Chapter Twenty-One: Lessons on Road Safety and Vehicular Operations

"No."

"C'mon! Don't you trust me?" Kagome questioned loudly.

Sesshoumaru hesitantly glanced across the arm rest to look in the dark brown puppy eyes set against Kagome's oval shaped face.

'Don't fall into her trap! I must protect my prize possession! My precious, beloved, Jag-'

"D-don't you trust me, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked with a watery voice, her bottom lip trembling. "Wha-what have I done to…to lose your trust? Was it the thing with Haru? I-it didn't mean anyth - "

"No."

"Daddy? Rin drive?" Rin giggled from her car seat in the back, swinging her little legs over the front of her seat.

"No."

Rin pouted, but soon changed her mood as she became amused with the way the light bounced through the car window and shone through her Eeyore sun blocker.

"Why you stubborn, stubborn man! How does anyone put up with you? I mean for Pete's sake! I just want to drive your car! Is that too much to ask?! Like really! - "

"If you would kindly stop flapping your ever so loose mouth, then I shall pull this car over and - "

"Oh you rock, Sesshoumaru!" Kagome squealed as she jigged around in her seat. "I get to drive! I get to drive! Vroom vroom vroom vroom vroom!" Kagome sang.

'Maybe this is a mistake.' Sesshoumaru reasoned as he pulled over to the shoulder of the road.

Kagome got out of her side of the car, giggling like a mad man. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, remained sitting in his seat, his hands glued to the wheel and his eyes staring straight ahead. Upon arriving at Sesshoumaru's locked and closed door, her brows furrowed. Impatiently, Kagome knocked on the window.

"Sesshoumaru! Get outta the car!" Kagome hollered, her hands resting on her slim hips with authority. Sesshoumaru looked over at her with a look that clearly said 'Do I have to?'.

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Now!"

Inwardly sighing in defeat, Sesshoumaru slowly removed his hands from the wheel and unbuckled his seat belt.

'I can't believe I'm doing this!' Sesshoumaru thought. Perhaps he was losing his mind. Yes, that must be it. I mean, what sane man would let Kagome behind the wheel of a car?

"Move it!"

Apparently him.

Sesshoumaru bottled up what little courage he had and opened up his car door. Stepping out onto the gravel shoulder, he glared down at Kagome in annoyance.

"Do not think that you can order this Sesshoumaru around." He commanded sternly.

"Mhmm." Kagome absently answered as she slid into the drivers seat, practically getting swallowed by the leather due to its position.

"My God, Sesshoumaru! You're a monster! Freaking huge, really!"

"My, my Kagome. How can you determine how 'big' I am with me fully clothed? You are correct, though, in your assumption." Sesshoumaru teased as he slid into the seat previously occupied by Kagome, adjusting it to his leg length and height.

"Pig." Kagome mumbled as she shifted the seat forward and adjusted all of the mirrors. Sesshoumaru buckled his seat belt and sat up tall. Cautiously, he glanced over at the overly energetic girl beside him. Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

"Whenever you're ready." Sesshoumaru encouraged, holding onto the hand rest on the door. It wasn't that he was…scared. No, no! That is entirely untrue. He just…didn't trust a lot of people. Especially with his car.

"Right-o, Skipper!" Kagome chirped as she shifted into drive.

Glancing barely over her right shoulder, Kagome floored the gas petal and peeled away from shoulder speedily, cutting off a heavy transport truck barreling down the road. A loud horn honked angrily behind her as she pressed on the petal harder, causing the car to increase in speed.

"Kagome!" Sesshoumaru yelled angrily. What the hell was she doing?! This is crazy!!

"Wooo! Hahah! I love this car!" Kagome cried as she quickly dodged a dead raccoon in the middle of the road. She swerved back into place after she passed that obstacle and continued to rip up the road.

"Aren't you having fun, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked, happiness bluntly obvious in her voice.

"No! Kagome slow this car down. Now!" Sesshoumaru ordered.

"No! I haven't driven a car since I was 18. Hmm. I wonder why that was."

"I know! You are a maniac! Now, pull this car over!"

Kagome turned to look at Sesshoumaru and stuck her tongue out at him. Sesshoumaru snarled at her and turned back to the road. His eyes widened.

"Kagome! Look where you're going!"

Kagome looked back at the road ahead of her. Dozens upon dozens of cars were lined up behind each other, waiting for the light to change color. Kagome slammed on the brake, causing the front of the car to dip low to the ground. The people in the car all leaned foreword due to the sudden stop. The Jaguar stopped one foot away from the car in front of him. Sesshoumaru sat there, his mouth slightly open.

Turning back to the devilish woman beside him, he glared at her coldly.

"What the hell were you doing?!" Sesshoumaru hollered, obviously upset.

"Oh hell!" Rin cried as she dropped her precious stuffed animal version of Eeyore.

"Rin…" Sesshoumaru started, turning around in his seat slightly to face his daughter.

"We're back! That was quick!" Kagome noticed as she pulled up to the large house.

Sesshoumaru lost track of what he was going to say. As soon as she stopped the car, he undid his seat belt and bolted from the car, stumbling slightly onto the drive way. He breathed heavily in relief.

'Oh thank Kami!' Sesshoumaru praised as he shakily opened the back door to rescue his baby girl.

Pulling her from the car seat, and retrieving her poor toy from the floor, he brought her up to his chest while he closed the door.

"Are you okay, Sweetie?" Sesshoumaru asked as he waited for Kagome to get out of the car and lock the doors.

Rin smiled at her father and reached for the toy in his other hand. Sesshoumaru sighed and handed her the toy. A giggle entered his ears. He looked up to see Kagome, covering her mouth with her hand to suppress her laughter.

"What is so funny, you silly little enigma?" Sesshoumaru asked as they all made their way up to the mansion.

"You. I finally got some kind of reaction out of you! I tried to get you jealous, to get you to loosen up. But nothing worked! I consider this a little victory for myself." Kagome grinned as she walked close to Sesshoumaru, looking at the passive glaze in his eyes.

"You wanted a reaction?" Sesshoumaru questioned. A dark eyebrow in interest.

Kagome nodded happily

"Mhmm! And it worked. Now I know that you do have something inside you, other than just a grumbling, bumbling polar bear." Kagome said in a voice that she would use on a baby.

Sesshoumaru didn't respond. His eyebrow simply ascended higher in his forehead.

Kagome winked at him and strutted toward the half a dozen stairs at the entrance of his mansion.

Sesshoumaru looked down at his distracted daughter, obvious confusion glued to his face.

"There will be no living with her after this." Sesshoumaru whispered to Rin as he started to follow Kagome into the house. "Insufferable creature." Sesshoumaru grouched.

"You're so slow, Sesshoumaru!" Kagome whined as she stood at the front door, waiting for Sesshoumaru to unlock the deadbolt.

Sesshoumaru obviously ignored her and opened the door with his brass key.

Once all three were standing in the foyer, Kagome spun around on Sesshoumaru, looking him dead in the face. Standing on her tip toes to look straight into his smashingly exotic eyes, her own colored globes firm, asked a very serious, very personal question.

"What's for supper?"

Sesshoumaru decided that he would cook dinner for them tonight, considering he gave his staff the week off. Kagome and Rin were upstairs, grabbing a movie to watch after dinner.

"How about…this one?" Kagome asked Rin.

Rin turned to look at Kagome, who was holding 'The Prince and I'.

Rin also had a DVD in her tiny clutches. She toppled over to Kagome, who was on the other side of the room, sitting cross-legged in front of a large library of movies. Rin branished her choice.

Lady and the Tramp.

Kagome smiled sweetly at the girl.

"Great choice."

Kagome carried Rin and the DVD down the stairs and into the kitchen to see if Sesshoumaru needed assistance.

Said demon was standing in front of a hot stove, slaving over a hot pot of Italian goodness.

"How yah doing?" Kagome questioned, trying to look over Sesshoumaru's broad shoulders.

"Fine." Sesshoumaru answered as he reached for two soup bowls and a small pink, plastic bowl. Kagome could barely smell what he was cooking. His own scent was invading her senses. Her eye lids slid down slightly as she leaned in to get more of his scent. It was addictive, like caffeine. He smelled clean, fresh, and unreal. Is it possible to bottle masculinity? If it was, then Sesshoumaru was definitely lavished in it.

Kagome didn't want her obsession with his handsome cologne to be too obvious, so she rested her left hand on his left forearm and leaned forward slightly, causing her to go onto her toes.

Sesshoumaru's arm started to warm at the contact. He was barely able to suppress a satisfied smirk at her innocence. Rin was currently clinging to his right calf, sucking her thumb happily as she looked around the large kitchen. Yes, Sesshoumaru was surrounded by way too much estrogen.

Kagome's eyes brightened.

"Ravioli! Oh, Sesshoumaru! I love Ravioli!" Kagome chirped as she leaned in closely and stuck her pinky finger in the dark sauce. Lifting it to her lips, she put her small finger in her mouth and closed her eyes as she tasted the rich tomato flavor. Kagome sighed and unconsciously leaned on Sesshoumaru's upper arm. She was not aware of his hooded eyes staring at her.

"Did you make this yourself?" She questioned, watching the pot as it started to boil slightly.

Sesshoumaru scoffed.

"Yes."

"Mmm." Kagome hummed. Her brows furrowed as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Detaching her herself from Sesshoumaru, Kagome walked over by the fridge and held up an empty can.

"With some help from Chef Boyardee?" Kagome teased. She smirked at him mischievously and her eyes narrowed.

Sesshoumaru looked over at her blankly before replying.

"It was a team effort."

Kagome giggled.

"Apparently!"

Sesshoumaru grunted and hefted the pot from the hot burner and put it on another burner, which was cool.

Kagome brought over a ladle and served out the dinner, letting Rin's set for a couple of minutes to cool down before she let the tiny tike devour it. Dinner was ate at the island in the kitchen with a compatible silence. The only sounds were the utensils clanging against the bowls, the ice shifting in the glasses of diet Pepsi, and Rin squawking in outrage on occasion when she managed to drop a piece of her beloved meal.

After Rin was de-sauced and the dishes put in the sink to soak, they retired to the den where the watched the selected film well into the night. Kagome was curled up on the coach beside Sesshoumaru, who had a sleeping Rin in his lap and his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him.

At the conclusion of the movie, Sesshoumaru directed Kagome to her designated room and took care of Rin. After dressing and putting to bed his daughter, he exited her room to see Kagome looking at him, confused.

"What is it?" He questioned curiously.

"Umm. Sorry to be a nuisance, but where are the sheets for my bed?" Kagome shot Sesshoumaru a look that clearly said she felt stupid for asking that question.

"They should already be on your bed. Jaken was supposed to do this a matter of days ago." Sesshoumaru stated obviously. Why must she insist on asking dumb questions?

"No. All there is on the bed is an old blanket with holes."

Sesshoumaru frowned and walked to the linen closet at the end of the hall.

Ripping open the doors, he gazed at the shelf that held all of the bed spreads and sheets. He scowled when he saw it bare, save for a note. Picking up the single piece of paper, he read its contents.

Due to them being unused, the sheets were sent to the cleaners to be refreshed.

--Jaken

Sesshoumaru growled deep within his throat. What the hell was going on?

Kagome heard his snarl and was concerned.

"What's wrong?" Kagome cautiously approached him.

"The damned staff sent off all of the linens to be cleaned. The only one's in the house are the ones on my bed and Rin's." Sesshoumaru sighed..

This was Kami's work; he could smell it.

"Oh." Kagome said, not sure how to respond.

"You may use my bed. I will grab a blanket and a pillow and take the couch." Sesshoumaru offered as he made his way to pass Kagome to get to his room.

"Wait a minute!" Kagome spun around and grabbed onto his right wrist with both of her hands. "That's not fair! I can't let you just take the couch! This is your house! I should take the couch, seeing as I'm such an inconvenience."

"But I am the host, it only seems fit." Sesshoumaru went to move away but Kagome' grasp held him in spot. Wow, she was stronger than she looked.

Sesshoumaru sighed and looked back at her.

"What?" Sesshoumaru shrugged slightly at his own question.

Kagome looked at him for a moment, considering something.

"Do you snore?" Kagome questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Not to my knowledge."

"Do you wear socks to bed? Thrash around a lot? Talk in your sleep? Sleep walk? Wet the bed? Steal the sheets?" Kagome asked as she moved closer to him so his arm wouldn't be suspended so tautly between them.

"No. No. No. No. No! No." Sesshoumaru answered all of her questions in order.

"Then I see no reason why we can't share a bed. I mean, we are both adults here!" Kagome said with a smirk.

"I will agree to this…" Sesshoumaru said after a moment of contemplation. "…if you promise to be a good girl and keep your hands to yourself." Sesshoumaru teased as he looked at her with an appraising look.

Kagome sighed.

"I'll try but I'm not making any promises!" Kagome pointed out as they both began walking to Sesshoumaru's room, her hands still firm around his wrist.

Sesshoumaru hummed in response.

"Okay. We'll sleep together then! But if you even try to cop a feel..." Kagome warned.

Upon arriving at the large door, Sesshoumaru pressed Kagome's back against the door and stood close to her small figure. A lecherous grin spread across his face as he leaned down close to her, their noses touching.

"How can I 'sleep with you' without touching? Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose?" Sesshoumaru whispered.

Kagome's face dusted pink as she stealthily slipped away from Sesshoumaru and clamored into the dark room. Sesshoumaru smirked and entered the room, closing the door behind him.

There was no escaping now.