Winter Flash

Forging Bonds

A/N: Happy Holidays guys! Sorry about all the setbacks, I was too busy panicking about finals and filling out college apps that I didn't have time for uploading. I have time now but that's only 'cause it's my spring break. Anyway, I like this picture of MinaHina ^u^ it's cute!

Also, I got accepted to UC Riverside and Davis :D

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It has been a few months since that fateful test Hinata and the others passed and apparently, the test seemed much easier than the past months with her team. The two boys-Naruto and Sasuke-refuse to see eye-to-eye and all the teamwork-based exercises Kakashi had them perform were all failures for either Sasuke would mock Naruto or Naruto would start fights with said Uchiha. Hinata was waiting for her team in their training ground with her knees pulled up to her chest and her chin on her crossed arms. Lately, she had recurring headaches that would hurt for a moment but they soon transformed into migraines that would even hinder her training. Kurama was curled against her side, silent because Minato had wanted to have some "alone time with his thoughts". Hinata was content with this but she was worried for her friend. 'Hopefully he's okay.' Hinata sighed softly to herself as she buried her face within her arms, closing her eyes. She was about to fall into a dreamless sleep when she sensed Kakashi's chakra coming near. Hinata liked Kakashi's chakra, it was a deep green with beautiful sharp light blue lines and had a lazy yet soothing affect on her as if she was going through the process of waking up. She looked up to greet Kakashi. "Hello, Kakashi-sensei." Kakashi gave her his famed one-eyed smile and sat next to her, a little bit of comfortable distance away from her. She was surprised when he didn't take out his erotic novel, seeing as he read it during their team spars.

"Ne, Hinata-chan." Hinata glanced over at him, only to see him watching the cloudless sky roll by. "Hai, Kakashi-sensei?" 

Kakashi started, "If you were assigned on an A-rank mission to guard a high-class civilian, escorting them to the Land of Tea, and could pick two others to accompany you...who would you pick?" He looked down at her, "And I want an honest answer."

Hinata blinked before looking down at Kurama's sleeping form, avoiding Kakashi's intense stare, and placed a gentle hand on his back. She didn't even have to think twice about her team and answered, "Kiba-kun and Shino-kun." She sighed. "The reason being that not only do I have a feel of how they work, they are responsible and serious when needed to be. They know the foundations of teamwork and even though they are rivals, they set their rivalry aside to complete the mission and assure the safety of everyone."

"Why not Naruto and Sasuke, your own teammates?" Kakashi pointed out with his eyebrow raised in question.

Hinata looked up at Kakashi with sad eyes. "They have no feel for teamwork. They assume that they could do everything on their own just because of their immense prowess and don't need anyone else." She looked down at her lap once more and placed a cool hand on her head, feeling a migraine beginning, "They also don't know when to stop once they are fighting with each other and once they start, they would ignore their surroundings...which is a deadly thing to do when in a mission. Not only would they get their client and comrades killed, but each other." Hinata rubbed her sudden tired eyes and looked at Kakashi to see him smiling at her, which confused her greatly.

"Alright, come with me." Kakashi said as he stood up and began to walk away, expecting her to follow. Hinata stumbled in confusion before gently picking up a groggy Kurama and running after Kakashi.

After an hour of walking around in silence with Hinata as confused as ever, Hinata was aware that Kakashi had taken her to a separate training ground where Naruto and Sasuke were already waiting. Naruto was the first (surprisingly) to notice them and he immediately yelled loudly at Kakashi and Hinata, "You're late!"