Disclaimer: I own nothing
Authors Note: Not entirely sure what category this would fall under. Lets just keep it a safe general.
Of Servers and Cigarettes
The diner was brightly lit against the black backdrop of night. Kaede had forgotten to close the blinds again, so the inner workings of the restaurant were transparent through the illuminated windows lining the outside perimeter of the structure. Inside, the seats and booths were occupied with the usual truckers, hitchhikers and insomniacs that made up the graveyard shift of the All Seasons diner.
An old, beat up 1985 ford fairline, which looked scratched beyond repair, rapidly sped into the car lot and screeched into a parking space, spraying up gravel in the process. Throwing the door open, Kagome Higurashi vaulted out of the seat and slammed the car door shut with her foot. She then dropped the glowing stub that was the remains of her cigarette into the dirt, and stamped it out with her shoe as she marched across the lot and up the ramp into the building.
No sooner had she walked through the main entrance, was Kikyo there, shooting her a death glare from behind the coffee machine.
"You're late" she hissed through clenched teeth, her pale fingers drumming the counter and her foot tapping impatiently.
"You were supposed to be here at 11:00 and it is now, (she glanced at her watch) 11:12, your almost fifteen minuets late!" she slapped her hands palm down on the counter top to emphasize her point.
Kikyo, neat freak and obsessive compulsive that she was, was nothing if not punctual.
"You know, this is the third time you've been late this week, I don't care if you're my sister Kagome, one more time and I'm going to have to report you! Its been like this since high school Kags, somewhere along the line you're going to have to learn to take responsibility for yourself, and develop a sense of maturity, and learn to suffer the consequences of your actions and-"
"Oh, for the love of God, would you give it a rest already!" Kagome who had been trying to tune out her sibiling for the past 5 minuets moaned. She slipped behind the counter, away from the front of the eatery, and walked towards the kitchen were her black apron was stuffed, conveniently, into an old drawer used for pan lids.
"Kouga dropped by and I hung out with him for a while and time got away from me, alright? I'm sorry." She picked up the apron and tied it messily around her waist, sticking a pen through her hair to hold it up. Putting her hands on her hips, she turned towards Kikyo and rolled her eyes,
"Besides, you'd never report me because I live with you and when you get home, I would be forced to play nonstop Rush songs, all including eight minuet guitar solos just to irritate you to death."
Kikyo just shook her head and let out a long exaggerated sigh. Then her nostrils flared slightly as she sniffed the air, "I thought you quit." She said with a deadpan look on her face.
Kagome smiled sweetly at her and mouthed 'Bite me' before walking back over to the coffee machine and starting up a new brew.
Well since you're here, do you mind taking care of one of my tables? He wanted a coffee and I asked if he wanted anything else and he said, and I quote: 'You. To go'." Her mouth stretched out into a grimace and Kagome broke into a laugh.
"Aww, Kikyos got herself an admirer!" Kagome sang in a high pitched voice as she yanked the coffee pot out from the machine, and stuck a mug under the stream.
"Please Kags, I'm desperate. I really don't feel like starting something with a customer tonight and I have other tables to get to, thanks to somebody for not showing up on time for her shift." She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at Kagome.
"Your wish is my command," Kagome answered back with a patronizing smile. Taking a gulp of coffee from the mug, she grabbed the entire pot and made her way out onto the floor. Right smack dab into a human body.
Coffee went flying one way, and she fell back the opposite, her denim clad butt taking the fall. The man however, wasn't so lucky.
He fell away from her, also on his butt, but with a great, big, 12 cup, container of coffee landing on his head, causing it to shatter and soak him through, reducing the poor guy into one great big, and huge, overly caffeinated mess.
It was dead silent for about a second, before the laughing started, a little at first then picking up speed and volume like a slow clap. Soon the entire diner was cracking up at the expense of Kagome and Guy-Now-Drenched-In-Coffee. Kagome could only gawk in mortified shock at the stranger in front of her, who was now standing up and wiping the brown beverage out of his eyes with the back of his arm. Luckily the coffee had had a few minuets to cool off so it wasn't searing, but it still had to be hot! She sprang back up and grasped at a couple of napkins sitting at a table to her right.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry! Is there anything I can do?, anything I can get you sir?" she babbled while frantically dabbing at the mans long sleeved black tee shirt.
"How about a coupon for a week of free meals, on the house, or maybe you would like to treat you friends to a free diner, or…? She vaguely realized he was trying to talk, but she kept cutting him off with her apologizing. It wasn't until he wrapped a hand around her wrist and lifted her hand off his shirt, that she shut up, took a step out of his personal bubble, and looked at him.
His black hair was long and dripping down his back, and his violet eyes were huge and looked a bit intimidated. It would have been identical to the type of embarrassed look her little brother would give after falling in public, except this man was about a good foot and a half taller than her, let alone Souta.
His face was blushing crimson, and his eyes were darting around at the laughing faces; not able to meet anyone's gaze. Finally they dropped down to his feet and all she could make out, his voice was so low, was "… err…Inuyasha…just hired…start today…well tonight…" she was still a little disoriented from everything that happened and now this guy was making her feel deaf on top of everything else.
"Just spit it out!" she ordered. He angrily jerked his head up and yelled "IM WORKING HERE NOW OKAY!" The restaurant got quiet again, everyone staring because of his outburst. If it was even possible his blush deepened. He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest defensively, and sent a hard look at man sitting in a flannel shirt nearby. "What?" he muttered, before turning around and heading towards the kitchen to look for Kaede.
Kagome was still standing in the same exact spot, mouth open, staring after him, until Kikyo walked up next to her, looking in the same direction.
"So I see you've met the new assistant manager, huh?" was all she commentated.
"What! That nut job?" Kagome cried, snapping her attention to Kikyo.
"Yup"she said, all nonchalant.
She strolled back towards the counter and leaned back against it on her forearms. Cocking an eyebrow, she smiled a bit smugly and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Let's just see what happens next time you're late Kags. This guys got 'crazy-boss' written all over him." And for once, Kagome actually contemplated coming in early for work the next day. Maybe.
A/N: Remember guys, "Tipping" is not a city in China. Once again, another start to a fic that will probably never be finished. But who knows? I like this Kagome and I need a place to vent the horrific woes that befall a teenage waitress.
Edit: this fic was originally done with sango as kagomes coworker and roomie, but I liked the idea of kikyo in that role better. She just screams overly-protective older sibiling to me.