Hey guys, Murayama Tsuru here. I present to y'all with chapter 11 of this story. Without anything further to say at the moment, here's the chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama; it's the property of Sorachi Hideaki-Sensei. Nor do I own NCIS; it belongs to CBS.
The ride to McGee's apartment was conducted in stony silence. Neither Gin not McGee really wanted to be in each other's company all that much, but seeing as they didn't have much of a choice at the moment so neither felt the need to say anything to each other at the moment.
Once the two arrived at the apartment, McGee turned off the car, but before he got out he said to Gin, "This is probably going to be hard for you, but just don't touch anything in my apartment without my permission, ok?"
"Why?" Gin asked, "You think I'm going to break your stuff? I'll have you know, I'm a very careful person."
McGee gave Gin a look, "Yeah, well be that as it may, just don't touch anything. Nothing good happens when other people touch my stuff."
Gin gave McGee a scowl but said nothing else and they both got out of the car and started up the stairs. As Gin was following the tech master of the NCIS team up the stairs, he was wondering what would be so important to McGee that he would forbid the silver haired Samurai from touching anything.
Unable to think of anything that McGee would have that Gin would be interested, he shrugged and figured that McGee was just the type to want to keep all his stuff to himself. But when Gin entered the typewriter in the distance he immediately rushed over to it.
Before McGee could admonish Gin for blatantly ignoring what he had said to Gin just five minutes ago, Gin said, "I haven't seen one of these in years. They were one of the Amanto tools that we actually thought were useful; they made the chicken scratch my comrades called handwriting much more legible. I never actually used one, because the people around me seemed to think that if I touched one it'd fall to pieces, but they always looked cool. What do you use it for?"
McGee, sort of overwhelmed that Gin seemed so enthusiastic about his typewriter said slightly sheepishly, "Actually I write novels. I like to use the typewriter because it just seems so much more authentic than a computer, like you can really get into what you're writing…"
Gin nodded, "Yeah I know what you mean. Computers these days are just so cold and heartless…it's like you don't have to spend any time writing anything anymore, you just type it on a computer and that's it…well, I never actually have any letters to send but still."
McGee, not quite sure how to respond to Gin said, "Yeah, sure, whatever you say…"
"So you're a writer, eh?" Gin asked and not waiting for McGee's answer went on speaking, "I am too. Though, I write manga with my pal Shachi…he's really not a good an artist as I am, but for some reasons editors always want him to do the drawing. It makes no sense at all."
McGee, scratching his cheek, remembering what Abby said about how terrible Gin's drawings were said pacifyingly, "Well, I don't know all that much about manga. But I'm sure that the editors want to make it so that your story shine by having it so that the art wasn't the main focus."
"Oh," Gin nodded as if McGee had just light a light bulb above his head, "It all makes so much more sense now! Thanks Tim, you've really brought the whole manga making situation with Shachi into a new light! With this new knowledge, I'm sure we can make Shonen Jump a much better magazine!"
McGee chuckled, and said, "Well, why don't we order something for dinner, what do you want?"
Gin, thinking about what he wanted started tapping absentmindedly on one of the keys of the typewriter. Again, before McGee could say anything about how Gin really shouldn't be touching his delicate typewriter, Gin stopped his tapping and said, "I don't really have any preferences. Whatever you want is fine with me."
McGee seemed a little surprised at this, Gin had seemed the type to have strong opinions about what he ate to McGee. Bu then, after a second, Gin added, "But, I do think I want a strawberry parfait for dessert tonight, so you should order from somewhere that has that."
Ah, McGee did remember Abbey mentioning that their silver-haired guest had quite the sweet tooth. So, with a nod, McGee went into the kitchen to order take out, leaving Gin to sit at the typewriter, hoping that it would still be intact when he got back.
Once dinner was over, McGee and Gin decided that since it had been a long day for the both of them that they didn't really feel like spending any time trying to get to know each other better, as much as McGee was beginning to see that Gin wasn't such a bad guy after all.
So, Gin decided to take the couch in McGee's living room, as he didn't really like the idea of sleeping on some guy's bed (after all, who knew what happened on that bed…). So after McGee disappeared into a closet and came back with blankets and pillows for Gin, the two went their separate ways for the night.
Gin then turned off the light near the couch and closed his eyes, hoping that he'd be able to fall asleep right away. But after a few minutes, Gin didn't really feel all that comfortable so he shifted places. After a few minutes, though, Gin still didn't feel relaxed to he tried shifting positions again.
This routine continued for a while until, annoyed, Gin's eyes snapped open and he sat up. Looking around and scowling, Gin tried to find something to do that didn't involve something of McGee's that Gin wasn't allowed to touch.
After looking around for a while though, Gin not finding anything that would make McGee even more annoyed at him than he had been before (Gin knew that he'd probably end up breaking the typewriter that he had found so interesting, his comrades had been right about that for sure), Gin decided to try laying back down again, hoping that this time, sleep would be able to claim him. And finally, after some more tossing and turning, Gin managed to fall into a light, fitful sleep.
A few hours later, though, Gin was woken up by a sound. Cracking his eyes open, he looked around for the source of the noise; but, not finding anything, closed his eyes again only to hear the sound once more. Gin then realized that it was the phone that he still didn't know how he got.
Gin really wanted to annoy the blasted thing. But, thinking that it might be Takasugi again, he figured that he should probably pick up the phone, lest Takasugi decide to keep calling him over and over again making him loose even more of his precious sleep.
Once Gin had flipped open the phone, though, there was nothing on the other line but the sound of the wind. After a moment, as Gin was about to hang up that phone because he figured it had been a wrong number, Takasugi's voice came through sounding strained, "Gintoki, I need your help."
Gin, wondering what in the world had happened to Takasugi to make him ask for something so directly. Gin remembered Takasugi demanding that you do something for him or manipulating you into doing something he wanted, but he had never been direct about asking for something like help.
So, Gin, said, voice still fairly thick with sleep, the first thing that came into his head, "Takasugi, are you actually asking someone for help? What happened to elicit that change?"
"Shut up Gintoki," Takasugi snapped, sounding more impatient than he usually did, "I don't have time for this right now. All I need you to do is provide me with lodging for the time being."
"I'd love to," Gin replied sarcastically, "but I really I doubt that I'll be able to find you in a city I've been in for less than 24 hours."
"Then just exit whatever building you're in and I'll find you."
"And why should I do that?" Gin asked, annoyed that this conversation was cutting into his sleep
But, instead of answering Gin's question, Takasugi just hung up, making Gin glare at his phone. Why was it that Takasugi seemed think that Gin would just do as he asked if he hung up the phone? Gin didn't know the answer, but he knew that it was working because now he was pulling his shoes on and exiting the building to wait for that damn Takasugi Shinsuke.
And that's what Gin did, he waited outside Tim's apartment for Takasugi to arrive so Gin could tell him to leave and force Takasugi to tell him what was going on. After all, why should Gin help Takasugi out? It's not like they were comrades in arms anymore. That particular social engagement had ended in the ten years that they were either on the run or hiding after the war ended.
So, after what seemed like an eternity, Gin saw a taxi pull up outside. Gin didn't think much about it until he saw the familiar shaggy, unkempt, almost bowl cut that was Takasugi's hairstyle get out of the car and say to the driver, "Thank for your patronage, I will let you leave with your life."
As Takasugi continued to threaten the taxicab driver after the poor man asked about payment, Gin's hand came up to his forehead with a quiet smack, Gin really couldn't believe that Takasugi had the gall to threaten someone here. This place was, relatively, safe so Gin didn't see any need to threaten people into doing what you wanted them too…but then again, Gin doubted that Takasugi had any money for a taxi ride, so threatening the poor guy on sword point was probably the only was he could have gotten here.
Once Takasugi finally made sure that the taxi driver knew that he wasn't going to get any money out of Takasugi and that if he reported what had just happened to the police he wouldn't be in this world for much longer, the man drove away looking both disappointed that he had been the unfortunate soul to get the night shift tonight and scared about what Takasugi could have done to him with that sword of his.
Takasugi then walked over to Gin and said, like nothing unusual had just occurred, "Take me inside Gintoki."
"And why in the world would I do that?" Gin practically yelled, "You can't just threaten people like that her, this isn't Edo."
Takasugi, looking extremely bored, said while putting his sword back in its sheath, "I know perfectly well that this isn't Edo. But I didn't have much of a choice if I wanted to elude the comrades of the man who captured me. I'm sure they wouldn't be very happy to find out that I killed him."
"I'm not very thrilled to learn that you killed someone either, y'know. Have you always been so quick to resort to violence Bakasugi?"
Takasugi shot Gin a withering glare, "And how, do you propose that I should have escaped otherwise?"
"Trickery usually works." Gin said with a smile, "If they tie you up, then you pretend you have to poop and then, if they don't let you out, you pretend that you went in your pants and they're bound to let you go."
Takasugi gave Gin another look that made Gin's slight smirk drop off his face in a second. After a minute , though, Takasugi only sighed and said tiredly, "Let's go inside, we can talk more there."
Gin, though, still mad that Takasugi had decided that calling him in the middle of the night was a good idea, barred his former comrade's entrance and growled, "And what makes you think I'm going to help you out?"
"Because if you don't help me, this sword's next target will be your throat, Gintoki. And as you don't seem to have your sword with you at the moment, you're at a disadvantage it seems."
Gin rolled his eyes, "threatening me will do you no good Takasugi. I can defend myself easily even without my Bouken."
There was an annoyed pause, and then Takasugi said, "Well if threats don't work, how about this? You need the information I have about the people who brought us here. And if you don't help me, you won't get it and I doubt you'll be able to make your way back to our world without my help."
"Fine," Gin groaned, throwing his hands up in exasperation; this conversation was going nowhere and Gin really wanted to go back to sleep already, he forgot how tired dealing with Takasugi made him "I'll help you out! Just get in here already!"
Takasugi looked extremely relieved, meaning he looked pretty much the same as he always did, but there was something in his posture that only someone who knew him well (or better than they wanted to know him in Gin's case) would be able to discern that Takasugi was almost thankful that Gin let him in finally.
The two then went into the building and ascended the same starts that Gin had gone up earlier this morning. Once they reached McGee's apartment, Gin opened the door and Takasugi asked, "He doesn't keep the door locked? Maybe you should find somewhere else to stay Gintoki."
This time it was Gin's turn to give Takasugi a dry, withering look, "You think Tim doesn't keep his apartment locked? The next time someone calls you at three in the morning, let's see how much time you have to lock a door when an idiot comrade tells you to come outside right away."
Takasugi found that he had nothing to say to his silver-haired comrade this time. He hated to admit it, but Gintoki was marginally he decided to say nothing and collapsed on the floor when Gin gave him one of his blankets. Once Gin had given Takasugi one of his blankets, he buried himself under the blankets and fell asleep fairly quickly this time; after all, Takasugi Shinsuke was a pain in the ass to deal with early in the morning.
McGee woke up to the smell tobacco of smoke wafting into his room from under the gap between the floor and his door. The first thought to enter his mind at the smell was that Gin had decided that he wanted to smoke the pipe that he usually used to help him write.
Slightly annoyed that Gin still didn't understand the McGee didn't want the silver-haired man touching his stuff stood up and opening the door a crack, saying sleepily, "Gin, what did I tell you about using my stuff. That pipe really isn't meant to be used for actual tobacco."
Gin's deadpan reply was, "I'm not the one smoking Tim. Besides, I don't like tobacco, it reminds me of certain people who annoy me to no end. An unfortunate guest decided to drop in unexpectedly last night and now he decided that smoking his Kiseru would be fun. I told him not to, but he didn't listen."
Then, a voice McGee didn't recognize, "I'm not smoking because it's fun Gintoki. I do it because it relaxes me. After your godforsakenly loud snoring last night, I need something to take my mind off of not getting enough sleep."
McGee heard Gin make a noise that sounded like he was sticking out his tongue at the person who had just spoken and said petulantly, "Well if you hadn't decided to call me at three AM, you wouldn't have had to deal with my snoring. Besides, you're not a very quiet sleeper either. What with your sleep talk, I hardly got any sleep at all."
McGee then decided to see who Gin was talking to as it sounded like Gin knew this person. When he opened the door wider, he saw Gin and a man with black hair, a white bandage over one of his green eyes and a purple Kimono with butterflies on it glaring at each other as if a fight was about to start between them.
McGee, not really wanting any damage done to his house, decided to intervene by asking, "Gin who is this guy?"
Realizing that Tim was out of his room, Gin turned to him and with a frown and a flourish of his hand, he pointed to the black haired man and said, "Tim, meet Takasugi Shinsuke, the man who coerced me into letting him stay here by saying the he had information of our Petty Officer's killer."
And that is the end of this chapter. I would have posted it yesterday, but as I was writing it, it just didn't seem to be going very well. So, I decided to go to bed and write it later. And that's what I did ^_^ I like how it turned out. And that's all I have to say for this week. So, as always if you'd like please leave review, I love to know what you guys think. See you all next week for a Gibbs chapter ^_^
-Murayama Tsuru
