Lost in Translation by Sereia

Chapter 1

"I love you." The words hung between them, Kagome bouncing nervously on the balls of her feet as she stared up at him. It had taken her all week to work up the nerve to confess, though part of that was waiting for him to actually appear in the village in the first place.

He eyed her carefully, one hand stroking his pelt, expression completely unreadable, but he eventually cocked his head to the side. "The sentiment is returned, miko."

Her knees almost went out from under her, but she flashed him a brilliant smile. "Really?" He inclined his head slightly, and Kagome flew into his arms, gripping him tightly. "I'm so glad! I wasn't sure what to say or what you'd say—"

She knew she was rambling, but it had been over five years since she'd returned to the past, and three of those had been spent hiding her feelings from him because she wasn't prepared to have her heart broken again.

Her friends didn't understand it, Inuyasha least of all, but they wanted her to be happy, and he'd been supportive, keeping any other potential proposals away. She'd be forever grateful, though it hadn't helped her to confess. That she'd been on her own for, the hanyou making a face every time she'd tried to rehearse in front of him.

It was so stupid. She was a grown woman. It shouldn't have been that hard. But she'd known these feelings were different from what she'd felt for Inuyasha during their hunt for the shards—and so had he, for that matter—which was likely why he hadn't wanted to hear the words in the first place.

"I was worried you'd never want to see me again," she confessed.

He placed a hand on her head. "I cannot imagine why. You are pack."

Kagome frowned at that but brushed it off. She loved him, and he loved her back. That was all that mattered.

..::**::..

"I thought you confessed."

Kagome groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I did."

Shippou paused in his illusion, perfectly imitating Miroku—minus the flaming red hair. "But he's acting the same way as before."

She peeked between her fingers. Sesshoumaru was currently sitting with Rin at the base of the next hill, a bundle of flowers in her lap as she chatted about her latest adventure with Kaede. The girl was well on her way to becoming an experienced healer. She lacked any real holy power—her time in the underworld had seen to that—but she didn't need any power to set broken bones and cure the sick.

"I don't get it," she said, flopping back on the grass. She knew things wouldn't completely change after her confession, but she'd expected something.

So far, there had been nothing out of the ordinary. His visits to the village hadn't increased, and he only came to see her if she happened to be with Rin. She wasn't a delusional teen reading romance novels anymore, but where was the handholding? Or the stolen kisses when they thought no one was looking?

Heat crept into her face as her thoughts went down a more adult path, hoping Shippou's senses hadn't progressed to the point of scenting the shift in her aura, but he was still staring at Sesshoumaru.

"What did you do?" he asked, returning to his original form. "When you confessed."

"I told him I loved him," she said, not bothering to open her eyes. "He said he felt the same—"

"No," he replied, cutting her off. "What did you do?"

A frown pinched her brows together, and she sat up. "What do you mean? That's it."

Shippou looked between the two of them, then smacked his forehead. "No wonder! He probably thinks you meant it the way Rin does!"

"What?" She flushed as both Sesshoumaru and Rin turned toward them, eyes wide in question, and Kagome bit the inside of her cheek as she gave them a slight wave. She waited until they'd returned to their conversation before leaning toward Shippou. "What do you mean?"

The kit giggled, the sound youthening his features. "Youkai work differently, Kagome. Mama and Papa never used words. It's all about actions. Rin tells him she loves him all the time. You didn't do anything differently, so he thought it was the same thing."

She raked her hands through her hair, then gave him an imploring look. "What was I supposed to do?" He kept his voice down as he went through each step, helping her plan a second confession—one that would hopefully give her better results.

..::**::..

"I love you."

"So you have said before."

Kagome glared at him, hands balling into fists at his nonchalant tone. "Yes, but you didn't understand what I meant."

He sighed. "My ears work well enough, miko. Rin has informed me as to how humans show affection."

She barely managed to stop herself from stomping her foot. It wouldn't do to resort to something so juvenile, but he was so frustrating in his ignorance. "There are different types of love. I don't love you the same way Rin does."

The confusion that littered his face confirmed her suspicions, and she stepped closer. Shippou had taught her what to do, but she was right back to where she was initially: teetering on the edge of possibly ruining whatever was between them.

She enjoyed their friendship. He had insight into topics that she'd never considered, especially considering the other members of her pack, but once he finally understood what she was trying to say, things would change. She only hoped it was for the better and they could move forward with their relationship.

Friendship wasn't enough. Not anymore.

She grabbed the lapels of his haori, wishing he hadn't worn his armour but unable to wait for a more opportune moment. She felt the spark in his youki as she pulled him down, lips brushing against the underside of his jaw, and she mouthed the words again, trying to make him understand.

He'd frozen as soon as she'd kissed him but said nothing, so she pulled back, face flushed. "Do you understand now?"

His pupils had dilated, and she was close enough to see the flecks of citrine hidden amongst the amber. "Is this how you meant it before?" he whispered.

She nodded, then tried to take a step back. It was one thing to confess, though technically it was her second time doing so, but being this close to him when he hadn't given her a response yet felt stifling.

His arm snaked around her waist, preventing her from moving any further. "Do not put away," he said. "Not yet."

She stared at him, her heart suddenly pounding against her ribs. Biting her lip, she placed her hands on his chest. "Is this alright?"

His nod was slight, and she felt small under his scrutinizing gaze, but he hadn't pushed her away, so that was something. They stayed like that for a while, simply leaning against each other, before a single word escaped his lips, "Why?"

She finally smiled, playing with the folds in his haori. "When I'm with you, I'm happy," she said. She looked up at him. "Do I need more of a reason than that?"

The muscles along his jaw tightened. "What does the rest of your pack think?"

Kagome snorted, finally relaxing. "They're mostly okay with it, but I fell in love with you, not them."

"Mostly?" he repeated.

Her smile widened. "Inuyasha gagged every time I tried to practice with him if that makes you feel better."

"Only slightly." She raised an eyebrow, eyes widening when he looked away. "He has clearly heard the words more times than I have."

She slid her arms around his neck, confidence growing. "I'll say it again if you kiss me."

She swore the marks on his cheeks darkened. "Like you have done with me?"

She shook her head. "No. A human kiss." She moistened her lips out of habit, drawing his attention before she went up on tiptoe. Following his instincts, he met her halfway, and her heart swelled at the thought of teaching him all the different ways humans expressed their love.

And learning how youkai did it in return.