Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A Gift of Fruit ❯ Understood ( Chapter 10 )

Understood

By

Sari15

#78 Fuzzy

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For Ana~the only person I would write Yukichi for…though I do adore them.

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When her head was on straight, Machi thought that she preferred the life of invisibility she'd led prior to the previous week. There had been less people whispering behind her back, not as much blatant hatred, she hadn't been cornered by her boyfriend's fangirls (and occasional fanboys) and forced to endure their resentment of her relationship with their `Prince'. Her face also hadn't permanently been crimson before the day Yuki had ceremoniously decided to make their relationship extremely public.

 

Staring at the enormous stuffed elephant she'd found in her Chemistry Lab chair, Machi felt the heat rush up her neck to cover her cheeks as she tried to calm the fluttering in her stomach. `Why couldn't he wait to give it to me until after school? At least if he gave it to me at the meeting, no one would be watching me now…' Chewing on her lower lip as she stared into the beady eyes of the pachyderm, it stared back at her with its blank expression. `It is quite cute…but an elephant? I'm glad he's finally moved on from Mogeta memorabilia but I still don't understand why he got me an elephant.'

 

“Maybe he's trying to warn you, you've gotten fat,” Mio Yamagishi laughed from behind her. Machi narrowed her eyes, pulling the elephant off the table in an attempt to protect it from prying eyes, but the sheer size of the animal prevented her from hiding it anywhere.

 

“Yeah, he'll never want to sleep with you if you are fat!” Mai Goto answered, covering her mouth as she tried to hold in her laughter.

 

Machi's jaw dropped in stunned horror. `Sl…Sleep? With Yuki? I…I …I…No!' Her mouth opened and closed several times as she tried to speak, no matter how hard she tried though, the words wouldn't come.

 

“Ugh! That's just disgusting! Don't even talk about that girl sullying the `Prince' before he finds his perfect girl to marry!” Mio rounded on Mai, glaring at the girl with an appalled expression on her face.

 

`Sully?' Machi felt her eye twitch in annoyance as they continued to speak about her relationship, a relationship they didn't even know about. This is what upset her the most about being tied to Yuki, she adored him with everything she had but those who thought they knew him also thought they knew what was best for him. `In their eyes, what is best for him will never be me.'

 

“I imagine that you think that you are the perfect girl for him, don't you?” Mai shot back. “You would go against your oath to the `Prince Yuki Fan Club' and take him for yourself?”

 

“If it got him away from `that girl', I would gladly go against my oath as it is in his best interests! She'd seduce him and probably make him feel indebted to her forever and never get to break away! For the sake of his happiness I would--”

 

Machi saw red, her chair clattered to the floor as she leapt to her feet, hugging the gray elephant tightly around its neck. “How do you know what makes him happy? None of his so called `fanclub' could see how lonely he was, let alone know what he is really like. Sure, you know he's smart and kind, but he's also patient, cautious, and endured a lot of sadness in his life. He's awkward but very gentle and if we choose to sleep together before getting married, I don't see how that is any of your business.”

 

Turning away from the pair, Machi willed the warmth in her face to subside to no avail as she picked up the chair from the floor. Attempting to sit down with as much dignity as she could possess, she tightened her hold on the stuffed animal and stared unseeing in front of her as she tried to ignore the outburst of chatter going on around her. `I don't want to know what they are saying…I've said my peace.' Several seconds later, the tag around the neck of the elephant distracted her and she looked down to notice that it wasn't a tag, but a card.

 

Blinking, Machi looked at the red and gold design on the outside of the card and the red ribbon that he had tied it to the elephant with and smiled in surprise that he always remembered she loved the color red before opening it.

 

Machi,

 

Maybe you will find this stupid but…it reminded me of you. I was sitting in Japanese History class yesterday and our sensei said that in ancient times that the Elephant represented awkwardness, caution, endurance and wisdom as well as depicting longevity, patience and gentleness.

 

For some reason it made me think of you, which is strange because I haven't ever liked Elephants. Maybe it's a little corny, but I had to get you this. I hope you enjoy it.

 

Yuki

 

Blinking back tears, Machi looked the elephant in the face and gave it a watery smile. `He sees that in me? I…I…don't think that he'd like me naming you `Yuki'…but that's the only thing that fits. You remind me of him too…'

 

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Machi gave the stuffed animal a tight squeeze before opening her notebook. Her lab partner gave her a smile as she set `Yuki' on the floor. “He's cute, did your boyfriend get him for you?”

 

Machi nodded, hiding her smile as she turned to face the front for the instructions for the day. Her heart felt lighter, happier, even if people were still talking behind her back. There was always at least one person who understood her. That's all she needed.

 

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I do not own Fruits Basket or the characters affiliated with the Manga and Anime. They are the property of Natsuki Takaya…I am just `borrowing' them for my own nefarious deeds. I own nothing, suing me won't help anyone.

Sari-15