𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙐𝙕𝙐𝙈𝘼𝙆𝙄 𝙁𝘼𝙈𝙄𝙇𝙔

Part 5

The next morning, the warm sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. Sarada slowly stirred, her body still aching but feeling a bit more rested than the previous night. She shifted slightly, only to feel a warm arm draped protectively over her waist. Boruto, still asleep, had kept her close all night.

She carefully tried to slip out of his embrace, mindful not to wake him, but as soon as she moved, Boruto’s grip tightened.

"Where do you think you’re going, princess?" Boruto’s voice was groggy but firm, his blue eyes barely open as he looked at her with a mix of concern and stubbornness.

Sarada gave him a weak smile, mouthing, "Office," but Boruto was having none of it.

"Nope. No way," he said, sitting up now, his messy blonde hair sticking up in all directions. "You’re not going anywhere until you’re fully recovered, and I mean fully. Doctor’s orders."

Sarada sighed, her throat still too raw to argue properly. She pointed at the clock on the wall, indicating that it was getting late, and she needed to be at her Hokage duties. But Boruto just shook his head.

"Forget the clock. You’re not setting foot in that office today," he said, his tone playful but firm. "You’re on mandatory rest, love. No Hokage business, no meetings, no paperwork, nothing. I already told Dad to handle things until you’re better."

Sarada’s eyes widened in disbelief. He’d told Naruto to take over? That wasn’t part of the plan. She tried to protest again, her lips moving to form words, but Boruto quickly placed a gentle finger on her lips.

"Ah-ah, no talking, remember? Doctor said to rest that beautiful voice of yours," Boruto teased, flashing her a grin. "Besides, I already know what you’re going to say. You think you’re fine and can power through it like always, but not this time, Sara. I’m not budging."

Sarada gave him a long look, clearly not happy about this. She gestured toward the door, as if to tell him she had responsibilities.

Boruto chuckled and leaned in, kissing her on the forehead. "I get it, Hokage-sama, but your number one priority right now is resting. I’ll handle everything else. I mean, who’s better at taking care of you than your loving husband, right?" He winked, and despite herself, Sarada felt her face flush a little at his teasing.

Boruto noticed, of course, and couldn’t resist adding, "Aww, you’re blushing again. You really can’t resist my charm, can you, my lady?"

Sarada, still unable to speak, just rolled her eyes and lightly smacked his arm, though her lips curled into a small smile.

At that moment, the door creaked open, and Himawari peeked in with a tray. "Good morning, Sarada-nee! I brought you some breakfast," she said brightly, carrying a bowl of soup. "And don’t worry, this time, no pranks. I promise."

Boruto shot her a mock glare. "Good. No more spicy disasters, Hima."

Himawari giggled as she set the tray down in front of Sarada, who gave her a grateful nod. "I’m really sorry about yesterday, Sarada-nee. I didn’t realize we went overboard with the spice."

Sarada, still not allowed to speak, simply smiled at her and gave a small thumbs-up to show there were no hard feelings.

Boruto settled back beside her, watching as she picked up the spoon and began sipping the soup. "See? That’s more like it," he said, satisfied. "You stay here, get some rest, and I’ll handle anything Hokage-related. I might not be Hokage, but I’m your right-hand man, right?"

Sarada raised an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical look.

"What? You don’t think I can handle it?" Boruto asked, feigning hurt. "Okay, maybe paperwork isn’t my thing, but I can at least cover for you."

Sarada smirked but didn’t argue, too tired to resist. Boruto looked far too pleased with himself, and though she was annoyed at not being able to do her job, part of her appreciated how much he cared.

Himawari joined them for a little while, making light conversation as Sarada quietly ate her soup. The atmosphere was peaceful, and Sarada found herself feeling more at ease.

Once Himawari left for her own day, Boruto turned to Sarada, his expression softening. "I’m serious, love. Just take it easy for a while, okay? I don’t want you pushing yourself too hard. I hated seeing you like that last night…"

Sarada reached out and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. She wanted to reassure him, to tell him she’d be fine, but she knew he wouldn’t let her go back to work until he was certain she was completely recovered.

"Just rest today," Boruto continued, his voice tender. "And tomorrow… we’ll see how you’re feeling. But no rushing things, okay?"

Sarada sighed but nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. Boruto smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her hair.

"Good girl," he murmured playfully. "Now, why don’t we just relax today? I’ll be right here with you the whole time."

And with that, Sarada resigned herself to the fact that today would be a day of rest, with Boruto by her side, watching over her like the overprotective husband he always promised he’d be.