Gintama Fic: Everyone's got to write their own happy ending.

[xparrot]

Not quite sure what to say about this one, though I feel I should say something. First to warn that it is rather joke deficient and thus not in the proper Gintama spirit. Moreover it's quite uncanonical, as it's a few-years-in-the-future fic and it's an established part of Gintama canon that the chars don't age, being the stars of an episodic gag manga/anime. Various character interpretations and relationships are equally uncanonical. There's allusions to a few 'ships, while the story itself is kind of anti-ship, at least when it comes to Gintoki pairings. Not trying to diss on anyone's OTPs, and this isn't necessarily how I think the chars are; but it's how they look to me sometimes, in certain lights. I like that light, and this story is cotton candy fluff for me, but maybe it could be a little sad, especially if you find unrequited love painful.

Thanks to gnine and naye for reassuring me that it wasn't as pointless as all that. Any comments as always appreciated.

Gintama: Everyone's got to write their own happy ending. {~6,700 words}
PG, Futurefic
In which Shinpachi is married, Gintoki is not, Kagura is all grown up, and the Yorozuya will always be the Yorozuya.

Read it on AO3

Comments

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Waah, thank you! You were one of the main people I posted it for... ^__^

someone did some growing-up-into-a-responsible-adult (and Shinpachi would do that, if any of the Gintama characters would)

Shinpachi being who he is, I have a hard time imagining him not getting married and having kids and all - I think for him, it's how he'd be happiest. Doesn't make it right for everyone, though...

I actually meant this to be more about asexual-Gintoki, but then it didn't quite work out that way. Mostly because that requires argument (which I can make, since pretty much all the times Gintoki exhibits an actual sex drive are for the sake of comedy, and since he knows he's the star of a gag manga, of course he'd go and do it for the laughs!) but aromantic is easier; Gin-san does come across like that to me, more often than not.

(Really I've been wondering if Sorachi-sensei himself is ace, or else another outlier on the average sexuality curve...it'd explain the odd lack of fanservice?)

And she's coming back! No splitting the Yorozuya family! ♥♥♥

Of course not! <3 ^__^

did you just make a sneak mention of 悪魔の実?

Oh, you caught that? XDXDXD

Like you, I know this isn't necessarily how the characters and relationships are in canon, but it works, and it feels IC for everyone involved, and I'm so glad you wrote it.

Thank you, I am so glad it worked for you *^^* And hey, it's not like there'll ever be an actual future in Gintama, so this is as canonical as anything would be~!

[shayera.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you! ♥

I read it as Gintoki being both asexual and aromantic, but that could be because they're connected in my mind (though I know they're not connected for everyone). And I agree with you that Gintoki's sex drive is only there to drive gags in canon, and he could totally be doing that on purpose. And he definitely isn't the kind to fall in love. Because he loves people in other ways, and it has nothing to do with neither sex nor a need to pair up. ♥

Good point about Sorachi, actually! For all its immature jokes, Gintama is refreshingly non-hormonal. It would be interesting if that was because the creator himself just doesn't go for that.

Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention about the fic! I got "inherited will" vibes from what you did with Catherine, and that's another of my warm fuzzies buttons. ^____^ (it got buried in all the ace!Gintoki love, but still!)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I read it as Gintoki being both asexual and aromantic, but that could be because they're connected in my mind (though I know they're not connected for everyone).

Yeah, that tends to be how I read him too, for the same reason. At any rate, if Gintoki's not actually asexual then he's got an awfully low sex drive; sex is just not one of his priorities in life (it's way too much work! and chocolate is far more fulfilling :P) Considering there's several hints that he might be a virgin, in spite of all the women interested in him, including all of Yoshiwara...! I find him particularly interesting as an asexual char because a lot of the generally-accepted-as-asexual chars tend to be the extreme genius, asocial types (e.g. Holmes or Spock) who put rationality and intellect above emotion and human connection, while as Gintoki makes friends easily and is pretty much a hedonist...sex just isn't a pleasure he's that interested in pursuing.

Good point about Sorachi, actually! For all its immature jokes, Gintama is refreshingly non-hormonal. It would be interesting if that was because the creator himself just doesn't go for that.

I am honestly very curious about this. Because, yeah, non-hormonal, that's a good way to put it. One gets the impression Sorachi finds sex hysterically funny (as do I! :P) but not especially interesting otherwise? Some of that is standard Shounen Jump stories-for-boys aromanticism, but I do wonder if there's more to it.

[shayera.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Gintoki can be asexual without being alien or emotionally frigid, which is very interesting. It also means he doesn't ping as asexual for most people, because of cultural stereotypes... But just as you say, because he's social and pleasure-seeking and even popular with the women, and sex still doesn't seem to be something he pursues - that's very interesting.

Most shounen manga does have a dose or romantic/sexual tension and/or fanservice (even One Piece has a bit of the latter, though it's happily devoid of the former), but Gintama goes beyond that and just laughs at the whole thing. The non-hormonal thing isn't standard Shounen Jump - it goes against the stream. It's fascinating!

Oh, and would you mind if I rec this fic at Asexual_Fandom? I don't know if anyone who reads that is into Gintama, but I feel your fic is too good not to try to spread! :D

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Gintoki can be asexual without being alien or emotionally frigid,

Heh, well, I admit, the alien thing I wonder about...! There are hints that Gintoki may not be entirely human (the hair obviously, and then even for a shounen hero his fighting prowess is repeatedly remarked upon as being rather on the far side of reasonable...) If not Amanto, then youkai? (This is one of a few things I'd love to tie Sorachi down and interrogate him about...if he's even given it that much thought, which I really can't tell, when it comes to Gintama! ^^;;;)

But yeah, either way, Gintoki doesn't act alien; he acts like a normal (ultra-lazy pleasure-seeking) guy...but one who doesn't seem to especially care even when high-class prostitutes and S&M ninja girls are throwing themselves at him. (That's what really makes Gintoki ping as asexual to me, things like Sacchan literally crawling into bed with him, and he gets annoyed but not particularly flustered or intrigued...)(The one exception is his thing for Ketsuno-ana, and there's something right there about his celebrity crush being on a cute but not particularly sexualized woman...)

...I've considered writing up an ace!Gintoki manifesto, can you tell? ^^;

Oh, and would you mind if I rec this fic at Asexual_Fandom?

Oh, I'd be honored, rec away! I was thinking about linking it there myself, actually, but since the fic's not explicitly asexual, and since I'm not actually a member of the comm (not being on dw much)...anyway, no, wouldn't mind a bit! ^^

[shayera.livejournal.com]

Heh, well, I admit, the alien thing I wonder about...!

Point! XD I could definitely be sold on Gintoki being not-quite-human (Pre-invasion Amanto kid? A literal Yasha?), and it sounds a lot like a plot-bunny! I kind of doubt that Sorachi is going to go that way, but then again, you really can't know anything when it comes to this series...!

And yup, most shounen heroes would have either have a nosebleeding fountain or blush like a tomato at Sacchan. The ones that wouldn't, say Luffy or Zoro, are also asexual in my headcanon, so yeah.

You should totally write an ace!Gintoki manifesto! Please! \o/

I'm... well, I'm technically a member of asexual_fandom, but I haven't done anything there but lurk. Doesn't mean I can't post now! *goes off to write a rec*

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Eheheh...I actually have a not-human!Gintoki fic I'll be posting this week, but it's...kind of ridiculous. Also a x-over. (With another series you're rather fond of, as a matter of fact... ;)

I kind of doubt that Sorachi is going to go that way, but then again, you really can't know anything when it comes to this series...!

I doubt he is either, unless he comes up with a really funny/stupid idea, though ever since I read his ShiroKuro one-shot I've wondered...

And yup, most shounen heroes would have either have a nosebleeding fountain or blush like a tomato at Sacchan.

Or at least taken the opportunity to get some groping in...(Midou Ban would've! - though I think Ban's gay anyway and just trying to hide it, so...)

I might write up the manifesto if nijibug does it - would be pimping out Gintama if nothing else!

[nijibug.livejournal.com]

The prospect of youkai!Gin is exciting and something I would really love to see Sorachi play with! On the other hand, I'm almost afraid that would change the tone/mood of Gintama's story. Then again, it is Gintama and it always does the unexpected, so if it had to be anybody writing that, Sorachi could pull it off best.

...I've considered writing up an ace!Gintoki manifesto, can you tell? ^^;

Same here. XD
(And for that I blame you.)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeeeeah, I have the same thought about youkai!Gintoki; it'd be intriguing and would explain some things, but I don't if I'd like how it might change the series. Only if Sorachi did decide to do it...it would turn out really really dumb, I'm sure! :P

Same here. XD
(And for that I blame you.)

*laughs* Well, if you want to do it, I'd love to read it~! Otherwise I might just go ahead and do it myself...(I think of it like the way I slash chars, knowing that it's counter to canon but it's fun to reinterpret things...)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

ETA: If you do rec it, maybe you could include a brief summary of the char relations or somesuch...the fic might be far enough off regular Gintama continuity anyway that it might make some sense out of context?

...okay, I confess, this is a ploy to snag another Gintama fan or two...we need more!! I want a full-sized fandom to play in, dangit!