Falling for Temptation (A Kakashi Hatake story) Naruto fanfic

Chapter 49: The Girl Who Cried Wolf

"Duty is the death of love."
- Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones

Rain lashed against the interrogation room window, a relentless counterpoint to the storm brewing within Kakashi. The interrogation room felt sterile and cold, the harsh fluorescent lights casting a sickly sheen on Kakashi's face.

Across the table, Ibiki, the stoic head of Konohagakure's Torture and Interrogation Division, sat with an impassive expression. Yet his eyes were etched with a hint of unease.

The air crackled with tension. Ibiki, who was usually stoic, had a flicker of concern in his steely gaze. Kakashi gripped the worn armrest of the chair, knuckles white.

"You're certain?" Kakashi's voice was a low growl, barely audible above the rhythmic tick of the clock on the wall. Kakashi's heart hammered against his ribs.

Ibiki sighed, steepling his fingers in front of the file. "As certain as we can be, Kakashi. Our surveillance team spotted Nhira Uzumaki entering and exiting Danzo Shimura's compound on multiple occasions starting well before and during your... involvement with her."

He had to hear it for himself, the accuracy of the document so he went to Ibiki in hope that something would change. Nothing did.

Kakashi gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white. The betrayal felt like a punch to the gut that stole his breath.

The warmth he'd allowed himself to feel for Nhira turning to icy shards in his gut.

"Multiple occasions," he repeated, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. "How many?"

Ibiki flipped through the file, his gaze scanning the documented dates. "Five in total, spread out over the past few months."

Kakashi's mind reeled. Five visits.

"How... how could I not have known?" Kakashi choked out, the betrayal a bitter pill to swallow.

Ibiki sighed, a rare display of empathy. "She's a master manipulator, Kakashi. The head of the Succubus unit, excelling at deceit and seduction. It's not your fault."

'Right, I know that... And yet, I believed her.'

But the words rang hollow in Kakashi's ears. He felt like a fool, a naive child who had been played for a pawn. Every moment he'd shared with Nhira, every smile, every touch, was it all a lie? It all felt tainted now, dirty.

"Was she... was she forced?" Kakashi's voice cracked, revealing the raw vulnerability beneath his usual stoic facade. He hoped, like a fool. A desperate fool.

Ibiki studied him intently. "We can't say for certain. From what we observed, her visits seemed... voluntary."

Voluntary. The word echoed in Kakashi's mind, a chilling confirmation of his worst fear.

"Did you... did you learn anything about the content of their meetings?" he pressed, a desperate hope flickering in his chest. Maybe there was an explanation.

Ibiki shook his head. "Unfortunately not. Our team couldn't get close enough for audio surveillance. But the frequency of the meetings, the timing... it suggests something more than a casual visit."

A bitter laugh escaped Kakashi's lips. Casual? How naive could he have been? He pictured Nhira's concerned face after his fight with Itachi, her worry when he returned injured from the mission. Her smiles, her laughter and the jokes she would crack. Were those genuine emotions, or a calculated performance?

Suddenly, the image of Nhira, fragile and vulnerable in his bed, flashed through his mind. The memory felt tainted now, poisoned by the knowledge of her duplicity.