Love Triangle: Kakashi vs. Genma

35 | Kakashi's Truth

Kakashi walked down the hallway before stopping outside of [Y/N]'s door. He knocked gently and heard a very faint "come in." He pushed the door open and almost gasped at the sight before him. Her face was cut and bruised, as were her arms. She had a thick bandage on her side, only exposed because the nurse had just finished redressing the cut. Her ankle was in a cast and propped on a pillow. She looked a mess and Kakashi still thought she looked beautiful.

"Well are you gonna come in or stand at the door like a creep?" She asked him, a small smile gracing her lips, and he blushed ever so slightly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Just taking in this mess you've made of yourself." He joked and made his way closer.

"This? This is just a scratch! This is nothing!"

She stuck her tongue out at him and he couldn't help the grin that spread stupidly across his face. Even in the worst of times she knew how to bring everyone up. He had no doubt that she was the only reason Asuma had been relatively okay today.

The nurse finished doing everything she needed and excused herself from the room, leaving Kakashi and [Y/N] alone. They sat in silence together for a moment until [Y/N] sighed. Kakashi looked up at her. She laid on her back, staring at the ceiling.

"I brought you some flowers. I don't know which ones you like, but these are purple and I know you like purple."

"That was thoughtful of you Kakashi. They're pretty."

"Not as pretty as you."

"Don't." The word came out as a warning, surprising Kakashi.

"Don't?"

"Don't flirt with me and tease me if you're not going to own up to it later. It really hurt last time."

"I'm sorry."

"Good."

"I mean it. I really am."

He was quiet for a few minutes, trying to collect his thoughts and figure out the best way to go about the situation. He knew she was mad and hurt, so he wanted to do this without upsetting her anymore. She watched him and could almost see the wheels turning in his head. Finally snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Kashi... whatever it is, just sit down here with me and say it." Kakashi obliged, sitting in the chair beside her bed and taking a deep breath. "You have to understand that I have never been one to talk openly about what I'm feeling. You know that. So please work with me, okay?"

She nodded and he still seemed to hesitate. She reached down and took his hand, squeezing it reassuringly. He laced their fingers and held on to her hand, focusing on the pulse he could feel in her fingers to calm his nerves before he began.

"[Y/N]... I lied to you when I told you that I liked you. I thought at the time, when I kissed you, that I did."

[Y/N] felt her heart break into a million pieces. However, she was determined not to scare him away from her again, so she did her best to hide it. He felt her fingers clench ever so slightly and realized the way he started may not have been the best.

"No, no. I messed up already. See I don't just like you, I, well, I, huh." He grunted and sighed in exasperation. "Why is this so hard?"

She gave him a half-smile and squeezed his hand again, trying to be supportive. "Hey, take your time, okay? It's okay."

"[Y/N], I don't just like you... because I'm head over heels, bent over backwards in love with you."

Her breath caught in her throat. "You're what?" She spoke without really thinking, the shock taking over before she could stop herself, and then she blushed when they words were already out.

"Did I mess it up again? I thought that sounded so good in my head."

"No, no. You didn't mess up. I just... what? Kakashi. No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I mean, if you were in love with me, then why did you push me away like that? Why did you tell me that it was a mistake? Why have you ignored me for the better part of almost two months?"

Kakashi sighed and scooted his chair closer. "This is the part where I need you to really bear with me, okay?"

She nodded and tried to sit up to face him, but she scowled in pain and Kakashi took immediate notice. He stood up and gently put his hand on her back, helping support her while he grabbed her pillows and stacked up behind her for her to lean on. "Thanks Kashi." She breathed out, a little labored. He frowned, feeling useless as she struggled to breathe right. Finally, he laid her back against the pillows and she sighed. "Better?" She nodded. "Now, finish telling me."

He sat back down in his chair, his hand still in hers. He took just a few seconds to collect his thoughts before swallowing and finally starting again. "I want you to know that I am sincerely sorry for hurting you like I have. That was never my intention. Quite the opposite actually... You know that I am the last of my family. I am the last of my teammates from when I was on my first squad. I have lost so many friends over the years. It feels like I just kept losing the people that I love..."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring at the ground. "So, I told myself that I just wouldn't love anyone else. Sure, I care about my friends and I would be sad if anything happened to them. But to really love another person, just to have them taken again... I didn't think I could do it..."

He chuckled and looked up at her, staring into her eyes. "But you, [Y/N], are just so damn stubborn and you have completely ruined me."

She blushed and looked down at their hands, trying to avoid making eye contact again. He smiled and brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"It wasn't until you were hurt that I realized I didn't care about all of that as much as I do care about you. I couldn't lose you and never know what could've happened because I was afraid. Of all things, letting my own fear control me like that... I had to tell you. I'm telling you now. [Y/N] Sarutobi, I am in love with you. I... I love you."

It felt like so much weight had been lifted from his chest when he finally said those three little words to her. At first, she just stared at him, dumbstruck, and he wondered what he said wrong.

"I... I'm sorry, [Y/N]... I didn't mean... Do you not... I just thought... Well, maybe I—I can, I don't kno—"

"Kakashi." She interrupted his runaway thoughts and he looked up at her startled.

"Take off that stupid mask and kiss me already."

Kakashi smiled so wide that his cheeks hurt. He stood and immediately wrapped his arms around her as gently as he could. He pushed his head against hers, kissing her temple. Then he pulled his mask down and moved to kiss her. He only slightly realized that her eyes were already closed, her way of maintaining his privacy. He smiled and then pushed his lips gently against hers. They melted into one another, moving in sync and trying to draw in one another as much as possible.

When they pulled back, they kept their eyes closed and their foreheads pressed together. She laughed breathlessly.

"What's so funny?"

"Kakashi Hatake, I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into because you're not allowed to take that back again."

He scoffed playfully and smiled. "Never."

They started to kiss again when the sound of someone clearing their throat made them freeze. Kakashi moved to pull his mask back into place and [Y/N] bit her lip, trying to cover her embarrassment. Leaning against the door frame, with his arms crossed and sporting an annoyingly big smirk, was Asuma.

"I forgot my wallet, but it looks like you two certainly made up."