The bell above the door rang out, signaling a new customer. Kagome peered at the clock on the register, 4:01 p.m. 'Right on time,' she thought as she sighed and slapped a smile on her face. Without looking at the newcomer, she went to fetch his large cup of plain black coffee. Sliding it towards him across the counter, she looked at him for the first time that day. His golden eyes bore into her own as she watched his perpetual scowl spread across his face.

"You got a problem, wench?" He practically yelled at her.

Forcing her smile to stay in place, Kagome ground out, "No, sir. Anything else today? A muffin perhaps?"

InuYasha snorted. "Do I look like the muffin type to you?" he said as he slid five dollars towards her and snatched the coffee from the counter.

Kagome's smile wavered slightly. Her anger was quickly rising to the surface. He was never this rude with the other baristas! She had tried being as nice as she could muster to the big jerk, but even her saintly patience had its limits and he was quickly reaching them.

Punching the numbers into the register with more force than was necessary, Kagome pulled out his 83 cents in change. He held out his hand for it and as she dropped it into his hand their fingers gave the lightest of touches, sending shivers up her spine. Despite herself, she knew how attractive he was with his long, white hair, and adorable little triangular dog ears atop his head. If only he wasn't such a huge jerk!

A slight smirk crossed his face as he threw a $20 bill into the tip jar as per usual and put his free hand into the pocket of his plain red hoodie. She watched as he went over to the small counter where all the coffee condiments were and he began his twice daily ritual of putting 12 sugars and what had to be atleast ΒΌ cup of creamer into his coffee. Without looking back, he stirred it up and exited the shop.

Kagome literally growled. Sango, her friend and other barista on duty, looked sideways at her. "You ok, Kagome?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm fine. He's just a big, huge, giant jerk head!" Kagome ground out as she swung around and grabbed a towel to begin wiping off tables from the morning rush.

Sango smiled at the girl. She knew that Kagome had a crush on the man. She had ever since he had started coming in a year ago. He always came twice everyday and ordered a large black coffee with room for all of his additions, once at 9 a.m. and once at 4 p.m. He never ordered anything else, ever. Everyone who worked there knew him and his order, even the kids who only worked one or two days a week. She hoped that someday Kagome would actually work up the courage to tell him that she liked him.

InuYasha shook his head as he left the shop once again empty handed. He couldn't be more of a wuss. A year. It had been a whole year since he had started going to that damn shop where she worked and he hadn't once gathered the courage to actually tell her how much he liked her. He remembered the day they had met vividly.

InuYasha walked down the street towards where he and Miroku usually met. He was passing by a new coffee shop that had just opened up a month ago when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He stopped and looked in the window of the shop and saw her. The most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her long black hair hung in waves around her shoulders. Her chocolate brown eyes seemed to sparkle as she smiled at a customer.

Before he knew what was happening, his feet had carried him into the shop and up to the counter in front of said girl. She gave him that gorgeous smile and he lost all though processes. Panicking, he barked at her, "Uh large coffee," rather gruffly. He watched her every move as she poured the cup and handed it to him. He threw a bill at her, not even realizing what it was because he hadn't taken his eyes off her face. She handed him back his change and in a daze, he put a $20 bill into the tip jar before suddenly turning tail and practically running from the shop.

He had been back every day since just to get a glimpse of her. Kagome, he had later learned was her name when he was finally able to take his eyes away from her face and look at her nametag. He hated coffee. But he had been there every damn day trying to work up the courage to ask her out and had yet to man up and do it. Usually, he just ended up being mean to her, even when he wasn't trying to be. He growled at his own wussness as he took one sip of his drink before tossing it into the nearest trashcan as per usual.

The next morning, InuYasha fisted his hands together at his sides and walked with renewed determination. Today. He was going to do it today. Even if it fucking killed him. He swung the door open with more force than needed, knocking it back into the wall with a loud thud. Everyone in the shop turned and looked in his direction. He winced and made his way up to the counter where Kagome was waiting for him, coffee already in hand.

"Anything else, sir?" she asked him in that fake cheery voice she always gave him.

"Large mocha latte," he ground out.

Her eyes grew wide at him and her breath hitched in her throat. Slowly, she turned and went to grab a cup to start making his new drink. His voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"No! Not now. For later. Just... have it ready." Once again, he had sounded a lot more gruff than he really wanted, but too late now. Kagome nodded and gave him his change without another word. He noted that a hint of the sparkle had left her eyes. He wondered why as he dropped his customary $20 down in the jar and turned towards the condiments.

After he left, Sango put her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "You ok, Kagome?"

Her eyes were sparkling with the onset of fresh tears but she refused to let them fall. "I-I'm fine Sango. Why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason, I guess," she replied, looking every bit unconvinced.

Later that afternoon, 3:55 to be exact, Kagome turned to Sango. "Hey, I think I'm gonna go a few minutes early today. I'll see you later."

Sango stared after her friend, knowing what was bothering her but unable to help. Sighing, she went about prepping InuYasha's two drinks for his arrival. She had just finished them up when the bell rang, signaling his arrival. She saw him hesitate when he saw her, but he made his way up to the counter anyway.

"Large coffee and large mocha latte. Anything else, sir?" she asked him.

"Is Kagome still here?" He grit out as he threw a $20 at her.

"Uh, yeah I think so. I can check for you," she replied as she handed him his change.

"Yeah. Do that," he ground out.

Sango went to the back and nearly bumped into said girl as she was making her way back up front with her giant yellow schoolbag. "Hey, someone wants to see you up front," Sango said, a slight smile on her face. Kagome didn't even notice it as she sighed and heaved the bag further up on her shoulder.

Silently, she made her way back out front and saw him. The object of her anger. How dare he have a date in her coffeeshop? The nerve of him! She was about to brush completely past him, forgetting someone had asked for her, when he reached out and grabbed her arm with a clawed hand and shoved the spare drink he had ordered in her face.

"Uh, you like chocolate, right?" He asked, voice softer than she had ever heard it. She looked up at his face, finding it tinged pink, his eyes darting nervously around the room. "Do you... would you ...want to... sit with me for a bit?"

Kagome grabbed the drink and smiled at him.