Chapter 14

Danzo grinned as he hit Sakura across the back with his cane as he had in his office. The woman cried, pleaded, and fought, "You're dead! How are you here? Let go! Stop!" Quick, loud thumps that sounded as loud as thunder overwhelmed her senses, matching her heartbeat.

Smug brown eyes bore into hers as the disgusting man swung the object down for another hit.

Familiar cuffs encircled the woman's wrists, but they wouldn't budge no matter how hard she tried, "Please stop!"

"Wake up, Sakura! You're alright."

A gasp sucked through her lips as she suddenly sat up, looking around and realizing she was back in Madara's room, and the man was staring at her with a concerned frown.

'It was just a dream! He's gone. You'll never have to see his face again,' Sakura fell back to the bed, turning onto her side and bringing the blanket between her arms high enough to cover her mouth and nose as she tried to cut off her sobs.

Slowly, the Uchiha man lay down behind her, hesitantly laying his arm over her side, "Danzo, he didn't…?"

Her green eyes squeezed closed. They didn't get around to talking about all that happened while they were apart last night, so he doesn't know that she successfully protected herself before the awful man could rape her.

"No."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Sakura's voice cracked as she released her hold on the blanket and grabbed his hand, pulling it upward, "No." Then she pressed her lips to his palm, keeping him there because his warmth against her face immediately proved comforting.

His thumb gently brushed against her jaw, voice softer, "Okay."

A little more than an hour later, Sai and Ino returned, the blonde having ordered breakfast to be delivered so no one would have to cook or leave. The girls sat on the sofa while the men sat on the floor with their backs against it, the TV playing the news.

Coverage videos of the mansion were playing. According to the anchor, the police were still investigating but suspected all persons involved were dead and in the building. They saw it as a shootout with no survivors. When asked about the missing mystery patient from the hospital, the police confirmed that while he was missing, the doctors believed his wounds were defensive and that he was likely to die out in the cold anyway, so they weren't putting much effort into their search for Sai.

"So, are you two together now, then?" Sakura asked through a mouthful of toast. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until food was placed before her.

The blonde at her side nodded, "We're gonna give it a shot, right?"

Sai nodded, his face stoic like the first time they met him. He did speak, though, "I love Ino."

The women glanced at one another, communicating wordlessly. Sakura was stunned that he was still saying that because she was sure he'd been exaggerating to try and convince them not to shoot him, and Ino agreed wholeheartedly but was also excited about it.

"What about you guys? Did you talk it out last night?"

Madara glanced over at Sakura, who hesitated because they didn't officially agree out loud on what the nature of their relationship was going to be. After a moment, though, she smiled because she recalled how wonderful the words "I love you" were to hear in his voice.

"Yes."

Once breakfast was finished, the four began discussing what the plan would be going forward.

"Here's what I think: We lay low here and next door for, um… let's say, a week. Then, I'll take Sai with me back to Kirigakure. I'll start looking for an apartment today and arrange to have it furnished by the time we arrive," Ino's mouth moved as quickly as her mind produced thoughts.

The room was silent momentarily before Sai frowned, "I can't let you do that. You already saved me from the cops, and I didn't deserve even that."

Sakura and Madara's heads moved back and forth as the pair argued, like children watching their parents fight.

"It's seriously no big deal, Babe. I make more than enough money to afford it."

It's true. When Ino introduces herself as a future fashion icon, it's more than wishful thinking. On top of doing modeling jobs in Kirigakure, she also works as a part-time consultant for the most popular clothing magazine in the entire country.

"What man lets his girl pay for him like that?"

"....You better stop flirting with me. It might hurt if I jump your bones right now."

"Don't change the subject, Ino."

The blonde sighed loudly, rolling her eyes, "Listen, if you think you're gonna confess your love and then disappear, you're seriously mistaken. Take responsibility." It was a little underhanded, her argument, but the previous approach failed, so she was likely trying different angles.

Sai's mouth clamped shut, his brow furrowing in annoyance. After a moment, he responded, "I'm not trying to. I don't feel right allowing you to cover all living expenses when I'm the reason you were-" "So get a job once you've recovered. Until then, you can be my little housewife."

Sakura turned her head to the side and down, covering her mouth with her hand as she tried not to laugh and failed, a slight sound managing to escape.

Madara spoke before anyone else could, rendering the conversation complete, "That all sounds good to me." Amusement was thick in his voice.

Sai glared at Ino with a frown while she smiled sweetly back, but it was really a grin of victory.

'I was really against him being anywhere near her at first. Maybe I was wrong, though. They seem closer than they should be, having known one another for such a short time.'

The rest of Christmas Day went smoothly. The four watched holiday movies and relaxed. That night, Sakura slipped into Madara's bedroom, quietly closing the door behind her. A small box, wrapped in pretty red paper with a golden bow on top, was behind her back as she grinned at the Uchiha man who'd been trying to fall asleep.

When she flitted across the room, coming to her knees beside him on the bed, he sat up while rubbing his eyes. "Merry Christmas! I hope you like it." She pulled the gift out from behind her back, presenting it to him with an embarrassed smile.

Realization met his features as he accepted it, "Yours is in the top left drawer of the dresser."

The woman retrieved it, and he waited for her to return so they could open them at the same time.

When she opened the small box, Sakura gasped at a pair of diamond earrings. Blushing hard, she absently fingered one of her earlobes, "I didn't know you knew they were pierced…. Thank you. I love them!"

Madara offered one of his rare smiles, making the pace of her heartbeat speed up. "I was hoping you wouldn't find it weird for me to buy you jewelry," he admitted while unwrapping the box she'd given him. A small, happy hum came from the woman as she shook her head and watched for his response.

When he removed the lid of the box to see the high-end watch she'd purchased, the content smirk on his lips fell. Sakura's brow furrowed, "...You don't like it? I'm sorry! I saw yours was broken, and-" "Thank you. I really like it."

The man said one thing, but his expression seemed troubled, so she found it hard to understand what was going through his head, "You don't have to lie, Madara. I kept the receipt just in case you didn't like it, so you can take it back and pick out a different one if you want. It won't hurt my feelings."

The Uchiha man lifted his gaze from the watch, meeting her eye with a surprisingly emotional expression, "I'm not lying. It's just, I…. I haven't received a gift in over ten years, so this means a lot to me."

When the admittance was processed, Sakura offered him a small smile, setting the earrings aside so she could come forward and kiss him, "Well, you better get used to it." Warmth enveloped her entire being when she pulled back to see the slightest tint of pink had met his cheeks. It was the very first time he appeared visually flustered.

Hiding her swooning poorly, she brushed her nose against his, "When's your birthday? I'll make sure it's a good one."

"It was yesterday."

Sakura sat back on her knees, eyes wide, "You're kidding."

He averted his gaze back to the watch, pulling it out of the box, "No."

After a long, almost awkward moment of silence, she grinned sheepishly, joking in an attempt to relieve the tension, "At least I can guarantee that next year's will be better, right?"

A small laugh passed Madara's lips, and he nodded, "True."

The pair put away their gifts and got rid of the wrapping paper before finally lying down for the night.

Sakura traced his jaw with her finger, eyes following it as they lay facing one another, half-awake. Dark eyes were half-lidded on her face, but both were incredibly comfortable with the proximity. Musing aloud, she whispered, "I feel like I've become spoiled, getting to see you before I go to sleep and when I wake up. It's gonna backfire when Ino and Sai leave."

'Because then I'll return to my own apartment, away from you.'

Her thumb brushed against Madara's bottom lip, her eyes jumping to his when he suddenly spoke, "We could always…." The man trailed off, insecurity easily readable in his features. It was obvious what he wanted to suggest, but he seemed worried they were taking things too fast.

Usually, Sakura would agree because they'd known one another for only two months, but things were much different with the Uchiha man than they could possibly be for anyone else. So, she went out on a ledge, "If you're comfortable with it, then I am, too."

His lips tugged slightly downward, "If it's too soon, just say so. I'm new to all of this, so I don't know what's acceptable."

She smiled, moving her thumb to the corner of his lips, "Who cares what's acceptable? I don't want the same relationship as everyone else. I want whatever feels right and you."

Madara was stunned for a moment before warmth illuminated his eyes, "The problem is who's apartment we're going to use."

"Mine has new floors!"

"But mine only has a neighbor on one side."

They grinned at one another, kissing momentarily before pulling apart. Sakura opened her mouth to devise another argument, only for him to cut her off, "What if we move out of this place altogether? Danzo owned it…. I wouldn't mind living somewhere unaffiliated."

The pink-haired woman nodded, understanding completely, "Sure."

~

The following six days passed in a blur of finding ways to pass the time since it wasn't safe to leave the apartment, just in case. They played cards and board games, watched movies, and rested. On the morning of day eight, after the horrible night at Danzo's mansion, Ino and Sai left. They booked the earliest flight possible to lower the possibility of them being noticed.

Before leaving, Ino woke Sakura, and they quietly snuck into the hallway to not wake Madara. Outside the bedroom door, the women hugged one another tightly, both trying not to cry.

"If you need anything, and I mean anything, Forehead, call me immediately, and I'll come back, okay?"

Sakura squeezed her best friend, sniffling with her eyes closed tightly, "Same goes for you, Pig. I love you."

They pulled apart, the blonde smiling widely as she hissed jokingly, "Well, I gotta fugitive to transport, so I should get going. Love you. Stay out of trouble."

Ino turned and walked down the hallway into the living room, where Sai was waiting with a blank expression, as usual. He intertwined their fingers immediately, giving Sakura a curt nod before the pair exited the apartment to hopefully travel to Kirigakure successfully.

The pink-haired woman loosely crossed her arms, leaning against the wall with a frown. It astounded her how quickly the couple had gotten over their issues, but at least they seemed happy.

Sighing, she wiped at her watery eyes to rid of the tears that hadn't fallen before reentering the bedroom and sliding under the covers behind Madara. It was surprising how quickly everyone was healing from their injuries. Already, the bruise on her back was brown rather than black, and the cuts on her neck and cheek no longer needed bandages.

Sakura wore only one of Madara's sweaters and some underwear, her new favorite pajamas. The sleeves were so long that they covered her hands if she let them. Though watching her friend leave was sad, her anxiety faded almost completely when she pressed her forehead to her boyfriend's back, hugging him around the middle.

He had scars, some scarily large, and a few black tattoos that enhanced his sexiness substantially. A birthmark the size of a coin on his right shoulder blade nearly blended into his tan skin. Since becoming a couple, Sakura's tried to memorize every detail.

Eyes creeping open, she stared at his back in the dark room, warmth rising in her face, chest, and between her legs. They still hadn't done anything since that drunken night Ino manipulated them into hooking up. Now that their wounds were on their way to healing, Sakura began to have trouble distracting herself.

'I don't know how to approach him yet. With Sasuke, he always had to initiate because he said no so many times when we first started dating that it discouraged me to the point I stopped trying.'

Sakura's palm pressed flat against her boyfriend's lower abdomen, inwardly telling herself to stop what she was doing and go to sleep. It was hard when she knew what lay just below where her hand rested.

'If Madara does the same thing, I'll be mortified. Maybe I should wait until we're not so new to try something as bold as waking him up for sex.'

A little disappointed, she sighed, closing her eyes with a frown. The last thing she wanted to do was rush or become a burden to the man. She was also a bit embarrassed or ashamed because she's a grown woman who shouldn't have this much trouble controlling her urges.

Suddenly, the Uchiha man she cuddled turned to face her, dark eyes half-lidded and sleepy. Her arm remained over his side, fingers brushing gently against his lower back as they stared at one another. Sakura felt guilty because she'd obviously woken him up but was almost startled when he leaned down to capture her lips in a slow, leisurely kiss.

'He's so sweet, kissing me when he's barely awake. You'd never guess by his appearance.'

The "sweet" feeling of his actions began to fade when he ran the hand on her waist down to her hip and then to her thigh so he could pull her closer and hook it over his hip. A light sigh passed Sakura's lips when he then held her bottom, tongue slipping past her lips cautiously, testing the waters and giving her a chance to stop him if she so pleased.

'Either he somehow figured out what I wanted, even with his back turned, or he woke up and felt the same way,' Sakura's hand twitched over his side, tempted to touch him more intimately, 'He wouldn't mind, right?'

'When I was with Sasuke, I-' The woman cut off her own thoughts, hypothetically chastising herself, 'No. This isn't Sasuke, this is Madara, and I swore to myself that I wouldn't let my past relationship affect this one.'

Her eyes crept open slightly to see his were closed, but his brow was furrowed as though he was completely focused on what they were doing, 'Fuck it. I'll just give it a try, and hopefully, I won't make a fool out of myself.'

Hypothetically stepping off the ledge, she gradually moved on top of Madara, straddling his hips as her hair fell over her shoulder, him rolling onto his back as naturally as breathing. Face hot because no matter how determined and aroused Sakura was, she was still bashful in this type of setting with him; she pulled her lips from his.

Moving down to pay attention to his neck, she pressed herself against the hardening bulge beneath her, between her legs. Madara's hands felt the curve of her waist, her bottom, and her hair, seeming to take advantage of the opportunity for the first time since they agreed to give dating a try.

Since he hadn't stopped her yet, Sakura felt encouraged to continue. While taking a calming breath, she sat straight up on his lap to pull her shirt off and toss it away so she was only in her underwear. Then she moved down to sit between his legs, pulling his boxers down enough that they were no longer in the way.

Green eyes locked onto black ones as she slid him into her mouth, a blush bright upon her cheeks.

'I've never really enjoyed doing this type of thing before, but this is kinda….' she mused while doing anything and everything she knew how to make the drowsy man beneath her feel good.

The flex of his jaw, the way his fingers slid through her hair to keep it out of her face, and the unyielding way he held her gaze caused a sensation Sakura'd never experienced before.

A trance came upon the room over the next minute or two, only breaking when Madara suddenly winced, his head falling back onto the pillow as his hips slightly twitched like he was struggling to remain still. A barely audible moan left him, a hand coming to the back of Sakura's head to guide her to move a bit quicker. It was attractive, pulling an aroused sound from his partner, who couldn't tear her eyes from his face if her life depended on it.

The organ in her mouth then flexed, and the man released her, obviously about to climax and giving her the option to deal with it as she saw fit. It's not that she was against swallowing it; it's that she wanted to see it at least once. So, at the very last moment, she slid him out of her mouth and watched with curious eyes as the cloudy substance flowed down his shaft onto her fingers and his lower abdomen, another soft groan coming from the man.

When he was finished, he met her eye again with a look that made Sakura feel a little smug. For the first time in her life, she felt like she didn't have to hold herself back if she wanted to do something. The man before her would probably let her try anything.

So, though it was embarrassing for him to watch her while she did it, Sakura licked a steam of ejaculate up the length of his cock, taking it back into her mouth to clean the rest of it off. It was a little salty but didn't necessarily taste bad. Then she slid him back out and ran her tongue up his abdomen to clean that up, too.

"...Jesus…."

The pinkette raised a brow at him, struggling not to grin at the astonished look on his no-longer-sleepy face.

Apparently, Madara took the act as a challenge because he soon had their positions flipped, making short work of removing her underwear. Coming down to trail his lips from her stomach to between her legs, he hummed warmly, "Wake me up next time."

Sakura's breath hitched when his tongue met the most sensitive bundle of nerves there, expertly circling and pressing it in a way that made it hard to focus. "I was worried you'd be too tired," her voice wavered as she struggled to mask her moans, succeeding for the most part.

He scoffed, pulling away so he could fix her with an incredulous look, "For this? Never."

When he returned to his previous actions, a small, surprised yelp passed her lips, and she covered her eyes with one hand, embarrassed. Madara didn't say anything and simply kept on.

The pressure in her body coiled, flexed, and jolted until the wet heat against her lined up perfectly. Sakura's back arched slightly off the bed, both hands shooting down to grip the sheets while her eyes squeezed closed. A happy little hum vibrated against her most sensitive area, the Uchiha man obviously enjoying her struggle.

Humiliated, the woman gasped out, a hand leaving the sheet to cup her own breast as she tried not to squeeze his head between her thighs, "D-Don't tease me!"

A few more moments passed before she felt the hypothetical rope snap inside, and then her blood was pumping a million times more quickly, pleasure scattering up her body from the spot between her legs. She moaned with eyes half-lidded on Madara as he rose to watch her face, using his fingers to massage her through her climax instead.

Out of nowhere, her cell phone began to ring loudly on the nightstand. It was the ringtone for her parents. It was barely five in the morning, so she blindly reached over, fumbling to grab the device while panting for breath, worried something might be wrong.

Madara watched with amused eyes as she tried to calm down before accepting the call, "Dad! Is everything alright?"

"Of course, Sweetheart! We just got home from the trip and checked the answering machine. What's this about you and Sasuke breaking up?"

A large, calloused hand ran up her stomach before sliding over to hold her waist, Madara dipping down to take one of her nipples into his mouth, obviously messing with her because she was on the phone.

Doing her best not to verbally respond, she ran her fingers through his hair, "Yeah, it's a long story. Wanna get together for breakfast or something?" All she knew was that she had to get off the phone before her composure fell.

"That'd be wonderful! Mom and I will meet you at the usual place around nine, okay?"

Sakura smiled mischievously, crossing her legs around Madara's waist and holding him there tightly, "I'm bringing someone I want you to meet along. I hope that's alright."

The man froze, looking up at her face with wide eyes. She just smirked.

"Sure thing, Hon. See you around nine. Love you."

"Love you, too, Dad."

As soon as the call ended, Madara tried to pull away, only for Sakura's legs to fall a bit lower around his hips. He held himself up with a hand on the bed near either side of her head, "Don't you think it's a little soon to be introducing me to your parents? They just found out about you and Sasuke."

The pinkette shook her head, "Nope. In fact, I think the timing's perfect."

He frowned, obviously baffled, "How's that?"

Dropping her hold around his hips, Sakura's eyes traveled down to his sex, which had become hard again at some point, and back to his face, "Because we have four hours before we have to be ready to go."

Understanding quickly met Madara's features, and he smirked, smoothly lining himself up, working himself inside, and coming down so their faces were closer, "How about this: I'll make this the best thing you've ever felt if you don't make me go."

"Counter offer. You do that, but go anyway."

Rolling his eyes, the Uchiha man sighed, beginning to thrust into her slowly but at a steady increase of pace, "You drive a hard bargain."

Sakura winced when a slight cramp met her back, arching it to try and alleviate it as Madara slowed down to give her more time to adjust. He really was bigger than she thought she'd ever experience in her life. In fact, the only reason it hadn't hurt last time was probably because she was incredibly drunk. She'd been incredibly sore the next day, she recalled.

The lighthearted mood quickly vanished, the man coming down to kiss her, dark eyes concerned, "Sorry. Should I stop?"

"I'll be fine in a minute; don't apologize," Sakura mumbled, red-faced.

Madara kissed her again before sitting back on his knees and looking down at where they were connecting with a flexed jaw. The organ moving slowly in and out flexed suddenly, the pace hiccuping and making her squirm, "H-Hey!"

He met her eye, brow furrowed, before letting his head fall back with a groan, "I can't help it."

The fact that he found her attractive enough to have a response like that reassured Sakura, and she let out a short laugh as she sat up to rest her weight on her elbows and take in the sensual view before her.

Soon, she properly adjusted, and the kid gloves came off. Her long, pink hair was strewn about the bed as she clung to either of Madara's forearms. He held himself up with his hands near her waist against the bed. Sakura's lower body was slightly lifted as he moved with little restraint.

It was overwhelming how much he filled her up, and it caused tears to well in her eyes the closer she got to her endgame. Madara's calculating gaze didn't leave her face, making her feel bashful and self-conscious, but it was hard to focus on that when he was so good at what he was doing.

When he noticed her struggle, he slowed, "Does it hurt?"

Sakura quickly shook her head, "No, no. It feels amazing. Keep going."

A moan passed her lips when he heeded her request, and the movement differed from before, hitting a spot inside her that'd never been touched before. Her insides twitched around him, squeezing more tightly as she tried and failed not to tremble beneath him.

Madara smirked, coming down to claim her lips as he'd likely realized they were good tears, not bad ones. As the tension continued to build, Sakura felt like he, too, was close.

Proving her right, he soon parted their lips so that their noses were almost touching, "Just a little more, Baby. You're almost there." Her brow furrowed at the reassuring, sensual tone he used.

His name left her lips in a breathy voice she didn't recognize as her own, and then she was being happily torn to pieces from the inside out beneath him. A low sound rumbled Madara's chest halfway through her climax, and then he pressed fully inside her to meet his own.

Emerald eyes were cloudy with obsession and exhaustion as she panted for breath. Every single thing he did was incredible. Even the heated pooling sensation in her lower abdomen was satisfying. When they were both finished, they simply held one another's gaze and tried to catch their breath.

Sakura eventually sighed almost dreamily once she calmed down, smiling bashfully as she lifted her head to kiss the tip of his nose.

Madara pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he spoke more softly than before, "God, this is difficult. I could do this all day. Do we have to go?"

"If you're on your best behavior, we can pick up where we left off later. Deal?"

The pair shared a look before snickering, the Uchiha man finally pulling out and allowing her to sit up.

"I guess I have no choice, then."