notes: some fluffy sunshine fam fic. i adore this family
notes 2: i know this seems a bit out of timeline, but i firmly believe boruto always would get into fights trying to help someone or something, he's emotional like that, but he tries his best to be indifferent about it, very tsundere like in a sense.
notes3: this was also inspired by the yato fam in gintama, especially kouka's speech to her son kamui, so yeah. enjoy!

Boruto is not one to stand idly by; he never takes what others' do lightly, for example: picking on someone not the same size as you— bullying always sets him off to do irrational things. He analyzes the situation from afar and forms a plan, a plan on how to take down big guy number one, two and three.

He jumps up the building, always theatrical, always demanding eyes on him as he announces his presence to the awful kids, and everyone looks up.

"Get out of here, brat! You ain't got nothing to do with this!" Yells one of the boys who looks no more than twelve compared to his nine-year-old self, and the other two are scowling furiously at him knuckles red.

"I'm here now, and I'm gonna beat your butt one way or another!" Boruto flips into the air kicking one into the wall and the other into a trash can.

He looks at the younger kids and tells them to get away; before they catch the heat of any of these guys' anger and they run off in hurried "thank yous" and bows.

Boruto turns around and the last thing he sees is a blur of a fist connecting with his face; it's enough to make his ear ring and his eyesight blur— well that's one way to cause a distraction.

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Naruto, as always, is displeased, walking Boruto back to the house, with a heavy look in his eye.

"What did I tell you about getting into fights, Boruto."

The younger boy doesn't say anything, never tries to pull the 'I did it to protect someone' because it wouldn't matter anyway. His dad is always too busy, so he wouldn't really care. He kicks the rocks on the ground, his hands stuffed in baggy pockets, his jaw jutted out, a deep scowl on his face as they get to the front door.

"Boruto," Naruto says in a strong voice, and Boruto, still silent as ever looks up at his father's tall figure and sees the disappointment, he feels his stomach drop.

"Does mom know?"

Naruto's curt nod is the only answer and he pats Boruto's back gently. "I know you were trying to help some kids, but please be careful next time, don't try to take the blame."

In that, Naruto leaves him with a wave and in a flash, he's gone, Boruto hmphs. Foolish old man, and gulps a bit, preparing to see his mother.

Especially someone as patient and doting as his, it was hard to tell how she'll react to seeing him battered, with a huge bruise above his eye that's already throbbing painfully.

"Mom, I'm home." He calls out, he hears a soft clang and the faucet being shut off as the soft patter of feet come into the entryway, while he turns away, working on getting his shoes off but wincing at the pain.

"Boruto," it's soft, a whisper and then she's in front of him, a stern look in her eye, but the gentleness of worry is there.

"Oh dear.." She trails off quietly; Boruto doesn't speak, focusing on untying his last shoelace and going upstairs to sleep.

"Boruto," Hinata says his name with a bit more force and he looks up at her, she sighs, her face pinching together in concern as she examines the huge bruise above his eyebrow.

"Come, let's get you upstairs, I'll give you an ointment for that and fix up the bruises." He follows her, as he hears the third set of feet follow behind him and he sees Himawari grinning, but she doesn't jump on him—she's always been perceptive on knowing when to excitedly tackle people and when to not.

"Here, Hima, take my hand," she obliges happily, grasping her tiny hand in his as they walk up the steps to the extra room down the hall, where he sits on the couch and stares blankly ahead.

Himawari goes and grabs her toys, wanting to be in the same room as her mother and big brother, as Hinata lays out the first aid kit and opens up her ointment, he gets a soft whiff of a spicy herb aroma coming from the container that makes him visibly relax.

"This'll feel cold, alright." And she applies it on carefully to his face. "Did you get hurt anywhere else?" Boruto nods silently.

"On my back, I have some cuts." Hinata's eyebrows knit together, and she lets him stand up to pull his shirt over his head, as he sits back down so she can fix the rest.

"Were you going to hide this from me again?" She asks and it's loud enough for Himawari to look up, wide eyed, eyes flicking back and forth from her mother to her brother.

Boruto shrugs. "Nah, I just wanted to handle things on my own."

"You must never do things on your own, Boruto." She politely scolds.

He slumps his shoulder and Hinata focuses on fixing the injuries on her son, her stubborn child who hides his emotions that are sometimes so familiar in the way her husband or even herself tries to conceal.

It makes her reminisce about the days of a much younger Naruto ever so defiant— who would put himself between the victim and the perpetrator.

Hinata smiles at the brief memory as she applies the last bandage, and Boruto still has a pained look in his eye, as his mother focuses on getting the swelling down so it doesn't pulse with palpable pain and soothe it to a quiet hum.

"You know," Hinata begins, the tone of her voice makes Boruto's ears perk up as he looks at his mother in his peripheral vision, and Himawari's brightens.

"You're beginning to resemble him in the silliest of ways." As she pats him gently once she's done applying the ointment.

She seems to laugh at this realization and Boruto slumps even lower as he tries to get up to stretch. Hinata's eyes look misty as Boruto tries to put his shirt on and yelps. "Ouch, crap." He looks at his mom with a pleading eye and she snorts, it makes Himawari giggle too, and Boruto flushes two shades of red.

"Oh be quiet, Hima—" and he turns to his mother with a sheepish grin. "Mom, can you help me?" Hinata gets up and helps the shirt over his head, and wants to head back out of the house, to take a walk, maybe to meet Shikadai for a good game, but Hinata eyes him with a soft smile as she pats the empty spot next to her and Boruto sighs, sitting next to his mom.

"Thanks, mom, and I'm sorry," he mumbles, and her hands ruffle his hair as she leans his head on her shoulder. Himawari gasps and gets up, running to her mother and brother. "I want a turn, mama!" As she holds out her tiny hands and Hinata pats the seat on her opposite side, but gently chides her daughter. "Right now it's big brother's turn, but I'll give you a big hug," Himawari excitedly clambers up the couch and wraps her tiny arms around her mother's waist.

Hinata sighs, as she gently rocks her two children from side to side humming a familiar tune that Boruto recognizes from when he was younger; it was a song he remembers that she would sing when he was restless.

He shuts his eyes and leans into his mother's warmth.

"Boruto," she speaks up in a muted voice. "I'm sorry if I'm ever too hard on you, I just want you to live the way you want to," she struggles to get the next words out, as she hugs her son a bit tighter. "I want you to be the best you can be, yes?" Boruto turns to look at his mom as her eyes water, but the softness in her smile reaches her eyes.

She's always been a firm believer in him and Himawari being raised to be whoever or whatever they wanted to be, whether it be a shinobi, or a ramen worker— to be anything, really and truly. She just wants them to be capable, strong, and happy.

Hinata continues, "I'm sorry if I make you feel like you're carrying heavy burdens on such tiny shoulders." Boruto's eyesight becomes hazy with tears, as he shakes his head rapidly.

"No, mama, you're the best mom we could ever have." He reassures her.

Himawari chimes in, and hugs Hinata tighter. "Mama, we love you very much, next time I and Boruto won't make you worry anymore!" Hinata can't help but laugh as she wipes her eyes. She gives them both a kiss on the sides of their temples.

"Boruto, please don't hide things from me, promise me that, okay?" Boruto nods and vows that it'll be the last time, that he'll do his best to take care of himself and the others around him.

He learned from his father, that a good man always keeps his promises.

thank you for reading!