Fruits Basket One-Shots

Rin: 7th Month into Reform

Now this was scary, standing before the person she hurt the most. The former horse zodiac stood in all of her intimidating glory. Looking so much like her mother yet also not.

Hatsuharu was here to help Shigure move things around for the arrival of her son. Pregnancy was alright, least that's what Akito thought. Taking care of Riku and Sora, Rin and Haru's twins, wasn't that bad. The twins were rambunctious, though Riku was easier because he was a lot quieter and calmer.

The entire time, Akito could feel the watchful gaze of their mother burn through her back. It was understandable, who knows, she might throw them out of a window too. But she knew herself that she would never do that again.

Though at the moment, the twins were in the other room with their father and the former dog. Akito was alone in the same room as Rin. The former god was afraid, often always busying herself with making tea or doing the dishes. Though it was getting harder to do this with her back and feet starting to ache severely. Her belly wasn't big for 5 months but it was starting to get heavy with stress. She guessed it was noticeable since the horse snorted in annoyance.

"Why do you keep doing the same damn think over and over again? You've been rewashing the same plate for the past hour." Her voice dripped with venom of the past and it caused the other woman to quickly put the plate to the side and fall silent. "What, lost your tongue? Usually you're snapping back by now."

"..why did you come if you don't like it here?"

Rin stiffened, as if she were expecting a fight. "Why else? To make sure you're not poisoning my kids. Knowing you, you probably already have." Ouch. But she was right, at least about the old her. The miserable, angry, and hurtful Akito. But this Akito was different, shy and never spoke to anyone. She never left the house or even dared to talk to the former zodiac unless spoken to. Yet this time, no words came out. She was silent and starting to shake softly.

The former horse grasped her wrist and held it up, forcing the god to look up at her. "You know, I should hit you after everything you've done. I should strangle you. But I can't because Haru wouldn't approve. And you're carrying a child. If you weren't, I would've done it already."

The god let her gaze fall down again, staring at the floor. "It's okay.. you can hit me if you want.." and that's what made her drop the wrist she grasped on and stepped away with a snort.

"I always was afraid of you, you know. You acted like my mother when she got pissed. Your skank of a mother was the same way. Definitely want to hit her as well." Yet she noticed the smaller woman tense up at the mention of Ren Sohma. Then the former horse realized. The two were one in the same almost. Of course, Rin never grew up to be an ass. "She did the same to you too, didn't she? I look like her, that's why you did everything to me. Cut my hair because it looked like hers."

Akito tilted her head up at her before giving her a small and short nod. "She still does it, you know.. she hates the fact that I'm getting better and actually living."

"Mama does the same to me.." Rin then thought for a moment before taking out a hairtie and putting her own hair up. "There, so you know I'm not her. I still don't trust you, I still despise you. But Haru would still want me to try."

Akito was grateful for these small, tiny chances. She knew she wasn't the best person, but she was trying. And if that meant she was hit or kicked at along the way, then so be it. But she vowed to make sure she would never be cruel again. She put her life on it as she lay a hand over her growing son.