Acrasia

Barima.

She swung the door open with vigor, her eyes growing rounder as she looked down at my gifts. I couldn't help but stand taller and puff out a bit. I've never seen her look so happy. I smirk and lean on the wall behind her. I bet she'll have no problem sleeping next to me shirtless now. Her grin spreads and she cackles out loud, wiping her eyes. I actually flush, I flush, in embarrassment once more tonight. What is wrong with my gifts? If Axar told me wrong, I'll leave that kid on the curb in the morning like a stray pup.

"Do you not like my gifts? Read the card." I urge, a little angry now.

"Did you...you did...Oh God! I-I can't breathe!" She doubles over now, heaving. "You stuck that poor guy in a soup bowl!" She loses it again. I still don't get the big deal. Fish bowl. Fish. Bowl. I put the fish in a bowl. Fish bowl.

"He's a fish. It said he required a fish bowl. I can stick him in the toilet bowl..." I warn. She hiccups as she calms.

"Fish go in fish bowls, not dinnerware! This is a soup bowl. It's even got a cute floral design. He's pimpin' in his floral crib."

"He's not pimping. He's alone in there, no others to pimp Sera. There's only one fish. So is he in a soup bowl or a crib?" She just laughs harder and packs him to the dresser. "What will you name it?" I ask, staring at the hateful red creature circling inside the floral Hell that I imprisoned him in.

"Nox. I'll name him Nox." I clench my jaw in annoyance. This thing will not bear my name. To demon of any form, their name is everything. It holds utmost importance. I will not share my name with that amorphous red blob flopping around in that pitiful bowl.

"You will not! Why would you entertain such an ignorant idea?"

"That's why! Just look at yourself, then at his face. He's red, angry, he looks like he's judging you. Also fish are nakey, and you were trying to be a nudist." She shrugs. I decide to chose my battles wisely.

"A demon's name is everything, an important thing. If, if, I allow you to besmirch my name in sake of this fish then I will expect something in return..."

"If you think you are taking those pants off, I will go flush Noxfishius myself." That name is even worse. I groan.

"Not the pants, I was only pretending. As angry as you've been I am half afraid I'd wake up with my prized appendage missing anyhow-"

"Prized? More like a participation trophy-" I interrupt her on behalf of my pride that can't take many more blows from her.

"I want to sleep here tonight. I want to feed again."

"Pillow remains between us. You may take energy. I only have so much blood, and I've not felt well lately."

"Sexual energy?" I wet my lips, hopeful, though I know the answer.

"Anything but. Pick something else." She turns from me and flops down onto the mattress like watching a whale submerge back into the sea after surfacing. She then flips to her side. I try to think of what kind of energy would do best for me instead. Happiness? I focus so much on negatives that I have not tried to take joy in so long. I scurry after her and settle in behind her, as close as I can for that preposterous pillow blocking her full bottom from me.

"Think of a happy moment. Something that makes you really happy." She does, and her body exudes that extra energy I need.

I pull her to me and I run my claws along her scalp. We can feed and absorb many ways, but I prefer this one. The high seems to hit me faster, and I'm a fiend for instant gratification. I hold her tired body until she falls asleep. I choose to sleep too, my body now vibrating with her happiness in my veins and maybe a bit of my own.

"Maaahmaaaaah!" The scream rattles the door as a wailing Axar whines outside it. "Mooooomy Sera!" Fucking Hell. I don't sleep, never sleep. I choose to sleep for the second time in decades, and it is destroyed by the brat child. How do mortals stand this? They awake to their children, alarm clocks, noises. I'd lose my mind if this were a regular occurrence.

Sera jumps up and I lose my heat source and pillow. I shake my head out and stretch as 'mahmuh' rushes to the door. Axar bounces on his feet as Sera cranes her neck to look up at his gleeful expression. He shoves his gift bag of junk foods and his game box in Sera's eyeballs. "Nox got me these! All this! Can you believe it?"

"That's wonderful! Such nice things!" She smiles at him and then glances back towards me with a sly grin. "What do we do Axar, when people give us nice gifts?" Axar attacks me in an instant with all his excess love and I huff as the giant child wallows me about the once cozy bed. All of Sera's warmth has been shook from the blankets from his romping and now the bed smells like him instead of Seraphine. Now it's time to get up. I grumble as I get to my feet.

"Thank you Nox! Really. It's so cool. I've never owned anything like that before!"

"Don't mention it." Seriously, don't. It's too early for this.

Axar was already showered and dressed, in one of his nice new outfits from Sera. Sera shoulder blocks me out of the room so she may get ready. I only wanted to touch her, just a moment bare. I crave the electricity of her body just as much as the essence I drink from it. I'm not pleased with her banishing me, but I retreat to my room to get ready as well. Sera emerges in her cream sweater and grey leggings from before and I swallow my heart for a moment. Uneven natural waves rumble her emerald hair and I gladly follow her to the kitchen, taking all of her in.

Breakfast for is done. Axar continues to hop and vocalize as Sera steers him away from the table. She insist we take a car, still nervous for me after last night's episode. I bask in her concern while I can enjoy it. Axar practically drags her in his excitment as we enter the garage and board one of the two cars I 'inherited' with the place. I start them here and there and occassionally drive then out of boredom, or not wanting to expend energy to teleport sometimes. I decide to drive, and I send Axar to the backseat. I'm not riding with him bouncing beside me.

Barima lives roughly three hours away. We make a pit stop and pick up a GPS, because things have changed so much since I was here decades ago. I don't exactly remember my way. Axar takes forever in the gas station, asking strange questions and gawking at girls his age. We get a few stares when Sera flings the bigger boy over her back and hauls him out as he cries in embarrassment, not wanting the girls to see how immature and petted he truly is.

"Why are we driving? Can't you just picture it in your mind and teleport?" I nearly tromp the brakes as I look back, irritated. 

"He doesn't have one." Sera whispers into his ear, and he burst out in giggles.

"Contrare. I can't exactly remember, but I had written the coordinates down-"

"So you can't remember either? Are you sure you remember the titanic sinking or any of that stuff? Maybe you forgot all that too, and you were just pulling my leg."

"I can pull that gameboy too, and chuck it right out the window." A look from Seraphine puts us all in line, and we let it go.

Axar pouts in the back as we continue on. Sera now sleeps in the passenger's seat, curled into a little ball with her head resting on the door. When does she sleep this much?  I blame the weather and move on. A little sliver of belly is exposed, and I hold it with my free hand while driving. Axar spots me and giggles. I shoot him a warning look as he winks and slinks back into his seat where he continues to make weird eye contact until the end of the trip.

"Wake up! Wake up mooooma Sera! We are here!" Sera jumps forward and whacks her head on the door.

"Ugggghh..." She cocks a brow and looks to Axar with a hint of annoyance before she pulls herself together. "Yeah, dear. Yes we are."

The home is cottage style, small and cozy. Beautiful flower beds and tall trees line the edges. We exit the car and make way to the door with me leading. One knock is all it takes and the smug banshee woman is at the door sizing us up.

"Hello Nox, I knew you'd come back for me. Oh! Look! You even brought this cute little guy, and that snack back there." She rolls her tongue in a pur as she takes in Seraphine.

"Hello Barima..." I don't even get to finish.

"Come in, come in!" She reaches past us to grab Seraphine and pulls her in.