WARNING: Spoilers for Silver Soul Arc. Don't read if you haven't caught up yet!
Title: Everyone Forgets Their Classmates The Day After Their Graduation
Prompt: 'Post-mortem appreciation'
Rating: K+
Pairing: None
Length: 156 words
Notes: I guess it's 'appreciation' in a way... lol. I managed to throw in a small nod to a couple things: Hijikata giving up smoking post-Silver Soul Arc, and Yamazaki being forgotten. (This ficlet's premise is based on the canon detail of Gintoki being the one to carry Yamazaki's body away after the battle with Utsuro.)
It's finally over. It's a while before people start to accept it, before the adrenaline still left in their bodies dies down and everyone slowly regroups.
They're tending to the wounds of their comrades and commander when the perm-head comes over and hucks the body off his shoulder without a word. When they ignore him and start taking their leave, his eyebrows perk.
"Oi, oi. You're leaving him behind?"
Hijikata's voice is as harsh as ever, but he doesn't show his expression. "If you die a meaningless death, then it's meaningless to be remembered."
Gintoki's past flashes before him and his body jerks with secondhand rage instinctively, his hand on his sword-
"It's best to forget about everything now. If we want to keep walking forward, that's what we have to do." A cigarette drops to the ground, followed by the whole box, stride barely hesitating for a second.
"...That's how he would feel, too, Yorozuya."