Wish Upon A Star
Words: 1117
@shestillbelievess @shinobimagpie
After a long day of training, with a belly full of food and muscles aching, Gai laid in the grass just outside of his little house staring at the stars high above him in the sky. “I will find three pictures in the stars before bed,” he challenged himself while his eyes searched the night sky. “If I cannot succeed, then I will-”
“Crawl into bed and get a good night's rest,” his Papa appeared at his side with a grin. “Your dedication to the challenges you do is admirable, but you need your sleep.”
Without a good night's sleep, you cannot train to your full potential.
His Papa’s words echoed in his mind. A phrase he would always repeat if Gai tried to argue for a later bedtime. “Yes, Papa,” even he knew a lost cause when he saw one. There was no convincing his Papa to budge on the topic of sleep. “I’ll just have to find three pictures in the sky before bed then.”
No excuses.
No failure.
“How about we look together?” claiming the spot to his left, his Papa settled in and leaned back so that he could see the stars. “That way we will finish the task faster,” Together. He liked the sound of that. No matter what they were doing his Papa always found a way to make it more fun.
“What about…” searching the stars, he tried to find a connection between them to form a beautiful picture. A turtle, or perhaps a flower. “Hmmm.”
“I think I see something,” his Papa pointed to a spot a bit to the right. “If you look closely you can make out a little spoon,” Narrowing his eyes, Gai searched for the image, but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t seem to find it. “Perhaps a different challenge,” his Papa suggested, noticing the struggles Gai was having. “How about we see who can count the most stars?” Counting stars, that he could do. “Whoever counts the most gets to choose tomorrow's dinner.” with the challenge set, and the reward decided, the two of them turned their eyes back to the stars above and began.
One, two, three, four
The sky was full of little sparkles. He had asked about them a few times growing up, and his Papa always told him the same thing. That they were the souls of those that had been lost to the world, hovering high above in the sky watching over them.
Maybe one day, if he searched hard enough, he would find his grandma looking down on him, or maybe even Kakashi’s dad. If he could do that, surely his friend would smile again.
Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen
Taking a quick break, Gai glanced towards his Papa. With his eyes focused on the sky, he looked like he was eagerly counting. Adding every little star to his tally. Yet, just like with every competition they had Gai was certain he would win.
It didn’t matter how poorly he did, his Papa always seemed to do just a little bit worse. It was almost as if he was purposefully throwing the competitions. Gai would complain about it, but he had Kakashi to challenge him now. Plus all of the other friends he had made since starting at the academy.
He’d let his dad have his way without complaint for just a little longer.
Returning his attention to the night sky, he resumed counting.
Thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two
Suddenly, just as he had hit forty stars, something streaked through the sky. A blinding light passed over all of the other stars, creating a trail of light behind it. With his attention now focused on that, he forgot all about the competition.
“Papa!” reaching out, he grabbed his Papa’s arm and jabbed a finger up towards the sky where that beautiful streak was.
“Oh, I see,” with a fond look in his eyes, his Papa opened up his arms. “Come here.”
Doing as he was told, Gai crawled into his lap, eyes still glued on the sky the entire time. “What is it?”
“It’s called a shooting star,” His Papa explained. “There are stories told about wishes being granted when you see one flying through the night sky,” A wish being granted. That sounded almost too good to be true. “Why don’t you give it a try? Quickly, before it disappears.”
A wish he wanted to be granted. There weren’t too many things that he really wanted, but one idea did come to mind after a bit of thinking.
“I wish-”
“Shh,” his Papa placed a finger over his lips to silence him. “If you say it out loud it won’t be heard. You have to think it.”
A wish that he had to keep to himself. It would be difficult, but he was certain he could do it. It was too important a wish to be ignored.
With starlight in his eyes, Gai took a deep breath, curled his fingers into his jumpsuit’s legs and made his wish.
“A shooting star,” laying in the grass with his head on Gai’s lap, Kakashi pointed up into the sky. Among the stars, as bright as that rare beautiful smile Kakashi give’s him, was a star flying through the sky. Just as Kakashi had said. “Make a wish.”
It takes only a second for him to go through the list of wishes he could make, each more trivial than the last. When he can’t think of anything he glances back at Kakashi, ready to give him the bad news.
As he looks into those stunning onyx eyes, though, he remembers a wish he made long ago. In a far more uncertain time of their lives.
I wish that no matter what happens, everything turns out ok.
A lot had happened in their lives since the day he made that wish. Far too many friends had been lost to the cruel reality of their loves, two wars had come and gone, and more time than he could count it seemed like they would lose each other. At the end of the day, after all was said and done, they had survived.
Every single obstacle life had thrown their way had been overcome so that they could be here today. Laying in the field just outside of their home stargazing, together.
“All of my wishes have already been granted,” he declared, leaning down to press a kiss against Kakashi’s forehead. “I have nothing else I need, Rival.”
Kakashi’s laughter is a sweet sound to his ears. Something he could listen to all day. Perhaps now that they were both retired and planning out their first real vacation, he would have that honour.