Week 255: True Story
Title: Phantom Father
Author: aimee_blue
Prompt: Never Again
Characters: young!Inuyasha, Myoga
Rating: K+
Words: 458
Summary: CU. Cobbling together the story of a phantom father.
Perched under the shelter that a gnarled hibiscus tree provided, Inuyasha waited out the torrential rain as he had many times before. The water assaulted the dirt with shattering intensity, falling in sheets so thick that the young hanyou could swear that he was the only person on earth.
Except that wasn’t true, in fact, someone else was also taking shelter under the groaning boughs of the tree. Though, this someone clung to a silky strand of snow-white hair.
Bare toes curled against the dirt beneath them, creating slim scratches in the soil with his claws.
“So,” the young hanyou piped up at last, staring steadfastly into the rain. “You knew my father?”
The flea peered at his new young master concernedly and quickly hoisted himself up until he sat nestled in the soft downy fur surrounding one of Inuyasha’s puppy-dog ears. “I was your father’s lowly vassal for many years, Inuyasha-sama.”
Those dark brows pulled together sceptically as he glanced up in the general direction of the flea demon. “Really? You seem too cowardly for the vassal of a General,” there was a short pause and Inuyasha glowered down at the ground. “Or wasn’t he a general at all?” he asked in a small, almost silent, voice that shook slightly.
Those heroic stories his mother had told him at bedtime, of his father as a brave and powerful warrior, had been a balm to his battered soul. He’d adored listening to his mother’s husky voice as she spun stories of mystical swords, daring battles and his father’s devotion. He’d carried around the knowledge that his father had sacrificed so much to protect him, his talisman of proof that his father had loved him. Had cared.
“Inuyasha-sama!” Myoga-ojii sounded outraged yet cajoling at Inuyasha’s question. “Your father was a great and honourable general of the Western lands. He bowed to no one.” Myoga then wiped his tiny brow with a smaller handkerchief, “But I am no warrior. I served your father as an advisor - I gathered useful information for him.”
“Oh,” a small smile curved the corners of Inuyasha’s mouth.
“Indeed,” Myoga continued warmly, “Your father gave you your name. He gave you your fire-rat robe. He gave you his lineage.” Inuyasha’s little chest puffed up with pride at each adage. “And, most importantly, he gave you his scrumptious tasting blood!”
Slapping a hand to his head, Inuyasha absently watched as the little flea floated to the ground.
Strangely, in the midst of the storm, staring out into the rain, he no longer felt so alone. The robe of the fire rat around his shoulders was a father’s embrace, his name was his father’s acceptance, his life was his father’s love. And he would make his father proud.
Author: aimee_blue
Prompt: Never Again
Characters: young!Inuyasha, Myoga
Rating: K+
Words: 458
Summary: CU. Cobbling together the story of a phantom father.
Perched under the shelter that a gnarled hibiscus tree provided, Inuyasha waited out the torrential rain as he had many times before. The water assaulted the dirt with shattering intensity, falling in sheets so thick that the young hanyou could swear that he was the only person on earth.
Except that wasn’t true, in fact, someone else was also taking shelter under the groaning boughs of the tree. Though, this someone clung to a silky strand of snow-white hair.
Bare toes curled against the dirt beneath them, creating slim scratches in the soil with his claws.
“So,” the young hanyou piped up at last, staring steadfastly into the rain. “You knew my father?”
The flea peered at his new young master concernedly and quickly hoisted himself up until he sat nestled in the soft downy fur surrounding one of Inuyasha’s puppy-dog ears. “I was your father’s lowly vassal for many years, Inuyasha-sama.”
Those dark brows pulled together sceptically as he glanced up in the general direction of the flea demon. “Really? You seem too cowardly for the vassal of a General,” there was a short pause and Inuyasha glowered down at the ground. “Or wasn’t he a general at all?” he asked in a small, almost silent, voice that shook slightly.
Those heroic stories his mother had told him at bedtime, of his father as a brave and powerful warrior, had been a balm to his battered soul. He’d adored listening to his mother’s husky voice as she spun stories of mystical swords, daring battles and his father’s devotion. He’d carried around the knowledge that his father had sacrificed so much to protect him, his talisman of proof that his father had loved him. Had cared.
“Inuyasha-sama!” Myoga-ojii sounded outraged yet cajoling at Inuyasha’s question. “Your father was a great and honourable general of the Western lands. He bowed to no one.” Myoga then wiped his tiny brow with a smaller handkerchief, “But I am no warrior. I served your father as an advisor - I gathered useful information for him.”
“Oh,” a small smile curved the corners of Inuyasha’s mouth.
“Indeed,” Myoga continued warmly, “Your father gave you your name. He gave you your fire-rat robe. He gave you his lineage.” Inuyasha’s little chest puffed up with pride at each adage. “And, most importantly, he gave you his scrumptious tasting blood!”
Slapping a hand to his head, Inuyasha absently watched as the little flea floated to the ground.
Strangely, in the midst of the storm, staring out into the rain, he no longer felt so alone. The robe of the fire rat around his shoulders was a father’s embrace, his name was his father’s acceptance, his life was his father’s love. And he would make his father proud.