Chapter 17

A/N: Here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy it!

As the weeks passed since Kagura's birthday, it was soon two weeks before Christmas. Things between Kagura and Gin were a bit odd but not as odd as Okita and Hijikata's would soon become.

Since Hijikata started avoiding Okita like the plague, Kondou decided to call him out, "Hey, Toshi? Can we talk?"

He looked up to see his boss, standing in the doorway to his office holding a bento. The serious man had been about to eat his lunch he'd gotten from the cafeteria just moments ago. Hijikata had also been doing paperwork there in his office when his friend had come in.

"Sure, I guess," the mayo addict replied a bit uneasily as h e gestured for him to enter.

Kondou sat and opened his bento while Hijikata poured a whole bottle of mayonnaise onto his own lunch.

The gorilla former commander coughed to clear his throat before inquiring, "So Toshi, why are you avoiding Sougo?"

He stopped eating for a moment and responded, "Avoiding? I've just been really busy Kondou-san."

"So busy that it's only been happening since China's birthday party?" the older man asked, eyebrow raised, "Running at the sight of him in the cafeteria, even today?"

Gulping, the mayo samurai quickly replied, "Just paperwork or something that comes to mind right then. It's nothing."

"You know Toshi, if you need to talk about anything, I'm here okay?" Kondou said, worried about his friend.

Hijikata smiled slightly and answered, "I know, Kondou-san, don't worry. I'm going to finish eating so I can finish the paperwork."

Putting his hand on the younger man's shoulder, the gorilla man replied, "Okay Toshi, just don't work too hard."

He gathered the empty bento his wife had made him and left, but not before he waved to Hijikata.

The mayo addict sighed after that tense conversation before another knock came from his door.

"Who is it?" the former fukuchou answered, frustrated at the intrusion.

The voice responded, "It's me Hijikata-san."

Startled slightly, he said, "Sougo? What is it? I'm trying to work now."

Okita slid open his superior's door, stepped in and questioned, "Can we talk?"

"Sit down once you close the door," Hijikata said after he sighed again.

Once the young former captain sat down, he broke the silence by asking, "So why are you avoiding me? You know, besides when I try to kill you."

Frowning, the mayo samurai pointed out, "You and Kondou-san are in sync huh? You haven't attempted that in a while actually."

"Stop avoiding my question, this only started after China's birthday party. Did something happen? I'm not sure since I got pretty drunk," Okita pointedly inquired, "Just talk to me Hijikata-san."

Turning his head to the side away from his comrade, he replied, "It's nothing, you said some nonsense but it's all water under the bridge. You were drunk so..."

Raising an eyebrow, the sadist started to say, "Did we-"

"No! Nothing like that! You kissed me, groped me a little and babbled nonsense is all," the former oni fukuchou denied as he blushed slightly.

Blinking, Okita repeated, "Kissed you? Groped? What did I say?"

"Nevermind, I have work to do so let's just forget about all of this," the mayo lover decided as he ushered Okita out of his office.

After he stood in the hallway for a moment, the young sadist decided to pay a visit to the Yorozuya.

Meanwhile at the Yorozuya, a knock at the door was heard by Kagura.

She got up to answer it when Gin asked, as he rubbed his eyes, "Kagura, where are you going?"

"Go back to bed Gin-chan, I'm just going to see who's at the door," the young Yato woman told to her fellow Yorozuya.

Kagura kissed him on the forehead before she got up to go into the hall.

Gin also got up as he replied, "If it's that late, I'll go make lunch."

She nodded as he padded his way into the kitchen. When she opened the door, the Yato woman was surprised to see Okita.

"Sadist?" Kagura said quizzically.

"Hey China, can I talk to you?" he asked nonchalantly.

The female Yorozuya rolled her eyes and let him inside. He sat down on one couch while she sat on the couch across from her rival/best friend. Gin raised an eyebrow when he saw the former Shinsengumi captain come in. The silver samurai followed the two to the door to the living room and poked his head in.

"Kagura, what's Okita doing here?" the Yorozuya boss questioned.

She answered, "He wants to talk to me, no idea why though."

Gin shrugged and went back to the kitchen to make lunch while Okita began explaining.

"How drunk did I get at your birthday party?" he asked bluntly.

"What?" Kagura said as she raised an eyebrow, "You got drunk enough that Mayo samurai had to drag your butt back. Why?"

Okita sighed then answered, "You see, since your birthday party, Hijikata-san's been avoiding me. He sees me and dashes away even worse than usual."

"Hm, did you talk to him?" she asked simply.

"Yeah, he said that I kissed him and kind of groped him. I said something but it must have been embarrassing, he wouldn't say. The baka said to forget it, I think I might have confessed," the sadist replied as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Her eyebrows raised but only briefly before she laughed.

"Ha! Maybe you should confess when you're sober," Kagura said gleefully as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Bewildered at his rival but not too surprised, Okita dared to think about it as he placed his hand on his chin.

"I don't know, he's me superior..." he started until the Yato woman scoffed.

"Being your superior doesn't stop you from trying to kill him so why should this be such a big deal?" the young woman answered as she gave him a pointed look.

"Well, why would he like me when I try to kill him China?" Okita questioned, beginning to let his guard slip, "Besides, he loved Ane-ue..."

Kagura's voice softened as she said, "I know, Gin-chan mentioned that but people can fall in love more than once."

Conflicted, he replied, "It feels like I'm betraying Ane-ue though."

All of a sudden she slapped him hard and, as she stood over him, the young Yato woman exclaimed, "Your Anego loved you, that's how brothers and sisters are, especially with older to younger ones! She'd want you to be happy so don't make her sad."

"Wow China...I think you're right," the sadist responded, a bit snarkily at the end.

Scowling at him, Kagura grumbled, "Always with the surprised tone, I'm trying to help."

"I know China, I'm teasing is all," the young former Shinsengumi captain replied, "Thanks, I'll see what I can do soon."

Smiling, the female Yorozuya added, "Besides, remember how he acted on the date sadist."

"You too China, you have quite a road ahead of you there," Okita said teasingly.

As he got up to leave, Gin noticed and asked, "You aren't staying for lunch Okita?"

"Nah, I have to work. Later Danna," the young sadist answered before he headed out and back to headquarters.

Shrugging, the sweets addict finished preparing lunch and came into the living room.

"So what are you up to brat?" Gin tried to approach before she stopped him.

"You eavesdropped Gin-chan?" Kagura guessed.

He rolled his eyes as he replied, "You guys are loud you know, you especially Kagura."

"Yeah, okay. I was but still," the young woman relented.

"You're trying to make that mayo addict jealous? That's weird," the silver samurai said as he chuckled at her.

Kagura stuck her tongue out at him before replying, "I was trying to help him."

Gin wordlessly hugged her to him, effectively ending the teasing.

"I know, is there anything you want to say to me Kagura?" he asked.

She snuggled her head into his chest before responding, "No, not really. Let's eat Gin-chan."

The sweets samurai nodded, smiled and they both sat down to lunch.

Later, at night, the former Shinsengumi who were now regular policeman, events were winding down while some were on patrol. Oddly enough, Kondou paired Hijikata and Okita for patrol. The smoker just sighed before heading to the squad car.

'Damn, Kondou-san must be trying to get us to talk or something,' Hijikata thought as he smoked a cigarette in the car.

Okita got into the passenger's seat then they began their patrol of the district.

As it was silent, the young former captain spoke up, "Hijikata-san."

Said man looked at him out of the corner of his eye and then went back to driving. Most people would think the mayo fiend was ignoring or dismissing him but Okita knew better. Hijikata had silently acknowledged him and signaled him to talk.

"Can I tell you something?" the sadist asked.

He shrugged as he answered, "Sure, I guess."

"Whatever I said when I was drunk-" Okita began until Hijikata raised his hand up.

"I told you, water under the bridge Sougo," the mayo addict said firmly.

"Let me finish please," the young former Shinsengumi captain said, resolved to speak his mind.

A little stunned, he relented as he continued driving as he said, "Alright."

"I didn't mean to do or say any of that but...I did mean it," Okita said before he let out a sigh of relief.

Trying to hide the shock on his face, he just continued to smoke his cigarette as he drove. In the silence, the younger man took hold of the older man's hand and squeezed it. Stunned, Hijikata tried to pull it back but Okita held firm. The sadist kissed his comrades' knuckles shyly, as he blushed a bit at his own actions.

Sheepishly, the young man apologized, "Sorry if I freaked you out. Why would you like someone who tries to kill you and-"

Hijikata stopped the car suddenly and he turned to face Okita. He looked at him a moment before he kissed him full on the lips. Even though they were both shocked at this sudden action, they kept those retorts silent.

"Hijikata-san..." the sadist said in a low voice.

"Let's get on with the patrol Sougo," the mayo samurai responded simply before he continued driving in an awkward silence.

Once they finished patrol, both men headed inside the former Shinsengumi headquarters. Each went to their own rooms and silence hung over the building so by eleven o'clock, Hijikata just finished his paperwork before heading to bed.

He'd just changed after brushing his teeth and went to his futon when he he heard the window open.

Thinking it was a ghost, the mayo addict shouted, "Ah! I don't believe in ghosts but I'll give you 300 yen if you leave now!"

"Geez Hijikata-san, a ghost wouldn't leave for that chump change and I definitely won't either," the young man said as he chuckled at him.

"Dammit Sougo, you snuck in my room?" Hijikata sputtered, "Why are you here?"

A bit embarrassed, Okita asked, "Could I stay the night, Hijikata-san?"

"But-what about-" he tried to protest before the sadist put a finger to his lips.

"I can sneak back early in the morning, so?" the young sadist replied as he stood so innocently in the bedroom.

The mayo samurai attempted to protest but Okita kissed him hard as he wrapped his arms around his neck. As they kissed, the mayo addict was led to the futon by the younger man. The brunette straddled the older man then began to kiss down his neck. At the same time, Okita began to undress Hijikata.

When he did this, the former fukuchou squeaked and tried to say, "Sougo what?"

He stopped in mid-sentence however when the sadist began to undress himself.

Okita chuckled at his superior's actions just as he pulled the covers over them.

The two made love through the night and slept in each other's arms.

A/N: There is that chapter, I hope you Hijioki fans were happy with this! I only do limes so this is as good as it gets. Sorry it took a while to get this chapter up and that it's so short, the next chapter will be up sooner okay? Ja ne!