Kagome puttered around her kitchen, trying to make sure everything would be ready on time. She was trying a new recipe tonight, but she'd somehow forgotten to ask Sesshoumaru about his preference in ramen, so she was making small piles of different flavour combinations. He could choose which one he wanted when he arrived.

She paused as a bird flew by her window, catching her eye and sending her mind wandering. They'd planned to go to the botanical gardens the following weekend, and she couldn't stop smiling about it.

The smiles came easier now and were mostly when she was thinking about him. Her conversation with Gramps and Grandma had helped solidify her feelings about him. Bankotsu had been supportive as well, but he was also willing to castrate him if he did so much as forget to open the door for her.

She liked Sesshoumaru.

A lot.

But it was one thing to like him. It was another to admit it out loud and face the possibility of rejection. Pursing her lips, Kagome shook her head. There was no way he'd flat-out reject her, but he wasn't the most expressive, so she had to look really close to catch the change in his demeanour.

She knew it was part of his detective persona—she couldn't even fathom what he faced on a daily basis—so when she did catch one, it just made it that much more significant. She didn't think he did it on purpose, and the more time they spent together, the more frequent they became.

He was most expressive when their clothes were off.

Heat crept into her face, but Kagome let her mind wander more. The light would reflect off his silver hair, making him glow every time he moved, and the heat spread lower. She didn't have a ton of experience when it came to sex, but she knew enough that he seemed to be an expert on finding the places that set her body on fire.

There was a knock at the door, and she jumped, a bowl clattering to the floor. Embarrassment replaced arousal, her blush darkening as she returned the bowl to the counter. Wiping her hands off on her apron, she clapped them against her cheeks, then opened the door, automatically stepping back to let Sesshoumaru inside.

He took up the entire doorway as he shrugged off his coat, and Kagome reached for it, intent on hanging it up, but his hand covered hers. "Are you feeling alright?"

She blinked in confusion. "Yes? Why?"

"That was the second time I knocked," he said, finally releasing his coat. "I thought I had gotten the wrong time."

Internally groaning, she shook her head. "I'm fine. I just got distracted while I was cooking." She led him into the kitchen.

"I do not require anything fancy."

She motioned to the noodles and broth. "It's not. I was actually thinking about you." Why was it so easy to be honest with him? Turning around, she attempted to ask which level of spice he preferred, but the slight frown on his face gave her pause. He placed the back of his hand on her forehead.

"That does not account for your fever. If you are ill, we should have postponed—"

She grabbed his hand, her flush only worsening. "I'm not sick. I told you, I was thinking about you and got distracted."

A pale eyebrow raised. "And thinking about me gave you a fever?" She tried to turn back around, sure there was more steam coming out of her ears than the pot, but Sesshoumaru caught her around the waist, claiming her mouth. Helpless to do anything but grab his collar to keep herself steady, Kagome slanted her head.

His growl of approval went all the way down to her toes.

One kiss turned into another, and soon she was straining against him, whimpering when he pulled back, but his mouth slid down to her neck, not even an inch between them. "I thought I would be content with just seeing your face," he murmured, one hand flat against her back.

"The food can wait," she said in a shaky voice. The noodles would be a little soggy, but she doubted he'd complain. She pulled his shirt out of his slacks to emphasize her point but was interrupted by both hands under her skirt.

She hadn't worn a dress specifically for that purpose but couldn't deny she'd thought about it.

Claws pricked her skin as he nudged her legs apart, knuckles tracing the line of her opening through her underwear. The fabric of his shirt bunched between her fingers as her knees wobbled, and she tried to find his mouth again, but Sesshoumaru was focused on other things.

Kagome whimpered, gripping him tighter as he continued to tease her, eventually biting off a claw and sliding a finger inside her. She leaned against the counter for support, breathing heavily as he finally gave in and kissed her, his tongue mimicking the movement of his finger.

They were still fully clothed, and she wasn't sure if she could wait much longer, but it seemed neither could he, his name coming out as a whisper as he broke away. He urged her to turn around, the loss of his finger only lasting a moment as he hiked up her skirt.

Burying her face in her arms, she tried to muffle her reaction, but one thrust took him to the hilt, the zipper of his pants rasping against sensitive flesh, and Kagome cried out. The sound only egged him on, fingers digging into her hips, and he yanked her back into each thrust. She was desperate to touch him, but the low growl when she tried to move kept her in place, pleasure shooting through her as his pace increased.

This wasn't like before; even during their rendezvous at his apartment, there'd been a certain sweetness to his touch. This was rough and wild and demanding. It was exactly how a daiyoukai should act, and Kagome wanted more.

She bent forward as much as she could, raising her ass in the air as she pushed against him, and the growl turned into a snarl. One arm hooked under her thigh and lifted her leg off the ground, opening her wide as he kept shoving himself into her. She nearly lost her grip, but he quickly grabbed her hands, holding them against the counter.

She felt stretched and strained, but the fire licking at her insides was too good to pass up. She thought she heard someone say harder, and it took her a moment to realize it had been her, Sesshoumaru's hips snapping forward in a rush of desperation that sent them both over the edge.

Chests heaving, he leaned over her, the buttons of his shirt pressing into her spine as he nuzzled the side of her neck. The shiver that wracked her body had her clenching around him again, and he groaned in her ear. "We should bathe."

"Alright," she whispered, trying to push herself up. They could both take a quick shower and then—strong arms wrapped around her waist, somehow keeping them locked together as he turned her around. Kagome's arms automatically went around his neck to steady herself, and he stole another kiss before striding toward the bathroom.

"Dinner is less likely to spoil if we bathe together," he explained, the marks on his cheeks darkening as he avoided her gaze.

Expression softening, she kissed one of his stripes. "Or you could just say you want to share the tub with me."

"I want to share the tub with you." It was so matter-of-fact that she couldn't help but chuckle, the water coming on as his mouth covered hers. He continued to kiss her even as he lowered her to the floor, and Kagome's body grew warm as his hands became slick with soap. He was gentle—a stark contrast to what had just happened in the kitchen—and by the time they both stepped into the tub, she was wondering if it was a dream.

She sat in his lap, his forehead resting against the back of her shoulder, their fingers intertwined over her stomach. "I must apologize," he said.

She leaned her head against his, closing her eyes. "What for?"

"I had planned on confirming the details of our outing next week, not—" He paused, hands flexing, and she had the feeling that if she looked, his ears would be the same shade as his stripes. "I lost control."

Kagome stroked his hands, fingers tracing the marks on his wrist. "I like it when you lose control," she admitted softly. "It makes me feel wanted."

Sesshoumaru's arms tightened around her waist. "You are very wanted. But not just for that."

"Must be my cooking then." They shared a chuckle, and she continued to stroke his stripes. She knew how sensitive they were, and though she was still sore from the kitchen, her body yearned for more. "You can do it anytime, you know."

"What?"

She shifted slightly, finally meeting his gaze. "Lose control."

Bright amber darkened to burnt honey. "That is a dangerous request."

"Is it?" she whispered, suddenly feeling bold. She leaned back, grinding against the growing erection in his lap. "I'll probably be able to forgive you for most of it." She nipped at his ear lobe. "If you say my name more." She thought there might've been crimson in his eyes, but his hands were already on her, lifting her enough to slide back into her.

Kagome gripped the edge of the tub, arching as her name was growled in her ear, the vibrations roughening her skin and making her toes curl. She felt so powerful in that moment. He was the one setting the pace, plunging into her with heated abandon, but she was the one who'd brought him to that point.

She was the reason water was sloshing onto the floor as claws bit into her skin.

She was the reason they'd have to make another trip to the store because the noodles were unsalvageable.

But he would be the reason she'd be able to sleep that night, tucked against his side as he whispered her name with a softness she wasn't sure she deserved. But he was determined to change her mind, and every moment she spent with him made her believe it a little more.

She was meant to be happy.