#well i'm not sure if i should tag mitsuki

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Francis Drake Main Story

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors.

Blank, ageless, and suspicious blogs will be blocked.

Minor spoilers ahead. Not proofread.

The mansion greeted the morning without Drake.

(Drake is not yet home.)

I collected the letters in the mailbox and stared at the closed gate.

I tried checking his room to see if he had come back, but his room was still empty this morning.

(Everyone said he might be out partying.)

Thinking about it that way, a different kind of unease started to well up inside me.

Mitsuki: "Instead of worrying like this, I should go out and look for Drake again."

Just as I was considering that一

Drake: "I'm home, little fawn."

Mitsuki: "Drake!?"

The source of my worry returned with a carefree smile.

Mitsuki: "Welcome back. But more importantly, where were you yesterday!? You didn't come back the whole night."

Drake: "I was drinking at the tavern and chatting with other customers. I ended up getting drunk and passed out until morning."

I was relieved to hear that he wasn't involved in anything dangerous.

Mitsuki: "I was worried when you didn't come back."

Drake: "Ah, yeah, sorry for making you worry."

Drake tried to comfort me by gently stroking my head, and for some reason, he stared at me intently.

Mitsuki: "W-What is it?"

Drake: "Well, I was talking about you last night."

Mitsuki: "Me? What kind of talk?"

I was curious about what they were saying about me at their drinking session.

Drake: "Well, I was talking about how I can't take my eyes off you."

(Huh?)

Drake: "I'll keep the details a secret."

Drake: "Anyway, I'm going to take a bath."

Leaving behind those intriguing words, he entered the mansion.

(What does he mean by "can't take my eyes off me?")

Despite feeling relieved that he returned, I now find myself feeling anxious.

One day, amidst the lively days, my heart began to change little by little.

Mitsuki: "Thank you for tagging along, Drake, and for carrying most of the bags."

Drake: "Don't worry about it."

Drake grinned at me as he accompanied me to town.

Drake: "If you want, I can carry you in my arms."

Mitsuki: "Well, since you're offering, why not? It'd be easier for me, and I'm sure you can do it if you're insisting so much."

Drake: "Alright then, let's do it."

He bent down, preparing to lift me, but I quickly stopped him in a panic.

Mitsuki: "I-I’m joking! You really don't have to do it!"

(It's too embarrassing to be carried like that in the middle of town!)

Drake: "Getting shy, are you? Well, let's do it when you're not embarrassed."

When I was with him, even simple conversations made my heart flutter.

(Being with him is so much fun. I wonder why I feel this way.)

I guess there might have been some truth to it when Arthur teased me about feeling lonely because Drake didn't come home.

As we strolled through the city with light steps, I suddenly heard whispers from the townspeople.

Townsperson 1: "Have you noticed those guys? They've been showing up in town from time to time."

Townsperson 2: "Yeah, they give off a rather intimidating vibe."

I followed their gaze and saw the figures of men dressed in unfamiliar attire at the street corner.

They were wearing long cloaks and had swords at their waists, giving them an overall sharp and imposing appearance.

(Who are those people?)

Townsperson 2: "I've heard rumors that they're mercenaries hired by some noble."

Townsperson 1: "Oh, now that you mention it, they do look like that. If they're here to protect the city, I'm okay with it!"

The townspeople seemed relieved and satisfied as they moved on to another topic.

(Is that really the case? They do have a disciplined military-like vibe.)

Drake: "Heh?"

Startled and feeling a bit uneasy by his impressed tone, I looked up at him and saw a somewhat cynical smile.

Mitsuki: "Drake? Is something wrong?"

Drake: "Nah, I just thought they seemed like skilled fighters. I bet it'll be fun to spar with them."

Mitsuki: "Don't challenge someone to a duel just because you find it fun."

Drake: "Haha, don't worry. I won't. But if someone challenges me, I won't back down."

He laughed it off, and we continued on our way, but the group from earlier and that fleeting smile on his face left me with an uneasy feeling.

It was that night that we had sudden visitors.

Mitsuki: "Vlad! Why are you here?"

Without any warning, Vlad and his two companions from the old castle came to the mansion.

Vlad: "Sorry for dropping in unannounced, Mitsuki. Are Comte and Leonardo here?"

Vlad: "I have something important to discuss."

Mitsuki: "Sure. I'll let the others know. Please come in."

They seemed to have something important to discuss, so I invited them in.

Drake: "Little fawn, those guests..."

Charles: "Oh! Hey, is that the new vampire who joined the mansion?"

Faust: "The 16th-century pirate, was it?"

Mitsuki: "Yup. It's your first time meeting each other, yeah?"

Mitsuki: "Drake, this is Comte's old friend, Vlad. And these are Faust and Charles."

Mitsuki: "Vlad, this is..."

Vlad: "I've heard from Comte. You're Francis Drake, the renowned hero of the sea."

Drake: "Yeah, I've heard about you too. So, you're another pureblood, huh? Nice to meet you."

After exchanging brief greetings with Drake, Vlad immediately headed deeper into the mansion.

Drake stared at Vlad's departing figure, his expression somewhat unusual.

Drake: ".........."

(Drake?)

Despite being curious about that gaze, I also went to call Comte and the others.

While the three purebloods were talking in Comte's room, Faust and Charles were waiting in the living room.

Apparently, they didn't know why Vlad had come to the mansion.

Faust: "We saw a peculiar group carrying swords in town."

Mitsuki: "Oh, I saw them too. The townsfolk were saying they might be mercenaries."

Charles: "When we saw those people, Lord Vlad suddenly decided to visit the mansion."

(Does Vlad's important matter have something to do with those people?)

After a while, Vlad, Comte, and Leonardo came to the living room after finishing their conversation.

Their expressions seemed somewhat stern.

Leonardo: "Sebastian, are all the residents of the mansion present tonight?"

Sebastian: "I believe no one has gone out."

Comte: "Good. Could you gather everyone? I have something I want to discuss with all of them."

As soon as the residents of the mansion gathered in the living room, Comte, facing all of them, began speaking.

Comte: "I'll get straight to the point. It seems that vampire hunters have appeared in Paris."

(Vampire Hunters?)

It wasn't an entirely unfamiliar term, but I couldn't form a concrete image in my mind as I listened to Comte's explanation.

Comte: "There are few who know of their existence, but they are, as the name suggests, individuals who hunt vampires. In other words, they are our enemies."

Comte: "If you have seen those intimidating men wielding swords in the city, those guys are the Hunters."

(Those people I saw during the day!?)

(Well, it's true that they have a military-like atmosphere.)

Just as I was connecting the dots, Isaac suddenly voiced a question.

Isaac: "Wait. I saw those people too, but the townspeople said they were mercenaries, not hunters."

Isaac: "In the first place, do hunters really exist in this era?"

Vlad: "They proudly wear the same symbol as us as part of their identity. They hide it in their accessories and clothes."

Vlad: "Those people in the city all wore the same symbol as the hunters who massacred my clan."

Everyone present let out a small gasp.

Vlad's family, the Draculesti, were considered special beings.

However, I heard that when he was a kid, everyone in his family, except him, was slaughtered by vampire hunters.

(I can't believe those hunters are now in this city.)

Comte: "Vampire hunters don't appear on the public stage of history, but they secretly organize and carry out missions."

Comte: "And their mission is to hunt us, vampires."

Leonardo: "But you see, they're just regular humans. They can't spot us at a glance."

Leonardo: "Unless they witness us drinking blood, they won't be able to expose us."

(Leonardo has a point.)

Most of the residents sustained themselves with rouge or blanc.

As long as they didn't bite someone, they could avoid being discovered.

Feeling somewhat relieved, Vlad quietly spoke up.

Vlad: "There is just one thing that concerns me."

Vlad: "The presence of the vampire hunter's spear that pierced my chest."

Vlad touched his chest over his clothing as if trying to suppress the pain from the wound.

Vlad: “That spear can kill even pureblooded vampires, and there are only two of its kind in this world.”

Vlad: “If, by any chance, they still have it, the danger would increase significantly.”

Drake: “.........”

(It can kill even pureblooded vampires.)

Just hearing those words sent a chill down my spine.

Comte: “I want you all to enjoy your second life. But considering who the enemy is...”

Comte: “I don’t want to lose any more family members.”

Comte: “Please, be very careful.”

It was unclear to me how everyone was taking Comte’s heartfelt words.

Drake: “Hm. Those guys look tough, so I wouldn’t mind picking a fight with them if I had the chance.”

Drake: “But I guess I’ll refrain from getting involved.”

Drake’s grumbling lightened the tense atmosphere, making me relax a little.

Mitsuki: “Honestly, Drake, even at a time like this...”

Napoleon: “You don’t really give a damn if someone looks strong, huh?”

Dazai: “Haha! Picking fights might not be a good idea, but being overly cautious might not be good either.”

Dazai: "It's just like when you take off after seeing the cops, even if you have nothing to hide, and they start getting all suspicious of you."

Isaac: "Dazai, do you have that kind of experience?"

Leonardo: "Well, we've managed to avoid getting caught until now, but we can't just lock ourselves in the mansion until the hunters leave."

Arthur: "I was looking forward to secretly having fun with some girls, but it looks like I'll have to put that on hold for a while."

Theo: "It seems like Arthur is the only one who needs to be careful."

The atmosphere lightened, and the usual banter returned.

Their nonchalant attitude helped ease the seriousness of the situation, but it also made me realize something I'd never thought about before.

(I knew that everyone here is a vampire, but I never thought I'd have to worry about them being hunted down.)

I silently prayed that nothing would happen to them, but at the same time, I wondered if all I could do was pray.

After Mitsuki and the vampires had returned to their respective rooms, Drake stood on the balcony.

Drake: "A visit from the true vampire hunters."

Drake: "Nice. It's going to be interesting."

He drew a knife from his waist and held the blade up.

(I can't seem to fall asleep.)

I was still anxious about those vampire hunters in Paris, and my racing thoughts kept me from sleeping.

(Maybe I should get some fresh air.)

With that thought in mind, I slipped out of bed and headed to the balcony.

(Huh?)

To my surprise, there was already someone there.

Mitsuki: "Drake?"

Drake: "Little fawn, what are you doing out here?"

Mitsuki: "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd get some air."

As I stood beside him, Drake leaned against the railing and peered at my face.

Drake: "I got it. You couldn't sleep because of those vampire hunters."

(Well, I can't deny that entirely.)

Mitsuki: "It's embarrassing, but yeah, maybe a little."

Drake: "You’re honest as always. Would you like this big brother to keep you company?"

Mitsuki: "Hehe, you're teasing me again."

Mitsuki: "Are you going to count sheep until I fall asleep?"

I playfully changed the topic, and he extended his arm toward me, pulling my shoulder closer.

Drake: "I'll count sheep like this until you fall asleep."

Drake: "One sheep, two sheep."

(He's so close.)

Despite the cool night breeze, I could feel his body heat, causing my face and body to grow warmer.

Mitsuki: "Drake, um..."

Drake: "Three sheep, four sheep."

Despite being flustered, he continued to pat my shoulder and count sheep.

Drake: "You're so warm. I'm going to have a hard time letting you go."

Drake: "If this were a bed, I'd fall asleep first."

Mitsuki: "I'm just a little warm."

Drake: "Is that so? Haha! Then you might not get any sleep."

When I managed to squeeze out my voice, Drake quickly moved away.

(Phew. I thought my heart was going to explode.)

However, I found myself feeling a little lonely when his warmth left, so I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

Perhaps it was his usual casual demeanor, but the unsettling unease in my heart was starting to subside.

Drake: "Well, hearing about the vampire hunters appearing can make anyone anxious."

Drake: "Since we all live together, there's always a possibility that even as a human, you could get involved."

Mitsuki: "I'm more worried about everyone than myself."

I looked down at the garden from the balcony.

The vibrant flowers I saw during the day were now shrouded in darkness.

Mitsuki: "Everyone in the mansion became vampires, but they're just living their second lives with such strong determination."

Mitsuki: "And I know that even the three purebloods have a deep affection for humans."

Drake: "..........."

Mitsuki: "It's just heartbreaking to imagine them being hunted as villains."

Mitsuki: "It would be nice if we could understand each other beyond our differences."

(I don't want anyone to get hurt. Everyone here is important to me.)

(Drake, too.)

I wish the wind could carry away all my anxiety.

Thinking that way一

Drake: "I guess that's what vampires are to you."

I heard him say this coldly, so I turned my gaze to him.

(Drake?)

Drake: "But you know, that's just a one-sided perspective. For humans, it doesn't matter what feelings vampires may have."

Drake: "The fact remains that vampires drink human blood."

Mitsuki: "Yes, but..."

Drake: "Humans are the same. Humans hunt vampires for their own convenience. They resist the threat to their lives."

Drake: "Humans might also have the motive to eliminate superior beings to dominate the world."

He raised the corner of his mouth and wore a sarcastic smile.

Drake: "Predators and prey, hunters and the hunted一humans and vampires are parallel to each other, no matter how you look at it."

Drake: "That's why they've been killing each other in the shadows of history."

(.........)

His words were painfully realistic, perhaps because he was someone who had survived through the ages and had a unique perspective.

But his attitude of not siding with either side felt like一

(He's been observing the relationship between humans and vampires from a distance.)

His aquamarine eyes, usually gazing into the distance, now looked dark and somber.

Drake: "The difference in our species is the root of fear and hatred. That alone can make anyone cruel."

Drake: "Both humans and vampires have the same roots. Hatred seems to be a part of living beings' nature."

Mitsuki: "Drake."

His words felt like a harsh outpouring of emotion, and before I realized it, I had grabbed his arm.

Drake: "........."

Mitsuki: "Are you okay? You seem to be in pain."

Drake: "Mitsuki."

Suddenly, the night breeze that had been rustling the trees calmed down. We gazed at each other as if time had stopped, and Drake's hand overlapped mine.

Drake: "Your hands are warm."

Mitsuki: "Yours too."

Drake: "Haha! Maybe you only think that for now."

(Only for now?)

I didn't quite understand the meaning of those words, but...

(I don't want to believe that hatred is at the root of human nature.)

(But did something in his past make him think that way?)

Drake: "Sorry. This conversation turned unexpectedly heavy."

Drake: "Even if a hunter appears, it doesn't mean they'll suddenly barge in here."

Drake: "Instead of burdening yourself with worry, why don't you get some rest now?"

Mitsuki: "Okay."

He patted my head gently, and his eyes were smiling, but...

(Even the clearest ocean has dark and unreachable depths at the bottom of it.)

(I wonder if Drake also has a place like that in his heart.)

Those thoughts crossed my mind that night.

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[faintblueivy]

Starting Again - BoruSara fanfiction

To you all lovelies, here I am with a new story!

First of all! This is my second Collab with lovely @benteja so please, do take a look at her GORGEOUS art!

And secondly, precious @mirachaann betaread this story for me! Lots of love and thank you to both of you!!!

Word count: 4.3k

Anon, I can't. 😂😂😂 That's TOO MUCH! Even for me, I swear! Although in this story j have used two from that prompt list!

Enough of my rambles! Please enjoy the story!

Starting Again

Walking across the hallway, Sarada's gaze jumped from room to room, eyes searching for the board of class ‘2 - A’. There were a few people moving around the large white corridors, but Sarada was not comfortable to ask them the required address. Rather, she was hyper-aware of the curious glances thrown in her direction, not sure how to deal with them, but internally groaning at the idea of socializing. She smoothed out her marron skirt in a pathetic attempt to look more presentable. Don't get her wrong, she was not an antisocial person by nature...but mingling with new people all of a sudden was not... exactly simple for her.

It has already been three days since she moved in to the new city of Konoha, and her life has completely been thrown off the loop currently. Arranging proper accommodations and living by herself was hard. Her parents were rich enough to buy her a studio apartment near her school and she was grateful to their endeavours to ensure appropriate resources for her. They have always been weirdly doting in their own ways.

After her first year in a local but renowned high school, in Takamatsu, she had taken up the test of one of the most prestigious education institution in the country - Konoha High, and passed with flying colours for her sophomore year with a full scholarship.

Sarada had been ecstatic at her admission in her dream school, but now, the intimidating ambience of the School was making her have second thoughts about coming.

Shannaro! You idiot! It's for the sake of your career!

She scolded herself mentally for being such a coward. She needed to have some self confidence. It was important to succeed.

“Oyyy! Watch out!”

She heard the shout and the sound of heavy and fast footsteps approaching before her eyes registered the person moving toward her. Too fast.

Her body was slammed against a larger and heavier one, and of course, it was enough to throw her off balance. She yelped and braced herself for the harsh impact of collision with the hard floor seeping into her bones but, thankfully, it never came. Instead, her eyes flew open when a firm grip clasped around her forearm, yanking her back to her feet. She whipped up her head and all she saw were a pair of oceanic blue eyes.

Gorgeous.

Her breath hitched. Those eyes...there was some inexplicable cognizance she felt at the moment. A misty echo.

Have I seen those eyes...somewhere... before?  

The question floated inside her brain even before she wondered about it. She It took a few seconds for her to notice the guy entirely.

Yes, he had the sapphire coloured eyes, and also messy blond hair and haphazardly worn uniform. He was staring at her intently, eyes roving over her face with a odd unknown and unintended familiarity.  

She internally cursed at her bad luck.

It was her first day at her new school, and the first person she gets to meet is the school delinquent.

Great. Just great.

She prepared herself for the string of curses he might spew out and the threatening that would come together with it. But once again, he manages to throw her off guard.

“I'm so sorry!”

Sarada blinked up at him, as he averted his gaze before crouching down in front of her to pick up her bag. She hadn't even noticed it falling off her shoulder.

“Er...really, really, I’m sorry. Was in a hurry -ttebasa. But still, shouldn't have knocked you down like that! Apologies!”

He handed her bag back carefully, raking fingers through his golden locks.

“Uh, I'll go now.”

He gestured vaguely before almost running off to his presumed destination. But suddenly, Sarada remembered that she needed help.

“Wait!”

She was surprised when the guy immediately halted and turned back to look at her.

“Um, can you please guide me to class 2 - A?”

His face instantly lit up, as if the prospect of helping her would help him make up for crashing into her. And he wasn't that far off the truth.

“You're on the wrong aisle. Don't worry, you just need to turn left and and then turn right in from the third turn. You'll see the board of 2 - A at once! Sorry, would've taken you there myself but I am just-”

“-In a hurry.” Sarada finished his sentence and he just nodded dumbly.  

“Thank you!” She expressed her gratitude with a bow before walking off in the direction he had pointed her at.

“See you again!” He called out.

She glanced a look back at him, a little bewildered at his confident tone but he was already running away.

Maybe he's not a delinquent after all.

She concluded, an ease settling inside her chest.

Little did she know this meeting would later turn out to be one of the greatest serendipity of her life.

…

She understood what he meant by seeing her again when she entered the classroom with her teacher again, for a formal introduction and almost stumbled at his presence in the back seat of the class.

She deduced that he must have recognised her too because just now he gave her a small wave, eyes bright, piquing the interest of his seatmate. She went a little red, not sure if she was the subject of their conversation.

Probably I am.

She grimaced inwardly at the calculating look of his silver-blue haired benchmate. She was a little unnerved by the scrutiny of his golden eyes as well. Trying to distract herself, she boldly stepped in front of the class and proceeded to acquaint with her classmates.

After her introduction, she was offered a seat at the second row, close to a dark skinned and chubby girl.

“Hello! Chocho Akimichi here!”

She gave her a large smile accompanying mock salute and Sarada accepted it with a smile of her own. And in no time, she is ushered in a conversation to the group of girls surrounding them, Sumire, Namida and Wasabi. Sarada soon learned that Chocho is an unstoppable chatterbox and by the time lunch rolled around, she knew the backstories of more than half of her classmates. But she couldn’t deny that Chocho's cheerful enthusiasm burned away all her apprehensions regarding her entering in this new school.

“You're...Uchiha Sarada? Wait! The same Uchiha Sarada who had the perfect score in the recent entrance test?”

“...Yes?”

“Ohh gosh, girl! You gotta tutor me when the exams are here!”

Chocho was loud enough for others to hear their conversation and it took only a few seconds for their desk to be swarmed with new people she'd never met asking for help, screaming their names and talking to her. As Chocho made a futile attempt to manage the crowd, for a fleeting moment, Sarada's eyes travelled to the back of their classroom.

Right to her blond classmate who was apparently also looking...at her?

Their eyes met and the both of them abruptly go red to have been caught staring by the other. Sarada immediately tore her gaze away, squeaking mentally. She had wanted to be discreet and instead got caught red-handed.

This is embarrassing!

The rest of her day was spent wallowing up in self pity and otherwise trying to get comfortable with her new school and its environment. The school had a fierce ‘no phone in classroom’ and ‘no eating lunch inside class’ policy. But there were several other rules as well… like being a part of at least one club was compulsory. A lot of the regulations were similar to her previous high-school but in here they were adhered to much more strictly. Sarada didn't mind though. She'd always been good at being a responsible child. Following rules came easy to her.

Although...not everyone worked that way.

…

It was her second day at school and she realised that her first impression of her blue eyed classmate was not that off the mark, actually.

Their first class of the day was about to start and they were waiting for their homeroom teacher, sitting on their assigned seats. Imagine her surprise when the door of the room is slammed open and Shino sensei walked in... soaking wet. She's too dumbfounded at the scene that she barely registered Chocho sighing wearily.

“And… he's done it again.”

The teacher seemed to scan the classroom as if looking for the culprit and Sarada figured that he might have found the perpetrator cause his vision seemed fixated on someone. Though, honestly, she could only assume because his dark glasses obscured most of his facial features, especially his eyes. She is startled when he screamed.

“Uzumaki Boruto! Come with me to the Teacher's room this instant!”

She swirled her head in the direction of the boy addressed and he stood up, a mischievous, challenging smirk on his face before he raised his hands up in mock surrender.

“Alright. Alright. Coming.”

She watched him sauntering out of the door, with his shoulders squared as if he's done something of great significance. And Sarada just rolled her eyes at his antics.

…

It was her third day at the new school when she realised that just because he's a prankster or delinquent... whatever you'd like to call him... doesn't mean that he didn't have a heart of gold.

It was at the last few minutes of lunch break and Sarada was returning back to the classroom with Chocho and the girls when there was a loud crash, screaming and cursing just at the turn of the aisle. Sarada's eyes went wide as she met the alarmed glances of her friends as they hastily rushed to the scene.

There was a guy, probably older than them and a smaller person was lying on the floor, his glasses lying a feet or two away and definitely cracked. The larger buy grinned maliciously, before bending down, gripping the collar of the other guy, who looked terrified.

Sarada felt rage bubbling up inside her at the sight and she heard the girls exclaiming fearfully behind her.

“Oh no! It's him!”

“N-no. Denki-kun!”

Sarada knew she was new in this school and town, yes, and doing something reckless was only going to bring her lots of trouble later, but at the moment, she knew she had to intervene. Because the boy looked so helpless, petrified, and all these people surrounding them looked too scared to do anything about it. This seriously made her heart twist. Mentally bracing herself for the repercussions of her stupid involvement, her mind scourged up different scenarios if things got heated up more or maybe became even physical. She knew she was trained since a young age in martial arts, courtesy of her father - the commissioner of Kagawa prefecture. She was completely capable of defending herself when needed and maybe hold it out as long as the authorities reach them.

She almost stepped into the fray when he rushed past her, a flurry of rage and activity.

“Put him down, now! Iwabe!”

He yelled, stomping over and ripping the smaller boy away from the bully's grip. Helping him stand securely, in the protection of some of his other guy friends, he turned to glare back at larger guy.

“So here comes the Hero of Konoha High! Huh. Stop meddling in my matters, Uzumaki.” Iwabe mocked him, stepping in closer to domineer over Boruto. But of course, he didn't back down.

“Then stop bullying people around! I don't enjoy nosing in other people's stuff either. But seriously, you need to stay away from Denki!” Boruto said, with an detectable amount of hostility in his voice.

Iwabe scoffed. “And what if I don't?”

The atmosphere was immediately surrounded in a heavy, stifling silence before Boruto lips quirked upwards, in a feral smile, his eyes too sharp.  

“Then meet me at the back of the school ground after school ends.”

“Deal.” Iwabe laughed snidely before walking away.

Sarada watched the restlessness among her peers grow as Denki clutched Boruto's sleeve in distress.

“Boruto-kun! You didn't have to do this for me!” He almost sobbed.

Boruto eyes softened immediately. And Sarada marvelled that the contrast between his light blue eyes now and the angry dark blue ones that he had just a few moments ago.

“Boruto, you've done masters in stupidity, haven't you?” Another boy - the person Chocho referred to as Shikadai - complained.

“Come on, Shikadai! It had to be done!” Boruto emphasized, before looking at Denki again,and saying lightly. “And I'm not just doing it for you, Denki. He needs to learn a lesson and someone had to stand up to him anyway.”

By the time teachers arrived, the crowd was already dispersed. Boruto had offered Denki a piggyback ride and taken him to the infirmary. The class started and it was later he strolled in as if it was a public park.

“Boruto! You're late again! Are you skipping classes? I'll need to inform Shino sensei of your behaviour.” The teacher grumbled, scolding him.

“Hai hai.” Boruto walked to his seat, doing an incredible job of ignoring the teacher, not even bothering to defend himself.

Sarada was confused. His behaviour was so inconsistent that it was mind-boggling. One second he'd be knocking down people and then the next he'd be apologising to them profusely. One day he'd be pranking his teachers and causing trouble and disturbing the class and the other day he'd be defending his classmates. Sarada was not even sure what to make of his ironed, wrinkle free clothes when he never ever followed the school code of dressing.

He seemed like a mystery to her. Someone who pretended to be as carefree as possible and yet felt the urge to be held responsible for the safety of others.

Puzzling indeed.

…

When the school day came to an end, more than half of their class was waiting at the grounds and even some people from the other classes who might've gotten the wind of the situation had arrived there as well.

Boruto was already on the designated battle ground, removing off his blazer and rolling up his sleeves when Iwabe walked in with his lackeys.

“Hope you're ready, pretty boy?” He pointed at Boruto menacingly. Boruto didn't flinch at all. Sarada was impressed as he brushed off Iwabe's insults at him as if they were a speck of dust.

The rules were then introduced - no weapons are allowed and the fight ends when one party gives up.

Sarada knew that the fight was going to be real nasty. And boy, was she right. The soft petals of cherry blossoms fluttered down, but her eyes were glued to the two boys in front of her exchanging blows.

Iwabe had started the battle, swiping at Boruto furiously. Boruto was being forced into defence, blocking his jabs and punches. In midst of dodging, he got an opening. Pivoting on one leg, he almost kicked his opponent on the side. But Iwabe was fast enough to block it with his arm, pushing Boruto's leg with enough strength to make him lose his balance. Boruto immediately rolled on his back to avoid coming in Iwabe's range.

It was clear to her trained eyes that Boruto was educated in battle styles and martial arts and was undoubtedly talented. Although Iwabe's extreme experience was nullifying his efforts visibly.

Sarada bit her lip when Iwabe was able to get a hit on him, throwing him across the hard ground. But before Boruto could move away in time, Iwabe was on him, delivering a harsh kick in the ribs and punching him quite a few times.

“Boruto-kun!”

“Boruto!”

“Boruto, you idiot! Get up!”

She could hear his friends calling out to him, as her fingers clutched the railing tightly enough for her knuckles to turn white.

“You're worried about him?” Chocho asked, eyeing her grip.

“Don't be ridiculous!” Sarada lied through her teeth, but was sure that Chocho didn't buy it.

Come, on. Get up. Use his own weight and throw him off.

She knew that sitting on the sidelines here and blurting out suggestions was much easier than being on the battle arena and facing the opponent yourself. But she was flabbergasted when Boruto did exactly the same.

Grabbing both of Iwabe's arms in a tight hold, he slammed his feet hard on his chest, and using the weight of his rival, he catapulted him over his head, right on the floor.

The crowd cheered for Boruto and Sarada almost released a sigh of relief. She wondered if it was noticeable to others or not, but he had a bleeding abrasion on his forearm, and probably a sprained ankle because she could see him limping. A pit of worry settled inside her stomach, for a classmate she barely even knew.

Why? Don’t even ask. She didn't know that. She just knew that she didn’t want him to get injured...or lose.

This time Boruto took the offence, managing to get several hits on Iwabe's face and chest and then a knee straight in stomach forcing him to cough out spit. Sarada gasped in shock when he immediately grabbed Boruto's thigh and pulled in violently, forcing him to tumble down. Iwabe took the moment to recover, closing in the distance and raised his leg high in air.

An axe kick?! No!

Sarada barely even remembered herself screaming at the top of her lungs.

“Dodge!”  

She watched the exact moment his eyes flickered up to hers.

Blue eyes clashing against onyx.

An understanding passed between them in that instant. It was a fraction of a second when he rolled, just in time. Iwabe's attack barely grazed him. He flipped back, maintaining fair distance from his opponent. She could see Iwabe getting agitated. He was losing his patience and Boruto had already done quite damage. They circled each other, watchful of the other's posture.

But she could see it in his eyes. That burning determination. A smile graced her lips when she understood that it was going to be his last strike and he was obviously planning on winning.

Boruto lunged forward and she could see Iwabe smirking, probably thinking that Boruto was trying to land a blow. His hands were in front of his body in a gesture of defence, ready to block the punch aimed at his face. But, Sarada saw it. The glint in Boruto's smile. Iwabe looked positively stunned when instead of punching like intended, Boruto used his foot, tripping him off balance, that first attempt being merely a ruse. Boruto used that particular second of shock to use his arms and body weight to slam Iwabe on to the ground hard, using his fingers to press against his throat.

A triangle choke!

Sarada knew that the fight was over. Iwabe did have a larger frame in comparison to Boruto, but the element of surprise that Boruto had used was working well. And Boruto's technique was clearly refined. Just like she predicted, Iwabe gasped for air, his face going red from the lack of oxygen and then in a few moments, he gave up. The match had ended, with Boruto being declared as the winner.

She was pleasantly shocked when Boruto approached his fallen opponent. From here, she could not understand what they were both talking about but felt an immense pride blooming in her chest when Boruto offered his hand and Iwabe took it. He was smiling gently, even though Iwabe had a haughty look on his face, but everyone could see that begrudging respect in his eyes for their blond classmate.

“He's really cool, isn't he?”

Sumire whispered, hands clasped on her front, smiling softly. Sarada found herself agreeing.

He is...shannaro!

…

She was almost out of the school premises, to her way back home when he called her out.

“Hey! Um, can we talk for a bit?”

She staggered, turning back to look at him. He was standing a few feet away from her.  

“You want to talk? To me?” she asked pointing to herself, bewildered.

“Yup?”

“...sure.”

He approached her carefully, looking here and there as if making sure that no one was in the vicinity. After convincing himself that it was just the two of them, he looked at her, smiling gratefully.

“I just wanted to thank you.”

Sarada was honestly overwhelmed at his sincerity. She guessed that was the reason why she was not sure how to respond to it.

“Thank me? For what?” She managed to ask awkwardly, shifting on her feet.

“For warning me? If you hadn't screamed at me to dodge, I would have probably lost.” He confessed, truthfully, unabashedly, and Sarada unknowingly admired him even more for it.

His eyes were so bright and expressive that she could read infinity in them. Perfect pools of blue, turning into an indescribable shade when the evening sunlight illuminated them with a soft glow.

For some reason I can’t fathom, they still appeared familiar though.

Sarada shook her head slightly, and looking him straight in the eyes, she answered.

“No, it was you. You’re the one who fought and won. I'm glad that it was you.”

A moment of comfortable silence passed between them, and she could see him searching her face for something. She didn't know what exactly, but she didn't mind. And it is then she remembered, noticing the scratch on his nose.

“Did you get your wounds treated?” she asked sternly.

“Eh? No? Wha-” he stammered at the sudden change of subject and her conduct.

“You're really reckless, aren't you?” She glared, jabbing him in the chest.

“Let's go back to school. You should go back to the infirmary.” she offered but he immediately jumped away.

“No! It would ruin my reputation, you know?” He spoke seriously as if it was a matter of life and death for him.

Sarada clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“Wow. Just wow. You boys and your stupid reputation. Great! But do tell me, what kind of reputation would you have if your wound gets infected enough to get you hospitalized or your sprain gets serious enough to get you in a wheelchair.”

“What the heck?!” He screamed, turning pale.“Why would you even say something like that?”

Sarada is unable to control her giggles at the aghast look on his face. He appeared to be clearly disturbed.

“And how did you even know I had a sprained ankle? Almost nobody noticed.”

His question was valid, she decided. With a secretive smile on her face, she replied. “Nothing escapes my vision.”

And just like that, he's cackling like a madman. And she too, dissolved in a fit of laughter. In midst of all that giggling, she grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

“Wait! I don't wanna go to the infirmary!” He whined like a little kid, still chuckling.

“Alright! I'm just searching for a bench.” She told him, shaking her head at his actions.

And soon they found one. Beneath a beautiful cherry blossom tree that reminded Sarada so much of her mother. She hoped that the tree would magically transmit her feelings to her mother. That she was happy here, making new friends and meeting nice people.

Maybe I'll call her tonight.

They sat on the bench, just on the sidewalk as Sarada pulled out a small box from her bag.

“Is that a first aid kit?” He asked, nonplussed.

“Yup. You got to carry one when your mother is a doctor. No excuses are acceptable.”

The next few minutes are spent with her applying antiseptics on his wounds, dressing them and then helping him to tie the crepe bandage on his strained ankle. Then she leaned in, grasping his chin and pulling it down at her level.

“H-Hey! W-What are you-” He stuttered, face turning a brilliant shade of red.  

“You have a scratch on your nose.”

That was the only warning she gave him before slapping a bandage on.

“Ouch!” he howled before glaring at her with watery eyes. She just gave him a smug smirk.

“And do something about those bruised ribs.”

“Seriously?! What are you? Some doctor?”

“No. I'm not. But I told you that my mother is.”

He exclaimed how good she was in this stuff and she of course, bragged about her mother again. As she rearranged her kit all over, his voice reached her ears, tone quite tentative.

“Hey?”

“Yes?”

There was a pause, as if he was contemplating his thoughts and arranging them in a plausible explanation of his inner monologue.

“Our first meeting was not...very cool, was it? Better late than never. Let's start again, shall we?”

Sarada stared at him for a while, trying to gouge out his intentions but all she could see was that vibrant hopefulness in them. She smiled and then extended her hand to him.

“Hello. I'm Uchiha Sarada. Nice to meet you.”

Her heart thrummed inside her chest deafeningly, as he gave her the brightest smile she'd ever seen a person having. Incredibly beautiful. Bright enough to rival the sun. He took her hand delicately and smiled larger.

“Hey! I'm Uzumaki Boruto! Nice to meet you too.”

Now sitting on the bench, just like this, letting the soft, pink cherry blossoms fall on them was unexpectedly soothing. Boruto's companionship felt so familiar that Sarada was in bliss of tender warmth inside. It was beautiful moment. Something new but yet something similar to a memory deeply buried somewhere in her conscience. And that is why it felt like the correct moment to ask him something she had been itching to, since the moment she had met him.

“I want to ask you something.” She whispered.

“Yeah, me too.” he murmured.

And just like that, something clicked.

They grinned at each other, a thousand words flowing between them, eyes all bright and excited, before speaking out in unison.

“Have we met before?”

“Have we met before?”

...

Tbh, I really, really enjoyed writing this story. Thank you once again @benteja for supporting me and my art so much! it means a lot to me! and all the other members of Borusara discord too! You guys are awesome! And omg, i cant wait to hear your thoughts everyone! 

And I want to make a few things clear. I do not want you all to think that I hate Iwabe. No, not at all. Infact I enjoy his character. I just took a little inspiration from the canon, you see?

Please do tell me if you enjoyed this story! We needed a Borusara high school AU, didn't we? AHAHAHAHAHA!

[sorryimanon]

Character: Katsuki Bakugou

Warnings/tags: heart warming fluff, language, and suggestive themes

Word count: 2.5k

In which your boyfriend takes it upon himself to pamper you on his day off.

Author’s note: some self indulgent fluff. this is a continuation of dad!bakugou and torch daughter. there will be more. enjoy :)

D/N= daughters name

-

Katsuki heavily relied on you to babysit your rambunctious four year old daughter during the days when he'd be on patrol from dusk till dawn. Very rarely would he be home before the two of you tucked yourselves in for the night, leaving him to eat the leftovers from dinner alone at the table. As sad as it is, it didn't bother you in the slightest. In fact, knowing Katsuki was keeping the crime rate of Japan low, you were more than happy to become a stay at home mom. Most of your friends tried to talk you out of it, but you were already settled after giving your two weeks notice at your low paying job. Waking up and seeing your daughter first thing in the morning is better than staring blankly at a bright screen all day behind a musty wall, running on nothing but decaf coffee, and sluggishly going to and fro like a zombie.

Ever since your daughter manifested her quirk, you’ve been trying your best to maintain her sudden outbursts while at home. The doctor prescribed it as Torch: the ability to become a human torch and ignite flames throughout your body and fingertips. For now d/n is only capable of setting herself on fire, using the flames as a barrier to protect her from any harm instead of combating. However, sometimes she'll forget to extinguish herself, having you to manually use an actual fire extinguisher on her. Burn marks would litter the outskirts of your shirts, the aftermath ash smudged on your face, and the tiny hairs on your forearms long gone after handling d/n.

Your boyfriend appreciates the way how you compose yourself around d/n, not allowing the temptation to fling the little gremlin out the window prevail, because if the roles were reversed it'd be a whole different story. Sometimes he sits back in his desk chair, after a long night of meandering around the city, and tries to remember the last time you were properly treated. Of course, Katsuki never fails to remind you day and night he loves you through his actions, some including selfish indulgence late at nights, but all in all he didn't lack being the hopeless romantic counterpart for you. He wanted you to take a break from it all, have him handle the at home duties and the slimy daughter. Leaning back against the chair with his brows furrowed slightly, he began to mentally plan out your day already.

It was a Friday when Katsuki forced himself out of the comfortable security that is your arms and walked with light feet to his daughters bedroom. Today is his day off, so he has to make sure everything goes smoothly or else he's going to have more burn marks on his office desk.

He didn't bother knocking first and saunters in the familiar space, the faint snores from d/n somehow relaxing him. Her walls were freshly painted a light shade of blue, the contrast not too saturated to peel the attention away from her posters that covered every inch of her room, all of which were pictures of his prohero colleagues. D/N had to beg for her father to purchase a Deku poster, one of which she saw don display when the both of you brought her to the mall for a quick trip. He internally cringes every time he makes eye contact with the lifeless eyes of Deku when he enters her room.

Katsuki neared his daughter and kneeled down to where his head was leveled with hers, chuckling lightly when finding a small pool of drool collecting on her cheek.

"Wake up little shit," he whispers, nudging her uncovered shoulder with his knuckles, startling her eyes to flutter open. D/n nearly gasped at the sight of her father. The covers that were wrapped snuggly around her fell at the foot of her bed when she jolted up in surprise, eyes brimming with excitement.

"It's today right? Mommy's day!" Katsuki covered her mouth with his abnormally large hand, not wanting her obnoxious voice to blow their cover.

"Yes, but you're gonna have to be quiet for daddy. Don't want to spoil the surprise for mommy, you understand ya little brat?"

Hand still attached to her mouth, d/n nodded her head feverishly, hands clenched into tiny fits. Once he thinks she's shimmered down a little, he finally removes his hand and motions her to follow him.

Meanwhile in the other room, you were still fast asleep, limbs not once switching from their position over the cozy blanket. The chill breeze from the propped window regulated your body temperature nicely, along with the beautiful songs sung by the birds that reside in the trees close by. You stirred awake momentarily, feeling the loss of a presence that's usually laying beside you during these times of slumber. Katsuki's side was empty, the indent from his body molded onto the foam mattress, leaving you to believe he woke up not that long ago.

After convincing yourself to leave the comfort of your bed, you decided to search for the missing blonde. You crack open the door to a weird combination of radio music blaring throughout the house, and the delicious smell of something cooking in grease. It's no doubt your boyfriends doing. He always likes to impress you with how skillful he is in the kitchen. He hasn't made a dish you disliked yet nor will he allow himself to do so.

Standing side by side, minus the height difference, d/n and Katsuki both were too immersed in their cooking to notice you leaning against the island counter, trying very hard to not cry instantly at the sight in front of you. Watching them interact together was definitely something you'd be treasuring for the years to come.

A rush of savory and sweetness infiltrated your senses, the scent strong enough to knock you back to sleep. As if he read your mind overnight, Katsuki took it upon himself to prepare your favorite breakfast dishes. The dinner table made for three already set by none other than d/n, who currently looked proud at her work and craftsmanship. A large vase was propped in the center, a collection of vibrant flowers stuffed to the brim, the water inside almost overflowing. Attached to one of the stems of the flowers was a tag, the handwriting sloppy and hard to decipher.

To my dumbass, love ya - K.B

You felt the delicate touch of your daughter wrapping her hand around yours, giving it a slight tug before pulling you into the kitchen again. Katsuki flicked his gaze to you now, flashing the same mischievous grin you grew to love. his hands simultaneously worked on the food while taming the animal, that is indeed your daughter, from bumping into the pan handles.

"What's all this for?" You asked, the question directly appointed to both your boyfriend and daughter.

"Oh, so I can't treat my sexy girlfriend to a good meal?" he teased while setting the burners to low, letting the food cool off before plating it. Your daughter audibly gagged at the comment and swatted Katsuki's arm.

D/N's tiny legs were faster than yours and reached the cabinet where the plates and cutlery were stored at. To her dismay, the cabinet was higher than she anticipated. trying her best to waiver down the disappointment as she climbed on the sleek marble counter top, losing her footing here and there. Katsuki caught her in time before she misplaced her footing and almost toppled onto the floor.

"May I need to remind you not to climb on the damn counter tops anymore d/n?" he scolded as he put her down before grabbing enough plates for everyone.

Pursing her lips tightly, she crossed her arms and said, "But if I'm going to be a future hero then I have to battle my way through tough obstacles!"

U.A's immense training and work studies came in handy when dealing with d/n's hard headed ideologies. It's been a stressful reoccurrence, having to constantly teach her the importance of being a hero at such a young age. Her impulsive tendencies mirrored the blondes old habit of taking action before thinking. But there was always a saying when storing away your fear and facing danger head on.

"That's true, but sometimes a little teamwork wouldn't hurt. Your father should know a thing or two about that when he was a young U.A student," you said as you patted her head.

"What'd you say shitty woman? Talking crap so early in the morning already?" a strange popping sound alerted you to turn around, only to find Katsuki flaring his flashy quirk with a glare that could splice you open.

But his alarming gaze wasn't the thing that was scaring you at the moment.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT USING YOUR QUIRK IN THE HOUSE! YOU'RE GONNA SET OFF THE FIRE ALARM AGAIN, IDIOT!"

-

You thought the smorgasbord of a breakfast was the last of your boyfriends romantic gestures, but you should've known better once he demanded you to change out of your sleep attire and into something to  wear outside. Not thinking twice about where he was dragging you to, including daughter, you decided to play it safe. He approved on your choice of ripped jeans, synthetic tank top, and thrown on cardigan once heading off to the car.

The car ride to the mysterious destination was short lived as your boyfriend pulled up into the driveway of his old house. Mitsuki stood waiting by the threshold of the doorway, waving her fingers sweetly to whom you can only assume was you and not her only son. She stepped off the porch once Katsuki shifted the car in park, unlocking the doors as well. His mother reached the side where d/n stayed strapped in her seat and yanked the door open.

"Ah my little princess! How have you been? I missed you so much!" She unbuckled d/n's seat belt and flattened her in a tight hug, squeezing till her eyes popped out. "I can't wait to spend the weekend with you baby girl! Are you excited to have a little fun with grandma?!"

"Calm the fuck down, you're gonna kill her if you keep squeezing!" Katsuki's voice boomed out of the window.

"Oh pipe down you little shit I'm not harming her! Also don't talk to me like that! You're old enough to treat me with some respect by now!"

"SHUT UP YOU OLD HAG! JUST TAKE THE LITTLE GREMLIN AND GO!"

After the heated exchange, Katsuki eventually calmed down and drove the two of you back to the house in complete silence. It was quite a shift in a sense of environment wise. By now d/n would be begging you to make her some pudding or pour her a cup of lemonade, then place yourselves in front of the tv watching a random kids program till evening. Tonight you lend the torch to your boyfriend, allowing whatever devious plan he conjured up to unfold.

Before you could shuffle into your shared bedroom, Katsuki placed his calloused hands onto your cramped shoulders. Merely centimeters from your ear, he laid a chaste kiss on the area beneath it, smiling at your innocent reaction to his sudden actions and nuzzled into the crook of your neck. You smelt the familiar scent of caramel and men’s soap, both of which you undoubtably loved when combined.

“Suki?” Upon hearing his nickname, Katsuki quirked an eyebrow at you. “What’s with all the romantic gestures lately? Cooking my favorite breakfast, the flowers, and our daughter. Don’t get me wrong, I love her! It’s just nice not to worry about if she’ll set the curtains on fire again.”

You felt the vibrations of him chuckling behind you.

“Isn’t it obvious? I just want to fuck the shit out of you,” you sat paralyzed by his bluntness. his tuft hair tickled the underside of your chin, earning him an acute giggle from you. “I’m just kidding, pretty face. I figured you needed a weekend where you just relax and did nothing. Let me do all the work. That’s including getting rid of the brat.”

Shifting in his arms to where you can face him, you can now see the adoration oozing from usual heated glare of his vermillion eyes, the scowl long gone and replaced with a soften feature not so many from the outside can witness. To think this was the man you devoted yourself and love for, to allow him to bare witness anything and everything you endure. He’s a man of showing his compassion through his actions, not lousy words of affirmations that anyone could sputter out and proclaim its love. No, he reflects back everything right with the world, even when you felt the weight of it searing through your system, dragging it down with you. The same explosive blonde awaits patiently by the opening for you to enter, no matter how long it’ll take for you to accept his love. Because he’ll be there. Waiting.

And here he is waiting. In your arms to repeat those three words you made out from watching the movement of his lips.

The words leave your mouth effortlessly, the proclamation hanging in the air between you two.

“I love you too, Katsuki. Thank you so much, for everything.” Like so, you kiss the plump flesh of his lips, the same inflammation of your heart burning as before. The strong muscle of his tongue prods your entrance, practically begging by licking your bottom lip. Katsuki grabbed your chin as gentle as he could muster, titling it for a better leverage to explore your mouth in return. Your hands trailed across the defining shape of his collarbones, rubbing any part of his body so that your fingers remained busy. Both of you hum in satisfaction, relishing in the feeling of the intimate moment. To your disliking, he removes his lips from yours and hovers instead, panting from the mini-make out session seconds ago.

“I’m going to marry you some day, mark my words. So don’t act fucking stupid when I pop the question,” he hotly proclaims, not once removing those piercing red eyes from yours. That’s when you knew he wasn’t bullshitting. If there’s one thing you learned about Katsuki over the years of dating, is that he doesn’t throw out promises in the air nonchalantly without keeping them. You can vaguely hear the ominous sound of wedding bells in your ears.

“Sounds intriguing. I always wanted to see you in a suit and tie.”

“Ya know, maybe someday might be tomorrow-.”

You cut him off with a scorching peck, making his eyes widen and dilate with every given second you laid your lips onto his. “Shut up babe and ravish me already.”

A mischievous grin forms on his mouth as he links his arms around the back of your knees and hoists you over his shoulder. He erupted into fits of laughter after hearing you squeak from the abruptness. The door to your shared bedroom came into view, your boyfriend kicking it with his free foot before entering through the threshold.

“You’re in for a long night sweetheart. Now that our daughter isn’t here, I’m not holding back on anything,” he threatens as he lays you down on the comforter.

Another thing you learned from your relationship. Katsuki is always true to his word.

-