Author's note: Heyya! So I was told that someone wants to read a Hijikagu (hijikataxkagura) fanfiction. I also adore them both but never really picture them as a couple. So I thought I took up the challenge since I'm bored today. Hey look, I'm babbling here again.

Okay, enough. Take a deep breath.

People, it's Hijikagu fanfic! Come on give them some love!

Enjoy reading!


Chapter One: Lock your closet door!


Sleeping in a closet is never recommended.

Clearly, that specific furniture is only designed to store non-living things, like clothes and accessories. Because of its lack of ventilation and compact spaces, it accumulates heat like a sauna, especially in the middle of this summer season.

In any case, someone must be completely desperate to accept the closet as a place to sleep.

And that someone is none other than the infamous Yato girl in Kabuki-chou, Kagura.

Kagura is breathing expansively, slightly worried she might be deprived of oxygen. She remembers to always have the door slightly opened so there is room for ventilation. Nonetheless, there is nothing she can really do with the huge mass of heat inside the closet. She could have sworn she lost a few ounces of fat from the sheer sweat produced, drenching her top.

It is still too early to wake up, she notes to herself. Judging by the light outside, there is about an hour left before Shinpachi arrives.

Damn the heat is slowly killing her.

Although she is not exposed to the perilous rays of sunlight, it does not mean that the massive warmth cannot harm her. The worst thing that could happen is the heat damaging her skin, making her look older than her age.

That is horrifying.

Kagura cannot ignore the heat any longer. She rubs her fingertips on her pajamas and unbuttons a few of her top buttons, revealing her snow white chest. To her dismay, it does not cool her body temperature down. She lets out a thin cuss, already imagining herself to strip naked but considering her situation, where she is sharing the household with a mature grown up man, she will suffer the consequences.

Imagine the utter humiliation.

She rather bear the heat than listening to the sharp tongue of Gintoki.

But this heat is tormenting her right into her skull!

Curse the heat! The top is off!

She lies on her stomach, enjoying the scarce wind blow in and dance chills on her back.

Nice. This is nice! Finally I can get some sleep!

Suddenly, the main door is slid open almost explosively as though it is enough to make the building tremble. Kagura simply moans at the intrusion. She intends to ignore it, giving her sleep priority over whatever is happening outside. If it is some burglar, Sadaharu will gnaw the head and have his breakfast.

"Oi, Yorozuya!"

Someone shouts as footsteps thump its way in.

"Come out, Teme! Do you think I'll let you go after making a mess out of the Shogun last night?! Come out!"

Kagura mewls irritably, not that she can hear the yell clearly but she is getting pissed at the timing. When she finally cools down to continue sleeping, someone is banging her head with its clapping boots and screaming curses.

"I get it! You wanna play hide and seek! Fine then, I find you, Teme! I slit your throat when I find you! Yorozuya!"

"Uruse..." Kagura groans towards her pillow, hugging it tightly to herself.

Her careless retort betrays her position as the intruder is quick to notice. The charge is immediate, footsteps rushing to the closet and hand latching on the door.

In one pull, the closet unravels, the door swiftly pushed to the side.

Bare fair skin of Kagura's back is out for the world to see.

The wind that propels from the door blows on her. She moans at the brief coldness on her back. It sends her into euphoria.

Ultimate bliss.

Like getting immersed in the waterfall.

A sudden realisation hits her when she notices the noise has stopped. Her brain kicks her conscious as she hurriedly collects herself, pulling the blanket and covering her up to her chin. Her eyes dread to look up and see the intruder.

"Go-Gomen."

The struggle behind the apology sounds painful yet he stubbornly forces himself to utter it.

If it was Gintoki, he could have just ignored the situation, because he never find anything appealing from the pre teenage girl. Gintoki would rather drop 300 yen than giving an apology. Shinpachi however would have bellowed a loud one, both apologetic and infuriated that it happens to him.

But whoever at the door has the decency to apologise in a decibel so soft that she cannot imagine anyone she knows is capable to be that decent.

Kagura slowly lifts a glance at the Shinsengumi officer whose uniform consists a jacket with gold embroidery and his face is concealed by the shadow.

The cigarette in his mouth however quickly identifies him.

As soon as her eyes connect with Hijikata's, they sting.

"NANJA KORE YA?!"

A brutal kick sends Hijikata flying from the closet and his body flattens against the wall. Hijikata hisses, feeling his back smash by insane force that he has to check if his ribs are still connected together. He pushes himself up only to be trampled by more kicks from the Yato descendant.

"It was an accident! Don't blame it all on me!" Hijikata whines, protecting himself with his arms.

"No, it wasn't!" Kagura berates, already wearing her top pajamas. "You deliberately peeked inside to see me! Pervert!"

Hijikata flinches at the namecalling. "Who're you calling pervert?! Why in the world are you in the closet anyway?!"

"It is my bedroom!"

"What kind of joke is that?! Weren't you supposed to sleep downstairs with the other ladies?!"

"I'm part of Yorozuya that is why! I want to be close to Gin-chan, always!"

"As if that is my problem! What the hell did you see in that loser boss of yours, anyway?!" Hijikata exhales loudly, before looking up at her.

Her eyes are reddened and moist.

"Oi," Hijikata bites the cigarette loosely.

"Gin-chan will never accept me."

"Ah?" Hijikata growls.

"You just violated me!"

Hijikata springs on his feet and hushes her panickingly. "Don't say that out loud! People can hear you!"

"I can never get married!" Kagura covers her face aghast.

A nerve burst on Hijikata's forehead, quite fathomed her childish obsession towards the silverhead. Putting the blame on him is unacceptable, as though Hijikata wants such a thing to happen to him. He is not the type who drools over women like his chief. Hell, people are thinking he is dead down there, considering his unwavered dedication he puts on Shinsengumi and mayonnaise.

Yamazaki will be the first to testify that his deputy in chief cannot bring it up anymore. Yamazaki is certain because his owned yet confiscated magazines have turned into fuel for the lights in the quarters.

Hijikata blows a resigned sigh. "Listen. Let's make a deal."

Kagura turns away from Hijikata, escalating his guilt.

"I will overlook the incident your boss caused on Shogun last night and I will seal my lips for this matter."

"What did Gin-chan do anyway?"

Hijikata grinds his teeth on his cigarette. "That drunk bastard- I mean, your boss was braiding Shogun's hair into French plaits."

"That is nothing compared to what you've done to me!" Kagura deliberately stabs a glare at Hijikata. "I'm still in the loss! I need a full compensation for your crime against me."

"Oi, kusogaki!" Hijikata bristles. "I didn't violate you, brat. You're the one who was being violent to me."

"The horror!" Kagura drops on her knees, exhibiting a melodramatic wail.

"Stop, stop, stop," Hijikata begs, stooping low too.

He grits his teeth, forcibly utilising his intelligence in the early hour of the morning. The exhaustion from working the whole night impedes him from retrieving a solution in a snap. He stares at the vermillion haired girl who is occupied punching fists on the floorboards, wrecking them to her heart's content. If it was him instead of the floor, he would have suffered a livid swollen face.

Hijikata has to think of something to cheer Kagura up so she will shut up. Girls is easy to cheer up if you praise them.

Unfortunately, Hijikata knows this China brat for too long. There is not one good thing about her that crosses his mind. Of course she is invincible when it comes to battling her foes.

There must be something else that benefits him in this situation.

Abruptly, Hijikata clutches her shoulders and lifts her up from bowing to meeting him in the eyes. They connect gazes like they has never seen each other before. Kagura sniffles, slowly absorbing the hazy tint of blue in Hijikata's eyes.

"Your skin is beautiful."

Ultramarine blue eyes shrink.

"Like the snow."

Sweatdrops bead on Hijikata's forehead.

He cannot believe he said that straight out.

His brain must have unscrewed the part where this is supposed to be the most embarrassing thing he could have ever done. Not only that he sugar-coated his words, he was saying them to a fourteen year old girl.

His heartbeat now races like a bullet train. This is awesomely crazy coming from him. No matter how he tries to look at it, his choice of words are really inappropriate or rather seemingly erotic.

Kagura however remains silent, staring back in complete astonishment. She thinks she is dreaming when those words reach her ears. No one has ever complimented her skin like that. She could not find a hint that Hijikata is lying, which makes it even harder to believe that she stays quiet as though she is expecting more.

Did he just call me beautiful like the snow? Those puppy eyes are begging for more.

Hijikata forces a cough. Calm down! I got her to stop whining! That's all that matters!

"Like I said," Hijikata tears his gaze away from her and states firmly. "I won't say a word about it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

Kagura blinks a few times, hearing him submit to her like a puppy.

Hijikata stands and adjusts his coat. "Get a lock on the closet for goodness sake. You should be worrying about your drunk boss barging in-"

Another powerful kick from the Yato girl, tossing the vice-chief out of the household. But this time she did it out of confusion.

She has no experience being praised out of the blue.

And she cannot stomach anymore of Hijikata's rant about Gintoki.

She knows nothing else but to act violent as a reaction.

"Kisama!" Hijikata growls angrily, barely hanging off the railing outside. "Seriously, we can talk, China!"

"Talk about what, Teme?"

Hijikata winces as he turns to see Gintoki at the other end of walkway. In a nanosecond, Gintoki strikes his wooden sword just in time to clash against Hijikata's sheathed sword.

Worse timing as always, the silver permed samurai finally appears.

"Oi, you're misunderstanding-" Hijikata can barely speak while weighing the hundred tonnes Gintoki is pressing on him.

Kagura runs to the scene. "Gin-chan!"

"Kagura, tell Gin-san what happened!" the silverhead demands.

She stares wide-eyed, taking a second to comprehend the situation. Hijikata's deal of keeping it a secret can be void if Kagura confesses. Knowing the father-like figure in Gintoki, he would not let Hijikata escape if Gintoki finds out.

Her gaze drops on Hijikata, pity filling her vision.

"It's nothing!"

Gintoki beetles his brows at her. "Don't kid with me. Why is he here in the first place?"

"It's because of you, Gin-chan," Kagura instantly builds anger towards Gintoki. "You did something awful to the Shogun! That is why he is here! He disturbed my sleep so I kicked him out!"

"That's it?"

"Yes-aru!"

"Get off me!" Hijikata musters enough force to push Gintoki off him. "Can you two go easy on a police officer?"

Gintoki takes a step back and gives a scornful look. "You're a tax robber, a wasteful resource, konoyaro!"

"Ah?" Hijikata snarls back. "Says someone who lets his comrade sleep in a closet-"

He is quickly silenced by Kagura's punch.

"Itte!"

Gintoki looks at the two of them with awkwardness etched to his expression. Before Gintoki can speak a word, Kagura pulls him in.

"Let's get breakfast, Gin-chan!" Kagura giggles, dragging the silverhead inside.

Inexplicitly, Kagura slides a glance at Hijikata who in return stares lowly at her.

There is something about Hijikata that Kagura never realised but now she is intrigued to know.

That solid steady stare of his, is that a sign of protectiveness over her?

"Danna, ohayo."

Kagura stops her pulling, following Gintoki as they turn towards the visitor. Gintoki clicks his tongue, tousling his perms.

"You too? Oi, oi. Gin-san has not recovered from his hungover," Gintoki complains.

"What are you doing here, Hijikata-san?" Sougo raises a brow.

"I ask the same to you."


"A case that needs my assistance?" Gintoki repeats Sougo. "Why?"

"We have been getting loads of reports on it. Before things go out of hand, we need to solve this case as fast as we can," Sougo explains. "We are not really talking about strength here. We actually don't have the right weapon to resolve this. However, you happen to have one."

"What weapon, Okita-san?" asks Shinpachi who has joined in the meeting once it started.

"A bait to lure the offender out."

The red eyes of the brownhead flick towards Kagura who is lazily sucking her sukonbu. What she has not realised is that she is diligently staring at the vice-chief who is sitting across her. She seems fixated on Hijikata for some reason and it easily pisses Sougo off.

Shinpachi catches the hint. "You mean Kagura-chan?"

Sougo nods. "And why are you here, Hijikata-san? This case does not involve you."

The vice-chief grunts. "What do you mean that I'm not involved? You are using a civilian to solve the case I assigned to you. Don't you think you should have asked my permission about this?"

"She is not a civilian. An illegal immigrant, die Hijikata."

"Teme!" Kagura yells back at him. "Who're you calling illegal?!"

"Hold on," Gintoki interrupts. "What is the case about anyway? If you need a woman, there are two of them downstairs. Just take one and leave. And when I mean two, I'm not considering the one with the moustache and cat ears."

"That is really uncalled for," Shinpachi inserts a sneer.

Sougo drops his shoulders. "The case involves a potential lolicon rapist."

His blunt words stun Gintoki and Shinpachi while Kagura's face is flushed white.

"He preys on the girls who take the route through the central park. When night falls, a peculiar fog emerges from the mountains, giving the culprit opportunity to nab the victims. What's weird is that no one gets hurt walking past through it except the girls of a young age."

Shinpachi gulps and looks at Gintoki, waiting for his answer. The older man is reconsidering, his face scrunching up. Kagura, however, stops sucking on her seaweed. She looks at the table in between the sofas, already picturing herself in the victims' shoes.

To be attacked inside a fog is cruel. Abusing their eyesight. Exploiting their vulnerability at a young age. What kind of sick whacko just got loose and do whatever he pleases?!

Her ruminations are put in the halt the moment she raises her gaze from the table to the pair of half-lidded blue eyes. She is looking back at Hijikata, but it does not cause him to avert his eyes or even give a slightest fidget. Hijikata keeps on holding his gaze on Kagura.

Again with that protective glare.

Kagura is getting sick of it.

"Consider it a deal."

Both Hijikata and Kagura swivel their heads towards the sadist duo. "Eh?"

"Good, Danna," Sougo stretches a malicious smirk. "I can always count on you."

"Same to you. Making deals with you is a pleasure," Gintoki smiles a darker one. "Really a pleasure, Soda-kun."

"It's Sougo."

Kagura begins to shiver, wondering what she missed to have made them reach a conclusion without asking her. When she spots the thick brown envelope tucked in Gintoki's chest, Kagura jumps onto her feet, facing Gintoki with absolute wrath.

"Kagura-chan," Shinpachi sounds worried, raising his hands to calm her down.

"Gin-chan! Why are you sucking up to that stupid brat?!" Kagura yells at him. "Are you that cheap to sacrifice your adorable comrade for some money?!"

Gintoki digs his ear with a pout. "Kagura-chan, stop whining. I promise I will buy your sukonbu, okay?"

"Not okay!"

"Well, Pattsan, get her some cute dress to wear for tonight."

"I said I'm not going to do it!" Kagura kicks the table in loud reproach.

Shinpachi quickly restrains her by hugging her from behind. "Don't damage anymore things, Kagura-chan! The sadist combo has already left."

Kagura blinks in surprise, seeing both Gintoki and Sougo outside of the house, leaving.

She trembles in pure frustration, until her face is as red as her dress. She has always left dumbfounded whenever she is not paying attention. This time however, when it concerns her safety, Gintoki chooses the reward over her well-being. Even though she has what it takes to strike down the offender herself, a small gesture of rejection will please her.

At least a sign that he is bothered about the danger casted upon her by taking the job.

Just none.

He takes it with his infamous stupid smile.

Gin-chan can be so cruel!

Her eyes somehow find their way to look at Hijikata.

The man with the cigarette is smirking. Kagura can tell that he is mentally sneering at her because she is too dumb to have believed in Gintoki.

His sneer is enough to give Kagura some resolve.

"Let's pick a dress, Pattsan," Kagura mutters.

Shinpachi gulps, looking at the saddened girl. He figures that Kagura is too angry to rant and she has decided to go with the flow. Only Kagura can agree to any absurd ideas from Gintoki. Hijikata has his smirk faded, not that he is surprised but more of getting irritated at how easy Kagura submits to Gintoki.

"But, Kagura-chan," Shinpachi smiles a nervous one. "We don't have the money to buy a new dress for you."

Her eyes blaze in fury. "Kuso! That stupid old man didn't even leave some money for me!"

"Quiet down," Hijikata eventually speaks as he stands up, pacing towards the door. "It's partly my fault that my subordinate drags you to solve this case. I'll spend on the dress."

"Hijikata-san," Shinpachi rises on his feet too. "Isn't that asking too much?"

Hijikata looks over his shoulder. His gaze cannot miss from connecting with Kagura's. She furrows her brows, sensing Hijikata's aura like it has always been.

Cold yet possessive. Not going to accept a 'No' for an answer.

"In return, enlighten me about your boss," Hijikata smirks again and lights a new cigarette. "Tell me why you two embrace slackerhood with him. If I cannot change my mind on him, you both will pay back for the dress."

The vice chief waits outside, closing the door behind him.

Shinpachi and Kagura exchange looks.

"What do you say, Kagura-chan?"

"Sadists and Mayora can all go and die!"

To be continued...


How is it?

Very slow and faint interaction, ne?

Well, who says it is going to be easy? huhuhu...

Anyways, this story is just getting started. I have a plot and some weird cheesy moments you be dying to read. And of course, expect Dadtoki's rage here and there. Jelly Okita is a must though that kid has some issues expressing himself haha

Let's see whats gonna happen next mwahahaha!

See ya next chappie hehe