Chapter 82: The Aftermath And Naruto's Strong Feelings

A few hours had passed since Naruto and Kiba had gotten into a brawl. The two were beaten quite badly, Nia had cleaned and freshened herself up, and all except Kiba and Akamaru had continued on their journey. It was decided Kiba would stay behind as he had caused the whole disruption in the first place.

Currently, the group was taking one last break in the afternoon as Nia was changing Naruto's bandages.

"I'm so sorry," She told him as she observed his black eye before placing an ice pack on it, "Its all my fault you're wounded and everything."

Aside from the black eye, the genin suffered from many bruises and scratches due to his fight with the Inuzuka. However, out of the two them, Kiba was more banged up as he was suffering from a broken arm as well as a black eye too and many bruises like Naruto did.

"Curly Brow, it's not even your fault so stop apologizing, would ya?" Naruto told her as he rested against a tree, "You weren't in the wrong. You forgave that guy for what he said about you, did to you, and how he tried to convince me to break up with or cheat on you. You even offered friendship and treated him and Akamaru kindly, only for him to go all crazy and abuse you the way he did."

He then noticed the minor injuries the kunoichi had on herself as she had actually joined in the fight at some point also.

"Besides... worry about yourself for once. You got pretty banged up too. Mend your wounds instead of mine, ya know?"

"You know I can't do that," Nia refused as she finished changing the blonde's bandages, "I care for you too much."

She then stood while saying, "There... you're patched up now."

With a sigh, the blonde grabbed ahold of the kunoichi's wrist.

"You need to sit down," He told her, "Stop trying to save the bandages for me and change yours right away."

"But-"

"Curly Brow, haven't you noticed your wound reopened? You're bleeding through your own bandage. Sit down and let me help you."

"I am?" Nia just looked at her arm to see blood indeed trickling down from it.

Reluctantly, she sat back down and allowed the genin to care for her as she did him. However, as he did so, all the girl could do was blush.

"Seriously, you've gotta realize I want any wounds you may have to be properly dressed too, ya know?" He told her as he cleaned the blood for her, "You focus on caring for me so much, you don't even notice when you need medical attention."

"Is that... bad?"

"Only when you're clearly hurt yourself. Otherwise, no."

"Oh... I didn't realize you felt that way. I apologize."

Naruto shook his head, "No, you don't have to apologize or anything."

He then noticed the troubled expression the girl wore as she stared elsewhere as was indeed upset about the whole thing.

"But hey..." He weakly turned his head to get a better look at her, "Thanks, ya know..."

"Hm?" Nia raised a brow.

"Thanks for always caring about me so selflessly... You're always there for me and you make me feel amazing," The blonde told her softly as he gave a warm smile, "I... never really talk about my feelings as much as you do, but... you should know I really do care about you, ya know? Even when I'm being a pain or you're getting upset or angry about something, I still... love you."

Quickly, blood began to pour into Nia's face. However, Naruto averted his eyes and raised a knee up before resting an arm atop of it.

"I'm still sorry about Kiba too..." He added softly, "I can tell... he hurt your feelings really badly. You've been so quiet since we left the village and you keep walking with your head down."

"Oh..." Nia replied slowly.

The genin faced her again.

"Listen, I know that what he said and did was hurtful, but don't let it get you down. If you really feel the need to cry then I'm not gonna force you to not let it all out, but... I know that you're in much better condition than you were when I first met you. Besides... I told you I'm not leaving or betraying you cause someone wants me to."

Nia sniffled a bit as this passed through her ears. There were water in her eyes but she fought back the urge to let them loose.

Seeing this, Naruto sighed, "Seriously, if you need to cry then you might as well do it and let those feelings wash out. Just make sure you can still get back up right after, ya know?"

Nia shook her head, "No... I don't... wanna cry this time..."

"Hm?" The blonde was a bit surprised to hear what he did.

He watched as Nia bit on her lip in an effort to keep her tears locked up.

"I... I feel so sad you got injured because of me and I feel terrible because I don't wanna strain the relationships you have with other people," She told him as she could no longer keep in her guilt as tears rolled down her cheeks, "I'm so sorry. I tried so hard to get along with everyone. I really did. I'm sorry..."

With that, she sniffled a few more times before covering her eyes in her hands and crying into them, "I'm sorry you gotta deal with what you're dealing with because you chose to go out with someone no one thinks is pretty enough. I'm sorry! I f-feel so baaaad."

"What?!" The genin was stunned and leaned forward, "You mean you're sad because you're thinking of how I'm being treated and how I'm injured instead of being upset over how you're being treated and how injured you are?!"

The kunoichi nodded, "O-Of course! I..."

With widened eyes, the boy could only stare in disbelief, "You were worried about me this whole time... and I thought you were thinking about yourself..."

As the realization dawned onto him, Naruto's eyes became half lidded, his lips formed into a squirmy sort of smile, and his face became as red as a tomato.

Without hesitation, he then quickly took Nia's hand and held it between them while also using his free hand to wrap it around her shoulder and bring her closer to him to where they were then locking eyes with one another.

To Nia, everything had became much like an intense romantic dream. She could've sworn the background had became a mixture of pink and white while there was sparkles decorated across it as well. And oh, the most important detail seemed to have been happening as well: Wind seemed to be blowing the genin's hair softly from an unknown direction.

"Man... you really are beautiful, ya know?" He told her as her tears suddenly began to dry up.

"W-What?" Nia was a bit thrown off on how the blonde was suddenly acting.

"Really!" He squeezed her hand as he maintained eye contact, "I... can't believe how much you care about me! It feels overwhelming!"

Fearing as this was a bad sign as she believed the boy was thinking of her as obsessive or crazy, Nia apologized.

"Oh, I didn't mean to come across that way. Maybe the way I care is too much to handle... I'm sorry, but I swear I'm not crazy or obsessive like you think I am. I just really-"

"I don't think that at all!" The blonde interrupted, "The way you care is just unbelievable! I'm so... enamored with you! I'm completely insanely crazy for you, I swear!"

"Naruto..."

"I mean it! And Curly Brow... Kiba may think you're... unsightly, but I think you're pretty. I really think so. I'm horrible with words and I don't exactly know how to express the way I feel all the time, but... I love you more than anything else in the world, ya know!"

"R-Really?" Nia's heart then beated wildly, "More than anything? You love me that much?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah... I'm completely in love with you. If we weren't so young... I would ask you to marry me right now. I can't let go of someone like you. You're awesome, Curly Brow."

"Naruto..." The kunoichi placed a hand over her face as she felt a surge of ecstasy pouring through her while her face seemed to redden all the way down to her chest, "Y-You'd marry me?"

"YES!" He gave a serious look, "I gotta have you with me! If you were to ever leave me, I don't know what I would do. I'd be totally devastated! It would take me forever to get over you! I love you with all my heart! I wanna protect you for the rest of your life! I really would give my life for you! I'd do anything, ya know!"

The kunoichi could only stare at the blonde with widened eyes as he still squeezed onto her hand.

'Woah...' She thought as the two gazed deeply in the other's eyes, 'He's really serious... His eyes says it all... He's completely in freaking love with me... he's really in love with me... and oh my goodness... he wants to marry me when we're older! He wants to... protect me forever... He wants to be with me forever...'

She then affectionately placed a hand on the boy's chest then on his face.

I feel like I'm gonna die... What should I say to him? I mean, we really are young, but I'd love to marry someone like him...

"Thank you." She ended up replying," I feel... the exact same way for you. And these injuries... I still really am sorry."

"Ah, don't worry about it. This is nothing, ya know! Besides, I wanted to protect you. I'd fight Kiba over and over again if it meant keeping you safe!"

Hearing this, Nia smiled and pecked the ninja on the cheek.

"You really are a hero. I owe you one," She told him straight after as she then stood up again, "Anyways, now that I've cleaned and re-bandaged your wounds, how about you get some rest while I'll go and cook you something? I know you haven't ate since morning and it's already almost dark. You must be starving, huh?"

"Yeah, I actually am really hungry." The blonde placed his hand on his stomach as it made a slight grumbling noise.

"No problem, but before I go and do that, would you like anything else right now? Like water maybe?"

"No, I'm all right. Thanks though."

"Well okay. You're welcome." Nia then began to walk away, "I'll be back so try not to wander off somewhere please."

"I'll be here." Naruto replied as he then could've sworn he had heard the sound of a twig breaking.

He looked around but didn't see anyone or anything. However, there was someone who had recently showed up. They were behind a tree, staring at the boy as he had his back against the tree he was sitting under with the ice pack being held over his bruised eye.

'Oh Naruto..." Hinata sighed as she watched the blonde be in pain, 'I wish I would've jumped in when I had the chance, but... I was unsure. I didn't know whether to help you or help Kiba. In the end... you both ended up badly wounded due to me not having the courage to stop you. Nia was the one who tried to help you, but Kiba managed to land a few hits on her and that's when everything took a turn for the worst. Kiba ended up with a broken arm soon after that and now he's unable to continue this mission.'

As she kept her eye on the blonde, Naruto could only think of one thing as he frowned.

Man... some hero I am... Curly Brow ended up getting in between the fight with Kiba and I but as she was busy trying to break it up, Kiba whammed her on the head a few times and continued to attack her as she was already sick to her stomach thanks to what he had poured down on her before the brawl. Because of that, I got a little too upset and ended up breaking his arm... I feel awful, but man... no one hurts Curly Brow like that and gets away with it, ya know?

His eyes then landed on his backpack next to him as he reached to grabbed something in it.

Her birthday is tomorrow but since we won't be getting back from this mission until maybe three days from now, I couldn't bring some of the gifts I bought her and will have to wait till we return to the village. However...

He took a bouquet of red roses out from it as a pink envelope with a heart attached to it was at the center of it and the envelope was placed gently between the flowers.

Sai's book said that girls are a sucker to these sorta things. Last bouquet I bought with that big ol' teddy bear, Curly Brow was so happy, she slept with me multiple times for a couple or few days! I think I got laid three times each day at the very least and it was amaaaaaaziing, ya know! Keeping her happy will give me less stress, a better relationship, and more sex! Alriiight!

He then gazed at the girl far ahead of him as she seemed to have been making his favorite meal for him. Her back was turned towards him and so she wasn't aware of his eyes on her.

'Most importantly though,' The genin continued to think to himself, 'Sai's book helped me to set a date up for when this mission is over. I would like to go on dates more regularly as often as we become intimate, but there's always something that comes up so that we can't go on dates as much, ya know? I hope she doesn't think I'd rather just keep her bed and not bother to take her out more often. I don't wanna be that kind of guy.'

Going through his bag, the genin then grinned widely as he pulled out a white with pink stripes lingerie corset, a pink thong with a white garter belt around it, light pink stockings, pink gloves, and to top it all off, a light pink hat with a cross to go along with it.

'Ehehe,' He giggled to himself with reddening cheeks as he thought about what he believed would be happening during the nighttime of the kunoichi's birthday, 'When it's time for us to share a room alone with one another, I'll whip this sexy nurse outfit out, get her to put it on, have her check my dangerously high temperature, lay her on the sheets, spread those legs wide open then... BAM! Bury myself soooo deep inside her, hear her go "Ohhh Narutooo~ Narutooo~ You're my herooo~ I love youuu~", I'll just keep thrusting my hips forward while going "ARGH, Curly Brow~ AH~ OOOHH~ Good girl~ Now turn around so I can hit it from behind too~ ALL RIIIIGHT~ YEAAAHHH~ Good giiirrll~", then when she's done climaxing, I'll bury myself all the way deep inside her and-'

...

Suddenly, the genin's eyes turned into two small black dots and his mouth stayed close tightly as he quickly realized everything he had just said in his mind.

As soon as this processed through his mind, he went bonkers.

"GYAAAH!" He shouted as he dramatically grabbed at each side of his head, "WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING?! THAT'S SOMETHING ONLY PERVY SAGE WOULD SAY TO HIMSELF!"

Alerted to the yelling, Hinata became startled as Naruto continued to freak out.

"Ohhhh maaaan! Does that mean I'm turning into some dirty old pervert like that guy?! No way! It can't be! I told myself I'd never turn out to be a creepy pervert like he is! So then why the hell was I just thinking all those dirty things?!"

Taking a deep breath, Naruto just decided to stay calm and sit back down. After doing that for a minute or two, he thought about how he wanted Nia to be delightfully surprised at the flowers he bought her and the card or love letter he wrote for her. Carefully, he placed it safely in her book bag and zipped it up.

With that accomplished, he smiled to himself.

Her diary was full of love letters for me practically... and I know I can't write nearly as good as her or Pervy Sage, but... I think returning the favor by writing down my feelings for her should be able to put a huge smile on her face for a while. Hopefully she'll be able to read past my horrific handwriting and spelling errors though, ya know? When we get back to Konoha, I'll give her the last of the gifts I bought her with the last of my money. I hope she'll like it. It would be worth all the money spent in that case.

With the nurse outfit still in plain sight, Naruto quickly took that and stuffed it into his bag as to avoid having it get dirty. After that, he watched as Nia pour hot water into his ramen cup while he seemed to think back on something that happened a pretty while ago.

'To think she's making me ramen when it seemed not that long ago she thought that if her and ramen were to be thrown off a cliff at the same time, I'd risk my life for the ramen...' Naruto sweat dropped as he reflected back on this memory.

"Naruto..." The boy heard a voice and snapped out of his thoughts as he recalled only his point of view of things from the memory.

In front of him was Nia holding his cup ramen in her hand,.

"Your ramen is done." She told him.

"Awesome!" The blonde grinned and lightly took the cup away then grabbed ahold of the chopsticks, "Thanks a lot, Curly Brow!"

Nia only smiled, "You're welcome. Just make sure to eat up good cause once you're done, we're going the last few miles to get where we need to be before morning."

With a nod, Naruto began to slurp his noodles into his mouth. Meanwhile, Hinata kept watch as the two began to have yet another conversation. She wondered about the bouquet and had actually missed where he had placed the item as she had gotten distracted by Shino's and Yamato's conversation not too far from her.

Oh Naruto... you've been so kind to her... You even protected her from Kiba like how you protected me from the bullies when we were little...

Worried that if she'd stay any longer, she'd be spotted, Hinata left to rejoin with Shino and Yamato as she waited for the group to keep moving once more.

'One day he'll understand how I feel... ' She told herself as she thought of her crush while walking away with seemingly determined eyes and closed fists, 'One day...'

And so, as soon as Naruto finished his meal, just as Nia wanted, the group set out once more to reach the village they were assigned to save. After about an hour or so doing that, they made it to what seemed like either a large factory or palace of some sort.

It was a lone structure that reached the sky. It was a complete mess, to put it nicely. From outside the boarded windows, the shabby wood paneling and the pealing door that was bolted with iron rods, all looked scary and threatening enough to keep the limited number of villagers who wished to rescue their loved ones away from the place.

It was also very hot and almost foggy as steam poured from out the ground. It practically had a humid feel to the village. To Nia, as she wasn't used to being in such heated conditions as she spent the majority of her life in the Cloud where it was mostly cold and windy, the temperature here was close to unbearable for her.

Ahead of them was a rather long line of people that were splinted into two rows. A ninja who seemed to be like a guard was putting his hand on one random person from both rows who stood next to one another.

"Good, your village did as promised and sent one Aries of Heaven and one Aries of Hell..." The guard spoke to a couple of shinobi that were from a small village, "You are to follow the man behind me to lead you inside the palace."

As this cycle continued and Nia was able to observe what was going on at their current spot behind a bush a few yards back as she still needed intel on the interior structure of the building and how many people were being held captive.

"Hinata," She turned to the Hyuga, "What can you see from inside the building?"

Already having her byakugan activated, Hinata answered, "Dozens... no hundreds of people inside. It looks like a lot of them are in cells or are being led somewhere."

"Is there any secret entrances or exits? Any at all?"

"Hmm..." The girl surveyed the area with pure concentration, "There may be one that leads to an underground tunnel of some sort and one that leads to another tunnel passage."

"Since Lady Hokage assigned you as team captain for this mission, what orders would you like to give to us?" Yamato commented as Nia thought to herself for a moment.

"Hmm..." A thought then came into her head, "Okay, while Naruto and I turn ourselves in so we can get easy access to the inside without causing a huge disruption and decreasing the chances of the enemy getting upset and possibly killing many or everyone kept hostage at once, this is what I would like the rest of you to do please..."

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A/N - Hiii :) so I was gone last week cause I needed a break, but I'm back this week. I may keep posting every week or I may change it to once every two weeks.

Also, I know you guys wanted to see the fight against Kiba and Naruto, but after looking at the comments from last chapter, I decided against it because... there was TOO MUCH swearing. I mean you guys got no filter sometimes and usually I'm fine with it but you guys are getting a little too crazy with your language lol.

The way I originally wrote the fight scene would've caused you guys to litter the comment section with swearing and the majority of it would've been comments I can't respond to thanks to it being under review by wattpad. If you guys really need to cuss, please be sure to write in a way where it won't get flagged or something so I can reply to you.

Example: f%ck, a$$hole, etc...

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading! Please comment and vote and have a great day ❤️

QOTD:

1. Fave Part?

2. Fave Line?

3. Between Naruto and Nia, who do you think has the strongest feelings at this point in the story and why?