A/N - Hey guys, it feels like a while since I updated but I'm here with another chapter! Also I have a few new fanart to share with you that will be designs eventually available for the NaruNia merch store!

These were all made by lenacringe (deviantart/instagram)

Tell me what you think of each photo and also please remember to comment and vote and enjoy ❤️

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Chapter 77: Hyperventilation

The snow continued to fall on the head of one distraught Uzumaki. Sai had just told everyone that Sakura, along with all their friends, had decided to dispose of Sasuke themselves and Gaara and his siblings revealed how the Uchiha had attacked everyone at the five kage summit.

That other thing concerning Danzo was nothing in Naruto's mind, nothing compared to the criminal act his friend had committed. How could he ever reach him now?

"Naruto," Gaara suddenly said. Naruto didn't look up from the snow-covered ground. "This is a battle to protect the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails. Namely you. And it's also for the ninja world. As the Kazekage, I would give my life to protect you."

Naruto kept staring at the ground, no one could be sure if he was even hearing the words coming from Gaara's mouth. Nia shot him a look of concern as she stood by the blond.

"If Sasuke confronts the Allied Shinobi Forces as a member of the Akatsuki, I will show no mercy." Gaara continued.

Naruto closed his eyes. Kakashi and Captain Yamato gave concerned glances Naruto's way. Nia decided to hug the genin in the hopes that it would help make him feel even slightly better. However, Naruto barely responded to her affection.

Gaara looked solely at Naruto, and thought back to his confrontation of Sasuke at the Kage Summit.

~FLASHBACK~

"Sasuke... you and I are alike," Gaara expressed calmly to the battle-worn Uchiha. "We've both walked through the darkness of this world. That's why you should be able to see even the faintest glimmer of light, in the past, and even now."

Sasuke grinned psychotically at him, one eye revealing the Mangekyo Sharingan, the other closed and bleeding. Blood seeped out of the corner of his mouth.

"I closed my eyes long ago," He replied. "My goals exist only in the darkness."

~END OF FLASHBACK~

Gaara looked up intensely at Naruto. "Sasuke doesn't care about you, all he wants is darkness."

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he raised his eyes sharply.

"Naruto... you told me once 'I am going to be the Hokage'." Gaara shared. "I have become the Kazekage."

Naruto's eyes turned back to the ground, returning to their expressionless glaze, and they narrowed slightly.

Gaara stepped over to Naruto, his feet crunching the snow beneath them. He attentively placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"If you are prepared to bear the burden of being a Kage, then do what is right as Sasuke's friend." He told him.

Naruto looked up at Gaara at that point, and Gaara saw hopelessness, mixed with anger in their depths.

Naruto looked down and squeezed his eyes firmly shut for a moment, before gently shoving off the hand on his shoulder.

Gaara, shocked at the action, let his arm drop, a dully surprised expression on his usually stoic face.

Naruto kept his arm elevated, as if to ward off any further attempt at contact. Nia looked into Naruto's tired and sad face, and her chest hurt as did Gaara's.

The surrounding ninja looked on at the scene, wondering if they should do something.

Finally, Temari said, "We've said everything we needed to say. Let's go, Gaara."

Gaara looked back at her, breaking the spell the two jinchuriki were under, and Naruto's arm dropped to his side,

"We will return to our village," Temari told Kakashi and Yamato. "And Kakashi Hatake, with the understanding that you will be Hokage, the Sand will take action. As allied nations, I pray that there will be no conflicting intel between us."

Kakashi nodded.

"Understood."

Gaara and his siblings walked away from the Konoha ninja, Naruto's depressed gaze returning to the ground. Nia kissed his cheek and briefly the two locked eyes until Naruto lowered them again.

Gaara stopped walking, and without turning, said, "I consider you my friend."

Naruto's eyes widened a fraction and he looked up, surprise now taking away the depressed look on his face.

"In the past, 'friend' was merely a word to me — nothing more, nothing less. But after meeting you, you made me realize that that meaning of that word is what's important. What does it mean?" Gaara turned his head to look at Naruto. "What can you do for Sasuke? Think hard about that."

Naruto's surprised expression turn to one of shock. Since when did Gaara get that wise in the ways of friendships?

"Let's go." And with that, the Sand Siblings left without another word.

Naruto sighed and looked down again.

"Naruto…" Yamato stepped forward, but Kakashi held him back.

"Let him find the answer himself," Kakashi said.

Naruto glared hard at the ground, as if it would give him the answer he sought. Nia cupped his face in her hands and made him look at her.

"Baby..." She mumbled, her voice filled with worry.

"Nia..." Naruto breathed sadly.

"Baby, I understand that what's going on is really messed up and upsetting, but i want you to know that I-"

"Nia, please... just stop." Naruto told her.

"But baby-"

"Please sweetheart... just do you hero a favor and pour him some water. He feels really-"

"Yes, of course! I'll do whatever will help make you feel better! I'll be right back!" Nia then ran into the building behind everyone.

Yamato then questioned, "So what do we do now?"

Kakashi turned away from Naruto to look at him.

"In any case I think we should return to the Leaf and report what happened at the summit… and also about Sakura."

Sai looked at him. "The real me is accompanying Sakura. She won't be allowed to get near Sasuke. You can count on that.

Naruto stopped listening and that point, his head hurt too much to continue trying to understand what was going on anymore. He just stared at the ground, wishing he could break down and cry like he so badly wanted.

His vision blurred and all he could think of was Sasuke. He thought back to the two ninja claiming Sasuke had kidnapped their master, Bee, a jinchuriki.

They had said Sasuke was a member of the Akatsuki, and let him take the Eight-Tails.

They wanted revenge.

He thought about what Madara had told him about Sasuke, about him being a 'true avenger'. He wasn't sure what that was, but he didn't like it.

Naruto began to shock on unshed tears, gasping for breath he suddenly couldn't take in, he clenched a shaking hand into a fist.

Sai's words came floating back to him. He starting panting as he thought of what Gaara had said to him.

His breathing became harder and faster until he couldn't see anything past the moisture in his eyes.

"Naruto, is something wrong?" He heard Kakashi ask.

Naruto then fell to his knees, his breathing picking up its pace.

"KYAAA! B-BABY!" Nia screamed, dropping the glass of water in her hand and she ran toward her boyfriend as Naruto couldn't support himself any longer and fell to the ground, breathing so fast he thought he was going to die.

"He's hyperventilating!" Captain Yamato cried.

"Calm down, Naruto!" Kakashi urged.

"Naruto!" Sai called.

"BABY! BABY!" Nia cried as tears began to fall from her eyes.

'S-Sweetie...' Naruto's eyes began to close, his vision finally failing him.

Nia's crying face was the last thing he saw... and then there was darkness.

Later, Naruto had jolted up after having had a dream about Sasuke.

"Naruto!" He looked to his right to see a crying, yet relieved Nia beside him.

"N-Nia..." Naruto blinked. "Why're you cry-"

"OH NARUTO!" Nia bursted into even more tears as she hugged the genin around the neck. "DON'T EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

"Nia... I... I don't understand... What... happened?"

"You hyperventilated and passed out as a result," Yamato was in the room with the two younger ones.

"Captain... Yamato," Naruto eyed the man.

"B-Baby..." Nia croaked. "Please tell me... is my hero o-okay?"

"Sweetie, look at you..." Naruto gave a weak smile, took his thumbs and wiped Nia's tears away. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to worry you. Even though I don't like seeing you upset, I've gotta admit... you're so beautiful when you cry, ya know."

"Oh honeybun..." The girl blushed.

Naruto then looked to Yamato. "What happened to Kakashi-sensei and Sai?"

Yamato only averted his eyes. That was all Naruto needed to understand what happened.

He then briefly gazed out the window as it snowed outside then lowered his eyes to the sheet over him.

"Why?" He questioned. "Why'd it have to turn out like this?"

"Baby..." Nia laid Naruto back in bed and lifted the sheets over his body. "Get some rest. You really need it."

Naruto only weakly stared at the ceiling, his mind thinking back on Sasuke before he finally closed his eyes.

"Captain Yamato... please... watch over Naruto while I make him something to eat," Nia stood up as Yamato nodded.

"Sure. I'll make sure nothing disturbs or happens to him while he's resting."

Some time passed and Nia came back just in time to see Naruto stir back awake and sit up.

"S-Sweetie..." He slowly looked to his right.

Nia sat down and place the bowl she had in her hands down.

"Baby, how are you feeling? I made some rice porridge for you. Please eat up. I'm sure it'll help get your strength back up."

Naruto only averted his eyes elsewhere.

"I... I was dreaming of Sasuke," He mumbled.

Yamato narrowed his eyes at the blond.

"You're gonna be coming back to the village with Nia and I, Naruto," He made clear. "That's a direct order from Kakashi."

Naruto only frowned and stood up.

"Baby, what're you doing?" Nia asked. "You... You should still be in bed resting."

Naruto said nothing as he walked toward his pouch in the corner of the room and grabbed it. At that instant, Yamato shot out wood around the genin from his hand.

"I'm sorry Naruto, but your girlfriend's right. Let Kakashi handle Sasuke. You need to rest, got it?"

Nia panicked.

"Captain Yamato, you don't need to bring out your wood jutsu. Please, Naruto's just stress is all. I'm sure if he gets some rest then-"

"It's okay, beautiful. You're right. Let me rest some more, then we can head back to the village," Naruto replied.

Nia was a little surprised he didn't keep going about meeting up with his friend.

"You really need to eat something. Nia took her time making this rice porridge for you and I'm sure she'll be relieved if you filled yourself up at least," Yamato spoke.

"No thanks," Naruto declined as he walked back to bed. "I'm not hungry."

"Oh honeybun..." Nia grew even more concerned.

It wasn't like him to not have a bite of her cooking.

"Sweetie," Naruto cupped her face in his hands and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "I really appreciate you doing what you can for me, but really, I just... need to rest, okay?"

"Well... okay, baby. But please... let me know if you need anything. I'm more than happy to help you."

"Thanks... beautiful. I love you, sweetheart."

"Yes... I love you too, my handsome hero."

Naruto then smiled at the girl before plopping down in bed and raising the sheets over his head.

Near him, there was a hole in the floor underneath the blanket.

'I can't believe Nia didn't notice i'm just a clone... She must be really worried about me to notice anything off. I feel bad, but i've just gotta meet up with Sasuke!' The clone thought.

Outside in the snow, the real Naruto sprinted as fast as he could to where Sasuke was using his sage mode to track everyone's chakra. His mind was on Nia for a moment as he worried for her after having her seen her cry over him.

Forgive me, Nia... but I can't just let Sasuke get away this time, ya know!

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A/N - That's the end of that! Whew this took me a while to write but I'm glad it's all finished.

Please remember to comment and vote and have a great rest of your day ❤️

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