Disclaimer: Peacemaker Kurogane belongs to the lovely Nanae and not me

Chapter Ten: Vengeful Toshi, Scheming Tetsu

After placing an unconscious Yamanami in the care of a very bewildered perfume lady, Souji and Hijikata resumed their walking, with the former giving the latter occasional sideways glances. Souji was pretty sure Hijikata was still mad over Yamanami's comments, if his stomping was any indication.

The two of them had a long history of quarrelling and disagreement, whether it was over Hijikata's actions, Souji's having picked up a sword, Tetsu being the next Souji, and Yamanami's own role in the Shinsengumi since Serizawa's assassination. Souji didn't think of it as eavesdropping really. More like assessing their tensions for the cause of the better good, or so he called it. By knowing exactly what they were arguing over, he could find some resolution. And bring them back together, and make everything happy again.

For warriors fighting under the same banner, internal rifts were a weakness.

"Hijikata-san..." Souji finally began, finding it surprising that the Fukuchou was striding along with such force when it was him who was showing the way, "Yamanami-san was only teasing, you know."

No reply.

Souji's hand however, felt like it was being crushed. He winced. Hijikata had certainly been a strong five year old.

"Even the most well meaning people can be careless with their words," he added helpfully, hoping some of the pressure would ease off, his fingers were beginning to go numb.

"I know."

"That's good." Souji smiled, looking down and patting Hijikata on the back. "No grudges and all that!"

Hijikata simply looked straight ahead, eyes focused on a singular goal: finding the abominable bastard who brainwashed his Captain into poisoning him, and making him die a slow and painful death.

"Hmm."

"Hijikata-san, could you please stop holding my hand so hard?" Souji continued cheerfully, a tone he was rather far from feeling. It wasn't very nice of Hijikata to take out his anger on his poor hand, Souji felt, especially as that hand was doing a whole lot of good for the Shinsengumi, such as gripping the sword that slew most of the Choshu rebels.

"Oh."

Without sounding all that concerned, which was mostly due to the fact that he was still contemplating what sort of slow and painful death to choose (something he was talented at, as Furataka's torture would later prove) Hijikata released his small hand from Souji's. "There."

"No no, that doesn't mean you can just let go!" Souji scolded, grabbing his hand back. "Last time I checked, Kyoto was still dangerous."

"Whatever."

Souji sighed.

He really wanted to start singing a children's song, to cheer up the child beside him, but it wouldn't work because Hijikata had control of his mind again. A part of him suggested he should sing the song anyway, but the wisdom that comes with experience told him otherwise. "You're still mad at him, aren't you?"

"I'm just pissed off because he fainted," Hijikata replied nonchalently. "He blacked out before I could make him."

"Well, you did make him black out."

"That's not what I meant."

So he still feels like throwing punches, thought Souji in exasperation. Guess you can't take the punk out of the punk...

After a while, when the silence wasn't tolerable anymore, he made another stab at conversation.

"Lovely weather, don't you think? I knew today would be a fine---"

"Shut up Souji."

Silence again.

Souji fidgeted. "You know what," he said a little hesitantly, one hand fingering the hilt of his sword, "I kind of miss Toshi. Can't you change into him again?"

"Damn it," came the annoyed reply, Hijikata's teeth clenched as he marched along, glaring at all the ladies who dared smile at him, "I am Toshi."

"Nooo, you're Hijikata-san." answered Souji childishly. "I want Toshi-chan. Why is he gone?"

Hijikata sighed. "I don't know why the brat is gone. Maybe it means I'm turning back into myself...which is a good thing." They rounded a corner, taking care not to bump into a old woman with far too many packages. Souji didn't reply, just walked along, letting go of Hijikata's hand now, looking dejected.

The Vice Commander cocked an eyebrow as he looked up at him. "Isn't that right?"

"Of course!" came the bright answer, but Hijikata could tell it was false. "The answer's no, eh? I would say I feel hurt if I cared enough. Fortunately, I don't."

It was true, all he really cared about right now was thinking of all the different slow and painful deaths he could get Souji to dish out, using only a sword. Yamanami's annoying voice rang out in his head, muttering choice words like 'brainwashing' and 'taking advantage of' and 'demon's child'. He ignored it.

Souji looked glumly at the floor as he walked along. "There's the candy shop," he muttered as he came to a stop, pointing in front of him without looking up.

"Good," replied Hijikata with a positively evil look on his cherubic face. "Now I will make that bastard pay!"

"You mean I will," huffed Souji. "Considering how you still look."

Hijikata didn't respond, just strolled through the open shoji with Souji following reluctantly, then suddenly, stopped short. He hadn't been prepared for the sight in front of him. There was just...so much candy, such an amazing assortment of colours and smells that Hijikata felt his breath catch, and something tingle inside.

It smells so delicious, a voice in his head was saying. In fact, don't you just feel like grabbing them all at once and shoving them down your throat? Don't you just feel like jumping and down and asking Soujirou to buy all of them for you or you'll start crying and refuse to leave the shop?

Horrified, Hijikata pushed the thoughts away, and focused with all his might on the matter at hand. There was no way he was giving in to the brat again...

His eyes flickered over to the counter, where a fairly old looking man had just come in from the back. Hijikata eyed him. Was this the abominable bastard? He looked...rather old. Oh what the heck, that wasn't going to be an issue here. Hijikata's eyes gleamed. It was time for justice...

Souji noticed his expresssion. Then he looked up at the salesman. 'Takeshi-san," he greeted gloomily.

"Ah Soujiro!" replied the man cheerfully. "Nice to see you again!" He didn't even glance at the sword at his side, something that certainly hadn't been there earlier that day.

"And look at this little boy!" Takeshi grinned knowingly. "He's adorable."

"He wants to kill you," Souji pointed out.

"How cute!"

Takeshi beamed, reaching out to pat Hijikata on the head.

o-o-o-o

Tetsu hummed to himself as he prepared Susumu's dish. He was really getting into it now, starting to move around in rhythm to his song, he was even wearing Ayu's frilly pink apron. He had never worked so hard at making food in his life, and in his opinion, it was well worth the effort.

"That no eyebrow freak is going to get it now!" the redhead uttered gleefully as he finished sprinkling the ground up candy into the ninja's soup.

"La lala...La lala!"

He tossed in some radishes, then carefully balancing it on a tray, carried it over to the opposite table top, where it would be nice and safe until he finished making dinner for the others. And Tatsu thinks I'm being punished, Tetsu thought with a smirk.

How easily he had fooled him! Yes Tetsunosuke Ichimura was a genius, a force not to be reckoned with. Susumu was going to understand this the hard way.

"La lala...La lala!"

"Urghhhhh..."

Groggily, Sanosuke woke up, then almost immediately winced. The sunlight streaming in through the window was unbearable on his face. He moaned pitifully, holding his head. Tetsu turned in surprise. He had forgotten those three were still in the kitchens!

Then he looked at himself, holding a large spoon in one hand, and wearing a pink apron. Mortified, he dropped the spoon and started ripping off the apron.

"Get off me, Sano you giant troll!"

"Shinpachi?"

Sanosuke quickly moved as Shinpachi sat up, scowling.

Todou was still fast asleep. I prefer him this way, thought Shinpachi, massaging his temples. What the hell is going on anyway? What was he doing lying on the floor? In the kitchens no less? Then he noticed all the empty sake bottles.

"That's right," he mumbled, a little sheepishly. "Ayu said we were taking care of the kitchens..."

"They look so sad when they're empty," mourned Sano, as he began huggng a few of the bottles close to his chest.

Shinpachi shook his head. "I don't have the patience for this," he muttered, glaring at his brawny friend. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have ended up passed out. It was your fault for suggesting that I was a pansy and you could hold your liquor better than me."

"Poor empty little bottles..." Sano sang, completely tone deaf.

Looks like we were both wrong.

Then standing up, surprise registered on his face. "Puppy kun!" he exclaimed with a grin, despite his headache. "What on earth you doing here?"

"What's it look like?" replied Tetsu, spraying vegetables into his face as he chopped them. He didn't care if he was going to be teased---at least the apron was gone, and he looked somewhat manly with the knife in his hands.

"Ooh, someone's in a bad mood," said Sano, still rocking the sake bottles in his arms. "So how come you're being punished?"

"And tell the truth," added Shinpachi. "I want to be amused."

Tetsu stared at him. Should he tell them?

They would bug him for the rest of the day if they didn't find out, and he had important things to do...Tetsu sighed. It was better if he got it over and done with. They would find out sooner or later anyway.

He shrugged. "You won't believe me, but..."