Guy stepped over Shino's unconscious from so that he could hurry over and give his children their congratulations. "Lee, Tenten!" Hey shouted over the crowd. He made sure to step around the blood so that he wouldn't slip. "Great job you two!" He beckoned them over, grabbing one of their hands in each of his and lifted them above their heads. "My son and daughter everyone, hahaha!"

Lee looked over at Tenten and grinned. She appeared to be glowing. It was nice to see her get her spark back. Lee was afraid that she wasn't going to get it back. Tenten was a stubborn individual. Tenten broke her gaze from him, searching the crowd for a familiar face.

That's right, Lee noted. She must be looking for Neji. He followed her eyes and found him standing near the front. Hinata was by his side and Sakura wasn't too far off either. Sweat made Lee's hair stick to his forehead, obscuring his vision a little. Despite that, he could see very clearly that Neji was smiling. It was faint, yes. But that was just how Neji smiled.

To see his childhood friends return to a sort of normalcy gave Lee a sort of fulfillment he didn't know was missing until these unfortunate events had started happening. Except... Not everything can stay exactly the same can it?

Neji helped shouldered past Hinata despite her quiet protests. Her open mouth was the only sign that she was even saying anything at all. Lee only noticed it now but when Neji walked, he constantly clenched and in clenched his hands. It wasn't unlike some of Hinata's typical nervous tics, but Lee had never seen Neji do such a thing before. Was he anxious about something?

Once Neji was up there with the three of them, he dipped his head. "Congratulations Lee," he shifted towards Tenten. "Tenten."

Lee's grin never left his face. Somehow, he managed to smile wider. "Thank you Neji! I hope that you enjoyed it."

Neji's she's drifted over to Shino and Kiba who we're picking themselves off of the ground, recollecting themselves. "Very much so," said Neji, somewhat humorously. "Aburame and Inuzuka, huh. My replacements in the Hyuga Clan. How pathetic."

Tenten's eyes softened while Neji's eyes hardened.

"I loathe how they treated you. I'm glad you defeated them."

Guy had long since dropped their hands and Lee could feel Guy slip his hand out of his grasp. Guy was now holding onto Neji's shoulders— smiling, but his demeanor was serious. "But that's past us now, right Neji? Remember, those two are in a similar situation to you that they can't exactly run away from."

Rather than answer Guy, Neji was fixated on Tenten. His jaw was slacked.

Tenten sighed inwardly. "It's okay," she said. "I got it out of my system." She and Lee could admit that it was satisfying to take the duo down. Now that water was under the bridge with this match, they could all move forward.

It felt good.

"There's something I have yet to get out of my system," Neji remarked, once again clenching and unclenching his hands. Guy released him and relinquished to Lee's side, watching as Neji stepped up to Tenten. He took his trembling hands to other side of her face and Lee finally understood. Neji's hands were shaking not because he was nervous— while it could have been very true— but because of his head injury. He wasn't exactly the same after all.

Despite that, Neji didn't complain about it once. At least not out loud. He pushed on past his inhibitions and made the bold move to kiss Tenten.

Here.

In front of everyone.

The crowd cheered and wolf whistled at them. Truly a turn of events. What a show!

Lee was elated for them. He couldn't help himself when he exclaimed, "Finally! It was torturous watching you two fall in love!" He pressed his palms into his temples, venting his frustrations.

Through Guy's hard work and hard earned (dirty) money, he enrolled Lee and Tenten into a prestigious school that Neji happened to be attending. That's how they all met. Neji wasn't exactly the friendliest kid but the adoptive siblings found a way into his heart. Even back then, Lee noticed when Neji began to be sweeter on Tenten than he was on him. It started off small like lingering glances and touches. Neji hated being touched for the most part. After a thorough conversation with Guy Sensei, little Lee understood romance a bit more.

For nearly a whole decade the two have coasted around one another.

So yeah, Lee was more than happy to see their budding relationship finally come to fruition.

Tenten was the first to pull away. "Wait... I don't get it. How long have you felt this way?"

The second-hand embarrassment was almost overwhelming.

Neji continued to hold onto her face, looking at her sternly. "Tenten," he said, "you haven't realized that we've been going on dates?"

Tenten blinked rapidly. Fighting off tears maybe? "You never worded them as such."

"I know," Neji admitted, uncharacteristically sheepish of him.

"So that time when we went to the movies without Lee, was a date?" Tenten asked. "You lied about him being sick?"

For a moment, Neji was silent so Lee spoke to fill in the lapse. "It is okay," said Lee, patting his chest. "I am aware of that. I was hurt at first but Guy Sensei took me to the movies instead."

Neji almost snapped his neck to look at Lee. "You knew?"

Lee nodded. "Guy Sensei and I were there in the back of the theater."

Embarrassment was a strange look on Neji. He turned back towards Tenten, changing the course of the conversation. Everyone knew about the movie theater incident and there was nothing further to discuss. "What's more... In the hospital you said that you wanted to tell me you loved me. I heard it all."

Tenten was turning red. "You did?"

Neji dipped his head. He was obscuring information again. Lee remembered seeing him move after Tenten's admittance. It was slight but Lee caught it that day in the hospital. Perhaps Neji was pretending to be unconscious, processing what he had just heard.

"I wanted to tell you," Neji began, "that I love you too."

The next few moments were a blur. Lee felt Guy scoop him up into a hug, celebrating the two youths in love. They were crying for them. After all the things they've been through, Neji and Tenten were finally building bridges.

Love was great.

Lee had to go see Sakura.

ˏˋ ˎˊ

He found her in the clinic, tending to Kiba's nose as Shino laid in a cot with an ice pack over his face. The Aburame's eyes were obscured. Kiba sat up in his cot with Sakura sitting next to him. At the sight of Lee, Kiba narrowed his eyes.

"Didja really have to hit me repeatedly in the nose?" He asked. He sounded really nasaly as his nostrils were clogged with cotton. Part of the white cotton was bright blood red.

Lee bowed his head respectfully. "I am sorry, Kiba," he decidedly used his first name to signify their newfound friendship, "but I did what I had to do. The only rule is no killing."

Despite himself, Kiba smirked. "Heh. I like that. Next time we won't go so easy on ya. Right, Shino?"

Shino didn't even budge as he responded. "That was going easy on them?"

Kiba chuckled. "You're so funny Shino."

"I was being serious."

Kiba only laughed harder, which made his injury hurt so he promptly stopped and coughed up blood. Sakura patted his shoulder. "Hey, take it easy," she reprimanded. "You want this to heal or not?"

The Inuzuka rolled his eyes. "Yes mother."

Sakura playfully rolled her eyes as well and shook her head. "So," she began to address Lee now, "Neji and Tenten, huh?"

Lee smiled. "Indeed." He was happy for them, but watching them be lovey-dovey only made him want to be around Sakura more. But she had a job to do and she looked like she was in her element. Watching Sakura work on someone that wasn't him made Lee feel proud of her. She was keeping up on her promise and was excelling at it.

Sakura returned the smile. "Good for them." In the time she has gotten to know the two, she was glad that they were getting some joy into their lives. They were made for each other.

And Sakura was begining to believe that she was made for Lee.