AUTHOR'S NOTE: Heyya again! So this story is extra special because it is pretty long. I kinda put alot of emotions into this. Maybe because I was sick as hell haha. But I think it is cute enough to post. I really hope you like it. Probably be some OOCness. Hope it is not too much of it!
Response to awesome reviewers:
Dragon77: Thank you so much for your review! Im so glad that u loved them! Yeah I will make more haha! Thanks so much again!
pyro-icy: Hellow! I noticed you reviewed my other oneshots too! A massive thank you for your great comments and support. Really means alot to me and I will try harder to make these strories more entertaining than before. Yes Ginhiji! Love them so much hahaa! Once again, Thank you loads for giving my stories a chance to be read! See ya again!
Now let's go! Hope you enjoy!
WARNING: DEATH/TORTURE
You know what's worse than an expired can of Adzuki beans?
Hijikata's sour face.
You just can't throw it away!
~ Gintoki
A cold hard splash of water hits a man whose hands are tied and knees burning sore for kneeling on the ground for too long. His chest reddens in lines from the strokes of the hemp whip. His breaths grow heavy and short, enduring the pain and humiliation in writhing silence.
Boots clap towards the man as he sniffs the cigarette smoke, knowing who it is to come close towards him. In one grab, the man's hair is fisted and pulled up, craning his neck too fast that a bone cracks following a slight whimper.
Squinted eyes look at the icy glare of the vice chief of Shinsengumi.
"Have you come to your senses, terrorist?" Hijikata speaks in a suave tone. "It's been five days we treated you like shit and you won't say a word about your comrades. Before I lose my sanity with you, tell me now."
The man spits on Hijikata's face and smirks his yellow stained teeth. "All of you gonna die, Bakufu dogs! Everyone who allows those aliens to walk on our land will die! This land is the land of Samurai!"
Hijikata shoots a hard kick at the man's stomach and wipes off the disgusting liquid. "Uruse!"
The man has his head hung low, squeezing in the pain that numbs his torso.
"You have a family waiting for your return," Hijikata hisses, "How long are you gonna make them wait? Tell me where your men are and I'll let you go."
A riveting series of chortles bubble from the man's throat as he glares up. "Her husband, their father is dead. Dead for his love and loyalty to the country! There is nothing you can do, bastard. I won't sell my comrades! Never!"
"You two!" Hijikata shouts at his men with the whips. "Strike him until he begs to stop! If I cannot hear him confess, you all commit seppuku."
"Teme," the man manages to burn his swollen eyes on Hijikata. "It's you who should commit seppuku."
Hijikata blinks away. "What are you waiting for?! New Year? Hit him!"
The interrogation continues with ceaseless torment on the old Joui's body. Hijikata fixes his eyes on the face of the wrongdoer whose face dampens with sweat and blood. The cell walls amplify the man's cries but Hijikata shows no pity for a criminal like him.
This man was arrested for planting bombs in the busiest shopping mall in town. If it was not because of Shinsengumi's intelligence and flawless infiltration, many lives would be taken and Edo would grieve for one of the biggest massacre in history. These anti-Foreigners terrorists continue to brew fear in the hearts of civillians but the Shinsengumi will continue to stop them whenever and wherever they can.
This is the job of Hijikata Toushiro, basically his everyday life as a Shinsengumi officer, and in addition with the vice-chief role, he handles plenty on his plate. Hijikata has to admit that interrogation is the most exhausting task among the rest because no one else can do it properly besides him. Sougo is obviously capable but he rather chooses to slack somewhere instead of aiding his rival.
There is more than just physical fatigue. Everytime he enters the torture room, he is one with the darkness looming in the corners, his heart knows no empathy or kindness. Hijikata is easily possessed by the demon that once came to life when robbers took away his brother's eyes. His body moves by its own, exploiting any means to get what he wanted, even if he has to stain the whole cell with blood again. And everytime he leaves the torture room, he will return to his own room and only leave after a whole box of cigarettes is taken.
"Fuku-chou!"
One of the officers snaps Hijikata from his thoughts. "What?"
The other officer places two fingers at the unconscious man's neck, twice to be sure and he looks at his partner before looking at Hijikata. He shakes his head in dismay, fear evident in his brows only because of the incoming wrath from their vice chief.
Apparently, Hijikata turns around and pockets his hands. "Wash it clean and inform the office. I'll have Yamazaki to contact his family."
"Yes sir!"
Dropped the cigarette off his lips, he takes a new one and lights it up. He exits the cell and into the counter to be greeted by Yamazaki and Kondo.
"Toshi, how is-"
"Yamazaki, prepare death certificate and inform his family," Hijikata ignores Kondo and instructs Yamazaki who quickly bows in obedience. "I'm gonna get my lunch, Kondo-san. I'm starving. Excuse me."
Kondo watches Hijikata march out of the room steathily, still having his head high and his back as cold as ever.
"That is our vice-chief, alright," Yamazaki giggles nervously in front of his chief. "He never shows any sign of regret or fear after losing a criminal's life. He's going to indulge his mayonnaise like nothing happened."
The chief sighs loudly which is very unlike him. "Do you really think he's going to eat?"
"Won't he, Chief?" Yamazaki wonders.
"If anything, he's gonna overdosed himself with tobacco. That's for sure," Kondo sighs again and enters the door to the prison cells.
Yamazaki looks back at the exit where the vice-chief is long gone from there. "Hijikata-san, will you be alright?"
On his fourth cigarette, Hijikata strolls down the path where civilians occupy to walk or sell their goods. He does not realise how far he walks from the prison but he can tell it has been more than an hour and his boots start to bite on his toes. His mind is still empty and so is his heart. He should not have met that man's family for he is burdened now by the guilt of killing the man. It is unlike him to be wavered by this.
Hijikata sighs, still regreting to have memory of tears running down from the children's faces. He should not have visited them.
"Oi, Kagura! Don't hit it too hard! You're gonna damage the tiles! They don't come cheap, baka!"
The hysteric panic voice belonging to someone Hijikata knows too well reaches him and he stops his stride. His expression appears surprised when he looks up at the trio on a roof of a longhouse.
"I am only making it fit, Gin-chan!" yells the orange haired girl in olive sleeve coat and pants as she strikes the hammer to the nail that causes a tile to shoot up into the sky.
"Baka! Where's your sense of shape, Kagura? Girls are supposed to be good in this. Don't you always compare scores of your tetris games and laugh at other girls' pathetic scores?!" Gintoki nags as he pulls her arms away from hitting the tiles again. "Oi, Pattsan! Help her with the tiles!"
The boy ignores his boss as his ears are plugged with earpieces listening to his all time pop star singing about her father's censored stuff. Gintoki tosses a tile at him so quick that Shinpachi turns to have his cheek rammed by the tile, earning a red bruise.
"Gin-san! What was that for?!" Shinpachi growls, rubbing his cheek.
Gintoki huffs. "For being a slacker. Gin-san don't remember raising a megane who slacks!"
"What about you?! You're reading Jump just now!"
"What? Gin-san deserves a break."
"You're like that from the moment you come up here, Gin-san! Only Kagura and I are doing our job."
"Oi, oi. It is what supervisor does, Pattsan!" Gintoki snarls, letting go of Kagura and crosses his arms. "Supervising is not an easy job, you kids."
Gintoki could have continued his nagging until his eyes caught sight of Hijikata below. The vice-chief instantly looks away when their eyes make contact and intends to make a move. It is not a good idea to meet the troublemaker now. Their meeting can only spark another useless fight and with the demons still whispering in his ears, Hijikata will end up hurting his lover.
The last thing he wants right now is Gintoki.
"Oi, watch out."
"Huh?" Hijikata looks up again and gasps as Gintoki dives towards him. Unprepared to catch him, Hijikata falls back against the ground, while the silverhead straddles him.
Hijikata readies his fist to punch him but the view above him captures his breath. The scorching sunlight hidden behind the silver perms causes the man's face concealed in a shadow, only revealing his downcast red eyes. White teeth stretches a smile for Hijikata.
"Call yourself a policeman but you can't even catch a falling civilian," Gintoki says in amusement. "Did all the cholestrol you gain slow down your reflexes, Baka Mayora?"
"Get off me."
The smile on the Yorozuya boss fades a little as he looks straight into the empty indigo eyes beneath him. The blank stare speak no emotion and his lips can barely clip on the white stick.
"Hijikata-san!" Shinpachi calls out his name. "Gin-san! What are you doing?! You can get arrested hitting a policeman, Gin-san!"
"It looks fun! Can I jump too?" Kagura stands at the edge ready to leap.
"Don't do it, Kagura-chan! Gin-san, stop her! Ano, Gin-san?" Shinpachi notices the awkward pause between the two men below, as none of them is raising a fist or spew a curse at one another. Something is wrong.
Gintoki eventually stands up and before Hijikata can budge, Gintoki grabs him by the collar and drags him away.
"Gin-san?!" Shinpachi shouts feeling worried.
The silverhead boss flashes an evil smirk. "He's gonna help me buy drinks!"
"Eh?" Shinpachi gasps.
"Then buy me a mango smoothie!" Kagura waves happily.
Shinpachi chortles, "I want Pepsi!"
"Hai, hai! Don't damage anything when I'm away!" Gintoki warns them.
The two men make their way to a nearby stall, Gintoki moving forward while Hijikata lets his boots drag against the sand. Bylookers give weird glances at them, thinking that Hijikata has fainted but he is wide awake, calmly allowing the silver head pull him like a sack of potatoes.
"Oi, Yorozuya. Let go of me."
"Uruse!"
"If you don't, I'm gonna arrest you."
"Go ahead. Handcuff me."
"I'm giving you another chance. Let-"
"I'm not letting go."
Pissed off with his stubborness, Hijikata wraps his arms around Gintoki's waist from behind and in one flip, he hurls the man's head against the ground. The collison of the head to the ground is not heard as Gintoki manages to land his hands first and in return he thrusts a kick on Hijikata, flinging the body into the alley.
Hijikata cusses in pain and as soon as Gintoki jumps at him, he swings a fist and they exchange fists and blocks, until the younger lad trips on his own footing and is about to fall back again.
His collar is gripped by Gintoki and their foreheads smash in one loud hit. Red eyes stare deep into the half-lidded indigo eyes.
"What?" Hijikata mutters softly in between breaths.
Gintoki stays quiet, which is unlike him when they are alone like this. His silence seems harmless but it is wrecking Hijikata's nerves, lighting up a fire in his heart for it is burning larger by every second. Hijikata pulls away that is barely successful as the hold on his collar is stronger, pinning him down where Gintoki wants him to be.
"Let go," Hijikata manages a rebuttal, sounding humiliating and weak.
The increasing warmth in his chest spreads like wildfire, his body surrendering to the fist holding him down. He starts to understand why the criminal's death affects him. He was not this weak until he met Gintoki. The silverhead taught him to feel what he swore not to feel again.
Love, kindness, family.
All those that Hijikata chose to forget and never revisit, they are reminded by Gintoki. The silverhead is not one who openly expresses these values but anyone can learn them from the way he acts around the Yorozuya kids and Kabuki civilians, the way he put his life on the line for strangers and the way he can just look into Hijikata's eyes and know he has to give his time and attention on his secret lover.
Why? Why do you care so much, Yorozuya? I never asked for this! Stop inciting these unnecessary feelings in me! I don't want to feel weak! I don't want to feel hopeless! I hate this feeling of guilt! Stop messing with me and let me go!
Hijikata strikes a fist onto Gintoki which is easily caught by Gintoki and that is not what he only caught.
His lips latch over the younger ones, tongues swirling in between. The kiss is not about making love but it is filled with pouring concern, soothing every tensed muscle in Hijikata. The clenched fist is opened and laced with Gintoki's long fingers. Moans escape Hijikata, his nerves that are once numb and cold are now churning and sending tremors throughout his body.
Stealing all his breaths, Gintoki pins him against the wall and breaks the kiss. He watches the lad still looking lost and confused, eyes looking down while his lips reddened and moist.
Gintoki's large hand cups Hijikata's cheek and directs his eyes back on Gintoki. "You let go first."
"What?"
"Whatever that turns you sour."
Hijikata hisses and bites the man's hand. Gintoki smirks at the soft clench of teeth, knowing the young man is hiding his embarrassment.
"Stop being cute. I will strip you."
"Who're you calling cute?" Hijikata speaks, still biting. "What do you want anyway? Leaving those kids doing that dangerous job, I can arrest you."
Gintoki looks away, ruffling his silver hair. "It's not that I'm worried about you or anything. Seeing you with a moppy face pisses me off. I can't just leave you like that. If I know what's up and it is something stupid, I will just punch you right at your face, baka."
Releasing the hand with a bite mark, Hijikata buries his face on Gintoki's chest. Gintoki looks down at the silent ball of dark green hair below him, thinking perhaps he has a hard day again. His arms eventually wrap around the vice chief in a tight hug, Gintoki nuzzling his face at the crook of the younger lad's neck.
"Gintoki."
"Hmm?"
"Do your rules include abandoning your family to protect your country?"
"Listen, Hijikata-kun," Gintoki sounds amused. "Anywhere within the reach of my sword is my country. Anyone who comes here and messes with my people, I'll cut them down."
"That really sounds like you," Hijikata states, stretching a smile that Gintoki cannot see. "Simple and idiotic."
"Oi, oi. At least I don't come up with forty plus articles of Shitty codes that all end about commiting seppuku. Talk about creativity!"
Hijikata snaps his head up and glares at Gintoki. "Ah? What did you say? Shitty codes, you say? Let go of me!"
"Is that what's been bothering you?" Gintoki finally gets to see those lively indigo eyes. "So when are you going to leave me for your country?"
Hijikata struggles to be released from Gintoki's arms. "Who're saying that I'm leaving?! And what makes you think you're my family, ah?! You're just my stupid pervert boyfriend who will hunt me down if I try to walk away from you."
"Aww now you're sweet, Hijikata-kun. Can I eat you?"
Two fists hammer the silverhead. "Control yourself!"
"What's the big idea?! My head hurts, Mayora!" An envelope is thrown at Gintoki who catches it. "What is this?"
"Buy those kids their drinks and a decent meal. Yours too."
"Oi, are you sure?" Gintoki brightens up seeing the content of the envelope.
"It's not much. You won't earn as much fixing an orphanage rooftop anyways. That should cover any tiles that China girl ruined."
As Hijikata walks away, Gintoki gapes in surprise. "How did you know about the orphanage, Hijikata-kun?!"
The uniformed lad looks over his shoulder with genuinely delighted eyes. "Isn't it obvious? I'm the vice-chief of Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toushiro. Of course I know what's going around here."
Gintoki snorts and curves out a smile. "Baka Mayora acting so tough suddenly. And stalking me too, gross!"
"I said the same to you!" Hijikata yells back and walks away. "Ahh, waste of my time coming here! I need my Hijikata special rice bowl!"
Marching into the crowd, Hijikata carries a smile in his eyes and Gintoki watches him from behind, feeling relieved.
Guess meeting Gintoki was not a bad idea. He just knows how to make Hijikata feel alive again.
Let me hear what you think! Hope you enjoy this drabble!
