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Shinsengumi Vice-Chief Hijikata Toshiro was always lost in his thoughts when he went on patrol lately. Edo was calm most always during his patrol hours so it didn't require his full attention. Lighting a cigarette and taking a drag, he paused by a bus stop sign and gazed out onto the bustling streets, unconsciously looking for a streak of white in all the heads passing by. Unconsciously, until he caught himself, blinking hard twice and even physically shaking his head to rid himself of those thoughts.
It was happening a lot lately, more often than he was comfortable with. His thoughts wandering and landing on the Yorozuya. A man who, no doubt, should've become his mortal enemy the moment he revealed himself as the Shiroyasha, but somehow, everything got muddled up between their factions because of.. friendship. Honestly, Toshiro never expected to find close friendships outside the Shinsengumi, not at this point in his life. It was almost frustrating, to know how only a few short years prior he would've had the resolve to take the man into the station and do what had to be done, but something within him kept him living free. Free to walk around in that flowing blue and white kimono, free to flash him that annoying grin with bits of parfait still stuck to his annoying face, free to torture him whenever he thinks fit. It'd be upsetting if he wasn't so addicted to their routine, and to Gintoki's presence.
He sighed, polluting out a cloud of smoke onto the streets. Almost immediately afterwards, the sound of obnoxious coughing was meeting his ears, over exaggerated to the point where it could only be one man.
He turned to his right and his eyes landed on the devil himself, Sakata Gintoki, waving his hand around in front of his face like Toshiro had just breathed out toxic gas. Well, maybe he had, but it wasn't like he cared, especially not when it came to Gintoki. Before long, the other man snapped out of the act, slapping a heavy hand on his uniformed shoulder and grinning maniacally a little closer to his face than what was considered normal. Toshiro quirked an eyebrow, fighting down the feelings of safety, warmth, and happiness that were rising to his chest just from being around Gintoki. Because that was total bullshit. Complete bullshit, and he didn't feel anything for the other man. Not now, not ever.
"Hijikata-kun! How lovely to run into you here." He chuckled, plucking the cigarette out of his hand and taking a quick drag. Toshiro fixed him with a glare that was more along the lines of 'Don't fucking take my cigarette', rather than, 'Why are you smoking', which Gintoki clearly misread. "Don't look at me like that! I'm not addicted like you are. Every once in a while, it's nice, though." He delicately returned the cigarette to between Toshiro's fingers, making his heart skip a beat as their hands brushed together. Stupid, stupid!
There was a moment afterwards, hands still close, where Gintoki gazed a little too deep into his eyes, impish red meeting an ocean of blue. Toshiro cringed internally, knowing something terrible was about to happen.
"Oi, oi, Hijikata-kun... you're not staring at me with the usual hatred in your eyes.. what gives? Is everything okay at home?"
Toshiro blinked indifferently as he gazed upon the other man, eyebrows furrowing just the smallest amount.
"I don't hate you." He began walking past, knowing he was taking too long to finish his rounds, eyes landing anywhere but Gintoki.
"Oi! What the hell does that mean?" A strong hand on his shoulder wrenched him backwards to face the silver haired man, who looked nothing short of distraught.
"It means I don't hate you. Are you trying to resurrect those feelings in me?" Toshiro drawled, glaring into Gintoki's eyes.
"N-no, but, y'know.. you're breaking the cycle here by not knocking me out or telling me I'm a shithead. And I'm not sure how to react."
"What cycle?" Toshiro snapped, folding his arms over his chest. Gintoki looked sheepish, an emotion rarely seen on him and Toshiro almost felt proud for bringing it out.
"Don't make me spell it out, dammit. You know. I like you, you like me, but we just pretend you hate me and I drive you crazy and it works, it's easier than explaining it, or figuring it out. And the kids will question less." Toshiro assumed the kids in question were not only China and Glasses, but Sougo as well. But Gintoki's words made his mind stutter, like a record scratch in an obnoxious teen flick.
"Hold on - you like me? I like you? What are you talking about?"
"What are you talking about? I thought this was some unspoken agreement." It was Gintoki's turn to cross his arms, a deep frown settling upon his face. Toshiro glared, this time with that intensity Gin was looking for before. After a beat of silence from the dark haired man, Gintoki continued.
"You can't tell me you didn't know. I was in this alone?! And I was so sure we were this close!" Gintoki held out his hands with barely a centimeter of space between them. Toshiro stared at his hands, bewildered, then at Gin's horrified face. Was there really an 'unspoken agreement' between them? Did he like Gintoki? Platonically sure, romantically..? He realized with horror that it was becoming difficult to tell. Somewhere along the way, not only had the lines between Shinsengumi Vice-Chief and Shiroyasha been blurred, but so had the lines between friendship and something more. His eyes widened as he played back the words in his head again. Gintoki liked him?
"I don't know what to say." Toshiro deadpanned, staring out at the streets. He saw the blurred silhouette of the other man scoffing out of the corner of his eye.
"Yeah, neither do I!"
There were a few too many seconds of silence between them, hanging in the air with the same terrifying tension that Toshiro often felt just before Sougo pulled some elaborate trap to take his life on him. He glanced over at Gintoki again, who was now staring at up at sky, clearly embarrassed. Embarrassed, him? Who the hell could do that to him, of all people? I guess you can, his inner voice mumbled, both the devil and angel on his shoulders urging him to do something. Fix this. With a deep sigh and a hand running through his hair, he urged his mouth to move.
"Do you wanna go get a parfait?"
Gintoki's face snapped down to meet his own so quickly Toshiro felt mild concern for his neck.
"Huh?"
"Do you want to go get a parfait and talk about this 'unspoken agreement'." Toshiro ground out through clenched teeth. Whoever else was out right now could finish his patrol. Gintoki stared at him, clearly not believing the words he was hearing. Toshiro wasn't sure he believed them either.
"Say yes before I change my mind and go back to hating you."
"Does not hating me mean that you like me? I mean, you seem to run on a different set of rules than the rest of the world, Vice-Chief. Your emotions are an unreadable mystery to me. I think they might be just as confusing to you." Gintoki was prying more than Toshiro wanted him to, stepping closer into his space again with renewed confidence. "I wasn't wrong when I said you liked me. I just think I knew before you did."
"And what does 'liking you' entail?" Toshiro was spluttering, knowing he was losing ground and fast. He had to get back on his metaphorical feet quickly or he was going to end up in a relationship with this sugar-addicted moron. But why did the thought of that make him warm to his face? He realized he was blushing too late, especially after the incriminating words he had spoken, and Gintoki was smirking in triumph.
"I think you know just as well as I do. Let's go get those parfaits." Gintoki grabbed his hand, snatching the unfinished cigarette away and putting it out before tossing it in a public waste bin. Fingers laced together, his feet moved without his consent as they walked to the dessert shop, Gintoki smiling brighter than when he had won the lottery. Gazing over at him, Toshiro realized he was smiling, too.