Author's Note: Hello to everyone!
I'm new to this site and this is my first story. I sincerely apologize in advance for any mistakes you will see, it's because english is not my native language. I have been a fan of Gintama since I can remember and now I finally found the courage to write about it.
This might get really sentimental and fluffy and cheesy at times, so you have been warned (and don't lie, we all need fluff in our lives). Thank you if you take the time to read the story, I'm not going to ask for reviews because I'm a silent reader myself, but I will truly appreciate each comment. They mean the world to me. Thank you for your patience, I hope you enjoy the story. This is also cross-posted on Archive of Our Own.
This story is mainly going to revolve around GinHijiGin.
If you don't like the pairing I don't think you would like this story so read at your own risk.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gintama or the Characters in any way, shape or form. If I did Gintoki and Hijikata would be together, in love and married. And so would Takasugi and Zura.
This story will include:
Relationships: Gintoki/Hijikata and side pairings Katsura/Takasugi, Kagura/Sougo.
Featuring: Romance, Fluff, at times tooth-rotting fluff, Feelings, so many feelings, A little Angst, Love, Hurt/Comfort, Dysfunctional Family, Friendship, First Love, Idiots In Love, Rivals To Friends To Lovers, Pining, Gintoki is Whipped, Hijikata is in Denial, Otae is the mediator, Slow Burn
When Looking For Food Be careful Of Theft Identity
The sun was shining in the sky, it was a bright day but not hot enough to make you melt in a puddle of sweat and the Yorozuya trio were walking with Sadaharu along the streets of Kabuki-Cho.
Early in the morning the phone had rung and Gintoki- after throwing things at his door and demand (not beg, because he is the main character and main characters don't beg) Kagura's attention to answer the phone, trying to trick Sadaharu with the promise of food if he took the call, which he didn't- in the end had to get it himself.
'I swear if this is a prank or one of those selling-items idiots I'm going to find them and haunt them forever! Don't they know how hard it is to get my hair to stay this cool-messed-but-not-messed-stylish way everyday?' He thought annoyed.
He then proceeded to put the receiver on his ear and answer groggily. "This is the Yorozuya speaking, we're up for any kind of job as long as we get paid."
On the other end the lively voice of an old man answered. "Ah, hello there, I'm calling because I need people for a job on a construction site..."
And this is how Gintoki, Shinpachi, Kagura and Sadaharu found themselves in search of a place to eat after a hard day of work. Well, a half day, but still.
"Nee Gin-Chan, my tummy huuurts! I need food, I'm so tired, how can you make a young lady do this kind of work? Momma is very disappointed in you!" K agura whined with a fake air of irritation, just to make sure her point got across.
"Oi, oi, you should be glad instead of complaining. Gin-san did all the hard work while you held a few wooden boards and ate sukonbu. And you're still eating it and the dog is doing all the walk for you! You don't get the privilege to whine! If anything I should be the one doing it!" Gintoki whined even more than her.
Shinpachi intervened before they started arguing. "Gin-San, Kagura-Chan, you both worked hard. Let's enjoy our pay for once and find somewhere nice to eat, how does that sound?"
Turns out that agreeing to a last-minute job, working for a few hours and following the instructions of your boss-for-a-day really did help with allowing themselves to buy real food. Especially after a week of bland things or Otae' s poisonous eggs, they could even afford two large boxes of food for Sadaharu.
"Okaaay, for once glasses is right, but I'm only listening because I need FOOD!" Kagura agreed happily.
"Yeah glasses, lead the way." Gintoki nodded at him.
"My name is Shinpachi, not glasses!" Shinpachi defended himself.
"Be careful Glasses-Kun, you're starting to sound like another character on this show." Gintoki mumbled with his characteristic dead fish expression and a pinkie in his ear.
"Identity theft is a very serious issue Glasses-Kun, a lot of families suffer from it every year in the USA." Kagura recited in a snobb-ish tone, with a pinkie in her nose.
"Hey! Are you even listening to me you idiots!? I said my name is Shinpachi! And you got the wrong country, we live in Japan! JA-PAN!"
Whilst they were arguing two familiar figures clad in dark uniforms were walking in the streets, coming toward them. It really wasn't a surprise what happened next. Kagura was the first to spot the Shinsengumi officers.
"Look who is showing their faces in the daylight! Are the tax thieves here to collect more money from innocent people? Bhoo! Go away! Glasses give me the garlic!" She yelled at them, or at one of them in particular.
"Kagura-Chan that is no way to talk to the police. And garlic only works on vampires!" Shinpachi tried to dispel the situation, somehow more preoccupied about the fact that Kagura should know about what garlic does to vampires than anything else.
"But they suck our lives and money! They are police vampires, we should erase them all!" Exclaimed Kagura as she launched herself in an attack against Sougo.
"Ne, China, hasn't anyone ever told you how much you stink? Maybe it's all that garlic you carry 'round with you." Sougo made fun of her before adding, "And you're the one who has to be destroyed!"
"Say that again you piece of idiot!"
"Is that the worst you can do, pigtail moron?"
The two started fighting with each other, not caring about the trouble they were causing to the other bystanders, and glas- I mean Shinpachi-Kun was trying his best to calm down the situation.
After watching for some time and deciding it was rather boring, Gintoki turned his focus on the other officer. The Vice Commander who was standing aloof on the side and smoking a cigarette, looking at the scene with mild irritation and a headache that was starting to form only from thinking about all the paperwork he had to do to after repaying the district for the damaged properties that Sougo (and Kagura) destroyed. It wasn't that he didn't like spending his days with Paperwork-San, but some days it was just too much.
When the heavy lidded eyes fell on the sharp open ones Gintoki decided to start his own fight, like they always did when they met each other on random occasions.
"Oi, oi, the dogs decided to appear in front of us poor mortal creatures, what an honor we have received today." Gintoki mocked while looking at Hijikata straight in the eyes and taking a step towards him.
"Shut up you lazy perm, we are just doing our job as functional members of society instead of lacking off all day and being even more useless than a piece of shit on the street." Hijikata responded, also taking a step forward and not backing off from the challenge.
"What did you say you stupid Mayora? I'll have you know we are taking our jobs very seriously, we get paid for real work. At least we don't rob innocent people of their precious salaries, maybe all that dog food is clouding your brain!"
"Don't you dare call it that again! Mayonnaise is the most refined food in the world! People rip their limbs apart to even get a taste, take that back you stupid sweet obsessed freak. Take. That. Back!"
"I'll have you know sweets are the food of Gods and Goddesses! People rip their eyes out to be able to get their hands on them! Didn't you hear what happened to Itachi-Kun after disobeying the order of eating sweets in front of his clan? He killed them all before they killed him as punishment! That's why I was chosen as the main character, all the others with their bland tastes and stupid personalities were all boring and awful, but I wouldn't expect a side character like yourself to understand it!"
"What the heck are you saying, that's not how the story goes you fool! Have you even read the manga!? Besides you were chosen as the main character only because of the low-budget you moron!"
Gintoki gasped dramatically. "How dare you talk to me like that you brainless puppet of the government! Nobody would fit this role more perfectly than me! And I'm paid very well!"
"Of course, that's why you were asking the kids at the park for money the other day."
"Hey, that happened only two times! And I was drunk during both of them!"
"And you think that makes it better?!"
During the discussion a phone started ringing. Everyone stopped what they were doing and searched their pockets, even if only two out of the five people were the owners of cellphones. But you never know what you could find in your pockets, right? At least Gintoki liked to think this way. Hijikata took the phone from the pocket of his vest.
"This is Hijikata... already found them? Got it, we're on our way." He ended the call and looked at the younger member of his team. "Sougo, they found the criminal, let's go."
"Fine." The boy answered a little reluctantly. Sougo got out of a wrestling move around his neck, seemingly without a scratch, and started heading in the direction of his superior. "This isn't finished yet China, I'm going to win next time." He turned to smirk at the auburn haired girl confidently.
"Pff, you couldn't beat me in a million years even if you tried, stupid jerk!" Kagura called back with a twisted face, much like the one her mentor used when he was trying to make himself look smug.
"We'll see about that." Sougo added. "Bye Glasses, bye Danna."
"My name is Shinpachi." Shinpachi corrected dejectedly.
"Bye Soichirou-Kun, next time bring me a parfait." Gintoki waved half-heartedly.
"Buy it yourself, Danna. And my name is Sougo. Identity theft is a very serious issue, a lot families suffer from it every year in the USA, you should know it Danna."
The two groups started walking again in their respective directions, ignoring Shinpachi who was talking about how they were in Japan and should try to first fix the problems in their country. And if he should change his glasses because maybe some people really didn't like them.
They were going on their initial paths, when at the last moment, while they were walking towards each other, Gintoki's yukata brushed against the fabric of Hijikata's jacket. It was the briefest of contacts and it lasted only a second, but even as the temperature was warm their forearms felt just a bit warmer.
Hijikata was turning, ready for another fight, when he caught a glimpse of Gintoki's eyes. Instead of spouting nonsense like the natural perm always did, he just looked at him and gave him a nod, continuing on his way while the kids started saying in which restaurant they would like to eat.
And Hijikata for a second remained still. He thought that it was strange. Nonetheless he let it go as they went on their separate ways, and continued with his work. Maybe today not everything was as usual.
The sun was really hot, the high temperature could be the only explanation since both their arms were still tingling warmly.