A/N: This is my entry to Fanofthisfiction's Show Me the Love Summer One Shot Challenge! Please do check out her page for the list of authors and readers participating. Fanofthisfiction also created the Fanfiction Review Movement (FRM). Thank you so much for making this wonderful movement, and event, darling!
I would like to thank Tuvstarr's Lost Heart for beta-reading and always encouraging me to write. I'm so glad to have made such a wonderful friend through the FRM!
The beautiful cover art was made by Sandsana. She is also on tumblr as anastasiapancake. Do check out her art tag. She's an amazing artist.
Two figures cast short shadows on the sand, and left footprints in their wake. The sound of waves crashing on the shore, and families, friends, and children chatting and running around set a festive mood. It was the beginning of summer, and the sun hung high and shone brightly in the sky.
"It was nice of Sarada to invite us to the beach with her," Inojin started. "To be honest, I thought she wouldn't."
Shikadai yawned. "Yeah, well, not all of us are lucky enough to get chosen to pose for the Shinobi Poster Calendar."
Inojin snickered. "I thought you didn't want to be in it."
"I don't," Shikadai replied immediately. "It's too troublesome, and imagine, everyone's going to be staring at your photo for an entire month."
"Yeah, but it's for a good cause, right? Proceeds to go a number of charity organizations for Shinobi. I mean, even your uncle got a month offered to him, and he agreed."
Shikadai rolled his eyes. "The guy in charge said Uncle Gaara was chosen for February because he literally had "love" written on his face. What kind of reasoning is that?"
"Oh, is that jealousy I hear?"
The two boys looked back at the voice and spotted their female teammate. She was wearing a yellow swimsuit, with matching beach sandals. She held a donut designed floater with her left hand, and a pistachio ice cream with her right.
"You should put a shirt on Chubs," Inojin sassed. "You might poke someone's eye out."
Chocho hummed and retorted, "maybe you should put a shirt on, Inojin. Your pale chest is reflecting the sun, it'll blind someone."
Shikadai smirked. As troublesome as his teammates were, he found their banter quite funny. It wasn't long before two more people joined their conversation. Shikadai was also thankful that Inojin and Chocho were going right into their usual banter now, as the topic of his jealousy and bitterness was redirected and forgotten.
"There you guys are!"
"Ah, Boruto, Mitsuki." Inojin smiled. "I thought you two were supposed to be with Sarada?"
"The photographer said they wanted to take more photos of her, so we left. She'll meet us later," Mitsuki replied.
Boruto pouted and sulked. "More like, they turned us away… Oh, you're ruining the shot, and you're distracting our model! Shoo!" Boruto made wild hand gestures, trying to imitate the snobby photographer.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio laughed, as Mitsuki just smiled. Boruto was being sulky as usual when it came to missing out on the action.
It wasn't long until they decided to head over closer to the shore, and maybe relax for a while until Sarada finished her photoshoot. Inojin brought a bunch of soda and chips, which Chocho eagerly dug in to. Mitsuki enjoyed his sea salt ice cream and sat next to Boruto, who looked on at the sea and horizon.
After a while, Boruto got up and dusted the sand sticking to his board shorts, picked up his shortsleeved jacket with a hood, and shrugged it on.
"Hey, where are you going?" Inojin asked.
"I'll go check on Sarada," he replied. "She's taking too long."
All four of them exchanged smug and knowing looks.
"Miss her already?" Shikadai snickered.
"It isn't like that, ya know?" Boruto huffed. "She might not be able to find us or something!"
Chocho smiled smugly. "Sure, sure. Sarada walking around all by herself in nothing but a bikini isn't the reason, we know."
The blond turned bright red and turned around. "It-it's not like that! I'm going!" He stormed off, leaving all four of his friends laughing in his wake.
As Boruto approached the photoshoot location by a few rock formations near the shore, he noticed there was a small crowd behind the photographer. His brows furrowed together and he walked a little closer. The crowd looked awestruck, and the guys basically had hearts in their eyes. He lifted a brow, and then he saw her.
Sarada was wearing a red bikini, and her long, dark hair was flowing along with the sea breeze. She wasn't wearing her glasses, or looking at the camera. Instead, she was looking far into distance, where the sky meets the sea. Boruto swallowed hard, and tried his best not to gawk. As the photoshoot went on, the crowd grew, and so did Sarada's discomfort. She approached the photographer and exchanged a few words. He looked like he wanted to take a few more photos, but Sarada held her hands up in a placating manner, and tried to smile her way out of it. This was when Boruto decided to step in.
"Hey, Sarada! You done yet?" he grinned. Her eyes darted towards him, and the photographer shot him a glare.
"No, we're not. I have a few more poses I want to do," the photographer sniffed.
"Huh?" Boruto exaggerated his confusion. "Mission scroll said one hour. You've passed it like, thirty minutes ago."
The photographer squinted. "Young man, this is for a good cause—"
"—How many frames have you got?" As Boruto spoke, he held on to Sarada's wrist, and gently tugged her to move behind him.
"Nearly a hundred—"
"—Awesome!" Boruto cut. "Seeing as you've got nearly a hundred, and Sarada here is just so beautiful, I'm sure you already got what you needed for the calendar." Before the photographer could say anymore, Boruto pulled Sarada away. After a few steps, they couldn't hear the photographer's angry babbling, or the crowds' disappointed murmurs. Sarada stayed quiet, and so did Boruto.
As soon as they were far enough, Sarada broke the silence, but kept her voice low. "You didn't have to do that."
Boruto stopped and turned around to face her. He took his shortsleeved jacket off, and handed it to her. "Here, you should put this on."
"I don't—"
"Please." Boruto looked away, and his voice was low. "I didn't like the way those guys were looking at you."
Sarada took the jacket and put it on, but she left the zipper open. She smiled and thanked him sincerely for the gesture. Boruto hid the heat rising to his cheeks, making her giggle. "You look cute when you blush."
"Hey!" Boruto looked her way, and reprimanded, "that's my line!"
Sarada only grinned and held his hand. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go join the others?"
Boruto grinned slyly, and pulled her close to his body. "Why don't we spend some time together alone first?"
"Oh, that sounds like a good idea."
His eyes widened. Was Sarada really agreeing to this? "Really?"
"Sure," she smirked before continuing, "ice cream is on you."
Winter was rolling in, slowly introducing a new year. It was colder than last year, which was why Boruto made sure to bundle up in his coat, scarf, and gloves before heading out. He had one important mission that he had been looking forward to today, and he wanted to be sure to accomplish it. Not even a blizzard could stop him.
"Where are you going so early in the morning, Boruto?"
The boy stopped in his tracks and gave his father a sheepish grin. "Ah, I'll be getting those Shinobi Poster Calendars. Hima and I made the January cover, ya know?"
"Ah, right, I remember." Naruto placed a finger on his chin and grinned slyly, "Sarada got a whole month to herself, didn't she?"
Boruto blushed, and choked. "U-uh, yeah, she did. Umm… Look, I gotta go, those lines get really long, ya know? I'll get you and mom some, too." He dashed out the door before his father could embarrass him any further.
Despite the bitter cold Boruto trudged on to the store, and waited in line for the doors to open. There was a handful of people already waiting. The winter breeze bit into his cheeks and made his teeth chatter. How he missed summer.
"Oy, Boruto, what are you doing here so early?"
"Oh, good morning, Shikadai," Boruto grinned.
"Are you this excited to see Sarada's page?"
Boruto grimaced. "Why does everyone keep saying that? Hima and I made the January cover, ya know? Can't I just get it because we're the first faces you see? Dad, Sensei, and Auntie Sakura made December with Old Man Kakashi, too."
Shikadai sighed and made a move to leave. "Right, right. And Auntie Sakura got March all to herself."
"It's fitting, though. Hey! Aren't you getting one?"
"No," he smirked. "You're welcome though. That's one less guy staring at your girlfriend's page."
Suddenly, Boruto didn't feel the cold anymore, as his whole body was lit ablaze. He certainly didn't think of that. Thinking of all the lewd things other guys might be thinking of while staring at Sarada's photo made him feel like he was going to combust like a volcano.
"Darling, look what came in the mail!"
Sasuke put his newspaper down on his lap and looked at his wife. "Hm?"
Sakura help up a calendar and sat down on the couch next to him. "The Shinobi Calendar. Remember when you, me, Naruto and Kaka-sensei all took that Christmas-themed photo together?"
"Aa."
"Well, it's here. And look!" Sakura flipped to March. "I have my own month!"
Sasuke took his time scanning the photo. Sakura was in a white and pink kimono, with hair ornaments holding up her bun. Behind her was a large Sakura tree in full bloom, and her left eye was covered by a flower from a branch. She had a soft smile on her face. At the bottom was a short description of her, and then the days and weeks in the month of March. Sasuke smiled. "You look beautiful, Sakura."
Her cheeks tainted pink as she stared at him with wide eyes. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun," she smiled. "I need to go, darling. I'll see you at dinner later."
"Aa."
She kissed Sasuke's cheek and left.
Sasuke closed the calendar and flipped through it one by one from the beginning. January showed Boruto and Himawari, holding sparklers and making funny faces. February's posterboy was the Kazekage. Sasuke smirked at the pose, he looked like he jumped right out of a Shojo manga. Gaara was wearing a white suit, holding a large red rose close to his face. The sparkly background complemented the picture for maximal cringe worthiness. The next one was Sakura, and Sasuke couldn't help but linger a little longer. He ran a finger down her face. He wished the flower didn't obstruct her face, he liked seeing her bright green eyes.
Sasuke flipped to the next, and it showed Chojuro and Kagura, standing back to back and holding on to their swords. They were standing at the foot of a waterfall. Sasuke nodded in approval, he had to admit they looked pretty cool. For May, it was the Yamanaka family, surrounded by flowers in their shop. He flipped to June, feeling quite excited, as this was his birthday month, and Father's Day was happening, too. He wondered which Shinobi dad would be featured. But as soon as he flipped the page, he nearly had a heart attack.
It was a full poster-sized page of his daughter in a bikini, gazing at the distance, holding on to a small beach ball by her hip. He quickly read her description, and felt little to no reprieve despite the article saying nothing but good things about Sarada.
Why would they choose this photo? Why would she be wearing a bikini? That's when realization hit. June. It was the start of summer. At the bottom of the page, it also held information that the photoshoot was located at a resort. Sasuke closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course. This calendar had a few advertisements tastefully hidden here and there. So that's why Ino, Sai, and Inojin's page was taken inside the flower shop, where you could see the signage. The description also mentioned a line or two about its history.
Sasuke nearly crushed the calendar with his grip. No one could use his princess for commercial needs, even if this calendar was to be sold for a good cause. Immediately, a thought hit him, there would be thousands who would have this calendar. Thousands would see his precious daughter half-naked. His eye cringed, and the sharingan activated when a thought hit him-a large number of those people would be boys who will be ogling Sarada's body.
He pulled on his cloak and rushed to the store with the sole intent of purchasing every single calendar.
In Boruto's room, the calendar hung on the wall by the foot of his bed. He argued that he placed it there so he would always know what day it was, even if he was half-asleep. His sister didn't buy his lame excuse one bit, and teased that he did it on purpose so Sarada would be the first thing he saw when he woke up. The blond turned red, and stomped on the ground before telling his sister that she shouldn't be teasing her older brother.
In the Uchiha household, stacks upon stacks of calendars littered every single available space. Sakura couldn't believe her eyes. She had just cleaned the house before she left for work that day! Feeling a vein throb on her forehead, Sakura clenched her fists and sputtered through gritted teeth, "Sasuke-kun!"
Fin.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed this story. Please do leave me a review and let me know what you think. Your feedback is important to me, and it helps me improve. 😊
Have a great week ahead, and belated Happy Father's Day!