A deserted road, appropriate for the late night and the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, as a path back to the barracks after the completion of a crackdown that lasted for a week, consisting of non-stop surveillance and reigning in gangs of the troublemakers. Gintoki stood leaning against a wall, and waved when Hijikata noticed him, annoyance and exhaustion clear on his face. Gintoki got up and approached the man, intent on soothing out the troubled expression.

"Oi, what do you think you're doing??"

"Petting your head,"

"And why the hell are you petting me?!?" Hijikata exclaimed and removed himself from Gintoki's hand. He flung his burned out cigarette onto the ground and stomped the remaining ambers out. Swiftly, he began on another stick.

Gintoki watched, unimpressed, only slightly relieved. So he still had that kind of energy, huh? He grinned when Hijikata removed the cigarette for a brief moment to exhale, followed by glancing at him with the ever-familiar knot of brows and a not-so-subtle frown - 'speak if you've got something to say,'

Gintoki's grin broke out into a snort, further driving Hijikata's brows closer together. He looked a lot like a growling black dog, though seemingly menacing, this one, when trained and tamed with a little knowhow, was totally just a lovable, barking puppy. A black puppy who was a little bruised up, literally dirt-faced, and evidently needed a rest from days of chasing down terrorists. It could still bite, however.

"Ah, ah, put that away. I oppose domestic violence, Mr. Police Officer," Gintoki had both his hands up as he coaxed Hijikata's temper away, back into the sheath where it belonged. Hijikata grudgingly kept his sword. "Who's domestic with who?" He growled.

'You're my domestic pet,'

Kinky. But he really didn't want to risk losing some blood.

"Awh, how could you? When we've already *beep* and *beepbeep*," Gintoki quickly covered his mouth with both hands and looked away, "D-don't tell me you were only playing with me..." He made a dramatic, high-pitched cry.

Hijikata stared blankly. "Who's going to fall for that, dumbass?"

"W-what'll I'll do if I have a b-baby?" Gintoki covered his face and sobbed.

"Like hell you'll have one!!!!!"

Gintoki looked up, blinked, and returned to find refuge behind his own hands. "So you don't want to have a child with me??" He continued.

"Enough of your fooling around, I'm heading back,"

"Aa, wait up, Hijikata-kuuun!" Gintoki jogged after Hijikata, "You're walking away like that, even though we finally got to see each other after weeks?" He latched himself onto Hijikata's arm and nuzzled his shoulder.

"...what are doing?" Hijikata nearly choked on the cigarette smoke.

"...meow?" Gintoki put a loosely fisted hand to his face in imitation of a paw. Hijikata blanched.

"Stay away from me, you freak,"

Gintoki simultaneously pouted, looked to the side, and sent a punch into Hijikata's face. "How mean...what a horrible man..." He whined in a dead tone.

"Who's the one being cruel here?!?" Hijikata was on the ground, holding his nose. This time Gintoki was the one to walk away.

"...and I was trying to be cute for you," He mumbled and sighed. "Yet Oogushi-kun called me a freak," Gintoki maintained a low voice, but at a volume that was loud enough for Hijikata to hear him. "Meow...meow...I'm know I'm cute. All the girls always comment 'kawawee-eeee' on n*c* n*c* douga," He sighed again. "I should get a woman......"

Gintoki chuckled when Hijikata bolted after him, he sure was a loyal dog, though a rather stubborn one. "Ouch," Hijkata cursed softly when he reached Gintoki. His right leg throbbed with a sensation of pain as it landed with an unnessecary amount of impact. Gintoki glanced over to him, who was limping so slightly that, if it were anybody else, it would have been near impossible to see the man repressing his discomfort. Maybe he should take the exhausted, wild dog home and lick his wounds to heal. The Yorozuya was nearer, and also, the constantly snapping mutt strongly disliked letting the rest of his pack see him weakened in any way. He was wild, but lived on responsibility and duty not only to one man, but also to everyone under that man. Gintoki thought that he had to himself quite a pedigree. But if Hijikata lived for the Shinsengumi, what was he to him? The owner, no, the outsider, who provided comfort and an alternative refuge when needed? Then again, it didn't really matter, he wasn't a self-centered schoolgirl. He was here, they were here, that was what mattered.

"Come over,"

"Ah," Hijikata was not in the mood to argue with the excuse that he had paperwork waiting for him, which he frequently employed in order to hide his joy and embarassment at being invited over to Gintoki's home.

"No, I mean, come over," Gintoki gestured for Hijikata to walk closer, only to have to pull him over when he refused to do so, and moved to hold Hijikata's hand.

"Oi, think about it, two grown men holding hands at night," Hijikata grunted.

"Witnessed only by the moonlight, oh what a sight!" Gintoki finished off and smiled at his corny rhyming. He spotted a blush on Hijikata's face, but decided not to tease him about. This was, after all, a fragile and short-lived peace.

Gintoki held Hijikata's arm gently, despite his sulking and protesting, to support him as they ascended the stairs to the Yorozuya apartment - the continuous lack of attention to his aching leg had begun to take its effects. Gintoki settled him onto a couch and ransacked the drawers for first aid, only to return with a few plasters, stating flatly that that was all they had. Hijikata sighed, it was expected. "Forget it, I'll go to the doctor's tomorrow."

"Pinky promise," Gintoki held his little finger to Hijikata's face, which was met a reluctant and hasty hooking of the other's finger to his own. It was childish, so? Making a promise with someone you cared for was nothing to be embarassed about, though Hijikata seemed to think otherwise, as he laid down on the couch, turning away. "It's late. Go to sleep." he mumbled.

Gintoki quietly sat down beside Hijikata's head and eased it up onto his lap, then offhandedly stroked the man's dark hair as he rested his own face on his other hand that was propped up on the couch back. He smiled in amusement at Hijikata's warm ear when he brushed across it, tempted to nip at it, but contented himself with stroking.

"Go to sleep," Hijikata said again in a fainter voice. Gintoki made no response. He was slowly dozing off. No matter how wrought by fatigue he was, Hijikata never allowed himself to indulge in sleep; to him, it was only a necessity for his body to recuperate, not something that he could allow himself to enjoy. So Gintoki tried to change that, even if was only for one night, for Hijikata Toshirou to experience the enigmatic sweetness of rest that he thought everyone should. His lap was not soft like a woman's, his hand not elegant like a lady's, but at least he was warm, warmer than a cold pillow, warmer than that big, indifferent room, warmer than the metal of blades.

Tomorrow, Hijikata would return to the Shinsengumi and continue with his duties, while he lazed around the house with Kagura as Shinpachi did the chores. Hijikata would surely unsheath his sword, while he, though much more restrained, might also have to wield his own. Their paths might cross, they would argue, they would part. They would meet again, and like lovers who hated each other's guts, awkwardly pass the night together in brawls and silence. Well, that sounded a bit too smooth.

"Sweet dreams," Gintoki whispered, looked down, and his eyes softened, when the man had fallen soundly asleep on his lap.

A/N: My first Gintama fic *looks around worriedly*. Inspiration for this fic pretty much came from doujins...which would lead to a good risk of stealing of ideas, which I hope I didn't do. There are certain themes and situations that I often see in various doujins, and they've left an impression on me, so I've somehow incorporated some of them into here......I hope that it's not too unoriginal.

Hope you enjoyed and of course, thank you very much for reading *bows*. Please leave a review? *-* I've not written for a looong time, and I'd really like to hear what you have to say, anything at all. Even something like, 'so-and-so sentence seems awkward/ this doesn't flow with that' or 'you could have done this and gotten rid of that' would be much appreciated. Feel free to ask any questions you may have as well ^-^ Again, thank you for reading till the end!