Author Note: Chapter contains sexual content that some viewers may not find appropriate.

Chapter Ten

Maya awoke to the chatter of several male voices. Her mind felt foggy, like she was underwater. Keeping her eyes closed and feigning sleep, she tried to piece together what had happened. One minute she was alone and bolting out the door and the next- Her stomach lurched as a sequence of memories came flooding back. Someone had been waiting inside her hotel room. Which means they had inside knowledge of where I was staying. Fuck me. I should have checked before letting Sanageyama leave. Listening carefully, she noted the voices surrounding her were too deep to belong to any high school students. They were boisterous and rather enthusiastic about something. Flexing her hands and ankles lightly, Maya was surprised to find them unbound and even more surprised to feel plush cushions stacked beneath her small frame. Horror flickered across her senses briefly but feeling her clothing still very much intact, she doubted that had occurred while she was unconscious.

Then, a surprisingly familiar voice wafted across the room. "Stop playin, girl. I know you ain't asleep no more."

Feeling her eyes flash open, Maya snapped bolt upright coming face-to-face with a grinning Kaneo Takarada. The teenage mob boss was seated immediately across from her, lounging with his legs resting atop a glass coffee table. His golden grills flickered maniacally in the dim light. Glancing around, Maya found herself seated on a luxurious crescent couch adorned with a cashmere blanket and gold embroidered pillows. It was the only plush item within the room. Small stainless-steel tables lined the periphery of her vision and she could see several men loitering near a large window situated at the very center of the room.

Pressing a few fingers into her temple, Maya tried to banish the large headache suddenly drilling into her skull. With a low groan, she demanded, "What the hell, Kaneo? I thought we were on the same side."

"Yeah, sorry for the rough handlin doll, but I needed things to look legit. You still undercover last I checked. Would be mighty strange to anyone watchin if ya went with my crew willingly."

"So, you decided to kidnap me?" Maya questioned, looking and sounding equally bewildered as she accepted an offering of sake from one of his bodyguards. Takarada looked mildly apologetic.

"More or less," he drawled while plucking a red grape from the silver tray situated next to his feet. Chewing it languidly, he continued, "Opportunity was too good to pass up. Besides, I hate seein you wit him."

Maya tilted her head in confusion. "With who?"

"That damned North Kanto monkey," Takarada replied with a sneer. "I saw yall on the security footage. Motherfucker thinks he can just walz up in here and put his hands on my woman-"

"I'm not your woman," she corrected flippantly, feeling the familiar sting of alcohol burn the back of her throat as she downed the entire glass in one swoop. Their dynamic had always been the same; ever since they were children.

"Well, you're more mine than his," Kaneo asserted with a huff while crossing his arms. "You and I got history."

"He's my job, Takarada."

"Then why wuz you runnin away?" Maya felt her shoulders stiffen when his pointed gaze directed itself immediately to her wide dark eyes.

She opened her mouth only to close it again. "I wasn't-"

"Yes, you was! Don't even try ta deny it. You wuz runnin away from a douchenozzle who done treated you like his personal hoe. You were runnin, Maya!" Kaneo paused briefly, placing his fingers on the bridge of his nose to calm himself. His voice took on softer note as he insisted, "You da finest girl I ever did see. There ain't no reason you should be demeening yo'self by sleepin wit him."

"Sleeping with him?!" She yelped, nearly dropping the fresh glass of sake in her hands. "No! No, no… Sanageyama and I did not-"

"I understand, doll," Takarada reassured with an unconcerned flip of his hand. "Feminine wiles is just part o your game. But ya won't have ta resort to that no more." His voice took on a darker note as the gang leader swung his legs off the coffee table and moved to stand, offering her his outstretched hand. For some reason, the tone in his voice made the hair on the back of her neck prickle. Maya accepted his hand warily and permitted Kaneo to guide her until they were standing directly in front of the large window. Snapping his fingers, she watched the blinds open with chilled horror. Her chest tightened and utter panic flooded her veins. She shoved the sensations back down frantically.

Far below the VIP box where she was currently situated was the Naniwa Kinman High School arena, and more specifically, the Honnouji Academy kendo team. She counted all twenty members of the club standing rigidly on the sidelines. Their grave expressions followed the progression of the current match. Maya could have sworn every ounce of blood left her body as Sanageyama hit the wooden floor of the gymnasium, gasping for breath and clutching his right side. His goku uniform was absent and he was not wearing a traditional kendo bogu set. In place of armor, he wore his typical green sleeveless shirt, which was currently in tatters, and plain white slacks.

"I done told you doll, you don't half ta worry no more," Kaneo declared triumphantly while slapping a hand on her shoulder. Grinning like an absolute madman, he explained with glee, "I done fixed and rigged this whole tournament. After I'm done wit him, he won't be your problem no more. He won't be anyone's problem no more."

Maya could hear her heartbeat thundering inside her head as she watched. Sanageyama was struggling to stand and he did not even attempt to block as another blow sent him spiraling to the ground. Staring at his opponent through the glass, she spotted a flash of familiar silver glinting around the kote of his right wrist.

"He has my- I mean, Sanageyama's necklace," she stated numbly, finding the article of jewelry absent around her neck.

"Ah, yeah, you noticed that huh. Needed some kinda proof we had you, I had the boys borrow it while you was sleepin."

"Why?" she demanded.

With a wicked smirk, Kaneo replied, "For leverage. I don told him if he so much as raised a finger, we would kill you." Maya felt all the color drain from her face once again. Her eyes widened in shock and her breathing seemed to stop; all she could do was watch as Sanageyama took blow after painful blow, never once attempting to evade or block. His sword sat unused in the corner of the sparring ring.

Seeing the disapproval and horror in her expression, Kaneo tried to recover by insisting, "Obviously I'm not gonna kill ya. I was straight up lyin but I must say-" he grew silent as Sanageyama took a particularly hard hit "-you really must've gotten under his skin. If I didn' know betta, I'd think you two were for real. All lovin on each-other and shit. Oh, and I almost forgot the best part…" His voice trailed off in excitement as he reached for a duffle bag sitting in the corner. Ripping the zipper open, Kaneo whipped out a familiar spiked white jacket and tossed it to her. The item felt unnaturally warm as Maya clutched it close to her chest.

"Lookie here. Bam! We done got ourselves a three-star uniform! Wit this, no one will be able to stop our plans in Osaka. Plus-" she watched as the teenage mob boss flung himself back onto the crescent couch, kicking his feet up while taking a deep swig of sake, "-we get the added benefit of one dead Kanto monkey."

The entire experience felt surreal; like a vivid nightmare taking place in some alternate universe. Sanageyama was first and foremost a foot soldier belonging to Satsuki Kiryuin. Intentionally throwing a match for any reason was out of the question. So, why is he doing this? God dammit, Sanageyama! Why are you fucking doing this?! Raw fury scorched at her insides and her hands balled into tight fists as Maya reflected on how utterly worthless she seemed to be. The entire mission was a disaster. She wanted to blame it all on Sanageyama but the truth was he was merely a victim caught in the cataclysm between REVOCs, Nudist Beach and her own sheer incompetence.

No matter how many times Maya tried to forget, his words just would not go away. I'm not a bad guy.

They sank into her bones and ate at her soul, unearthing pools of smoldering emotion that made her feel blisteringly raw. It was wrong; Maya knew it the moment Sanageyama confessed his intent. The prospect of him feeling genuine affection should have been welcomed but instead it filled her with guilt, dread and a separate emotion she had trouble identifying. The mission was to acquire intelligence and get close to Satsuki Kiryuin by any means necessary. So, she closely guarded her heart and played into Sanageyama's fantasy all while trying to banish that feeling that kept surfacing. That emotion that made her knees weak and her body groan when he was close. Maya thought she had been careful; thought her connection was still superficial enough to break. However, as she observed his bloodied and broken body stagger upright once again, she knew it was too late.

I can't watch this. I won't.

Feeling her resolve shatter into a million pieces, Maya tore her feet from the floor and sprinted toward the door with his goku uniform gripped firmly in hand. Takarada's shrill voice called after her but she could scarcely hear him. She was too focused; too unstable to stop for anything except Sanageyama. Nothing else mattered. Consequences be damned.

Her breathing came in sharp pants as Maya fled down the nearest staircase with several members of the Takarada Syndicate following close behind. Uzu's goku uniform pulsed in her arms, granting an explosive burst of speed that had her nearly slamming into the gymnasium doors as she wrenched them open. Relentless fluorescent lights temporarily blinded her and she stumbled into the nearest walkway, scrambling past rows of chairs until she burst through the crowd, eventually colliding with a cement railing. She was on the second floor. Glancing down, Maya spotted Sanageyama on his knees near the edge of the arena. Snarled dark green locks obscured his bandana and she could see a small pool of blood dripping from his face onto the laminated floor. His arms were shaking; his bamboo sword rested on the ground only a few inches away.

Spotting his challenger unsheathe a frighteningly real katana, Maya opened her mouth in a scream: "UZU!"

Everything happened in a blur. Like a dead man coming back to life, his head snapped up and in one fluid motion Sanageyama avoided the downward strike of his opponent's blade, grasped his shinai and subsequently delivered a strike so powerful that it knocked the other man several meters back. He hit the ground and did not stir.

"Maya!" he yelled urgently while lunging in her direction only to stumble. Uzu leaned heavily on his bamboo sword, already out of breath as he fought to remain upright. She wanted to call out to him but stopped upon hearing the gymnasium doors swing open. Spinning around, Maya spotted more than a dozen armed gangsters pour into every walkway, effectively cutting off the exit. "Maya!" she heard Sanageyama shout again.

Backing up until she brushed against the cement railing, she felt the goku uniform pulse again. Gritting her teeth, she flung her arms through each sleeve and felt a sharp prick as the life fibers leeched blood from her exposed skin. She leaped over the ledge without a second thought.

Maya felt dizzy as the uniform flooded her body with a sense of euphoria. She felt lighter; like the gravity dial had been turned down, and her blood seemed hotter than normal. Feeling her heart pound, she leaned against the nearest pillar for a brief moment while trying to get her bearings. She could see why this was addictive for some people. It was a harsh struggle but eventually the life fibers were wrestled into submission. And not a moment too soon as the first-floor doors swung open with a bang.

"Seize them!" She heard Takarada screeching through the intercom as scores of thugs streamed past the open doors. "Bring me that goku uniform!"

Dashing to Sanageyama, she slung one of his arms over her shoulder and stated urgently, "We have to go. Everybody, scatter!"

The Honnouji Academy kendo team needed no further instruction as they devolved into a skittering mass, blending into the frantic crowd. Sanageyama leaned heavily against her as Maya bolted toward the nearest exit, knocking several gang members aside before booking it down the hallway. Naniwa Kinman High School felt like a maze as she bobbed and weaved between lockers and classrooms. Uzu was panting heavily and she knew it was only a matter of time before he collapsed. She needed to find a suitable hiding place, preferably one with roof access so Inumuta could send an evac-chopper. Skidding to a stop, she jerked Sanageyama backwards into a locker bay when a few of Takarada's men rounded the corner.

"You should really be wearing this," she asserted with a hushed voice, gesturing to the three-star uniform still draped across her shoulders.

Uzu shook his head against her collarbone. "No, you wear it. I'm too banged up to use it right now."

Cursing silently, Maya slunk further backwards and felt herself brush something cold and metal. An elevator? Hearing more men approaching, she jabbed the button and sighed in relief when the doors opened to reveal an empty interior. She tugged Sanageyama inside and tucked him into the corner before mashing the button to close the doors. The highest floor was five, so that's what she pushed.

Pacing back and forth once the elevator started to move, she snatched a burn-phone out of her back pocket. "Where… Did you get that?" Sanageyama breathed, still panting heavily.

"Inumuta gave it to me," Maya explained quickly before barking into the receiver, "We need help."

"Yes, I've been following the security footage. Quite the interesting development."

"You knew this whole time?!"

"Well, partially. I watched your abduction from the hotel and the ensuing fight, or rather, the pathetic display of devotion put on by our resident kendo captain. Quite disgraceful."

"I won that fight," Sanageyama hissed through clenched teeth.

"Barely. In any case, I have arranged for your evacuation by helicopter in precisely 32 minutes. Can you reach the rooftop?"

"We're currently in an elevator headed for the fifth floor," Maya explained before staggering forward as the elevator lurched to a stop and the lights flickered out, leaving them in total darkness. "Uzu?" She called anxiously.

His fingers found her slender wrist. "It's alright," he reassured, sounding tired as he tugged until she was next to him.

"I've cut the power. You are currently hovering between the fourth and fifth floors. No one will be able to get the doors open until power is restored so you should be safe. There is a ladder leading up the elevator shaft and an air duct that opens onto the roof. I suggest you take this path. I will call when the helicopter is close." Click.

Maya let the hand holding her flip phone drop until it dangled at her side, dim light from the screen illuminating the confined space where they currently resided. Metal walls lined by thin strips of railing glinted in the pitch-black and she could see a hazy reflection of herself in the closed elevator doors. Loud shouting could be heard somewhere in the distance. Pressing her lips tightly together, Maya inhaled sharply through her nose before flipping the phone closed, immersing them in the darkness. She fumbled to shove it into her pocket.

"Did the lights go out?" Uzu inquired with confusion, detecting her sudden discomfort as she gripped him tighter.

"Yes, when Inumuta cut the power. Its pitch black in here… Is Shingantsu working?" The apprehension in her voice was hard to miss. Her tone quivered a bit and Maya tensed when his arm snaked around her waist.

Shifting slightly, Sanageyama tucked her against his body and reassured, "Yes, it is working. I can see everything."

She was silent for a moment, and in the stillness, he could hear her heart pounding thunderously. He expected it to slow down after a while and was surprised when it did not. Gripping the front of his shirt tightly, she asked, "Are you alight?"

"Are you?" he countered lowly while letting his fingers lace through her hair, pressing her face into the base of his throat as he quietly demanded, "Did they hurt you?" She shook her head against his skin and felt his shoulders relax some. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"How did you escape?"

Maya hesitated a moment, choosing her words carefully as she explained, "They were waiting inside the hotel room and used chloroform to knock me unconscious." His body immediately tensed under her fingertips and she heard Sanageyama curse. Feeling his grip on her waist tighten, she continued, "No one bothered to tie me up so when I woke up, I pretended to be asleep until Takarada and his men moved away from the exit. They had me in some kind of VIP box above the stadium. They took my necklace when I was unconscious and… well, you know what they did with it…" her voice trailed off painfully as images of Sanageyama getting thrashed in the arena flickered across her mind briefly. "Anyway, your goku uniform was sitting close by so I grabbed it before running like hell. Why did they have your uniform?"

"Takarada said he would kill you if I didn't hand it over and throw the match." He ground the words out ferociously. Maya flinched a bit, feeling certain his anger was directed at her. However, then his shoulders deflated and he muttered, "I'm so worthless. Can't seem to do anything right."

Now utterly confused, she attempted to clarify, "What are you taking about, Sanageyama?"

"It was my decision to leave you alone in that hotel room. You practically begged me to take you with but my dumbass self didn't listen. It's my fault this happened-"

"Hey, hey!" Maya exclaimed while tugging her head back far enough to feel his breath hit her forehead. "Don't do that. This is not your fault."

"It is my fault," Uzu insisted stubbornly but she caught a slight quiver in his voice. "You don't understand. When I saw that necklace dangling in the air, Shingantsu went completely black. I lost complete control of the situation. My pride be damned, I was prepared to doing anything if it meant keeping you safe. I was ready to shame myself by throwing the match. I was ready to die right then and there-"

"Stop it!" she cut in, feeling her eyes burn with unshed tears. "I don't want you dying for me."

"I don't care what you want. God dammit, I am in love with you, Maya. And whatever it takes moving forward, I intend to protect you even if it costs me everything. Even if you run from me. Even if you hate me. Even if you never feel the same way, I'll-" Sanageyama felt the words disappear in his mouth as her lips swept up to crash against his own. He was stunned. Rooted in place, he almost forgot to reciprocate as Maya took a step forward, pressing herself fully against him as her tongue swept across the seal of his lips before delving inside. She initiated… she is… his thoughts trailed off in a whirl as she fervidly kissed him. She tasted sweet and her body burned under his fingertips. Uzu shuddered, fingers tightening in her hair as her tongue traced a cut in his mouth.

"Damn you," he heard her breathe upon breaking the kiss. Her lips immediately moved to his throat where she proceeded to drag her teeth across the sensitive skin. "You are… the most… infuriating human being…" she accused between planting heavy kisses against his neck and collarbone, "That I have ever met. And god… you make me want to-" Sanageyama inhaled sharply when her fingers suddenly slipped under the front of his shirt, splaying out to trace the contours of his toned abdomen. The area was bruised and he felt his breath catch as pain jolted him.

Her hands froze instantly. "Uzu?" she questioned in alarm. He tried to see her face but found himself unable to harness Shingantsu in his present state. "Are you alright? I'm sorry-"

"Keep touching me," he urged breathlessly, reaching for her hands to keep them trailing across his skin. Sanageyama had not the faintest idea what was going on but he knew one thing for sure: I don't want her to stop.

Maya obliged and before he knew it, his t-shirt was on the elevator floor and she was pressing tantalizing kisses across his chest and down his abdomen, stopping to lick the area just below his navel. His back was pressed into the corner and Sanageyama found himself struggling to remain quiet.

What the hell is going on?

Never in a million years did he imagine this scenario; his little Maya pressing him against a wall and doing things to him that- Shit… Uzu bit the inside of his cheek to stifle a choked groan when one of her fingers slid beneath the waist-line of his white pants. The shock sent his toes curling and his mind reeling.

"Maya, wait," he gasped suddenly, grabbing the hand that was in the process of undoing his zipper. "This isn't like you. Since when did you become," he paused to take a few deep breaths, "so aggressive? And when did you decide it was okay to get naked in a semi-public place?" Not that it bothered him. But it should bother her! Nothing was making sense anymore! His world had flipped upside-down and he half-wondered if Takarada had drugged her somehow.

"The power is out. No one can get in or out of this elevator and the cameras are all dead," she explained while placing a light kiss at the upper edge of his pant-line. He could not see her face but the heaviness in her normally featherlike voice made him imagine dark eyes and flushed skin. Sanageyama shuddered lightly at the visual, swallowing thickly as his body responded to his thoughts. He expected Maya to spring away but instead she stood straight up and pressed herself against him.

"Fuck, Maya…" he groaned loudly as his hands instinctively grabbed the back of each thigh, angling her until their hips met with an intense friction. A sharp cry left her lips making him yearn for the feeling of her legs locked around his waist. Normally, he could sweep Maya off her feet and pin her to any number of different surfaces in the apartment. But now… Sanageyama hissed sharply as a fresh surge of pain prevented him from acting on the impulse.

"Uzu, you're in pain," she stated breathlessly, "You need to stop moving around so much."

God, how does her voice do this to me? He wondered as heat continued to flood south. Forcing his mouth to work, he asked, "What are we doing, Maya?"

She remained silent and Sanageyama found himself desperately wishing he could control his emotions long enough to see her face. Finally, she answered by leaning up to capture his lips in a slow, deep kiss that ignited something far different within him. In place of explosive passion there was an urgent desperation that made him want to grip her tight and never let go; as if she were seeking reassurance that he was still alive, still here. It was overwhelming. And when she finally broke the kiss, Sanageyama could not think of a single objection to anything she might want to do with him.

"I thought you were going to die today," she admitted, her voice cracking a little. "So, please… Just let me."

Feeling his head drop into the crook of her neck, he nodded once. Then, her hands were back to his waist-line undoing the button and zipper as her lips dipped to graze over his newly exposed hipbones. "I wish I could see you," she whispered sending a wave of lightheadedness over him. The feeling was mutual, Sanageyama decided as plumes of heated breath suddenly struck at one of the most sensitive parts of his anatomy. He imagined her bending over him and knew exactly where he wanted those lips.

Inhaling sharply, Uzu reminded himself that Maya was inexperienced. He was not going to force anything. He would accept whatever she had planned without complaint. However, feeling his heartbeat accelerate when one finger slowly traced his length, he came to the immediate conclusion that remaining impartial was going to be a lot harder than intended. Breathing deeply, Sanageyama tilted his head back and tried to resist every impulse telling him to move. He worried for a split second that she might want to have sex in the elevator. While the prospect was appealing, trying to perform in a cramped, uncomfortable space with his bruised and battered body did not seem like the best idea. Maya was a virgin; he wanted her first time to be mind-blowing and perfect.

Scoffing at his own thoughts, Sanageyama wondered what had come over him. When had he started to care so much about the venue for fucking? He never made such excuses before. But this is Maya we're talking about here, he reasoned, like that somehow supported his backwards ass logic.

Then his brain switched off.

Moist warmth encircled his length sending his back reeling against the wall as a loud groan tore from his throat. He gasped and gripped the back of her head instinctively, feeling his fingers dig into her hair as Maya worked him. He wasn't expecting that. Shit… He let out another moan when her tongue coiled around him.

"Maya," He gasped with a combination of shock and fervor as her pace accelerated. The amplification of physical touch with Shingantsu was so intense... And the added thought of being alone in the dark in a fucking elevator with danger just around the corner made his arousal soar to new heights. Clenching his teeth, he gripped the railing tightly and continued to breathe through each stroke. He wanted to say something. To tell her how fucking amazing she felt but only rumbling groans and choked gasps escaped his lips. Pain from his injuries combined with dizzying pleasure rapidly pushed him to the edge.

"Maya!" His guttural voice rasped in warning, feeling his abdomen start to clench. He expected her to pull back but instead she angled her mouth and surged so deep that he instantly came undone. Pleasure drowned all other sensations as his climax hit so hard Uzu thought he might black out. Air left his lungs in a loud, choked groan and his head fell backwards against the elevator wall; his hand gripping the back of her head tightly. Maya did not move or squirm. She remained surprisingly still as his hips bucked and his fingers tangled in her mess of red hair, tugging roughly as wave after wave of euphoria struck his senses. His legs shook and he grasped the railing with white knuckles. Never before had an orgasm ripped through him so hard.

Blind and gasping for air, Uzu was vaguely aware of Maya as she gently kissed each hipbone before tugging his boxers back into place and buttoning his white slacks. He heard the flip-phone open before a slow exhale left her lips.

"God, you are sexy…" she breathed reverently causing his cheeks to grow slightly hot. Uzu heard some shuffling as Maya used the phone's light to locate his shirt before sliding it over his head. She then stowed the phone once again. She smoothed out the crumpled fabric, her hands trailing down his abdomen before curling to wrap snuggly around his waist. She leaned into him.

"Your heart is pounding," Maya observed softly, pressing her cheek into his heaving chest. "Is Shingantsu working?"

"No." Panting and more than a little dazed, he questioned, "I thought you said you were inexperienced?"

"I am," she replied with a nuzzle.

"No way that was your first time."

Chuckling in a way that made his heart jolt, she mused, "I must've done a good job."

A loud groan was his only reply as Sanageyama leaned forward to effectively collapse against her, wrapping both arms around her small frame. Normally, he'd worry about crushing her but Maya was still wearing his goku uniform. "Jesus Christ, woman…" his voice droned tiredly, "Please tell me that we're officially dating? I don't know how much more of the suspense I can take."

"And if I refuse?" she inquired with a raised brow, laughing when he stubbornly grunted:

"Then I refuse to leave this elevator."

"When Inumuta calls, you won't have much choice," she replied, a smile tugging at her lips as he grumbled dramatically. She was silent for a long moment. Then, in a soft voice laced with concern, she asked, "Are you in pain?"

"Some," he admitted before tightening his embrace, adding, "But this was so worth it. You are worth it."

"If you say so," she replied, hearing the uncertainty in her own voice.

"You are," Uzu insisted while pulling back, guiding her forehead to rest against his own. His hot breath hit her lips as he pressed, "This was the most amazing and memorable day of my life."

She snorted disbelievingly. "You got beat up and nearly killed because of me. Takarada used your affection for me to exploit a weakness that never should have existed in the first place. If we had never met, none of this would have happened."

"Maya, listen to me," he instructed calmly while stroking her hair, "Before I met you, nothing mattered to me except status. I wanted to fight the best and be the best- which was impossible once I encountered Lady Satsuki. The thought of never surpassing her made me restless, discouraged and VERY aggressive. I felt the need to prove myself over and over again, to convince myself that I was still the best; I needed my fix every day. Whether it was trashing some poor new kid or seducing another girl, I needed something to keep from going insane. Then, you came along…" His voice trailed off fondly as he slipped her head under his chin. "For the first time in years, I slept at night, that burning need slowly going away."

"That's because you went blind," she asserted, albeit weakly. His confession was doing things to her… things that she would rather not acknowledge.

Shaking his head, Sanageyama insisted, "No, it wasn't that. Losing my sight actually made it a thousand times worse because I couldn't act on the impulses. I was a bomb ready to explode at any moment. Then, I started to notice the smell of your hair-"

"My hair?" Maya questioned in confusion, squeaking a bit when his nose brushed the sensitive area beneath her ear before settling into her scarlet locks.

He inhaled deeply, feeling a sense of calm wash over him. "Strawberries and sunlight," he murmured quietly. "I could smell it for a few days before I met you. In fact, if I recall correctly, the day we met you were late to the library and I threw a fit, scaring away all the other students." He chuckled at the memory while brushing his lips against her cheek.

"You were an ass that day," she mumbled as his mouth trailed across her jaw. He stopped to catch her lower lip in his teeth, leading to a scorching kiss that left both of them panting.

"God, I want to fuck you so bad," she heard him groan causing a deep blush to burn across both cheeks. Her heartbeat slowed when he did not act upon the statement. "You fought me for so long that I wondered if maybe you'd never reciprocate. I thought maybe I was just deluding myself into believing you felt something. You do feel something for me, right?" There was a sudden uncertainty to his voice.

"Yes…" she replied slowly, not liking where the conversation was headed.

"Do you love me?"

Maya was saved from the heart-wrenching question as the burn phone suddenly began to vibrate. Flipping it open, she heard Inumuta's voice drawl:

"If you two are still alive, I suggest you get moving. The chopper will land in exactly six minutes."

"What about the rest of my team?" Sanageyama asked, leaning his head toward the speaker.

"They have already been extricated. You two are the only ones remaining in the building. Now, get moving." Click.

Putting the events in elevator out of her mind, Maya shifted gears to become more serious. Sanageyama was still very injured and she very much doubted he could climb a ladder successfully. Shining the light from her phone upwards she spotted a trapdoor. Perfect. Not wasting any time, she permitted the goku uniform to take another small bite out of her skin before she leaped upwards, tearing the small door off its hinges.

"This thing is amazing," she begrudgingly acknowledged while lifting Sanageyama through the opening by one of his arms.

He flinched in pain, grunting, "You have no idea." Glancing up the elevator shaft, Maya realized they were still in pitch black darkness; the small flip phone she held illuminated only a few feet in front of them. The base of the ladder was visible but nothing else.

Slinging his arm across her shoulders for support, Maya asked, "Uzu, can you see the air duct?"

"Yes. We have about 30 feet of ladder to climb. The duct is off to the right- we'll have to jump for it." His voice was a little apprehensive.

Sounding equally worried, she asked, "Are you sure you don't want to wear this?"

"It will put too much strain on my body," he stated. "I need you to wear it and make the climb, just try not to drop me," he added half-jokingly before zipping the goku uniform up to her collar, effectively covering her mouth and part of her nose with the material. She gave him a questioning look. "I need to hold on to your neck while you climb," he explained, nudging her in the direction of the ladder. "The high collar will act as protection so I don't hurt you."

Nodding her head, Maya waited for his arms to wrap securely around the front of her chest above each shoulder before taking the first few steps. When Sanageyama hovered fully off the ground, she glanced behind her, "Are you doing okay?"

"I should be fine, just climb quickly." She obeyed without delay and soon they reached the top. Shifting slightly, Maya repositioned them so Uzu was dangling in front her. His arms were still clasped around her neck but at least she could support some of his weight now. With one hand she gripped the ladder while the other wrapped firmly around his waist, guiding him until his feet rested on the same step as hers.

Peering into the darkness, she asked, "Can you see the entrance to the air vent?"

"Yes, it is level with our current position and there is a six-foot gap between us."

"Do I need to force it open?"

"No…" Sanageyama paused briefly when a jolt of pain hit his chest. Flinching, he muttered, "But the tunnel looks too narrow for both of us. We will need to crawl in one at a time."

Maya balked. "How the hell are we supposed to do that from mid-air?"

"You need to jump, grab the ledge, pull yourself up and then pull me up once you're inside."

Sounding horrified, she questioned, "What if I miss and we fall?"

"You'll catch me and we will try again." Sanageyama sounded confident but that did not help the sudden surge of anxiety she felt. Inhaling deeply to steel her nerves, she repeated, "Six feet to the right?"

"Six feet."

Closing her eyes tightly, Maya leaped. Her fingers dragged across a cold, metal rim and she grasped it firmly, hearing the metal crack a bit under the pressure. "I got it," she breathed in relief.

"Good. I'm going to let go of your neck-"

"What?!" she yelped, tightening her hold on his waist. "You'll fall."

"You are going to catch me," he explained calmly. "On the count of three, I'm going to let go of your neck and you are going grab my wrist before I fall. One… Two…"

"Wait, wait!"

"Three." Maya thought her heart was going to stop as he slid down her body and she instantly grabbed his arm in a death-lock. Uzu hissed in pain causing her to flinch. "Good," he gasped, "Now pull yourself up." She did, dragging his dangling body behind her as the pair entered the air vent and started crawling down the dark and narrow tunnel. Rounding a curve in the ductwork, Maya finally spotted light filtering through a slitted vent. Sanageyama was breathing heavily behind her.

Spinning helicopter blades and the sounds of gunfire were almost deafening as she peered through the narrow opening. As if on cue, several pops of colored smoke erupted near their position and she wasted no time. Ripping the vent open, she grabbed Sanageyama and bolted into the smoke, using it as cover to conceal their movements from the gunfire. The helicopter was hovering several feet off the ground. She closed the distance in one leap, slamming the door closed behind them as numerous bullets ricocheted off the metal exterior.

"Hold your fire!" She heard Takarada screech. He undoubtedly recognized her even through the colored haze. Well, at least he doesn't want me dead. That's something, I suppose, Maya reasoned while buckling Sanageyama into the middle seat before situating herself nearest the door. In the off chance a bullet did make it through, she would rather have it strike her than the currently injured kendo captain. The helicopter lurched. Then, they were speeding away in the direction of Honnouji Academy.