"Of course it's not cut and dry. Nothing in life is."

He was short in his reply, something that felt foreign escaping from his lips. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair again and more calmly tried to problem solve what she was saying. "She might be better off tolerating your absences than not knowing her mother at all. There aren't many people who would wholeheartedly accept her as their own. It shouldn't be as such, but it's a terrible truth."

When she stood up, he noticed the blood. While he probably should have pretended not to see, Zach wasn't that sort of person. He would never attempt to cast a simple healing charm without her permission, so he instead fetched a washcloth off of its hook and wet one end of it. Wordlessly, he laid it on the table near her.

"You are worth it." His gaze searched her face, "Reckless or not, you deserve someone to be on your side. To stand by you. Because, one day, you may not feel that urge to run anymore, and you'll need a soft place to land."