Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

I want to give a shout out to Heliata and chancharan for your well thought out criticisms. Thank you!

I've tried to incorporate some of your suggestions into this chapter. I will also try to incorporate them into future chapters.

College has been really hectic lately so there was only so much I could do.

Enjoy~.

Her first mission was today. She should have been happy, but nothing is as exciting as it really is.

Adjusting the forehead protector on her neck, Hinata sat on the stairs in front of the entrance as the clock ticked. Really, why did she come here on time when she'd known they would be late?

Whoosh!

A gust of wind accompanied by some smoke smacked her right in the face.

Luckily, Hinata shut her eyes before that happened.

Opening them again, she saw the familiar silver hair and black mask.

How did he do that? Or better yet-

He was...on time?

Was something important?

"Hello Hinata"

Kakashi seemed cheerful and pleasant. His expression then turned into one of lazy realization.

"Ah, I guess I forgot to mention this meeting was important. We have an official team photo at 8:30"

8:30?

Team photo?

"Ano-What a-about Sasuke and N-naruto?"

Kakashi closed his eyes and scratched the side of his head,

"Hmm..."

He opened them again. He had a stern gaze on Hinata.

"Looks like we have no choice"

Hinata visibly gulped.

Suddenly, her wrist was snatched and Hinata let out a small 'eep'.

"Don't let go"

How could she anyways?

A puff of smoke and they were gone.

That was an interesting ride.

When the smoke cleared, Hinata found herself looking at an apartment building. It wasn't exactly like the one she was in, but the general form was the same. Hinata looked at Kakashi in near horror.

How did Kakashi know one of her teammates' homes?

Her sensei caught her look and just smiled through his mask.

"I have access to your civilian files"

Kakashi released Hinata's wrist and Hinata slowly inched a good distance away.

She would be closing her windows and locking her doors from now on.

"Let's pay Sasuke a visit~"

Hinata stood bug-eyed.

That tone was plain creepy.

Sasuke's door was like any other door on the floor: Beige, with the number 407 on it.

Hinata looked at Kakashi for instructions.

"Go on," he said, reading his orange book "knock"

So she did.

Shortly after, the door opened a crack. An onyx eye looked out.

"Hinata?"

The door opened wider.

"Yo", Kakashi greeted from behind her.

The door shut.

Team 7 had an official photo that needed to be taken! They needed to get going!

Hinata knocked again on his door, with more frequency.

"Sasuke-San! W-we have a-a-"

"I need to dress"

A pink blush flowered on Hinata's face and she backed away from the door.

The door opened a few minutes later. Sasuke clearly had bed head but other than that he seemed ready. He looked at Hinata.

"How did you know where I live?"

Hinata's index finger's found each other.

"Ah-um-k-Kakashi k-knew"

His gaze, when did it make her feel so conscious?

She was in Naruto's room!

Naruto's room, was well-

How would she put it, disgusting?

Unkempt?

Messy?

Cramped?

The floor was littered with trash, dirty clothes, and the occasional mouse.

He had some personal items, but the overall appearance was trashy.

Not to mention it smelled funny.

Carefully stepping over an empty ramen cup, Hinata stood at over Naruto, who was snoring.

Still, her heart was running a marathon.

What did ramen taste like anyways? Her father prevented her from eating such foods.

With a sleeping cap and matching pajamas, Naruto's drool oozed out of his open mouth. His covers were all over the place and he was sleeping at an odd position. Hinata smiled.

He looked so peaceful and-.

Smack!

Hinata's jaw dropped at what Sasuke had done beside her.

Naruto now had a nice red patch on his face.

Yet it was amazing that the blonde ninja didn't flinch. In fact, he didn't wake up at all.

"You've got to be kidding me"

Naruto sure slept like a rock.

Silence. What would make Naruto get up?

"N-Naruto, p-please g-get up. W-we'll get r-ramen"

"RAMEN?"

Naruto shot out of bed, causing Hinata to stumble and crash down into a pile of dirty laundry on the floor.

Trash scattered everywhere.

Ugh, Hinata now had trash all over on her.

What was on her face?

Hinata sat up and peeled whatever it was off her face.

Boxers?

Her mind set a blank.

NARUTO'S BOXERS!

Hinata hit the floor again.

According to Kakashi, the photo op room was on the second floor of the Hokage tower.

Kakashi knocked on said door.

"It's Team 7"

Scuffling and scuttling could be heard behind the door.

"Come in"

Kakashi opened the door and Hinata was greeted with a white backdrop, cameras, and...why were those umbrellas tin foiled on the inside? Civilians were walking back and forth from different places. Some stopped to talk about something before heading off. A crewman was adjusting the umbrellas and lighting while another one checked something off on her clipboard. The cameraman was in the middle of changing his filters and it seemed like he was also checking for power and memory. There was way too much going on for her brain to handle. It was akin to a beehive.

Soon they all were urged onto the backdrop.

Kakashi was to be in the back, and she was to be in the middle, out of the three genin. The order didn't matter for the other two.

Anxiety rested in her chest.

The thought of being close to Naruto was exhilarating, yet there was another part of her that wanted to stay away; to say she wasn't worthy of his presence.

When they all stood in position, Hinata was suddenly aware of the distance between herself and Naruto.

"You ok there miss?" the cameraman asked, he himself knowing the female attitudes toward the camera.

She wasn't sure how to answer.

Hinata suddenly felt hand on her shoulder nearest to Sasuke.

Sasuke?

"Relax,"

Just that one word made it feel like a load was off her chest.

"Looks like you aren't that much of bastard, teme"

Kakashi 'accidentally' hit his orange book spine on Naruto's head.

"Naruto, not now"

Besides, this interaction between Sasuke and Hinata was very interesting. When was the Byakugan-less Hyuuga on good terms with Sasuke?

"Ready?" the cameraman asked.

Kakashi put away his book and dropped both his hands on the heads of Naruto and Sasuke, smiling.

"Ready"

The camera flashed.

Unfortunately for the two boys, Kakashi's action elicited an interesting response in them both. They both were not happy at his sudden action. Lest to say it would be caught in time forever on paper.

Hinata's was different. Sasuke's hand never left her shoulder and she found reassurance from it. The awkwardness was gone and Hinata gave a true smile when the camera flashed.

Her teammates would later find that she made up for the negative emotions in the photo.

Team 7 stood in front the door to the Hokage's Office.

Hinata was nervous. A great ninja sat on the other end and Hinata just didn't know what to do.

Experience told her to bow in respect and caution but the outside world was not like the Hyuuga household.

How she missed that place.

"Come in!" came the gruff voice of the Hokage.

The room smelled like tobacco smoke. It had an ancient feel to it, reflected by some of the furniture.

Everything in the room just emanated power.

Sarutobi was wearing the customary hat and cloak of the Hokage. His head was tilted down, looking at a paper and hiding his age. A stack of impossibly high papers were compiled near his desk. How would Naruto handle the paper work when he becomes Hokage? Hinata also noted the presence of her Academy teacher, Iruka.

The Hokage looked up, his pipe bobbing smoke up and down as he spoke.

"Ah Team 7 is it?", Sarutobi then shuffled some papers around.

"How is the bunch?" Iruka asks.

"Tolerable" Kakashi responds, he wasn't even reading that orange book. Well the Hokage did demand the utmost respect.

"Here's your first mission" Sarutobi finally says,

"D-rank, Team 7 is to help the Hokage Tower Library with whatever they need"

Hinata didn't expect much; after all they were only fresh genin.

"What! That's boring!"

"Naruto!" Iruka shouts "It's your first mission and you are only genin"

Kakashi Sighs "Iruka is right Naruto, just think of this mission like the one I assigned you and Sasuke"

As if on cue, both boys shivered and glared at each other.

Seeing that the mission didn't require much transportation, Team 7 arrived promptly.

Sasuke wasn't complaining about this mission. They were new to the ninja world and needed to build experience.

This mission was tantamount to that.

He took a glance at his female teammate next to him.

Yes, things have been going according to plan. Hinata was improving. It made him happy to know that he will have a powerful alley when it will be time.

The thought of her not being by his side annoyed him.

She was to be no one's but his. She will serve no one else and follow only him.

Perhaps now he will have to follow her now but in time, Hinata will be the one following him.

"Ah there you are" the female lead Librarian said to them "We have been expecting you"

The Librarian smiled at him, affection clearly stated in her eyes.

Ugh, almost all women, no matter what age, had the same reaction she did. It sickened him.

There better not be any fan girls in here.

"I need you all to sort these books" She pulled up carts full of them "In alphabetical order on the Genin Ninjutsu section. If you have time, the Taijutsu section needs to dusted nearby"

Sasuke could already see Naruto having a big problem with this.

Speaking of the Dobe, Hinata was crushing on him.

The dobe distracted her. The only plan he could think of was for himself to hold her attention.

It was easy on the bell test as Hinata had a reason to. They performed splendedly as a result.

It proved harder than expected in other times.

He needed her trust.

Might as well get started now.

The women left and Sasuke pulled on a cart.

"We'll get this done faster if we work together on one cart at a time"

"H-Hai", Hinata followed him to the section.

Perfect.

"Guys, how do it put things in Alphabetacal order?"

Sasuke wanted to bash him.

"N-naruto-kun, m-maybe y-you should d-dust the s-shelves"

"I agree. Naruto, Ask the Librarian for a feather duster or something"

Looks like even Naruto adheres to the Library atmosphere.

He then set off to work.

The blonde ninja then came back later with a sheepish grin on his face.

"She said they were being used right now"

He didn't want to teach the idiot, but that would mean Hinata would spend more time with the dobe.

Sasuke decided to swallow his pride.

"Do you know all the letters of the alphabet?"

He had got to know that, it was so elementary.

Naruto nodded.

"To put them in Alphabetical order means to take the first letter of the author last name and put it in order of the alphabet."

Blue eyes blinked in realization.

"That's it?"

"N-naruto-kun," Hinata whispered. "N-not s-so loud".

"Got it, dobe?"

"Yeah",Naruto snatched a book from the cart "I. Got. It."

Kakashi was pleased; things have been going well-

-almost too well. Something was up.

He glanced at the interaction between his team.

Sasuke was the kind of person to only do things for his own personal benefit. Kakashi himself would know. The taste of loss and revenge were familiar to him.

So to see Sasuke 'selflessly' help meant he saw worth out of it.

But what did he have to gain?

Kakashi looked up from his own book.

"If you like that book so much, then you can check it out when we're done"

It was the Uchiha, looking over the Hyuuga's shoulder at the book in her hands.

Hinata suddenly turned around, flustered and clearly red-faced, before shoving that book into the shelf in haste.

Of course, it was Hinata.

Sasuke saw something in Hinata and was interested.

What could be so interesting that would make Sasuke swallow his pride and teach Naruto?

Love? Perhaps, though their relationship was clearly still rocky.

What did Sasuke see in Hinata?

It was too early for him to make a call.

Naruto, on the other hand, made slow progress. His rivalry with Sasuke was what prevented him from bonding.

Rivalries were good, but taking it too far was not.

Though Hinata's influence on Sasuke was helping Naruto, it would only be short term if Naruto didn't learn to deal with Sasuke and vice-versa.

It would seem that Hinata was the facilitating force holding the team together.

Not to mention she had a crush on Naruto. Seeing how she reacted in Naruto's room would suggest that.

Kakashi continued to observe his students as they made progress.

"Naruto, get another cart"

"No way! I got a ton before!"

"Shhh!", a nearby librarian glared at him. "No talking, but if you must, keep your voice down"

"Hinata, can you?"

"Hai!"

Kakashi fought a back small smile as Hinata's eyes widened and she clamped her right hand over her mouth once she realized that she had been too loud. A tomato-like blush erupted from her skin as she looked to her right then left before darting off to get a cart.

"Hinata's really shy isn't she?"

"I would of never noticed, Dobe"

After two hours had passed, the Genin Ninjutsu section was sorted and the nearby Ninjutsu section was dust free.

The same librarian who assigned the task went over to see the work. She came back a few minutes later.

"You all did such a wonderful job" The librarian smiled at them "Feel free to take a book"

Hinata's chest jumped.

"D-do we have t-to r-return it?" She spoke immediately right as the Librarian finished her sentence.

"No you do not; the book you pick is yours to keep"

Hinata nearly jumped in joy as she sped past her teammates, leaving a trail of smoke in her haste.

Hinata knew exactly which book to get. Scanning the spines of the organized books, Hinata pulled one out.

Ninjutsu: A guide to each elemental style.

The other books tipped to the side in a domino-like effect when the pulled book left a good empty space.

Hinata was back to her teammates in an instant. Smoke drifted behind her as she screeched to a stop.

Smiling like a little girl on her birthday, Hinata held the book up so the title could be seen.

"Ninjutsu: A guide to each elemental style."

Naruto said. He then visibly shivered. Reading books was not Naruto's forte.

Things like theme and tone only made his head hurt.

"I think I'll pass on getting a book."

Hinata hugged the book to her chest and smilied. Her eyes were closed and her cheeks were coloured pink as she rocked back and forth on her feet blissfully.

Kakashi could almost sense an aura of happiness around her.

Her two teammates shared one thought.

C-Cute...

Sasuke, now pink faced, covered his nose and mouth with his left hand, trying to hid his face.

"I'll be getting a book"

He said quickly and shot off.

"I changed my mind, I'm getting one too"

Naruto, also pink faced, followed seconds later.

"Eh?" the Hyuuga opened her eyes to find her other teamates gone.

"Where's Sasuke and Naruto?"

Kakashi could only smile in amusement.

"Ah, well you see..."

Walking the dog, scrubbing windows, finding a lost cat, and cleaning a street came soon after.

Hinata didn't mind those missions, they were only genin.

Naruto, however, did.

"Boring!",Naruto shouted and jumped in front of the Hokage's desk; his arms in an 'X' in front of his face.

"Boring! Boring! BORING!"

On Naruto's last iteration, the fire Hokage's hat was blown off and left Hiruzen with his mat of grey hair.

Suddenly, He was snatched back by an irate Iruka.

"Shut up Naruto. You are only Genin!"

"So? These are just chores! Anyone could do them!"

Should she praise Naruto for being gutsy or be scared of the punishment he might receive for yelling so ungratefully into the Hokage's face?

If only she had his courage.

"Stupid dobe", she heard Sasuke mutter beside her.

Hinata had to agree with Sasuke this time.

Hiruzen cleared his throat loudly and placed his hat back on his head.

"Fine Naruto, I'll assign Team 7 a C-rank mission instead."

Naruto shot up his two fists into the air and jumped up and down.

His eyes nearly sparkled.

Hinata felt her chest tighten and her face warm.

N-Naruto...

"Oh what are we going to do? What are we going to do?"

Hinata felt a sharp flick on the side of neck.

Sasuke?

"Quit staring and listen. You don't want to miss the mission details do you?"

Was it her, or did Sasuke look disappointed?

That look he gave, why did she feel bad from it?

Wait he knew?

Hinata's blush grew deeper.

"Ano-"

"I won't tell him. But too bad the dobe is too dense to realize anything"

Was Sasuke right? Were her affections wasted?

"He isn't worth your time if want to be strong"

Again was Sasuke right?

What was she to do?

Her heart wretched painfully from the thought of Naruto not knowing.

Strangely, it also complained at the thought of abandoning Sasuke.

What was going on with her?

Sarutobi shuffled some papers around and pulled one out.

"This is a C-rank escort mission."

"Are we going to escort a princess?"

Sarutobi turned to Iruka,"Bring our customer in"

A tanned, grey-haired man with glasses and a beard came in. A straw like hat rested on his head.

He wore a dark v-neck shirt with matching pants and a towel around his neck.

He held what looks like a beer bottle in his right hand.

The man took a long hard look them.

"These pipsqueaks are my escorts? They are just a bunch of brats."

Naruto pointed at the man.

"He's it?"

"Team 7, you are to escort Tazuna, the Master Bridge Builder, to the Land of Waves"

Aaaaand we enter the Wave Arc.(Finally)

I have lots in store for you~.

Feel free to express your honest opinion in the form of a review.

Again, criticism is accepted. They help me become a better writer!

Expect the next update in another week.