Missing Kunoichi (Book 2 of MK Series)

My Heart

"You're wearing it," it wasn't a question at all but I still jumped slightly at hearing his voice behind me.

I spun quickly on my approach to the gate of the village and found Kakashi behind me. I glanced down at my wrist and smiled lightly. "I figured it wouldn't hurt anything." Smooth. I mentally facepalmed.

A smirk played on his lips, "You're horrible at this." I puffed my cheeks and turned my head.

"Shut up," I crossed my arms, "thank you," I grumbled.

"Where's Rowan?" Kakashi stepped closer and images from last night flooded my memory as I held his gaze.

"I'll summon him at the gate," I straightened and tried to hold the dirty thoughts at bay, "he still frightens the villagers."

Kakashi reached forward and his bare fingers brushed over my cheekbone and I leaned into his touch subconsciously. "I'll walk you to the gate." His hand slid down my arm and his hand met my lower back and he gave me a gentle push as my feet seemed to be glued to the dirt below.

I had every intention of nothing happening between Kakashi and me yesterday, but that plan flew out the window the second he entered his apartment. I don't regret a thing, but it felt... intimate. Last week was intimate, sure, but we were both being open and vulnerable to each other. Yesterday he was a lover, treating me as though I was glass and could shatter completely at the wrong touch. He's not wrong though, I would compare myself to glass any day of the week. I'm a piece of glass that's been cracked and the crack keeps stretching and stretching, the edges growing nearer and nearer, only a matter of time before it shatters completely.

I think Kakashi might be the glue that holds me together. It was a stone-cold realization as I crawled into my own bed last night. I had slipped from the warmth of his embrace with a ghost of a kiss and went home. The boys fast asleep, I kissed them both and readied for the journey today before changing for bed. As I laid starring at the ceiling I felt this hole in my heart, the heart that didn't seem to be covered in the same darkness as before. My heart was now free of the darkness, mostly, but it wasn't completely, and it wasn't full. The boys filled me with love and my heart held them close, but something was missing.

I glanced over to see Kakashi was focused on the path to the gate and I let my eyes drink him in. If he did wait for me, then maybe I could do this. Maybe I could finally let myself love him again. No matter how much I want to deny I love him, I just can't. He's everything to me and I've done nothing but run away from him, push him away, and hurt him. I've been a terrible friend and even worse girlfriend when we were together. I looked down feeling ashamed and felt Kakashi's hand slide from my back.

"Hey," his fingers gripped my chin and he tilted my face to look up at him. When did we stop walking? "What's wrong?"

His eyes were filled with worry and my stomach did flips while my heartbeat sped up. I felt like a teenage girl all of a sudden. "Just wondering how you could possibly still love me." The words left my lips without my brain stopping them as it should have.

Kakashi's expression shifted from worry, to shock, and then to amusement. "I think I like this new Y/n."

In a huff, I slapped his hand away, "Fuck off, Hatake." This loud and boisterous laugh filled my ears and I stared in awe as Kakashi let a true laugh escape him.

"I definitely like this new Y/n," he said once he composed himself.

I stomped off the last few yards to the gate and bit my thumb to swipe my summons seal. The lighting and smoke dissipated and Rowan stood at the ready. I hadn't realized who was working the gate and when I heard the voice I smiled softly to myself before turning around.