Rejection always stung. Takasugi was used to shitty life occurrences, but that didn't make it any easier. He didn't chase anybody. Didn't want to. It was too much work, and he didn't care for women, or people in general. They always brought the same garbage along with them. Drama, meaningless drivel, and a cold indifference that was entirely self absorbed. There was no room for anything else.
This particular night, he'd forgone cups in favor of the entire bottle. Ignored the looks he received over dinner, then the prying gaze of his friend as he listened to the familiar melody being plucked across Kawakami's shamisen.
Gintoki was, once again, too powerful.
He'd never thought it'd be the case as adults. Never thought he'd win again, let alone in a completely different way. Prove his superiority. How could Takasugi best him if he couldn't even confront the problem?
He pulled out his pipe. Went to fill it with tobacco, but it dropped to the tatami under his toes. A second was spent, staring at it. Recalibrating until he reached down to retrieve the pipe in question, but the music screeched to a halt.
"Shinsuke, that's the second bottle."
Ignoring the words, Takasugi shifted. Resituated himself on the window perch.
"Drinking is fine, but you're wasted."
He wasn't. He'd just dropped it. People dropped things occasionally.
Where had the week gone? Takasugi couldn't think of anything productive aside form the meeting with Amagi, and had that even counted as productive? It had been a bust. He'd been increasingly uneasy the entire time. Stared at Kinu's empty pillow on the left side of his bed nearly every time he'd gotten in it until he resolved to push the damn thing over the edge and erase it from his mind.
It didn't help that he kept scrolling through their conversations. Rereading articles and charts that still made no sense.
"Shinsuke." Kawakami's voice finally garnered his attention. He met the man's gaze, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "If it bothers you that much I can talk to her."
"Do I look like I care about some stupid girl?" Bleary eyed, Takasugi lolled forward to prop his elbow on his knee. "This is great. It's easier this way. Saves me the trouble of preparing to leave."
Kawakami's chin dipped lower, and he eyed the man over his glasses. Remained silent. It took some time for him to speak again, but when he did, Takasugi waved him off.
"Maybe she ran because of the boy. Kinu-chan still talks to me. I could call her."
"Courtesans are simpler. "
Another uncomfortable moment passed, but Kawakami decided to set his shamisen down and fully engage. Talking was easy when it came to Takasugi but getting a real answer was pulling teeth.
"Would you consider yourself a simple man, Shinsuke?"
Takasugi tilted his bottle upwards again, then held it in front of himself. Shook it, eyeing the frosted bottom. Empty. He set it down on the tatami, devoid of expression as he turned to the table. Eyed the bottle Kawakami had placed off center after filling his own cup.
"You gotta point, Bansai? Or are you trying to piss me off?"
"If you're comfortable with the current situation, I see no reason to deny Amagi his dream wife. Kinu-chan forgave you for kidnapping her the first time, so we should arrange a second. Set an official viewing for them." Pushing himself to his feet, Kawakami pulled out his phone. He ignored the dark shadow that fell across Takasugi's face as he propped the phone against his ear. Turned his back.
"Ah, Kinu-chan, you're still up."
Takasugi wasn't falling for that. There was no way Kawakami was actually calling her. He was bluffing. Kinu never answered her phone that quickly. He took the bottle from the table while the man wasn't looking. Replaced it with its empty twin to settle back against the window and watch the pathetic charade.
"Hmm, yes. I've heard a bit about that. About our previous message; Shinsuke is actually pleased with the arrangement. I assure you it won't be an issue, so if you'll meet me in the morning…"
Rolling his eye, Takasugi screwed the cap back on his drink. Kawakami turned back to him, phone to his ear and grinning over his shoulder.
"Pineapple?" The hairs on the back of Takasugi's neck rose. Kawakami couldn't possibly be talking to her! Since when had they exchanged numbers?! "Ha, you got that right. Shinsuke isn't a family man in the slightest, but that boy seems wholesome. He'd probably be a better option, but don't tell Shinsuke I said that."
What was he doing?! He was trying to sabotage Takasugi! Filling Kinu's head with weird ideas!
"Bansai…" The deaf man didn't acknowledge him.
"Oh he'd be awful with kids… Ah, is he there now? We can do this later. Just call me back after you two finish." Kawakami nodded as Kinu murmured back to him, seemingly tucked out of the way and shielding her voice from her company. He heard the distinct sound of metal. Ignored it as he walked across the room and retrieved his cup, but he felt the man stalking him from behind. "What is that? A cake? Maybe next time I pop in I'll try some of your new menu. The coffee looked really good. Not at all, feel free to send me as many pictures as you want. Mm, later."
Kawakami sipped his sake. Finished the cup before facing the boiling pot of rage behind him. Sword at his side, Takasugi glared up at him.
"What the hell was that?"
Blank faced, Kawakami ignored the blade hanging beside the man. He shrugged, and felt his mouth curving as Takasugi trailed him with his eyes. Watched him grab the sake from the window sill.
"Oh, nothing. Kinu-chan is open to meeting Amagi to talk about marriage. We'll do it in the morning, while you're asleep. To keep things organized."
"Excuse me? You think I'll just- just lay down and take that?! You went behind my back and told her already?! What else have you said, Bansai? When the hell did you two get so friendly?! What else have you been doing?!"
Kawakami lifted his newly filled cup, grinning to himself as Takasugi tightened his grasp on his sword. Took a step forward.
It seemed Kawakami had misjudged the amount of anger he'd been stirring up, but Takasugi was definitely trying to angle himself to cut him down in one swipe. The way he was inching closer, rounding his side with his sword hovering over the tatami was a dead give away.
"No need to pretend, Shinsuke. You were right, courtesans are more your style."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Don't avoid my questions, you filthy traitor! I know you were just waiting for her to dump me from the start! This is all a facade, isn't it? You want her too, don't you?!" the sword was pointed at Kawakami. Waved in his face." I saw you looking at her skirt! Now you're encouraging that Amagi bull shit, and telling her that prepubescent boy is better than me so you can swoop in and take her when it fails!"
"Interesting hypothesis, Shinsuke, but I don't like teenagers." Turning his head, Kawakami staved off a wave of laughter. "You got me, I'm planning to seduce Kinu-chan as soon as she realizes you were never cut out for a serious relationship. I figure she'll get bored of that boy, and after this deal is out of the way, you'll kill Amagi for me." The one eyed man's face was steadily turning red. His eye was wide, and a vein bulged in his neck. "I was going to wait for our mission to be completed. Then I'll come back, settle down, and start a family. Kinu-chan will wait for me if I ask her, I'm sure."
What came next was an explosion of Kawakami's name. He ducked out of the way of the blade swinging towards him, and took the bottle with him. Another swipe came his way and he easily avoided it. Had ruffled Takasugi enough to make him sloppy, on top of the alcohol.
"I can't believe I trusted you! After all these years! Matako isn't enough for you?! I'm so sick of this world- One thing! I want one thing, is that so much to ask?!"
The point of Takasugi's sword was thrust at Kawakami, and he ducked back. Didn't think he needed to draw his own blade yet, but if Takasugi continued, he'd be forced.
Panting, the one eyed man turned to glare at him. He still had a few stabs in him.
"What's wrong Shinsuke? You wanted the truth didn't you? I thought you said this was fine; you're finished with her, right?"
Takasugi's sword came down, and Kawakami narrowly avoided the sorry fate that met the table. It split in two. Caved inward and fluff poured out of the pillow beside it.
"I didn't say you could have her! Luring her in with that disgusting baby talk and your stupid family drivel!" He sneered the words, and Kawakami laughed back. Waved a hand towards him as if something was actually funny.
"You don't know anything about kids." The deaf man stated, and insult rippled across Takasugi's face.
"I know things! I would be great with kids! Better than you!"
Again, Kawakami laughed. He turned away, and Takasugi's head tilted to the side as he glared at the man. So now he was laughing at him? Thought he was better than Takasugi, despite being the lowest of the low? Had the audacity to doubt Takasugi's ability to cut him down where he stood?
"Whatever you say, Shinsuke. We can settle this in the morning. Kinu-chan probably won't call back tonight, she's on a movie date with a boy."
"What?" The statement knocked him back a step. Takasugi nearly dropped his sword as he gasped at his so called friend. At the ridiculously lax way he was handling Kinu and condoning environments that encouraged promiscuity.
"Why, he's probably already reaching for second base. I'm sure he won't get far, unless she initiates… But I don't think Kinu-chan is that kind of girl." Kawakami smirked the words, and the wind was knocked out of Takasugi.
She initiated all the time! Kinu wasn't even shy about it! She'd have her way with that boy and take his soul along with his virginity. At first, Takasugi had thought Kinu would be more clingy after they'd done what they had. He expected her to get obsessive, like most virgins did, but he was fully convinced that she'd done the opposite. Only used him as a bed warmer, as he'd done her, but this was different!
That boy would be all over her in a dark theater! Make Takasugi's attention completely irrelevant; he couldn't let her realize that kid liked her back. Takasugi didn't say a single word before he turned on his heel and slammed the door. Behind him, Kawakami exploded into a fit of laughter, and he'd deal with him later. Kill him when he got back.