Falling for Temptation (A Kakashi Hatake story) Naruto fanfic

Chapter 48: For the Girl with No Friends

The rain had finally subsided, leaving behind a cool, damp stillness that settled inside the house alongside a tense silence. Kakashi finished cleaning the last of Nhira's scrapes, the antiseptic stinging slightly on her skin. Exhaustion etched lines on her face, her eyelids drooping.

"Get some rest," he said, his voice gentle. He helped her into a clean sleeping robe, the worn cotton soft against her skin. Nhira nodded, her movements sluggish as she crawled into bed.

Exhaustion finally claimed Nhira. After a hot meal and a thorough cleaning of her wounds, Kakashi managed to coax her into his bed. Her eyes fluttered closed almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. He watched her sleep for a while, the worry lines on his face finally softening as her breathing settled into a peaceful rhythm.

Kakashi, unable to sleep himself, kept vigil by her side. He watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, concern etched on his face. As the hours passed, a flicker of heat brushed against his hand as he rested it on her forehead. He frowned, reaching for a damp cloth to cool her down.

Nhira was tossing and turning, muttering incoherently. He placed a hand on her forehead, his brow furrowing as he felt the heat radiating off her skin increase. A fever.

It seemed all the grief and stress had caught up to her.

Over the next two days and nights, Nhira remained in a feverish haze. The illness, a consequence of the damp and exertion from the mission, clung to her like a stubborn shadow.

He brought her cool compresses for her forehead, administered herbal remedies for the fever, and made sure she stayed hydrated with warm teas and broths, changing the damp cloth on her forehead religiously. He even managed to feed her small bites of soft food when she was too weak to protest. Despite the fever, Nhira remained restless, muttering incoherently in her sleep.

During the first night, Nhira's peaceful sleep morphed into a restless tossing and turning. A whimper escaped her lips, her brow furrowed in a tight frown.

"Help..." she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

Kakashi was by her side instantly, concern flooding his eyes. He gently brushed her hair back from her forehead, whispering soothing words in a low voice.

That night, a particularly harsh bout of fever sent her into a delirium. Her face flushed red, and beads of sweat formed on her brow. Her normally calm features contorted in distress.

Kakashi leaned in closer, his heart clenching. He wished it could've been him that was ill instead. 'If only I could take your pain away.' He held a damp cloth to her forehead and spoke in a soothing voice, "It's alright, Nhira. I'm here. You're safe."

The silence in the house was broken only by Nhira's labored breathing and the occasional whimper that escaped her lips.

Nightmares plagued her sleep. The first night particularly was a bad one that had her thrashing wildly, a strangled cry escaping her lips.

'What kind of memory are you dreaming of?'

"Help!" she shrieked, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. "Help me!"

Kakashi was by her side in an instant, his voice a soothing balm. "Nhira, wake up. It's just a nightmare." She thrashed so much that he had to hold her down.

He held her hand firmly, whispering reassurances until her ragged breaths subsided, and she drifted back into a restless sleep.

But her pleas continued, a torrent of fragmented memories and anxieties spilling out.

Later, in the throes of delirium, Nhira mumbled, "Want... my dad." Her voice was weak, a mere whisper. Kakashi's heart ached for her. He couldn't replace her father, but he could offer what comfort he could.