A silk robe, casually discarded,

exudes fragrance

into the darkening evening

―Yosa Buson

He never smiled at her like this before.

She spent countless daydreams wherein she was the subject of his affection. They brought her fleeting happiness that comforted her on her loneliest days. But nothing came close to this moment. Gin-san was finally looking at her with eyes so kind and warm. And he looked genuinely happy to see her – so different from before. Tears began to well in her eyes. Her heart was singing with joy. Finally, finally –

"I'm home, Tsukki."

'Oh.'

She forgot. She was not Tsukki, only pretending to be. She was someone else this evening. Inwardly, she bitterly smiled. She's back to reality.

'No matter. I'm just here to spare Gin-san from irreparable hurt and confusion.'

She returned his gaze and withdrew her tears. Under the glow of the lamp, the shadows highlighted the angles of his face. Gone were the remnants of a boy's youthful visage. His features have become rugged, chiseled by years on the battlefield. His dark red eyes hid many stories that he will never tell her.

He had become so masculine, more handsome, and imposing.

"Welcome home, Gintoki," she said in as steady a voice as possible.

Gin-san pulled her for a hug. Immediately, she felt all of his pent-up longing be released in that moment. His warmth and the thought that he didn't arrive to a dead wife comforted Ayame. He even tightened his hold on her, afraid to let go. She savored the feeling of being cocooned in his arms.

"You idiot. The lights were out. I thought something bad had happened to you," Gin-san said, his voice muffled by her hair because he had buried his face between her neck and shoulder. It tickled her a little bit, another strange sensation she was only discovering now.

'I didn't mean to worry you, Gin-san,' the wisteria spirit answered silently. She was at a loss for what to tell him.

"Yeah, why was it so dark here?" A girl interjected out of the blue.

Gin-san promptly released the embrace, his face of apparent annoyance. Ayame shifted her gaze to the people below her, remembering that she felt the presence of other people with Gin-san. The girl who spoke had bright orange hair, pale skin, and intense blue eyes. She was carrying a large, purple parasol. The other presence belonged to the boy beside her. He had black hair, wore spectacles and a blue and white yukata. She noted that one of his hands was on the hilt of his sword. By the feel of their presence alone, she knew that they were strong. It would be foolish to underestimate them simply for their youthful and innocent appearance. There was another presence with them – one that is ordinary – belonging to the old man who had been holding the lamp for Gin-san.

'The two kids must be warriors,' Ayame noted.

"Kagura-chan, Gin-san and his wife have just reunited. It's not polite to interrupt their moment like that," the boy reprimanded with a frown.

"That's right! You already brought me home. You kids can leave now!" Gin-san shouted.

"But I'm starving," Kagura insisted. Then she began to walk towards the two lovers, heading straight towards the lightless house. "Can I have dinner first? I feel like I'm going to die from hunger."

"Wait!" Ayame exclaimed. "I haven't prepared anything. I, uhm…haven't collected firewood that's why…that's why there was no light."

Kagura stopped and looked at her with a nonchalant expression. She'd already set her foot on the stairs.

"But you have rice to cook, right? Don't worry, Shinpachi can fetch the firewood if you're feeling lazy. And you don't seem useful in the kitchen so he can also do the cooking," she finalized. In the background, Shinpachi shouted an angry "Oi!"

Ayame began to panic but she couldn't very well mention that she did not know how to cook. She was helplessly standing there, sinking her nails into her palms until they almost bled.

Heedless on Ayame's words, Kagura proceeded to walk but then – she just stopped. Slowly, she pinched her nose as though to stop the intrusion of a scent.

"That's odd…it smells very sweet here. Like there's lots of flowers around. Like it's…spring."

Suddenly, a very strong wind blew. The dead leaves on the ground had taken off into the air. All the lamps swayed and flickered violently, enshrouding the place in total darkness in erratic sequences. When the wind died down, the fire on the lamps miraculously survived. However, silence had descended upon the group. There was something strange about the wind. It seemed like it was trying to shush something.

The odd tension was broken when Shinpachi playfully hit Kagura's head with his hand. He had come up behind the girl to finally stop her entry into the Sakata home.

"Hey, what was that for?!" Kagura exclaimed.

"That is for demanding the Shiroyasha's wife to cook rice for you."

"But his wife doesn't seem to be usef– "

Shinpachi put a hand on her mouth before she even said more. He politely bowed to them. "We are so sorry, Gin-san, onee-san. Our work here is done so we will be taking our leave," Shinpachi said.

Gintoki released a sigh. He seemed exasperated from the two. "There's an inn just right at the foot of this mountain. I know the owner. Tell him that I sent you there. His wife makes good ramen. Now scram, you damn kids," he said.

That seemed to pique the interest of the girl just enough to take off her mind from wanting to eat at the house.

"Ramen? I want to try ramen!" she exclaimed, prying Shinpachi's hand off her mouth. She returned to the carriage with a happy skip, the boy following behind. Shinpachi took a large bag from the carriage and skillfuly threw it towards Gintoki. The latter easily caught it with one hand – making the bag clink and sag with heaviness.

"You almost forgot that one, Gin-san," the boy said with a smile. "Well then, we will be heading out." Then, he looked at Ayame, his smile fading just a little. "It was nice to meet you, onee-san."

The coachman gave them both a brief bow, leaving the lamp by the steps. But just before he left, he said something.

"Is there a wisteria around here, Shiroyasha-san? Its scent might be what the young lady had noticed earlier. However, I heard that if you smell a wisteria when it is not yet spring, it isn't because the tree is blooming out of season, but because the wisteria maiden is nearby. Well, that's just a folktale so don't mind it too much. I just happened to remember what my elders used to say!" Then the old man walked away, laughing.

Gintoki wanted to tell the old man to stop scaring him, but he smelled the flowery fragrance too. It would in fact visit him from time to time. Suddenly, he remembered that it was the scent of the lone wisteria tree near his house. He spent days training under the tree in all seasons. In spring, its scent was most potent.

But he couldn't understand why he could still catch a whiff of its fragrance.

After all, the tree hasn't bloomed for the past eight years.

Ayame held the lamp for Gin-san as he gathered the firewood at the back of his house. Cobwebs had formed between the logs. She hoped that Gin-san did not think anything of them.

When he finished, she slid the door open for him before following and closing the door. She took note of where he stacked the firewood and how many he used for making the kindle.

"The lamp, Tsukuyo," he said, gesturing to what she was holding. Quickly, she handed it to him. To her amazement, Gin-san used the fire on the lamp to light the firewood which he carefully placed on the hearth. "You shouldn't let the kindle die, you even often reminded me about that. You'll die from the cold now that winter is approaching. It isn't like you to be forgetful. That's one sign of aging, I heard," he joked. Ayame mumbled a quick apology. She found him very attractive whenever he was being playful.

It grew silent again, both of them just watching the flame engulf the firewood.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. She should probably ask him now if he was hungry. Maybe he could cook and she would watch. Turning towards him, she opened her mouth only to realize that his eyes were on her – gaze unreadable and intense.

"You are so beautiful, Tsukki," he murmured.

There it was again – 'Tsukki'. Her emotions felt like the ebbing of the lake, swishing forward only to be pulled back by the current. Ayame wished he called her name instead but she wasn't that delusional. Never in a million years would he tell Ayame something so wonderful.

She tried to give him a smile. If only he was paying more attention, he would have noticed how her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Pulling her to him, he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head.

"There was not a day that I did not long for you. All this time, I kept wishing that you were safe."

It seemed at that moment that Gintoki had broken down his walls. Protected by those walls was the heart of a man made vulnerable by love. Ayame's heart swelled with pity, for Gin-san's only beloved had been cruelly taken away by an illness beyond cure. Briefly, she remembered her own inadequacy which left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Words cannot express how glad I am to know that you're home safely," she responded. She was speaking from the bottom of her heart as Ayame the yosei, the impostor.

"I'm not dying on the battlefield. I promised I'll come back to you, remember? I was more worried about you because you're all alone here. I know I taught you how to defend yourself with kunai but I really should have asked you to stay at Otose's in town. At least you would have been safer there. But no matter, you're here with me now."

At that point, Ayame no longer had regrets. Gin-san was reproaching himself because he did not know if he kept Tsukuyo safe. If he found her dead today, he might kill himself.

'I don't want that. So, I'll protect him in whatever way I can.'

"Yes, that's all that matters," Ayame whispered. Silence, again. Their words were lingering in the air, still yet to be fully savored.

"Gintoki?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't think about it anymore, okay?"

"About?"

"Whether you should have let me stay at Okase's in town. I was completely fine here."

"Mm. Okay. And it's Otose, not Okase."

He tilted up her chin. With their faces inches away from each other, he placed his lips on top of hers. By instinct, she closed her eyes and savored the feeling. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. Gin-san deepened the kiss, using his tongue to prod open her lips.

'Gin-san's tongue…?' Ayame realized. She did not know that humans even used it for kissing. The feel of Gin-san's tongue exploring her mouth felt inexplicably sensual. He was relentless yet gentle.

Not satisfied, the silver-haired samurai gently laid her on the floor, momentarily breaking the kiss. His face was flushed, his lips red and bruised. His eyes were dark. She had seen those eyes many times before – in the predators of the forest ready to devour their prey. Not once did she think she would be the prey of one.

She felt afraid, excited – mostly frightened. She barely regained her composure when Gin-san once again claimed her lips. He was more aggressive now, on the verge of losing his control. He gave her open-mouthed kisses on her jaw, then on her neck. A mewl escaped her mouth from the pleasure.

Gin-san stopped what he was doing to look at her, pleasantly surprised. "Hm? The neck was never your favorite. I suppose not anymore," he teased. He again continued to taste the valley of her neck, his lips and tongue working together with expertise.

"Oh, Gintoki…" she breathed, her fingers digging on his back.

"I want to make love to you, now," he whispered in her ear. "I miss your body. I miss this…"

He paused to shed off his clothes. Each layer that fell made a thud that mirrored the beating of her heart.

"M-Make love? As in…as in…sex?" Ayame asked, distracted by Gin-san undressing on top of her. He exposed both the beautiful and the bad. He revealed the body of a strong samurai – chiseled by years of training and experience, and then the bandages covering his wounds. Ayame wanted to reach out and touch them but she got distracted by the sound of his chuckle.

His deep voice sent butterflies to her stomach. "Yes, sex. But not the soulless sex that they made you engage with in Yoshiwara. Make love, my way of showing to you just how much I adore you." His nimble fingers began to remove her clothes. He kissed her collarbone. "I'll make you feel good, Tsukki." Kiss. "And I'll show you just how much I longed for you." Kiss.

Ayame's mind was a whirlwind. Her body wanted Gin-san. She always dreamed of the day when he would make love to her. It was the language of humans, spoken only to their dearest lover.

But it felt wrong. Gin-san wasn't dedicating this act to Ayame, but to Tsukuyo.

Suddenly, she remembered that she was only there to give him a chance to grieve properly – not indulge herself in Gin-san's misplaced affections.

"Gintoki…I–I can't," she whimpered, turning her face away from him. "Please…not tonight."

Whatever excitement had built up within Gintoki had left as soon as he saw her defeated expression.

"Stopping now. But is there something wrong?"

Ayame laid her arm on her eyes, not wanting to look at him. "Nothing. It's just…it's so sudden. I didn't even know you were arriving today."

Gintoki was confused. This was one of the many times that he arrived unannounced. Whenever he received missions, he'd leave and only return whenever it was over. It was a surprise every time he came home, yet Tsukuyo always welcomed him like he never left. She never made a big deal out of it so he never had to feel guilty from leaving her for extended periods. He was thankful to her for it.

But tonight she was emotional when she was often aloof. Gintoki thought that she must have been keeping herself together for too long that she finally broke down.

He pulled her upright for an embrace. "The war is over. I'm here to stay now."

Ayame's lithe arms wrapped themselves on his back. 'But your Tsukki won't be.'

"You're here to stay forever?"

"Yes. We've won the war, Tsukki. The Bakufu will now be taking steps towards ensuring its sovereignty against the Amanto who also suffered considerable losses. We've proven ourselves capable of standing against them. The shogun provided me with gold that's probably more than enough for us to live luxuriously for the rest of our lives. If you want to live somewhere else, just let me know."

"But this is your home."

Ayame knew how much Gin-san treasured this place. No matter how far away he went, he always returned here. That's why she treasured the wisteria tree where she lived because it was close to his precious home. Her heart sank a little at the thought that Gin-san was willing to leave this place at the beck and call of his wife.

Gin-san looked at her with eyebrows raised.

"It is home. We can always return here. I'm just saying that if you want to go somewhere nice for a change, I don't want this place to hold you back. Look, you're probably getting sick and tired of living up here in the mountains because you came from a place like the Yoshiwara."

'Yoshiwara?'

There was so much she did not know. Yoshiwara, Amanto, Otose.

"I'm happy being here. This is my home. We don't need to go far away."

He shrugged, then smiled. "Fine then, whatever you want, woman." He kissed her again, this time, gently to show his appreciation. At the end of the day, he too, was content with his simple life in the mountains of Bushu, away from all the troubles in the city.

The next thing on Ayame's mind were his wounds. But she couldn't use her healing powers on him unlike when she appeared to him as Ayame.

'It won't take more than a few seconds to take away all his pain,' she mused, gingerly touching his wounds with her fingers. But she stopped herself. If Gin-san were to suspect her identity, all her plans would be ruined.

"I – I've prepared your bed. You must be exhausted from your travels, so you should rest soon. But first, may I clean your wounds?"

Gin-san laid his palm on her forehead. "Hmm you're acting demurely tonight Tsukki. Are you having a fever? Hmm, it's quite the opposite. You actually feel cool. That's what you get for not lighting a fire."

'Gin-san! I'm doing my best here!'

"Just get to the bedroom already!" Ayame said, flustered. She guiltily admitted to herself that she quite liked his teasing.

"Fine, alright, alright. I was just kidding around. But I like this side of you," Gin-san replied, giving her a wink before heading inside.

Ayame blushed. 'It's the first time I heard Gin-san say that he liked something about me.'

He once told her that he hated how clingy she was. Back then, she made every effort to show her love but didn't know she was suffocating him instead.

She shook her head. 'He probably only appreciates this side of me because he thinks I'm his wife."

When she followed him into the room, Gin-san was already sleeping on the futon.

She wondered if she spent a long time standing outside just battling her hopeful thoughts, or if the exhaustion had simply caught up with Gin-san and made him fall asleep in a blink.

She wasted no time getting to work. She knelt beside him to undress his wounds. She wrapped them with lengths of sarashi she found in their closet, while setting aside the used ones for boiling. In the olden days, humans turned to yosei for their knowledge. Having affinity with nature, the yosei were knowledgeable about matters of herbs and medicine, not to mention, already possessing the ability to heal.

Ayame winced at Gin-san's bandage-covered body. His skin was etched with scars. Though he was a battle-hardened warrior, it hurt her to think that he would be suffering silently for several more days.

She took one last look at him. He looked so peaceful, like in a state of deep sleep. Giving in to her heart, she decided to use a bit of her power to ease his pain.

Little did she know that Gintoki had managed to stop himself from falling asleep completely. He had wanted to see a glimpse of his wife for the last time that night, having not seen her for a long time. But when his eyes opened at the tiniest crack, he saw that there was a faint glow emanating from her hands. Then, he saw that her hair exuded the color of a wisteria's flowers. The name of the person which it reminded him of continued to elude his memory. His vision was hazy, sleep encroaching on his exhausted body. There was that flowery scent again, of peas and lilacs, calming his senses, coaxing him to sleep.

"A…me…" he muttered before fading into bliss.

a/n: 3 Thank you for all your inputs. They keep me going. As always, reviews/storyfavs/follows are my bread and butter. See you in the next chap~