrificing himself, but she sure as hell had a problem with him doing it. She didn’t care what it took. She didn’t care how many people she’d turn against her. She didn’t even care how much she’d tarnish the Uchiha name and any integrity it may have had left. Because she’d be damned if everyone thought she’d stay silent and let the world take Boruto away from her.
If Kawaki had his own agenda in taking Boruto’s place, fine. But she sure as hell wasn’t about to let anyone take Uzumaki Boruto away from her without putting up a fight. Because she’d rather die than abandon him.
She’d change his fate no matter what, even if it meant ruining herself in the process. Because if she didn’t, then who would?
And so she had resolved to convey all of this to him the next time they met, because they would meet again. That is not what happened.
When she laid her eyes upon him for the first time in years, all the plans she had conjured up about approaching Boruto went out the window. Her heart stopped for a moment to take in the sight that was in front of her. Boruto came to save her, but he always did, didn’t he? He had sworn to her that he’d protect her, and he was doing just that.
It took a while for her brain to process that Boruto, the boy that had been occupying her thoughts for years, was in front of her. He was within reach. He was. Right. There. And she couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. She wanted to hug him right then and there just to truly confirm his presence and his return, but she knew that this wasn’t the time.
When she saw him again, standing behind her wearing a face that resembled the Boruto she remembered, she couldn’t stop herself from abandoning all rationale as she ran into his arms. She hugged him, almost wishing that she could stay like this forever. Slowly, his hands wrapped around her as he hugged her back.
“You’re late, stupid Boruto,” she uttered, almost in a whisper.
“Sorry,” his voice was gentle, “I’m home now.”
Boruto had a promise to keep.
Watch over Sarada for me, Boruto.
Those had been his Master’s last words before his fate being turned into that of a tree. So Boruto, heeding these words, had a plan.
He’d maintain contact with Sarada, reconnect with her from time to time in secret, and ultimately, protect her from the shadows. He knew that her being seen with him would be detrimental to her reputation, and the last thing he wanted to do was drag her down with him. Yes, he would only hurt her, no matter how much she protested otherwise. So Otsutsuki Boruto had a plan.
That plan, however, went up in flames the moment she jumped into his arms. Something ignited within him, a spark that he thought was long gone. A spark that only she could start. In all honesty, he probably wouldn’t have even let go if not for the fact that Sumire was watching.
He knew he had to stop the gears that were turning in his head before things turned serious. He had been reminded that he had a home, and that would only end in disaster.
He desperately tried to remember the plan. Tried his hardest to convince his brain that the rush of jubilation that had promptly entered his body meant nothing. It meant nothing at all. But as his body ached for her touch once more the moment she pulled away, it hit him.
Uzumaki Boruto would always resurface as long as it was Sarada that said his name, and now, he was afraid. Afraid of what he’d do if they made eye contact again.
No. He refused to think about that now. They both had their own plans, and they could handle it, right?
Wrong. God, they were both so, so wrong.
This had not been the plan. No, this was absolutely not the solution right now. This was the last thing they should be doing, they knew that very well. This was a mistake, a blunder that would not end well. They had both messed up phenomenally.
So why did it feel so good?
The fact of who initiated it first was a mystery to the both of them, not that it mattered. And when they started, they couldn’t bring themselves to care about ending it
Maybe it had to do with the fact that after a lifetime of growing up together, they hadn’t seen each other in three whole years. Maybe it was because their feelings for each other transcended friendship, even though they hadn’t realized. Maybe it was because in the cold, icy blizzard that was consuming them, they couldn’t help but cling onto the only warmth they could find.
Or maybe it was simply because they couldn’t take it anymore.
Whatever the case, one look was all it took for them to finally give in. Their lips collided in a daze, and there was no turning back. It didn’t even matter that three years had passed, they could still read each other like a book. They still worked so well together, and apparently, that logic applied to their tongues as well.
He held her tightly, as if he feared that someone would snatch her away from him. He couldn’t keep distance from her after… this. He knew it was wrong. He knew that he was taking out his pent up feelings of longing and his severely touch-deprived self on her, but now that he had started, how could he stop? He wanted her. He needed her. And she wanted him too, so who was he to refuse?
Sarada had never anticipated that this would be the outcome of their meeting, but honestly, she didn’t care anymore. Would it really kill her to enjoy herself for once? Sure, this was not what she meant by conveying her feelings to him, but so what? If this was what it took to bring back her Boruto, she’d gladly do it. To hell with the consequences.
And so, when he wrapped his hand around her waist to bring her closer, she gladly obliged, running her fingers through his blond hair. This felt good. This felt right. She had never understood why kissing seemed to hypnotize the people in the movies she’d watched, but now she got it. He was her drug, and god, she had been sober for far too long.
“Boruto…” she huffed when their lips finally separated, and the magnitude of what they’d just done finally dawned on them. There was no way out anymore.
“Sarada….I- I’m sorry….” He muttered, his eyebrows creasing as a worried look took over his face. The slightest bit of red cascaded off his cheeks.
“Do you…regret it?” Sarada murmured, scared to hear his response. The last thing she wanted was for something like this to ruin her friendship. If he regretted it, it would be okay. She’d get over it. For sure. He’d tell her that right now and put an end to all this before it spirals into something untamable.
“No,” he breathed, looking back at Sarada once more “No, I don't.” He broke eye contact again. “But we can’t—”
“Can’t what?” Sarada interrupted, her lips turning into a frown.
“...Y’know, the whole kissing thing.” His ears reddened at how bluntly he put it. Was this the universe’s way of punishing him for something?
“Oh.” He had done it. He did the responsible thing and stopped it before it could start. “Right. Yeah. Of course,” she cringed at how stupid she sounded, “we can’t.”
“Yeah.”
“Yeah!” Sarada repeated. “We can’t, so I should just go now,” she barely managed to utter as she turned away. She only managed to take a step before Boruto suddenly stopped her by grabbing her wrist.
Consequently, the two of them made a silent agreement to stick with each other for the time being, because now, neither of them could fathom existing without the other.
In the back of his head, Boruto knew that this wouldn’t work out in the long run. Maybe if they had never kissed, he could’ve somehow managed to keep his distance from her. But now? He was addicted.
In a world of people that didn’t know him, he had Sarada. A girl that probably knew him better than most people did even before the omnipotence. All it took was a single touch from her to put him at ease, just how did the universe expect him to reject that?
Sarada was now certain that she loved him, and a part of her hoped that Boruto felt the same way towards her. She knew that her priorities were majorly skewed right now, but maybe — this could be the key to something? Maybe, just maybe, this would be the action that makes them all the more powerful?
The idea of that stirred something within her.
She had been waiting by the tree for his arrival, and he did not disappoint. Blush creeping up her neck, she turned around to face him, looking into his blue, magnetizing eyes. Furrowing his eyebrows together, he inched closer, and closer, making her step backward until there was nowhere left to step. He had her pinned to the tree, one hand balancing himself using the tree while the other lifted her chin up with his index finger. He cocked his head down, reveling in the sight before him. Reveling in his Sarada.
The girl in question couldn’t help but gasp at the noticeable height difference they had now. To think that there was once a time where they were the same height sounded unfathomable now. She didn’t hate it though. Not one bit.
Without a single verbal exchange, their mouths quickly latched onto each other. They never spoke about the moments they shared, almost in fear that it would make it even more real. That it would mean that they really did love each other. They didn’t want to think about real, or fake, or anything that was irrelevant to their limited time together.
Leaning into his urges, Boruto promptly deepened the kiss, Sarada reciprocating without missing a beat. She clung onto his chest, and he longingly ran his hands down her back pulling her even closer. She slammed into the tree in all their clouded desire, and all it did was tempt her to cling onto him deeper.
Hastily, Boruto broke out of their little tongue war, but before the Uchiha could protest, she found her head angled up on the tree trunk as his lips softly grazed her chin. She hummed as his mouth slowly migrated down to her neck, kissing her lustfully as the arm on her waist brought her closer, their chests now touching. She felt herself brim with more excitement as his tongue swiveled down to her collarbone, and she simply let her head drape backward in all the satisfaction she felt.
Gradually, he made his way back up and back to her lips, encapsulating them with his as her finger slowly rubbed circles on his chest. Still in a daze, he kissed her harder, slamming her head onto the bark as it made a sharp noise.
This seemed to break him out of his daze, as he quickly jerked back. He gaped at her, then at the tree behind them, which sent a wave of panic down his spine. He let go, shuddering.
Sarada, caught off guard, came to the only conclusion she could think of. And so, she broke the silence. “You regret it.”
Her voice spiked him back to Earth.
“You know that’s not it, Sarada,” he whispered, huskily. And while his brain told him that this was the part where he returns back to reality and stops this display, every fiber in his being told him otherwise. And so, to prove her wrong, Uzumaki Boruto went right back to kissing Uchiha Sarada.
Of course, when they weren’t busy making out and doing god knows what, they were fighting for their lives and for the future of the world. They were a team. It was Boruto and Sarada again, and it felt good . It felt right. It felt magnetizing.
This worked, until of course, it didn’t.
Soon enough, rumors started to spread about them, and to Boruto’s fear, Sarada’s name soon dragged in the mud. Not just her name, the Uchiha name. The daughter of a traitor siding with another traitor.
“Of course the daughter of that Uchiha traitor is mingling with the monster that killed Lord Seventh!”
“She should’ve been grateful that the village still accepted her after having that traitorous terrorist for a father! I bet she’s just like him.”
Reality had come crashing to the two of them like a truck, and to no avail, their time had finally run out. But what had they expected? This is what happens when you stray from the plan. And this had never been the plan. Not that it made things any easier.
Boruto knew well how Sarada dreamed of becoming Hokage someday. He knew that her place was in the village, not sneaking around with him. She was his place, but he wasn’t hers, which was exactly why he had to do this.
It was pouring rain and thunder when Uzumaki Boruto put an end to it.
“Boruto! Please just listen for a minute!” Sarada pleaded, tears threatening to form.
“I’m not changing my mind, Sarada.” Boruto huffed, not daring to face her.
“It doesn’t have to be like this!” She shrieked. “You don’t have to do this…..” Her eyes brimmed wet as water droplets fell from her hair.
“I do, and therefore, I will,” he retorted, his hair also completely drenched from the rain. His voice was hoarse, a false sense of boldness trying to combat the weakness that penetrated. This was the voice of someone who had exhausted every option, pleaded with himself many times, but ultimately, could only come up with one solution.
“Can’t you see that you don’t !?” Sarada implored. “You don’t have to do this by yourself, Boruto! Please, just let me–”
“We can’t do this, Sarada.” He grimaced, a gust of wind ruffling his hair.
“We don’t have to do….that! But I’m not going to let you just–”
“Just leave!” He interrupted, his voice quivering as his desperateness revealed itself.
“I don’t care what others have to say about us. About me. Don’t you understand!?” Sarada begged.
“I’m not letting you throw away your life in Konoha for me, don’t you understand!?”
“I–”
“Enough! We’re a losing game, Sarada. Just go back home.” Boruto scowled, his voice lowering. It sounded as if he hated her, but Sarada knew better.
“You’re allowed to be selfish sometimes, Boruto! Do you hear me!? You don’t always have to sacrifice yourself!”
“And what?” He snarked, laughing bitterly. “Just sacrifice the whole world in the process? I don’t think so.”
“Boruto please just— stop this so we can talk! We can figure something out! Together! ” Tears streamed down her face like an open faucet. She needed to do something, anything to stop him from leaving!
“Don’t you want to become Hokage? Stop distracting yourself with me and focus on your goal!”
“I can’t…” Her voice softened. “Because how could I ever become Hokage if I can’t even save one friend?”
A silence took over for a few seconds as the rain continued to drench them.
He let out a hardly delighted chuckle again. “You don’t get it. You need to stay out of… this!” He thought back to when Kashin Koji told him of how in an alternate timeline, Sarada had died trying to save him. The thought of Sarada dying because of him sent shocks of torment throughout his entire body. “Don’t come near me!”
“I– I’m sorry but I just can’t do that! You spend all this time trying to protect everybody, but in the end, there’ll be no one left to protect you !” She choked, holding back a sob as a clap of thunder emerged from the background.
“And I’ve made peace with that. Maybe you should too, Sarada ,” he finally looked back at her, his once warm eyes now icy, and cold, and filled with a storm. The way that his hair blew with the wind and he stood with that resolved look on his face made him look like the loneliest man in the world, and Sarada couldn’t stand watching him do this to himself.
Unable to stop herself, the Uchiha grabbed the blond by the collar as she brought out her hand to slap him at such a preposterous suggestion. “You idiot! I refuse to do something like that! I don’t care how much you push me away, I’m never going to abandon you.” She let go of his collar, panting before taking a deep breath as she tried to recollect her thoughts. “You really don’t get it, do you?” She looked him dead in the eye, daring him to look away. “To me, a village without you in it is the loneliest thing I could ever go through!”
She recognized the absurdity of her statement considering Boruto’s position, but she was at the end of her rope. “ Boruto, it’s clear, right!? How much I lo—”
He quickly slapped his hand onto her mouth, not allowing her to finish that sentence. Instead, he pulled her into his arms, not allowing her to see the tears that spilled down his cheeks. “Don’t.”
“Boruto….” She trembled, afraid to give into the hug in fear of making him retreat. He held her so tightly, as if she was the last thing he had on Earth.
He had to let her go.
“ Sarada,” he growled, firming his grip on her. “ I regret making you love me. ” What better than another clap of thunder to supplement his declaration? She tensed as her breath stopped.
I’m sorry for making you love me, Sarada. I’m sorry for ruining you.
And before giving Sarada the chance to protest, he swiftly knocked her out, her unconscious body now laying in his arms. “Thank you for everything,” he barely whispered, unsure if she had completely passed out by the time he said it.
The rain had stopped just barely, and he looked at her face once more. Her frames that delicately added a layer of sophistication to her face, her eyebrows that slowly eased into their spot, her soft lips that parted just barely.
Gently, he placed her onto the nearest bench. Before his brain could object, he carefully knelt down to her side, gazing into her alluring face. Oh so delicately, he brought his face to hers. Pressed his lips to hers one last time, kissing her goodbye as his tears fell onto her face.
He eventually stood back up, his cape blowing with the wind as he watched her lay there. He hoped that the last sentence she heard from him would be enough to make her give up on him, but a part of him knew that wouldn’t be the case. It hurt him to leave, more than she’d ever know. But he wouldn’t let her keep hurting herself just for his sake.
No, he’d take all the pain and bear with it. Somehow.
“I hope that in at least one other universe, it’s us two that end up together.” He said to no one at all. “Us against the world. You as Hokage, and me right behind you, protecting you.”
And so Uzumaki Boruto walked away, leaving Otsutsuki Boruto to protect Uchiha Sarada along with a trail of melancholy.