Twisted

The Tavern

Sarada found herself more at ease around Boruto than she'd ever felt in her entire life, even when she was blissfully alone. Despite the ache in her feet, feeling the wind at her back and the sunshine on her face alone was enough to make her wonder if she really wanted to return to her tower, curse or no curse.

Once these three days were over, she wondered if she could tell Tsunade the same thing Boruto told her when he pulled her hair out of her face and pinned it with that flower. That it was alright as long as she didn't look directly into Sarada's eyes.

She wondered if she'd be able to leave the tower from time to time with Tsunade. If she'd be able to tell her that she learned what a hug was and that it wouldn't put her at risk for crying because their heads would be over each other's shoulders. If she'd be able to go back to that pond and look at the lotus blossoms, or climb another tree, or go to this tavern.

But as they neared the place and Sarada heard the voices of others, a pit of fear suddenly grew in her stomach. She tried to convince herself that Boruto hadn't turned out to be a terrible person trying to kidnap her, and no matter how small of a meaning it had, he promised to protect her if anything happened. And yet her fingers still tightened around his hand on their way to the door.

"Don't worry," he said, gently letting go of her hand. "If you're scared you can just stay behind me. I'll do all the talking."

"Who said anything about being scared," Sarada quipped. Although she really wished he hadn't let go of her hand.

Boruto stood straight, cleared his throat, and stood in front of the large wooden door, pressing his palm against it. In one smooth and easy motion, he pushed and the door swung open on its creaky hinges. "Long time no see!" Boruto announced, stepping onto the wooden floors with his dark brown boots.

"Hm?" The burly man behind the counter squinted his eye. "Well well well. If it isn't the runaway prince. I have a feeling that the whole--"

"Shojoji," he said before the man could finish his sentence. "What happened to Tento?"

The rest of his tavern buddies all laughed, Boruto suddenly gartering the attention of every inhabitant in the room.

"I kicked your little friend out of here three years ago. It's a shame, you were too busy to even notice what happened to him..."

Sarada froze. This clearly wasn't the situation Boruto was expecting it to be... And now, she was uncertain if they could get out of it. The man behind the counter was about three times Boruto's size, and decidedly, about three times as ugly.

"You..." Boruto seethed.

"I wouldn't try anything if I were you," said Shojoji, putting down the thick glass he was polishing with a clunk. "There's nothing stopping me from sending a hawk to your dear old dad and telling him that you ran away with a girl to avoid--"

"I didn't run away from anything," Boruto interrupted, pulling what Sarada assumed was a golden coin out of his pocket. She'd never really seen one before, but the sun reflected off of it in a way that was blinding, albeit only for a moment. If she was seeing things correctly, the man on the front of it even resembled Boruto in facial features.

Boruto flicked the coin off of his finger and palmed it on the counter. "Food and hush money. And then I'll be gone."

"I could much more than that selling your location. You know they're offering--"

"I don't care how much they're offering," Boruto quipped. "You know who you're talking to, don't you old pal? Remember what happened the last time you refused me food?"

"Tch..." Shojoji eyed one of the other men, and he slipped off of his stool and into what Sarada assumed was the kitchen. "And you should know what happened when you left this place to that little brat. Don't try and threaten me, boy. I'm not giving you anything until you sign a contract that says you'll pay me back tenfold when you become--"