A/N - Hey guys! It's been a while since I posted a bonus chapter so here it is! This takes place while Naruto and Nia are traveling with Jiraiya!

Please remember to comment and vote and enjoy ❤️

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BONUS CHAPTER #28: A Misunderstanding

"Curly Brow... you're holding so tightly," Naruto breathed softly as Nia had her legs around his waist with her arms around his neck and her head buried in the crook of his neck.

"I... I can't help it," Nia said. "If I don't hold you like this, I think I'd die."

"Sweet Curly Brow..." Naruto kissed her cheek.

Nia blushed.

"Naruto, my heart... It's beating so fast."

"Is it really, Curly Brow?"

Nia nodded.

"Yes... I can't take it. I care for you so much."

Hearing this, Naruto reddened slightly.

"Sweet Curly Brow, if you listen to my chest, i'm sure you could hear how loud my heart is throbbing right now."

"Oh Naruto..." Nia gushed and placed her ear against his chest.

BA-DUM! BA-DUM! BA-DUM!

Sure enough, the genin's heart bested wildly. This was enough to give Nia butterflies in her stomach and her own heart skipped a beat.

"Oh Naruto!" She hugged him closely. "I can hear it! I can hear your heart beating loudly at our affection."

"Didn't I tell you?!" Naruto excitedly exclaimed.

"Yes!" Nia grinned from ear to ear.

"I care so much about you it's ridiculous, ya know."

"Naruto, if I could, I would be in your arms forever."

"Only in your protector's arms and no one else's?"

"Yes."

"Not even Akihiko's?"

"I want to only be in my protector's arms," Nia told the blond.

Naruto melted.

"Curly Brow, you're just..." His back slid down against the tree slightly.

"I'm just what?" Nia questioned.

"I just... I don't know. You're just... incredibly special to me. You're like... a bowl of miso pork ramen to me, ya know?"

"A bowl of... miso pork ramen?" Nia gawked at the genin.

"Yes, my sweet Curly Brow," Naruto replied. "Just... the way you make me feel... It reminds me of the special feeling I get when I go to Ichiraku and eat a bowl of ramen."

"Oh Naruto..."

"It's true, my sweet Curly Brow."

"Does that mean you love me?"

"Yes," Naruto tightened his hold around Nia's waist. "I love you so much, that... it feels like my heart could burst at any second. I just... can't. I'm overwhelmed with love for you."

"Oh Naruto..." Nia gushed again, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I just wish you were... more confident, less insecure... more in love with yourself. I just can't stand how lowly you think of yourself."

"N-Naruto... I want to be more confident, but I just... I just can't. I want to be beautiful. I feel like if i'm not beautiful or pretty, there's no reason for me to love myself."

"How can you say that, sweet Curly Brow? There's more to life than being goodlooking."

"You say that, but... you literally love Sakura cause she's pretty and fit," Tears brimmed Nia's eyelashes. "I-If I were as pretty and fit as her, you'd be... in love with me i-instead."

"Oh sweet Curly Brow, please don't cry," Naruto pressed her head closer to him.

"B-But I can't stand it."

"Can't stand what?"

"N-Never being enough for a-anyone. I... I just want someone to care about me - to accept me."

"I hear what you're saying, and I truly do understand what you're feeling. I wanna be accepted by others too, ya know?"

"But Naruto, you're a literal angel and you have the best personality. Of course others accept you."

"But Curly Brow, are you forgetting? I have the Nine-Tails inside me. That alone was enough to make a lot of people hate me no matter what I said or did."

"Oh Naruto... I could never hate you for that," Nia kissed his cheek. "I love you so much. I think you're amazing."

Naruto smile and blushed.

"And that's exactly why I think my sweet, little Curly Brow is incredible. Because she doesn't care if I have a beast inside me."

"I want my protector to accept me for who I am too," Nia gazed into the blond's eyes.

Naruto pecked her cheek.

"I absolutely accept my precious Curly Brow for who she is..."

Nia's heart thudded and her lips curved upwards. She snuggled up against the genin some more.

"I wanna hear more about how my protector feels," She rubbed her hand on his chest.

"Don't I express my dying love for you enough already?"

"I feel like I express my dying love for you more, Naruto. I'm always pouring my heart out to you. It's... your turn."

"Curly Brow..."

"Naruto, just tell me..."

"You know I care for you..." The blond whispered. "Ever since I realized how vulnerable you are... i've always cared."

Nia nodded.

"I don't know what to say, cause I can't express my feelings as good as you," Naruto continued. "All I know is that I want to keep you safe - to protect you. I just can't... stand seeing you hurt emotionally or physically. It kills me. I just want you to be happy... to be okay."

Hearing this, Nia blushed.

Naruto kept her close.

"I feel like... we're different yet similar at the same time. I feel like you understand me, like you just get me. You treat me in a way no one ever has before. I feel like i'm much more than what the villagers painted me as back then when i'm with you. Everything just feels right. I feel like I can be completely myself around you, ya know? When i'm happy, I can act like a clown with you. When i'm mad, I can blow off steam to you. When i'm sad, I don't have to wear a mask around you and just cry my heart out. I can totally and utterly let my guard down around you and you'll still accept me and be there for me."

"Oh Naruto..." Nia was moved.

"That's why... I want you to stay at my side. I can't stand the thought of you leaving me for any reason. Curly Brow... I really love you. You truly have become one of my closest friends. You've really been helping me to mend from having had my best friend die. I feel like life might've taken an important person away from me, but then gave me another friend who's just as precious to me," Naruto expressed.

"I understand you lost this Sasuke friend of yours, but i'm here by your side and together, we'll help you mend and get through your loss."

Naruto teared up, thinking about his late friend. He buried his face in Nia's shoulder. Nia wrapped her arms around his head, comforting him as best as she could.

"Sasuke... Sasuke was my best friend, ya know?" He whimpered.

"Yes... I know," Nia whispered.

"I... I just wish I could've protected my friend."

"He's in a better place now... He won't have to be trapped in the cycle of hatred and revenge."

"Oh Curly Brow..." Naruto croaked.

Nia held him a little while longer as Naruto wept. At one point, he pulled his head away and gazed at Nia with tear-filled eyes.

"Please, Curly Brow... Please never leave your protector. If anything were to ever happen to you too, I-"

"I want to stay with you," Nia smiled at the blond. "Even if we argue at times or have our differences, I still wish to have you in my life, Uzumaki."

Naruto's face continued to stay wet.

"The only thing..." Nia took her thumbs and wiped the genin's tears. "I don't like seeing my protector upset or crying. His heart is so warm and pure... He doesn't deserve to be as sad as he is."

She then gave a warm smile.

"So please... no more crying, okay? I only want to see my strong, brave, handsome, kindhearted future hokage who happens to be my protector, smile his beautiful smile."

"Curly Brow..." Naruto gazed at the girl, his cheeks reddening immensely.

Nia kissed his cheek tenderly.

"I love you, my future hokage."

"C-CURLY BROW!" Naruto's eyes then blew into large hearts.

Nia rested her head back on his shoulder.

"I just want my protector to be okay..." She mumbled.

"HE IS NOW, THANKS TO YOU, YA KNOW?!" The blond pressed his lips against Nia's forehead.

"Oh Naruto..." Nia's heart thudded.

"Curly Brow... I... I want us to be closer..."

"Aren't we already the closest we can get?"

"No," Naruto rubbed her lower back. "I need to hold you..."

"But you're already holding me."

"Curly Brow, I want to hold you... like, be intimate with you."

"KYA! N-Naruto, you mean like-"

"Yes... I want to have sex."

Steam blew out of Nia's face.

"But Naruto, w-we've talked about this before. I... I can't have sex."

"Curly Brow, you don't need to be in a relationship to have sex, though," Naruto whined.

"Yes, I do, and not just any relationship... but a very SERIOUS relationship."

Naruto pouted.

"Naruto, you know... sometimes I feel like... you might be interested in trying to sleep with me instead of trying to build a actual bond with me," Nia frowned.

"Curly Brow, you know that's not true."

"Then why are you always pressuring me into doing things with you?"

"I'm not pressuring you."

"Well, that's what it feels like cause you're always touching me or making certain sexual comments or just I don't know... I just feel like you might just wanna have fun and that's it. I feel like you don't want something real, or true, or honest with me."

"Curly Brow..."

"It's true, isn't it?"

Naruto stroked the girl's cheek.

"You know I love you."

"No... you just want Sakura," Nia said.

"Curly Brow, come on."

"Naruto, I just feel like the only girl who truly has your heart is Sakura," Nia started to tear up. "I feel like you only want to be in a relationship with her... It's like there's no room for me in your heart. I feel like i'm just that girl you think you can just keep on the side or who you feel you can be friends with benefits with until you can get the girl you truly desire."

"What?! Sweet Curly Brow, how can you think that? You know that's not true."

"Then if our bond is so strong and you love me so much, why can't you let Sakura go?"

"Because the way I love you and Sakura is completely differ-"

"You always say that, Naruto!" Nia slightly raised her voice. "How hard is it to get over someone who treats you like shit?! Seriously, quit being so shallow and open your eyes! She does nothing but hurt you physically and emotionally! Why are you so blinded by her outer beauty?! There's so much more to a girl than just her looks!"

"Curly Brow, why are you getting so upset over Sakura?! I like her, okay?! I would love to be with he-"

SLAP!

Naruto's eyes widened as a red handprint covered his cheek.

"DAMMIT, NARUTO! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I JUST WANT TO BE WITH YOU?! THAT I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART?!" Nia yelled and stood up, a river of tears dripping down her face. "I... I WANNA BUILD A LIFE WITH YOU!"

With that, the girl ran off.

"CURLY BROW!" Naruto cried out, jumping up off the ground.

Nia sprinted through the forest, trying to get as far away from the blond as she could.

'I knew it! I knew he wanted to be with her and not me!' She cried. 'All he wanted from me was to have sex with no strings attached! I can't STAND men like that! I HATE men like that! How can you have sex with no love for the other person?! How can you just hookup with just anyone?!'

"CURLY BROW!" Naruto suddenly appeared in front of Nia, having jumped down a tree.

Nia tried to run passed him, but Naruto grabbed her arm.

"No! What're you doing?! Let go!" She hollered as she struggled to get herself free.

"Absolutely not!" Naruto replied.

"Let go! I don't wanna be with you no more! I don't wanna see your face any longer! You love Sakura and you'll always love Sakura!"

"Curly Brow, who cares if I like Sakura?!"

"I DO!" Nia screamed.

"THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU TO BE THIS UPSET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU LEAVE ME, YA KNOW!"

"YES THERE IS!"

"CURLY BROW, I LOVE YOU, ALL RIGHT?!" Naruto yelled, his face as serious as ever.

Hearing this, Nia froze. A blush covered her cheeks as she witnessed the sincerity in Naruto's expression.

"You're my best friend!" He exclaimed. "Therefore, I already love you! I can't bear the thought of you leaving me over some girl I like!"

Nia scowled.

"Naruto, do you not know what's going on?!"

"You're mad cause I like Sakura! But that's no reason for you to leave me."

"Yes it is!" Nia yanked her arm away. "You're in love with another girl!"

"And I'm asking why you even care!'

"UGH! YOU'RE UNBELIEVABLE!"

"Curly Brow!"

"Stop liking Sakura, or else... i'm leaving you."

"WHAT?! B-BUT YOU PROMISED TO STAY AT MY SIDE, YA KNOW!" Naruto freaked out.

"Only if you let go of your feelings for Sakura and love me instead," Nia turned and folded her arms.

"And what's that supposed to mean?!"

"You know exactly what it means!"

"Listen Curly Brow, in case you forgot, Sakura doesn't even like me back!"

"..."

"She likes Sasuke and I haven't been able to get her to notice me."

"So? That doesn't change the fact you still like her."

"Curly Brow, you know what?"

"What? Nothing you say will get me to change my mind."

"When we get to the Leaf, let's go to Ichiraku... Just... the two of us... okay?" Naruto offered.

"Go... to Ichiraku..." Nia slowly turned away with a shocked expression. "With just you?"

"Yeah," Naruto smiled. "Just you and I, ya know."

Immediately, Nia's cheeks burned.

"Oh Naruto..." A new batch of tears filled her eyes.

"Come here, Curly Brow..." Naruto opened his arms. "Come into your protector's arms."

"OH NARUTO!" Nia cried, running into his embrace.

Naruto kept her close to him.

"I'm sorry I made you upset, but I swear we can go to Ichiraku together with just us and no one else."

'Naruto asked me on a date!' Nia sobbed happily. 'He really asked me on a date!'

Naruto smiled and kissed the top of Nia's head.

Hanging out as friends with Curly Brow at Ichiraku will be fun... I'm so happy she decided to stay with me...

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A/N - Lol that ending this! I hope y'all ain't too mad.

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