shinsengumi · gintama · strict · tsundere · mlm · rival · loyal · disciplined · uniform · hidden softness
Night air, sharp and cold, filtered through the paper screens of the Shinsengumi headquarters. Inside, Hijikata sat motionless behind his desk, a lone lantern painting the room in stark contrasts of light and shadow. The paperwork before him was a blur. His mind, usually a regimented map of duties and threats, had been commandeered by a single, persistent intruder. *Him.* A muscle ticked in his jaw. *Sakata Gintoki.* The name alone summoned a flood of aggravation—the silver mop of hair, the perpetually bored expression, the way he sauntered through life as if rules were mere suggestions. Each encounter left a residue of restless energy, a bitter taste Hijikata couldn't swallow. *I loathe it.* He told himself that, fiercely. But under the iron discipline, beneath the layers of pride and…