Warning: sad beginning, happy ending.

Death's imaginary hand wrapped its claws around her throat. She was being suffocated. No matter how much she willed air to come into her lungs, it stayed distant, the atmosphere around her akin to carbon dioxide.

"Sarada!"

He called her name, but she couldn't see his form. Everything was black.

"Sarada-ttebasa!"

A faint crease of light entered her vision. And another. And another. On his palm was a black diamond mark, urging her to reach out and take hold of it.

But even if she did, what would change? Her hand faltered, stopping just short of his callused fingertips. And she pulled it back.

Somehow, the suffocation was starting to feel pleasant. Her knees came to her chest as she tucked herself into a ball and sunk down deeper into the void. Her hands reached up to cover her ears. No more. I don't want to hear anymore.

"Sarada!"

His voice cracked from calling her name too many times. But it fell down around her like her care for the world. She would prefer to die, her lungs starved of oxygen as her vision faded to black.

Despite her wishes, two arms wrapped around her waist and began tugging her out of the space.

Stop. Just leave me here. You don't have to save me. You might get sucked in...

Tears dripped over her eyelids. Why did he care? Why would he put himself at risk to save her? When she didn't even want to be saved?

Her mom was more concerned about strangers than her. Her father was engrossed in his missions, leaving them for years at a time, only to come back for a meal every now and then with the occasional attempt at conversation. Cho-Cho was more interested in potato chips than helping her process her trauma. Sumire had made it all too clear that she was to stay away from Boruto, and he probably liked her back... Mitsuki even cared more about him than her. So if she lost her life on a mission with jonin that weren't even willing to lower her a rope, she would be doing everyone else a favor.

If she was gone, maybe her father would come home to make sure their bloodline continued. Maybe she could give a younger sibling a happier future. Maybe Cho-Cho would realize there was more to life than potato chips. Maybe Boruto would grow up and realize his feelings for Sumire. Maybe the seventh would start caring more for his own family.

The idiot pulled her out of the space, both of their lungs filling with oxygen the second they were on solid ground.

"Sarada!"

She coughed and rolled onto her side, away from his firm grasp that still held her waist. "Put me back," she whined, clawing towards the opening. "Put me back... "

"What are you talking about?!" He refused to let her go.

"I... would be better off dead," she said weakly, her hand falling limp at her side.

Boruto moved, placing one knee on either side of her hips. His hands fell heavy next to her head, palms punching into the dirt. His shadow felt like a led weight as he loomed overtop of her. "Never say that again."

She looked away as tears rolled off of the bridge of her nose. "You don't know... You don't know what it's like..."

"Sarada. Look at me."

"No!"

It would only make it worse. His blue eyes and kind but yet serious gaze would only remind her of all of the things she could never have.

"Sarada!"

She hesitantly turned towards him, eyelids burning, chest wracking with tension and heaving short breaths. "Please," she begged, her face crumpling at the sight of his glassy eyes and trembling lips. "Please just let me go..."

"Never." His body curled around hers, his weight sinking into her right shoulder and hip, his bangs gently brushing against her temples. "Never in a million years will I ever let you die."

"Why not?!" Her voice came out in a shout. She didn't mean for it to. He wasn't supposed to be here. He shouldn't have been able to find her. "It would be better off that way... Everything would be better that way..."

"...Do you even hear yourself?!" His booming voice pierced her eardrums. He pushed himself up, fingers digging into the grass and dirt. "What would be better off that way? What happened to your dream? Your dream to become the hokage? What... What happened to you?"

"Just leave me alone..."

"No! I refuse! I'm not letting you out of my sight until you tell me what's going on... Please..."

Two salty drops of liquid dripped from his eyes onto her forehead, running down and into her hair.

"Please tell me what's wrong... I... Sarada, I can't lose you..."

"Like I even matter," she mumbled, his tears only causing her more anguish. They were only dripping onto her face because they had been together since childhood. Even if he had promised to protect her... Somehow none of that mattered if she wasn't the one he loved. There would always be someone else. Someone he wanted to help more. And she was only in the way.

"You mean more than the world to me," he said, his deep blue eyes piercing through the sides of hers and making her heart squeeze in her chest.

Don't say things you don't mean.

"If you died, I don't think..." He trailed off and bit his lip. "I wouldn't be ok. I would go insane. Your parents. My parents. Mitsuki. The jonin you're leading on this mission. You matter to all of us."

There it is. The friendship speech.

"So don't ever stop fighting... Don't pull your hand back... Please..."

Cold seeped back into her chest, her body going limp, eyes unblinking as the tears stopped flowing. "Just leave me alone..."

His body cast the same heavy shadow on her face as he rose to his knees.

This is how it should be... I can't be with anyone... No one wants me anyway... After he leaves, I'll just-

And he flopped down hard next to her. One arm encircled her back and pulled her into his chest. His mouth and nose buried into the top of her head. His fingers slowly hooked into the back of her vest.

She weakly attempted to push the warmth and comfort away. He was only trying to stop her. Nothing would change. "I said leave me-"

"No." He pulled her closer. "I won't."

The eyes of the other jonin receded back as they watched the hokage's son hold their captain to his chest. They should have gone into the forest long ago, but they couldn't help staring in awe of the scene before them.

"I'm not leaving here until you tell me what's really wrong."

His whispers made her choke. "Boruto please..." Her hands pressed against his soft skin, nudging him away.

"Sarada." He took his arm away from her back only to grab both of her hands with his. She refused to meet his gaze, tears spilling over her cheeks as his thumbs pressed into her palms, his white t-shirt taking up her entire field of vision. "I know this may not matter to you right now... I don't want to tell you yet. There are still so many things I have to do... But I care about you. More than anyone else in the world. So don't you dare say that it doesn't matter if you die."

It wasn't true. She knew it wasn't true. But she couldn't resist his kindness. Ducking her head into his chest, she allowed herself to sob, resenting him for being so warm and soft. "Stupid. Stupid idiot. Why... Why did you have to save me?"

He sucked in a deep breath.

His hands left hers and ever so gently encircled her as he let out the held air into her hair, one hand tucking into the base of her neck, the other sliding up her back to pull her close. His heart hammered against his ribcage, desperation radiating off of him like heat. He rested his chin on her head, body practically trembling. "Because I love you."

The words caused every muscle in her body to tense in his arms. He doesn't mean it. Not like that. Don't believe him Sarada.

"I am helplessly, stupidly in love with you, Uchiha Sarada. So don't you dare ever try to end your own life again."

Her neck muscles repelled his hand as she pulled back, gazing up at his face. Tears dripped from glassy, ocean-blue eyes over the bridge of his nose and into the dirt, his cheeks dusted with pink as he stared back at her. When he finally blinked, his resolution melted. "Sorry... I didn't want to tell you until after you became hokage... If you feel awkward, I'm sorry... But... Please..."

He wasn't lying.

Was she dreaming? Had she died and gone to heaven?

Even if she had... Even if she was dead...

Eyes fluttering closed, her hand slid over his side and up his back. Her fingers made their way into his hair, curling around the blonde locks. Her upturned eyebrows and tilted head begged him to prove his words to be true.

It wasn't long before she felt his lips attaching to hers. He kissed her softly, gently, as if he could somehow absorb all of the pain she was feeling. His fingers tangled into her hair and pulled her into him, making it impossible for her to escape. His arms pulled her closer, turning her anguish to desperation as she deepened their kiss.

When they were both breathless, Sarada found herself somehow laying on top of him. She nuzzled down into his chest that seemed to rise and fall with the beat of his heart like a kick-drum. "You really love me?"

He held her close, one hand still on the back of her head. "More than life itself."

"You don't like Sumire?"

"...Sumire? Why on earth would I like Sumire?"

Her face contorted against his cotton t-shirt. "Never mind..." She laid there, listening to the decreasing rhythm of his heart. He gently combed his fingers through her hair, the other hand draped lazily around her waist.

"Sarada," he whispered, his voice nearly getting lost in the breeze.

"Hmm?"

A brief hesitation hung in the air, the rustling leaves filling the silence. "...You heard that?"

She raised her head only to find his face turning the color of her favorite shirt. "Was I not supposed to?"

"No..." The weight of his hand brought her head against him, both arms wrapping snugly around her back. "I just wanted to say your name."

Warmth spread into her cheeks. This must have been heaven. Compared to the hell she was experiencing earlier... "If only it could stay like this..."

His warm body under hers. The soft rise and fall of his inhales and exhales against her ear. The warm sunlight against her tearstained face. The gentle breeze stinging her wet eyes. His arms wrapped around her, protecting her from her worst nightmares, enveloping her in his scent.

"It can."

"Hmm?"

"We can stay like this for as long as you want... Forever."

"...Boruto?"

Sarada felt his fingers gently closing around her shoulders as they crossed over her back. "Just... please..."

"Mmm." She nuzzled her face below his collarbone, hands gently balling into fists. "I'm sorry..."

Now that she knew there was someone who cared, someone who loved her, someone who would give their life to protect her, she could bear it. And she wouldn't lose sight of her goal to become the hokage. Not now. Not ever.

It still felt surreal. It felt like it wasn't reality. But if this was a dream... She never wanted to wake up.

"Boruto?"

"Hmm?" The deep vibration of his voice underneath of her brought a smile to her lips.

"Thank you for saving me."