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If you had asked Hyuuga Neji three years ago what love was, he wouldn't have had a good answer for you. He knew love, of course, he loved his cousins, loved his uncle, even could be lightly bullied into saying he loved his teammates at times. But romance? That was…unfamiliar, to be gentle; it was foreign and scary, to be honest. His mother had died when he was less than a year old after all, leaving his father to raise him alone.
Today though? Today, love was Itachi. Love was the quirk of his smile when Neji kissed the top of his head. Love was Itachi making breakfast every morning and Neji making dinner every evening. Love was that quiet feeling that things were alright and long as they were both there. Love was soft goodbye kisses and lingering welcome-back hugs. Love was running his fingers through his hair and feeling his body relax against him, because even if Itachi was a chronic worrier, Neji made him feel safe. Love was knowing that they would always have each other's hand to hold. Love was being ready to understand and help, no matter the issue. And love meant everything today.
Neji resisted the urge to nervously brush his fingers over the box in his pocket and shot a glance at his boyfriend. Nothing but smooth sailing so far. Dinner, easy. Convincing Itachi to come for a walk instead of going right home, easy. Now all he had to do was… ask. Not easy. Absolutely, irrationally, terrifying. It wasn't as if he was surprising him, they'd talked about it before. But…
Itachi squeezed his hand.
"Alright? You seem worried."
"Yeah," Neji smiled, "I'm great."
Itachi pulled back, forcing him to stop.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Itachi hesitated, then kissed him gently.
Neji took a nervous breath.
Now or never; this was love.