21A/N: Thank you everyone for your EXTREME patience as I worked to get off my butt and finish what I started. I have so many things going on that my ADHD ass can barely keep up and focus.
Make a Wish
"Boruto?" Sarada repeated, still unsure what to make of her current predicament. Boruto gulped. It was now or never.
"Sarada, have you ever felt like a paper bag that was doing great until one day it got a little wet and the groceries it took for granted suddenly fell through the bottom and onto someone else's countertop?"
Sarada's brows furrowed in confusion, and she only stared in silence. Without skipping a beat, Boruto continued.
"Because I have," he said, "and it sucks, you know? It sucks because with all the stuff you carry on the inside you forget to prioritize what's most important to you, and you don't realize what you've lost until your favorite dish turns up missing on this big dinner plate we call life. But it's even worse because it's not missing - it's just on someone else's plate, and you feel like there's not a damn thing you can do about it."
"Oh, my god," interrupted Sarada, "If this is about me stealing your fries, last week, I'll buy you some more later. Stop acting weird and get up! Our friends are waiting."
"No! Not until I say what I have to say. You have been a constant in my life since day one. You are my best friend, and I want you to know that nothing will ever change that, but it's only natural that this sort of inevitability would befall us one day. It's not fair to you that I didn't see it sooner."
"Didn't see what sooner?" said Sarada, "And why are you talking like this?" She whipped her head around trying to see through the crowds of people. "Is this a hidden camera prank?"
When he gave no response, Sarada stomped her foot on top of Boruto's.
"Ouch! What was that for?"
"Sorry, I had to make sure you weren't a shadow clone playing a trick on me."
"No tricks; honest!" Boruto winced. He kept a firm grip on her hand and pushed the pain in his foot to the back of his mind.
"Get real," said Sarada unamused, "You sound like one of Cho Cho's soap operas. I'm not going to judge you for liking them, but please don't force me to participate in your latest obsession."
"Listen, Sarada. I've been fighting with myself about this for too long, so I'm just going to come out and say it. You're…beautiful…and smart and funny and courageous. I'd gladly follow you into battle any day, and I'd be honored if you gave me a chance to show you how much I appreciate you…off the field."
"Um…," was all Sarada managed to get out while her brain went into overdrive. 'What does he mean off the field! Is he doing what I think he's doing? Oh, my god, he is - he's still holding my hand. Why now? Why out of the blue like this? I'm not ready for that kind of relationship! What made him do this? What's happening? Is this really my life? Am I dreaming? I can't deal with this right now. I need to go. I need to talk to Cho Cho. Abort, ABORT!'
"Sarada?"
"Um, can we not talk about this, here?" She gave Boruto a strained smile and a nervous chuckle.
"Please, Sarada. I have to know. Before it's too late!"
"Boruto…I'm serious."
"But -!"
"Ooh, what's going on over there?" an unfamiliar voice chimed in from afar.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Back with Cho Cho and Inojin…
Just when Cho Cho was ready to hightail it to watch Boruto's confession from the sidelines, with Inojin in tow, said blonde teammate planted his feet and removed his arm from her grasp. She took a deep breath and addressed her brother from another mother with only a hint or two of frustration. On one hand, they were running late to Boruto's confession, and on the other hand, Inojin had a disturbingly serious look on his face.
"What's the hold up? We're going to miss everything! …Inojin?" Cho Cho tilted her head. Inojin gulped and scratched the back of his head.
"Ok," he said, "here's the thing…"
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
With Boruto and Sarada…
"Ooh, what's going on over there?" an unfamiliar voice chimed in from afar.
Sarada's focus suddenly shifted to the crowd steadily forming around them, and she immediately became hyper aware of where they were and what sort of attention they were receiving.
"Is he confessing?!" another voice exclaimed.
'No,' thought Sarada, 'This is not a confession. Absolutely not. I will not be confessed to, in public, surrounded by strangers that can't mind their own business!"
Sarada felt like a big spotlight was on her. More voices from the crowd fluttered in, further stealing her concentration.
"Wow, he's really going for it, huh?"
"Oh, to be young again."
"Whoa, is he proposing?!"
"They look too young for that."
"Isn't that the Hokage's son?"
"Is she pregnant?!"
Sarada's anxiety fully peaked at this last statement, and she finally snapped.
"OK, WE'RE DONE HERE! Let go of me!" Sarada thrust her elbow back to try and pull out of Boruto's grip, but to both her dismay and annoyance, he held firm. They locked eyes, and her glare was met with a mixture of fear and confusion.
"What-?" he stammered.
"Boruto…," Sarada lowered her voice to a menacing tone, "Let. Go. Of. Me."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
With Cho Cho and Inojin…
Cho Cho stood with both her palms pressed together and thumbs and fingertips resting on her nose and chin. Her eyes closed and she took deep breaths as she processed Inojin's words.
"So you're telling me," she said, "That after all the time you spent denying any and all romantic feelings for Sarada, now you're saying that there might be a chance that you actually like her…like likeher…as more than friends?"
Inojin blushed and cleared his throat.
"I'm just saying I'm open to the possibility! It's all your guys' fault for putting the idea into my head! I was perfectly content with being a good friend, but now I'm confused and frustrated and I don't know what to do about it!"
"Hoo, boy," said Cho Cho, "Can you walk and talk at the same time?"
Cho Cho took the lead once more, and Inojin begrudgingly followed her toward the center of the town square where Boruto and Sarada supposedly still were. It seemed like a straight shot, but the further they ventured, the thicker the crowd.
"Hey, do you remember this many people being here earlier?" asked Cho Cho.
"Nope," replied Inojin, "Weird."
The two paused to assess the situation.
"I have a bad feeling," said Cho Cho.
"Take a shortcut?" asked Inojin.
Cho Cho nodded and the two teammates leapt upward, vanishing in the air.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
With Boruto and Sarada…
Much to Boruto's reluctance, his body remained frozen in place as it refused to acknowledge all the warning bells his mind was sending on blast. When it came to his fight or flight response, Sarada rendered it useless. He was sweating bullets and his body was agonizingly stiff. Sarada, trying to calm herself and take control of the situation, relaxed her arm and forced him to look her in the eyes.
"Boruto," she said calmly, "I'm giving you until the count of three to let go of my hand or, so help me, I will end you."
Boruto couldn't find his voice. If anything, his grip on Sarada's hand tightened because it was the only thing he could feel.
"One…"
'ABORT, ABORT!' Boruto's thoughts screamed.
"Two…"
'Move, you idiot! Why aren't you moving?! You're dead meat!'
"Th-"
Before Sarada could even finish counting to carry out her warning, Cho Cho and Inojin had dropped down from overhead and landed beside her and Boruto. Sarada, stunned by the sudden movement, blinked a few times and freed Boruto from her steely gaze.
"Hey, Cho Cho," Sarada laughed nervously, "I thought you already went ahead of us."
"Nope," replied Cho Cho with equally uncomfortable laughter, "We're just now catching up. Probably would've kept on going if not for this huge crowd slowing us down." Her eyes swept the area, deliberately looking everywhere except where Boruto was. "Are we still going to the riverfront or…are you busy?"
"Eep!" Sarada glanced down at Boruto, who was still holding her hand, and blushed. Her previous menacing aura had all but dissipated, which relaxed Boruto enough so that he was able to loosen his grip enough to release her.
"Nope! Not busy at all!" exclaimed Sarada, "The others must be wondering where we are so let's keep moving." She shot a dirty look toward Boruto and turned her back on him.
Boruto was paralyzed by his embarrassment. He was still kneeling with his hands held out like a weirdo. Inojin nudged Boruto with his foot, which brought him back to reality. Boruto leapt up from the ground and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants.
"Um, actually," Boruto gulped, "Sarada and I were kind of having an important discussion-"
"Which we can pick up later when we're not in public," interrupted Sarada, gritting her teeth. She tried her best to give a polite smile, but irritation was evident.
Boruto took a step forward and Sarada, still weirded out by the entire situation, immediately retreated behind Cho Cho and frowned.
"But-" began Boruto.
"Not now," Sarada mouthed.
Before he could utter another sound, Inojin slipped in front of him, blocking the girls from view. He clapped a hand on Boruto's shoulder and gently applied pressure. In a hushed voice, Inojin addressed his friend.
"Boruto, I don't know what happened between you two, but Sarada's already told you to back off more than once, and you need to respect that. Can't you see how uncomfortable you're making her? Stand down."
Boruto, already tapped out from emotional exhaustion, could no longer hold anything in. The sight of Inojin in the foreground and Sarada in the background fueled a mountain of built-up guilt, anger, and jealousy, and those feelings didn't allow him to keep his mouth shut.
"Why don't you mind your own business and stay out of mine?" bit Boruto.
"Look," continued Inojin, "I don't care what you and her did in the past, but-"
"Why?" asked Boruto.
"Why what?" asked Inojin, brow furrowed. He removed his hand from Boruto's shoulder and took a step back.
"Why you? Now that you're standing here in front of me, I can't see it. What does she see in you?" Boruto clenched his fists and glared.
"Whoa, jealous much?" replied Inojin, "I'm sorry you feel insecure, but Sarada's right - now's not the time to talk about this."
"Then when is a good time, Inojin?!" yelled Boruto. Inojin's eyes widened for a split second, and he closed the distance between them once more.
"Anytime but right this second," said Inojin as calmly as possible.
"But Sarada and I-" began Boruto. Inojin immediately interrupted him, lowering his voice to a menacing whisper.
"She doesn't want to sleep with you so let it go!"
Boruto swallowed, but held firm. Standing before him was someone he never thought he would consider a threat until it was too late. This friend had kissed Sarada, seen her naked, and kept it a secret. That last part hurt the most. He took a deep breath.
"Hey, Inojin," said Boruto softly, standing as tall as possible, "Does your taijutsu still suck?"
"What-," began Inojin, but before he could finish his thought, Boruto struck Inojin in the ribs with the side of his palm, grabbed his wrist, and slid under his arm behind him. Inojin winced, but before Boruto could trap him into an arm lock he kicked him in the shin and smashed the back of his head into his nose. Boruto let out a yelp and let go, stumbling backward. By the time Inojin had turned around and pulled a scroll out of his pocket, Boruto had already summoned two shadow clones that rushed forward, picked up the blonde artist, and flung him into the plaza's water fountain behind them. With his ink and paper tools now ruined and the real Boruto setting up for a gale palm, Inojin started forming the seal for the mind transfer jutsu. Fortunately, someone interrupted them before any real damage could be done.
"STOP IT! What the hell are you doing?!" yelled Sarada, running in between them. Caught off guard, Inojin and Boruto stilled and lowered their attacks.
When the ruckus began, Sarada had already dropped her ice cream cone on the ground and ran past Cho Cho and Boruto toward Inojin. She only stopped to yell at Boruto and give him another dirty look before swinging her legs over the edge of the fountain and wading through the choppy, metallic-scented water to help Inojin to his feet.
"Ouch!" exclaimed Inojin stumbling, and he touched the tender spot on his head. Sarada caught him and supported his drenched figure all the way to the edge of the fountain where she helped him out. Inojin swore under his breath and started wringing out his clothes as best as one could while sitting down and still wearing them. Sarada gingerly checked his head to make sure he wasn't bleeding.
"Hey! What's going on over here?!" yelled an elderly man wearing a police officer's uniform. His grouchy stride across the plaza made it apparent that he didn't want to be there.
Cho Cho intervened before the officer got too close. "Nothing! Everything's fine, officer. Just a little fight between friends; we're leaving!"
"Damn kids," muttered the officer, "Alright, keep moving! Nothing to see here!" The crotchety officer then left the scene, rolling his eyes and shooing people away. The crowd of bystanders who witnessed the altercation slowly started turning their eyes away, but all the while exchanging hushed, excited whispers about what they saw.
"Hang tight for a minute. I'll be right back to help you," Sarada whispered to Inojin. He simply nodded and coddled the lump on his head. She glared at Boruto and stomped toward him, mismatched wet footprints trailing behind her.
"Boruto!" Sarada yelled, jabbing a finger into his chest, "What is your problem?! You've been picking on Inojin all day - what gives?!"
"Why are you defending him?!" snapped Boruto. His eyes narrowed and he threw his pointer finger in Inojin's direction. Sarada scoffed in reply. The tension between them was thick.
"Are you serious, right now?!"
"You didn't hear what he said!"
"I don't care what he said! I care about what you did!"
"Well, you shouldn't be hanging out with him! He's not good for you!"
"Oh, and who is good for me, hm?" Sarada doubled-back a few steps and picked up her discarded ice cream cone - or what was left of it anyway. "You?" she continued.
"Well…I…"
"Yep, that's what I thought," said Sarada stiffly. She looked around in disbelief and shook her head. After a moment, she closed the gap between her and Boruto. Sarada roughly gripped the waistband of his jeans and yanked it towards her, creating just enough space for her to shove the rest of her ice cream cone down his pants.
"Hmph." Sarada flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned on her heel without so much as a glance back. She helped Inojin stand up once more, slung his arm over her shoulder, and led him away. Boruto was left doing everything to try and clean himself up that was just short of stripping his pants. The bystanders for the most part have all gone back to minding their business and dispersing the scene, save for the few who were gossiping with one another in hushed tones. Cho Cho took in the scene that unfolded and was left speechless as she tried to process everything.
Boruto felt a mixture of despair and guilt climb out of his gut and up his throat, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. He felt the familiar prick of tears threaten to spill over his cheeks and with a heavy sigh his shoulders sagged and he dragged his feet into the nearest public restroom.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
A/N: So this took WAY longer to update than I originally intended, but I sincerely appreciate the comments and kudos that seeped through during the down time. The e-mail notifications were an excellent reminder that I hadn't finished this! There are two chapters left! I do have them blocked in and outlined - I just need to go in and connect paragraphs and fill in gaps. I wish I could tell you when the next update will be ready, but it all depends on my mood and environment. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you for the next chapter!