SUGAR CONTENT; gintama oneshots

bugs and bullfrogs - sogo okita

set prior to the Shinsengumi coming to Edo. 

(Y/N) had mixed feelings about the countryside. 

She loved the way the grass felt between her toes when she ran up and down the hills, and how the tiny fish in the steam would swim faster when her shadow was cast over the water. She loved the frogs that ribbited in the early night, and the bugs that were in abundance near her grandmother's flower garden. And every time it was going to rain, she could see the big, dark clouds coming from miles away.

But, even amidst this wonderland she was living in, she was all alone. There were no kids her age out here, and for a ten-year-old, all she wanted was friends to show her bugs to and point out rainbows with. Her grandmother was feeble and rarely left the house, relying on the older gentlemen in the area to bring groceries. Because it was just the two of them, (Y/N) was left with all the outdoor tasks, like watering the garden and fixing the fence when the wind blew it down. And, although, she enjoyed doing those things, she just wanted to someone to share these experiences with.

The reality was, she wouldn't find other kids her age until her cousin came back and took her to the city. Neither (Y/N) nor her grandmother knew when that day would come, and so, (Y/N) had to fill her time to the fullest. Starting with bug hunting.

Bug hunting was her favorite way to explore the countryside, and on a morning after it had rained all night long, (Y/N) knew she was bound to have the experience of a lifetime.

"Bye, grand-mama, I'm going to find the longest worm in all of Edo," (Y/N) said as a farewell, standing in the doorway of the backdoor in their tiny house.

"I look forward to seeing it," Her grandmother said from the low table, holding a cup of steaming green tea. She smiled warmly at (Y/N) in encouragement, a smile (Y/N) mirrored with a toothy grin.

Letting the door shut itself behind her, (Y/N) went out with nothing but the clothes on her back, that were bound to be covered in mud by the time she returned. Her hair was pulled back into short pigtails, so her hair didn't get in the way of her bug hunting. She carried nothing in her hands, figuring any bugs she found could find a home in the stitched-on pockets of her kimono. It wasn't as though she hadn't done it before.

Now that she was outside, (Y/N) let the puddles guide her, meaning she kept jumping in puddles until she looked up again. Her hopping had led her to the dojo she had visited once, and upon finding no sign of interesting reptiles, never came back to. (Y/N) decided to give the dojo a second chance, crouching down at a patch of mud and beginning to dig through it.

"What's a wild pig doing playing in our mud?" A little boy's voice reached (Y/N)'s ears despite her being wrist deep in mud.

(Y/N) turned around before she could pull her hands free from the ground, leading to her losing her balance and falling face first into the mud. She paid no mind to her now muddy attire; she was too excited about finding someone her own age. The insult never even registered in (Y/N)'s mind, which made the boy blink in surprise when she didn't react to his provocation.

Holding out a muddy but free hand, (Y/N) said excitedly, "I'm (Y/N), what's your name? Do you like bugs? Do you want to be my friend? I can show you the best place to find frogs."

"I don't want to be your friend," He said bluntly, his crimson eyes eyeing her muddy hands with a blank stare, "My name is Sogo and I train at this dojo, so leave."

Somehow, her selective hearing had only picked up his name, because she didn't react at all to his harsh words. Instead, she picked up a worm from the sleeve of her kimono that must have found its way on her when she fell in the mud. (Y/N) wiggled it in the air, showing Sogo her prize. "Look! Isn't this little guy so cool?"