Author's note: I do not own anything from Gintama. Please review! This story is unbetaed. Double chapter! Please enjoy! Next is *probably* Kanarazu double chapter too.

Chapter 7: Heels

"I'm going on a date… Woo hoo! I'm going on a date…" Tae chanted as she danced around her bedroom. She imagined a candlelit dinner with romantic music in the background and then he would lean across and kiss-

"Kyuubei! You're back!" Mutsu called cheerfully.

"Ugh. It was the worst."

"Why?"

"Grandpa didn't show up! I waited for four hours and everyone in the restaurant was staring at me… Like they pitied me or something. I hate it!" Kyuubei grumbled and stomped up the stairs.

"Did you call him?" Mutsu asked with sympathy.

"Yes! He said that he forgot because he had to meet with someone." She shook her head. "If it's another of those rich tycoons that he's setting me up with…"

"He must be really busy."

"What's new?" She rolled her eyes and then ran upstairs to Tae's room. She banged on the door. "Tae-chan? Are you there? I need to borrow something."

"Come iiiin~..." Tae sang, still giddy from her last encounter with Toushi. He texted her again that morning with sweet words. Kyuubei rushed inside the room, "Tae-chan, I need to borrow some slacks… that gray one you bought but never really used…" She rummaged through Tae's room, making quite a mess.

"Wow, you haven't complained about the mess I'm making-" Kyuubei turned to check on Tae. "Okay… Why are you making such a Lenny face?" She frowned and crossed her arms while tapping her foot on the floor.

"We're going out…" Tae had the widest smile ever.

"Who?" Kyuubei let herself fall on Tae's bed with a bounce. She was getting curious about Tae's odd behavior.

"Toushiro Hijikata…" She sighed dreamily. Kyuubei was suddenly on full alert.

"He… He called?"

"Yes, he was here earlier… When you were out. He asked to see me again…"

"Wow… He sure moves fast," Kyuubei marveled, "since you've only met him, what? Three or four times? He's asked you out again? He might propose soon," she joked.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind at all…"

"Don't you," Kyuubei hesitated, "don't you think you guys are moving too fast?" She looked worried. "Remember your last relationship? Obi Hajime? That didn't end well." She snapped her fingers. "He was gone in an instant and you were a mess."

Tae shook her head. "Toushi's different… I can feel it… There's something about him."

Kyuubei shook her head. "Whatever you say, Tae-chan…" She ruffled her hair before leaving, forgetting about the pants she wanted to borrow. Tae, however, once again, did not mind the mess of her hair. She was too busy thinking of Toushi and his cute smile.

The next day, Tae checked herself in the mirror for the nth time, modelling back and forth on her five inch heels. They were new and she spent some time practising to get used to them. "I am not going to trip in front of him!" she swore to herself. She was still losing a bit of balance but looking at her reflection, she was practically all set. Her hair was straightened with an iron, her clothes were doing wonders for her small frame - a haltered purple one, and her make-up was on point. She simply had to refine her walking in these heels. She couldn't spend the whole date worrying about her feet. She needed to be able to concentrate on Toushiro!

"OOOTAAAEEE!" Sacchan called from outside her door.

She panicked. "HE'S HERE?"

"Not yet… I'm just checking on you."

"Thanks," she smiled at Sacchan with appreciation.

"WOW!"

"We-ell?~" Tae turned slowly to show her entire look. She tried not to appear anxious about her heels.

"You look amazing! But… Are you sure that you can walk on those things?" Sacchan frowned at her shoes.

"Yes, I must."

"Okay… But if you fall… Fall into his arms." They both laughed.

Going down the stairs was a struggle but they both made it safely.

"Phew! That was hard." Tae fanned herself.

Sacchan patted her on the back. "Well, so far, you've managed."

"I just need a bit more practice… Give me a mo-" The bell rang. "OH NO HE'S HERE!" She started to panic again.

"Relax, it's not like it's someone important!"

"He is important!" Tae gasped. "OH NO, I FEEL FAINT!"

"Otae… I'm going to open the door now," Sacchan warned.

"WAIT!" she hissed but then changed her mind. "Okay, go ahead, I can do this." She braced herself for the encounter.

"Hello again, Toushiro," Sacchan greeted him once she opened the door.

Meanwhile, Tae herself was drowning in anxiety behind her.

"Sacchan. Hi. Is Otae there?" he asked casually.

"Yes. Come in."

"Thank you," he grinned and stepped inside. "Hello, Otae," he greeted his date when he spotted her standing near the television. Her back was to him but she immediately faced him when he spoke. Toushi's jaw fell to the floor when she turned around. He was speechless.

"Hello Toushi," she smiled nervously at him. Her hands were shaking and she could feel the sweat forming in her palms.

"Toushi? Are you alright?" Sacchan peered at him.

He blinked, trying to focus. "Yes… Uh… Yes… I am… I just…" he struggled for something to say.

"What's wrong, Toushi?" Tae asked as she approached him. She could feel her own heart thumping through her chest.

"I just… You look wonderful…" He finally got out.

"Thank you. Same with you." Tae was right, Toushi looked suave in that dark polo of his.

"Let's go, then?" Toushi grinned.

"Okay." Tae tried her best to be as calm as possible but she was super nervous. As she walked out with Toushi, she turned to Sacchan and mouthed, "wish me luck please!"

Sacchan winked at her and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Something's different, I can't really tell… It seems like you're taller?" Toushi asked huskily.

Sacchan tried desperately not to roll on the floor laughing.

"Let's eat," said a woman.

Katsura looked up from his Nintendo Switch game and smiled. Ikumatsu prepared his favorite… Curry rice and a side of ramen with more curry. In front of her was her own spicy bowl of tsukemen broth and noodles on a plate.

They ate in silence, well, except for the occasional slurping of the noodles, mostly by Katsura.

"What happened during the dinner?" she asked.

"Oh…" he paused, thinking. He didn't really remember much except for the fights between Gintoki and the purple-haired lady, and Toushiro being such a deg deg. "It was fun."

"Sorry I couldn't come." She gestured to the restaurant. "You know I practically live here."

He laughed. "It's fine. You would have been bored there."

"So the girls were nice? Anyone stand out in particular?"

That made him frown. He did not like talking about other girls with his girlfriend. Ikumatsu, she was practically his wife. They had been together for eight years and counting. "Not really." He can't even remember their names.

Ikumatsu giggled. "That is so you."

"Well, the other guys had fun for sure. I think Toushiro has his eye on one of them. She's the traditional pretty type."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And Gintoki kept arguing with that girl with the glasses. Several times, I wondered if they were just flirting." Katsura shook his head, confused.

"Gintoki? Doesn't he have a girlfriend? He's still with Tsukuyo, isn't he?"

"You're right." Katsura shrugged. "Well, maybe they were just really fighting." He suddenly had a thought. "Hey, dear, let's watch that horror movie tomorrow. After you close up the shop."

"Okay," she agreed immediately. "I'm paying this time."

He nodded. "It's so hard to keep track. Oh well, like it matters." They both laughed.

"How is Sakamoto-san? He hasn't come around with you."

"Oh that bum, he's been too engrossed with computer shops and networking nowadays. All I hear from him are MMORPGs. League of Legends this… World of Warcraft that… Guild Wars there… He especially loves Aion."

She raised her eyebrows. "Didn't you use to play those games together?"

"Yeah… Well… Since you gave me the Switch, I realized that it's better." He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "I mean, Zelda… and hello, Super Mario Odyssey."

"Which reminds me, I'm getting you the Pikachu and Mario Kart too."

"You spoil me too much." He held her hand.

"But I like seeing you happy." She held his gaze. "How about the PS4 at your home? You guys still have it?"

"Ah! Gintoki and Kondou have been using it. They're always fighting over that thing. I don't want to get caught in the crossfire."

She laughed, "Well… The new Kingdom Hearts is out soon. How will you all deal with that?"

Katsura groaned. "Damn it." He sent Gintoki a text message. I need that PS4 back as soon as possible...

MOO!

Gintoki ignored his message alert tone. He was busy right now.

"Why are you using that sound again? It's horrid." Tsukuyo scrunched up her nose.

MOO! Another message.

"Mute it or something… ahh!" She clenched her teeth when Gintoki's tongue swiped along just the right spot.

He chuckled. "Don't worry, all the noise you're making is drowning out that cow."

"Why does it have to be a cow?"

"I dunno… it's just… funny." He winked and slipped his fingers inside her. "Isn't it?" Then he kissed her. However, she stopped him after a few seconds. "What? Okay I'll change it after we're done here."

"No, Gintoki… I'm not in the mood right now."

"Oh…" He pulled back and sat, trying to understand. "Okay. What's wrong?" It can't be her job again… Or her friend Hinowa… Or Seita, that punk.

"I'm just stressed over that new modelling gig."

"The underwear one? Why?"

"They're really strict. I can't have you giving me hickeys and bruises all over. Just for a few months…"

"Wait," he was confused, "are you saying that we can't have sex for MONTHS?"

"No… I'm saying that you have to be as gentle and careful as possi-"

MOO!

"Who the hell is that?" she snapped.

Gintoki finally opened his cellphone to check. (But he didn't change the alert tone.) "It's just Zura, demanding his PS4 back."

"Well, that's an emergency."

He laughed. "To Zura, it probably is."

She didn't answer.

"Tsukuyo, you're not thinking of breaking up with me, are you?" Please, he pleaded, don't do this.

"Of course not." She slid forward and straddled him. "I like being with you, Gintoki."

"Don't leave me," he whispered.

"I won't," she said. "Where were you yesterday? Tatsuma said you were out."

"You came over? When?"

"In the afternoon… I was going to tell you about the job offer."

"I wish you sent me a text or something." MOO!

"It'd only be feeding that cow."

"Hey!"

MOO!