WHO: Theseus and Zoe WHEN: Thursday WHERE: Cafe WHAT: So I'm sorry that I suck at familying WARNING: Awkward grandfather/granddaughterness
This was a big leap for them both. The last few days since Zoe had said she would do lunch he'd been nervous. The whole morning he kept having memories of Sophia, her grandmother. When he was the drifter in a new town and she was the adventurous spirit. He wasn't sure now who he had really been saying sorry to, it was to Zoe and also to a woman who pined for him the rest of her life. She wasn't the first woman to ever pine, but she was the first in a long line of broken hearts that waited expecting him to show when others in their old age may have given up.
Zoe was like his second chance at seeing what kind of guy he may have been had he stayed put. He'd gone simple and casual thinking it might make her more comfortable. He also sat outside where there were plenty of people going by.so she could make the leap and run of if she wanted. He hoped she would give him the benefit of the doubt. He'd chosen the same cafe that he met her the first time. No strings, no one else. Just them. _______________________ Zoe was nervous. Really nervous. She wore a simple outfit, brown boots, jeans, but with a button down white shirt and thin black cover up since if she knew she was going out in public, she tended to wear sleeves that would hide the cast. The bruises on her face and neck were almost all gone, they looked like shadows playing on her skin than the gross injuries they had been. She hadn't told Greed because he'd been so stressed out lately but she'd be stupid if she didn't let him know and this went south so a block away from the cafe she texted him: Don't freak out, I'm meeting my grandfather for lunch. It should be okay. If it isn't, I'll let you know. See you tonight. Yellow you.
She put her phone in her bag, not wanting Greed's... whatever he'd have to say about it, to get to her. She took a deep breath and got closer to the cafe, tensing when she spotted Theseus sitting outside waiting for her. __________________________ Theseus stood when she approached. Since he saw her last this look was a great improvement. He fished the seat out opposite to him for her to sit down. "I thought you might change your mind. I'm glad you didn't." He let her sit and pushed her seat in softly before going back to his own. He was wringing his hands together. "You want to order something? I'll buy." They were both tense, which he hoped he had enough charm to alleviate. He got some tea and a pastry, looking around to where the name of the cafe was written across the window. "You know I've been thinking about her all day. Sophia, your grandmother. You both really have those giant eyes." Expressive eyes that could melt any black heart. He tried to get her engaged by talking about her. The memories were a lot clearer than they had been. "People in town made up all these crazy stories about where I'd come from. But not her, she sat right down and introduced herself. It's like she had to sate her curiosity by getting to know me." It was a different time, him alone as a stranger raised eyebrows, but a dark-skinned woman and a stranger it really made people talk. Theseus had traveled all over, Sophia had been exotic to him. He supposed in some fashion he was to her. __________________________ Zoe didn't say one word, just looked at him warily. She took the seat he offered but looked over her shoulder a little as if she didn't trust him not to stab her or something. She ordered a hot tea just so her hand had something to do and she had something to stare at. She raised her gaze to his when he started talking about her grandmother, surprised since he never really talked about her except when he was being smarmy or avoiding things. She was pretty sure he'd said more now to her than in the entire time he'd known her. She still didn't say anything, her hand warming against the mug but she looked at him with curiosity in her eyes. She adored her family and with them gone, anyone that could give her any scrap of a memory to put into her archives, she was more than willing to listen. __________________________ He kept going as the memories flooded back. He may be a flighty sonuvabitch but when he actually made an effort things came back to him. "She had this thing for tea. I've never seen a woman drink so much tea." He smiled softly, rubbing the stubble on his chin. It was a nice memory. __________________________ She smiled a little at the mention of tea since she was a big tea drinker herself. She never really thought about how it was probably a habit she picked up from her grandmother. She noticed his tea too and cautiously asked, "Do you.. drink a lot of tea?" curious mostly because her own boyfriend who never cared for tea now knew how to brew it and even preferred it over coffee because of her. It would be interesting if Sophia had had a similar effect on Theseus. __________________________ "I have recently to keep my nerves in check." Working for Poseidon hadn't kept him in the best of shape. "I've always been a fan of more herbal remedies over modern medicine. It's more effective." It was what more ancient cultures used anyway. "You like tea too or are you just humoring me?" He smiled hoping that this set into motion some sort of reconciliation. "Your grandmother really liked Earl Grey. She said that even on the worst day it could make you smile. Like sunshine in a cup." __________________________ She shook her head and took a sip, "I've always loved it." she could talk about tea, it avoided the horrible things Theseus let happen. "My boyfriend bought every kind in the store so we've slowly been going through using it all up. I'm starting to like Rose tea along with Earl Grey..." she sipped again trailing off. __________________________ "He seems the type to blow money." He wasn't trying for a personal jab, he knew if what Poseidon tried to pull to get Zoe to cave. It had worked just like he'd thought it would. "Chai is good too, if you like spice." He took another sip of his tea, watching her to see if any of her mannerisms mimicked Sophia. __________________________ Theseus may be blood but Greed was her family and the one who was with her and taking the hits. It was true... Greed did blow through his money fast but she knew her grandfather was trying to insult him. She looked at her mug and said wryly, "Well, not anymore, since he was fired and your dad decided to blacklist him in New York." her brows shot up and down when she said the word father. She was showing her annoyed displeasure, a face he'd seen from Sophia before. __________________________ "I know," Theseus' eyes dropped to his cup, feeling instantly that nagging feeling he had had for months. There hadn't been anything he could have done about it. Poseidon had a target and he wasn't going to let up. "He didn't hurt you anymore did he?" He didn't care about Greed, he cared about her. __________________________ She kept staring at her mug, "Does it matter?" was all she said quietly. Poseidon had bruised her face up but that healed. Losing her grandmother's locket, having her boyfriend's home, their sanctuary threatened, and having him depressed? Those things weren't getting better. __________________________ "It does. I hate I didn't do anything the day he went after you." Not that he could have survived it. He was playing with the guilt now and that was new. He played with the handle of his cup between his fingers. "It's over now at least." __________________________ She was irked by what he was saying but it was his last statement that pushed her over the edge, "Over?" she looked at him with a pained expression, "He left bruises on my face that I had to spend weeks hiding and I couldn't explain them so people think my boyfriend beats me and I'm some domestic abuse victim. Even though he's the only one whose been there for me. And the thanks he got for that? Having his livelihood which are his things be taken away. Poseidon took his warehouses, his car that's like his child, and then showed up at his place and threatened to take his home. He ruined his life and a part of him hates me for it and I don't blame him." those big eyes of hers were filling with tears but she was fighting hard to keep them at bay. She had lost so much, now her apartment was on the line, the last thing of her grandmother's, and Gabe was gone, and Greed seeme to be close to following him out of her life one way or another. And here was good old granddad wiping his brow with a phew, everything was over. __________________________ He would have been just fine laying out the fact that those were only temporary issues. Poseidon would eventually give back the material possessions but it was more painfully obvious that there were some unfixable back lashes. Her tears were so magnetic, he couldn't help but feel responsible now and that was a gray area with Theseus. He swallowed down a huge gulp of tea but she was still crying. He hung his head in defeat. He pulled out one of the napkins on the table and waved it in front of her. "Don't get all emotional on me," he actually had to give a damn. "Here," he scooted his chair around. She was a wreck. Instinctively his hand went out to put on her back as if it could soothe her. He couldn't let her sit there and drown in it all. "I'm sure he doesn't hate you." He had no idea really, Sins were tricky immortals to have a brush with. __________________________ She wasn't crying. Okay, when he handed her the napkin she was crying but she was very stressed out. His words sounded cruel to her ears when in fact Greed used to get equally uncomfortable at her tears until he just became used to them. She was sensitive, she was emotional, it was who she was. She took the napkin to wipe her eyes and sniffle. She rolled her shoulders when he touched her, she didn't want his stupid fake pity. "A part of him does." ugh, he wasn't listening. He didn't understand and didn't want to. __________________________ "Why would he hate you..its Poseidon's doing?" He dropped his hand at her very brisk brush off. He didn't understand it in the way she did. Greed was effected ten, even twenty times what an average person felt when they lost things, and Theseus he didn't hang on to anything. There was a giant gap in how they viewed things.
So maybe Poseidon wouldn't give back what he'd taken, but he'd tried to think of something. Nothing he said was making her stop crying. __________________________ She rubbed her nose with the napkin and gave him an incredulous look, "And why did Poseidon do that to him?" it was because of her. They both knew it. "His things mean everything to him, it's like someone cutting off his legs." she shook her head miserably, "I don't expect you to understand." Theseus disposed of people like used tissues, Greed cherished his things down to a gum wrapper if it held any meaning for him. __________________________ Theseus flopped back in his chair, slouched and with a sigh. This was getting nowhere. He ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I could get his car back. Maybe." It was at the impounded, but he might could pay the fine. "I can't do anything about the job or all the other stuff." He wanted her to stop crying and try to move on. He felt like the finger was being pointed at him. __________________________ She blew her nose, "He'd like that." she and Greed had no idea where it was. She felt awful because Theseus was acting like she had the plague. "I'm sorry. For all this." she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, taking in a shaky breath, "If you feel... whatever you feel that you thought you needed to talk to me and apologize. Don't. It's fine. I've managed my life just fine on my own uptil now, I'd just appreciate it if you not add to the shit in it." __________________________ He was older than her but she spoke so grown up. Sophia had been a woman out of her own time as well, and usually she hit hard with the important bits. "See," he scratched his brow, looking off as he talked, "I'm involved now and I've tried pulling myself out. I haven't left yet and I think it has everything to do with you." __________________________ She scrunched up her face, "You're involved now? Now that the storm is over and my life is just debris? Do you want a medal for not leaving yet?" because that just meant he was going to leave at some point, and she was bristling because he sounded so disgusted and accusing that he couldn't go because of her for some reason. "Let me explain something to you, you don't get to choose when you're involved and choose when it's too hard and you get to hide. That's not how it works. You're feeling guilt? Then let me ease your conscience, you owe me nothing. And I owe you even less." __________________________ "You're making me out to be the bad guy---I---" but what was he trying to say here? He cleared his throat trying at this from a more sympathetic angle. "I owe it to Sophia. I didn't like what happened. I don't get attached to things yes, but is it hard for you to imagine that I might want to stay here? I may not understand it but I'm trying to." __________________________ She hated that he felt he had some obligation to her and that's why he was bemoaning it and had to stay. "Have you ever even visited her grave? Your daughter's grave? You're right, you owe her. You owe my mother. But I am not your 'get rid of guilt' card. You helped me with my arm and paid the hospital bill, I won't pay you back for that. So for breaking my grandmother's heart and abandoning your family, we'll call it even. Clean slate." she stood up and rooted in her bag for some crumpled dollar bills because like hell she was going to let him pay for even a cup of tea for her. __________________________ Theseus grabbed her arm, not tightly but he didn't want her to leave like this. "Zoe, stop. I want to make this right." She was hitting him with all her issues on top of his own. He as trying to make a valient effort and she was shooting him down. They both needed someone right now. __________________________ She stilled and looked at him, her eyes as intense as the one word she shot at him, "Why?" he never tried to make it right with the people who needed him the most and now they were dead and she was left alone. __________________________ "I don't know. I just, I'm attached now okay. I'm trying to do the right thing. It's what your grandmother would have wanted. I don't get a lot of people that give a damn about me or vice versa, but I do about you. Maybe its really hard to believe but I do." He might have shown no remorse for her mother, and he'd let a woman pine for him that may have needed him. He was trying to do that now. __________________________ She looked at him with confusion and distrust, "You're right. It really is hard to believe." she stepped back from him, "My grandmother would have strangled you for watching while... it happened." she shook her head, "Your family is finally leaving us alone and we're leaving them alone. Can't we just continue with that?" the 'us' and 'we' being in reference to her and Greed. She did not want to try to trust Theseus and have him turn around and sell her to save himself. But... she wasn't running off. She was just tired. __________________________ "I'm not Poseidon," he was quick to make that testament to his character. He might fail in some ways, but he wasnt a true baddie. He still had a bit of hero blood in him, he was capable of doing right, even if his past transgressions painted a different light. "I can't walk away now. I won't walk away now." __________________________ She took a step back, shrinking away from him, "You sound like him..." demanding. He was being intense and while it was the only way to get her to listen, he was coming on very strong. For a man that hadn't been there at all while she was being beaten in every way possible, it was suspicious that he was here now. When, as he said, everything was 'over'. __________________________ He released her arm debating on just skipping out the rest of this lunch. He'd done what Ariadne suggest he try but the results were not immediately paying off like he had suspected. "I'm not like him---" he put himself above Poseidon in some light. Destroying people for the sake of his own revenge was not how Theseus handled things. A little more time and he may have gotten Zoe to hand over the locket without all the baggage Poseidon had drug up. "Would he ever come here to reconcile?" __________________________ She honestly said, "I don't know. You're right, Mr. Moreau. You're not the bad guy. But to me.. you're just... some guy. I don't know you. And what little I do..." she scoffed, it wasn't pretty. "If you're serious about this." she straightened her back and then took a pen out of her bag. She bent over the table to scribble down something on the back of his receipt and held it out to him, "You should go here first." __________________________ "Then get to know me." He stalled at the scribbled writing. He wasn't sure what it was, but he had a vague idea. He took her hand again this time, not abruptly. He wasn't sure why he wanted to be there for her, it scared him getting this close to anyone. Drifters were not meant to form any close ties.
"I'll call you. Soon. About the car." __________________________ She felt uncomfortable at him taking her hand and it hung loosely in his until she squeezed it and gently took her hand back. She was a very touchy affectionate person... with people she loved and trusted. So far, Theseus did not fall into that category. She looked torn about the car.. "I.. don't know about the car. Only if Poseidon wouldn't know or care or something. I really don't want to give him any reason to come after us again." she just wanted to put it all behind them. __________________________ "Poseidon isn't here right now, I think he's got bigger problems since he got into it with one of the Sins." He hadn't been there for it, but he'd witnessed something. Whatever it was it had not ended pleasantly. "I can get the car." __________________________ She ignored everything he said except for that one bit. "Which Sin? Why?" he knew her own boyfriend was a Sin and he was saying this so casually. Greed had told her he wouldn't tangle with Poseidon... he promised her. __________________________ "Have some more tea first," he waved for the chair. She looked as if she had seen a ghost. "It wasn't Greed," he assured her. "But it was one of them. A girl. Not Lust." He had tangled enough with Lust to know that hadn't been her style. __________________________ She shook her head adamantly, she didn't want tea damnit. She gripped the strap of her bag as she stood there still with a very worried look on her face. Greed had only two other sisters aside from Lust. "What happened? Why? Is she okay? Does Poseidon know who she is?" __________________________ "I don't know what happened. I just know that parking lot is ruined. Wait---why are you---?" He shook his head. Was his granddaughter involved with more than one Sin? How big was this story unfolding? __________________________ Her frown deepened and she didn't answer anything just said, "I have to go." and made her move to leave, Theseus was not on her mind right now. __________________________ "Zoe!" He called out but she was already headed off. He threw his hands up in the air. Well, that had not gone at all like he'd hoped. He flagged down the waitress for some more tea. At least he and the cup could have a happy afternoon.