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

Chapter Thirteen

Three days passed in a blur as Maya preoccupied herself with taking care of Uzu and completing the various catch-up assignments delivered by Gamagori. The disciplinary chair was nothing if not organized. He promptly arrived every morning to deliver a heaping stack of papers. Sanageyama never greeted him, preferring to stay in bed, but this did not seem to bother Ira. He was always sure to inquire about his fellow three star's health when she answered the door.

One morning, Gamagori came earlier than expected and Maya arrived at the door out of breath, flushed, with tousled hair wearing nothing but one of Uzu's green t-shirts and a pair of slippers. She wholeheartedly expected a good reaming for indecency and planned to blame the entire thing on Sanageyama. Which was the truth. He just can't keep his hands to his damn self.

She was immensely surprised, however, when the head of the disciplinary committee simply averted his gaze, an uncharacteristic blush coloring his cheeks as he handed over the papers and quickly took his leave. Maya felt baffled. Where were the threats of expulsion? The promises of horrible academic suspension or literary torture? Where was his army of disciplinary committee enforcers and WHY were they not storming the premises?

And why in the fucking hell were Jakuzure and Inumuta suddenly so chummy with her?!

The world had gone insane. Or ended. Am I dead?

If she was, Maya honestly had very few complaints regarding where she ended up.

"Maya?"

"Hmmm," she replied, feeling far too content for words as Sanageyama continued to trace light circles across her back. The terrifying head of the athletics department had been shockingly docile over the last few days. All he wanted to do was spend time relaxing and cuddling in bed. It was bizarre. She wanted to blame it on his healing injuries. However, there was no denying that their relationship had started to evolve. Whether they were in bed, sitting at the kitchen table or wandering the mansion aimlessly, Uzu seemed to always be touching her in some way. He would hug her waist from behind when she was doing dishes and sit close enough for their shoulders to brush at the table. Maya thought for certain that at some point he would try to escalate their level of intimacy but instead he seemed quite content to wait; his sense of urgency seeming to dissipate the moment she agreed not to run away.

Caressing her back with long strokes beneath the t-shirt she was borrowing, Sanageyama stated, "I've been thinking a lot about how to keep you safe. Obviously, when I'm around there won't be any issues."

"Obviously?" she echoed with a raised brow, glancing up to his face from her position on his chest.

"Yes, obviously," he repeated with a smug smirk causing Maya to roll her eyes, subsequently lowering her head back down. The fabric of his track pants felt smooth against her bare legs as she shifted to wind them around one of his own. "Unfortunately," Uzu continued while letting his hand settle on the small of her back, "my commitments to Lady Satsuki will prevent me from staying by your side all the time. Eventually, we are going to have to leave this mansion."

Stretching out like a cat, Maya drawled, "That isn't news to me, Sanageyama. When you are gone, I can just stick close to Gamagori. He's already offered me a position as the disciplinary committee's secretary."

"Yeah, that's just what I need: the two of you ganging up on me," his voice held a tone of annoyance as he pictured all the possible ways Ira might abuse the situation. "That is never going to happen."

Maya felt her cheeks puff with indignation. Temper flashing, she grumbled, "And I just have to do whatever you say? Just because we're dating doesn't mean you get to-" Her epic rant terminated when the man in question jolted upwards, crashing their lips together. The kiss was smoldering and left her breathless.

"Definitely the best method for getting you to shut up," Uzu murmured against her lips, his features curving into a wolfish grin when she smacked him lightly on the shoulder, growling:

"Fuck you, Sanageyama."

"You promise?" He purred, completely undeterred as he rolled until Maya was trapped beneath him. Her legs came to rest on either side of his waist. She had elected not to wear shorts under the oversized t-shirt; a decision Uzu intended to take full advantage of. His hips pressed tightly against the thin material of her panties, eliciting a sharp inhale from the woman beneath him. Shingantsu poured over her features. Tugging her shirt to expose one shoulder, Sanageyama drank in the sight of her deep blush and the way her gaze swam in and out of focus as he leaned down to shower the newly exposed area with attention. It was not long before her trembling hands grasped at his back, balling up the fabric of his t-shirt as she gripped him tight. A single moan escaped her lips.

"Uzu…"

"How the hell did I ever live without you?" He murmured; his rumbling voice filling her ears right before their lips met in another searing kiss. It was getting difficult to recall exactly why she had been upset with him in the first place. Everything was so intense; the heat radiating off him was nearly unbearable. And Maya feared she might drown in it entirely.

Finally, the need for oxygen was too great causing Sanageyama to disengage his assault momentarily. Gasping for air, Maya questioned shakily, "What… Has gotten into you? Is everything alright?" Lowering his forehead to her chest and panting heavily, Uzu shook his head. Growing more alert, she pressed with concern, "Uzu, what is wrong?"

"I can't lose you." Coiling his body around her smaller frame, as if to shield her, he repeated, "I just can't. Not when I finally have you." Maya wanted to comfort him; she wanted to reassure him that everything would be fine. A lie.

Instead, she lightly smoothed her fingers through his tangled mess of green hair. "Stop worrying about me," she instructed calmly. "Just be with me here, in this moment."

"I am trying," Uzu replied with pained exasperation, sitting up suddenly to place one hand over his bandana. "I've been trying not to think about it but every time I lose track of you, Shingantsu spirals out of control. All I can think of is you plummeting over the edge of the docks or getting nearly killed by Hakodate or-or getting captured by the Takaradas. Those fucking Takaradas!"

"UZU!" Maya shouted loudly, sending him into stunned silence as she sat bolt upright and grabbed his face with both hands. Staring deeply at the place his eyes should be, she very slowly and clearly stated, "You need to stop. Everything is fine. I am fine."

"But how long before some new threat comes along?!" He exclaimed while grasping her shoulders roughly. "I'm only one man. I can't protect you forever. I couldn't even protect you from Takarada. If that had been a real kidnapping…" His voice trailed off with something akin to panic as an unpleasant shiver shot up his spine. "The things they could have done to you-"

"Uzu!" She shouted again, her voice a little harsher than intended. "When I jumped from the docks, it was you who pulled me out of the river. And it was you who saved me from Hakodate. Both times you protected me. It was my turn to protect you-" she was interrupted when Sanageyama let out a scoff. Ignoring him, she persisted stubbornly, "Listen here! I might not be as strong or as fast as you, but I can hold my own. This isn't about you protecting me; this is about us protecting each other you big dumb idiot!" He tried to cut in only to be drowned out as Maya ferociously continued, "I don't expect you to rescue me all the time! You need to be able to lean on me just as much as I lean on you! That is how functional relationships work, Sanageyama!"

"You are fucking crazy. Absolutely batshit crazy if you think we are on the same level."

Maya grew deathly silent. The aura of the room suddenly grew cold and her dark eyes took on a violent glint that he had never seen before. In a dangerous tone, she asserted, "I don't just think, Sanageyama; I know we are on the same level." They both remained frozen for a moment.

Then, in a flurry of movement, Uzu had her cemented beneath him with both arms pinned on either side of her head. Maya flinched slightly from his tight grip. "Ok, missy," he sneered, demanding with a growl, "If one of Takarada's hulking gangsters had you in this position, could you get away?"

"Yes," she replied seriously, staring unwaveringly at his bandana.

Sanageyama cocked his head and scoffed. "Prove it."

No sooner had the words left his lips that Uzu found himself sailing through the air. Maya had hooked her foot on the outside of his leg and then pushed off from the opposite side, toppling them both off the bed. His injured back hit the floor with the combined force of both their bodies. Air rushed out of his lungs. The impact jostled Shingantsu causing him to lose sight of Maya for a split second as she tore her arms out of his grasp. Rolling away, she spotted a ribbon from one of Gamagori's boxed lunches discarded under the bed. She grabbed it just as Sanageyama lunged. His fingers just barely missed her shoulder as Maya sided-stepped, catching his wrist with the ribbon and twisting his arm until he toppled once more to the ground. He thrashed a bit with his free arm which was a mistake. Maya quickly snared that one too. Within moments, Sanageyama found himself face-first on the ground, essentially hog tied with both wrists secured behind his back. Maya sat on her haunches, a devilish grin spreading across her normally composed features.

"Do I need to tie your feet, too?" She drawled, snickering when he thrashed a bit more.

"Fucking bitch… this isn't funny, Maya! How the fuck did you do that?"

Still grinning, she rolled him over onto his back. "You were injured and unprepared. I caught you by surprise."

"Bullshit," he snapped hotly while twisting his wrists, which were now trapped underneath him. The ribbon cut into his skin causing Sanageyama to hiss. Maya moved to untie him but stopped as he continued to snarl, "How in the bloody hell… You're still not better than me! I don't know how you managed this but I swear to god-" the air stilled in his throat when she not-so-gently grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him forward.

Sitting astride his waist, she gripped him tight and then coyly echoed, "If one of Takarada's gangsters had you in this position, how would you get away?"

She could practically feel the rage radiating off Sanageyama as he scowled darkly at her. Maya knew it was not wise to push him. But if we are going to have a functional relationship, then we need to figure this shit out. Letting one finger glide down the center of his chest, she eventually hooked it under the waistband of his track pants. Shoving him back down to the ground, she stated with a purr, "Just think of all the things I could do to you like this… You are completely vulnerable." Maya allowed one sharp fingernail to trail along the base of his neck and smirked at his sharp intake of breath. "I could cut your throat," she mused darkly, "Or I could torture you slow… I could unseal your eyes and pluck those pretty orbs right out of your skull. No one would hear you. No one would see you. And no one would save you."

Placing one hand on his chest, she felt his heart thud wildly and his breathing become a little more uneasy. His confidence was obviously starting to falter. The sensation of Shingantsu flitting across her features had grown more erratic, as if trying desperately to ascertain if she was being serious or not. His perception was frighteningly good; any sign of weakness would tip him off to the charade. She could not break character for even a second. Nudist Beach had spent a small fortune on her training and, while Maya certainly felt a little rusty, it was not hard to fall back into the mindset of a predator. And right now, Uzu Sanageyama is my prey.

Shingantsu was starting to dart around the room, no doubt searching for his goku uniform which had been tossed haphazardly onto a nearby dresser. As if reading his mind, Maya grabbed his chin and lowered her face until their lips were mere millimeters apart. Voice filling with sultry amusement, she said, "You'll never reach it in time."

"In time for what?" He tried to snap but the words died in his throat. In one swift movement, her fingers dropped from his chin to curl around his neck, applying enough pressure to make him lightheaded. Darkness crept into the periphery of Shingantsu and something very primal seemed to break inside him. He began to struggle in earnest; panic and the smell of iron flooding his delicate senses as the bindings cut his skin. Despite his strength, the ribbon would not yield. He could not get Maya off either; her center of gravity was poised perfectly to avoid getting thrown over his head and her thighs had clamped like a vice around his hips to prevent him from bucking.

Shit… He thought dismally.

There was no escape. He was fucked; truly fucked and faced with the sheer realization that he had no idea what Maya was capable of. She warned him about her past but he honestly never took any of it seriously. In his eyes, she was a perfectly innocent bystander caught in the wake of the Takaradas and Honnouji Academy. Apparently, not so innocent, he acknowledged with a choked gasp as the pressure on his throat increased. Damn. Maybe she really will kill me. Sanageyama could feel his strength fading quickly and Shingantsu had flickered out, leaving him completely in the darkness; completely consumed by the charged aura now surrounding them both. His existence was only Maya. The sound of her steady breathing sharply contrasted his own desperate gasps for oxygen, and her soft, normally pliant body bared down on him with sweltering heat. He was suffocating in all senses of the word.

Consciousness teetering, he snapped back when her free hand slipped beneath his shirt to trail over his toned physique. "Just think…" She purred, her voice uncharacteristically seductive as she glided over each toned muscle, keeping a firm grip on his neck. "Of all the things… I could do to you…" Her breath was hot on his ear as she whispered, "Like this…" Uzu shivered, although not unpleasantly, as her hand continued to roam.

Just as he was about to slip into unconsciousness, the compression on his throat lessened ever so slightly and Sanageyama became acutely aware of something warm and soft sealing against lips. His mouth opened instinctively to gasp, desperately drawing oxygen from her lungs into his own. He expected the kiss to be forceful and was surprised when it held all the sweetness and gentleness typical of his exchanges with Maya. The delicate contact stood in stark contrast to the rough grip she maintained on his throat. Pleasure and pain. Apparently, she excelled at both and Uzu surprised himself by letting out a pleading sort of groan into her open mouth. She deepened the kiss in response.

Sanageyama could have sworn every sense was going haywire. His breathing was heaving and his body trembled beneath her ministrations. He made no voluntary moves to stop or encourage the behavior but, as he let out another pitiful moan, it was becoming quite clear how her touch affected him. He writhed against her, hips instinctively pressing upwards, begging for additional contact as her tongue roamed his mouth.

"Maya?" he eventually gasped when she finally released his lips. Confusion, desperation and lust all filtered into his shuddering voice as Uzu tried to communicate what he needed. His wrists bled from the tight bindings and he wanted them off. To throw her against the wall and demand an explanation. Or to throw her on the bed and fuck her until she screams. Uzu was unable to decide. In fact, he was too aroused to really think about anything as Maya released his neck and began to rake both sets of nails down his toned chest.

"You're so perfect," she breathed, dropping character for a split second as she admired him. His body reminded her of chiseled bronze. Every divot of muscle was perfectly defined and glinted with a fine sheen of sweat from his previous struggling. Sanageyama leaned up slightly, sensing the change, only to have his head fall backward with a guttural moan when she slid her entire hand below the waistband of his pants. Soft lips and rough teeth danced across his chest as her hand proceeded to elicits sounds from Uzu that he did not think himself capable of making. His wrists tore with futile distress at the bindings holding him. He nearly begged her to stop, restraining himself out of fear that she actually might.

"So vulnerable… So sensitive, Sanageyama…" her soft voice taunted although he could detect a slight change in tone. Maya did not sound distant and cold anymore. There was less pain and more pleasure in her touch; her breathing was faster, as if she were anticipating the moment when she could indulge him even further. It was driving him mad.

Her hot mouth feathered across his abdomen, tongue slipping beneath the upper edge of his track pants to pull the tie between her teeth. He nearly came undone right then and there.

"Fuck, Maya…" He groaned while wishing he had something in his mouth to bite down on. Painstakingly slow, she slid his pants away from one hip, kissing and licking every new inch of skin as it became accessible. She repeated the process on the other side and by the time his pants pooled at his knees, Uzu felt ready to burst with even the slightest provocation. His chest heaved under unrelenting suspense, his skin burning with desire that was both unrequited and seemingly unobtainable as Maya suddenly leaned out of reach. All traces of her touch vanished. Her weight disappeared from his lap and the room grew silent aside from his erratic breathing and thundering heart. Uzu grasped desperately at Shingantsu but found himself unable to harness it. Where is she? Does she intend to just leave me like this?!

Unsure if she could actually hear him or not, Sanageyama finally caved, "Maya, please… This is torture. I need you to-" He couldn't bear to finish the sentence. It was too humiliating. Swallowing thickly, he was surprised when warmth ghosted across his lips. Uzu wondered briefly if he imagined it before his head came slamming backwards into the carpet, an impassioned shout tearing from his lips as his length was consumed by enticing warmth and wetness. He did not last long. Within a minute, his body was quaking and shuddering with the aftermath of his climax. He could scarcely breathe as he laid shivering on the ground. What the hell just happened to me?

Through his lustful haze, he could feel Maya's body gently slide against him and she graced his cheek with a sweet kiss. One of her bare legs came to drape languidly over his waist, the lace of her panties scratching his skin as she nuzzled against him. She still wore one of his oversized t-shirts.

"What…" he took several deep breathes, "in the hell just happened to me?" Uzu had no idea what to do or what to think. And he was ashamed to admit that, even if it was only for a split second, he really thought Maya might actually hurt him.

As if sensing his apprehension, she gently tugged his clothes back into place and guided him into a seated position. His shoulders braced against the bed frame and he flinched slightly from the stiffness in his arms. Pressing their foreheads together, she very calmly instructed, "Uzu, take a deep breath." He complied. Then she said, "Good. Now I want you to look at me with Shingantsu." Again, he complied, watching as a familiar surge of whirling grey struck his vision. Maya materialized in crisp definition and he found his gaze automatically drawn to her eyes, which were like dark pools reflecting a deep sense of both sadness and devotion. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to make sense of the two seemingly unrelated emotions.

"Can you see me?" Her voice was almost inaudible. Uzu nodded his head once. "I want you to look at me when I say this," Maya said with a sense of seriousness that took him by surprise. "Listen to me. I am not helpless and I am certainly not innocent. I have done many terrible things in my life and I was intending to do terrible things to you when we first met." Sanageyama felt his heart jolt and an odd sort of pressure started to bare down on him. He felt wounded. Like a knife had been slipped between his ribs. For a moment, he wanted nothing more than storm out of the mansion and burn the entire thing to the ground.

"Uzu?" Her soft voice called, drawing him out of his own thoughts. "Are you still looking at me?"

"You were planning to betray me? Why?" He tried to demand but it came out more choked. Maya looked like she wanted to reach out to him but thought better of it as her hand flopped uselessly back at her side. However, that action wasn't what caught his attention; it was the sheer insurmountable shame that filled her dark gaze. In that moment, she looked far more wounded than he felt. Her lower lip started to quiver so she drew it between her teeth and bit down hard. He observed her closely, suddenly terrified as a singular thought flickered through his mind. "Was none of this real?"

"It is more real than anything I have ever felt," Maya replied with an honesty that scared her. Staring straight at him and trying to keep an even voice, she admitted, "All of it was real. I never once took any actions to harm you and I never, ever intend to." There was a brief silence.

"Untie me," he commanded. Maya complied without question and was shocked when he suddenly lunged, slamming her petite frame into the corner wall. She flinched from the impact and felt a little dazed as he roughly grabbed her chin.

"Do you love me? Tell me right now and don't you dare lie." Maya was frozen in his grasp, feeling a little frightened as he loomed over her menacingly. Escape was unlikely. She doubted he would fall for the same trick twice. It was shocking how rapidly Sanageyama was able to turn the tables.

One single tear slid down her cheek as Maya squeezed her eyes closed, finally admitting the truth: "Yes."

"Look at me and say it again," he demanded.

She flinched at his tone but nevertheless complied. Permitting her dark eyes to flicker open, she stared unwaveringly at his headband and repeated with more conviction, "I am in love with you, Uzu Sanageyama."

He exhaled but otherwise did not move. Then, a set of lips swept down to steal the breath straight out of her lungs. Maya sighed her relief into the kiss, feeling his hands slide back to cup her cheek and curl into her mess of flowing red hair. He was surprisingly gentle- almost apologetic as he sought comfort in the recesses of her warmth. Her toes curled at the want and desperation he communicated through his lips, her fingers delving into his hair before moving to trace his cheeks and the lower edge of his bandana. She hesitated there.

Cradling his face, she whispered, "Uzu, I'm sorry." He ignored her completely, electing to capture her lips in another deep kiss instead. Maya allowed this but quickly broke away. She could feel tears starting to fall as she embraced him tightly. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you-"

He shook his head against her collarbone before leaning up to seal their lips together for the third time, completely smothering her in a whirlwind of passion and anguish as he melded their bodies against the wall. Breaking for air, he gasped, "Just kiss me. Don't stop, just keep kissing me."

It was clear Uzu was vulnerable. She had overwhelmed his senses, using humiliation as a tool for both pleasure and pain while putting his weaknesses on display. She took all the power away from him; effectively stripping him raw and leaving him more exposed than he likely had ever been. Then, I admitted an intent to hurt him. Maya could not stop the tears from flowing even through their heated exchanges. Uzu kissed them away but this did nothing to mend the gaping wound she felt deep in her heart. And I haven't even told him everything yet. It was agonizing. She was going to hurt him again and instead of running away, he was here; kissing her like his very life would end if he stopped. It was too much to bear.

Maya knew it was wrong to mend emotional wounds with physical acts. However, it was clear that in his current state of vulnerability, Uzu desperately needed reassurance. He sought comfort in the recesses of her body, wanting to touch and be touched in ways that had her heart pounding. And I have one last thing to give him.

Inhaling sharply and trying to quell a sudden flurry of nervousness, Maya slipped out of her panties and permitted Sanageyama to hoist her up. Her legs locked around his waist. He wasted no time removing her t-shirt, tossing it somewhere on the floor. The wall felt cool against her bare back as she pressed herself fully against his still clothed form; seeking his warmth while her fingers slipped between them, blindly reaching for the tie of his track pants. She was surprised when one of his hands dropped down to cover her own, halting her movements.

His voice was heavy in her ear as he questioned, "What are you doing?"

"Take off your clothes," she instructed breathlessly. Uzu hesitated for a split-second. Then, his hands darted to his own shirt, which was surprisingly challenging to remove without dropping Maya. He growled impatiently and eventually permitted her to guide the offending article of clothing over each shoulder as he alternated between arms supporting her weight. Then, her fingers were back at the strings holding his pants in place. She tugged the tie loose without a second thought, hearing the smooth cloth pool around his ankles. He was not wearing boxers. Maya thought her heart might slam straight out of her chest as she sucked in a shaky breath.

"Are you sure about this?" Uzu's voice was almost inaudible. She nodded mutely. A sound similar to a rumble reverberated deep in his throat as he warned, "Against the wall isn't really the best position to start. You sure this is what you want? We could go over to the bed?"

"No, I want you to keep holding me while we-" Maya faltered a bit under his sudden scrutiny. Swallowing thickly and trying to keep her voice from trembling, she asserted, "I want you to keep holding me. Just like this."

The tenseness in his features relaxed a bit. "Okay," he agreed, "Just like this." His nose lightly bumped against her flushed cheek tenderly as he said, "Now, relax and let me take care of the rest." Maya breathed her consent and was surprised when he suddenly leaned in for a deep, slow kiss. Her toes curled on either side of his waist and her hands instinctively moved to his sturdy shoulders, back arching when his hand began to glide slowly over each breast. He kneaded and caressed the sensitive flesh causing her to moan inside his mouth. Her legs tightened around him, drawing Sanageyama closer and bringing something warm and firm against the back of her thigh. Maya inhaled sharply; whimpering slightly when his fingers slipped between them.

"God, you're already so wet," she heard Uzu groan before his touch slid back up, gripping the junction between her buttocks and thigh. He angled her carefully and then with one smooth movement, Maya felt something enter. She gasped and clutched at his shoulders. "It's okay," his deep voice reassured, "I won't let it hurt." The sensation of fullness quickly disappeared, returning shortly after as he thrust deeper. Maya could have sworn she was going to pass out at the rate her heart was thundering.

Never before had someone treated her with such a sense of gentleness. It was as if Uzu feared she might shatter in his arms. He was true to his word; there was no pain. She detected a subtle tearing sensation when he finally breeched the last barrier of her innocence but instead of discomfort, there was an intense fullness that made her entire pelvis suddenly clench. She shivered pleasantly and heard him quietly curse.

So, I really was her first. For some reason, Uzu couldn't quite come to grips with that. A part of him was still wounded and upset from their previously conversation. However, no matter how angry he felt, Sanageyama just couldn't bring himself to pull away. If anything, it made him want to thrust deeper and harder just to feel her tight warmth as it consumed his senses, scorching his raw emotions as she coiled around him. He wanted this. No, he needed this. Badly.

Lips landing in the curve of her collarbone, Uzu continued to carefully manipulate her body; slowly pushing and stretching until Maya could comfortably seat his entire girth. Then, he remained still for a moment.

Breathing harshly, he asked, "Are you okay? Is there any pain?" Maya shook her head against his shoulder causing him to exhale in relief. "Good." Sanageyama didn't dare move yet. Shingantsu was functioning at full capacity and every sense was already in overdrive. Gratifying did not even begin to describe how it felt to be immersed in such a tense heat. If not for their previous foreplay while he was tied up, Uzu might have come undone with the first thrust. "You feel so damn good already, Maya… I'm a little scared to move."

"It's okay," she replied softly, feeling a little overwhelmed herself. It was a strange sensation; being encased, engulfed and thoroughly filled by another person. She did not expect him to feel so warm. Or to feel so good. Letting out a long, low moan, she let her forehead drop into his shoulder as Uzu began to move. He pumped in and out at a pace that was agonizingly slow. Maya felt her ankles crisscross behind his hips as he guided himself into a steady rhythm, his hot groans sending ripples across her skin. Her lower body shuddered and spasmed, clamping onto each languid stroke as if to draw him even deeper towards her center. The sensations were torturous and Maya quickly began to squirm. "Uzu, faster," she requested in a tone that could easily be mistaken for begging.

"Soon," he promised with a kiss into her tousled hair, his breath heaving with the effort of controlling his pace and bracing her against the wall. "Just need to find that perfect spot-" As if on cue, Maya bit into his shoulder to stifle a sudden rapturous moan that torn from her throat. Angling his body the same way, Sanageyama snapped his hips forward and was again rewarded with a loud cry.

"What- ah… How are you doing that?" Maya demanded with a loud gasp as surges of pleasure began to rock through her with each thrust. Bursts of light erupted across her vision and she heard him grunt as her nails dug into his back.

"Practice," Uzu replied without thinking. And thank god for that… Maya thought, feeling far too swept up in pleasure to care as his pace immediately accelerated. She writhed in his hold, trying desperately to meet him thrust for thrust but to no avail. She was completely pinned. Realizing this, Sanageyama backed away from the wall and dropped to his knees, dragging Maya tightly against him as he continued to drill that one singular area that made her want to scream. Burying her face into his hair, she tried to restrain the torrent of moans and cries threatening to break lose. "Don't hold back," she heard him command through a rumbling groan, "I like your voice."

Her cheeks burned but nevertheless, Maya opened her mouth and let out a plethora of inarticulate gasps and cries, most of them taking the form of his name as she begged him to thrust harder, to go deeper; pleading to be devoured by the sensations he evoked. Pleasure was consuming both of them and Maya felt the breath completely leave her lungs at one perfectly angled thrust. She clamped down like a vice, nails biting into his slick skin as she attempted to find some purchase on his flesh. All she could hear was static. The world completely disintegrated into a myriad of lights and overwhelming pleasure that somehow kept building as Uzu continued to ride out her orgasm.

"Fuck…" she heard him curse before his hips suddenly surged upwards so hard and deep that her entire body jolted; filled to the brim with blissful agony. He kept them there and his grip was almost bruising as she seized around him in a set of violent spasms. His voice came out a tortured groan upon the crest of his own climax. Then, Uzu was falling backwards.

The tangled pair landed in a disheveled heap on the floor. She landed on top of him as his back made not-so-gentle contact with the cold ground. Maya shivered violently against his chest, still reeling from the aftermath of her own orgasm. Despite the fall, their hips remained firmly connected and bolts of intense pleasure continued to interfere with any return of logical processing. Even motionless, it was hard to concentrate.

Breath coming in sharp gasps, Maya attempted to formulate a sentence, "Uzu, are you- ah… was that…" She panted a few more times, "Normal?" His only response was to tighten his grip her waist as his head lolled back against the plush carpet. He sucked in a few heaving breaths and flinched when another bolt of pleasure rocked through his already overloaded senses.

A long, low groan escaped his lips. "Not normal. Definitely not normal."

"It was good?" She confirmed, suddenly a little self-conscious.

"Fuckin amazing," he replied causing her heart to soar. His voice was heavy with exhaustion and she immediately curled against him, feeling the tenseness of his body finally start to ease.

A giddy grin spread across her features as she commented, "I guess the rumors floating around school about you are false." She watched his bandana shift as Sanageyama cocked an eyebrow. Maya rocked her hips slightly, reveling in his size even when half-aroused. He caught her meaning after that. "I'll have to inform Mako and get the record set straight."

His trademark cocky smirk slid easily across his handsome features as Uzu teased, "I thought you already knew that. I assumed your lips would have the measurements." Maya felt her cheeks burn and she burrowed even deeper against his chest, trying unsuccessfully to hide the blush that was extending all the way to her ears. He chuckled lowly at her expense.

Grumbling, she retorted, "You know, if that had been a real assassination attempt, you would be six-feet-under by now."

"Saved again by my drop-dead good looks and masculine charm," he drawled, adding smugly, "Ladies can't resist me. Next time they should send a dude." Maya wanted to quip back something about him getting tied up by a gay man but resisted the temptation. Instead, she simply rolled her eyes and settled back against his chest, listening to his steady rhythm. Neither of them said anything for a moment. Then, his next words shocked her:

"You really could have killed me." It was more of a ponderous statement than a question. He did not sound angry; merely pensive and perhaps the tiniest bit impressed. "I guess I really don't know everything about you." His hands traced slow circles over her bare back, quelling some of the panic she suddenly felt. She glanced up at Uzu and was surprised to see him calm. His fingers brushed gently against her cheek as he mused aloud, "Just who the hell are you?"

Maya swallowed and willed her features to remain steady. Turning her head, she kissed the inside of his wrist where the bindings had cut. "Someday, I will tell you everything. I promise. But right now, the less you know, the safer we will be."

"Okay."

"Okay?" She repeated incredulously. "Just, okay?"

"Just okay," Uzu replied as he moved to play with a few strands of her red hair.

"You are going to trust me and believe me just like that? Even after I tied you up, threatened to kill you and then admitted that my intentions were less than amiable when we first met?" Maya was floored. She could not believe her own ears.

"Yup, pretty much," Sanageyama confirmed without skipping a beat.

Exhaling an exasperated puff of air, she demanded, "Are you completely insane? Aren't you angry with me? Don't you have questions?"

"Yes to all three," he remarked, adding with a surprising level of composure, "But it doesn't matter. I love you and therefore I trust you. If you wanted to hurt me, you could have easily left me to die in that arena or cut my throat any of the hundreds of times I left my guard down in your presence. You chose not to hurt me all of those times. I have no reason to believe that you would suddenly try to hurt me now."

Maya blinked in shock, completely speechless. Then, finally, with awe in her voice she inquired, "Who are you and what have you done with Sanageyama?"

"I'm not completely daft, you know," he scoffed, taking mild offense, "I can figure things out. It just takes me awhile sometimes." He paused for a moment, then added with a grumble, "But it sure would be helpful if I knew what we were up against."

"Oh, you know, the usual… Gangsters, assassins, armed thugs, death squads…" She was being mostly serious.

Sanageyama snorted. "Sounds like a typical day at Honnouji Academy.

"Listen, Uzu," she instructed more seriously, drawing his undivided attention. "Earlier today, you underestimated me and ended up in a very bad position. If we are going to survive this, I need you to keep your ego in check. Without your goku uniform and sword, you are vulnerable just like everyone else, and someday, someone else besides me is going to figure that out."

"I get it," he droned, sounding unimpressed, "I'll be more careful from here on out."

"Promise me," Maya demanded while fixing him with a stern look.

"I promise," he conceded, feeling her head drop back down to burrow against neck. After a moment of silence, he could not help but ask, "So, if you had been the one tied up with the ribbon, how would you have escaped?"

"The same way you did," she murmured, suddenly very sleepy, "With help from my partner."