Title: Empathy

By: Metamorcy

Rating: T

Pairing: Gintoki/Takasugi

Disclaimer: don't own

Summary: Gintoki finds an unexpected visitor in an alleyway when coming home.

N/A: Light, more on the fluff side. And there might be a little OCCish on some parts. This hasn't been beta'd so please excuse any mistakes, I tried my best to catch them. If anyone wants to help me, please send a message.

'Ehh…I must have drank a little more than the usual.' Gintoki thought to himself as he wobbled down the street, using the walls of the buildings for support. He glanced up into the sky with his blurry vision and narrowed them in hopes of getting it clear. It was night, late too, with the stars and the moon shining above. His usual white and blue garb was hanging loosely on his body, gradually coming off from the side while his arm inside was using it as a cushion. His wood sword was strapped to his waist as usual but he paid no attention to it. When a soft breeze came by, his white hair would ruffle in it, easing his walk back home with its coolness. Shadows of buildings and trees danced on the ground, giving illusions of figures moving but nothing seemed to faze Gintoki in his state.

As he passed an alleyway, a sharp metal clatter echoed from inside and against Gintoki's judgment, which had been thrown away from the alcohol that was running through his blood, he peeped inside. His eyes narrowed to try and perceive into the darkness, attempting to see if he could identify anything. There was a grunt and heavy breathing in the distance, meaning that someone was inside. The man glanced down each way of the road, finding it empty, before stepping in. His hands were outstretched, walking down the small pathway. Slowly, his eyes got used to the weak lighting and managed to spot a figure on the ground, unmoving. He avoided any obstruction, maneuvering around in his drunken condition.

"Hellooo? You alright down there?" Gintoki called out in astonishment, continuing on closer and kicked the person lightly at the side, almost poking. He froze when he spotted something…familiar.

A purple kimono.

A purple kimono with bright yellow butterflies on it.

"T-Takasugi?" Gintoki muttered, his drunken state fading away from the shock and rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. But he wasn't, his enemy was right before him. Soon after, his hand instantly reached for his sword, inching towards the fallen ex-comrade. The man was still on the ground, collapsed, almost looking like he was sleeping except that his breathing was raspy and harsh. Gintoki noticed the metal sword on the floor, probably having fallen out, and kicked it away before kneeling down. Cautiously, he pushed Takasugi to the side, turning his head to face him and examined over the expression. Sweat was tickling down and there was a faint tint on the cheeks. It was clear that he was unconscious or else Gintoki would have already been attacked. "Eh? What are you doing sleeping here?"

The thoughts of killing his enemy once and for all for detouring off the path came into his mind and he tightened his grip on his weapon. It was so tempting but he couldn't do it. He had his pride and honor, or what he had in his twisted way. He sighed and reached out, touching the forehead with a blank look.

"Ah?! You're running a fever. You're sick, you're actually sick." Gintoki muttered in shock.

He tilted his head, folding his arms. His house wasn't too far…

"I just know I'm going to regret this." He grabbed the weapon, placed it on his hip and bended down, picking up the man for a piggy back ride. The arms were slumped over his shoulder and he held up the legs, bouncing a little to get some balance. He started walking, feeling the warm breath on his neck and the black hair tickling on his flesh. Even though the skin was hot, the face continued to glow in the light, glistening in the moon. "Wonder what you've been doing before I found ya. You couldn't have been just out for a stroll, right? And where are you little servants? Not here to get you, huh. Just my problem, always has to been handed to me…"

No answer came, not that he was expecting any, just a raspy breath.

"Of course not, you don't go for strolls. You're making up evil plans to destroy the world…" Gintoki smirked, seeing the store and his home appearing from around the corner. He struggled up the stairs, making sure he wouldn't fall back and opened the door with his foot, sliding it. The building was dark except for a single light in the main room, kept on for when he came back. His eyes glanced to the closet where Kagura would be sleeping in and then to the opposite side to see Sadaharu snuggled under a table before taking a deep sigh. 'Good, there's no one awake.' He headed towards his own room and kneeled down by the futon, slowly placing the man onto it.

"Man, you're heavy." Gintoki tugged the purple robe loose and yanked the blankets to the top of the shoulders, covering the body up. Takasugi let out a soft moan, shifting around a little, making the perm-haired man freeze but he didn't wake up. When the other thought it was safe, he picked up the real sword and yanked it out slightly, taking in the glittering form. His eyes glided over the swiftness of the blade, remembering the feeling of once holding one before shaking his head. He sheathed it back immediately after and headed out the room, taking it with him, glancing around for the best spot to hide it. After all, he'd rather not have the man use it when he got up in the morning. That was a big no-no. Finally, Gintoki kicked it under the couch, finding no other place and headed into the bathroom to grab a towel, wetting it.

'Making me work so hard for you, you'd better be thankful for everything in the morning.' Gintoki returned to his bedroom, closing the door and placed the towel on the slumbering other's forehead. He sat down to the side, folding his arms and legs and stared down at the person.

"Never thought I'd find myself in this position."

"Hello?" Shinpachi entered the building, slugging in, knowing that no one would be awake at this moment. He closed the door, strolling into the main section, heading straight to Kagura's door. He knocked on it and opened the frame slightly, calling out. "Kagura-san, wake up."

He then went to his bosses' door when he heard a familiar grunt from the only female in the group and turned to her. Kagura rubbed her eyes, giving a loud yawn and stretched within her little space before pushing the opening further down. Shinpachi snorted and proceeded to slide the paper frame with a weak push. His eyes immediately caught sight of a person in bed and called out. "Wake up, Gin-chan, its morning." No response came from the other, snoozing on. Shinpachi sighed and then took notice of something that wasn't right. 'Huh? There's black hair coming from underneath the sheets…right?'

"Ah, Shinpachi."

The said teen turned around, blinking his eyes. The leader of the Yorozuya was getting out of the bathroom, wiping his hands and holding a towel. He then perceived where Shinpachi was staring at.

"Gin-chan, isn't that…?" He pointed to the person inside, a look of fear on his expression. The glasses slipped down his nose, eyes wide.

"Yeah, it's him but don't wake him up. I found him unconscious in an alley on my way home last night." Gin headed to his desk and sat down, feet on top and with the towel, which was steaming, to the side. He didn't look concern that someone had found out about Takasugi. "I took his only weapon away so no worries." He flapped his hand to prove a point but that didn't help the brown-haired teen at all.

"No worries?! We're harboring Edo's most dangerous and most wanted criminal!" Shinpachi screamed.

It was at that moment that Kagura came in, still rubbing her eyes. "What? What are you yelling about so early in the morning? Don't you know people are sleeping?"

Shinpachi ignored the girl, still focused on Gintoki. "You're an idiot! We'll get arrested for this!"

The boss waved it off, picking up a Jump magazine. "We'll be fine. Nothing bad will happen."

"Yeah, right."

Kagura, taking it upon herself, stormed into the said bedroom and looked in. She pointed at the sleeping body. "Hey, it's that man!"

Gintoki and Shinpachi answered at the same time. "We know."

She paused for a second before cracking her knuckles. Her face darkened with an evil grin spreading across her lips. "Let's get some revenge on him after all he did."

Gintoki jumped to his feet, reaching out. "Ah! Don't do that!"

"But why not?!"

"Listen, just don't." Gintoki sighed, walking into the room with the Jump magazine and towel and slammed the door shut, cutting off the other two. He rubbed the back of his head and sat down, listening to some footsteps scrambling around behind then sighed again. The white-haired man leaned back after replacing the towel and glanced down at Takasugi. His red eyes ran over the other, noticing that the face was relaxed, softer, not like the crazy manic one he always saw. Honestly, he liked this one better. Well they did say that being sick would show a person's weaker or was it true self? He wasn't too sure.

"Ugh…" A grumble came from the mass of flesh as well as some movement. The perm-haired man watched as his ex-comrade moaned softly, opening up one eye. He blinked for a few seconds, staring up at the ceiling before glancing around, lifting himself up. Takasugi struggled slightly, the towel on his forehead falling off, landing into his lap. His eye caught sight of the other person in the room. "Gin…toki?"

"The one and only, Takasugi. How are you feeling? Good? Wonderful? Like shit?" Gintoki watched the man reach for his sword only to find the slot empty. "Like I'm going to allow you to have that after all you've done."

The black-haired man examined the situation. He tried to pull off a wide grin but found it difficult. Beads of sweat dripped down, collecting at his chin and he coughed hoarsely. "…Why didn't you kill me? If I remember correctly, you said that you would the next time we met or have you forgotten that threat?" He had a tired look in his eye and spots danced around in his vision, it was hard to focused on anything. The person in front seemed to have split in three and was dancing around in a circle.

"I was but I couldn't do it with you in that condition." Gintoki grinned then made a teasing expression, snickering. "Especially when you look like that." A towel was thrown into his face, flopping down. "Eeh?…That was uncalled for."

"I really hate that attitude of yours. It's so annoying." Takasugi sneered, his face still red from the fever and took a deep breath. It didn't take long before he started coughing, holding his chest. "Damn…it."

The other reached over, pushing the stubborn fellow down back onto the bed with little resistance. "Sleep, you're not going to get any better at this rate."

"Be quiet!" Takasugi coughed some more, trying to get back up. Gintoki reached to the side where some medicine and a bottle of water was located (he had put that there earlier). He grabbed the container and took a tablet out before pushing both items into Takasugi's hands.

"Here, take this. It'll help you sleep."

The black-haired man narrowed his eye at it and glared coldly towards the perm-haired man. But once he started coughing again, did he decide in swallowing the liquid and pill down. A small sigh escaped his lips and collapsed back onto the bed with a heavy flop. He gazed to the side, the bandages still wrapped around his eye and forehead. "Why are you helping me? You could have left me outside."

"Do I have to have a reason to do so?"

"Yes."

"Is that so?" Gin didn't look fazed, sitting back and opened his book. "Well, when you get better, we can fight each other to the death if you like. There better?"

Takasugi snapped. "You're logic is really messed up." He soon after groaned, placing an arm over his head. "You really can't listen to reason can you?" He exhaled. "You've always been like this even in the war. You don't even want to avenge Sensei."

"Because I still have people here I want to protect." Gintoki paused in his reading and shifted over, close to the other. He gazed down sadly yet with seriousness that Takasugi rarely ever saw and watched him smile. His fingers touched the cheeks, checking the temperature, and the black-hair man didn't fight back. "You're just lost what you want to protect right now. When you find it, you might change, no matter how much you hate it. Right now, you're a black beast, growling at anything and everything that comes near you but even that beast will become tamed when it finds a great master, a light to follow. You just need to get that."

Takasugi mumbled. "And become you? Hell no."

"You may say that now but you never know. For me I just want to protect those that are dear to me, the good and the bad."

The other man sighed, glancing away. "You're too kind and idiotic."

"How funny, it's usually carefree."

"That too." A faint smile appeared on his lips.

Gin gasped, bending over. A look of shock appeared on the other's expression, startled by how close the other was.

"W-What?"

"You smiled." The man muttered. "And its not one of those angry, creepy, I'm-going-to-kill-you type either but a real smile."

The other turned away, refusing to look at Gintoki and decided to nuzzle into the sheets, hiding his face. He coughed a little but he could already feel the medication taking effect, his chest pains getting weaker. A faint scent filled his nose from the pillow, it was sweet, strawberries to be exact. Takasugi felt his cheeks darkening at the thought of sleeping in Gintoki's bed and heard from the side as the perm-haired man went back to reading.

'Idiot.'

"Gin-chan, we can't have him stay here." Shinpachi tried again. Luckily they hadn't had any jobs for the time being so it was all clear. It was would get a little troublesome if they had to go out and leave Edo's most dangerous and murderous man behind in their home.

"Yeah, Gin-chan. What happens if at night he sneaks out and cuts out our throats to watch us bleed?" A mental image appeared in their heads from Kagura's thoughts. A look of fear spread across the two except for Gintoki who looked unaffected.

"We've been over this for about a hundred-"

"It's two."

"-times already, he's not going to do anything. We'll kick him out once he gets better."

"Fine, fine but if the Shinsengumi finds out-" Shinpachi started.

"Find out what?"

The group of three let out a startled cry, turning to the doorway. Hijikata and Okita stood there with the doors open, staring suspiciously at the two. The tallest of the group was smoking a cigarette as usual and had his eyes narrowed, glowering at everyone that met his path. There was a group of others outside the door, waiting for their commanders.

Shinpachi tried to cover it up. "That everything will be just fine." The two (Shinpachi and Kagura) laughed nervously and then gulped when they knew that the two wasn't believing them. Gintoki sighed, rubbing the back of his head, turning away for a moment. "Well, what are you two doing here?"

"We heard from an eyewitness that they saw someone in a purple kimono being carried in this direction." Okita stated, glancing around the room. A sense of dread filled the group even Gintoki looked a little scared. "Did you see anyone like that?"

"Nope, nothing at all, right guys." Gintoki smiled, turning to the group.

"Yeah."

"Nothing at all."

The two still didn't believe in them and turned to each other before walking in different directions. They opened each and every door all a while keeping a sharp eye on the three. The group panicked, rotating to each other, not sure on what to do.

"Gin-chan, what are we going to do? We're screwed if they find him."

"This is your entire fault."

"Shut up!"

"Well, looks like there's no one here except for them." Okita came in from Gintoki's room, carrying his bazooka gun over his shoulders. He yawned, heading out the door, Hijikata too but he gave a glare at the trio and closed the door. They seemed a little upset at not finding anything. Once the two went downstairs, the trio rushed to the room that held Takasugi and slammed the door open.

It was empty.

The vacant futon was on the floor, messy, and Gintoki reached down, touching the sheets. They were still warm, meaning that the other had just left, probably soon after he had left. A cough interrupted their thoughts and glanced up to the window where it had originated from. The group hurried to the area and looked out to spot their sick patient, hanging out on the side. Another cough came from the man that forced him to grab his chest at the throbbing and wheeze. His grip weakened on the wood of the building as his body shivered, his strength drained from the sickness. Just as he thought he was going to fall when his fingers slipped, a hand reached out, grabbing his own. Takasugi gazed up in surprise, catching the white hair, and was tugged in, landing right on Gintoki, sprawling on top. A heavy grunt came from underneath and he sat up, straddling the waist. Takasugi blinked before breaking out into another coughing fit, putting a hand up to his lips to cover it.

"Ah, Takasugi-san!" Shinpachi panicked. "I'll get some water for you!"

Kagura, not sure at what to do, followed out, closing the door behind. The black-haired man wheezed, sounding like something was stuck in his throat.

"Geez, didn't I tell you to stay in bed. Now you're gotten yourself worse because of that stunt of yours." Gintoki reached up, patting the other's shoulders to help ease the coughing before carefully placing him back into bed.

"Well, if I hadn't done that, you would have gotten arrested for harboring a murderer." Takasugi sneered weakly, beginning to feel tired again. His eye was slightly closed and heard the two people enter with a swishing sound coming from a bucket. He identified it as water and felt Gintoki pick him up into a sitting position. His eye blinked questionably until he felt the bottle come to his lips. Slowly, he drank, taking a deep breath before wanting no more. He went back down and watched as the perm-haired man pulled the blanket up, tucking him in.

"You're so troublesome." Gintoki muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "You should really learn how to take care of yourself. What do you think might have happened if you had been found by someone else than me? And what were you doing out there in the first place? Sick of all things?"

"I just wanted to take a walk. I had nothing else to do. I wasn't going to stay home just because of a little bug." Takasugi smiled lightly. "And why would I have to worry? You're the one that found me…and for some odd reason…" He trailed off, the sleepiness taking hold of him but Gintoki continued to listen on, leaning in. "I feel happy that it was you…" The eye closed and the head tilted to the side. Gintoki chuckled, brushing his hand across the face, pushing away the bangs. He sighed, stroking the checks.

"Your welcome."

"Are you sure that you're well enough to leave?" Gintoki asked a few days later. He was standing in the entry way with Takasugi at the door, about to open it. The man had his purple kimono, fully dressed even with his sword at his side, which the other had been reluctant to hand back. Gintoki leaned to the side, arms folded, waiting for an answer.

"There's no need to worry about me." Takasugi spoke without turning around, a grin on his face. His complexion had gone back to normal, no longer red and pasty. "I can take care of myself."

The perm-haired man snorted, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah, well good luck. Come back anytime you want to. Just make sure you don't bring any trouble with ya."

The other man twisted back with a smile, a real one. "Maybe I will."

"Hope you'll change one day, the next time we meet though, you better not have caused any more trouble. I'll really have to cut you down if you don't."

Takasugi chuckled amusingly. "Well then, I hope you do." He opened the door and slowly stepped out. "Thanks and goodbye." The door closed and the faint sounds of footsteps left. Gintoki shook his head again.

"You couldn't stay out of trouble even if you wanted to."

Fluff, well kinda fluffy. I tried but it's hard to make anything fluff with Takasugi and Gintoki likes to joke too much. Sad yet happy.

Reviews make me happy!