Don't Play Dumb

“Where are they?”

Maggie hobbled up to Ren as she avoided his inquisitive gaze, snatching the jar from his hands before making her way to a dusty shelf and setting the eye on it, examining it closely. “Not here,” she snapped.

“Obviously,” Sakura seethed. She could see perfectly well, and what she didn’t see was Ivy and Zero. She didn’t need the witch’s reassurance in that matter. “Why are they not here? Where did they go? And where the fuck is my enchantment?”

“You’re such an annoying thing.” The witch ran her finger down the glass, admiring the prize within. “Why anyone would tolerate you is beyond me. Raz should have tossed you back into the woods to finish starving to death when he had the chance. Had I known that potion was for you, I would have never made it for him. I would have let you waste away the way that den of yours did.”

Fangs bared as the woman drew her glaive and pressed the tip of the blade against the back of the witch’s neck. “I’m not asking, nor do I care if you would have left me to die,” she snarled. “I’m asking where Zero and Ivy are. If you’ve done something to them...”

Maggie turned to face the demon, the blade scratching against her weathered skin. “I’ve done nothing to them. They left on their own accord. Now, either stop being a coward and take my head or get out of my home.”

Sakura was over the hag’s attempts at provoking her and had no further interest in being there, especially when the two she had returned for weren’t even around. “I don’t want your nasty head.” She sheathed the weapon and proceeded forward. “But if you’re not going to make good on our deal then give me my eye back!” The woman had grown quite fond of it in the short amount of time she had been in possession of the eye. It was the first time she hadn’t completely obliterated a pest, and it was a trophy of that grand achievement. If the witch wasn’t going to be true to her word, then the fox would take it back and display it for all to see and admire.

Maggie glared as she stepped between the vixen and the jar, unwilling to give up the treasure. “The deal is already done, the enchantment cast, and those two left with it. I made good on my word, and so shall you. The eye is mine.”

“Wait. Why do they already have the enchantment?” Ren asked. “When did they leave?”

“Not long after you. Our deal is complete. I have no further use of you. Now go! Get out of my home and don’t come back!”

That didn’t sound right. There was no way the old witch would give before taking. There had to be something else going on under the man’s nose without his knowledge. “You made a separate deal with Zero, didn’t you?” he accused. “What did he give you?”

“Nothing!” the witch snapped, refusing to look his way.

The angel gasped, his eyes going wide in disbelief. “He gave you that, didn’t he?”

“No! Get out!”

“Gave her what?” Sakura asked, not bothering to even wait for the answer before reaching over the witch in an attempt to reclaim the jar. “If you already made a deal with Zero then I’m taking my eye. You don’t get two for one.”

Maggie grabbed at Sakura’s arm, pulling with all her might while pushing her small, decrepit body against the demon’s taller form. “It’s mine!”

“That sneaky little shit,” Ren muttered as he crossed the hut, snatching the woman from the witch’s clutches and throwing her over his shoulder, ignoring her belligerent screams for the jar. It didn’t matter whether or not she was correct about the validity of their agreement, he was too far into his own personal concerns to care about anyone else’s. “I can’t believe he would do that.” He turned and stalked out the door, ripping the bracelet from his wrist and bursting into the sky, onyx wings in a flurry.

“Go back!” the fox demanded, pounding on the man’s back as she tried to squirm out of his grip, completely unconcerned with the long fall that would follow if she were to succeed. “That’s my eye! I earned it, and I want it back!”

The woman was like a persistent mosquito buzzing in his ear, and he didn’t have the time or patience for it. “Forget the eye. I’m not having that thing in my home watching me. I’ll take you up the mountain later to kill it. That’ll really piss her off. But for now, I have more important matters to attend to. So, kindly, quit your bitching.”

“What matters?” She paused her assault on the angel, suddenly thinking clearly. “What did Zero do? How did he get the enchantment on his own?”

But the man couldn’t be bothered to explain as the cottage came into view and his wings ceased their flight, plummeting them towards the ground before one last lazy beat of them to ensure a soft landing in the yard. Without wasting a moment, he charged forward towards the boy who was shoveling dirt in a rectangular area, the space slowly growing larger with each discarded load of earth. The angel tossed the demon to the side, paying no mind as she stumbled on her feet and cursed at him. He went to the edge of the shallow hole and loomed over the devil; massive, black wings casting an ominous shadow.

“You gave it to her, didn’t you?” Ren accused, his voice low and eyes narrowing. There really was no reason to even ask when he already knew the answer. But he wanted to hear him say it. Needed to hear the words from the boy’s own mouth.

Zero didn’t even bother him a glance. “Gave her what?” His tone bored as another shovel full of dirt was tossed onto the pile.

“You know what, boy. Don’t play dumb with me. Your blood. You gave it to her.”

The devil had confided in the man the witch’s desires after each reluctant stay, his silent repulsion only growing with each time it was requested. There was no way Ren could ever fault Zero for not wanting to leave a piece of himself behind for Maggie’s undetermined use. He would never expect him to. And he never expected him to actually do it, for any reason. Ever.

After all, who would?

But Zero had.

For her.

He had sacrificed a part of himself so that she didn’t have to.

And completely deceived the man in the process.

“I did,” the devil confessed simply as if it had never been an issue to begin with.

“How long have you had this planned?”

“Long enough.” More dirt onto the pile.

The man looked down in wonder at the boy before him. What an impressive specimen he had turned out to be. A child who had come from the confines of emptiness, solitude, and pain to the confident man who stood before him now. By all rights he should be little more than a husk of a person. How does one go through the extent of trauma as he had and still manage to function as an independent individual? How does he continue to grow, not just through baby steps, but by leaps and bounds?

The boy had far exceeded the man’s expectations, compelling him to recalibrate the way he viewed him and his abilities time and time again throughout the years.

He was something beautiful, pure, and incredible. Not just merely the product of a devil and angel.

He was something more.

So much more.

“You tricked me.” The smile crept up Ren’s face, excited at the opportunity to be at the receiving end at long last.

“Looks that way.”

“And why would you do that?” He couldn’t wait for the answer.

Zero looked up, crimson eyes so very pleased with themselves. “To build character.”

It was better than he had hoped.

The man hopped down in front of him and took his face in his hands, blue orbs nearly sparkling. “And build it you have.” He pecked the devil’s forehead lovingly. “Papa’s so proud, loves you so much. You never cease to impress.”

The boy breathed in deeply, expelling the air quickly. “Are you done? If you’re going to be in here, then you’re going to need to help shovel. You can’t just laze around like you did when Sakura and I dug up the chest.”

“Of course, anything for you, my sweet child.” Ren grabbed the other shovel just outside the hole and joined the devil, helping to further expand the foundation.

“Zero.”

He turned to the woman who stood at the opposite end of the hole, watching their awkward production.

“Come here,” Sakura commanded softly.

The boy went to her, their eyes connecting easily at the new evenness of heights between them.

“You gave Maggie your blood?” she asked.

“I did.”

“Why would you do that?”

“She wanted it.”

“But… it’s your blood.”

He shrugged. “That’s alright. I have plenty of it.”

“Well, obviously.” She sighed, feeling like the conversation was going nowhere quick. “Did Ivy have to deal with her for long?”

“She didn’t deal with her at all. She stayed outside, and I dealt with it.”

“And Maggie allowed it?”

“I didn’t give her the choice.”

“Looks like the boy has become a man.” The demon chuckled, her arms wrapping around the devil’s neck, head resting against his shoulder. “Thank you for taking care of her.”

Zero wasn’t quite sure what the woman meant, but it didn’t seem to matter. She was obviously pleased with his handling of the situation, and that was good enough for him. His arms wrapped around her waist, returning the affection that she gave to him. There had once been a time where he was uncertain of how to react to her displays of fondness: the smiles, hugs, and gentle touches. They were foreign and complicated to understand, a uniquely maternal tenderness he had never experienced before. However, it was now something he readily accepted. A sort of comfort that only she could provide.

The woman pulled away, her eyes and smile warm and gentle towards him. “You did good. Where’s Ivy now?”

“At the creek getting stones.”

“Alright.” Sakura pressed her lips to his forehead before patting his cheek roughly and turning away. “I’ll go help her. Don’t let Ren get away with screwing around too much. You may have your shit together, but he doesn’t. Watch him.”

“Get the fuck out of here! Mind your own damn business, woman!” Ren barked, flinging a pile of dirt at her retreating form, missing entirely. He scowled, returning to digging with the boy. “Don’t listen to her. She’s just mad that Maggie got that eye, and she didn’t. Don’t let her boss you around. She’s not your mother.”