Escape [Fruits Basket OC]

Chapter 33

Audrina was back at the estate the next day after visiting Rin. She sat at a table in Hatori's place looking out from the open view. Hatori was sitting there as well, him doing his own work. Peacefully they continued there own tasks until Hatori was the one to finish first signing off his final paper.

Audrina didn't pay him no mind and instead continued on. Kieran was visiting his mom and despite him asking her to go, she wasn't ready. Simple nerves holding her back. So she opted to stay at the only place she tolerated at the estate.

"Are you both.... official?"

Audrina didn't stop typing as she glanced up at him for half of a second and returned her gaze back to the screen. "Guess."

She didn't want to confirm or deny. There has been to many close calls. And even if Hatori has seen enough, there is still the confirmation part that he was missing.

Audrina trusted Hatori. He was quiet and concerned. But he held too much power. Not that he would ever use himself, but Akito loves to put to use. Amren; She knew Hatori felt as he had no other choice. They were all still young and vulnerable to her demands. But, she didn't want to risk it.

"I won't do anything to his memories Audrina", he spoke clearly. He heard the sharpness in her tone. And he wanted to make it set that he wouldn't want to ever destroy her relationship as he done before. He never got to tell her the guilt that ate at him when he found out what happened to Amren. Never admitted the loss he felt when Audrina left.

"Thanks", she scoffed.

Hatori watched as she continued to type, and with no one around. Him understood that it wouldn't last long. Shigure was bothering Akito some where, she taking the silence he spoke up once again.

"I'm..... sorry"

This made Audrina stop typing. She glanced up, to see his face turned to looking outside. He wore his typical black suit; the sun bouncing off that and his hair. She closed her laptop and feasted her head on the palm of her hand.

"For everything dealing with....him."

"Amren.", Audrina sighed. Hatori looked at her. There was no flinch in her tone. Nothing that indicated she was on the verge of tears just from the name alone. "Did you say that you were taking him to see me? The second time."

Hatori nodded, involuntarily averting his focus. Audrina pulled her lips in and nodded. She took a minute to process her thought before finally speaking, "You don't have to be sorry."

  She didn't wait for him to deny.

"I don't blame you. I used to keep it in me and  think you purposefully didn't try to disobey her just to keep me from being happy I guess? But I hadn't realized how much I depended on him, till he was gone. Amren had that type of effect. If people were to give him chance, they'd see he was just as broken as us. What's different is, we were so used to masking our pain, he showed it. I'll never forget him. But, it's different now. Don't be sorry. I should apologize for how I acted when you told me; I wasn't fair to you. So", she realized a sigh, "I forgive you."

Hatori blinked at her. This was the longest she spoke and to be in such a calming tone, took him by surprise. She had her hair in two braids, crowing her head, and a black romper. The gold jewelry gleam against her skin. And the brightness to her; the change in demeanor he had no doubt it had to do with not just Kieran but breaking away from a burden that's been weighing her down for so long. And Audrina could confirm. She felt lighter.

He didn't take to words. Instead he nodded ended the underlying tension that was between them. Audrina softly smiled before she looked back down to open her laptop. The room fell back into a comfortable silence that is until, the door behind Audrina swung open causing her to flinch.