The Dawning Affair

Tricksy Favour

Hello there!
Here is the new chapter! I usually re-read each chapters one last time before posting them because I always find something to improve, and as I reread this one, I realised that this probably was my favourite chapter of the series, I'm quite proud with what I've wrote here!

Anyway, enjoy!

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'Toshi! Toshi! Do you hear me?'

Hijikata's ears buzzed, Kondou's voice drowned out by the static noise. White spots seemed to dance before his eyes, and he had to blink a few times to make them focus again.

His mouth was dry, but he succeeded to utter a raspy 'Why?'

This seemed to pause a rambling Kondou. Hijikata noted that the older man actually seemed just as distressed as him.

Kondou made a face, his arms letting go of Hijikata's shoulders. He looked down. 'Involvement in terrorists activities and desertion'.

Hijikata's eyes widened, his shoulders sagging. 'What? But-'.

'It's all lies, I know. Maybe not the desertion part, but still. These are just excuses'.

Hijikata kept opening and closing his mouth, words crowding his mind, none never really lasting enough to form a coherent sentence. These really were fallacious accusations based on no evidence.

He felt dizzy, his back hit the wall as he tried to keep his balance. Fuck.

Kondou grabbed him by the shoulders, holding him up. 'Toshi!'

His voice held a new determination, and Hijikata briefly wondered about how Kondou kept finding optimism in any dire situations they found themselves in. It never lacked to impress him. Hijikata was more down to earth, on the pessimistic side of the spectrum.

'I know what to do, Toshi, you have to go and see your wife, right now.' Kondou said, with the most resolute tone ever.

'What?' Hijikata asked, suddenly alarmed and a tad bit more alert.

'Your wife, her father, he's a lord, you remember? He's sitting in the court of appeal, right? Matsudaira is in India right now, but if you convince your wife to talk to her father, maybe he could do something to prevent the execution?'

Hijikata cringed at the word "execution". He had not fully processed the situation yet, the change so sudden that it seemed surreal, almost as if he was just dreaming, about to wake up at any moment now. But Hijikata never dreamed.

'I can't– I can't go to Satoko for Gintoki, she'll know,' Hijikata started, shaking his head.

'Toshirou. She has the right to know.' Hijikata's eyes were forced to look at Kondou's. 'Let her make her choice, but you have to try it, for Gintoki's sake.'

As much as Kondou's words terrified him, Hijikata knew he was right. Keeping his relationship secret to Satoko was starting to weigh him down, and he'd rather tell her himself than have her learn it from some random shrew she sometimes had to hang out with. Hijikata might not be in love with his wife, but he respected her, and was glad to have shared this union with her instead of someone else. The least he could do was to finally be honest with her. He buried the farthest he could the thought that it would kill him if Satoko decided to not lift a finger to prevent Gintoki's death.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly. There was no time to lose. He nodded. 'Okay, I'll talk to her. I'll tell you how it went once it's done.' He said before leaving.