A/N: Hi all! Thank you for the review! I've really gotta give credit to Noniebee (4352183) for helping me brainstorm a lot of these scenes. I believe it was her idea for a Kamui and Abuto cameo, with some ideas at a nod towards my Kamui story (I didn't do that though, hehehehe). Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!

Everything was natural as could be when Takasugi took his regular seat. The only difference was the sun, mercilessly blazing across Edo. And Matako and Kawakami. Having them accompany him felt unusual for once, and like Takasugi was under surveillance. Like they had imposed on something private, despite Takasugi doing nothing to hide his visits to the shop. Usually, after Takechi had meal duty. Kinu offered her usual array of teas, with a few he hadn't seen before, and from the way she presented her newest shipment to his crew, she didn't seem as displaced as he'd expected.

"What are you cooking? Got any real food back there?"

The girl hummed. Nodded once. Her lips moved, and Kawakami blankly met Matako's confused gaze but Takasugi leaned back in his chair.

"Give me that. And a new tea I'll like."

Matako squinted at Kawakami, unsure of how Takasugi ordered something if no words had come out of the girl's mouth. Lip reading? Psychic communication? They couldn't possibly be that close. Still, the girl came back with a fresh cup of tea and a chicken and egg bowl that Takasugi quietly thanked her for. Maybe that was it. He liked the food. He was coming for the food, and there was nothing going on.

The girl stopped in front of her, and her colorless face sent a shiver down Matako's spine.

"Hungry?"

"Uh… No…" For what? Graveyard soil enchanted to look like food? She turned the offer down, but Kawakami stared at the girl. Neither spoke.

Weirdos.

"Interesting. It's subtle, but you've changed." Kawakami murmured, and the girl let out a small breath that wrote the tiniest of smiles across her. Only for a fleeting second.

"What's with you creeps? You don't even know each other." Matako's voice hardly did a thing to break their staring contest.

"Some of those sandwiches, and a slice of chocolate cake." The deaf man said, and Kinu obliged without missing a beat. When she returned, her attention was back on Matako.

"Are you sure you're not hungry? I'm not charging."

"You know we're criminals right? All I'm saying is that it doesn't make sense for you to be going along with whatever we tell you. How do we know you're not trying to set us up?

Kinu's expression remained as it was before Matako had said a word, and that was far creepier than if she would have immediately denied it or tried to brush it off.

"That's none of my business." Kinu finally said, moving back to the bowl of raising dough behind her. She turned it onto the counter as Matako cocked a brow. None of her business? How? If she was working with them, or for them, that automatically made it her business. That girl's intentions were as unclear as ever, and Takasugi was being taken in by her. Blinded by what appeared to be mindless compliance.

"We're all criminals." Kawakami murmured, and Kinu glanced back at him.

"Speak for yourself. I'm a victim of circumstance. I just choose the circumstance sometimes."

"What the hell does that mean? You think it's normal to just start working with people like us out of nowhere? Look at you. What do you even know about what we're doing? How can we think you're committed enough to not run to the nearest cop you see the moment anything starts to happen?" At Matako's side, Takasugi sparked his pipe. Initially, he hadn't wanted anything awkward like exactly what was happening, but he liked the direction Matako was taking this in.

"Hm." Matako almost expected that to be all Kinu would say, and she was half ready to raise every red flag and blare the warning sirens until the end of time, but Kinu pressed the heels of her palms into her dough, and paused. "I don't care about your cause, or anybody else's. Honestly, it's just nice to see Samurai that aren't alcoholics, or bums now a days. The sword ban ruined most families like mine…"

Takasugi frowned down at his half empty cup of tea.

"So I don't care about your mission. Or this country. And that means I can be your friend."

Kinu's hands pressed back into the dough, and Matako turned to Takasugi, but he was looking at his book. If he'd heard, he wasn't acknowledging anything that had been said. The girl had just revealed that she didn't care about them or their cause! She thought that was enough to show Kinu was unreliable, but he was fully engrossed in his novel.

In the end, Matako found herself eating off Kawakami's plate. Just a little bit. She perked up when Kinu slid a tray into the oven and returned to take Takasugi's bowl from the counter.

"I've got a job for you."

"Hn?"

Matako inched closer to Takasugi. Why were they speaking so low? She was right beside them and could barely hear.

"Did you think my services were free? I want something too." Services? What sort of services? Maybe it was completely innocent and Matako was just reading too far into it. Takasugi wasn't one to be taken advantage of.

"Then the blood toll must be paid."

That didn't make any sense, but he offered a wry smirk. It wasn't even funny. The way she said it, all monotone and weird, it sounded like a threat.

"An associate is having issues with his arm. Do you actually know anything about prosthetics?"

"Hmm…" Kinu's fingers drummed against her forearm as she crossed her arms. Got out of Takasugi's space, and Matako leaned in. He looked at her, for a split second, then back at the girl.

"Maybe… You mean..?" She started to drift off in thought, but before she got too far, her eyes snapped back to the man. "Really?" Before she could ask another question, Kawakami spoke up.

"Kinu-chan, if you can pull this off, I dare say we might have to keep you."

"I think that's illegal." She said and the deaf man spied Takasugi's dark frown poking out from behind Matako's head. He snickered, disregarding the look.

"You think you can do it?" The woman asked, far more skeptical.

Kinu shrugged. She pulled a green box from under the counter and drew a pocky stick from inside. It took her a moment to respond, but when she did, it wasn't any better.

"Depends on the model, maybe? I've never seen one, so…"

"You haven't even seen one?" Matako echoed, and beside her, Takasugi draped an arm across the back of his chair. So it was a toss up. He'd try to find a shop he could work Abuto into after this. Before Matako could ask another question, the door opened, and a gust of wind burst into the store front, far cooler than the walk to the shop had been. Kamui pushed his crimson braid back over his shoulder as Abuto pulled the door shut behind them.

"This isn't a mechanic shop at all!" Kamui grinned as he walked to the counter, hand raised in a silent greeting. Abuto closed his umbrella, far wearier than he had been when Takasugi had last seen him.

"You're early, that's a surprise."

The older man motioned to his red headed captain.

"Any later and he would have taken it off himself. You have any idea how annoying he is?"

"Abuto, I was only trying to help."

"Help, my ass. Where's the mechanic?" Glancing over the store the older Yato was nearly startled by a form hovering at his side, peering straight up at him with wide blue eyes. Not moving or speaking. Just standing there.

"You're looking at her." Takasugi grinned at the uneasy frown that was cast down at the girl. She'd moved so quickly and quietly that even a Yato hadn't noticed her.

"There's food! This was a good idea, after all. I could use some earth food. And cake! Abuto, do you see the cakes?" Kamui was already perched in front of the display beside the counter. Abuto didn't know why she was staring up at him like that. Looked completely enchanted with him.

"I uh… guess I'm in your care."

The girl reached straight for his arm. Lifted it and turned it over in her hands. Seeing that the introductions were skipped, Takasugi took it upon himself to do so. He prompted Kinu to serve Kamui food before he went insane just staring at the case and reached through the glass himself, and as his group moved to the booths and various seats in the shop, Kinu cleared the bar of their empty china.

"What's that smell in here? I want that." The edge of a miniature cake rested in front of Kamui's mouth as he smiled at Kinu and she met his gaze. Even Kinu felt the heat rushing to her cheeks. He was adorable. She didn't think she liked cute guys.

"Sweet buns. They're in the oven." Kinu tried not to look at him again after seeing the first smile. Was Takasugi trying to introduce her to cute guys? To reinforce that he wasn't interested? Well, neither was she. In either of them, or Shinpachi, apparently.

Without speaking another word, the girl ran back to the house, and when she reappeared, she'd changed into baggy pants and an old loose shirt that her mother had given her specifically for her machine work. Didn't want anything on her clothes. Kamui's bowl was already empty, and she discovered that she had to set multiple dishes out for him before reclaiming her seat beside Abuto at the bar.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked, intentionally avoiding Kamui's curious blue eyes in favor of the metal arm again. Abuto stared down at the limb in question.

"Can't lift it at all. And it's shocking me. Not all the time, just every now and again, if I try to move it."

Bending his elbow, the girl hummed.

"Can you move your fingers? Make a fist." The hand clenched, and she stood, sliding the black cape from his shoulder, and brushing his ash blond hair aside for a better view of the joint socket his arm was connected to. It looked detachable, but she wasn't sure where the release lock was. Live wire work wasn't her favorite, but it was doable.

"It's a custom!" Her entire face lit up at the realization, and the older man turned back, nodding.

"Most pieces are made for humans. I needed something more durable." As he spoke, Kinu's eyes shifted over to the umbrellas perched beside him and the red headed man that showed no sign of slowing his confectionery path of destruction. Kinu only knew one other person that could eat like that. He kind of looked like her too, now that she thought about it.

"Ahbuto, you should eat. These tiny squares are really good."

Takasugi leaned back in the booth he snagged for himself, and pulled his book out. Glanced over it occasionally to watch Kinu as she ran Abuto's arm through a series of tests, like telling him to try to push until she could pinpoint when it would shock him, and eventually, until she took the tool box from behind the counter and set it down with a thud that was far too loud for its size.

It was an interesting light to see her in; with her hair pulled back, and the gray shirt that barely stayed on one shoulder. She didn't seem concerned with it. His gaze lingered on the single black strap over her shoulder.

"The main connections probably aren't damaged. It sounds like a motor…"

Abuto was staring down at her as she murmured, unnaturally chatty, though mostly to herself. A means of taking mental stock of her bases and observations. Half of what she'd said after that was lost on Takasugi.

Over his book, he eyed the way her pants cut into the loose shirt at her hips. Gave her a shape that was entirely lost in a yukata. Had she always been curvy? When Takasugi pictured her in his mind, he only thought of how delicate she looked; weightless in his mental image. Too small to even care. Now, looking at her, she had a full figure. Slender and proportionate.

Matako slipped in the seat beside him, opting for the most inconvenient spot, and he quickly averted his gaze.

"Shinsuke-sama, are you sure it was a good idea to bring them here if… If she can't…?"

Peering at the woman, Takasugi leaned onto his knee. She was partially obscuring his view. Kawakami was sitting upright, half between staring at his cellphone and watching the girl.

"Yato?"

Looking up from his fifth bowl, Kamui swallowed a mouth full of food, nodding. He smiled, despite his packed cheeks. He had rice on his face. Kinu looked away as quickly as she'd met his eyes. Why'd he keep doing that? Like some sort of smile maniac. There was no reason to smile so much.

Wrench and a flat head screwdriver in hand, she plotted her point of entry. She was silent for a moment, then looked at Kamui, while prying into Abuto's arm.

"You look like my friend. Eat like her, too."

"She a Yato?" Abuto asked, and Kinu made an affirmative sound in the back of her throat as the plate popped off his arm. Kamui's chewing slowed as Abuto glanced towards him. "Sounds like you might know this kid's sister."

"Kagura-chan?" Both men nodded, and Kinu pulled a few pieces from the wiring of the arm, careful of the way she handled them. They were still live. If she shocked herself to death in front of everybody, she'd die from embarrassment. Or the shock. As she pushed a portion of wires aside a spark jumped from the socket and she jerked her hand back. Hoped high voltage tools were good enough for this.

"Small world, hm?" The older Yato murmured as Kinu pulled an insulating pair of gloves on.

"I didn't know Kagura-chan had a brother…"

"She doin' good?"

Looking up at Abuto, Kinu tilted her head. Nodded.

Takasugi slid his chair back, just enough to see around Matako's head. Why did she need to sit there? There were plenty of other seats. Silence fell over the shop, and he narrowed his eye at the way Kinu kept glancing over to Kamui. If she knew more people than that boy, it was probably safe to assume that she also knew the figurehead between them. Which was interesting. Being friends with the girl, and Shinpachi, meant that she had to be friends with Gintoki.

How close?

Kinu couldn't have known what that meant. If she had, she wouldn't have spared more than a second on Takasugi before running. Far, and fast.

As the time ticked by, Takasugi kept the information in the forefront of his mind. He wasn't sure how to divulge the answers he needed. If he asked directly, it would be suspicious.

Kamui had gotten permission to help himself to more servings, where he put it all was beyond Takasugi, and Kawakami had taken a spot beside Kinu, frowning into the abyss of Abuto's arm and passing the girl tools as needed.

She hadn't needed to speak half the time, and Takasugi wasn't sure how they were doing it, but the moment Kinu started to turn the deaf man was already holding a tool towards her, and she'd take it. Every time. As if he instinctively knew what she'd look for next.

"Here's your problem."

Frowning, Takasugi sat up.

"It's weird that a custom was using tiny motors… these aren't strong enough, you'll wear them down in four months, tops." Setting the metal pieces on the counter, Kinu dug into the arm again, and gazed up at him. "Shock?"

Abuto jolted upright grimacing, and on the floor beside the girl, Kawakami met Takasugi's eye. His brow had set into a hard line, and over the rim of his glasses, his honey eyes were wide. Thinking the exact same thing as Takasugi. That wasn't a normal level of skill.

"Loose wire." Kinu murmured, and Kamui walked up behind her, bending towards the arm for a better view beside Kawakami.

"Huh, that little thing took Abuto out?"

"Don't be stupid, I wasn't taken out, I was uncomfortable."

Kinu lifted the shell of the arm, and turned towards her toolbox before glancing over the room, then back to the man. "Hold this."

Abuto complied, and she ducked down to the box, didn't even ask Kawakami for assistance.

"What you really need is…" She pushed the tools aside, rustling around and placing them on the floor. Whatever she was looking for wasn't there and Kinu didn't say a word before jogging back into the house, and leaving Abuto holding his arm up.

"This kinda thing normally takes forever… Usually, I gotta leave my arm for a few days, and it's always a bitch. That's a hell of a mechanic you got there." He said down to Kawakami, and the deaf man rocked to his feet, hands in his pockets as he glanced over the open metal casing.

"Seems so." He said back, and as he started to turn the door opened again. Kinu emerged lugging a wicker basket full of what looked like grease smeared metal scraps into the room. She paused to remove the tray of food from the oven, then set the basket down, digging through as Kawakami stood over her.

"Kinu-chan, where did you get all of this?" Without looking up, the girl murmured back.

"Scrapyard…" When she found two parts identical to the ones she pulled out the prosthetic, but larger, Kinu raised back to Abuto's arm, eyeing the amount of space between the wires. It looked like a good fit. Snug, but workable.

"All of it? Aren't there dangerous people there? Most scrappers I know are shady at best."

Tilting her head, Kinu hummed once.

"Twist enough arms, and the guys leave you alone. Usually."

That earned a snicker from Abuto, and as Kinu dug into his arm again, he motioned to her with his head.

"It's refreshing to see someone show their true nature on the outside for a change."

Meeting the man's gaze, Kinu paused. She wasn't sure what to make of it. So she pursed her lips and continued. A compliment?

"What? I'm always showing my true nature!" Shoving a rice ball into his mouth, Kamui received a dry stare from Abuto.

"Yeah, well, to actual people a smile is friendly, not I'm about to murder you, idiot."

Refreshing. Kinu had never been called refreshing before. She decided that it was definitely a compliment.

Yato created a lot more force than humans when they hit or did regular things. The motors had been worn away by friction, but with the ones she had, Abuto would be good as new. She took a pair of pliers, and started the process of stringing up the motors. One on each side of the elbow joint. She pinched off the live wire that had been stinging him before wrapping it in an insulating layer of electrical tape, then she patched him up. Put him back together.

When the arm was in one piece, Kinu tensely stood beside Abuto, hands clenched over her chest. Too nervous to face the moment of truth. She braced herself, looking over the arm again. Over the shoulder joint, and the motors she'd taken out, hoping she hadn't gotten ahead of herself and forgotten something.

"Okay, try it."

The man leaned back and looked down at his arm. He brought his palm to his shoulder, then back down, and Kamui grinned as Abuto sighed in relief. A heavy hand landed on Kinu's head, and one of her eyes closed as he patted her once, smiling.

"Good work, kid. You really saved me there, thanks." He was still examining his metal arm, turning and lifting it. Rotating it, to be on the safe side, and Kinu stared up at him red faced, as he stood.

"You're welcome…" Staring down at the floor, Kinu twisted her foot, and linked her hands behind her back. He was really nice. Called her refreshing, then told her all those nice things. Like good job. And thanks.

"Huh. Looks like the food is gone, too..." Kamui had cleaned the place out. Hadn't left a single crumb behind. Apparently, even the burning hot sweet buns hadn't been spared. It was the most business Kinu had in a month, and she had no complaints. Especially when they actually paid.

Catching Kawakami's gaze again, Takasugi stood. That wasn't what he expected. It was damn near impossible. Why was she even in that school if she was already perfectly capable? If she was going to breeze through something he expected to challenge her, he'd find another job for her. Something more demanding. The entire group was up chatting, but Abuto walked back to Kinu.

"You got a number? Just in case?"

People were asking for her phone number now. If Gintoki saw her he'd be proud. She had a social life, the JUMP was working, and she made money. Still bright red, the girl nodded and took her phone out. She displayed it for him to see and copy the digits.

Words didn't work anymore. She was overwhelmed with something bubbly, and felt as light as a feather, so she stood there, watching everybody from the corner of her eyes. It was a dream come true. The coolest thing she'd seen in ages.

She drifted to her toolbox and sat on the floor beside it, placing everything back as she ran the experience over again in her mind. Her mother was going to have a heart attack when she saw the day's profits.

"Does she want anything?" Abuto asked, and Takasugi peered at the girl's back.

"I don't think she's even listening." Matako said.

"Kinu," She didn't respond to the sound of her name, and the one eyed man broke away from the small group. He kneeled beside her when he was close enough. Then the girl looked straight at him, and he paused. She was smiling. It was a full, clear expression. Natural. "Do you want anything? For your work?"

From the way she tilted her head, Takasugi didn't think she was aware of the expression. He wasn't even sure she'd heard him. Then she held up a gloved hand.

"Five boxes of mint pocky."

Flowers were practically radiating around the girl, and Takasugi blinked at her. Okay then. He shook his head at the Yato duo, averting his eye. She might as well have been glowing. Why did he think that was cute? How cheap. It was absurd; did she not understand how much she could charge for something like that? A few of those and her family would be in the green, no matter the amount of debt crushing them.

"I'll get you your pocky." He murmured down to Kinu, then left her be. She was being weird and he needed to get away from her. He rejoined the group near the door. "This one's on me. For your assistance." Not only had she surpassed his expectations, she'd made him look good. Made all of them look good. Kamui and Abuto looked pleased with the arrangement, and exchanged a glance as Takasugi smirked at them. "Let us know if there are any issues. I'm sure she'd be happy to take another look at that arm of yours."

"Yeah, I took her number. Never know when I'll need a hand."

The girl behind Takasugi snickered, and he glanced back, only to see her holding her gloves in front of her mouth. Her shoulders shook, and a wall of hair cut her off from view as she turned her head.

"A hand…" The snickering grew louder, and Abuto frowned as a large grin branched across Kamui's face and he started to crack up as well.

"Really? Both of you? Puns now, you nincompoop?" Rolling his eyes, Abuto propped the door open with his newly repaired arm. He opened his umbrella, followed by Kamui. "Just let us know when. If your plans fall through. We'll have preparations in order in a few days."

"Cause you have one hand. Get it?" Kamui was saying, and Abuto sighed. He tossed a weary look at Takasugi, and rolled his eyes again.

The moment the door closed behind them, Takasugi turned to the girl. She stood as he walked towards her, and with just a few steps between them he remembered the rest of his group. The prying eyes fixed on his back. Were they staying?

If Takasugi was going to punish her, he was going to reward her equally, and it'd be hard to reward her with them sticking their noses in his personal business.

"So… Kinu-chan… where'd you learn to do that?" Matako moved between Takasugi and the girl. Cut him off half way. Kinu's eyes jumped between them, but she lugged her toolbox onto a stool and took the broken motors to a trash bin.

"I've been trying to build my own android for a while now..." She murmured.

"An entire android? For what?"

"Uh… things…" Makeup. It was for makeup, but Kinu didn't want to admit it. That way, when her hair was styled and her makeup was all dewy and perfect, people would think she had her life together and wasn't cheating.

"Ever considered doing that full time? Instead of this?" Kawakami asked, and Kinu nodded. "Why aren't you?"

"When my parents can run this shop alone, I will." As soon as the girl lifted her toolbox again, Kawakami started to reach for it, but Takasugi was the one that pulled it from her hands. Shot the deaf man a clear look. That was friendly enough. He certainly wasn't letting Kawakami walk up to Kinu's room alone to use his weird psychic tool connection on her.

Kinu hoisted her basket of parts up and started back towards the house. Just as the sound of the toolbox had implied, it was impossibly heavy, and it was a wonder the girl had been able to carry it at all.

Still on a cloud as she thought up a mental blueprint for the arm she'd seen, Kinu put her basket down to shut the door to the shop behind them. She turned back, and her breath caught at the sudden closeness of the man, and the way his hand hovered by her side as if he would tug her nearer, or bridge the space between them.

"You did well."

She was obviously misreading the situation.

Meeting his olive eye, Kinu hummed her thanks. She tried not to look at him, but even when she lowered her gaze, and subsequently, her head, she was overly aware of the steep line of his yukata. It wasn't like that. She knew it wasn't and she was still ogling him. He was just telling her that her work as a mechanic was decent. Being nice. She intended to look up at him but her eyes immediately set on the upturned corner of his mouth again.

Why was his hand still there? Was it a high five? Or, rather, a low five? Kinu decided that's what it was, and that it was there because Takasugi didn't want her to leave him hanging. So she smacked her palm into his, and his attention immediately dropped to his hand. He was frowning. As if he was confused.

"Did you just..?"

Oh god, she was wrong, it wasn't a low five.

"Uh… I can-" Slipping past him, she grabbed the handle of the toolbox. Takasugi faced her as she tugged the box up, and backed towards the stairs. "I can manage." She didn't want to be alone with him like that again. What was wrong with her!? Of course it wasn't a low five! She was still attracted to him, even if he didn't like women, and that was her own fault, but that stupid display of friendly excitement was possibly the most painful thing she'd ever had to escape.

Eyeing the girl, Takasugi watched as she started up the stairs. Didn't look back at him.

What had just happened? Why hadn't he been able to touch her? He'd hesitated at the last second, and wasn't sure what had stopped him. It had never been an issue before. Hell, he could touch anybody he wanted, it wasn't like he was actually doing anything. And why on earth had she high-fived him? The sound of her footsteps grew distant as she reached the second floor, and the man peered down at the tan basket she'd left by the door.

Why the hell had he frozen?