Bzzz...
BBzzzz...
BBzzzzz...
"ngh...:"
Gintoki reached out for his phone and shoved it under the pillow, he did not bother turning off the alarm knowing that it will die down soon, but much to his annoyance the vibration and endless buzzing did not stop, which made him grab unto it and squinted at the screen illuminated on his face.
2:08 AM
Gintoki blinked, he was sure as hell he set the alarm at 6:00 AM, the vibration continued until he realized that it was actually a phone call, blinking he rolled on the side and stared at the unknown number, who ever this fucker is, he will beat the shit out of him tomorrow. he swiped and answered the call but before he could burst at the person on the other line a loud booming voice welcomed him.
"Tell Tosshi i will pick him up!"
"ha?"
"Dont 'ha' me! i said tell him i will pick him up! hand the phone over to him bastard!"
"...eh.. Ougu- ah Hijikata-kun?" Gintoki now was confused as he stared at the ceiling of his room, why the hell is Hijikata calling him and whats about Tosshi?
"Yes! you twat! dont hide Tosshi from me i will kill you!"
"What?! im having a beauty rest here and you call me this time of the day to yell profanities on my ear, talk about manners oi.. and Tosshi is not here.. hey are you panting?" he can hear Hijikata's ragged breathing on the other line which made him confused even more.
"... he aint there?"
"yeah.. wait what is going on?"
".. nothin" came a short reply and Gintoki furrowed his brows as he glanced at his phone
"Bullshit.. whats going on oi!? tell me. is it about Tosshi? what happened?"
"Its none of your business .."
"Another bullshit! of course it is! he is my business as well! " he blinked as he heard a crash on the other line "oi you okay.."
".. 'm fine sorry for yelling"
"tell me whats going on oi!"
"... Tosshi, he.. he is not home, i cant find him, i .. "
"Where are you now?" Gintoki suddenly found himself up and awake as he threw on some jeans and shirt and a jacket "ill come and see you, stay where you are"
Gintoki arrived at the park at 2:37 AM there are few people around and he immediately saw Hijikata sitting on the bench phone in hand, probably contacting Tosshi's friends, he can see the worry written all over his face as he approached him. "oi"
Hijikata looked up and blinked as he saw Gintoki approaching him, he sighed and continued to fiddle on his phone.
"What happened?"
"We fought. i said things..."
Gintoki looked at the other male as he scratched his head, Hijikata looked really depressed and he knew something was up with the guy since a couple of weeks ago, he rarely joins them or talk to him, and even if he tried to piss the other off, he rarely argues back, he kinda... missed it, the bantering and the arguing.
"mm.. what you two fought about? you two seemed to be so close to fought on something.. that he even left must be big huh?" Gintoki commented and blinked as he froze for a moment at the stare that Hijikata gave him, it was cold, sad.. mixed of emotions in those blue orbs before he looked away.
"Not important" he muttered before standing up and started walking "i called some of his friends but it seems he did not went there.. i tried to think of the possibilities as to where he might go.. but, tch damn it!" he groaned again and started to walk as he sighed. Gintoki observed him carefully as they walked, he had never seen Hijikata this distressed before and it bothered Gintoki a bit, well sure its a family dispute that he should not get involve too.
Gintoki halted as Hijikata stopped he almost collided with the bastard who was still looking at his phone, Gintoki was also doing the same contacting few people he knew that Tosshi talks to at the school. "Oi say something when you stop walking like that!" blinking he peeked through Hijikata's shoulder and frowned, he can practically see the could of depression hanging above him.
"Look here oi, think of someone that Tosshi knows a lot and would be the first person he can approach too?"
"... Kondo" Hijikata muttered before shaking his head "No, he would know i will figure out he was there besides i already called Kondo and he said that he did not hear from him"
"Anyone aside from Kondo? like a person he knew you wont bother to call or think that he was there, like someone he is friend with that you hate like So-' he stopped and Hijikata looked at him with wide eyes and so was he as the person's name popped through their head.
"SOUGO!"
"SOUICHIRO!"
Hijikata immediately fished his phone, true Hijikata must have not contacted Sougo all this time knowing the relationship between the two. and suddenly as if on cue, as if Okita had some paranormal psychic powers Hijikata's phone buzzed as an incoming call from Okita was on the screen, Hijikata without hesitation answered the call.
"Sougo!"
"calm down Hijiakata.. Tosshi is here, he is asleep already after crying for hours.. sheesh i need a payment for baby sitting your brother, it took all my will power not to hit him since you really do look like him"
Sougo's voice echoes on the receiver as Gintoki pressed his ear on the other's phone as two of them listened.
"you!..." Hijikata sighed, a very deep and long sigh of relief as he rubbed his forehead. "ill pick him up tomorrow"
"No, he refused.. he said he will stay here for the time being"
"tch .. just ..- "
"OI make sure not to harass him Soichirou!"
The line went silent for a while and Gintoki thought that it disconnected until he spoke again
"...So Boss is with you huh?"
"Well the bastard started screaming in my phone to return his brother , its worse than having the battle cry of Hiroshima as an alarm clock at 2 am in the morning" Gintoki interjected and Hijikata keeps pushing him away from the phone.
"Okay.. ill just call tomorrow, as long as i know where he is thats good"
"Alright and oh Hijikata... you are such a bastard"
and with that the line went dead, Gintoki saw Hijikata pocketing his mobile and grabbed a cigarette on his pocket as he smoked. "you can go home now, sorry for disturbing you " and with that he started to walk away but for some reason Gintoki reached out and grabbed his wrist stopping him.
what the hell?!
He thought as he stared at Hijikata who looked at him confused, now Gintoki is questioning himself as to why he stopped him. he wanted to ask him, ever since he saw him on the lockers a month ago, the look on his face that day is still lingering on his mind and he wanted to know why... but he just stared at him.
"What?"
Gintoki slowly looked at him and smiled "Dont worry, he will be fine there , stop frowning too much oi, he is safe " Gintoki blinked as Hijikata yanked his hand away and started walking away in a fast pace.
IDIOT!
THAT FUCKIN! GOD DAMN STUPID PERM!
Hijikata hissed as he walked away, he wont deny that his heart did a weird flip when he smiled at him earlier. what the fuck is this bastard doing to him, when he was supposed to be trying to forget about the perm and here he was just held his wrist and fuckin smiled at him and like a hard slap in the face he was back with this stupid feelings again.
At least now he knew that Tosshi is safe and that what matters, he and Sougo might be in a bad terms but his brother and that sadist is actually good friends. he ran his hand on his hair as he walked inside their house and he flopped on the couch and sighed as he slowly fell asleep.
The next morning the tension between the Hijikata twins was so strong that most people in the room noticed it, Hijikata was pissy, scratch pissy.. he was a ticking bomb. Tosshi on the other hand is still the same except he was not talking to his brother and vice versa. Hijikata now found himself seated on their usual seat at the cafeteria, he was not supposed to be here but Kondo had dragged him out before he can escape. the tension was so strong that neither talked, the table was silent and everyone was waiting for someone who would break the ice and that happened to be Kondo.
"W-well the exam was such struggle how did you guys got by?"
"Just okay, not that easy not that hard either" Sougo answered as he sipped his soda and started munching his burger, Gintoki cleared his throat and smirked.
"Well, be surprised or not im quite confident with my score"
Hijikata snorted and grabbed his Mayonnaise covered toast and ate.
"What are you snorting about Mayo price?!"
"The hell you callin' Mayo prince you sugar freak!"
"Dont be jealous because Gin-san had been pretty confident on his exam results, oi oi wanna bet huh? " Gintoki taunted as he leaned on the counter towards Hijikata.
"Boss are you sure about that? Hijikata here did not rank as the top lister just cause he was sucking a bottle of mayonnaise a day.. or was he?"
"What the fuck did y-"
"now now Ougushi-kun calm down your veins are about to explode"
"Do you wanna start a fight assho-"
He was again cut off when a loud screeching was heard, Tosshi stood up and looked at them before Kondo stood up as well and groped his crotch as he excused himself. "bathroom, bathroom" he chanted and dashed out of the cafeteria their attention when back to Tosshi.
"The crepe is really good, I daresay! who wants some?"
"i want seconds! " Gintoki proclaimed
"Kondo said earlier he wanted one too.. ah let me try that as well" Sougo said as he set his soda down and lazily flipped his phone open.
"Okay! four orders then, I daresay" he nodded, completely disregarding Hijikata.
"let me help you with that" Gintoki stood up and escorted Tosshi towards the crepe stand on the cafeteria, the two walked side by side and was talking, Tosshi giggling at something that Gintoki whispered on him and Hijikata stared at them as they walked away. no matter how Hijikata look at them, they look so perfect and so compatible, the bubble of jealousy is starting to eat him again as he stared at them, longing, trying to reach out but he knew he and Gintoki will never be together, they always clash, argue, bicker, he was not even sure if Gintoki considered him a friend when they did not even get to talk to eachother without any fist involve, except last night.
"Hijikata your eyes is goin to budge out" Sougo said not sparing a single glance at him as he continued to keep texting, Hijikata frowned and was about to counter 'am not' but he realized Sougo might already knew the reason of their fight, Tosshi must have said something. he was weighing his options, he knew just one word he could say will be a fatal grave when he was talking with this rascal.
"If you are wondering if i knew the reason why you two fought, my answer would be yes"
Hijikata flinched and looked away as he stared at the empty can of coke was the most amazing thing that he ever saw. he can feel Sougo's burning gaze on his head and he refused to look at him of all people to know why him?! Tosshi should have went to his other friends and yap about this.
"And to clear things from you, Tosshi did not say anything to me at all, i already knew about your love sickness towards Boss"
Hijiakata looked at him with wide eyes as he blinked, how the fuck did this rascal even knew about that!?
"whats with the shock expression Hijikata? it was like really obvious you had a thing for boss. you look like a love struck girl when you are looking at him in far distance. "
"What the fuck thats creepy!"
"Do you think of Boss when you masturba-" Sougo did not finish his sentence as a hand was slapped over his mouth, Hijikata's hand and his face was crossing beyond embarrassment and anger, Sougo slowly removed his hand as he sighed. "Im not sure if i want to kill you or rather see you suffer like this, either way is fine though.. but on a serious note Hijikata... what are you goin to do now?" he looked straight to behind Hijikata and the other male turned to see that Gintoki and Tosshi walking back to their table. Hijikata frowned and stood up gathered his soda and left the cafeteria, now was he that obvious? well he was trying to give Gintoki a sign sometimes.. what did he do so far?
Ah right he once gave Gintoki a strawberry candy, the bastard started to tease him that he finally grew a heart and continued babbling, he got to embarrassed that he punched him in the jaw and stepped on the candy that he gave before stomping out the room, he was really awful at flirting.. what is flirting even?!
"This is indeed a good crepe! damn is this a new stand or some sort?" Gnintoki said as he shove mouthful of parfait. Tosshi giggled beside him and they started to chat, they all ate the crepe and Hijikata want to leave so badly, Kondo had not return from the bathroom, suddenly his thoughts were stopped as he saw Sougo stood up and looked at Gintoki.
"Boss, we still had a club activity right?"
"Ha? we do?"
Sougo gave Gintoki a look which motioned towards the twins and Gintoki immediately understood as he stood up "Oh yeah shit i forgot, lets go!"
Tosshi blinked as he looked at the two "What club activity?"
"Uh.. well the um.. S club!"
"There is a club like that? what does that club do?"
"Its something that is not suited for you, anyways boss lets go" Sougo grabbed Gintoki as they left the cafeteria.
"tch.. what a lame excuse" Hijikata sighed as he looked at his soda and then to Tosshi who did not say anything as well and just sat across him finishing his crepe, the silence was so unnerving that it started to bother Hijikata this silent treatment is the worse he sighed and he was about to leave when he heard Tosshi spoke.
"Im not ... giving up..."
"huh?"
"I said.. im not giving Gintoki up"
"..."
"I know you had done a lot and sacrificed a lot of things for me, and im always grateful for that, i would do anythin for you as well you know but.. this.. i apologize in advance Toshi-nii call me selfish but i aint going to give up Gintoki"
Hijikata looked at Tosshi and those bright blue eyes, this is the first time that he had stood up for something, he normally follow Hijikata around and do what he says and stays silent most of the time when its decision making, but now that determination and riding his usual catch phrase and formality that he sounded just like him, he was somewhat happy? that his brother is able to stood for himself at the same time sad that it had to be this way.
"Im not planning on interferin' on the both of you.. " he murmured and sighed as he pressed his face on his palm "Thats why im avoiding you two.. because.. i dont want to interfere, i want you two to be happy and it seems you are so im good with that, the two of you are important to me, i love you both but i dont want to choose either.. thats why, this is for the better. just forget what we argued about , take care ill be waiting for you at home " he stood up and reached out to pat Tosshi's head as he left the cafeteria.
"This is worse.. the two of them should just make it up seriously" Sougo said as he and Gintoki walked back to the classroom after leaving the two together. Gintoki shrugged as he sighed as he frowned.
"is that the first time they argued like that?"
"No"
"so they argued like that before?"
"No.. its not they argued 'like' that .. they never argued.. or got into a fight ever" Sougo tilted his head to the side a bit a he start to think "Yup never'
"Woah normally siblings are at each others throat .. especially twins i supposed"
"well, the two of them are completely one.. get my drift? they fill each others gap, they support each other, they have strong bond probably because they grew up in a pretty bad household"
"oh?"
"their mother left them, they grew up to a abusive father, Hijikata-san protecting Tosshi, and ended up stabbing his father, their elder brother found out whats happening took care of them but died when they are 14 so Hijikata-san the one working like crazy to feed both of them"
"i see.. if that the case then. i wonder what the reason of their fight, do you think its something big " he rubbed his chin as he frowned trying to thinking of possible reasons for the fight.
"... yeah i wonder what the reason is" Sougo gave him a side glance and Gintoki raised a brow at how the other was looking at him
"what?"
"i did not know you are that dense boss"
"ha? what do you mean by that? oi Okita-kun!"
"... you should have realized it by now.. the reason why they fought, you of all people should know, even though i wanted to torment Hijikata-san i think for this one its not my position to say anything ... ah its much better observing on the sidelines, well ill be going now" Sougo waved as he walked and Gintoki was left baffled as he looked at him
"cant you at least give me a clue'
"Did not take you for a gossip girl, boss"
"i wanna help the two idiots make up so throw a pinch of kindness to Gin-san here "
"very well.. now boss what do usually sibling fought for?"
Gintoki hummed as he looked at the other as he crossed his arms "stuff..like um probably who ate the last slice of pizza, or who touched things thats not them.. ugh i dont have siblings so i really cant relate although i always had Zura and Takasugi and we normally fight for trivial things like the last piece of mochi"
"mm.. almost there but you are missing the point boss among those examples there is one thing in common "
"huh?"
"Siblings usually fight when they want the same thing"