I'd never seen her cry. I realized this as I glimpsed her striving to look into the hospital room around the departing form of my uncle, and she seemed a little different. Her cheeks and nose were rosier than usual and she was covering her mouth to stifle her sobs. Gai sensei was right behind her, looking serious, and he cast a fierce glance after my uncle before leaning down and whispering to Tenten, his look softening as he gently pushed her forward. As he spoke, he looked up at me and I swear he winked, but he wasn't smiling, so I'm not sure. Then he was gone down the hallway to do who knows what with Lord Hyuga. Lord Hyuga who'd come to tell me what I already knew. A glitch in the seal. But I was okay so no apology was needed, which was to be expected. Temporary discomfort of a Branch House member was not worth his time. But it seemed to be worth someone's. Tenten was making great effort not to look at me, but I was not afraid to look at her because I knew she had something to tell me. After all, I didn't walk to the infirmary. But I decided to let her talk when she was prepared to do so.

"Neji, I didn't mean to cut your shirt off," she blurted out abruptly. That was Tenten; just suddenly everything all at once.

"I have more shir-"

"I cut through your wrappings too!" She surprised me this time. "But you were having trouble breathing and… it helped…" she was still avoiding my eyes and I was still watching her. She was now blushing intensely beneath her tears and, to be honest, I nearly laughed at the strange combination. Not to demerit her grief. I know a great deal about tears. But hers seemed relieved and she was concerned about the triviality of seeing me shirtless. So I concealed a brief smile and decided to let her tell her story first. It was inevitable that she'd ask about mine. "So… you're okay now…" she whispered to the side table.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for… taking care of things."

"Neji, I was so scared!" she stepped towards the bed, looking straight at me with tear-blurred vision again. "I was so scared, Neji, I had no idea what to do and you were so-so-so-" I grabbed her wrist on impulse and pulled her into my arms. I don't know why. It was so familiar, so similar. I saw what I wish I'd never seen, Hinata, running from her bedroom to hide in the hallway closet because she didn't understand why her father wouldn't smile. My own rippling reflection as I tried so many times to control myself and my own tears displaced the calm of the pond behind the Branch House compound because I didn't understand what it meant to be family in my clan. "Family". Our eyes do more than see in my household. And hers were doing the same. She was holding tight to the loose hospital shirt that slowly gathered her tears. My fingers found their way to her hair and her back and I stroked her shaking body because one of us deserved comfort, she didn't have to be alone in her pain. I didn't want her to be. Because I was alone enough to know how much it hurt.

"Shh… Tenten. It's okay now, please stop. You'll make yourself sick. Shh…" And I knew it was wrong to enjoy the weight of her in my arms because if I loved her she'd be drawn further into the inescapable web of the Hyuga clan customs. But then she looked up at me. And our faces were so close. I almost kissed her and Shodaime knows I wanted to . She almost kissed me back. What a scandal. I kissed her cheek. I couldn't resist. And I don't regret it either. Now it was my turn to look away, but I couldn't break our mutual gaze.

"Oh, Neji," she said shakily, reaching a tentative hand up to touch my forehead. I pulled her close again and we sat there in silence for several minutes.

"Neji…"

"Hm?"

"... were you conscious when I found you?"

"… Yes." My story was finally being told.

"Did you make it as far as when I cut your shirt off?"

"I did." She took a brief moment for contemplative silence before,

"Neji, were-"

"I was fully conscious the entire time." She jerked upright, reddening as she stared agape at me, realizing the full implications of my remark. I smiled as the door opened and a nurse came to end visiting hours. As she was ushered out, still gaping, I realized that was probably the first time she'd seen me smile. But she would most likely see it very often from now on.