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Aug. 5th, 2013 04:08 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
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WHO: Greed and Zoe w/ Theseus
WHEN: Friday
WHERE: Airport, Lithuania
WHAT: The kiddos take over a jet and wind up in a mess
WARNING: The most brutal fight yet
Zoe was incredibly excited about getting to go to Lithuania again. They hadn't been in months and even though they'd gone to Kansas, that too was months ago. She didn't get to see Greed as much since he worked late nights so he could take Friday off. She spent the time getting in extra shifts if she could and being productive. But finally Thursday rolled around and after Greed got off work, it was time to grab Zoe and the bags and head to the airport where Theseus would be waiting for them with his dad's private company jet. Anybody would be excited about going on a jet but it was easy to tell that Zoe was more excited about actually going with Greed to the less than popular Lithuania European destination.
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Poseidon had been so busy grilling Theseus about his reckless comments and Amphitrite that it was easy to make arrangements for the jet. Poseidon usually had his weekend trips, but this one was spent in New York. It came out more to luck and timing than anything----and as much as Theseus was for running into trouble, he had his share of luck.
He was there to keep an eye out for any changes. He had his eye on the phone and the time. He'd fly it himself if he could actually steer a pilots wheel the same as a boat. He was more comfortable on water than sailing the clouds.
When the two finally showed he was somewhat relieved and tense. He gave Zoe a reprimand as if he had the right to. He wasn't her father but he felt as much these days. "No later than Tuesday." He'd already discussed with the pilot that the two were helping him with a project of Mr. Rubis'. Poseidon had Theseus do a lot of his dirty work, it wasn't the first time he'd swiped the jet. He was nervous though. That was obvious.
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Zoe sighed like a teenager that was being told to be careful with Daddy’s car but smiled. “Don’t worry, Mr. Moreau, we’ll be back before then. Chance has work.” she didn’t need a big suitcase like last time because the trip was so short. Just a duffle and a backpack and of course all of Greed’s luggage...
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"I told you my name. No more Mr. Moreau." It was so formal. He didn't even recognize it anymore when she said it. It was a past self, it wasn't the same man today, though all he was was a mix of fake aliases and past lives. "Now get going before I change my mind..."
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She smiled, this trip meant a lot to her, to her and Greed both. She suddenly hugged him, a quick loving hug with a squeeze as she whispered, “Thanks..” the jet’s engines were loud so her words were drowned out but it almost sounded like she called him papou, the Greek word for Grandfather. He was a mix of fake aliases and abandoned lives, a tragic hero, a demi god... but underneath all that, to her.. he was just her grandfather.
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That squeeze nearly choked him. Maybe loosened a few muscles that had tightened up from tension. She didn't even realize the feeling it left behind before boarding the plane. He didn't give her a final goodbye or a your welcome, he just felt a little more at ease that he'd done the right thing. Even if for just a brief moment.
Greed eyed from the plane, giving her a hard glare when she joined him. "Getting all cuddly on him now?"
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She didn’t expect anything from Theseus, no hug or words. She did what she wanted to do which was give her grandfather a hug of thanks. She picked up her bags and got on the jet leaving him to do whatever it was he was going to do.
She sighed as she looked at Greed and put her luggage in the locker style loading thing on the jet, she had a gentle smile on her face, “He did a nice thing, I’m excited, so I hugged him.. is that so bad?”
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Greed shook off an itchy feeling. He didn't know how to feel about her getting cozy with granddaddy. "I don't like him." Even though Greeds reasonings were just completely selfish no matter what the Greek did. He was paying favors. That was all. Though once Greed had told Zoe to give family a chance, Theseus wouldnt let him in, so he saw the face he wanted.
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She flopped down next to him, “I don’t know if I like him either. But he’s trying.” she gave him a sad puppy dog look with a small smile, “Aren’t you always talking about how important family is?”
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“He’s not trying. He’s trying to escape his debt. He’ll do anything to check out of a few thousand dollars he doesn’t have right now.” That was Greed’s analysis at least. Until Theseus showed him some respect. He wasn’t taking Zoe away from him, nor was he going to ease his way into her life and try to convince her otherwise. It could happen, especially when he laid on the ‘grandfather’ bit real thick.
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Zoe’s shoulders slumped and she looked like a kicked puppy, “Oh.” she sounded disappointed and maybe a little hurt. Her brow was furrowed as she hadn’t thought of it that way before. That Theseus was basically doing what he had to do to save his money.. that it didn’t really have anything to do with her. She turned her head towards him but didn’t look at him, “You don’t think he likes me at all..? Even a little?”
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“I think he’s trying to run but he’s stuck.” If the guy had the open opportunity he would go and leave her without a second thought. “He has his boat now. Once he pays off his debt you can wait and see. I won’t have him step in on my turf though.” Greed was not about to let Theseus try to run the show in Zoeworld and pretended he cared. The fact of the matter was Greed didn’t know, it’s why he barked that it was a rouse. Not her at all. People had ulterior motives, it’s how he got his hands on so much. But....
things had changed with her. He had told her family was important. Theseus was all she had other than him, but selfishly Greed wanted to be her only family. “Maybe he does. But you’ll have to wait it out.” Not that he was good on waiting at all, the very idea of things turning up on it’s head made his stomach flop.
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She looked more and more depressed with every word out of his mouth, her eyes glued to the window and the darkness outside. But at his ending line she perked up and looked at him, the light coming back in her eyes. That single solitary ‘maybe’ was enough to boost her hope back up and she kissed his cheek. “Maybe. I mean.. he still owes some money. So we’ll have to see him again, right?” she seemed to like the idea.
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It was that bounciness in her reply that made him grumble. “I suppose.” Greed didn’t want to see him again if all he did was project the side of himself that could make him lose the only thing he wanted to hang onto. It seemed trite to put blame on someone else, but in Theseus’ case he was the perfect scapegoat. He was a magnet for negative attention. Him tangling himself around his sister didn’t make Greed’s taste for the Greek any less sour. “As long as I get my 30k.” In some fashion or another. He twitched against her kiss, his shoulders shrugging a little. He didn’t want cuddles. He was busy pouting.
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Since he was acting like a grumpy kid who didn’t want kisses, she definitely noticed. She picked up his arm and put it around her, snuggling into his side, “Hey sourpuss..” she kissed his chin, “I know you don’t like him but... I always think of how much I wish my parents were alive so they could meet you. My dad would have hated you at first.” just like Theseus kinda wasn’t a fan of Greed’s exactly, “But I would have wanted him to see how happy you make me. How proud I am of the man you are. How honored I am that you chose me to be with you.” her lashes lowered, “I’ll never get to be part of your family..” hell and her was not a good combination and his siblings played rough. “And I never thought I’d have any family that I could show you off to.. I just..” she shook her head and shrugged, she was rambling and she didn’t know if she was making sense.
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Greed huffed and puffed, rolled his eyes, tried to shake her off but she refused to sit and be quiet. She just kept talking and explaining when he wanted to grump. “Oh, so I would have been able to charm your mother? Did she look anything like you?” She was flattering him now though, he supposed he could quiet down long enough to hear it all so he could puff up like a balloon.
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She laughed, “My mom might have tried to convince you to run away with her. She was a really troubled person but she hid it well. She loved to flirt and was kinda a hippy dippy gal.” she grinned, “And yes, I look like a good mix of my mom and dad.” she put her arm around his middle, “She would have adored you. I think. I wanna believe it.” she leaned back a little to look at his face, “I think she would have told me to bring you over for family dinners and she would have told my dad to try to have man to man talks with you because you were the guy I decided I was going to be with. And she’d want to know everything about you.” she kissed his jaw, “And you know, I think she would have been fine with you being a Sin.” she smiled, liking this.. thinking about fake things her family might have done which might not have been true at all but they were dead so there was no way of knowing so maybe this was better. “I think she’d have made a joke about having you as a ‘Sin-in-law’.” and she gave a goofy grin.
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She was boosting his ego just by telling her stories no matter how imagined they were. He was good at imagining stories, so it was nice to hear someone else fabricate them about him for once. It was like reading his very own storybook. Except the ending was happy like it was supposed to be, not filled with dark, hell-things that lurked at every corner. He didn’t want this to end brutally. It would take him centuries to cover up what she had opened up. Well, maybe not centuries. Maybe a century. “Sin-in-law? Did you really? That was horrible!” He teased.
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She laughed, her mood lighter, “My mom would have! Not me, not me. She would make the worst jokes but my dad always laughed at them. It’s how I knew he really loved her.” she looked at him with adoring eyes. She rarely talked about her family or her past, she always felt like she was boring him.
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“I think I would have run off with your mom.” He laughed. She was giving him an inside view of the would have been. She had things he didn’t ever have and as much as she could give him love and friendship---she couldn’t give him a childhood. He didn’t grow up, he didn’t start as a baby and grow. He was a kid deep down, but he didn’t get to run with the humans starting with little egg-shaped heads and tiny fingers. He didn’t crawl on his knees or was potty trained. He didn’t learn how to ride a bike or play catch. He didn’t have a father in the sense that there was someone to look up to. Greed looked up to himself. He looked out for himself. He got the things he wanted, but when he was around Zoe, something shifted. They weren’t even in fucking Lithuania yet and already the real boy thoughts were starting to flood in. Damnit.
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She grinned, “You so would have.” she kissed along his jaw, “But know what?” she kissed the side of his mouth, “I woulda tracked the both of you down. Sorry, but you’re my guy. Not letting you go for at least ten years. Maybe twenty.”
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He settled back down in his seat comfortably as long as she continued talking about him and throwing around the flattery. The rode wasn't like a usual plane ride. It was a lot quicker. No screaming children kicking the back of his seat or being squished in beside some fat guy that had to squeeze his ass in his face every time he went to go to the bathroom.
Before too long they were stepping off jet and into another world almost unknown by the rest of the world. It was Friday morning as they walked hand in hand down that same town towards the same trail towards the cottage. His vision started to blur over which he told himself was just the trick of the light. When it turned on to full blown headaches he whipped out the shades. Then it was obvious they'd hit that epicenter and it threw his head in for a doozy.
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She loved how it only took a few hours from start to finish to make the trip to Lithuania in a private jet. She wished they could have one on standby and go more often.. there was something really nice and familiar about the town and the same trail they’d taken before. It felt a lot like coming home. She kept an eye on Greed to see how he was and when he seemed a little loose, she put an arm around his waist, like he’d done to her when she’d been out of it, “Hang on... just a little further.” she wanted him to use her for support, “You’re gonna have to help me with the door.. I’ve never done a B&E...” she made a face. She wasn’t in the habit of breaking the law.
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He was pale now against the bright sunlight. It took him a moment to stop and think through the pounding. He wanted to just turn off his ears and all the noise. Thinks like birds singing in the distance were too loud until he'd had a chance to sleep off his jetlag.
"If there's a little window by the door you can use the heel of your shoe," he struggled to get all his words out. It was as if he was out of breath, "and break it. You should be able to twist the door lock open----unless.." he couldn't remember. They might have to go around the back.
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She was really worried about him now and helped him sit down on the porch, “Okay.. okay..” she could do this. She nodded several times listening to him and took off her shoe and went to the window thing. She scrunched up her nose, showing her teeth as she hit the shoe against the window but it was barely a tap. She jumped and then tried again, harder. But her hand let go slipping and the shoe bounced off the glass and smacked to the ground.
Then she remembered, a look of realization on her face, “Wait!” she took off her other heel and disappeared around the side of the house in her bare feet. A couple of minutes later the front door jiggled open from the inside and Zoe stood there. “Remember how the back window always used to get stuck when we’d try to close it..? It still does.” finally, the house’s flaw came in handy. She reached down for him to help him up and get him inside.
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He hardly heard a word she said. When her shoe flopped off the window, he was annoyed and exasperated. He was going to have to do this himself and he had no energy. He was almost up off his knees when she wiggled open the door. "It's about fucking time!" He groped, a sheen of sweat already starting to take over his forehead and neck. Greed took her hand, his legs about to give out from under him. He felt like he was going to be sick.
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Zoe pursed her lips, she’d forgotten what a Prince he became when they first went to a deadzone. She helped him to his feet and didn’t say anything, putting an arm around him and helping him inside. Now they knew how to deal with it but it didn’t make going through it any easier. She took him into the bedroom and it was a shame they weren’t staying long otherwise it was fun to put little personal touches and things there. The mattress had just a cover on it, no sheets but she helped him get on the bed.
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The bed groaned as he flopped face down, rolling over to kick at her when she went to take off his shoes. He mumbled incoherent words, cuddling up to the pillows he so often murdered when they were around her.
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She sighed and rolled her eyes when his foot hit her wrist with his stupid kicks. She’d forgotten what a giant pain he was in these transitions. In Kansas, it was easier on her, she just left him in the car and worried. She left one shoe on so as not to risk getting kicked again and went to the bed as he was getting intimate with the pillows. She put a knee on the mattress and asked gently, “Do you want me to rub your temples?” adding silently in her head... or am I going to get my hands bitten off..
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He swatted her away at first. But when that sharp pain pierced his temples, rolling it through his entire head he waved her to come back. The Sin was a baby when he got put in a box. At least he had visitation rights here unlike Kansas that sucked him right out of Greed.
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She backed off until he wanted her to come back. She put her hands on her hips and then slid onto the bed and gently maneuvered his head into her lap. Her fingertips pressed into his temples which would hurt at first but soon the pressure was rhythmic as she worked her magic.
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He struggled very little, using her lap as a pillow. He closed his eyes, flopping off the shoe she left on. At first he twinged against her fingers, grumbled, but once that calming sensation hit and spread through his body he was quiet. His muscles relaxed, the tension eased through his forehead while she worked.
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Her own defenses were up and she noticed that she got a little more volatile with her emotions when in the deadzone. Not because the geographic location had an effect on her but no matter how much she reminded herself that he was going through something, her basic emotions that didn’t listen to reason still acted up. So she took a little longer, and had more patience. Just like when she tried to take his shoes off and he kicked her, he realized on his own it felt better with it off and did it himself. So right now when his hands tried to stop hers, she stilled them for a moment until he felt the release and let her be. She applied pressure to the temples and even used her thumbs against the sides of his head to help, she’d do it till he fell asleep. Then she’d have to figure out some food for them.
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It was a deep sleep, as if she had shot him with anesthesia. He was out for a few hours, his body adjusting to the shift enough that he could function. He waddled out, barefoot into the main room when he didn't find Zoe in bed with him.
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Zoe didn’t want to leave him alone in case he needed her but when she picked up his arm and let it drop on his chest and he still didn’t move she was pretty sure he was dead to the world for a few hours. So she did things like put their bags inside the room, dust some stuff off, rummage for sheets and blankets since they’d need them later. She rummaged in the cabinets and found some canned stuff from last time still. She remembered how last time he had needed a walk later to get his bearings and clear his head so they might be able to eat this now and go into town for dinner. Not that they planned to spend a lot of time outside of the cottage but they did have to eat. She was looking in the linen closet for towels and stuff because she kept forgetting 1) this wasn’t a hotel and 2) they weren’t supposed to be here.
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He was a little groggy, focusing on her shuffling around cabinets. "What are you looking for? I'm right here." He rubbed the back of his head, his hair poking out in a million different directions from the way he'd laid in bed.
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She was surprised by his voice and turned to look at him, a smile immediately lighting up her face. He looked adorable whenever he was half asleep with his hair tousled and almost a little boy innocence about him. “Huh, I thought this closet was too small to find you in there..” she didn’t go to him though, just hugged a towel to her chest as she looked at him with concern, her eyes crinkling “How’re you feeling...? You want anything?” he must be hungry or thirsty or something.
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They became increasingly domesticated when they first landed. Sex wasn't even on his mind. Mood was definitely a factor. "I'm thirsty. Any beer in this place?" He'd forgotten they just got here and hadn't exactly gone shopping for groceries.
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She was glad to see that he wasn’t too out of it. She set the towel down on the armchair and nodded, “Actually yes... but it’s not cold.” she padded towards the kitchen, “And it’s some Lithuanian brand that I can’t pronounce. I think it’s beer...”
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At least it was something Greed shrugged. He waved his hand for it, taking a seat on the couch. There was a tv but he patted the couch for her to sit with him. He wanted his beer and he wanted something squishy to cuddle up next to.
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She raised a brow when he wanted her to bring him the beer but she’d let it slide since he was a sicky wicky at the moment. She got him the beer and sat down a few inches away from him on the couch after she handed it to him. Normally she tried to get him to do equal work with her but this was an exception.
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She was right. It wasn't cold. "Oh my god this tastes like shit," but it would give him a buzz. Keep the Sin happy with some sort of substance abuse. If he was going to watch then he needed something to keep him awake, because as it was this was kind of boring. When she didn't come closer he scooted towards her on the couch.
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As much as she wanted to pounce his face, she stayed put. She’d seen that he got jostled like a rabbit if she made the first move, it unsettled him. So she let him do what he wanted in his own time. She just looked at him with a small smile, “Well, we can go in town for a meal.. you can get a cold beer there. The last one was good, right?” since he’d stopped at a bar on the last trip where they ended up kissing in the bathroom and he rejected the big boobed bar tender. But the beer had been good she thought.
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He took another swig of that shitty beer, it leaving a gleam on his lips. "We can." He rubbed his tummy. He was a little hungry. That's when he got a sniff of his shirt. "I need a shower first." There was a little mustiness in the air and the sin did always want to look good.
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She raised her brows, surprised.. but she nodded, “Okay... towel’s right there.” she gestured to the armchair that had the abandoned towel on it. It was always a shift whenever he was resettling into his skin. For a little while though, Zoe really didn’t know who she was with. This guy... she was pretty sure the Sin was still hanging around. Beers, smugness, and showers before even kissing her or a smile? Yeah... she was in for a bumpy ride.
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He sat up quickly disgusted with himself. He needed to do things that made him feel like himself. That made him comfortable. Right now he was still in limbo. "I'll be right back." Which meant another hour of him primping himself and in a change of clean clothes, a shave and some cologne. If he was going to be pretty, he was going to smell pretty. When he came back out Zoe was still on the couch.
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Zoe was reading a book with her feet curled up under her as she waited for Greed. Halfway around the world and he was more intimate with her back in New York. Go figure. When he showed up again, she looked up and said, “I think I’ll take a shower too.” a jet might be faster but she still had travel dirt on her and smelled like sweat. The good kind, clean and human.. but still.
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"Yes, go do that." He smoothed out his vest which matched his shoes. He was being a bit smug still, but if they were going to go out, they were going to look presentable. He hadn't yet settled into the boy yet that had wanted to be with her just hours ago. There was still some balancing out to do, and he was still pretty early in the game right now.
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She set down the book, which looked to be about geography, and gave him an odd look with a hint of disdain. He was being an asshole and she didn’t feel like going out with him but she reminded herself, yet again, that he was just settling in. She showered and changed into a nice yellow dress with short sleeves that showed off some of her legs. It had a beaded middle and was the perfect thing to wear for a walk into town for lunch. She didn’t bother with makeup and her hair dried in the warm air, making it soft with a few waves. She just needed to slip her shoes on and they could go.
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He was already at the door when that spot of yellow caught his attention. "What are you wearing?" It popped right out of his mouth as if 'how dare she be so bold?' But the Sin definitely took notice. She was wearing that for his sake and it looked sexy because of the leg that peeked out.
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She looked down at her outfit and then back at him, “A dress?” he was a weird one for sure. He complained about her clothes all the time but if she actually wore something that she thought he might like that she liked herself also.. well he always got very... this about it.
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He circled her a few times, taking it in. That color was a magnet for Greed. It was his honey jar, his kryptonite, he was spellbound by it. He reached out to touch, he couldn't help it, his hand tracing the line of the dress on her shoulder. She could have been wearing nothing and it wouldn't have turned his head as fast as the color yellow did. He suddenly wasn't as put out to be going out with her. He held out his arm expecting her to take it so they could head into town.
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She let him do his little lion circling the prey dance and just gave him a faltering look when he felt her up on the shoulder. He was acting like she was some shame second choice lay that he was stuck with. When he held out his arm, she knew he meant for her to take it.. she was patient and understanding, not a doormat. She just said casually, “Oh, thanks.” and put her hand on his arm to use for leverage as she stood on one leg and put on one shoe and then the other. She smiled at him friendly like but breezed past him out the door, “That place we went to last time was nice, I think they have a lunch special.”
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He stood there with his mouth agape. Did she?---he pushed his way through the door closing it behind him, looking over his shoulder at her with scrunched up eyes. She was still talking to him so maybe?---He wasn't sure. As they walked down the trail he eyed her carefully. Studying her. "What was that? You, the door, my arm?" Sometimes it was the act of being ignored that pulled him closer. Now he was practically walking in her shadow. He was her shadow, not letting even a crack of light get between them.
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She looked at him innocently, “Hmm?” as if she didn’t know what he meant and then furrowed a brow, “Oh, that was really sweet of you to help me with my shoes.” she rubbed his upper arm like he was such a nice friend and then dropped her hands to the skirt of her dress, picking off invisible lint just so her hands were busy and wouldn’t be available to hold his. “So, yes? Same place as last time?” she said conversationally.
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He swiped air when he went for her hand. No it was more obvious. This was deliberate. He considered it a challenge now that she was purposefully putting distance between them. He scratched his head, only to stretch his arms out when she looked his way, linking his fingers together behind his head. "Yes of course."
So, when they went inside he didn't even hold the door open. If she was going to play this game then fine.
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She didn’t expect him to hold the door open, just stuck her hand out to stop it from shutting in her face. She was perfectly pleasant, almost borderline polite. It was giving him what he’d been giving her.. a stranger. The entire meal carried on that way and when they got outside, Zoe plucked a couple of flowers so the hand closest to Greed was now holding something other than his hand again.
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He'd eaten his meal eyeing her like the plague. She had hardly said a word, made a glance, or even acknowledged him with anything other than that smug politeness. Now she was avoiding his hand again. She might be holding flowers but he made sure to stomp on any others so she couldn’t fill her hands. He grumpled the whole walk back, eventually going ahead of her. On his way there was a patch of yellow flowers that he'd found that he didn't step on. He yanked two up, root and all and went inside where he flopped on the couch staring down the door as she came in. When she walked by he laid out his legs in front of her to rest his feet on the island table as a bridge blocking her. It was them that he held up the two yellow flowers. He'd be damned she ignore him now.
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Poor flowers. Zoe still was pleasant on the walk home, she’d point things out or smile but she wasn’t being his girlfriend. It was how you acted with someone who was an acquaintance. When she tried to walk past him and he blocked her path to hand her the yellow flowers, she paused. She took them and smiled, “So pretty. I’ll put them in water for you, okay?” She didn’t think for one second he was giving her the flowers. He’d never gotten her flowers except the single silk rose in Kansas. She assumed he was showing her his flowers which is how things always worked. She turned around the other way (since he’d blocked hers) to go find a mug and fill it with water for their small boquet.
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His charms were failing him here. God he hated it. It made him so mad that she just shrugged and moved on. She walked off with the flowers and when she came back around he made a lunge for her wrist, dragging her down on his lap. That was enough of this. He tangled an arm around her and refused to let her up, nose to nose he whispered in a pathetic voice. "Stop ignoring me." It hurt.
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She blinked when she got pulled into his lap and seemed surprised by his words. “I’m not ignoring you.” she said it in a tone that suggested yeah she was doing something and she knew it but she was definitely not ignoring hm. She had been talking to him. She mentioned the weather, the food, the landscape, she was polite and pleasant. She was even dressed prettily in his favorite color. She was giving him exactly what he was treating her as. Some girl, some ornament, some stranger that he was stuck with.
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"Stop it!" He whined. He didn't like this cold shoulder. "You're talking but its like you're talking to someone else." There was the boy, peeking his head out among the masses of his personalities. There was a wall between them and he wanted it to go away.
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She looked at him with serious eyes, “Because you are someone else.” this guy was not her boyfriend and he wasn’t the Sin, he was some weird other guy, someone she didn’t like. She still loved him, of course. She loved every single face of his. But she didn’t like how he was treating her. She rather have his anger than his smug indifference.
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He whined again with the stamp of his foot. "Oh so you just brush me off then?" He was trying to et comfortable, this wasn't helping. "It's not the face you want right?" He didn't have as much control on who and what came out as he tried to slink into a comfortable place. It felt though as if she didn't desire him at all.
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“Brush you off? I’ve been nothing but understanding with you.” her patience was slipping, this wasn’t how their vacation was supposed to happen but when did things ever go according to plan? She tried to move off his lap, “No, it’s not! I want you, not a face. Not whoever this smug douchey guy is.” she was frustrated. Emotionally, mentally, and sexually.
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"Well deal with it because it's the only face I have right now!" He was yelling now because he was mad. If she rejected this face then it was all of them. "Join the club with everyone who doesn't want Greed." There was a lot of anger coming out stemmed at the very thing they hadn't talked about. It was trickling over into their relationship. Lust, Theseus, now her. He was feeling very threatened and it was lashing out on all sides. This smug bastard she didn't like was trying to keep Greed put together, but he was losing it here in this deadzone.
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She looked at him totally shocked, “Not want you..?” her eyes were wide and then she said in a louder voice than she should have, “I flew halfway around the world because I can’t stop wanting you!” she shoved at his chest, “All I want is you to the point that I’m pretty scared by it!” she was so frustrated, how could he possibly think she didn’t want him? Yes, this face of his was not attractive but she couldn’t fawn all over it because he wasn’t treating her like someone he wanted to connect to, he was treating her like he wanted a doting servant.
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He narrowed his brows at her shove. At least it was something to him. "Stop this pleasant politeness shit. Hit me, get mad Damnit!" Anything that could evoke some sort of passion, because it drew it out of him. "I'm trying to hold it together but I fucking can't here!" There was these waves of emotion to all the shit that had been poking him in New York. Now it was trying to come out and the smug face she saw didn't want Greed to break down into this weak, pathetic thing. The Sin was rolling because this is where things got exciti
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Him telling her to get mad and hit him just made her angrier. But she did, she hit him again. “Who ASKED you to hold it together!?” she yelled at him, “I am trying to be understanding and patient but you’re making it really difficult! You’re acting like you don’t wanna be around me and that everything I’m doing is wrong so tell me,” she shoved him again, at the same time struggling to get off his lap, “What the hell do you want?” once upon a time he’d said it was her, a connection.. but now it just felt like he wanted her to swoon at his feet and be some body for him to graciously fuck so he wouldn’t need to get sex from his sister whom he was upset with.
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"Oh shoving that in my face? Big bad ugly sin doesn't need you is that what you think? He's just so disgusting who the fuck wants to fuck him or be with him?" He was losing it, whether the face tried to cover it it not. He was on slippery ground and wound up like a top. "It's me I'm the problem. I can't hold on to shit. I lose shit. I fuck it up and she's waiting for me to crash."
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She stood up and stared at him as if he'd lost his mind, "Are you crazy? I am with you, as a Sin, as a boy, as a smug asshole. I want to be with you! But you keep pushing me away. I'm not stupid, I know when you keep things from me. Even if it's not some deep dark secret, when it's just something on your mind." she threw up her hands in frustration when he started talking in riddles again, "Lose what? WHO is waiting?" because Zoe certainly wasn't waiting for Greed to crash, she was waiting for him to come back to her.
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It was the human thing to do. Put up walls to block out the real issue. Greed usually bulldozed down those without a thought, here it was just going up without him trying. "Lust, lust, lust." It was needling away at his thoughts, an implanted bug in his head. "I was this close," he motioned with his hands, "this fucking close to spilling to her. She's trying to get to me and fuck Zoe, I can't stick to my guns here. I'm so mad." Mad at Lust, mad at himself. He was going to lose Zoe with Lust, and here in this deadzone it terrified him.
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Zoe could never say it out loud but she hated Greed's sister. Lust was a giant naked thorn in their relationship that could destroy everything on a whim. And hearing her boyfriend repeat the woman's name like that just made her blood boil. He was mad. But he was also freaking out. And Zoe was standing in front of him and he was still sitting and despite everything that he was spewing, about being angry, spilling, not being wanted, she pierced him with a look and said, "Why won't you kiss me." the words were flat, accusatory but curious. He hadn't even tried since they got to the deadzone.
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He stopped on his tirade when she tossed out that question. "What?" He felt a little short of breath and almost as if his chest were trying to collapse from the inside out. It stunted him enough though to think. It was always a transition. "I--I don't know." He was always a little shy when he hit deadzones with her. "I feel disgusting." His shoulders slumped. That human nature of just not knowing how to fit into his own skin.
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She crossed her arms over her chest after all the yelling about how she must find him disgusting and not want to be with him, now they were getting to the truth. "Why?"
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"As a Sin. As a human." He had no balance. Not yet anyway. Usually he was a good medium. He was trying to get a handle on this feeling....this feeling of rejection. It was hard to swallow. "I feel disowned. Like some stray cat thrown out in the rain." He wasn't wanted and how bad was it to be the Sin of want and kicked aside. It was horrible. He wanted to strip himself of that feeling. It was disgusting.
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What hurt more than anything was knowing that he was talking about his sister. No amount of Zoe wanting him was going to make a difference. These trips to the deadzone.. every time they went, it seemed to become a worse and worse idea. Right now, Greed needed a friend, not his scorned girlfriend. She sighed and sat next to him, taking a moment, "I know that you feel like your sister's abandoning you by doing... whatever she's doing." was she really having this conversation? "But to play devil's advocate.. you're doing the same thing, you have someone.." she had a hard time saying the words because it was acknowledging she was second, "..on the side. And..." she trailed off. This was twisted. She patted his knee and stood up all of a sudden, and if he didn't stop her, she'd go to the front door and open it, in desperate need of fresh air. She wouldn't go out, just lean in the doorjamb with arms folded across her chest.
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Lust wasn't just a lover though, and when she got under his skin there was a little boy who didn't want to have his mother and sister go out of sight. She was abandoning him again just to be cruel. It felt like last time only, now, he did have someone to cling to.
"I'm not doing this to spite her." That was the difference. Lust was doing this to watch him crack and bend under her.
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His words just made it worse, "It doesn't matter." she said quietly, her eyes filling with tears. Her voice was soft, strained, "I can't do this." she took a deep breath and looked at the beautiful greenery outside, "I cannot comfort you about her." it was too messed up. It took a lot for Zoe to accept that Greed slept with his sister and would always do it, it took everything she had to handle it but this? She was going to crumble into dust. She played second in Greed's life and was made sure to be kept in that spot by him and his sister. By comforting Greed or trying to make him feel better, Zoe was putting herself in that second slot she hated. And she was going to end up hating herself if she did that. It was going to send the wrong message to Greed. It wasn't going to be 'i accept this is what you have to do with your sister in order to have a relationship with me', it was going to become 'i am okay with being second'. And she wasn't. "I'm really sorry." she meant it. She was sorry that no matter how much she wanted him it didn't matter because that wasn't the issue with him, she was sorry she loved him, she was sorry that they took this trip to find out this was the problem.
WHEN: Friday
WHERE: Airport, Lithuania
WHAT: The kiddos take over a jet and wind up in a mess
WARNING: The most brutal fight yet
Zoe was incredibly excited about getting to go to Lithuania again. They hadn't been in months and even though they'd gone to Kansas, that too was months ago. She didn't get to see Greed as much since he worked late nights so he could take Friday off. She spent the time getting in extra shifts if she could and being productive. But finally Thursday rolled around and after Greed got off work, it was time to grab Zoe and the bags and head to the airport where Theseus would be waiting for them with his dad's private company jet. Anybody would be excited about going on a jet but it was easy to tell that Zoe was more excited about actually going with Greed to the less than popular Lithuania European destination.
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Poseidon had been so busy grilling Theseus about his reckless comments and Amphitrite that it was easy to make arrangements for the jet. Poseidon usually had his weekend trips, but this one was spent in New York. It came out more to luck and timing than anything----and as much as Theseus was for running into trouble, he had his share of luck.
He was there to keep an eye out for any changes. He had his eye on the phone and the time. He'd fly it himself if he could actually steer a pilots wheel the same as a boat. He was more comfortable on water than sailing the clouds.
When the two finally showed he was somewhat relieved and tense. He gave Zoe a reprimand as if he had the right to. He wasn't her father but he felt as much these days. "No later than Tuesday." He'd already discussed with the pilot that the two were helping him with a project of Mr. Rubis'. Poseidon had Theseus do a lot of his dirty work, it wasn't the first time he'd swiped the jet. He was nervous though. That was obvious.
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Zoe sighed like a teenager that was being told to be careful with Daddy’s car but smiled. “Don’t worry, Mr. Moreau, we’ll be back before then. Chance has work.” she didn’t need a big suitcase like last time because the trip was so short. Just a duffle and a backpack and of course all of Greed’s luggage...
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"I told you my name. No more Mr. Moreau." It was so formal. He didn't even recognize it anymore when she said it. It was a past self, it wasn't the same man today, though all he was was a mix of fake aliases and past lives. "Now get going before I change my mind..."
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She smiled, this trip meant a lot to her, to her and Greed both. She suddenly hugged him, a quick loving hug with a squeeze as she whispered, “Thanks..” the jet’s engines were loud so her words were drowned out but it almost sounded like she called him papou, the Greek word for Grandfather. He was a mix of fake aliases and abandoned lives, a tragic hero, a demi god... but underneath all that, to her.. he was just her grandfather.
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That squeeze nearly choked him. Maybe loosened a few muscles that had tightened up from tension. She didn't even realize the feeling it left behind before boarding the plane. He didn't give her a final goodbye or a your welcome, he just felt a little more at ease that he'd done the right thing. Even if for just a brief moment.
Greed eyed from the plane, giving her a hard glare when she joined him. "Getting all cuddly on him now?"
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She didn’t expect anything from Theseus, no hug or words. She did what she wanted to do which was give her grandfather a hug of thanks. She picked up her bags and got on the jet leaving him to do whatever it was he was going to do.
She sighed as she looked at Greed and put her luggage in the locker style loading thing on the jet, she had a gentle smile on her face, “He did a nice thing, I’m excited, so I hugged him.. is that so bad?”
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Greed shook off an itchy feeling. He didn't know how to feel about her getting cozy with granddaddy. "I don't like him." Even though Greeds reasonings were just completely selfish no matter what the Greek did. He was paying favors. That was all. Though once Greed had told Zoe to give family a chance, Theseus wouldnt let him in, so he saw the face he wanted.
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She flopped down next to him, “I don’t know if I like him either. But he’s trying.” she gave him a sad puppy dog look with a small smile, “Aren’t you always talking about how important family is?”
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“He’s not trying. He’s trying to escape his debt. He’ll do anything to check out of a few thousand dollars he doesn’t have right now.” That was Greed’s analysis at least. Until Theseus showed him some respect. He wasn’t taking Zoe away from him, nor was he going to ease his way into her life and try to convince her otherwise. It could happen, especially when he laid on the ‘grandfather’ bit real thick.
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Zoe’s shoulders slumped and she looked like a kicked puppy, “Oh.” she sounded disappointed and maybe a little hurt. Her brow was furrowed as she hadn’t thought of it that way before. That Theseus was basically doing what he had to do to save his money.. that it didn’t really have anything to do with her. She turned her head towards him but didn’t look at him, “You don’t think he likes me at all..? Even a little?”
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“I think he’s trying to run but he’s stuck.” If the guy had the open opportunity he would go and leave her without a second thought. “He has his boat now. Once he pays off his debt you can wait and see. I won’t have him step in on my turf though.” Greed was not about to let Theseus try to run the show in Zoeworld and pretended he cared. The fact of the matter was Greed didn’t know, it’s why he barked that it was a rouse. Not her at all. People had ulterior motives, it’s how he got his hands on so much. But....
things had changed with her. He had told her family was important. Theseus was all she had other than him, but selfishly Greed wanted to be her only family. “Maybe he does. But you’ll have to wait it out.” Not that he was good on waiting at all, the very idea of things turning up on it’s head made his stomach flop.
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She looked more and more depressed with every word out of his mouth, her eyes glued to the window and the darkness outside. But at his ending line she perked up and looked at him, the light coming back in her eyes. That single solitary ‘maybe’ was enough to boost her hope back up and she kissed his cheek. “Maybe. I mean.. he still owes some money. So we’ll have to see him again, right?” she seemed to like the idea.
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It was that bounciness in her reply that made him grumble. “I suppose.” Greed didn’t want to see him again if all he did was project the side of himself that could make him lose the only thing he wanted to hang onto. It seemed trite to put blame on someone else, but in Theseus’ case he was the perfect scapegoat. He was a magnet for negative attention. Him tangling himself around his sister didn’t make Greed’s taste for the Greek any less sour. “As long as I get my 30k.” In some fashion or another. He twitched against her kiss, his shoulders shrugging a little. He didn’t want cuddles. He was busy pouting.
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Since he was acting like a grumpy kid who didn’t want kisses, she definitely noticed. She picked up his arm and put it around her, snuggling into his side, “Hey sourpuss..” she kissed his chin, “I know you don’t like him but... I always think of how much I wish my parents were alive so they could meet you. My dad would have hated you at first.” just like Theseus kinda wasn’t a fan of Greed’s exactly, “But I would have wanted him to see how happy you make me. How proud I am of the man you are. How honored I am that you chose me to be with you.” her lashes lowered, “I’ll never get to be part of your family..” hell and her was not a good combination and his siblings played rough. “And I never thought I’d have any family that I could show you off to.. I just..” she shook her head and shrugged, she was rambling and she didn’t know if she was making sense.
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Greed huffed and puffed, rolled his eyes, tried to shake her off but she refused to sit and be quiet. She just kept talking and explaining when he wanted to grump. “Oh, so I would have been able to charm your mother? Did she look anything like you?” She was flattering him now though, he supposed he could quiet down long enough to hear it all so he could puff up like a balloon.
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She laughed, “My mom might have tried to convince you to run away with her. She was a really troubled person but she hid it well. She loved to flirt and was kinda a hippy dippy gal.” she grinned, “And yes, I look like a good mix of my mom and dad.” she put her arm around his middle, “She would have adored you. I think. I wanna believe it.” she leaned back a little to look at his face, “I think she would have told me to bring you over for family dinners and she would have told my dad to try to have man to man talks with you because you were the guy I decided I was going to be with. And she’d want to know everything about you.” she kissed his jaw, “And you know, I think she would have been fine with you being a Sin.” she smiled, liking this.. thinking about fake things her family might have done which might not have been true at all but they were dead so there was no way of knowing so maybe this was better. “I think she’d have made a joke about having you as a ‘Sin-in-law’.” and she gave a goofy grin.
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She was boosting his ego just by telling her stories no matter how imagined they were. He was good at imagining stories, so it was nice to hear someone else fabricate them about him for once. It was like reading his very own storybook. Except the ending was happy like it was supposed to be, not filled with dark, hell-things that lurked at every corner. He didn’t want this to end brutally. It would take him centuries to cover up what she had opened up. Well, maybe not centuries. Maybe a century. “Sin-in-law? Did you really? That was horrible!” He teased.
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She laughed, her mood lighter, “My mom would have! Not me, not me. She would make the worst jokes but my dad always laughed at them. It’s how I knew he really loved her.” she looked at him with adoring eyes. She rarely talked about her family or her past, she always felt like she was boring him.
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“I think I would have run off with your mom.” He laughed. She was giving him an inside view of the would have been. She had things he didn’t ever have and as much as she could give him love and friendship---she couldn’t give him a childhood. He didn’t grow up, he didn’t start as a baby and grow. He was a kid deep down, but he didn’t get to run with the humans starting with little egg-shaped heads and tiny fingers. He didn’t crawl on his knees or was potty trained. He didn’t learn how to ride a bike or play catch. He didn’t have a father in the sense that there was someone to look up to. Greed looked up to himself. He looked out for himself. He got the things he wanted, but when he was around Zoe, something shifted. They weren’t even in fucking Lithuania yet and already the real boy thoughts were starting to flood in. Damnit.
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She grinned, “You so would have.” she kissed along his jaw, “But know what?” she kissed the side of his mouth, “I woulda tracked the both of you down. Sorry, but you’re my guy. Not letting you go for at least ten years. Maybe twenty.”
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He settled back down in his seat comfortably as long as she continued talking about him and throwing around the flattery. The rode wasn't like a usual plane ride. It was a lot quicker. No screaming children kicking the back of his seat or being squished in beside some fat guy that had to squeeze his ass in his face every time he went to go to the bathroom.
Before too long they were stepping off jet and into another world almost unknown by the rest of the world. It was Friday morning as they walked hand in hand down that same town towards the same trail towards the cottage. His vision started to blur over which he told himself was just the trick of the light. When it turned on to full blown headaches he whipped out the shades. Then it was obvious they'd hit that epicenter and it threw his head in for a doozy.
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She loved how it only took a few hours from start to finish to make the trip to Lithuania in a private jet. She wished they could have one on standby and go more often.. there was something really nice and familiar about the town and the same trail they’d taken before. It felt a lot like coming home. She kept an eye on Greed to see how he was and when he seemed a little loose, she put an arm around his waist, like he’d done to her when she’d been out of it, “Hang on... just a little further.” she wanted him to use her for support, “You’re gonna have to help me with the door.. I’ve never done a B&E...” she made a face. She wasn’t in the habit of breaking the law.
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He was pale now against the bright sunlight. It took him a moment to stop and think through the pounding. He wanted to just turn off his ears and all the noise. Thinks like birds singing in the distance were too loud until he'd had a chance to sleep off his jetlag.
"If there's a little window by the door you can use the heel of your shoe," he struggled to get all his words out. It was as if he was out of breath, "and break it. You should be able to twist the door lock open----unless.." he couldn't remember. They might have to go around the back.
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She was really worried about him now and helped him sit down on the porch, “Okay.. okay..” she could do this. She nodded several times listening to him and took off her shoe and went to the window thing. She scrunched up her nose, showing her teeth as she hit the shoe against the window but it was barely a tap. She jumped and then tried again, harder. But her hand let go slipping and the shoe bounced off the glass and smacked to the ground.
Then she remembered, a look of realization on her face, “Wait!” she took off her other heel and disappeared around the side of the house in her bare feet. A couple of minutes later the front door jiggled open from the inside and Zoe stood there. “Remember how the back window always used to get stuck when we’d try to close it..? It still does.” finally, the house’s flaw came in handy. She reached down for him to help him up and get him inside.
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He hardly heard a word she said. When her shoe flopped off the window, he was annoyed and exasperated. He was going to have to do this himself and he had no energy. He was almost up off his knees when she wiggled open the door. "It's about fucking time!" He groped, a sheen of sweat already starting to take over his forehead and neck. Greed took her hand, his legs about to give out from under him. He felt like he was going to be sick.
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Zoe pursed her lips, she’d forgotten what a Prince he became when they first went to a deadzone. She helped him to his feet and didn’t say anything, putting an arm around him and helping him inside. Now they knew how to deal with it but it didn’t make going through it any easier. She took him into the bedroom and it was a shame they weren’t staying long otherwise it was fun to put little personal touches and things there. The mattress had just a cover on it, no sheets but she helped him get on the bed.
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The bed groaned as he flopped face down, rolling over to kick at her when she went to take off his shoes. He mumbled incoherent words, cuddling up to the pillows he so often murdered when they were around her.
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She sighed and rolled her eyes when his foot hit her wrist with his stupid kicks. She’d forgotten what a giant pain he was in these transitions. In Kansas, it was easier on her, she just left him in the car and worried. She left one shoe on so as not to risk getting kicked again and went to the bed as he was getting intimate with the pillows. She put a knee on the mattress and asked gently, “Do you want me to rub your temples?” adding silently in her head... or am I going to get my hands bitten off..
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He swatted her away at first. But when that sharp pain pierced his temples, rolling it through his entire head he waved her to come back. The Sin was a baby when he got put in a box. At least he had visitation rights here unlike Kansas that sucked him right out of Greed.
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She backed off until he wanted her to come back. She put her hands on her hips and then slid onto the bed and gently maneuvered his head into her lap. Her fingertips pressed into his temples which would hurt at first but soon the pressure was rhythmic as she worked her magic.
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He struggled very little, using her lap as a pillow. He closed his eyes, flopping off the shoe she left on. At first he twinged against her fingers, grumbled, but once that calming sensation hit and spread through his body he was quiet. His muscles relaxed, the tension eased through his forehead while she worked.
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Her own defenses were up and she noticed that she got a little more volatile with her emotions when in the deadzone. Not because the geographic location had an effect on her but no matter how much she reminded herself that he was going through something, her basic emotions that didn’t listen to reason still acted up. So she took a little longer, and had more patience. Just like when she tried to take his shoes off and he kicked her, he realized on his own it felt better with it off and did it himself. So right now when his hands tried to stop hers, she stilled them for a moment until he felt the release and let her be. She applied pressure to the temples and even used her thumbs against the sides of his head to help, she’d do it till he fell asleep. Then she’d have to figure out some food for them.
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It was a deep sleep, as if she had shot him with anesthesia. He was out for a few hours, his body adjusting to the shift enough that he could function. He waddled out, barefoot into the main room when he didn't find Zoe in bed with him.
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Zoe didn’t want to leave him alone in case he needed her but when she picked up his arm and let it drop on his chest and he still didn’t move she was pretty sure he was dead to the world for a few hours. So she did things like put their bags inside the room, dust some stuff off, rummage for sheets and blankets since they’d need them later. She rummaged in the cabinets and found some canned stuff from last time still. She remembered how last time he had needed a walk later to get his bearings and clear his head so they might be able to eat this now and go into town for dinner. Not that they planned to spend a lot of time outside of the cottage but they did have to eat. She was looking in the linen closet for towels and stuff because she kept forgetting 1) this wasn’t a hotel and 2) they weren’t supposed to be here.
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He was a little groggy, focusing on her shuffling around cabinets. "What are you looking for? I'm right here." He rubbed the back of his head, his hair poking out in a million different directions from the way he'd laid in bed.
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She was surprised by his voice and turned to look at him, a smile immediately lighting up her face. He looked adorable whenever he was half asleep with his hair tousled and almost a little boy innocence about him. “Huh, I thought this closet was too small to find you in there..” she didn’t go to him though, just hugged a towel to her chest as she looked at him with concern, her eyes crinkling “How’re you feeling...? You want anything?” he must be hungry or thirsty or something.
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They became increasingly domesticated when they first landed. Sex wasn't even on his mind. Mood was definitely a factor. "I'm thirsty. Any beer in this place?" He'd forgotten they just got here and hadn't exactly gone shopping for groceries.
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She was glad to see that he wasn’t too out of it. She set the towel down on the armchair and nodded, “Actually yes... but it’s not cold.” she padded towards the kitchen, “And it’s some Lithuanian brand that I can’t pronounce. I think it’s beer...”
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At least it was something Greed shrugged. He waved his hand for it, taking a seat on the couch. There was a tv but he patted the couch for her to sit with him. He wanted his beer and he wanted something squishy to cuddle up next to.
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She raised a brow when he wanted her to bring him the beer but she’d let it slide since he was a sicky wicky at the moment. She got him the beer and sat down a few inches away from him on the couch after she handed it to him. Normally she tried to get him to do equal work with her but this was an exception.
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She was right. It wasn't cold. "Oh my god this tastes like shit," but it would give him a buzz. Keep the Sin happy with some sort of substance abuse. If he was going to watch then he needed something to keep him awake, because as it was this was kind of boring. When she didn't come closer he scooted towards her on the couch.
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As much as she wanted to pounce his face, she stayed put. She’d seen that he got jostled like a rabbit if she made the first move, it unsettled him. So she let him do what he wanted in his own time. She just looked at him with a small smile, “Well, we can go in town for a meal.. you can get a cold beer there. The last one was good, right?” since he’d stopped at a bar on the last trip where they ended up kissing in the bathroom and he rejected the big boobed bar tender. But the beer had been good she thought.
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He took another swig of that shitty beer, it leaving a gleam on his lips. "We can." He rubbed his tummy. He was a little hungry. That's when he got a sniff of his shirt. "I need a shower first." There was a little mustiness in the air and the sin did always want to look good.
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She raised her brows, surprised.. but she nodded, “Okay... towel’s right there.” she gestured to the armchair that had the abandoned towel on it. It was always a shift whenever he was resettling into his skin. For a little while though, Zoe really didn’t know who she was with. This guy... she was pretty sure the Sin was still hanging around. Beers, smugness, and showers before even kissing her or a smile? Yeah... she was in for a bumpy ride.
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He sat up quickly disgusted with himself. He needed to do things that made him feel like himself. That made him comfortable. Right now he was still in limbo. "I'll be right back." Which meant another hour of him primping himself and in a change of clean clothes, a shave and some cologne. If he was going to be pretty, he was going to smell pretty. When he came back out Zoe was still on the couch.
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Zoe was reading a book with her feet curled up under her as she waited for Greed. Halfway around the world and he was more intimate with her back in New York. Go figure. When he showed up again, she looked up and said, “I think I’ll take a shower too.” a jet might be faster but she still had travel dirt on her and smelled like sweat. The good kind, clean and human.. but still.
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"Yes, go do that." He smoothed out his vest which matched his shoes. He was being a bit smug still, but if they were going to go out, they were going to look presentable. He hadn't yet settled into the boy yet that had wanted to be with her just hours ago. There was still some balancing out to do, and he was still pretty early in the game right now.
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She set down the book, which looked to be about geography, and gave him an odd look with a hint of disdain. He was being an asshole and she didn’t feel like going out with him but she reminded herself, yet again, that he was just settling in. She showered and changed into a nice yellow dress with short sleeves that showed off some of her legs. It had a beaded middle and was the perfect thing to wear for a walk into town for lunch. She didn’t bother with makeup and her hair dried in the warm air, making it soft with a few waves. She just needed to slip her shoes on and they could go.
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He was already at the door when that spot of yellow caught his attention. "What are you wearing?" It popped right out of his mouth as if 'how dare she be so bold?' But the Sin definitely took notice. She was wearing that for his sake and it looked sexy because of the leg that peeked out.
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She looked down at her outfit and then back at him, “A dress?” he was a weird one for sure. He complained about her clothes all the time but if she actually wore something that she thought he might like that she liked herself also.. well he always got very... this about it.
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He circled her a few times, taking it in. That color was a magnet for Greed. It was his honey jar, his kryptonite, he was spellbound by it. He reached out to touch, he couldn't help it, his hand tracing the line of the dress on her shoulder. She could have been wearing nothing and it wouldn't have turned his head as fast as the color yellow did. He suddenly wasn't as put out to be going out with her. He held out his arm expecting her to take it so they could head into town.
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She let him do his little lion circling the prey dance and just gave him a faltering look when he felt her up on the shoulder. He was acting like she was some shame second choice lay that he was stuck with. When he held out his arm, she knew he meant for her to take it.. she was patient and understanding, not a doormat. She just said casually, “Oh, thanks.” and put her hand on his arm to use for leverage as she stood on one leg and put on one shoe and then the other. She smiled at him friendly like but breezed past him out the door, “That place we went to last time was nice, I think they have a lunch special.”
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He stood there with his mouth agape. Did she?---he pushed his way through the door closing it behind him, looking over his shoulder at her with scrunched up eyes. She was still talking to him so maybe?---He wasn't sure. As they walked down the trail he eyed her carefully. Studying her. "What was that? You, the door, my arm?" Sometimes it was the act of being ignored that pulled him closer. Now he was practically walking in her shadow. He was her shadow, not letting even a crack of light get between them.
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She looked at him innocently, “Hmm?” as if she didn’t know what he meant and then furrowed a brow, “Oh, that was really sweet of you to help me with my shoes.” she rubbed his upper arm like he was such a nice friend and then dropped her hands to the skirt of her dress, picking off invisible lint just so her hands were busy and wouldn’t be available to hold his. “So, yes? Same place as last time?” she said conversationally.
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He swiped air when he went for her hand. No it was more obvious. This was deliberate. He considered it a challenge now that she was purposefully putting distance between them. He scratched his head, only to stretch his arms out when she looked his way, linking his fingers together behind his head. "Yes of course."
So, when they went inside he didn't even hold the door open. If she was going to play this game then fine.
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She didn’t expect him to hold the door open, just stuck her hand out to stop it from shutting in her face. She was perfectly pleasant, almost borderline polite. It was giving him what he’d been giving her.. a stranger. The entire meal carried on that way and when they got outside, Zoe plucked a couple of flowers so the hand closest to Greed was now holding something other than his hand again.
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He'd eaten his meal eyeing her like the plague. She had hardly said a word, made a glance, or even acknowledged him with anything other than that smug politeness. Now she was avoiding his hand again. She might be holding flowers but he made sure to stomp on any others so she couldn’t fill her hands. He grumpled the whole walk back, eventually going ahead of her. On his way there was a patch of yellow flowers that he'd found that he didn't step on. He yanked two up, root and all and went inside where he flopped on the couch staring down the door as she came in. When she walked by he laid out his legs in front of her to rest his feet on the island table as a bridge blocking her. It was them that he held up the two yellow flowers. He'd be damned she ignore him now.
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Poor flowers. Zoe still was pleasant on the walk home, she’d point things out or smile but she wasn’t being his girlfriend. It was how you acted with someone who was an acquaintance. When she tried to walk past him and he blocked her path to hand her the yellow flowers, she paused. She took them and smiled, “So pretty. I’ll put them in water for you, okay?” She didn’t think for one second he was giving her the flowers. He’d never gotten her flowers except the single silk rose in Kansas. She assumed he was showing her his flowers which is how things always worked. She turned around the other way (since he’d blocked hers) to go find a mug and fill it with water for their small boquet.
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His charms were failing him here. God he hated it. It made him so mad that she just shrugged and moved on. She walked off with the flowers and when she came back around he made a lunge for her wrist, dragging her down on his lap. That was enough of this. He tangled an arm around her and refused to let her up, nose to nose he whispered in a pathetic voice. "Stop ignoring me." It hurt.
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She blinked when she got pulled into his lap and seemed surprised by his words. “I’m not ignoring you.” she said it in a tone that suggested yeah she was doing something and she knew it but she was definitely not ignoring hm. She had been talking to him. She mentioned the weather, the food, the landscape, she was polite and pleasant. She was even dressed prettily in his favorite color. She was giving him exactly what he was treating her as. Some girl, some ornament, some stranger that he was stuck with.
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"Stop it!" He whined. He didn't like this cold shoulder. "You're talking but its like you're talking to someone else." There was the boy, peeking his head out among the masses of his personalities. There was a wall between them and he wanted it to go away.
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She looked at him with serious eyes, “Because you are someone else.” this guy was not her boyfriend and he wasn’t the Sin, he was some weird other guy, someone she didn’t like. She still loved him, of course. She loved every single face of his. But she didn’t like how he was treating her. She rather have his anger than his smug indifference.
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He whined again with the stamp of his foot. "Oh so you just brush me off then?" He was trying to et comfortable, this wasn't helping. "It's not the face you want right?" He didn't have as much control on who and what came out as he tried to slink into a comfortable place. It felt though as if she didn't desire him at all.
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“Brush you off? I’ve been nothing but understanding with you.” her patience was slipping, this wasn’t how their vacation was supposed to happen but when did things ever go according to plan? She tried to move off his lap, “No, it’s not! I want you, not a face. Not whoever this smug douchey guy is.” she was frustrated. Emotionally, mentally, and sexually.
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"Well deal with it because it's the only face I have right now!" He was yelling now because he was mad. If she rejected this face then it was all of them. "Join the club with everyone who doesn't want Greed." There was a lot of anger coming out stemmed at the very thing they hadn't talked about. It was trickling over into their relationship. Lust, Theseus, now her. He was feeling very threatened and it was lashing out on all sides. This smug bastard she didn't like was trying to keep Greed put together, but he was losing it here in this deadzone.
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She looked at him totally shocked, “Not want you..?” her eyes were wide and then she said in a louder voice than she should have, “I flew halfway around the world because I can’t stop wanting you!” she shoved at his chest, “All I want is you to the point that I’m pretty scared by it!” she was so frustrated, how could he possibly think she didn’t want him? Yes, this face of his was not attractive but she couldn’t fawn all over it because he wasn’t treating her like someone he wanted to connect to, he was treating her like he wanted a doting servant.
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He narrowed his brows at her shove. At least it was something to him. "Stop this pleasant politeness shit. Hit me, get mad Damnit!" Anything that could evoke some sort of passion, because it drew it out of him. "I'm trying to hold it together but I fucking can't here!" There was these waves of emotion to all the shit that had been poking him in New York. Now it was trying to come out and the smug face she saw didn't want Greed to break down into this weak, pathetic thing. The Sin was rolling because this is where things got exciti
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Him telling her to get mad and hit him just made her angrier. But she did, she hit him again. “Who ASKED you to hold it together!?” she yelled at him, “I am trying to be understanding and patient but you’re making it really difficult! You’re acting like you don’t wanna be around me and that everything I’m doing is wrong so tell me,” she shoved him again, at the same time struggling to get off his lap, “What the hell do you want?” once upon a time he’d said it was her, a connection.. but now it just felt like he wanted her to swoon at his feet and be some body for him to graciously fuck so he wouldn’t need to get sex from his sister whom he was upset with.
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"Oh shoving that in my face? Big bad ugly sin doesn't need you is that what you think? He's just so disgusting who the fuck wants to fuck him or be with him?" He was losing it, whether the face tried to cover it it not. He was on slippery ground and wound up like a top. "It's me I'm the problem. I can't hold on to shit. I lose shit. I fuck it up and she's waiting for me to crash."
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She stood up and stared at him as if he'd lost his mind, "Are you crazy? I am with you, as a Sin, as a boy, as a smug asshole. I want to be with you! But you keep pushing me away. I'm not stupid, I know when you keep things from me. Even if it's not some deep dark secret, when it's just something on your mind." she threw up her hands in frustration when he started talking in riddles again, "Lose what? WHO is waiting?" because Zoe certainly wasn't waiting for Greed to crash, she was waiting for him to come back to her.
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It was the human thing to do. Put up walls to block out the real issue. Greed usually bulldozed down those without a thought, here it was just going up without him trying. "Lust, lust, lust." It was needling away at his thoughts, an implanted bug in his head. "I was this close," he motioned with his hands, "this fucking close to spilling to her. She's trying to get to me and fuck Zoe, I can't stick to my guns here. I'm so mad." Mad at Lust, mad at himself. He was going to lose Zoe with Lust, and here in this deadzone it terrified him.
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Zoe could never say it out loud but she hated Greed's sister. Lust was a giant naked thorn in their relationship that could destroy everything on a whim. And hearing her boyfriend repeat the woman's name like that just made her blood boil. He was mad. But he was also freaking out. And Zoe was standing in front of him and he was still sitting and despite everything that he was spewing, about being angry, spilling, not being wanted, she pierced him with a look and said, "Why won't you kiss me." the words were flat, accusatory but curious. He hadn't even tried since they got to the deadzone.
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He stopped on his tirade when she tossed out that question. "What?" He felt a little short of breath and almost as if his chest were trying to collapse from the inside out. It stunted him enough though to think. It was always a transition. "I--I don't know." He was always a little shy when he hit deadzones with her. "I feel disgusting." His shoulders slumped. That human nature of just not knowing how to fit into his own skin.
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She crossed her arms over her chest after all the yelling about how she must find him disgusting and not want to be with him, now they were getting to the truth. "Why?"
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"As a Sin. As a human." He had no balance. Not yet anyway. Usually he was a good medium. He was trying to get a handle on this feeling....this feeling of rejection. It was hard to swallow. "I feel disowned. Like some stray cat thrown out in the rain." He wasn't wanted and how bad was it to be the Sin of want and kicked aside. It was horrible. He wanted to strip himself of that feeling. It was disgusting.
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What hurt more than anything was knowing that he was talking about his sister. No amount of Zoe wanting him was going to make a difference. These trips to the deadzone.. every time they went, it seemed to become a worse and worse idea. Right now, Greed needed a friend, not his scorned girlfriend. She sighed and sat next to him, taking a moment, "I know that you feel like your sister's abandoning you by doing... whatever she's doing." was she really having this conversation? "But to play devil's advocate.. you're doing the same thing, you have someone.." she had a hard time saying the words because it was acknowledging she was second, "..on the side. And..." she trailed off. This was twisted. She patted his knee and stood up all of a sudden, and if he didn't stop her, she'd go to the front door and open it, in desperate need of fresh air. She wouldn't go out, just lean in the doorjamb with arms folded across her chest.
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Lust wasn't just a lover though, and when she got under his skin there was a little boy who didn't want to have his mother and sister go out of sight. She was abandoning him again just to be cruel. It felt like last time only, now, he did have someone to cling to.
"I'm not doing this to spite her." That was the difference. Lust was doing this to watch him crack and bend under her.
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His words just made it worse, "It doesn't matter." she said quietly, her eyes filling with tears. Her voice was soft, strained, "I can't do this." she took a deep breath and looked at the beautiful greenery outside, "I cannot comfort you about her." it was too messed up. It took a lot for Zoe to accept that Greed slept with his sister and would always do it, it took everything she had to handle it but this? She was going to crumble into dust. She played second in Greed's life and was made sure to be kept in that spot by him and his sister. By comforting Greed or trying to make him feel better, Zoe was putting herself in that second slot she hated. And she was going to end up hating herself if she did that. It was going to send the wrong message to Greed. It wasn't going to be 'i accept this is what you have to do with your sister in order to have a relationship with me', it was going to become 'i am okay with being second'. And she wasn't. "I'm really sorry." she meant it. She was sorry that no matter how much she wanted him it didn't matter because that wasn't the issue with him, she was sorry she loved him, she was sorry that they took this trip to find out this was the problem.