As she padded down the stairs, heading to the kitchen to prepare something to eat for breakfast, Sarada was struck with a sudden pang of longing. It had only been a week living in the underworld with her father, but she really missed her mom.
As she made her way through the labyrinth of halls (that she just barely stopped getting lost in), she passed by her father's study, finding the door slightly ajar. Curiosity had Sarada peeking inside.
Sasuke sat at a wide mahogany desk, its dark finish matching the numerous, overstuffed bookcases that lined the walls behind him. He glanced up upon noticing her and set his pen down. "Is everything alright?"
"Oh yes, I was grabbing something to eat and just wanted to see what you were up to," Sarada replied with a half-hearted smile.
He raised an incredulous brow. "Are you sure that's all?"
Her gaze fell to her shuffling feet as her fingers twisted anxiously behind her back. It shouldn't be weird to talk about her feelings, he was her father after all. If she wanted to have a real relationship with him they'd have to start somewhere.
"It's just that I'm missing my mom," she confessed and took a step deeper into his study.
"I see," he hummed, acknowledging her feelings but also his inability to do anything about it.
Sarada nervously swallowed and dared to ask the next question that came to mind. "Do you ever miss her?"
"Of course, I miss her every day," Sasuke replied without hesitation or even a hint of embarrassment. But that sweet response inadvertently made Sarada frustrated.
Her face suddenly grew hot. "Then why did you never visit us? Why wasn't I allowed to know you until now?!"
He exhaled a tired sigh. "Please know that it was never from a lack of not wanting to see you or Sakura. But there are many reasons why I couldn't be with you both."
Sarada tried to fight the pout on her lips. Obviously, there was a reason, but that didn't mean his absence didn't hurt.
"Creating portals between here and overworld can draw unwanted attention. If I visited, others may take note of where I was going. On top of that, I have an important role within the kingdom that forces me to travel quite often and for long periods."
"But if you couldn't come see us, why didn't we all just live here?" she countered. He clearly had the means to support them both.
"Sakura would not be able to live down here." When her brows pinched in confusion, he elaborated. "What you may perceive as a bothersome humidity, she would find suffocating. Even if I had a solution, and trust me I considered many, being a human would make her a target for various reasons."
His face grew serious before adding, "In fact, even you as a half-human are incredibly vulnerable until you learn to control your powers. For your own safety, please do not let others know."
Sarada nodded, a new urgency suddenly brewing inside her. She had started practicing her magic in her free time. Mostly moving small objects or lighting candles, but she really ought to be more diligent. "Will you have time to teach me?"
"I'll make the time, I just have a few other matters to settle first."
"Okay, I'll leave you be for now." She retreated toward the door, a smile growing on her lips. She was actually quite looking forward to spending time together. She only hoped he'd be receptive to the ever-growing list of questions she had for him.
"Oh, and Sarada?" She paused in the doorway, looking back at her father. "You have a fitting tomorrow. They're quite particular with the dresses debutante's can wear, but I want you to have something you like."
Her smile widened with appreciation. "Thank you."
Arriving at the Aburame house for her dance lesson was arguably more nerve-wracking than the first time she had been there. Especially considering she didn't know how the demon prince would act after their little spat in the bathroom.
Sarada hesitated to tell her father about the incident, not wanting to worry or embarrass him. The prince clearly walked all over everyone, which meant this underworld monarchy was really highly regarded, or Boruto, himself, was just that powerful.
The possibility of the latter made an anxious lump form in the back of her throat. Her damned temper. Why'd she have to go and threaten him?!
He obviously knew she was bluffing and yet she had to maintain that she wasn't afraid or he'd most definitely pounce on that weakness.
Or better yet, she could avoid him altogether!
Sarada gave a respectful nod as the Aburame servant opened the door to the parlor for her. Unlike last time, there were no tables or chairs set, just wide open space for them to dance. A harpist sat in the corner, filling the room with ethereal music.
She stood awkwardly near the window, her gaze alternating between her peers mingling in the room and the garden outside. Her breath grew shallow, sensing the prince's blue eyes locked on her. She commanded herself not to acknowledge him, despite her cheeks growing warm.
"Excuse me, Miss Uchiha?" Sarada was torn from her aloof charade when a young man with a slicked-back ponytail extended his hand in her direction.
"May I have this dance?" he asked with a bow. Dark eyes flickered around, finding the other debutants had started pairing off to begin dancing.
"Oh, thank you for asking," she smiled, placing her hand in his before he guided her toward the center of the room.
"I can't say I have much experience though," Sarada confessed with a sheepish giggle.
"Don't worry, it's not so hard," he assured her. "My name is Shikadai Nara, by the way."
He put his other hand on her upper back and began guiding her in a simple box step in time with the music. Around the room the other pairs did the same, proving once again these lessons were less about teaching a new skill and more about practicing one everyone but her already seemed to know.
The scrutinizing brown eyes of the day's instructor watched their footwork, their posture, and hand placement as she meandered through the parlor.
Sarada's lips parted, ready to converse with her dance partner, but felt herself growing slightly uncomfortable at the way his teal eyes stared blatantly at her neck. "Um, my eyes are up here."
"Oh yes, I apologize for my rudeness," he said but then his eyes slid back down. "Your neck… I mean, your necklace is very lovely."
Sarada could feel her pulse quicken. "Thanks."
"You're a witch, aren't you?"
"That's right."
"Hmm," he hummed to himself as if maybe he had doubts.
She swallowed nervously, relieved he couldn't feel her hands sweating in her gloves. "And you?"
"The Nara are a vampire clan."
"Oh… lovely," Sarada smiled, trying not to let her fear show even as his eyes still seemed to linger on her exposed neck.
When the first song ended, she nearly sighed in relief. Any longer and she was sure Shikadai would've taken a bite out of her.
"Thank you for the dance!" She bowed politely before hastily putting some distance between them. The room scrambled as the debutants switched partners for the next song.
Sarada glanced around, hoping to find a less intimidating partner when the strangest feeling tickled her skin. She turned to find Boruto across the room, unabashedly staring at her.
The smirk he wore on his lips only seemed to grow the more she squirmed. When he took a step in her direction, Sarada panicked and grabbed the first man she saw.
"Dance with me!" she told the blonde.
He let out an amused laugh but positioned himself to follow her command. "Ahh Miss Uchiha, your reputation precedes you."
Her brow furrowed as she placed one hand in his and the other on his shoulder. "My reputation?"
How did she already have a reputation?! She only just met these people the other day! Unless Boruto was spreading rumors to make her look like a fool again!
Her very rational fear had quickly morphed into a boiling fury. She shot a dark glare in his direction.
In his arms was a darker-skinned girl with cerulean butterfly wings, but his gaze was on locked her. It was as if he could already sense the anger she was radiating at the thought of him.
"Just that you're quite unconventional," her dance partner told her. "Usually a man asks a woman to dance, not the other way around."
Sarada lifted her chin in a show of confidence. "Well, I suppose I like to challenge social norms."
"Indeed, I've heard you are quite challenging," he chuckled, before not so subtly glancing at Boruto.
"So, you're friends with the prince?" she guessed, wondering what exactly Boruto was telling people about her. The possibilities made her grip tighten.
"I wouldn't deign to call my lord something as familiar as a friend. Though we did grow up together and my clan works closely with the royal guard."
"And your clan is?" Sarada asked, wanting to steer the conversation away from that bothersome prince so she could calm down.
"Yamanaka. We're a werewolf clan."
Interesting, yet also a bit confusing considering what she knew about werewolves. "How do you manage with one of the moons always being full?"
He laughed like that was a silly thing to ask. "Unlike werewolves in other realms, the Yamanaka learn to control our transformation quite early in our youth. Us werewolves aren't the only ones who derive greater power from the underworld's lunar cycles, but I'm sure you know that."
"Of course," she nodded like such information was obvious. Thankfully the song ended before her ignorance was outed.
"Thank you for the dance," he said with a bow.
"No, thank you," Sarada smiled, making a mental note to do some research about the moons. There was so much she needed to learn just to keep up.
The next song was already beginning, but in the brief moment she was lost in thought, Boruto made his way across the parlor to her. Sarada frantically searched for another partner but came up empty.
With a victorious smirk on his lips, the prince extended his upturned hand in her direction. "May I have this dance?"
She stared down at his palm, noticing he didn't bow as deeply to her as the others had. Probably some kind of status thing. It reminded her how pretentious he was. Distaste pinched her features. "I'd rather die."
His smile widened with amusement, but before she could hear whatever sharp-tongued reply he had loaded, their instructor chimed in.
"Miss Uchiha!" she chided. "These lessons are to practice proper etiquette and you are being quite tactless!"
She apologetically turned to Boruto. "Of course, she'll dance with you, Young Lord. So sorry for her rudeness."
"It's alright, she doesn't know better."
Sarada stumbled forward into his arms after a less-than-gentle nudge from their instructor. She couldn't help the exaggerated way she rolled her eyes as he placed his hand on her waist.
"Getting the teacher to make me dance with you is pretty pathetic," she grumbled under her breath.
Boruto laughed. "I thought you wanted to dance with me, given the way you've been staring at me all afternoon."
"As if," Sarada scoffed. "If anyone was staring it was you."
"How would you know unless you were looking back?"
Before she could formulate a comeback, a sharp gasp escaped her lips. His hand slipped down to her lower back before pulling her close against his firm body. A rosy hue bloomed across her cheeks at their new position. It was much more intimate than he had held the other debutants he had danced with (and she would know, she had been staring at him all afternoon).
Sarada prayed for the instructor to intervene and reprimand him for being inappropriate, but that was feeling less and less likely by the second. It seemed Boruto could get away with anything he pleased.
How annoying.
Especially because their close proximity was making her mind wander back to places she'd much rather forget.
She was tortured for the last two nights by thoughts of what might have happened in the bathroom had someone not interrupted. Her skin flushed at the thought of him ravishing her. But with a shake of her head, Sarada reminded herself he was an entitled prick and she most certainly did not want that.
As they swayed together on the dance floor, she tried her damnedest not to look at him and banish the heat from her face. But she could feel him smiling at her.
It was rather troubling, almost like he knew a secret she didn't.
"I think we got off on the wrong foot."
"You mean when you tried to make me look like a fool," she grumbled, not even trying to hide her displeasure.
"It's a new day, it's a new me," Boruto grinned.
"Somehow I doubt that."
"I want to make it up to you," he insisted. "I was right to assume you're unfamiliar with your own ability, correct?"
Sarada finally spared a glance at him, her lips pursed. Boruto continued. "Why don't you come to our estate after today's dance lesson? We have an extensive library on all things about the underworld including volumes on the origins of witchcraft and an anthology of the Uchiha coven."
Her eyes widened.
"I know your father is a busy man, I'm sure it's been hard for him to sit down and explain so much to you since you've only recently connected."
Her head was spinning, practically dizzy with excitement that so many of the questions that had been plaguing her could be answered with an afternoon of reading.
And Sarada loved reading.
"That… That actually sounds really great, but what's the catch?"
"There's no catch," Boruto smiled, satisfied knowing she basically confirmed his every assumption. "I just thought it best if we learn to play nice. Consider this an olive branch."
"Okay fine," Sarada relented, her curiosity outweighing her skepticism.
"But, I suppose the one caveat is that you can't leave with the books, so any reading you'd like to do will have to be at the estate. Don't worry though, I'll be sure to keep you company."
"Whatever," she scoffed, telling herself it shouldn't be too bad, even as a nervous knot tightened in her stomach.
She seemed reluctant at first, but eventually, Sarada grabbed hold of his offered arm. As Boruto led her through the massive gates surrounding the royal property, he had to resist grinning at the way her dark eyes widened.
He had been to the Uchiha manor on several occasions and knew his family's estate was at least three times the size. He couldn't imagine she was anything less than impressed.
Servants bustled around the grounds, standing guard, tending to the garden, and keeping the house perfectly clean. Even as they entered the estate, her interest didn't seem to dwindle. Her gaze wandered between paintings and posh furnishings, down long hallways, and up at the intricate crown molding.
"This is where the debutante ball will be," Boruto told her as they passed by a great hall on their way to the library.
"Your home is gorgeous," she whispered in amazement.
"I know."
Her wonderstruck expression soured at his response. "Anyway, are you taking me to a library or what?"
Boruto shook his head with a chuckle. The audacity of someone of her strength never failed to amuse him.
But he was working on a theory as to why the daughter of Sir Sasuke Uchiha would be so unrepentantly ill-mannered.
"Right this way."
When he pushed open the double doors into the library, Sarada's mouth fell open with a quiet gasp. He hadn't been exaggerating in the least bit, the volume of books lining the shelves left her in awe. Without thought, she pushed past him to begin inspecting the titles.
A flutter of excitement stirred in her stomach upon discovering countless books on so many topics she was itching to learn more about. Astronomy, alchemy, magic.
Sarada pulled the occasionally eye-catching title from the shelf, but it was until her arms protested that she realized she had accumulated quite a stack.
"You need some help?"
She turned to find the prince with his arms crossed, casually leaning a shoulder against the bookshelf. His blue eyes sparkling with mirth. She wasn't sure if he was attempting to make a joke about her strength or actually trying to be gentlemanly.
"If you insist," Sarada replied. But it wasn't until she dropped her collection of books in his hands that she realized just how far they had ventured into the library. Dark eyes flickered left and right, unable to spot the door.
"Why don't we find somewhere to sit and start with these?" Boruto suggested before taking her chosen books and walking away. She followed after him until they reached a dark wood study table near a window. Two plush chairs were tucked in on either side.
Sarada took a seat and reviewed her findings, wondering where to begin. She should've brought her journal to take notes.
Actually, it was probably for the best that documentation of her innermost thoughts was nowhere near the sly prince. Especially considering some of her most recent entries featured her ever-conflicting feelings about him.
She settled on starting with astronomy, in hopes of getting some answers about the moons and how they affected the various beings residing in the underworld. Sarada smiled to herself as she poured over page after page, wondering if she would learn anything that she could use to impress her father.
Her cheeks grew warm when Boruto reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. The sudden touch made her gaze jerk up, only to find him looking at her expectantly.
"Did you want any tea?" he asked as his blue eyes pointed to the side. Sarada turned, startled to discover a servant pushing a cart with two teacups and a matching pot full of steaming hot tea. She had been so engrossed in her reading, she hadn't even heard them come in.
"Oh, yes, please!" she smiled. The servant placed a full teacup beside each of them.
Boruto picked up his cup, blowing off the steam. "Thank you, that will be all. Please be sure no one interrupts us again."
Dark eyes followed the servant out of the room, only to notice all the sconces adorning the walls were now lit. Sarada quickly turned around to look out the window. The sky had grown darker, begging the question: how long had she been there?
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take up your whole evening," she mumbled shyly as the prince sipped his tea.
Sarada was reluctant to leave, she was learning so much even from this first book but she probably ought to wrap up her reading soon. She didn't want to impose or worry her father.
Boruto set down his teacup before reaching across the table to place his hand on hers. "Don't be silly, I quite enjoy your company. You can stay as long as you please."
"That's very generous of you."
Suspiciously generous.
"I was actually wondering if you were planning to move on from the sciences to history soon." Blue eyes inspected her modest stack of books before adding, "I was surprised you didn't pull anything about the Uchiha coven."
Sarada's face lit up. "Oh right! Where would I find them?"
He tapped a finger to his lips. "Hmm, let's see. You might find something about three shelves over on the left."
She nodded and hastily pushed herself up to stand. Family history and the origins of her powers were most definitely the topics she was most interested in, she had just gotten so distracted by the abundant selection when they arrived.
Sarada ventured down the aisle of shelves, dragging her finger over the spines of the books as her eyes scanned over the titles.
A sharp gasp fell from her lips when all the candles illuminating the library suddenly blew out.
But Sarada resisted the urge to panic, and instead, closed her eyes and focused. Every night she practiced using her powers and testing her abilities. She most certainly could light the room again if she visualized the flames igniting.
When her eyes fluttered open the sconces most near to her were lit again, but before Sarada could celebrate her small feat, her body stiffened at the feeling of warm breath against her neck.
"I thought it would've been more fun to frighten you in the dark, but I guess I underestimated you," Boruto rasped. His palm slithered up her front, wrapping his fingers around her fair throat, but there wasn't enough pressure to restrict her breathing. It was clear his intent wasn't to harm her, but rather he wanted to intimidate her, to be in control.
She knew he wasn't looking to be nice! He was looking for round two, except this time he wanted to make sure he had every advantage.
No interruptions and no looking at him with her special red eyes. Even if he still believed she couldn't control them, he was obviously taking precautions, that bastard.
"You don't scare me," Sarada declared in her bravest voice.
"Really?" Boruto hummed as he gently dragged his nose up the length of her bare neck. "Not even a little bit?"
She softly shook her head, trying to keep her face stern, despite her shuddering breath.
"You're a terrible liar. I can hear your heart racing."
"What do you want?" she muttered.
"Well since you're so interested in learning, I thought I'd teach you a thing or two about demons." He leaned forward, pressing his body firmly against hers as if to remind her what he was. "You see, us demons feed off the extreme emotions of humans. Their anger, embarrassment, fear, lust."
An unexpected shiver tickled up her spine at the way he husked the last word against her ear.
"It took me some time to understand why I was so fixated on you, why riling you up felt so satisfying. But then it occurred to me. You're half-human, aren't you, my little witch?"
Sarada winced. How had he put that together so quickly? The one secret her father demanded she keep.
"That's why you have no clue about the traditions of the underworld and why everyone thought you were lost. You were never lost to Sasuke though, he left you with your human mother to be raised in the overworld."
She didn't reply, didn't know what to say, but her silence was just as much confirmation.
Boruto inhaled deeply against her neck as a hungry growl rumbled in his chest. "God, your terror is intoxicating. Let me guess, Sasuke told you not to let anyone find out? So tell me, who is it you're truly afraid of: daddy dearest or me?"
Her heart was pounding against her chest. Her body felt so hot, her skin felt constrained by all these tight, frilly clothes. All she wanted was to rip them off.
A rush of heat pooled between her legs at the sudden mental image of being bare in this very position. Her imagination was running wild thinking what someone as wicked as Boruto would do if she surrendered herself to him.
"What's this?" He raised a thick blonde brow. Amusement playing at his lips. "It seems fear isn't the only feeling coursing through you right now, is it my little witch?"
An involuntary whimper escaped her lips as she arched her body into his, feeling the evidence of his growing arousal press against her backside. Her mind grew hazy just imagining him pulling up her skirts and bending her over.
His hold on her tightened. "You don't even have to put a spell on me, just tell me what you desire and I'll make it happen."
Her eyes clenched shut in embarrassment, mortified that her body would be yearning for the touch of someone so conniving and self-important.
God, she wished she could just disappear.
An overwhelming feeling suddenly surged through her body, but when it passed she felt like she could breathe again.
Her dark eyes fluttered open, not finding any bookshelves. Instead of Boruto behind her, Sarada was leaning back against one of the many cherry blossom trees outside her father's manor.
With a sigh, she slumped down to sit on the grass, letting her head fall back against the smooth bark as she tried to catch her breath. She added teleportation to her mental list of abilities, though maybe she should have known, given she'd seen Sasuke do it.
What else could she do?
Or a better question may be, what will Boruto do next time they see each other?
