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myaekingheart · 3 years

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143. Lifelike

read the scarecrow and the bell on ao3

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Song: Lifelike by Porter Robinson

For real life references for the house that inspired the one Kakashi and Rei stay in, check out Shofuso Japanese House in Philadelphia, PA. 🌸

[Also quick warning for impending smut at the end of this chapter]

As the morning sun lazily drifted high overhead, the rattle of the train managed to lull Rei to sleep. Kakashi held her close as she napped against his shoulder, arm wrapped around her waist and a book propped open in his opposite hand. She had been so tired lately, and for good reason. Her body was doing an unimaginable amount of work just existing. The more he read about and tried to understand pregnancy, the more awe-inspired he became at her body’s capabilities—if not also slightly terrified.

The train barreled around a curve then and a growing excitement lodged in the pit of Kakashi’s chest. He nudged Rei awake just as they entered a long, dark tunnel, instructing her with quiet excitement to look out the window. Sleep-drunk and dazed, she squinted into the darkness and opened her mouth to ask what she was even supposed to be looking at. Before she could finish her sentence, she was promptly interrupted by a wash of light. Thick foliage framed the tranquil view of expansive farmland. Rows upon rows of citrus trees stretched before them and a crystal clear river flowed alongside the tracks. A flock of birds cawed and skated across the sky in perfect unison. The smell of freshly fallen rain hung in the air.

Shizukana Station itself was not much bigger than Ressha Junction, but the aura of the place was drastically different. There was something so cozy and welcoming about it. The outpost was a sleepy little town, rural and quaint, almost as if frozen in time. Little shops lined the streets. Lanterns fixed outside entryways swayed in the summer breeze. From inside, friendly shopkeepers peered around to wave hello. Rei wondered if they were always this nice or if they merely recognized Kakashi as someone renowned. Either way, she was grateful for their kindness.

She held Kakashi’s hand tightly as he carried their bags toward their lodging. “It’s not much further, I promise” he assured her with a trademark masked grin. The paths were wet and winding with heavy branches arched overhead. It was a beautifully scenic journey—one that Rei would have enjoyed much more if not for the soreness creeping through her body. Apparently her scuffle on the train had left her far more achy than she had expected.

Just when Rei started to consider whether she would be too heavy to add to Kakashi’s cargo, he turned toward a small gate hidden within the brush where the dirt path forked off. He nudged the gate open, rusty as it was, and ushered Rei through. She accepted the offer skeptically, uncertainly. In the back of her mind, she envisioned a small inn in disrepair, the type of place with leaky ceilings and an infestation of roaches. Clutching his hand tightly, she forced herself to remember to have faith in him. Kakashi knew what he was doing. The look on his face only further enforced how important that trust was. His excitement was insurmountable.

The path curved and dipped ahead of them, overgrown with white chrysanthemums and red spider lilies in full bloom. Then the path turned sharply right and there it was: a small house situated on the most beautiful lake Rei had ever seen. Large trees surrounded the building and stone lanterns stood guard along the winding walkways. Off in the distance, a small waterfall bubbled and rushed, where young cranes splashed in the crystalline water. Everything was bright and beaming and beautiful.

“K-Kakashi…how did you…? I mean, where did you…?” Rei stammered but it was no use. She was completely incapable of forming a solid sentence.

“I have my ways” Kakashi grinned. Placing a gentle hand on the small of her back, he guided her up inside the house.

As Kakashi set their luggage down in the bedroom, Rei wandered aimlessly in an attempt to comprehend the full breadth of the place. The kitchen was simple yet spacious, the open dining room furnished with a small, low table right in the center, and the bedroom, despite it’s minimalism, somehow managed to still feel like home. The real appeal of the house, however, was the engawa. It wrapped around the building’s entire perimeter with a perfect view of the lake and surrounding gardens. Rei idled at the edge and laughed in breathy disbelief.

“Well? What do you think?” Kakashi asked, coming up behind her to admire the view.

“Kakashi, it’s beautiful” Rei whispered. “I just…I’m speechless.”

“I told you I knew what I was doing” he grinned, and Rei couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yeah. Yeah, you did” she said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”

“Apology accepted” Kakashi smirked. “I was able to rent the whole place out for us until Monday so make yourself comfortable. I might run down to the outpost to pick up some groceries for us, if you want to come with me?”

“I think I’ll just hang out here, if that’s okay?” Rei asked. “It’s been…kind of a long day already.”

“Not a problem” Kakashi smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead sweetly. “I know the trip here wasn’t exactly the most relaxing commute.”

“I’ll say” Rei laughed, massaging the tension out of her neck. “Do you think you could do me a favor while you’re out?”

“Of course. Anything” Kakashi replied.

Smiling sheepishly, Rei looked up at her fiancé and requested, “Do you think you could get me some lemonade?”

Kakashi smiled and pressed another kiss to her forehead. “Lemonade it is, then.”

Rei’s fingertips trailed along Kakashi’s cheek as he went and a momentary longing took root in the pit of her chest. “Hurry back” she called after him.

“I’ll do my best” Kakashi assured her.

As he departed, Rei leaned back on the en and let her bare feet brush against the tall grass. She rested a gentle hand on her stomach and thought of the future as she watched the dark clouds roll in overhead.

She was unsure how long Kakashi was gone for, but it was long enough. Long enough for her to explore each room of this quaint, cozy house in greater depth. Long enough for her to unpack her things, even if they were only supposed to be there for a few days. And long enough for the ache in her body to escalate and remind her of what she was no longer capable of. She stretched her arms out in front of her, extending across the kitchen island, frowned, smoothed her shirt out over her stomach. A jolt of thunder shattered in the distance. The front door swung open and Kakashi stepped inside.

“Well, the weather is stupendous” he smiled, his soaked hair flopping into his face. The paper bags in his arms had grown weak with the excess water, Kakashi cradling them close to ensure that they would not break and spill their contents across the floor. Rei rushed to his aide, taking one in each arm and carefully planting them on the counter.

“You bought so much” she said, surveying his wares.

“I know” Kakashi replied, “but I wanted to make sure we were well-stocked.” He reached inside one of the bags then and handed her a large glass jug of lemonade, freshly made. Rei’s eyes lit up as she took it from him, popping off the lid and taking a long, desperate swig. “Maybe I should’ve bought more” Kakashi joked, watching her down nearly half the bottle in one sitting.

Rei wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, sighed in satisfaction. “What? It’s really good” she chuckled sheepishly.

Kakashi shook his head with a smile, reaching back into the paper bag. “Help me put this away, and then I’m getting out of these wet clothes” he said. Rei gave a single nod as she helped him organize their groceries. He really had bought so much, the volume of it all was almost even dizzying. She counted out sacks of oranges fresh from the grove, strawberries plump and sweet, milk, bread, rice cakes. At the sight of raw meat, especially, Rei felt her stomach curl. Sucking in a sharp breath, she turned her back to the parcel of chicken breasts and strained to place a box of crackers on the highest shelf.

“Oh, Rei, wait. Here, let me do it” Kakashi quickly rushed to her side, reaching the top shelf with ease. Rei pursed her lips, eyed him quizzically. Was she not capable of doing this on her own? “You shouldn’t strain yourself like that” Kakashi continued. “Don’t they say you shouldn’t lift your arms over your head because it can wrap the umbilical cord around the baby’s neck?”

Rei paused for a moment, blinking despondently. “Kakashi, I don’t think the baby even has much of a neck yet.”

“Oh. Well…you can never be too careful?” Kakashi mused, laughing sheepishly. Perhaps all those pregnancy books had started getting to his head. Shaking her head, Rei smiled softly and finished putting away their food.

Once finished, she watched as Kakashi made his way to the bedroom, slipping his shirt off over his head as he went. The sight of his bare back, the way his pants hugged his hips and rode low enough to reveal the waist of his underwear, stirred something in her. Rei sucked her teeth, dragged her fingertips across the counter’s edge, then followed him into the room.

Kakashi glanced over his shoulder as he tossed is shirt into the corner, smirking at Rei’s sudden presence. “Oh?” he breathed, almost immediately understanding what she was after.

“I thought you might need…a hand” she said, idling in the doorway, almost sheepish in her yearning. Desiring sex with Kakashi was nothing new—obviously. But something had changed within her. The way she felt her body evolving, the way she saw herself morphing into something new—something perhaps less desirable. Something unearthly and strange. She exhaled sharply, gaze averted, as she added, “And also…I don’t think changing will be enough.”

“Is that so?” Kakashi asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He slowly turned to approach her, taking her hands in his and resting them firmly on his hips. His own caressed her shoulders. “So what do you suggest?”

Rei looked up at him and her chest exploded. Without another word, she swayed out of his touch, skirted into the bathroom, and flicked the tub’s faucet on. Kakashi didn’t even need to verbally approve for her to know that he was accepting of this idea. He stepped out of his pants slowly as he watched her sit on the tub’s edge, eyes wistful as she held her hand under the rushing water to test the temperature. Once everything was settled, she rose to her feet and Kakashi was immediately behind her, chest pressed against her back. He brushed her hair aside and pressed his lips to the nape of her neck, tangled his fingers at the hem of her shirt, slowly undressed her. His hands explored her body as he tossed each article of clothing to the wayside. Something electrified inside his chest at the sight of her then, fully exposed before him. He traced the curve of her shoulder with his lips, pressed his hips against the small of her back. A soft sigh broke past her lips.

Steam wafted up from the surface of the water as Rei settled in against Kakashi’s chest, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. She could feel the tension already melting out of her muscles, the cramps in her stomach beginning to subside. And her ease was certainly clear to Kakashi, too.

“This was a good idea” he whispered, cupping water in his hand and gently pouring it across her chest. Rei hummed in agreement, running her hand up and down his thigh.

“I really needed this” she whispered. “My whole body hurts.”

Kakashi nodded and chuckled softly. “Today definitely…did not go as planned” he admitted.

“Not at all” Rei replied. “Not that I had any idea of the plans to begin with.”

“A train heist definitely wasn’t part of it” Kakashi replied. He reached back to grab the little travel-sized bottle of shampoo from the side of the tub and began lathering her hair, pouring a small amount into his palm and massaging it onto her scalp. “I was really impressed with you today, you know.”

“Mm, you were?” Rei asked. She leaned forward, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin atop them.

“I was” Kakashi replied. “You’ve really become so strong and capable. I’ve seen you fight before but…today, you were on another level.”

“It was the weirdest thing” Rei murmured, creaking her eyes open. “It was just…instinctual. All I saw was red.”

“We definitely had a close call” Kakashi said, rinsing the excess soap off his hands.

“I don’t think I’ve felt such a rush of adrenaline since my last ANBU mission” Rei laughed softly. There was a sort of childish excitement building in the pit of her chest at the thought of it. She had felt so foreign to herself in the past few weeks but for once, she finally found a spark of who she once was. A bright and brilliant little spark, promising that deep down maybe she was not as hopeless and lost as she thought she was. That she was still a fierce and capable captain of the ANBU black ops.

Kakashi chuckled softly, scooping another palmful of water into his hands so as to rinse her hair. “Of course, that’s the last time you’ll be able to do something like that” he commented. Rei’s head was immediately drenched in a rush of water. She squeezed her eyes shut tight as soap suds slid down her face. “I’m just glad it wasn’t worse, or else who knows what could’ve happened.”

Spluttering into her hands, Rei splashed the soap off her face and sucked in a sharp breath. She opened her mouth to argue but no sound came out. Deep down, she knew ninja duties were dangerous. She knew enemies were unpredictable. She knew she was taking a risk every time she stepped out of line. Leaning back against Kakashi’s chest, Rei heaved a sigh, brushed her hair back out of her face, and replied quietly, “Yeah. You’re right.”

They fell asleep early that night without even eating dinner. Their bath had eased the tension out of their bodies but in its place, all they were left with was a heavy, unavoidable exhaustion. Rei could barely keep her eyes open as she stepped into a pair of underwear and crawled into bed. That night, she did not dream.

The following morning, Kakashi awoke unexpectedly early. For a moment, he was almost angry with himself—he was on vacation, after all. Shouldn’t he be granted the luxury of sleeping in? Sighing, he rolled over and smiled softly at his fiancée fast asleep. He could hardly fight the smile on his face. The blankets tangled around her legs and her hands were clasped loosely by her jaw, almost as if in prayer. Her hair, like a flame, spread across her pillow in a matted mess. Topless, her bare breasts seemed rounder and fuller than ever. Her lips were parted slightly and her skin was dewy with a light sheen of sweat. The way the morning light hit her at this angle, the way it illuminated her hair like a raging flame, made Kakashi’s heart soar. He laid there paralyzed for a moment before he slowly reached out to caress her cheek. She shifted only slightly in her sleep—Kakashi almost hated to wake her. Instead, he slipped out of bed quietly and turned to the kitchen to begin making breakfast.

The cold tile against his bare feet provided a relieving contrast to the heavy humidity. The sky was bright and clear and the smell of fresh rain lingered in the air. The cranes bellowed a morning call from across the lake. Kakashi opened all the windows and doors and set to work.

Once he had attractively plated their food, he slipped back into the bedroom and leaned across the bed toward his fiancée. “Rei?” he whispered, brushing the hair out of her face and nudging her shoulder gently. She groaned, furrowing her brows, before creaking her eyes open slowly. “Good morning, sleepyhead” Kakashi chuckled. “Come on, it’s time to get up.”

“Five more minutes” Rei moaned, swatting at his face. The smell of breakfast wafted in from the kitchen, however, and she knew she could not avoid him any longer. After all, she shouldn’t let his hard work grow cold. With a sigh, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and forced herself upright, slowly so as to avoid encouraging her morning sickness.

A satisfied smile touched Kakashi’s lips as he turned toward the dresser, propping her drawer open and rooting around for clothes. “What shirt do you want to wear today?” he asked over his shoulder.

“I don’t care” Rei swatted dismissively. “You pick for me.” She swung her legs around the edge of the bed, brushed her hair sloppily out of her face. As she tried to focus her vision, however, she caught a glimpse of her reflection out of the corner of her eye and her heart leapt into her throat. Approaching the full-length mirror, she turned to the side and surveyed her stomach. Her finger traced the curve of her lower abdomen, the bloating at her hips.

As Kakashi turned back around, hugging her clothes to his chest, he caught sight of her like this and his cheeks blushed red. “What do we have here?” he asked, suppressing a smile as he approached. He pressed a hand to Rei’s stomach, caressing it tenderly. “You’re starting to get a bump” he smiled.

“Apparently” Rei replied, dropping her gaze. She took the shirt form him, tugging it over her head as if to quickly hide the fact that she was expanding.

“Here, wait one second” Kakashi then said. He turned to his nightstand, fished around the drawer, and produced a camera.

“What the hell is that?” Rei laughed.

“Well, it’s not every day that we’re on vacation and I figured it would be a good idea to capture some memories” Kakashi replied, checking the film in the cartridge. Rei recognized it as the same prop he used during his forays as Sukea, the freelance journalist. Kakashi was not typically one for photographs otherwise but he couldn’t help but pack it this time. To capture every subtle, special moment of their time here. Memories faded so fast, and their life was moving just as quickly. “Turn to the side” Kakashi instructed, readying his camera.

Rei cocked a brow, did as she was told. “Like this?” she asked. She rolled the hem of her shirt up, rested a hand at the base of her small bump. Uncertain, she peered down at her stomach, at her exposed body. The camera snapped.

“Perfect” Kakashi smiled. His eyes illuminated with excitement. He set his camera down, knelt down in front of Rei to cup her belly in his hands. “I’ll take one every week” he chuckled. “I want to watch you two grow.” Overwhelmed, he pressed his lips firmly to her stomach, just below her navel. Rei’s face burned bright red.

“You really are so fucking sappy. You know that, Kakashi?” she laughed nervously. She ran her fingers through his hair, grimaced down at the apparent expansion of her waistline. It was truly beginning to feel all too real now.

�� “Are you hungry?” Kakashi then asked, looking up at her. His eyes seemed so big and innocent from this angle. “I made us breakfast.” Rei found herself nodding, almost automatically.

Breakfast was sprawled across the table, anxiously awaiting their arrival. Kakashi had really outdone himself. Oozy cheese omelets, fresh fruit, warm toast dripping with honey. He had even stepped outside to gather a small handful of flowers from the garden for extra appeal.

Rei shook her head and laughed as Kakashi pulled her seat out for her. “You’re way too good to me” she murmured. “Why are you always so good to me?”

“Why shouldn’t I be?” Kakashi asked, taking his place across from her. He picked up his chopsticks and began eating. “For all intents and purposes, you’re my wife, and you’re pregnant with my child. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t take care of you.”

Rei chuckled incredulously and poked the tip of her chopstick into her egg. A thick flow of bright yellow cheese oozed out onto her plate. A gag caught in the back of her throat, dropping her gaze as she turned her plate so that the eggs were further away from her than anything else.

“Are you okay?” Kakashi asked, sensing her unease. “Is there something wrong with the food?”

Rei sucked in a sharp breath and shook her head. “No, it’s fine, really. I just…always feel sicker in the mornings and the, uh…the cheese kind of turned me off.” Even saying the word cheese sent a nauseating shiver down her spine. Her throat constricted and she balled her fist up in an attempt to keep her hand from trembling.

“Oh…” Kakashi said softly. “I can make you another one if you want. Just a plain egg.”

Rei shook her head, eyes apologetic. She envisioned the deafening crack of the shell, the egg white pooling into the frying pan, and her stomach flipped. “Don’t worry about it” she croaked. “I don’t want you to go the extra work. I’m…not that hungry to begin with.”

Kakashi eyed her quizzically, taking another slow bite of his own food. It almost felt wrong to eat in front of her now. He pursed his lips, tried not to overthink it. If she felt sick, then she felt sick. There was nothing he could do about it. He glanced out at the beautiful landscape, watching the ripples pulse across the lake as the koi swam this way and that. “So what do you want to today?” he finally asked.

“I don’t know, what do you want to do?” Rei rebuked. She could tell he was disappointed in her, concerned, and it broke her heart. She didn’t want him to worry. She just…needed time. Time to adjust, to figure out her body, to learn how to coexist with this little creature inside of her. She pressed a hand to her stomach, glanced downward.

A soft smile flickered across Kakashi’s face and relief swept over Rei’s body. “Whatever you want to do” he replied. “After all, this is your trip. The whole point of coming here was to do whatever you wanted to do to relax.”

Rei felt the tension in her chest expand now into something new, something cool and bright and rushing. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she restrained laughter and replied simply, “Nothing. I want to do absolutely nothing.”

Apparently pleased with her answer, Kakashi reached across the table and took her hand in his, beaming. “Then absolutely nothing it is.”

Throughout the rest of the morning, Kakashi and Rei relaxed on the en with their respective books, took a slow stroll through the garden together, and fed the koi. By mid-afternoon, however, the heat had reached sweltering degrees. Not even the shade provided sufficient relief.

“Kakashi, I think I’m melting” Rei whined, sprawling out across his lap on the porch. Her bangs stuck to her face and she was drenched in sweat. She had already been feeling hotter than normal, early pregnancy bringing with it the occasional hot flash, but this was in an entirely new league.

“I have an idea” Kakashi suddenly said, peering down at his fiancée. “Why don’t we go for a swim?”

Rei cocked her brow. “I mean…are we allowed?”

“I don’t see why not” Kakashi laughed. “Besides, I think it might be the perfect idea to beat this heat.” He extended a hand to help her up then and together they retreated back inside to change.

While Kakashi was in the bathroom, Rei undressed slowly, methodically, then paused to stare down at the bikini laid out on the bed., It had been so long since she last wore a bathing suit, the prospect of it now seemed all too daunting. She gingerly lifted the bottoms up by the side string and frowned. She envisioned a giant elephant, waist and chest squeezed into an outfit all too tight. A mass of wrinkled fat, of hulking weight, of love handles and back fat and ass cheeks dimpled with cellulite. A shiver ran down her spine as she clenched her fist around the fabric.

After an uncomfortably long moment of deliberation, Rei pursed her lips and tugged the bottoms up around her waist definitively. She idled there for a moment, focusing on the tightness in her stomach and the wedgie forming between her ass cheeks. She pinched at the fat of her inner thighs, hand swiftly skating down through the gap between her legs. A shiver raced down her spine. She huffed her bangs out of her face, tied the top around her chest. The feeling of being so exposed sent her stomach hurtling, as if even the baby disapproved of her showing so much skin. How vulgar! After all, she was a mother now, or at least a mother-to-be. She was supposed to appear so virginal and pure, despite the direct contrast of the expectation. She turned in front of the mirror, scrutinizing every inch of herself. Her thighs were too fat and dimpled, her boobs so big that they weighed down her top, and her arms looked disproportionate and strange. And standing before herself now, outfitted the way she was, her pregnancy seemed unmistakable. She pouted as she turned to the side, studied the way her lower stomach curved outward. She pressed her palm right below her navel and sucked in a sharp, unsteady breath.

The bathroom door creaked open then and out stepped Kakashi in his swim trunks. Rei idled on his toned chest, his unmasked face, the curvature of his strong, safe arms. He tossed his clothes onto the bed and beamed at her. “Are you ready?” he asked.

Rei frowned and shook her head. “I just don’t know if I feel confident enough wearing a bathing suit out like this, Kakashi” she admitted. “I don’t know, maybe this was a bad idea.”

“Why?” Kakashi asked, approaching her. “Rei, you have nothing to be self-conscious about.”

“I don’t know, I just…it’s been so long, and I’m not the size I used to be” Rei explained. “I just don’t know if I feel very comfortable being seen like this.”

Kakashi furrowed his brows, cupped Rei’s cheek in his hand. “The only one who’s looking at you is me” he said. “And you know what I see? My strong, beautiful, confident wife.” She loved when he used that word—even if they weren’t formally married yet, the thought of being Kakashi’s wife never failed to send a shiver of anticipation through her veins. A soft smile tugged at his lips then as he began to toy with the string on the side of her bottoms, his other hand caressing her side. “But if it really bothers you that much” he continued, voice low and sultry now, “Maybe we just shouldn’t wear anything at all.”

“K-Kakashi!” Rei gasped, suppressing laughter. She lightly swatted his hand away, face bright red, and pressed her forehead to his chest. The idea of skinny-dipping was out of the question. Not here. Not now. If she wasn’t confident enough to be seen in a bathing suit, there was no way she would be confident enough to step out of this house wearing nothing at all. Kakashi chuckled and kissed the top of her head, knowing full well that the best way to make a bad situation better was to emphasize how it could be worse. Shaking her head, Rei leaned back and muttered, “I guess the bathing suit won’t be so bad after all.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Rei and Kakashi waded through the lake together splashing and laughing and reveling in the beauty of this magical place. Kakashi would duck down low enough so that only his eyes and upward were visible above the surface, slink up behind her, and wrap his arms around her like a sea monster. The uproarious laughter, the shock on her face every time, swelled his heart. He didn’t think it was possible to fall even more deeply in love with her, but apparently it was.

“So, do you think they’re suffering back home without us?” Rei joked, making her way towards the shallow banks of the lake. The afternoon sun bathed everything in shades of gold.

“I’m sure the village is just falling apart” Kakashi snarked. He floated on his back and looked up at the sky, chuckling softly.

“I wonder if Sekkachi is alright” Rei continued. “I feel kind of bad just dropping Toshio on her like we did.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine” Kakashi assured her. “She’s an adult, she can handle it. And if all else fails, she can ask the Inuzukas for help.”

Rei laughed incredulously, shaking her head. “Sekkachi, asking for help? That’s hilarious.” She crawled back up onto the bank of the lake, using her feet as leverage against the steep dip of the mucky floor. A rush of water splashed around her as she hoisted herself onto the grass.

“Stranger things have happened” Kakashi joked. “But let’s not think about that now. I’m sure everything is fine. Let’s just enjoy our time here while we can, alright?”

Rei rolled her eyes playfully, but deep down she knew Kakashi had a point. “How did you even find this place, anyway?” she asked.

A wistfulness overtook Kakashi’s face then as he closed his eyes and hummed. “My father told me about it” he replied. Rei arched a brow. It felt so rare for Kakashi to mention Sakumo—he was such a tragic part of her fiancé’s life. But she supposed it made sense. Fatherhood had been at the forefront of Kakashi’s mind these past few weeks, so it was only fair for him to be nostalgic. Chuckling softly, Kakashi continued, “He used to tell me stories about how he and my mother would come to this beautiful house on a lake together where everything was quiet and calm. They brought me here the summer before my mother died. It felt like one big dream. I was too young to remember much, but I do remember how happy I was then. And I’m happy here now.”

Rei smiled softly across the lake at him. He looked so tranquil just floating there, almost as if he was contributing to the beauty of the space. “Is that why you wanted to bring me here? To your happy place?” she asked.

“In a way” Kakashi replied. “I like the thought of us continuing that tradition—of us bringing our family here someday.”

In one fluid motion, Rei spread her towel out across the grass and sank down. “I like that thought” she smiled. She plopped down cross-legged, leaned back. The air was cooler now, lighter. She took a long swig of her lemonade and rested a hand on her stomach. “So what do you think they’ll be like?” she then asked. “The baby, I mean.”

“Probably as rambunctious as you were” Kakashi joked, finally shifting upright. Rei rolled her eyes, as if begging him to take her question seriously. Laughing, Kakashi waded toward the shore and continued, “I think they’ll be smart and beautiful just like their mother. Definitely my nose.”

“Not that anyone will be able to tell” Rei laughed.

“They’ll have your hair and my eyes. Hopefully not your temper—”

“Hey!” Offended, Rei leaned down and splashed at Kakashi’s face. He couldn’t restrain his infectious laughter. “What about gender? Boy or girl?”

“Not sure. What do you think?” Kakashi asked. As he approached the edge of the lake, he crossed his arms on the rocky edge, stones stacked to create a barrier around the lake’s perimeter, and rested his chin down casually.

“I think…we’ll have a girl” Rei replied, rubbing her stomach. A wistfulness overtook her as she formulated her prediction. “If we’re lucky, she’ll have your nose. I think she’ll have your silver hair, too, and probably your eyes.”

Kakashi scoffed. “You’re making her out to look nothing like you!”

“As would be ideal!” Rei exclaimed with a laugh. “I don’t think I have any qualities that would be worth passing on to the next generation.”

“I beg to differ entirely” Kakashi countered.

“Well, then I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree then, won’t we?” Rei snarked with a mocking smile.

“Not if that baby comes out looking exactly like you” Kakashi joked back. The emotion in his gaze shifted then, the light in eyes softening. He reached out to press his hand against Rei’s stomach as he asked, “What about a name? Have you thought of anything yet?”

Rei restrained a grin as she nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve already made my pick.”

“Oh?” Kakashi cocked a brow, genuinely amused. “And what might that be?”

Dropping her gaze, Rei shifted her hand to lay atop Kakashi’s and smiled tenderly, longingly, lovingly. “Kino” she replied.

“Kino…” Kakashi repeated, turning the name over in his mouth.

“Mhmm” Rei nodded. “It means ‘wandering soul.’ I think our child is going to be adventurous. A free spirit. I think she’s going to go where the wind takes her and do what she thinks is right, not what other people tell her is right. Something she’ll learn from her father.”

Kakashi’s own tender smile spread across his face now. His fingers grazed the soft skin of Rei’s stomach and he felt the name take root in the pit of his chest. “Kino…” he repeated. “I like that name. I think it fits her. So long as that is a her in there.” He laughed, and it seemed to echo across the lake like a song. “How can you be so sure?”

Rei smiled and shook her head. “Just a mother’s intuition, I guess” she replied.

“Well, I suppose I can’t argue with that, can I?” Kakashi laughed. He locked eyes with her and Rei’s heart soared. In his gaze, she saw an overwhelming love, so fierce and unhindered. But now there was something else there, too. Something new and sweet and especially tender. An unconditional love for the child that they were bringing into the world. The love of a father for his child.

Rei hadn’t quite expected Kakashi to take so naturally and easily to the prospect of fatherhood. After everything he had been through, all the struggle he faced, she feared he would be hesitant and perhaps even dismissive of the idea. But before her now, his palm pressed to her abdomen, firm and unyielding, she understood fully that there was nothing Kakashi was destined for more than to be a father. While unexpected, she was truly grateful for this side of him. She almost hated to admit that she was falling even more deeply in love with him for it—hated solely because the thought of loving him under capacity felt wrong and heartbreaking. But time and time again, he had proved that that capacity was ever-expanding and that her love for him was infinite.

When the sun began to slowly sink behind the tree line and the summer gnats made their debut, Rei and Kakashi gathered their things and retreated back inside. Skin tender from the sun, Rei slipped out of her wet bathing suit and climbed into the shower for a quick rinse. As she washed the muck of the lake off her skin, she thought of their child and the future growing inside of her. Of instinct and intuition and what it meant to be a mother.

Kakashi was standing over the kitchen counter when Rei emerged, dressed in fresh clothes with wet hair draped over her shoulder. “What are you doing?” she asked, though the answer was obvious.

Smiling, Kakashi turned so as to reveal the raw food sprawled neatly across the counter. “I figured I might as well start cooking dinner now before it gets too late” he explained. The mere sight of it all planted something heavy and manic in the center of Rei’s chest. Kakashi took such good care of her. The scale in her mind tipped imbalanced. Her heart raced out of her chest.

In an instant, Rei was by his side with a sudden look of determination on her face. “Nope, you’ve done enough!” she exclaimed and spun him around by his shoulders.

“R-Rei, wait a second, what are you—” Kakashi stammered as she guided him into the living room.

She sat him down on the couch and slapped his copy of Icha Icha into his hands. “You stay there until I come back for you” she insisted. “Tonight, I’m the one treating you.” She turned on her heels and disappeared into the kitchen before he even had a chance to protest.

At first, he was uncomfortable with the prospect. He knew what Rei was like in the kitchen. Try as she might, cooking was never her forte. She always became quickly overwhelmed and panicked trying to manage multiple dishes or ensure that she did not undercook the meat or overcook the vegetables. He sat there tense and unsure for a long moment, listening intently for signs of distress. One gasp, one single shriek or curse word, and he would fly to her aide.

When ten minutes passed in silence, he should have been relieved. Instead, he was just suspicious. He set his book down on the couch and crept toward the kitchen as quietly as he could manage, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Noodles boiled in a large pot on the stove. Rei stood dutifully over a large skillet, keeping a close eye on the meat and vegetables. A tall glass of ice cold lemonade sat sweating on the counter within her reach. A soft smile touched Kakashi’s lips at the sight of her, so domestic and unusually calm. For a moment, he envisioned her five years into the future cooking for their little family. He would come home from work, sore and exhausted, to the smell of good food and the sounds of happy children eager to tell him all about their day. The ideal life. Kakashi turned back to the couch and allowed Rei to finish her work.

The thing that Rei did not anticipate about cooking, unfortunately, was the effect that raw food would have on her delicate senses. The vegetables were fine, they caused her no issue. It was the meat that was the problem. The moment she ripped open that parcel of raw chicken, her finger poking at that wad of fleshy and slimy and wet, her stomach flipped. The smell of it was otherworldly—so much so that she wondered if it was even still good. For a moment, she considered stealing one of Kakashi’s masks in order to soften the blow, but that would arouse suspicion. She could not afford for Kakashi to think that she was struggling. She needed to prove that she could do this on her own, to take charge in a domestic sphere and be nurturing and maternal and capable. To care for him; a repayment. She would just have to power through.

By the time Rei finished, the sky had turned violently orange and the sound of crickets chirped in the grass. She plated everything nicely, lit candles for ambiance, rearranged the morning’s spider lilies in their vase. After all, presentation was important.

When she poked her head into the living room, Kakashi was deeply invested in not Icha Icha but in the same pregnancy manual he had been reading on the train. Rei lingered on the view of him for just a moment before clearing her throat. “I’d hate to interrupt your homework, but dinner’s on the table” she replied. She shoved her anxiety deep behind a soft smile.

She’s starting to sound like a mom already, Kakashi joked in the back of his mind. Setting his book aside, he approached her with a kiss on the forehead. “It smells great” he replied.

“I just hope it tastes alright” Rei said, “or else I won’t be the only one sick tomorrow morning.”

Kakashi rolled his eyes playfully and pulled Rei into the dining room, his touch a silent reassurance. He understood the immense effort required of her to do something like this. How could he not be appreciative of her hard work? What’s more, while she was not a flawless cook, Kakashi could see a marked improvement in her skill and for that, he was proud. She was doing her best and that was all that anyone could ever ask of her.

“You really didn’t have to do this, you know” he said from across the table, taking a bite of his vegetables.

“I know, but I wanted to” Rei replied. She cracked a smile, but there was something tense and unnerving about it. Without even looking down, she moved her food idly, almost absently, around her plate. As if she didn’t even realize she was doing it, or as if it was a carefully orchestrated ruse to appear normal. “It’s really the least I could do after, you know…all this.” She motioned vaguely around the room, to the house.

Kakashi gave a single nod in understanding. And while he was no doubt grateful for her desire to do something special for him, he really didn’t want her to feel obligated to go to the extra effort. Besides, this trip was supposed to be about providing her relief, wasn’t it? A vacation from any and all responsibility? She was not required to do anything extra, nor did he expect any form of repayment. This was all for her.

His eyes then skated down to her plate, food barely touched. Kakashi grimaced. “Do you not like it?” he asked.

“Oh, uh, no, it’s not…it’s not that” Rei stammered, shaking her head. “I’m just…not feeling that great. I guess I kind of lost my appetite when I was cooking. Raw meat and all that.” Here, she made a disgusted face as she slid her chicken across her plate.

“You seem to be losing your appetite a lot lately” Kakashi replied.

Rei laughed anxiously, soft and unsure. “Blame the pregnancy” she muttered.

Kakashi knew that Rei’s morning sickness was overbearing, and that food aversions were a common symptom of early pregnancy, as well. Raw meat, and meat in general, seemed to be a frequent contender so this should have come as no surprise to him. Still, his concern for her appetite could not be ignored. “You should really eat something, though” Kakashi then said. “I’m beginning to worry about you.”

A strange, strangled laugh rose up from Rei’s throat then. “Kakashi, I’m fine. Really. I promise” she assured him. Her hand skated across the table, lacing her fingers with his. “I don’t want you to worry about me, okay? I’m fine. I just…I’m trying to get used to all of these side effects.”

Kakashi sighed, squeezing her hand in his. “I will never stop worrying about you, Rei” he replied. “After all, it’s my job to take care of you, remember?”

“I know” Rei whispered. “I just…need you to trust me. I need you to just give me some time to figure this out and…adjust.” Kakashi nodded in understanding, though deep down something in him still felt unresolved.

The look in his eyes, the bitter acceptance of her statement, lodged an expanding regret in the pit of her chest. It pressed against her ribs like an overextended balloon full to bursting. Was it really so hard to just fucking eat? Kakashi dropped his gaze, shoved his vegetables around his own plate. “Are the noodles okay, at least?” he asked. He hoped that their bland comfort would be palatable enough for her.

“Oh, yeah! Yeah, the noodles are fine!” Rei assured. As if to prove her point, she shoved a large wad in her mouth and pasted a wide, performative grin on her face. Kakashi blinked despondently. Most of the noodles fell out of her mouth and back into her bowl with a splatter. She sucked up what was left, chewed, and swallowed hard. The volume of her bite, however, stuck in her throat. She washed it all down with a desperate swig of lemonade, the cool rush of it easing the tightness in her throat. It’s like I don’t even remember how to eat, she thought to herself. A shiver of knowing coursed through her body. She quickly shoved those sentiments straight out of her mind.

Kakashi watched in curious, bittersweet amusement, brow cocked and lips tugged into a smirk. “Rei…” he sighed, suppressing a pathetic laugh. “What am I going to do with you?”

Sighing, Rei emptied her glass, pushed her food out of the way, brushed her hair back out of her face. She was absolutely pathetic. “I don’t know, she murmured, averting her gaze. “What are you going to do with me?” She wrapped her arms around her stomach, as if to guard herself, protected.

All too soon, Kakashi knew exactly what needed to be done. He slowly rose from his seat and for a moment, Rei feared he intended to abandon her. To perhaps retreat to the outpost for a night of stress relief and distance. Surely he was getting sick of her anxiety. Instead, he knelt down in front of her and turned her to face him, cupping her cheek in his hand. “Rei, you have nothing you need to prove to me” he told her.

Unexpectedly, a small whimper broke past Rei’s lips. “K-Kakashi…” she whispered. He planted his hands on her hips, firm and unyielding. Leaning forward, his lips brushed against her cheek, settled near her ear.

“There’s nothing more you need to do” he whispered. “Just let it all go. Fall into me, Rei. You have nothing worry about.”

“It’s not fair, though” Rei whispered, voice hoarse and strained. Her hands began to tremble, the world around her spinning. “You do so much…you do so much for me. I should be doing the same for you, I should—”

“Shh” Kakashi interrupted, pressing a finger to her lips. “Don’t argue with me, Rei.” A shiver raced down her spine as Kakashi lifted her shirt up just enough to expose her midriff. His fingers trailed along her hipbone, toyed with the waist of her shorts. “Mmm, you’re so beautiful…”

“K-Kakashi, please…” Rei whimpered. She dropped her gaze to the floor and hid her face behind her hand. “You’re too much.”

“Don’t hide your face” he insisted, gently moving her hand away. “There’s no reason to hide.”

“Yes, there is” Rei protested. She met his gaze for only a moment, but in that single moment Kakashi knew all he needed to know about where she was speaking from.

“Rei” he breathed, her name like a smoker’s intoxicated exhale. Kakashi drew her into his lap, hand roving over her ass. He pressed his forehead to hers, forced her to look him in the eyes. “Rei, your body is a temple” he whispered, “and I want to worship every stunning inch of it.”

A sob caught in Rei’s throat as the weight of her insecurities pressed against her rib cage, her stomach, her throat. “Kakashi, I can’t…I’m not…” she stammered, her body electrifying. Truly, what did she ever do to deserve a man like him?

Softly, gently, Kakashi laid her on the floor and situated himself between her legs. Looming over her now, she felt a warmth spread out from the center of her sternum, reaching toward the most private spaces of her body. “Just let me take care of you” he rasped. Rei closed her eyes, swallowing back a sob. She pressed a hand to his chest, clenched her opposite fist at her side. “Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it. Anything you want.”

Sucking in a sharp breath then, Rei finally opened her eyes. Her gaze had grown glossy, fragile. “Kakashi, I want…” she whispered, mustering the strength to even admit it. She clutched his shirt, took another shaky breath. “I want you to remind me that I’m beautiful. That…that I’m still me. Please…just…make me feel whole again.”

Her request struck Kakashi with a sense of unexpected heartbreak. He gazed down upon her now with a bittersweet sadness, an empathy. When she did grow to hate herself so much? When did she lose sight of her confidence? His heart skipped a beat, and he swore she could feel it. He leaned down slowly on top of her then, held her face in his hands, stared at her with a growing determination. “Rei…I will count every single reason why I love you, even if the list reaches the sky, just to prove to you how much you matter to me” he promised. Thumb pressed to her cheekbone, he wiped away a single stray tear and then got to work.

One. Fingers tangled in her hair, like flames, brushing the long bangs back out of her face. “You’re so determined” he whispered, gently working through the loose knots. “You always know exactly what you want and you go for it. No matter the odds.”

Two. Kakashi leaned down to press his forehead against hers, closing his eyes for a moment as he absorbed the presence of her. “You’re smart. You’re so damn smart.”

“That doesn’t sound right” Rei interrupted, shaking her head. “Kakashi, I’m stupid, I don’t think I can—”

“Shh, don’t interrupt me” Kakashi said, pressing a finger yet again to her lips. He furrowed his brows in displeasure, as if she had derailed his train of thought. “You’re smarter than you think you are” he continued. “You’re quick”—here, his lips trailed to her temple— “and clever”—down to her cheekbone— “and just so fucking intelligent.” Rei closed her eyes and hummed softly, a hint of disbelief still lingering in her tone.

Three. Kakashi’s lips migrated to her eyelids, her lashes fluttering beneath his touch. “You see things, Rei. You see underneath the underneath.” He chuckled softly, venturing down now to…

Four. A simple kiss on the nose. “You’re empathetic and so kind. You’re always thinking about everyone else.” Rei slowly opened her eyes, staring up at him now with a sleepy longing. The tension in her body slowly began to melt away. Kakashi’s eyes darted down to her lips, readied himself for…

Five. “But right now…” he whispered, finger trailing along her jawline, “I want you to put yourself first. You deserve to be selfish, Rei. You deserve to be happy with yourself and love yourself the way that I love you.” He pressed his lips to hers, his tongue mingling with her own, breathless. His hips swerved against hers, his hardening erection grazing her inner thigh. A tingling excitement burst from inside her stomach, hungry.

“You deserve…to be kind to yourself…” Kakashi gasped, intermittently breaking their kiss. His lips traced the outline of her rounded jaw, kisses growing sloppier by the second. He gently tugged her head back by her hair, further exposing her neck so he could kiss down to her collarbone. When the neck of her shirt interfered, however, he frustratingly took hold of the hem and tugged it up over her head, tossing it to the wayside. A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked down at her, studying her exposed upper body beneath him. His dick twitched in anticipation within his pants.

A single finger trailed down her sternum as he loomed over her, eyeing her chest. He cupped her breast in his opposite hand then, his thumb tracing circles around her nipple. Rei gasped, biting her lip and arching her back, as the pleasure shot down her spine. Satisfied with her response, Kakashi tore his shirt up over his head, leaned down, and pressed his lips to her breast. His tongue flicked out across her hardening nipple as he sucked and massaged, his other hand gliding down past the waist of her pants. Her panties were already wet with anticipation, which only furthered his own hungry arousal. He teased her through the thin fabric, working his fingers against her guarded clit. Rei’s thighs tightened around his waist as she moaned softly, gripping his hair.

“Rei…” he groaned, lips still pressed against her skin, “You have no idea…how beautiful you are. Everything about you…is a fucking masterpiece.” He gently took her forearm then, guiding her hand down to attend to his dick through his pants. She massaged his length through his fabric, her hips arching upward to press against his in anticipation. “The curves of your body…” he continued, hands gliding down her sides, “the slope of your nose, and your full lips, and warm smile. Fuck.” He felt himself beginning to lose his cool the more she worked him, the more his body ached to feel her touch, skin to skin. Sensing this, she slid her hand up to undo his pants, slid them down his thighs slowly.

“Keep going…” Rei whispered, her voice low and smooth. “What else?” She took hold of his shaft, guiding him closer so as to rub the cool, slick fabric of her shorts against his exposed cock. A shiver ran down Kakashi’s spine, digging his nails into her hips.

“I love the way you look at me” he murmured, rolling his neck as he tried to remain composed. “And the way you listen. And your voice…hnng, your voice i-is like home to me.” A slow stream of precum spilled over Rei’s fingers, thin and warm. Her opening pulsed with the weight of her yearning. Kakashi dragged his nails down her sides, hooked his fingers into the waist of her pants, exhaled sharply. “I love your freckled shoulders, and the curve of your breasts, and the way your arms always have a place for me” he continued, finally tugging her shorts down. He jutted his hips forward, his tip grazing her opening, and something feral unleashed inside of him. Rei bit her lower lip as she cemented the firmness of her grasp, slid his shaft between her folds to further entice him. A small whimper choked past her lips at her own arousal. Taking hold of her wrist, Kakashi forced her hand away from his dick so as to guide himself inside of her on his own. He could no longer take the suspense. He jammed all the way inside of her and something warm and wonderful came over his entire body.

“Augh, K-Kakashi…” Rei groaned, back arching and head rolling back. The look on her face, the way her abdomen flexed and her thighs opened wider for him, drove him insane. “K-Keep going…” she demanded.

Kakashi loomed over her, one hand by her head and the other steadying her hips as he pounded into her harder and faster. He gritted his teeth, grunted with the exertion of his thrusts, so overwhelmed with a desperation matched only by the end of their temporary breakup so many months ago. “Rei, f-fuck…” he groaned, bowing his head as he pushed himself further. “Your hands…I love your long, n-nimble fingers and…and your touch…so gentle…” he continued, voice in hoarse fragments. With a sharp exhale, he forced himself to slow down, to savor the moment so that he would not finish too early. Rei reached up to caress his jawline, but instead he turned his head so as to kiss her fingertips, tasting what was left of his own eager precum. He licked his lips, removed his hand from her waist so as to take hold of hers. Kakashi migrated her hand downward then, between her legs, moving her fingers for her across her clit so as to encourage her to pleasure herself in the process. He wanted to see her own self-inflicted pleasure, to watch her writhe and moan at her own touch. He wanted to see her love herself the same way he loved her.

While hesitant at first, the heightened pleasure her touch brought was too great to ignore. A sharp, quick smile flashed on Kakashi’s lips as he watched Rei’s fingers dance around her clit, slow and rhythmic at first before growing increasingly more frantic in her hunger.

“That’s my girl” Kakashi whispered. He hooked his arms behind her knees then, spreading her even wider for him so he could more easily hit that spot that made her wild. Digging his nails into her thighs, he pumped once, twice, three times deep inside of her. The tip of his cock grazed that sensitive region inside of her and Rei immediately arched her back.

“Aah, K-Kakashi…god…” she released in a throaty moan. A hot ache bloomed across her lower back with each thrust. She pressed her fingers deeper against her clit, which only increased the pleasure further.

“Good girl…” Kakashi groaned, reveling in the response of her body. “C-come on, baby…just a little bit further…unh, you feel s-so…aah, so good…”

“G-god, fuck Kakashi…” The coil in the pit of Rei’s chest tightened, her body electrifying. Her muscles began to spasm and ignite around Kakashi’s relentless dick. She stretched her legs out in his grasp, clenched her spare hand into a fist by her head, ravaged her clit as she neared her climax.

“God, Rei, y-you’re…augh, so fucking perfect” Kakashi said through gritted teeth. He, too, was nearing his limit. As Rei attempted to stretch her legs out straight, Kakashi pushed her knee toward her shoulder, his nails digging deeper into her skin. She released a throaty, shaken yelp as her back arched and she slammed her fist against the ground. Her eyes squeezed tight and her muscles squeezed even tighter, her breath rapid and desperate. Kakashi couldn’t take it any longer. With one last, hard thrust, his dick pulsed inside of her and filled her with his cum.

She sucked in a deep, tired breath as her body crumpled flat on the floor, feeling the hot mess spilling out of her. Kakashi slid out slowly, almost disappointed that he could not remain inside of her longer but he was already growing soft and his body ached and a sleepy daze began to descend upon him. “God, you’re so fucking perfect” he whispered breathlessly, leaning down to plant a sloppy, lovestruck kiss on her lips. He felt her lips upturn into a sleepy smile as he did so and his heart soared.

“Thank you for this…Kakashi” she whispered breathlessly, caressing his cheek with a lazy hand. “I really needed this. All of this.”

Kakashi smiled, forcing himself upright. His strong arms scooped her up then, spun to carry her back to bed. He didn’t even care about the leftovers on the table, or their clothes strewn across the floor. That was a problem for his future self. Right now, all that was important was her. “I told you I knew what I was doing” he laughed, maneuvering through the bedroom door.

“I know” Rei whispered, planting grateful little kisses on his cheek, along his jaw, down his neck. “I should have trusted you more.”

“It’s okay” he said, resting her gently down upon the bed. “I understand why you had your reservations.”

“I think this was really exactly what I needed, though” Rei assured him. She took her hand in his as he knelt beside her. “I think…I think I’m finally starting to feel like things are falling into place. Like when we get home, we’ll both be able to give this our all and sort through everything with clearer heads. I don’t know, I just…it’s kind of nice and…to be honest? I’m kind of excited about it.” A soft, almost sheepish smile touched her lips then, kissing his knuckles and rubbing circles onto the back of his hand. “I’m excited to marry you, Kakashi, and to bring this baby into the world, and start our future together.”

“I’m glad” Kakashi whispered. He climbed over her into bed, wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Pressing his lips to her forehead, his hands trailed to her waist, caressing her lower stomach. “I can’t wait to have a family with you, Rei” he whispered. “You’re absolutely amazing, you know that? You’re just…creating this brand new little life inside of you.” Rei craned her neck to look up at him, her tired eyes filled with so much love and light. Kakashi couldn’t help but smile. “I am constantly in awe of you, Rei” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “I can’t wait to have this baby with you.”

“Me neither, Kakashi…” Rei whispered, her eyes growing heavy. She nuzzled against his chest, exhaled deeply. All the while, Kakashi never removed his hand from her waist. A soft smile touched her lips as she began to doze off to sleep. “Our little Kino…”

The journey back to Konoha was calm and uneventful—a welcome reprieve compared to their journey away. They settled into a seat by the window again, hands intertwined and hearts full. It felt so strange to be leaving someplace so beautiful. It almost hurt Rei’s heart to return home. A part of her wished they could just live in this moment forever, a world where the two of them were all that mattered and nothing was expected of them. Where things were always peaceful and quiet and good.

And yet, at the same time, the thought of returning home lit a strange little spark in her now. There was so much to do and for once, she was not scared or overwhelmed. Instead, she felt empowered. If life had to throw so many things at her at once, then the next best thing was to face it head-on and focus on what she could control. She mused ideas about scoping out bakeries in town for wedding cakes and finding a bigger house to raise their child in. As she rambled about all of this to Kakashi on the way back to the village, the one thing she seemed especially excited for, however, was looking into birthing classes.

��“I’m pretty sure the hospital hosts some” she continued, walking alongside Kakashi. The trees were beginning to peter out, the path widening before them, sure signs that they were almost home. “I think it would be good for us. I mean, we can only learn so much from books, you know?”

“A little hands-on learning certainly never hurt” Kakashi agreed. “Do you think they’d be able to fit our schedule?”

“I’m sure they would” Rei replied. The gates to Konoha loomed before them, welcoming. “I mean, Konoha is full to bursting with ninja. I can’t imagine them not being prepared to accommodate our lifestyle.”

As she spoke, Kakashi’s gaze trailed across the village entry square. Izumo and Kotetsu seemed stiff and still as they stood guard, a contrast to their usually casual nature. The streets were deserted, shops quiet and empty—far too quiet for a Monday morning. All the while, a tense energy hung heavy in the air. Something was not right.

And then there was Shizune. Hugging a clipboard to her chest, she eyed Kakashi and Rei expectantly. Kakashi locked his eyes on her for a brief moment. The uncertainty in her face, her pursed lips and furrowed brows, only furthered Kakashi’s suspicions. Something unsettling began to branch out from the pit of his chest.

“I’m glad you both made it back safely” she greeted as they approached.

“Did something happen while we were gone?” Kakashi asked. His muscles tensed, tightening his grip on Rei’s hand, and he regretted ever joking about the village falling apart without them. It didn’t seem so funny now.

Shizune chewed her lower lip, averted her eyes. “I’m afraid so” she replied.

“What? What is it? What did we miss?” Rei asked. She thought of the little girl on the train, of the two men who had tried to steal her away. What if they were far more dangerous than Rei had expected? What if they were, dare she even say, Akatsuki? She doubted they were terrorists, weak as they were, but still. A hard lump of anxiety rose into her throat as she considered the possibility.

The answer wasn’t anywhere near what she had expected. The words just didn’t make sense. The whole world suddenly went still, a white noise ringing in her ears and muting everything else. And Rei was definitely sure she was going to be sick. She clapped a hand over her mouth as her knees buckled beneath her, her breathing heavy as sobs crackled in the back of her throat. In the pit of her chest, an earthquake began to rage. And all the while, Shizune’s words echoed over and over in the back of her mind, taunting her.

Teiko Natsuki is dead.

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[END NOTES: WELL. THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET REALLY, REALLY BAD REALLY, REALLY FAST. So, uh, buckle up your seatbelts and keep your hands, feet, arms, and legs in the vehicle at all times. 👀

Side note: If you want to read about Sekkachi's adventures in dogsitting, you can find a one-shot all about it right over here~]

#kakashi hatake #rei natsuki #kakashi x oc #the scarecrow and the bell #naruto #naruto oc #fanfiction

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