Escape [Fruits Basket OC]

Chapter 9

But nonetheless, she rested her now half-way empty cup on the table beside her and looked out the opposite window. Out at the birds.

"Yea I hate to say that I missed him to. Worried too much that it nearly drove me to come back. But it wasn't fair to him for me to think like that."

Tohru tilted her head, "Huh? Why not?"

Audrina's smile faltered.

Because Yuki was suppose to live with her. She was the one who was suppose to take him away from that hell hole. But she denied. And that was one of her regrets that couldn't be taken back. Even after turning it down, that same day she reconsidered, it was too late. Haru had already asked Shigure. So she was left to sit in her apartment, thinking about what she had done. And weirdly be thankful that Shigure was the one to do it.

She had her reasons. Many. But in her eyes there was no excuse, beneficial to her or not, to deny helping anyone of the Zodiac members was beyond her. That was one of the first signs she realized something was changing. Not within her but within the entire Sohma curse.

Never did she continue on that thought. That the curse was withering in some a strange way, but she did not throw away the concept. Only kept it locked away until she stumbled, or accidentally reunited with the one other person who has a mindset that may want to actually push for a change.

In response Audrina shook her head, "Because things could have been so much different. If I wasn't running from myself.", a hufffed laugh escaped her lips. And the last words came out soft. Inaudible. "I've been doing that a lot recently."

Tohru wished she got anything from what Audrina was trying to cite. Instead she was left more confused. Yuki looked to the oldest Zodiac member with a sort of longing. Longing for attention if she were to put it into words. He even looked sort of fascinated by everything she did. There was history between the two that was more than what the bond held. It was a relationship that started when he was young. Just as much as Audrina recalled every conversation they had while he was tucked away in the corner of the room Akito locked him, he could probably recite everything she told him.

It was majority one sided. Audrina kept him from thinking. But what he was so thankful for, was the fact that she kept him going. Sane enough to make it through another tormenting of Akito's cruel ways just to know that Audrina would be back; No matter what. There was no other person that abruptly cut there talkings short like Haru and Rin. She didn't care. He has watched her defy almost everyone that worked in the Sohma estate when they caught her. She didn't stop her visits when he knew Akito knew.

And then they stopped. He doesn't know what happened to her. Only Akito gave a brief  word summary.

"She finally realized that consistency does not change the outcome. It will eventually come back to bite. And it bit her.......... hard."

"Shigure too also seems excited about you coming back.", Tohru steered. She wasn't sure she would get any further about Audrina and Yuki for any time soon, so she moved to the next.

Audrina's face turned up in disgust. "Yea... he does doesn't he."

That was another dead end that Tohru couldn't find her way around without making it obvious. So she chuckled to let the silence hold something. That was until Audrina gave in. Not to explaining her relationship with any of the Sohma members.  she instead she turned to around.

"How's school?"

She perked up immediately. Going into endless detail of her curriculum. Audrina just listened and smiled. Putting in commentary that she felt would help her survive the remainder of her Highschool period. Then they discussed the future. And Tohru told her her plan to continue to work. Audrina questioned why and that's when she found out the true reason for Tohru staying at Shigure's place.