Zoe shook her head, looking really mad, "Liar! You lied to me." she put her hand on her chest, "You left, you left me last night!" she yelled at him as she broke, her face crumpling as tears came running down her cheeks. She shoved at his chest again, "You walked away..!" she said in a hurt and accusing tone, pointing upwards, "You were going to do it again."
Despite her tears, she looked enraged again, "I can handle you forgetting me but you don't walk away!" she beat her fists against his chest even if he had one wrist claimed, not that her small frame could do much damage. It wasn't about him rejecting her last night, the ruined kiss, or Mike, or Greed's treatment of her or any of that.
He had told her once that he wasn't going anywhere and despite their differences, he'd stuck to that. Maybe they couldn't be in a relationship, but it's why she wanted to do this, to find someone else so she could keep him as a friend in her life. But the key words there were to keep him in her life. Yes, he forgot her occasionally, but he'd never walked away from her like he did the night before or like he was doing upstairs. She never knew how much that would effect her until it happened.
------------------ He let go of her wrist, only to quickly pull her against him. He held on. He held her there even if she struggled. She was practically drowning in her own tears. He'd seen her cry numerous times, but even Kansas hadn't drudged up that kind of waterfall.
He cupped her face in his hands, pulling loose hairs out of her face, wiping away a stream from her cheeks. Back months ago he had said he wouldn't walk out. It wasn't something he did. Greed just didn't give up, but that's not what this was.
"It makes me frantic that you're bringing someone else into the picture." He had to have a new angle now. It wasn't as simple as threats and picking up where he'd plucked the others off. "I don't like it." Her face just looked like she would break with one more breath. He thinned his lips. It was as if he'd just walked on his favorite possession and cracked it with his shoe. Now he was holding it in his hands with such care because it hurt to break things that belonged to you.
"I know what I said. I know what happened looks bad, but this---" he pointed up the stairs, "makes me crazy." He wiped her cheeks again. "What happened last night was not because I wasn't coming back. I was rattled. I actually thought for a moment the Virtues had set you up to mess with me. You don't understand what slowing me down did."
He shoved her back against his chest holding her to him. Even if she shoved him off she wouldn't be able to break away. He was like a brick wall.
------------------ Zoe struggled against him at first but she was crying so hard, it took over most of what she was doing. She was like a little kid he was trying to soothe, her lips parted to breathe because her nose was wet and runny, her eyes filled with tears that wouldn't stop even as he wiped her cheeks, fresh tears just took their place. No, she didn't understand what slowing him down did to him, or that Mike was making him crazy. And God, again with her being some sort of trap from the virtues?
She shook her head almost not believing him, "It wasn't just last night.. you were going to do it again this morning." and if that was going to become a habit, she didn't know what she'd do. It wasn't right but part of the appeal of Greed had been that no matter how crazy she'd get or how badly she'd fuck up, he'd still be there but the past day showed that that might not be the case.
She didn't fight him this time when he held her close but she just couldn't stop crying, "I don't care if you think I'm the second coming of Christ, don't do that again.." she hit his chest again before curling her hand into the fabric of his shirt and staying against him. She was serious when she'd said she'd take him any way she could get him. She was an orphan and there was nothing more important to a child (no matter the age) than to have a home. And that's what Greed was for her... home.