It's early when Hijikata wakes up, with the first pink rays of sun filtering through the window and birds just beginning their songs. He's warm, much too warm for early spring, but it's something that he's gotten used to since moving in.

Gintoki is sprawled across his chest and might as well be an oven for all the heat he's radiating. Their legs are tangled together and Gintoki has one hand in Hijikata's hair, face relaxed and soft. It's a scene that Hijikata doesn't think he'll ever grow old of, even if that sounds suspiciously cheesy, but Gintoki isn't awake to here him think it so he decides it's okay for now.

He doesn't want to move – he really doesn't, not with Gintoki so comfortable and himself the same – but he is still the cigarettes bastard and his bladder has woken as well, so he carefully pushes Gintoki onto the empty half of the bed and hauls himself up.

It's quiet as he makes his way to the bathroom, something so different from the mornings at the barracks. With a hundred men all moving around and getting ready and eating, there was barely space to think half the time, much less anything resembling quiet.

But the only noise other than himself as he opens the front door is the birds chirping and the rustle of the trees. He leans against the railing, pulling a cigarette from his pack and lighting it. It's peaceful here, he thinks. After such a chaotic life, he likes this peace.

He's only wearing an old tshirt and his boxers but the morning is slowly warming, and he supposes he shouldn't place Gintoki with all the blame for the bed being a sauna.

The street seems to be slowly waking as he pulls a long drag. People begin to walk by, signs are flipped from closed to open, and as he exhales a cloud of smoke the door opens behind him.

"Asshole," Gintoki says, wrapping his arms around him from behind. "Why'd you get up?"

"Wanted a smoke." He pulls one last breathe from the cigarette before putting it out. "Didn't think you'd get up before I got back."

"Yeah, well, you thought wrong." Gintoki presses his face into the back of Hijikata's neck and he can't help but smile.

"I'll lay back down with you now, so let's go inside."

Reluctantly, Gintoki lets go of him long enough for them both to make it back to bed. They wrap themselves back up in the blankets, and Gintoki presses himself to Hijikata's side.

"Ew," Gintoki says, scrunching up his nose. "Poor Gin has a boyfriend with bad breath."

"At least you have a boyfriend, bastard. Be grateful."

"Poor Gin wishes his boyfriend would brush his teeth once in a while."

"Do you really want me to get up right now?"

"No."

Hijikata presses a kiss to Gintoki's forehead before resting their heads together.