InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stream of Consciousness: A LiveJournal Collection ❯ Watching Over Me ( Chapter 78 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Title: Watching Over Me

Community: First Tweak

Theme: Shooting Star

Place Earned: 3rd

Rating: PG

Universe: Canon post-manga

Word count: 300

Summary: Inuyasha tries to explain a shooting star to his daughter

Warnings: none

Watching Over Me

“Ooooh, Daddy, what's that?!”

Inuyasha smiled down at his four-year-old daughter. She stared up at the night sky, eyes aglow with starlight and wonder. Her tiny hand pointed up toward a streak of light moving rapidly across the black expanse.

“That's a shooting star.”

“Stars can move like that? Cool!”

“Well, it's not really a star,” Inuyasha said, remembering when Kagome had told him so a few years ago.

“But you just said it was,” his daughter replied, scrunching up her little face in confusion.

Inuyasha sighed; he had no idea what a shooting star really was. Kagome's explanation hadn't made much sense to him, and he knew the child wouldn't get it at all. He heard the rhythmic rustling of grass as his wife approached, and for a moment he considered passing the question on to her. But an old childhood memory came to mind, supplying him with a good answer.

“When I was a kid, I imagined that a shooting star was the spirit of someone I loved very much watching over me.”

“So…you mean like Granny Kaede?”

Inuyasha smiled sadly at her. The old miko had finally passed away last year, and his daughter had taken it very hard. It had taken her quite awhile to get over her first experience with death.

“Exactly,” he said, watching his little girl smile softly, then wave up at the sky.

Inuyasha felt his wife's hand on his shoulder, telling him that he had done well. He reached up and clutched it tightly, turning to gaze mournfully at her. Someday…I'll have to look for you in a shooting star, Kagome.

She leaned in to kiss him, her message clear. Don't worry about decades down the road. Live for the present. Pulling her into his arms, Inuyasha vowed that he would.