Gold Hair, Black Heart

White eyes opened to see the legs folded before her. Naruto smiling as she stirred with his fingers still flowing gracefully through her hair. Hinata looked up into Naruto's eyes and began to blush again but he quickly propped her up as he spoke gently, "Good morning, Hinata. How was your nap?"
She nearly passed out again but Naruto jerked her a little to startle her to stay awake. She blushed at him and spoke back, "It was... fantastic."
"I am glad," Naruto spoke happily then whispered to her, "You do know you slept through nearly an entire day? It is time for the eliminations and your team is waiting for you."
Hinata blushed more then jerked herself up to standing. She began to run to her team but turned around and gave him a low thankful bow. Naruto stood up smiling until Zaku came over and had a taunting smile. Naruto shot him a foul glare and walked to get into line for them to be recognized. What was last of the teams trickled in and Sarutobi stood before them all. Naruto noticed as Sarutobi looked directly at him. Sarutobi stayed staring as he seemed to be thinking. Was this the child he threw away years ago? He could not be sure unless Kyubi were to show itself in some form. Naruto tilted his head to Dosu and whispered, "The hokage is staring at me. Any clue?"
Dosu shook his head and said, "I am about as baffled as you are. Perhaps he likes your hair?"
Naruto chuckled to himself but then stood erect and waited. Sarutobi waited until the last group trickled in and then as the doors shut, he allowed them to stand with their teams like everyone else. He then spoke out, "Congradulations. You all have passed the second exam. You are all probably wondering what is so special about these exams. They started back when all our allies were not so. This was our alternative to war."
Naruto cocked his head as he listened to the speach and looked to his teammates a moment. The rest of the speach blurred into his ears as he thought about everything going on. He only came back to attention when a rather sickly looking man hopped down and claimed to be the referee. Naruto thought if they were going to go to the third wouldn't there have to be a proctor? He stared at him and listened as he said there had to be a preliminary for the test. His eyes widened a little bit as he thought about what this was going to be. He heard the shreiking of students questioning the reason why and then heard the answer. Too many? Too easy? Well, Naruto thought it was too easy but that team that he mangled the teammate of probably didn't. He was pretty sure they had to lug the body and obviously, they had them with themselves.
"So anyway... Those who are not feeling well.. Those who feel like quiting after these explinations, please come forward immidiately because we will be starting the preliminaries now," The sickly man spoke rather slowly.
The mangled teammate got taken away, that was obvious and fun to see. People were leaving as needed it seemed or as required. He only noticed the one leave but there was an entire team that seemed to quit. He looked back forward and watched as the referee announced there was now only twenty people and that there would be ten matches. So only ten were going to move into the finals? That was alright with Naruto. His team had absolutely nothing to worry about even if it was just one on one fights. Everyone watched the screen as names rolled across. The top one stopped on Sasuke Uchiha. Naruto looked over at him and tilted his head a bit. He didn't care who he was getting put up against, he just wanted to see how he fought.
Everyone began getting up into the upper level. He tried to stay with Dosu and Zaku, finding it a bit akward as his father stood behind him with a different face. It should have felt normal to him but it was one of those things he could never get used to. He was on the end of the team as he leaned over the rail and watched the beginning of the match, not very enjoyable to him. He then felt a light tap on his shoulder and he turned his head to Hinata being beside him. She had a blush that made him smile a bit. He spoke to her, "What brings you over here?"
Hinata turned a brighter shade of red as she said, "The fight isn't what...um... interests me, it is... you..."
He noticed she seemed so nervous she could pass out and it was obviously her first time trying to showcase herself. He placed an arm over her and said, "I find myself distracted by you as well."
She turned red and he held her close so she couldn't fall. He rubbed her back gently and said, "Hey... you know that you must be ready for your fight, right? If you pass out I won't get to see your elegant moves in the ring."
"I am not that good," Hinata looked down to the ground and poked her pointer fingers together.
Naruto placed his loosely cupped hand under her chin and rose her head. His eyes made contact with hers as he spoke, "You never really know until you try. Give it your best and I am sure you will rock this entire exam."
Hinata blushed and hugged onto him. For once, he was speechless but held her back, trying to keep his pelvis away from her due to a hard-on.
By the time they began to pay attention again, the fight was over and he saw Sasuke had won. He thought he should have payed more attention, then he would know how to fight him better even if he could toss him around anyways. He kept his arm over Hinata as they nervously watched the board. It rolled up to Zaku Abumi and Aburami Shino. Naruto looked at Zaku before he jumped down and said, "Hey! Rock them hard! Alright?!"
Zaku looked back at Naruto and said, "I will do my best, young Lord Naruto."
Hinata looked at Naruto and said, "Young Lord?"
Naruto blushed a bit and placed a hand behind his head, "Well, um, I am Orochimaru's son and he is the Lord of the Sound Village." Hinata turned a brighter red and seemed to want to pull away. Naruto looked at her and said, "What's the matter? Do you not like me anymore cause of that?"
"Well," Hinata looked away and said, "I just don't want things to collide because I like you but..." She turned brighter red.
Naruto released her shoulder and went back to leaning on the rail. Hinata didn't really know what to do as he silently stared at the ongoing match and returned to her team. Naruto peeked to know she left and resumed watching what was going on. He watched the insects and Zaku and felt like the match was his source of enjoyment at the time even if Zaku got his arms blown up. He suddenly felt his father's grasp on his shoulder. A sign that it was going to be alright. Things were always alright.