Gin/Hiji - Fever Dreams (4/?)
Title: Fever Dreams
Rating: NC-17 (PG-13 for this chapter)
Pairing: Gintoki/Hijikata, various others.
Summary: 20-year-old Gintoki + 18-year-old Hijikata = ?
Chapter: 4/?
Warnings: AU, total lack of humour, Hijikata's swearing, Gintoki’s dirty mouth, unbeta-ed work, excessive character worship, and sex.
Previous chapters: Link
Hijikata pressed himself against Gintoki and gently nipped at the moist skin at the juncture between neck and shoulder. “I think I’d rather watch you try running,” he said softly, “It’d be more exciting.”
Gintoki chuckled under him. “Probably.” He let his hands fall from Hijikata’s waist and stepped away. “Are you going to draw your sword on me again? In that case, I might as well get started,” he said, giving Hijikata a quick grin before turning around and disappearing in a blurry flash. Hijikata swore under his breath, swiftly grabbing his kimono and fastening his sword at his side before giving chase. With those few precious moments lost, he almost missed the silver blur that rounded a corner of a building. He would never be able to live down losing the only valuable link they had to the Joui; with Gintoki in sight he at least had the assurance that it was only a matter of time before the Shinsengumi managed to close in on the signal from the tracker on his sword sheath.
He only had a moment’s warning, his body reacting to the trained instincts of a warrior before his mind registered the danger - before him Gintoki reacted similarly, both of them dodging towards the only safe niche available before the building came crashing down on them. He found himself in a tangle of limbs with Gintoki, eyes tearing from the dust and debris from the wreckage around them. He choked a little with half of Gintoki’s weight on him. “Get off, natural perm,” he snapped, twisting irritably under Gintoki.
“No, you get off me.” It was then that he realised that he was also half slung over Gintoki, both of them locked in a rather comical position that seemed the result of an almost acrobatic feat. Hijikata grunted and shoved Gintoki off despite Gintoki’s indignant protests and got up. The tracker by his hip no longer buzzed - the device was probably crushed by the wreckage. If Gintoki hadn’t seemed as unprepared as he was he would have suspected that Gintoki had planned this; as it was he had a definite suspicion as to who the culprit was - someone who could wanted to crush the rebellion at any expense.
“You all right?” Gintoki asked. Hijikata nodded and pressed his hands carefully against Gintoki’s chest - Gintoki winced slightly but did not otherwise react, despite the tenderness from his original wounds he seemed to have suffered no injury. An awkward silence stretched between them when Hijikata abruptly withdrew his hands. It might have been easier if it had ended here. He still doubted Gintoki’s usefulness alive, regardless of what Gintoki had promised, which was preciously little.
“We’d better find a way out before we suffocate,” Gintoki finally said. Indeed, the air already seemed a little stale. Hijikata started pushing experimentally at the rubble around them; behind him Gintoki did the same, also careful of accidentally dislodging the precarious structure around them.
“Oi.” A small rock detached itself from the rest of the rubble and fell on Gintoki.
“Hey, watch what you’re doing, idiot! You almost had my brains there!” Gintoki yelled. A small
clearing gradually formed after a few extra minutes of scraping from outside. Hijikata blinked at the sudden ray of light that filtered through, vaguely making out a hazy impression of a man with hair left loose around his shoulders.
“You’re still alive, Gintoki,” the man commented dryly.
“No thanks to you,” Gintoki said irritably as he wiped away the thin trickle of blood from his forehead. “Now get us out of here.”
“Us?” The newcomer poked his head further through the hole. He squinted curiously at Hijikata - and Hijikata suddenly felt a wave of familiarity. “Who’s that?”
“Oogushi-kun, meet Yoshimoto. Yoshimoto, meet Oogushi-kun,” Gintoki said, still rubbing at his forehead. “And for god’s sake get us out of here before we proceed with the introductions.”
“It’s not Yoshimoto, it’s Katsura.” Hijikata froze. So that was why the face had seemed so familiar.
Gintoki swore softly under his breath. “Why do I even bother?” He leaned slightly into Hijikata. “Let it pass till he gets us out, will you?” he whispered quickly against Hijikata’s ear. “He’s not who you’re really after, well, not the most important person, anyway.”
“I’m not going to owe Katsura…” Hijikata’s words were cut off by Gintoki stepping carefully but very forcefully on his foot.
“You owe me, vicariously.” Gintoki said. “Consider it overpayment for the few favours you’ve done me. Once we’re done we can sort things out so we’re even, then we can start freely fighting each other again.”
A rope fell down from the hole above. “Firmly anchored!” Katsura called.
“You go first,” Hijikata said. Gintoki sighed and caught the dangling rope, quickly making his way up and out of sight. Hijikata followed after - Katsura looked at him curiously and seemed as if to comment, but Gintoki firmly pushed Katsura forward. “Time to leave before we get our heads blown off, Zura.”
“It’s not Zura, it’s Katsura.” Katsura cast one final look over his shoulder before finally moving forward.
“Yes, yes, Zura.” Hijikata rolled his eyes at the hand behind Gintoki’s back that was frantically beckoning at him.
“It’s not Zura, it’s Katsura!”
***
“Ok, so this is…?”
“Oogushi-kun, an old friend of mine,” Gintoki said lazily. He took a few quick gulps of water from a bottle from Katsura’s supply pack and threw it towards Hijikata. “We’ll be leaving soon, anyway.”
Katsura opened his mouth indignantly, but Gintoki forestalled him. “You know how I feel, Zura.” The weariness was back again; Hijikata almost wondered if the fleeting expression of resignation on Gintoki’s face was his own imagination, for the next moment Gintoki seemed as certain of himself as ever rummaging through Katsura’s pack and flinging everything he thought unnecessary.
“I owe you one, Zura, or two,” Gintoki said, waving the backpack before Katsura before slinging it over his shoulder. “We’ll be heading off now.”
“Is there no chance of me convincing you to stay, Gintoki?” Katsura asked quietly. Gintoki paused midway to the door.
“No.” He turned sideways towards Hijikata, his eyes thoughtful. “You’d better leave this area too, Zura.”
Katsura’s eyes hardened. “You’ll come back one day, Gintoki.”
“Farewell, Katsura.”
***
“Hey, Oogushi-kun,” Gintoki finally said, sounding exasperated, “You’ve been ignoring me steadily for the past two hours.”
“Have I?” Hijikata asked wryly. His fingers brushed against the dead tracker. Were they searching for him? He had told them not to, but worry alone might affect their judgment. Images of the explosion haunted him. If he hadn’t insisted that the Shinsengumi remained outside a three-metre radius…he did not think that Kondou had suspicions enough to hide any of the communications he had sent. Surely Okita would realise the danger, but Okita still remained his actual age in certain senses despite the amazing leaps of maturity he has made in others.
Gintoki watched him carefully. “If you’re thinking of contacting your comrades…I wouldn’t if I were you,” he said, “But I don’t have to tell you that.” He looked out over the river. “We could, of course, part our ways now.” His voice was carefully neutral.
Hijikata snorted. “It really stinks around here,” he said, “How long are you planning to stay here for?”
Gintoki grinned. “Not a second longer, if I can help it,” he said, “Even though it’s the same everywhere else.” The dark, still waters of the river emitted a decaying smell that intensified as the minutes ticked by - the river had long since lost all life it had due to the carnage of the war.
“Make a move then, natural perm.”
“Would have done so ages ago if it hadn’t been for you spacing out, Oogushi-kun.”
“Don’t make lame excuses.” Hijikata got up.
He must hold Gintoki to his promise.
***
“Gintoki, Hijikata-san.” If Sekiguchi was surprised at seeing Hijikata again she did not show it. A scarf held back her hair, and her hands and face with covered with dirt and grime. Two young children poked out from behind her back and eyed Hijikata cautiously.
“Kyouko,” Gintoki acknowledged. Hijikata couldn’t help noticing the ease with which Gintoki used Sekiguchi’s personal name. Gintoki remained a mystery in many ways; he chattered incessantly and revealed nothing, sank into dangerous moments of dark silence, and surfaced again with the crudest humour imaginable.
Gintoki looked up at Hijikata from where he squatted with a child in his arms. He rested his chin on the girl’s shoulder, eyes crinkling in a smile.
“They’ve left with Katsura-san,” Sekiguchi said from behind Hijikata. Gintoki let go of the girl and stood up.
“I know,” he said, “That’s why I’m here.”
“Don’t you want to be out there with them?”
“Not with what they’re doing right now, no.” The children laughed when Gintoki tilted his head to the side and made a face; the younger boy, originally wary, finally emerged from behind his sister’s back. “I’m really bad at guerrilla strategies.”
“You should have left with Katsura. He promised me to have someone see you home to your village.”
“I can’t leave them,” Sekiguchi said softly.
Gintoki smiled wryly. “Your decision might be unwise under the circumstances.” Sekiguchi was taken aback by this sudden display of aloofness - she paused to study Gintoki’s face, her own taking on a worried cast.
“How many are there right now?”
“There are another two children in the back with their mother.” A hint of anger crept into her voice. “The children aren’t really fit for human contact with strangers just yet.”
“They’ll have to come out. I’m…” Gintoki was cut off by the door crashing open to admit a man, drenched in blood and stinking of burnt skin and metal.
“Sakata…” the man gasped, “Two metres from here…the battle…others…not us…” He fell to the ground with a sickening thud, eyes glazing over with the smoky film of death.
Gintoki remained still for a few moments. Sekiguchi watched him in silence with the children held closely to her chest, her face pale with terror.
“Oogushi-kun, please watch them.”
The door slammed close behind him.
***
Sekiguchi paced the floor restlessly. “It’s been ages,” she said for the fourth time.
“It’s only been two hours,” Hijikata said mildly from his seat on the floor.
She whirled upon him indignantly. “How could you be so calm?”
Hijikata raised an eyebrow. “Is there any reason not to be?” Two hours were hardly reason enough for alarm, much less when Gintoki was involved. Surely she knew Gintoki well enough to know that; in fact, she probably knew Gintoki a lot better than he did.
She paused in her tracks. “My husband failed to return after one.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. Sekiguchi took a deep breath and looked away. “Don’t be.” Her voice sounded strangely flat. “You were right. I was being hysterical.”
A few sharp raps on the door put a stop to the awkward conversation. The newcomer looked at Hijikata curiously when he opened the door but made no comment as to his presence. “Sekiguchi-san, where’s Sakata?”
Sekiguchi stared at him. “He hasn’t returned from the battlefield.”
“He’s no longer there.”
“Then…it has ended?” she asked hesitantly.
“With him present, how can it not?” The man’s eyebrows creased in perplexity. “Where could he be?”
Hijikata rose abruptly. “Stay with her.” The man finally diverted his attention to the presence of a stranger. “Who are…?” Sekiguchi placed a hand upon his shoulder and nodded at Hijikata.
“Thank you,” she mouthed silently.
***
This was supposed to be longer. And the next scene was actually supposed to be naughty. I got distracted, obviously.
Rating: NC-17 (PG-13 for this chapter)
Pairing: Gintoki/Hijikata, various others.
Summary: 20-year-old Gintoki + 18-year-old Hijikata = ?
Chapter: 4/?
Warnings: AU, total lack of humour, Hijikata's swearing, Gintoki’s dirty mouth, unbeta-ed work, excessive character worship, and sex.
Previous chapters: Link
Hijikata pressed himself against Gintoki and gently nipped at the moist skin at the juncture between neck and shoulder. “I think I’d rather watch you try running,” he said softly, “It’d be more exciting.”
Gintoki chuckled under him. “Probably.” He let his hands fall from Hijikata’s waist and stepped away. “Are you going to draw your sword on me again? In that case, I might as well get started,” he said, giving Hijikata a quick grin before turning around and disappearing in a blurry flash. Hijikata swore under his breath, swiftly grabbing his kimono and fastening his sword at his side before giving chase. With those few precious moments lost, he almost missed the silver blur that rounded a corner of a building. He would never be able to live down losing the only valuable link they had to the Joui; with Gintoki in sight he at least had the assurance that it was only a matter of time before the Shinsengumi managed to close in on the signal from the tracker on his sword sheath.
He only had a moment’s warning, his body reacting to the trained instincts of a warrior before his mind registered the danger - before him Gintoki reacted similarly, both of them dodging towards the only safe niche available before the building came crashing down on them. He found himself in a tangle of limbs with Gintoki, eyes tearing from the dust and debris from the wreckage around them. He choked a little with half of Gintoki’s weight on him. “Get off, natural perm,” he snapped, twisting irritably under Gintoki.
“No, you get off me.” It was then that he realised that he was also half slung over Gintoki, both of them locked in a rather comical position that seemed the result of an almost acrobatic feat. Hijikata grunted and shoved Gintoki off despite Gintoki’s indignant protests and got up. The tracker by his hip no longer buzzed - the device was probably crushed by the wreckage. If Gintoki hadn’t seemed as unprepared as he was he would have suspected that Gintoki had planned this; as it was he had a definite suspicion as to who the culprit was - someone who could wanted to crush the rebellion at any expense.
“You all right?” Gintoki asked. Hijikata nodded and pressed his hands carefully against Gintoki’s chest - Gintoki winced slightly but did not otherwise react, despite the tenderness from his original wounds he seemed to have suffered no injury. An awkward silence stretched between them when Hijikata abruptly withdrew his hands. It might have been easier if it had ended here. He still doubted Gintoki’s usefulness alive, regardless of what Gintoki had promised, which was preciously little.
“We’d better find a way out before we suffocate,” Gintoki finally said. Indeed, the air already seemed a little stale. Hijikata started pushing experimentally at the rubble around them; behind him Gintoki did the same, also careful of accidentally dislodging the precarious structure around them.
“Oi.” A small rock detached itself from the rest of the rubble and fell on Gintoki.
“Hey, watch what you’re doing, idiot! You almost had my brains there!” Gintoki yelled. A small
clearing gradually formed after a few extra minutes of scraping from outside. Hijikata blinked at the sudden ray of light that filtered through, vaguely making out a hazy impression of a man with hair left loose around his shoulders.
“You’re still alive, Gintoki,” the man commented dryly.
“No thanks to you,” Gintoki said irritably as he wiped away the thin trickle of blood from his forehead. “Now get us out of here.”
“Us?” The newcomer poked his head further through the hole. He squinted curiously at Hijikata - and Hijikata suddenly felt a wave of familiarity. “Who’s that?”
“Oogushi-kun, meet Yoshimoto. Yoshimoto, meet Oogushi-kun,” Gintoki said, still rubbing at his forehead. “And for god’s sake get us out of here before we proceed with the introductions.”
“It’s not Yoshimoto, it’s Katsura.” Hijikata froze. So that was why the face had seemed so familiar.
Gintoki swore softly under his breath. “Why do I even bother?” He leaned slightly into Hijikata. “Let it pass till he gets us out, will you?” he whispered quickly against Hijikata’s ear. “He’s not who you’re really after, well, not the most important person, anyway.”
“I’m not going to owe Katsura…” Hijikata’s words were cut off by Gintoki stepping carefully but very forcefully on his foot.
“You owe me, vicariously.” Gintoki said. “Consider it overpayment for the few favours you’ve done me. Once we’re done we can sort things out so we’re even, then we can start freely fighting each other again.”
A rope fell down from the hole above. “Firmly anchored!” Katsura called.
“You go first,” Hijikata said. Gintoki sighed and caught the dangling rope, quickly making his way up and out of sight. Hijikata followed after - Katsura looked at him curiously and seemed as if to comment, but Gintoki firmly pushed Katsura forward. “Time to leave before we get our heads blown off, Zura.”
“It’s not Zura, it’s Katsura.” Katsura cast one final look over his shoulder before finally moving forward.
“Yes, yes, Zura.” Hijikata rolled his eyes at the hand behind Gintoki’s back that was frantically beckoning at him.
“It’s not Zura, it’s Katsura!”
***
“Ok, so this is…?”
“Oogushi-kun, an old friend of mine,” Gintoki said lazily. He took a few quick gulps of water from a bottle from Katsura’s supply pack and threw it towards Hijikata. “We’ll be leaving soon, anyway.”
Katsura opened his mouth indignantly, but Gintoki forestalled him. “You know how I feel, Zura.” The weariness was back again; Hijikata almost wondered if the fleeting expression of resignation on Gintoki’s face was his own imagination, for the next moment Gintoki seemed as certain of himself as ever rummaging through Katsura’s pack and flinging everything he thought unnecessary.
“I owe you one, Zura, or two,” Gintoki said, waving the backpack before Katsura before slinging it over his shoulder. “We’ll be heading off now.”
“Is there no chance of me convincing you to stay, Gintoki?” Katsura asked quietly. Gintoki paused midway to the door.
“No.” He turned sideways towards Hijikata, his eyes thoughtful. “You’d better leave this area too, Zura.”
Katsura’s eyes hardened. “You’ll come back one day, Gintoki.”
“Farewell, Katsura.”
***
“Hey, Oogushi-kun,” Gintoki finally said, sounding exasperated, “You’ve been ignoring me steadily for the past two hours.”
“Have I?” Hijikata asked wryly. His fingers brushed against the dead tracker. Were they searching for him? He had told them not to, but worry alone might affect their judgment. Images of the explosion haunted him. If he hadn’t insisted that the Shinsengumi remained outside a three-metre radius…he did not think that Kondou had suspicions enough to hide any of the communications he had sent. Surely Okita would realise the danger, but Okita still remained his actual age in certain senses despite the amazing leaps of maturity he has made in others.
Gintoki watched him carefully. “If you’re thinking of contacting your comrades…I wouldn’t if I were you,” he said, “But I don’t have to tell you that.” He looked out over the river. “We could, of course, part our ways now.” His voice was carefully neutral.
Hijikata snorted. “It really stinks around here,” he said, “How long are you planning to stay here for?”
Gintoki grinned. “Not a second longer, if I can help it,” he said, “Even though it’s the same everywhere else.” The dark, still waters of the river emitted a decaying smell that intensified as the minutes ticked by - the river had long since lost all life it had due to the carnage of the war.
“Make a move then, natural perm.”
“Would have done so ages ago if it hadn’t been for you spacing out, Oogushi-kun.”
“Don’t make lame excuses.” Hijikata got up.
He must hold Gintoki to his promise.
***
“Gintoki, Hijikata-san.” If Sekiguchi was surprised at seeing Hijikata again she did not show it. A scarf held back her hair, and her hands and face with covered with dirt and grime. Two young children poked out from behind her back and eyed Hijikata cautiously.
“Kyouko,” Gintoki acknowledged. Hijikata couldn’t help noticing the ease with which Gintoki used Sekiguchi’s personal name. Gintoki remained a mystery in many ways; he chattered incessantly and revealed nothing, sank into dangerous moments of dark silence, and surfaced again with the crudest humour imaginable.
Gintoki looked up at Hijikata from where he squatted with a child in his arms. He rested his chin on the girl’s shoulder, eyes crinkling in a smile.
“They’ve left with Katsura-san,” Sekiguchi said from behind Hijikata. Gintoki let go of the girl and stood up.
“I know,” he said, “That’s why I’m here.”
“Don’t you want to be out there with them?”
“Not with what they’re doing right now, no.” The children laughed when Gintoki tilted his head to the side and made a face; the younger boy, originally wary, finally emerged from behind his sister’s back. “I’m really bad at guerrilla strategies.”
“You should have left with Katsura. He promised me to have someone see you home to your village.”
“I can’t leave them,” Sekiguchi said softly.
Gintoki smiled wryly. “Your decision might be unwise under the circumstances.” Sekiguchi was taken aback by this sudden display of aloofness - she paused to study Gintoki’s face, her own taking on a worried cast.
“How many are there right now?”
“There are another two children in the back with their mother.” A hint of anger crept into her voice. “The children aren’t really fit for human contact with strangers just yet.”
“They’ll have to come out. I’m…” Gintoki was cut off by the door crashing open to admit a man, drenched in blood and stinking of burnt skin and metal.
“Sakata…” the man gasped, “Two metres from here…the battle…others…not us…” He fell to the ground with a sickening thud, eyes glazing over with the smoky film of death.
Gintoki remained still for a few moments. Sekiguchi watched him in silence with the children held closely to her chest, her face pale with terror.
“Oogushi-kun, please watch them.”
The door slammed close behind him.
***
Sekiguchi paced the floor restlessly. “It’s been ages,” she said for the fourth time.
“It’s only been two hours,” Hijikata said mildly from his seat on the floor.
She whirled upon him indignantly. “How could you be so calm?”
Hijikata raised an eyebrow. “Is there any reason not to be?” Two hours were hardly reason enough for alarm, much less when Gintoki was involved. Surely she knew Gintoki well enough to know that; in fact, she probably knew Gintoki a lot better than he did.
She paused in her tracks. “My husband failed to return after one.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. Sekiguchi took a deep breath and looked away. “Don’t be.” Her voice sounded strangely flat. “You were right. I was being hysterical.”
A few sharp raps on the door put a stop to the awkward conversation. The newcomer looked at Hijikata curiously when he opened the door but made no comment as to his presence. “Sekiguchi-san, where’s Sakata?”
Sekiguchi stared at him. “He hasn’t returned from the battlefield.”
“He’s no longer there.”
“Then…it has ended?” she asked hesitantly.
“With him present, how can it not?” The man’s eyebrows creased in perplexity. “Where could he be?”
Hijikata rose abruptly. “Stay with her.” The man finally diverted his attention to the presence of a stranger. “Who are…?” Sekiguchi placed a hand upon his shoulder and nodded at Hijikata.
“Thank you,” she mouthed silently.
***
This was supposed to be longer. And the next scene was actually supposed to be naughty. I got distracted, obviously.