A/N: Milwaukee Meg, it's okay to review as much as you want! I love reviews! Don't be afraid! ;D
._._._.
Chapter 8: I'm really frustrated with my English and Writing classes that I'm going to complain about them in my future chapter titles.
"Eh? You're going back now?" Kagura asked, surprised during breakfast.
Shinpachi replied, "I still have a responsibility to finish my community service hours, and I should patch things up with Hijikata-san. I was the one who got out of hand during our argument."
Kagura was still didn't know of what the two could possibly argue about to the point that it drove her megane to tears, but she knew better than to question it. Shinpachi was always honest and willing to find help if he could, and he could with them, but it seemed that the problem must not be entirely clear to their straight man either.
Gintoki inwardly sighed as he dug into his ear with his pinkie. He took a look at it and blew the dirt of it. He then said lazily, "If that's what you want, we won't stop you. But if he makes you cry again, Shinpachi, we can't forgive him."
Shinpachi didn't want to trouble them with that, especially since they didn't understand the situation. He wanted to confess to them, but he wanted to do it when he's entirely sure of his feelings with Hijikata-san. He felt so grateful to have an understanding family. "Thank you very much...you guys."
After breakfast, the teen went back to the shinsengumi, and was greeted by shocked expressions. Many of the officers crowded around him to ask if he was okay. It was their demon vice chief who he argued with, so the chance of something being wrong with Shinpachi was really high, but the teen reassured all of them that he was fine.
Then Kondo called him to his office. There, the man started with a serious tone, "I am not aware of all the details of what happened, Shinpachi, but Sougo relayed to me from Gintoki that you were pretty upset to the point of tears."
"They told you that!" Shinpachi felt embarrassed as a man. "I-It wasn't that serious, Kondou-san."
"Though you say, I am the chief of the shinsengumi, and I will not stand for one of my men to mistreat their subordinates. Answer me honestly Shinpachi, were you being mistreated by Toshi."
Shinpachi replied firmly, "No. What we talked about was a private matter. Hijikata-san did in no way abused his power over me."
Kondo stared at him for a moment, and then smiled, "That's good to hear! I was worried that I would have to suspend him, but now that we have that cleared up, I think it's best that you two talked it out! It's why you came here even though we were able to grant you temporary leave, isn't it Shinpachi-kun."
Shinpachi nodded. "Can you please tell me where Hijikata-san is?"
"He went off to check on Yamazaki, but he should be back soon. You can wait at his office for awhile."
"Thank you, Kondou-san."
._._._.
The two men stood in front of each other. Hijikata was dumbstruck by this while Shinpachi was paralyzed by the presence of the man, but he shook it off to get on his hands and knees with his forehead to the ground. "I'M SORRY, HIJIKATA-SAN!"
"EH!?"
Shinpachi looked up to earnestly tell him, "I let my temper get away from me, and said something that implied it was your fault, but it wasn't. I was stressed out, and I took it out on you. Please accept my humble apologies, Hijikata-san!" He put his forehead down on the floor again.
Hijikata was shocked by this! And frankly a little upset! He finally got into his office and closed the door. "Oi, Shinpachi, you have nothing to apologize for."
The teen rose his head again to retort, "But I caused you trouble, I-"
Hijikata knelled down in front of him and held his shoulders. The two locking eyes. "Shinpachi, I am the one at fault. I did ignore you last month, and I am not surprised if I troubled you because of that. I am the worst of the worst to have ignored you like that, and selfishly thought that we patched things up."
"No! Tha..." Shinpachi thought back to when Hijikata ignoring him, and if he didn't have these confusing feelings, he would have been truly hurt as a friend. You just don't do that to your friends. Understanding how Hijikata saw the situation, he apologized again since he was omitting his truth of the situation, "I'm sorry, Hijikata-san."
The older man sighed roughly. "Stop apologizing already, and tell me what I can do to make it up to you."
Shinpachi didn't want the man to feel at fault, though he did do something horrible, so the megane thought of this as a way to grant peace between them. "You don't have to do anything, Hijikata-san." He gave him a well-meaning smile, "Just hearing the proud, demon vice chief apologizing to me again is enough. I guess you had a lot of practice apologizing." He giggled. "What is this? The fifth time you had to apologize to me, and it's only been barely two months! I must be really good at making you feel guilty."
Hijikata blushed! "It's not like that! And it's only been two times! I think!" He really wasn't sure of how many times he's apologized to the teen.
"Hijikata, you're squeezing my shoulders hard."
"Ah, sorry." The man let him go.
"That makes it the third or sixth time. Maybe I should restart and say that this is the second time." The megane cutely teased.
"No! Let it go! I won't apologize ever again if you do! My pride won't allow it!"
"Yeah, yeah, but hearing you apologize reminds me that you do care about me. I'm really happy." Shinpachi said with his eyes down and faint blush was on his cheeks.
Hijikata felt his cheeks heat up as well. He didn't know why! His face felt so hot, and he couldn't understand why! Was he having a fever? It is June, so it was pretty warm outside. He turned his face away as he said, "Y-yeah! I do care about you, and if I do anything like that to you ever again, go ahead and beat the crap out of me."
Shinpachi nodded with a bright smile, "Yes!"
Hijikata felt the heat on his face cool off, but he felt mesmerized for a second by that smile. He looked away again. "Go-good! Then let's get back to work! I'm sure Sougo wants you to run some errands."
Shinpachi nodded. He knew that returning back to being Sougo's assistant did diminish their time together, and that was still his goal. "Excuse me, Hijikata-san." He walked out of the room.
Hijikata watched him leave. He felt like he did it reluctantly. He reasoned that he could see Shinpachi any time, but that didn't seem satisfactory to him. He took out a cigarette and lit it to ease his nerves a little. He then sighed out the sweet smoke. He remembered Yamazaki's words. He needed to find the answer, and it looked like he can't figure it out himself.
Later that night, both men looked at their diaries, and put them away without writing a single word. There wasn't anything new worth writing about, except the same thing: their feelings for each other and what they wished would come out of it.
._._._.
"We did it!" the field operatives of the shinsengumi for a certain mission cheered. "We found the missiles!"
"Not all of them." Hijikata pointed out while everyone else was hyped up about the find in the room. They were celebrating. Though it was too early to celebrate, it was a feat that surprised them like a gift from he heavens, and it was nice to loosen up for one night at least.
"Neh, neh, Toshi!" Kondou patted on his back and placed his hand on his right hand man's shoulder. Clearly buzzed, but not drunk. "It's a step forward in our case! The missiles are being destroyed since they are more of a nuisance than a weapon of destruction!"
Hijikata knew that. He also noticed that a certain megane wasn't around. "Oi, Sougo. Where's Shinpachi?"
"I told him to straighten out and clean the office used to solve this case. I didn't want him drinking alcohol, so he wouldn't be singing that stupid pop bitch's songs." The sadist replied.
Hijikata couldn't get angry at the younger samurai for that since Shinpachi was a horrendous singer and Otsu's songs aren't his type of music either. However, he wanted to see Shinpachi. To see his smile, his frown, his tired face brightened up by his endearing smile...He really adored that smile.
He got up and told the others that he was going to check up on him to make sure nothing was out of place. Kondo and Sougo let him go. The chief smiled happily. "Toshi truly cares for Shinpachi-kun. A samurais bond is truly a remarkable thing." Sougo made no comment.
Hijikata reached the research room, and expected a tidy place but what he came upon was an even messier place! Books and pictures were scattered everywhere, and files on the computers had been opened, and Shinpachi was standing in front of a bulletin board with a permanent marker in his hand that he used to draw on a map of Edo that he pinned on the wall!
"Shinpachi! What's the meaning of this?!"
"Hijikata-san! You came at the right time! I think I cracked an answer of my own!" Shinpachi happily grabbed the man's hand and led him to the map of the city. "Look here!" He grabbed pictures from the table to show that he had printed photos of the mysterious, missiles cult messenger. "I decided to watch the video that drove you mad, and I noticed something peculiar about the messenger's mask! It's a collage of pictures that never changes because its all actually symbols of career buildings within the city. If you look here at this dead fish on a cloud wearing chinese clothes and glasses with an old lady and a cat peeking from under it is actually the yorozuya!" He pointed at the map where he had drawn an oval and x marks. "Then as expected, this picture of a drag-look sumo wrestler with a floating large chin next to him is Saigou-san's club! Then here where I recognized it as a castle and the chess piece known as the knight is the shogun's palace! And this is Gengai-san's shop! The shinsegumi! My dojo!" He pointed at a picture of a gorilla wearing a kimono standing next to a pair of glasses wielding a wooden sword. Hijikata sweatdropped a little there. "Do you see where I'm going with this Hijikata-san?!"
The man took the papers from Shinpachi and noticed that the drawings did somewhat perfectly symbolized the personality of certain areas. Especially since the shinsengumi was represented by a perverted monkey holding a smoking mayonnaise bottle in one hand and a demon wearing Sougo's sleep mask in the other. "But what does this all mean?" He inquired.
"Ah, that's what I was about to tell you!" He went to the computer, "If you look at the pictures of the mask, you would notice that the color scheme changes once a week! The same amount of time an auction is held! And when I looked at the pictures taken of the missiles, they each had a strip of a certain color on each of them, and each color represented what type of missile it was! If we can match the colors with the missiles, then perhaps the sixth division can do their magic and create an algorithm to pinpoint where these missiles could possibly be! It's a stretch, but I hope it will be useful to you, Hijikata-san."
The man stared at Shinpachi who had cracked the secret in only over an hour while his team spent over two months! Though of course, Shinpachi is not a genius. It just so happened that the teen knew the city better than anyone in the shinsengumi did to be able to pinpoint these images to match "personalities".
Even so, wasn't this like another offering given by the gods. Hijikata breathlessly and silently chuckled as he gave an appreciative smile sent towards Shinpachi's way. "Good work, Shinpachi. If your theory is correct consider your community service months decreased."
"Yes! Thank you for believing in me." Shinpachi smiled back with the same intensity as the older samurai. Neither of them breaking eye contact.
"No problem." Hijikata said coolly, which strummed the teen's heart strings.
Shinpachi knew he was breaking his rules, but he couldn't look away. He loved this attention.
However, eventually reality was starting to set in for the both of them. The teen felt regret wash over him, and he felt the awkward pain building in his chest. "I should continue cleaning."
Hijikata heard that silent, faint plea to leave to make the job easier. He was disappointed that their contact was brief, then he realized that they didn't have to separate so soon. "I'll help."
Shinpachi paused his paper stacking. "What?" He looked over his shoulder to see his temporary boss stacking the books. "You don't have to Hijikata-san! You should enjoy the celebration with everyone else! They must be wondering of what's taking you."
"No they won't. They're probably drunk off their asses by now, and I rather be right here."
BA-DUMP! RIGHT TO THE KOKORO!
"HIJIKATA-SAN! YOU'RE UNBELIEVABLE!"
"WHY ARE YOU GETTING MAD?! I REALLY MEANT WHAT I SAID!"
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT FROM YOU!"
"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM! IT'S BEEN AWHILE SINCE WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME TIME TO TALK!"
"YOU CAN TALK WITH SOMEONE ELSE!"
"HELL NO! I WANT IT TO BE WITH YOU!"
"WHY ME?!"
"BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE TALKING TO YOU! YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE OUTSIDE OF THE SHINSENGUMI WHO I CAN STAND THE MOST!"
"WELL, MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BE SO NICE TO YOU THEN!"
"WELL MAYBE I SHOULDN'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT YOU THEN!"
Shinpachi was visibly hurt by those words. Hijikata realized what he said, and quickly said, "Shit! I didn't mean to say that."
"No. It's my fault. I overreacted again. I'm sorry."
"No. I shouldn't have screamed either. I did say something embarrassing."
"But it was true right?" Shinpachi inquired softly. The two deeply staring at each other again.
Hijikata felt locked in those maturing brown eyes. He said softly back, "Yeah..."
The two stayed standing there staring at each other. Not a word, no sound, not even their breathing could be heard. Everything was still and only gravity played its part. Hijikata leaned slowly forward millimeter by millimeter until they both felt uncomfortably close. Then he stepped back. "Then we should get back to cleaning."
Shinpachi was unable to feel anything after traveling so deep into his heart to be immersed into the moment that the two were in a second ago. He managed a "Yes..."
They first started cleaning in silence until something spark a memory worth reminiscing between the two. They talked and talked even when they were done cleaning. They sat in that room to finish their conversation, but the topic followed after one onto the other until they realized that it was three in the morning!
"Fuck, it's three?" Hijikata stared at the clock with sleepy eyes. The two were so tired, but they didn't want to go to sleep. "We've been talking for...four...three hours?"
Shinpachi yawned. "I don't think I've talked to anyone for this long. And we were first talking about memories, our friend and family, and then thinking of funny hypothetical events. I love you." He was too sleepy to realize what he had just said as he lied on the chief's warm shoulder.
Hijikata was too sleepy to process the words to react. He just said, "Me too." And the two fell asleep on the floor.
Three hours later, Sougo entered the room to find his vice chief and his assistant on the floor in each others arms asleep. The young samurai wanted to see how Shinpachi was doing, and by the sight of no hickies, it was safe to assume that they didn't do anything in the office, but he was still irritated, but then he became curious.
"Oi, vice pig, get up. You have to do your morning routine." Sougo kicked his back.
"Ow! Hey! What did you hit me for!"
"Achoo!" Shinpachi sneezed himself awake. He looked up as Hijikata looked down. Then they realized their sleeping positions.
"AH!" Both men leaped up and stood a few feet away from each other.
"It's not what you think, Okita-san!" Shinpachi said with a hanging plead in the air to spare him!
"Oh really? Then what should I think, low class megane?" His mouth formed a cruel smirk. His terracotta eyes empty of any soul. "You do realize that playing with the vice chief is against the regulations, don't you?"
"EEEEEK!"
"Stop it, Sougo." Hijikata softly karate chopped his head. "We lost track of time and fell asleep by mistake. Don't let your imaginations run wild and leave Shinpachi alone on this. The both of you still have an hour to sleep before getting ready for breakfast. I'll see myself out." The responsible man went out the door.
A big mistake on Shinpachi's part because it didn't look Sougo was going to leave him alone on the matter at all. Sougo approached him. Shinpachi found himself against a wall with nowhere to escape. He tried t make a run for it, but just as expected, he was slammed back against the wall, and was now face to face with a terrifying Sougo!
"O-Oki-"
"Quiet." He softly snapped.
Shinpachi closed his mouth. He didn't know what was to come, and he was sure that that was less terrifying than actually knowing, so thank gawd he was rarely at the end of this stick, but now what?!
He found his jaw being held by a strong hand, and he could feel the air coming out of Okita-san's nose on his own face. Wa-was he going to be kissed?! Realizing his fate, he wasn't sure of what to do?! Should he stop the sadist?! Should he just accept it?! Sougo was quite the handsome man, and getting a kiss from him wouldn't be so bad, but this was too sudden!
Actually they've been spending a lot of time together, so maybe Sougo had feelings for him? Was it bad to accept them? Shinpachi always did ship him with Kagura-chan since he's been a victim and a witness of their strange form of flirting. Maybe he should stop this kiss from happening. But what if Sougo was gay? Or maybe bisexual but leaning towards homosexuality more.
Maybe he sho-
"I forgot. My ja-" Hijikata returned to get his jacket, but came to witness Sougo and Shinpachi about to kiss. Angry marks formed all over his face with shadowed eyes. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"
._._._.
Kondo was kneeling in front of three of his closest friends who all knelled with injuries. "Toshi. Sougo. Can you please explain to me of why you decided to fight so early in the morning and trash the research room?"
"Hijikata-san started it." Okita quickly saved his own balls.
"OI! You were the one trying to put the moves on Shinpachi!"
"Wrong. I was just blowing a piece of dirt out of his eye."
"Liar! I know what I saw!"
"That's enough." Kondo demanded with a solemn voice he rarely used. "Sougo, you should know better than to bully Shinpachi-kun, and Toshi, you should know better than to instigate a fight over this. You both acted childish, and shall be both excused from the missiles case since we can't allow another damage in properties like this. I'll leave the case to Harada, and Shinpachi will assist him. Do I make myself clear?"
All three of them nodded.
Dear Diary #108
Wow, I don't think I've seen Kondou-san that serious. It almost made him look cool, but I should digress since his stalker side still annoys me. But I must ask, why did Okita-san and Hijikata-san fight? What was Okita-san's goal, and why did it irritate Hijikata-san to the point that they were practically trying to kill each other? I supposed most of their tension was due to the years of growing irritation for each others' antics.
"Damn Sougo for laying a finger on Shinpachi! I hope the dislocated shoulder I gave him was a good warning to not mess with me. Damn, but he gave me a good beating, too. My body feels sore, but I can't complain. Kondo was right. I overreacted in the situation, and made a mess of the research room. But I am confident in Harada leading the case, and with Shinpachi's theory, we may actually have a lead."
Hijikata stopped to remember what happened after Kondo reprimanded them. Sougo walked away after tripping him at the hallway. Shinpachi helped him up. "Are you okay, Hijikata-san?"
The vice chief nodded. "I'm sorry that you had to get in the middle of our scuffle."
"That makes it three." The teen teased.
"Can you please not count." Hijikata grumbled.
Shinpachi mirthly smiled, and said, "It's alright. You actually saved me, Hijikata-san. I don't know what Okita-san was planning, so I'm glad that you arrived when you did."
"Don't mention it. But next time, don't just freeze there and take it."
"Right, but I do wonder what Okita-san was planning to give me."
Hijikata felt his right eye twitch, but he wondered the same thing.
"Was Sougo trying to kiss Shinpachi? I want to know the truth, but I don't see how that's any of my business. Shinpachi isn't in love with him, so there's no chance that the two of them would break regulations. But still, who is Shinpachi in love with? But that's none of my business either."
._._._.
Soon, the shinsengumi was finding missiles after missiles once Shinpachi's theory was proven correct. The teen was allowed on the field and direct his own team to get ahold of them. This had caused no more videos to be found, but at least they had found plenty of them. However, their headquarters were still a mystery.
"There's noway that we can raid their auctions despite having more manpower. And all of your faces are most likely well known by the members, so we will need outside help in order to accomplish this mission." Shinpachi pointed out during a meeting with Kondo, Hijikata, Sougo, and Harada while eating yakiniku at a hotel.
Harada said, "I agree."
"But it definitely can't be the yorozuya. They will most likely screw it up."
"But we do get the job done!" Shinpachi happily pointed out like the actors in the commercials.
Kondo said, "As much as that may sometimes be true, I rather not involve civilians in our mission."
Shinpachi knew that was true. He thought about it, and then came up with an idea. "Then how about a ninja for hire? Sarutobi-san should be fairly capable of sneaking in with Yamazaki-san to capture one of the auctioneers without notice, and Hijikata-san and Okita-san can interrogate the person before anyone realizes their gone."
"That could work! Good job, Shinpachi-kun! You are definitely fit to take over for me when I retire as a married man!" Kondo laughed for some reason.
Shinpachi rejected him point blank, but the gorilla wasn't listening. The teen was put in charge on getting Sarutobi on their side. Hijikata was hesitant since though two years had passed, they weren't aware of how loyal she could be to the mission. Shinpachi reassured them that Sarutobi owed him a favor.
So one night, everyone was set. Sarutobi wore an ear piece to communicate with everyone who were all in a van parked nearby. The ninja knew that she wouldn't be able to sneak in through windows since they were covered with sensors. So she had no choice but to go in disguise.
"Sheesh, why do I have to be dragged into this." Zenzou inquired while the two got pass the guards and into the room.
"That's because Gin-chan was too busy with a job of his, and there's noway I'm going in with that amateur spy (Yamazaki). He reeked of milk and anpan!"
"Says the ugly bitch who reeks of natto."
"Sadist on." Sarutobi stabbed the man's asshole with her hair pins. The ninja laid on the the floor motionless. "Just stay there. I'll be right back." She left to do her job, which was easy since she was a pro at sneaking through security and reaching one of the auctioneers' dressing rooms. She first planted bugs in each one of them just in case there would be extra information to be given, and then knocked one of them out to be delivered.
She dressed the auctioneer in a tux, slapped his face until he was red, and put a hat on him. She made her way to the entrance.
Shinpachi was impressed! "Good job, Sarutobi-san! You're almost there!"
"Of course I am. I've done this job plenty of times! And not once have I fai..."
Shinpachi wondered why she paused like that until he looked at the screen that showed what the camera that was installed in the ninja's glasses was looking at.
"So this is the underground auction huh?"
"It's so fancy, aru."
Everyone in the van paled.
"WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?!" Shinpachi cried out! "CRAP! IF SARU-" He sees her throw the auctioneer to the side on top of Zenzou and was fangirling over Gintoki. Strange growling words were coming out of her mouth, but Shinpachi was too distracted at his own doom. If the cult knew that they were kidnapping one of their auctioneers, they might take drastic action and launch the rest of their missiles early! "SARUUUTOBI-SAAAAAN!"
"OI! WHAT ARE THEY DOING THERE?!" Hijikata demanded an answer!
Shinpachi helplessly replied, "I don't know! There's noway someone could ask them for a job to go the-"
"Gin-chan! What are you doing here?!" Sarutobi inquired.
"That's none of your business. We just came here to get pictures on a husband who's cheating on his wife, and followed him here." He replied. "But it seemed we lost him."
"Don't worry! I'll go find him right away! I'll kill all the cheating bastards in this room for you!"
"Good. You go do that." Gintoki said while digging his nose with his pinkie.
"HOW THE FUCK DID THEY GET IN TO THAT TYPE OF PLACE!" Hijikata screamed!
"This is bad! We need to get that auctioneer out of there and get him back fast!" Shinpachi moved to get out to do the job, but Hijikata held his shoulder.
"Wait a minute! You can't just go in there!"
"Hijikata-san is right." Sougo said. "So please wear this." He held out a dominatrix costume.
"HE'S NOT WEARING THAT!" The vice chief shouted.
"Fine. Here." He held out a kimono. "I bought it over just in case we had to move to plan C during interrogations."
"What was plan b?! Don't tell me that it involved that dominatrix outfit earlier?!" Shinpachi asked frantically while he took off his clothes in the van.
Hijikata was shocked! "Oi, not in here!"
"But we're all men." Shinpachi pointed out.
"Yeah, Hijikata-san." Sougo played. "What are you getting all embarrassed about. Just because you can't stop staring at his ass, doesn't mean we don't have to."
"I'M NOT STARING AT HIS ASS! AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT LAST SENTENCE!"
Shinpachi put on the kimono like a pro, and out he went in his sandals and wig.
"Wait, Shinpachi! You need a date!"
"Then you better get going, Hijikata-san." Sougo took his jacket and put a bowtie and mustache on him, and then kicked him out of the van.
Hijikata demanded to go back in, but remembering Shinpachi's predicament, he went after him. The two went to the entrance, and were looked at by the guard.
"There's no way this fake mustache will work. It's all over." Hijikata thought dramatically.
"Okay, you're in." The guard let them pass.
"C'mon, hiji- I mean Darling!" Shinpachi held onto the man's arm like a lover, and the two walked in together. The two looked for the stupid ninja and the auctioneer. They hoped that the auctioneer hadn't woke up and ran away, but the body wasn't where it was supposed to be.
"I'll look there; you look over there." They split up while Gintoki and Kagura were just walking around to eat as much food off the food trays as possible in secret so the waiters wouldn't avoid them. Sarutobi was currently kidnapping a lot of men in the room who had wedding rings on or had them hid, and leaving them unconscious under the buffet table covered in natto.
Shinpachi knew he couldn't reason with Sarutobi to focus on the mission, so he pulled Kagura and Gintoki to him and covered their mouths. "You guys!" He hissed in a whisper! "Right now the shinsengumi is in the middle of a case, and I need you to get Sarutobi back on track, or not even my standing in the shinsengumi will prevent you guys from getting the death sentence! Now go!"
The two yorozuya members were confused by what's happening, but they knew that it was important and the shinsengumi was involved. Their eyes glinted when they simultaneously said with their twisted grin, "Pay up first."
"You bastards!" Shinpachi whispered, and then promised them that they would get their pay only if they didn't screw up the mission! Gintoki and Kagura agreed, and went to do the job. Shinpachi had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to end too well.
He went to find Hijikata, but to find him completely being mobbed by women. Shinpachi was not at all surprised, yet he needed the man, but how was he supposed to get through all those girls?! He guessed that it couldn't be helped, so he went off to see if the mission as flowing correctly.
Accidentally, he bumped into someone. "Ah, sorry, I...Minoru-san?" His childhood friend looked down at him. The snazzy looking teen was wearing a tux, and his curly, red hair had been straightened.
"Ah, Shin"
"Shhh!" He pressed his finger to the taller male's lips. He whispered, "I'm working right now! What are you doing here?"
"I came here with my boyfriend. He should be around here some'ere." Minoru looked around the crowd. Shinpachi was curious of who this man was, but he didn't have time for introductions.
"I'm sorry, Minoru-san, but I have to go." Shinpachi moved to leave, but he was instead held by the waist.
"Hold up. We were just getting comfortable. You also haven't replied back to me about setting you on a date. How about a three-way right now?"
SOUNDS OF A SKULL BEING ON THE VERGE OF BEING CRUSHED!
"Oi, you bastard. What the hell do ya think yur sayin' to my date?" Hijikata questioned why his hand clamped over the teen's head. Ominous atmosphere filled a part of the room that the crowd nearby strayed away.
"Hiji-I mean mayo-honey! Let him go!" Shinpachi begged with his female voice!
"Just a second megane-babe. I need to teach this punk a lesson that there's a limit to his flirting with you."
"This isn't the time to get personal!" Shinpachi shouted, setting his foot down.
Hijikata looked at him and then at the teen who was breaking into a slight cold sweat. He was about to let go, but then an even bigger, buffer, browner big hand clamped on his head. "Is there a reason you're hurting my rosy buttercup?"
"Bigridio! You're back with the drinks!" Minoru moved away from Hijikata's grip to face his boyfriend who happened to be a ten-foot-humanoid-bull who looked like he was ready to commit a fantasy game style execution by the He-Man styled clothes he wore.
"E-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?!" Shinpachi stared at the massive amanto who had a bull ring. He should be terrified, but the bigger question was how the hell did Minoru meet this guy?!
Minoru chirpily told him, "You can let go of him darling! He was only protecting his man!"
"Oh." The bull let go without a second thought. "You need to stop flirting around, Mino-chan. I understand that it's for your confidence, but you need to be more careful when choosing who it is." He said in a very civilized way.
Hijikata had been seeing his life flash before his eyes when he felt that hand on his head, and after such an eventful, long trip through his memories, he couldn't find the strength to stand. Shinpachi caught him when he fell. "Hijikata-san! Pull yourself together!"
Bigridio apologized, "I'm sorry for that. It's not like Minoru to flirt with women so I thought he was just being picked on. It's also nice to meet one of his childhood friends."
Shinpachi felt overwhelmed by his casual kindness. "It's okay. He'll pull through, and it's also nice to meet you, too."
Then one of the auctioneers announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to our underground auction! Some of you may be aware that our missiles have been taken under custody by the shinsengumi, but don't worry people. We always have spares! So please take your seats, and let the auction begin!"
Shinpachi cursed, "Dammit! What is Kagura-chan and Gi-" He then realized that there was three people on the stage instead of the usual two. The straight-man's eye twitched. The other two were dressed with swirly glasses and a mustache on. "I TOLD THEM ONLY TO GET SARUTOBI-SAN BACK ON THE MISSION!" He screamed through grumbled teeth!
"I did." The ninja appeared behind him while one hand was kneading a bowl of natto fiercely. "I took the auctioneer to the sadist and gorilla. They're still interrogating him."
"And you couldn't bother being the one disguised instead as the auctioneer?!" He questioned since Sarutobi actually played a convincing shogun during the shogun arc!
"You're right!"
"Wait what?"
"That China girl's boobs are extra bouncy aren't they! Why's that?! Is it so Gin-chan will only pay attention to her in this crowd of whores?!"
"What the hell are you assuming?!"
"I can't let that happen!" Sarutobi removed her dress to reveal her S&M costume.
"I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING I SAID!" Shinpachi looked to Hijikata. Minoru and his boyfriend had left to watch the auction. "Hijikata-san, we need to get back to the van to speed up the interrogation!"
"Ri-right." Hijikata shook himself off his memory trip to get to the van with Shinpachi. When they opened the doors, they were welcomed to Sougo roasting the auctioneer over a fire.
"PLEASE HELP ME! I ALREADY CONFESSED!"
"Ah, but you gave up to easily. It was boring." Sougo reasoned.
"THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU AN EXCUSE!" Hijikata flied kicked in there, but that caused the fire to spread, and everyone escaped before it exploded.
"Where's Kondou-san?!" Shinpachi asked when he couldn't find the gorilla.
Sougo replied, "He went with his team to apprehend the cult."
"HAHAAHAHA! I'M FREE! I'll warn my fellow members before your team rea-AH!" The auctioneer tripped on his shoe, smashed his head to a brick wall which broke his neck and killed him.
Sougo put handcuffs on Hijikata and Shinpachi. "You're under arrest for the abuse and man slaughter of Mr. Auctioneer over there."
"THAT'S MOSTLY YOU'RE FAULT!" The straight-men screamed in unison.
Eventually, the whole auction became a mess because of the idiot squad that went crazy and set the place on fire. The firemen arrived fast since the fire station was near, and Kondo had apprehended the cult in the end. The spare missiles were also founded and put into the government's custody.
"So is he your boyfriend?" Minoru asked, winking at Hijikata who was fighting with Gintoki. The two of them were sitting at the back of an ambulance with blankets over them. Not because the paramedics told them to, but because it was a cold night and their jackets caught fire. Bigridio was currently calling them a taxi.
"What?! NO!" Shinpachi blushed beet red!
"Oh, so he's your crush, huh." The red head nudged him with his elbow. "Is the reason you haven't asked him out is because he straight?"
"No! It's because we're friends! Close friends! Anyway, Hijikata-san isn't into romantic relationships."
"Aaaah, so he's that type."
"Huh?"
"The type who don't question their sexuality at all, and just accept society's idea of their sexuality to make their life easier. So he's straight because he doesn't care."
That did sound a lot like Hijikata. "So you see my point right."
"Are you in love with him?" The flirtation male asked with an out-of-character serious tone.
"I'm trying not to." The teen confessed. He confessed to Yamazaki, so this felt easier. Almost to easy, but caution was in the wind. "I care deeply about him, but to admit to being in love with him would be the end of me."
Silence descended on them for a moment before Minoru said, "I bet that you're trying really hard to make things normal, but since you can't, you avoid him more than you like to."
That was a little too specific. "Minoru-san..."
"Take this from someone who had plenty of dating experience. If you can't avoid them completely for a good reason for a while, then just admit the truth. It will change everything, Shin-chan, but it's a better place than you are in right now."
"Is it?" Shinpachi wondered because what if Hijikata began avoiding him on purpose, too.
"Worse can come to worse where you're friendship could diminish..." Minoru looked down with a sorrowful, reminiscent expression. However he looked forward with a resolute face as he breathed in. "But hey, at least your friendship would no longer feel fake."
Diary, what Minoru-san said at that moment made me see things for what it really is. The bigger picture that I neglected to see because I was so focused on myself, and selfishly thought about what my friendship was with Hijikata-san. I kept using our friendship as an excuse, that it practically has become a lie. I care deeply for Hijikata-san. We are friends, but a true friendship between two individuals should be built on trust and looking forward to seeing the other person. I have neither of them with Hijikata-san right now, and he's deceived to think we do.
I need to confess. I am in love with Hijikata-san. It took so long for me to notice, and so short a time to realize the true state of my emotions. I was so satisfied with our friendship, until I opened my eyes to the reality of my state. I am fine if Hijikata-san can find someone else, but as long as he is free to have, I crave to be that person to fill that spot next to him.
"Though I'm not surprised that you feel for someone in the shinsengumi." Minoru commented. Unknown to him that a pair of ears belonging to a red headed amanto began listening while she was currently fighting with a certain sadist on the ground. "What with being surrounded by those shirtless, muscular men with pig-headed minds and rippling abs. I would give anything to see Shinsengumi on TV again."
"Minoru-san! You have a boyfriend!"
"He don't mind me looking. Besides he knows that I'm not into my species. Too boring. Aah, but he also went through surgery to get his dick smaller so we can have possible sex."
"Please keep that to yourself, Minoru-san." The prude virgin deadpanned.
"This was how big it used to be." He took out his phone and showed his background image. Shinpachi didn't want to look but he got a glimpse of yellow instead of brown, so out of curiosity, he did look. "I didn't want him to get a surgery, so to appease me, he got me a pillow in its size and shape. It also smells like him!" Shinpachi was staring at a picture of his childhood friend on a yellow bed and spooning a penis that was half his size! And thicker than him!
"HOW THE HELL DID YOU THINK THAT WOULD FIT IN YOU?!"
"You can't give up unless you try!" The male preached, but Shinpachi pointed out, "But you ended up almost split in half. Usually its just a silly thing to say in bed, but yours was actually true!"
Minoru gave a high, resigned sigh. "Stupid yaoi boys. They can get a four foot cock up their asses, and I can't."
"YOU DO REALIZE THAT YAOI PORN IS A THOUSAND TIMES LESS REALISTIC THAN ACTUAL PORN RIGHT?!"
"Now I can only take about two feet of cock."
"THAT'S STILL TOO BIG?!"
"I guess I'll just have to settle with that tonight."
"I don't want to hear it! I don't want to hear anymore!" Shinpachi covered his ears and shook his head rapidly! Then a question popped in his head. "Ah, right. Minoru-san. What were you and Bigridio-san doing here?"
"Just call him Bigridio-kun, and we just heard about this from a friend in Otsu-chan's world, and thought it would be thrilling to do something mildly illegal! Biggie-kun is such a bore, but it's what I also love about him!"
"Huh..." Shinpachi found that endearing, and then the taxi arrived.
"Looks like it's time for me to leave. Bye Shin-chan." He kissed his cheek which sent two swords and an umbrella their way. Minoru sweat dropped, and jumped into his boyfriend's arms. Bigridio sighed with a tone that it had been repeated many times before, and the two were gone.
Shinpachi got up and left the blanket in the ambulance. He was ready for a good night sleep. "Thanks for your help you guys." He told to Gintoki and Kagura. "As promised, you'll get your payment tomorrow. I already settled the matter with Kondou-san."
Kagura inquired, "Do you have to go back to that shinsengumi headquarters?! You stink of mayonnaise, gorilla, and hot sauce! EHGCK!" She pinched her nostrils closed.
"It's only a few more months." He reminded them with a reassuring smile. "I'll make sure to wash off the smell thoroughly when this is all over."
"Oi!" Hijikata had an angry mark on his face. "Don't make us sound like a zoo. C'mon Shinpachi. Kondou is issuing a celebration, and since you did most of the work, he'll see if we can shorten your community service hours after all."
Shinpachi didn't say a word of modesty to that, so he could lose the chance to lessen his time at the shinsengumi. Besides, when he will muster the courage to confess to this man, he won't have to wait too long before he can comfortably see him every now and then instead of every day.
When the policemen left, Gintoki and Kagura glared at the car.
"Kagura, you thinking what I'm thinking?" The man with a dark shadow over the upper side of his face inquired.
"Yes, aru." The Yato replied with the same shadow over her face.
A foreboding atmosphere surrounded almost all of Edo. Shinpachi shuddered.
"Is something wrong, Shinpachi?" Hijikata inquired when he noticed his small spasm.
"Ah, no. I think I'm just cold. My clothes did get destroyed in that explosion." Shinpachi said casually. He then found Hijikata's jacket on him.
"Do you feel warmer now?"
Shinpachi blushed lightly at the kindness. "Yes."
._._._.
A/N: You can be friends without a real friendship. It's all virtual, and Shinpachi doesn't like that.
Plus, Kagura heard that Shinpachi likes someone in the shinsengumi. What will come of that.
And I love jealous/overprotective Hijikata who's extra nice to Shinpachi.
Plus what is Sougo up to? Hmmmmmmmmmm? :3