Title: Panda
Pairing: SlightlyOOC!Sesshomaru/Kagome with a dollop of Rin
Notes: I just had to have some daddy!Sesshomaru so here we go. Also I have absolutely no hate towards Kagura but for the purpose of this fic she might seem a tad mean, or maybe she's just more of a social person. ::Also I know nothing of how zoo's actually function behind the scenes, so if I get it wrong I apologies.::
...
Tossing his light brown hair out of his eyes Sesshomaru Takahashi decided he was going to kill Kagura.
His ex had suggested that for his weekend with their daughter Rin, Sesshomaru should take the little girl to the zoo for some FatherDaughter bonding. He was content just to have time with his baby girl and Rin loved animals so it was decided upon almost immediately.
Sesshomaru had not however taken into account that, while usually an angel, Rin was still young enough to annoy the cra- pants off him after mearly a half hour in the car. Ready to close his golden brown eyes in defeat and ask if Rin would mind just going back to the apartment for a nap instead Sesshomaru had asked Rin what her mother usually did to entertain her on long drives such as today's.
Apparently Kagura played a word-person association game in which one player would give the other a word, and player two would then give the name of someone who most fitted the word. While Sesshomaru prided himself on the fact that he had incredible patience for a man of twenty-nine, he could only take so much from a six year old and after close to ten minutes of words like sparkly and rainbowish Sesshomaru resolved to being the one to give words to Rin.
It had started out as, literally, fun and games but had quickly degenerated to Sesshomaru reluctantly giving word after word as he found out how Kagura talked and acted in front of their daughter.
"Alright Rin, let's start with happy." Figuring the word would receive a positive response Sesshomaru was somewhat stunned by the answer given. Positively beaming Rin replied "That's easy daddy, Auntie Hitomi after she's had her adult-juice. She always giggles and sometimes she sleeps over because she's had so much juice she can't stop laughing."
Momentarily stunned, Sesshomaru was only pulled back into the game when he was given a firm "Daddy!" and an impressive pout from the pink carseat behind him. "Right, Rin, okay let's try, grouchy." Somehow Sesshomaru expected that this word would not go down quite as well as he'd hoped.
"Momma always says you're grouchy when you don't get what you want, or when you have to get up early. She also said something about a branch." Rin tapered off with a contemplating look on her face. Quickly deciding this game was over Sesshomaru was filled with relief when he saw the sign guiding the zoo's visitors to the parking lot. This relief was apparently too soon when Rin continued her statement, "Hey daddy, why would you have wood in the bed?"
...
The earlier fiasco had been gratefully avoided by the need to get in line and purchase tickets, bending his almost six foot frame to get out his car Sesshomaru had lead the girl over to the queue where Rin had passed the time by reminding Sesshomaru of all her favorite animals and how they weren't allowed to feed any or take them home. The last two had been said with a heavy and disappointed face, after receiving their tickets and hand stamps Sesshomaru lead Rin towards the map and asked where she wanted to start.
"The pandas! Were you listening to me daddy, I already told you they're my favorite favorite animals!" Not waiting for the reply, Rin held out her much smaller hand and proceeded to guide them towards the black and white bears. Rin would later proudly admit that she only needed daddy's help in finding the place after getting turned around twice, much better results than last years parking lot adventure.
Finally the duo situated themselves in front of the open-topped habitat which was home to four happy and decisively fat pandas.
Tugging on his blue polo t-shirt Rin started, "Look daddy, they're like us! There's a 'Rin' panda, and a 'daddy' panda, and two extras. Maybe the two extras are extra 'Rins' and 'Daddies' just in case." Excitedly Rin explained her logic to Sesshomaru while pointing first at a slightly smaller bear then to the biggest of the bunch. Looking the panda copy of himself Sesshomaru decided that this time with his Rin was one of the most enjoyable.
Content to let Rin babble Sesshomaru nodded at the appropriate parts and rested his hand on her shiny raven locks, almost in a meditative state Sesshomaru was surprised when Rin turned to him and gave him a worried look.
Asking her what was wrong, he was replied "Daddy, the signs say we're not s'posed to feed the animals. But that lady's feeding them, do you think she gonna get in trouble? We have to tell her!" The upset in her voice sent Sesshomaru's eyes on a mission to find this woman and he was bewildered to find a very attractive young woman decked out in a zookeepers uniform throwing handfuls of some sort of mix into the pandas' cage. The tan of her top set off the bluish tint in her dark hair and she must of felt eyes on her because she looked up to reveal a pair of electric blue eyes set nicely in a delicate face.
She sent him a small smile before turning back to finish her work. Circling back to Rin Sesshomaru attempted to set her mind at ease, "Rin, that woman's job is to feed these animals. She is what's called a 'zookeeper' they take care of the animals here."
"Close but no cigar, I'm actually an exotic animal veterinarian." Whipping his head up Sesshomaru saw the woman from earlier less than a yard away, "You know it's not polite to eavesdrop." He said giving her a cool glare, "I figure when it's about me it's not really eavesdropping, I'm Kagome and who are you cutie?"
Somewhat shocked until he noticed she had extended her hand to Rin, Sesshomaru stood by as Rin proceeded to inform Kagome of her name and the last half-hour or so in great detail. "...And then we finally found the pandas and that where we saw you. This is my daddy, he doesn't like to talk much, his name is Daddy except everybody calls him Mr. Takahashi."
Smiling first at the bundle of energy by his feet and then at him Kagome straightened slightly as she asked them if they would like to help her finish feeding the giraffes. Rin of course was all for it, Sesshomaru was understandably more hesitant, still smiling Kagome tried to persuade him "C'mon Mr. Daddy Takahashi, it's totally safe my friend Sango does this with school groups all the time." After agreeing the man spent the walk over to the giraffe pen processing over the fact that he had just agreed to feed a mutated horse because a woman had smiled at him.
...
The rest of the afternoon was spent shadowing and laughing with Kagome as she went about her business, by the ending of the day Rin came away with a new career aspiration and Sesshomaru with a phone number tucked away in his jean pocket.
Again the long drive came and with it the game followed when it came time for Sesshomaru to give the word, the aggitation rose, this time however it fell just as quickly.
"Beautiful." The response came without hesitation,
"Kagome." And Sesshomaru couldn't agree more.
...
A/N: If you are reading this big thanks to Sesshomaru's Priestess I love your work and I was really proud when I saw your review. And big thanks to every alert, favorite and review I get, love you all! Please R and R and wish me some birthday love, I'm one year older!