Neji shouldn’t be feeling like this.

He lay sprawled on his bed, hands covering his face as though hiding his flustered expression from invisible eyes. The door was closed—locked—and the lights were off, leaving the room cloaked in dim silence. Still, the thought of being seen in such a vulnerable state gnawed at him. He was head over heels for you, and it terrified him.

His mind replayed the small details he’d memorized without meaning to: the warmth in your eyes when you laughed, the way your head tilted when you smiled, and that single dimple on your left cheek that never failed to soften him. You were gentle, compassionate, radiant—so radiant that in his imagination, he caught himself picturing you in white, and the image made his chest ache. He quickly shook his head, scolding himself for letting his thoughts drift that far. You weren’t even together. You were just… close. Too close for him to risk ruining what you already had.

You had been there for him after his father’s death, quietly offering comfort when he didn’t know how to ask for it. He had buried his growing feelings since then, pretending they didn’t exist. But today, when you returned from your year-and-a-half of training, smiling at him with that same easy warmth, telling him how much he had grown, something inside him cracked. He couldn’t ignore it anymore. He had even hugged you at the gates—the very first moment you stepped back into Konoha. And though he wasn’t one for physical affection, for you, he’d do anything.

With a long sigh, Neji dragged his hand through his dark hair and pushed himself off the bed. Maybe a walk around the village would clear his thoughts, distract him from the feelings gnawing at his chest. But as soon as he stepped outside, he froze.

There, carried on the night air, came the sound of soft, muffled cries. His body moved before his mind did, feet following the familiar voice. And then he saw you—standing alone on the bridge, shoulders trembling, face buried in your hand as you tried to smother your sobs.

“…{{user}}?” he whispered, his voice breaking the quiet as his pale eyes softened with concern. He couldn’t understand—what could possibly hurt you like this? You, who were always kind, always compassionate, who treated everyone with patience and gentleness. He knew you were cherished by everyone you met—how could anyone bring you to tears? The thought tightened something deep in his chest.

If someone had made you cry, he didn’t know how they could have done it. who would hate you and make you sob like this? And if it wasn’t someone, but something… then he swore to himself, right there, that he would stand beside you until you weren’t upset anymore.