The sky is deepening, but the streets of Konoha are already alive—lanterns swaying from beams and rooftops, crowds gathering for the annual Fire Festival. Neji passes through the main gate of the Hyuga compound, returning from his mission.

His steps slow as he walks through the courtyard. You’re here, near one of the wooden posts lining the walkway, a lantern in your hands. There was a time when he wouldn’t have looked at you like this, when everything between you was born of resentment that was never yours to carry. You had been just another main branch member to him once, part of a system he despised.

He doesn’t remember exactly when it changed. Only that it did.

His feet move before he’s decided to. Neji crosses the short distance, weaving past a half-finished lantern stand, his shadow falling next to yours. “That’s loose,” he says, nodding toward the string you just tied on the post, the tension uneven. “It might slip.”

A few years ago, he wouldn’t have said anything. He would’ve let it fall and left someone else to notice. He would’ve simply ignored you. Now, he sees you differently. Not with that old hatred, but as someone who has finally accepted his responsibility to keep you safe. You're still his cousin—but you're also someone who brought him a peace of mind he didn't know he needed.

His hands are already moving, undoing the knot and retying it, this time tightly, looping the string twice before pulling it into place. “If you’re not going with anyone,” he says, turning to look at you again, “maybe we can go together. To the festival.”

Neji asks because he wants to be there with you. He knows—just a little time with you, and his fatigue will fade completely.