𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙐𝙕𝙐𝙈𝘼𝙆𝙄 𝙁𝘼𝙈𝙄𝙇𝙔

Part 4

As the night deepened, Naruto and Hinata quietly excused themselves from the room, their worried expressions still lingering as they wished Sarada a good rest. Soon, it was just Boruto, Sarada, and Himawari left in the room. Himawari, still looking a little guilty, hesitated before she stepped forward.

"Sarada-nee," Himawari started, her voice soft and full of remorse. "I’m really sorry again. I didn’t mean for the prank to hurt you like that."

Sarada gave her a tired but gentle smile, shaking her head slightly to show it was okay. She wanted to tell Himawari not to worry, but the doctor’s warning about avoiding speaking echoed in her mind. Instead, she reached out and patted Himawari’s arm, the gesture enough to reassure her.

Himawari smiled back, though her eyes still held a bit of guilt. "Thank you, Sarada-nee," she said, feeling a little lighter after the silent forgiveness. "Rest well, okay?"

With that, Himawari excused herself and went back to her room, leaving Boruto and Sarada alone in the dimly lit space.

As the door clicked shut behind Himawari, the atmosphere between Boruto and Sarada shifted. Sarada leaned back against the pillows, her body still aching from the exhaustion of the day and the strain of the coughing fit earlier. But Boruto, sitting beside her, couldn’t relax. His face was clouded with guilt, the usual playful sparkle in his eyes dimmed as he stared down at his hands.

Sarada noticed his change in mood immediately, and she frowned slightly, wanting to comfort him, but unsure how when her throat felt so raw and painful. She placed a hand on his arm, squeezing gently.

Boruto looked up at her, his eyes filled with regret. "I’m so sorry, love," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I didn’t think... I didn’t know it would go that far. I just wanted to mess around a little, and now…"

He trailed off, his mind replaying the horrifying image of Sarada coughing up blood. The sight of her in pain, struggling to breathe, had shaken him to his core. He couldn’t believe that his silly prank had caused her to suffer like that.

"I can’t get it out of my head," Boruto continued, his voice tight with emotion. "The blood… you were in so much pain, and I… I caused it."

Sarada’s heart ached seeing him like this. She hated that he was blaming himself so harshly, even though she knew it had just been a harmless prank gone wrong. She wanted to tell him that it was okay, that she didn’t blame him, but the pain in her throat made it impossible to speak.

Instead, she tugged at his arm, pulling him closer. Boruto hesitated for a moment before he finally moved, lying down next to her on the bed. Sarada wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. She hoped the gesture would be enough to show him that she didn’t hold anything against him.

Boruto wrapped his arms around her as well, holding her gently, as if afraid she might break. "I promise," he murmured, his voice cracking, "I’ll never let anything like that happen again. I’ll take better care of you. I swear."

Sarada closed her eyes, snuggling closer to him, letting the warmth of his embrace soothe her. She didn’t need to say anything; she knew he understood her silence. The steady beat of his heart against her ear calmed her, and despite the lingering pain in her throat, she felt safe in his arms.

Boruto pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his voice soft and filled with remorse. "You’re my everything, Sara. I hate seeing you hurt like this. I’ll be more careful, I promise."

Sarada’s fingers tightened around his shirt, her way of telling him that she believed him. She knew Boruto never meant to hurt her, and she didn’t want him carrying the weight of that guilt any longer.

They lay there in silence for a while, the comforting quiet of the room easing the tension. Boruto’s guilt slowly began to fade as he felt Sarada’s steady breathing against him, her presence calming the storm of emotions inside him.

"Get some sleep, love," Boruto whispered after a while, his voice soft. "I’ll stay with you. I’m not going anywhere."

Sarada nodded slightly, her body relaxing in his arms. She knew that with Boruto by her side, she could rest peacefully, even if her body was still recovering.

As exhaustion finally overtook her, Sarada drifted off to sleep, her head resting against Boruto’s chest. Boruto stayed awake a little longer, watching over her, making sure she was comfortable. His earlier guilt was replaced by a sense of deep responsibility. He would do whatever it took to make sure Sarada didn’t push herself too far again, even if it meant reminding her to take breaks from her Hokage duties.

"I love you, princess," Boruto whispered softly into the quiet night, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she slept. "And I’ll protect you, even from yourself."

With that, Boruto finally let his eyes close, holding Sarada close as they both rested, the night peaceful around them.