You first spotted him, clad in that dashing and always in-order uniform of blue-grey and gold trim, sitting on a small hill, deep scowl on his unexpectedly handsome - though slightly menacing - face, which you would later find out to be a chronic, almost natural, occurrence.

A white and peach tinged cigarette was perched on the corner of his slightly ajar mouth and a peculiar item held in his hand: a single, 500ml bottle of mayonnaise.

He wasn't usually the type of man whom you fancied - those up-tight, forever angry types who wouldn't know what a smile was if it punched him in the face - but this one, this obvious officer of the Shingensumi, was different. His piercing, though shaded, blue eyes seemed to draw you in and you thought that maybe, perhaps, you could bring a small smile to him, even if it was just one.

So, against your better judgement, you had quietly approached him, your petite figure swaying with the calm wind and you had appeared infront of him, strategically, as you thought you might be attacked by a guy with a face like that if you surprised him.

You didn't quite know what he was thinking when he saw you - his calm, bored look was replaced with a silent, wide-eyed stare. You slightly blushed when you saw him inspect you from head to toe, or so you thought.

An angel in white; what you'd find out his first impression of you was. The sunset probably helped your climactic entrance into his view, and life, with its coalescing colors of warm and cool setting over the horizon.

You gingerly folded the ends of your mid-thigh length casual gown with fluorescent feathers decorating the skirt's trim as you sat down, "Konbanwa," you greeted with an awkward smile while his nerve-wrecking attention was held on you.

"Che," he said grouchily, resting backwards on his outspread hands, "What d'you want?" he asked rather menacingly.

"You looked a bit sad, I guess," you returned honestly, "Thought you might want some company," your own two hands intertwined infront of you and you fidgeted nervously as you spoke quietly.

He seemed to watch you for a bit before looking away, scoffing, though not as mad as you had heard before, "People are just damn trouble, especially that Yorozuya freak! Calling me mayora, that lazy bastard," he continued to ramble for some time but the rest was incoherent and exceedingly grumpy.

"Yorozuya? Do you mean Gin-chan?" You wondered, looking at him curiously.

"Pfft, so you know that silver-haired baka," he growled out, deepening his scowl, if ever that was possible.

"Ne - Gin-chan is a really strong samurai!"

"Ha! Did you just come over here to talk about that freeloader?"

"How would I if I had no idea who you were or who you knew.. Silly,"

"What did you say?"

"Sil-ly~" you giggled lightly, smiling at his attempt to intimidate you.

"Che.. How do you even know that idiot?"

"'Gura-chan introduced us - I met her in a park around Kabuki District - she's apparently the Queen there, y'know?"

"You're talking about that crazy china girl brat, right?"

"I guess, if the way she dresses is the reason for that name, then yes,"

All of a sudden, you notice a distinct falling sound - you know, those ones that you'd hear when something drops in a cartoon - and a large, red-tipped projectile seemed to be coming straight towards you two.

"Uh-" was all you could utter before a masculine arm wrapped securely around your waist and you felt yourself tumbling down the small hill against a solid form, (E/C) eyes shut tightly.

"Hey, Sougo! Where do you think you're aiming that thing?!" You heard an outraged yell sound behind you, too close to your ear for your liking, and you curiously peeked through one of your colored orbs.

You immediately shot up onto your feet when you realized that you were being held close to the man, who was practically a stranger.. And you were almost hit by a deadly missile fired from a teenage boy's bazooka. Okay.

"Ohh~ Is that you, Hijikata? I thought you were some pervert trying to hurt that lady!" he called, feigning surprise, though even a slightly naïve woman like you could tell it was no accident.

"What do you mean, pervert?! I'll kill you, bastard!" The Shinsengumi addressed as Hijikata yelled menacingly. You were slightly confused but at the same time, very amused.

You watched with a small smile on your pretty features as Toshirou charged at Sougo with innumerable insults and curses that you dare not repeat. Everytime, Okita dodged easily with his emotionless face.

"Hijikata-saan, you're a little slow~"

"Shut up, you damned brat!"

"Ahhhahaa,"

"Shut up! Stay still - I'll kill you!"

"I can't do that, Hijikata-san,"

"Drop dead, you little punk,"

"Fall in a hole and rot, Hijikata,"

"Roll off of a cliff, Sougo,"

"Get hit by a car, Hijikata,"

"Burn in hell, bastard,"

"Kill yourself, Mayora,"

You saw the anger ignite in his death glare and noticed his hand quickly grip the reddish hilt of his katana, unsheathing it swiftly and pointing it at the young man, "I'll help you commit sepukku, you brat!" he yelled with violent conviction.

You thought that maybe it was getting a little out-of-hand - it was the first of many times that you've seen the outburst - and you decided to step in, "You're being so rude, Hijikata-san," you pouted rather convincingly at his confused look, "You promised you'd get ice cream with me, ne?" you reminded him of your not-so-real plans, nervously wrapping your slender arms around his toned one.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked rather bluntly, if you might say so yourself. He, surprisingly, didn't try to pry your hands off of his forearm.

"Stop trying to act cool!" you falsely demanded, pulling lightly on your interlocked arms, "You promiiiiised~! Come on," you begged mockingly.

Okita looked on with his usual deadpan expression, lightless burgundy eyes staring blankly, "A girl.. Who wants to spend time with Hijikata?" he slowly articulated.

"Hai, hai," you said quickly, tugging on Toshirou's arm, "Let's go!" You were running out of will power to perform this act.

"Look, I don't know what you're ta-"

He stopped mid-sentence as he listened to a few not-so-quiet comments from random Shinsengumi officers:

".. How could a girl actually like the Demon Vice-Captain?"

"Shhh! He'll hear you!"

"But.. A cute lady like that actually likes him?"

"I know, it's weird,"

"I think he's looking at us,"

"Oh, god - He is!"

Hijikata's jaw tightened and his steely-blue eyes focused on his gossiping subordinates, "To the next one of you who speaks, I will personally assist you to commit seppuku!" he yelled at them and they immediately went rigid, inching away slowly, cautiously.

You stood for a bit, wondering why it was so unthinkable that a female would want to be near their Vice-Captain. You vaguely heard the, "Fine, let's go," before you were unceremoniously 'whisked away'.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," he grumbled lowly.

"Oh, by the way, my name's (Y/N)," you added quickly, thinking it'd be necessary.

"Hijikata Toshirou," he said simply, bluntly, even.

You discreetly side-glanced at his handsome features, "You know, you're kind of cute, even though you scowl so much," you told him truthfully, almost absentmindedly.

"Che,"

A barely-there smile appeared on that dashing face of his and upon discovery, you found a similar one on yours..