When Boruto regained consciousness, the castle was much darker than it had been before. Shadows danced on the stone walls against the light of the moon, the wind howling as it passed through the trees.

He pulled himself up.

And his body reacted the way he wanted it to.

"Sarada!"

His voice... It still wasn't fully his... but Momoshiki was gone. And if Momoshiki was gone, they could work on finding a way to end the story. He could get her out of here. He didn't have to surrender. He didn't have to choose.

From the corner of the echoing stone walls, he heard a small whimper.

His vision darted from place to place until he found her, curled into a ball in the corner of the prison cell. He couldn't see her arm. But he only hoped it stopped with the burning.

"Sarada... It's me. I'm back!" Tears were practically dripping from his eyes in relief.

But Sarada only curled further into a ball, whimpers the only thing leaving her lips.

His voice... She was probably scared of his voice...

He was going to stay at a distance, to try and have a conversation with her. To think of things that only he would know. To find some way to convince her that he wasn't… him.

That was, until he caught sight of it.

The clouds moved away from the moon, allowing it to cast a single ray of dim light through the opening at the front of the castle. And the sight took away all of his relief and replaced it with icy dread.

Sarada's arm was covered in burn marks, both wrist and shoulder clearly dislocated. He hadn't succeeded in taking Momoshiki with him when he passed out.

A wave of shivers washed over him, silent tears streaming down his face for an entirely different reason. And that was when he noticed his right hand and the blue marks that covered it. Trembling, he reached up and felt a horn on his head. He still looked like the monster.

Gritting his teeth, Boruto curled his fingers into his palm. Even if he resurfaced… It didn't mean anything. Not after what he'd done. Not if she was this scared…

After one more pain-stricken glance in her direction, he pulled himself to his feet and swallowed back his tears. The best thing he could do for her was to make himself scarce.

Feet scuffing against the stone as he walked, he made his way to where Momoshiki had thrown the broken clock... Before he put an end to his life, he wanted to see if his friend was still alive. "Shikadai?"

Shikadai blinked back horror at the sight of Boruto. But then, his beady eyes narrowed. "...Wait... Are you?"

"It's me… Thank goodness your alive." The sight of his best friend brought a wilted smile to his lips. At least Sarada would have someone to help her out.

"…Where's Sarada?"

Boruto's features crumpled at the mention of her name. He could still hear her whimpers, limp and damaged arm dangling from her body like it was attached by string. His throat tightened, the words barely leaving his lips as tears leaked over the edges of his eyes. "...She's not doing too well..."

"Then why are you here?" Shikadai picked himself up and straightened the clock hands that served as his mustache. With an air of confidence, he began to walk forward, broken glass falling from the center where the pendulum once swung. "Come on, we've gotta show her that you're normal again."

He shook his head. "Shikadai…" His hand reached towards his own throat as it closed, stubby fingernails scraping against the tender flesh as tears stung his eyelids. "Shikadai... I can't," he choked on his words. "You don't know what I... You don't know what I did to her... What he did to her…"

He knew what needed to be done. But that didn't mean he didn't fear death. He just feared hurting her worse. Much worse now than ever before. And because of that fear… He couldn't go back to her.

"Whatever it is, Boruto, you're normal now. Come on, let's go look for something to patch her up... and maybe me, while we're at it. This hole is kind of a pain..." He hobbled towards the wooden door. "You know how this story ends, don't you?"

Boruto's furrowed eyebrows paused as he sucked in a breath. Shikadai was always calm. Analyzing the situation. He allowed himself to pause a little at the mention of the story's ending. Was it possible for them to get out? Before… Before he came back? For them to keep looking for a cure to rid his body of the stupid Otsutsuki in Konoha? For him to save both Sarada, Konoha, and… himself?

"This is Beauty and the Beast." The gaping hole in Shikadai's back didn't seem to bother him as he toddled down the hallway. "You're most likely the beast. And Sarada is Belle."

Boruto followed, albeit reluctantly. "...What happens at the end?"

"You don't know it, do you..." Shikadai sighed. "In Beauty and the Beast, a witch casts a spell on a prince and turns him into a hideous monster..." He turned a corner. "In order to revert back to his true form, a girl has to fall in love with him."

"Fall in love... What do you mean?"

"I mean, Sarada has to tell you she loves you. But it can't be forced... So unfortunately, you can't explain this to her. If I remember correctly, telling her the answer will cause us to remain in these forms forever... She just has to say it. If she tells you she loves you and means it, the story will end."

"Shikadai, I don't know if that's possible... I-"

"Boruto, you kicked me into a wall a few minutes ago. I thought I was going to die. But I got over it. She's in love with you. It might take her some time, but it wasn't you that did that to her."

"She's not in love with me," he protested weakly, following Shikadai into a room resembling an infirmary and grabbing bandages and burn cream. "She hates me. She doesn't want to look at me. I disgust her... Especially in this form."

"Then you'd better be nice to her while you still have the chance..." Shikadai found some wood glue for himself. "I'm thinking that this version of the story, in exchange for robbing your consciousness, is allowing you to have full reign over your body for as long as the sun is down."

"...But that's not a guarantee… What if… What if he comes back?"

"What if he doesn't? Boruto, you've gotta try. This must be the boss level… Clear this, and we can get back to Konoha."

"But… But what if I—"

"No buts. I've been watching you two this whole time. You can get her to say it. She loves you."

"Even if she did this morning, she can't after I—"

"Boruto. As your best friend, I'm not letting you do what you're trying to do…" Shikadai stopped and turned around on top of the counter. "You're the only one that can get us back to Konoha. I'm not her prince. And if you won't try, we'd both be stuck in here forever."

Boruto fell silent. Shikadai could read him like a book. But… "That's better than torturing her or letting him cultivate the divine tree."

"We'll worry about the divine tree when we're back in Konoha. Boruto, she's stronger than that. You know it. She won't break from something like this." Shikadai hopped down. "Just go to her, while you have the chance."

"…Shikadai..."

He searched around until he found a spare board of wood and turned towards Boruto with the materials in his hands. Without a word, Boruto took them and began to fix his broken friend.

"First, we have to convince her that you are you right now."

"Shikadai, I'm telling you. You don't understand what I-"

"Boruto," he said, broken body slowly assembling. "We aren't going to get anywhere if you keep doubting yourself. As painful as it may seem, you have to try... And I'm only going to interfere if you fail."

"...What?" He paused, holding the board to his back. "But if you're not there… She won't get near me. She's terrified of me. Shikadai, I just tortured her. I burnt her arm and did terrible things. I can't… I can't be near her. I tried talking to her and she shivered and cried. I..."

"For her to realize she loves you, she can't use me as a safety crutch. That will only make this drag out longer. Take the bandages to her. If she's scared of your voice, don't use it. Just be a gentleman and bind her wounds."

Boruto knew he had to try. He knew and yet he felt like scum that deserved death… But if he didn't do anything, the story would never end. And that wasn't fair to either Sarada or Shikadai… Perhaps by trying to die, he was really being selfish.

"...Alright..." He let the wood that was holding Shikadai together go, making sure it was stuck fast once before clenching the spare bandages in his fist. "I'll try."

Mustering up all of the courage he had left within him, Boruto walked back in front of Sarada's cell. He reached for the keys on his waist and heard her whimpering. But what she was saying made his heart wrench.

"Boruto..." She sobbed into her knees. "Boruto... Please... Come back..."

Unlocking the gate, he wanted nothing more than to hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright. But... his touch would probably spark the same fear she had felt earlier all over again. And his words would likely be lies.

So instead, he sat down next to her and held the bandages into her line of sight, his palm open.

Taking her breaths in short gasps, she picked up her head. The sight of his hand made her tense, but when she saw what it was holding, she slowly turned around. And she looked him straight in his purple eye.

"...Bo...ru...to?"

The sight of her tearstained face made him feel like the most despicable trash on the planet. His vision blurred. Ducking his head, he silently lowered his gaze as a response.

But rather than the fear he was expecting her to show, she threw her body against his chest. "It's really you..."

He couldn't hold back anymore.

Abruptly dropping the gauze, he wrapped both arms around her slender fragile body and pulled her close, burying his face into her hair, taking in her warmth and scent. Her one good arm held him back, fingers hooking into his jacket, her forehead nuzzling down deep into his cotton t-shirt.

He longed to apologize a million times over. But her fear of his voice warned him against speaking until he was prompted. So instead, he gently ran his fingers through her hair as she sobbed against him, trembling.

Suddenly, he felt another presence. Glaring daggers towards the door, he could barely make out a man in a black cape. Sasuke? But as soon as he made out his figure, the man turned, and just like that, he was gone.

Pulling her closer, he continued to comfort her until her shaking minimalized and his shirt was thoroughly soaked. She gently turned, looking up into his eyes. "How... How are you in control again?"

He blinked away from her tearstained face for just a moment, indicating towards the moon with his eyes.

"I see..."

With that, he and carefully picked up the bandages, setting to work on her arm. She winced every time he applied the cream to her tattered skin, but never pulled away.

"Were... Were you awake the whole time?"

He shook his head.

"Then... You really passed out?"

He nodded. Momoshiki must have told her... And it must have seemed like he abandoned her. What a fool he was.

The second the bandage was wrapped securely around her arm, a chill passed through his jacket. Cursing himself for not thinking of the idea sooner, he took it off and placed it over Sarada's shoulders.

She accepted it gratefully, pulling one arm through it. Boruto didn't think it mattered at this point to fully cover the other.

When she was fully bandaged up, he clenched his fist. It was time to take his leave and think of a plan to make sure Borushiki couldn't move when he resurfaced in the morning. But the moment he leaned away, Sarada leaned back against his chest.

"S..." He bit his tongue before he could utter her name, cheeks dusting with pink.

"Don't move..." The fingers of her good hand curled around his wrist and pulled, wrapping his arm around her and holding it there. "Please... Just let me stay like this for a little bit..."

His face reddened uncontrollably. Her body felt so small under his arm. But it provided him with a level of comfort he desperately craved. And so, he did as he was told.

"Boruto... you'd better not kill yourself."

He tensed.

"I don't know how to get out of this story... But I'll bear with it until we do. Whatever you do to me in that body... No... Whatever Momoshiki does to me in your body, I'll put up with it. I can take it. But... If you disappear..."

Her body trembled against him.

"I... I don't think I'd be able to keep going..."

He carefully wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her closer, fingers flexing up to take the tips of her good hand in between his knuckles. I'm sorry, he thought as tears dripped over his eyes, not daring to mumble the words allowed for fear of giving her nightmares.

"Please..."

As she said the words, one of her tears dripped onto his bare arm.

"For the time that you're you... Stay with me..."

He stayed, his eyes following the shadows as they danced on the walls, his thumb gently passing over the side of her pinky finger. She was leaning against the same body that had just tortured her. Holding the same hands that inflicted insurmountable pain onto her arm. She was... in the arms of a monster. And she wanted to stay?

The room fell into a comfortable silence as Boruto sat, doing his best to stay strong and comfort her, trying not to think about what was ahead of them.

It wasn't long before he felt her breathing fall into a slow, rhythmic pattern.

She was asleep.

Slowly releasing her fingers, he shifted her in his arms and picked her up in a princess hold, making sure to support her head with his shoulder. Despite her being older in this level, her body felt even lighter. Perhaps it had to do with his own age and the more defined muscles he wasn't used to having.

He rolled his feet as he walked as so not to wake her. His eyes searched the walls for signs of other rooms. As big as the castle was, there had to be a bedroom somewhere. But as his footsteps echoed off the stone passageway, he began to feel lost.

Suddenly, a new clicking resounded from behind him. "I take it she's alright now?"

"...More alright than she was," Boruto answered to Shikadai, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

At the sound of his voice, Sarada's body trembled in his arms. She whimpered in her sleep.

A silent tear fell over his eyes and onto her chest.

"You really messed her up good..."

Boruto averted his gaze, his vision blurry.

"Looking for a bedroom?"

He nodded.

"Right this way."

Did Shikadai just explore the castle in his free time?

It wasn't long before they arrived in front of a rather large door. Shikadai pushed it open for him. Boruto brought her to the edge of the bed and laid her down, her dark hair splaying out against the white pillow. And with that, the door clicked shut, signaling Boruto of Shikadai's exit.

He knew Momoshiki would awaken in the morning... But there were still several hours until the sun would rise. If he locked himself in the same cage Sarada had been in moments before and handed the keys to Shikadai, maybe she would be safe. Maybe he wouldn't be able to hurt her.

But until then...

His gaze drifted across her sleeping figure. Bandages peered out from under his empty jacket sleeve. Puffy dark circles rimmed her glassesless eyes. He gently picked up her injured hand and brought it to his lips.

I'm sorry, he thought, eyebrows turning up in anguish his eyelids fell closed. The bandages felt rough against his mouth, as opposed to the feeling of her usual velvety skin. Why? Why did he have to be the one to hurt her? He couldn't bear to see her in pain, so why? It was all his fault. Her arm. Her hand. her eyes. Her emotional scars.

He returned her hand to her side and leaned over her, his fingers sliding into her hair, hand gently cupping her face, tears slipping out of his eyes. Even with puffy, red eyes and a torture ridden arm, Sarada was still beautiful…

Swallowing down his pain, he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to the injury on her forehead, lingering there for a moment. A single tear rolled down his cheek, his eyebrows knitting together.

As he slowly pulled away, he tugged the creme colored bed sheets away from the opposite side of the bed and draped them over her.

With one last gentle caress of her face, he receded back, throat tightening, and slipped out of the room.

Shikadai awaited him in the hall. "I assume you want me to tie you up and throw you in that cage?"

Boruto shook his head. "I'm going to use all my remaining time to get as far away from here as I can and tie myself to a tree... There have to be other people in this story besides us. I haven't seen them yet, but I'm assuming they are loyal to my other self... Staying here will only put her in danger."

"How do you plan on tying yourself up?"

"...Shikadai," said Boruto, kneeling down. "Will you come with me?"

Shikadai smirked. "Sounds like a pain... but a pretty decent plan, coming from you. Just make sure you stop before it's too late... But Boruto, how are you going to end the story?"

He shook his head. "I can't... Not like this... I can't do this to her..."

Shikadai sighed. "Boruto... I'll just tie you up in the cell. Without jutsu, Momoshiki won't be able to escape."

"It's too dangerous, I can't be near her. Shikadai, I-"

"Boruto. We have to end this somehow. If you're in the woods somewhere, how will she-"

"Shikadai," said Boruto, collapsing to the ground, his eyes welling up with salty fluid. "He's me. Even if we put an end to this... When we get back, I could still do this to her. I-"

"When we get back," said Shikadai, putting a hand on his forlorn friend, "Sarada will be strong enough to put up a fight. Your dad... Her dad... My dad... There are people that will restrain you and stop you before you do anything like what you're doing right now. So don't you dare give into the thought that you're a monster."

Boruto whimpered. He crumbled to his knees and tried to stop the flood from coming. But despite his palms digging into his eye sockets, he sobbed. Not just in the stories they had been dragged into, but all of his trauma from the time he had gotten his karma came bubbling up to the surface. He had been silently swallowing down all of it to try and appear strong, distancing himself from the people he cared about. Tears coated his face, too numerous for him to wipe away with his hands. Snot ran from his nose into his mouth. Guilt poured through his chest like a river as sounds involuntarily escaped his mouth.

All the while, Shikadai sat there like the best friend he was and patted him gently with his wooden hand.