Kinu felt like death. The moment she became aware of the hazy world around her, she was positive that the grim reaper himself had possessed her body, and to add insult to injury, taken a dump in her mouth. Her head was pounding, and her first instinct upon waking was to retch. If she had ever wanted to die, this was the time. She sat up, squinting, and her eyes fixed on a single gray dot on her pillow. A coin.
Then it hit her.
Though her body felt as though she'd run a twenty mile marathon, she fought her covers away and made a dash for the bathroom.
"It sounds like she's awake- Ki, you have a visitor!" Ai was standing in the miniature kitchen between Kinu and her goal. She rushed past, not even looking at either of the forms in the room.
God, why would Gintoki be there now? Her mom hadn't even confronted her yet, but she spoke so cheerfully, Kinu wondered if she was in trouble. The person leaving the doorway of the bathroom was nearly knocked aside without a second glance.
Kinu didn't even bother to close the door before throwing herself over the toilet and clinging to it as though her life depended on it. And it did. She was positive that if she hadn't made it she would keel over. Throw up on her bed and the stuffed animal she'd been clinging to, and then where would she be? Mister Hatchin didn't deserve that; he was an innocent party.
How could her father do that every day?
She'd just spewed the entire contents of her empty stomach into the toilet. Got nothing but a sickly yellow pool of stomach acid that made her breath worse. Her entire body was shaking, even though she was burning up. Never again. Flushing the toilet, Kinu turned her head to avoid the smell.
"O- Onii-chan-" The footsteps in the kitchen paused. Then, as Gintoki realized she wasn't moving, he started back towards her. Walked to the doorway, but she couldn't look at him. She was already dry heaving again. Wanted to end it all. He must have been laughing at her. Waving a victorious flag around, and just waiting to say I told you so.
"My, my. I leave you alone for one night and you're following in your father's footsteps."
Kinu didn't have the energy to do anything but bury her face in the pristine toilet bowl. That wasn't Gintoki. Her stomach tensed again, and she prayed for air. To stop convulsing and regain control of her body. For Takasugi to drop dead, or leave her to the consequences of her own actions. He did the opposite. Walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind himself. Instead, the man opened the window and sat against the cabinets beside her, and she was dully aware of a bag at his side.
"Oi!" The door was snatched open, and Takasugi glared at the source of it. So Gintoki was there. Why were they both watching Kinu dry heave? Couldn't they go somewhere else? "Don't just close the door-"
"Dear, your breakfast is getting cold!" Beyond the doorway, Ai called to Gintoki and he glanced back.
"Ma, she's vulnerable in here! He just closed the door-"
Before he could continue, Takasugi stood and grasped the wooden edge of the frame. He pushed Gintoki's head back. And the silver haired samurai used his blocky forehead to try to force his way in. Kinu couldn't face the shoving match, but the sound was making her sick. When she heaved again, Gintoki's hand clapped over his mouth and he echoed the sound.
Wide eyed Takasugi stepped back.
"Don't start doing it too! Get out!"
Slamming the door in his face, Takasugi clicked the lock. As the door rattled, and a stream of swears drifted through the door, a low female tone erupted beyond. Finally earned him some peace. The one eyed man reclaimed his spot against the counter, looking down on Kinu's withering form.
"You're worse off than I expected."
Why was he talking? It was making her more sick. Just hearing him, and the morning birds outside. The light was excruciating. Her eyes hurt just as much as the rest of her. Panting into the toilet, Kinu managed to strain a few words out.
"There's- nothing in my stomach- I didn't eat yester-" The contraction of Kinu's sides cut in, and she didn't know how Takasugi could sit in there unfazed, because if it had been Gintoki he would have been throwing up with her. She was desperate here. Why was he watching her?
"Not fun, is it? You thought alcohol would be different?" Takasugi's voice was lower this time. Almost tolerable. "Take this."
Kinu could barely turn her head. Looked towards the dark haired man, and the sword perched against the counter beside him. A yellow oval pill rested in his palm. In his lap, a prescription bottle with no label laid, cap off. It looked illegal, but Kinu was willing to try anything. Even if it was cyanide, she would have taken it. As she reached towards his offering, Takasugi pulled his hand back.
"Actually…" He dug his thumb nail into the pill and snapped it in half. Only gave her the piece remaining in his hand. "Just this."
Kinu took the pill. Gagged again as he handed her an open bottle of green liquid.
"Can- what if I can't keep it down?"
"I'm a very capable man, Kitten. Trust me." It was true. She should have known it by now. It would make her high as hell; but she wouldn't feel hungover, and she'd be able to keep food down. Exactly what she needed. Beyond the door, Ai was making breakfast. Something nice and greasy to fill her up. The woman was a saint, because she'd been putting up with him and Gintoki for the past half hour and hadn't lost her smile yet. He glanced at the girl as she did as instructed. Tossed the pill and drink back. Then handed the drink back to him so he could resituate the top.
After being up all night sorting out business and exactly how Sasaki felt about a temporary member of his group, Takasugi had been able to scrounge up a few things to bring to the girl. Sasaki had been partial in his response, but obviously opposed. He'd agree in a pinch, but wasn't to be relied on.
Takasugi knew Kinu would be half dead after what he'd seen. She was still slouched over the toilet. Hadn't moved, but wasn't heaving anymore. A good sign. Seeing that she was waiting for the drug to fully kick in, he pocketed the other half of the pill and started on the next part of his plan. She needed to smoke. Work up an appetite. The weed he'd stolen from her would do perfectly, and as she sat there, he pulled a bag from his pocket and started working on a joint. Nothing much. Nothing out of the ordinary, but as he folded the edges over on themselves and licked the paper to seal them, the girl turned towards him. Eyes half lidded, and surrounded by dark circles.
"I'll give you a chance to explain yourself before I get angry."
Completely spent, Kinu managed to meet the man's sidelong glance. She was in trouble? But that wasn't fair. She was sick. He couldn't punish her while she was sick, that had to be against some rules.
"I just wanted…" Pausing, Kinu swallowed the painful convulsion of her stomach. Tried to will more words to surface in her fuzzy head. "My dad to tell me more stories-" Again, her body betrayed her, and she strained the rest of the words out in a single rush of air. "and go over my tea form with me for my next job."
The man didn't look up from his task. He worked as if she hadn't spoken.
"God- the gunshot- Shinsuke nobody else knows but it hurts." Nearly in tears, Kinu squeezed her palm into her shoulder, and the man sighed. All that gagging wasn't doing her any favors. He wouldn't be surprised if it was bleeding.
As Takasugi handed the cigar off to Kinu, she weakly accepted. Stared down at the perfect little cigarette, well aware that she should marvel at it. Barely able to, but wondering how he had gotten it into a flawless cylinder, with no marks, dents, or discrepancies. Again.
The man lifted his pipe to his lips, and his eye met hers. Wondering what she would say or do. Kinu propped the joint between her lips and accepted Takasugi's offer of his pipe. Ignited it with the still burning ember of his tobacco as he licked the remnants of weed from his lips and chewed them. Seemed to have no qualms with her hugging the toilet and silently cursing her entire existence.
"Why is he here?" Kinu asked, when she was sure that she wouldn't need to bury her face in the toilet again.
"Do you remember last night?"
Frowning, she peered into the bowl under her arms. Felt a gag that was never completed and rested in the back of her throat.
"Last night? Dad said he'd help if I could hold my liquor. Did I?"
Though Takasugi was frowning, Kinu waited for a positive response. Something to tell her she'd done a good job. He slowly shook his head.
"If you have to ask, the answer is obvious…" The next series of words made Kinu want to drown herself in the toilet. Takasugi told her, in excruciating, dry detail, exactly how much she hadn't been able to hold anything, including herself. She'd kept grabbing him in front of Gintoki, and exactly what he meant by grabbing was left to interpretation, because he snickered when she groaned and buried her face in her arms.
She did remember one thing, though. Takasugi was awful with women. He didn't tell her that, but she knew. Gintoki had practically screamed the story in her ear.
"And I thought I felt better…" Kinu murmured, stretching her arm across the toilet seat. Smoke poured from her lips, and Takasugi looked at the window across from him. From his perspective, they were even. She had already proven her usefulness with her repairs, and her half finished work on his ship. He'd gotten her involved in some unsavory dealings, and she'd only been helping him from the start. Offering herself as something to pass the time or take his frustration out on.
"Can you eat?"
Frowning at the man, Kinu closed her eyes. She really wanted to sleep, actually. Her throat was burning still, and though she wasn't shaking or overheating anymore, food seemed questionable.
"Maybe… I'm tired… Can I steal your bed?"
"Don't be a baby. It's just a hangover." A grin was already taking Takasugi as Kinu slowly turned to glare at him. "Put that out, and join us. And change your bandages." The man pushed himself up, and placed the bag that had been by his side on the counter. Left the bathroom without another word. Kinu did as told. She still felt like she needed to throw up a little. Her stomach was sour, and her head was foggy. But this time, the drink he had given her was something safe to fall back on, and it didn't hurt as much. She managed to brush her teeth. Her hair was too much though. So she left it a mess and pulled it back into a bun as she eased her way out of the door. Bacon was the first thing to hit her.
Then Gintoki, eyeing her as she entered the room. It didn't feel real as she passed her mother and took a seat between them, until she looked at the silver haired samurai on the other side of her. Still there.
"O- onii-chan?"
"You drink so much you can't recognize me anymore?" His tone was unnaturally low and littered with the edges of hostility she expected of Takasugi when she annoyed him. Not Gintoki. "Got something you wanna tell me?"
Ai smiled at the girl. Placed a full plate of toast, eggs, and bacon in front of her.
"Oh, honey. Gin told me what happened."
Kinu tore her eyes from her brother's. Takasugi still hadn't said exactly why Gintoki was there. Sighing into the food, Kinu poked it with her chopsticks. They expected her to eat this? No rice? No yellow miso? Just the greasy, heavy foods staring up at her? It was gross, but smelled so good.
"You shouldn't let your father talk you into things like that. I know you only wanted his help, but it's not worth it. Not if it's like this…" Ai lifted an empty plate from in front of Gintoki and a bowl from in front of Takasugi.
Of course Gintoki had told on her. He'd definitely taken her home though, and aside from all of the questions swirling around in her head, one stood out.
"Did you put a coin on my pillow?"
"What? You think I got coins to spare?" Gintoki dismissively waved a hand at her and raised his glass, sipping the frothy pink liquid inside. Her mother must have made fresh strawberry milk for him.
Still frowning, Kinu raised her toast to her mouth and Takasugi murmured to her mother.
"Is your husband back in?"
"Goodness, no. Who knows where he passed out. I can hardly keep up with him, you know. Since he's come back it's always been like this."
Ignoring the idle chit chat, Kinu realized that she was ravenous. That one bite of bread had been enough to do it. After crunching through it, Kinu dug into the rest of her plate, amazed that she could keep down even a bite. Her stomach wasn't sour anymore. Just empty. What had Takasugi given her? It had to be illegal.
"She was about twelve then. And he was maybe… twenty? A friend said he'd needed the work, so I pounced on it; it's not easy being a single mother, you know? So Gin here started babysitting. He'd pick her up from temple school, take her to defense lessons, then wait at the house with her until I-"
"Ma, don't entertain him. This is exactly what I asked you about, why are you two so chummy now?!"
Giggling, Ai waved a hand towards Gintoki.
"Oh, honey, you said suspicious samurai that were a danger to Ki. He's a nice boy." She patted Takasugi's shoulder, and he grinned at the silver haired samurai.
"You hear that, Gintoki? I'm a nice boy."
"Don't try to play innocent! Just cause you tricked them doesn't mean they won't realize it!"
"He's a welcomed guest in this home, Dear." Still smiling, Ai folded her hands in front of her lap.
"But Ma! He's evil!"
"Gintoki that's a really mean thing to say about your friend. Apologize to him."
The silver haired samurai glared at Takasugi. Gritted his teeth at the smug grin that hadn't moved an inch since it'd taken place..
"You heard her. Apologize." Purring the words, Takasugi held his pipe in front of his face.
"No way! He's not my friend! I'm not apologizing for anything, he's a murderer!" The words did nothing to knock some sense into the people around him. Kinu gulped down the green sports drink she'd been nursing since the bathroom, and instead of seeing the light, Ai took hold of Takasugi's shoulders.
"Dear!" She hugged the man into her stomach, as if shielding him from the words, and after casting a single frown up at her he was back to smirking past the sick girl. "Everybody in this house has done what they had to do to get where they are. This is a no judgement zone, Mister!"
"What? No, but Ma! I mean real murder! Real murder!" Slamming his half empty glass on the counter, Gintoki shouted the words back, and Takasugi turned his head.
"Oh, Gintoki… My feelings."
"Don't touch the murderer, Ma! I already said we aren't friends! There was this thing with swords, it was all dramatic! People were there, and- and there were Amanto!"
"Well if there were that many swords and Amanto of course there were disagreements." Still smiling, the woman returned to her spot behind the table and reached for a kettle.
"... That's not how it-"
"Shut up Onii-chan! Why are you yelling in my ear?!" Snapping back, Kinu covered her mouth. Was she sick again? She sat there, waiting for confirmation from her body, but when no other signals came, and her insides stopped churning, she deemed herself safe. A moment passed before Ai continued, focused on Takasugi.
"When Riku came back I just couldn't… We thought he'd been dead… But Gintoki was a huge life saver. He's the perfect son, why, I just know he'll be a huge help with the rest of the chores today, and he's even going to take a look at the roof next tuesday-"
"Oi… Are you volunteering me without even asking?"
Ignoring the man, Ai placed a tray of cookies in front of him.
"He never refuses to help us, because he knows how hard it is, being two women, all on our own."
Gintoki took a cookie from the tray, squinting up at the woman as he bit into it.
"You didn't say anything about the roof!"
"And what about you, Takasugi-san? Are you going to help him look at the roof?"
Blank faced, the one eyed man stared up at Ai. So that's how it was? Pulling the innocent, helpless women card?
"No."
A shrill whistle broke through the air, and Gintoki jumped. Kinu, on the other hand, was squinting at her mother. Humming under her breath, Ai turned to the tea kettle on the stove and cut the heat.
"Such a shame. Poor Ki, a leak is probably almost to her room, now. What was it on the news yesterday? Black lung from mold?"
"No that's the coal miner thing, Ma."
"Oh, right. Silly me." Ai set a cup in front of Takasugi and one in front of Kinu.
"If you're that desperate, I can pay someone to look at it." Glaring at the woman, Takasugi felt his lips quirking into a smirk. She wasn't fooling him with that.
"No, no, of course not. We only lost a single panel in the storm last week, Gin is perfectly capable of replacing it." Giggling, Ai filled the cups on the table with water.
Then why did she even bring it up?!
"Honey, why don't you ask him to help you practice? Takasugi-san, you seem cultured. How do you feel about traditional arts?" Kinu was the first to respond.
"No. I couldn't focus if he was there. I need the notes." Glancing down at the girl, the one eyed man watched her push her empty plate forward and plop her head onto the counter.
"I have a certain appreciation for traditionalism in most places, but I wouldn't consider it the bulk of my preferences."
Gintoki snorted under his breath, and Takasugi glared at him.
"Well, she's got to decorate for a sort of… She needs ideas that would appeal to patriots-"
"No, I don't." Speaking up, Kinu waved her hand at her mother. "I read a lot. Think I know what I'm doing." She had an outfit, a menu, and would practice making sweets later. "I need to finish my music lessons with Kawakami-san, and I need to find those notes."
"Kawakami-san? You're just reeling her in, aren't you? She's gonna see right through you."
Not even bothering to look at Gintoki, Takasugi raised his tea to his mouth. He snaked an arm around the girl and she frowned down at it as her chair scooted towards his. Then she looked at Gintoki. His eye was twitching.
"What are you doing?!" Gintoki yanked Kinu's chair back, but her side stayed pressed into Takasugi's. He finally set his eye on the man, seething.
What was his problem? She was sick!
Pushing against Takasugi's side, Kinu tried to right herself, but her arm was snagged and pulled towards Gintoki.
"Friends don't cuddle, let her go!"
"Clearly, you've never had proper friends. You let go."
"Both of you let go!" Scooting out of her chair, Kinu got a foot on the ground and pulled herself away. A loud smack, snapped them from their tug of war, and the men turned towards Ai as kinu wiggled herself free and retreated behind the table, glaring at them.
"My baby girl is sick, and you two can't set your differences aside for one day? What's wrong with you?" The woman protectively wrapped her in her arms, equally stern. "She's super cuddly when she's sick. You'll have to take turns." As Ai rocked the girl to the side, Kinu pushed against her stomach.
"Mom!"
"You can feed her soup, and dress her up, and she'll keep asking if you're leaving her, it's really cute, Takasugi-san."
"Ma don't tell him that!"
"Whose side are you on?!" Kinu managed to break free of the woman, and leaned over the sink, gagging. Ai waved a hand towards the girl, and laughed when Takasugi's mouth twitched into a strained smirk.
"Assuming you like the extra clingy, don't leave my side or I'll pout and tear up type."
"I'm gonna kill you…" Kinu muttered, earning another laugh from Ai. The one eyed man paid them no attention. Sipped his tea, and patted a napkin to his lips.
"You trying to auction her off?! He's a criminal!" Gintoki stood, walking behind the table as the woman snickered again.
"Takasugi-san, is that a blush? Are you-"
"What kind of mother are you!?" The man snapped the words back at her, and for once, Gintoki was on his side.
"A terrible one! She's using underhanded tricks, don't listen to her! Ki is mean when she's sick! She'll hit you!"
"Oh, when are you gonna let that go?! I was fourteen! You dropped soup on my covers and tried to make me sleep like that!" Turning to face Gintoki, Kinu rushed to get the words out, but Ai was already waving them away. She snickered again, and grasped Kinu's shoulders.
"I'll check his set for the notes, dear. It's in the crawlspace." Raising a brow, Ai smiled at her daughter. Placed a hand on her head. "You should rest today, though. Get some more sleep."
"No, I can't be sick, there isn't enough time."
"Kitten, listen to your mother. There's always tomorrow."
"Kitten? What kind of sick friend name is that, huh?"
Takasugi met Gintoki's sour gaze, equally annoyed.
Devoid of expression, Kinu finally straightened from where she'd been leaning over the sink. Took a slow breath.
"I feel better now. It's fine. I'd like your help with something else though, later Sh-... Ta-kun."
Both men were eyeing Kinu. She didn't know why it had come out like that. She'd started to say his given name, then went for his family name and it had clipped so she went with it. Now, Gintoki was squinting at both of them, and Takasugi was giving her a look that did nothing to hide his irritation. But he'd done stupid things too! He'd slipped up and called her Kitten! A little nickname based on his name wasn't anything compared to that!
After the garden, she was going to put the finishing touches on his ship, meet Kawakami for another lesson, and then she needed to practice making tea sweets, and choose a design for them. It wasn't much. Quickly, as if already sensing the intrusion, she turned to Gintoki. "Alone."
Gintoki met her eye, and the expression drained from his face. He only looked for a moment before sighing.
"I gotta take a leak." The man padded to the hallway. Still watching them the entire way as though he expected them to break out into suspicious behavior the moment he left the room. Humming under his breath, Takasugi tapped the ashes from his pipe. He met Ai's gaze, and offered a sickly sweet smile.
"Tell your husband I'm looking for him."
"He's probably hiding in some dark hole. Anytime somebody asks him to do something he leaves for a few weeks to a month. Or until he needs cash. No telling with him, really." The woman shrugged, and Takasugi glanced at Kinu for confirmation. She was in her own world, scrolling through the calendar of her phone. Typing something. "Should I tell him you're looking for him or his head?" The woman raised a brow, and her mouth curved back at him, just as sugary.
"Would it make a difference? Rather, would it offend your delicate sensitivities?"
Chuckling under her breath, Ai leaned onto the table. She stubbed her cigarette into the ashtray between them, exhaling a cloud of smoke as her fingertips walked across the surface.
"My delicate sensitivities are a lot harder to offend than a simple, mature discussion between two responsible adult men that have no intention of killing one another… Or maybe you'd like to admit the crime before it happens? Tell me, do you usually get what you want by flexing a little and slapping on a charming smile?" Her pleasant demeanor had shifted, and Takasugi was well aware of the tactics he was facing. The way she'd leaned onto the counter, hair slipping over her palm and propping her chin on her wrist. She was a stable, outgoing Kinu. One that had mastered social norms and outward appearance. Kinu two point oh. He spared a glance on the girl, not surprised to find her glaring at her mother.
"Being handsome only counts for so much, you know. If anybody is going to cut my husband down, it's me. That's my right. It says so on the marriage certificate."
"Ah, the classic reaper's school ceremony." If she was emanating final boss energy, he wasn't about to be outshined. "If he's being cut down, clearly, there's only one right choice in this room. The one that can actually wield a sword." Leaning forward, Takasugi eyed the woman. Her head tilted, and a flash of distorted pleasure took her features. Far too smug for her dainty frame.
"I may be out of practice, but I'd venture to say even you wouldn't want to try your luck. Or would you?" Again, Ai moved closer, fingers playfully framing her face. "Mister Taka-"
A blade stabbed into the table between them, and Takasugi backed away, mirrored by the woman across from him. Wide eyed, he trailed up Kinu's arm, to her scowling face. Then the knife, that was far larger than he remembered her having.
She'd almost taken the tip of his nose off!
"Oops… I slipped." Sharp blue eyes darted between him and her giggling mother.
"What kind of slip was that!? Admit it, you tried to stab me!" As soon as Takasugi spoke, the girl's mouth curved.
"I'm still sick. I slipped."
Glaring at the girl, Takasugi shifted in his seat. She may have looked blank but he saw that stupid smile. When the look lingered, Kinu averted her gaze.
"I'll cut you both." They were too close. Her mother wasn't backing down and neither was Takasugi. She wasn't going to sit there and let them meet in the middle. Rocking the blade from the table, the girl gestured at her mother with it, as if weighing it in her palm. "Don't flirt with him. He's off limits." Again, Ai chuckled, and bashfully pushed the blade away.
"Dear it was innocent."
"He's gay!"
"What? I'm not-"
"You're gay!" The knife was waved towards Takasugi and he leaned back again, brow raised. Since when?! Clearly, he hadn't been a part of that decision! "And I'm so proud of you, being honest about it." A hand was placed on his shoulder. Squeezed. But the knife in his face wasn't exactly reassuring.
Takasugi slowly turned to look up at the girl beside him.
"Uh… I appreciate the support, but..."
"Honey, I really don't think he's-"
"We've done things!" How the hell was he gay?! Was she seriously stupid!?
"Oh really?" Ai murmured the words, stepping back against the counter, grinning. The man shot her a look, but Kinu's grip on his shoulder tightened.
"Because we were bored." Why was she using the knife to try to force him to agree?! He wasn't going to agree! "No need to be embarassed about being gay. Pretty sure onii-chan is closeted bi but won't admit it."
"I'm not… Wait what?" Ai had started to laugh, full force, but Takasugi squinted at the girl. She looked towards the ceiling, and crossed her arms, taking the knife with her as she tapped it against her lips.
"Yeah, I don't get why he won't admit it. It just means he has more to choose from, really."
"Wait, Gin? Seriously?"
"Kinu, honey, he's not gay!" Grabbing her daughter's shoulders, Ai gave the girl a shake. Manually jolted her from her wandering mind and back into the room. Kinu frowned at Takasugi. The knife against her lips lowered.
"What? But he-"
"No. Not in the slightest."
Brow still furrowed, the girl went rigid. Then red. She set her weapon on the table, frowning at the wooden floor under her feet.
"Really? Then… What about Sasuke?"
"You said that! I didn't say that!"
"But… Matako-chan-" Turning away from the man, Kinu touched her pointer fingers together. Matako had said he was gay, too. She lived with Takasugi, she had to know. Kawakami had acted like the man needed to be distracted so Matako would stop pursuing him, but he probably knew the best gender to do that with. "Oh." That was an understatement. It slipped out of Kinu before she could catch it, and as she stood there, the eyes on her back translated into physical discomfort. "Uh… You can still be gay to me..."
"Why would I want that?! What's that supposed to mean?!"
The moment he snapped back at the girl, Ai collapsed against the counter, in hysterics.
"The article said that happened sometimes!" Kinu's face was steadily gaining more color. She turned back to the man and rushed to explain herself, but her words made his usual callous expression contort.
"What article?! You looked up an article?"
"Well, yeah but… Wait, that would mean that you... actually…" Motioning between them Kinu kept her gaze on the man, and his olive eye sharpened.
"What did you think was happening?!"
Ai shrieked into the counter, waving her hand at the pair, wordlessly begging them to stop. Was she seriously going to just laugh? She was responsible for this, too! She'd made Kinu stupid!
"I thought we were friends! Best friends!"
"Best friends don't sleep with each other!"
"Oh…"
Oh? That was all she had to say?! With a sigh, Takasugi pushed himself to his feet. As he did, Ai reached towards him, bright red and barely able to stifle her laughing.
"Wait- wait- I know a great guy!" Again, Ai burst into laughter, and the one eyed man glared at her. As if reading his cue, Kinu rounded the table, murmuring.
"You said you weren't interested in women..."
"I meant I'm busy."
"Oh…" Suddenly quiet, Kinu clasped her hands behind herself. Now what? She'd been sleeping with a straight guy the entire time, like some kind of idiot. She couldn't look at the man for fear that his eye would cut her in half, especially if he was making the same face as before. "So... are you my boyfriend?"
Obviously not. Takasugi wasn't anybody's boyfriend, she just wasn't allowed to date anybody else. He didn't think there was a word for that. So he squinted at her and took a step back. Was about to make a speedy escape, now that she was fine.
"Where are you going? You're leaving me?"
Ai was right. Takasugi didn't think Kinu even realized she had done exactly what her mother had said. She sulked the words up at him, and he pursed his lips. Averted his gaze. Ai had been more than right, he wanted to squeeze her for making that face at him.
The door in the hallway opened, and the woman was barely regaining herself when she turned back to Gintoki.
He didn't know why she was bright red when she looked back at him, or why Takasugi and Kinu were looking so awkward when he came back. Could only assume they were up to no good, or rather, Takasugi was up to no good and telling her whatever pretty lies kept her under his finger...