Chapter Text
It was a beautiful place. He always awoke here above an infestation of homes. He stood alone on a stone representation of a human head. It was strange, but the cool air and the setting sun calmed his beating heart. He felt a stinging in his legs and a small ache in his lungs. He supposed this body was simply taking a break from running. He gazed back down.
It was therapeutic watching all the individual people exist. All the incessant questions echoing in his head faded to the back of his mind. The Who? The Where? The Why? The need for those answers vanished. He simply woke up, gazing hundreds of feet down. He didn’t understand why, but he felt a strong will to feel safe, to have control, to be warm; By any means. He continued to gaze.
Someone yelled behind him, a name he didn’t recognize. A boy taller than him, and a girl shorter than him. The small girl ran to him enveloping her arms around him. It was strange.
“Running away like that,” The taller boy spoke. “Don’t scare us.”
“Hm?” He tilted his head in cluelessness.
“Boruto, why are you making a stupid face?” The younger boy’s head tilted more in curiosity.
“Stupid face?” The small girl shifted in his arms.
“Big Brother are you feeling alright?” He looked at her. Big Brother? No matter how foreign this girl looked- “Big Brother,” He whispered to himself. It felt fine; he didn’t mind accepting this role. For this little girl and the voices babbling in his head.
“Boruto,” The older one called again, a hint of anger in his tone. “What’s going on? You… you ran away from dinner. You refused to take the pills, I agree they’re bullshit but why? What changed?” He had no memory of that.
“That name, Boruto.”
“What?” The older boy replied almost offended.
“It’s his name, not mine.” The two seemingly froze in a game of stares. He stared and stared, and fortunately, he could do this for hours. The uncomfortable feeling never came for him and he watched the older boy fall deeper into a confused rage. Not Boruto had suspicions for some time. “I don’t think, he, Boruto, is ready to come out yet. So… I’m here.”
“You’re not… Momoshiki?” He shook his head. That name meant nothing to him. The older boy rubbed his forehead letting out a bundle of curses. “So you don’t remember me? Remember Karma? Remember Hima your sister? Do you even remember yourself?” The little girl that held onto him tightly looked at him, her eyes sparkled awaiting his answer. He smiled softly.
“Do I remember myself? Of course I do. I wake up and see a bird’s eye view of this village. When I close my eyes I sleep and wake up back here, a day, a few days, a few weeks later. I remember myself, but Boruto… his memories… no, nothing comes to mind.” They stared.
His birth was a few months ago, one evening he awoke in the body of a 14-year-old boy. He himself felt more mature but regardless his first memory was gazing at the houses, gazing at the people, gazing at the sky. From what these two had said, Boruto had run away from something. He wasn’t sure what, but he would protect him from it. It was his calling desire. Even this little girl holding onto him with tears in her eyes, even this village of people he did not know, even this boy who spoke a dozen swears. He wanted to protect them all. He turned back to the two.
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember you all. Boruto however, I’m sure when he’s ready he’ll come back out to live his life, and whenever he runs away I’m sure I’ll be back.” He smiled softly again. “I’m not quite sure when that would be, however.”
The older boy stared mouth a gap. The little girl looked back with a similar expression of fear.
“We need to talk to Lord Seventh.”
Walking to their home he found that their names were Kawaki, his older brother, and Himawari, his younger sister. Even though they were more Boruto’s family than his, he didn’t mind calling Kawaki his brother and Himawari his sister.
“We’re home,” Kawaki said. Thumping footsteps rushed out into the hallway. A tall man with blonde hair, and a shorter woman with black hair, they rushed out with tear-stained cheeks.
“Boruto!” The man cried out he rushed closer hugging him tightly. The shorter women hugged him as well. “I’m happy you’re safe,”
“He doesn’t remember anything,” Kawaki spoke, bitterly. Not Boruto frowned, his brother could have at least lied a little longer to spare their feelings.
“What?” Boruto’s parents questioned, shocked. Boruto’s father examined him head to toe. “That’s not true, right? Right!? Did you hit your head?”
“I’m sorry,” He started. “I don’t remember you, or you.” He gestured to Boruto’s mother. “Boruto will be back… I assume.”
“Back? What do you mean Boruto will be back?” Boruto’s mother asked with tears in her eyes. “And what do you mean I assume?”
“It’s…” He paused. “It’s hard to explain really. But… that name Boruto. It means nothing to me, not really. But in the back of my head, when I hear that name I feel something, you know?” Boruto’s parents looked at him worriedly. “I’m sorry I know this is a lot to understand… or suppose not understand. Boruto just needs a break, I assume there was something traumatizing happening.”
“That’s a fucking understatement.” Kawaki shuttered.
“I’m calling Sakura, then I’m talking to Amado.” Naruto stood sharply, his wife stood slowly.
“Those pills were a stupid fucking idea.” Naruto flinched as Kawaki spoke.
“Pills?” Not Boruto questioned. “What pills, you mentioned them before on giant head statue?”
“You were…” Naruto trailed off for a moment. “Boruto was taking pills to stop an alien from taking over his body. I guess it was stressing him more than we assumed.” Not Boruto’s eyes widen.
“Wow. Well, no wonder he ran away, no wonder I’m here. It was too much for a kid.”
“Come on.” Naruto nudged his shoulder. “Sit down on the table. Mom will get you some tea and I’ll call Sakura. What should we call you until… ?” Not Boruto breathed. He was his own person but he didn’t mind sharing this family and this life with Boruto. He was his own person, however.
“I supposed for now… call me Bolt. I know it’s similar to Boruto but I don’t mind, the others however have their own ideas.”
“Others?”
“Yeah, me and Boruto aren’t the only ones here.”