noun ~ a period of learning or teaching

POLLUX

I can't believe I stole something from someone. How horrible of a person could I be? I needed to control my temper, tamper down my wolf. He whined at me, bowing his head as my anger turned to him.

It wasn't his fault exactly, but the guilt that ate at me, the worst I felt.

With a terrified shake to my step, I jogged my way back to the village. The man wasn't there anymore; of course he wasn't. It had been four hours, and the sun was setting. I had to hunt him down. Lifting my head, I searched for him through the village until I came to a large home, with soft amber lighting. Nervously, I sat a house away, watching them through the windows.

He had a wife and a daughter, barely over five, and they happily ate dinner around a happy table. When finished, the little girl excitedly ran circles around her dad as he exclaimed it was bath time, before his wife took her upstairs. When they disappeared, he fell onto a dining chair with his hands in his hair.

It was now or never.

Nerves eating at my stomach, I thought I may pass out as I raised my fist and knocked on the door. I could hear him grow closer and held my breath when he opened the door. My eyes widened as he recognised me, a nasty snarl of distaste spewing from his lips. I cringed as my gift tuned into him like a radio, screeching and shouting with his fury.

"It's you! You brat! You thief!" He snapped, grabbing me by the shirt.

I flushed, embarrassed, as my ears burned. With a silent bow of my head, I pulled the bag out from behind me and passed it to him. His seething stopped as he held his breath, and I was aware he was staring at the bag with confusion. His large fingers released me and took the bag, peering inside.

"What did you take?" He hissed.

"Nothing." I whispered.

He grunted. "I'll see for myself."

I watched him through hooded eyes as he checked the boots and gift before opening his wallet and looking in every crevice. His anger dissipated, and the more it left, the more I relaxed. Then he mellowed, and when guilt ate at him, I winced.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "You didn't deserve it."

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "On the contrary, it has taught me I need to look after my things better. I have been careless."

My eyebrows furrowed as he ran his eyes along my form. "Where are you from? I'm not sure I have seen you before."

"I'm from... far away." I admitted.

"Your parents?"

I swallowed harshly, looking away. "I'm alone."

What was he going to do? Call the authorities?

"I see." He murmured. "Do you have a place to stay?"

My eyes unwillingly drifted to the trees behind me, and I nodded. "Yeah."

He hummed, observing me again. "Are you sure? We have a spare room."

I met his gaze, gritting my teeth and nodding my head. I wasn't about to stay around this guy's house after I stole something from him. He would probably kill me when I'm not expecting it.

"I'm sure." I muttered.

"Very well." He grunted. "I am Antoine, your name?"

"Pollux." I replied.

"Right, Pollux. We can let bygones be." He nodded. "Meet me in the market square tomorrow morning. Eight-thirty sharp."

I swallowed, but mutely nodded. He smiled softly, scanning my appearance once more before patting me on my bare shoulder. I should've put on another t-shirt. I flinched involuntarily, thinking he was actually going to choke me to death. His eyes shifted to concern, so I was quick to mutter a goodbye and leave.

That night, I had paced the woods, unsure if I should take him up on his offer. In the end, I was in the market square for eight-thirty, too curious. Antoine came as stated, a broad grin on his face. He wore the same coat from yesterday, this time with a grey suit instead of grey.

"Pollux, boy, you came."

I shrugged, looking away.

"You should hold the gaze of the man you speak to, Pollux." He chuckled. "Greet them with a firm handshake, too."

I lifted my head, staring into his brown eyes with confusion. His arm was out-stretched, and with hesitance, I took it. He shook it firmly, and my eyes widened at the grip.

"I have work in half an hour, but if you follow me, I would like to show you something." He cocked his head.

I mumbled an okay, about to follow him, but he stopped.

"You should speak up, Pollux. Nobody will take you seriously." He suggested, before leading the way again.

We passed by various stores, and I hesitated at the bakery. The smell of bread and sweet pastries made my stomach churn, cramping with hunger. Then Antoine shouted at me and I hurried after him. We stopped at the clothes store I saw him walk out of and my eyes widened with surprise when he entered.

"What size shoe are you?" He wondered, staring at my bare feet.

"A nine." I mumbled.

He nodded once, turning around and summoning a staff member. The woman's lips curled at the sight of me, but she was quick to cover it as she gazed up at Antoine. It only increased my suspicion that he was somebody well known in this town. She hurried away to grab some shoes, and when she came back, he gestured for her to give me the box.

Inside was the same pair of boots as Antoine. With a thick, sturdy brown sole, made of black leather.

"They're real leather." Antoine hummed. "Will last you a while. Try them on."

My eyes widened, staring up at him with shock. He chuckled, waving a hand at me as he turned around. I gazed back down at the boots, taking one in my hand. Then, something soft and small hit me in the chest, and I my hands curled around the still-tagged fabric.

"I forgot. You need socks." Antoine chuckled. "Now hurry, I cannot be late."

Gulping, I pulled on the socks, ignoring the dried mud on my feet. They were thick and warm, and innocently, I slipped my feet into the boots. They fit almost perfectly, a little tight around the toes.

"They'll stretch." Antoine mused. "You like them?"

I nodded quietly, standing to my feet and gazing down at them.

"How many socks do you think you'll need?" He wondered, cocking his head.

"Just the one is fine." I mumbled.

His eyes narrowed. "Nonsense. I know one is never enough. Know what you want, Pollux, and claim it from the man willing to give you it."

I stared at this random middle-aged man as he priced up three pairs of socks, the boots on my feet and even a woollen jumper. Then he came over with a paper bag full of it, telling me to keep the boots on.

"I don't understand..." I mumbled.

Antoine didn't speak, taking my elbow and leading me out of the store. Letting go of me once we were outside, I followed him to the bakery. A bell above the door chimed as we entered, and my mouth salivated.

Antoine turned to me, quirking an eyebrow. "I have ten minutes. What would you like?"

I swallowed nervously, feeling the immense pressure of choice. What did I want? Everything. But how much was I allowed? Was this a trick?

Was this a test?

Jaw tensing, I held Antoine's gaze and straightened my shoulders. "I'll have a ham and cheese baguette, a bottle of orange juice and a chocolate twist, please."

His intense stare softened at my manner, a grin lifting his cheeks as he turned to the person behind the counter. "Exactly what he said."

Relief deflated my chest, a soft puff of air escaping my lips that had Antione chuckle. We were silent as the staff prepared my food and placed it in another paper bag. Antione passed me it without a glance and lifted his wallet to pay. I raised the back to my nose and inhaled, so ready to dig in and eat. I left the bakery with Antione behind me and looked around.

Antoine was checking his watch before raising his head to the sky. His hands dived into his pockets and he inhaled deeply.

"Sometimes, Pollux, nature can be so beautiful, don't you agree?"

I followed his gaze, staring at the distant northern mountains. "It is."

"It's also very dangerous." He stated, briefly glancing down at me. "It is a place where a man needs to have his wits about him. Some odd creatures in those woods."

What was he hinting at?

"Now, wherever you go, just remember today, okay?" He inhaled deeply. "Remember what you showed me."

"I don't understand." I frowned, staring at him. "Why have you done all of this?"

"I had been cocky and rude to you, hurling abuse at a young man who had less than me." His gaze softened as he turned to me. "Aimlessly unaware of my surroundings, I grew comfortable in my power and left things unattended. Karma came, and I lost what I found valuable. But the thing is, Pollux, it wasn't the boots, or my cards or my cash, that I worried about. It was the damn fluffy pink unicorn inside the bag. I had lost my daughter's gift because I was so rude."

"You didn't lose it because of that." I shook my head. "I stole it."

"Only after I was rude to you." He quirked an eyebrow. "Yesterday was my first day back home after being away in the city for a week. The gift was a treat. She loves unicorns, you see. Do you realise how magical and unique unicorns are, Pollux? It is rare to find one. But they're brave, strong, independent and never stray from the truth. So, just remember that, okay?"

And then he sighed, staring back at his watch. "Time to go. Safe travels, Pollux."

I stayed where I was, dumbstruck, as Antoine walked away. His shoulders were square, trench coat billowing in the wind as he walked down the street. He stopped by an office-type building, and as he gripped the handle to step inside, he glanced toward me. Like we were well-departed comrades, he raised his hand once in parting before stepping inside.

I left town that very night, new boots on my feet, socks in my bag and a warm, untorn jumper on my torso. It smelt oddly of Antione, and I smiled whenever I thought about it. Despite the rocky start, Antione treated me like I was his friend. He aided me without even needing to, without me asking to.

***

Antoine taught me a lot in such a temporary space of time.

The world became my oyster after that day, and I took his words to heart. I practised my poise, my words, my eye contact. Like a son trying to be his father, I mimicked his qualities. How he walked with his shoulders square and head held high, how he spoke, how he held eye contact. Antoine was in my life for such a short amount of time, but he taught me more about respect than anybody ever did.

He could've left me on the street, could've arrested me for theft. He could've spewed his hatred and beat me up.

He did none of those things.

Though angered, Antoine was a well-kept man. In the moments I spent with him in the town, I discovered how well people treated him and how he treated them in return. I had no male or father figure in my life, Gaia soft and kind in raising me. Raven had been a little dick, as most siblings are, and we fought a lot. But that was normal, and she was my sister.

I often find myself looking into the lakes I drink from, wondering if she was at peace. Away from the demands of her power, the greed of those who used her kindness to their own advantages. People wildly misunderstood Raven. I often wonder if we had a father figure, would we have turned out any other way?

I learnt my kindness from Gaia, my empathy, and how to handle my emotions. I learnt to express myself through actions and words, and not bottle them away. And yet, in such a small time, Antoine made me... respected. To raise my head, look people in the eye, own myself and my power.

Antoine Bordeaux. I never went back to that town, never faced the man that shaped my outlook on people. He had called me a unicorn, understanding of my independence so easily. Perhaps I should go back, see if he still lived there. Just out of curiosity.

Pulling out the phone from my bag, I stared down at the screen. Nova hasn't called me yet, giving me the space I wanted initially. Instead of calling her, my finger fell to the search engine. Typing in Antoine's name, I hesitated before also adding his home town. He said he worked in the city, but it was worth a shot.

The screen loaded, and I internally thanked whoever created mobile data. Being near the human village gave me the advantage of signal, and with eighty percent battery, I knew I had a while before it needed charging.

Running my eyes along the page, I swallowed nervously. Instead of a list of various names, a whole preview of a file appeared first. At the top was his name, and beneath were various pictures of the man who gave me the boots. Even his birthday was beneath it, with his home town scrawled in italics.

Who was this man?

Curious, I clicked his 'website' and blinked at the page.

Antoine Bordeaux. Entrepreneur family man. There is hope in the future.

Entrepreneur? I wonder what he specialised in.

Going through his website, I eyed his testimonials. It seemed he was some kind of CEO and lawyer combined. His about page was normal, a synopsis of his home life, how his daughter was turning ten, etcetera. He was CEO of... shit, the clothes store he took me to. He owned the entire business and had various franchises all over the country!

Groaning, I was about to close the page, but something caught my eye. Across the bottom lay a translucent image that had my lips curl into a smile. It was just an outline of a head, but I knew right away what it was.

A unicorn.

***
QOTD:
Go-to cinema snack???