Chapter Text
Edo summers, Hasegawa Taizo decides, are the absolute worst. The days are hot and humid leaving Hasegawa breathless and sweaty. By midmorning, the humidity has built up to such a disgusting degree, making him feel sticky and hot and gross.
The shade doesn't even offer that much relief, either. The muggy air clings to Hasegawa’s skin, seeping into his bones and sapping him of all energy. It's too hot to smoke and certainly too hot to scrounge around under the vending machines for any loose coins. He might have to forgo his usual cup sake if this keeps up...
Hasegawa has just enough energy to drag a large piece of cardboard to use as sun protection before practically collapsing underneath his park bench. Hot and miserable and tired, Hasegawa stares blankly forward as his mind drifts aimlessly.
If his thoughts stray to a certain dead eyed stare or a shock of naturally curly silver hair...well, Hasegawa can just blame the heat for that, too. At least it takes his mind off the sweat rolling down his back and soaking into his clothes.
After what could have been hours, minutes, seconds of heat induced stupor, the park bench creaks and a familiar voice drawls, "Oi, you look like hell."
"Well hello to you too, Gin-san." Hasegawa starts, rolling over while pushing away his makeshift cardboard hat.
Any further words die in his throat when he finally lays eyes on Sakata Gintoki. Eyes wide, all Hasegawa can do is watch as Gintoki sucks on a watermelon slice shaped popsicle. Transfixed, Hasegawa tracks the slide of the popsicle, the hint of Gintoki's tongue, dyed bright red from said popsicle, catching a stray drop. Not to mention another drip that's made its way down Gintoki's face, catching the light as it beads up on his chin. Hasegawa’s breath catches in his throat. He’s glad that his sunglasses obscure his wandering gaze. He’s not sure what he’d do if Gintoki caught him staring. Immolate on the spot, probably.
Ah. It's too hot for this. Too hot for glistening lips. Too hot for those little hints of tongue poking out. Too hot to be in Gintoki’s presence in general. Too hot to be healthy for a Madao's heart, for sure. His heart pounds painfully against his ribcage as if his body itself is too hot for the poor organ.
Hasegawa feels like he's melting into the earth beneath the park bench. He watches, helplessly rooted to his spot on the ground, as Gintoki laps and licks and sucks the popsicle down to nothing. And Hasegawa has never once in his life wanted to be a popsicle. But he certainly does now. It's too hot for this feeling, too...
Gintoki raises an eyebrow curiously at him, saying around his popsicle, "It's too hot for what?"
Oh. He'd said some of that out loud? Shit. Face hot, Hasegawa tears his gaze away from Gintoki's mouth and directs his eyes somewhere over one of Gintoki's ears, mumbling, "N-nothing..."
"Well, anyways," Gintoki hums, polishing off the last of the popsicle, "Just came over here to see if you wanted to come home with me?"
"W-what?!" Hasegawa’s gaze snaps back to Gintoki's, there's an amused glint poking through his usual dead eyed stare.
"Dirty old man." Gintoki says, tossing his finished popsicle stick over Hasegawa and into the trash can near the park bench, "Get your mind out of the gutter. If you haven't noticed, it's pretty hot out today. Thought you might want a place to crash til it cools off."
Hasegawa ignores the pang of disappointment, he’s not sure if it comes from Gintoki having finished the popsicle or something else. "I dunno..." Hasegawa says, gaze back somewhere over Gintoki's ear. Might be easier on his heart if Hasegawa’s left to roast to a crisp out here on his own.
"Better decide fast." Gintoki says, shaking a plastic Oedo Mart bag Hasegawa’s only just noticed, "Gotta head back before the rest of these melt."
Of course, Gintoki, as a (semi) productive member of society, would be out running errands and not, say, coming out to visit a pathetic Madao. There's that feeling again...
It really is too hot for all this...
As Hasegawa is still making up his mind, Gintoki stands. Bag rustling, he starts walking away. Hasegawa just catches a suggestive eyebrow wiggle before Gintoki turns away, "If you're lucky, though, I might just let you suck on my popsicle."
At that, Hasegawa scrambles up, makeshift cardboard hat long forgotten and hurries after Gintoki. He laughs as a shit-eating grin spreads across his face, "Hah! You really are a dirty old man! I was talking about one of these!" He shakes the Oedo Mart bag.
Hasegawa says nothing, red faced, eyes planted firmly on his feet. Gintoki might be right about that...