Arriving at Kazuma's house with Momoji, he went to greet the children that were there. Kazuma had informed her it was just Rin and Tohru while Yuki and Haru were sitting with them at the table.
"How was your trip", Kazuma poured her a cup of tea. She took it signaling a grateful nod,
"It was nice.", she turned to face Rin, "She actually would of loved it if she gave it a chance. Get away from here." Audri vividly recalled when she first found her.
"She was locked up by Akito, wasn't she", Yuki questioned Audrina. She froze with her lips in the rim of her cup before taking a quick sip.
"Yea, she was", her voice soft. That contradicted what she felt within. Her body was still a small flame simmering with anger. Usually she'd be fine after such event but not having lashing it out with Akito, it remained a small rock within the pit of her stomach, she constantly had to deal with. "But she specifically told me, I'm sure you all as well to avoid informing Tohru about it."
The all turned out to look at the pair. Momoji tagging along and hogging both of their attention to whatever story he was spilling about his time in America.
"Can you tell me Audrina", Kazuma face her. She was taking another disgracing sip of tea, "Where Rin was being held?"
A beat of silence fell when all three awaited her answer. She sighed, shaking at the mental image. How the whole ordeal went down. "The cats place." She kept a careful eye. Sensitive in the matter of his grandfather. And like she expected his eyes narrowed from sadness.
"I see.... The same cage that's meant to hold Kyo soon."
Again silence swept the room. Audrina closed her eyes. Not liking the thought of dreaded future. She's thought of every possible scenario in which she could tried to prevent the out come. But it was inevitable. Another chain long tradition that is entirely indestructible.
The conversation steered from the dreaded topic until it was time for Audrina to leave. Momoji and Rin followed behind her as they made way to her car.
"Where's Kieran?", Rin spoke. "First time I haven't seen him attached at your hip."
"I can't tell you" , Audrina shrugged. She didn't think Rin would ever ask about him. She wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing.
Audrina also found out the as much as Rin loved staying with her. Her home was more of a safe space Rin continuously felt comfortable to return to. She didn't want any people visiting because she enjoyed keeping that sense of security. So the next day, they were back at Kazuma's. Momoji stayed back at school, catching up on work that he missed.
And who she was surprised to see standing outside the porch area was Kagura. And to make perfect timing, she had kicked down Kazuma's door, frantically waving her arms around like she was having a tantrum. To which she figured she was. Catching the moment at the perfect time she stepped up and heard the remainder of what she was talking about.
".....If she just get together with Kyo already I can't at-least be reside to it."
"So she really does love him", Audri spoke catching the attention of the two individuals. She had only seen the way they looked at each other. Made a quick assumption and hadn't seen much after the beach trip. But, it was her mistake to think it went away when she closed her eyes. There was still something blooming between them, and clearly it escalated before her eyes.
Kagura whipped her head at the voice, and did nothing but expectedly fell into the woman's grasp in defeat. "Why wouldn't she love him! That's the stupidest question ever. And anyway I already knows she's head over heals for her!"
Picking a piece of wood splint from Kagura's hair, Audrina walked both of them up till they were at his level. The teen in her grasp then notice the silence that carried in Kazuma. Still holding on to Audri, she turned her head back and looked to him.
"I'd assume you'd be happy?"
Kazuma, looked up to Audrina who was close to adverting her gaze. The take of Kazuma's grandfather didn't end with him being the cat.
Being the owl held more responsibility than taking care of the God. They felt responsible for the well-being of every Zodiac member.
"I'm just a bit worried I suppose. I hope she loves Kyo for the right reasons. For the person he is and not just out of compassion."
Still clinging on to Audrina, they both listened as Kazuma continued his story. The woman knew everything, and she doesn't know if she feels bad, or wants to remind everyone that their is a certain weight that comes with being the owl. No one will understand, no matter how many ways she tried to phrase the statement in her head.
"You may not have known this, but the previous Cat had a companion. Who happened to be another zodiac member.", Audrina kept her eyes fixed, "The owl. She conceived his child."
She felt Kagura moved in her grasp and look up to her. Never would they associate Audrina with the previous owl and their decisions. But it was hard not to think about the intentions. The same intentions that she held for everyone else.
"Stayed with him till his death in fact", he looked out behind her, "When people questioned her motive, her love for him, she only spoke with no bad intentions, 'He wished for someone to bring him happiness. I wished him to be happy. Dare question my motive when both of our needs were met?'"
"And perhaps he was happier than spending his days alone. But still....", and before he could finish, Kagura released from Audrina's grip. Without a word she started mindlessly walking off to the other room. Only knowing that Tohru and Rin were in there, there was some confusion to the sudden change in demeanor. When she left the room, turned back to Audrina for who the first time in a while, crossed her arms over herself.
"I didn't mean for it to come off like-.", Audrina cut him off, holding her hand up to further prevent his apology.
There was nothing to apologize for.
"You were just stating your concern. I understand.", she stepped up to take a seat across the table from him, "I get it. But, as much as I don't like the idea of them being together. I may as well write hypocrite across my forehead for trying to intervene now."
She scoffed but, the opposite reaction came from Kazuma who smiled. "I've heard good things about him from Rin.", he inclined his head towards the direction in which Kagura wondered off too.
Audrina rose an eyebrow as she leaned against her palm. Seeing her confusion, Kazuma carried on with a gleam in his tone, "Apparently you have a gross love-sick look in your eyes when he's around. Oh and how could I forget the 'they are always awake and talking or laughing. I'm not sure they sleep at night'."
Her only response to mask the embarrassment was a exaggerated groan. Followed by covering her face. She'd had initially thought they were quiet. But apparently not as quiet as she'd hope. And he kept going despite her being covered.
"I'm glad.", he hummed, "Before you left and stayed here for a couple of days. I don't mean to sound offensive, but I was worried."
This got her to lower her hands. Audrina had forgotten all about her few days spent at Kazuma's.
Prior and during her time with Amrin, she would visit regularly. Never wanting to exclude Kyo from her caring nature, and aware that he wasn't staying around the "main zodiacs", she come and see him, talk with Kazuma while the burden of everything still dragged behind her, like a rock attached on a string. She had her bearings checked.
However, once Amrin was gone, the last time she visited. He immediately noticed the change just by the way she walked. The rock became a boulder and instead of pulling it along, she carried it in her shoulders, barely being able to stand on her own two feet.
That's when Kyo noticed it. He had waited for her to come out, greet him, talk with him, play with him. But instead she cooped up in a guest room, for a few days barely leaving the room. Then as quick as she came, she was gone.
It doesn't take a lot to break someone's trust. And despite them not exchanging a word, that's what did it. Kyo assumed she had finally turned away from him. That he was nothing more than the cat to her just like he was viewed as with the others. And his thoughts were overpowering. Blocking out any other possibility.
Audrina still doesn't understand the depths of her absence. How much it impacted everyone. Kyo was the one who still feels like he's being stepped on. Everyone has talked to her. Mended whatever intending bond. Hell Rin and Momoji were living with her, but he refuses to speak with her. Give her a chance.
"And now", she looked to see the soft smile on his face, "Hypocrite would definitely be the word."
She couldn't help but laugh at that. Melting the tension from her shoulders at just the thought of her mental struggles. "I still feel like I should get some wiggle room to-."
And before Audrina could finish her tease, a loud thump came from the other room, quickly she got up, Kazuma on her tail to go see what the commotion was. And when they crossed the hallway to the other side and stood at the entrance of the door. It was self-explanatory.
Tohru sat turned on the floor facing the very door, a barrier of Kagura in the between them. The girl in question had a hand raised cupping one side of her cheek with a vulnerable look in her eyes.
"You should be telling him that! Not her!", the source of Tohru's sore face hand a hand raised as if prepping for another draw in.
"Kagura?", Audrina stepped up. And her voice. Something about just her voice had Kagura slowly lower her palm. Not steering her stern gaze from Tohru, she only whispered this time.
"Stop being an idiot.", and like that, leaving behind a group of confused individuals, Kagura left, squeezing in between Audrina and Kazuma.
The woman looked back to see where she was going to be, which room she would be in when the time comes for them to talk. But for primary manners, she kneeled down in front of Tohru. "Are you alright?"
Tohru gave a silent nod, avoiding eye contact. This followed by a whisper, only enough for them to hear. Tohru didn't want to pry. But sadly, Audrina's wanted secret of her and Kieran spread like wildfire. Curtesy to a few loud mouths amongst the zodiac members. Tohru was well knowing if their relationship. So she wasn't thinking about how it would make Audrina feel to ask the question, she was concerned about one boy.
"What made you decide to stay with him despite your curse."
Like a fish out of water, Audrina opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. Just like Tohru, she had her instinctive answer. Because there was no other reason. She knew why. For any other motive, they would of never ended up together. Releasing a shaky breath, Audrina looked to the side, down at the ground just thinking about everything that has led her up to her current state. So much has happened and shaped her into who she was.
"Holding this curse, strips away so much from us Tohru. We all have to grasp onto something to keep ourselves from falling apart.", Tohru lifted her gaze to see Audrina still focused on the tile. Her mauve eyes glossed over. "Let's just say, he's very good at making me forget I was ever broken"
———————————————————————-
After Tohru left, and a adverting conversation with Kagura. Audrina had dropped Rin off at home when she got a text from Shigure. The woman rolled her eyes just at the ID.
Akito wishes to see you
She knew something about this call was different. Shigure would typically call, bother her. Tease her. But nothing of the sort could be identified through that text. Informing Rin she'd be at the grocery store, Audrina headed back to the estate and took her time, wandering the grounds.
She'd immediately regret it, because on the wooden floor boards, her steps must of been heard by others. One particular person of course. Keeping an eye on the woman since she's returned has come out of the hiding.
Audrina was startled when she felt a cold hand wrap around her ankle.
"Audri dear, oh it's been so long."