Author's Note: Right….this one may be re-written because well…something not right…Tyger likes it, but she's not satisfied. She'll have mutter to herself for a little bit until her muse bonks her over the head.

"Hello, I'm a thief, and I'm here to steal your heart."

Iruka sighed softly as he sat beside the silver haired jounin. His brown eyes were full of disappointment and grief.

"Why Kashi? Why do you do this to yourself?" He received no answer, as his best friend was unconscious. The pale form had taken quite a beating and it hurt Iruka to know that the elder man may never wake again.

He sat beside Kakashi for days, keeping busy on a project, which he would not show to any and refused to tell anyone. It would be for his friend's eyes and his eyes only. Iruka labored over the small object whenever he was sure no one was around. Periods of time that grew shorter as he made no sign to ever leave Kakashi's side.

Tsunade had all been bodily hauled his behind out the door finally. Ranting about irrational chuunin teachers and the jounin that had caused the mess in the first place.

It was weeks later that Kakashi woke up, scared the hell out of one of the attending nurses and was set upon an irate Hokage straight after.

Kakashi sighed comfortably, peace at last; it was all in a days work. There was only one thing missing, something that he was sure to have been the first thing he saw.

"Where's Iruka?"

"He refuses to see you." Tsunade scowled, throwing her hands in the air, "First he refuses to leave your side and when I finally get him out, he refuses to see you! You two are crazy! I don't know what to do about either of you anymore!"

Kakashi frowned, why would his best friend not want to see him? Scowling, he braced himself and attempted to go look for said chuunin himself. A finely manicured hand barred him.

"Don't even think about it." Tsunade threatened, eyes narrowed meaningfully towards the infuriating man.

"Well if he's not going to see me, I'm going to see him!"

"I just put you back together, don't you go messing up my work!"

"I know what I can handle!"

Tsunade scoffed, "That is a load of crap!"

"But I want to see him!!" Kakashi had resorted to whining, something Tsunade just rolled her eyes at.

"No means no, brat."

Both turned at the sound of the door creaking open, "Ano…excuse me Hokage-sama." Iruka stood there sheepishly, his appearance a bit haggard, but in Tsunade's opinion, he seemed to have cleaned up a bit at least.

Tsunade sighed in relief, "Just keep him in bed," She glared at Kakashi.

Kakashi would have pouted if he weren't worried over the state of his precious dolphin.

"Kakashi…" Iruka murmured, clutching something close to his chest. Kakashi tilted his head quizzically, reaching out to pull his friend closer.

"I'm sorry Ru, I probably had you so worried."

"I-It's not that Kashi…I've just been thinking…ah…I'm not sure how to say this…"

"Ahh!! You finally want to read my books don't you!"

"No! I…." Iruka blushed, thrusting the object he held so close to him into Kakashi's bewildered face.

"Err…what is it?"

"It's a heart you idiot!" Iruka was close to becoming a tomato at this point as he pointedly looked away from the small heart-shaped pillow. Chewing his lower lip, he scowled and reached for the heart, only to have it pulled away from him.

"Give it here! This is stupid…I should have j—"

"Nuh uh! You gave it to me already, tell me what this is about!"

Iruka's shoulders dropped and his head dipped in embarrassment, "Fine…only because it'll shut you up." He muttered.

"T-That's my heart." The teacher shut his eyes, drifting into a memory of his parents as he struggled to utter the right words, "And I want you to know…that somewhere along the way of our friendship you stole it. You bastard. And well…I…I just wanted you to know that you have to take care of it or it'll break."

Iruka swallowed, fingers reaching over to run over the heart carefully, "It's fragile and easy to break, so you have to make sure you don't hold it too tightly or worry it away. P-Promise me you'll take care of it?"

Kakashi blinked, frozen as his breath was taken from him. They'd been friends for a few years now; he'd been so sure they knew each other in an out. The copy nin snorted inwardly, he obviously didn't know everything about his best friend.

"Ru…Iruka, I—this is…." Kakashi took a deep breath, "I can't promise you anything," his grip tightened as he held onto Iruka's hands, "But I can try my hardest."