Hello Hello everyone, and welcome to this story in which we make Boruto feel really bad (kid has it coming, let's be real) and then we comfort him.

The start of this fic is inspired by a few different fics out there, including 'Boruto Next Generation: Aftermath' by animexwonder, 'Consequences' by Lyrasloon, 'To punish Boruto' by LetThemHaveGermanRumCake, all on this website. Later chapters are fully original.

I do not own Boruto or Naruto.

Chapter 1: Aftermath

Boruto stood sheepishly in front of the Hokage's office, knowing full well why he had been summoned, but not quite having the courage to get on with it. He felt a familiar presence behind him.

"You going to stand there all day?" asked a stern voice.

"Sasuke-san, I was just, er, making sure he's not in a meeting or anything hehe"

"Right."

Sasuke went ahead and opened the door, then gestured Boruto in.

"Hey dad! I mean, er, nanodaime…"

"Boruto, come on in. Presumably you know why you're here?"

Boruto scratched his head and smiled.

"To congratulate me for saving everyone from Momoshiki, right?"

The two men said nothing for a while.

"Alright, jeez, I was only joking. It's about the Chuunin exams, isn't it?"

"Yes. You were a big help with Momoshiki, but we can't just forget what happened in the exam."

"Yeah… I guess I get that" Boruto suddenly found one of the Hokage office floor tiles really interesting.

"You are on probation as a ninja. I will let your sensei decide your punishment and you'll only have your headband back when you complete it. Any questions?"

Boruto was unsure if he was glad that it wasn't his dad punishing him, or very, very scared that it would be Sasuke.

"What's my punishment then?" he asked Naruto, but Sasuke responded instead.

"If that's your only question, we can go. You'll find out soon enough. Come."

"Oh ok, er, bye dad" hurried Boruto, following Sasuke out.

Boruto felt like he might explode as he nervously walked behind Sasuke in complete silence. He didn't think his sensei was angry with him… At least, he hadn't seemed angry when they talked and fought together the previous day. But the atmosphere was completely different today.

"What were you thinking?" he asked finally, as they reached the training ground.

"Well, I…" the grass was really interesting too.

"There is no quick way to becoming a powerful shinobi, Boruto. In the next few weeks, I am going to make sure you understand that."

Weeks? Are you kidding me?

"Yes, sensei" was all that Boruto managed to say.

"You will start doing laps around the village – the longest route following the inner wall, you know the one. You won't stop until I say so. Begin."

"Yes, sir" and with that, Boruto started running.

For many, many hours. Each time he passed the training ground, he looked pleadingly in Sasuke's direction, but got no reaction in return. A few times, he tried to apologise. Lately, he tried looking so exhausted that his sensei would have to let him stop, but nothing seemed to work.

After 14 or so laps, as it was getting dark, he got back around to the training grounds and collapsed. Everything hurt, his lungs were on fire, he thought we sweated more than his weight in water and surely this had to be enough.

"Did I say stop?"

"Hngh… Hngh… S-sorry sensei, I had to... Hngh… stop"

"Did you misunderstand me when I said that you will run until I tell you to stop?"

"N-no, that much was clear."

"Okay. So presumably you're ready to be punished for disobeying me?"

"I thought the running was the punishment, what is this?!" cried Boruto, having caught some of his breath.

"It was, and you didn't do what I told you. Your choice: either I go tell Naruto you couldn't complete your punishment and you fail your probation, or you take responsibility for disobeying me and accept the consequences."

Boruto did not like these options. At this rate, he'd just accumulate punishment after punishment.

"…I'm sorry I disobeyed you."

"And?"

Boruto hesitated for a second, but decided to minimise his pain and just give in. "…and I accept the consequences."

In a heartbeat, Sasuke produced 5 shadow clones.

"Defend yourself as best you can. Taijutsu only."

Boruto's joy at being able to spar instead of running was quickly overshadowed by how incredibly thoroughly he was getting beat up. He wouldn't stand a chance against 5 times his sensei ordinarily, but definitely not after running for 6 hours straight. He thought he lasted maybe a couple of minutes until he couldn't get back up.

"Not bad for a pampered Hokage's kid" said Sasuke, as he picked up said pampered kid and set him on his back. "You're done for the day."