So this is my first Gintama fanfiction! Hope you guys enjoy it!

Okita Sougo had always seen himself as a considerably normal guy; that is if you exclude his slight lust for the blood of his enemies and his keenness for ropes and chains.

He spent most of his days helping innocent citizens and keeping them safe from harm like any good high ranking police officer would and he spent his time at head quarters respecting his superiors and following their every order. Some might argue that he wasn't normal what with growing up a prodigy swordsman and all but in his opinion he had been living a fairly average life so far.

At least everything was normal before that Yorozuya's china girl became a part of his life.

Before her, Sougo found excitement in only the times he would get to see his angelic older sister before her death and in the moments between his finger pulling the trigger of his bazooka and the shrill complaints from Hijikata's mouth about another failed "attempt at his life."

The event during the cherry blossom festival added a new spark of excitement to his normal life in the form of a short, disgusting, and ill mannered alien girl.

The vague tingle of anticipation that he felt at the beginning of their rock-paper-scissors game had transformed into utter surprise as the duel between the two of them continued.

How was it that after 18 years of nobody being able to keep up with him, this flat chested sorry excuse for a girl was returning all that he gave without any struggle? Sure, there was frustration on her side but he could tell she was also having fun and to his surprise so was he.

This was new, unexpected and overall exciting to him.

From that moment on she was a challenge and new source of entertainment, She was easy to bait and would always react quickly to his teasing and it was always a joy to see the girl in some sort of pain or at least that's how it started out.

The more they fought the more he realized they were practically equals, practically because whether she was aware of it or not she was holding back on him, not using the full strength of a Yato. Despite her not using her full powers on him he always found himself looking forward to their one-on-one battles, even seeking them out.

Him, Okita Sougo, King of the Planet of Sadist, seeking out a girl for fun and entertainment. It was unheard of, unheard of but happening.

China Girl, AKA Kagura of the Yato clan, when not running around breaking the law with her two co-workers could often be found in the Kabuki district somewhere in a park, most likely harassing children in an attempt to be-friend them. And that's exactly where he found her.

The pink haired girl was sitting on a wooden bench, wearing her usual red cheongsam with her back facing him. As he got closer he could see that she was lazily doodling shapes in the dirt with the tip of her purple umbrella.

"What happened to you?" He ask, motioning toward the makeshift sling her right arm hung from.

"Oi, Sadist," She blinked up at him with overly large blue eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Sougo swiftly detached his sword from his belt and walked around the bench to sit beside the young girl. Careful not to sit to close but still close enough she could feel him invading her personal space.

"I was looking for you, Seeing if you were up for a fight," He casually draped his arms over the back rest of bench, making her squirm in discomfort. "But, It doesn't look like you're in fighting form."

The girl clucked her tongue, most unladylike and quickly jumped to her feet.

"I'm ready at anytime, uh-huh!" She began shuffling from foot to foot, light as always. "I don't need two arms to knock you out."

Sougo rolled his wine colored eyes and reached out to settle the hyper active injured beast.

"Sit down China," With a firm shove he returned her to her previous spot on the bench.

"So, what happened?" He asked, pulling out his sleeping mask from his pant pocket. "Usually, you'd be healed up by now."

Kagura paused and stared at him as if he had just proclaimed to the world that he was in love with Mayora and they were planning a wedding.

"You wanna listen to my story?" She tilted her head, the tassel on her hair ordainment shifted towards her slight shoulder. His eyes slowly followed the sway of the thread, taking in the creamy whiteness of her bare skin.

"You're hurt, I might as well." Quickly, he pulled his sleeping mask over his eyes to avoid being blinded by how hideously pale she was. The girl let out a choking sound before using her good arm to elbow him in the ribs. Hard.

"Gin-chan says its rude to sleep when others are speaking, uh-huh."

"Danna is a hypocrite, China."

"Take the mask off or I'll make you,Tax robber."

Her slim fingers slipped around to the back of his head and with a harsh yank she pulled it up and disposed of the cloth into his lap.

Hooded red eye caught her wide blue ones.

"Happy now?"

"These aren't wounds from a human." She exclaimed, completely ignoring him and giving him a flick on the forehead for good measure when he mumbled something that sounded like 'You don't say.'

"We had a client. Some kid who wanted to get his mami back." She began telling him all that happened, Meeting Tsuki, dressing up with Shinpachi and Gin-chan and the Night king. All that went down in Yoshiwara.

"We know about the Night King, Hosen was defeated." He studied her closely. "He was a Yato."

Fingertips grazed slowly over what looked to be a healing cut on her clear forehead.

"He wasn't the only Yato there." She said quietly.

His brow furrowed as he watch as she seemed to get stuck in her own memory. Her eyes lost a certain amount of light; dimming to a murky blue and she angrily wiped at them.

"There was this other Yato, I'm pretty sure he came with…" Furiously, She shook her head as if to banish thoughts away. "I was fighting with him, yup."

"That's how I got this." She carefully lifted her injured arm. "Stepped on it and snapped it, Snap!"

With a closer view of her hands Okita could actually make out bruising on her wrist as well as scarring on her hands. And he suddenly felt glad that he didn't immediately attack the girl when he first caught sight of her. She had obvious signs of being in a pretty intense fight.

"Shinpachi…Shinpachi was being hurt," She continued shakily. "I lost control of myself and I almost kill another of my kind. I turned into a monster. If It wasn't for Pachi I would have really…"

Okita let out a soft stream of air from between his teeth.

"I know about monsters, China Beast," He said, poking her to get her to look at him. "And it sounds like you were doing what you needed to do to protect your family. The boss ladyies kid brother is safe isn't he?"

The young girl flinched and looked away from him in..shame?

"You call me China beast but that me…that person is a true beast." As quick as a flash the girl grabbed his light colored locks in a rough grip and forced him to look into her eyes. "You better hope you never come face to face with that me."

Okita gave her hand a sharp slap.

"Does It matter? That beast only comes out when there is real danger and it seems that as long as you have those other odd jobs with you, you can continue to be the gluttonous pig beast that sits beside me now- Ow!"

His hand automatically moved to cradle his newly abused cheek.

"You deserved that punch, yup." She snorted. "Calling a lady a pig, how unsightly of a brat."

A chuckled escaped from him at the sight of her sticking her nose in the air like the stuck up annoying kid she really is.

"Was there anything else?" He asked.

"Ba-Kamui…" She mumbled with air filled cheeks.

"Baka who?"

"Kamui-nii, my stupid, psycho, older brother." She picked up her umbrella and opened it to block the sun as she paced the space in front of the bench.

"You have a psychotic brother?" He watched as she spun the handle of the umbrella with gusto. "This is news."

"Yup, Aniki lives for just fighting, he's succumb to his blood. Yes!"

She stopped her pacing and tilted her head back and let out a frustrated scream.

"He makes me so mad!" She cried out at the boy on the bench. "Always talking about how weak people are, how weak I am…"

In the end sadness won over frustrated and she continued her next words in a small voice that did something to his heart.

"You know…no matter how terrible he is to me now…I still love him, uh-huh." She let out a broken laugh as if all this was a sick joke. "He's my big brother and he was all I had when mami was sick and papi was away. He took care of me the best he could, but in the end the call of his blood was stronger than his love for me and he just left."

As if a heavy burden was dragging her down she plopped herself back next to the young police officer.

"I guess now he hates me and wants me dead…he tried to kill me…or at least I think he did."

"My sister was my entire world." He drawled, letting his head slide back to look up at the gaps between the trees leaves. "She…died not to long ago."

China made a low humming noise.

"Gin-chan mentioned a women once. I'm sorry, Sadist..loses are hard."

Okita couldnt help but close his eyes, he could almost see a faint image of his sister on the inside of his lids.

"Where ever she is now; she's better." He said. "And Id rather she be happy and healthy then suffering."

The girl next to him shifted to look at the leaves too. Understanding perfectly what his words meant.

A surprised gasp could be heard from her as Okita brought his palm down onto the crown of her head gently.

"But..you are strong." He whispered. "I don't think I could handle if she hated me like your handling it."

Kagura gave a nervous giggle and quickly stood up.

"Well I am of the Yato clan and you know what they say about them…"

"Strongest in the universe…" He replied, his stare intense as his eyes lingered over her features.

"Yup…yeah, well, I better be heading home." She said with a chipper tone. "Shinpachi should be over soon to make diner! Uh-huh!"

"Right, Don't eat so much you blow up like a balloon, China."

"Don't go arresting anymore innocent maidens, Sadist brat."

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm older than you; you're the brat."

"Whatever you say, brat."

Suddenly, stopping her stride out of the park the vermilion haired girl turned around, a giant smile on her face.

"Thank's for listening to me Sadist, It was really out of character for you to do that But it helped, yes."

"Yeah, Yeah, Get going. Danna is probably wondering where you are." He waved lazily signalling her to be on her way.

The moment she was out of sight he allowed his hand to rest over his heart. That smile was a special smile she pretty much reserved for those close to her like the Yorozuya or the man who sold large bags of rice on sale ever first of the month. Not for a monster like him, but she had shinned it at him and now there was a warm fluttering in his dark little heart that he had never felt before.

A sudden feeling that was not normal for one normal Okita Sougo.

After that event in the park things went on as normal between the two rivals. All except that Okita now had a sudden need for Kagura to notice him and not to mention he now cared about her well being. Sure he enjoyed fighting with her, sending the occasional barrel of corpses at her head, all the usual things. But now he felt the need to keep her from harm caused by others or even herself. Which was hard because she was a girl who put herself in harms way, its in her blood after all.

He would love to keep her from falling to her death off the side of cliffs, he'd love if she'd stop putting herself between sharp blades for other people. He'd love to keep her from being a easy target for enemy's, the ones like her crazy brother.

But he cant because he is going into hiding and she will be with her "family" in plain sight.

He can't because her blood wont allow her to be protected like some regular human girl. That's just not what she is.

And as he look up at her from where she kicked him into river from off the very bridge she stands on he cant help but think that, that is the type of women he wants by his side, a warrior that is equal to him.

He'd come back to a freak alien beast over some other girl any day. He'll return to her someday for sure.

"So, the China girl, you did say your goodbye to her right?"

"You did go try to skewer Danna and fail again right?"

Hijikata let out a sigh of smoke.

"Don't avoid the question, Sougo." A pair of gunmetal eyes shifted to scan the smooth face of the boy beside him as he spoke. "Kondo and I both have noticed your behavior around the Yorozuya girl."

"Kondo…really?" Sougo questioned in disbelief.

Hijikata glanced towards their leader, who was engaged in an animated conversation with Yamayaki as they continued on their long trot…somewhere.

"Only to some extent," The black haired man said with a small laugh. "He thinks you just found a play mate, but I'm guessing it might be something more"

"What does it matter?" Sougo deadpanned. "It's none of your business how I feel anyway."

"Maybe…" Hijikata exhaled another cloud of smoke. "But, we might be gone for a really long time; you may never see her again."

Sougo reached into his haori and pulled out a pair of head phones and began untangling them.

"That's not going to happen." He mumbled as he plugged the now untangled head phones into his swords outlet.

"Is that so…" Hijikata watched as the young man beside him gently placed a ear bud into his ear.

"China and I made a promise to each other." Sougo's eyes were focused on the sky above them as he spoke. "We will meet again, and next time we do we will both be stronger, and then I'll definitely be able to finally beat her gross annoyingly perfect face into the ground."

'And maybe by then we will both be ready to take this rivalry and change it into something else. Maybe then she will be ready for me.'

Hijikata let the conversion drop there silently promising himself again that they would return soon to their home in Edo and the two continued (for the time being) in a comfortable silence.

Okita Sougo thought himself a normal guy, even though he was the former 1st Division Captain of the Shinsengumi, a prodigy swordsman, and a lover of S&M and many people would argue more to him not being normal and yet his counter argument would be…

He was just a normal guy who happened to have a thing for a girl that happened to be a member of the strongest and rarest race in the universe.

And that was the only not normal thing about him.