Acacia Doucette

After seeing the blood on the door, the familiar had cycled through quite a few emotions. Fear and dread that she may never see her master or hear his voice again. Guilt - had he been taken from the grocery store? Was he put in harm’s way because he had gone shopping for her? Another round of fear, this time coupled with acceptance, because if that was the case surely she’d be punished for it and she’d deserve it. What ended up settling in the sweet little familiar’s bones was a wholly different feeling: wrath.  

Acacia had dashed back inside, trading her now-useless phone for a meat cleaver. Fear had morphed into a fury she’d never known. It coursed through her veins, and she had no idea what to do with any of it. In her rather short life, true boiling rage was a stranger. It served no purpose in the cells, and there was certainly no need for it when tucked away in Gabriel’s life. Of course, there was no telling if there was still a life for her to be tucked away in, anymore. Her master, her wonderful, lovely master who had rescued her from the cells and took care of her, was gone, and at the very best, hurt. At the very worst...

Acacia paced the porch clutching a knife in either hand so hard her knuckles were white. She waited in the hopes that whoever had hurt Gabriel would come back. Never mind her brand, or that she’d never actively tried to hurt someone before. All she needed was a chance.  

Things had gone quiet enough that the familiar felt safe venturing out from her hiding spot, kitchen knife still clutched in one hand and her cellphone in the other. The quiet put her on more on edge than it usually did, but as she moved throughout the house, a sense of dread rose through her body. No light, save her phone, was a bad sign. Gathering up her courage, she padded to the front door on bare feet. First, she peered outside before taking a few steps out. Glancing around the yard, she wasn’t certain what she was expecting. 

It was quiet, of course she was alone. 

The knife slipped from her fingers at the sight of the blood on the door. “No, no no no no...” she whispered as she frantically started try and call for help.  Her own blood ran cold as she kept getting error messages until she screeched out of frustration. Dipping down, she retrieved the knife, her knuckles white as she gripped the handle.

“Ahh, the dreaded math.” Jake said with a soft laugh, “I’m glad you’re enjoying learning. Honestly, when you go to school I think you take it for granted. I spent a long time itching for other things.” But then, he’d always been that way, burning to get out and fight for humanity, even if it hadn’t worked out quite the way he’d intended. He didn’t regret fighting but he did regret that he’d left Heather alone and that she’d ended up drawn into all of this. He wasn’t proud of the fact he was a chimera either, exactly but he valued the weapons it had given him to fight with. 

“But you’ll never take learning for granted. That’s a good thing.” Jake smiled at her.

“Math is dreaded? Why is that?” she asked, concern clear in her face. So far the math that Gabriel had shown her so far had seemed okay enough, but to be fair Jake had gotten a proper education. "I did for a while, too,” she offered quietly. Especially when she was younger, she’d spent years hoping someone would take her away from the Chateau for more than a few days before accepting that she wasn’t good for much more than a rental. 

“Why thank you,” the man said with a nod of his head. “So very… sweet…” He checked out the bag (who sticks their hand willy nilly into a bag, after all?) and held out his palm for her to give him a piece. “What brings on this little bit of altruism in this place?” pondered Shane, casting his gaze - albeit a slightly hungry one - upon her form. Not bad at all.

Carefully, she shook the bag so that a few peices of candy fell into his waiting palm. She’d found it was always better to err on the side of caution when it came to literally serving someone. There was no telling who’d be displeased by a slave touching something, and she’d hate for Gabriel to think she was being careless. Acacia felt his eyes on her body, and for the first time in quite a while, it made her uncomfortable. “I don’t know what that is, sir, but my master has been letting me cook. I wanted to try a lavender and orange candy, but I didn’t account for how much candy the recipe made. What is altruism, please?”  

“You’re welcome, precious.” He gave her a peck to the cheek. “Now, should we work on your reading and writing? Or would you like to out to a shop with me?” He folded his paper, long since done reading it, and looked her over.

“I don’t think I was ever truly meant to live that way, but I do what I have to to survive. And now I get to be here for you to enjoy my presence, darling. So it’s all worth it.” She chuckled as she felt the weight of the familiar’s head on her shoulder and her question. “I like surrounding myself with pretty things, are you are certainly a pretty thing. Why shouldn’t I add more to it?” She suspected the lie in Acacia’s bravery, but it was allowable. The succubus was even curious if she could push things for the bravery to become a truth. “I suppose it’s not very selfish to treat others, but I treat people I particularly like, so it’s still selfish in a way. There have been plenty of people who have earned my ire just as easily as you’ve earned my favor.”

“You’re very kind, mistress,” the familiar responded, genuine warmth in her voice. Unable to hide how pleased she was to be in Tamsin’s favor, she gave a soft squeeze to the elder’s arm. “I’ll do everything I can to keep your favor, mistress,” Acacia promised, both because Tamsin seemed wonderful, and because it was important to Gabriel. “I’d hate for you to be upset with me.” That was also rather sincere. The familiar had learned long ago that being ‘good’ (subjective though it was) would help her fare better than being any other sort of way. It was always rather distressing when no matter how hard she tried, the person she was serving wasn’t satisfied. 

“Well then you should make it for me one of these days. I would love to try it.” Chance told her with a smile. “Yes there is. And you have to cook it just right. I do know how to make shrimp so perhaps I will show you. It’s easier since you can buy it frozen in stores. Same with most sea food. They have a section for it.” Her excitement was dazzling. He liked that someone could view the world like this. Most of the time it faded once you grew out of your toddler stages of life. So it was refreshing. “Not at all. I think we only would if we upset your master. But since you’re already out I think we will be okay.”

Acacia grinned at the thought of baking with him. It made her miss Gabriel’s kitchen, and the desire to return home was almost overwhelming. “I hope not. I’d hate to disappoint him.” The thought was sobering to the familiar. “He’s so wonderful, sir,” she murmured quietly, unsure if Chance would really want to hear about Gabriel or not. Especially since she knew she could talk about him for hours. “Do most people like sea food?” the familiar asked, giving the other something else they could converse on.

“Spelling can be hard,” Jake said with a little nod. “But you’ll get it. I bet soon you’ll be an expert, teaching me things.” He winked at her. “We can try to meet up like this sometimes.” But even if she said her Master was nice, Jake had no intentions of asking for a rental. The only one he planned to go along with was Heather’s mistress and he was going to have to figure that out because he almost never went along with anyone.

Jake squeezed her hand, “So cooking and reading, writing too I assume? What else are you learning.” He could at least be grateful her master was giving her a chance to learn.

The familiar nodded in agreement. Laughing at the thought of being able to teach anyone anything, Acacia couldn’t help but shake her head. “I’d like that,” she told him. It would be nice to see him a little more often. She almost wished that Gabriel would consider renting him. but didn’t have the nerve to ask. She couldn’t even say for certain if Jake would even be open to that sort of thing. 

Lana almost laughed bitterly, but she bit her tongue, not truly sensing any malice from the other but that didn’t mean the questions asked didn’t touch a nerve. The wolf shook her head, arms folding across her chest as they often did when she was more guarded and wary of a person, something that was more frequent than most people would have thought for the former social butterfly. “Not exactly,” Lana admitted, eyes ever watchful of the other in an equally curious and cautious inspection. “But I lived through the industrial age in Europe, I’m sure it’s almost the same thing.” Hard, is what it was, it had been a struggle in those times and Lana knew it would be nothing short of that 

“I don’t know what that is. It doesn’t sound nice, though.” There was a lot she didn’t really know about, but it wasn’t anything that anyone had needed of her. Acacia was hesitant to say the chateau wasn’t nice, especially within its walls. “I'd really never been out of it before my master claimed me. I grew up in these cells.” Acacia looked around, even though they really never changed. She supposed it was odd that she was there at all. Most who were kept within probably never wanted to return to it once claimed, even if it was temporary. 

The elder nodded “Potentially” she mused, before she then looked the other over curiously, it was strange to hear the emotional admiration that Acacia had for her Master, as an Elder it almost begged to be questioned. But in reality it opened up a whole can of worms for Sabine since she had fallen in love her own slave, seeing her as a lover rather than property. “I am an artist, I come from Ancient Greece afterall, it was where much of the art revolution began”

“I’m sure he would, Darling. And reading them for – or rather, with you will help you learn. Gabriel does have a rather expressive voice.” Audrey enjoyed listening to him too, among other things. 

Audrey hummed, “Oh, I like a lot of things darling. But you are most welcome to come and have a look at my library. I’ll even let you borrow from it, particularly once you’ve learned some more.” The vampire smiled at her. “Perhaps I’ll let you borrow one today. Gabriel can read it with you. I think you’ll both enjoy it.”

Acacia beamed at the vampire. “You’d really let me borrow something?” she breathed, very much overjoyed at the thought. “You’re so generous, mistress,” the familiar sighed, lapsing for a moment as she busied herself with the dishes.

Tamsin let out a bright laugh, squeezing Acacia to her side warmly. “You really are delightful. But, no, it doesn’t make me nervous. There were many years where I stuck to the shadows for the sake of survival, getting my feeding in the cover of night and leaving people thinking they had a wonderful dream. But being out in the open just… suits me. Besides, it’s hard to go back into the shadows when you’ve been worshiped as an actual goddess.” She led her up to Gabriel’s house, walking in like the place was hers–since it basically was. “I wouldn’t call myself brave. Selfish, maybe. But the next time you’re feeling particularly brave–or selfish–I can look in my closet and see what we can find that catches the light for you.”

Giggling as Tamsin gave her a little squeeze, the familiar let her head rest on the woman’s shoulder for a moment. “That sounds horrible, mistress. I’m glad things have gotten better for you.” Acacia was delighted to see Gabriel’s house coming into view, though she made no mention as she was lead inside. “Really, mistress?” The question tumbled from her lips before she could stop it. “That would be very generous of you to let me look at your collection. It must be very beautiful.” Brave wasn’t something the familiar felt often, but perhaps a little fib to see Tamsin’s sparkly things might be forgiven. “I hope you don’t mind my saying so, but you don’t seem selfish to me, mistress,” Acacia murmured shyly. Quite the contrary, Tamsin seemed lovely and bright.

“I don’t think I could stand that at all…” The dragon admitted, finding the others life to be sad and dark. “How do you find living in this world…” she stammered, then deciding to swallow down her words and questions. “Extremely uncommon, there is no Mistress or Master here that just wants to enjoy in company, they’re all….Sleazy”

“The world, something more than being someones….Plaything” she offered, she then looked away, not confident enough to keep her eye contact with the other, the dragon wondering if she would be reduced to such a way of thinking, it almost felt like Stockholm Syndrome, something that she’d been informed of by another slave. “Rent me to do horrible things you mean?”

“The world is kind of scary to me,” Acacia admitted sheepishly. “I don’t remember a time before I was in the chateau, and I grew up in these bars. Being someone’s favorite toy was the best I could hope for.“ The familiar shrugged before continuing, “Or wonderful things. Or eves nothing at all, just to spend time with you. It’s uncommon, but it happens.”

“My dude, as long as you’re convinced then I’m sure it’s all good, it’s your living arrangement afterall, not mine” she offered, her own voice a little creaky with the smoke. “Fuck knows, you go to a few parties, get passed a few treats, then you just kinda…Do it” she mused, looking at the joint “Probably one of my cousins who showed it me”

“It is,” Acacia murmured, her voice a little more normal. “What’s that like? Having cousins, I mean.” Realistically the familiar had to have some, but she’d never known them, or her parents. Families always seemed a little odd, but what could be done about that? 

Gabriel could see the fear in her eyes. He simply reached a finger up and caressed her cheek. “I won’t do that with you, precious. She enjoys it, so I indulge with her. I do get satisfaction from it some times, but only when someone else is also, and someone who could take it. I know her limits - I’ve brought her to them before. I’d never do that with you.” He smiled and gave her a kiss. “I’d offer to let you watch, but it can get quite violent, and I wouldn’t want to frighten you.”

The Gorgon pursed her lips every so slightly, she was amazed at how sheltered the other seemed in many respects and figured it was the Chateau doing such a thing, it almost made the Elder feel a pang of guilt. “I’m sure he knows, I myself learn by doing, so by repeating, by being in the moment.”

“That makes sense. Perhaps I learn that way as well? We read and write every day for a few hours. He’s so sweet to take the time for me.” While she was well aware of her ignorance, Acacia tried not to let it bother her. It was easier when she knew there wouldn’t be any trouble because of it. “Are there other things you like to do, mistress? My master wants me to learn hobbies. If you have some time still, I’d appreciate it if you could share some fo yours. If it’s alright with you, I mean.”