Mine to Take (A Boruto Love Story)

ONE-SHOT #5

A/N: Sorry for the long absence everyone. My life has been rather chaotic. With working, family, streaming, along with publishing my first novel, it has left me with very little time. But I'm still alive and well. 😊 I have been trying to work on another fanfic, but I've kind hit a block. One day...one day.

ONE-SHOT #5

Crisp cool water washed up on Yuna's feet. She scanned the sand below for something that would catch her eye. Any little treasure she would like. The pull of the tide made a divot around a shell. She bent and captured it. Finding it unbroken, she washed it clean with the next wave.

"Mommy! Look what I found!"

Manami ran toward Yuna, breaking her stride with playful, excited leaps. Her swimsuit was a shock of neon colors among the otherwise muted tones of the ocean side. Her fine blond hair fell long down her back, bright against her sun-kissed skin.

"What did you find, honey?"

She stopped abruptly in front of Yuna, holding up a long, slightly mangled feather, no doubt once belonging to a seagull.

"Wow, that's beautiful. Can I clean it for you?"

She hesitated a moment before handing it to her. "Okay."

Yuna washed it in the water, smoothing the gray and white fronds until they more closely resembled their original form. As soon as she finished, Manami reached for it eagerly and ran back to where Boruto sat several feet away in the sand. She followed behind, sizing up the sandcastle progress that had been made.

"Daddy, this can be our flag."

The excitement in her voice was contagious. Witnessing her wonder was a gift, one she was grateful for each day.

A concentrated frown left Boruto's features as he gazed upon their daughter and her new treasure.

"Perfect." He reached for the small feather.

She held it back. "No, I wanna."

He sighed. "All right. Where do you want it?"

She sat on her knees and shimmied closer, sending an avalanche of sand into Boruto's carefully constructed moat. "Here," she said, planting the quill into the soft sand at the top of the castle Boruto had spent the better part of an hour crafting.

She sat back; eyes bright. Boruto's mouth lifted into a small smile, admiration, and love plain on his features.

"Perfect."

He reached an arm around her, tugging her close to his side. They admired their handiwork when two familiar chakra signatures interrupted them. In the distance, Masaru and Nariko walked toward them.

Manami's eyes widened, and she scrambled to her feet and out of Boruto's arms. "Jiiji! Baba!" she squealed.

She ran toward Masaru with the same leaps and bounds as before. Masaru caught her little frame and tossed her into the air before catching her and holding her up on his hip. A smile tugged at both Yuna and Boruto's lips.

Yuna rose as they approached.

"Hey," Masaru said, his voice low but jovial. He leaned in, kissing Yuna on the cheek.

"How was the Land of Bellows?" Yuna asked.

He smiled fondly, his gaze falling on Manami. "Ah, not bad. I am glad to be back home though. I missed my princess."

"Jiiji, I want to show you something." Her pale turquoise eyes widened with excitement, and she wriggled free from his embrace.

"What do you want to show me, sweetheart?"

She caught his hand in her small one and tugged him down onto the sand. Nariko followed a few moments later. Masaru laughed, and Manami began cataloging the pile of shells and debris she had accumulated over the afternoon.

Boruto and Yuna smiled fondly at the sight.

Being able to have a child was a gift they'd receive only once. They had tried again, to no avail. She was their miracle. The sunshine that lit up any dark day. A beautiful, perfect reflection of the love that they had fought so hard for.

"I love you," Boruto said, and when Yuna turned to look at him, he was gazing at her.

Yuna grinned and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

"I love you, too, Boruto-kun. Always."