Dirt crunches beneath their feet as they stroll down the path. The blazing sun beats down on Naruto and sweat drips down from his nose. He stared down the dirt path, heat radiating off the ground.

“Are we there yet?”

“No Naruto.”

“Seriously? I thought you said we weren’t that far from the next village, Pervy Sage. That was like an hour ago!”

“Actually,” Curly Brow says as she turns around to look at Naruto. “That was five minutes ago.”

“Well, it felt like an hour.”

“Will you shut up? We’re only five miles away,” Pervy Sage says and he adjusts his straps on his bag. “For the entire five miles, keep your thoughts to yourself. Enjoy nature."

"It's hot as hell out here, Pervy Sage!" Naruto says as he unzips his jacket and he uses his jacket as a towel. He flops onto the ground, his limbs stretched out. "I don't want to enjoy nature. I want a nap.”

“Um Jiraiya-sensei, we have been walking for a while. A little break can’t hurt.”

The old sage sighs. “Alright fine. We’ll take a little break.”

“Yay! Thank you Curly Brow!” Naruto springs up off the forest floor. He wraps his arms around her stomach and a warm sensation spreads across his chest. This feels really good.

“Y-You’re welcome.”

Naruto grins and he grabs his jacket off the ground. “I’m going to find a nice, shady tree and hit the hay. That sun has been killing me!" He zips up his jacket and he walks ahead. "Wouldn’t you agree?” No one replies back and he turns around. “Curly Brow, did you hear-how come your face is so red?”

Her already-redden cheeks darkens and she covers them. “I-I must have a sunburn.”

“Good point. You need some shade too.”

“Yeah...I’ll go find a tree now.” Red spreads across her entire face. Her arms are close to her body like they’re frozen and she speed-walks away from the two men.

“Dumbass,” Pervy Sage mutters and he shakes his head.

Naruto’s eye twitches. “Why are you calling me a dumbass for?!”

"Nia has the hots for you."

Nia? Having the hots for me? No way. That's ridiculous. He rolls his eyes.  "No she doesn't. She has always been shy."

"This is different. It's obvious she has feelings for you."

"No she doesn't."

"Oh my God yes she does! I know the language of women, Naruto."

"More like stalking around and writing notes for your pervy books!"

Pervy Sage gives him the dead eye. "Look, I've been in this game for a long time and I know when a woman has feelings for someone. The entire walk to the village she has been glancing back at you and she would blush. Then, a little smile would appear on her face."

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "Really? I didn't notice…"

He clicks his tongue. "Of course you didn't. Your head is always somewhere else, probably up your ass most of the time."

A hot feeling rushes to Naruto's head and he glares. "You know what old geezer?! How about I ask Nia herself and see if she does have feelings!"

The old man barks out a laugh. "Good luck with that."

"Thank you!"

"That's not what I meant…"

"What?"

"Nothing and just go ask her!"

"I will!” Naruto spins around and he gazes over the area. His eyes catch Nia lying underneath a tree, her journal in her hands. Specks of sunlight shine through the leaves, the glimmers of light highlighting her cinnamon skin. A calm breeze gently lifts her bangs and she sweeps her bangs with her hand.  He jogs over to her. 

"Hey Nia. I have a question."

Her eyes are glued to the page and she jots something down. "Okay what's up?"

"Do you have feelings for me?"

Her eyes enlarge to the size of dinner plates and she drops her pencil."W-What?"

"I said do you have feelings for me. Pervy Sage thinks you do, but I don't believe him."

She raises her journal above her face and the journal shakes  "W-Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I want to prove Pervy Sage wrong." She crouches behind her journal. Naruto's eyebrows pull together and he leans in. "Hey, is something-"

"I-I have to go to the bathroom!" She shoots off the ground and she knocks into him. He falls back on his bottom and Nia shrieks. "Oh no! I'm so sorry Naruto!" She rushes to him and she inspects him like a nurse. "Are you hurt?"

Naruto smiles and he rubs the back of his head. "Nah I'm fine."

She hugs her journal to her chest and  her eyes are drawn to the ground. "Aren't you supposed to be going to the bathroom?"

"Oh...yeah." She books it and her figure disappears into the trees.

She actually looks really cute when she's shy. Wait… He sits up and he rubs his chin. Did I just call her cute?

"So, it didn't go too well huh?" Pervy Sage says behind him and he stands next to him. 

"She said she needed to go to the bathroom."

He chuckles. "I see. She's avoiding the question."

"She's just really shy, okay?" Naruto jumps onto his feet and he wipes dirt off his bottom. "She only likes me as a friend."

The old man squints his eyes at him and he leans closer to Naruto's face. Naruto takes a step back. "What are you doing?" He asks.

Pervy Sage’s eyebrows rise and a stupid smile grows on his face. “You have feelings for her too.”

“WHAT?! NO I DON’T!” Heat rushes to his cheeks and he glares. “I only like Sakura.”

 He smirks. “Uh huh okay. Whatever you say, Naruto.” 

“It’s true! Yes, the way she smiles brightens my day and whenever she hugs me makes me feel warm and fuzzy…” A soft smile rests on his lips. “Or when she gets all excited when she sees a puppy or a kitten, or when her face lights up at the sight of her favorite sweets...it makes me really happy when she’s happy, you know? But I don’t have feelings for her and she doesn’t have feelings for me, okay.”

Pervy Sage smacks himself on the forehead and a big red handprint is imprinted as his hand slaps against his side. “You’re fucking delusional.”

“No I’m not!”

“What you just told me screams “I have a crush on Nia!” Jeez, I didn’t know you were this pig-headed.”

A vein bulges out of Naruto’s forehead. “Listen you old perverted fart! I-” color drains out of Naruto’s face and he freezes in place.

Curly Brow stands underneath a nearby tree and she places her hand over her heart. She rushes over to him and her mouth quivers. “Y-You have...a crush on me?”

“I-uh-I no!”

“Yes, yes he does,” Pervy Sage whispers.

Naruto’s hands form into fists. “Shut up, Pervy Sage!” He places his hands on Curly Brow’s shoulders as a smile beams on her face. “Don’t listen to him, Curly Brow. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“Oh...okay.” Her smile disappears and she lowers her head.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” She lifts his hands off her shoulders and she turns away from him, her eyes squeezing shut.

“It’s nothing,” her voice wavers. “I just need some time to myself.”

“Oh my God,” Pervy Sage mutters. “How about both of you admit your feelings for each other so we can hit the road?”

“I don’t have feelings for him!” Curly Brow says and Naruto’s shoulders slouch.

“See Pervy Sage? I told you she doesn’t have feelings for me…” He stares at his feet. 

“It’s obvious both of you have feelings for each other, but neither of you want to admit it." He turns to Curly Brow. “Nia, I’ve seen the way you look at him, even your pupils dilate when you look at him.” 

Naruto peers at her eyes and his mouth drops. “Just like now.”

In a flash, her hands cover her eyes. “No they don’t…”

“And you Naruto.” The old sage crosses his arms and he straightens his posture. “Her hugs make you feel warm and fuzzy, you love her smile, and you love how she gets excited over things, and the fact that you were bummed out when she said she doesn’t have feelings for you proves you do like her.”

“No I wasn’t!”

“You love my smile?” She uncovers her eyes and that cute smile of hers appears on her face, that smile Naruto loves so much. 

Her contagious smile forces Naruto to smile. “Yes, I do. I think it’s very cute actually.”

Her smile widens and pinks dusts on the apples of her cheeks. Naruto stares into her rich brown eyes and her eyes widen. “Stop staring at me please!” She covers her face again with her long sleeves.

“Sorry I can’t help it.”

Pervy Sage snatches Naruto’s sleeve. “What in the hell are you doing?!” Naruto says and the old man drags him over to the side.

“Admit your feelings to her! You two are taking too long!”

“What are you saying, Pervy Sage?”

“I’m saying that I’ve known you two had a thing for each other for weeks now, but damn, I didn’t think it would take this long!” He points at Curly Brow. “Now, go out there, stare into her eyes, confess your feelings for her, and then makeout so we can get going.”

“What?! I’m not-AH!”

Naruto stumbles as the old man shoves him. He catches his balance and he looks over at Curly Brow. Her hands are tucked behind her back and her head tilts up towards the sky, the light reflecting off her glasses. He wipes any dirt off of his orange jumpsuit, he puffs out his chest, and he walks over to her.

“Hey Curly Brow. I have something to tell you. “

Her hands return forward and she wipes them on her pants. She stares off to the side. “I have something to tell you too,” she says.

He takes a deep breath. “I’m just going to go on ahead and say it.” He takes both of her hands and he stares into her eyes, pink glowing on Curly Brows’ face. “I do like you, and I’m not talking about as a friend, but more than that. Your smile is so pretty and I think you’re really cute. Whenever I’m with you, I feel like I’m soaring.”

Her mouth shakes and a tear runs down her face. Naruto’s jaw drops and he grabs his hair, fear clouding his brain. “Ah! What’s wrong? What did I do? Why are you sad? I’m so sorry, Curly Brow!” He embraces her and her face sinks into his chest.

She shakes her head. “Nothing is wrong and I’m not sad,” her muffled voice says. She lifts her head and she shines the biggest smile Naruto has ever seen her give. Her cheeks glisten from the sun. “I thought no one would ever like me. I thought that no one would ever call my smile pretty or think that I was cute, but I was wrong and I’m so happy that I was wrong.”

He smiles back. “I’m glad that I was wrong too. Please, don't Pervy Sage that or else he'll never let it go."

She chuckles. “I won't. I... also like you more than a friend, Naruto. You always somehow manage to put a smile on my face and you make me believe that I can do anything. You’re so sweet and kind and…youareverycuteandveryhot.”

“What? I didn’t hear the last part.”

“N-Nothing.”

“Oh come Curly Brow! You just told me you liked me!

“Will you two lovebirds stop talking and just make out already?” Pervy Sage yells.

“Makeout?!” Curly Brow shrieks. “That’s too fast!” 

Naruto grins at her. “No I wasn’t going to makeout with you, but I was going to do this.” He guides her chin to the side and he gives her a soft kiss on the cheek. 

Curly Brow touches her cheek and she stands still like a statue. “Curly Brow?” Naruto waves his hand in front of her face. Nothing flinches. “Pervy Sage! I think I broke her!”

“Naruto kissed my cheek,” she says. “Naruto just kissed my cheek.”

“Yep! Believe it, babe!”

“BABE?!” 

“Good. You two finally confessed your feelings,” Pervy Sage says as he strolls over to them. “Once we get to the motel, I’ll rent you two a room to give you guys some privacy.”

“Privacy?” Naruto asks.

“You know, bow chicka wow wow.”

“AH! TOO FAST!” Curly Brow yells and she covers her face while shaking her head. 

“Don’t worry.” Naruto holds out his hand and he smiles. “We’re not crazy like Pervy Sage is. How about we get some ice cream once we get to the village?”

She pushes up her glasses and she returns back a smile. “I would love that.” She takes his hand and she gives him a squeeze. They walk down the dirt road, hand in hand, and Naruto grins at the birds flying across the sky, feeling as if he’s soaring along with them.

I hope you enjoy the one-shot! This one-shot was inspired by JanaeH 's Light In You and Heart In You. Both are really good and you should go check them out. Have a merry Christmas and have a happy new year!