Chapter 42: Iruka's Disapproval

"There," Sakura dropped Nia to the ground while Kakashi placed Naruto near her also, "Okay Kakashi-sensei, I'm gonna release them now."

Kakashi nodded and Sakura placed her fingers in position to make the sign needed.

However, before she could speak "release", Naruto and Nia seemed to wake up on their own. Kakashi, Sakura, Neji, Iruka, and Guy all were surprised by the sudden event.

Naruto sat up quickly and looked around.

"We really made it out!" He then excitedly turned to Nia as she slowly sat up, "I'm so awesome, ya know?!"

Nia sweat dropped. She was actually the one who got them out of the genjutsu in her mind at least. Naruto had been trying to disturb the flow of his chakra but had released and rotated it outside of his body. Nia knew he was doing it wrong and thought back to what she learned in the academy. She disturbed her chakra and was careful not to release it. Soon, she was able to break herself out of the genjutsu and Naruto had been transferred back to his mind where the Nine Tails was actually able to break him from the genjutsu.

However, since the blond looked so happy about what he thought he'd done, Nia just let him have that moment.

"So then!" Naruto looked around frantically, "Where's that bastard who put us all to sleep?!"

"He got away." Kakashi answered as something seemed to bother him greatly.

Naruto then made eye contact with everyone else, who also looked down.

"What's with the long faces, you guys? Did something really bad happen?"

"Sakura, Naruto needs to be healed asap; His chakra is nearly depleted." Neji ordered as his byakugan was activated, ignoring Naruto's question.

"On it." Sakura stayed on her knees and placed her hands over Naruto.

The genin blinked a few times as he recognized the kunoichi right in front of him again. An image of her lifeless body appeared in his mind. He was remembering what he had seen in his dream.

"Sakura..." He slowly stood to his knees.

"Naruto, stay still. I'm trying to heal-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she was suddenly interrupted by a hug. Everyone's eyes widened as Naruto held his teammate close to him. They were all shocked.

"Naruto?! What the hell are you doing?!" Sakura became embarrassed and turned as red as a tomato.

"I'm so glad you're okay! I was looking all over for you, Sakura."

Normally, the girl would've shoved or punch Naruto off her, but when she was about to, she seen the expression on his face. He truly was relieved to see her unharmed.

This made Sakura soften up a bit, "Naruto..."

Seeing the two like this made Nia feel slightly uncomfortable. She lowered her eyes to the ground.

"I'm sorry I let that guy take you behind my back. I'll never let that happen again." Naruto kept holding onto the pink-haired girl.

The two exchanged a few more words as Nia stood up. Iruka watched as the girl began walking ahead of everyone else.

"Where do you think you're going, Missy?!"

Nia ignored her cousin and kept walking.

"Hey! I'm talking here!" Iruka appeared in front of her, "You've got some explaining to do about what you pulled earlier."

"It won't happen again." The girl said as she walked past her guardian with her head kept low.

Iruka immediately sensed that something was off about her and watched as she kept walking forward.

Nia...

Kakashi and Guy appeared to the right and left of Iruka. They all looked at Nia then back at Naruto and Sakura then to Nia again.

"Uh oh." Kakashi immediately figured out what was going on, "This reminds me of a scene in Master Jiraiya's book. Not a very good one either."

"I knew it." Guy crossed his arms and nodded his head, "There's no doubt in my mind now."

Iruka looked at the two confused, "What're you talking about?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kakashi took out his book: Make-out Tactics.

"I'm sorry, but I have no clue what's going on."

Quickly, Guy placed his hand on the instructor's right shoulder.

"This won't be easy for you to hear, but... your innocent and sweet little cousin, the one who always wanted to play with you as a toddler, the one that you are so very protective of, has the hots for the hyperactive knucklehead of the Leaf, Iruka."

"WHAAAT?! FOR NARUTO?!!"

Guy shuddered a bit.

"Kakashi! How long have you known about this?!" The academy teacher then turned to the white-haired man for answers.

The copycat ninja pretended to look into the sky, "My, the birds have been chirping quite loud lately, huh?"

"What birds?!" Iruka grew annoyed as he knew his friend was just making an excuse to avoid the question.

"Kakashi-sensei, how did you guys get out of the genjutsu?"

Immediately after seeing Naruto pull up near Iruka, Kakashi and Guy slid seventy yards back. Naruto turned to look at them.

"Why did they just go sliding back that far?"

"NA.RU.TOOO!" Iruka glared sinisterly into Naruto's blue orbs.

Naruto's face went blue and sweat ran down his face as soon as he heard the fury in Iruka's tone.

O-Oh no... what did I do this time?

"I knew all along... All this time... All this time you've been having a thing..."

"Eh?" The boy turned to see Iruka with flames in his eyes.

The older man then responded, "What did you do to Nia to make her feel the way she does?!"

Naruto sweat dropped then looked ahead of him to see the girl way ahead of everyone, "She's already mad me...? Even after what just happened?"

"I knew it," Iruka then pushed his former student forward, "Go apologize right now, Naruto!"

"What? Why though? I don't even know what I did!"

"JUST DO IT RIGHT NOW!"

Frightened, Naruto quickly ran over to Nia then looked behind him to see Iruka and everyone else out of sight.

Iruka-sensei is really scary sometimes, ya know?

The blond then turned his attention back to Nia and crossed his arms behind his head as he walked. The girl didn't seem to be all angry or upset like Iruka had made it seem. However, Naruto did sigh at the thought of it. They had just made up, why would she be all upset again?

Nia noticed Naruto to her right but looked away. Her face began to warm up again.

When did he get all close to me? Wasn't he just being all lovey dovey toward Sakura?

"Erm... Curly Brow... I'm uh, sorry." Naruto apologized randomly and out of nowhere.

Nia raised an eyebrow at him, "What're you talking about? You didn't do anything."

Immediately, Naruto sighed in relief, "Oh! Iruka-sensei told me to apologize to you for some reason."

Nia kept her brow raised, "Oh... that's sorta... weird."

Naruto nodded but then it got quiet. Every time him and Nia would make eye contact, the kunoichi would nervously look away and would be too scared to maintain the contact.

'She's sorta acting weird again... and awkward...' Naruto watched as Nia rubbed her hands together and stared to the ground, 'I sorta feel like I'm walking next to Hinata right now except Curly Brow is more talkative and less hard to read.'

The blond then nudged Nia on the arm, to get her attention, "You're sorta shy, huh?"

"What?" Nia finally was able to look Naruto in the eye though she was a little red, "I'm not shy. I'm just sorta quiet and awkward."

"No, you're shy." Naruto replied, "Lately, you haven't been able to look at me normally when I talk to you. It's sorta weird, ya know?"

"I'm not shy." Nia denied.

"Well, you are. Only shy people can't hold eye contact."

At this point, Nia was beginning to feel embarrassed. She turned away from Naruto again, her face getting even warmer.

"I'm just quiet, okay? The only time I get shy is when..."

Suddenly Naruto got in front of the girl and grabbed her by the shoulders then stared straight into her eyes to test his theory out.

Nia became extremely embarrassed and covered her face in her hands, this time steam poured out from it.

"What're you hiding for? I thought you said you wasn't shy?" He joked.

Nia slowly and shakily removed her left hand from her face but kept her right hand on it. She tried to make eye contact with Naruto but her nerves got the best of her and she looked down and placed her hand back where it was before again.

"I knew it!" Naruto pulled his hands away and pointed at the girl, "You are shy!"

Immediately, Nia moved her hands and yelled with a heated face, "Would you stop with the teasing already?! I'm not shy."

This only caused Naruto to laugh, "Whatever you say... but I don't see why you're so embarrassed about it. If you're shy, you're shy, ya know?"

Nia's heart began to pound.

"I mean... I'm not really shy... I'm just shy... around... you."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked a few times.

"No wait! That's not what I meant," Nia completely flipped out, "I meant... I mean I was just trying to say that-"

As Nia babbled on and on, Naruto began to think to himself.

What does... that supposed to mean?

"Curly Brow." He interrupted as she was trying to tell him he had the wrong idea though Naruto wasn't actually paying attention to all that, "What do you mean by I make you feel shy? I'm completely lost. What do you mean by that?"

"I told you it's nothing!" She lied.

Naruto and Nia just looked at eachother a bit awkwardly. Nia then blushed a little and proceeded to look away as her heart still pounded.

'What's wrong with me...?' She asked herself, 'He's right... I can't look at him properly...'

Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

She's really strange.

Back where Iruka and the rest of the Leaf ninjas were at, the three adults were having an important conversation while Sakura and Neji stayed in the back having their own talk.

"I'm telling you guys, there's no way I could ever see them being together. They're two different people for crying out loud." Iruka gave his opinion to Guy and Kakashi as they walked on each side of him.

"You're being a bit overly dramatic, don't you think?" Kakashi replied as he kept his eye on his book, "People who are far different from the other can still be compatible."

"That's not the point, Kakashi. I'm just trying to say that Nia should drop her feelings for Naruto. Sure, Naruto's a good guy and all but he's still a bit too abrupt and rude. He's perverted and says things before he thinks. I'm sure he'll just end up hurting Nia's feelings." Iruka retaliated, "Then there's his perverted sexy jutsu. Naruto might end up rejecting her because of her looks. Physical beauty is important to us men. When you're about his age, it's pretty much all that matters. Naruto's going to hurt her."

"You do have a point there, Iruka," Guy spoked, "But not every guy is the same. Beauty can be everything for one man, but can mean little for another. In Naruto's case, you may be right about him preferring how a woman looks above all else though. I mean, he did come up with that sexy jutsu like you said."

Kakashi flipped a page, "I don't know about that, Guy."

"What do you mean, Kakashi?"

"Let's just say I've been noticing a few odd things in regard to Naruto's behavior. Also, after hearing a few things from Master Jiraiya, I'm sure something's been fishy between those two whether they're aware of it or not."

"What are you talking about, Kakashi?! Tell me what you know!" Iruka then demanded.

Kakashi glanced at him then turned his attention back to the page he was on, "Naruto's usually looking out for her. During Nia's exam, he really waited the whole afternoon and night for her to finish. He's also much more softer in her presence and even more empathetic. Though, they get into it at times, even I can tell Nia's growing on him slowly."

"That sounds like young love to me, Iruka." Guy grinned and gave the man a thumbs up.

"That doesn't mean anything." Iruka replied with a harsh tone, "Naruto's like that towards everyone he comes across. He's naturally like that! Nia's no different."

He then clenched his fist as he stared ahead of him, "Nia's not his type. She'll never be his type unless she was to look like a sexy jutsu or something similar. Just look at his crush on Sakura. He used to always bring it up in class: Sakura's pretty, Sakura's cute, I love how she looks at Sasuke cause her smile is so cute. When had he ever brought up anything that has to do with her personality? I've never really heard him saying anything about it. That alone tells us he's the type to go after looks."

Guy sweat dropped, "I think you're reading way too into this, my friend. Maybe Naruto has matured up a bit?"

Iruka sighed, "I'm gonna have to talk to Nia myself then. If she lets her feelings drag on, Naruto will hurt her when he turns her down no matter how he puts it and it won't be because of her personality."

"Do whatever you'd like." Kakashi replied nonchalantly, "Just know you're practically telling her she's unlovable because of her appearance."

Iruka frowned.

I'm sorry, Nia. I just can't let you get hurt over something like this. It's better to hear it from me than from Naruto.

Many yards ahead, Nia kept her eyes to the ground as she was completely unsure of what it was she was feeling inside. To her, she felt immensely confused. Her hands trembled and her palms were somewhat becoming sweaty. She felt electricity was running through her body and her chest felt tight.

"Naruto," She barely spoke loud enough for him to hear. He still stood in front of her, "I never got to say thank you... back in the genjutsu."

"Hm?" The genin blankly stared.

Suddenly, using all the courage she could muster, the kunoichi shakily grabbed onto Naruto's left hand and held it between both of her own hands. After that she brought it up to her forehead then closed her eyes.

"If it weren't for you... if it weren't for you, I would've drowned back there. I would've drowned in my own misery and sorrow," She started as she kept ahold of the boy's hand, "I would've just given up on myself. I would've just given up on my life... just on everything. I almost did too. I was completely in the darkness. I couldn't see a damn thing! I couldn't feel a damn thing other than loneliness, despair, heartache, and rejection. I couldn't see any worth in my life. I was torn and completely lost."

She then tightened her grip and said, "I didn't know what to do. I just wanted to die. I wanted to just to escape from my problems the cowardly way. But..."

A tear dropped to the ground.

"Being able to see how you are made me wanna change. You're the Nine-Tails jinchuuriki and yet... and yet you can find a reason to smile in the end despite how everyone treated you. Seeing how you are makes me smile. It makes me want to better myself.  I feel stronger and more alive because of you.
I wanna be by you. I guess the reason I got all hurt was because deep down, I wanted to be accepted by you. I admire how you're always looking on the bright side. You being like that makes me wanna be just like you in that regard."

Nia then pressed her forehead more onto Naruto's hand. Doing so just made her feel a thousand times more peaceful. However, her emotions became so intense, she found herself crying again.

"N-Now that I'm thinking of it, being by you makes me feel calm too. Listening to you does that also. I don't know why, but you just make me feel that way. Hearing you going on and on about wanting to be hokage makes me want to cheer you on. I don't think I'll ever tire of hearing you speak about your dreams. You make me think of what it is I wanna do and try my best to achieve it too. Somehow, you make me feel safe. You make me wanna be by you. Like if you stumble or fall, I wanna help you up like what you've done for me."

Nia lifted her tear filled eyes and met them with Naruto's sapphire colored orbs.

Man they were just so gorgeous to her suddenly. They were super pretty and a work of art to her. Blue eyes never was attractive to Nia but Naruto's eyes had her completely captivated for some reason. They were beautiful.

"So... because you were able to make me feel this way. Because you were able to make me wanna think differently of myself when no one else could even come close, because you were able to make me snap out of it, because you gave me a reason to endure and keep on living, I see you as a hero. Naruto... you are my hero."

Just as soon as she finished, Nia immediately felt immense anxiety swell up in her. Suddenly, she pulled away from the genin and placed her hands over her face once more.

"Oh no, I'm sorry!" She became completely embarrassed as her whole body trembled, "That sounded really crazy, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sound all weird and stuff! You must think that I'm some complete weirdo or something, huh? I mean-"

"Why are you hiding?" Naruto asked as he then gently grabbed her hand and moved it away.

Nia closed her eyes shut as she then became overwhelmed with nervousness. She hadn't felt that incredibly shy in years. Actually, she never even felt that shy at all. This was a first.

"Curly Brow, look at me."

"I can't! I'm embarrassed!"

"Just open your eyes already, ya know!"

"Okay fine, just stop pestering me."

Slowly but shyly, Nia opened her eyes. However, she absolutely refused to look the blond in the eye.

"I don't really understand why you would thank me when you're the one who made the decision to change yourself..." The genin started, "And I definitely don't know how I made you feel the way that you do, but...

An intense surge then ran through Naruto's veins and he excitedly threw his hands in the air, "I FEEL LIKE THE MAN, YA KNOW?!"

He then jumped into the air and did some random backflips, "I feel amazing! I'm totally on top of the world, ya know?!"

Nia watched as Naruto made a complete fool of himself and sweat dropped.

'What the hell?' She thought to herself as the boy next made multiple copies of himself and started dancing around with them in a circle.

"I'm the coolest! I'm the coolest! I'm the coolest!" They sang as they kicked their legs out.

It almost seemed as though they were all completely drunk. Nia suddenly felt nervous again and began to back up. However, a clone had pulled her close to itself and began rubbing its cheek on her own as it blushed deeply. The clone was experiencing a feeling of euphoria.

"If I'm the one that makes you feel safe, I guess that must mean you think I'm really strong too, huh?" It asked.

Nia completely froze as the clone held her tight. The powerful emotions she felt was too much for her.

"Who said you're the one who makes her feel safe?!" Another clone yelled at the one rubbing its cheek on the paralyzed girl, "She said I'm the one she wants to be by! Hands off you fake!"

That clone then began getting into a fight with the other one. The original then took the chance to grab the kunoichi by her wrist and grinned sheepishly at her.

"If I'm your hero, you must really want me to protect you too, huh?"

"I didn't say any of that!" The girl responded as steam kept pouring out of her burning face. She felt as though it was on fire, "Naruto, what the hell is going on?! This is so out of character! Why're are you acting like this?"

"You acknowledging me like that made me feel really good, ya know! No one's ever called me their own hero. Not even Sakura! Sasuke was always her hero!" He answered with more of a cheerful giddy sound, "I never thought you'd ever see me as your hero, Curly Brow. You always made it look like I bothered you, so this is a surprise, ya know?!"

"But I did like being by you. I think you're really cool and funny."

"Oh, i'm not all that hehe.." Naruto acted all humble though he was completely flattered.

Nia was confused. How was a girl like her all of a sudden making a guy like Naruto get all giddy and happy? Did he really seek acknowledgement that much? Did compliments really make him all flustered?

"Now that you're really letting your guard down, I think this side of you is actually a little cute, ya know? I think you're sorta growing on me. Maybe I should start pulling all types of pranks on you now."

This was enough for the kunoichi to really believe something was wrong with the ninja.

"Naruto, what are you on?!" She tried to pull away from his grasp, "You do realize you're saying this to me, don't you?!"

"Why are you acting so embarrassed for? You pretty much told me you like me right? Girls who calls a guy their hero likes them then, right? Now I get why you said I'm the only one who makes you feel shy. I thought it was weird how you couldn't keep eye contact with me all of a sudden. You're totally head over heels in love with me, right? Riiiight?!"

"But I didn't even-"

"She likes me, not you!" A clone pointed at itself.

The original stood in front of Nia protectively, "She likes me, ya know!"

He then turned and smiled at her, "I'm right, aren't I?"

The chuunin looked away as her heart thudded strongly.

Naruto is really sick. He has to be completely under some kind of spell to be really acting like this. Me saying he's my hero couldn't possibly make him feel this way. No guy could get this way over me saying what I said to him. I'm not pretty enough for it to have an affect!

As his clones got on his nerves, Naruto just erased them from existence and turned back to Nia, who he was beginning to see differently than he had ever did before.

"Naruto, you're kinda making me worried."

Nia was shaken up. Her heart was beating rapidly and her face was completely flushed. The thought of someone possibly taking an interest in her made her feel like she was delusional.

She took Naruto's wrist and had decided that they needed to get to Sakura, "Lets go, Naruto. You're sick for sure. Sakura needs to-"

"You called me your hero."

Nia looked behind her immediately. Naruto had his head down, his bangs covering his eyes.

"That made me feel incredible. To be honest... you saying I make you feel safe made me feel really strong, ya know? Did... you not mean that?"

"You are my hero," Nia confirmed her words again, "but the fact that you're reacting to what I said to you isn't what I'm used to. Any other guy would be disgusted and disturbed by what I told you."

"Are you crazy?! Who would feel disgusted by hearing that?! You totally made me feel like more of a man, ya know?!"

"Huh?" Nia raised a brow.

"If I'm your hero and make you feel safe, that means I have no choice but to protect you like one too, right?" Naruto got all up in the girl's face with a flustered expression.

"I can protect myself."

"Sure..." He rolled his eyes then said, "Tonight we'll be sleeping outside since Captain Yamato went ahead to the Leaf. That means things are going to be crawling around, ya know?"

"W-What things?" Nia went blue in the face.

"Oh nothing much... just huge diseased-filled rats and hungry hairy spiders looking for something nice to eat, ya know. I wonder if you'll be fine with them crawling all over you...?" Naruto then turned and began walking in the direction of his village.

'Rats... and spiders...?' Nia nearly fainted from the thought of those things getting near her.

"Naruto wait!" She grabbed his arm and held it against her chest, "I don't wanna sleep by myself! Sleep with me!"

Immediately, Naruto felt Nia's breasts against him though she was wearing a over-sized shirt.

'Woah, they feel bigger and squishier than my sexy jutsu's.' Naruto glanced down pervertedly as his face warmed, 'She's usually wearing over-sized shirts or jackets so I never really noticed. I didn't think they would actually be the size that I'm feeling right now.'

As Nia waited for an answer, Naruto only thought about how he could make his sexy jutsu's breasts more real like so it could have more of an effect on men.

"Naruto, I don't feel safe when you're not by me. Please sleep with me tonight?"

"Oh I don't know..." The genin scratched his cheek as his ego felt like it was at a high, "Do you really need me around to protect you?"

Nia nodded, "Yes! Please! I'm scared to death of those things! You already know that, don't you?!"

Naruto looked at the squirming girl with a slight blush, "I mean I can protect you and all... since I'm your hero, ya know? But I'm kinda not sure you really meant that. Am I really your hero?"

The blond was clearly fishing for compliments and a boost in his ego.

"YES!" Nia squeezed tighter on her friend's arm.

'They're so much better than my sexy jutsu's for sure... even Sakura's.' Naruto once more stared down.

"NARUTOOOOO!" A very dark presence stood behind the two teens.

Naruto panicked as he realized Iruka had caught him in the act of being perverted.

"Wait! It's not what it looks like, Iruka-sensei! I was just-"

"ENOUGH!" Iruka slammed his fist on the ninja, "You sneaky pervert! You thought you'd get away with something like that while I'm around?!"

"I-I'm sorry." Naruto apologized as Nia then asked if he was alright, completely unaware of what he had been doing.

'Well she did have her breasts against his arm.' Kakashi looked down at Naruto who was stuck in the ground with a bump on his head, 'Its natural for a guy to be tempted by something like that so you can't really be blamed for being carried away, Naruto.'

---

A/N - This chapter was sorta weird to me lmaoooo. It was fun to write though. Before you guys go crazy, NO Nia did not make a love confession. She was thanking Naruto but he just thought she was confessing because what she was telling him reminded him of what Sakura had felt toward Sasuke in certain cases. (Ex: I wanna be accepted by you)

Naruto's the type who's absolutely FLATTERED whenever someone gives him compliments or makes him feel acknowledged so Nia's speech to him greatly affected him because she gave him that acknowledgement he wanted on a deep level.

As for his feelings... idk you guys can think whatever you want lmao. I'm just gonna keep everything to myself 😂

Yes, Hanshin did escape. That'll be explained in a different chapter. Anyway, thanks for reading and please comment and vote.

Have a great day!