A/N: So happy to see positive reviews! Thanks everybodey!
Anyway, I thought I'd explain a wee bit about my language. I make an effort to minimize the usage of Japanese - in my previous fics I found it rather disruptive. But sometimes, in cases where I Really Feel I can't substitute it for something similar in tone and meaning, then I would use it. Sorrey.
Chapter 2
"We're going, Gin-san."
"No."
"Gin-san, at this age, could you please be more mature? Well, if you can't be mature, then just act it, nobody cares if it's real or not. We have to go, what would Ane-ue say?"
"Let her say whatever she want, it's got nothing to do with me."
"Fine! Gin-chan can be as selfish as he wants, nobody will care! When you're old and rotten and nobody loves you anymore than you'll regret not visiting Ane-go! Let's go, Shinpachi."
Shinpachi folded his arms and looked down on Gintoki sprawled on the living room sofa, Jump as usual splayed out on his face.
"Despite everything the Yorozuya has been through and how Ane-ue has supported us through it all..." Shinpachi shook his head. "I expected better of you, Gin-san."
"Don't waste your time on stubborn, ill-mannered perm-heads, Shinpachi. Somewhere, somehow, we went wrong with this child... Sadaharu, let's go! Sadaharu's a good boy...he listens to mummy, doesn't he..." Kagura led the way out of the Yorozuya, Shinpachi and Sadaharu trailing behind.
As the door slid shut, Gintoki heaved a heavy sigh and lifted the Jump magazine off his face. "Ah...Reverse psychology doesn't work on me, idiots," he mumbled.
"Reverse psychology doesn't work, but brute force does! Go Kaguraaaaaaaa!" Shinpachi's cry of war, honed by years of being captain of the Otsuu cheering squad, deafened Gintoki before Kagura's well-aimed kick knocked him out.
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"Ara. It's so nice of everyone to come," Tae set about pouring green tea for everybody. "If you had told me earlier I would have prepared something."
Gintoki opened his mouth but Shinpachi beat him to it, while Kagura literally beat him by kicking his knee. Hard.
"Of course we had to come and visit. Katsura-san came by the other day to invite Yorozuya Gin-chan to the ceremony."
"Oh, did he? That's very sweet," and Shinpachi and Gintoki tried their best not to puke.
"Anego, what will happen if you and Zura get married? Will Zura stay here with you? What about Shinpachi?"
"Yeah, what about Shinpachi?" Shinpachi barged in. "And does that mean our dojo is going to become some kind of Joui headquarters? Illegal training centre?"
Otae hit the back of her little brother's head. "Don't be rude. Katsura-san, despite being busy with the movement-" Kagura, Gintoki and Shinpachi tried not to choke with laughter at this statement- "is supportive about rebuilding the dojo. In fact, doesn't it make total sense? Not only is the revival of the dojo aligned with Jouishishi goals, but like you said, Shinpachi, it can also play an important part in the Joui movement!"
"...Did you get brainwashed by Zura or something? Listen to yourself talk!" Gintoki snapped, eyebrow twitching.
"Gin-san, I would appreciate it if you weren't rude about my fiance," Tae replied calmly, smiling.
Gintoki deflated.
"Ah, Sadaharu wants to take a dump," Kagura said suddenly, as Sadaharu walked past the room they were in. "I'll be back, Anego. You don't want him doing it in your garden."
At that moment, Shinpachi's cell rang. "Ooo, Taka-chin. Sorry Ane-ue, gotta take this," and he was gone.
Leaving Gintoki and Tae sitting across from each other in silence.
Gintoki cleared his throat. "So... you're really doing it, huh."
"Doing what?" Tae tilted her head.
"...That. Getting...married."
"Gin-san, how many times do we have to say it? Yes, we are."
Gintoki rubbed his head, mussing up his already messy hair and grunted. "Aren't you only 18? Isn't it way too early to be getting married?"
"In some societies I would have had 3 children by now. Anyway, is there a reason why you are so against this? I didn't think it mattered that much."
Gintoki gaped at her. "What are you talking about? Of course it matters! You...you're getting married! To Zura! Katsura Kotarou, the leader of the Jouishishi!"
"...Gin-san, I really don't get what you're trying to say."
"It's...IT'S SO FREAKY!"
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"Sorry, Fukuchou. He won't come out."
Hijikata sighed exasperatedly. "Women. They are really too much trouble."
"What was that?"
Hijikata gulped at the glint in Okita's eye. "Nothing."
"Still, interesting development, isn't it?" Okita remarked. "I would never have dreamed...Katsura getting married. To Onee-san, no less. What, are we still going to try to arrest and kill him? We'd be making a widow out of Onee-san. Of course, not that you would care, since you have no conscience about hurting women and leaving them behind to fend for themselves."
Hijikata's vein throbbed. "Die, Okita."
"Die, Hijikata."
"I SHOULD DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Kondou's sudden wail snapped both men out of their death-glare match.
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Gintoki gingerly placed a pack of ice over his swollen eye, courtesy of Tae. Both the ice and the eye.
"Gomen ne, Gin-san. Conditioned reflex."
"No wonder Katsura asked you to marry him. He's the only one you don't hit," was what Gintoki wanted to say, but wisely refrained.
"Anyway, why not? Katsura-san is a good a man as any. He is a good person with good manners, with a proper job..."
"A proper job? He's -"
"Working at the cabaret a few streets away from Snack Smile!"
Gintoki sweatdropped.
Tae glared at him. "It beats lying around all day with Jump on your face."
Before Gintoki could hit back with a cutting reply (not that he could think of one), Shinpachi returned to the room, tucking his cell away. "Sorry! ...Kagura's not back yet?"
"She's back! Look who I ran into!" Kagura entered the room dragging one bemused Katsura Kotarou. "Just as Sadaharu was -"
"Never mind what Sadaharu was doing," Gintoki interrupted hastily. "Yo, Zura."
"It's not Zura, it's Katsura. So sorry - I didn't mean to interrupt. I just thought I'd drop by."
"Oh no, you know this is just like your house now. Be quiet, Shinpachi."
"Anyway, it's a good thing the Yorozuya's here. There's something Tae and I have to discuss with you." As he took the seat next to Tae, all three members of said Yorozuya immediately picked up the shift in the way he had addressed his fiancee.
"He's calling her Tae! It's like they're married already! So romantic!" Kagura's eyes were tearing from the sheer romance of the situation.
"Oh my god! She's allowing him to call her Tae? Already! What have they done!" Shinpachi's mind was already starting to over-react.
"DISGUSTING. That is just so disgusting." No guesses as to who this thought belonged to.
"Here, dear, have some tea first. You must be tired from the walking. Where's Elizabeth-chan?" Tae held up a cup of green tea to him.
"Oh my god! She used dear! Congratulations Anego..." Kagura was not even bothering to hide her tears of unbridled joy.
"What? WHAT! This is too sick. Too sick! She's my sister! Get your hands off her!" Shinpachi's vein was starting to throb.
"Sorry. Broke the cup." No guesses as to who had broken the cup.
"Elizabeth is at our headquarters, she said she had some errands." Katsura accepted the cup, blushing as his hands brushed Tae's.
"What errands could a penguin possibly be running!" Gintoki growled as he swept up the pieces of his broken cup, not missing his friend's slightly pink cheeks.
"Wedding preparations. Anyway, that's what we wanted to ask you," Katsura continued calmly. "We'd like to solicit your services - for the wedding."
"You know, to help us for this and that. There's so much to be done!" Tae exclaimed happily.
The three of them stared at the blushing couple, dumbfounded. "Anego..." Kagura broke the silence.
"...ARE YOU MORONS?" Gintoki yelled.
"We're family! Why the hell would you 'solicit our services'! Of course we'd help!" Shinpachi clenched his fists, outraged at the suggestion.
"...That was not really what I had wanted to say, Shinpachi."
Shinpachi ignored his boss. "Ane-ue. Just tell us what you want us to do and we'll do it. Consider it our wedding gift to you!"
"This is so exciting!" Kagura squealed.
Gintoki's eyebrow twitched.
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"Otae-chan, can I ask you something?"
"...Yes?"
"You like him, don't you?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Ever since you got to know him and your brother started working for him... you've just been a lot more happier."
"Oryou-chan, if you keep on spouting rubbish I'll have to kill you."
"Kill me if you want, but I know you, Otae-chan. We've been friends for more than a decade! I know you care deeply about him."
"Where is this going?"
"So are you going to tell him?"
"Tell him what?"
"Argh! Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall! Tell him how you feel, of course!"
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because you-"
"That man has no interest in anything else other than Jump, strawberry milk and parfait."
"But-"
"Plus, he doesn't even have a proper job. I'm in debt, he's in debt - god knows how much rent he owes Otose-san. Why are we having this conversation?"
"...I'm starting to wonder that myself."
"...I should really try to find myself a nice man. With a nice, proper job."
"...There's always Kondou-san."
"I said man."
"I give up."
tbc
A/N: Aha. Yes, there will always be this random all-italics chunk. Those are flashbacks, yes, composed of mainly dialogue, minimal non-dialogue, I just felt like doing it, okay! There's also no chronological sequence, so it's just random snatches of the past, if I can put it that way. Eg the italics scene in Chapter 1 does not necessarily come before the one in Chapter 2, etc.