A/N: Hello everyone! I'm back after a few years of hiatus due to classes and work and all that jazz. I've recently been watching Inu-Yasha quite a bit and falling back in love with the characters. This plot has been in the back of my mind for years and I think I'm finally ready to write it! Being from a retail background, I'll stick to what I know and I hope you all enjoy. Anonymous and signed reviews are all welcomed and I hope you'll have as much fun reading as I will writing. This is rated high (M) because I do enjoy using colorful language between characters and just in case I decide to have a little saucy scene later on. Enjoy!

Disclaimers: I do not own any of the wonderful characters in this fanfiction. Inu-Yasha and co. all belong to the wonderful and talented Rumiko Takahashi-sensei, a woman with my utmost respect.

A Friend in Words,
-KB (Kyosbeads13)


Retail Therapy
Chapter one.

The sun was streaming through the sparkling clean windows at the store front that Kagome gazed out lovingly. Downtown could be so beautiful in late spring; the trees that were planted in the grassy blocks of the sidewalk swayed gently in the warm breeze that blew just outside those windows. Brightly colored flowers circled the thin bases of those trees and every so often, a young child would bend and point to a particular one they found more beautiful than the others. One young man even bent down and picked a beautiful purple flower and handed it to the blushing girl he was with. Sighing, Kagome turned back to look at the small convenience store that she had already scrubbed from top to bottom. Business was quite slow now-a-days what with all the competition that had been moving into the same district. She was watching her boss struggle with her finances every day, it was heart breaking. It was costing the elderly woman more money to keep the lights on and the electricity running than they were making. It was definitely an upsetting situation.

"Kagome, if you'd like you can go on your lunch break." A voice said from the back room that served as an office.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay on your own here for a bit, Kaede?" Kagome asked while lifting her apron up and over her head.

"Of course, unfortunately it doesn't seem like we will be getting any customers anytime soon." The older of the two said moving to the coffee pots to replace the stale and most likely burnt liquid. Kagome felt her heavy heart droop even lower. Kaede was a special family friend that she had known for most of her life. She was told that Kaede was the best friend of her grandmother on her father's side. Since Kagome's father had passed away when she was a young girl, Kaede always had just the story to make her heart stop aching with the missing she had for her father. Seeing the old woman to the point of defeat hurt her more than anything.

"Well, fingers crossed we'll have a few while I'm gone. I'll be back soon!" Opening the door, Kagome offered a quaint smile to the one behind her before stepping out into the warm air. Pulling the hair tie out of her flowing black hair, the breeze that ruffled her pink blouse wrapped its fingers through her loosened locks. She could smell the food vendors' carts making her all the hungrier as she walked the familiar way to her favorite café a little ways from her store. She turned the corner and walked into the small and dark colored café, pulling the glass door open and walking up to the counter. A girl with a high pony tail much longer than her own had been turned around and offered a bright smile.

"Kagome, I wondered if you were working today!" She put the coffee cup down that she had been cleaning and leaned over the counter. "So how's the situation down at the shop going?"

"Not good, Sango," Kagome sighed for the second time in a short amount time. "I'm really afraid that Kaede's going to have to close the store soon."

"Well, like I said, I can always get you a job here." Sango winked at her before pulling out bread for Kagome's usual lunch time meal.

"I couldn't do that, Kaede's heart would be broken if I left. Not to mention Mama wouldn't be too happy with me." Kagome took a seat at one of the bar stools on the other side of the counter.

"I'm sure I could get her one too." This earned a little smile from Kagome while she stuck her hand in her pocket and took out her cell phone. She scrolled through for a few moments looking at an email from her mother while her friend fixed her sandwich and coffee, absentmindedly swaying her head to the beat of the soft music that played over head. The sound of a plate clinking to the counter top made her put the phone down as Sango slid the plate to her and walked back over to the coffee machine. Kagome instantly dug in, her stomach growling and urging her to do so. Her coffee was soon after in front of her and Sango joined her on the other side of the counter as well.

"How are you and Miroku doing?" Kagome inquired in between bites of her food.

"Fine, moving in together loses its appeal after the first few nights. I'm just trying to keep him away from the windows, he's still looking after all those girls that pass through the streets." Sango's eyes narrowed as she flicked a stray crumb to the floor with a long finger nail. "He's too much sometimes."

"As long as he never runs outside after them."

"He wouldn't be able to so much as unlock the door before I'd be on him." Sango smiled when she said this before her attention had been dragged to a customer who walked in the door.

Kagome was an enthusiast for hearing about peoples' love lives and especially that of her closest friend. She could still recount the first time she heard Sango speak about Miroku when they were still teenagers in high school. Now almost four years later, they had recently moved in together. She was more than excited for her friend but became slightly less excited when Sango had said jokingly "when's it going to be my turn to be excited for you, Kagome?" That question was a heavy one in Kagome's mind and unfortunately was one she received more often than not.

Kagome had finished her lunch as Sango walked back over to her after the customer had taken a seat with his food.

"Woah, where did you put all that so quickly?"

"I was running late this morning and couldn't get breakfast before work. Sango, do me a favor? Make another sandwich for Kaede? I'm sure she could use a pick me up."

"Sure!" Sango moved back to the station she had been at before and began pulling out meats and cheeses that she knew Kaede enjoyed. As she put the tape over the wrappings, Kagome reached into her pocket and retracted it with money in her hand. Sango shook her head as she pushed both the sandwich and money back towards her friend. "The big boss isn't in today. My treat. Tell Kaede I'll stop by after work to pick up a few things for home, okay?"

"Thanks Sango." Kagome's smile returned as she placed her money and cell phone back in her pockets and began walking for the door. "I'll talk to you later then!" She waved as a couple and another business man entered the café and Sango geared herself to get back to work.

Returning to the busy street, Kagome clutched the food in her hand and carefully swept through the crowds that were all busy looking for a place to eat. Looking into a few restaurants, she silently congratulated herself on going earlier than the rest of the city on the lunch rush. However, lunch time was actually decently busy at the shop and she picked up her pace to get back. Not watching where she was going, she bumped shoulders with someone who was turning the corner in the direction she was. Immediately turning towards him, she bowed slightly.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going, oh!" Looking in the eyes of the person she was apologizing to, suddenly realization had hit her. She had bumped into one of the regular customers at Kaede's shop! "I'm sorry, how're you?" She continued in her hurried pace of speech.

"Fine." He replied curtly. Kagome was always surprised by this particular man's presence. It was different. He was different. It was quite obvious that he was not like everyone else, his appearance made that quite obvious. His eyes glowed a bright goldenrod while his hair was as silver as the lining of a cloud. Two ears sat perched at the very top of that hair, listening to the sounds around them. It was not all that uncommon to come in contact with the demons; after all, the demons and humans lived side by side relatively peacefully in this part of the country. It was rare, however, to see one out during the day during the normal human hustle and bustle of the work day. Most preferred the night so they could keep to themselves and not be bothered with normal human daily functions.

"Well, I really better get going. It was nice to see you, maybe I'll see you back at the shop later today. I'll be on until the evening." She smiled once again before hurrying back on her way to the shop. Thinking nothing more of her rather embarrassing encounter, Kagome walked back into the shop and saw at least five people walking around, two of them had baskets in hand. She walked over to the counter and climbed behind, relieving Kaede of the register and holding the small package in her hand out to her.

"You're too sweet, child. Thank you."

"Of course! Go enjoy, I'll take care of everyone here."

"Make sure you charm them well." Kaede passed to her lightly as Kagome lifted her hair up and over the neck strap on her apron.

"You got it!" Putting on her best smile and kindest airs, Kagome began waiting on customers, scanning their drinks and ringing up snacks. She asked every customer if there was anything else she could do for them, a few asked questions which led to more sales and Kagome silently patting herself on the back. After a few hours though, the shop returned to its normal silence as the sun began to sink behind the buildings across the street.

"Thanks for all your help today, Kagome. We had a much better day than any other day this week." Kaede carried a certain heaviness in her voice.

"Anytime. Every time Sango's been working, she's been handing out business cards along with any coffee people buy. Hopefully that will attract a few more people in. We'll get this place up and busy again in no time."

"I'd like to believe that's true. But I'm sure you've had enough of being here for tonight, go on and get home."

"I will as soon as I get Mama the few things she needed!" Folding the apron and placing it under the counter, Kagome walked to the coolers and picked out some eggs and bread. She faintly heard the bustle of the city grow louder for a second, the door opening and closing. Not thinking much of it, she leaned over to another cooler to grab a bottle of water and felt the weight of the cooler door diminish off her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the same man that she had bumped into in the street hours before. Before she could stare too long, she stood up with the bottle in hand and smiled. "Thank you. I didn't think you'd actually visit!"

"I'm not really visiting, I'm just on my way back home." He reached past her and down to grab a drink for himself. In that moment, Kagome felt the slightest bit silly. She knew that he hadn't come to visit her and she was also quite familiar with the fact that he seemed to always come into the store around this time. Clearing her throat, she moved up towards the counter where Kaede now stood, looking out the window.

"Well, I guess I'll see you the same time tomorrow. Have a good night." She received no answer and placed her items on the counter. Kaede was still focused out the window and Kagome looked at her with her head cocked to one side. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, just thinking about something silly. It happens when you get older." As Kaede placed the items in a bag, Kagome looked to the back of the store once again before paying. She shook her head, bade Kaede a good night, and stepped out into the crisp air that had befallen the rest of the city.