I'm gonna write fanfics for all these characters who don't get much love, haha. Please help me out when I make any huge errors. Might be a bit OOC, sorry. I like Gintama, I just have a crappy memory. I own nothing but my OC. Also, be warned that there are a lot of pairings in this fic and the side story that will later go with it. But a main pairing is Kyoshiro (the host) and a mangaka OC. Contains genderbends, some AU, and hints of fem!slash. Also later, brief mentions of character death. May have some minor/major spoilers. Read at your own risk. Included pairings:

1)Gin/Tsukyo AND Fem!Gin/Male!Tsukyo

2)Okita/Kagura

3)Otae/Kondo AND Fem!Kondo/Male!Otae

4) slight onesided Kyubei/Otae And not so slight onesided Kyubei/Male!Otae

5) Shinpachi/Otsu

6)Yamazaki/Tama

7)Some Hijikata/Mitsuba

8)Onesided Sacchan/Gin and slight onesided Sacchan/Fem!Gin

9)Zenzo/Sacchan

10)Ikumatsu/Katsura

11)OC/Kyoshiro(Main)

12)Takasugi/Matako


Chapter One: Pen-pals


Dear Arai-sensei,

I love your works. They're genine, full of love, humorous, sometimes painful, and each and every character feels like they could walk right out of the pages of the manga. Perhaps it's not "manly" of me to read your works as devotedly as I do, yet nothing about your art makes me embarrassed for being your fan.

Reading them always makes me think of my first love, a beautiful, artistic young woman who lived in the same little town as me when I was younger. She drew only things she loved, she once told me, which is what made the paintings so beautiful. I tried to draw her as well, following her advice to draw what I loved, but I could never get it right. What I didn't notice until later was that she drew me as well. Months later, she moved away, leaving me her notebook with all the drawings she made of her favorite things and people. I was in over half of them. I never told her my feelings; when I read your work, it makes me regret it more than ever. Maybe we weren't as funny and wacky as the couples in your manga, but we had good memories together.

After I picked up the first two volumes of Idiots and Love, I unpacked a box of momentos I'd kept hidden away since I came to Edo. I didn't feel as though I deserved to look at any of the little things she left me all those years ago. Not after I changed my name, and more importantly, my face. I wasn't a looker until I moved here; I had a lot of plastic surgery done just to make a living in the nightlife scene. The first time I felt ashamed of changing my fce was when my mother came to visit and she couldn't recognise me right away. The second was looking at the photos she drew, the paintings of my younger self with the face she loved, the one I threw away.

I couldn't help but notice your given name is never listed on any of your work. I've looked online, but nobody know anything beyond your family name. I apologize for being intrusive; I know a popular artist such as yourself probably wants to keep herself as anonymous as possible. I only wanted to dismiss this odd feeling of nostalgia that rises up within me when I look at your name...it wouldn't happen to be Mai, would it?

I apologize for my odd question. I would love to hear back from you even if not about this matter. Also, congratulations on your first signing event next month!

Your fan,

Honjo Kyoshiro


Dear Honjo Kyoshiro,

I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed my work! Honestly, I always thought it was a bit odd as far as shoujo manga goes with so many weird characters and serious stories, but it couldn't be helped. They are based on real people, after all...Oh, but that's a secret! Just between us, okay? Haha, you're actually the rare kind of fan who goes out of their way to write a letter like that; I'm not as popular as you seem to think.

The way you wrote about your first love was absolutely beautiful. It brought back some memories of my own. My first love was rather plain, not very attractive in the eyes of other women. But he had a kind heart and was a good friend. Like the girl you spoke of, I often drew him before I left for Edo. To this day, I carry both a photo of us together and one of the drawings I made of him in my wallet. It seems silly and it always annoyed my husband, but, like you, I never told my first love how I felt. I regretted it...but wouldn't change a single thing about those days. I miss him, but I've long accepted that we'll likely never meet again. Thank you for helping me remember him.

In reply to your question….Well, I cannot answer that. Sorry. My publishers want to keep my full name secret to prevent any issues that might arise due to the content of my manga. Bsides, that girl has probably gotten married and left her maiden name behind by now. Knowing my full name wouldn't necessarily help you on your search. As compensation, I included a sketch of a new character who'll be making their first appearance in the next volume but will be first revealed at the signing event along with an exciting announcement.

Thank you for your support!

Flattered by your letter,

Arai

P.S. I'm currently hiring assistants. If you know anyone with experience or an interest in manga, please have them contact me. Pay is negotiable and hours mildly flexible.


Dear Arai-sensei,

Thank you for the sketch. I framed it and put it up on my wall at home. Is that going too far as a fan? I'm looking forward to hearing the announcement next week.

Still your fan,

Honjo Kyoshiro

P.S. I'm interested. I don't have experience but I can learn quickly. I'm usually pretty free in the day as well despite being a business owner.


Dear Honjo Kyoshiro,

Perhaps a bit, haha. But thank you. I'm honored! Does that mean you'll be at the event? Hooray! I'm curious to see what kind of man loves my manga enough to frame a sketch!

Still flattered,

Arai

P.S. Seriously?! You're a lifesaver! Do you know anything about pasting screentones? Digital art? Backgrounds? Cleaning or inking? Special effects? Sorry for being so overeager, but deadlines are hard to meet alone!


Dear Arai-sensei,

I'll be the blond man holding a rose bouquet. Unless there's another type of flower you prefer?

Excited to hear back,

Honjo Kyoshiro

P.S. I have a pretty steady hand. It's a bit of a necessity in my work. Plus, I make model cars for fun. I think I'll be okay with small detail work if you're still interested in hiring me. My main job pays well so you don't really have to pay me. I just want to be part of something I love. And don't worry about being overeager; I think it's cute that you're so excited.


Dear Kyoshiro (Is it okay for me to call you that?),

I'm looking forward to it; I'll be the sleep deprived lady with the black hair who's signing manga, haha! And I love roses! But you don't have to bring flowers or anything. Sweet of you to offer them though.

Hoping we can become friends,

Arai

PS That sounds great! I'm pretty clumsy when I'm tired. Plus deadlines seem so much further away than they really are when you're working on manga alone! Not to mention when you're alone and doing your best to drown out the silence with the Sailor Moon opening song. One minute, you're getting really into the song. The next, you're rolling around on the floor after stubbing your toe while dancing. Then you fall asleep on the floor. Finally, your editor barges with hellfire in her eyes, shaking you awake to get your manuscript. Turns out, I was so tired I slept almost the whole last day. Luckily, I had finished it before I fell asleep so my life was spared. Though the intern who came with her that day did drag me kicking and screaming to the hospital because he thought I was sick. That day I learned that when you have a really bad cold, even an scrawny intern can overpower you and force you to talk to creepy people in white coats. Sorry. I just really hate doctors and hospitals. Man, that was a crazy day.


Dear Arai,

I'd love if you called me Kyoushirou. Pink or red roses?

Your friend,

Kyoshiro

P.S. That sounds like the sort of crazy adventures a friend of mine usually has! You seem to have a very exciting life; I'd love to hear more about your lie! You're a lot different than I imagined; I thought you'd be much more serious. I'm glad I was wrong. You're easy to talk to and seem so nice! I couldn't help but notice, however, an odd thing in your letters. You say you were alone, but you also said you were married. Is he away for work? What's he like? I want to know more about you and your everyday life. Is that strange?


Dear Kyoshiroo,

I like both. Though I'm curious...Do different rose colors have different meanings?

Curious,

Arai

P.S. Actually...My husband and I met at an anime convention. He was one of the first people to see my manga and later became my assistant. But before we started working together, he had his parents talk to mine to set up an arranged marriage meeting. We got married when I was twenty. We stayed together, because we wanted kids but really we weren't in love anymore by the time I was twenty three. He started seeing someone else-another one of my assistants-but I couldn't even find it in me to be jealous. We were just best friends who lived together at that point. About two years ago, we got divorced so he could marry the mother of his child instead. As for his work, he's now a bit of a househusband. She's the one who works nine to five. Great guy. Just not my husband anymore. Sometimes I forget that though and call hm that by habit. Oops, haha! Hope I didn't make you uncomfortable by going on and on about my life again. Also, when can you start work?


Dear Arai,

It turns out they do! There's tons of different kinds as well.

Surprised,

Kyoshiro

P.S. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried. I'm sorry to hear your marriage fell apart like that but glad to hear that you're rather upbeat about it. Thoughit embarasses me, I must admit, my heart did do a bit of a jump when I learned you were single. That was terrible of me, and I'm sorry. We may be pen pals, but we still hardly know each other. I haven't even met you in person yet. It's horribly unfair of me to start thinking of you that way and expect you to fit the ideal fantasy I concocted. Not that you aren't ideal or beautiful or perfect. I don't know anything about you appearances but in terms of personality, you are a nice and fun young woman. And isn't that what matters? Ah, I'm rambling; I apologize for that as well. As for assistant work, I can start anytime. My business is open nearly every night, but I can make an exception for this weekend if you'd like to discuss this in person.


Dear Kyoshiro,

I'm not surprised. Science is amazing nowadays!

Happy to hear from you yet again,

Arai

P.S. Don't apologize. It's sweet that you feel bad about it, but it's totally ok with me. Besides, you'll probably feel a whole lot different when you actually meet me, haha. Where is it in Edo? I'm currently living in an apartment close to the Kabuki district because that's where I go to get inspiration. The guy who showed me the apartment joked about it being haunted but I haven't seen any ghosts yet. A few weird things happen now and then, but it's all pretty peaceful here. Apparently he showed it to this Onion Knight before, but he wouldn't take it. Anyway, my schedule's clear up until next weekend so I could definitely make it to a real life meeting. I'd feel bad for you having to close up shop.


Dear Arai,

Indeed it is.

Excited to meet,

Kyoshiro

P.S. You might be surprised to hear this but it's, well, sort of a club. It gets pretty loud during work hours so I'd be happy to close up just to meet you and have a long chat! I would hate for my focus to be divided when talking to the person I admire. Would Saturday, around six PM work out for you? My club's named Takamagahara...I think most people will know the place so don't worry about asking for directions. Actually, if you'd like, I could get a friend to escort you there safely? It can be dangerous for a young woman alone.


Dear Kyoshiro,

I'm glad you wrote to me.

Anxiously awaiting this weekend,

Arai

P.S. You really are such a sweetheart. But don't worry; I'm almost thirty; I'm not quite a young woman anymore, haha. But really, I'll be okay. I grew up on the countryside; I'm pretty active and strong. If I can't outrun them, I can knock them out. Besides isn't knocking out creeps a big reason women carry purses? It is for me. Saturday at six pm sounds wonderful. I'll bring some homemade snacks too. I look forward to meeting you, my friend!


"So you see why I asked you all here today? Kyoshiro shyly twisted his hands as the Yorozuya gang read over the photocopies of his letters to and from Arai-sensei with increasingly annoyed looks on their faces. Hachiro sighed, probably tired of seeing his friend going so crazy over a girl he hadn't even met yet.

"Why are the post scripts longer than the actual letters?!" Shinpachi exclaimed. The host looked at them like he hadn't noticed that before. "Do these even count as letters anymore?!"

"C-calm down Shinpachi." Gin stared at the letters for a moment, a bit pale. "Hey, that girl's coming here today, right? Can you be sure she didn't bring any v-vengeful spirits with her? Can you?!" He laughed nervously, his leg bouncing up and down anxiously. "N-Not that I'm s-scared or anything. H-hahaha, w-w-who'd believe in that kind of nonsense?!" Even his laugh was a bit shaky.

"Gin-chan, your face is all sweaty. It's gross, aru." Kagura piped up, munching on a strip of pickled seaweed.

"Please," the blond host ignored Gintoki completely, "help me out here! I want her to have a good impression of me but if it's too quiet, I'll just be uncomfortable and drink too much! Just help me keep her entertained! Please! I'll pay you and drinks are free!"

"Deal." Gin quickly agreed, his fear suddenly conquered. Good timing for it too; it was five til six. A small, polite knocking on the door had everyone's heads turning.

"Arai-sensei's here!" Kyoshiro jumped up in excitement, picking up a bouquet of pink roses he'd kept next to him as Hachirou made his way to the door, giant afro swaying with each step.


Reasons for me to be happy I'm alive: I got to type the later part of that last sentence. And you'll understand later why there are so many pairings. There will also be a side story to this once I'm a decent way through sorting out my ideas. In case you missed the list at the begining:

1)Gin/Tsukyo AND Fem!Gin/Male!Tsukyo

2)Okita/Kagura

3)Otae/Kondo AND Fem!Kondo/Male!Otae

4) slight onesided Kyubei/Otae And not so slightly onesided Kyubei/Male!Otae

5) Shinpachi/Otsu

6)Yamazaki/Tama

7)Some Hijikata/Mitsuba

8)Onesided Sacchan/Gin and slight onesided Sacchan/Fem!Gin

9)Zenzo/Sacchan

10)Ikumatsu/Katsura

11)OC/Kyoshiro (Main)

12)Takasugi/Matako