Of Complications and Soap Operas

Chapter 5

If you have any doubts, Sou-chan, then yes, the contract is legal and binding. The paper works have been done, courtesy of Sakata-san and Kondo-san, who had been too busy making sure that both of you had been distracted when they filed the necessary paper work.

Kondo-san had actually hesitated on this course of action, Sou-chan. After you have vehemently denied not liking her, and even calling her a monster, he was worried that you will be stuck in a marriage that would make you unhappy. He had always looked out for you, and wants you to be happy, and this deception, he said, might make you resent him.

~Mitsuba's letter to Sougo

"I hope Sou-chan and Kagura-chan are doing well right now…"

Okita Mitsuba was currently in the courtyard of the Shinsengumi compound, sitting on the edge of the wooden flooring, her legs dangling. Sou-chan had a mobile phone, but had not yet contacted her since his flight from the compound. At an ungodly hour of two in the morning, he had awaken Kondo Isao, handed him his letter requesting for a vacation leave and went off using one of the unmarked cars that the police force had.

A shouji opened, and behind it stood Hijikata Toushirou. "Ah, sorry, didn't know this placed was occupied—" before he could even turn away, she spoke up.

"Toushirou-san, please, stay. I… I don't mind having… some company." She said, casting her gaze downward. "At least it'll distract me for a bit…"

He shrugged, but sat down a few good meters away from her. "Hope you don't mind." He said, referring to his cigarette and mayonnaise-shaped lighter. When she shook her head, he lit up the cigarette and began puffing away.

"So… the wedding is… off, huh?" she said without thinking. Oh, me and my big mouth…

"Looks like it." Hijikata commented nonchalantly, exhaling out the smoke. "Doesn't really matter, 'cause everything went according to plan, right?"

"Yes, but… I still wonder if I did the right thing… if it was worth it." She sighed. "Sou-chan must be really angry at me…"

"He wouldn't hate you even if you murdered someone in cold blood." Hijikata supplied.

"That's… slightly morbid." She gave out a nervous laugh and suddenly, the demon vice-captain wanted to slam his head against the wooden post he was leaning on. He did so anyway, albeit discreetly.

It was stupid of him to be so crass in front of a woman who was the living and breathing image of a yamato nadeshiko until it was meal time.

"Point is, the kid loves you so much that whatever you do, he'll gratefully accept it. You handing China to him was practically giving him his most favorite thing in the world on a silver platter."

"I-is that so…?" Sougo never spoke to her about those matters, yet he knew all about it. Somehow, she felt just a little bit jealous. "He… never mentioned it to me. About his feelings for her, I mean."

"Took him a long time to realize his feelings for China." The man said, taking yet another puff before putting it out. "Nearly took him three years to realize, and without this whole 'engagement', he wouldn't make a move at all."

"I see…"

"If I didn't volunteer, he wouldn't even bother doing anything." The Shinsengumi member said. "Push came to shove when you entered, and that was when the plans got finalized—"

"W-wait, so you mean… right from the start…?"

"You mean right from the start, this had been the plan? Of course. Kondo-san and I know that he would rather die than admit that he likes her, so we decided to bait him a bit… which didn't work particularly well since he outright ignored it until you stepped in." by now, Hijikata was looking at her intensely, which made her blush. Mitsuba cursed herself for still not being immune to him and for even being able to blush at her age. "Umibouzu-dono had given his blessings for their match, though he wasn't too keen with the fact that your brother has some… quirks that may raise some eyebrows."

She chuckled. "That's what makes Sou-chan unique. He has his flaws, yet I love him all the same."

"Right." He couldn't say the same thing for Okita since the kid had always wanted to kill him whenever possible, but out of respect for Mitsuba, he had to shut his mouth. "Anyway, it's getting late. You should get some rest."

"… Do you still feel uncomfortable around me?" she asked bluntly.

"W-wha—" he did not expect her to ask him that.

It was a question that had gone unanswered for years, and for years, he had always avoided seeing her whenever she was visiting Sougo.

He really was a coward.

"Do you… hate me?"

"If I hated you, then I wouldn't be here in the same place as you." He explained, and the urge to just get up and run away spiking up to dangerous levels.

"So you're just being cordial for the sake of tolerating me…?"

"Make of it what you will. I'm going back inside." Hijakata had propped himself up using both of his hands and was just about to leave when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind.

"… Tell me the truth, Hijikata Toushirou." She said firmly. "Either say it right now or—"

"Or what, Mitsuba?" he asked.

"Or I'll make sure your beloved mayonnaise factory gets destroyed by Sou-chan!"

Hijikata did a double take. How could someone as calm as Mitsuba be able to deadpan her threats? But then again, she was the older sister of the expert at deadpan threats, so he shouldn't really be surprised. Sighing, he knew he had to tell her sooner or later where he really stood regarding his feelings. It would be hypocritical of him to not practice what he had just told her about her brother's feelings towards the Yorozuya girl. "I've said it before. I do not care for you. My answer is still the same."

Before she could protest, he added quickly, "… But maybe, this time around, my feelings have changed."

"… Is it too much for me to ask if I… still have a chance…?"

You were the only one who had a chance. "… Maybe—" when she tightened the hug around his waist, Hijikata knew his face was red from embarrassment. "Oof."

"S-sorry." She said, pressing her forehead against his back. "I-I'm just… happy to know that I still have a chance…"

Seriously, Hijikata didn't know what to do right now, mainly because he knew that after what he had just done, everything between them would turn awkward. "A-anyway, it's getting late, and I need to patrol early tomorrow so…" he felt strangely empty when he removed Mitsuba's arms around him and willed himself to walk away from her.

"Okay then. Good night, Toushirou-san." She bowed before heading off to Sougo's empty room.

After Hijikata closed the shouji to his room, he let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair.

Okita Sougo would definitely kill him when he gets back.

But everyone was persistent. Among all of us, Otae-san was the most vocal person regarding your match, and in no time at all, Kondo-san was convinced that Toushirou-san wouldn't suit Kagura-chan. Our days in preparing for this were numbered, and we knew we had to act quickly. I had to go to Edo and meet Kagura-chan myself, and had been on my way to meet her when some yakuza members harassed me. As if fate had intervened, she had appeared before me and began to beat up all of them. I knew it was Kagura-chan when I saw the umbrella on her hands, and the clothing that she wore. The first time I met her, I knew that she was the one for you, Sou-chan.

~Mitsuba's letter to Sougo

Sougo couldn't believe the words that came out of her mouth.

Why the hell was up with her line of thinking?

Not only was he angered by the fact that she didn't believe him up until now, but he was slightly disappointed with the way she doubted him. But then again, now that he thought about it, she had reason to doubt him but still…

They had already slept together. Twice, even. What the hell was she saying now about getting back at Hijikata?

And why the hell would he think of that guy during his honeymoon anyway? Not only was it disgusting, but he was on the verge of breaking out into hives just thinking of the possibility of himself thinking about Hijikata. On his damn honeymoon even!

Trust China to complicate matters further.

"You really are stupid and dense."

"Hey!" she protested, glaring back at him, only to falter when she saw the serious look on his face.

"Shut up and listen, 'cause I'm not repeating this ever again." He took her hands to hold it close to him while staring intently at her eyes. "You understand?"

He said it so seriously that she was too at lost for words. She managed a nod instead.

"I won't say those three stupid words 'cause I think they're empty promises." Just when the vermillion-haired Yato was about to protest, he silenced her with a glare. "But I'm not the type of guy who sleeps around just because he can, and wants to. I have standards, you know." He said the last statement so arrogantly that Kagura nearly rolled her eyes in disgust.

"I'll have you know that you're the only girl I slept with."

She looked at him intently, surprised by his sudden confession. He, the resident bishounen of the Shinsengumi, was a cherry boy until yesterday? Kagura found it odd, since she had this notion of him as some secret man-whore who slept with women just because he could. The revelation had sent some calm in her currently frantic nerves.

"And that's saying something, China."

'… What the hell, sadist.'

Immediately, she sat up to throw a punch straight at his face with her left hand that she had managed to free from his grasp. At the same time, he sat up as well, dodging the powerful punch that she managed to deliver. Kagura nearly gasped when he had her pinned down on her stomach, his hands at the back of her shoulders, restraining her. His legs, on the other hand, had trapped her thighs.

"Knew you'd go berserk." He said smugly, his blood red eyes gleaming with desire. "Which is fine, 'cause you just fell for it. Bend your knees and raise your hips."

Suddenly, Kagura felt nervous. "What the hell are you planning?!"

She nearly sensed him rolling his eyes. "Yeah, seems like my wife really needs to get… educated." With this, he bent down to run kisses down her back.

Her heart had immediately skipped a beat. Him calling her 'my wife' still hadn't sunk it, but pain suddenly coursed through her body as he grabbed both her wrists and pinned it to her sides, gripping on it tightly. Kagura yelped a. "S-stop it…! It hurts!"

"You're a Yato. You can overpower me anytime you want, yet you're not struggling." He tsked. "Don't tell me you actually like this…"

"Don't be ridiculous! I'm not a Do-M, you idiot!" she growled at him, but failed to suppress the moan that escaped her lips when she felt something poke her backside. "T-tch, s-sadist."

"I already told you to raise your hips. Do it." He said in an authoritative voice. Rather than risk another argument and get involved in his sadistic whims, she obeyed.

Kagura wondered vaguely if all of this was a blessing or a curse.

By midnight, it would be her birthday and she would be seventeen.

'I wonder if he knows…'

"By the way, China…" he licked her cheek.

"W-what now, sadist?" she asked him angrily.

"Enjoy your birthday gift from me."

I was more convinced to make sure that you and Kagura-chan would end up together, not because of Toushirou-san, but I wanted you to be happy. I had sensed that you would also be against the match, had you known it sooner, and that you would do just about anything to make sure that they wouldn't get together. You're stubborn, selfish and very possessive, Sou-chan. You wouldn't let this opportunity pass by easily, and that you'll do anything to anger Toushirou-san, even if it means marrying Kagura-chan.

~Mitsuba's letter to Sougo

Hours later, at one in the morning while her husband slept beside her, tired beyond belief, Kagura stared at the ceiling. The puzzled look that she had been sporting for the past few days was now replaced by contentment.

Suddenly, everything seemed so clear.

Despite Sougo not being able to clearly convey his thoughts and feelings verbally, through his actions, she felt it. Kagura blushed a bright red at the thought of their earlier acts, but knew that all of those were done because both of them wanted it. It was not one-sided anymore, but a mutually-consented act filled with so much passion that she had wondered if this was still a dream.

Never had she thought of the day wherein she would be willing to get stuck with Okita Sougo, the man who had tormented her ever since she first met him. Divorce was an option in this day and age [1], but it was him who was vehemently against it. When she asked why, he said it was because it would be a pain in the ass to do the paperwork, and that he didn't want to add more stress to his very carefree living.

He got a punch in the arm as a reply, and thankfully, nothing was broken.

While he slept, she managed to connect the dots.

As to why Gin-chan didn't openly oppose her 'betrothal' to Hijikata.

As to why Shinpachi had accompanied her during her visits to the Shinsengumi compound.

As to why anego hadn't given her any advice on how to break the betrothal.

All of them had set her up with Sougo, and she didn't know whether to be thankful or be pissed with their meddling. Sure, it ended well, but fact remains that they had manipulated her just so she would get together with him.

"Can't sleep?"

Her husband was awake again, and was now looking at her with sleepy eyes. "I was just… thinking about the whole situation."

"What did nee-san [2] and the others planned anyway?" he asked, yawning a bit.

"I realized why Gin-chan never really objected to the old betrothal, on why Shinpachi insisted on always accompanying me to the compound last week, and why anego didn't tell me to break out of it." She swallowed before continuing. "Gin-chan was working with Gorilla with the paperwork and everything else, while Shinpachi was making sure that I wouldn't sneak out and wander off somewhere while Gin-chan was registering our marriage. Mayora, it seems, was cooperating with Shinpachi to make sure I just stay in the compound."

"So that's probably another reason why aneue dragged me to every restaurant in Edo." He stated. "And what about nee-san?"

"Anego had faith that you would do something about this whole situation."

"And what if I didn't?" he challenged her.

"You wouldn't allow it. Micchan said in the letter that you're selfish, possessive, and you hate Mayora so much that you wouldn't let this opportunity pass by. She also said that you would do anything just to piss him off, even… even steal me away from him and then marry me."

Everything suddenly made sense about her doubting him and his intentions with her.

"Aren't we past that?" he said gruffly.

"I was just stating what Micchan revealed." She pouted. "I know now."

"Good." In an un-Sougo-like gesture, he wrapped his arms around her and snuggled against her neck. "Now shut up and sleep."

"Not sleepy." She said quickly. "Maybe I should just keep on talking until I feel sleepy."

She didn't wait for a reply before she started babbling.

"You know, if someone told me I'd get together with you, I would've probably kicked their asses so hard." She began.

He snorted in response, but didn't open his eyes.

"'Cause really, you're such a meanie; why should I choose a guy who keeps on picking fights with me? Sure, you've got the looks, but your personality sucks ass." She yelped when Sougo bit down on her neck in retaliation. "Ouch, what the hell?!"

When there was no response, she rolled her eyes and continued. "So anyway, despite all your faults, guess I have no choice but to accept the fact that I'm married to a sadist who will probably make my life hell in the near future." At this, she coughed for a bit. "Ah, well. I'm probably some kind of masochist for getting myself into this—" at this, she felt him hug her tighter than before, and she planted a quick kiss on his forehead.

"Also, today's supposed to be the wedding ceremony night. Bet they're celebrating there for us, or something." Kagura stared at the top of Sougo's head. "I wonder… what if you've just let me marry Mayora—"

"… Then he'll probably wait until the very last moment, then proceed to embarrass me 'cause from the start, you and I have been married. The asshole stole my seal." There was anger in his tone, and Kagura rubbed her hands behind his back.

"Now, now, calm down. I was just wondering out loud." She cooed, which he found totally adorable, but she didn't have to know that.

"Yeah, whatever. Go to sleep." He said.

"Greet me again!" she pleaded.

"Happy birthday." He said automatically. "Go to sleep, damn it."

"Hey, waddya know. I'm still not sleepy."

"Then go do something." He mumbled.

She quickly dived under the blankets.

On the final day of Sougo's vacation leave, they had set out for the two hour drive back to Edo. Since Kagura had no change of clothes during the time they were at Bushu, the couple had spent daytime buying the clothes that she needed to use for the whole two weeks. Right now, she was dressed in a red qipao that Sougo had bought her. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail to make it look neat, as well as to disguise the fact that it had been a mess because of certain activities that they had been doing since morning.

"I still don't wanna go back." Kagura muttered as she sat in the passenger seat, pouting over the fact that real life was calling.

"I need to work, idiot." He said in a deadpan voice that made her roll her eyes. "You can stay at home and be lazy."

"No way. I'm still working for the Yorozuya! Gin-chan and Shinpachi still need me! And Sadaharu too!" she whined.

"China, maybe you should consider the fact that in a few months' time, you'll need to take it easy." He remarked.

"And why is that?"

At this, he flashed her a smug smile. "You think that two weeks' worth of honeymoon isn't gonna have any physical effect on you?"

"What the hell are you saying? My heart is back to normal, and it's immune to you already!" two weeks of staying with him was utter chaos, unless it was nighttime… or when he was in a really good mood.

"Idiot. I meant this." He reached out to touch her belly.

"… Oh." She said before sticking out her tongue at him. "Obviously, sadist, no, I don't know what you mean."

Okita's face turned dark, and without warning, the Shinsengumi captain suddenly veered to the left side of the road and parked there. "W-what the hell…?! Why did you stop all of a sudden?!"

"China… you really are an idiot." He grabbed the back of her neck to pull her towards him for a hard kiss on the mouth. He used his tongue to prod her to open her mouth, and when she did, he gently sucked on her tongue. "Two weeks, and you still have that innocence in you." Sougo said, shaking his head after they broke apart.

"Ha?" she gave him a puzzled look.

He shook his head in dismay. "You'll find out soon enough."

They had arrived in the Shinsengumi compound early afternoon where, to the couple's surprise, everyone was waiting for them. The main dining hall of the compound showed remnants of some kind of celebration from last night, for the rank-and-file were cleaning the place. When they stepped out of the car, Kagura immediately ran to hug both Mitsuba and Otae, lifting both of them easily and spinning them around. "I missed you two!"

"K-Kagura-chan, put us down first." Otae said, and the younger girl complied, grinning at them.

"Sorry. Two weeks with that guy, and everything gets boring." She huffed.

"Now, now, you've hurt my feelings." The first division captain of the Shinsengumi, clad in the clothes he wore when he left the compound, snaked his arm around Kagura's shoulder and squeezed both her cheeks with his fingers and thumb to make her face look adoringly weird. "I'll have you know that I can arrest you for that."

She swatted his hand away and glared at him.

Okita ignored her and eyed all of them. "Aneue. China wants to talk to you. Privately."

Immediately, Mitsuba lowered her gaze to the ground.

Kagura and her had been led to one of the private rooms used by members of the Shinsengumi with the rank of captain and above, while the room adjacent to theirs was the dining room where the feast was held in honor of the newly-weds.

Despite the jolly atmosphere in the other room and Hijikata's reassurances that everything will be fine, Mitsuba was scared. For all she knew, it would just be a façade that she had put on before she would start yelling. After all, everything, from the jitsu-in stealing to the gentle push she did for Sougo, was part of her plan just to get the two of them together.

Call her selfish, but the unspoken reason for the push was because she was afraid to lose Hijikata Toushirou.

Mitsuba felt like she won, but it was a hollow victory.

Sougo was probably angry at her, Kagura-chan even more so, but Mitsuba knew that if she didn't give them the necessary push, they would end up miserable and sad. Their prides knew no heights, and they would both deny everything to death if forced to confession.

It was cunning and stealth that she used to force them to own up, as well as the cooperation of others. She even surprised herself when she had managed to pull it off nearly by herself.

"Aneue." Kagura called out.

She looked up.

"Are you alright?" concern was evident in the younger girl's tone, and she nodded quickly.

"I'm okay." She mumbled.

"I'll just get to the point. You look like you wanna poop right now."

As much as Mitsuba wanted to laugh at Kagura's crassness that was a trademark of hers, she was too nervous to say anything out loud, so she just nodded in response.

"To be honest, I'm not angry with what you did. I'm… confused, 'cause you've just met me recently, yet you decided to pair me up with… him." She said slowly, still not yet used to calling him by his name. "I know that matchmakers should know both the couple very well… but we only met when I saved you from the yakuza."

Mitsuba smiled mischievously. "Kagura-chan, you think Sou-chan wouldn't write about you?"

The younger girl's eyes widened at the revelation. "H-he did what?!"

"It was just bits and pieces, but I knew something was up when he told me that there was a certain Amanto who didn't respect his authority and would even pick fights with him. I got worried, so I contacted Kondo-san, and he said that there was nothing to worry about." She explained. "What surprised me was that the Amanto in the letter was about you."

"… I see." Kagura couldn't keep the surprise in her voice. "But how did you know it was me…?"

"Not long after, he started referring to the Amanto as 'she', then it turned into 'China'." She chuckled. "He calls you that, right?" at her nod, Mitsuba smiled wider.

"B-but… why me and him? W-what are the odds that… that…" at this, she swallowed. "That him and I aren't gonna have a, umm, bad end?"

"If Sou-chan gets into something, he'll follow through with it until the very end."

Okita Mitsuba's words were simple, yet it had struck her to the very core. Aneue did have a point, and her husband had proven it by being the one who said that leaving her was the farthest thing on his mind, all because the paperwork would be a hassle. That, and he had been… demonstrative of his affections of her. Willing herself to not think of their honeymoon nights as it tended to distract her, she nodded. "W-well, if aneue says so…"

Immediately after she said the word 'aneue', Mitsuba quickly pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry for everything…! The deception, the manipulation—"

"It's okay… I-I mean, it had been easier for me to be more… honest with Sougo. I-I mean, him." She stammered, face turning as red as the qipao she was wearing. "Y-you kinda helped me out…"

Mitsuba grinned wider. "I'm happy that you and Sou-chan got together, and I'm also glad to have you as my little sister. Welcome to the family, Kagura-chan."

To her surprise, Kagura felt tears running down her cheeks, surprisingly her greatly. She wasn't the emotional type, yet when Mitsuba called her 'little sister', she started crying. She may have lost Kamui, but Mitsuba was more than willing to accommodate her in her life because she was now family.

Suddenly, it wasn't so bad being Okita Kagura anymore.

"Aneue." He bowed respectfully to the older sister who was standing right in front of him.

It had been an hour since the two women had their talk, and Kagura had left the room crying. Immediately, her Yorozuya family, as well as Shimura Otae, had gone immediately at her side. Concerned that his older sister had managed to reduce his physically and emotionally strong partner-in-crime to tears, he went over to the room, shut the shouji and bowed low.

"O-oh! Sou-chan, you're here." Mitsuba knew that even if Kagura had forgiven her, Sougo may have not, despite the assurances from the vice-commander. Immediately, she started fiddling with her hands.

"Aneue, don't be scared. I'm not angry." He sighed, then scratched his head. "I'm still trying to figure out how you managed to convince Kondo-san to go through all of these."

"… It was Kondo-san and Toushirou-san's idea to set you up with Kagura-chan, but since you didn't budge, we had to take drastic measures." She gave him an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry for manipulating you—"

He shook his head. "I'm grateful."

Her blood red eyes, much like his own, widened in surprise. "Grateful…?" if there was one thing that she didn't expect from her brother, it was that he was grateful.

"Yeah. At least it saved me the hassle of having to confess to China." He said it so directly and with such a straight face that Mitsuba tried hard not to laugh out loud.

Her younger brother, it seems, wasn't all that confident, especially when it came to the female member of the Yorozuya. "Well, you're very welcome."

He bowed once again to her. "Thank you very much for everything, aneue." He said sincerely. "I am in your debt."

"Ah, yes, before I forget… your hand." When her brother held out his hand, she placed a small object on his palm. "Your jitsu -in."

"Thank you." He bowed once more.

"I've thought about it for a bit, Sou-chan, and I know how you can pay your debt to me." She smiled at him.

"Oh. How, aneue?"

"When will my nephew or niece arrive?"

He nearly fell down from shock at the request, but quickly recovered. It was unusual, but not strange. What did newly-weds do for two weeks, anyway? Stare at each other? He wasn't the type to hold back anyway. "We'll tell you immediately. Right now… well, I can't say." His sister didn't have to know the full story about his sex life. It was his and China's secret alone. "But we'll see."

"Of course." Was the diplomatic response of his sister. "I can't wait, Sou-chan!"

He couldn't wait either. That was his favorite activity with China right now anyway.

Okita Sougo didn't mind trying over and over again.

At the exact same time the Okita siblings were having a talk, the Yorozuya, Otae and the top two leaders of the Shinsengumi had their own talk with the female Yato. As soon as they saw her crying, Gintoki and Shinpachi had rushed to her side. "Oi, you alright? Why the hell are you crying?" Gintoki asked.

"Here, tissue." Shinpachi handed her a pack.

"S-she—" at this, Kagura wiped her eyes and nose with the packet that the jimi of the Yorozuya handed her. "She called me her little sister…!"

Otae smiled. "Well, at least she accepted you."

"Mitsuba-dono has always set her sights on having China-san as her sister-in-law, of course!" Kondo interjected happily, and for once, Otae had no snarky insults to say to him. "And Toushi was nice enough to set everything up!"

Ah yes, Hijikata. She had to at least clear that up. She called out to him, and when he looked at her with his usual expression, she spoke up. "No hard feelings, Mayora?"

"None." He replied back. Not that he really cared, since everything had been a farce from the start.

"Good. Take care of aneue for me, will you?" she winked at him, causing him to blush.

"W-what the hell are you saying—" before he could say any more, the Okita siblings walked in. When the demon vice-commander looked at Kagura yet again, she was grinning evilly at him, as if planning something.

Sougo sat beside his wife, who was now wolfing down on the food before her. "Oi China, take it easy. The food won't go anywhere." When he got ignored by his wife, he sighed exasperatedly.

"Kondo-san, China's stuff is in my room, right?" when the commander nodded, Sougo continued. "I was thinking of getting us a house close to the compound so she and I won't bother anyone."

"Oho. Starting early, Sofa-kun?" Gintoki asked.

"It's Sougo. And no, more like I don't want to scare the men with her monstrous appetite and deprive the men of their meals." He said, dodging a pair of chopsticks that nearly struck his eyeballs. "I'm being practical, China. At least my salary is enough to feed your monstrous appetite."

"That's it! OUTSIDE, SADIST!" after setting down her chopsticks, she pulled the first division captain and into the open area where the members did their morning trainings.

She got into her fighting pose.

"No umbrella, China?"

"It's autumn. And think of it as my handicap." It was slightly chilly autumn afternoon, but she paid no attention to it. "Besides, you don't want aneue to see your sadistic tendencies."

He rolled his eyes. "She might have some inkling but—" he blocked a punch that she threw his way using his arm. "Is this a serious fight, or just play time?"

"Serious, of course." At this, she leaned forward to whisper to him. "Loser gets to be at the mercy of the winner. Good luck to us, Sougo."

Epilogue:

Two months later, all was fine in the Okita household, until that morning, when Okita Kagura burst out of the room she shared with her husband and headed straight to the kitchen. "SADIST! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Sougo, who was up only an hour before his wife, was calmly sipping his tea, though he looked very sleepy. "So noisy today. What now?" he asked her. She was noisy, he was still sleepy, and he wasn't in the right mood to talk to her.

"I have to tell you something!" she said.

"Can't it wait until later?" he gave her the most boring look he could muster, but Kagura wouldn't be deterred by him. As quickly as she could, she walked over to him, kneeled beside him and slammed a hand against the dining table. The food he had slaved over for an hour all flew upward and slammed against the floor of the dining area.

"… Give me one good reason right now why I shouldn't kick your ass."

She grinned at him in a delightful way that he nearly forgot why he was angry in the first place. "Remember two days ago and yesterday, when I barfed all over the sink?"

"Yeah."

"And when I kept fainting last week?"

"Yeah, the most pathetic state I've seen you in since I've met you." He dodged a punch that went his way.

She continued, ignoring his remark. "I went to the doctor."

"And what did he say? That you're dying?"

"Idiot." she rolled her eyes at him. "He said I'm pregnant."

He blinked. "Oh."

She huffed at his lack of enthusiasm, since she knew he was more eager than her in that aspect. "Okay, fine, you're probably disappointed—" before she could continue her tirade against the sadistic husband, Sougo pulled her towards his lap and gave her a hug. "W-what the…"

"Told you so." He remarked.

"Told me what?"

"That you won't get to work for danna for a while, obviously." He rolled his eyes at her short-term memory. "I said that during our drive back to Edo."

She rolled her eyes at him in response. "You sounded so sure of yourself back then."

"We were at it like rabbits for two weeks." He stated it so calmly that Kagura pulled back from the hug, staring at him like he was deranged. Curiously though, she was blushing.

"W-well, I didn't know, okay?!" she hit him on the chest.

He chuckled. "Don't forget that past two months since we got back to Edo too—" he dodged yet another kick from her. "What? It's true."

"Y-yeah, but stop saying it so casually!" she hissed.

"Fine." He said. "Now go make me breakfast."

"Well, aren't you nice." She gave him a quick peck on the lip before he placed both his hands on her cheeks to kiss her once more on the lips. When he pulled back, he was surprised to see her face flushed and her azure blue eyes begging. "S-Sougo…"

"What?"

"Hurry up…" she said, reaching out to untie the strings of his hakama. He frowned at her.

"What the hell are you planning?"

"S-shut up!" she said, yanking the uwagi off his shoulders. "Sit there and do nothing! You're at my mercy now, and I'm staking my claim from our battle two months ago!"

He couldn't complain if this was what she had wanted.

Sougo knew better than to argue with a hormonal, pregnant female Yato, and besides, his amorous wife was making things interesting and spicing up his usually boring life.

He really had to thank aneue for this.

"Micchan said she'll be here by next week." Kagura spoke up while cooking some fried rice for her now relaxed-looking husband. "Let's meet up with her as soon as we can, okay?"

"That is if Hijikata doesn't get to her before us." He was still sore over the fact that his beloved older sister and Hijikata Toushirou, the man he hated so much, were… dating.

It had all started last month, when Mitsuba was just about ready to leave for Bushu. The supposed Shinsengumi member who was to drive her back to Bushu turned out to be Hijikata, and coincidentally¸ he was taking a week-long vacation leave. In Bushu, no less.

Everyone had put two and two together, and while most had been happy for them, Sougo's sister complex acted up that it had to take Kagura two days to turn him from Mr. Grumpy to Mr. Sadist. She had also managed to distract him, with the help of Kondo Isao, from rushing to Bushu just so he could beat the crap out of Hijikata. As soon as the week-long vacation was over, the sadistic captain had challenged the vice-commander to a duel.

It was pretty obvious who the victor was, and Sougo spent two full days recovering under his wife's care.

Not that he complained, of course.

China was a pretty decent nurse, and was willing to succumb to his whims, if she wasn't playing the tsundere card.

"Still sore about it?" she teased.

"I try not to care so much." He sighed, knowing that his sister deserved to have a bit of happiness after so many years of being sick and being unable to live the life of a normal woman. If she had decided on Hijikata, so be it, but it didn't mean he approved of the match.

He could still try and get rid of Hijikata using other means… or he could train his son or daughter to discreetly kill him.

"I'm off." He said, poking her tummy after putting on his shoes.

"See you later, sadist. Go home early." She sneaked a bite on his neck where the cravat was covering the skin. "Or else."

"Tch, whatever." He said, stepping out of the door. As soon as he was out of the gate of their house, he let himself smile for a bit.

His sister was alive.

China was his wife.

In a few months' time, his kid would be born.

It sounded so damn cliché, and too much of a soap opera that the people of Edo were addicted to, but who the hell cares. His life, for once, was going the way he wanted, and everything was fine and dandy.

For once, everything is going my way.

If possible, his smile grew wider, and it wasn't the sarcastic, sadistic smile that he sported but a gentle smile that he rarely projected.

He made a mental note to go home early today.

[1] Divorce – it was a common thing during the Edo period, so I would assume that even in the Gintama setting, this applies.

[2] nee-san – How Sougo refers to Otae, since she's the de-facto lady boss of the Shinsengumi.

And this story is done. I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter! Feel free to drop me a review or a PM on your thoughts regarding this story, or the ending. To be honest, I struggled to tie the loose ends of the final chapter, but I think I did well. I hope. oTL

I apologize for cutting out some parts, especially the lemon scenes since I am not risking my account. I'll be setting up a tumblr account where it will house the lemons in this story. Please watch out for it!

Thanks for reading!