"I must say, that's probably the longest it's ever taken me to pin you down," Keiden said, straddling Neji's hips while holding the kunai he'd given her to his neck. She kissed the tip of his nose. "Well done."

Instead of immediately jumping up and resuming their sparring session like they always did, they remained in what would be, in someone else's eyes, a rather compromising position. Neji didn't mind in the slightest, and he knew Keiden didn't, either. She lightly tossed the kunai into the thin layer of snow and lay shyly against his chest, tracing patterns on his shirt with her fingers. In response, Neji wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him. He nestled his cheek in her hair, breathing in her scent.

He wanted to stay like this forever.

But he was such a coward. Weeks had passed since Hiashi had given him his blessing, and Neji still hadn't plucked up enough courage to do what he so, so badly wanted to do. Even eons of preparation wouldn't make him brave enough.

"Your heart sounds so sad. . ." Keiden murmured, the fluttering of her lips tickling his chest.

His throat constricted at her words. He still wasn't entirely sure if she'd be willing to go along with this— that is, if he ever got around to asking her. He desperately wanted to believe that she had let go of her fear, that she would help him let go of his, once and for all.

Just do it!

"Keiden," he said softly.

"Mmm?" she breathed.

He sat up and arranged her so that she now rested comfortably in his lap, her torso still cradled in his embrace. How on earth was he supposed to begin?

"I just. . . well. . ." Pathetic! The truth! Just give her the truth! "I want to say that. . ." He trailed off, his nerves reeling.

"Neji?" She put a worried hand to his cheek.

Despite everything, that was all it took.

"I love you," he whispered.

Keiden stiffened in his arms, her hand dropping from his face. "W-what?" Her voice quivered.

This was the one time Neji was actually glad to repeat himself. "I love you, Keiden."

She was out of his hold in an instant, now standing a few feet away from him. A variety of emotions flickered across her face, going from scared to relieved, from nervous to. . . agonized.

Neji stood gingerly, taking a step toward her.

"I can't," Keiden said weakly. She was shaking.

He froze in his tracks. She doesn't feel the same. . . about me?

What she did next nearly startled him out of his wits: she fell to her knees, her head in her hands, whimpering, "I do. . . I do. . ."

Neji quickly closed the distance between them, gathering her into his arms once more. "That's all I needed to hear," he said into her hair, kissing the curls over and over again.

So she wanted him, just as much as he wanted her. And, all this time, she'd been just as terrified about it. This revelation kept Neji going, pushing him in the direction he'd been desiring to travel for so long. He cupped her face in his hands, taking in her glistening eyes. His heart was beating so hard, he was afraid it would burst before he could get the words out.

"Please," he begged. "Marry me."

Keiden gasped.

Time seemed to come to an absolute standstill as Neji waited for her to respond. He hoped, he prayed, that Fate would be kind to him once again—

Keiden wound her slender arms around his neck, her fingers in his hair.

"Yes," she hiccupped.

And all Neji could do was smile.