Strays: A Romantic Fantasy Adventure

Zero didn’t understand.

Ivy was there, not all that far off. If he wanted to, and he did, he could stand up and walk to her and be next to her in only a few strides. It would take barely any effort at all.

But it wasn’t about the distance between them.

She was a dream, the way her arms and legs stretched, her head and torso gliding after them. An ethereal motion that was not of this world but had somehow found its way to it, enchanting everything in her path.

The parting of her rosy lips.

The faraway look in her violet eyes.

Like she wasn’t really here.

But somewhere else.

He wished to be there with her.

The place that only they could go.

The place for only them.

He didn’t like the feeling that was steadily growing in his chest, how it dripped like tar into his stomach and seeped up into his brain, raging against his thoughts and senses, disturbing the peace he had tried to maintain.

He glanced at Sakura as she laughed and took the girl’s hand in her own, twirling her round and round, a pinwheel in the wind.

He liked the woman, was fond of her, enjoyed her company, and had grown attached to her wild yet nurturing presence to the point that it was impossible to imagine life without her.

But he didn’t like how she was taking what was his.

It was only his.

And he wanted it back.

He wanted to leave.

Ivy spun, her gaze meeting Zero’s with each rotation, until she slowed to a stop. The girl grabbed the woman’s shoulders, pulling her down to speak to her. Sakura smiled, her lips moving in an undecipherable response as she patted the girl’s hair down affectionately. Ivy turned and began to leave her, but the demon grabbed her back, instructing her with the pointing of her finger and jerking of her head. She nodded and bounded over to the table while staring at Zero, speaking without words, and grabbed Sakura’s full mug before hurrying back and handing it off. The demon waved and took a long swig, proceeding to dance with her new partner as Ivy returned.

“I’m ready to go now,” she told Zero and then looked at Ren and Lore. “Have a good night.”

“Same inn?” the ogre asked.

“Yep!”

He nodded. “Alright. I’ll send word if I find out anything. If not, make sure to see me before you go.”

She skipped over and hugged the ogre. “Always do!”

Zero stood, pushing in his chair.

“Come here, boy,” Ren commanded, watching the demon closely as she spun and guzzled her drink, holding it out for more. Zero went to him, standing behind the seated man as he reluctantly tore his attention away from his target and up at him. The angel glared at the devil, serious blue, observing him closely. After a moment he nodded. “You’re smart. Don’t be dumb. Figure it out.” He looked back down, his eyes diligently following the dancing woman. “Now get out of here. I’m busy. If we don’t come back tonight, don’t worry about it. Don’t come looking for us. We’ll come looking for you.”

Ivy wrapped herself around the boy’s arm and began urging him along. “Good night, Ren!”

“Good night, you two. Behave yourselves. Wait, before you go, boy…” He turned back to the couple who had paused at his request with a loopy grin. “Come give Papa a kiss.”

The boy didn’t even answer, just turned away from the angel’s cackling, ready to get as far away in as little time as possible.

The girl, however, obliged, releasing Zero and bounding back to the man to press a kiss to his forehead. “Try not to get into too much trouble,” she warned, truly concerned with the angel’s well-being. “Sakura tends to get mean quicker when she’s been drinking, and I won’t be here to save you.”

Ren returned a kiss to the girl’s own forehead. “Don’t worry about me, Little One. Just make sure Zero doesn’t drown. That’s a whole lot of water out there for him to handle. Don’t let him wade out too far.”

The color drained from Ivy’s face as her eyes went wide with shock, caught in a secret not meant for the man to know. “How… but?”

“Not everything needs to be said to be known. Go on now, before the beast catches on, and you ruin the rest of the night for all of us.”

The girl had no intention of sticking around and finding out if the man’s prediction would come to fruition, and she hurried back to the boy, clutching at his arm and making their escape. They made their way from the docks and back to the roads, the weather worn wood planks transitioning to stone beneath their feet. Ivy’s bewilderment to Ren’s awareness of their scheme subsided with every step that further separated them from the tavern, and she chattered giddily at all the fun she had had, barely coming up for air. Zero listened the best he could, catching bits and pieces of the jumbled mess that spilled from the girl’s lips, his eyes focused on the road and unfamiliar feet that sporadically passed by.

“Have you ever danced?” Ivy asked after finally taking a moment to catch her breath. She glanced up at the boy quickly before turning back to the ocean below, looking for a place to go without others around. It wasn’t as crowded as the day, but there were still a few people on the beach taking advantage of the calmer atmosphere.

“No.” It had never been something that he’d considered or even shown much interest in in the times he had seen others do it. Not until he had found Ivy and witnessed the way her body naturally flowed did he find himself enthralled with the seemingly weightless motion.

“I suppose that’s a silly question. I can’t imagine you had many chances, and I can’t see you dancing with Ren like I do Sakura.” She giggled at the thought. “Would you like to one day?”

“I don’t know how.”

Ivy was quiet, her top teeth biting at her lower lip. “Maybe I can teach you,” she offered softly, “and then we can dance together.”

“Okay.” If it was with Ivy, then he’d like to learn.

She smiled and pulled at him, guiding him from the road down to the beach. Zero watched the stone disappear and sand appear below his feet, felt the solid surface turn loose under each step.

“We should take off our boots!” The girl piped, wasting no time in kicking hers off before going for the boy’s, grabbing and pulling at them before he could have a say. “It’ll be nicer this way.” She popped back up, handing him his pair and keeping her own, and reached for the back of his hood, tugging it from his head. She nodded in approval before claiming his arm once more. “I think it’ll be safe here. I haven’t seen anyone around for a while. Even if someone does come down here, I doubt they’ll be able to see your eyes, anyways.”

Zero raised his head as they walked along, just out of reach of the tide, listening to the waves greet and bid farewell against the shore. The sand here wasn’t the same as the sand of the desert. It didn’t feel dry or burn against his skin, and his feet didn’t sink as far down in its damp granules. Though it was still sand, the experience was completely different.

And here, for the first time since they had arrived, he felt he could actually look at his surroundings, take in everything around him without any concern for negative repercussions. But even though he finally had the opportunity to view new sights, he found himself perfectly content observing the one he was most familiar with.

“I love the ocean. It’s so peaceful and pretty. It just goes on forever.” Ivy sighed, watching the rippling of water under the bright moon light. She turned to the devil, inquisitive eyes meeting his. “Have you ever been out here at night?”

“No. We didn’t really come down here.” He never really cared to.

But he was glad he did this time.

And he would gladly do it again.

Her lips curved up, a vision that put the ocean to shame. Put everything to shame. “I’ve never been out here at night either. I like it much better when it’s like this, when it’s quiet and there’s no one else around. When you can actually hear everything.”

The boy nodded. He had only ever really seen it during the day with all the noise and chaos that came with so many people gathered in one place.

He didn’t like that.

But he liked this.

He liked being with her.

Always.

“Thank you for coming here with me, Zero. I really wanted to see the ocean with you.”

What was he supposed to say to that? What were the right words? He couldn’t find them. But even if he could, how could he respond with no air in his lungs? The weight of her gaze crushing down on him, immobilizing his heart, rendering him helpless.

Why did she always do this to him?

Please don’t ever let it stop.

He watched the color creep up her neck and to her cheeks, her smile so sweet, before she turned forward, pulling herself closer and resting her head against his arm.

Everything in him cried out, pleading. It picked and nagged at him, the silence becoming unbearably loud in his ears. As much as he found comfort in the girl’s simple embrace, it just wasn’t enough.

He needed more.

Without a word, Ivy released his arm, her boots slipping from her hand and falling to the wet ground, and she drifted forward, her toes pointing as her arms stretched. She moved ahead of him, flowing and twisting like the waves beside her. The rays of the moon illuminated her being, guiding her way, setting her stage.

There was no music as she danced.

But Zero heard the song.

The one he had heard the dying notes of in multiple places as he followed behind Ren in his search for Sakura.

The one he had heard that had led him to Ivy that very first time.

The one that was always there, increasing in volume the further she strayed away.

Calling.

Beckoning.

Guiding him to her.

To the warmth.

The light.

The melody.

She didn’t speak.

But she called out to him.

Inviting.

“Ivy.”

She spun to face him.

Violet eyes bright.

Like the glow of the moon above.

He dropped his boots beside hers and removed his jacket, letting it fall, the thick and stiff fabric no longer suffocating his skin.

His body.

His spirit.

The devil stepped up to her.

Reached out his hand.

And she reached out hers.

Fingers just touching, the softest of caresses.

Their eyes locked.

Crimson and violet.

The sun and the moon.

The light.

The fire.

The warmth.

Not a word spoken.

Nothing was needed to be said.

They moved slowly.

Carefully.

Taking their time.

Their bodies synchronized.

Each step of their feet and flick of their wrists the same.

A dance Zero had never seen, never moved to.

But had always known.

Palms coming together.

Circling each other.

Bringing her in.

Twirling her out.

They stepped and spun, reached and twisted.

A hand on her hip.

Fingers along his shoulder.

Their bodies close, and then apart.

The push, the pull.

The give, the take.

They were a tribute to the night.

A praise to the day.

They were separate.

They were one.

They were all.

They were life.