BONDS • k. hatake

•22•

The nurses were surprised when they saw me sitting up, reading all the letters.

They gave me tests, to check my brains function and whatnot before visitors were allowed in.

"Onee-san!" Sakura said as she ran up to hug me.

"I missed you Sakura." I said, my arms wrapping around her.

"I'm so glad you're not gone." She mumbled. She pulled away before Naruto gave me a hug.

"I'm sorry I left you there, I should've checked-"

"Naruto." I said sternly. "You saved the village, and if I was to die it would be a small price to pay for the well-being of the village."

He grinned, rubbing back of his neck.

"AHHHH!" I heard a yell from Sakura, her yelled caused people to run in, including Asuma and Guy's team.

"What's wrong?" I asked. she rushed up to me holding my hand.

"AM I DREAMING?! WHATS THIS?!" She inspected the ring, Ten-ten and Ino rushes up. My face became flustered as the girls crowders around my hand.

"It's.. ITS AN ENGAGEMENT RING?!" They yelled. I chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah...."

"YOU JUST WOKE UP! HOW ARE YOU- WHAT?!" Ino screamed.

"It happened last night.." I smiled. I released my hand from their grasp before hitting my head on the pillow.

"When can I get out of here?" I asked no one in particular.

"Tonight." Asuma said. "That's what Lady Tsunade told us."

I nodded.

"That gives me plenty of time to read these hundreds of notes:" I laughed seeing the chair overfilling with notes and cards.

"Yeah. You better get going at that." Shikamaru said lazily.

"Okay, lets go you 7. Let Akiara rest." Asuma said but he whispered something to me before he left.

"Give Kakashi my congratulations." He chuckled, my face became pink. Matching my hair before he left.

--------

I got out of the bed, my legs wobbly.

"Wow, I need to start training again." I laughed, holding onto Naruto's shoulder as Sakura walked in with a wheelchair.

We walked to my apartment, it was about 5 pm at night.

"You still haven't told us who you're going to marry, Akiara-Chan." Naruto said, his hands behind his head.

"Well.. I'm not sure if he wants it to be public.. but I will say that you've known him since you were little." I smiled.

We got up to my apartment, I tried standing up. My legs still slightly jello like.

Sakura opened my door and gasped.

I looked through the door, walking in.

I grinned as the smell of roses and dahlias hit my nose.

Flowers filled my living room, there were dozens of them.

They laid in vases and cool roses and dahlias in boxes.

There was a cheesy heart shaped flower arrangement with a note.

I bent down to open it.

"Make sure no ones is at your place by 7. See you, I love you.

-k.h"

I smiled tucking the note in my pocket.

"Awh!! This is so romantic! You got a keeper, onee-chan." Sakura beamed.

"Speaking of that. I would like some quality time with my fiancé, I'll come visit you and our parents tomorrow and Naruto, I thought you had training to do?" Naruto eyes widened and scrambled off, Sakura gave me a look before leaving.

I heard a few barks and looked to the corner.

"Pakkun!" I laughed seeing the dog at my feet.

"Kakashi sent us to watch after you until he could leave the jounin meeting." Bull walked up with the rest of the pack following him.

He nudged me to my bed room. I laughed, walking there myself.

The room was very romantic. Flower petals around the bed, my favourite candles.

"Kakashi told us to get you to shower since he knows you hate being in hospital beds. Which made no sense to me, you work in a hospital..." Pakkun said. I rolled my eyes.

"Don't question my ass." I rolled my eyes before going to my closet and grabbing some clothes.

------

I walked out of the steaming bathroom, seeing kakashi laying on the bed with his navy sweater and sweatpants.

"So, Mr. cheesy." I laughed, he chuckled walking up to me. "This was very, very romantic and out of character for you." I smiled, his forehead touching mine. He wrapped his arms around my waist as mine were around his neck.

He pulled down his mask before meeting his lips with mine.

"This is kind of a.. birthday present. A present that counts for all the ones I missed, and a engagement present." He smiled, I pouted looking around.

"This makes me look bad. I don't have anything for you."

"You waking up, defying all odds, forgiving me, taking me back and becoming my fiancé and soon to be wife is my present. You are my present everyday.."

"What happened to you? Are you sick? Why are you so mushy and sweet." I placed the back of my hand on his forehead.

"Hey! I can be romantic when I try to be." He pouted adorably. I giggled.

"Sorry. This is all just so surprising.." I smiled, but quickly frowned. "There's a war coming, isn't there?" I whispered.

"Yeah.." he said, kissing my cheek, he nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck. "But I'll do everything and anything to protect you. I just got you back... I won't- I can't lose you again." He mumbled.

"You won't. I can protect myself, you don't have to worry about me." I pulled away from him, kissing his lips. "Just don't be stupid like you were with pain, I don't think we'll be that lucky again."

"You saw that?" He asked.

"I walked out of the hospital and your neck was snapped back as he hit you with a bullet, and I couldn't do anything. I saw Kairi over your dead body, crying." I looked away.

"Akiara..." he whispered. He lifted my chin up so that I faced him. He kissed my nose, resulting in me scrunching my face up.

"I love you. More than anyone, sure, I loved Kairi when we were younger but that felt like nothing compared to my feelings for you and we were together for years."

"I believe you. After all, I'm the one with the ring." I said as I held it up and wiggles my fingers.

He chuckled before grabbing my hand and kissing it.

"And I wouldn't ever want anyone else with my mothers ring." He smiled.

My face washed over with realization.

"So that's why it looked so familiar! I saw it in your parents wedding album and your family photos!" I smiled. He laughed before pulling me to the bed.

We talked and cuddled until our eyes got heavy and we drifted off into a deep slumber.