Neji wasn't a very showy person. His ways of saying "I love you" weren't big sweeping declarations or gesturing or sobbing or presenting people with flowers. If you didn't know him well, you would assume that he wasn't capable of deep emotions like that.

But Team Guy knew better. Neji wasn't a very showy person, but that didn't mean that the ways he said "I love you" counted any less.

The first time that Lee knew that Neji loved his team was after his leg had been crushed in the fight against Gaara. Back then, Neji was, to use his own surprisingly candid words, "a jackass."

Of course, Lee had protested Neji's use of such a word to describe himself. "Neji, you are not a jackass. You're a brilliant, amazing genius, my eternal rival!"

Then Neji actually smiled. "No. I was a jackass," he said simply.

Lee tried to protest again, but one look at Neji's calm face and somehow, he felt himself quieting down. Neji was never this introspective, and that was honestly kind of worrying. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and glanced sideways at the ground.

"So...how's your leg healing?" Neji finally asked awkwardly. "Tsunade-sama said that your surgery was successful?"

Lee brightened up. "YES. I'm back to my normal, youthful self, Neji. Today, I tried doing two hundred push-ups and I could! With no pain!"

For once, the eloquent Neji seemed to struggle for words. He continued his valiant staring contest with the ground. "That's...I'm...I'm happy...Lee."

Lee recalled Neji's cold words to Hinata during the Chuunin Exams, about how the way she poked her fingers together, how she glanced this way or that, how it all meant that she was scared. That she wanted to run away. Lee would never have imagined that he would see Neji display more of that very same body language in a mere few weeks. But even though Hinata had been scared back then, she did fight. And Lee knew that Neji would be the same. Sure enough, Neji finally did look up to meet Lee's face, his white eyes steady and clear and for the first time in the year they'd been teammates, shining with something he couldn't describe in words.

"So...are you up for a...rivalry match?" Neji asked tentatively, mouth fixed in an odd smile-grimace, like he'd tasted a lemon, and couldn't decide if it was sweet or sour.

Lee strained his ears, sure that he had misheard. Maybe it was residual damage from that Oto ninja? But Tsunade-sama said he had no injuries to worry about! "I beg your pardon, Neji, but could you repeat yourself?"

"Let's have a rivalry match," Neji said, smiling now more than grimacing. "I look forward to you showing me...the results of your hard work."

When he had first become Neji's sensei, Guy had only seen Kakashi in him. The similarities, the similarities to his eternal rival, they were endless! Blessed with a powerful doujutsu from a prestigious clan of Konoha? Genius? Best in the class? Very serious family problems, even down to the dead father in each case? Aloof, cold, only focusing on completing the task, trying his best not to form too many connections? Disdainful of his scrappy, less talented teammate?

It was Textbook Kakashi, his best friend, eternal rival, lover of Icha Icha, and eternal latecomer. Guy knew that the Sandaime had assigned Hyuuga Neji to his team specifically because Guy had the experience. Guy had the credentials. Guy could HANDLE kids like Neji. The Sandaime knew the full extent of Guy's youthful prowess and foresaw that his teaching methods would be perfect in converting Hyuuga Neji into a functional, capable ninja.

Guy knew that it would be slow. After all, Kakashi did not care for their eternal rivalry contests in the beginning. He, too, had scoffed at the phrase "springtime of youth." He, too, had brushed off Guy's earliest attempts to befriend him. He, too, had been disdainful at the idea that Guy could ever defeat him. And look at where they were now! Guy had just beaten Kakashi in the latest tally, 51-49, in the kaitenzushi eating contest, and they had just taken a lovely evening stroll around Konoha. Well, Kakashi had strolled. Guy had been walking on his hands.

Guy knew that Neji would change. Youth always prevailed! And he was right.

The proof was right in front of his eyes. Hyuuga Neji was not a demonstrative teenager. But this...this was practically "I love you" coming from him.

"Honestly, Guy-sensei," he was scolding, eyes twitching in irritation in a keenly-familiar tic. "This is madness."

"Nonsense, Neji!" Guy yelled. "I appreciate your concern, but – "

"Guy-sensei?" Neji looked like he was a second away from blocking Guy's tenketsu. His hands were twitching so much and his mouth was set in such a way that it resembled lockjaw.

"Yes, my dear youthful student?"

"You are not going to do a hundred laps around Konoha in swimming trunks. During winter. You'll get frostbite. I won't let you."

"But it's my – "

"We're going home. Right now."

As Neji brusquely grabbed Guy and dragged him back to his house like a poodle, Guy started crying loudly, both at the fact that he couldn't do this youthful challenge as he expected, and at the fact that Neji was so concerned at the prospect of his sensei getting frostbite.

People began muttering as they hurried back.

"Ugh...it's that guy again. The one with the huge eyebrows."

"Did you hear how he fell off the Hokage Monument the other day while having an argument with Hatake Kakashi?"

"I feel sorry for his students."

Neji winced and walked ever faster.

There weren't too many ways in which Neji said "I love you." He wasn't a touchy-feely guy who shouted his affection at the top of his lungs like Lee and shot heart eyes at people. Neji showed his concern for Tenten with subtle methods.

Such as now.

"It's been three hours. When will they stop?"

"I don't know. There's no way to know."

"Why, Neji? Why would anyone want to play rock-paper-scissors for three hours?"

"I don't know, Tenten. I just don't know."

"...Neji? Why were we all put in a team together?"

"It was Iruka-sensei's idea. And the Sandaime agreed."

"I wonder if they wanted us to suffer."

"Maybe."

"Do you feel like you're suffering right now?"

"Yes. But not because of you. You're okay."

"Really?"

"Really. You are the only sane person on this team."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

A/N: Written for Day 25: Love. Please leave a review! :)