Title: Drink drank drunk
Fandom: Gintama
Characters: Sakata Gintoki, Sarutobi Sacchan Ayame
Word count: 965
Rating: T
Warnings: don't do this at home.
Disclaimer: "Gintama" is not mine, although the writing certainly is.
A/N: All my fics are posted on my tumblr (link on my profile page).
Reviews are greatly appreciated.
A fellow ninja once told her she's a strong gal. Indeed, she is. But even Sarutobi Ayame gets tired sometimes.
"We're finally here..!" says Sacchan, trying to sound enthusiastic. She clicks the switch on, blinks when the light attacks her eyes. It's been a long night, especially for him.
Gintoki answers with a long groan. His state can be described only by the expression 'completely wasted'. At least his face doesn't look so green any more. Sacchan found him soon after he had been kicked out of a bar along with Hasegawa. She didn't care much for the other man, and simply left him there, feeling no remorse whatsoever. The silver haired samurai looked... bad, worse than a famished art student during the exam session. She actually got worried. After half an hour, she managed to drag him back to Yorozuya. Normally, she doesn't have any problems with carrying him, but tonight Gintoki seemed to weight a tone. Happy as she is to be around him, Sarutobi thinks bitterly this situation is far from her dream date. In this state, even taking off Gintoki's boots is a challenge she nearly lost. Sacchan, however, is very, very determined. As always.
Yorozuya Gin-chan is empty, which is not a common occurrence as it is always filled by more or less extraterrestrial and/or supernatural beings, including an an Inugami that tends to bite people's heads, and a little girl that thinks five bowls of rice are only an appetizer.
Sacchan knows this place better than any other, and she sometimes, but only sometimes, she thinks that this perhaps is her real home. Not all those hotel rooms she is forced to live in, that are anonymous, don't have souls. But this place... It has it all; warmth, sense of belonging, everything. Otose may rant all day, Gintoki complains about 'those stupid kids', and Kagura always whines about having not enough food, but they managed to form a peculiar type of a bond that won't be easily broken. Although they are a bunch of freaks and weirdos, not even related, they are a family. Sacchan is a naive little girl, that's why she wonders if maybe one day they will accept her. She practically lives here already, well, not officially...
But now is not the time to get emotional, so Sarutobi puts these annoying albeit a bit painful thoughts at the very back of her mind, and quickly grabs Gintoki before he collapses unconscious on the floor.
"We're almost, almost there..!", Sacchan's voice quivers slightly. It's not easy to keep calm in a situation like this. She may have thought about a very similar scenario before... Once or twice... It always ends in a more or less the same way, and it's enough to say that following Miss Sarutobi's vivid and creative imagination would automatically give this story the highest rating possible.
"You'll be fine... you'll be fine, Gin-san! You just need to rest and... and sleep in your... bed", she starts to babble nonsense, feeling a bright red blush spreading all over her face.
Gintoki doesn't answer; his mind is currently swimming in a river of sake. Sarutobi finally drags him to his bedroom (slightly disappointed it's not the other way round), and lets out a sigh of relief seeing the silver haired samurai on his futon. Mission accomplished. Tonight her precious Gin-san will sleep in his own bed instead of a dumpster. She left Madao there, but whatever, who cares about that guy anyway... He should get his own stalker.
Fighting with her imagination that puts all kind of possibilities in her head, Sacchan takes a step back, kneels down by the bed. She wants to stay here for a little while, make sure Gintoki sleeps soundly. Then her mission will be over, and she will leave him, feeling accomplished. If she doesn't take care of him, who will?
Sarutobi leans over, reaching out her hand to brush a lock of hair away from his face. Suddenly, she feels him grabbing her wrist.
"Stalker", says Gintoki, his voice hoarse.
Sacchan freezes momentarily, uncertain what to do. He was only pretending this whole time?, she asks herself, confused. But there's something in his eyes that tells her Gintoki's mind is still away in the sake land.
"Stalker", he repeats, as if tasting the word on his lips.
"I wasn't doing anything... inappropriate!", she whimpers. "You drank too much, I wanted to help you get back ho–"
"I'm not drunk", squeezing her wrist, he says with a certainty that only a drunk person can have.
"Of course not", Sacchan agrees meekly, thinking that his breath will make her drunk if he keeps talking.
"You... wanted to help me?"
"Yes. I didn't want to leave you there."
"Why?", he asks, releasing her arm.
You know why..., she thinks, looking away from his gaze. Maybe he really does, since he doesn't repeat his question.
"So I guess I should say something nice...", Gintoki says lazily, closing his eyes.
Sacchan stares at him utterly surprised. She doesn't expect anything 'nice'; in fact, she thinks he will kick her out as he usually does. She doesn't realise she's holding her breath in anticipation.
"Thanks", his voice is quiet, with a subtle hint of a smile.
Before he falls asleep, he adds "Ayame", and for a moment Sacchan thinks she must have imagined that. She even pinches her cheek to check if it's not a dream.
And although she's pretty sure Gintoki will forget everything when the morning headache attacks him with ferocity of a wild animal, turning the river of sake into the dry land of hangover, she doesn't care. At least she will remember what happened. She knows she has to cherish all these little moments. She doesn't have much else.