Chapter Text
The Shinju War History:
Four months have passed since the end of the Shinju War. During the war, Jura, Code, Hidari, and the Shinju were all vanquished in one way or another by Boruto, Sarada, Himawari, Kawaki, and the others.
Momoshiki was destroyed by Boruto, Sarada, and Himawari in a battle for Boruto’s soul inside Boruto’s mind-space when Momoshiki attempted to control Boruto to absorb Jura and become unstoppable. During the battle with Momoshiki, in a moment of desperation, Sarada confessed her feelings to Boruto, which helped spur him on to victory, but there was no time for him to reply with his own feelings. In the climax of the battle in order to save Sarada and Himawari from death, his Jogan came to life, and he saved them, and together they defeated Momoshiki once and for all.
Kawaki and Amado destroyed the Leaf Village in the aftermath of the battle with Jura, in an effort to dismantle the Shinobi system, with Kawaki’s goal of eliminating all Otsutsuki still intact with Boruto being alive. Kawaki refused to believe Boruto’s claim that Momoshiki was gone. Boruto faced Kawaki alone, defeated him, and forced him to release his parents. Boruto refused to kill Kawaki in spite of everything, and Kawaki finally relented. Amado himself was killed earlier by Kawaki before Boruto could save him when Kawaki realized Akebi was an Otsutsuki and destroyed them both, tragically.
Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke were all freed and reunited with their families. Shikamaru and the Damiyo Lord Ikkuyu Madoka had Kawaki imprisoned for his role in the destruction of the Leaf Village. Kawaki has refused to talk to Boruto and Naruto after his defeat and has accepted his fate. Naruto, Boruto, and Himawari however, want to have him rehabilitated and back in the family. But for now, the Damiyo’s decree stands with Kawaki himself non responsive.
Eida overwrote Omnipotence with a second event when Sarada in a moment of desperation made a wish that triggered it. Boruto later on was also able to help her control her charm ability with his Jogan’s ability to negate Shinjutsu so she can live a normal life.
Over the last four months, the village is slowly being rebuilt. Naruto has resumed his duties as Hokage with both Shikamaru and Konohamaru as his advisors reducing his workload. Sasuke has joined Sai in leadership of the ANBU Black Ops. And Boruto, Sarada, and Himawari were all honored as heroes and promoted to Jonin, with Boruto opting to serve as an ANBU under Sasuke’s command, and Sarada serving in the Hokage’s office to be prepared for her future. Shikadai, Chocho, Inojin, and Mitsuki were also promoted to Jonin for their roles in the Victory.
Chapter One: New Beginnings
It’s the middle of February in the Leaf Village, six weeks before Boruto and Sarada’s 16th birthdays. The village is mostly made of wooden buildings, constructed by Yamato and Moegi using their Wood Style jutsu. However, some real buildings are starting to take shape again.
It’s a cold, snowy evening, and Boruto is enjoying a meal with Sarada and Mitsuki at Thunder Burger, which is now just a small wooden building with a few tables inside while the rebuilding process continues.
Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki all have burgers, fries, and drinks.
For the last four months, Sarada’s words during the Momoshiki battle inside his own mind have stuck with him. And so has her face—Sarada’s face, tears in her eyes as she pleaded with him, “Boruto, please, you have to fight! You can’t let him control you. I’m right here with you, Boruto. Hima too. We won’t let you go! Boruto, please! I love you, Boruto! I need you! I can’t lose you! Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!”
And he didn’t. He didn’t give up. Together, they won. Together, they could do anything. He loves her too. He knows he does, and for some reason, that terrifies him.
Boruto takes a mouthful of his burger and smiles, cheeks full. “Oh man, I missed these burgers so much, ya know!”
Sarada looks at him and sighs, rolling her eyes. “You’re almost sixteen, Boruto. Learn how to talk without your mouth full!”
Boruto shakes his head, his mouth still half full. “Come on, Sarada! It’s just so good!”
Sarada sighs again, but looking at him and seeing how happy he looks, she can’t hold back her own smile. Boruto notices. So does Mitsuki.
Mitsuki just smiles. “Everything’s getting back to normal now. You two still make a great couple.”
Boruto and Sarada both scowl at him at the same time, but don’t respond and go right back to eating.
Boruto chomps down on his burger, stuffing his face full again. “Master Sasuke had me out patrolling for bandits at the mines all week. Says it’s important for the rebuilding that none of the supplies get stolen or delayed. What have you guys been up to?”
Sarada, after taking a sip of her drink, says, “I’ve been working with Shikamaru-sama all week, filling out requisition forms for the rebuilding. He says this is the work all future Hokages need to learn.”
Boruto can’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, you’ll be turning into my Dad in no time. Paperwork, nothing but paperwork.”
“I’ve been working with Sai-sama. We’ve been tasked with recovering all of Amado’s research and getting Katasuke-san whatever we can. Maybe some of the technology will help us with the rebuilding,” Mitsuki adds with a pleasant smile on his face.
Boruto, however, cringes at the mention of Amado’s name, knowing everything that he did with Kawaki.
Sarada sees Boruto’s expression and understands completely. “Anything that helps us rebuild is a good thing, but I do worry about using stuff that Amado came up with.”
Boruto takes a deep breath. “Yeah, I understand better than anyone else, ya know.”
Later, they finish up eating and prepare to leave.
Mitsuki stands up first. “Well, it’s been a while since I saw my parent. He’s expecting me to contact him.”
And without any warning, he disappears in a puff of smoke, with tiny white snakes that also disappear in the smoke.
Boruto can’t help himself and laughs. “Oh man, Mitsuki, I’m glad we have him, ya know!”
“Yeah, he’s definitely something else.” Sarada shakes her head with an amused smile.
Boruto and Sarada stare at each other for a moment, realizing it’s just them now, the first time it’s been just the two of them in months. With all the reunions with their parents, the rebuilding, and the new roles, it’s been a whirlwind for both of them.
Boruto scratches the back of his head, suddenly nervous. Sarada scratches her arm, feeling nervous too.
Sarada doesn’t know if she should talk to Boruto again about her feelings. She wonders if Boruto didn’t understand her confession. It was a heat-of-the-moment confession, after all. Or if he did understand and didn’t feel the same way. Or if he did understand and he’s just too nervous to say anything. Not knowing which it is keeps her from saying it again. But her feelings haven’t changed. She loves him and doesn’t think she’ll ever stop.
Boruto finally speaks first. “Hey, Sarada, you want me to walk you home?”
“Sure, Boruto, if you want to.” Sarada tries her best to smile and not look nervous.
“Okay, let’s get you home then.”
Boruto and Sarada walk out of the shop. Snow is falling down on them, light enough to feel calm, but the ground is already covered. They put on their hats and gloves and walk side by side toward Sarada’s house.
Boruto keeps glancing at Sarada as they walk together. She really is beautiful, ya know. Boruto can’t help but smile at her, and his cheeks go a little pink.
Sarada sees him glancing at her. She sees his smile and blushes instantly. “Boruto, do I have something on my face?”
Boruto stammers. “I uh, no, no, nothing on your face. It’s just nice to walk with you like this without worrying about anything.”
“Yeah, it really is nice.”
They keep walking side by side. Without realizing it, their hands accidentally touch, and they both blush.
“Sorry,” Boruto manages to say.
Sarada shakes her head. “It’s fine, Boruto.”
“So how’s everything with you at home? Master Sasuke being home every night now must be different for you.”
Sarada smiles. “Yeah, it’s mostly nice, but Mom and Papa keep acting like newlyweds, though.” Sarada sighs. “It’s kinda annoying and gross.”
Boruto laughs. “Oh, that’s actually kinda funny!”
Sarada shakes her head, looks at Boruto, and asks her own question. “What about you, Boruto? Your parents had it the worst. They missed over three years of you and Hima’s life. How are they adjusting to it?”
Boruto’s expression falls. Sarada sees it and feels bad for even asking. But Boruto answers, “Yeah, it’s rough, ya know. But the important thing is that we’re all together now, and I’m never letting anything like that happen ever again!”
Sarada nods, determination showing on her face. “I’m with you, Boruto. We won’t let anything like that happen again, together!”
Together. The word sticks out in Boruto’s mind. Without Sarada, without Himawari, without his friends, he never would have overcome everything. They really did do it together.
“I can always count on you, Sarada!” Boruto flashes his smile, that Uzumaki smile Sarada loves so much, his blue eyes gleaming in the cold winter air.
Sarada can’t stop her blush again. Looking into his eyes like that, with that smile on his face, she can’t help herself.
“I can always count on you too, Boruto,” Sarada says, her own smile showing.
As they continue to walk, Sarada’s house comes into view.
Boruto wants to say something, anything that lets Sarada know how he feels about her. He wants to talk about that day and tell her he loves her too, but for some reason he just can’t get the words to come out of his mouth, despite his best efforts. So his body gives him away instead. His cheeks go a deep shade of pink.
“Hey, Sarada, I do have something I want to talk to you about.”
Sarada looks at him. She sees that his cheeks are suddenly very pink.
Is he just cold or is he…
“You do? What do you want to talk about?”
Boruto stammers again.
“I uh, I don’t umm think now’s the right time, ya know.” Then he starts talking really fast. “But maybe we could do something just us sometime, and then we can talk about it?”
Sarada studies him more closely. Just us? Like a date? No, he can’t mean it like that… could he?
But her tongue won’t let her ask him that.
“Sure, Boruto, we can always do something that’s just us whenever we want.”
Boruto smiles, relief clear on his face. “Good. How about next Friday night? You and me. You pick the restaurant, okay?”
Sarada’s smile grows. “Oh, I can pick, huh? Then it’s definitely going to be seafood.”
“Anything you want, Sarada!” Boruto lights up. “It’s all on me, ya know!”
They finally make it to Sarada’s door, and both look at each other again. They can’t help but smile.
“Goodnight, Sarada!”
“Goodnight, Boruto!”
But neither of them moves. Something inside them says that just saying goodnight isn’t enough.
They move in unison and embrace each other. It’s a tight hug, with their cheeks touching as they hold on even tighter.
“We really made it, Sarada.”
“Yeah, we really did.”
Suddenly the front door opens. It’s Sakura.
Sakura smiles and can’t help but grin as hard as she can. “Aww! Hey there, Boruto!”
Sarada blushes bright pink, and the hug quickly breaks apart. Boruto smiles at Sakura. “Hey, Aunt Sakura!”
“Did you guys have a good time tonight?”
Boruto and Sarada nod in unison.
“Yep! Sure did!” Boruto happily declares.
“Yeah, it was a great night,” Sarada agrees.
Sakura smiles warmly at them. “Good. I’m glad.”
Boruto looks around for a moment before saying, “Well, anyway, I better get home so Mom doesn’t worry about me. She knows I’m supposed to be home tonight.”
Sakura hums. “That’s a good son, Boruto!”
Boruto smiles and replies, “Goodnight, Aunt Sakura! Goodnight again, Sarada!”
Sakura and Sarada respond in unison. “Goodnight!”
Boruto makes a hand sign in front of his face and vanishes in a flash. Sarada and Sakura stare at the empty space where he had been just a moment ago.
Sarada can’t resist saying it. “Flying Raijin really is pretty cool.”
Sakura wraps her arm around Sarada. “Alright, let’s head inside, it’s really cold.”
Boruto appears at his own front door. A tiny metal object lies on the ground nearby. His Flying Raijin marker.
Well, I chickened out again. He shakes his head. But I got another chance next Friday night!
Boruto opens the door to his house, walks inside, and announces himself. “I’m home!”
Himawari comes flying out of the living room, launching herself at him. “Onii-chan!”
She hugs him so tight he can barely breathe.
“Hima! You’re getting too big for this, ya know!”
“I don’t care, Onii-chan!”
Boruto shakes his head and hugs her back. “Alright, Hima, alright.”
Hima pulls back and looks at him with fierceness in her eyes. “Did you talk to Sarada tonight?”
“Hima, can we not talk about this again?”
Hima raises her voice at him. “Onii-chan, don’t forget, I was there! When she said she loved you!”
Boruto looks at her, mortified. “Hima! Keep it down!”
Hima shakes her head but softens her voice. “I know you love her too, Onii-chan.”
Boruto takes a deep breath and then another one. “Hima, I’m trying my best, I really am! I’m just nervous, that’s all. It’s a lot to say, Hima.”
“Yeah, but if you love each other, you should just say it, right?”
“I will, Hima. Just give me some time, okay?”
Hima hugs him again, saying, “You can do it, Onii-chan.” Then she grins brightly. “And when you do, I’m calling her Onee-chan!”
Boruto shakes his head and laughs. “Sure, Hima. Whatever you want.”
Hinata and Naruto come in and see Boruto. They didn’t hear the conversation, but they do see their children there, older than they should be, hugging each other the same way they always have. Their expressions melt instantly.
Naruto speaks first. “Hey, Boruto, you’re home, ya know!”
Hinata adds, “Are you hungry, Boruto? Do you need anything?”
Boruto lets Hima go and walks over to his parents. “Yeah, I’m home, Mom, Dad. No, I don’t need anything. Remember, I was just out eating with Mitsuki and Sarada.”
Boruto hugs his mom first and motions for Naruto to join in. Boruto speaks softly. “We’re all home. That’s everything I want, ya know.”
Hima can’t help herself and runs over to them, joining right in. “Yeah, we’re all home, ya know!”
They all laugh together. Naruto laughs the hardest. “You’re definitely my kids, ya know!”
All four Uzumakis are home, safe, and together once again.