Only Time Can Tell

FLESH WOUND

CHAPTER 14

FLESH WOUND

BORUTO UZUMAKI

It was just after lunch when it happened. I knew that at some point this would happen, but I wanted to avoid doing this for as long as possible. We were running in silence, relatively nothing to distract people from the sound. But then I felt it, the sneeze. And in a blink I had sneezed.

It was like a sound that had been squeaked out of a sleeping kitten as Shikadai had so kindly put it. The minute the noise had left me everyone turned to Sarada.

"Wait, was that you, Sarada?"

"No." Sarada said her eyes wide turning back to look at me. "It was-"

"A stick that broke back there made a weird noise, that's all." I said trying to make up excuses.

"What, no. There's no way a stick made that-"

"It was a stick, okay?!"

"Oh my God...Boruto..." Sarada said a smile growing on her face. "Was that your sneeze?"

"....no...."

"Oh my God, it is!" Sarada broke out laughing.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Neji said turning back to look at me.

"It sounded like-"

"I know what it sounds like!" I said growing upset. "Imagine the preschool teasings! It's that kid with the sneeze that sounds like-"

"A baby squirrel?"

"A hiccuping puppy ninja hound?"

"A 3 year-old-girl on her birthday?

"Yeah...like that."

"That is the funniest thing I have ever heard!" Sarada laughed out of control clutching her stomach. "That-" She was engulfed in giggles again. "That came out of you!!!"

"Goddamn it." I said under my breath. Of course Sarada heard it. Anyone else...

"It's so adorable!" Sarada said wiping away tears. "Do it again!"

"You can't command a sneeze!"

"Aw come on!"

"Not doing it!" I said looking away from her. Sarada's giggles eventually died down. The awkward tension between us had digressed for a few moments, and now it was building up again. Because we kissed each other...so does that mean that we're a thing...or....

It's been like this for hours.

There was a swooshing sound and I heard a kunai sink deep into the tree next to me. I turned around, 3 ninja were pursuing us from behind. How did they? They must have surpressed their chakra. Luckily, I answer my own stupid questions.

"Guys!" I shouted. They all turned. Sai smiled.

"Consider this a training exercise. They're all bandits, none of them are leaf. Have fun." I grinned back at them, taking a kunai out of my pack.

"Hey there!" I said to the ninja, stopping. "You picked the wrong shinobi to mess with."

"Are you kidding me," The one of them laughed. "You've gotta be what, 12?"

"Try 14. And son of the Hokage." I formed the hand signs and formed a band of 5 extra shadow clones. "And last time I checked, there are 3 of you, and 6 of me."

"Oh shit!" One of them shouted trying to turn.

"No you don't!" The tallest ninja said grabbing him by the scruff of his neck. "You gonna be intimidated by a 12 year old?!" I looked him over. He was the tallest probably about 6 foot. His hair was shoulder length and tied back. He had tattoos curling over his cheekbones like snakes, strapped to his back was a huge shuriken. His attitude told me that he was the leader.