BORUSARA - Oneshots xx

Echoes of The Past

Hands in pockets, Boruto walked slowly, almost reluctantly. The heaviness he had been feeling for days had taken a sharper form and was now more painful than he could possibly describe.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked a dangerously steady voice from behind him. Boruto froze, too stunned to respond.

"You're going after Kawaki, aren't you?"

He couldn't face her.

He couldn't beat her in close combat either, at least not without attracting too much attention.

"Look me in the eye when I'm speaking to you."

He didn't want to. He felt like his heart would turn into stone if he did, for she would take him in her arms and hold him from falling into the abyss. He didn't want to fall. But he had to find his brother. He needed to know.

They stood by the last bench on the way out of the village, shielded from curious eyes by the heavy veil of midnight. It was quiet and peaceful as warm wind rustled through the leaves.

Boruto clenched his fists and turned to look at her. He thought her eyes would be glowing Sharingan crimson, but they were as black as the night around them.

"So? What is this?" she stepped toward him, now close enough to touch him if she reached with her arm.

"You saving us from Kawaki or saving Kawaki from us? From me?"

"Sarada -"

"Do you really think that Kawaki will sit down and talk to you reasonably? That he will give you a sensible explanation for why he killed Lord Seventh?"

Boruto said nothing.

Sarada took another step toward him. "Do you think he even has a sensible explanation?"

"He'd better."

"And what if he doesn't? Are you going to kill him?"

Boruto looked away. "I don't know."

"He's your brother," she said, her voice softer than it was a moment ago. "You know better than me how much he loved your dad. I am certain he still loves both you and Himawari, and your mother. And I know you love him, regardless of how you may feel now."

"What are you trying to say?" he asked quietly. "That I should forgive him just like that?"

Sarada gazed at him for a moment, choosing her words.

"I'm saying that despite everything, Kawaki is still family, both yours and mine. I will not let him go, nor will I forgive him just like that. But I do think he ought to have a chance to say something."

"That's why I'm going," Boruto said, lifting his head to look at her. "I want him to tell me exactly why -"

"He will not tell you anything," Sarada said sharply. "Don't you understand? Say Kawaki does have a sensible reason. Don't you think he would have told us about it by now if he could? Maybe he's protecting us from something. Maybe he's taking the role of a villain on purpose. There could be a thousand explanations -"

"You're clutching at straws, Sarada."

"Perhaps," she whispered. "Either way, when you find him, he'll be cruel and cold and arrogant. He will brush you off and mock you. It will break your heart."

"I'll survive."

"Give him time," she said, almost desperately. "That's all I'm asking. Give him time."

"Time? For what? For his heart to harden and lose every chance to ever feel anything again?"

"Give us time then. To work out a strategy. You know Kawaki. If he set his mind on something, then it won't be easy to persuade him otherwise. We can't just go after him with no idea of what we'll do when we find him!"

"I."

"What?"

"When I find him, not we. You're not going."

"Boruto!"

"The village needs you, and I know you will protect it with everything you have," he said and turned to go, but her iron grip on his shoulder stopped him.

"Look at me," she whispered. "Look at me."

He did. Her eyes were tearful, the expression on her face vulnerable as he had never seen it before. She has put her hands around his neck, brushing his jawline with her thumbs.

"Have I ever failed you?" she asked in a grave voice. Boruto felt like she hit him in the gut.

"Have I ever lied to you?"

They stood wordlessly for a long while, feeling each other's warmth, breathing in each other's scents.

"Have I?" she whispered.

Boruto only shook his head.

"Then why don't you trust me when I say we will find Kawaki and bring him home?"

"I trust you more than anyone in this world," he said softly, his hands automatically going to her waist and drawing her closer. He felt her heartbeat, strong and quick against his chest.

"But this is something I have to do on my own. I don't know. Maybe I'm just scared we'll lose him if we wait for too long."

"I understand that. I'm scared too. But we're still shinobi, and we must put the village first. Give me a week to think about this."

"Till morning."

"Five days," she said, pulling away slightly.

"Three days, Sarada."

She opened her mouth to respond, but merely nodded. There was a finality in his tone that she didn't want to confront.

"Three days, then. That also means you have three days to pull yourself together and prepare for anything he might say or do. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "I get it."

The heaviness he felt resolved and tension slowly left his body as Sarada held him. He leaned his forehead against hers, strangely relieved.

"Stay with me tonight," he whispered.

________________________

(@ladyuchiha96 on tumblr )

Disclaimer : Naruto and Boruto : Naruto Next Generations belong to Masashi Kishimoto, Ukyo Kodachi and Mikio Ikemoto.