maybe. | boruto uzumaki

He had always wondered what it was like. Love.

He’s only a fourteen year old boy. He doesn’t know anything much about love. The only thing Boruto knows is that it messes you up, apparently. Uncle Shikamaru had told him that. ‘Love’s a drag, kid,’ he remembered Shikamaru telling him one day. Boruto only blinked. ‘It’s confusing and it messes you up; it’s super crazy like that.’ he added.

When Boruto stares at his mother and father, he doesn’t think that love is what Uncle Shikamaru describes it to be. They weren’t confused. They weren’t messed up, either. They were happy. A small, content, smile would break into his mother’s lips when his dad barges home, a huge grin playing on his lips. They were in love. Boruto doesn’t know how, but he had this feeling inside his gut that his parents only had eyes for each other.

He asked Himawari about it a few weeks later. Himawari erupts a soft giggle from her soft lips, a small blush forming on her pale whiskered-tainted cheeks. “You boys really don’t know anything,” she responds softly. Boruto only cocked an eyebrow at her and another giggle escapes her lips. “There’s different ways to feel love,” she hums playfully. Himawari then gives him an encouraging smile. It’s a soft, sweet, smile. The same smile their mother had. “Maybe one day, you’ll know what it’s like.”

Boruto huffed. He’s only fourteen years old. That would take too long.

Boruto thought about asking Sarada about it, wondering if she knew the answer to his question. But he then figured out that she probably would have been suspicious of him and start interrogating him with questions such as ‘Why? Do you like someone? Do you have a girl in mind? Or is it a boy?’ or something along the lines of that. There was Mitsuki – he could ask Mitsuki, he thought. Then again, Mitsuki would tease him about it to no end. The last thing Boruto needed were an endless teasing comments from Mitsuki.

His Dad was busy doing Hokage things. His mom was busy taking care of Himawari.

And Uncle Sasuke (Sensei?) was definitely out of the question.

So he decides to ask you.

You blinked, “What?”

“I’m just asking,” Boruto shrugged his shoulders. “What does it feel like; love?”

You furrowed your eyebrows and tilted your head to the side – Boruto’s stomach jolted just by a fraction. He brushed it off and decided to look away from you. You had only stared at him more in confusion. Not only was he asking an odd question, but he was acting weird too. Privately, you had wondered if something was wrong with him but you only stayed quiet.

It wasn’t your place, after all. I mean, you weren’t probably the right person he would talk to about these kind of things. Which is fine, really, since you guys weren’t really the best of friends. Yet. You had only met a month ago and thus didn’t know much about each other yet or had that ‘special best friend connection’ thing going on. You were still friends. Not close, but still friends.

“I, er…” You found yourself stuck on your speech. You didn’t know how to respond to his question. You were only a fourteen year old girl, after all. As a kunoichi, the only things you thought about were training and teaching yourself to become a great ninja. “I’ve never really thought about those kind of things,” You muttered, looking down. “So I don’t really know.”

Boruto leaned his back on the big oak tree. “You haven’t thought about it?”

The weather was nice, he mused to himself. The sun was shining ever so brightly in the morning sky; greeting the whole village with warm sunlight. The sky was blue – it wasn’t blue like his father’s eyes or his eyes – it was the kind of blue that calmed you down. It was tranquilizing; something that made you want to fall asleep. The green grass beneath them was fresh and alive, and he grabbed a handful of grass under him. He threw it away, watching it as the wind let it danced with them before falling once again on the ground.

You thought about what he had said. To say that you hadn’t thought about it was an understatement. You bit the bottom of your lip before answering him. “Well, I mean – it probably feels good.” You watched the white clouds that reminded you too much of cotton above you. “Like the feeling you get in your stomach when someone you like or admire smiles at you. Or something like that.”

He thought about your smile. His stomach jolted again.

“My mom says that love is like the sunshine,” You continued. “Even though we’d like it to be sunny everyday, the truth is that the amount of sunshine changes regularly.” You closed your eyes for a moment, reminiscing the moments your mother had told you about love and a smile curves onto your lips. You opened your eyes again, sighing dreamily. “So I guess love is a mystery. We don’t really know how it feels. It changes. Your feelings change, too.”

He’s not really quite sure if he knows what love feels like yet – but he takes in consideration of what you said and what Himawari said. Your fingers were touching other – not entirely, but the both of you could feel it. Boldly (and stupidly, Boruto added to himself quietly), he cups your hands with his. You’re taken aback with his gesture, but he doesn’t say anything and neither do you. Instead, you lace your fingers with him.

Boruto’s stomach jolted yet again. His heart pounded loudly. He wonders if you could feel the sweat forming on his palms.

Slowly and cautiously, he holds your hand tighter.