Chapter: When people change a lot, you realize the things you loved about them
There was a faint noise piercing his brain. He felt someone touching him, a well-known smell filling his nose. His body was heavy and numb, weighing him down. There was pain from time to time, making him stiff and uncomfortable. Some memories flickered in front of his eyes, but he couldn't focus on them. Instead, he tried opening his eyes. It was too bright to see anything.
Gradually, his senses accommodated to his surroundings and everything got a bit clearer. There was someone calling him, a heavy weight in his lap and a bright light blinding him from outside the window. Then he heard his name, stifled by tears.
"Touushiiii!"
When he finally managed to open his eyes, the first thing he realized were big brown eyes and a face drenched in tears. His oldest friend and commander cried dramatically and softly shook him as he grabbed him by the shoulders.
With all his remaining strength, which wasn't much, he pushed him away and covered his mouth because the shaking made him sick. Kondou let go and sniffed, brushing away his tears like a little child.
"You're alive! I'm so relieved!"
"Ugh…" was all the officer could reply. His head swirling, he looked around to get a better overview of the situation. He was in a hospital bed, an intravenous drip on his left hand and bandages around his arms and torso. A green hospital yukata was keeping him warm. Through the open window, the sun of a high noon streamed in and the chirping of birds filled the room with a pleasant sound. Hijikata held his head for a second and tried recollecting his memories. The blanket on his legs was way heavier than it ought to be. He felt so weak.
"How are you feeling? Does it still hurt? Should I get you anything? You need anything, Toushi? Do you need help going to the bathroom?" His superior was in full mother-hen-mode now and fought back tears.
An annoyed grunt from behind him, as a blond man chewed his gum. "Don't overdo it, Kondou-san. You shouldn't dirty your hands helping this guy wipe his ass."
"Sougo!" Kondou yapped at him, tears swelling up again. "Don't be so cruel! I'd also wipe your ass if you were that injured!"
"I'll pass." The second in command closed his eyes, irritated. "Besides, assholes as stupid as this one don't need your help, Kondou-san. If he can't even wait for backup, he deserves to suffer."
"Sougo! Don't say that! You know he couldn't!"
"Just saying." A bored shrug. "He got what he deserved. He should be grateful he even survived. And here I was almost celebrating his funeral already."
Before Kondou could react to that, Hijikata finally opened his mouth, glancing at his two colleagues. It was still hard to see and talk. "What… happened?"
Now, it was Okita who came towards the bed and stared at him in his usual sadistic and bored manner. "You fucked up splendidly, Toushi. That's what happened."
"Soug-"
"You didn't wait for us to arrive at the scene and you didn't manage to catch anyone." The blond young man didn't tolerate any interruptions. He raised his voice and seemed genuinely pissed. Though, he concealed this behind his usual jaded look. "Thanks to you, we're back to square one. We didn't find their storage, Tetsujin got away, the rest of his henchmen dead, no one left to interrogate. Just because you thought you could play the hero yourself, huh?"
"That's enough now!" Kondou stood up and shot him a warning glare.
"Tsk." The youngest Shinsengumi officer rolled his eyes and walked across the room to fold his arms while leaning against the wall once more. "Getting injured like this. What a pathetic Vice Chief. Hurry up and put me in command already, Kondou-san. Then we wouldn't have this mess."
The Shinsengumi commander looked at him for a moment but didn't respond. He knew that was how Sougo expressed his worries about Hijikata, but he couldn't stand for it. For now, he ignored that, though, and sat back on the chair beside his friend's bed. The black-haired man looked down and had heard every word, slowly processing everything in his head. Kondou wanted to help him with that.
"Toushi. You've fought well yesterday. Unfortunately, Tetsujin and some others got away and we currently don't know where they are. But that shouldn't concern you right now. You suffered from a few wounds, but the doctor said none of them were life-threatening. The poison knocked you out, but they were able to intervene fast enough, fortunately. You'll have to stay in bed for a while, but we'll make sure you'll have everything you need. Leave the rest to us."
A soft nod, as to indicate he understood. He looked really worn-out, dark rings under his eyes, pale skin and an absent aura. Kondou was thankful he couldn't see how bad he looked.
"…what about him?"
His friend tried to smile. "He's well and uninjured. Don't worry about him."
"Tsk, and probably has a reputation as a total psycho among the Yakuza now."
Another warning glare to Sougo, before Kondou put his hand above Hijikata's arm to reassure him. "Everything's fine, Toushi. Don't worry. We know you did your best and I trust your instincts. I know you assessed the situation correctly."
A second soft nod and Hijikata closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. Kondou offered him a glass of water, which he thankfully emptied. His head was still swirling, but it got a bit better.
After a long moment of silence, the blue-eyed man raised his voice. It was low and croaky. "…Tetsujin set a trap for me. He knew about the Yorozuya… and me. …I don't think he arranged for all of this, but he was prepared when I entered the stage. I couldn't recognize most of the faces, but Tetsujin was injured. He probably has a broken arm. They had old Amanto guns, so I doubt that they're well stocked with weapons right now. …That makes me guess that they're mostly an independent group with very loose ties to their supplier."
He didn't need to give a report, but none of his comrades stopped him. They gave him the time he needed to speak. The painkillers slowed down his speech patterns a bit.
"…That being said… I think they might go after him again… Tetsujin didn't seem interested in killing him, but… seeing that he killed a lot of his henchmen, I think he might be in danger."
"We're already keeping an eye on him. So, don't worry, Toshi." Kondou assured him with a smile.
The implied thank you was barely tangible. He only managed a soft nod.
"Really, you shouldn't worry too much." The Shinsengumi commander patted his shoulder. "Just focus on resting for the time being. We'll take care of everything. We won't let anything happen to the Yorozuya. And we'll definitely catch those guys. So just relax, Toshi."
Hijikata couldn't smile, couldn't stop worrying. Just by how often his commander repeated those words, he was already suspicious. But it wasn't like he could do anything right now. He was way too weak to move.
.
A knock on the door made all three men look up. A young voice sounded from the corridor as the door was hesitantly pushed open. "Sorry for the intrusion!"
Shinpachi entered with a polite smile and raised his hand holding a plastic bag with some gifts. "Is it okay to enter?"
There was an expression of genuine disbelief on Hijikata's face, while Kondou waived him closer with a smile. "Ah, Shinpachi-kun! What a nice surprise! Come in, come in!"
Hiding his worry behind a smile, the young teenager entered and politely nodded towards everyone. A red-haired girl trotted along behind him, seemingly in a bad mood. It didn't get any better when she saw Okita and they exchanged challenging glares. But for now, none of them said anything. Instead, Shinpachi stopped next to the bed and put the plastic bag on the little nightstand.
"Hijikata-san. It's good to see you still in one piece. We heard you've been hospitalized and wanted to check on you. Are you feeling okay?"
The policeman didn't know what to reply. To say he was surprised to see the two of them here, was a gross understatement. He really didn't expect that. Eventually, he managed to say something. "Ah… I just woke up actually…"
"Oh, we're just lucky then. In that case, please be sure to rest and get well soon!"
"…Thank you…"
Shinpachi smiled and even though he tried his best, one could see he was struggling with putting on a carefree face for everyone. "We also brought you some things that will help you get better in no time. I made you my grandma's special recipe. She always said, if you eat three spoons of it a day, you'll heal twice as fast!"
"Oh Shinpachi-kun, you're so considerate! Such a great young man! Just like his sister. Caring and gentle. Hahahaha!" Kondou was laughing too, just a bit over the top. He desperately tried to lighten the mood, encouraging Shinpachi's carefree chatter.
"…tha-thanks…"
"No need to thank me, Hijikata-san!" The teenager smiled. "Of course, we'll look after you. You're like family to us now. Don't worry too much! We're here for you."
This moved him, and he could feel his chest growing lighter for a second. They were so sweet. He didn't know they considered him family. It really warmed his heart. But he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. And he longed to see Gintoki's face. But he didn't dare to ask about him.
"Wow, this is great, Toshi! The Shimura siblings are so wonderful, ne?! So much love in their hearts. Thank you for taking care of our Vice Chief, Shinpachi-kun! We're so lucky to have you!"
"Ah, please stop it, Kondou-san. It really is nothing. We're just happy to help. You already have a lot on your plate and we worry about you."
"No, no, no, no, no! Don't diminish yourself, Shinpachi-kun! You're such a wonderful young man! You're growing into a fine man, aren't you! You will be such a splendid samurai! You will make your late father proud!"
"It's really nothing. We're just here to help."
"We appreciate your help! Right, Toshi? Right?"
"Shut up!"
.
All of the sudden, Kagura barked at them and frowned. She wasn't playing around. "Don't try to lighten the mood, you idiots! It doesn't work! Let's just put the cards on the table."
"Kagura-chan…" Shinpachi took a step towards her but didn't manage in time.
She was staring at Hijikata instead, venting her anger. "Gin-chan didn't want to come because he didn't see why he should be. He said he doesn't know you and you two have nothing to do with each other. I gave him a good beating, but he still didn't wanna come. He's a gigantic moron!"
"Kagura-chan!" This time, Shinpachi signaled her to stop.
"What? It's true!" The girl spat back, obviously pissed. "Toshi wanted to know either way! And it's just stupid pretending like everything's fine when Gin-chan is being a total dirtbag!"
"Still, don't be so blunt, Kagura-chan! You have to learn how to read the room!" The teenager ushered, but she wouldn't listen.
"Gya, gya, gya! I'm just telling the truth. Gin-chan is being unreasonable and should be called out!"
"Well, he is still under the influence of the drug. So, you really can't blame him for not wanting to see this mayo-freak's face ever again." Okita butted in from the sidelines.
And Kagura met him promptly with a shaking fist. "I don't wanna hear anything from you, shithead! You were supposed to be his bodyguard, ain't that right? And still, this happened!"
"Oi, oi, oi! Don't shift the blame to me. I was just doing my job. And sometimes, I also have to sleep. This is entirely Hijikata's fault. He was acting rashly."
"So, you're admitting that you were neglecting your duties?! Who said he would take care of Gin-chan?!"
"Calm down, China. He might look like a teenager, but he's still an adult, isn't he? And I'm not taking care of someone just because some idiot thinks he's in danger."
"That's literally your job! That's literally what the police does!" She screamed, ready to fight him.
"Oh, shut up! If you would have taken care of him, none of this would have happened in the first place!" Of course, Okita was ready to face her, already taking a fighting stance.
"Right back at you, you dirty scumbag!"
"Nee, nee, nee! Please calm down, you two! Fighting will get us nowhere!" Desperately, Kondou tried to intervene.
As they were bickering on, Shinpachi was the only one looking at Hijikata. The black-haired policeman was staring into the void, not saying anything. The hurt on his face was clearly visible and Shin could feel his pain. That's why he didn't want Kagura to tell. He knew it would only hurt him. Seeing the proud man like this really stung. If there was a way, he would have liked to cheer him up, to reassure him in any way. But the truth was, that Gin didn't want to see him. That he had said even nastier things. There was nothing he could do.
And it really sucked.
He still looked horrible.
As he was watching himself in the mirror, he grimaced. The dark shadows beneath his eyes were still apparent and his skin looked a bit sunken in. It was better than two days ago, but he still looked like shit. He could move just because he was so stubborn and because he didn't want any help from the nurses. The humiliation of needing help in the bathroom really didn't fit his proud character. Walking still hurt, but it was bearable, and nothing compared to the pain he had suffered three days ago. He had been through worse injuries. Only the blood loss and poison had made things complicated.
Clumsily, Hijikata washed his hands and face and dried them off with the towel. It was dark outside already. The sun had set an hour ago and all of the patients went to bed. He didn't need the drip anymore, had switched to painkillers instead. His wounds were healing fine, but he still needed a lot of rest. It was hard to relax, though, knowing that Tetsujin and his drug dealers were still at large. It wasn't like he didn't trust Kondou-san and the others. But he wanted to join them, wanted to help them. Being chained to this bed made him feel even more like a dead weight.
He turned off the lights and opened the door to enter his room again. It couldn't be helped, could it? He just needed to focus on resting for now. And maybe it was good that he didn't see Gin in the meantime. Maybe it was good that he just sat out the time Gintoki was under the influence of this drug. Everything would be easier, once he returned to his normal self, right? He just needed to wait… It wasn't like this guy wanted to see him anyway.
But still, he wanted to see him. To see if he was fine. To see if he was doing okay. He missed him. But he just had to wait. Hijikata wasn't in any position to decide anything right now.
.
As he walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him, he saw a silhouette standing near the window.
For just a split second, he readied himself for combat. A rush of adrenalin flashed through his body and made him raise his fists. As he got a better look, however, he stopped in motion and slowly lowered his hands again. His jaw dropped a bit and the words almost slipped through his swollen throat.
…Gintoki?
There was a young man dressed in a simple blue yukata leaning against the window, arms folded, silver perm glowing in the city lights drifting in from the outside. He almost couldn't see his face in this darkness, but the lacking bloodlust reassured him who was standing at the other end of the room. This realization made his heart drop. Was this real? Was he dreaming? Was he really here?
It took Hijikata a full moment to better make out his face. In complete silence, the two men stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. The cop could see Gin's hardened face now. He wasn't showing any emotions, but his aura felt strangely reserved. It made the officer feel uncomfortable.
Not knowing how to handle the situation, Hijikata clenched his fist. Should he say something? But he didn't even know why he was here. Sneaking in after visiting hours and waiting in the darkness on top of that? How the hell was he supposed to know what that meant? He didn't want to mess things up even more. So, he decided to play his part and chose the coward's way.
Wordlessly, he walked over to his bed and sat down, back facing towards the Yorozuya. He hoped this distance between them would make things easier. But it didn't. It was still unbelievably hard to say anything. The lump blocking his throat slowly cut off his oxygen supply.
Closing his eyes made it a bit better. He struggled against his own body, trying to say something. Anything. He couldn't bare this any longer. Finally, he opened his mouth. But before he could squeeze out even a syllable, a movement made him freeze.
A pair of arms curled around his belly from behind.
.
Hijikata felt Gin behind him, knees slammed into the bed, arms tightening around his chest, a strained breathing against his neck. His wavy hair was tickling him, as it grazed his cheek and ears. The sudden embrace caused a massive adrenaline rush, making Hijikata's heart beat like crazy. The familiar smell of his boyfriend almost put him over the edge. He could feel his resolve waning, his body growing weak and his heart vulnerable. A wave of loneliness and worry cornered him and took his breath away.
Paralyzed by this sudden gesture, the black-haired man didn't react. For a few moments, neither of them moved. Gin's grip only got stronger and more longing. The tension nearly crushed Hijikata's heart. His breathing followed the silver head's unsteady and strained panting. Only little by little their breaths calmed down and his hug lost a bit of its anxiety.
Gin's unusual tense voice left a hot mark on Hijikata's shoulder. "…Don't ever do that again."
Taken aback, the policeman didn't know how to answer. His puzzlement was written all over his face. Hundreds of questions flashed through his head, but in the end, he couldn't voice any of them. So, in order not to mess this up, he chose not to do anything.
The man behind him inhaled deeply and tightened the hug a little bit more. His words were shaky and full of regret. "…I'm sorry."
It shouldn't have been possible to surprise him even more, but yet, here he was. Hijikata gulped and closed his eyes, fighting against his own feelings, his own lonesomeness and longing for him. He told himself to pull himself together. He needed to be there for him now.
Finally, he managed to reply in a soft, but firm whisper. "Don't be..."
His head moved, and the strands of his hair grazed his neck in doing so. "…No. …You're here because of me. You almost died… because of me."
Hijikata didn't know how to respond to that. His lips opened but felt dry and sore. He closed them again and clenched his fist. What the hell was he supposed to do?
"…I remember…" Gin suddenly whispered. "…I remember you."
These words cut so deep, it hurt. It really hurt. His head almost flowed over. For a few seconds, he pondered the implications. But in the end, he knew already. That he wasn't himself yet. That this was still his drugged teenage version speaking. He wasn't back yet. And this knowledge made him feel incredibly lost. He wanted to see him again…
"…Things keep coming back to me… Just piece by piece. …I'm sorry… for how I acted these past days…"
A disheartened smile. Somehow, with the realization of who he was talking to, words came easier. "…If anyone is sorry for how he behaved, it's me."
"No… I treated you unfair… and I'm sorry for that."
"…You were drugged and lost your memories. …That's really all there is to it."
"…Even so… I just wanted to tell you."
A weak nod was everything Hijikata could add to that. It was easier now to submerge his feelings. Still, his touch made him queasy. How could he feel so close and distant from him at the same time?
.
A sudden shiver took hold of Gin's arms and made the officer flinch. As it grew into a tremble, he felt anxiousness creeping up inside of him. "What's wrong?"
"…Nothing…" The silver head replied in a shaky voice, desperately trying to quell the tremor.
Now it was Hijikata's turn to be concerned. Gently, he entangled the strong grasp of his arms and turned around towards him. Gin was avoiding his gaze, hiding his eyes behind thick strands of silver hair. Seeing him like this in the dark of the room, the policeman couldn't help but feel unsure. His voice was as soft and undemanding as he could manage.
"…Did something happen?"
The teenager shook his head and smiled. The tremble didn't stop, and he clenched his fist in frustration. "No... it's just…"
"…just?"
His breath toppled over, and he gasped for air, being completely shaken by terror. Even in this twilight, the fear in Gin's eyes was clearly visible and the hurt in his voice impossible to miss. His head dropped, and his voice faded.
"…I… killed them… all of them…"
.
Hijikata's heart skipped a beat and he felt his stomach turn.
There was so much pain in his words. So much hurt that he could feel it as if it were his own. He didn't know how to handle it.
Gin was trying to take a deep breath, suppressing tears. "…For a moment… I… I just blacked out. …I killed them without a second thought… as if something inside of me took over…"
The teen smiled again, and it was falling apart the second after. The distress in his posture was like a death sentence for the black-haired man.
"I know now that… this wasn't the first time, but… honestly… it's terrifying. …Knowing that I am capable of doing something like this…"
He couldn't take it anymore. He just couldn't.
Before the teenager could even continue, his boyfriend already moved. In the blink of an eye, he pulled him into his arms, drawing him into a tight hug. The younger man flinched and chocked for a second. But then his arms rose once more and clutched Hijikata's yukata, burying his face in his neck.
He could feel him shivering, digging his nail into his shoulder. It hurt Hijikata's injury, but that didn't matter now. He almost didn't feel it. The desire to hold him, to comfort him, was much stronger.
As the policeman held him tightly, he couldn't help but wonder. Wonder, who this man was. Gintoki's past self? A dormant memory? That wouldn't make sense. Maybe he was the person Gintoki could have been. Without the war, without his loss, without all this bloodshed. Or maybe he was a different personality altogether. One way or another, his words hurt. It hurt so much to hear him say it. He couldn't help it. He wanted to protect him. He wanted to protect this version of Gintoki. Protect it from all the shit this world was unloading on him. Protect him from his own, horrible past.
A ridiculous thought. And still, here he was, holding him in his arms. He couldn't offer him more. No words of comfort, no explanations or promises. Only the gentle strength of his arms.
"I'm… I'm sorry for getting you in this kind of mess…"
For a moment, Hijikata tightened the embrace, softly shaking his head. "It's alright now…"
That tore him up and hot tears were wetting the policeman's yukata. He didn't mind. He wanted him to feel safe. The weaker the young man got, the calmer Hijikata became. Instinctively, he knew he had to. In order to protect him. In order to give him strength. His protective instinct took over, way stronger than it had ever been. He just couldn't help it.
.
For a long silence, both men united in a strong embrace. The room was still shrouded in twilight, the city lights dancing with the shadows on the walls. After a few minutes, the tears had dried and Gin's breathing went to normal again. He still stayed in Hijikata's arms, although softening his grip. Warily, he moved his head up a bit, lips grazing the officer's neck.
He immediately shivered under that, getting goosebumps from the familiar touch. Gin's scent didn't make it better. For a second, he almost forgot who he was holding.
"…Hijikata…" The whisper in his ear made it even harder.
His heart instinctively started pounding, when Gin moved his head to the side, tickling his neck with his silver locks. His body was a slave to his voice, to his familiar smell, bending to its will like butter to a knife. When his nose nuzzled against his cheek, Hijikata's breath immediately stopped. He could feel his own pulse on his tongue, as Gin closed in to kiss him. Everything about this was so familiar, was so natural, so enticing. Hijikata longed for this touch, longed for his kiss. He missed him so much…
It was only when Gin's soft lips bumped against his own, that he snapped out of it. While his body was about to lean in into the kiss, his mind made him retract. In the last second, Hijikata turned his head away, still feeling the prickling in his lips where his lover had touched him. His voice was a faint whisper.
"I'm sorry… I can't."
"…why…" The silver head's words were just as hazy. He was still so close, not wanting to let go.
"…Because…" The policeman gulped and couldn't look at him. Every inch more in his direction and they would touch again. "…no matter how much you might look like him… I feel like you're someone else."
That hurt. The despondency was tangible in his breathing, his finger, his voice. "…How can you be sure?"
A sorrowful smile appeared on the older man's face. No matter how much they were alike, they were two different people. This version of Gintoki may have been his younger self, but he was a stranger nonetheless. He wasn't the one the Vice Chief had fallen in love with. He wasn't his Gintoki.
"…Because I know."
.
Suspenseful silence engulfed them for a moment. They were so close but yet felt the distance separating them. Felt the longing devouring them. It was unbearable. And yet, a hopeless smile appeared on Gin's lips.
"…You really miss him, huh?"
There was no reply. Of course. He could still feel the answer clearly in his touch. It made the silver head smirk.
"Well, that sucks you know?" Even though he felt the rejection cutting deep, there was also something else inside of him, consuming him. A soft, warm feeling from deep within. "…Knowing you love someone… and the other person doesn't return your feelings."
This time, the handsome cop looked at him. The uncertainty was apparent in his gaze, but he didn't say anything. Somehow, Gin had to smile at that. Everything felt so weirdly familiar. He wanted to touch him, to raise his hands and run his fingers through silky dark hair.
"…It's strange… I only just met you, but I feel like we've known each other for years. …Like we understand each other without words. …Everything keeps coming back to me… and all of these feelings are so strong. It doesn't make sense, does it?"
He felt his boyfriend getting unsettled at that. The denial was impossible not to notice.
And Gin smiled, getting lost in blue eyes. "Don't look at me like that. I'm serious. …It's weird. …Falling head over heels for someone you just met? ...That doesn't happen, right? But then… when I look at you, I feel it. Every bit of it."
Gin could feel the man getting tense and somehow, he found that amusing. But at the same time, the sadness overtook him, and he lowered his gaze. The yearning consumed him bite by bite.
"…These aren't my feelings. These are memories. His memories… And yet, I can feel them as if they were my own. …I feel how much I love you. How much I want to be with you. How happy you make me. …It's unfair, you know? Being such an in-between…"
By this time, Hijikata finally blushed. His pulse strangled him, and he tensed up even more. Was this really how that guy felt? Gintoki would never say any of this out loud. They both weren't the types for that. And yet, he heard it from his own mouth, in his own voice. Hijikata felt like he was betraying Gintoki just by listening to this.
Gin laughed it off, shaking his head. "I get it. You're his boyfriend. Not mine. I just happen to be in his body for the time being. …That sucks…"
The dark-haired man opened his mouth and reached out for him, stopping in the lasts second. In the end, he didn't know what to say.
"…I'm nothing but a stand-in." Suddenly, the teenager gulped and bit his lip. "…Soon, the drug will stop working and this guy will take over. …I will cease to exist, won't I? …There won't be anything left of me. …That just sounds mighty scary…"
There was movement, and a moment later, a hand was gently placed on top of his own. Hijikata's strong voice was everything he needed. "…You won't cease to exist."
"Heh…" He had to laugh and close his eyes. "…And how can you be so sure, hm?"
"Because I know…" Hijikata reiterated and Gin thought he could almost hear a smile.
The smile on his own lips broadened and his chest nearly burst from all the love he felt. "That's a really stupid answer, you know that?"
"Maybe… but I know that I won't forget you. …And I know that you and he are the same… You just happen to exist in different times."
"Well, that's a nice way to put it." Gin snickered softly and combed through his own hair. "…But even if that were the case… I don't want to leave… I don't want to leave just yet…"
For a long moment, silence surrounded them once more. Gin had a hard time finding his way, torn between those battling emotions inside his chest. Hijikata, on the other hand, seemed to be thinking. He didn't mind, though. He enjoyed his closeness and the weight of his hand against his skin.
"…Let's go out once I'm discharged from here."
"What?" Startled, Gin rose his head and looked into steady blue eyes.
"Let's go out. …We can do whatever you want. …I mean as long as it doesn't involve sex or anything illegal."
It took him a moment before he understood. But when he did, the teen started to laugh. "Really?"
"Really." He was so stern, it was almost cute.
"Well, in that case, I can't really decline, can I?" Smiling, Gin couldn't refrain from running his fingers through dark hair.
Hijikata let him. It made Gin's heart beat in delight. All of the sudden, his chest felt so full, so pleasantly warm. Something was moving, changing inside of him. He let it happen, not caring where it would take him. For this moment, he was just happy. All of the sadness, the fear, and the pain had faded. As if a heavy weight had been lifted off of him. He smiled and couldn't stop himself. He placed his forehead against Hijikata's and inhaled his scent, smiling like an idiot.
"Thank you…"
"Where the hell is he?" Kagura was noticeably getting edgy. She hid behind a large container, umbrella in her hand, body in a crouching position.
The harbor was quiet this night and only the soft swashing of the waved filled the cold air. On the other side of the path, hiding behind another shipping container, Okita Sougo sat and yawned. "Probably won't come after all."
"Grr, shut it over there. Gin-chan will definitely come!"
Just a shrug. "Maybe. Don't forget he's an annoying teenager now, though. So, don't count on it."
"You…" Kagura was clearly pissed already and Shinpachi tried to calm her down. He had spy glasses hanging around his neck in order to periodically check the activities in front of the large boathouse.
"Please calm down you two. He will come. He told us so himself, didn't he? And now be quiet or else they might know we're here."
"Ugh." The Shinsengumi officer sighed and closed his eyes, folding his arms behind his head. He was sick of waiting. It was in the dead of the night and they were still expecting Kondou's signal any moment now. His squad was positioned on the other side of the building, waiting for the meeting to conclude.
He didn't like cooperating with the Yorozuya. But it had been the two of them who gave the crucial hint. And of course, they had been involved from the start. Naturally, they had just as much motivation to catch these guys as he had. He should be thankful for their help, he guessed. But he wasn't.
Truth be told, Okita was tense as well. He wanted to act soon. He wouldn't let them get away this time. He would give this Tetsujin a taste of real police work. Messing with Hijikata was all nice and fun, but dragging danna into all of this? If anyone messed with these two idiots, it was him. He wouldn't share his prey. Not with dirty Yakuza at least.
A sudden movement made the three of them flinch. From the shadows, a silver head dressed in a grayish blue yukata jogged towards them, just a little out of breath. He smiled when he stopped. "Sorry for being late."
"Where have you been?" Kagura yapped at him like an unnerved older sister. "We almost started without you!"
"Cut him some slack." The blond officer teased. "He just snatched a goodbye kiss from his boyfriend, that's all. You know, in case he doesn't survive?"
"Don't be so negative, Okita-san!" Shin screeched while Gin chuckled.
"A goodbye kiss would have been nice. But I got something better instead."
"Woah, really?" Okita's voice was monotone and pesky. "Don't tell me he let you ride his ****."
"OKITA-SANNNN!"
The silver head grinned and took cover. "Not yet, in any case. But once this is finished, I'll take another shot."
"How persistent." The Shinsengumi member finally stood up, putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Let's see if you can keep up with us in your current state then."
A challenging grin, as Gin nodded and faced towards the storehouse. His eyes were glimmering as if something inside of him had awakened. "Let's bring down this drug ring, shall we?"