A/N: Yay! I know there are many diehard TsukkyGin fanz out there. Naturally I have to give them a bit of a tease. I'm only sorry that I can't insert more Shinsengumi love in this, but I'm trying my best here, okay?

Chapter 4

In downtown Kabuki-cho, a silver-haired natural perm and a boyish-faced sadist sat next to each other outside the local police station. Actually, said sadist was sprawled on a wooden bench with a sleeping mask on while the natural perm dug his nose, one leg up on the bench.

"Hee, danna. Skipping work again."

"That's my line. I'm the boss of my freelancing business, so I've got minions to do the work for me."

"I'm the squad captain, so I've got minions to do the work for me."

Gintoki smirked.

"Anyway, danna," Okita continued. "The Shinsengumi's in a mess. Kondo-san has become a recluse. Couldn't you talk him out of it?"

"Anh? What has it got to do with me? I'm a freelancer, not a counselor. And you look way too relaxed for anyone to believe that the Shinsengumi's in a mess."

"I didn't think Onee-san would fall for Kondo-san, but I definitely can't imagine her and Katsura. It's so..."

"Disgusting?"

"Well...no. Just strange."

Gintoki's eyebrow twitched. "Could you stop yammering on about this. I'm sick of hearing about them. The old man at the street stall, now you, next Sadaharu will be singing an ode to the couple. Give me a fucking break."

"Heee." Okita removed his sleeping mask and gazed at Gintoki intently.

Gintoki glared at him uncomfortably. "...what?"

"Heee. You're jealous."

A vein throbbed in Gintoki's forehead. "For the last fucking time, I'm not-"

"Whatever you say, danna." Okita threw a magazine into Gintoki's lap.

"Wha-"

"I think you'll find it useful." With that, Okita launched himself off the bench and strolled away.

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"That useless, good-for-nothing natural perm-head..." Shinpachi muttered under his breath, as he toiled away under the hot sun repairing the roof of a random building.

"Don't mind, Shinpachi. If Gin-chan doesn't come, then that means we can take all the money when we get paid!" Kagura said gleefully.

Shinpachi sweatdropped. "Well... that is that, but... do you think something is up with him? I mean, he's always skipping work, but somehow he seems to be even more useless than usual. And there's this air of depression around him. He doesn't get up until we're both gone for work and he comes back late after you've gone to bed, drunk and listless."

"And he hasn't been buying me sukonbu!" Kagura pouted.

"You mean he's always not around for you to pester him into buying you sukonbu."

"He's probably going through some kind of mid-life crisis. Don't they show that on TV? Old men who cheat on their wives looking for mistresses-"

"Gin-san doesn't have a wife and he's not even in his mid-life!"

"Well, he already has white hair. Maybe he's panicking because Zura is getting married and leaving him by himself."

"...maybe. Do you get this feeling he has been irritable since Ane-ue and Katsura-san got engaged?"

"You should start calling Zura Katsu-nii or something, ha ha ha!"

Shinpachi threw a roof tile at her, which she deftly knocked away. "I wonder...if Gin-san is actually jealous of Katsura-san?"

A couple of birds chirped. A tumbleweed rolled by.

"No way," both of them said in unison, and continued hammering away.

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"No way am I jealous of that violent cabaret girl. Why would I be jealous? She's a violent cabaret girl, totally not cute, can't cook, beats me up every two seconds-"

"Oi, Gintoki. What are you doing mumbling to yourself here?"

Gintoki started.

"Hmph. Skipping work again... I really pity those two." Tsukuyo took a long drag from her pipe and blew the smoke in Gintoki's face, making him cough and splutter.

"God, women are troublesome," Gintoki mumbled in between coughs.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing! Nothing, Lady Tsukuyo..." Gintoki sweatdropped. "Why are all the women I know so..."

"Finish that thought, and I'll kill you."

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As Tsukuyo puffed away on her pipe, Gintoki fidgeted on the bench.

"Hee. They're getting married."

Gintoki folded his arms and grunted. "Yeah."

"Yeah, I know. Shinpachi and Kagura came to invite us some days ago. They're getting married, in what, a month?"

"You knew?"

"You don't look overjoyed."

"I'm positively ecstatic. Really."

"That's not what I've been hearing from Shinpachi."

"He's just bitter that I'm taking time off."

"You haven't turned up for work for a few months."

"Shinpachi's exaggerating. I turned up for work last week. Besides, a man needs a vacation from time to time."

Tsukuyo blew another trail of smoke in his direction. "Spit it out, Gintoki. You're not happy about the wedding. What, you worried you'll be the last one left behind, with no family to look after you?"

"Ch'. That's total bullshit. One family goes, I find another one. Hasn't it always been like that?"

Tsukuyo inhaled. "True."

"Tsukuyo..." Gintoki said suddenly. "What if it's true? What everyone is saying."

"What are they saying?"

"That I'm ...jealous. I'm reacting like this because I'm..." Gintoki's voice dropped. "...jealous."

"How the hell would I know? Idiot."

Gintoki's eyebrow twitched. "I knew I shouldn't have bothered. Where's Hinowa-san? She'll definitely be more helpful than you."

"Ch'." Tsukuyo stood up. "I've got work to do." She walked away.

Or at least, she tried to walk away. Until she realised that Gintoki was holding her by her kimono collar.

"What.." Tsukuyo said calmly, "Are you doing?"

"Iya, you know, it's such a long distance from the surface, and I came all the way, and you know, I really need help, and I can't think of anyone else to ask-"

"Why don't you ask Hinowa?"

"It's embarrassing! She won't think I'm cool anymore!"

Tsukuyo smirked. "Fine. 2 million yen is all I ask."

Gintoki would have thrown his bokutou at her, but as she was faster than him at throwing even shaper objects, he settled for sputtering instead.

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"That was fun. I haven't gone out and mixed with the citizens of Edo for awhile."

"Occasionally it's good to go and have some fun, isn't it? Even for a revolutionary."

"Wasn't it awesome when they played Taiyou no Komachi Angel!"

"I was the one who requested it!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"You know, I still feel like I can go on for a bit."

"Me too, I'm still sober. Oh, I know! Let's go karaoke! I know a place that's still open..."

xxxxx

"We can say Yeah! Yeah!"

"Ooooo! Katsura-san, you're not bad!"

"No matter how many times we sing this, I'll never get tired of it. I don't care if people say I'm old-fashioned." Katsura coughed. "Okay, maybe I'm at my limit. I'm losing my voice."

Tae cleared her throat. "Me too. Let's take a breather."

Katsura dropped onto the sofa next to Tae and leaned back, closing his eyes. "This is pretty surreal. I'd never have thought in my life I would be at a karaoke joint with Otae-san."

"I think it's more surreal for me. I wouldn't have dreamed you'd be in a karaoke joint even if somebody held you at sword-point."

"Well, I wouldn't really have gone here normally. Why would I and who would I go with?"

"Sou ne. Elizabeth-chan doesn't sing."

"He raps though."

"Well, now you know it's fun, you should bring somebody...you should bring Ikumatsu-san. She'd enjoy it!"

"..."

"...I'm sorry. I'm a bit drunk.. I shouldn't have said that..."

"It's okay." Katsura sighed.

Tae sighed together with him. "Maybe that's why fate brought us together. Because we can both empathise with each other."

Katsura smiled. "You know, I completely agree with you."

Tae leaned back and grabbed her head with her hands. "Arggh! I wish I could get over him! Idiot idiot idiot idiot!"

Katsura looked at her and chuckled. "Don't worry, Otae-san. You're a nice girl with a good heart, good company and to top it off, beautiful. Someone great will come along."

"Katsura-san..." Tae turned to him, tears glistening in her large brown eyes. "You're so kind!"

"Oh, no, it's-"

"You're also a pretty nice guy. Although you say the strangest things and people say you're old-fashioned or that your brain isn't working or your switch isn't plugged in."

"Thank you... I think."

"And you're good-looking, charismatic without being overbearing and you have such nice hair!"

Katsura blushed. "I use-"

"Ahhh, if I could just marry you, that'd be great..."

Katsura blushed harder. "Uhm...really?"

"Totally! I'm drunk, but really."

Katsura sat still. "...you know what, Otae-san. That isn't really a bad idea at all."

"...eh?"

"Think about it. We get along well and we enjoy each other's company. If it was you..." Katsura was a beautiful shade of bright red now, "I think it would be...nice."

"Katsura-san..."

"You know what? This is a silly place to have a conversation like this. Come on!" Katsura jumped up, grabbing Tae's hand and pulling her after him.

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"The roof."

Katsura smiled knowingly. "It's not just a roof."

"The roof of some building I'm not sure of."

Letting go of her hand, Katsura sat. "Look."

Tae sat down and looked up at an unhindered view of the sky, littered with millions of stars. "Wow. That's beautiful..."

"Isn't it? I'm...well, I'm always walking on roofs, but it's not just because I'd get caught otherwise. Even at this time, when no one is around and I can walk on the streets...I still prefer the roofs. It's just so much more beautiful up here. Just oneself, and the heavens."

Tae yawned. "Sorry. I'm tired. But...it's really nice up here. Let's stay here."

"Okay."

The two sat in silence. Tae yawned again.

Katsura looked at her. "Are you really sure you want to sit here? We can go home..."

"No, I want to stay here." Tae stubbornly rested her head or her knees.

"...I don't mind."

Tae looked at Katsura, who was blushing furiously and looking away from her. "Eh?"

"If you want to...I don't mind..."

Tae giggled. "Really?"

"Y-yeah."

"Thank you." Tae rested her head on his shoulder and shut her eyes, smiling as Katsura instinctively reached for her waist to keep her from falling off the roof. She inhaled deeply, tasting the night air and his slightly soapy scent. He must really wash his hair every day, she thought.

They sat in silence until Tae broke it.

"I don't mind."

"Eh?"

"What you said. Just now. You know, that a nice man will come along some day. Maybe he already has."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Tae lifted her head from Katsura's shoulder and smiled at him. "Let's get married."

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A/N: Writing that last bit just makes me want to dump Gin somewhere and stick these two B'z singing crazies together. Doesn't it! Sorry Gin.

Uh yeah, I know there was a time warp there. Just play along with it, people. Nothing to see.