Chapter Two: Preferences
A/N: As usual I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters…
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Kagome giggled as she finished feeding the Kitsunes, playing with some of the kits and one in particular.
"Shippo! Do you wanna' come with me to feed the others?" she asked as she got back on her feet. Shippo was the only kitsune allowed out of his exhibit, because he'd shown restraint and good people skills. Not to say that kitsune were not people pleasers, because they most certainly were. They were the most rambunctious of all of the other animals, doing tricks and stunts to entertain the children that came to see them. Once a week the zoo even held a kitsune show in the center of the zoo, and it was widely spoken of all over japan.
"Yeah! I wanna see the new Inu! I heard he was HUGE!" He bounded up onto her shoulder, wrapping a hand in her hair to hold on.
Kagome giggled.
"Yeah he is pretty big, and I haven't even seen his true form yet."
"How big is he?"
"Hmm. Well, his shoulders are about this wide," she spread her arms as an example, certainly wider than a normal human. "And he's about this tall," she held a hand up as far as she could reach without stretching, certain that she was correct in his height.
"Woah! Really? Awesome!" She giggled again at his enthusiasm as she left the Kitsune exhibit, swinging the empty food bucket a little in her happiness and listening to the kits excited ramblings.
She was so distracted in fact that she nearly ran into a co-worker who was just leaving the first Inu exhibit.
"Oh! Kikyo! I didn't see you there!" The elder girl sneered at her in her disgust. Kagome ignored it, smiling hesitantly. "So you've been to feed Inuyasha, I suppose?"
"Yes well he has always preferred me." She smiled almost viciously.
Kagome swallowed as her smile sank a little. Sure she was used to Kikyo's deliberate barbs but they still stung when they stuck in.
"I would bet that the new Inu would prefer me as well." She didn't bother to wave as she walked away, her pert nose in the air.
Kagome's failing smile turned into a childish face as she stuck out her tongue at the retreating woman.
"Yeah well you have always attracted dogs," she muttered.
"Aww don't let her get to you, Kagome," smiled Shippo as he patted her cheek with a tiny paw. "If it makes you feel any better everyone else prefers you. Promise. Especially us kitsune!" He hugged her as best as he could, rubbing his nose on her cheek.
"Aww well I happen to prefer you too! You guys are definitely my favorites!" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "But don't tell anyone I told you!" she grinned as he giggled. "Well, off to the baboons!" She cried as they marched away.
"Baboons!" was his reply.
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As they entered the baboons exhibit with a bucket of food they kept silent, a little wary of that particular creature. He'd always proven to be…difficult.
A burst of warm air blew on the back of her neck and she turned with a start.
"Naraku! I've told you not to do that!" A bit of her holy energies swirled around her hands in warning as she turned to the creature and Shippo hid in her hair.
A tall and devilishly handsome hanyou leaned back against a tree, his pelt hanging around his shoulders and his long, wavy midnight hair swaying in the breeze.
"Hello, priestess. I must say that I am very pleased to see you." His blood red eyes narrowed as they trailed her up and down slowly, drinking in every inch of her.
"Would you knock it off? I've told you before that I don't appreciate you eyeing me like that."
He uncrossed his arms as he stepped forward, a grin sliding in place.
"So you say, but one day you will be mine priestess."
She frowned, irritated.
"Just take your food, will you?" She held it out to him and he took it, brushing his fingers over hers in the process. She shivered, the usual creepy feeling washing over her.
She turned to leave and hurried her pace when she heard him cackling to himself from behind her. She didn't stop until she was safely on the other side of the door, sighing.
"Why do I always get stuck feeding him on Mondays?" she mumbled miserably to herself.
"Because Kikyo feeds the Inus on Mondays," came Shippo's sad reply.
"I HATE Mondays," she grumbled.
"Yeah. Mondays stink."
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As they left the kappa exhibit and waded through a squealing group of children Kagome was surprised to see Kikyo marching up to them, in a bit of a tizzy.
Even the poor children backed away, seeing the 'scary lady' coming towards them. Frowning at her good fortune, Kagome looked to Miroku who was coming up behind Kikyo. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head a little.
She looked back up to face Kikyo as she stopped before her. She did nothing but stare at Kagome, or rather, glared.
"Is there something that you need, Kikyo?" She couldn't keep the curiosity out of her voice.
"It would seem," she began, grinding her teeth a little, "that the dog will not receive food from any but you."
Kagome's head tilted to the side a little, confused.
"What?"
Kikyo's eyebrow shot up into her bangs in irritation for having to repeat herself.
"The new Inu would not take food from me." Only then did Kagome notice the smears of meat blood on her uniform. Her eyes widened, surprised. What had he done? Dumped the bucket on her?
"Oh! Oh…" she couldn't think of anything to say to that.
"So obviously you will have to do it."
Kagome nodded.
"Oh, okay, I can do that I guess," she broke off in a mumble as Kikyo stomped away. After she left, Miroku sauntered up to Kagome, a delighted grin on his face.
"What happened?" she asked, mystified.
"Well, I was nearby and saw the whole thing," he chuckled. "Kikyo was trying a little too hard in offering him his food. Hell, she was practically trying to seduce the guy and I believe he thought he deserved a bit more respect than that. After quite literally pelting her with the food he demanded that you be sent."
"What? Really?" Shippo was giggling into her hair and she couldn't contain her surprise.
"Wow, so he requested me?"
"More like demanded. 'Send me the other' he said. 'The one with blue eyes.'" Miroku chuckled to himself even more. "You wouldn't believe the look on Kikyo's face when he said that. Obviously you are the only one who works here with blue eyes."
"And God forbid that anyone prefer me to her," smiled Kagome as they set off towards the Inu's exhibit.
"Yes, well apparently you left quite the impression on the male yesterday."
"Oh shush."
"I only say what I see, Kagome."
They continued in silence as they neared the exhibit, and Kagome was beginning to feel anxious. It wasn't that she was afraid, per say, but that she had no idea what to expect from him. She prepared his food as she did yesterday, her own special recipe, and went into the entrance leaving Shippo with Miroku.
She walked into the clearing and sat by the pond, plucking a wildflower and fiddling with the petals. She waited, knowing that he'd come when he wanted to come.
Her mind wandered as she relaxed there, unknowingly drawing his attention with her scent.
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A sweet scent drifted to him as he reclined beneath a tree, somewhat familiar but still not entirely known. His curiosity piqued he went to the clearing where he knew it came from. Ah, so it was the human woman.
He stood beside a large oak, smirking with the realization that they'd obeyed him. As he observed the human from afar he noted how serene her petite features were when she was simply being. It was something that he appreciated and if he was to deal with these humans than he was going to be very particular about who he dealt with.
He stepped a bit closer, testing her awareness. When she remained oblivious he decided to have a little fun with her.
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Kagome was humming to herself as she leaned back on her elbows in the grass, jiggling her foot along with her tune.
She honestly had no idea how long she'd been sitting there, the sun having started to set, but she couldn't just leave the food there without knowing if he'd ever eat it. It would be a complete waste if he didn't.
As she began to hum the second part of the song she heard a rustling behind her. She sat up and turned to the shrubbery, looking for the Inu. It was very dark now under the trees. But then there was a rustling from the other side, a bit more violent this time.
Her heartbeat quickened, and she was suddenly unsure of what she was doing.
And then it was behind her again, accompanied by a low growling and the snapping of twigs. She jumped up to her feet, grabbing the bucket in case she needed to use it as a defense. As the rustling continued she began to back up, taking slow steps.
And then she hit a tree, her back bumping into the hard surface. When she felt a woosh of air blow past her neck she jumped, turning so fast that she nearly fell over her own feet.
"Oh!"
He was there, before her. His expression was carefully blank, and his appearance pristine, never hinting that he was rustling around in bushes.
"There you are," she muttered, a hand over her beating heart, watching him in the setting sunlight. As a ray of light glanced off of him she couldn't help but notice how incredibly golden his eyes were. The sun shone in them unlike anything she'd seen before.
"I-I've brought your dinner," she smiled hesitantly, once more enraptured in his gaze.
"Hn." He reached down and took the bucket from her gently, his claws grazing her fingers. It sent a shiver down her spine, but not like when Naraku touched her. No, this was completely different.
He went to sit near the water, leaving her to gape at him. Shaking her head a little she went to sit before him, not too near, as he ate.
Once more he skewered a piece of raw meat on a claw, sniffing it daintily before slipping it onto his tongue. She watched as he chewed, swallowing thickly herself in her nervousness.
"So, is it alright?"
He chewed on another piece as he considered her words. And then he ate another. And another.
Taking that as his answer she smiled, surprisingly delighted.
"Well, I'll leave you to eat then," she said as she got up, dusting off the back of her pants.
"Hn."
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She was feeling a little giddy as she left the exhibit, grinning from ear to ear.
"So?" asked Miroku from a bench near the exit. He and Shippo had been dozing as they waited for her, waiting to hear what happened.
"He ate it, no problem." She smiled as her eyes lit up. "I don't see why Kikyo had so much trouble with him."
He stood as they began to head back to the employee's quarters.
"That, Kagome, is because she is not you."
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A/N: Well that's it for this one, hope you guys liked it! ^_^ I'm gonna have fun with this little series! Hee hee! I've wanted to do a kind of humorous story for a while and this will definitely allow for that! XD