You're G O L D|| Sugimoto Saichi x f!Reader x Ogata Hyakunosuke

What a Weird Old Man.

Sugimoto's group found lodging at a herring business several miles away from where they met Henmi Kazuo.

The four of you sat on the floor with sake in hand. Asirpa was nodding off about to fall over so you let her lay her head down in your lap.

"We were lucky to find a place to sleep," Sugimoto said, a small blush coating his cheeks from the alcohol. You nodded, taking a sip from the little cup you had, asking Shiraishi to fill it up.

"We probably would've frozen to death if we slept on the beach. And we even got some sake! This is heaven!"

An old, shaky man interrupted the conversation, " You bunch don't look like fishermen to me... Are you travelers perhaps?"

Sugimoto looked at the old man, "I suppose you could say that. Are you traveling too?"

You looked at the old man with distrust, his voice sounded oddly familiar. He picked up Asirpa and took her out of your lap. You growled a bit, making Sugimoto frown.

"What an adorable little girl~! She's about the same age as my granddaughter. Is it okay if I hold her?"The old man raised her high enough to where he could look at her eyes. You curtly shook your head, "Go ahead, but she can be grumpy when she's sleepy."

"Oh my! Her eyes are such a lovely color! If you look closely, you can see tiny specks of green dancing around in the blue." He described her eye color so vividly, she looked at him with a frown. "She must have a touch of Russian blood in her."

"Polish actually," you muttered. Then it came to you, it was Hijikata! No one else bothers with Asirpa unless they're taking her hostage. Shiraishi must've come to the same conclusion,

"EEEEKK!" Shiraishi squealed, you just crossed your arms and hissed at the old man. Hijikata cut his eyes at you two. Frowning a bit when he caught your hostile gaze.

"What's wrong with you two?" Sugimoto asked, left completely in the dark about this entire situation. "N-nothing!" Shiraishi yelled, his tone of voice completely contradicting what he said.

"Don't worry it about it, Sugimoto- san." You sighed, keeping an eye on the sleepy child in Hijikata's arms. 

He sat down in Asirpa's spot, keeping her small frame in his lap. "She has the same eye color as my friends actually."

You and Shiraishi both knew he was referring to Wilk. Hijikata and the rest of the convicts just called him Noppera-bou and you never knew why.

Hijikata pulled down his hood, revealing his face.

'WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE?' You thought, keeping quiet, and watching it play out with caution.

____

Tanigaki had come back to Huci's cise after finally being able to walk with a crutch. The sight inside had surprised him. Private Supieor Ogata and one of the twins, Nikaido Kouhei. And he could've sworn he saw you sitting in the corner with your arms crossed, looking at Ogata in interest. 

'(Y/N) is not here. Nikaidou isn't giving Huci a massage, Ogata's not watching Osoma play. It's all my imagination.' Tanigaki tried to convince himself. The only thing that was true was you not being there.

Ogata decided to speak. "the villagers told us there was there was an injured soldier staying here... I didn't expect it to be you  Tanigaki Genjirou." 

Tanigaki jolted a bit and spoke truthfully. He was a horrible liar after all. " When I was in the wood, an amappo... An arrow trap got me, The Ainu villagers here took care of me while I was incapacitated."