Mine to Take (A Boruto Love Story)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A/N: Hey everyone! Next installment is here, finally! I went ahead and broke down this chapter into two parts. The next part is almost complete and as soon as I finish it, like here in a day or two, I will upload. I will not make you all wait. Thanks for all those who've favorite/followed/reviewed Mine to take. It gives me so much motivation. Please keep it coming. :) Shout out to Jazzie's Art Corner on Facebook for my amazing new writer's avatar. I love it!

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"Neh, Boruto, why didn't you do anything to stop that envoy perv earlier?"

Sarada removed her headband and ran her fingers through her hair. She pulled the brush from her pack and began to run it through the short strands while she thought back over the day's events.

Boruto, Sarada, and Yuna had taken shelter in a small cabin not far from where their teammates were stationed. Ataru had decided it would be in everyone's best interest to split the group into two-three man cells. One team would keep watch over Yūhei, while the other rested up before switching shifts.

"Yuna can take care of herself. She doesn't need my help every time someone new comes around and tries to socialize." Boruto answered, giving a reason that he prayed would convince her.

Sarada scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Now, that's a lie if I ever heard one," she said. "You and I-hell, everyone knows that you wouldn't simply leave her to herself like that. You're always watching out for her, even when you don't think you are. You can't stop with the staring, no matter how discreet it is, or looking over your shoulder or around corners wondering if maybe she's in a tight spot and needs you to bail her out. Like with Ataru-"

"Sarada, enough." Boruto tried to stop Sarada's rant, even if it was for his best interest.

"No, you need to shut up and just listen. Why can't you just do something about this so you'll stop ripping yourself into two? You're either just her friend with no intentions of starting something, or you want to be there for her as more than that. It's obvious she adores you and you the same. When she's around, you smile and look so happy. It's like I'm looking at the old Boruto again."

"It's complicated. You wouldn't understand."

"You're the one who's making it complicated, Boruto." Sarada sighed. "It's over now. Everything that happened with Kara, with Kawaki, it's over. Can't you just let yourself be happy for once?"

They continued to stare at each other through the curtain of flames, neither moving even when a piece of wood deep within the pile popped and sent a shower of orange sparks into the air.

"Just be upfront with her and see what happens."

"Like you did with Kawaki?" he said teasing her.

Sarada flushed and tossed her hairbrush at him, which he easily caught. "Shut up!"

He chuckled and stood up. "Hai, hai." He returned her brush which she shoved back into her pack. "Get some rest Sarada," he said calmly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to go see where Yuna ran off too and then settle down as well before we change shifts."

Her eyes flicked from the fire to his lanky form and smirked.

"Good luck." She said in a singsong voice.

Wincing at the cold that assaulted his body, Boruto pulled on his cloak before heading out the door and into the lush forest that encompassed their cabin, curious to see just what on earth the teal eyed woman was up to and what he saw made him smile.

There she was, radiant and beautiful, her face upturned to sky with her arms reached out in front of her, dancing and twirling in the snow in the middle of the forest clearing.