A/N: Heya! I haven't seen anyone guess the right movie/series we crossed over for this arc yet! haha. We will be saying so a little later.

We don't own Naruto/Boruto.

There was only a month before filming would begin and during that time, twice a week Sarada would be meeting the cast for volleyball practice. It was a requirement, not only for her but for the entire team. They all needed to have an understanding of the sport, something Sarada was lacking in, but she was a quick learner and had already read up on the sport a great deal before she ever stepped into the gym for the first time.

Warmer weather was a blessing and Sarada was happy to be able to wear gym shorts and a T-shirt. She felt comfortable, at ease, and happy to have another new experience. She was also looking forward to learning more about the guys she would be filming with. They all had seemed decent enough at the audition, but now was the time for her to see who they really were. Sarada had met many actors who didn't live up to her expectations. Some stars she had idolized as a child had turned out to be rude and unethical people who she despised. It was impossible to know for sure until she learned for herself.

Boruto had purchased her outfit for her, and the tennis shoes she was wearing. Funnily enough, she didn't even own a pair. Normally, she wore heels, flats, boots, or sandals. Never tennis shoes. Today was a new day, a day for more new things and she was excitedly clinging to Boruto's arm the whole ride to the designated gym.

Her hair was styled in a high ponytail and as she always did when she wasn't home or on vacation, Sarada wore contacts instead of her glasses. She felt like she looked sporty and actually pulled it off, even if she wasn't very athletic. Volleyball didn't seem like a very difficult sport to most, but Sarada knew it wasn't going to be easy for her to learn. She wouldn't play much, most of all she just needed to understand the ins and outs of the sport, but she would be filming shots of her character's past volleyball days and acting with a faked injury throughout the entirety of the film aside from those past clips.

Separating from Boruto was the only downside to her, but even that didn't dull her enthusiasm as the pair entered the gym together. Big, obsidian eyes went impossibly wide as the actress glanced around the huge gym, seeing not only the cast members she was working with but a few other men as well. Most of the guys were tall, some really tall. Only two of them were on the shorter side, one being her same height and the other just an inch taller. Those two were both adorable, maybe because they were so small in comparison to the others.

"Hello, everyone!" Sarada greeted the room cheerfully and they all turned to look at her with big smiles.

It was time for proper introductions to be given and she was more than happy to shake each of their hands while learning their names. She went for the short one with orange hair first, taking his hand and shaking it quickly in her excitement.

"Hi, I'm Sarada Uchiha." She smiled brightly, eyes sparkling as she waited to hear his name in return.

"Hi… I'm uh… Shoyo… Shoyo Hinata." He returned her smile but seemed a bit nervous, or maybe he was just shy.

"Wow, it's great to meet you!" Sarada beamed and then looked to the next guy, craning her head far back to stare up at him. He was even taller than her father. "So tall…" they really all were apart from those two, but she quickly learned that they were all kind.

There were several of them, and none of them were alike. Though surprisingly, the guys' personalities didn't seem very far off from the roles they were given. There was Kageyama who had this intimidating aura about him, but he was polite. Asahi was even taller than Kageyama, but she was able to see that he was nothing more than a big softie. Tanaka was the more comical one of the group and liked to tease all the others whenever he had the chance.

Nishinoya seemed like the bossy type, but he was friendly and all smiles—short like Hinata. Sugawara was more on the quiet side, also greeting Sarada kindly. The man who would play the captain of the team, Sawamura, was as nice as any of them and had a really impressive air of maturity about him. There was Tsukishima who was one of the tallest guys in the group and his sidekick, Yamaguchi who wasn't part of the main cast.

They were all so cute and sweet. "Thank you all for working with me. I will do my best," Sarada told the group with her best smile.

There were others there to coach them and help them learn what they were supposed to in the short amount of time they had to learn. Boruto stayed off to the side with the director who wanted to be involved in every aspect of the movie that he could. To start with, Sarada was given a packet filled with information on volleyball and then a contract to sign, stating that any injury she may receive while filming couldn't hold the production team liable. It was a precaution, she knew, but her father was the production team!

Rolling her eyes at having it dumped on her now of all times—when she was ready to play ball—Sarada hurried over to where Boruto was sitting on the bench and handed everything over. She never signed anything without a go-ahead from Boruto, no matter who gave it to her.

Boruto looked up at her, temporarily putting his conversation with the assistant director on hold. "What's this?" He asked, taking the paper and quickly going over it. "A waiver? This should have been covered in your contract." He pulled out a pen from his jacket's inner pocket and handed it to her. "Here you go. It looks okay."

Sarada nodded and took the pen, bending over to let the paper rest on the bench while she signed. "If you say so." She smiled warmly at him, her eyes locked on his with a slight turn of her head.

Boruto took the waiver from her, and stood from the bench, walking her back. "I'll take care of this, princess," he whispered, resting his hand on the small of her back. "You have fun, but be careful, okay? Volleyball can get really intense."

"Thank you, I'll be careful," She promised and went over to join Hinata and Kageyama by one of the coaches who was already explaining the exercises they would be going through today.

Serving the ball was the first on the list of things to learn, and it was the first thing they started. Each cast member was given a position and told to begin. For Sarada, it was hard to hit the ball with enough force to get it to go as far as she needed it to, and every time she smacked it, it stung her hand. It seemed things would be even trickier than she first thought. An entire hour of serve practice went on before the next drill began. Receives were another hard thing to get down, one of the hardest, but Sarada and the others just needed to be able to make it through.

Her dominant arm had grown tired after the first half-hour of playing and by now, it was aching and feeling weak. She didn't have to run much yet, as the ball was served right to her by one of the coaches, but every time she received the ball and it slammed down on her arms, it hurt. It angered Sarada to feel such pain just from playing what she had expected to be a fun game. It was exhausting though, and she wasn't even playing. Her arms ached all over and had turned redder with each ball that contacted them.

As excited as she had been to get there, Sarada was beyond ready to go when the two hours of practice ended. She barely took the time to say goodbye to everyone before she made a quick getaway. Boruto had waited by the bench for her and she found herself smiling at him, even though she was tired and hurting. She was excited to go home with him, but she was conscious of her arms, and subtly kept them out of his direct line of sight.

"Ready to go?" Boruto stood and grinned at her. "How did you find your first practice?"

"It was great!" Sarada laughed nervously. "I'm ready." More than. She wanted to take his hand but didn't want to risk him noticing how red and scratched her arms were. She definitely wasn't doing something right. "I'm hungry," She said, omitting the exhaustion and pain purposely as she led the way with her arms crossed in front of her.

Boruto matched her pace, walking slowly through the studio. They chatted lightly until they reached her dressing room. He handed her a bag with spare clothes and took a seat in front of the vanity as he waited for her. "What do you feel like eating? Do you want to eat out or order in?"

"I'd rather order in. I just want to shower and be lazy…" She murmured and turned her back to him to get changed.

"Even after all that practice, you're still feeling lazy?" He couldn't believe it but chuckled. "It looked tiring, though. Volleyball is one of the sports I don't like playing."

It was tiring. Sarada was so tired and that's why she wanted to be lazy. "I can't help it." She huffed as she stripped her shirt and got the clean one on. "I'm just lazy."

Boruto nodded, swiveling around the vanity chair. "That's fair. Don't your arms hurt, though? I remember back in high school it would make the other's arms bruise pretty bad." He laughed. "Not me, though."

"W-what?" Sarada stiffened, fearing he'd figured it out. "No… no way… not me either!" She quickly denied it, knowing he was going to see through her at any given second. She couldn't lie to him… Sarada felt panicked and started hurrying, even more, stripping her shorts in an instant and grabbed the jeans he brought her.

He hummed, still swiveling in his chair and watching Ninstagram stories. "Okay, if you say so," he muttered, not really fully paying attention.

Sarada sighed in relief, knowing she was safe. The redness would fade soon, hopefully taking the soreness with it. Once she had her clothes on, Sarada fixed her ponytail and then put the dirty clothes in her bag.

"I'm ready," She said, hugging her bag to her chest as a means to hide her arms as she walked to the door.

Boruto got up, still scrolling through his phone, and walked with her to the parking lot. "Do you want me to get that for you?" He made a move to take her bag.

"No!" Sarada turned her whole body away from him, her voice too loud and reaction too extreme to be normal. If she didn't calm down, he was going to find out for sure. "I mean… it's okay. I can handle it."

He looked up from his phone then and raised a brow at her. "Are you alright?"

Sarada frowned and started walking to his car faster. "I'm fine. You worry too much."

Slipping his phone into his pocket, Boruto quickened his pace to stand next to her again and opened the trunk of his car. "It's my job to worry about you, Sarada." He extended his hand for her bag.

"Whatever." She sulked, chunking her bag in the trunk instead of handing it to him, and then hurried around the car. She'd opened the passenger door and got in before Boruto had even made a move.

After putting on her seatbelt, Sarada crossed her arms again, the only way she could effectively hide the redness on her arms. The trunk closed and a few seconds later, Boruto opened the driver's side door and got in. She didn't say anything because the more she spoke, the more likely she was to give herself away.

Boruto also didn't speak as he turned the ignition and hooked his phone up to the stereo. He handed it to her to choose the music and drove out of the parking lot. Worried that Boruto would look at her and find her secret, Sarada hurried to choose a playlist and then set his phone down, hearing hers go off at the same time. She wasn't happy about having to move more than necessary, finding her purse and digging her phone out. It could have been her parents though, so she had to check.

It wasn't her parents. It was Kagura.

While reading over the text, Sarada recalled how she'd let him know so last minute that she wouldn't be joining him for coffee Sunday. He had been understanding and sweet, but now he was asking for a rain check.

"Um… Boruto?" Sarada began as she thought over her schedule and which days she may be free.

"Yeah?" He kept his eyes on the road as he made a turn.

"I just got a text… from Kagura. You remember him?"

"Uuhh… Yeah, the guy from dad's event, right?"

"Yes, him," She confirmed. "He wants to reschedule our coffee date. I'm free on Wednesday, right?"

"Date?" Boruto tore his gaze away from the road, his brows furrowed at her. "Who said anything about a date?"

"Oh. He did… but I don't think he meant it like that." She smiled as her thumbs hovered over her phone, ready to type a response.

He calmed down a bit, facing the road again but his lower lip jutted out substantially. Boruto muttered, "I don't think we have anything planned on Wednesday afternoon, yeah. Just volleyball practice for you in the morning."

"W-Wednesday morning? So soon?" She asked, face falling. "I thought… not until Friday…"

Boruto placed a hand on her thigh, voice soft. "You have it three times a week, princess. I thought I told you that."

"You didn't." She whined. "I thought only two days." Could she even survive three? Wouldn't things only get more intense?

"Oh, sorry," Boruto kept his eyes on the road, and reached for her hand, accidentally grabbing her wrist instead. Sarada winced at the contact and Boruto let go, slowing the car down to look at her. His blue eyes were wide upon seeing her wrists, all red and starting to bruise. "Sarada what the hell, why didn't you tell me?" His hands were back on the wheel, a frown marring his features.

Her reflexes were slow and she'd given her pain away. Like a big baby. "There's nothing to tell," She muttered, glaring out the window.

"Sarada," his tone wasn't harsh, but it was enough for her to know he wasn't happy. "We're stopping by the pharmacy first. I need to get ice on that."

"Ice?" Sarada gasped. "That's… won't that be cold? And I want to go home right away, I'm tired. I mean… I just want to cuddle…" she slipped… again.

Boruto sighed. "You won't have to leave the car. I'll run inside, get it and we can go home. Let's go back to my house, my mom left some food there last night."

Sarada wanted to argue with him but knew it wouldn't get her anywhere so she just kept her mouth shut and laid her head back against the headrest. Her eyes closed and she breathed easily, feeling as if she could fall asleep right then and there. She wouldn't though, or at least she didn't think she would until a turn jarred her awake. She couldn't have drifted for longer than a few seconds, but they were already parking at the pharmacy.

"I'll be right back, princess," Boruto carefully picked up her hand and kissed it, giving her a small smile before getting out of the car.

He was so sweet. Sarada groaned once she was alone, even her shoulders feeling tense and achy. She would probably just get used to it, all she needed to do was power through. Just keep at it and it wouldn't be so bad. At least that's what she was hoping.

A glimpse at her phone reminded her that she hadn't replied to Kagura's text so she did so while waiting for Boruto. She agreed to meet him Wednesday afternoon, as long as nothing changed, and assured him that she would let him know if anything came up. He replied almost instantly, which surprised her. Just a quick word of thanks and a sweet comment of how he was looking forward to seeing and speaking with her again. Kagura was a nice guy and she could see the two of them being friends.

Boruto came back to the car, holding on to a small brown paper bag. Once he sat down, he opened it up and pulled out an ice pack for her. "Here you go, princess. Put that on your arm so it won't swell too much, okay?"

"Already?" She whined but accepted the ice pack and did as she was told. The material over it didn't cause the cold to burn her skin like she was expecting, in fact, it felt like a relief. "Oh… it's nice."

"Told you," he grinned. "Is it really painful? If you don't feel better by tomorrow, I can ask for you to skip practice on Wednesday."

"Not happening. I'm not going to miss any practices!" Sarada wouldn't have anyone talking down on her for being inadequate. "I'm fine. Doesn't even hurt."

He nodded and drove out of the pharmacy's parking lot. "Alright, just tell me if it's too much. Those bruises can get really serious, ya know? There's also an in house doctor at the studio we can check with."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it, okay?" Sarada told him with a soft sigh. "Oh, by the way, I made the coffee date with Kagura for Wednesday afternoon."

"Why?" Boruto pouted. "Won't you be tired after practice?"

If she was alive, she would be tired without a doubt. "Yes, but maybe the coffee will make me feel better."

"Not coffee, water. You need to stay hydrated. I'll take a look at what exercises they have for you on that day."

"Boruto." Sarada huffed. "I am not having a water date."

"It's not even a date," Boruto scoffed. "I'm gonna be there, okay?"

"Well of course you are!" Sarada snapped, scowling at him. She wouldn't go without him. "It's a friend date. That's a thing, don't you know that?"

He silently mocked the word date as he drove. "Whatever. What does he want, anyway?"

"He wants to be friends. It was easy talking to him and he thought the same of me. We actually have a lot in common and he's smart. Loves to read too." Sarada smiled, thinking the three of them would get along just fine.

"Friends," Boruto snorted. "Right."

Sarada shook her head at her manager, not surprised by his attitude on the matter one bit. "No need to be angry. It's just a late lunch and a little conversation. And you'll be there the whole time." He should have known by now that she didn't want anyone other than him.

"Yeah, I know," Boruto pouted. "Okay, fine. I'll get us somewhere nice and private. I don't want anyone taking photos again." He rolled his eyes and took a turn, near his home.

"Reminds me… about Hōki… any news?" Sarada wasn't sure where they were in their relationship at this point. It was supposed to be over, but she hadn't gotten confirmation of that.

Boruto sighed dramatically. "Don't even remind me. I asked Mitsuki to take care of it because Kakashi is being difficult. But I really should stop putting it off…" He pulled into his driveway and killed the engine. "You'll probably have to meet Hōki again soon, take some photos, and have that last until at least your second month of filming. The boys will have to make you look busy."

Sarada nodded, thinking the guys wouldn't mind doing that at all. They were all really kind. "Alright… though I was hoping to be done with him months ago." There was nothing she could really do. Things had to be taken care of the right way, without either one of them bringing about any damage to the others' image.

"Your contract says once you start filming for another movie, we can end it. But Kakashi did pose a good point. It would look too convenient that you broke up even at the start, and you technically haven't started filming yet."

"So annoying." She groaned as he put the car in park and then she looked out the window. Sarada really didn't feel like moving now. "Ugh." There was no way she could convince him to leave her in the car. Just another minute, then she'd get up.

"I know it really is," he sighed and looked at her. "I also need you to meet his new costars, make it look like you're all good to stop cheating rumors, ya know? As much as I hate the bastard, I don't want it to look like he cheated on you, either."

Sarada hummed in understanding and closed her eyes. She could just sleep in the car, hugging her ice pack. Living her best life.

"Come on, princess. Let's get inside. I'll get you in bed, you look exhausted." Boruto opened up his car and walked around, opening her door for her.

"Can I just stay here for a minute?" She asked quietly, heavy lids not wanting to open at all. "I'm right behind you…"

"No." Boruto frowned. "Come on." He offered his hand for her to take.

Sulking, Sarada pried her eyes open and took his hand, forcing herself out of the car. She didn't make a peep, unwilling to let off any sounds of her discomfort. She wanted to pass out already, but maybe a nice long bath would do her good. Anything to relax her shoulders and put her arms at ease. She walked with Boruto, glad that he kept his pace slow.

"I'll just… have a bath." Sarada yawned and released his hand, eyes closing before she could take a step. She shook her head to wake herself up and open her eyes.

Boruto frowned and wound his arm around her waist, holding her up. "Are you sure? Maybe a nap first." He was basically carrying her into the house, making sure she wouldn't trip over her own feet.

"Little sleepy." She admitted with another yawn. "But… my shoulders hurt."

"I don't want you falling asleep in the tub," Boruto muttered, but made his way to the bathroom, anyway. "I'll stay with you." He sat her down on the edge of the tub, putting the plug on, he let the water run and adjusted the temperature. "You need a massage."

"Ugh. No. I don't like it when other people touch me." She frowned, eyes still closed as she listened to the water run.

He chuckled lightly and stood in front of her, pulling her in for a hug. Sarada pressed her cheek on his chest and sighed when Boruto rubbed her back. "I know. I'll give you a massage. How about that?"

"You?" She mumbled against his chest, the word muffled. If he wanted to give her a massage, that was another story entirely. "I like you…"

Boruto smiled softly at her, continually rubbing her back and slowly working his hands on her shoulders, kneading lightly. "A massage or bath? Choose one, princess," Boruto kissed the top of her head and dipped his hand in the bath, checking the temperature.

Oh, she was getting that message, but she wanted the bath as well. "Both." She hummed, lifting her shirt to get her hands on the button of her jeans. She was way too lazy though and like the spoiled girl she was, Sarada whined, "strip me."

Even if Boruto didn't protest, the pink tint of his cheeks was still there. He took a step back and held on to the edge of her shirt, pulling it over her head when she lifted her arms. His hands then trailed down to her jeans, undoing her button. "Stand up," he whispered, wanting to make sure she won't fall into the tub.

Sarada held onto his arms as she stood up, eyes still closed as she waited for him to pull her jeans and panties down. Boruto's fingers were lingering at the hem of her pants, long enough for her to finally open her eyes to look at him. "Cold feet?"

He coughed to hide his blush. "No. I'm just worried you look really tired." Boruto's voice was low, and he bent down to unzip her pants and pull it down, leaving her panties on for now. Sarada stepped out of her jeans, and Boruto stood up, his face inches from hers.

"It's all got to come off, Boruto." Sarada smiled lazily, not missing the way his ears had gone red.

"I-I know that," he muttered, turning his face away from her. His hand snuck behind her, unclasping her bra. When that was off, he hooked his index fingers on the sides of her panties and bent down to pull it off. Sarada stepped out of her panties when Boruto stepped back. As he stood, he exhaled, his breath fanning over the length of her body. One arm slipped around her waist, while the other cradled her face. Slowly, he pressed his lips on hers, kissing her softly.

Sarada melted against him instantaneously, parting her soft lips and moulding them against his. Her hands went to his chest, fisting his shirt as she kissed him back, forgetting everything else for the moment.

Boruto sighed into the kiss, pulling her closer and slipping his hand behind her head, deepening the kiss. Their lips moved together in a slow and gentle pace, he took a deep breath in and parted unwillingly from her lips. "Let's get you in the bath, princess." Although he said so, Boruto made no move to let her go, resting his forehead on hers.

"With you?" She whispered, turning her face just enough to kiss his jawline.

He hummed and stroked her hair. "Alright, if that's what my princess wants."

Sarada nodded quickly. "Yes, I want that," She said, already dropping her hands to work them under his shirt, getting a good feel of him while she worked it up.

Boruto laughed lightly, raising his arms to help her remove his shirt. When his head was free, he bent down to capture her lips in another kiss, leaning a little more into her. Sarada whimpered against his lips, suddenly having an urge for much more than a kiss, but she was sore and tired and wasn't sure if she could handle it. She wasn't going to say that though. Besides, she was too busy pushing his jeans down past his hips, hands gliding up his back. Boruto had the perfect body in her eyes, muscular but not overly so. She wanted to touch him all over, kiss him all over, make him crazy for her.

He pulled away from the kiss, hands rubbing at her sides. Boruto struggled to even his breathing, kissing her jaw and trailing it down her neck. He stopped himself from moving his hands around when he saw the bruises on her wrists, frowning by the tiniest bit. Boruto stopped the water and held her hand, dropping a bath bomb before saying, "Let's get you in the bath."

"Okay." Sarada agreed breathlessly, holding onto his hand as she stepped into the warm water. She sat down and made sure to leave room behind herself for him. The water already felt amazing, but it didn't truly hit her until Boruto was settled in behind her and she rested her back against him. Now she was living her best life. "Much better."

Boruto wrapped his arms around her middle, careful not to touch her arms. His hands made lazy circles on her stomach and upper thighs, helping her muscles relax. Boruto planted soft kisses on her nape and shoulder. At this rate, he was going to put her to sleep in the tub and she didn't think she would mind at all.

"After this film is finished… let's go somewhere," She said, voice just a soft whisper. "You want to?"

"As long as I'm with you," Boruto whispered back, kissing her shoulder. His hands came up to her shoulder blades, dropping some of the warm bath water on it. His hands then trailed up to her shoulders, kneading lightly. "Where do you want to go?"

Sarada moaned and enjoyed his touch for a long moment before responding. "Somewhere warm. And quiet… just me and you."

"Alright, that sounds good," Boruto pressed kissed on her nape as he continued to massage her. "I'll set it up."

"I want a big tub… so we can do this every night." She smiled, already feeling so much better thanks to him.

"Warm weather, a big bathtub." Boruto nodded. "What else?" He kept massaging her shoulders, moving down to her upper arms, careful not to touch her bruises.

"Hmm…" Sarada thought it over for a while. "Lots of ice cream… I want to wear only your T-shirt's everyday… and just… you. That's all I want." That was all she needed.

"That sounds doable," Boruto chuckled, withdrawing his hands from her shoulders and turning on the shower, washing her hair down with warm water. He then turned it off and placed some shampoo in his hands and lathered her hair, fingertips massaging her scalp. "Like what we did back on the beach."

"Yes." She moaned, completely limp against him. "I want… a whole month of us… beach." Those hands felt amazing and she almost wished this moment would never end.

"A month?" Boruto sounded surprised but laughed it off. "Alright. One month."

"Is that not long enough?" Sarada asked with a silly smile. "Maybe two is best."

"Forever is better." Boruto grinned. "It doesn't matter where to me, as long as I'm with you."

"Fine… one month. But forever for you and me." She couldn't stop smiling and tired or not, Boruto just made her ridiculously happy.

"Forever for you and me," he repeated and Sarada knew that she would hold him to that.

Forever.

A/N: This is one my (Kairi) favorite chapters to reread because of the soft bathtub scene. It just puts me at ease whenever I read it.

The cross over is with Haikyu! Have you watched/read it? It is AMAZING!

Wash your hands and stay at home, fam. Stay safe.

Cheers,

Kairi and Tyy