follow me into the rain

I wrote a number of Gintama haiku* in the format of one character thinking about another, perhaps saying things they wouldn't easily say out loud (though some of them would). Some of them are spoilery for the Shogun Assassination arc, the Battle at Rakuyo Arc, and the final arc. These are behind the cut.

The ones above the cut don't spoil anything beyond the Benizakura arc.

*Well, not proper haiku: there aren't any season words or other nature words, and I don't know that they follow the "two thoughts"-format in spirit, either. It's really just the syllable count that's haiku-esque. Of course in Japanese they count morae, and not syllables. But anyway!

Katsura towards Gintoki:

Since you still endure,
Warm and steady as the sun,
What else can I do?

Gintoki towards Katsura:

I don’t want to say,
Your full name ever again.
You’re too good for this.

Kagura towards Gintoki:

Doesn’t matter, though;
We will always bring you back.
Gin-chan - let’s go home.

Gintoki towards Kagura:

And who said you could
Come here and shine so brightly?
Settle down, brat. (Don’t.)

Shinpachi towards Gintoki:

It took a long time,
But I think I get it now,
What being strong means.

Gintoki towards Shinpachi:

You’re more than you think.
Why else would meeting you have
Remade my whole life?

Kagura towards Shinpachi:

I don’t say it, but
I envy you a little,
Your roots are so strong.

Shinpachi towards Kagura:

I know that you will
Always triumph in the end,
Our Kagura-chan.

Kyubei towards Otae:

Just holding your hand,
Might not mean that much to you;
But it’s everything.

Otae towards Kyubei:

Faithful and shining,
A light I can’t live up to --
Infinitely dear.

Gintoki towards Sakamoto:

That stupid laughter,
Ringing through the galaxy:
Our hope and our pride.

Mutsu towards Sakamoto:

If you’re dumb, I’m worse:
Enduring here just to see
The world through your eyes.

Hijikata towards Kondo:

It’s always simple.
Where you go, we will follow.
The best idiot.

Katsura towards Takasugi, post-Benizakura arc, pre-[spoilers]:

“I never liked you.”
Saying that doesn’t make it
Hurt any less, though.

Takasugi towards Katsura, canon time, pre-[spoilers]:

I don’t need your pain.
Just your sharp, clear enmity,
Steadfast, unyielding.

( And some more )