Three Touches, One Thought

[This is a oneshot, meaning that there will be no updates!]

Three words, eight letters. That was all it took for someone to tell another that they loved them. Love. A foreign word. Or at least foreign to her. As a result, voicing affectionate phrases had never been her strong suite.

It wasn't that she had never experienced someone caring for her. Her elder sister, Kanae, was very affectionate with the people she loved. Kanao always felt like she radiated warmth and her nee san would always talk to her as if they've known each other all their life. Like they were truly sisters. In the short time that Kanao had known her, Kanae had been nothing but loving to her.

When she passed, Kanao had lost that warmth. Well, that is, until now.

A new kind of warmth had entered her life, like a blanket during rain.

"I love you, Kanao," he'd say. Always with warm hands, kind eyes and a smile that she couldn't get enough of.

I love you too, Tanjirou, her heart whispers, more than you'll ever know.

He never expects her to say it back. Her actions showed him enough. He knew she probably would have more barriers to break down than him, when it came to saying these three words. These three, oh so precious words.

Kanao smiles in reply. She wanted so badly to voice to him what her heart was trying to say. But the words die in her throat. She opens her mouth and produces only silence. It was frustrating, and her face must have shown it because Tanjirou leaned in, touching his forehead on hers, emanating comfort.

"You don't need to rush, you know that right? I know how you feel without you saying a word," he says, loud enough for their ears only.

"I know...but," she bites her lip, unsure of how to go about explaining it.

It seemed unfair that he was the only one voicing out the affectionate phrase. Time and time again, Tanjirou reassures her that actions spoke louder than words and that Kanao was being plenty affectionate. He knew she loved him, so that was enough right?

"I want...no, I need to be able to say it back," she looked up at him, eyes glinting in resolve.

Tanjirou's gaze softens at this. It was endearing to see that she was willing to overcome what her past had inflicted on her, even when he said that it was alright. He guessed it was what love could do to someone.That alone was worth to him more than the actual phrase itself.

She really did provide him with all the answers he needed, Tanjirou never once felt that she loved him less just because she didn't, couldn't, say it.
But if Kanao wanted it, then he would do everything in his power to help her.

They were silent for a while, just soaking in each other's presence, the only sound that could be heard was the delicate tinkling of the glass wind chimes overhead.

Tanjirou looked up, past the roof of the veranda they were sitting on and into the deep summer sky that was getting dimmer by the minute. The moon shyly peeked from behind sheer clouds. Tanjirou felt the gears in his mind turning.

"What if you were able to say it without actually saying it?" A brilliant idea, formed from a memory just coursed into his mind.

"What do you mean?" She tilts her head, facing him. Even if his gaze wasn't on her, she could see his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"My family used to have this thing where we would squeeze the other's hand, or tap them on their foreheads or noses three times, and that would mean I Love You," he said, with a faraway look in his eyes.

"My mother came up with it. During the time father's days were coming to a close, and his voice gave up on him, this was the way we communicated our love to one another," his voice gradually grew softer and softer.

Kanao felt her heart squeeze. He always had this expression whenever he talked about his late family, a mix of nostalgia and a pinch of wistfulness.

She moved her hand over his and squeezed it thrice, gently.

"Like that?" She whispered.

Tanjirou seemed to snap out of his thoughts at the sudden movement, her actions dawning on him. He returned her affections by drawing the gap between them to a close, kissing her on the lips. Once, twice, three times. They were soft and delicate, so soft and delicate that it tickled.

At that very moment, Kanao's heart felt so full she wanted to cry. She thanked all the stars, all the gods silently. Tanjirou was enough, he was enough for her painful past to suddenly cease from her memory. He was enough to compensate for the love and affection she was deprived from all this time.

At that very moment...she was once again reminded of Kanae. The warmth, the gentleness. The resemblance was too uncanny. Before she even realised it, tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Oh," she suddenly felt them dripping off her chin. She was crying? Why was she crying?

"When your heart feels too full for you to handle, that's when you start crying," Tanjirou says, kissing away her tears before leaning his forehead onto hers again.

"Tears of joy."

He didn't move away, and she didn't either. Her hand on his, his forehead on hers.
She didn't know if it was because of their closeness, or because she finally got her message across to him. Or maybe it was because of this throbbing in her chest that felt so good it made her dizzy.

He made her feel like she could do it. He was the only person that could break through her defenses, and this time wasn't any different.

"I...l-love," she moved closer to his ear hoping that he could hear her.

"Yes Kanao?" he tried to match her tone, though his heart was racing.

"You."

Incredibly sorry for not being too active! Writer's block can be a pest. If you want to see more works from me consider checkin out my AO3 and my Tumblr! Both listed in my profile description.
Also! Thank you to my beta readers, this wouldn't be out without you.

~Sparkles✨