✔️Heal My Heart {Kakashi Hatake}

81 | whoa teren dude

Kakashi and I had only returned from our mission the previous day, and already I could feel summer settling in. I hadn't realised quite how long we'd been gone until Naruto tackled me into a hug, trying not to cry while he complained that I'd been gone for ages and he thought something bad had happened.

"It's okay, bud, I'm back now," I laughed, carefully detaching the kid from me.

"Miyoshi, train with me!" Naruto begged.

"Maybe tomorrow, Naruto," I said. "I'm a bit tired from my mission right now."

Not technically true, but I wasn't really in the mood to be helping Naruto right now. Kakashi had already reported everything to the Hokage and we'd been rewarded with a week off, and I planned to use it to hang out with Teren and Garake, as I hadn't seen them in a while. We had plans to meet up for lunch, which was where I was headed at that precise moment.

"I'll go train by myself, then." Naruto sulked.

"Tomorrow, I promise!" I told him.

"Whatever." Naruto turned and walked away, though I knew from experience that by tomorrow he would have forgotten all about this and be just as eager to train as always.

I hurried over to the tea shop where Teren, Garake and I had agreed to meet. The guys were already there, along with a white haired girl - I vaguely recognised her as Teren's girlfriend, Kanari, a civilian girl I had met just once before where Teren first introduced her to us.

"Hey," I greeted them, sitting down in the only empty chair.

"How was your mission?" Garake asked. "You were gone ages."

"Yeah, I noticed. Well, long story short most of it was spying then I blew a fuse and killed the guy we were supposed to be spying on then got ambushed by Orochimaru and Kakashi ticked me off again, then we went home," I summarised. "So basically I spent most of the mission angry."

Teren sighed. "If course you did."

"Is that normal?" Kanari asked a little nervously.

"It is if you're me," I said. "Other people tend to not be molested by wanted criminals who want to kidnap them for some reason."

"I feel like we should be concerned that a wanted criminal wants to kidnap you," Garake said.

"Nah, it's fine," I said dismissively. "It's not like Orochimaru can just waltz in here and abduct me just like that."

"True," Garake conceded. "Anyway, Teren has something to tell you."

"Is it that Kanari's pregnant, because I already figured that out," I guessed.

"How did you know that?" Teren spluttered.

"I'm a medic," I answered simply. "When I was fifteen, part of my training was to work as a midwife's apprentice."

"Okay, well, you can't tell anyone," Teren said.

"What, because you're not married?"

"Ah, actually..." Teren glanced at Kanari.

"You're kidding." I narrowed my eyes at them. "I was gone for one month, come back and this?"

"Look, we wouldn't have on such short notice and without you, but Kanari's parents are kind of old fashioned, and you know..." Teren explained.

I sighed. "I guess that's understandable, but seriously? I only just got to the first kiss, and you just got married."

"Whoa, whoa, first kiss?" Garake interrupted. "You kissed-"

I smacked my hand over his mouth to cut him off. "Shhh! If Kurenai finds out, I'm never hearing the end of it!"

Garake pulled my hand away from his mouth. "But did you?"

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if my love life remained somewhat private!" I turned to Kanari, with what I hoped was a pleasant smile. "So when are you due?"

"Ah... the beginning of November," Kanari stammered in reply.

I did the maths quickly. That was a little over five months from now. "That soon? How long have you known?"

"A-about ten weeks now."

I let out a low whistle. "Damn. Well, boys, I'm afraid you're going to have to leave us now."

"Why?" Garake asked.

"So we can have some girl time, obviously." I rolled my eyes.

"Girl time?" Kanari repeated.

"Yep! If you're married to Teren now, that makes you basically my sister-ish," I replied. "So boys, skedaddle." I made a shooing gesture with my hands.

Teren shrugged. "Just don't kill her."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"And don't overdo it either!" he warned.

I rested my head on one hand. "Remind me again who's a qualified ANBU-level medic?"

Teren sighed. "I know you are, but still..."

"Bye-bye," I said pointedly.

"Okay." Teren stood up. "Kanari, make sure you're not out too late."

"I'll be fine." Kanari smiled.

Teren and Garake left, though Teren kept glancing over his shoulder at us until Garake finally pulled him out of sight.

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Man, is Teren always that protective?"

"Not normally," Kanari replied. "I think it's just because... you know."

"Right." I nodded. "Have you thought about names much?"

"Not really," Kanari confessed. "But then, there's still a while before the baby's due. I think we want to know the gender before we discuss names."

I nodded. "Yeah, I get that. So, uh..." the atmosphere was suddenly awkward. "Do you like... chocolate?"

"What person in their right mind doesn't?" Kanari replied with a smile.

"You obviously haven't met my boyfriend." I muttered.

"He doesn't like chocolate?" Kanari said incredulously. "Is he even human?"

"That's what I said!" I spread my arms wide. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm dating someone who doesn't like chocolate, then I look at him, and I'm like, 'oh yeah, that's why'."

Kanari laughed. "I know the feeling. Your boyfriend's a looker, then?"

"You can say that again," I agreed. "I have yet to meet someone who can rival him. It's not just his looks, either. Every time I get landed in hospital - which is a lot, mind you - he stays there by my side sometimes for weeks at a time and never leaves. He insists he's just using an excuse to avoid paperwork, but I have a feeling that he has ulterior motives."

"Those are the best kinds of guys." Kanari nodded with a smile. "Teren was exactly the same just before we started dating. He'd find excuses to walk down my street and talk to me, and all sorts of stuff."

"I've known Teren since we were kids, that's just how he is." I smiled as a memory came to mind. "I remember once he rescued a cat from a tree, and the next day went to give it some food. A week later it was following him everywhere, and now it's his Summon. I found it quite funny, actually, a tough guy like him Summoning a cat."

Kanari laughed. "Teren has introduced me to Stripes. I didn't think there was a backstory to that little kitty."

"He is a tiny little thing, isn't he? Hey!" I clapped my hands together excitedly. "I just had the perfect idea!"

"What?"

"Wait and see." I winked and took Kanari's hand in mine and led her out.