The lamp faded away into nothingness with the shore and still they went on, gliding silently across the black water. There were no stars, no moon, no lamps, no light of any kind. Boruto couldn't even see his hand in front of his face. At the time, he had thought this was the right thing to do but here, in the dark with nothing to reassure him but the feel of the wood beneath him and the feel of Mitsuki's body beside him, he was less sure. He kept his face turned forward and gripped Mitsuki's hand. The darkness and silence were terrifying but he was more afraid to look back and see the boatman's grey stars staring at him.

As time stretched on, his dread rose. The darkness felt endless and he was afraid he had just lead all of them to their doom. He inched backwards until his body was flush against Mitsuki's, searching for comfort in the dark as he squeezed his hand harder. Mitsuki squeezed his hand in return and pressed his body firmly against Boruto's, providing the security he was craving. Boruto jumped when he felt Mitsuki's other arm snake around his middle but then he relaxed into his hold. He felt Mitsuki's chin rest on his shoulder. His breath tickled his ear and sent pleasant shivers down his spine in spite of his fear.

"It's okay, Boruto. I am here." Mitsuki whispered. Boruto couldn't help himself, he placed his free hand over Mitsuki's and he allowed himself to enjoy Mitsuki's comfort in the pitch black away from prying eyes.

Out in the distance, an orange light gradually winked into existence. Slowly, others joined it to float above the water in the inky black. Their auras reflected off of the swirling mist and built upon each other until the distant sky appeared to be burning. Boruto leaned forward in awe, releasing his death-grip on Mitsuki as he did. He leaned forward, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. He was only just aware of the tightening of Mitsuki's hold.

One by one, lopsided and rugged buildings materialized from the veil of mist. The shacks stood on raised rough-wood platforms in haphazard fashion about ten to fifteen feet above the surface of the water. As they approached, it became clear that an entire rickety city stood in the middle of the inky lake and ghost-like trees. This was the floating city of Dorchas.

Boruto had heard stories of the city before but nothing he had heard was anything like what he was seeing now. He continued to stare openly as their tiny vessel slid smoothly alongside a low dock and stopped between two matching lamps in wrought iron stands. One at a time, they climbed from the boat making the weather-worn boards groan loudly in protest beneath their feet. Boruto paused to gather his courage, then turned to thank the boatman but it was an empty boat that met his eyes. The boatman was gone. The shock was almost enough to topple him from the dock and into the placid water but Mitsuki gripped his shoulders and steadied him. Boruto instantly latched onto the pale Prince.

"Where did he go?!" His voice cracked as he shrieked and squeezed Mitsuki.

"Boruto! Will you keep your voice down? We should at least attempt to blend in." Sarada chided him for his outburst.

"But, he's gone! He was here, and now he's just... gone!" Boruto babbled as he looked over his shoulder at her and pointed animatedly at the boat all while clinging to Mitsuki.

"I'm not surprised." She said with a roll of her black eyes and a shrug of her shoulders, "I've come to accept that anything is possible while following your dumb ass around. Come on, we need to find an inn." She turned her back on the Princes and walked towards a rickety and splintery looking staircase that lead to the upper level. Boruto pouted after her, then he released Mitsuki and followed. The planks on the dock squeaked and the stairs groaned as they climbed but otherwise felt surprisingly solid.

At the top of the stairs, Boruto was met with the strangest city he had ever laid eyes on. The wooden platforms that made up the streets and foundation of the city were rough and mismatched. They were all about even but there were some places where the platforms differed in height by as much as six inches. The buildings were arranged on either side of a twenty foot wide thoroughfare where people came and went. The sides of the 'street' were lined with matching wrought iron lamps, each lit with a tiny yellow/orange flame that beat back the heavy velvet darkness and made the city glow warmly in the black mist.

Buildings that varied greatly in size and complexity, appeared to be just as haphazard as the platforms they rested on. Some were dark while others glowed with light. Some stood straight, others listed dangerously. Still others had wide open windows with thick curtains and no glass. Crooked signs hung outside the doors advertising their businesses while swinging lazily in an non-existent breeze. More platforms and buildings stretched away from the main street in all directions, stretching randomly out further into the lake. There were no stars or even a hint of the moon in the sky. Boruto felt like he existed in a luminous limbo suspended between the darkness below and above.

With automatic movements, Sarada and Mitsuki covered their heads. Boruto hesitated for a moment, considering casting the illusion spell for Mitsuki again but then he thought better of it. His right arm had been tingling off and on today so he felt reluctant to use magic. Sarada elbowed him painfully in the ribs.

"Put on your hood, you idiot!" She hissed at him, "You should try to keep people from recognizing you here."

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered as he pulled his black hood over his golden hair. Looking around, he figured she had a point. The main avenue was packed with people but every person, without exception, was wearing a heavy cloak and had their head and face covered.

Despite the number of people, the city was almost silent except for the creaking of wooden planks and the soft murmur of vendors selling their wares. They walked together in silence with Sarada in the lead. Boruto and Mitsuki walked side by side behind her. Boruto hoped they would find something soon. The quiet of the city and consistent groaning of the old wood beneath their feet were putting him on edge. Eventually, Sarada paused in front of a well lit but leaning, multi-level building. A simple sign in an iron bracket showed a picture of a mug of mead and a bed.

"Looks like we should try here." Sarada said in a low voice. Boruto nodded and they walked through the main door. They were met with what looked like a large tavern that smelled heavily of warmth and food. The room was brightly lit but could not be considered cheerful. There were a few hushed conversations among patrons at their tables but otherwise, it was just as quiet as outside. They walked to the bar and Sarada signaled the innkeeper.

"Two rooms, please." She said as she placed a fat gold coin on the counter. It was more than enough to cover the rooms. The innkeeper gave her a strange look but he nodded. He slid the coin from the counter, then turned and pulled two small bronze keys from the wall behind and placed them there the coin had been. Sarada nodded her thanks and took the keys. She turned right and walked with purpose, with the boys lagging behind, to the rickety staircase that lead to the upper floors. On the first landing, she turned to Boruto and handed him one of the keys.

"I assumed you two wanted a room together." She said with a smirk. Boruto flustered while Mitsuki smiled appreciatively.

"Shut up." He said, his cheeks burning red with his blush as he snatched the key from her hand. He ignored her laughter and walked to their room with Mitsuki following closely behind. He could hear Sarada continue to chuckle as she went to her own door.

"Goodnight you two. See you in the morning." She called far too cheerfully.

"Goodnight." Boruto grumped as the key clicked in the lock and the door swung open. Both relief and exhaustion washed over him as he walked into the room. It was fairly simple but comfortable; it wasn't very dissimilar from the one Mitsuki had dragged him to the night they first met. There was only one bed again, but he had expected that. The bed was worn-looking and listed to a side like everything in the city. Still, Boruto was grateful for it and for a night away from the damp, blood-thirsty insects and nanny-Sarada. Maybe now he could enjoy some private time with Mitsuki.

He allowed his pack and weapons to fall from his shoulders and he left them where they lay. When he was beside the bed, he realized Mitsuki hadn't followed him. Boruto looked back at the doorway and saw him still standing in the hallway, staring off to the right.

"Mitsuki? Is something wrong?" Boruto asked, feeling concerned. At the sound of his words, Mitsuki appeared to come back to himself. He looked at Boruto, then walked into the room and slid off his hood. Once inside, he immediately closed and locked the heavy door behind him.

"I'm sorry, Boruto. I thought I saw something." He explained while still facing the door.

"Anything I need to be concerned about?" Boruto asked. It was a moment before Mitsuki answered.

"I'm not sure." He admitted.

"Well, I'm sure it's fine." Boruto said absentmindedly. He was too tired to worry about much at the moment. He was half-way through shrugging off his shirt when the sight of his right arm made him freeze. The curse had spread again. V-shaped stripes worked their way down from his wrist and were reaching a little over half-way to his elbow. He felt eyes on him. He wriggled back into his shirt and turned to see Mitsuki staring at him, his head tilted in curiosity.

"Is something wrong, Boruto?" Mitsuki asked.

"No! No, it's nothing." Boruto tried to play it off as he busied himself adjusting his shirt and pulled the edge of his sleeve higher to cover the curse marks. He didn't want Mitsuki to see that it was spreading. He was worried enough about him as it was and the last thing Boruto wanted to do was add more to his stress. He laughed lightly to mask his unease but it only added to the awkwardness of the moment which stretched on uncomfortably.

"So..." Boruto started after the had scratched the back of his head for so long his scalp was getting sore, "Um... I'm pretty tired so I'm going to go to bed." Mitsuki nodded complacently but he didn't move. He continued to stand by the door, watching Boruto's every move as he climbed into bed. Finally, Boruto'd had enough. It seemed like they both needed a distraction. He laughed to himself to ease his own tension, then patted the spot beside him, "Come join me, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki hesitated for a second. His eyes flitted again towards the door but then he obeyed. The bed protested with a loud creak as he climbed in beside Boruto, who immediately wrapped his arm around the serpent and pulled him close. Boruto wasn't sure what had the pale Prince so jumpy but now that he had him to himself, he was determined to help him relax. He rubbed Mitsuki's arm and shoulder comfortingly. Mitsuki offered no resistance. He buried his face in the side of Boruto's chest and breathed deeply but the tension did not leave his body completely.

"Hey." Boruto said gently as he curled his fingers around Mitsuki's pale chin and tilted his head so that he was gazing into matching golden mirrors. He didn't like to see how they were tainted with anxiety. Mitsuki was devastating him with his otherworldly beauty again. Boruto had longed for this time alone with him but he didn't want to do anything if he was uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

"I'm concerned that we are being followed." Mitsuki said like a confession, "I believe that I sensed someone following us in the swamps. I had hoped that they would not be able to follow us to Dorchas but it appears that they may have." Mitsuki explained. Boruto considered Mitsuki's words before replying. That made sense. Mitsuki had been jumpier than usual in the Swamps and he had seemed to relax a little when they arrived in the city.

"Well, no concern there." Mitsuki's look morphed from concern to confusion, "You said so yourself. No one would dare follow a basilisk into its lair." Boruto smiled as he indulged in running his thumb over Mitsuki's scaled cheek. He didn't think he'd ever grow tired of touching them. Mitsuki looked unconvinced but he was fast succumbing to Boruto's attentions. "Whatever or whoever it is, we will take care of it in the morning." Boruto said as he continued to stroke Mitsuki's sensitive scales. He practically purred as he leaned into the touch and looked at Boruto with another look of open adoration.

"Yes, my Sun." Mitsuki's whispered words made his heart flutter. He leaned in and Mitsuki met him half way, pressing his cool lips against his own. It was soft and chaste, but it was perfect. Too soon, Mitsuki pulled away. His long pale fingers caressed Boruto's face in return.

"Rest, Boruto. I know you are exhausted. I will keep watch."