Chapter 86: Nia's Ultimate Proof Of Love

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!" A vicious growl came from Naruto as he was weakly walking around with an IV still hooked onto him and bandages circled around him throughout the palace.

It had been an hour since the medics had began working on him and managed to take out the poison that was injected into him. However, as soon as his eyes opened and he was able to move, Naruto sprung out of bed and began angrily storming in the halls.

"Naruto, calm down. Why don't you rest some more?" Hinata followed the boy in worry.

"Why'd you guys let him take Curly Brow away?!" He had an arm over his stomach with a hand gripping the IV as he limped, "That bastard was the one who did this to me then he has the nerve to force Curly Brow to stay away from me?! She wasn't there when I woke up! I want to see her right now, ya know! Where is she?!"

Feeling a disturbing feeling clutch at him once more, Naruto collapsed onto a knee as he began vomiting blood once more.

"Naruto!" Hinata lowered herself and placed a hand on his back, "Are you alright?"

"This isn't the time to be looking for Nia right now," Yamato, who was with them, scolded the blonde, "We need to get you back in bed and get you properly treated. Nia was forced out of the room but she truly wanted to see you when you awoke just as badly as we did. I'm sure she wants you to stay in bed so-"

"Hinata," The genin interrupted the man, "do me a favor and use that byakugan of yours and help me find Curly Brow and the feudal lord, please."

With a nod, the Hyuga activated her technique and began surveying the area. There was no sign of the two on the floor the ninja were currently on and no sign of them below either. However, when the girl looked up, she spotted her targets as they seemed to be in a heated altercation.

"They're a floor above," She told her crush as he began to move toward the stairs, "It looks like they're arguing about something. Nia looks very uncomfortable."

"What're we waiting for then?! Let's get moving, ya know?"

Where Nia and Akihiko were, things were definitely getting extreme between the two.

"I just don't get it!" The feudal lord pushed a table down to its side, "Why is it that you love him so much?! Why can't you direct that love at me?! I can give you ANYTHING you want! Just name it, Miss Nia!"

"I want to see my boyfriend!" She only replied, unfazed by what he did, "He's extremely sick and he needs me by his side so let me leave already! I don't have feelings for you, Akihiko. I love- KYA!"

"You listen here!" The young man grasped tightly onto the girl's upper arms and pushed her to the wall, "You don't have a choice on whether or not you'll be with me! Once a feudal lord decides on the woman whom he wants—single, taken, married, or whatever, they are to be his no matter what. You are to be my wife and I don't wanna her anything else from-GUAH!"

Slamming her foot against his stomach, Nia sent Akihiko crashing to the wall many feet behind him and slid down to his bottom while Nia placed a hand on her hip and glared daggers into his eyes.

"Let's not forget that I can easily whoop your ass if you ever lay a finger on me or worst yet, treat me as if I'm some object that has no say in a matter!" She spoke in a deadly tone.

Being as he wasn't hit too hard, Akihiko stood back on his two feet though he felt a throb on his midsection and had to place a hand over it to relieve the pain around it.

"How dare you hit your husband like that." He scolded the teen.

"I'm not married to you. What world you live in?"

Coughing for a brief moment, the feudal lord only answered, "You're ridiculous for rejecting me. You're completely delusional if you believe he finds you attractive and actually feels love towards you. He pities you. Seriously. Why can't you see that?! Everyone thinks you're hideous. I'm the one who thinks otherwise. I deserve you."

"Shut up," The girl retaliated, "You're just trying to put all these lies in my head that I can't be loved in a romantic sense. You're so full of shit just like the rest of these retarded people who only care about how someone looks."

"Attraction needs personality and looks, Miss Nia. You have no beauty."

"Akihiko, you better shut the hell up before I really shove my foot down your throat. You really aren't helping yourself cause right now, I really dislike you to a point where I don't think I can ever forgive you. And yes, I know love needs attraction and personality to work. I'm not the prettiest girl, but I sure as hell am worthy of being loved so you and everyone else who thinks I'm not can take their opinion and shove it right up their ass! I am beautiful as I am. I am not ugly no matter what you people say! It's not true!"

"Feisty..." The feudal lord chuckled, "What an admirable quality you have there."

"Listen... you shouldn't force your feelings on someone. Yes, you should let them know how you feel, but... to do something so selfish as to not let them make their own decision on how they feel toward you or someone else... that's not love."

"I'm sure that's how you won over Naruto though, Miss Nia."

"No," Nia shot that assumption down, "I didn't force my feelings on him. It was the opposite... I pushed him away from me. I was afraid of developing feelings or getting close to someone so I was rude to him so he wouldn't end up hurting me as stupid as that was. However, when I warmed up to him and his heart only belonged to some other girl...I did my best to say by his side anyway. Sure, it irritated me that he liked someone else but I never told him it was wrong for him to not like me. I'm not entitled to his love. I did work myself and put in the effort though to gain those feelings directed towards me however."

"So you really believe you're beautiful?" The feudal lord raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," Nia answered truthfully, "I am worth loving, I am worth being friends with, I am worth being alive, I am worth having my dreams and desires come true. I am a beautiful human being no matter what anyone says and if they can't see my beauty, that's too bad for them cause I am one of the last few good people on this planet. I. AM. BEAUTIFUL!"

"Well-"

"CURLY BROW!" The door was suddenly kicked down as Naruto, Hinata, and Yamato made their appearance known.

"Naruto!" Nia felt her heart leap for joy as she ran over to him and hugged him around his neck while crying tears of joy on his shoulder, "N-Naruto, you're still a-alive. I-I'm so, so ha-happy! I was so w-worried about you."

"I was worried about you too," He told her with a relieved look on his face while putting his hand on the small of her back, "You alright, sweetheart?"

"S-Sweetheart?" The girl blushed heavily as Naruto only nodded and softly kissed her forehead.

"Mhm, you're my sweet little angel. You're so incredibly cute and adorable, Curly Brow. I totally adore you, ya know?"

"Naruto..." Nia's heart skipped a beat and butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she covered her reddened face while hearts floated above her head.

Meanwhile, feeling the sting of what her crush said to another girl yet alone kissed her forehead and give a loving embrace to her, Hinata lowered her head as her bangs casted a dark shadow over her eyes. Almost immediately, she walked out of the room and began running down the hall as this greatly confused everyone.

"Hinata!" The blonde called her to no avail, "Where the heck you going?!"

"I'll go check on her." Yamato responded as he raced out of the room and followed the Hyuga.

Moments after he left, Akihiko frowned as he saw Naruto still have his arm around Nia.

"When will this act of yours finally be over?" He asked as he folded his arms, "You and I both know you're with her cause you pity her."

"What the hell is your problem?!" The genin was furious, "Why're you so obsessed with Curly Brow?! She's turned you down multiple times! Leave her alone already!"

"I love miss Nia!" The feudal lord confessed, "I've loved her since the day I met her! She deserves to be loved, cared for, appreciated, and taken care of. She's the best thing I've ever came across! You don't deserve her! You think she's ugly!"

"I don't think she's ugly! She's a rare type of girl to find! Yeah, we might've had a rocky start and had some ups and downs, but Curly Brow is easily one of the most amazing woman to have as a girlfriend!"

Akihiko growled, "She would make one hell of a good wife! The women I've experienced just care about my money or status. It's hard to find a faithful woman and yet here you are with a phenomenal good-hearted, extremely loyal, non-goldiggin' woman! You stole her from me!"

"She was never yours to begin with!" Naruto replied, "I had her way before you came around. Curly Brow has always been by my side and sacrifices everything for my sake. You think I'm really going to give her up to you?! She means everything to me! I love her to death!"

"Naruto..." The girl was a bit surprised to hear the ninja say that so passionately.

"Says the person who found her ugly at first sight!" The feudal lord rebuttal.

"!"

Guilt struck right at Naruto's core as he lowered his head and looked away from the kunoichi as this fact was spoken. Meanwhile, the sting was felt once more inside Nia's heart as this was brought up.

Neither said a word as Akihiko shook his head in disapproval.

"You guys are just that pity couple. Miss Nia, you deserve better than this. You deserve someone whom thought you were beautiful the moment they laid eyes on you. Not someone like that disgrace right there," He pointed at the blonde before spreading his arms out, "All you've ever wanted was to be held in someone's arms and feel all the pain and suffering you ever went through to just go away, correct?"

"Of course I've always wanted to be in someone's arms... I'm not going to deny that. I do want to love and be loved in return. It's one of my greatest desires in life," The girl admitted, "That and being a mother to a lot of my own children in the future."

"It's so sad, Miss Nia..." Akihiko said, "It's obvious you'd make an amazing wife and mother, but no one is going to give you that chance to show it because you're not physically attractive enough. It saddens me to know such potential will be going to waste. I feel bad that you'll have to go through life all alone and not be able to share it with someone who loves you. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of loneliness and suffering you'll be going through. No one to wake up to, no one to hug you or tell you they love you, no one to kiss or have sex with, no one to laugh with, no child to call you mommy, no family adventures, no meals to cook for anyone, no one to lay down their life for you. You'll be all... alone. You'll die... alone."

"RRGH! THAT'S IT!" Nia completely lost it and attempted to attack the feudal lord, only to have Naruto hold her back as she thrashed around in his grip, "I'LL KILL YOU FOR SAYING THAT!"

"Curly Brow, calm down!" The blonde told her as he tried his best to restrain her, "He's just trying to mess with your head and make you extremely anxious and afraid, ya know!"

"LET GO OF MEEEE! I DARE YOU TO SAY I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO HAVE CHILDREN AGAIN AND BE ALONE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! I DARE YOUUUU!"

"CURLY BROW, RELAX!"

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Akihiko busted out laughing as he watched just how extreme Nia's reaction to his insensitive words were, "Struck a nerve did I?! Look how angry you are! That's how you know I'm right about you being alone! AHAHAHA!"

The man had achieved what no one else couldn't: The breaking point of Nia's patience. At that moment, she was completed blinded by a powerful overwhelming fire of rage that could never be out no matter what anyone would try.

"Damn it! Would you quit talking already?! She's going crazy over here! I've never seen her so agitated before! She'll rip your head off if I let her go, ya know!"

"Oh, shut up. You and I both know you're going to cheat on her if you already haven't, you loud-mouth brat." The young man sneered, "You might as well just hand her over to me."

"I've never cheated on her and I never will cheat on her! She's already been hurt enough as is! I would never increase that suffering by betraying or abandoning her! NEVER!"

"Hm?" Nia stopped thrashing around as Naruto lightened his hold.

"You people are so annoying when you think I'm gonna do something to hurt her just cause you don't find her cute! Well, I think... she's the cutest thing ever!"

"Naruto..." Nia began to blush incredibly hard as the boy turned her towards him and hugged her.

"I like you, Curly Brow. Stay with me." He told her as this seemed to be enough to calm her down.

"Of course I will. I'd do anything for you, baby."

Akihiko cringed, "Did you really have to call him baby? Why don't you call me daddy instead?"

"Ew, just stay quiet." Nia broke out of the hug as she wore a displeasing expression on her face, "To answer your question about the whole Naruto didn't feel an instant attraction to me... Yes... he wasn't attracted to me at first, but like I said before, I'm not going to hold that against him. He thinks I'm pretty now and that's all that matters and I'm sick of you butting into our relationship and trying to make him sound bad so I can leave him for you. You think I care about how rich you are, how handsome you appear, how you're so up the social status ladder? You think I care if you're some feudal lord or whatever?"

"Well... I do sound good, don't I?"

"Sure... to someone who doesn't give a crap about actual love." The kunoichi retaliated, "Listen, I don't care if Naruto's not as rich as you, as royal as you, or anything like that. I like him the way he is. I like people for who they are and not for what they have. The guy I like doesn't have to be this perfect ten out of ten or super rich. The main thing I care about is how he is as a human being. Naruto isn't perfect and can definitely get on my nerves or even be annoying and frustrating sometimes, but I love him despite his flaws and love how he carries himself. No one would ever be able to rip that love away from me. Not even you. I don't return your feelings... I apologize."

Feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, Naruto grinned as this had made him joyous and next held onto Nia's hand as she became flustered rather quickly and began to smile to herself when the blonde gave her a flirtatious smirk.

"Naruto..." She couldn't stop herself from trying to hide her feelings again, "Don't smile at me like that and hold my hand so affectionately at the same time. You're making me blush really hard and making my heart race. My whole body is going to get red if this keeps up."

"Well your feelings is making me feel flustered too. The way you express them is so touching," He told her with slightly rosy cheeks as he then puckered his lips, "Come here, Curly Brow. Give your hero a kiss, baby."

"Narutooo," She only buried her face in his chest out of shyness and kept her small hands on it as well, "I can't. I'm too shy right now. I really like you."

"Curly Brow," The genin became smitten and embraced the girl and rested his cheek atop her head as he closed his eyes, smiled to himself, and enjoyed the moment, "I really like you too, ya know?"

Watching as the two shared this innocent moment, Akihiko lowered his eyes as he felt a sadness override him; an emptiness.

"Curly Broooow." Naruto kept rubbing his cheek against Nia's as she only became even more shy and tried to softly push away from him.

"Naruto, c'mon..." She couldn't stop blushing, "You gotta let go. Focus, all right?"

"Naruto... how is it that you're even still alive? That poison should've killed you." Akihiko then broke the moment as the blonde suddenly snapped his eyes in his direction and lightly pushed Nia with his arm so she'd stand behind him and out of danger.

"Bastard!" He grabbed the feudal lord by the collar and slammed him to the wall, "I knew it was you all along! Why the hell did you try and kill me?!"

Akihiko chuckled, "You're not very bright, are you? It's obvious I wanted to take you out so I can have Miss Nia to myself... you sealed your fate when I heard you slamming into my poor queen yesterday night."

"You heard all of that?!" This embarrassed Nia.

"Of course I did and from the sounds of it, he's too rough with you. Miss Nia, don't you prefer a man to be soft and gentle with you?"

"Well, I do like it rough at times, but other times... I'd really like the lovemaking to be a bit more... gentle and for the touching and kissing to be a bit more longer before we do it."

"Curly Brow..." The genin suddenly lowered his head as if a weight had crashed down onto it, "Am I really that terrible in bed?"

"No, you're not terrible, it's just-"

"Miss Nia, no need to try and save his ego. The boy is extremely inexperienced. You need a man like me to make you orgasm uncontrollably." Akihiko interrupted as this fumed Naruto's anger.

"YOU SHUT UP!" He threw a right hook and had his opponent fall straight to his right side on the floor.

The older man rubbed his cheek as blood came down the corner of his mouth.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are, but it's taking all of my strength to not kill you right now!" The blonde told Akihiko as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, "First you keep trying to take my girlfriend away from me, tried to put her down, then you even tried to murder me in cold blood! Give me one reason why I shouldn't just-"

Immediately, the same agonizing pain the blonde had felt earlier before coming into the room once again made its way back. Collapsing to his knees and using one hand to hang onto the IV beside him, Naruto coughed out blood as everything around him began to get blurry.

"Naruto!" Nia fell to her knees as she came to his aid, "Naruto, that's enough for now. You're too sick to be out of bed for this long. We need to hurry and get you some help!"

'Damn...' The genin thought to himself as he panted hard, 'What the hell is going on?! They said the poison was taken out of my body, but... I still feel like I'm gonna... like I'm gonna...'

Blacking out as his body gave out on him, Naruto completely flopped onto the floor face first as Nia immediately panicked and shook him worriedly.

"Naruto? Naruto!" She cried out to him.

Akihiko only laughed to himself, "He's as good as dead. The poison already did enough damage to his body even if it's been drawn out of him. With him dead, you have no choice but to lay with me, Miss Nia."

"You're damn right evil!" She told him with tears in her eyes as she placed Naruto's arm around her neck and her arm around his waist as to stand him up, "There's no way in hell I'd ever marry someone like you! You're crazy and need some help!"

With that, Nia carried the boy out of the room as she took the next minute or so to get him back into the medical room and lay him on his bed.

"Begin working on him now!" She ordered the staff as they all nodded and began doing as they were told.

For the next twenty minutes or so, they did their best to try and help the unconscious ninja as the rest of the assigned shinobi of the mission found their way to the room and watched with concern as Naruto was being tended to.

"Doctor, we need blood right away!" A female medic scurried around the room as others were looking for a pint or two of either B+, B-, or O- blood.

"There are no blood types suitable for that young man stored with us right now, Taiyu. The last of it was carried away by a messenger to another village who needed it more a few days back."

"This is the hospital room, isn't it?!" Yamato stood from his chair as he was allowed in the room with Hinata, Nia, and Shino, "How is it you can't help Naruto?!"

The room was filled with muted morning sunlight - the shades on all the windows drawn. Hinata and Shino stood on the other side of the room, speaking together in hushed tones though Hinata was very upset and very worried over the condition of her crush. Nia sat close beside the only hospital bed in the room, her face shadowed with worry and unspeakable heartache. She felt her heart twist in the middle of her chest.

Naruto laid like a tiny island in a sea of bedding. His frail body was barely even visible under all the blankets. Wires, tubes, and IV lines snaked off his arms and chest to half a dozen beeping, humming machines on either side of the bed - like they were the only things tethering the boy to life. An oxygen mask had been fitted over his nose and mouth, covering the lower half of his face. His body was a violently painted tapestry of pain. Purple bruises, raw cuts covered almost every inch of the boy's ghostly pale skin - almost the same shade of white as the very sheets he lay against.

Signs of a struggle taking place between him and someone else was evident but though he was alive, he had lost a massive amount of blood due to the blood he routinely vomited every so often.

The kunoichi felt drowned in a flood of anguish and sorrow. This wasn't right. This shouldn't have happened. Naruto barely looked alive. If it wasn't for the rhythmic beeping of the machines around him, Nia was sure she would have thought her guy dead.

"There's no blood available that's compatible with him, Doctor." The nurse spoke, "He's going to die."

"Please, there has to be a way for you to save him!" Hinata spoke as she placed a curled fist near her heart while Shino kept her away by resting a hand on her shoulder.

"The boy's blood is B+." The medic in charge noted, "No one in this village has the blood required to save his life..."

"My blood is A-," Hinata declared, "Maybe you can-"

"No," The doctor shook his head, "His blood can only be compatible with one who has either his blood type, B- blood, or O- blood. Any other blood type will be rejected by his body."

"How is it no one here has the blood needed to save him?" Shino asked as this bothered him.

The doctor replied, "It's just an unfortunate circumstance."

"I'd gladly give my blood, but I also have a blood type of A." Yamato made his blood type known.

"I suppose I can't help him either. My blood is AB." Shino did the same.

Taking his gloves off, the doctor informed the group, "We've done everything we could for him, including taking the poison out of him. However, he's lost too much blood from all his vomiting and desperately needs a blood transfusion which we can't do for him. Without it, he'll die in the next half hour... So... I'm sorry to say, but... it's time for you all to say your goodbyes."

"Impossible!" Yamato's eyes quivered while Hinata broke down in tears and hid her face in her hands while Shino comforted her, also feeling the sting of having to lose a dear friend, "We can't just... Naruto's too much of an important person to lots of lives... Doctor, please..."

"As I said, without blood compatible for a transfusion, there's nothing I can d-"

"B+..." Nia then spoke slowly as a dark shadow covered over her eyes while her head was low, "I share... the same blood type as him, Doc. Give him my blood."

Surprised to hear her announcement, all eyes went on her as the nurse then replied, "Though you may have the perfect compatibility for a transfusion, we still need to test your blood for any diseases that could prove fatal for our patient which can take a few days maximum. He'll be long dead by the time we get results back."

"Mild anemia caused by menses is all I have. Basically just mild iron deficiency." The kunoichi told the truth as she clutched at the blanket over her knees with her back facing the medics.

The nurse sneered, "Anemics are absolutely forbidden to give blood to patients. That's incredibly dangerous for the both of you."

"Doctor," The girl ignored the nurse, "My hemoglobin is 14.0 grams... within the normal range. Though it's not recommended, anemics can still give blood if their hemoglobin is within the normal range, right?"

"Technically yes... but-"

The nurse quickly interrupted the doctor, "Little girl, don't be acting like you know anything about things such as these. Just keep your mouth closed and let us medics do the wor-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Nia suddenly snapped as everyone in the room became startled, "NOBODY ASKED FOR YOUR OPINION. SHUT UP!"

"Nia, no need to be aggressive." Yamato scolded.

"You keep quiet." She replied disrespectfully.

"Excuse me?" The man became offended, "Wanna run that by me one more time?"

"I said-"

"All right, that's enough." Shino got involved, "I prefer we keep things rather calm."

"Are you serious?" The girl turned to face the Aburame then pointed at Naruto, "Your friend is DYING and you want to stay CALM?! What kinda friend stays calm when their friend is dying?! What the hell is wrong with you people?! Am I the only one that actually cares about the guy right now?!"

In defense of her teammate, Hinata answered with tears in her eyes, "That's not true, we all care for him. Shino and I have known him since even our toddler years. Naruto is a very important person to all of us. He's impacted all of our lives—including my own."

Walking towards the blonde, Hinata placed a hand on his forehead as he was unconscious and another closed hand on her heart while tears streamed down her eyes at this point.

"I... I love Naruto," She admitted, "Ever since the day I met him, I've loved him... there's no person in this room that cares for him more than I-"

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Nia went crazy upon the discovery of Hinata's feelings.

'Oh boy...' Yamato sweatdropped, 'This isn't going to be pretty.'

'Looks like the cat is out of the bag,' Shino thought at the same time as he kept his hands in his pockets, 'I should probably stop this before-"

"Hinata..." Nia then tried to calm her frustration by taking a deep breath, "I know you did not just say that... You're telling me Naruto was who you were talking about when we spoke the other night?!"

The Hyuga nodded, "Yes. Naruto is the only guy I ever loved my whole life, Nia."

"Okay, first off: Get your hands off him." The kunoichi gestured her hand as if she was shooing the younger girl, "Second: He's MYYYY boyfriend! Third: Love? Tell me how you love someone you barely know? Please... go ahead."

"B-Boyfriend?" Hinata's eyes slight quivered and her heart drop as she heard the news.

"Nia," Yamato placed a hand on her shoulder, "That's enough."

"NO!" The girl refused, "She's over here talking about how she loves this guy that she don't even talk to or don't even put that much of an effort into talking to. Throughout this WHOLE mission, you've only talked to the guy like how much? Once? And it wasn't even quick talk at the very least; Then you're gonna have the nerve to admit your love while he's dying?! Why now and not when he was healthy? Because you don't gotta face the consequences if he rejects you?"

The Hyuga kept quiet as she lowered her head and her bangs covered over them.

"No, I don't care how beautiful or hot you are. I don't care if you're prettier, your body is better than mine, or if you're the total package. There is NO WAY in HELL you're gonna stand there twiddling your fingers and telling me you love Naruto when you and him have absolutely no chemistry and zero interaction. Hell, I haven't even known him for a year, but I bet I already know him MUCH MORE than you do over your years of "knowing" him."

"Nia," Shino stepped in, "You don't have to be so harsh to Hinata."

"Oh BOO fucking HOO. Has no one ever spilled out the truth for her? Is this the first time anyone's ever been mean to you since you're so privileged and beautiful? Huh? Is it?" She spoke to Hinata as if she were a child, "Guess what, sweetheart? I've heard you and Kiba talk before... you think twiddling your thumb, stuttering all the time, stalking him behind a tree, admiring him from afar, being too scared to talk to him and fainting every time he tries to say something to you is really going to win him over?!"

"I... I don't know... what to say." The purple-haired girl replied as she appeared distraught at this point, "I was... always shy... with him."

This annoyed Nia.

"Quit making excuses!" She told her, "I was shy as hell too and depressed and lonely and hurt and had more of a reason to be scared of him seeing as I don't possess the standard beauty of a woman and that he believed he was in love with another girl yet I did what I knew was right and summoned the courage within myself to go talk to the guy and basically show I was interested after a while of getting to know him. I knew I had no chance with him. I knew I was going to be rejected, but I kept trying and trying to make him understand how much I care about him and he eventually returned my feelings as well so you have no excuse!"

Everyone stayed quiet as Nia reached for the boy's hand and held onto it.

"Hinata... you didn't do anything when he was all alone." Tears welled up in the kunoichi's eyes, "I mean, he had no one. Everyone hated him for something that wasn't his fault nor something he had control over. I heard you say to Kiba the other night that you'd just watch the guy from afar and practically watch him suffer from intense loneliness. When he'd get bullied you wouldn't even do anything... you were just a bystander. If he'd get beaten..."

Nia sniffled as she had to stop for a moment to wipe her eyes before the tears would slid down her cheeks. There was an ache in her heart.

"I just don't get... how you can like someone and watch them suffer and not tell them how much they mean to you or how much you look up to them. To watch them suffer like that... I know what it's like to suffer and I have a sense of what he was feeling. Yeah, I'm no jinchuuriki and I did have a family, but still... I get what it's like to be the underdog. I get what it's like to have people whispering about you or having them tell you you don't belong anywhere. I know what it's like to be the loser, the failure, the outcast, the never good enough no matter how hard I try type of person."

Nia paused for a moment before adding, "I know what it's like to want and try to prove how wrong everyone is about you. I know what it's like to be scorned by others for something out of your control. I know what it's like to feel like this creature or germ or some contagious disease. The point is... you get the gist of what I'm saying. If you loved him so much, you would've talked to him. You would've been his light. You would've been his everything... but you stayed in the background. I wish someone loved me when I was suffering and alone at my village. I wish someone would've been my light or was watching over me the whole time I was sad and lonely. I wish someone would've told me how in love with me they were or how much they admired me. It would've meant the world to me."

"That's all in the past, Nia. There's nothing Hinata can do to change that." Shino tried to stick up for his friend.

"But the fact that she could've been there for him when he needed someone is what pisses me off. You had all this time to talk to him but didn't. You just let him suffer and get bullied. You still don't even talk to him which is un-freaking-believable. While you were over there twiddling your pretty thumbs and dreaming for the day he'd return your feelings, I was working my ass off trying to prove how much I care about the guy and doing crap you can only dream of doing since you're so cowardly. I prove my love constantly and try to conquer my insecurities constantly. You hide behind excuses!"

Yamato, feeling as though Nia was going too far, gripped her shoulder and turned her around.

"You're being very disrespectful right now. Apologize to Hinata right now, Nia." He demanded.

"I'm sorry, were you assigned captain of this mission?!" The girl retaliated quickly as Yamato didn't reply back, "I didn't think so. Take a seat."

Turning to face Hinata once more, Nia spoke, "Hinata... here's the difference between how you deal with your feelings for Naruto and how I deal with mine. Okay: let's say there's a fire stretched across the middle of a field, alright? Let's say Naruto was on the other side of that fire and we both wanted to reach to him. We both may step up to the plate and stand by the fire, HOWEVER, the way we get to Naruto is what sets us apart."

"H-How so?" Hinata finally spoke, though she clearly sounded as if there was a lump in her throat.

"You would get to Naruto by trying to put out the fire by whatever means so you don't get hurt by it before you try to reach him. That would be synonymous to how you're too afraid to talk to him and being unable to confess your feelings until the guy or yourself is already about to die. I, on the other hand, would run straight through the fire knowing that I may take a few burns but that I'd reach my target while he's alive and doing well. That would be synonymous to how I gather the courage to speak and let the guy know I care about him despite knowing I may take a bad burn along the way to get him to notice me."

Having enough of the talking, Nia turned her attention back to the medics, "Doctor, Naruto needs two to three pints of blood, correct?"

"Yes." He nodded, "He's stabilized for the moment, but he'll die within the next twenty-five minutes or so if we don't give him blood now!"

"Then what're you waiting for?! Hurry up and do a direct blood transfusion now!"

"No disrespect your majesty, but directly?"

"Of course. Putting my blood in those bags will take too much time. We need to do it where you'll have my blood directly flowing into Naruto's body. Person to person. Get to it!"

"Queen, he requires A LOT of blood. If we go through with this while you have anemia, you'll-"

"Yes... I know." Nia nodded slowly as she made direct eye contact with the medic, "I'll die..."

"Wait a minute!" Yamato had a problem with this as the doctor ordered his team to get everything set up, "This is insane. Nia, what're you doing?"

"Giving my life to save Naruto's." The girl answered just as another bed was pushed aside the blonde's and she hopped on it.

"You're really going to sacrifice your life for him?" Shino asked as he wasn't expecting such a thing.

"Of course I am," Nia laid on her back next to the left side of the blonde, "I love Naruto with all my heart. I'd do anything to save him and make sure he's the one that lives and fulfills his dreams. I'd give my life for him."

"Just think about this, Nia." Yamato tried to persuade her, "You don't have to go through with this. Naruto will be absolutely livid, guilt-ridden, and immensely heart broken if he woke up to see that you gave your life for his sake."

"I knew what I had to do once I realized I'm the only person with the compatible blood type for him. My blood isn't ideal, but he'll still get to live a long life with it. I can trust that my lost won't be in vain if I do this for him. I know he'll live his life to the fullest. I couldn't care less if he hated me for all eternity for doing this. The fact that I know he'll be able to live for me is rewarding enough."

"What am I supposed to say to Iruka? Or even your family?"

As the nurse tended to Nia's arm, cleaning the spot where the puncture would be made, the kunoichi only replied, "Tell them that if it weren't for this guy over here, they would've lost me a lot sooner. Tell them I'm sorry for all the pain or troubles I gave them over my life and that I love them with every fiber of my being."

"What're we gonna tell Naruto after all this is over?" Shino questioned.

Nia quickly replied, "Tell him the same thing except add in this: I've always been wondering how I should repay him for saving me from myself emotionally... and I've come to the conclusion that giving my life so that he can live is my ultimate way of thanking him and showing just how much I care for him."

"Aren't you...afraid?" Yamato asked next as the nurse was getting ready to stick her medical tool in the girl's wrist.

"As you look closely, her body is trembling." The nurse answered for the girl, "It takes an immense love to be this afraid yet still wanting to give up your own life for someone special. This is what you call true love."

"The Queen is a heroine," The doctor commented, "It's clear she knows her organs will shut down if there's no blood to carry the oxygen throughout her body. She knows she'll be in immense pain. Her life will literally be drained from her and filled into the life of another..."

"Doctor, I'm ready for the insertion. On your word, I'll begin the transfusion."

"Queen," The doctor spoke in a solemn tone, "Last chance... are you sure you wanna go through with this? Once we begin, we won't stop. Your life will indefinitely come to an end."

"The real question is," Shino came to a ultimatum, "Who's life is more important to you: Yours or Naruto's?"

A soft wind came from the opened window and blew the hairs on everyone's head and brushed the skin of their body as Nia didn't take long to give her answer.

"Naruto has a light and drive to him that can change the world into a better place as we know it. To risk losing someone that can impact the future in a great manner is incredibly foolish and unwise. Besides... if he's already saved me once... why wouldn't I do the same for him? This guy deserves to live a long life for being the kind-hearted individual that he is. So Doctor... I give you permission... to begin this procedure."

"Queen..."

"Stop hesitating. Give him my blood right now! That's an order!"

"Taiyu, you heard her... begin right now." The Doctor understood and gave his okay.

The nurse nodded and did as she was told; getting Nia's blood to begin pumping into Naruto's veins.

The girl breathed a sigh of relief as she laid her head on a pillow. Somehow... she felt at peace. She knew she was going to die yet she was grateful she was able to choose the way she'd go out. Not everyone gets to die to save the one they love. To her... this was proof her love was at its strongest. Out of all the sacrifices and kind deeds she's done and said to the boy... this would be the most special and meaningful one yet.

However, as she laid on her deathbed, she listened to the soft cries coming from Hinata as the girl was still suffering from a broken heart from her unrequited love and was torn about all Nia had said to her.

Feeling remorseful of her insensitive words, the girl decided to apologize.

"Hinata..." She called her as the Hyuga refused to look at the older girl, "Hinata... I... I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean to be so insensitive. The truth is... when I heard you say you loved Naruto... I... I became jealous and felt an immense envy directed towards you."

Hearing this, the Hyuga slightly looked up out of her hands as tears still streamed down her face.

"You're beautiful, girl... You're pretty, have a nice body, amazing hair, and a seemingly lovely personality. You're the total package," The kunoichi admitted, "I felt this immense sting in my heart because for a brief moment I felt that if you were to had confess your feelings to Naruto... he'd wind up breaking up with me to be with you, and that... absolutely killed me to even think about for just even a second. I tried to justify why you shouldn't be with him to make myself feel better. To make myself feel like I was more deserving of him than you were and I realize... that was very wrong of me to think and do."

"Nia..." Hinata became more ears to what the other girl was trying to say.

"Your feelings for him... the fact that you've cared for him while he was an outcast and lonely and sad... it's very touching. If Naruto hears how you've watched over him for so long and liked him during that whole time, I'm sure... he'd fall deeply in love with you."

Nia paused for a quick moment before saying, "If I were to have the male equivalent of you watching over me and loving me while I was being treated like garbage and was being bullied, I'd fall so damn hard for the guy even if he were too shy to say something to me until later. It would've moved me so much if I was loved the way you cared for Naruto over here. That's how I know Naruto would fall for you."

"Doctor," The nurse called as Nia's breathing began to get a bit more heavy, "Blood pressure is dropping."

"Go ahead and place an oxygen mask on her so she'll stay alive longer."

"Yes, sir."

"When I pass and he awakens... I'm leaving him in your care, Hinata." Nia continued to speak, "Gather the courage to get to know him better. Talk to the guy for goodness sake. He's going to need all the comfort he can get. I'm sure if you'd just speak with him more, he'll take a notice in you. Also... make sure he doesn't stay sad more than necessary and that he stays in the light forever. The guy can save lives just with his words... so-"

Feeling a sudden dizziness overtake her, Nia placed a hand over her eyes as her vision began to blur.

'She's beginning to feel the effects...' Shino observed closely, 'To have this happen so early in the transfusion definitely shows just how low her blood count was to begin with. Two or three pints from a normal person is already asking for a lot, but to take away that much blood from an anemic... that's like double the amount that needs to be drawn.'

"Nia, I'll do... everything I can..." Hinata sobbed as she used her sleeves to wipe her tears to no avail, "T-Thank you so much... f-for letting Naruto live."

Feeling her heart had been touched, Nia only smiled softly as she replied, "You're welcome... Hinata."

Seeing as that was dealt with, Nia brushed her knuckles against Naruto's, just for a second, just to ground herself. She's pretty sure if he were conscious, he'd be trying to cut the line between them. However, since he wasn't, Nia took the chance to reach for his hand a second time to ease some of the weight off of her chest, lets her breathe a little easier as she wore her oxygen mask.

The blonde's complexion was starting to improve. There were some color coming back into his face, and the skin under his fingers felt a bit warmer. It was comforting to the girl, but it didn't mean he nor she was out of the woods yet. As Naruto was getting better, Nia was getting worse. It was as if the two were trading off life and death. No... that's what they were doing exactly. Nia giving the genin another chance at life and Naruto... letting the girl have a noble and heroic death.

Seeing as the kunoichi couldn't quite reach for the ninja's hand as she was getting too weak to do so, Hinata, in her selflessness, reached for Nia's and Naruto's hands... connecting them and tightening their grip as she then laid her hand atop of theirs.

"Even if I feel uneasy and a bit envious of you gaining his love... I can't just watch you sacrifice your life for his sake and be unable to hold his hand as you continue with your journey in the next life." She told the kunoichi as Nia's eyes began to brim with tears as she was moved by the girl's selfless act.

"Blood pressure is plummeting quickly," The nurse checked the monitor, "Heart rate is skyrocketing... she's going into hypovelemic shock, Doctor!"

The next few minutes went by with Nia constantly getting worse and slipping in and out of consciousness as her body was beginning to shut down all throughout. Her skin had gotten pale and lackluster while her mouth became blue as well as the ends of her fingertips and toes.

She let her eyes wander away from the ceiling to stare right at the genin. He looked to be in a much healthier state than she and had actually gotten well enough to where he was able to twitch his fingers here and there.

Though she was too fatigued to where she couldn't even really think at all verbally, she allowed her memories of him flood through her mind as her breathing became shallow by the second. Her cold, trembling hands did their best to grip onto Naruto's warmer, more relaxed hands while Hinata did her best to ensure their hands wouldn't depart before Nia would breathe in her last breath until finally... She gave in to her body's demand of rest.

Hearing as her heart monitor was slowing down, Yamato had to leave out the room as he just couldn't watch as a sad moment such as this was playing out. However, when he stepped into the hall, he was met with someone who had just arrived to the scene, watching as Nia was making the biggest sacrifice of her life.

"You... What're you doing here?" He asked as the person stepped out from the shadows.

"So... Nia's really giving her life so Naruto can live..." The person acknowledged as they looked through the window, "She really must love him, huh?"

Back in the room, Nia had already fallen out of consciousness as too much blood had been drained within her and filled into Naruto's body instead.

The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of her vision and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat. Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Seconds passed as she lay there, reflecting on her life and the choices she made.

For a while, she let her heartache turn her into a villain after years of mentally suffering and feeling trapped. She watched it all happen as she once used to be the kindhearted girl whom loved life and everyone around her. However, at this moment... she no longer was the villain. She was once again the kindhearted girl who made sacrifices for those whom she loved and ended up making the choice to die as a hero.

With closed eyes, her fragile, human heart beat one last time as the monitor beside her flatlined—Leaving her to be pronounced dead as her blood continued to stream through the line that connected her to the one she loved so he may live in her place.

It was always said that one would either die as a hero or live long enough to watch themselves become a villain.

However... Nia's case was different.

In this special case... she lived long enough to watch herself become a hero instead of dying as the villain that she was in the beginning.

Nia had proven her love one final time.

————-

A/N- Yup... she's dead and I'm not gonna answer any of yall's questions about how you thought Obito would be the one to kill her. This story is ending soon though so you'll keep having to read if you wanna find out the fate of everyone in this book and the prophecy stuff and whatever.

Thanks for reading! Please comment and vote and have a great day ❤️

QOTD:

1. Fave Part?

2. Fave Line?

3. Convince me why Nia should or should not be saved for the sake of NaruHina becoming or not becoming a thing? (Basically why either NaruHina or NaruNia should be the couple that ends up together)