Gintama: A Sober's Scars.
A gift fic for charlzway because I got her into this awesome fandom. Yes, I'm happy with this accomplishment.
Title: A Sober's Scars.
Pairing: Gintoki/Tsukuyo.
Summary: He eased her scars once upon a time, might as well ease his.
---
This night was peaceful, Tsukuyo mused, calmly doing her rounds.
"Don't you dare showing your face here again, got it?" Well, as peaceful as a night in Yoshiwara can be, she corrected, when she saw a man getting his behind handed to him by one of her girls at the back.
He probably annoyed them too much, typical.
Tsukuyo stopped though, when she felt like she saw someone familiar from the corner of her eye, and looking more closely to find out whether she was right or not, she turned around and saw him.
So I was right... but why does he look like...
She knew that Sakata Gintoki was kind of a lazy slob, irresponsibly spending his money on pachinko and other nonsense. She also knew about the fact that the idiot got drunk often but not enough to be an alcoholic.
Still, she knew the guy, she saw him get drunk many times and grouped with others to stop that concerning habit of his.
But the man that was in front of her, the man that was quietly drinking sake while looking as if the world was on his shoulders, wasn't the party-loving, crazy-ass, drunk Gintoki she knew and messed with once upon a time.
The man that was in front of her had eyes filled with hopelessness, filled with so much sorrow and grief that spoke of years and years of torment.
Sighing, Tsukuyo walked towards him, unable to ignore his state.
"If you're looking for something to busy your lazy self with, drop the booze and follow me."
Gin didn't have the time to utter an 'Oi' in protest as Tsukuyo took the sake bottle from his hands and dragged him along with her.
"This is not fair, you know? Gin-san is like any other citizen here. You can't just drag me away from my relaxation time, I have rights."
"Shut up and watch out for that guy, he's been lurking around these particular girls for a week now," Tsukuyo said, totally ignoring Gin's rantings and focusing on the man she mentioned. "I've been watching him for the exact same period waiting for him to make his move but he didn't do anything yet."
"'Come to Yoshiwara, we have good service and cheap sake~!' My ass, you just want a police dog, don't you?" Gin grumbled as he observed the guy, and like Tsukuyo said, he was lurking around very creepily. "He couldn't get any more obvious than that, why can't you just arrest him for being creepy."
"He's in the higher ups," Tsukuyo answered simply, getting an understanding nod from her companion. "If I'm going to capture the bastard, I have to own an incriminating evidence against him, but since he didn't do anything yet, I can't proceed. If only I had a way to bring out his..."
"His what? Oi, why are you so quiet no- why are you looking at me like that? I'm not feeling comfortable with the considering look you're giving me. Whatever it is, my answer is no!"
"I think I can find you a good kimono," was the last thing he heard before everything went dark.
"Why yes, I do love long walks around the beach."
Damn, the guy could perform well, Tsukuyo mused, watching Gin and the creepy guy walking around the allies of Yoshiwara from a building's rooftop. She raised her eyebrows in awe as she heard Gin's cutesy giggles, he is a natural at this. Maybe I can convince him to work here as a hostess or something.
Soon, the creepy guy began to act on his intentions, getting uncomfortably closer to Gin.
Gotcha, Tsukuyo smirked.
"This is a shitty night," Gin declared as he wiped the lipstick from his mouth.
"You did well, though we should style your hair a bit more next time," Tsukuyo noted thoughtfully, thinking of ways she could tame that perm with.
Gin shot her a half glare before he took his leave, grumbling things like 'Like hell I would do that again' as he walked away, leaving Tsukuyo smiling fondly behind him (not that she would call it a fond smile, you people are just imagining stuff).
She knew that he was aware of the reason she dragged him away from that sake stand; he could've just ignored her and left silently the moment she got close, but he didn't. That guy was rather observant, he would immediately know what was her intention on the first glance.
Still, Tsukuyo was glad that she distracted him from his sorrows, even when it was for one night.
Few weeks later, she found him in the same stand again, with that same expression that made her heart wince.
Nightmares, definitely.
She didn't know much about him really, but she knew that his past haunted him, she suffered from the same thing after all.
"Amanto are lurking too much around here recently," she said as she dragged him again, not bothering to listen to his protests. "I brought hair clips."
It turned into some sort of a routine now. From time to time, she would see him there and would immediately drag him to help with her rounds, and he would complain about his rights being taken advantage of as he wore the wigs she gave him. Tsukuyo found her inner make-up artist as she made Gin dress up in all of those fancy kimonos, he was currently her favorite fashion-rat, much to his dismay.
Sometimes, she thought that he was coming here on purpose, trying to find a way to distract himself from the pain other than alcohol, and that could be the reason as to why he went along with her.
But then again, no one knew how his mind worked, she really shouldn't over think things and just enjoy the ride.
Gintoki made a surprisingly good company when he wasn't being an ass.
There was one time, after they both were done with capturing this week's creeper, that Tsukuyo decided to approach the matter more forwardly.
"If you couldn't protect the kids for any reason, I will. Everyone will."
Gin just blinked in surprise at her sudden vow. "What brought that up?"
"Just saying," Tsukuyo shrugged with a smile. "You're not alone."
Tsukuyo opened her eyes slowly, the glowing moon in the starry night sky being the first thing she saw.
"Ah, you've woken up. Good, I was afraid that I had to deal with drool on my shoulder," a drawling voice closely above her greeted.
Upon looking further into her position, she found out that she has been blissfully sleeping on Gin's shoulder for a while now, given the fact that it was only them that were here, shops and stands and others being closed and empty from people.
"You should start making some shift system, you really need to get some sleep. Be grateful that I was here when you randomly decided to take a nap." She wanted to get up and give him a good smack on the head, but she was far too comfortable in this position, his yukata, as filled to the brim with the smell of old men as it was, made a really warm blanket with it draped over her like that.
And soon enough, she found herself dozing off again.
"Oi, Tsukuyo."
"Hmm?"
"I'll hold you to that vow."
Tsukuyo really couldn't help herself from smiling sleepily. "Don't worry about it."
And maybe she was already dreaming by then, but she swore that she heard Gintoki saying, "Thank you," in response, smiling a genuine, happy smile as he said it.
He eased her scars once upon a time, might as well ease his.
"You're welcome."
Title: A Sober's Scars.
Pairing: Gintoki/Tsukuyo.
Summary: He eased her scars once upon a time, might as well ease his.
---
This night was peaceful, Tsukuyo mused, calmly doing her rounds.
"Don't you dare showing your face here again, got it?" Well, as peaceful as a night in Yoshiwara can be, she corrected, when she saw a man getting his behind handed to him by one of her girls at the back.
He probably annoyed them too much, typical.
Tsukuyo stopped though, when she felt like she saw someone familiar from the corner of her eye, and looking more closely to find out whether she was right or not, she turned around and saw him.
So I was right... but why does he look like...
She knew that Sakata Gintoki was kind of a lazy slob, irresponsibly spending his money on pachinko and other nonsense. She also knew about the fact that the idiot got drunk often but not enough to be an alcoholic.
Still, she knew the guy, she saw him get drunk many times and grouped with others to stop that concerning habit of his.
But the man that was in front of her, the man that was quietly drinking sake while looking as if the world was on his shoulders, wasn't the party-loving, crazy-ass, drunk Gintoki she knew and messed with once upon a time.
The man that was in front of her had eyes filled with hopelessness, filled with so much sorrow and grief that spoke of years and years of torment.
Sighing, Tsukuyo walked towards him, unable to ignore his state.
"If you're looking for something to busy your lazy self with, drop the booze and follow me."
Gin didn't have the time to utter an 'Oi' in protest as Tsukuyo took the sake bottle from his hands and dragged him along with her.
"This is not fair, you know? Gin-san is like any other citizen here. You can't just drag me away from my relaxation time, I have rights."
"Shut up and watch out for that guy, he's been lurking around these particular girls for a week now," Tsukuyo said, totally ignoring Gin's rantings and focusing on the man she mentioned. "I've been watching him for the exact same period waiting for him to make his move but he didn't do anything yet."
"'Come to Yoshiwara, we have good service and cheap sake~!' My ass, you just want a police dog, don't you?" Gin grumbled as he observed the guy, and like Tsukuyo said, he was lurking around very creepily. "He couldn't get any more obvious than that, why can't you just arrest him for being creepy."
"He's in the higher ups," Tsukuyo answered simply, getting an understanding nod from her companion. "If I'm going to capture the bastard, I have to own an incriminating evidence against him, but since he didn't do anything yet, I can't proceed. If only I had a way to bring out his..."
"His what? Oi, why are you so quiet no- why are you looking at me like that? I'm not feeling comfortable with the considering look you're giving me. Whatever it is, my answer is no!"
"I think I can find you a good kimono," was the last thing he heard before everything went dark.
"Why yes, I do love long walks around the beach."
Damn, the guy could perform well, Tsukuyo mused, watching Gin and the creepy guy walking around the allies of Yoshiwara from a building's rooftop. She raised her eyebrows in awe as she heard Gin's cutesy giggles, he is a natural at this. Maybe I can convince him to work here as a hostess or something.
Soon, the creepy guy began to act on his intentions, getting uncomfortably closer to Gin.
Gotcha, Tsukuyo smirked.
"This is a shitty night," Gin declared as he wiped the lipstick from his mouth.
"You did well, though we should style your hair a bit more next time," Tsukuyo noted thoughtfully, thinking of ways she could tame that perm with.
Gin shot her a half glare before he took his leave, grumbling things like 'Like hell I would do that again' as he walked away, leaving Tsukuyo smiling fondly behind him (not that she would call it a fond smile, you people are just imagining stuff).
She knew that he was aware of the reason she dragged him away from that sake stand; he could've just ignored her and left silently the moment she got close, but he didn't. That guy was rather observant, he would immediately know what was her intention on the first glance.
Still, Tsukuyo was glad that she distracted him from his sorrows, even when it was for one night.
Few weeks later, she found him in the same stand again, with that same expression that made her heart wince.
Nightmares, definitely.
She didn't know much about him really, but she knew that his past haunted him, she suffered from the same thing after all.
"Amanto are lurking too much around here recently," she said as she dragged him again, not bothering to listen to his protests. "I brought hair clips."
It turned into some sort of a routine now. From time to time, she would see him there and would immediately drag him to help with her rounds, and he would complain about his rights being taken advantage of as he wore the wigs she gave him. Tsukuyo found her inner make-up artist as she made Gin dress up in all of those fancy kimonos, he was currently her favorite fashion-rat, much to his dismay.
Sometimes, she thought that he was coming here on purpose, trying to find a way to distract himself from the pain other than alcohol, and that could be the reason as to why he went along with her.
But then again, no one knew how his mind worked, she really shouldn't over think things and just enjoy the ride.
Gintoki made a surprisingly good company when he wasn't being an ass.
There was one time, after they both were done with capturing this week's creeper, that Tsukuyo decided to approach the matter more forwardly.
"If you couldn't protect the kids for any reason, I will. Everyone will."
Gin just blinked in surprise at her sudden vow. "What brought that up?"
"Just saying," Tsukuyo shrugged with a smile. "You're not alone."
Tsukuyo opened her eyes slowly, the glowing moon in the starry night sky being the first thing she saw.
"Ah, you've woken up. Good, I was afraid that I had to deal with drool on my shoulder," a drawling voice closely above her greeted.
Upon looking further into her position, she found out that she has been blissfully sleeping on Gin's shoulder for a while now, given the fact that it was only them that were here, shops and stands and others being closed and empty from people.
"You should start making some shift system, you really need to get some sleep. Be grateful that I was here when you randomly decided to take a nap." She wanted to get up and give him a good smack on the head, but she was far too comfortable in this position, his yukata, as filled to the brim with the smell of old men as it was, made a really warm blanket with it draped over her like that.
And soon enough, she found herself dozing off again.
"Oi, Tsukuyo."
"Hmm?"
"I'll hold you to that vow."
Tsukuyo really couldn't help herself from smiling sleepily. "Don't worry about it."
And maybe she was already dreaming by then, but she swore that she heard Gintoki saying, "Thank you," in response, smiling a genuine, happy smile as he said it.
He eased her scars once upon a time, might as well ease his.
"You're welcome."