Growing younger

Love and comfort

Naruto and Sarada were sitting in the white halls, waiting for Sakura to finish her examination. Sakura had decided that it would be better to do a thorough examination and had, therefore, dragged the little boy with her to the hospital. Still, Naruto was impatient. He needed to know how bad it was.

"That kid..." The Hokage said. Sarada looked at the depressed Hokage. "Is everything alright Lord seventh?" She asked. Naruto looked at the young Uchiha. "Yeah... It's just... It's exactly something my younger self would've done... It's kinda funny how alike the two of us are..." Naruto said, remembering the time his younger self had stolen the scroll of sealing.

It was clear that he was nervous. What was gonna happen to his kid? It was every parent's worst nightmare to have something bad happen to their kid. Sarada could see it on Naruto's face. He was worried. But still... The look in his eyes... He trusted Boruto. He knew he was a strong kid.

Sarada, however, was a bit nervous. That way the Hokage had yelled at her... She had never seen that side of him. The side that really cares, and loves Boruto. She could hear it in his tone. She was worried. "Lord Hokage?"

"Yes was is it Sarada?" He answered the worried girl

"Well, it's just... I've known Boruto for so long. And even though he really messes up sometimes, and ends up getting hurt a lot, you've never yelled at me like that.... I've told you about Boruto's pranks and tricks plenty of times before. However... You never responded like that before... Is what Boruto did really that bad?" She asked.

Naruto closed his eyes and thought about it for a couple seconds. "Yeah. Boruto really messed up." He said, laying his arm on his son's teammate's shoulder. "But what's gonna happen to him?" She asked.

"Well Sakura is gonna do a thorough examination to figure out how bad his situation is, and afterward we're all going to work to find a way to break the jutsu,"

The raven-haired girl smiled. The Hokage was right. "That Boruto-baka.." She whispered so quiet nobody heard her.

The seconds turned to minutes, which turned to hours. She was really taking her time. Sarada was getting tired. She yawned as her eyelids gave after, and she fell asleep, lying against Naruto.

The raven-haired girl had her arms around the Jinjuriki. She was asleep, probably dreaming something good. Naruto smiled. He realized he had barely spent any time with his little girl at all. She slept like a baby. "I love you papa.." He heard her say, still asleep. He smiled and thought of what Sasuke would do in this situation.

The door to the examination room slowly opened. Naruto quickly stood up, as Sakura came walking out. He slowly poked Sarada, waking her gently. "Morning sunshine," He said. Sarada smiled and blushed a little, as she realized what had happened.

"So? How is it?" Naruto asked Sakura. Sarada walked up behind him. "You see... It's a bit more complicated than I first intended..." She said.

"How complicated?" Naruto asked. "Is Boruto gonna be alright?" Sarada asked her mom. "You see... I have no clue!" Sakura said, which seemed to surprise the two ninjas. "But then what took you so long?" Sarada asked.

"See that's the problem..." Sakura said. It seems that it's not only Boruto's appearance that's changed. He's started acting younger as well... He wouldn't stand still for a second, so I never got the chance to do anything, except a couple of basic tests" Sakura said.

"You don't say... He started acting like a six-year-old kid!?" The Hokage asked. "That's exactly what I mean. He's asleep on the examination table right now." Sakura answered.

"However, I did manage to check out his chakra network, and basic body function. It seems his chakra network has shrunk together with his body... but the rest of his body and his brain should function as any other six-year-olds" Sakura told them.

Silence.

"It's not dangerous." She said, automatically answering all of their concerns. Naruto sighed relieved. "Well, that's a relief," Naruto said as Sarada nodded. "But," Sakura said, making them pay attention again.

"If anything strange starts happening, fever, nausea, headaches, amnesia, pain or so, I want you to bring him over right away." She said strictly. "I'm not sure if it's exactly as I think, but any sign of illness could mean his chakra network is shrinking more then it should, or even preparing to shut down," Sakura said.

They were all silent. Tiny footsteps were heard from the examination room, cutting off the silence. "Daddy?" An exhausted looking Boruto said. He was rubbing his eyes. "Weren't you asleep?" Sakura asked, clearly tired of the brat. He looked annoyed at Sakura. He ran over to his dad and hugged him.

His actions seemed to surprise Naruto, who usually wasn't used to getting hugs from his son. "I missed you, daddy," Boruto said, tightening the grip around his father. Sarada was shocked. 'What's happening!?' She thought.

Naruto finally got over the shock his son had given him, tightened the grip around him, and picked him up. "Weeeeee!" Boruto said as he sat down on his daddy's shoulders.

"No kidding. That kid really has started acting like a kid..."

"Why in the world do the two of you look so surprised? I told you he started acting younger.."

"No, it's not that... When Boruto was younger, he loved his dad, until the day he became Hokage. That's when he started hating him. That's why it's so surprising, cause he hasn't hugged lord Hokage in so long." Sarada said.

"You don't have to say it like that!" Naruto said, remembering how his baby Boruto used to be.

Sarada and Sakura giggled. Boruto was climbing on his dad, clearly not paying attention to anything any of them were saying. "I forgot he loved to do that..." Naruto said a little embarrassed.

"When I grow up, I wanna be a strong ninja, just like daddy and mommy!" He said. "Huh?" "He doesn't remember being a shinobi?" Naruto asked.

Sakura shook her head. "He doesn't seem to remember anything he didn't know past the age of six," Sakura answered. Boruto sat on his dad's head and giggled.

Naruto grabbed him and put him down on the ground. "No fair!" He said sticking his tongue out. They all sighed. "If this continues on, we're never gonna get peace to do some research.." Naruto said as Boruto started whining like a spoiled brat.

"I'll take care of him.." Sarada sighed. "Really?" Sakura asked surprised. She nodded. "After all we have been friends forever. I dealt with brat-Boruto once before, why not do it again?" She asked, clearly already tired, as Boruto started playing with her hair.

The adults smiled. "Thanks, Sarada." "You're a lifesaver." They told her. She sighed as the two of them left for the Hokage's office, and she was left alone with a six-year-old-Boruto-brat.

"Come on let's go," She said to the little boy. "Piggyback!" He yelled."No way." She said not wanting to be humiliated in front of everyone. "I want piggyback! Otherwise, I'm not coming!" He yelled. Sarada sighed as she bent down.

"Come on. Get on already." She said as the little boy smiled. "Yay!" He yelled as he jumped on, as Sarada stood up.

They both walked out of the hospital, Sarada feeling really embarrassed. "Do you have to be so loud?" She asked, stopping the little boy from yelling. He looked at her like she was an annoying adult, telling him what to do. "You're no fun!" He yelled.

Oh boy... This is gonna be a long day... Sarada thought as the little boy yelled: "Giddy up!"