Can't Sleep

The Only Chapter

Written at 5:50 AM because I got tired of staring at the wall.

Sarada rolled over onto her side.

She hugged her pillow.

She counted to 500.

She imagined her next mission.

She thought her way out of a crisis.

She sang a lullaby.

She read a book.

She got up and did some silent pushups, then laid back down.

She went to the bathroom.

She looked at the clock. It was 2:30 AM.

Flopping back on her bed, she stared up at the ceiling. How long was it going to take her to fall asleep? Earlier that day, she had taken a nap. Not necessarily her best decision. Now she was regretting it.

Outside her window, there was a strange noise. It sounded like something had fallen from the roof onto her balcony.

It's just a squirrel or a cat, she thought absentmindedly and rolled over, attempting once more to sleep. But as she watched her digital clock flip to 3:00 AM, she knew it was pointless.

Her eyes felt like led, but her body was ready to take out a hoard of ninja. Her stomach felt empty, silently clawing at her intestines in hopes of getting food. But eating would make her feel even more awake, so she avoided it.

Just when she thought she was about to give up and find some food, she rolled over to find a shadow in her window. But it wasn't the shadow of a cat, or a squirrel. It was the shadow of a person.

Papa?! She stared harder at the shadow. Reaching towards her nightstand, she carefully grabbed her glasses. If it was her father... Why was he watching her sleep?

But when she peered closer, she noticed. The intruder, or rather, stalker, had spikey hair.

...No way...

Sarada's heart rate began to rise. Of all people... Why would he be at her window? At this hour? Did he want something? That stupid idiot probably got kicked out of his house... But even if he did, why would he be on her balcony?

She wanted to get up and shannaro the curtain open and tell him to go home. But if she made too much noise, her mom would wake up. And then they would both get in trouble.

Sneaking over to the window with as much care as she would use in a minefield, she slowly moved the curtain.

There, with his hair smushed against the window, was Boruto. Standing up. Dead asleep.

That idiot...

The temptation to bang on the window and scare the living daylights out of him was overwhelming her desire to be nice. But she also knew... Boruto didn't usually show up on her balcony without a reason.

So, with hesitancy, she slowly opened the door. She watched as he blinked his sleepy eyes open, a deadpan look of confusion on his face.

"What are you doing here?"

At the sound of her voice, his eyes drifted over to her. "Sarada?"

"Duh..."

He smiled the most derpy smile she had ever seen on his face. And it was directed at her.

"W-What?"

He leaned his head back up against the window, not quite fully awake. "Momoshiki said I'd hurt people if I got close to them..."