naturallywavy | [ RIVERVIEW. ] ✖ IC CONTACT.

[ever since the Harvest Festival, Osomatsu's been meaning to chat up Gintoki again. he really appreciated what he said to him, and appreciated his humor. and, maybe, Osomatsu was a little... starstruck by him. it was stupid, really, but he didn't know how else to explain it. the guy was cool, while still being a total asshole. and that resonated well with the eldest Matsuno brother.

he would be moving out of the community housing pretty soon, so he figures he should say good bye, but also thank Gintoki for that night at the bonfire.

so Osomatsu stops by his place on his way home from work with a small offering... a holiday cookie and a coupon for a free drink of Gintoki's choice. he knocks on the door to see if he's home]

_{[ It was natural for Gintoki to take his time getting to the door. It was like this back home because most of the time somebody knocking on the door was a job request that he had to fulfill. Habits are hard for him to break, it seems, so it sounds like nobody is home for awhile.
Then, Osomatsu may hear some distant "coming, coming" before the door opens. It looks like one side of his hair is flat where he's been sleeping on it. He looks pretty groggy cause guess what, you disturbed his sleep. ]}

Hey, if you want me to do something for you, it's gonna have'ta wait.
_{[ Gintoki, you haven't even introduced yourself as a freelancer to anyone. ]}

—ah, it's just you.

[Osomatsu almost left! he would have if he didn't hear that small voice. when Gintoki answers the door, he looks like an excited puppy]

Yeah, just me! Here to rain on your parade. [looks like he disturbed Gin's nap. whoops. how nice it must be to take a late afternoon nap! he holds out the cookie and coupon]

_{[ Gintoki is busy rubbing one side of his face and trying to obtain more consciousness. He's hardly paying attention to what Osomatsu is saying until he is presented with a cookie and a coupon. Good thing Gintoki is a moocher and gladly takes free stuff.
He cocks his head to a shoulder as he holds the items in his hands. Instantly, he realizes Osomatsu is desperate for some kind of friendship with him. Why else would he give him something like this? He keeps these thoughts silent, though. ]}

—That all you've got?
_{[ He's joking, but its hard to tell with how deadpan he says it. ]}

[wow osomatsu is not desperate or thirsty what are you talking about]

huh? Oh, uh... [feels around his pockets] Maybe I gotta peppermint in here somewhere...

[the cookie looks cute, it's a fancy snowman cookie. too bad it's about to be devoured]

...Wait a minute! I'll have you know that I don't just give that shit away. It costs my company money! I'm also a very selfish person!

You put your neck on the line to get me something like this?
_{[ WAVING THE COOKIE AROUND— then takes a bite of it, completely decapitating the poor snowman. He speaks again, this time with his mouth full. ]}

Selfishness? Everyone is selfish somehow. It takes a lot for a person to not be that way.

[what Osomatsu meant was that he didn't usually give away things. he was greedy, and didn't think about others that much. but...]

Yeah, well... I just. [okay, deep breaths, Osomatsu. you can do this] I wanted t'say thanks for the other night, I guess. Y'didn't have t'stand there and talk things through with me, but you did. No one's... really ever done that for me before.

_{[ No one has ever done that before? To him? Doesn't he have a bunch of siblings? Isn't that what his whole series is about?
And yet.. ]}

People haven't treated you like a decent person before? Seriously. Maybe they just don't see what's going on with you because their heads are too high into their own asses.
_{[ A beat. ]}
Emotional wounds are the hardest to heal because they don't heal on their own like a person's body can.
They heal only with the help from others. So that's it.

_{[ Gintoki supposes he can invite him in his space in this weird shared housing since he got something free from him, so he turns around but leaves the door open. ]}

[it's true, Osomatsu has brothers, but he cannot remember the last time someone took care to talk him through things like this. well, Karamatsu had, sort of, but Gintoki was a stranger! he took interest in Osomatsu, and that...

...HE'S DOING IT AGAIN. he's giving Osomatsu words of wisdom! WHO IS THIS GUY]

I... [what does he even say to this? why does he feel like he should be bringing Gintoki more cookies? he should be paying for this therapist shit, man. BUT NO THIS IS A STRANGER WANTING TO HELP HIM.

good thing Osomatsu doesn't cry very often]

W-well! I did it! I threw those papers into the fire! And... things are healing, between me and my brothers! Things are better now! I feel better!

Yeah? Well, that's a start. A start is the hardest part sometimes. It's like when you gotta pee after you've gotten under the cozy comforters in the middle of the night and you're so comfortable— peeling the blankets away seem impossible, and you even contemplate just wetting yourself right then and there and staying in bed.

Once you get out of the covers, the rest of the walk is easy to the toilet.
_{[ ??? ]}

Edited 2017-12-01 04:10 (UTC)

[somehow, the analogy makes sense. it's sure crude, though. Gintoki is the crudest therapist...

...therapissed]

Okay. [???] Well, I just wanted you to know... I appreciated it. [he tucks his hands into his pockets, still wondering why this guy has taken pity on him. Osomatsu turns to leave, feeling warm, chest pounding.

dammit, the first time someone's given a shit about him, and he's feeling weird]

_{[ By now, Gintoki has settled on the floor near his futon, arms folded behind his back. Osomatsu is gonna leave just like that? Well, sure. ]}

Oi.
Things are getting better, right? That means you're taking good care of them, aaa? If you ain't sure, maybe ask'em. See how they feel about you.

[Osomatsu pauses. he didn't realize that Gintoki wanted him to come in. he thought he was just retreating back to his room. but... the door was left open. so Osomatsu turns around and pokes his head back inside.

he finally smiles again, cheeks lightly flushed]

Yeah, things are gettin' better. The three of us are gonna be moving to a bigger place.

Good to know it's finally gonna be quiet around here.
_{[ What he meant to say is 'it's good you all are getting along' but he's not sure why this sentence came out instead. ]}

Yeah, yeah! It probably will be! [he laughs, not at all offended] But, don't worry. If ya miss us, we won't be that far away. We even have a guestroom... [well, technically it's going to be the wank room, but Gintoki doesn't need to know that]

_{[ Gintoki will probably use it for wanking too, no worries. ]}
I've got this feeling it's gonna be the other way around and you're gonna be missin' me.

[ah............................... . . .]

Well, you're a good neighbor. [also you're cool. too cool! it's not fair!]

Dunno what makes a 'good neighbor.' I didn't have neighbors back home, but I guess it means keeping quiet and sharing fruit cake.
_{[ He doesn't have neighbors. Just a pain in the ass grandma that he owes his life to.
That he already misses. His promise he made with her could be broken at this rate, but he has a feeling she's still okay— even with Edo in shambles right now. ]}

Which if that's the case... I don't think I'm a very good neighbor. All the cake is mine— don't even think about eating any, you bastard.
_{[ Said in a more lighthearted tone than usual. ]}

[a snort]

I ain't sharing my cake with you, either. [so Gintoki likes cake, huh? and he seemed to like the cookie Osomatsu gave him] I guess that makes us both bad neighbors.

[Gintoki's still cool, though, even if he won't share his sweets]

_{[ Gintoki just watches him with a half-opened gaze. Osomatsu was really trying to get on his level with anything, wasn't he? Even his trashy level? How desperate is this guy? ]}

Cake is my love language. Are you sure about that?

[too desperate]

Y-your love language? You love it that much, huh? [hmmm. he looks up, thinking. next time, he'll bring a cake? no, that would seem too...] I like sweets all right, but I think I like salty things better.

_{[ You don't understand, Osomatsu. He became especially addicted to sweets after the war, though he was always a big fan of strawberries. ]}

Everyone's different, y'anno. I suppose I just like the things that make me happy.
_{[ He finds contentment in the little things because otherwise he's just sad. ]}

Makes you feel good when somebody gives you something salty, right? It's that kind of feeling.

Oh, like a gift? [when was the last time someone gave him a gift? a snack gift? usually, when mom brings home snacks, it's not a gift. it was food that they all shared] Yeah, that'd make me happy, too! ...Man, now I want some chips.

So you get what I mean. It's a love language that us moochers can only understand.
_{[ Look at him, He put you on equal level with him! Isn't that cute. ]}

Rich people don't get it. They've been too busy bathing in yen that so much money is up their asses they can't appreciate little things.

[heh. this guy really was knowledgeable. it was like everything he said was some nugget of wisdom. he was like a walking-talking shounencyclopedia!

...damn, Osomatsu wished that he could make that joke out loud]

Yeah, yeah, I get it. You like cake. [he grins] You can just tell me that you like it, don't need to give me a whole speech about it.

Hey, of course I do! I bet you'd wanna give me a whole speech about salty things! You don't get it with cake since you're not a sweets person! Don't insult the cake! The cake-god will curse you!
_{[ ??? ]}

[???]

Are you the cake-god?

_{[ ?????????? ]}
I could be.

Well, then...

[he sucks in a breath, then points at Gintoki]

The cake is a lie!

[and then he runs away!]

[ RIVERVIEW. ] ✖ IC CONTACT.

Nov 30 late afternoon, action

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