The joy you derived from kotatsus in winter were just about as precious as the joy you got from your first Valentine's Day chocolate. Probably.

Gusts of cold wind rushed through the windows of the Yorozuya. The taste of winter was already in the air. The steadily increasing temperature made it much more comfortable to be doing anything compared to the blistering heat of summer that would only force one into laying on their backs and doing nothing.

"Bwahahahaha!" Obnoxious laughter emitted from the Yorozuya house. Kagura was lying on her side and watching the new comedy that was airing on television. Her legs were tucked comfortably into the new kotatsu that was placed in the middle of the living room. Behind her, Gintoki was reading yet another issue of Jump (the latest one) also with his legs tucked under the warmth. Only Shinpachi was up and about, tending to household chores as usual.

The members of the Yorozuya decided to stay at home on that particular day since Gintoki had to find the time to read jump and they were surprisingly coping well with their funds. With that said, it meant that they had funds for the first time in a long while. They didn't receive any clients either, since everyone was busy preparing for Christmas.

"Yorozuya mail!" An unexpected voice shouted at the door. Gintoki continued to read his jump and Kagura continued to watch her television. Since Shinpachi was busy, nobody spoke up until Gintoki prodded the Yato beneath the kotatsu while still reading his Jump.

"Kagura, go get the door." He drawled.

"Shh, Gin-chan! They're getting to the good part!" Shoving a fistful of chips into her mouth, her eyes were glued onto the screen and she tried to suppress her laughter.

"Tch. Every part's a good part, you know? You can't be biased by saying that only one part is the good part! What about the rest of the parts? Are they not good enough for you?! You're making those parts so sad, Kagura. Don't make them sad, say all of them are good parts because that's what makes them want to be good for you."

"OI, GET YOUR DAMN MAIL YOU LAZY SHITS!" The once patient voice suddenly yelled, making Kagura turn her head in irritation. Her hand was already itching to land its first hit of the day.

"Shut the hell up, mailman! You're a minor character and you don't even have a face! Be glad you even have lines dumbass!"

The shadow at the door jumped, before scratching his hat with his head slightly bowed in apology. "S-Sorry… Um, could you at least take your mail…?"

"Give me a sec." Gintoki waved his hand dismissively.

"Yeah me too." Kagura replied just as casually as her "role model".

This was when Shinpachi came into the room with his hands on his hips and looking incredibly peeved at the two. He had just finished washing the dishes and clothes, hanging them out to dry. There was so much he had to do! The sight of the two other members of the Yorozuya lazing around really, really pissed him off.

He had to retrieve the mail first, before these two got their scolding, he decided. Untying the knot of his apron while walking towards the door, the mailman took off his cap in appreciation when the door opened.

"Here's the Reader Polls from JUMP! Thank you very much!" The mailman hurriedly pushed the mail into the boy's hands and took off. Shinpachi opened the letter slowly and painfully, feeling rather nervous. Gintama ran for such a long time, yet he wasn't ever in the top 5 in the favourite characters list, and he guessed he wouldn't ever be. Reading the results had always been painful for him.

"Gin-san, Kagura-chan, the reader's polls-"

"Pattsuan, we're off-screen now. We're not getting paid or anything to look enthusiastic so you can leave it there on the desk after you're done with it."

Gintoki's casual comment unintentionally stabbed the bespectacled boy's pride a few times. Of course you'd say that, Gin-san. You're always the first… Shinpachi laughed dryly. Kagura, on the other hand, finally turned her attention away from the television and jogged after Shinpachi, snatching the letter out of his hands.

"Now that you mention it, uh-huh, they said this time's polls were going to be a little different. We're not looking at the favourite characters anymore, more like-" Stopping in mid-sentence, Shinpachi leaned over the Yato's shoulder to see what was wrong.

The letter fell from her hands and time seemed to freeze completely for Kagura. Picking up the sheet of paper, the boy read it calmly.

"Reader's Poll… Rabu-rabu edition?!" Shinpachi yelled as he continued to scrutinize the paper with sudden intensity. This caused Gintoki to look up from his JUMP for once and watch the agitated Pattsuan and stoned Kagura. Shinpachi seemed to understand where Kagura was coming from for once, as the paper proceeded to slip from the now stoned Shinpachi too. Gintoki got up from the couch and walked over, picking the paper.

"Hmm… Ah." Scratching his chin thoughtfully, the perm head nodded as he read through.

Popular Gintama Couples that make you go "Kyaa-!"

Total Votes = 45985

8th. Kamui x Imai Nobume = 1938 (4.214%)
7th. Hijikata Toushiro x Shimura Tae = 1950 (4.241%)
6th. Tama x Yamazaki Sagaru = 2393 (5.204%)
5th. Okita Sougo x Imai Nobume = 2836 (6.167%)
4th. Ikumatsu x Katsura Kotaro = 3013 (6.552%)

TOP 3 COUPLES:

3rd. Sakata Gintoki x Shimura Tae = 4606 (10.016%)
2nd. Sakata Gintoki x Tsukuyo = 12150 (26.422%)

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.

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1st. Okita Sougo x Kagura = 17099 (37.183%)

Sorachi-sensei's thoughts: Ah, hormonal teens. My editor said it was a good idea to do this but I think it's really weird. Well, I guess that's what people like. At least nobody paired me with a banana. (Actually, I wouldn't mind.) I feel lonely enough already.

... Well, that was probably the reason why Kagura was still in shock. Gintoki stared at Kagura with dead-fish eyes and said nothing. It was normal for the shounen hero to have a few pairings with the female characters here and there, but Kagura and that Souichiro-kun beat even the total number of votes for his pairings combined.

Still, it wasn't like anyone had missed the instant chemistry that was going on between these two monsters. Gintoki knew that someday, when Kagura grew out of her rabbit pajamas and started to become a woman, she'd had to start to think about complicated matters like these. And when he was talking about matters like these, he meant the way her heart would start to beat rapidly around that special someone and the way she would try her best to kill them in a fit of embarrassment. That was when Papa Gin had to step in and take her by the hand through the whole process. Her bald father was too awkward to talk to her about things like these. The perm head was specially entrusted with this adopted alien daughter, with the important duty of explaining puberty handed to him.

He should've charged the geezer for all the suffering he had to bear, damn it.

But, really, she should've picked a better partner. How was he going to deal with her father now, when he reads this letter with shaking hands and flies back to Earth with his fully loaded parasol? At least, he knew that Souichiro-kun wasn't a bad guy. He was a tax robber, sure, and he had all those sick things stored in his head, but he was someone that the silver headed samurai could trust Kagura to. They'd teamed up a few occasions, and she seemed to regard him as a more or less friendly rival.

Kagura didn't really say anything about that sadistic tax robber, but Gintoki was sure that sometimes, when he passed by to get to the bathroom, he heard some coherent mumblings concerning this guy coming out of the closet. Things like "I'll punch you, bastard" and "go to hell". He was the only person she had such intense feelings for, it seemed. Maybe it wasn't so unexpected that the results didn't come as a surprise for him.

"H-How could this be...?" Both Shinpachi and Gintoki slowly turned to the female Yato. She was unfrozen now, but her face was so animatedly red, it was unsettling. The two other Yorozuya members who had seen their Kagura for so long, were going to speak up in fear of what she would do.

"K-Kagura-chan..."

"It's good that you're so p-popular, Kagura..." Don't lose your shit, Kagura. I'm going to have to deal with your Baldie of a father and I don't want to tell him that you're jailed or anything. Gintoki thought, beads of perspiration running down his face.

However, Kagura backed away and jumped on Sadaharu. The big, white dog stirred from his nap and stood up. Sadaharu, instinctively knowing what to do from the many times he went on strolls with his master, started to bound out of the house.

Clinging tightly onto her pet, Kagura shut her eyes tightly as if to block out the news she had just receieved, and left the incredulous Shinpachi and Gintoki staring at the newly shaped wall that had the outline of their humongous pet.

Cold air gushed by a lone police officer who was strolling in the park.

Sougo was skiving off duty yet again; it was like skiving off had became one of his favourite pastimes. Though, it wasn't a pastime he enjoyed as much as ruining Hijikata's life. That one was definitely irreplaceable on his list.

Hands tucked snugly in his pockets, he walked towards his regular spot - the park bench. Swiping off the accumulated snow on the bench, Sougo fished out his eye mask and laid back onto the cool surface of the bench, slipping on his mask as soon as he was in a comfortable position. The coolness of the surroundings could put him to sleep peacefully. Since worried mothers were hesitant to let their children play outside, the park was quieter than usual and deserted. Not even China was here, which made it the ideal place.

Ah, he could get used to this. The police officer was comforted by the softness of the snow that fell into his hair, as if he was stroked rhythmically by the constant falling of the flakes. Its whiteness shimmered and it started to melt, peeking through the sandy brown of his hair.

The serene surroundings felt even more uncomfortable to Kagura as she slowed Sadaharu down, stopping just beside a tree rooted a few metres away from her target. Sougo was already asleep on the bench with his mask and hands resting on his stomach. The Yato, feeling the need to hide, tilted her head from behind the tree and watched him sleep. It was a creepy thing to do, but hey, there wasn't anyone around. At least she wouldn't be judged by the stupid kids who always came here to play, and she wouldn't be exposed either.

Besides, Kagura wasn't the best when it came to planning. She decided to come to the park on a whim; to confront the Sadist on a whim - now that she was here, she wasn't sure of what to say when she met him. Questions raced past her mind as she watched him suspiciously. Had he read the polls? Guessing from the way he was so peacefully sleeping, she thought not. But, would he be disgusted? What would he say?

Imagining the Sadist throwing a comment like "Ew, China. Gross. I think our readers are blind." made her fist clench involuntarily and her anger to bubble up from within her. He had no right to be disgusted! She was the one who was at the short end of the stick for all that it was worth. Sticking a hand in a pocket, the Yato felt the result sheets with her fingertips, its crumpled surface feeling rather bumpy.

Why was she even here in the first place? The girl felt the need to clarify with him about the matters concerning the readers' polls - "i-it's not like I like you or anything, yup!" maybe deny him with a tsundere sentence. It wasn't like she was tsundere...!

Thinking so hard about it irked the Yato. While she was here, worrying about their odd relationship, that bastard was just lying a few metres away, sleeping like the lazy tax robber he was! Why did she have to suffer alone? Kagura marched up to Sougo and glared down at the sleeping figure. She could pummel him to death, starting from his pretty face (yuck, why did she even think of that?!) or she could call Sadaharu to bite his head off.

Flames of revenge were dancing in her blue eyes. It wasn't exactly Sadist's fault, but she had the urge to punch him anyway.

Although, it wouldn't be fair if he were to die in her hands when he was unguarded and sleeping. Kagura squatted down beside him, and noticed the small flakes that had become a solid-liquid state in his hair. The falling snowflakes were going to turn his hair white in no time. The thought of it made the Yato giggle. She couldn't wait to see him with white hair. An old Sadist who would be too old to even fight her. Suddenly, the thought of that made her feel a blow to her chest. Strange.

Taking the parasol and opening it up, Kagura leaned in unconsciously to shield the both of them from the snowflakes above them. She'd have to wake him up first before she could talk to him and she had many ways to wake him up. At the moment, Kagura couldn't bring herself to do it. The Sadist looked way too peaceful, with his chest rising up and down. The readers' poll snaked itself into her mind as she watched him, causing her face to burn up again.

"S-stupid Sadist...!" The flustered Yato exclaimed in a hushed whisper, standing up abruptly. Perhaps today wasn't a good day. After all, she had just only received the polls and she was at a loss of what to do, so she could go home first for the day and confront him tomorrow. Backing away, she was about to walk back to the obedient Sadaharu who was sitting by the tree when she felt a hand grab her wrist and pull her back.

"What the?"

"What exactly did I do to offend you, China?" Kagura heard the Sadist's voice behind her, and her face threatened to go even redder than it was already. The firm grip was definitely Sougo's and as he whirled her around, her azure orbs clashed with his red ones.

"Nothing!" Kagura pulled her wrist away and tried to ignore the warmth of his hand on her wrist from just a minute ago. Looking back defiantly at his poker face, she folded her arms and looked away. The police officer gave an exasperated sigh and massaged his temples. Not again. He always knew why his slaves were angry at him in the past, but with Kagura it never seemed to make sense.

"So then, what do you want? And you're blushing."

"No I'm not, you dumbass!" The Yato answered defensively. "I..." Closing her umbrella, the Yato stuck a hand in her pocket and took out the sheet, holding it out for the Sadist.

"Have you seen the latest polls for the readers?" Without saying anything, he took the piece of paper from her and opened it up, reading it. Kagura turned away. He probably hadn't seen it yet, she thought. Her face was burning and it didn't seem to go down. Scooping up a handful of snow from the ground, she pressed the cold solid against her cheeks, trying to cool herself down. It was stupid enough to be stuttering in front of the Sadist, she definitely didn't want him to think she was blushing because of him.

"Eh~" Sougo hummed out as he continued to innocently look at the final results. The first pairing that garnered a total of 37% of the votes sure was a surprise. Did they really seem like a couple? It was unfathomable what he was thinking from his deadpan expression. Finally, he looked up from the paper to see the girl slathering snow all over her face. The sight of it was silly and it nearly made him smile. Nearly.

Nevertheless, it caused him to deadpan. "People could have peed in the snow and you're putting it all over your face? You're dirty, China." His comment earned him a faceful of snowball. The snow slid down his face and then the Yato was in his sight again, doubling over with laughter.

This set Sougo off and a part of him started to wonder how Kagura's face would look like entirely caked in snow. Not like he hadn't seen it from the way she was slathering it all over her face previously.

After she stopped laughing, Kagura watched Sougo, who was motionless and looking at her. She couldn't decide on a snark comment since he hadn't reacted from the moment he finished reading the polls, and she didn't know what to do from the way his eyes were boring into hers. Yet, she was impatient. She wanted to know what he thought of the poll and she felt her throat go dry as she quietly asked. "So?"

Watching him expectantly, her fingers uncurled and curled around her umbrella impatiently. Since he didn't say anything, she decided to ask him the question that had been lingering on her mind since the beginning.

"Hey, Sadist... Would you say 'yes' if we were in a relationship?"

After saying that, the Yato started biting the inside of her cheek. It sounded exactly like she was asking him out! (which she was not doing) She had been curious since the readers showed such results. She didn't want him to reject her - she knew that it'd definitely sting and hurt even though she didn't care about his opinions (or at least, she tried not to). How was she going to get herself out of the situation now?

"I wouldn't mind."

"—I KNOW RIGHT, I mean, we practically hate each others' guts and—"

Silence.

"... What did you say?"

"You might be at risk of being a retard, China. I said—"

"I KNOW WHAT YOU SAID! B-But I thought you hated me and..."

Sougo walked towards. Kagura jumped as she watched him, their eyes never leaving each other. Before she knew it, he was towering over her, his eyes watching her, as if he was gauging her reaction. A serious glint was there now, in his eyes. He didn't have that kind of look in his eyes, just now, huh... She thought, panicking.

"I never said that."

"But we spend all the time fighting and cursing each other and you're always such a jerk—"

"Look, if you're going to spend all day talking about this, I don't want to." Sougo folded his arms this time, a petulant look on his face. "A reader's poll doesn't define us, China. You're getting really riled up about this."

Her scared expression hurt him a little. What was wrong with them dating? The officer was shocked when he actually realized that he was able to accept something like that straight away like it was natural and he thought she'd share the same sentiments. But it didn't look like she did. She looked terrified of him, and Sougo's hurt turned into anger instead. He was on the verge of saying something to get her angry again, to get some sort of reaction out of her.

To be honest, he was getting tired of arguing and fighting with her all the time. Something in him told him to change that a long time ago, but he wouldn't budge. This time, though, he was considering to.

"Y-Yeah, it doesn't." She relented and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She hated to admit it, but he was right. Why was she so riled up for? She had no reason to be, especially since he didn't look like he minded it all this while. While she was thinking about how their relationship would change the moment both of them had professed their love to each other like in the dramas, he'd been sleeping away peacefully. He didn't care about this like she did. It just didn't matter as much to him.

Somehow, when she arrived at that conclusion, the spontaneous gust of wind hit her harder than it should have.

"These polls are stupid, uh-huh. I shouldn't have thought so much about it. Yeah." Kagura nodded and stepped back. Her feet were ready for flight, to run away from the Sadist and away from all that was happening. She had made a complete fool out of herself, but her pride prevented her from giving in. Since he didn't care, she didn't want to show that she did, either.

Sougo, noticing her fallen expression, tore the result slip into half. When she was looking at the ground, her expression so lost, he threw the torn pieces away and stepped towards her again. Without him realizing it, he grabbed her shoulders and watched as her head turned to him, startled.

Kagura's eyes were always full of emotions, he noted. It was like a mirror. Precisely, those big eyes gave him a good look at himself for once and he leaned in. Their lips met and they stayed like that for some time, both of the sounds of their accelerated hearts pounding in their ears. Sougo was the first to break away from the kiss and when he met her eyes again, he spoke.

"Like I said, these polls don't define us. I'm going to define us, myself. I've been waiting for this, China. You're always letting your emotions get the better of you and you get so easily manipulated by simple things, but that's what I like about you. The readers are stupid as hell, but I'm probably just as stupid to be so in love with you."

"If you love me so much, then shut up and kiss me, dumbass." Kagura grinned at him and pulled his collar towards her level, colliding his lips with hers again.

Snowflakes fell onto the crumpled and torn pieces of results sheet that laid on the snow-covered ground. Slowly, its accumulating whiteness merged together with its snowy landscape. The snowflakes covered the black font completely, from the last place to the 1st place printed finely on its paper, erasing the black ink and sinking it further into the snow.

AN: Just to clarify, I got the pairing results from a forum on MangaFox and I actually derived the total votes from the original one and made changes to ensure that OkiKagu's results was the biggest. That's why I apologize if you didn't spot your other otps on the results. Also, I decided to throw in Sorachi-sensei's notes as an omake since I realized he leaves a note in the character polls too.

I hope you enjoyed it!

By the way, I'm considering on doing the different perspectives of the other pairings mentioned in the results of the poll. Let me know if you think I should! I'll go for it if you guys want me to.