…Did I just say that out loud?
Kagome frowned at him. The jerk! It had only been one day, and it was a mid-term test she'd been studying for all week! It wasn't like he hadn't known she'd be going, wasn't as if she'd left without his knowledge. Just because she hadn't told him the moment she was leaving, he was throwing a tantrum now that she was back.
"And I don't even see why this is such a big deal for you. I was only gone a day."
"But you didn't tell me!"
If she didn't know him better, she'd have sworn he was whining.
"I did so tell you! Why do you think I'd brought all my books with me? I told you at least twenty times last week when you asked what I was reading."
"But I didn't know when you'd leave!"
Again, back to the details. He'd said that at least ten times in as many minutes.
"Yes, you did!" She'd said that, too. " 'I'll be gone in two days for this test.' 'I won't be here tomorrow.' 'Finally, I can get this test over with! I'm going back today!' I said all those things to you, so many times I couldn't count if I could go back and say them again!"
"But-"
She threw up her arms with a huff, not even letting him finish his sentence. She turned around and walked out the door, heading down the path through the forests.
He was acting so childish! She fumed as she walked, thankful that he wasn't coming after her. She needed some time to collect herself.
She wasn't really surprised at his behavior. He'd always been like that, acting like a little child when he didn't get his way, and his way would have her staying in the Feudal Era forever, and she'd never be able to pass high school.
'Not that I'm likely to pass now, anyways. I barely got a passing grade on the mid-term as it was. And I'm hardly happy about it.'
She suddenly stopped short as she realized something. She wasn't even really mad at Inuyasha for the fit he was throwing, only irritated at herself for so nearly failing the test. She'd expected his reaction, and if she'd done better on the test, it probably wouldn't have mattered.
She continued walking, smiling to herself a little this time. Now that she was aware of her own feelings, she felt better.
She grinned when she realized that the path she was on was the one that led to the Bone Eater's Well as she came into the clearing. It was such a peaceful place to sit when you needed to think, and she felt like thinking then.
She sat at the edge of the well, kicking her feet out lightly and gazing up at the brilliantly blue sky above her. It was such a nice day.
'I should find a way to apologize to Inuyasha. He wasn't really doing anything I wouldn't expect him to do, anyway,' she thought to herself.
She was sitting there a long time, hardly thinking in a straight line at all, before she heard him enter the clearing.
"…Kagome?" Inuyasha's voice was hesitant, and she heard him step closer. She kicked her feet out again.
"Hmm?" she asked, smiling to herself.
"I just wanted to…" He cut himself off, then started again. "I came to say…"
"You know, Inuyasha," Kagome said, cutting him off before he had to say anything that would embarrass him. "I was thinking, and I really should apologize to you. I mean, it wasn't like I didn't expect you to be irritated when I got back."
"Yes, I – "
She held up a hand, still not looking at him. But she was smiling when she spoke.
"I'm not saying I was wrong. But I was wrong to argue with you about it. I mean, what did I expect when I got back? For you to come out and tell me you missed me?" She turned to him and smiled, shaking her head at his blushing. She pushed her hair behind her ear with one hand, then turned back to look out across the sky.
'I love him so much. A few months ago I never would have been able to say that to him…but I feel more confident in myself with him around lately.'
"I love you." She kicked her legs out again, smiling to herself. 'If only I could say so out loud.'
"…W-what?" Inuyasha's startled voice said from behind her.
Her legs went still, and she turned to him, eyes wide. She took one look at him and cursed.
"Did I just say that out loud?"
Inuyasha gulped in front of her. "W-what did you say?"
Her face was on fire, and she turned from him quickly, hopping off the well. She started to walk back down the path again. "Nothing! I didn't say anything!"
He leapt up after her. "Tell me what you said!"
"No!"
She was almost back to the village, just around this bend here…then a few more feet…
The village was in sight when she felt a weight on her back. She cried out, and everything seemed to move in slow motion. She saw Sango and Miroku, sitting on the porch, look up, startled. Shippo paused from where he was playing with a ball at their feet, and Kaede had just opened the door to her hut, and was giving Kagome a peculiar look.
She spun around before she hit the ground and looked up to see Inuyasha giving her the most intense look she'd ever seen from him. He was crouched over her stomach, one hand on each of her shoulders.
"What…did you…say?" he asked slowly, an expression on his face she couldn't identify.
Her face was turning red again, and she tried to look away, but his right hand gripped her chin and turned her to look at him again. She bit her lip, hard, and closed her eyes, but it didn't help. She could still feel him over her, and knew he'd leaned in closer.
There was nothing for it.
She jerked her chin from his hold, pushing her face away and screaming, "I said I love you!"
There was a moment of dead silence, and she slowly peeked one eye open. She ventured a look up at Inuyasha, afraid of what she would see.
But she couldn't get a good look from where she was, and she turned her head and opened both eyes.
Something warm pressed lightly against her lips suddenly, and her eyes widened in shock. She didn't pull away, though, and hesitantly returned Inuyasha's kiss, wondering where it would go from there.
Inuyasha slowly pulled his head back, grinning at her with an expression of elation and victory.
"Good," was all he said.