A/N: Just another short, silly chapter.
. . .
Chapter Three: One Dango A Day Keeps The Doctor Away (Or Unspoken Laws And Unspoken Words)
Musashi is eating some of the most delicious dangos he has ever had in his life.
Near the park he is usually in there is sometimes a flood of vendors that sell delicious food in yellow colored stalls, this time it's the turn of sweet dangos it seems.
To his surprise he was offered some too, three for free actually, and of course he decides to bite the opportunity right when it comes around. Literally.
Because one dango a day keeps the doctor away.
Or at least that's what Musashi had heard from some kids. And kids always tell the truth, so you should trust them, right?
He wants to know whoever said that heaven is unreachable? Just three chewy, doughy mochi on a bamboo skewer and life becomes sweeter and more delicious.
Just as Musashi is finishing the last bits, accompanying his meal with a lukewarm cup of green tea, he notices them.
He is surprised to see the men here, again.
They are, once more, across from him and it seems the two are engaging in what Musashi thinks is one of their favorite activities by now.
Bickering.
"This is my bench!" The man with silver curls declares as he tries to sprawl on the bench to keep it for himself. It doesn't work since they are both already sitting on it.
The one with dark hair scoffs disdainfully. "Does it have your name on it?"
"No and it doesn't need to." The other crosses his arms with an air of complacency. "It's like the law. Unspoken but everyone still knows about it."
The man in uniform mirrors him. "More like crime. Even though it's a surefire way to jail stupid people keep committing the same mistakes."
The samurai with silver hair gasps outrageously. "Did you just compare my bench to idiots who commit petty crimes? Oi, oi, take back what you said!"
"This isn't your bench and you can't tell me what to do!"
"Yes it is! Gin-San's bottom and this nice bench have been through some crazy adventures together and now I want to eat my dangos in peace so shooo!"
"What the hell are you even talking about!?"
They continue like this for a while, ignoring the rest of the world and seemingly falling into their own.
The curly man is not even paying attention to the way he is carelessly waving the stick holding the delicious globes of doughy mochi in his hand.
And that proves to be a fatal mistake on his part.
Because the dangos fall inexorably to the ground, like victims who could not be saved from the wrath of… gravity.
What is more, the park is mingling with kids that day, and a few of them obliviously run over the befallen sweets, trampling over what is left of them.
Another hit to the samurai's heart.
"Agh! Are you kidding me?! I waited all day just to eat dango!" The man cries as he tugs at his silver hair, almost falling to his knees at the display of his fallen treasure, desperation and denial coming off of him in waves.
Musashi feels bad for him too, what a waste of a delicious treat.
After a few moments of unbridled silence the samurai sits on the bench again, this time with his head bent down low and his shoulders sagging hopelessly in what is the most depressing sight Musashi has probably ever seen. Surely it will take a while for even the strongest men to recover from such a loss.
The next action comes so unexpectedly Musashi chokes on his tea when he sees it. And here he thought they might have been enemies with how much they seem to dislike each other, but that right there is certainly not something you would do for someone you hate.
"Here." The man in uniform states quietly.
The other raises his head abruptly when he sees the treat in front of him and turns in shock at the other, who is holding out his own dangos for him to take.
"…what-"
"This is too sweet for me."
The unspoken law here is: 'It's clear how much you really like dangos so you can have mine if you want them.'
Musashi thinks it's kind of the man to offer his portion, he himself would have definitely not given his sweet treat to anyone else. And something tells him the one with silver curls would also hold to his sweet possessions tightly, so this gesture should mean more to him.
And he is right because there is a change in him, Musashi can see it even from where he is perched on the opposite bench.
Slowly, he reaches with his hand for the chewy mochi and it's almost hesitant the way his fingertips close around the end of the stick. His expression is still hidden from curly tufts of hair, but there is evident gratefulness in the way he is simply nodding his head.
The other samurai nods too and turns away.
There is silence hanging over them now, but not the heavy kind, on the contrary it is quite companionable.
They are not bickering anymore.
What an outsider would see is simply two men comfortably sitting next to each other and basking in the afternoon sunlight, no need for words to express themselves.
What you should take in consideration when you are outside, however, is that there are always other people around you. And not only people.
The first sign comes from a bark, a faint sound that registers a little too late.
The next bark is louder, making Musashi look behind him to see a dog. One white, humongous dog. But it seems he is the only one to notice, the samurai are still clueless, maybe lost in their own thoughts.
Musashi has enough mind to lie down and avoid being crushed as the dog jumps over the bench he is on.
But the two men never noticed the giant dog running towards them soon enough.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The bench breaks, but it's not the only thing to.
The scream and the resulting crack will remain in people's memory for days to come.
Maybe one dango is not enough to keep the doctor away after all.
. . .
A/N: Sadaharu just wants to play (and eat Gintoki's dangos) xD
I'd already written something similar in my main story, but I just really like the idea of Hijikata giving something sweet he was supposed to eat to Gintoki. And I think it's so kind of him because I would definitely never give up on chocolate for anyone, no matter who it is.