Disclaimer: I'm broke!

I'm running out of witty disclaimers. Er…

Hinata took a deep breath and wiped at her forehead, before rapping her knuckles on the door in front of her, before waiting in silence. Then…

"Come in, Hinata."

The girl slid open the door and stepped inside of the office, sliding it shut and kneeling in front of her father. The man collected the documents on his table and put them aside, before leveling a stare at his eldest.

"Today was team assignments for those who graduated this year, correct?"

"Ah, yes, father." Hinata nodded. "I was placed on a team with Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, under the Jonin Hatake Kakashi."

The Hyuuga Head blinked. "Kakashi of the Sharingan?" He hummed slightly to himself in thought, noting the not-so-small widening of the girl's eyes. "That makes sense, if one of your teammates is the Last Uchiha."

"Sharingan, father?"

Hiashi nodded. "No one knows the details, but during Kakashi's first mission as a Jonin, during the Third World War to Kannabi Bridge, something happened that resulted in the death of his teammate Uchiha Obito. Kakashi most likely had his left eye slashed to uselessness, and Obito gifted him his Sharingan, apparently after receiving a mortal wound. It was a field transplant performed by their third teammate, Nohara Rin. As such, the Sharingan is constantly active."

"So Sensei wears his headband as he does, covering it so it doesn't drain his chakra?" Hiashi nodded at his daughter's observation.

The elder Hyuuga took a sip of his tea, before glancing at his daughter again. "You said your third teammate was Uzumaki, correct?"

Hinata felt heat rise to her face. "Ah, erm… Y-Yes, I did…"

Hiashi nodded once as he studied his daughter's red face. "… You're infatuated with him."

The red on her cheeks deepened as she looked everywhere but forward. "A-Ah, w-well, I… uh…"

"It's perfectly natural; you're a growing girl," he placated, drawing her eyes back to him. "However, while I approve of the boy, despite his…character…" Hinata smiled slightly. "There's something…unique about him; if left unchecked, it could prove a danger."

"The Nine-Tails…" Hiashi's eyes widened in shock. "He…told me about it…"

"Naruto?"

The blond boy looked up from the swing he was on, studying his approaching friend before he turned his eyes back to the school in front of him. "Hey, Hinata."

She fought down the blood rising to her face as she walked up next to him. "Are…you okay? I didn't see you at Ichiraku when I went to eat…"

"Hm?" Blue eyes looked up, to see the sky beginning to darken. "Oh. Didn't notice what time it was, heh." Naruto looked back at the building. "Guess I'm not hungry today..."

Now Hinata was worried. "Naruto, what's wrong? Maybe I can help…"

A silence laid over the pair. After a few minutes, the Hyuuga heiress opened her mouth to repeat the question—

"Do you think I'm a monster?"

Her jaw hung for a second, before she forced a sound out. "W-What?"

Naruto turned to look at the girl with what she could only describe as broken eyes. "Am I a monster, Hinata?"

"M-Monst— NO! What…?" The bluenette stumbled over her words. "How…how can you think that you are?

"Mi… Someone… Last night… Someone said I was the Nine-Tailed Fox… When the Fourth Hokage beat it, and… and 'killed' it…" Naruto formed air quotes, then wiped furiously at his eyes. "He took a newborn baby, and… and he sealed it in his stomach… I robbed someone of their life before they were even a day old! I killed a BABY! How—" The blond pulled at his hair. "How do either of us know I won't do the same to someone else? How do we know I won't kill you, too?! How can you stand to look at—"

He took a sharp breath as a hand collided with his cheek. Shocked blue turned to find closed eyes as the girl in front of him cried. "H-Hinata?"

"St-stop it…" she murmured, sniffling. "Stop blaming yourself. You're not… You're not the Nine-Tails… You're not a…demon…" Lavender eyes opened, shining with tears as the girl smiled shakily. "You're Uzumaki Naruto. You're keeping all of us safe, by holding the Nine-Tails back… Y-You're the boy…" She trailed off and wiped her own eyes with her free arm. "You're the boy who's going to become Hokage… You're my friend, and I… I believe in you…"

"Hinata…" he breathed out as his hand laid itself over the Hyuuga Princess's. After a second, he stood up and wrapped his other arm around the girl in a hug. "Thank you, Hinata…"

She only responded by hugging him back and nodding into his shoulder.

Hiashi studied his daughter as she looked down at her hands. "… I'm proud of you."

"Eh?" She looked up to see a ghost of a smile playing on her father's lips.

"Naruto trusted you with his darkest secret, and you looked right past it at the boy who wanted nothing more than attention, and you gave it to him." He sipped at his tea once more. "That takes incredible maturity."

Hinata was silent as she processed the elder's words, before smiling herself and nodding.

"Now, I believe Kakashi is testing you tomorrow morning?" His daughter nodded again. "Then you may leave, and get some rest."

"Yes. Thank you, father." Hinata stood up from her kneel and bowed, before walking to the door and opening it. She stepped over the threshold—

"Good night, Hinata."

The girl paused as the words reached her ears, before she smiled and responded softly. "Good night, papa…"

The door slid shut.

"Hey, guys!"

Both Hinata and Sasuke looked up at the new voice, finding their blond teammate running over. The former smiled brightly.

"Hello, Naruto."

"Idiot," Sasuke commented with a smirk, getting a grin and tongue sticking out through it in response. "Did you sleep in? It's nearly 9."

"Hehe." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "My alarm clock's kinda…busted…" The Uchiha snorted in amusement. "'Sides, I don't see sensei anyway, so I'm not late!" His grin fell off of his face as his arm crossed. "Fucking jerk being late…"

"Well, now we know. Kakashi says 8, we show up a little before 10." Hinata and Naruto both laughed at Sasuke's comment.

"Hey there, kids!"

The three Genin turned to find their Jonin instructor walking over to them, waving. He held an alarm clock with his left hand.

"YOU'RE LATE!" the loudest of the trio shouted.

The silver-haired man feigned shock. "I am? But I made sure to set my alarm super early for today."

"It's nearly nine o'clock." Sasuke deadpanned at the blatant lie.

"Oh…" Kakashi eye smiled. "Whoops!" Naruto twitched. "Never mind that, now." He set the clock on one of the three posts near the lake. "Now, for the test, you'll need to get one of these bells that I have on me, before noon. Succeed, and I'll give you guys lunch." He pulled three bento boxes to three growling stomachs. "Fail, and you'll be tied to a post here while I eat it in front of you."

"Ah…" Five eyes turned to the sole female. "Sensei, you only have two bells on your belt…"

"Astute observation, Hinata." Kakashi eye smiled again. "You're correct; one of you will be failing no matter what.

"WHAT?!" Naruto gawked. "That's bullshit, y'know!"

"My test, my rules." The Jinchuriki growled at the Jonin's answer. "Now, if any of you don't come at me with the intent to kill, you'll fail. Trust me on that."

"Fine by me!"

Before Naruto could fire off the shuriken in his fingers, Kakashi was behind him, holding the stars to his neck. All three Genin were visibly shocked at the speed.

"I didn't say start." More growling from the blond. "Still, you're eager to get started. I'm starting to really like you guys." Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke respectively smiled, grinned, and smirked at the praise. "Now… GO!"

All four ninja vanished from the clearing.

And chapter four! With a flashback! What is it with this series and flashbacks?

The writer's block is going away! Very slowly… I may do a one-shot to really kill it. Trying to figure out what series and how I want to do it.

For those who don't know, Naruto Gaiden is out. It's post 700, and currently focused more on Sarada than anyone else. That's the only spoiler I'm giving.

So review, fave, follow, and find tropes! I would say read, but 99.9% of you did read the story before the A/N. The .1% who didn't? To quote Stewie Griffin: You are just the worst type of person.

I acknowledge I'm just as horrible for saying that.

Spasibo za chteniye!