Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

500 words, originally posted 3-12-12.

"My head is stuck in the clouds

She begs me to come down

Says 'Boy, quit foolin' around.'

I told her, 'I love the view from up here,

Warm sun and wind in my ear,

We'll watch the world from above

As it turns to the rhythm of love.' "

Indian Giver

When Kouga finally made it to work, it was an hour and a half later than he usually opened, despite all his efforts to make it downtown at a decent time.

"Stupid, disgusting underground rattrap," he muttered to himself, unlocking the front door to The Wheel Deal and flipping the little sign to "open." He gave a cursory glance around the small room, satisfied that nothing was out of place, and settled himself behind the counter.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" he complained aloud. "Wouldn't make a difference anyway. Nobody wants to buy something fun and exciting like a bike. They all want to spend their money on clothes, and tickets, and food and cars and bags and phones and"—he shuddered—"shoes."

Kouga had heard his own rant enough times that he could practically do it in his sleep. As he whined to himself about his lack of customers, the foolishness that was New York, and the depravity of the world in general, he let his hands work, tinkering with bike parts. By noon, he had assembled a new makeshift cycle that would be his replacement until he could order the parts for his preferred model. He propped it against the wall and grabbed another pile of parts, not stopping in his tirade, which had reached the point about Americans and their lack of respect for their elders (or in his case, their betters).

He was just fitting the seat to the frame when the bell above the door chimed. Kouga was sitting on the floor behind the counter, his back to the entrance. He dropped the part in his hand and stood so fast that he banged his knee on the corner of the register.

Grunting, he called out, "Welcome!" just remembering to speak in English instead of Japanese. He blinked in confusion when there was no one in the shop.

"Hello?" he asked uselessly. The store was so small that there was no place for anyone to hide, even if they wanted to. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a piece of paper taped to his glass door.

He walked over, head cocked as he read.

LOOK OUTSIDE

Frowning, Kouga walked out the door, letting the bell clang noisily behind him. His eyes widened in shock when he saw what was propped against the wall outside.

There, leaning next to the door, was his bicycle, complete with a big red bow tied around the handlebars. Upon inspection, the bike was completely unharmed, and possibly in better condition than he had left it. The girl (for who else could it have been?) had washed it and even added a jaunty straw basket in an audacious lavender. There was a bright yellow greeting card sitting in the basket.

He picked it up and scowled at the image on the front—a grinning cocker spaniel wearing a pearl necklace. The inside was blank but for one line of what was becoming very familiar handwriting.

You owe me a pair of earrings.