Chapter Text
The first thing Toshirou was aware of before even opening his eyes was the steady Beep… Beep… Beep… of the EKG. As soon as his mind registered the worryingly familiar noise, he began to notice the dull ache in the back of his head. Suddenly, he could feel everything, the IV drip connected to his hand, the soft hospital blankets, the bandages around his head, someone’s hand gripping his own almost painfully.
This last one was the most confusing one. He was used to waking up in the hospital due to his dangerous line of work, but waking up to someone grabbing him? Was Kondo that worried about him? It’s not exactly usual for his Commander to grab his hand like this, at least not when Toshirou is unconscious. He usually reserves his physical displays of affection for when Toshirou is already awake and can see him crying over his latest incident. And he couldn’t hear his usual sobbing which was the strangest part of this.
Toshirou did his best trying to open his eyes. He was momentarily blinded by the bright lights of the hospital room. He immediately closed them again, groaning from the brightness of the room.
“To-Toshirou!”
That- that hadn’t been Kondo’s voice…
Toshirou opened his eyes slowly, eyes squinting to get used to the bright light and looked to his side where the person with an unknown voice was holding his hand. He took the person’s features slowly, mind slowly processing what he was seeing, head beginning to ache even more.
A silver haired man was looking at him with worry evident in his face. He had curly hair and dark red eyes. He was wearing a strange attire. A black undershirt with a white yukata with blue swirls carelessly hanging over his left shoulder while his other shoulder was left uncovered by it. He had strong looking arms and Toshirou’s instincts told him he wasn’t someone to be messed with.
And he was a complete stranger.
He tried standing up, ready to get as far away from this stranger as he could. Was he some Joui that had captured him? Was Toshirou still in danger? He couldn’t exactly rememeber how he ended up here. Was this man the cause of his injury? Where is Kondo and the rest of the Shinsengumi?
The man placed both his hands over Toshirou’s shoulder, pushing him back down on the bed. “Oi! Careful! You just woke up!” The man exclaimed after seeing Toshirou struggle to sit up, worry evident in his voice. “You can’t move around like that after that hit in your head!”
The man’s loud worried voice was making his head throb even more, his headache worsening by the second. He struggled weakfully on the man’s grip on his shoulders. “Don’t touch me!” Toshirou growled at the man, voice hoarse.
The man froze, his hands still on Toshirou's shoulders. The worried look not leaving his face. Why did this stranger look at him with such worry? Weren’t they enemies?
“To-Toshirou… are you feeling alright?” The man asked, his hands not leaving Toshirou yet.
Toshirou slapped one of his hands off, finally managing to make the man step back. “Who the hell are you?” He growled, glaring at the man.
The man took a sharp intake of breath, taking a step away from him. Before either of them could say anything else, the door slammed open, shooting a sharp painful throb in Toshirou’s head from the loud noise.
“Toshi!” Kondo shouted. Tears and snot all over his face. “You’re finally awake!”
Toshirou’s eyes widened, seeing his Commander. “Kondo-san!” He was fine! Then was this man not dangerous?
He looked between Kondo and the stranger. The stranger had a blank look on his face, the worry seemingly gone from his features. He looked tense and was staring at Toshirou intensely, making him feel uncomfortable.
Kondo went immediately to hug him, the stranger silently leaving room for him to move to Toshirou’s side. Toshirou relaxed on the familiar feeling of Kondo hugging him. He didn’t hug back as per usual, but having a known warmth surrounding him after waking in a hospital bed next to a stranger made him feel safer.
“Kondo-san… what happened?” Toshirou asked as his Commander sobbed into his thin hospital gown, wetting it. Toshirou kept staring at the stranger who was now looking at the floor, frowning slightly.
“Eh? You don’t remember?” Kondo asked, pulling away from the hug and Toshirou shook his head. “You were on a mission by the Terminal and were ambushed by a terrorist group. There was an explosion and you hit your head. It was pretty bad, you were unconscious for a week.” He explained. Toshirou couldn’t remember such a mission. “We were all worried about you. The doctors were not sure you would wake up” He sobbed again, snot rolling down his face along with the tears. “Gin-san hasn’t left your side since then. You really worried us, Toshi!”
At this, Toshirou looked back at the stranger, supposedly ‘Gin-san’ , and saw him standing there, almost awkwardly with a frown still on his face. “Gin-san?” Toshirou asked with a confused frown.
Kondo nodded. “Yeah. Right, Gin-san?” Kondo asked, looking back at the stranger.
Instead of answering, Gin-san raised his head to stare blankly at Toshirou. “Toshirou…” Toshirou raised an eyebrow at the informal way this stranger talked to him. “You know who I am… r-right?” He asked nervously, voice betraying his blank face.
Toshirou just stared at him with a frown as Kondo looked between them with a confused look. “Eh? What do you mean, Gin-san?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t Toshi know who his own husband is?”
Toshirou took a sharp intake of breath which made him actually choke on air. He coughed loudly as Kondo went to his side again, patting his back roughly much to his whole body’s protest. The man looked at him with a mix of emotions that Toshirou was too tired to decipher. Once he was finally able to calm down he looked panicked at Kondo. “Husband?!” He shouted. “What do you mean husband?!”
Kondo furrowed his eyebrows, tilting his head in confusion. “Eh… you know… when you marry someone that’s usually what you call your spouse… Toshi, you know this.”
Toshirou just stared at him dumbfounded. “He doesn’t remember me, Gorilla.” The stranger said.
Both Toshirou and Kondo looked at the silver haired man with shock. “Remember you?! Who the fuck are you?!” Toshirou asked.
Kondo’s eyes widened, looking at him in panic. “Toshi! You lost your memories?!” He asked.
Toshirou frowned. “Memories…?” He mumbled. “I- I don’t know…” He said, looking again at the stranger. “I don’t remember ever seeing that man before. Much less… marrying him…” He sneered.
The stranger flinched, as if in pain, but remained otherwise silent, staring now at the floor. “What- what’s the last thing you remember, Toshi?” Kondo asked.
Toshirou tried to think. “I think it was Sougo’s birthday party…” He mumbled, wondering why that was his last memory. Ugh, he didn’t want his last memory to be Sougo slamming his own birthday cake in Toshirou’s face, with lit candles and all.
Kondo raised an eyebrow. “Sougo’s birthday? That was ages ago…” He mumbled. “We’re already in February…”
Toshirou furrowed his eyebrows, this was not helping him understand the situation.
“What birthday?” The stranger asked, making both stare at him. “How old was he turning?” His voice sounded almost desperate despite the mostly blank look on his face. His eyes reminded him of those of a dead fish, but his stance seemed aflicted.
“His 17th…” Toshirou mumbled, staring at both men sharing a troubled look. “What… what’s going on?” He asked.
The stranger fell to the nearest chair and stared blankly at the ceiling. Kondo gasped loudly. “17th?!! Toshi!” He shouted. “That was years ago!!!”
Toshirou raised an eyebrow, he is sure he has never been as confused as he is right now. “Years? How… how long has it been?” He asked, worried.
“6 years…” The stranger mumbled. “All the time we have known each other…”
“6 years?!” Toshirou asked, shocked. “I was in a coma for 6 years?!”
“No, no. Just a week.” Kondo said with a troubled look. “You just forgot the last 6 years of your life.”
“Oh…” Toshirou mumbled, that was slightly better, maybe... Though he is not sure he is understanding anything that’s going on. His throbbing head was definitely not helping him understand what the two of them were saying. “And… and I got married in those 6 years?” That somehow was the most unbelievable part of this whole thing.
Kondo nodded. “2 years ago…”
Toshirou shook his head, frowning. “There’s no way that’s true.” He said confidently. “I would never get married to anyone…” Not even her…
“But you did.” The silver haired man said, glaring at him with steely eyes. “You married me so now I’m your husband.”
Toshirou sneered at the man. “You haven’t even told me who you are. Why would I marry someone that doesn’t even have the decency to introduce themselves.”
The man stood and for a moment Toshirou thought he would punch him, but he held himself back before he could fully reach the bed. The man sighed and turned away, glaring at the opposite wall instead.
“Toshi… you met Gin-san years ago… remember?” Kondo said slowly.
Toshirou shook his head. “He met me 5 years ago. And he doesn’t remember the last 6, so yeah, he doesn’t remember me.” ‘Gin-san’ said bitterly, crossing his arms almost protectively over his chest.
Kondo looked between them worriedly. “I… I’ll go talk to the doctor.” He said shakily, standing up from beside Toshirou’s bed and going towards the door. “I leave him in your care, Gin-san.”
“Ah! Kondo-san, wait!” Toshiro said, but he was already gone, leaving him with a complete stranger. Toshirou turned to look at Gin-san again who was still glaring at the wall. “So… What’s your name?” He asked tentatively.
“Do you even care to know?” He asked harshly.
Toshirou glared at him. “Look, I’m sorry I forgot you. It’s not like I asked for it.” He said angrily.
The man sighed, uncrossing his arms and letting them fall to his sides, stance relaxing, looking almost defeated. “Sakata Gintoki… your husband.” He looked at Toshirou with an unreadable face.
Toshirou nodded. “I’m Hijikata Toshirou, but I guess you already know that…” He felt stupid introducing himself to someone who already knew him, but it came before he could stop it.
“Actually…” The man huffed, almost amused, stance relaxing more, looking less defeated. “You changed your name after we got married. You’re now Sakata Toshirou.” He smirked.
Toshirou gaped at him. “There’s no way that’s true!” He exclaimed.
The man rolled his eyes. “It’s true. Even if everyone still calls you Hijikata, you’re now legally Sakata.” He went to the drawer beside Toshirou’s bed. “Here, look for yourself.” He said, taking out what Toshirou could identify as a Shinsengumi badge.
Toshirou took said badge and saw the name on it, beside his photo. It said ‘Shinsengumi’s Vice-Commander, Sakata Toshirou’ .
Sakata Toshirou?!
“Huh?!” Toshirou exclaimed, looking at the badge closer. He didn’t look that different from what he remembered. “There’s no way this is real! This must be some kind of joke!”
“Huh?! Why would I be joking about this, Mayora?!” Sakata shouted.
“Huh?! Who are you calling Mayora?!” He shouted back.
“You obviously! Or did you also forget your gross obsession with mayo?!” Sakata shouted.
He knew about his love for mayonnaise? “You leave mayonnaise alone!” Toshirou shouted.
“Ahem…” They were both interrupted by a nurse by the door. “I have to check on the patient.” She said, checking some files in her hands. “Are you his husband, sir?” She asked, looking at Sakata.
Sakata nodded. “I am.” He said.
She nodded. “I’m gonna check on some vital signs and then I need you to sign some documents. His Commander said something about memory loss, is that correct?”
Sakata nodded. “Yes, he-”
“Oi! Why are you asking all of that to him?” Toshirou asked, annoyed at being blatantly ignored. The nurse and Sakata turned to look at him. The nurse with surprise and Sakata with a stoic glance. “I’m the patient here.”
The nurse glanced briefly at Sakata who shrugged before she turned back to him. “Alright, Sakata-san.” Toshirou pulled a face at being called like that. “How are you feeling?” She asked.
“My head fucking hurts.” He complained, crossing his arms. Between the hit he apparently sustained and all the confusing information he was still trying to process, his head was throbbing painfully.
Sakata’s stoic stance quickly melted to one of worry, the nurse didn’t look surprised at this. “That should be normal, with the hit you sustained, Sakata-san.” Toshirou grimaced again at that name. “You have a concussion and we need to check on you. We’re going to give you something for your headache soon, but first we need to do some more tests. We just need your husband to sign the agreement first.”
“Why can’t I do that myself?” Toshirou asked, annoyed.
“You have a concussion.” She said as if that explained everything.
“Just give me that.” Sakata grumbled, taking out the documents from the nurse’s hands and signing them with disinterest without even reading them. “Here. Now do whatever you need to him.” She nodded before approaching Toshirou. She began to check on him and his vital signs in silence. Toshirou felt awkward by not only the nurse carefully proding him everywhere, but also by Sakata carefully watching everything. “When will he be allowed to come back home?” Sakata asked out of nowhere.
She pulled away from Toshirou, finishing writing everything down on her clipboard. “It depends on what is shown on the CT scan and the MRI, but given the fact that he spent a week unconscious and has now forgotten several years of his life then he may have to stay here for a few more days so we can continue to check on him.”
Sakata didn’t look particularly pleased by this but nodded. “And when will he get back his memories?”
The nurse hesitated, her face turning pitying as she glanced at Sakata. “We can’t be sure about that. It may be in a few days or it may be… never.” She sent a pitying glance at both of them which Toshirou hated.
Sakata frowned. “And what can we do to make him remember?” He asked.
“Just wait.” She said. “There’s nothing else we can do.”
Sakata sighed, shoulder slumping. “I see…”
“Now, we need to do a scan on Sakata-san.” She said. “We need to make sure everything is fine with his head.”
Sakata huffed, eyes rolling. “He eats mayonnaise straight from the bottle. You don’t need a scan to know he is messed up in the head.” He said casually joking in what seemed like a practisied response.
“Oi!” Toshirou shouted at him. “Who do you think you are, huh?!” Sakata’s face soured again.
The nurse sighed. “Let’s do the scan first.”
Sakata nodded and then pushed forward a wheeling chair, leaving it by Toshirou’s side. “I don’t need that!” Toshirou shouted.
Sakata glared at him, as if telling him to shut up with his eyes. “Sakata-san, it would be best if you remain completely on bed rest for a while.” The nurse said, and Toshirou grumbled but allowed the nurse with some help from Sakata to help him into the chair. She may have been right because the action of changing positions made his vision more blurry. This may actually be the worst head injury he ever remembers getting.
Sakata began strolling the chair out of the room when Toshirou turned to glare at him. “Oi! Where do you think you’re taking me?!” He asked.
“Huh?! Didn’t you hear the nurse, idiot? You have to rest.” Sakata said glaring at him.
“She can take me there herself, right?” He turned to the nurse who pulled an annoyed face but nodded. “You can just stay here. Or go wherever you want, I guess. I don’t care.”
Sakata glared at him but nodded, standing still as the nurse took the chair and pushed it forward. Toshirou continued to watch him as he was pushed forward until he was no longer able to see him.
There is simply no way he got married to this man. Toshirou simply can’t believe he would ever marry anyone, much less this guy. He looked like a complete bum and he was rude. And he had curly hair, who even has a perm nowadays? And he is not his type. Sure Toshirou may not have an actual type and Sakata may be kinda attractive in his own way, but he is nothing like Mitsuba, the woman that he still loves.
There’s no way he married anyone when he is still in love with Mitsuba, even if he hasn’t seen her in years. Even if he doesn’t intend to ever marry her. There’s simply no way he would marry someone else when his heart already belongs to her.
This must be some elaborate joke to mess with him.