Zoe (history_repeats) wrote in nevermore_logs, @ 2013-05-14 09:30:00 |
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Entry tags: | greed, zoe hansen |
Who: Greed and Zoe
When: Thursday [Backdated]
What: After Greed's sex coma, he and Zoe try to find their footing again
Where: Toy store, ice skating rink, Zoe's aparment
Warnings: Nakedness, snarkiness.
Status: Complete
Recovering from Lust’s total domination was like a drug addict coming off a high. It seemed like Greed had been sedated for weeks when he finally stumbled out of bed. He was exhausted having spent weeks under the radar with Zoe, hoping around his human boy tendencies and domesticating himself with her. He had worn the big boy pants and proved he could still carry the torch as King without a fuss. Lust was pissed about it still, he could tell she had wanted to gloat---but he’d got to hold that title for a little while longer.
As he crept out of that dark den into the light, he slipped behind his dark shades to hide from the sunny afternoon. He didn’t even remember driving back to his own apartment. Miles away and he was still heavily dosed with Lust’s juices. She was a succubus, and his domesticated self was tired. She had pumped him something heavy, but his Sin was definitely sedated, fat and happy.
It took him days to wear off, shower, then bounce back around with the outside world. Greed never could be locked up indoors for too long before he grew bored. He hadn’t contacted Zoe, as was to be expected when he’d tangled with Lust. He hadn’t even heard his alarm go off he’d slept so hard. As usual though, he felt there was somewhere he needed to be. His eyes grew wide when he drove past the giant toy store, backing up and peeling tires into the parking lot. It didn’t dawn on him Zoe was there, he just saw the big sign outside and he immediately went in, plowing through the spinny door like a kid in a candy store. Greed was big, definitely too big to fit into the kids cars, but it was a weekday afternoon, after school hours, so there were plenty of children to kick out so he could stuff his ass inside---even though he had a big boys car outside to drive.
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Zoe took extra shifts at work to just take her mind off the exchange Greed was doing on Sunday and then the inevitable fuckfest he’d have with his sister. She was okay with it. Sort of. It just felt like a hot needle being run through her heart knowing he wouldn’t be able to pick his own girlfriend out of a lineup after he was with Lust. He had promised he’d let her know he was okay at least so she wouldn’t be worried Theseus or Lust figured out that a switch happened and did something to him. But he didn’t text or call and she just worked non-stop since Sunday. She was running on very little sleep but hey, extra money, meant she could pay rent and have a roof over her head for another month. She figured he was okay though because if foul play had been suspected then she was pretty sure some immortal would have grabbed her by now to get the real goods. Right now she was holding someone’s one year old baby and playing with him while their parent was trying to find the right toy. The child was adorable and it was one of those rare moments (coupled with her less than happy feelings towards Greed) that she came close to regret. She didn’t. But close.
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Having slept through that alarm jostled no recollection that he needed to contact Zoe. He had since moved on from playing with cars breezing up and down aisles when he saw her from a distance.
It had shot back memories of them playing nanny with baby Ava, that being the shake he needed to talk to her. He started to approach but he felt like playing. His Sin was back in full swing, it was out playing its own round of monopoly. He'd passed go, but he'd yet to collect his two hundred.
Greed dialed her number, hiding behind a big cardboard cutout of Iron Man as he peeked around like a stalker. He even spoke in a creepy voice to say hello when she picked up.
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Zoe clearly loved the kid as she cooed over the girl who had light brown hair and her own freckles that matched Zoe. When her phone went off and she saw who it was, she didn’t pick up right away. She stared at the ID as if debating but she was worried despite wanting to punch him in the head so she answered. At his creepy hello, she responded flatly, “You’re alive. Joy. I’m working.” she didn’t mean it to sound so abrupt but he had no idea what it was like on her end of things.
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Greed pouted not pleased with her response. She hadn't smiled at all. "So?" He said in a huff. "I could be laying in a ditch with my legs cut off and that's all you have to say?" He glared daggers into that sweet baby she held, eventually it breaking into a cry when its mother stepped around the corner of the aisle finally deciding on the toy she wanted. Babies never liked their mothers not within eyesight. Greed could play on that, children were greedier than adults, especially babies.
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Zoe frowned when the baby wailed and she bounced the kid in her arms a little, putting the phone between her ear and her shoulder, turning away from the mom. A crying kid was the last thing she needed, she was sure the mom would blame her, “Are you laying in a ditch with your legs cut off? Because if it is, I really have to get back to work.”
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"I could be," he lined the edge of the cardboard figure with his finger. "Bleeding profusely. These are my dying words and you want to hang up with me?" The baby wailed a little, settled only a short time as Zoe calmed her.
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Zoe squeezed her eyes tightly shut as if she was at the end of her rope but took a calming breath. If she got stressed, the kid would scream bloody murder. “Fine. What are your dying words?” she looked at the kid with a helpless face.
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"I wanna smear whip cream all over your body with cherries on top." He laughed but it didn't seem she was in a forgiving or a cheerful mood.
The woman took her baby back, thanking Zoe for holding in to her for the short time. Now Zoe was free for the pouncing.
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Her face turned bright red and she hissed, “Idiot.” before ending the call and pocketing the phone. She smiled at the baby and gave her one more cuddle before letting the mom take it back. Making up an excuse for her flushed cheeks as she waved goodbye.
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Greed snickered waiting for her back to turn before pulling some random toy from the shelf. "Excuse me," he repeated over and over again. "There's no price on this, how much is it?" He spoke in his most obnoxious voice possible. "Excuse me," he hammered down one more time. He was prepared to be the irritating customer possible.
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Zoe turned to be helpful and her mouth dropped open as there was Greed. He looked, of course, amazing. And even after eight months of being with him, her heart still did a somersault at seeing him. She was relieved to see he was okay. She was annoyed also to see he was okay. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, “For you? A thousand dollars.” she folded her hands across her chest, “Now can you please go? I’m working.”
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Greed twirled the propeller of the plane in his hand. "A thousand?" He mock gasped. "But, I can't tell is this remote controlled or battery operated?" Whichever side he played he was very clever. "I'm a paying customer, you gotta do what I want." He wagged a finger in the air. "So," he pointed to the plane,"which is it?"
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If looks could kill, Greed would be dead as Zoe glared at him. He wasn’t being fair by playing the customer card and he knew it. But then again, when was he ever fair? She snatched the toy out of his hands and examined it then stuck her nose in the air, her lids a little lowered so she wasn’t looking at him as she announced cooly, “Remote controlled. Would you like to purchase it, sir?” her big brown eyes finally raising to look into his.
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Greed tapped a finger over his chin. "You sell any batteries?" He looked from side to side. He tucked the plane up under his arm, stepping into her personal space, now tapping his cheek. Didn't he at least get a hello kiss?
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Zoe narrowed her eyes at him, “Of course.” she didn’t even budge when he stepped into her personal space and at his tapping of his cheek, all she did in response was to say, “Right this way.” and turn on her heel leaving him hanging.
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There was a huff of air blown in irritation between his lips. Followed by a frown as he tagged after like a little puppy. He played shadow, mimicking her every step until she came to a halt. "Oh you're so sweet. So pretty too. Got a boyfriend?" He quirked his brow. She was being silly. He would get his kiss.
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She didn’t look at him, just picked up and put back different batteries, trying to find the right one. “Had one.”
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His brows narrowed in a grunt. "Oh? Something happen?" He pointed to the right pack, tapping the plastic.
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She picked up the right pack and handed it to him, “I have no idea.” a not too subtle dig at his radio silence for days. She gave a tight smile and pointed, “Register is that way. Have a nice day.” her cue to leave.
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He was being taken for a ride by his own ego. He didn't like that she wasn't even trying to jump on. "Wait, wait. There's another plane over there I want. It's on the top shelf. Can you get it?"
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Zoe looked at the shelf and then back to him with a look of disbelief. “Are you serious?” she looked at the plane again and then cocked her head to the side, “You really can’t reach it?” she was incredibly doubtful since he was taller than she was.
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"My hands are full." He shrugged. He had good reason for getting her up on the ladder. He had to break through some of the ice she was using to barricade around herself.
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She wasn’t budging. “I can get you a basket.” she tended to get stubborn sometimes when it came to him. She didn’t like that he broke his promise and expected her to fall all over him and she had no plans on doing so.
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"I'm not allowed to get on the ladder." He pointed to the sign that said 'employees only' dangling from metal frame. She was mad, his human side could sniff out enough to lead him right where he needed to be. "Then you can get me a basket."
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She wasn’t going to let him get his way quite yet. She nodded thoughtfully and crossed one arm over her chest and made a flourishing gesture with her other hand, “Or I get you the basket now, you can dump your stuff in there. Put it on the ground. And then stretch your long arms up and get the plane yourself.” she recrossed her arms and gave him a challenging look.
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"Mmmm. Do we really want to get the manager involved? Can I speak to him? Tell him you're not being very friendly." He eyed the people at the register.
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She looked taken aback for a second and then set her jaw, eyes narrowing. She looked like she was fuming but then a gleam into her eyes and something crossed into her line of sight behind him that made her lips twitch. He wanted to play that game? She could play.
She took a couple of steps closer to him, standing so close in fact that he could smell the coconut scent from her hair, “I am so sorry that you’re not satisfied with my service..” she leaned in closer to him, to the point it looked like she might even kiss him, “I wanna make up for that...” the voice was low and seductive only to be broken with her yelling, “JASON!” near his ear and gesturing at someone.
Jason came on over and was a young, very gay, man. Zoe put her hand on his shoulder with a smile, “I’m sure Jason here will be able to help you with what you need and you’ll be much happier with him.” Jason looked Greed up and down, raising a brow as he was obviously checking him out, “Oh honey, I will make you more than happy..” he said in a suggestive way. Zoe shrugged one shoulder at Greed with a tilt of her head that said Check and mate. She was gone.
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Greed hung on to his toy planes laughing rather amused with the display Zoe left him in. Clever girl. Jason ended up trailing all across the store with his arms full like a cart. Greed wasn't exactly going to free them up anytime soon.
As they stalked around the store one of the girls recognized him at the register. "Oh you're Zoe's boyfriend." His shark face came back. He leaned over the counter in a whisper. "Happen to know when she gets off work?"
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The girl was a bit startled but she’d seen how in love Zoe was with this guy and he was super cute.. she smiled, “In about half ‘n hour.” she narrowed her eyes curiously, that friendly smile still there as she rang up his purchases, “Everything okay?” because why wouldn’t be asking Zoe about when she got off?
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Greed flirted, batting his large lashes and mooning with those big blue eyes. "Oh, just wanted to surprise her." His teeth practically sparkled when he smiled. He patted the girl's hand. The touch nearly sent her knees into a jelly. He took his bags (all of them even when Jason attempted to help) and camped out in the car right out by the front door.
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The girl was completely enamored, “I’m getting off right now if you want to...” but he was already walking out the door. She was friendly with Zoe and hit on her boyfriend and didn’t even think twice about it.
Sure enough, 30 minutes later Zoe came out the front door. She looked tired because she was tired. She hadn’t gotten enough rest in the past few days and she wanted to curl up and go to sleep. Or maybe have a drink and then go to sleep. Or two drinks.
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Greed had retrieved what he wanted. While the little cashier was cute, he'd only wanted the information. Once he had that he was gone.
He'd curled up in his car, shades down on his face while he waited. Once Zoe stepped outside he blasted the horn on his steering wheel. That would get her attention.
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It did. She jumped a little and looked at him, and upon seeing it was him, she looked annoyed. And kept walking down the street. She was not going to literally come because he summoned her.
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She was definitely playing hard ball. He cranked up the car and followed, reving his engine as if he could just plow over the top of her. He wouldn't, but he wasn't going to leave her alone either. That was too easy. So he honked the horn again a little longer this time.
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Zoe sighed and spun on her heel, wanting to yell at him but she didn’t say anything. She suddenly looked amused. Two seconds later, there was a knock at Greed’s window. A burly traffic cop was there with a pad ready to write a citation. Zoe waved bye bye to Greed and disappeared around the corner while he had to deal with the cop. She knew he wouldn’t abandon his precious car.
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Greed eyed the decorated city cop with a whine. He turned on his charming face long enough to try and wiggle out of the offense. He still used all his boyish charm. In this instance it really could work to appear mentally unstable and in the middle of an anxiety attack. Greed hated giving up money to the city and its law enforcement. He also didn't want to be jailed again. It messed with his head.
He drove around down the street half hanging out the window looking for where Zoe might have gone.
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Zoe went someplace she hadn’t been to in awhile, and a place that was actually significant in her and Greed’s story. She went to the ice skating rink at Rockefeller plaza. She used to come here more often, just people watch. So many happy families and couples. Something she had once and would never again. She didn’t want to wallow but sometimes a girl was entitled as she sat on the bench and took off her heels. Her feet were killing her and it felt good to take them off, manners be damned. She rubbed one poor tootsie wondering idly if she should get a motel room because she had a feeling Greed was going to be crashing into her place tonight.
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Frustrated Greed couldn't find her. He squealed tires every time he stopped down a street without seeing her fluffy head. He pulled over fishing for his phone in his pocket.
"Where the fuck are you?" He would camp in her apartment if necessary. He'd hang off the end of the couch like a cat and pounce the moment the door opened.
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Zoe sighed, not liking his tone. Hearing the pure Sin on the end and missing her boyfriend that didn’t seem to be there. “In New York.”
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"Do I need a tracking device on you?" He'd do it. "They make chips for that sort of thing." His sin was grumbling, but Greed wasn't about to skip the chase now.
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“You can, but I’d be pretty unhappy with you for the rest of my life.” she rubbed the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, “Did it ever cross your mind that I don’t want to see you? Maybe I just need some time to clear my head so I won’t want to throw things at yours when I do see you?”
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"No. Not at all. Tell me where you're at." He pulled the car out of park, driving about as slow as any old lady with glasses as he continued his search.r.
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Zoe sighed again, muttering, “No, I hate you.” she opened her eyes and looked at the rink, the announcement from the loudspeaker covering her voice a little, as she said, “I’m gonna get a churro and then I’m sure I’ll see you at my place when I get back.”
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"Get back from where? Zoe!" Her voice crackled on the other end. He came to a dead halt, flipping the guy off behind him who nearly creamed his bumper. "Churros, churros," he chanted tapping his fingers against the leather steering wheel. "Ah ha!" He sped off to the skating rink.
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Zoe actually hadn’t moved since she hung up with Greed. She wanted a churro but she was tired. She loved the beach and the ocean but there wasn’t any place in New York that replicated it that she could get to easily. The ice skating rink? It had the next best thing. She felt better after hanging up with Greed. Mainly because she wasn’t talking to him. He had a habit of getting into her head and just clouding everything and right now she just wanted some peace. She knew he was okay and she needed to relax. She rubbed her foot and people watched.
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Getting to the ice rink took the longest. She was easy to spot after he found the churro stand. He dangled one in front of her face as he stood behind her. "Want it?" He waved it again.
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She was surprised when he was there. She didn’t know why, she could hide under a rock in the woods and he’d find her. She did want it. She was hungry but she turned away, “You better be a hallucination.”
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"Do hallucinations smell?" He whipped it again after taking a bite with a hum escaping his lips, chomping his jaw loudly.
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She sighed and drew her knees up to her chest, “What do you want.” she asked flatly in a defeated voice.
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Greed shot around to the front, sliding down the bench. He tugged at her feet to lay her legs in his lap, churro hanging out of his mouth. "Feet hurt?" He didn't know why she thought she wouldn't be sniffed out by the bloodhound of the Sins.
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Her feet did hurt. It’s why her heels were off. She didn’t fight him when he took them but she didn’t answer his question. Because her feet had been hurting yesterday too and he hadn’t been there to take them in his lap and he hadn’t been there to ask her if they hurt. In fact, she was pretty sure she hadn’t even been a thought in his pretty head let alone her feet or whether they hurt. “What. Do you. Want.” she asked again.
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"I'll rub your feet if you come home with me." He wiggled his brows, massaging her ankles already. He would convince her. She was being a tough cookie to crack today. He didn't understand why she was so uptight. The churro in his mouth was now down to a small nub.
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She didn’t react or even change the way she looked at him, just calmly repeated, “What do you want.” she was expecting an actual answer. He always told her he knew what he wanted, that was his thing. So she wanted to hear it.
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"For you to spend the night." He chomped down on the last bite, leaning his chin on her shoulder when she didn't budge. She was so dreary like this. He didn't get it. The human boy inside wanted her to crack a smile. "Talk to me." He was in the dog house without knowing what he'd peed on.
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She knew she wasn’t being fair to him. He could stab her with a knife and not realize what the problem was until she pointed out the blood to him. But she didn’t want to talk about it. She wanted to just hate him. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and sighed. Hating him was almost impossible. And she hated him for that. “I don’t expect you to understand. It wouldn’t be fair of me to expect you to understand. But I can’t..” she paused trying to figure out how to say it, “I can’t turn my feelings off and on like you.” she knew what she’d agreed to, what she’d accepted but it didn’t make the feelings about it go away.
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He scratched his chin in a back and forth motion on her shoulder with each word she said. When she finished he stopped, making fish faces with his lips. "Are you going to go all leaky faucet on me are you?" His thumbs idly rubbed the skin on her ankle.
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She gave him a dull look and then turned her head away, clamming up again. She was not going to cry but she wasn’t going to be happy. She knew she had to explain it to him in small words but she needed a moment or she’d storm off or hit him or something.
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He poked her calf which was covered by her jeans which were cut just above the ankle. "Speak..." He poked her side now just above the curve of her hip. He'd tickle those words right out of her. "I'm prepared to take dangerous measures." He warned.
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She turned to look at him with a glare, “You’re a jerk.” she let out a breath and tried to see how she could explain this to him. “Okay.. you remember the night I broke up with Mike and you slept over? Remember how in the morning I’d gone to get us breakfast and you flipped out when I wasn’t there?” she wanted him to remember that feeling as she continued, “And at your place last week, you told me why you didn’t like letting me go, even in your own apartment. Do you remember that feeling at all?” she knew he hadn’t even remembered her until recently, this wouldn’t work unless he remembered the feelings he had during those moments.
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She had hit one of her rambling phases in trying to explain it to him. He stretched her legs out a little further, his massage reaching up her calves then back down to her feet. She wouldn't be able to stand when he was done. Then he'd drag her to the car. "Yeah? I could have gone on a murderous rampage." He didn't know where she was going with this.
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Leave it to Greed to focus on the rage part. “Yeah, and with that murderous rampage comes a lot of territory. Anger, loss, panic, and you feel fear. I know you say you’re not scared of anything but there’s a fear that grabs you when it happens that fuels the rampage. You felt it for a few minutes and it felt like forever. I felt it for days.” she wasn’t paying attention to her legs but it was helping her loosen up a little. She was rambling, she knew it. But she had a lot of pent up emotions that needed to get out.
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His ploy to turn her to liquid was working so he didn't stop. She was tense in a whole different place----her mouth. "Are you mad because of Lust?" He'd rather she just spit it out. She made the deal, he didn't understand the problem.
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Zoe looked aggravated, “I’m upset because you broke your promise.” she reminded him, “You said you’d let me know that you were okay. You didn’t. It’s been four days. Have you been with her all this time?” she actually didn’t know if he’d just gotten out of her clutches or what.
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"I just left Tuesday!" Lust never kept him for just one day. "Wednesday I fell asleep the moment I got back to the apartment." He squeaked. It was then he remembered the alarm and he looked seeing it had gone off on his phone. "Shit." He needed a louder alarm or some new way to figure out how to drag himself from Lust's sex haze to Zoe.
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That kicked puppy look on Zoe’s face probably made more sense as she softly said, “It’s Thursday..” she looked down, “I was worried about you. And I know you can handle yourself and I knew that you were with your sister probably but it hurts. It hurts that you promised me and you couldn’t keep it. It hurts worse that the reason you couldn’t keep it is because you didn’t remember me.” she couldn’t look at him, “You walk off with her and it hurts knowing that I think about you all the time but I don’t exist to you for a few days. I know I agreed to this but it will never not hurt.”
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He pocketed his phone, entranced by that deep frown and eyes she gave him. No matter any angle he took he fell flat on his face. "I slept through the alarm...." He nudged but it did nothing to keep her satisfied. This wasn't working and that nervous reflex she had just mentioned hit. "You want out of this?" His arms were draped on her legs, fingers curling around her ankle. "She was pissed because Theseus was there and I didn't even touch her. Hit me a little harder this time." His system was still trying to level itself out with all the slips in and out of his human self.
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She frowned a little. She never knew why he always jumped to her wanting to leave him when things got hard. Okay, so she did think about it now and then but she wouldn’t do it. She didn’t think she would. She knew part of the reason why, it was because of Josie. Another ghost she would forever be compared to. She looked at him, “What if I said yes?” she wasn’t saying yes, her tone didn’t even hint that she was suggesting it. She just wanted to know what the point of him asking that was if he wasn’t willing to let her go.
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"Because I wanna know." She didn't get that with her, feelings mattered. "Because you're unhappy and I don't like unhappy things." He wasn't calling her an item again, but she fell into a category where she was prestigious. She was in a glass box that he looked at and took out to play with. It was no different then when she got hurt. He needed the reassurance that his toy was okay.
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Her frown deepened, “My boyfriend couldn’t pick me out of a line up if he saw me yesterday. Yeah, I’m unhappy but it doesn’t mean I want to leave you.” she punched him in the arm, not that it hurt. She sighed, “You don’t get it. You think you’re the only one that’s worried about the other leaving? You don’t know what it’s like to sit here and not know if you’re going to come back to me. It takes days now but it scares the hell out of me that it might be weeks or months and I won’t see you. And you can’t even say that it won’t happen because it might.” she wasn’t saying it lightly, this was a very real fear she had and it was possible. If Lust kept him for longer, if he got distracted...
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"Would you rather take that up with Lust?" He gave her a pointed glare. They were in the same boat, but Greed only saw his own selfish feelings. "Zoeeeeee," he huffed flopping his head back. "You're irreplaceable." Even if he could find a mortal to wine, dine and fuck....no one measured up these days. "You're like a limited edition comic book. There's only one first print." He could hoard all the others, but that number one would be on his shelf forever.
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“I’m thinking about it.” she said dully. She hated his sister sometimes. She looked like she was going to explode when he finished and shouted at him, “SO ARE YOU!” she was so loud that people walking by actually paused a moment to look at them. She looked at him with wide eyes, “Don’t you understand that? Where in the world am I ever going to find someone like you? There is no one like you. You aren’t even limited edition. You are literally one of a kind. You’re it. There is no one else. Do you get how scary that is for me to lose you? Just because I’m human doesn’t mean I feel about you any less than you do about me.” he was possessive and obsessed and he couldn’t bear to part with her. But did it ever cross his mind that in addition to love, she felt those same crazy feelings about him?
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Her shout echoed into the air. Greed just stared at her. She never got that loud. "I can see smoke coming out of your ears...." He propelled his forefinger in a circle. "Your face is literally red." He poked her cheeks, he could feel the heat bounce off them. He hadn't ever looked at her perspective. She was around him enough that she could easily jump into his head without meaning to. He elevated extreme emotions, she was involuntarily linked. She was becoming selfish with her feelings.
"I never thought of it like that." Because Greed couldn't think out of his own bejeweled box. He saw stars, he saw what he wanted and he salivated.
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She just looked at him dully as he spoke and poked her. Letting out an aggravated breath and looking at the ice skating rink with the normal people while he chewed on what she said.
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His gaze followed hers, hands tapping against her legs like a drum. She had pulled the deep card. There was a questionable silence between them for some time before he spoke.
"So I'm like the Lois Lane to your Superman?" He didn't want to be her kryptonite.
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She smiled a little at that because it was unexpected. She didn’t look at him still, “Yes... you feel more like my kryptonite but yeah. You’re my Lois. I can’t do what I do and be who I am without you.” she finally looked at him, “And it scares me one day you’re gonna walk away and not come back.”
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He searched her face, eyes bouncing side to side. It was a first for Greed to want to stick so close to a mortal when he'd failed before. He was closest to humans. He wanted to understand everything about them, but he was finding out there was always something new. There was so much to learn through Zoe. He wasn't giving that up anytime soon. His hands would bleed and fall off before he just walked off. She was in his hoard for good. She had a solid gold pedestal in his collection. There were some things he wasn't built to promise, but he wasn't just going to leave something so important, which is why he could clearly say, "It's not happening anytime soon."
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His words didn’t reassure her much. Not soon was the same as saying one day. She looked away, her hand finding one of his as if to literally hold on to him. She tried to smile but it was a brief turning up of her lips that didn’t reach her eyes as she just nodded. He couldn’t promise her forever or anything more than what he just said. She knew this. She knew it. But it was never easy to accept.
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Zoe had things no other mortal girl did. He wasn't unclamping his hold. She would suffocate first. He stopped massaging her feet, dragging her by the calves to drag her close. Eventually he'd wiggled her right into his lap. He didn't like forgetting anymore than she did. Maybe the rest of the world could say he was pretending to want this because of what he was. He pressed his forehead against her temple, tangling his hands into hers. "I told you, fucking pester the living shit out of me." He'd have to find another way.
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She fit nicely into his lap, it was one thing they always liked, how well they molded to each other. She closed her eyes and squeezed his hands, “How..? I can’t go over to your place in case she’s there. I can’t call or text because we’ve seen what happens when I try.” she shook her head, there was no solution that she could see. It was why unfortunately the burden of remembering was on him but it became difficult if he couldn’t remember to see her for her to pester him. “I have to see you in order to pester you.” she kissed his cheek.
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"Why isn't this working," he looked down at their hands, his voice just above a whisper. When Zoe was sad it made him as well. He wasn't used to that, and selfishly the reason he always wanted to fix her. Sadness brought him down which lead to the dark place. His eyes scanned to his tattoo....something with good meaning that he'd not used to pay attention. It was there to remember her..
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“Because you aren’t supposed to be with me.” it was harsh but it was the truth. When he was with Lust, he got reset to his default state with her. She smiled a little, the corners still tinged with sadness, “But since when do you ever follow the rules?” she followed his line of sight and looked at the tattoo. She raised their joint hands up so she could kiss his wrist at the tattoo. She wasn’t wanting out or giving up. But it wasn’t easy... then again, she was sure if it had been easy, Greed wouldn’t be interested.
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He was glued to that tattoo, her hands were just a blur. He couldn’t look anywhere else as he ingrained in his head what he’d gotten it for in the first place. To never let go. That tattoo was a Josie’s bracelet for Zoe. He would burn it into his skull, use it for it’s real purpose. It had meaning. The tattoos on his body all had meaning to Greed. Lust had a spot. Now, so did Zoe.
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She nudged him a little, “Important thing is you’re here now. I also have to remember to cut you some slack.” She relaxed against him, her voice lowering, “You just.. always seem so happy when you come back. Like nothing happened. I... ache for you when you’re not here. And it hurts.. to think you’re perfectly fine without me.” her voice got even quieter as it was difficult to admit these things, “I’m sorry.. I shouldn’t take it out on you.” her emotions ran high and got the best of her because she didn’t think of him as the Sin. Just that crazy guy she was in love with.
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They both forgot the parts of them that made them this tempestuous relationship. She forgot the Sin, he forgot the human. It was a set of scales that was in constant motion tipping one way or the other until it balanced out. Right now, it was finally starting to level. Greed’s eyes lit up. He saw a free pass, but that look in her eyes meant something else. His own eyes thinned into tiny slits trying to read her thoughts, but that wasn’t always an ability he had. She was calm, she was being possessive over him, that’s all he could feed on.
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She looked at him when he didn’t say anything. Her own eyes narrowing to mimic his. “What...?” she was being honest and he was looking at her very strangely. She had a feeling he didn’t quite understand what was happening.
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“Is this you giving me a get out of jail free card right now?” He waved his finger back and forth between them. “It sounded like that’s what you were implying.” This time at least.
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Zoe dipped her head and raised her brows. His face and the actual ernesty he believed it with. She burst out laughing. “No.” she shook her head, “No no no no no no no.” her laughter simmered into a smile, the first real one of the day, “Most definitely not. You broke your promise. You still hurt me. You messed up. But I shouldn’t have been as hard on you as I was. I have to allot for circumstances.” she said next to his ear, “You’re still in the doghouse.” but she smooched the corner of his jaw where it met his ear.
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She wasn’t scolding a cat, but she sure did jump in quickly to reprimand him. Softly. Greed didn’t see where he had slipped and broken the promise. His human side as buried as it was most times was manipulating him to get to see her. Even when Greed didn’t realize he was being manipulated by himself. “So that means I have to stick it out in the rain?” He wrapped his arms around her, detangling her hand from his, clearly not letting go even so. It was a little overcast. “If I’m going to be in the doghouse, you’re coming with me.” He nudged her cheek with his nose.
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She smiled softly, clearly happy to be in his arms. She shook her head, “Can’t I be inside the warm house snuggling a pillow and blanket and watching you in the rain? Though you know, it’s not even raining, so you’d be fine.”
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"But that doesn't keep me warm." He gave her the sad face with his bottom lip puckered out. Almost as soon as she mentioned rain it was like bottom of the sky fell out. The overcast afternoon quickly turned dreary. Greed wiped his face now drenched in rain. "What was that?" It was as if God was making fun of both of them.
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Zoe squealed when they were suddenly caught in the downpour, her arms going around his neck. “Ohmygod.. how do you manage to do that?” he was a master of getting what he wanted and she wouldn’t put it past him to somehow cause the downpour just to get her to snuggle him.
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"Did you skip the weather report for the week?" He laughed at her quick swoop into his arms. Each time he looked at her and repeated her question in his head it only made him laugh louder. It was a wonder he finally stopped. "We are not getting into my car like this." The seats would be ruined.
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She eyed him through the rain, “I still think you had something to do with it.” she nodded, amused about his precious car. “We can take a cab, you can dry off at my place before you go-- oh.” she had unwound her arms from around his neck to stand up but there was a problem. Because she’d taken her heels off when she sat down, they were now filled with water. She could either still wear them and catch a cold or he’d have to carry her and she’d be at his mercy.
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"Who says I'm going to your place?" He raised his brow in question. He scooped up her shoes and stood, tapping his shoulder. "Better leap high!" He instructed giving her his back.
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She frowned, “Uh.. cause it’s probably closer and then you can get dry for your car?” she frowned again, “I mean you don’t have to of course, you can go straight home.” duh, he didn’t have to come over, she didn’t know why she assumed. She looked at his back, “Are you serious?” the rain was still coming down pretty hard, she didn’t have a choice. “I can’t believe this..” but she obliged because she had no real choice, getting on his back feeling like a five year old. “You’re going to topple over...” she said in a worried tone.
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"We're going to my place so I can put on next to nothing." He smiled wide. He liked that there were no intrusions at his place. No big fat trees to mow down fun.
Greed tapped his shoulders again. "I'm not going to topple over." He slapped his hands onto his thighs. "Come on. Go."
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She frowned, “I am soaked to the bone... I don’t even have shoes. I just wanna sit in a warm bath. Can’t I come over tomorrow?” she didn’t have any things at his place. “If you topple over, I’m gonna be so mad...” she put her arms around his neck and literally climbed on him, her arms squeezing a little tightly at first until they could be balanced.
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"You can sit in a bath...with me." He threw his back up straight, hands around her thighs straightening her on his back while she clung like a sloth. She could feel all his muscles work under the skin as he balanced them both without toppling off his feet. He shook the rain out of his hair, the same as a wet dog, trucking his way towards the street to hail a cabm
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She smiled despite the rain and the situation and him, her lips turning in. “Yes... I was thinking more about the part after the bath...” She was pressed into his back and even with the rain, there was body heat between them and to her surprise she found the ridiculous of it all quite.. enjoyable. “How come you don’t wanna come to my place?”
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"Mmm you like pressing those big boobs on my back don't you?" He teased with a cackle. Finally on the edge of street he raised up an arm, still trying to keep her steady. "Watch those hands of yours. we wouldnt want you to get carried away..." The first cab drove by. "We're going to my place." That's all there was about it.
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Zoe turned red and smacked him and smacked him again, “You’re awful, you know that? The only place my hands are going are around your neck..” but her head rested gently against his as he tried to get a cab. No one wanted to stop for the crazy looking wet couple? Shocking. She tilted her head to look at him, “Okay... before you would recoil at the thought of me at your place and practically lived at my apartment and ever since we became official you pretty much never wanna go there and squirrel me off to your place at every chance.” she nudged him with her nose, “What’s going on?”
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The water was starting to pour up his nose. He couldn't even see through the rain, luckily the cabs were his favorite color. "It's my secret hideout." No one knew about it. No one would take it down this time. No one would rip away his things again. "No one is going to take away my favorite things."
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She sighed. This again? “Hey.. hey.” she poked him with her nose and nuzzled him till he looked at her. “No one is going take me from you. And even if they did, second I could, I’d go running right back to you. And I know I get upset sometimes but that doesn’t mean I’m going to leave either. Your place, my place, a hotel. Europe, Kansas, New York. Doesn’t make a difference. We made a deal, right?” She pushed her wet hair out of her eyes quickly and then went back to holding on to him for fear of falling.
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It wasn’t just her, it was the fact that this was his new shrine. Not Lucy, Satan or any of his Sin siblings were going to take that from him. This was his sacred house. It had instilled him with an ironclad lock on his door. Floozies had stepped in and out but they were so replaceable he hardly expected any of them to even remember the street name.
She started to slip down his back and he shifted her back up, hands tight on her thighs. “We did make a deal.” He wasn’t a demon or Satan, but his deals were just as unyielding.
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She kissed his cheek lovingly since his lips were out of reach at this odd angel. “Oh!” she bounced when he shifted her back up to keep a hold of her. She said close to his ear, “I don’t think anyone’s going to stop for us... do you wanna try to ride this storm out somewhere? Find a diner or... or something?” he was strong but carrying her on his back during the rain was supposed to be a temporary thing.
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He did a quick swoop across the street. “I think there’s a hotel up a few blocks.” He quirked his head to the side to throw those wet bangs from his face. Unlike Zoe his hands were full. He started to walk, keeping her from slipping too far down. She wasn’t heavy, but the rain made everything slippery.
After the motherload of toys he’d just shelled out, his funds were getting cut short. This week’s paycheck was a tight one. He was starting to go so far into broke (customary in his trade. Greed was rich he spent, he went broke, he collected money and spent again). He just hadn’t told Zoe yet just how broke he was after those big trips and tapping out his account to pay for Hephaestus’ beautiful but giant fake necklace. There wasn’t much left for him to hang onto for food and he was spending it on toys.
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There was a pause in his voice that hadn’t been there before. A hesitancy towards spending money that was uncharacteristic for him. She didn’t dare suggest he didn’t have the money for a hotel but he’d spent thousands of dollars this year on them and them being able to be together... couple that with his exuberant spending habits and it totaled to a hefty bill. “There’s a diner down the block, let’s stop there and call a cab. They’ll come if we call them. My place is closer, we can go there, have a bath, dry off.. and then go to your place and spend the night. Gabe is working so we’ll have the place to ourselves. And I much rather be in the tub with you at home where I know it’s just us.” it was her excuse as to why they should skip over the hotel. The cab would be significantly cheaper and it saved some money.
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Her offer was seductive because he was already walking in ankle deep drainage from the street. He’d walked through worse, but he had also not been carrying cargo either. The rain was cold, and he was about to start sucking rain up his nose again. She was getting really good at detouring him since Lithuania.
He felt better knowing the tree was gone. He walked towards the diner, footing the door open so he could get them inside. His clothes were now all clinging to every part of his body like saran wrap. Once Greed let Zoe slide down his back he pulled the soppy hair out of his face, his cheeks and lips starting to turn a bright pink. He needed something hot.
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Zoe shivered but was grateful Greed took her up on her offer. She was learning from him. She stood barefoot and dripping in the entrance of the diner and looked at him. He was a mess. “Oh Chance...” she said softly and plucked the shirt from his body only to cause it to billow for a moment and stick right back to him. “If it’s any consolation, you look really hot right now..” she gave a weak smile.
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He pulled the shirt back out, ringing the water from it which gave her a glimpse of his tummy. He perked up at her expression with a pleased grin. “Do I?” He pulled off his jacket (another one ruined by rain). It was a good thing he had a whole closet full of leather. He looked her over slowly. “You’re a little wet yourself,” he wagged his finger up and down. His eyes were most definitely going to her breasts. It was hard not to look when she was as soaked as he was.
Luckily the messenger bag he had strapped to his side was waterproof. So his phone wasn’t ruined along with the rest of him.
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She laughed because she saw where his eyes were going, “Focus, please..” she swatted his arm lightly. “Let me call a cab and then we can get out of these things.” she held her hand out for her phone that was in his bag with his.
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He scanned the bag handing her the phone so they could get a cab out of the downpour. He had boxers riding up in uncomfortable places at this point. So when they finally were finally at her place after a quick cab ride, he took her hand as she led them inside. Just as she had promised the tree was nowhere in sight.
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Zoe smiled and squeezed his hand when she felt him take hers. Just to be sure, she yelled, “Gabe!” and waited a moment but nope, they were alone. She tugged on his hand to go to the bathroom. She was ready to melt into a bath.
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Greed bristled instantly at the name, his hand tight on hers. Water still trickled down his jaw, nose and onto his plump lip. Once in the bathroom he could see the pink on her cheeks. It was possibly the rain or---"What are you thinking about?" He whispered into the silent air.
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Zoe looked surprised when she looked at him, “...nothing.” she said with a slight hesitation. She let go of his hand to move away. Her eyes going to the tub instead as she turned on the water to let it fill. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she rubbed her lips together.
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He started to loosen a few buttons of his shirt, stepping forward while she tried to hide behind busy work. As her hair fell back in her face, he moved it back. She wasn't looking at him which meant that blush was to her thoughts. He took her hands to pull her back to her feet, letting them set on his shoulders and fall to his chest. His own hands went to the hem of her shirt. "What are you hiding?"
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She narrowed her eyes at him in a nyah way, “Nothing.. I’m not hiding anything. I don’t know why you’d think that..” the tips of her fingers moved against the wet fabric of his shirt, slowly trailing down. Her eyes still wouldn’t look at him, a shock her face wasn’t dry considering the heat radiating from her cheeks.
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He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Is that why you can't look at me?" He kissed her neck softly, his hands taking the dive up her shirt, peeling it back from her cold skin. He was determined to dig her thoughts out of her head. He wanted them.
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She smiled a little, her lashes still lowered when he touched her cheek. She bit her bottom lip, “I’m looking at you...” she was looking at his chest more precisely. Her eyes closed when she felt his kiss on her neck, her hands curling into his shirt but then pausing and a little unsure before they curled again.
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"No you're not," he taunted her softly, his kiss moved to her shoulder, then her ear where he bit the lobe playfully. "What are you thinking?" He would keep asking. Once he'd taunted her enough to feel the heat radiate off her cheeks again he took a step back putting the littlest distance between them. She would tell him.
The water in the tub started to drown out to a hum as it continued to fill up.
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She squirmed when he nipped her lobe, “I’m thinking.... you’re a jerk.” she grinned at him. Her eyes went to his chest and the way his shirt clung to it, “And probably we’re gonna get a cold if we don’t warm up soon.” though just looking at him and having him close was making her temperature rise.
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Greed started by unbuttoning what was left of his shirt, peeling it from his body like a second skin. He still had an undershirt on, white which clung even tighter to his own harsh curves. He footed off his shoes and slipped off the socks, slapping them onto the floor.
"You just going to stand there?" He eyed her now, but his eyes trailed down, walking towards the tub to turn off the water. "Don't look so embarrassed." He fiddled the buckle of his belt loose, the leather hanging out of the loopholes like a pair of arms.
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Zoe’s eyes went to his belt as he fiddled with it and she frowned, “I’m not embarrassed...” okay she was, a little. It just was a little awkward to be with him knowing he’d been with his sister since the last time she saw him. And it always made her blush by how much she wanted him. Especially when it seemed like she wanted him more than he wanted her. She moved forward and didn’t look at him but put her hands on his to still them and then peeled off his undershirt.
She finally looked up at him, one hand gripping the waistband of his jeans while the other pulled the belt loose, “I’m helping.”
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He mirrored her actions to relieve her of her thin shirt. He could see in the way she refused to look that she was still clinging to her thoughts without giving him room to take them. Water dripped down his neck, taunting her in the trail they followed.
“You still won’t look at me. Why?” His eyes shined curiously.
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She was smiling when he took off her shirt. She played with the waistband of his jeans, that smile still on her lips as she closed her eyes and tilted her face up and then opened them, looking right into his, “Cause you’re an asshole.” her hands undid the jeans, the silence disturbed by the sound of his zipper going down. She playfully narrowed her eyes, “I don’t look at assholes.”
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“You just undress them,” he snorted lightly peeling himself from the jeans where they were tossed into a soggy wet pile with everything else. He hooked his fingers into the loops of her jeans, tugging her close for a kiss.
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She laughed, “Only when they’re cute.” which he was. Her lashes lowered, her gaze on his full lips as he pulled her in for a kiss. Her kiss was a train wreck, she’d been waiting for it and she wanted him and missed him and it was evident in that kiss. It wasn’t vulgar but there was a definite kick to it as she put her arms around his neck, not willing to let go just yet.
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He may have just been with Lust as her thoughts were constantly reminding her, but nothing felt better right now than to have her tangled up with him. Greed unhooked his fingers from the waistband and circled her close. Each time they spent apart, Zoe seemed to cling tighter. She was still walking away with the effects of being involved with a sin, none of it of his control.
Her kiss wasn’t as controlled or calm as she usually went for, just wanton. He tugged on her bottom lip between his teeth. “The water’s getting cold.”
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Zoe let out a sound from the back of her throat as he bit her lip and kissed him hungrily. He had a point and she was shivering. She let her fingers play with the hair on the nape of his neck and kissed him a couple more times. “Go on and get in the tub, gimme a sec to get out of this stuff and I’ll join you.” a brief tint hitting her cheeks at those words. Yes, he’d seen her naked lots but it was still blush worthy outside of sexy times. Which they couldn’t have.
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He didn’t let her go before getting a few more kisses in of his own. He stepped right foot into the water first after losing the last of his soppy clothes. The boxers he tossed at her with a laugh as he sunk down into the water, arms laid over the side. He watched her.
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She wrinkled her nose as the wet boxers slapped against her. She pinched them off her and let them drop to the ground. She looked down and undid her jeans, pushing them to the ground and stepping out of them, leaving her in undies and bra. She lowered a bra strap and then looked at him staring. She lowered the other bra strap and looked over at him again still staring. She gave him a look, “Do you mind...”
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“I do actually,” he twirled his finger in the air for her to turn around. He’d seen all of it, but it was amusing to see even so she was still bashful. Especially after she had just attacked his lips with the ferocity of a lioness.