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The gifts had started small.
A flower sitting outside Kaede’s door.
Choice pieces of meat carefully wrapped left by the firepit in Kaede’s hut.
A shiny rock sitting by her sleeping back.
Rich brown eyes sparkled with happy tears as a finger ran across the dried petals of the flower. A smile teased her lips as Kagome Higurashi lifted the rock, her thumb running over the now familiar lines.
The three years apart had been hard. So devastatingly hard for her… and it seemed for him as well.
Inuyasha.
Just the thought of him warmed her heart, and pushed away almost all the pain that had filled her when she had been torn from him. She had been frozen inside for the three years, she no longer fit with her friends, and the entire modern era itself had felt strange, hollow. The problems that her friends complained about had seemed so petty, so… childish. They were talking about not being able to find the right shoes to go with an outfit, and Kagome had wanted to lash out to them that they should be thankful for having shoes… and then realized they wouldn’t understand.
A gentle breeze caused her raven hair to dance and her smile grew. She knew what that meant, and turned to see a bolt of green fabric laying against the wall.
Three weeks after her return the gifts had started to change. While she still received a flower daily, now there were bolts of fabric, a new sewing kit, things that to many were just practical but to her meant so much more.
They let her know she was home. Truly truly home, with Inuyasha.
A soft sound from the door had her turning, brown eyes meeting burning amber. She took in his figure, framed by the light of the door, the long silver hair, the quivering ears at the top of his head, the hope and emotion that shone in his molten eyes.
Kagome took a small step towards him, and watched his lips curve into a grin, a fang peeking out over his lips. He held his hand out, a sprig of baby’s breath cradled against his claws. Kagome’s breath caught as she took the flower and nuzzled it to her cheek. Her eyes lifted to meet his again, and her free hand rose to touch his cheek. His eyes closed as he leaned his cheek into her palm with a soft sigh.
His eyes opened to meet hers, his hand snaking around her waist to draw her to his chest, his nose burying in her hair. Kagome’s hand dropped from his cheek to clutch his haori to her.
One benefit that Kagome would admit that the time apart had given them… they were now absolutely on the same page, despite having different ways of expressing themselves.
His gifts…
Her touches…
They both now clearly heard what the other had been saying, without ever needing to say a word.
I love you.