Testing Fate: A MadaSaku Love Story

Chapter 4

It was only a few hours after Madara woke to discover Sakura had disappeared from his apartment. He wasn't sure if her dinner invitation that evening still stood, but he was spending the day relaxing either way. So, he lay on the sofa with his feet propped up and his arm behind his head while absently browsing social media sites with the television playing some random action movie marathon he all but ignored. It was only for background noise, anyway.

Suddenly, something hit the wall that separated his apartment from Sakura's hard enough to have him sitting up and reaching for his gun in preparation to defend himself. He reached over and grabbed the remote, turning down the volume. Another sound came, this time a little softer but still alarming.

'What the hell's going on over there? Is she so mad that she's throwing things?' He didn't take her for the type, but she often surprised him.

The Uchiha man's curiosity was too strong. He texted Sakura, feeling as though going over and knocking would make her uncomfortable if she wanted to be alone. She didn't reply. Another loud noise came, and he sighed, stressfully running a hand through his hair. They were friends, but they weren't so close that he could justify barging into her apartment to demand an explanation, so he did what he could to remain distracted.

Only a minute passed before he got dressed, deciding to go for a walk to prevent himself from overstepping his bounds. When he stepped into the hallway and turned to ensure his door was locked, he glanced over, only to do a double-take when a black-haired man walked out of Sakura's apartment looking incredibly pissed off. The younger man barely glanced at Madara before heading toward the elevator.

He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but the older man quickened his gait so he could enter the elevator with the angrier one. In the back of his mind, he mused upon getting a better look at the kid, 'It's like looking in a mirror ten years ago.' Sure, they shared dark-colored traits, but he was referring to the rage that lit the young man's gaze.

"You're Sakura's neighbor, right? She told me about you."

Madara was surprised he chose to speak but nodded.

The younger man looked him up and down as though measuring his appearance. The older Uchiha clearly had the physical advantage in height and muscle mass, but Sakura's boyfriend didn't back down. With a firm glare, he met Madara's gaze, "She has a boyfriend, so she doesn't need you to come around anymore."

'Suddenly, this pretty boy's face looks much more punchable.'

"Are these her words or yours?"

Madara cursed himself inwardly. He intended to gauge what'd caused those sounds in her apartment. Upon realizing a man was there, his mind jumped right to the worst-case scenario: that he'd hurt her. Now, he was swiftly losing his temper with the cocky little college student trying to threaten him for no reason other than his own insecurity.

"I'm telling you to back off."

The elevator doors opened in the lobby, revealing a blonde kid with blue eyes. When the younger man didn't step out and instead kept glaring at Madara to demonstrate the seriousness of his statement, the new person looked between them, "Sasuke, what's up, man? Who's this guy?"

'So, his name's Sasuke, then?'

Madara didn't falter but also didn't match his level of anger. He chose to visually keep his cool. "I'll leave her alone when she tells me to herself," he mirrored Sasuke's act of looking him up and down, "Aren't you getting out?"

The blonde guy put two and two together, "Oh, are you Madara? Sakura told us how you helped her out on Halloween. Nice to meet ya! My name's Naruto." He held out a hand for the older man to shake. Gingerly, the older Uchiha obliged.