Chapter Text
"So hot"
Gintoki murmured as he went out of his apartment door, wiping the sweat on his brow as he glanced at the next door beside him and frowned. ah its been almost five years now yet he still ... shaking his head he locked his door and groaned when Kagura who lives across his apartment along with his brother tackled him.
"oi, oi aren't you old enough for this piggy back?"
"Gin-chan you actually smell like a human being now? what cologne is this?"
"I smell nice everyday! Gin-san doesn't need any cologne when the strawberry milk had its own purposes to make me smell good"
he turned to face Kagura and noticed that she was making a face as she looked at his outfit.
"You look so formal today Gin-chan you don't have work today..are you going somewhere special?"
Gintoki raised a brow as he looked at his clothes, he was wearing his usual jeans but instead of a Tee or a long sleeve and jackets he was wearing a black button up that was rolled on the sleeves and shrugged. "Gotta look good to empress someone you know" and with that Kagura's eyes lit and she smiled.
"Perhaps ... are you finally going to visit the mayora?"
Gintoki just looked away and shoved his hand on her face as he walked to the stairs. "Don't assume things, go back to your room before your baldy shouts at me for being a pedo" and with that GIntoki left the apartment complex and walked on the streets, too hot.. why is it to hot on this 5th of May, it usually rains.
"oh, Gintoki?"
Stopping on his tracks he saw Katsura along with his duck Elizabeth, why is he running with familiar people now. "Its strange seeing you out this early in the morning, what more in a hot weather."
"I have something important to do"
"... Are you finally visiting him?"
A nod.
" he would surely beat you up for taking this long to see him you know, its not nice making someone wait"
Shifting from his side Gintoki picked his ear as he nodded "yeah he will probably give me five years worthy of beating" he let out a chuckle but it was forced and Katsura gave him a worried look, the small scrunch of his brows made Gintoki frown. "Oi oi now on, whats with that look? ill be fine, don't worry " and with that he patted the long haired raven on the shoulder as he waved and continued walking, there is no reason to be so work up but still after five years of not seeing , feeling and talking to him, its still hard, now this is what GIntoki hated at the same time love as well, the memories that floods on his head whenever his mind wonders back to that incident.
Hijikata Toushiiro.
that person, how did he madly fell in love with the bastard?!that bastard is not even friendly after all, an idiot with a stick up his ass, he questions him self after he realized that he was indeed in love with the bastard.
ah right, it started when Hijikata moved in the apartment right next to his, it was Tatsumas' but the air head idiot left the apartment after he graduated, and now is a pilot and off to god damn where, so his room had been vacant for three weeks or so until Hijikata arrived. Hiijkata as Gintoki remembered, he saw him first when he was locking his apartment door, a lot of boxes was sprawled on outside the door next to him and that's where he saw him. he was just wearing a grey Tee with white stripes on the hem and a black jeans, that's all but he was such a head turner, Gintoki knew that he prolonged locking his apartment door to check out his new neighbor. midnight hair framed his face, lean and slender body on such simple clothes and gun-metal orbs framed inside black glasses. he blinked as he realized that same pair was looking at him as he carried the box and Gintoki realized he must have stared that much and went to approach the other.
"Hey, im living next to you obviously, names Sakata Gintoki" he smiled at the other male, Gintoki wont deny that he got immediately interested with him, like he said the guy was a head turner, the type that you will momentarily stop and look at him, he had that appeal yet..
"Hijikata"
Came a small response and Gintoki blinked. "Ah well nice meeting you Hijikata-kun" Gintoki extended his hand for a shake and added "you want he-" but he was cut short when the door was shut and he was left alone outside. Handsomeness, appeal and hotness aside the guy was fucking rude! who does that?! too damn rude he was still talking and he did not even shake his hands whats up with that guy!? Gintoki doesn't deal with such rudeness, there and then he decided Hijikata is a bastard.
the second time that he came across him was him going inside his apartment, he cant seem to find the key on his bag as he dug through it and as doing so he saw Hijikata went out of his apartment, wearing a white button up and jeans he had a suitcase with him and he placed a cigarette between his lips before locking his apartment door. a nicotine freak huh, Gintoki thought as he saw him walk down towards the elevator, its been three weeks since Hijikata transferred but the room next to him feels as if there was no occupant, the guy rarely goes out, there was few noises from the television, yes he can tell since the walls are thin specially his and Hijikata's room, that's where the second problem was, the walls are thin and he had been in Tatsumas room a lot of times to know that the location of his bedroom is also next to where the bedroom of the other room is that's why every noises on that room can be heard. it started slowly, the clacking will start but ends on around midnight or so, but lately the noises had bee so frequent and it was every night as well. the loud, clacking, tapping, and noises coming from a rabid typing from a keyboard that sometimes he can still hear around 3 in the morning! having enough Gintoki woke up around 3:45 AM and the typing did not ceased one bit, he clenched his fist and slammed it so hard on the are which he assumed the noises are coming from and heard a crash on the other room, the satisfaction he felt when he heard that is blissful, Hijikata must have startled. it was quiet for a few minutes and Gintoki was about to lay back down on his bed when a loud and much forceful slam was heard on the wall to where he had landed his fist earlier and a crash followed as Ketsuno Ana (his favorite reporter and ultimate crush) picture frame that was hanging on the wall fell and the class case shattered, then later on the typing resumed, Gintoki growled in frustration that night and yelled
"FUCKIN BASTARD!"
By the next morning Kagura and Shinpachi had visted him, the two brats that's working part time with him on their small odd jobs comes every week ends.
"Gin-chan you look like you watch *** films the whole night, those eye bags are so ripe we can harvest them already" upon proving her point Kagura poked the skin under his eyes and he whacked her head with the book he was reading.
"But realy Gin-san you look like you stayed up all night.. did you re-read one of Tosshi's books again?"
"No, as much as i am a huge fan of him my heart wont take reading his book while that bastard was being noisy on the other room! it makes the reading go bad!"
Shinpachi looked at the other male as he signed and looked at the books that was piled on the coffee table he looked at Shinpachi as he sat up and rubbed his head. "What?"
"Nothing" Shinpachi doesn't want to ask anything further he shrugged "by the way inst today is Tosshi's book signing?" Shinpachi lifted one of the books that was littering on the coffee table he flipped one open to see the signature of the said author.
"AH DAMN IT!" Gintoki immediately sat up as he looked around, he haven't had this new one signed yet! and he knew its hard to obtain this author's signature, he rarely make any book signing and he was never seen in public too, despite his books being a best seller no one really knows the mysterious writer.
"Gin-chan you are getting obsessed with those depressing books again"
"Oi! its not depressing, this is what life is! there's no fibs on his works and besides this is the new one! and they already provided a few chapters of sneak peaks on 'Momento Mori!' that's his next work! im looking forward for it!" he stood up and gathered his belongings as he looked at the two "Don't mess my place that much! " and with that Gintoki left his apartment and glanced at the door next to him before running down and out the apartment building.
later that night He went back home very late and with a woman who was shoving him back on his door, he saw Otae gave him a disproving glare before going back inside her room, its nothing new to anyone in the complex to see Gintoki bringing in random partners, men or women and they had gotten used to it that they don't question it anymore. as they reached the bedroom Gintoki can hear the annoying typing and and a low voices coming from the television on the room next to him and he internally groaned before an idea popped into his head.
.
.
.
"Pfft!"
Gintoki covered his mouth as he remembered what he actually did that time, yeah it was a rather loud and noisy night he remembered Hijikata banging his fist on the wall three times that night to have them stop but that even spurred the woman he bed that night to be more louder, in the end he heard the television on the other room in a very loud volume. now that Gintoki think about it that bastard is so fun to piss off.
the next morning that day he went out of his apartment at the same time as Hijikata and they stared at each other for a long time before he saw the usual frown on the others lips turned into a deep scowl and he hurriedly locked his door much to his dismay Gintoki was finished first and started making his way towards him
.
.
.
"Yo, a scary face so early in the morning huh?don't spread bad omens in the building oi"
"Don't talk to me!"
"That,s not very nice, and here i am trying to be friends with you"
"Fuck off asshole! stop following me!"
"Don't assume! im going down as well!, what the hell is your problem?! you are such a rude bastard!"
"i don't care" was what he last said as he repeatedly pressed the close button on the elevator to make sure Gintoki wont get it but gintoki was also abusing the open button on the other hand "OI! LET ME IN!" with one last press he threw himself inside and knocked Hijikata in the process as he they tumbled inside the elevator.
"Get off me!"
Hijikata hissed and stood up immediately as he stayed as far away as the other.
"Why are you rude? remove that huge stick stuck up your ass!"
"I dont wanna hear that from someone who did not have any consideration about other people that lives next to them! "
"I should be saying that right back at you!" he hissed "who stayed up until 4 in the morning doing nothing but to type shit on your noisy shitty keyboard! "
"Someone who actually maintains a regular job!"
"I have a job too! im a lawyer! damn you!"
"..." Hijikata paused and started sizing him up from head to toe "If i still had my badge i will arrest you for distruptin' a civillian with your disgustin' tha- well that! activities last night!"
"Whats disgusting about that?! its normal! what? stammering like a virgin huh Mr. ex-Policeman! .." he trailed off as he saw Hijikata's brows already starting to connect with the large frown he had and glare that could already kill an army and then it clicked on Gintoki's head "... oh don't tell me... you are a virgin Oogushi-kun?!" he made a fake hurt as he looked at him and he can see the faint red tinting the other male's cheeks before he felt a fist colliding on his gut and heard the elevator door opened and saw Hijikata went out
"Dont talk to me again!"
he said that but.. after that encounter he and Hijikata would always see each other, in the hallways, the laundry room or the stairs and every time they do they only spat at each other, and will end as either if them gets the abuse which is mostly him.
"Did you get to a fight with Hijikata-san again?" Shinpahci said as he saw the bruise on his jaw when gin walked pass him. "seriously you two come at each other whenever you meet"
"That rude bastard just need to loosen up, he cant take a small joke and resorted to domestic violence! i will sue that asshole!"
"My, my just try to get along more, anyways ill be going now" Shinpachi gathered all his things as he stood up, piling his books and notes "make sure to put some antiseptic for that"
"yes, yes future doctor-san" Gintoki waved his hand as the younger male left and he flopped on his couch, what day, he just had to run into Hijikata again today, whats with this really? its starting to annoy him, the other people in the building had started to know Hijikata as 'the guy Gintoki gets in fight with', is fate-san playing with him?! its not really fair. looking at the clock he frowned "Ah!" he immediately sat up as he remembered something "TODAY'S THE BUY ONE TAKE THREE ON THAT PARFAIT SHOP!" he tumbled out the couch grabbed his jacket and, shoved his wallet and keys on his pockets and grabbed one of his favorite book with him, hurriedly rounding the corner he collided with something or rather someone on the hallways and this person fell flat on their ass and Gintoki winced as he stumbled a bit and rubbed his head before seeing a lot of papers scattered on the hallways and as his eyes roamed he saw Hijikata rubbing his head with his glasses askew.
"er...uh sorry" well he did feel bad, with these paper this must be work related, he started picking the papers up as he heard Hijikata hissed and curse at him, hurried gathering the papers as if he did not want the other to see it.
"Give it to me!"
"whoa! im helping you here, can you at least reconsider!" he ignored the request as he continued to pick the papers up.
"Just leave it to me and go to wherever shit on earth you need to be!"
"You really are an existence of rudeness you know! why are you freaking out over a scrap of paper! this is probably a worthies paper work that you shi...t on..." his eyes widen as he read the paper that he had picked and he started shaking at the bold title of "...Momento Mori" his eyes went to Hijikata then to the paper as he made a quick scan and read the contents before it was being snatched away from him.
"You.. you!" he started pointing at him as Hijikata continued to pick the papers. "You are Tosshi?! " he saw Hijikata flinched and frowned but the gun-metal orbs widen a bit as he saw the book that Gintoki had dropped on the collision, it was Tosshi's work entitled 'Clover leaf' and one of Gintoki's favorite.
"No" he collected all the papers as he started to stack them inside the folder.
"Dont lie to me! why would you have that in the first place?!" Gintoki picked up his book and flipped the page seeing a signature there he glanced at Hijikata now that explains the all nighters he was doing typing the whole day away. he must have a dead line or some sort.
"I hate to say this now that i know who you are but im a huge fan... just did not thought you are a huge rude bastard behind that pen name "
"The fuck you mean by that?!"
"That exactly! how come you are so gentle and solemn on your books but actually spitting curses every 5 seconds!" Gintoki started to follow him back to his apartment "hey come on talk to me! is this the reason you dont attend fan meetings? and just signed the book behind closed doors? is it cause you are too rude?"
"Tch!" with that said he grabbed the rest of the paper on Gintoki's hand as he walked away and headed to his room. Gintoki followed him after picking up his book and smirked "Oi come one, despite your attitude i still like your works" he blinked as he saw the small flush that crossed Hijikata's features as he fumbled on his keys while having trouble carrying his stuff, Gintoki sighed and went to grab the key from his hand "here let me .. jeezz"
"Im fine on my own"
"Speak for your self" Gintoki mumbled before he finally opened the door and immediately went inside the apartment like he owned the place, well he was curious what it looked like.
"What the hell are you doin!? get out you shitty perm!" Hijikata followed suit hastily removing his shoes a she chased after Gintoki inside, he dumped his papers on the coffee tables "oi bastard!"
"woah... did you made any changes here? it looks like no one is still living here"
"Dont do as you pleased, what the hell is wrong with you!" he grabbed him by the collar as he hissed and Gintoki only sighed.
"Arent you at least going to be nice to your fan? seriously im an avid fan! i have all your works with your signature and i sent you fan mails oi! can you be at least a bit considerate!" Hijikata closed his eyes as he sighed and slowly let go as he rubbed his forehead.
"What do you want?"
"Can I read it? Momento Mori?"
"... what? no way!"
"Why?!"
"Its not finished yet and most likely wont be published in time, ugh you are adding up my head aches" he murmured removing his glasses as he went to the kitchen, Gintoki looked at him and then looked around, he was serious when he said that the place looked like no one still lived there. it was so plain without any decorations at all, the papers are littering everywhere too, the coffee table, the couch and some crushed papers. he grabbed one paper from the folder and started reading just in time Hijikata moved the papers and actually offered him some tea. Gintoki smirked and sipped from the tea as he continued to read.
"So why is this not published yet?"
"Its not yet finished and my editor just recently threw it back on my face this morning" he sighed and flopped on the couch as he rubbed his forehead.
"Eh why is that, it seems good too me"
"She said its too depressin' and lackin' of somethin' "
"Like what?"
"I dunno.." was the only answer he received and he nodded resuming his reading, it was the first time they spend the next 10 minutes without fighting and at the end of that day Gintoki had persuaded Hijikata to let him borrow the manuscript for it which he immediately started reading, and at the same time he can hear the typing on the other room again and he shook his head, he might as well get used to the clacking of key boards.