Chapter Text
Free day | Hug | Stupid Boruto
It was supposed to be nothing more than a normal Saturday. Sarada slipped on her usual clothes, spun a shuriken towards her target board (without her glasses for extra practice), brushed her teeth and hair in the mirror, and set to work on breakfast. She had a team 7 meeting with Boruto and Mitsuki in Kaminari Burger in 33 minutes to discuss strategies for the chunin exams. If they had to work together to pass, they needed better coordination as a team.
Just as the water in the electric kettle reached a boil, a strange flash bathed the entire room in light and demanded her full attention. No one was behind her. There wasn't anyone behind the couch, outside her windows, in her yard... Not even on her roof.
Sarada's furrowed brows remained knitted as she returned inside. Five minutes of searching with her Sharingan yielded no results. Did Boruto seriously think that now was a good time to play a prank on her? Or did a bird drop a flashbang and pick it back up before she could find it?
Just as she picked up her kettle back up, a warm hand slid onto her shoulder and made her flinch so badly that the stream of scalding water splashed onto the counter. "Excuse me?!"
"Sorry..." The voice was so strikingly similar to hers... And only one person could manage to imitate her this well in a henge... But Boruto would never apologize for a prank.
When her eyes met the hand's owner, she nearly dropped the kettle altogether.
The girl looked strikingly similar to herself. Short raven hair stuck up in places like tamed cowlicks, metal-framed glasses sat on the bridge of her short nose, heart-shaped lips against the backdrop of pale skin. Her jacket resembled Boruto's, but it was much too large and red and hung off one bare shoulder to reveal a sleeveless one-piece with a belt around her waist. Uchiha earrings dangled from her ears, a black choker with a metal ring wrapped around her neck, and flared socks halfway covered her tall platform heels. Rather than wearing a Konoha headband, her ninja insignia was pinned to the front of her jacket.
Did her parents have a second child and never tell her about it? Were there other remaining Uchiha that not even her father knew about?
Sarada's back pressed into the counter, her tense fingers lightly gripping the edge. "W-Who are you?"
"I was trying not to scare you... Well... Me... I... Just..." The girl looked toward the ceiling to prevent fresh tears from leaking from her dark eyes. "I'm sorry... Talking to you like this seems to be the only way..."
The only way? Going back? Sarada found it within herself to set down the kettle and put a pause on breakfast. She eased away from the counter and gave the girl one more once over. "You're... me?"
A small nod was all she offered.
So this was what she looked like... several years in the future. The way she stared at Sarada's rice bowl as if it was painfully familiar said it all. "I'm not sure what happened, but you should sit down... Assuming you have the time. Would you like breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry." Her tone was dreary, footsteps slow as she padded into the living room.
Sarada glanced over her shoulder, pouring hot water over what was now two cups of jasmine tea. Her future self ran her fingers along the edge of her family photo. Something must've happened to them.
Her father didn't come home very often... Was it something to do with why he was always out on secret missions?
She spooned some rice out of the rice cooker, got a packet of furikake out of the pantry, loaded everything onto a tray, and turned around.
Then she froze.
Her future self held a different photograph this time: her class picture. A tear leaked from her right eye, then the left. Her future self was staring at... Boruto.
Queasiness worked its way up into her tightened throat as she set the trays down gently on the coffee table. "Are you alright?"
She quickly put down the metal frame and wiped her wet face with the heel of her palms. "I'm sorry... You must be wondering why I'm here...." Her glassy eyes remained distant, not quite looking at the floorboards as she sat beside Sarada on the couch. "Four and a half years from now... Your entire world turns upside-down."
"Four and half years..."
So she was sixteen. And a half. Maybe going on seventeen... And something terrible would happen in just four and a half short years. "Did I... Did I ever become Hokage?"
Future Sarada's eyes went distant, staring into her lap before responding. "I'd say you just about ruined any chance you had."
"What?!" She nearly fumbled her chopsticks to the ground, especially after Sarada's eyes shifted to gaze longingly at the same picture of Boruto. "What happened? Don't tell me... It was because of that idiot?!"
"Mm..." Her hands toyed with the end of her jacket sleeves. "But none of it was never his fault..."
"You're not... You don't like him like that or anything, do you?" Despite saying it, she knew it was a possibility. At times, she felt specks of heat creep into her face, admiring him for being just a little bit cool. And then he would do something stupid, and those specks of heat would be replaced by shards of ice that she put there to remind herself that she should never fall for anyone as childish as him.
Future Sarada's cheeks glowed red, confirming her assumption. "T-That's not important right now," she stuttered. "You haven't taken the Chunin exams yet, have you?"
Sarada sighed. "...No." Whatever happened to Boruto, it must've been something terrible for... herself, to act like this. Especially towards someone as stupid as that childish idiot... Who admittedly had some personality traits that she related to and understood. Like the longing for his dad's attention. But the ways he went about it were completely wrong. She shook her head. Analyzing this could come later. Right now, it was important to figure out what the problem was and why her future self was here. "What happened?"
"Everything starts during the chunin exams." She picked up her tea and wrapped her fingers around the warmth, likely to try and calm her emotions. "Boruto is planning to cheat by using a scientific ninja tool. I want you to convince him not to."
"Huh?! Why would he cheat? He's been training with Papa almost every day."
"He doesn't feel like that's enough," said future Sarada, her voice soft and gentle. "It's not possible to convince the seventh not to hold them... There's already been so much preparation. But there's something I need you to do..."
Sarada couldn't help but see this version of her as someone completely different... But she'd still do anything to protect the future. "What do you need?"
A sudden knock at the door prevented her from getting an answer. "Sa-ra-da. You coming? Me and Mitsuki have been sitting in Kaminari Burger for the past ten minutes waiting for you."
Sarada's dark eyes flickered to the clock on the wall. It was a mere five minutes past their meeting time, but she was always at least five minutes early. "Something... Something came up! Can we meet in an hour?"
"Hm?" The door handle twisted. "It's hard to hear you through the door, ya know."
Sarada cursed under her breath. "That idiot."
"It's alright," said her future self, putting her hand on Sarada's arm. "I should... I should probably talk to him too... I just... I just don't know if I can..."
Boruto slipped off his shoes and wandered inside. "Jeez, what's so important that you can't... come... to..."
He froze mid-step, his wide blue eyes on Sarada's future form as she stood up from the couch, lips still parted as though someone had stopped his time. At first, Sarada thought maybe it was a ninjutsu or genjutsu cast by her future self. But when she walked over to inspect his state, he came unfrozen and moved so quickly it made her flinch.
"N-N-Nice to meet you!" Boruto snapped his ankles together and bowed waist level. "I'm Boruzaki Umato. I mean, Uzumaki Boruto!"
"...Huh?!"
"Sarada," he hissed, grabbing Sarada's wrist and lowering his face to her level as he hid his mouth with his hand. "Why didn't you tell me you had a hot older sister? So not fair! I thought you were an only child?"
Sarada's face went bright red. Both of them.
"H-Hot?"
"Are you kidding? She looks like an idol! An idol that could kick butt!"
"Um. Boruto, that's--"
Future Sarada's sadness melted into subtle laughter. "Ah... I forgot how much of an idiot you used to be."
"Wha--?! I can see the family resemblance now, ya know," he pouted. "And wait, what do you mean, used to be?! I've never met any of Sarada's siblings."
"We're not siblings." Future Sarada smiled, while present Sarada put a hand on her hip. Simultaneously, they both pointed a finger at each other and said, "'I'm her.'"
Boruto backed up, his eyes widening, a slight hint of blush dusting his cheeks. Then he ducked his head. "Yeah yeah. Likely story. There's no way you turn into that."
"'What's that supposed to mean?!'"
"It means what it does, ya know?! Besides, that jacket is from the same clothes brand I wear! You wouldn't be caught dead wearing something from there, and you said so yourself!"
"Well--!" Sarada didn't have a good retort. She shut her mouth, her cheeks slightly red, and then continued to change the subject by lecturing him. "The other me actually came back here to save your butt from cheating. Apparently, you felt the need to use some sort of ninja tool in the chunin exams? You're top of the class. Papa has been training you. Is that not enough?"
Boruto's tense face slackened, shifting a micro-step back. "Oi... That's not... I'm not..." As he stuttered, one hand grabbed his right arm. His head went straight down. "I... I wasn't really gonna use it, ya know..."
Future Sarada walked forward and placed her hands on Boruto's shoulders. He averted his eyes, his guilty face dusted with with a slight hint of pink. But instead of scolding him, it seemed like she was desperately holding back from pulling him into a hug.
"Listen to me. Boruto..." Her tone was soft and gentle as she spoke. "I know how much you want to be recognized by your dad... But this isn't the way to do it. You'll be disqualified, and the seventh will take your headband."
He lifted his head, hurt, anger, and disbelief swirling in his blue eyes.
"...A monster named Momoshiki will appear shortly after the Chunin exams and try to wreck everything. Papa and the seventh and all the other Kage will handle him. So Boruto... Even if Papa says it's okay, don't go with them."
"But I... What if they need me?"
"It's hard to explain, but..." Her lip quivered. When she looked at him, pleading and begging, Boruto's fear and confusion melted into a pained and softened expression that present Sarada had never seen him wear. "Please... Just don't go."
At that moment, there was another flash in Sarada's living room. She spun around, wondering who decided to visit her this time, but when she saw who it was, even she clammed up.
Her future counterpart's breath caught in her throat so loud it was perfectly audible, and yet her voice contained a certain amount of fear along with the trembling from longing. "...Boruto?"
"No way... Is that... me?!"
Sarada stepped back as Future Boruto neared them, his scarred face stoic and cold, cape trailing behind him. He glowered down at his tiny self from his impressive height with a firm look Sarada didn't think was possible for Boruto to wear. "Hm. Yo, little me."
To put her reaction in simpler terms... Sarada could see now, exactly why this version of Boruto had her future self in a heart-broken stuttering mess of a state. She had to look away to prevent her face from heating, her stomach curling like a coiled stove. But... Whatever changed him to this extent must've been severe. His smile was gone. He had a scar over one eye, a cape on his shoulders, a reflection of her father but without the same kind gentleness he showed around his family. All of the childish idiocy had been completely eradicated from his personality.
Meanwhile, present Boruto was still acting like an idiotic little kid. "I'm so... I'm so... I'M SO COOL!! Is that a sword?! That cape looks exactly like Sasuke-san's! And I have a scar over my eye! How'd I get it?! Hey, tell me!"
Instead of acknowledging him, his gaze drifted to future Sarada.
She was barely holding back her tears, her hands loose at her sides, mouth slightly open. The room fell silent. Sarada could have sworn the look in Future Boruto's cold blue eye filled with heartbreak for just a moment.
But instead of acknowledging her with words, he turned towards his younger self. "You wanna know how you got this scar," he said, eyeing down present Sarada.
"...What... Don't tell me it has to do with..."
"If you don't want me to tell you, I won't. But I'm letting you know now, that future will never come to pass... Now that I'm here."
"...Why not?! What's with you guys, acting all secretive! What was the point of coming back if you're not gonna tell us anything!"
"Heh..." Future Boruto put a hand on his little self's head and turned to present Sarada. "Sorry for making you put up with me for so long. Thanks for always bearing with me even when I was like this."
She went quiet and looked down, one of her feet lifting to tap her toes into the wooden floorboards. "Um... I don't really mind it or anything... But... I'm still not to clear on the reason you came here, if you wouldn't mind explaining in more detail. What exactly is it that we need to do?"
"Oi! Don't get all shy in front of me! Watching it is gross!"
Sarada turned with her hand on her hip. "I don't want to hear it from someone who was struggling to form words in front of me."
"That was before I knew it was you!"
Future Boruto narrowed his remaining eye. "Stop fighting."
They both went silent and ducked their heads. It felt exactly like being scolded by an angry Sasuke.
"I'll at least tell you this. The scar on my eye came from protecting her," he said, gesturing to present Sarada. "And without each other, you'll both die in several futures to come. So stop fighting like idiots and treasure the time you have before it's too late."
"...What?" Sarada couldn't help her reaction. It was too much to process all at once. She wasn't even sure she heard him correctly. As expected, Boruto was conflicted as well. He wanted the cool things, but he didn't want to have to go through what it took to get them. And her mountain of questions only got bigger.
Before Sarada could ask even one of them, Future Sarada turned around and ducked her head, trying to hide her face and the tears spilling over her cheeks. Future Boruto nonchalantly sidestepped in front of her, shielding her from the two of them while drawing more attention to himself. He was seriously... Different. Grown-up. Mature. Nothing like the idiot standing next to her.
Kid Boruto tilted his head. "So... Why are you here?"
"I came here to end the life of a certain monster... As well as an organization that could potentially end the world."
"You're here to stop a monster from ending the world? I guess my useless dad couldn't beat him."
"Your father is far from useless."
Future Sarada turned, a soft rustling of fabric moving Future Boruto's cape. She tucked herself against his giant back, the only hint of her position being the closeness and angle of her shoes. Future Boruto now wore a softer expression than the icy one that reminded her of Sasuke's when he meant business, but Sarada could practically feel the tension in his arms from the look in his eyes that was begging to turn around and hold her.
Why were they so awkward? The moment she thought that, she realized once more this was her and the idiot to her right in the future, her face heated up all over again.
"You," he said, looking at his past self, the glimmer of longing vanished from his face. "Take more time to treasure your family... Goof off with your friends. Use that ninja tool in the exams. Do whatever it takes to win and protect her. But don't try to fight the monster that shows up when they're over... It's not your fault. He would've wrecked the venue regardless."
Wrecked the venue?!
The cape on Boruto's shoulders pulled tighter, more creases showing up in the fabric, the bottom extending an inch downwards. This was something that her future self clearly didn't want. Why? Was the Boruto of her timeline... Trying to end it all so that they could have a better chance at life? Would this result in him dying?
"With your current mindset, you're no match for anyone in the chunin exams, not even Shikadai. But if you don't make it to the finals, someone else will get caught up in that fight. I'd probably charge in like an idiot since..." He looked at Sarada for the second time.
She couldn't help but hold her breath. Being looked down on by him was extremely intimidating. But... His expression was even softer.
"What do you mean... I can't win?"
"Don't be offended," Future Boruto responded to his pouting kid self. "Look at what you grew into. Make me your goal... But never forget about what's truly important. It's not winning or losing or showing anyone up. It's living and protecting the people you care about. Dad cares about the whole village. You'll understand in due time. For now, know that it's okay to use that tool this time and this time only. You really will need it to win. But after that, never rely on it again."
Present Boruto's head hung, one hand squeezing the wrist of the other. "...I understand."
"I was supposed to leave a message for Mas... Uncle Sasuke," he continued. "It's important."
"...Papa is out right now, but he should be back tomorrow--"
"I don't have that much time," he said. "Everything... Everything starts tomorrow. I need Uncle Sasuke to make the space-time portal for me to get to a certain dimension... And then seal it off before anyone else can follow."
"With all due respect," she began, stepping towards them. "Won't us knowing about the future disrupt the events that occur? What if your timeline gets ruined?"
Future Boruto's eyebrows upturned. "That's what I'm betting on... And hopefully, that will save this one."
Her heart broke for them. It seemed like something straight out of a drama... Boruto really was giving his life for the future. Something he would never do now... But if that was the kind of person he grew into, she could understand why her future self seemed so grief-stricken.
"One more thing before you go," said Sarada, putting a hand on her hip. "I don't know what you're planning... But don't try to do it all by yourself like an idiot."
A smile graced future Boruto's stern face. "Hm. Even if I wanted to, you wouldn't let me," he said, turning around to face his era's Sarada. She looked up at him, crocodile tears still leaking out of the corners of her eyes. Boruto's facial expression softened for a moment as he put his hands on her shoulders, and then he tilted his head back. "Little me... Stop arguing with Sarada all the time. She's usually right, ya know. Even if she is a little annoying."
He stared at kid Boruto in a way that made him duck his head, a pout on his lips. "Why should I have to listen to what she says?"
"You already know, don't you?" He grinned a grin that only Boruto could wear, one that finally made Sarada realize they really were still the same person at heart. But what he said next took any of the warm fuzzies out of her system and replaced them with pure shock. "How much you like her."
And with that, they flickered out of existence.
"Did he just..."
"L-Let's not talk about that!" Boruto ushered Sarada out of her house. Perhaps they weren't too stubborn to admit it after all, but more importantly...
"Wait, idiot! What was that supposed to mean?! You don't have a crush on me, do you?"
"Ahhh! This is annoying! We're supposed to be training for the Chunin exams!"
"That's not what I'm talking about!"
"Mitsuki is probably worried about--"
"Worried about what?" The man himself suddenly appeared in between them, making them both jump back.
"'Mitsuki?!'"
"How long have you been standing there??"
"Hmm... Long enough to know that you two make a great couple, even in the future."
"Shut up!" Boruto shoved his hands in his pockets. "Whatever he said has nothing to do with me!"
"Hmm..." Sarada narrowed her eyes. "Big words coming from someone who thought my future self looked like an idol."
"Huh?! Your face turned into a tomato as soon as I walked into the room! Admit it! I am way cooler!"
"You're right, future you is a lot less of an idiot. But didn't he say he was going to make sure you don't turn into him? At the rate you're going, I'll never fall for you."
"Perfect!" He crossed his arms. "I don't want someone as annoying as you clinging all over me." He stuck out his tongue.
Sarada stuck hers out right back.
"Boruto, I'm not sure what's going on. But if you want to become a chunin and protect Sarada, we should get to training for tomorrow's exams."
"Prote-- Who said anything about protecting Sarada?!"
"Apparently, you did."
With that, Mitsuki smiled, and Boruto dragged his hand down his face, and the three all went out the door.
. . .
"...Boruto?"
Boruto had used raijin to escape to the backyard, simply with his hands on Sarada's shoulders. But instead of pushing her away, he pulled her closer, the tiny vibrations of his voice directly against her head. "Hm?"
Any pause she had melted. Her face heated as she tucked against him, her ear pressed against his heart. She didn't want it to stop beating. She didn't want him to do what he was about to do. But it seemed as though no matter what she did, this would always be the outcome.
Just a little longer. This hug needed to last just a little longer... Long enough for him to reconsider his suicide mission.
She'd returned to the past several times, trying to get here before him and destroy Momoshiki herself. But no matter when she returned, he always seemed to follow shortly after. And no matter what she did, Boruto was always the one to put the Otsutsuki to rest... Which resulted in his erasure from existence.
She'd seen this several times, and it broke her even worse than the tragedy that awaited them in the future. Because in that tragedy... They could at least suffer through the pain and hardships together, even if she was the one who would die as a result... At least, according to Koji.
She was rarely honest with her feelings, but she'd been through this so many times... And this was the only version of the past she'd come to where she talked to him for more than thirty seconds.
"I don't want you to disappear."
Boruto leaned back against the siding. The gentle motions of his fingers through her hair made her face flush, but she didn't make any sort of movement to stop him. "I'm doing this so those two can have peace, ya know. It's the best option. I don't deserve to live anyway... Even if I disappear, I'll still be here. In the past. Growing up with you. Without that monster that ends up destroying the planet.
She knew it was selfish of her to say, but she couldn't help it. Especially not when it seemed like he was finally showing affection to her because he didn't have much time left. "That doesn't count."
"Sarada..."
With that, he ended their hug and instead scooped her up, holding her like a princess.
"Wh-What are you doing?"
"Going to find your dad," he said, slowly floating into the sky. "We're going to have to go up pretty high so no one sees us... I don't have the luxury to wait until tomorrow when he's surrounded by people and on his guard."
Sarada leaned her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his neck. He wasn't going to listen to her.
"How did you get here, anyway?" He asked. "I thought there was only one time-traveling turtle."
"...I forced Koji to tell me what happened." Her eyes wandered the village, buildings growing smaller and smaller as they climbed higher. "He talked about the possibility of time slipping. I think it was started by the second. He didn't quite have all of the theories worked out... But... I figured if I just applied a couple more things to the jutsu, I could complete it... After a couple of tries, I made it here. But... How... high up are we... going exactly?"
The height was rather dizzying. She turned to Boruto instead to find a smile on his face. "As expected of an honors student... You figured out how to time travel, but you're scared of heights."
"I-I'm not scared."
"What's wrong? You don't trust me?"
"I--"
Before she could get the words out, he briefly relaxed his arms and nearly dropped her. Or at least, pretended to. She found herself clinging so tightly to his neck that she could see the top of his head. "Stupid! Idiot! Don't do that again!"
"Yeah yeah," he said, finally breaking through clouds. "I won't."
Despite a glimpse of his childish behavior returning, Sarada found herself reminiscing. She didn't particularly hate this side of him. There were several times that she missed it. But thinking that only made the thought of their future heavier.
If they both didn't have much time... She wanted to know. And now, when there was no one else, no danger, just fluffy cotton clouds at his feet... She had to ask.
"Boruto, did... Did you..."
"Hm?"
It took a lot more bravery than she thought to get the actual words out of her mouth. She tried to relax all of her muscle groups one by one. And finally... She let go of some of her tension, resting her head comfortably against his neck, a pained furrow in her eyebrows.
".........Did you mean what you said earlier?"
Boruto shifted his hold on her to support her new position. "What did I say earlier?"
"About..."
"About?"
"...You know what I meant!"
"Why would I say something I didn't mean?" He drifted forward, a gentle breeze buffeting their hair, his cloak billowing behind him.
"I don't know, I just..."
"You just?"
"...Was it alright? To say that in front of them?"
"Sarada," he said, pausing to look over at her. "If there is anything I could've gone back to tell my past self... It would be to treasure everyone around me more. Especially you."
"...Why me?"
"Because you saved me... And I never really said thank you. And I really have liked you since back then. I'm sorry... for keeping quiet about it this whole time. I just thought... It would be easier on you if I died and never said anything and you only saw me as an idiot."
"...Oh." Sarada slowly tucked herself further against him, wrapping herself tighter around him. Since all the way back then? It was hard to believe, but there were tiny signs... Those times she'd wonder why he seemed suddenly mature, the facade of childishness disappearing in the face of a cool ninja that protected her.
"Oh? That's all I get is an oh?" His voice lightened up, clearly teasing her in her embarrassment. "No 'I forgive you?' No 'I love you too?'"
"I... That's all you get," she said, hiding her face.
"Ahh, oh well." He continued forward. "I guess that'll do for now."
"...It's embarrassing," she said, tucking her reddened face into the collar of his cloak.
"Eida and Sumire said it so easily... And I still haven't heard it from you. Even though you're the only person I like. What a cruel, unfair life."
"Boruto!"
He laughed. "Fine, fine. I won't make you say it."
Her face was on fire, but she knew he was right. One of her biggest regrets was never telling him how she felt. She tried to every time she traversed back into the past, but it never worked out. The timing wasn't right. And when it was... She couldn't get over her embarrassment enough to say it.
This time... This time had to be different. If saying the words was too difficult, she just had to do something else. Actions supposedly spoke louder than words anyway.
Pulling herself up... She gently kissed his cheek.
Boruto came to a full stop in mid-air. "...Sarada?"
"Even if I don't say it," she said softly, her lips mistakenly brushing against his cold ear as she whispered. "You know I mean it, don't you?"
The arm that had been supporting her back slowly tightened around her waist. "Mm... I know."
"I'm not letting you disappear this time. Idiot."
Boruto's neck tensed. He slowly turned his head until he could see her embarrassed face, unable to do anything about their close proximity but wanting it all the same. "You... This time? How many times have you gone back?"
"...I'm not sure anymore."
A shiny sheen lined the bottom of his eye. His eyebrows twitched once, twice, and then his gaze wandered down... "Why?"
"Because," she said softly. "I can't let you die..."
His face was so close she couldn't see his scar. She looked down over his nose as their foreheads touched. "Hey... Sarada?"
"Hm?"
"In the pasts you've gone back to... How many times have you..." He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. His heart pounded into her side, bringing hers right along with it.
"I've watched you disappear from a distance too many times to count." Her hand shifted from behind his neck to brush away a tear from his skin. Her wandering eyes closed to prevent a tear from leaking down her own face. "But this is the first time I ever..."
She still couldn't bring herself to say it. Why was it so difficult? Because she knew she was going to lose him?
Truthfully, Sarada didn't know what she was about to say. Whether it was going to be an excuse, an apology, or a confession. His name just left her lips. "Boruto... I--"
And then her lips were occupied with his.
One single, soft, gentle press of his mouth to hers had her mind in a whirlwind, her stomach in a blender, and her brain floating in her head for more reasons than the thinning air.
When he pulled back, his eyebrows furrowed against her forehead. "...I'm sorry... I didn't mean to cut you off, I just... I'm sorry."
There was a hidden understanding in the way they didn't pull any further apart, the way they just sat there, still for a moment, hands perfectly still because a single movement would unleash the floodgates of affection they'd both been holding back.
"I really... Really don't want you to disappear," she breathed, her fingers curling against the collar of his cape. "Idiot."
Boruto's fingers curled behind her back. His stoic face contorted. "Then... I guess no matter how many times I come back, it's useless, huh?"
"Mm."
"You really like me that much?"
She turned her head slightly, shying away but not pulling back. "...Mm."
A half smile tugged at his lips. "Darn it Sarada..."
That short conversation ended with Sarada's glasses broken thousands of feet below. After the sun sunk below the horizon of orange and pink clouds, they finally communicated and shared all the information they knew, working out another plan that they were both satisfied with.
Even if the future they chose wasn't the best possible outcome... She wouldn't have it any other way.
. . .
Extra
(After the chunin exams)
"Boruto," said Mitsuki, staring at the village from atop Hokage Rock, waiting for Konohamaru's signal. "Are you sure you don't want to become the Hokage?"
"I..." He felt Sarada's gaze on the side of his head, which made him increasingly flustered with the knowledge of how they ended up in the future. But at the same time... He understood why his future self cared about Sarada so much. "I won't become Hokage," he said, looking out over the village that his dad and future self fought to protect.
The black diamond mark on his palm didn't make sense to him yet... But his future self told him that as long as he kept the will to live and stayed positive, he would be fine. At that moment, his rather large hand had been connected to Sarada's small one, and Boruto knew through that gesture alone and the pain on his face that Sarada was perhaps the only reason why his future self was still alive.
He clenched his fist. "What I want... Is to become a shinobi like Uncle Sasuke. And then..." His blue eyes shifted to Sarada, seeing a slight reflection of her future self in her dazed eyes. "When you become Hokage, I'll stay by your side and protect you."
"J-Just because our future selves decided that doesn't mean you have to--"
"No," he said, looking back towards Konoha. "This is what I want. Especially if the future is as bad as they said it was... Sarada, you're smart. You'd make a better Hokage than me or my dad. I want to play a support role..." His cheeks warmed as he said the next words. "And make sure you're safe. Cuz if you're busy protecting the village... There'll be no one left to protect you."
When he looked back up, Sarada was significantly closer to him, her wide eyes staring into his.
"W-What?"
"Your eyes... They're much bluer than the seventh's."
His cheeks pinkened. Time seemed to slow down for a moment.
But all of the sudden, Mitsuki spoke up, his face just as close as Sarada's but somehow not entering his line of sight. "Is that so... I never noticed."
Boruto freaked out so bad he stumbled backward.
"Ah... Hahaha," Sarada laughed nervously. "You should ask the seventh to show you sometime... He's very nice, I'm sure he'll let you look."
As Boruto raised his flushed face to sneak a glance at her, the ominous voice of Momoshiki spoke directly into his head.
Beware... Those blue eyes will one day take everything from you.
His eyes drifted to Sarada. From their future selves... It seemed like this prophecy included everything but her. And so, twelve-year-old Boruto decided.
"Come on guys," he said, standing at the edge of one of his dad's carved hair spikes. "Let's go."
When Sarada and Mitsuki walked up to his side, he took both their hands and leaped off the top of the mountain, a giant grin on his face.
"Wai-- Boruto!!"
Future be darned. Momoshiki could do whatever he liked, prophecy whatever he wanted. But Boruto was determined to live the rest of his remaining happy days to their fullest.