Motivation

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Boruto had never been more motivated in all his life. He was usually lazy about things, taking shortcuts whenever possible, finding easier ways around problems with seemingly impossible solutions. The only thing he took seriously was sword training with Master Sasuke.

He hated soggy boots, the way his clothes clung to his skin when they were wet. He hated the mud and dirt, especially the feeling of it when it got under the little bits of white at the end of his fingernails.

But despite all of that, he found himself knee-deep in water and sinking lower, water seeping right through his pants and into his underwear, running his hand along the edge of the cave to search for any inkling of suction of the water leaking through another crack and pouring out of the cave instead of filling it.

The water level rose with haste, first above his knees, and then up to his belt. And he still hadn't found a single hole.

Just as the water got to his belly button and he was about to sink down to look near the ground again, he heard a small voice behind him, calling his name.

"Boruto..."

"What's wrong?" He turned, slowly.

"We're... We're not going to make it out of here."

"Why do you think that?" He half walked, half swam over to her until he was standing in front of her. "You don't believe me?"

Her hand gently came up to rest on his chest, but her eyes didn't lift to his. Now that he was used to the dark... He could make out the features of her face. The gentle curve of her nose, the way her lips were parted as she tried to find the words she wanted to say.

"I..." Her voice was shaking. "This will probably be the last thing I ever say to you... But I just wanted to tell you..."

Her hands curled into a fist against his chest as she struggled to continue. He reached up and gently held it there, working his fingers under hers, holding her hand.

Sarada took a small breath in. She tightened her grip on his hand. "Thank you."

The words were so small, so choked, he hardly heard them.

"I... If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have ever left that tower...  And I wouldn't have experienced any of the things... Any of the things you showed me. And now that I've seen them," she said, tilting up her head with her eyes closed, her lips pulled back over her teeth in a wide attempted smile that made his lip quiver, "I'm more than okay with dying."

"Sarada, I--"

"But you have to find a way out," she continued, holding his hand tighter. "You have to go on and continue living life for the people that need you."

Boruto stood firmly. Sarada never ceased to say things that broke his heart with such ease. He almost leaned forward and kissed her. Almost. But just before he could act on his impulsive desire, he squeezed her hand back. That wasn't what she needed, or what she wanted. Right now, what he could do for her as the water crept up to his ribs was...

"You're right," he said, swallowing down the tightness in his throat to speak as clearly as he could. "There are millions of people that think they need me. Whether it's for my eyes or my smiles or my stupid bloodline, there are so many people that rely on me to the point that I got sick of it and ran away before they could shove their responsibility onto me and force me to become the most needed person in the entire kingdom. But if all I had to go back to was them, I would sit in this cave and let myself drown."

Her face crumbled, head lowering as she quivered. She was cold. He brushed a tear away from her cheek, struggling to hold back from pulling her into another hug as he spoke.

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