✔️Heal My Heart {Kakashi Hatake}

48 | well shoot

I returned to the room with a glass of water in my hand. Kakashi was still lying in bed, but he had retrieved his book from some pocket somewhere and was holding it up over his face. He lowered it when he heard me come in.

"I got your water." I handed him the glass, not helping but notice that his mask was still off. I half hoped he would put it back on, otherwise I might lose all self-control and start squealing like a fangirl.

"Thanks." Kakashi took the drink in one hand, setting down his book. He started to push himself up into a sitting position, though I could see that he was struggling with the effort.

"Here." I stood by his side and helped him, fluffing up the pillows and propping them up behind his back. It wasn't until he glanced at me with a tiny, embarrassed smile to thank me again that I realised how close we were. My breath caught, and I hastily took a step back.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked. "He hit you pretty hard."

"I'm fine." I shook my head, dismissing his concern. "Seriously, don't worry about me. I'm going to go and report to the Hokage, can you sit tight for a bit?"

"I guess so. But are you sure-"

"Yes!" I cut him off. "I'm fine. I promise. I won't be long." I left the room quickly, without giving him a chance to respond.

I closed the front door behind me and leaned back against the wall, hugging my chest. The closeness in there was almost too much to handle, and my lungs felt constricted. I closed my eyes and took some deep breaths of the fresh, outdoor air. It's only Kakashi, I told myself. So why am I freaking out so much?

After allowing myself a few moments to calm down, I started to walk up to the Hokage tower. I had been telling Kakashi the truth when I said I needed to give a report, though I had welcomed the excuse to flee the room.

The walk was much shorter than I had hope it would be. It wasn't cold outside - in fact, it was pleasantly warm - but I still shivered and crossed my arms at the sight of the tower looming over me. I had no reason to be afraid, or so the rational side of me said, but I couldn't help the chill that trickled down my spine as I started climbing up to Lord Third's office.

I listened outside for a moment, but I heard nothing but the scratch of pen on paper. There wasn't nearly enough fidgeting or heavy breathing for the room to be full of people, so I decided that it was safe to go ahead and knock.

"Enter!" called the voice of the Hokage. I pushed open the door and bowed respectfully.

"Sir, I have a report to make."

"I saw you just a few hours ago." The Hokage's brow furrowed. "Has something happened?"

"Actually, yes." I lifted my head, the confidence not completely feigned. "After you left, sir, I was released from the hospital and met Kakashi at my house. Barely moments afterward, we were attacked by Kokuyōseki."

"The Grass rogue?" The Hokage said aloud. "He seems awfully interested in you."

"Yes, that's what I thought, too. He also referred to me as a princess a few times, though aside from my being the Clan Head's daughter, I can't think what that might mean," I informed him.

"It won't have anything to do with your position in the Clan." The Hokage mused. "You're the only remaining heir, and you're of age, so you'd be more of a queen than a princess in that regard."

"Don't remind me." I pulled a face, then remembered what company I was in and quickly regained my composure. "It took the combined effort of Kakashi and myself just to hold him back, and for a while it seemed as if we wouldn't be able to defeat him. Then Kakashi's sharingan- I guess the right word to use here is 'evolved' - into some sort of second stage, and he used a move called Kamui to make Kokuyōseki vanish."

"I must confess, I don't know anything about this new stage of the Sharingan." The Hokage linked his fingers together and rested his chin on them, contemplative. "Fugaku does not easily share Uchiha secrets, and there are many things about that Clan that I don't know. You say your opponent vanished - he is not dead?"

"I don't know," I confessed. "Nor does Kakashi. He could have been transported somewhere, I suppose, but it was a desperate move. We couldn't have held him off otherwise."

"Where is Kakashi, incidentally?" Lord Third queried.

"Using the second stage of the Sharingan caused severe chakra drain, much worse than normal. He's currently stuck in a guest room at my place, unable to move for exhaustion. I think he ought to be moved to the hospital," I said confidently. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to stand having Kakashi in my house much longer.

"Why would we do that?" Lord Third raised his eyebrows and sat up a little straighter. "He's in perfectly safe hands with you. And besides," his eyes twinkled mischievously, "that's a lot of time alone together, don't you think?"

"Not you too!" I exclaimed, feeling my heart plummet to the ground. "Even the freaking Hokage is trying to hook us up!"

"I'm well acquainted with the look of a love struck young woman." The Hokage smiled.

"I'm not 'love struck'!" I protested. "Mild, very small crush, maybe, but not love struck!"

"If that's how you feel." Lord Third shrugged. "I'll refrain from saying 'I told you so' at your wedding."

I took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. "I'm going." Without waiting to be dismissed, I turned and marched out of the office, leaving the door wide open and the Hokage chuckling quietly to himself.

I got home in much less time than it had taken me to get to the Hokage, and pushed open the door with an angry huff. "I'm home!" I called, but Kakashi didn't answer. I figured he was probably just reading, so I went over to his room and pushed open the door. "Kashi?"

I found a sight that made my heart clench from cuteness. Kakashi seemed to have dozed off while reading, as his book was still clutched loosely in his hand, upside down on his chest. His head was resting on his shoulder, still maskless.

"Kakashi." I sighed, but couldn't fight back a smile at the sight. To be fair to him, he was exhausted, and it was almost ten o'clock. I decided not to begrudge him the chance to sleep.

I carefully took his book and marked the page, then placed it on the nightstand. Kakashi was still in a semi-upright position, so I cautiously manoeuvred him into a lying position and pulled the sheets up over him, for a little extra warmth.

"Don't wake up too early," I warned him, though I knew he was fast asleep and probably couldn't hear me. "I'll know if you do."

It was as I was quietly closing the door behind me that I came to a realisation that made my blood freeze.

Lord Third was right - I didn't just have a small crush on Kakashi.

I was totally and irrefutably in love with him.

"Damn you, Hatake," I whispered. "This is completely your fault."