A/N: Back with part 2 to the Katsura-saga! I'm really writing by the seat of my pants here, but as long as the stories remain enjoyable to read and write, structure can go to hell.

The izakaya Tae chose was one of the more popular ones settled around the eastern gate of Kabuki-cho. Though the small building was clean and well decorated, the other 7 occupants of the bar made the place feel more crowded than it actually was. Their rambunctious shouting and friendly banter with the staff filled the room with sound.

A little chaos was never unwelcome though, the pair thought as they fully stepped in through the establishment's curtain.

Gintoki and Tae moved to sit side-by-side at one of the low tables in the back.

"Can't say I've ever been here before," Gintoki said in a hushed voice. "Have you? Is this place any good?"

"I haven't been here either. Hana-chan from work told me this is where she and her boyfriend got to know each other. I figured it would be a little more… romantic?"

As if on cue, one of the patrons stood up on his stool and shouted.

"That's the 3rd time I've outdrank you, shitty old man! Tonight, my tab is free once again!" the man roared victoriously. The old man in question slammed down a semi-full mug and screeched, "Half of it fell onto your face and clothes! You want a rematch where you actually drink it this time?!"

The room erupted in vocal chaos once again.

Gintoki fixed his girlfriend with a deadpan look while she stuck out her tongue and winked.

He fought down the urge to laugh, instead focusing on the modest menu before them. Cheap Sake and a few meat skewers. Perfect.

"Well now," a cool female voice fluttered in through the background noise. "Otae-chan? You didn't tell me Gintoki-kun was joining us tonight."

The man looked up to see the smiling face of Nishiki Ikumatsu. One of the few women who didn't beat him out of habit. He couldn't help but grin in return.

"Ikumatsu," He nodded in greeting.

"I didn't say that he wouldn't be here either, right?" Tae smiled.

"Now I can't help but feel like I'm a third wheel," the blonde joked as she set down her bag and scooted into the opposite seat. "Should I have brought someone?"

"Ikumatsu-chan, you don't ever have to worry about feeling like that around us! We don't give off that kind of aura, do we?" Tae turned towards him with a questioning gaze.

"How am I supposed to know? I'm part of the couple," Gintoki replied, skimming the menu again. "Besides, we've only been together a few weeks now. Things haven't changed that much, have they?"

Tae put a finger to her chin in thought. "Hm, I guess not."

"They haven't changed that much, huh?" Ikumatsu replied. "So that means you two haven't, y'know…" A glint appeared in her blue-green eyes.

Gintoki quickly looked away towards the entrance as if distracted. He knew that he wasn't quick enough to hide the embarrassment and impatience from his face in time, but he was quick enough to redirect that expression outside of Tae's vision.

Tae, on the other hand, blushed hotly sputtered a bit. "I-it's not that w-we don't want to, y-yknow? It's j-just that we j-just got together a-and…"

The older woman laughed and reached across the table to pat Tae's hand. "Take it easy! I'm just joking a bit. Everyone's got their own speed."

The Shimura sibling sighed, trying to calm herself down. Who knew she could be so easily flustered?

"It's true, we're still at the beginning of our relationship," Gintoki said neutrally, without breaking his fixation at the entrance. "But in some ways, we are closer than a couple that's been together for years."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Ikumatsu asked with a soft smile.

The shaggy samurai continued without looking back at them.

"It's true, we've only been together romantically a few weeks ago. But up until then, we were already close, I think." There was a sense of gravity in his words.

He paused in that moment, thinking back on the many adventures and trials they've gone through together. All the ways that they had supported Shinpachi as he grew from the plucky, awkward kid into an amazing, skilled samurai with a kind heart. The many times she patched him up after a hard fight, and all the times he had pretended to be unconscious while wounded, feeling her hot tears land on his face and the desperate grab of her hand over his when she thought no one was around. The time that the worst-half of his soul escaped and possessed a cat that wanted nothing more than to be with and protect her, and the feeling of that soul returning to him, memories, emotions and all.

He swallowed dryly, still not turning to face the ladies. Tae was making him into an emotion sap!

"We've been through a lot, haven't we?" he asked simply.

A small hand grabbed the sleeve of his kimono.

"Mmhmm," was her soft response.

Had he turned, he would've noticed that his girlfriends' eyes were a little watery.

Ikumatsu smiled tenderly. She didn't really know the history between the two, but she could tell there was something deep there.

"Just in time," Gintoki suddenly muttered. "Oi, Zura!"

A long haired man stood in the entrance wearing a black and gray kimono and a katana at their waist. His head snapped towards the direction of the shout.

"Zura janai! Katsura da," he corrected automatically as he began walking over. Visibly noticing the two other guests at the table, he looked towards his friend questioningly.

"Gintoki, are you dating both of these ladies now? As a samurai and your friend, I cannot condone such behavior."

Ikumatsu looked annoyed. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Ikumatsu-dono. It is a pleasure to see you here. Gintoki-kun invited me to have snacks and drinks tonight, but it seems that he has double booked," he shot an accusing look at his friend.

"He's an idiot. A real idiot, huh?" Gintoki heard Tae whisper behind him.

"An absolute idiot," he agreed out loud. "Zura, you dumbass. This is what I invited you to! I didn't say it'd just be the two of us!"

"Oh," he replied earnestly. "In that case, thank you for the invitation."

And with that, he moved to sit beside Ikumatsu, who was still looking at him in irritation. Gintoki suppressed the urge to yell at him for becoming so nonchalant after that horrible intro.

Katsura turned towards Ikumatsu with a furrowed brow.

"So, you're not dating Gintoki?" Somehow, the blush that appeared on his face annoyed Ikumatsu even more.

"No, you fool!"

"Ah. That's good." He picked up the menu in front of him and began skimming easily.

Tae sighed. So far, things could be going better.

"W-well now, let's get some drinks, shall we!" Gintoki quickly merged his rage into damage control mode.

To the staff's credit, the waiter moved fast, and within minutes, the group was indulging themselves in one of the few pleasures they all had in common.

"It's rare to see you drink, Zura." Gintoki commented as he poured himself more sake. "Feeling adventurous tonight?"

Though his face was the picture of neutrality, even Katsura couldn't hide the faint flushing that alcohol caused on his face.

"It's a time of peace. All men must find a moment of respite at some point, and this is how I've chosen mine. With good friends." He raised his glass in a brief cheers before downing its contents.

Gintoki wanted to hit him, but only because he didn't know how else to express the warmth he felt from that comment. A brief pressure pushed into his right shoulder, and he turned to see brunette hair as Tae laid her head against him, sipping her sake. His heart thumped from the combination of alcohol, her scent, and the sound of her voice as she made small talk with Ikumatsu. He breathed deeply, taking in the moment.

"Don't drink too much," Ikumatsu turned towards Katsura. "We're opening at 9:00 tomorrow for that event. I can't haves you hungover." Her warning lost much of its power with her slightly buzzed slurring.

Katsura nodded. "I'm still a long way from overindulging, but I'll take heed."

"Zura's always been a hard drinker. Never seen him with a hangover either. What's with that freakish body of yours anyway, huh? Never getting sick, and the long hair and what-not." The silver-haired samurai shot him a suspicious look.

"Perhaps true samurai don't get hangovers," Katsura challenged with a smirk.

"You're working at the shop tomorrow, Katsura-san?" Tae asked before her boyfriend got all riled up.

"He's been helping me most days of the week. I guess being a Joi patriot doesn't pay the bills anymore, huh Katsura?" Ikumatsu joked.

"Most days? You're practically a full time employee there, Zura. Maybe you should just move in." Gintoki suggested.

"I could never impose on Ikumatsu-dono like that!" He said seriously, brown eyes flashing.

"I wouldn't mind," Ikumatsu said softly.

The table turned toward her.

As if realizing what she had just said, she suddenly "yipped" and sat up, eyes darting between each of her friends. Did the alcohol make her a little more loose-tongued?

"I mean, if he wanted to be a full-time employee," her clarification came a little too late to be believable. She turned towards him, suddenly all too aware of how close the seating arrangements were. "He's there all the time any way," she pressed forward, willing her expression into one of seriousness, "and it might be nice to have that kind of consistency. I could give him a steady paycheck, and I wouldn't have to worry about where he is during the day."

Gintoki raised a brow. Tae covered her mouth with her hand as if discovering a new puppy.

The blonde thought back to what she just said. Her eyes widened.

"I-I mean, when he was a Joi Patriot, it was hard to find him to get help with the restaurant. Th-this way, I'll know when I can expect him." She all but glared at Tae, begging her to interpret her words platonically, but also so that she didn't have to look at Katsura. The younger girl's expression, much to Ikumatsu's chagrin, only continued to look more "romantic."

"Ikumatsu-dono, I would be happy to work full time at your restaurant with you."

The table's focus shifted to the man himself. He stared at her, brown eyes boring into her own.

A few moments passed.

"If you are serious about your offer, that is," he continued, unsure if she was actually hiring him.

Ikumatsu looked away, down at the table. She grabbed a full shot of sake and drank it one dramatic motion.

Then, she turned towards Katsura, crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and nodded resolutely.

"I am".

Tae squealed. Gintoki clapped with a satisfied smile, "Great! Now we really have something to celebrate!" He reached forward and began pouring new rounds for everyone. Ikumatsu laughed, her awkwardness rapidly dissipating as Gintoki joked around with her, telling her what she could expect from working with Katsura nearly every day.

The man of the hour, on the other hand, couldn't keep himself from diving into his thoughts. Katsura let out a shaky breath. He stared down, swirling the drink in his cup, thinking of all the lifestyle changes he was about to make to become not only a full-time worker in a ramen shop, but also as a person getting closer to another.

"Well, Katsura-san, it looks like you have a new career and a new co-worker," Tae cheered, taking her cup. "Do you think this might help you find what you're looking for?"

He looked up at his friends, two of which were doubled over in laughter, and one of which was staring at him expectantly.

So this is what a peaceful life is like, huh?

"I think it's a start in the right direction."

Gintoki and Tae stood outside of the izakaya, illuminated by the bright glow of the moon. The sounds of partying still emanated from the doorway of the establishment, but not so much as to disturb the peace of the night.

The pair watched the two figures of their friends in the distance as they turned the corner on their way to Ikumatsu's shop. Katsura, ever the consummate gentleman, offered to walk the staggering ramen shop owner home. So much for that early morning event, but three hours of drinking will do that to you.

With alcohol buzzing and warming his mind, Gintoki wondered if his friend would get lucky tonight.

"Do you think Katsura-san will get lucky tonight?" Tae asked from beside him, as if through mind reading.

He immediately wanted to respond with "No," but something was different about tonight.

"Maybe," he yawned. "They make a cute couple."

"That's a weird thing for you to say. Well, not weird, but out of character."

Gintoki thought about it for a second and agreed. "Yeah, it is, huh?" He slipped his hand around hers as they set off on their path towards the Shimura Dojo.

"Gintoki… Like I said earlier," Tae began, but there was clear hesitancy in her voice. Her grip on his tightened a bit. "It's not that I don't want to… y'know."

"Huh?" He looked down at her, catching her meaning. "What, sex?"

She nodded.

Gintoki's heart squeezed. Had she been feeling guilty that they hadn't gone further yet?

He squeezed her hand back a bit in reassurance.

"Otae-chan, you don't have to worry about that. When it happens, it'll happen."

She looked up at him sharply, "But you're older. I know that you've been with girls before… I know that you have "expectations." But I…!"

"I know. You're still a 'maiden,' right, Otae-chan?" It had been a few years since the girls of Kabuki-cho punked Gintoki for over drinking, but he still remembered her words to him when he thought he had "deflowered" her.

"I've never been in an actual relationship before, remember? Things like timing don't really matter to me." He chuckled lightly. "Though, for as much trouble as you've given Shinpachi for being a cherry, you're technically in the same boat."

Tae snorted. "His isn't by choice though. Men are always approaching me at Snack Smile, you know. And I AM one of the 4 devas." She grinned, remembering her title.

"But?"

"But, and I know you're going to make fun of me for this, but I figured that I had you in the bag when I first started to fall for you."

"Eh? You thought you could tame Sakata Gintoki-sama? When did you become so arrogant?" he joked. Secretly, he wondered when she did start to look at him differently.

"Around the time you 'defeated' Kondo to save me from him," she replied honestly.

"Ah, back then, huh?" He thought back with some embarrassment. That outcome wasn't necessarily his proudest moment. "And?"

"And, from that moment on, I didn't want anyone else. I knew it wouldn't happen soon. I didn't know how you felt about me at all, but I had a feeling that one day, things we would lead up to this. So, I waited."

Gintoki laughed. "That's a little scary."

"It's only natural that the queen of Kabuki-cho gets what she wants, right?" She smiled sunnily at him in a way he couldn't help but softly return.

He rubbed his thumb across her knuckles as they walked. "So, you waited all this time for me to be your first, huh?"

She nodded.

"In that case, I don't mind waiting. If you can wait that long for me, how can I rush you into anything?" he said easily. His words brought an immediate warmth into her chest. She pulled herself closer to latch onto his arm.

"We'll get there when we get there. Whether it's two days or three days, Gin-san can wait. Hell, if you wanted to head into that alley over there, or maybe over that stall…"

Tae lightly smacked the back of his head.

"Eheh, just kiddin'."

A/N: Tae always struck me as the patient type. Unique among all of Gintoki's usual harem, she was in the easiest position to find someone and settle down throughout the time skip. Even with Kondo having a bunch of unobstructed time to spend with her, she still took no interest in anyone, only waiting for Gintoki to return to them. I figured it would be in her character to bide her time for the person she really wants.