(no subject)

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

WHO: Greed & Zoe
WHEN: Backdated last Tuesday night
WHERE: Zoe's apartment
WHAT: Can we talk?
WARNING: Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear


The apartment was dark, the only light on in Zoe's bedroom, her door closed. The place was too empty and quiet and she tried to convince herself that she wanted to be alone right now anyways. Zoe was in her jammies of PJ bottoms and a tank top and she sat on her messy bed with a book in her lap, only occasionally stopping to make notes. She was trying to keep her mind off things. She'd turned her phone off since the day before, since.. it happened. She didn't know what would be worse, hearing Greed's excuse or finding out she didn't have any messages from him at all. Both scenarios were pretty bad so she just left the blasted thing off.

Her morning with Patience had drained her and left her more confused and upset than ever. She tried hard to not let what he was saying get to her but she knew it did. And she couldn't even ask Greed about it because he was God knows where.. who cared, he wasn't here. She felt like an idiot.

Comments

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

Greed hadn't been able to get in touch with Zoe for days since the shitstorm with Patience happened. He was over it now. Breaking Patience's nose was the right amount of hate to let loose. He'd been hanging out with Sloth all afternoon. Now he smelled like burgers and pot. Lust had also been a savior, letting him bang out his frustrations. Nothing put Greed back on the map than getting a taste Lust.

He tried calling Zoe's number as he approached her apartment still getting a voice answering system. Well, that just wouldn't do. By his very definition, Avarice was witholding what he had. It was where this hoard of his cake from while greed was an insatiable hunger. He split between the two at times, and had both all at once at others. Zoe was his, a part of this hoard, so back-peddling now wouldn't be him at all. He'd been a little taken back by her display the other day. He'd expected her to drop for Patience as everything he did looked worse by the minute. But she didn't. She was willing to escape with him. Greed did the only thing he could think of. He ran. That in itself made Patience the victor.

Once he was at her door there was still no answer. He kept banging on the door but with no response. After a time he headed back down stairs, making the poor girl believe he'd left. Instead he scaled the fire escape, nice suit (http://saiyangirlie.tumblr.com/post/32654245704) or not.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe was startled when the banging on the door happened but she knew there was nothing good on the other side. Gabe was still in LA so either it was a psycho, a murderer, or Greed. "Not hooome.." she said with irritation under her breath as the banging persisted. She wasn't going to budge. She wanted to wallow damnit.

She put her head in her hands when it wouldn't stop.. and then suddenly it did. She lifted her head and waited.. but no, there was silence. Oh. Well... Good. She eyed her bedroom door suspiciously as if not trusting it to stay closed despite the apartment being locked up tight. She picked up her book again, still watching the door.. it had seemed a little too easy.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

Seriously?

Once he got to the window it was locked. They'd talked about this, now this just wasn't playing fair. He plastered his face to the glass, peeking in to see if he could see her from there. In the living room was a light. Ha ha! Rapping on the glass with his knuckles he felt like something out of a Shakespeare play trying to get the girl's attention.

"Zoe..." He called out in a slow voice that only a serial killer would be proud of.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe jumped when she heard the rapping on the glass. Oh please be my imagination, please please please.. and she froze when she heard her name. But she turned slowly to look and when she saw Greed's face plastered there, her shoulders sagged and she gave him a look of disbelief, "Are you kidding me.."

The only response he'd get was her pillow being whipped at him but since he was outside, it just hit the glass where his face was and fell harmlessly to the floor while she went back to her book.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

He watched the pillow fall helplessly to the floor, taking his keys and scraping them against the window seal. It made a horrible scratching noise, like nails on a chalk board. If that didn't work he'd pick the lock. He was good at that.

"Zoe! Open up already." He was impatient. The neighbors next door could hear and were going to call the cops if he continued to lurk around like some monster.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe winced and covered her ears when he scratched the window and she shot him a dirty look.

At his demand, she got off the bed in a huff and stalked over to the window. She didn't open it, just folded her arms over her chest and looked at him through the glass, "What do you want?"

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

He brushed off his jacket, straightening back up so he could present himself like the classy looking boy he was for the day. He gave her a suave face, then pointed at the locked window. "Let me in or I'll pick the lock. Don't think I can't." He smoothed over his tie. "You turned your phone off."

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

"I feel like Chinese food. Fucking love eggrolls." He said letting her cuddle him like a puppy. He tucked his chin on her head. "You smell nice." It was kind of disgusting how good someone could smell. Meanwhile he smelled of burgers and fries with Sloth's pot. As long as she didn't drudge up the real issue he could remain his bubbly self. He didn't want to think about the dark places or Patience. He wanted this thing with her to still be his secret.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe closed her eyes, just wanting to push the real world back for another minute. "You smell... like a college dorm." she wrinkled her nose and pulled back a little to look at him.

But looking at him was a mistake because now she couldn't stop thinking about what Patience said and she didn't want to believe it. Not Greed. He wasn't good but he wasn't.. he wasn't some monster. Was he..?

Something else had been bugging her, "Does.. Freddie know what you are..?" and she felt ridiculous asking since she still didn't fully believe him.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

"Been hanging out with Sloth all day. You smell burgers and pot." He chuckled watching her nose crinkle. He crinkled his own nose mimicking her like a mirror.

As soon as she voiced that question his face soured. "Freddie is a Virtue. He's known me as long as we've been alive. Fucking bastard."

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe nodded and kept nodding, her eyes closing not out of understanding but just.. that was a lot to process. Besides, she didn't want to look at him as she asked her next question, "Was he lying about you..?" her arms still tight around him as if he'd disappear.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

"What about me?" He said defensively. Patience would always make him look bad. He was bothered that whatever Patience had thrown her way had some sticking power, more of a reminder what he didn't.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe let her arms drop from him, keeping her gaze lowered so she was looking at his chest instead of his face. "That you're controlling. Really controlling. Selfish. You're a bad influence. That.. that girl you guys both liked was trying to get away from you."

She swallowed, feeling her throat tighten, "And.. he makes it seem like you don't like me.. that you're just using me."

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

"No Zoe, greed is who I am. I'm not human." The truth was they weren't human. He was capable of human traits because of his birth into the world, but it was tainted. There wasn't an on and off switch. She still didn't see what he really was, but he liked that she tried.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe nodded, "You feel joy, sadness, remorse, hope, desire, fear.. passes for pretty close to human if you ask me." Sometimes Zoe felt that Greed was the one that didn't see who he really was. She patted his arm, "If Greed was all you were then I wouldn't be sitting here." but there she was, still by his side. Zoe saw in him something much more than his namesake, something he didn't invent or fake, something that had been in him for a long time, just hidden.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

"You see a side I present. I'm sure Patience tried to sell you that number too." No matter how honest Greed was he was still showing a side and she was giving him the attention he desired. "I show what I want to show you." He tried to grin, playing up his usual give but for some reason around her he didn't know how to react when she threw in the feelings.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

As always it was difficult to hear. She didn't know what was worse, knowing Greed couldn't feel for her or that she might be feeling things for something that wasn't real.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "If that's true.. then why would you want to show me this?" he was hurting, and no matter how much attention it got him from her, he knew there were other ways to get her affection. He didn't have to show her this side, he didn't have to relive his pain or talk about it, he was doing it for a reason. Zoe had to believe that.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

Damn all that understanding stuff. It was landing him in deep. "Because you let me. Because you're not exhausted yet." And she should be. Greed no matter how much he held back on her, was still going and fighting back. He could admire her spirit.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe smiled a little, "Then.. maybe it is a side. But it's a real one. And if it's real, it's part of who you really are. Who knows.. maybe you're not showing me a side. Maybe you're just showing me.. you." she'd like to hope anyways. But she'd settle for it being real. She wondered though.. did he even know who he really was?

She lightly rested her head against his, "You're exhausting but you're not gonna exhaust me." and she said it with certainty.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

"I do have other things to do," and people and sisters...but that wasn't the point. Zoe was his new shiny prize, he wanted to pet and squeeze it and keep it for as long as he was able. He tried to talk against her hand. It was probably too soon to even bring her into his side of the world, but when had Greed ever been able to keep distances? Or to himself? "I could kidnap you?"

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe laughed and brought her hands in to her chest as if she was being defensive, "You wouldn't.. my roommate wouldn't let you, you know." a normal girl probably should have been scared at such a suggestion but Zoe felt.. safe with Greed. He hurt her but emotionally, she didn't think he'd let physical harm come to her or do any physical harm to her.

She turned her lips in looking at him curiously, "Can I ask you something..? You always call me 'yours'.. how many girls exactly do you 'have'?" she didn't want to know the answer but was sure if she heard it, it'd keep her from falling further for him and it was bad enough already.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

He raised his brows suspiciously. This roommate of hers sounded interesting. "I would and no one would stop me."

"Like right now or in general?" She was busting his good guy routine. He didn't know how she meant it because he had toys he played with and he had ones he kept. There were few he kept and few that could make it past a few days with him. And then there was Lust.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe grinned, "Nuh uh. My roommate wouldn't let me go without a fight. Kinda protective of me."

She rubbed her lips together, "Both?" why was she asking, there was no answer he could give that would make her happy. No truthful one anyways. But.. she still wanted to know.

[better-than.insanejournal.com]

"Protective?" That flew up some red flags. Was this a chick or a dude?

"You won't like my answer...UGH..." he ruffled his short blonde hair through his hands vigorously. "You're ruining the good guy act here..." If he lost this girl now he'd be forced to use influence because he wasn't going to lose her! "I've had....quite a few...but there's very few I keep. Josie. You. Most can't handle me past a day, Zoe. I've told you that." And Lust was not going to be brought up in this...he was still keeping those two worlds apart for as long as he could. If Lust got involved after what had happened with Josie, it could turn ugly.

[history-repeats.insanejournal.com]

Zoe ignored his protective with a question mark attached because this was more important. She had a winced expression when he said she wouldn't like his answer. She was pretty sure she wouldn't. She smiled when he actually struggled a little, he was being honest.. and she found it endearing. "Josie.. and me.. and that's it? I mean, I'm not looking for names really.. I guess just a ballpark figure." she scrunched up her face, "Is the number smaller than a ballpark?"

She scooted forward a little, putting her feet on the other side of his legs so her knees were bent in his lap, "By the way, nutball.. I never bought your good guy act for a second." she grinned, leaning in and kissing the tattoo on his ear. She looked at him and said softly, "Just.. don't be that guy." referring to when he turned into a Sin on her and was fake.