Keep the family case out of it
Do not begin with your version of what their parent, sibling, or partner did. Say that you value your direct relationship and understand if the wider conflict made contact difficult.
Avoid asking what other relatives are saying. That turns a personal message into intelligence gathering and puts your cousin back in the middle.
Offer a relationship with boundaries
Suggest a small, neutral form of contact that does not require discussing the dispute. You might exchange updates, meet briefly, or simply leave the door open.
Acknowledge that they may need distance to protect other relationships. Do not demand secrecy or insist that they prove independence from the family.
- Speak only for yourself.
- Do not ask them to carry messages.
- Offer contact that does not require taking sides.
Accept divided loyalties
Your cousin may care about you and still decline. That can be painful without being a verdict on who was right.
If normal contact is closed, one announced request can offer the choice. A decline should end the attempt, not trigger outreach through more relatives.