An attractive middle-aged woman and man, presumably Angel's parents, emerged from the large doorway before subsequently pouncing on Angel, causing him to release his hold on you as he was smothered by their frantic embraces. How you hadn't noticed them through the pristine glass door you weren't certain, but at least if they saw the earlier scene they weren't addressing it presently. They were a bit too busy showering Angel with an excessive amount of affection which was somewhat confusing, actually, given the information Angel had just shared/dumped on you.

"My baby boy's home!" a velvety voice exclaimed from the mini group hug, the woman attached to it planting pronounced kisses on Angel's cheeks. The man chuckled beside her heartily as he pulled Angel into a headlock and ruffled his hair, evidently overjoyed to see his son.

Bitter as you were about your commute over, the scene was admittedly pretty sweet, and your scuffle with Angel went momentarily forgotten as you let him bask in the familial love he'd lacked for years.

Watching them, you realized that you didn't really remember what it felt like to have a doting mom and dad fawn over you or exalt you like you were the greatest thing alive. You honestly didn't think about your parents that much since Gran Gran was your parental figure growing up, but watching Angel get treated so lovingly by his still filled you with a bittersweet sort of longing.

"Okay, okay," he said as he began to pry himself away from their arms to regain his composure. Faint red lipstick marked up his cheeks, and his hair was extra tousled when he finally detached himself from them. "Um, hi, Mom. Dad. I missed you both."

"And we missed you, baby," his mother replied, manicured hands cupping his cheeks. "You've been so short in all your texts lately!"

She and her husband began to preen him, for lack of a better word, and you took the moment to quickly observe their appearances now that they weren't just a tangle of supermodel-length limbs and flashes of blonde shampoo-commercial-level hair. You weren't sure if they had dressed up for the occasion of seeing their son or not, but they were certainly wearing fancier clothing than what you normally did on a day-to-day basis.

His mother donned a simple light yellow silk dress that fell delicately over her tall, slim figure. Her blonde locks were swooped effortlessly into a French twist, and the few wrinkles on her face– which somehow only added to her refined type of beauty– lay below a minimal yet enhancing swatch of makeup. She had dainty white-gold jewelry decorating her neck and dangling from her ears, bringing out the lighter specks in her blue, long-lashed eyes. Her movements were carefully poised and swift as she somewhat aggressively pampered Angel, and you realized that even if she were wearing literal rags, she'd likely still exude wealth and class.

His father was also quite attractive in his own right, though in a different sense. A light blue sweater with a tiny embroidered crest was layered snugly over a crisp white oxford shirt, his biceps still prominent despite the slightly bulky material. His khaki slacks were wrinkle-free as they stretched down his long legs, though he didn't seem to quite reach his son's height. He also sported the trademark blue eyes, the smile lines crinkling around them as he beamed at Angel a clue into his older age. Another clue was the grey sprinkled across his blond locks that were gelled into a style you'd likely find in abundance at any given country club. Although he didn't quite match the more modernistic style of his house or wife, you felt his more old-money look suited him perfectly.

You finally understood how Angel managed to be so inhumanely pretty, seeing as he came from a literal goddess and a slightly less ethereal but still considerably handsome man. You tried to subtly smooth down your now embarrassingly casual attire, as if any quick fix would help you blend in with the beautiful humans around you who had all seemed to graciously ignore your presence. Unfortunately, your reprieve of going unnoticed was ripped from you when his mother's tantalizing gaze shot to your form, appraising you as she looked up and down your form.

"You brought another girlfriend home, baby?" she asked, eyes still sharp on you. "She's just adorable."

You fought back a pout at her specific verbiage, and although she couldn't have known of your recent aversion to the word, the flatness of her tone indicated that she also wasn't attempting to compliment you with it. As much as you wished that such a vision in yellow had been blessing you with genuine praise, her assumption that you were dating Angel likely made you the established enemy in her mind. As if confirming your suspicion, her eyes narrowed at you ever so slightly, a subtle intimidation tactic that was pretty effective.

Even though you were still actively angry at Angel as well as the fact that you'd yet to speak a single word since his parents had come outside, with one deceptively innocent question and a single microexpression, Angel's mother had you feeling unworthy to even look at her son. You almost felt bad for Angel's exes if this was what they faced before even revealing their true colors.

You sent Angel an imploring smile, praying that despite whatever went down earlier he'd man the fuck up and come to your aid. He grinned back, though his eyes quite concerningly failed to flash with an ounce of understanding. You couldn't say you were surprised, seeing as he hadn't seemed to understand your needs earlier either, but you could definitely say you were disappointed.

What did surprise you, however, was the way he pulled you close into his side with an arm around your waist. You weren't sure if he was intentionally using the stakes of pleasing his parents as an excuse to touch you, but that was sure as hell what it felt like.

"Aw, she's definitely the cutest! But you don't need to freak out, Mom," he smiled, resting his cheek on your head. "This is my best friend, (Y/n)! She's the reason I decided to come see you guys after so long, actually."

"It's so nice to meet you both. I'm (Y/n), like Angel said," you supplied with a polite smile, trying to inconspicuously detach yourself from your friend's hold. Furious as you were, you just couldn't bring yourself to cause a scene and make him look bad in front of his parents after he'd shared on the train how important today was, so you reluctantly stopped attempting to pull away and said what you hoped his parents wanted to hear. "He raves about you both constantly, and I'm glad to know there are other people out there as concerned with my friend's happiness and well-being as I am. Especially after learning about the less caring people he used to be close to."

His parents shared a quick glance, appearing slightly surprised by your words. You couldn't quite gauge if that was a good or bad thing, but a vague response still felt better than a blatantly negative one.

"You're not wrong. Angel's happiness is everything to us," his father finally said. You didn't know if your anxiety had you imagining things, but you felt like his smile was almost threatening for a moment before it warmed back up as he gazed at his son. "I'm glad our boy's made a friend out in the city, and such an unassuming little thing too! I'm Dennis, and this gorgeous lady is my wife, Astrid."

"Oh?" you perked up, choosing to ignore the passive-aggressive dig– you could use this. "Like the flower?"

"Pardon?" Dennis asked politely, though his tone held a sharp hint of disinterest.

"There's a flower called Astrid! It represents welcoming and hospitality, actually, which I don't doubt suits you," you half lied as you met his mother's intense gaze. If she felt flattered it wasn't evident, her smile not quite reaching her eyes as she nodded in understanding.

"(Y/n) knows all about flowers cause she runs a flower shop in the city!" Angel added excitedly.

Recognition flashed across the older adults' faces as you felt their gazes scouring your features again.

"I knew she was familiar, Dennis," his mother declared. "(Y/n) (L/n)– the woman who had the strongest superhumans in the world fighting over her, all while humbly running her little flower shop. Angel was her bodyguard, though I didn't know he had befriended her as well." She focused her attention on Angel again, her tone rigid as she continued. "And you've brought her to our home, baby. Well, even though she's unannounced it is quite the honor. Do come on in, please."

You smiled graciously until their backs were facing you, dropping the expression in exasperation. These people seemed to be masters at politely decimating those they didn't like, and you didn't know how you were going to last the rest of the day trying to appease them all while keeping your aggravation with Angel in check.

Speaking of Angel, you took advantage of being out of parents' line of sight to send him a harsh glare. His eyes remained dead set ahead, only finding you when you'd finally yanked yourself out of his hold successfully. Hurt flashed across his face, revealing that he either thought you'd forgotten his earlier stunt or that he thought your wanting space was unreasonable and somehow an insult to him. You weren't sure which idea was more stupid, but both were equally infuriating.

You looked away, knowing that if you met his kicked-puppy stare for too long you'd end up feeling guilty without valid reason– though you now were beginning to wonder if that had been a reoccurring theme in the relationship.

Upon entering the residence, you were slightly surprised to find the house's interior was just as sleek and minimalistic as its exterior. It lacked the character and warmth you might have expected from a home that also doubled as a child's school and play place for so many years, but you were only in the entryway so you halted any judgment.

The room you were in was huge, and the back wall was similar to the front door, composed of large glass panels that looked out into their backyard. Within the room, white abstract sculptures decorated the floor space methodically, but yellow and blue accents were scattered about in the forms of modern art pieces hung on the walls. The color palette matched Angel's hero costume and seemed to also be a family motif, but you didn't feel like the integration of the two hues was executed in a way that captured his energy at all. Everything was undeniably cohesive and likely expensive, but it ultimately all fell flat and lifeless.

Before you could move too deep into their home, Angel spoke up. "Mom, Dad- can I talk to you guys in your room really quick?"

You wouldn't have minded if he wanted to apologize and mend things with you in the room, but you also weren't that shocked that he didn't seem to want you there. Partially because you were visibly unhappy with him, but also because people were entitled to privacy. Regardless of the reason, you could respect his space even when he'd just failed to do the same with you.

"Of course," his mother replied, eyes on you as she wrapped an arm around his bicep and pulled him away from your side– likely another power play that ironically served to relieve you more than anything. Noticing your lack of response and giving up, she focused her attention back on her son. "We've so much to discuss. I just can't believe how big you've gotten! My baby's a strong superhero now just like we all dreamed!"

His father walked in step with them on his other side, his arm coming around Angel's neck boyishly. Your friend's touchiness certainly made sense after seeing his parents' affectionate display, although as you watched them lay their hands on him, the line between affection and possession seemed to blur, and every point of contact seemed to convey a sense of ownership.

Your presence a second thought, Dennis called out to you flippantly as they all continued towards the hallway that you assumed led to their room. "Make yourself comfortable, (Y/n). Stay put and sit tight! We won't be too long, right, son?"

They all laughed boisterously like he'd shared some hilarious joke, and you couldn't help but marvel at how in sync with each other they all were even after being apart so long. You loathed yourself for it, but the more you watched them interact with such ease and comfortability, the more your earlier feeling of longing twisted into jealousy.

You attempted to fix your sulking expression as you noticed Angel peek back at you, but the slight concern in his creased brows told you he had unfortunately caught a glimpse of how bitter you were feeling. Or not, since he simply continued on track with his parents and disappeared into the hallway.

The further away they got and the quieter their voices became, the more relief you felt. The last hour or so honestly didn't feel real, and if you hadn't been so acutely aware of how tense your body felt, you would've probably thought you were having a hyper-realistic dream. Or nightmare, though that felt a bit melodramatic.

You stayed rooted to the spot they left you in, taking Dennis' instructions literally so as not to accidentally offend his parents when they returned, in turn creating a larger unspoken rift between you and them. It was unreasonable, but so was their behavior towards you when you'd been nothing but polite.

Figuring that you had plenty of time before they returned, you felt it was safe to browse your phone without Angel feeling sidelined. Or rather, feigning feeling sidelined? No. You couldn't assume that everything Angel did was manipulative just because you were angry at him, that was unfair of you... right?

You shook your head to yourself in self-condemnation. You felt like you were being the bad friend now. No matter what Angel had done earlier, you promised today would be about supporting him. Yet here you were, baselessly accusing him of being some master manipulator.

Well... was it actually baseless?

Yes, because you technically hadn't been able to confirm that Angel was aware of how he was influencing you.

But then why, after you had just gotten visibly upset at him for forcing physical contact, had he grabbed you by the waist only when he knew you wouldn't say or do anything to stop him?

You groaned quietly enough that you wouldn't be heard, but loud enough for you to feel some kind of physical release from the growing tension in your chest and the pain in your head. You just didn't know what to think anymore, but then you realized you could just have someone else tell you what to think! Not the most mature solution, but you could scold yourself for that another day.

As you opened your messaging app and tried to choose between texting Sarah and Benny for actual advice or Piper for an enjoyable yet not as currently beneficial distraction, your phone decided for you by running out of battery before your thumb could press either option's chat. Fucking fantastic.

You attempted to busy yourself by staring out the big-ass window-wall hybrid in front of you, but without your phone, you were forced to confront your now physically painful mental oscillation between self-guilt and self-vindication. You really needed to invest in a newer, more reliable phone with better battery life.

After what felt like an eternity of torment, you shamelessly slumped down to the ground and sat with your legs crossed. Technically Dennis had also told you to sit tight, and seeing as he decided to furnish his home with strange sculptures instead of a much more practical couch, the impossibly spotless floor would have to do.

Alas, another eternity seemed to pass, and as you sat with your chin propped up on your hand, you slowly began to drift off into what could only be a stress-induced nap, seeing as the day's caffeine intake should've kept you up. When your eyes opened again, blurred blue ones were crinkled in amusement just inches away, and you felt soft hands lightly shake your body awake. It wouldn't have been the first time you'd awoken to Angel's warm breath on your face, thinking back on the short time he'd lived with you almost mournfully.

Only as your eyes began to awaken with the rest of your body, you realized it wasn't Angel who was nudging you awake, as it was Astrid's smirking face above you. Actually, she was more accurately smiling. Quite warmly too, and at you?

"Wake up, precious (Y/n)," she cooed in an equally warm tone. "We weren't even gone for long, but it looks like you were feeling quite sleepy, hmm?"

Astrid was calling you 'precious' now? Were you still asleep?

Too dumbfounded by the woman's violent shift in demeanor to speak, you simply gaped at her and rubbed the sleep out of your eyes. You undoubtedly looked like a fool, but you were too caught up in confusion and suspicion to keep up appearances.

You noticed Angel and Dennis standing close by– smiling down at your shocked form quite fondly, you might add– casting short shadows over you thereby confirming that your nap had indeed been short as the sun was still high in the sky. This fact served to make the dramatic shift in the parents' opinions towards you even more jarring, because what had changed about their perception of you within what was likely around thirty minutes? Angel was meant to be remedying his bond with them, not yours.

"So sorry," you finally croaked, sheepishly moving to stand up from the floor. "Didn't mean to fall 'sleep."

The woman rose with you, and somehow further astounded you when she wrapped you in a tight embrace.

"You've absolutely nothing to apologize for! If anything, I am sorry for mine and my husband's previous coldness towards you," she said as she pulled away. "As Angel told us he made you aware, my Dennis and I aren't used to our son inviting kind, genuine people into his life. You'll understand one day if you pursue motherhood, but your protective instincts truly do go into overdrive even after your child gets hurt just once."

"Uh, okay..." you replied slowly, questioning yet again if you were still dreaming. "I'm just glad we can all move forward without any bad blood or misunderstandings, I guess."

"We deeply appreciate your forgiveness," his mother replied with what felt like sincerity, though you definitely had not said that you forgave her. "You know what, why don't you and I go fetch some refreshments while the boys head over to the family room?"

"She'd love to!" Angel answered for you cheerfully. "I told you they'd love you, precious, didn't I?"

"You sure did," you answered with a tight smile, not pointing out how he failed to mention the other important fact that they would berate you passive-aggressively and maximize your self-consciousness first. Except judging by the way his grin dropped for a second you'd still conveyed some level of your true feelings.

"Alright, you can talk to her later, my boy," Dennis said teasingly as he gave Angel a chummy shove towards the hallway they all had disappeared down earlier. "For now let's let our ladies do their thing."

Astrid chuckled as she began to lead you through the hallway opposite the one the men took. You followed her obediently until you found yourself in a large joint kitchen and dining room that was just as impersonal and pristine as the rest of the home you'd seen. She strode to a polished black dinner table much too large for the two people that resided in the home, and ushered for you to take a seat with a coy grin. You complied nervously and she copied your action, moving to take your hands in her cold ones.

"I fibbed! The refreshments are already in the family room," she faux whispered with a giggle. "I just wanted the chance to get you alone so I could properly thank you for all you've done for my family."

Your eyes widened, understanding what she likely alluded to but still not used to her sudden kindness. "It's really no big deal. I'm sure that even if I wasn't there, Angel still would've somehow come to the realization that some of his decisions weren't the healthiest."

"But you were there, so I'm thankful. You don't know how vile his partners were, (Y/n)." She shut her eyes and sighed deeply before setting them on you again. "Always taking up our Angel's time, trying to corrupt his innocence, even sometimes trying to turn him against me and his father, if you can believe it. It was just deplorable, honestly. His father and I had to resort to so many grueling measures to keep them away, and our baby could only seem to focus on how our uncomfortable yet necessary decisions hurt him in the moment, rather than on the needlessly hurtful actions of his 'partners.' Until you, that is."

Angel had shared about enough of the selfish, exploitative things his partners had done for you to know that they weren't great people, but Astrid's words had you realizing that his partners weren't the only bad guys at play. He'd also mentioned on the train that his parent's actions had inadvertently made him want to rebel more, and while he had framed it then as though he was being foolish, you were honestly only empathizing with him more after hearing his mother's take on the situation.

"It sounds like you and Dennis both worked really hard to keep Angel safe, then?" you began cautiously. You had just gained her favor, and the topic of her parenting style seemed important enough to her that one misstep could revert you back to being seen as a threat. "That's why you both wanted to homeschool him all the way through?"

"Exactly! I'm glad you understand, but not surprised after Angel told us how invested in him you are," she simpered, helping you understand that she often seemed to her only what she wanted to, because you could not have understood less. "Part of that safety involved maintaining his morality. I'm not sure why he became so defiant and curious those last few years, but for some reason, we gave in and sent him to school. It's one of my biggest regrets. With Angel, it was always so easy to bring him to the truth, especially since he hadn't been corrupted by any unfiltered school system or unsavory media. The people he 'dated' were too far gone– conditioned by an amoral world into being amoral people, and they sought to do the same to our son. I feared they had succeeded too, but you helped remind my sweet boy of his roots."

You cleared your throat, guilty just at the thought that you had somehow affirmed Astrid and Dennis' insane ideologies to their son. That being said, you felt that any criticisms you had, validity aside, would fall on deaf ears. The best course of action seemed to be humoring her misguided ramblings until you could grab Angel and book it as far away from this absurd house as possible. Of course then you'd have to deal with both confronting the man as well as trying to help him understand that his parents were possibly just as bad as his exes, but that somehow felt preferable at this point.

"To his credit, Angel did mention that even when he was messing around he was still applying your advice to his actions in a way. I don't think he was ever as far gone from you and his dad as you might've feared." To you, this was a bad thing, but you felt pretty confident by now that Astrid would interpret your words to mean whatever made her look the best, in fact, you were counting on her to do so. "And pretty much straight from the beginning, he made it clear how much he adored you both. It really was something how close he was to his parents– even crazier so now that I know he felt that way even when you weren't on the best terms."

"Yes, well that's really to be expected considering just how much we love our sweet Angel. A parent's love truly is a transformational gift."

Her face suddenly softened into a distinctly familiar expression, one you'd been sent countless times since your Gran Gran passed, and you immediately clocked one fact about you Angel had shared with his parents, though why he had done so you had no clue. You braced yourself for kind yet redundant condolences as she gave your hands a quick squeeze.

"Angel told us about your parents, and I'm so deeply sorry for your losses. I'm sure growing up alone without a mother or father was exceptionally hard. Parents provide so much wisdom and support, and the fact that you went so long without either is truly a tragedy in it of itself."

Not her worst take, you could admit, though you sent her a small, confused smile. Had Angel not mentioned Gran Gran when he brought up your parents' deaths? "Thank you for your kind words. Truly. But I wasn't alone growing up at all. My grandmother took me in, and I think she loved and supported me just as much as my parents did before they passed."

Her lips curled into a pitying smile like she was about to break the news to a six-year-old that Santa Claus wasn't real, and it felt slightly insulting. "Yes, Angel mentioned her. I'm sure she tried her best, but it's just not the same. Unfortunately, it can't be. It might be difficult for you to comprehend since you lost yours so young, but there are certain things only a parent can provide. There's a wisdom intrinsic to parenthood."

You averted your gaze for a moment, trying to diffuse the anger now brewing within you. Nothing she had said thus far made any real sense, but this really hit a nerve. Who was she to try and tell you that Gran Gran hadn't sufficiently raised you? You wouldn't pretend that your situation growing up was typical or even ideal– but in no way did your lack of living parents detract from how well your grandmother took care of you. Also, Gran Gran being your biological grandmother meant she quite literally was a mother and therefore would possess this 'innate motherly wisdom' if it were real... Loud and wrong, Astrid. Loud and wrong.

"I guess you're right, as I'm not entirely sure what you mean. But I'm sure Angel appreciates the wisdom he could exclusively receive from you both as his parents," you replied in a slightly clipped tone as you removed your hands from hers so you could ball them into tight fists on your lap. "He's so lucky."

Astrid hummed sympathetically. "I'll tell you what. I see how much my Angel just loves you like no other deplorable partner he's ever introduced us to. I always thought I'd loathe the day he found someone he cared about more than he did me or his father, but I honestly can't help but be just as taken by you after you brought my baby back to me, and I don't doubt that Dennis feels the same way. So if you ever find yourself seeking a mom's opinion, you can come to me at any time. Think of yourself as the newest addition to our happy family."

You gave her a grateful nod, though you knew you'd never take her up on her frankly hypocritical offer, considering she'd just blasted Gran Gran for doing the same with you. Aside from that, as much as you had yearned for the familiarity and closeness that Angel and his parents displayed before, that longing had long since faded after your conversation with Astrid, anyways.

You didn't like how mean she was to you earlier, you didn't like how much she was coddling you now, you didn't like how she dismissed Gran Gran's abilities, and you didn't like how insanely overprotective she was of Angel. You didn't like her, and even though you hadn't spoken to his father much you didn't like him either, since he was at least complacent if not involved in all of this utter bullshit.

"You're too kind to me," you decided to reply instead, hoping she felt satisfied enough with both your answer and her own self-righteousness that she'd wrap up this god-forsaken conversation.

Unfortunately, she made no move to head back as she brought a hand to your cheek. "You know how I can tell that you've lacked a real mother all your life? Although you are surprisingly earnest and sweet for someone in your situation, you're so hesitant in how you give and receive love."

Okay... rude, and also so unprompted? It was like she was in a one-sided competition to get in the last word, when all you wanted to do was go home.

"Oh," you chuckled, hoping this new approach of just laughing it off would get her to shut up. Of course, you weren't so lucky.

"Angel so plainly adores you, yet for some reason– and I won't pry– you've clearly been trying to maintain space from him today, physically and emotionally. Love knows no bounds, (Y/n), and you won't be able to experience its many joys until you let your walls down. Denny and I always told Angel growing up that strong boundaries prevent strong relationships between you and those you love, and I think that's something you could stand to remember. As uncomfortable or stifling as it might feel at first, you'll thank yourself for it when you grow older and wiser."

You pursed your lips, at a genuine loss for words after her most horrendous advice yet. Had she genuinely just tried to tell you that you should drop all boundaries in order to love and be loved better? How had she not seen how that rhetoric inspired Angel to rebel? She essentially took the concept of vulnerability and then reduced it to all its worst traits, still claiming it was good and healthy. Insane. You hadn't been optimistic before about any counsel she'd tried to provide, but she somehow continually lowered the bar.

You consoled yourself by imagining Sarah and Benny losing their fucking minds when you told them about how this woman had essentially told you the exact opposite of what they had a few nights ago. The sheer audacity.

"Speaking of love," she agonizingly continued in a much lighter tone, "I wouldn't be angry if you became an official part of our family. I used to hate the idea of giving my baby away, but I don't think I'd mind if it was your care I was leaving him in, at least once you start putting our words into action. Angel's happiness truly is my first priority, and I think he could find it with you. I really do. You're certain there's nothing more going on between you two? I see how he looks–"

"Positive," you gritted out, unable to even humor the idea politely after all that she and Angel had put you through today. "He's always just been a friend to me, and that's what he'll always be. He feels the same way."

Astrid finally stood from her seat with a light chuckle, and you followed suit as you breathed out in relief. "I see. So are the rumors true about you and Megistos, then?"

Way to kick a girl while she's down.

"We're just... just business partners."

"A beautiful young woman like you who isn't interested in the two handsome young heroes available to you? You must already have your eye on someone else, then. Am I right?"

"Something like that," you sighed, too emotionally depleted to care anymore.

"Whoever it is, they're quite the lucky person," she replied, beginning to exit the room. "Though I doubt they'd stand a chance if Angel ever did realize what a catch you are. My baby always fights for what he wants."

"Right," you mindlessly responded.

You trailed closely behind her, nearly colliding with her back as she came to an abrupt pause in the doorway. You realized that Angel was the cause of the quick stop, as he stood before you both in a nearly catatonic state. You sent him an unenthused wave and mouthed the words 'let's go, please,' but it was like his eyes were boring right through you. It was slightly unnerving.

"We were just talking about you, baby!" Astrid exclaimed, evidently not as phased by her son's strange energy as you currently were. "Why didn't you wait with your father?"

He stared at her blankly for a moment before choking out a response. "Dad– he got concerned."

"Oh! We were just having some girl time, no need to worry your pretty little heads. Shall we head back? I'm sure your father would love to get to know your (Y/n) just as much as I did."

He hummed quietly in response before turning around robotically and leading you through the house to another sterile-chic white room. Thankfully, this one housed a comfortable enough looking large sofa, and on it sat a content-looking Dennis reaching for one of the glasses from the coffee table in front of him.

Your party of three took your spots on the couch, Angel uncharacteristically taking the furthest one away from you, and his parents began to lead a lighthearted conversation. Even though you were now being doted on and praised instead of subliminally threatened by the pair, all you wanted was to leave. Angel was your only ticket out, but he seemed to be actively avoiding looking at you. Any visual cue you sent him that you wanted to leave was pointless, and your phone was dead so you couldn't text him either. You settled into the fact that you were now stuck here until his parents had enough, which felt like would be never.

The rest of the afternoon continued this way, with his parents carrying the conversations all the way from lunch to dinner. Thankfully, they refrained from sharing any more hellish ideologies, and soon enough you and Angel were both saying your goodbyes to his parents in the entryway. Like in the morning, they both smothered their son in affection, only this time you received a similar treatment.

You both eventually managed to escape, their front door sliding shut behind you. You peeked back through the glass until it suddenly fogged over and turned nearly opaque, half answering your earlier concerns about the safety of such a door. You didn't know what rich people voodoo made it possible, but that wasn't important now that you stood face to face with Angel.

You didn't really know what to do from here, because you'd never had to initiate confronting a friend like this before. What you did know, was that whatever was about to happen, it would probably be best if it didn't transpire on his parent's doorstep. Your mind drifted to back the now translucent door again, and as fancy as it had proven itself to be, you doubted it could also magically soundproof your voices. You'd suffered far too long today trying to gain Astrid and Dennis's approval for you to lose it all tearing into Angel within their earshot.

Another problem was that you weren't even sure you should tear into him. You wanted to, but right now you were tired and angry– probably not the best combination when entering into a confrontation. Well, you could figure that out on the trek back to the city, but for now, someone just needed to say something.

Like always, you took the initiative after taking a deep breath. "Let's go home."

You climbed into his awaiting arms and he took off towards the train station wordlessly. The silence persisted on the ride back and didn't break until you stood on your street before Angel, your back to Francesca's. You shifted your weight between your feet awkwardly, the chilly night air nipping at you as you waited for Angel to either say something or leave, but once again it seemed to fall on you to get the ball rolling.

"What the hell happened today?"

"You have feelings for someone?" he replied, ignoring your question entirely with his seemingly random one.

"Sorry?"

He didn't blink once. "I heard you talking with Mom. So, do you? Have romantic feelings, I mean."

"Wait, is that why you were so weird when you came to get us? Because you eavesdropped and heard I had feelings for someone?"

"You're not answering the question," he countered.

"Fine, Angel. Yes. I do. Now, please just drop it," you spat, anger rising at his repeated dismissal of what you were trying to say. "Back to you. You fucked me over today so many times, and I'm not sure how much of it was intentional, but it all really fucking sucked."

"You're crying," he stated softly.

Raising the back of a hand to swipe at your cheek, a warm dampness cornimed his words, surprising you slightly. "Yes."

"You're mad."

"Yes."

"At me?"

"Yes, Angel, I'm fucking mad at you!" you sniffled. "I'm mad at you! I feel like today you were manipulating me for some reason, and I don't know why!"

"That's it?" he asked, apparently unable to vocalize anything but two-word questions and statements.

"Is that it?" you repeated back to him incredulously. "Yes, I– do you– do you not realize how awful today was for me? You told me fifteen minutes before we got to your house about your fucked up family situation and put an unfair amount of pressure on me. You sat and watched your parents passive-aggressively slight me, but instead of coming to my defense you fucking grabbed me without my consent- for the second time today- in front of them. Do you understand how the positions you put me in feel manipulative?"

He opened his mouth to reply before shutting it again, evidently unsure of what to say. He reached a hand out to wipe at the tears that were now flowing excessively down your cheeks, but he winced when you shoved it away.

If he wasn't gonna say anything, then you guessed you'd stifle your sobs and try to continue. "And then when you finally got your parents to like me after I was already made to feel like shit, I felt so so guilty and beat myself up for thinking you'd ever purposefully hurt me that I sat with your mom and tried to make you look good! But the worst–" you choked out a sob "--the worst fucking part is that when she was spewing all this insane bullshit, and– and insulting me and even Gran Gran for some reason, I was counting on the fact that you'd be there for me after like I had been all day for you– for all our entire friendship! But you wouldn't even look at me, Angel! And I find out now that it's because you overheard something that had nothing to do with you? I– I don't get it! Help me understand! Just... just tell me you didn't do it all intentionally," you pleaded, your body shaking as your tears continued to roll down your cheeks.

At some point in your rant, your anger had fizzled out, but it wasn't until you finished it that you realized that at the crux of everything you were saying was how used and uncared for you felt. You hadn't even just felt that way today, nor had you exclusively felt it around Angel when you really thought about it, but the pain behind these feelings lingered even after your rage had faded.

"I'm sorry, (Y/n)," Angel finally responded, his own eyes now brimming with tears threatening to fall at any moment. "I didn't realize that you were feeling that way, but I can see now that my priorities today were... they weren't right. I should've been better– I will be better. Please, please forgive me."

Your crying came to a slow pause as you gazed at him through your wet lashes, slightly surprised to see he wasn't the panicking ball of chaos he normally became whenever he feared he had upset you. Instead, he just looked miserable, and your heart couldn't help but ache for him when he looked so utterly defeated.

"I forgive you, Ang," you murmured sincerely, your heart too soft for him for you to even consider otherwise. "If there's one thing I learned today, it's that you were not properly introduced to how to love someone healthily growing up. But that's not an excuse, and I need you to be better."

"Will you still go with me to the gala?" he asked, breezing past your previous words.

"Angel," you sighed, not understanding what was going on in his mind at all. Usually he was so easy to read, but right now all you were getting was sorrow, desperation, and something else you didn't understand– but you didn't have the energy to ask him, at least not tonight. "I'm honestly still really hurt... I mean, give me some time to think about it, I guess? I just... I'm gonna head up to bed now. I love you, though, I really do. Goodnight."

You didn't wait for a response as you turned around and trudged inside to climb upstairs to your apartment. Finally, you could bury this deplorable day, and hopefully all of Angel's parent's ideologies and bullshit with it.

...

Angel wasn't sure how long he'd stood on the sidewalk in front of your apartment after you'd stepped inside, but that didn't really matter to him as he got lost in his thoughts. His goal going into the day had been to help open your eyes to how unnecessary your recent restrictions on the friendship were, and not only had he failed miserably, but he'd also evidently hurt you to the point of tears while simultaneously coming to the most painful realization of his life as he helplessly stood in front of your weeping form.

The day had begun perfectly, but things took an obvious turn for the worse on the train when he unceremoniously dropped such crucial information on you. While he didn't regret the act of sharing it with you– that was integral to achieving his goal– he wished he had done it in a way that wouldn't have rendered you so visibly irritated with him. Not only was your foreign coldness towards him shortly after the fact upsetting, but it also indirectly led to his next mistake: grabbing your hand. He hadn't intended to be so overtly pushy, at least not before his parents opened your mind up a bit, but when he realized you were too upset to be guilted into submission he'd panicked.

Maybe your reaction should've made it clear that he was in the wrong, but it wasn't like he was manipulating you or anything! No, he was just... playing into your empathetic... peacekeeping tendencies...? Yeah... yeah, that's exactly what he was doing. And even though those tendencies failed him once, they're also what ultimately helped temporarily mend the situation, as you did eventually put a pause on your anger in order to maintain a united front before his parents.

Things began to look up for a bit when your introduction to his mom and dad went as swimmingly as Angel had anticipated, seeing as during the train trauma dump he covertly provided you the perfect sentiments to express to disarm and neutralize the married couple. Had he exaggerated his concerns about his parents being angry with him substantially? Yes, but it was a necessary measure to ensure you'd try your absolute best to win his parents over– which you did!

He now knew that you felt like things had gone less positively, but compared to how his parents had treated his exes upon their first introductions, their behavior to you was practically saintly. There was only so much you could do yourself to fully earn their favor, of course, but Angel happily picked up the rest of the weight for you when he pulled his parents into their room for a chat.

All it took Angel to fully earn you their favor from there was expressing to them how you were the sole reason for his homecoming. Angel was well aware of how unorthodox many of his parent's beliefs were and how possessive they were of him. Hell, that was why he had rebelled against them in the first place years ago. That being said, he hadn't lied to you when he said that you made him realize that his exes were also insane, nor had he lied to his parents when he revealed to them that he had come to agree with their views on love and relationships.

The strength and ferocity of love they had for him– all consuming and without boundaries– it was the same kind of love he wanted to give to you. Maybe you'd say he was indoctrinated, but he'd say that out of all the ways he had learned one could love someone else, the picture of love his parents painted was the one that would keep you closest to him.

His declaration was enough to have his parents utterly smitten with you, but he dropped a final fact about your lack of living parental figures, knowing that was the final push necessary to set their nurturing, protective inclinations into overdrive. As his mother pulled you away to the kitchen, he could only hope that she would try to gently introduce the ideals to you that everything today had been leading up to with her motherly charm, playing on how envious you looked of his closeness to his parents when Angel caught you pouting earlier.

Getting anxious as to whether or not his mother was successful, he decided to listen in on the latter half of your conversation. He didn't see anything wrong with it, especially if his mother had helped you realize that love in its purest form meant sharing everything with each other. You couldn't get mad at him for listening in to a 'private' conversation once you understood that privacy didn't have a place in the strongest of relationships at all! In fact, every mistake he had made today would be remedied if his mom got through to you.

To his dismay, he could tell immediately that she had not. He knew you far better than she did, and he could tell you were still just trying to appease her with your responses, your fuse burning shorter and shorter with every word his mother spoke. Angel was already prepared to admit defeat and craft up a recovery plan when you mercilessly dropped another bomb on him: you had romantic feelings for someone.

He wasn't certain why at the time, but the admission hit him hard. He could barely focus the rest of the visit, trying desperately to make sense of why picturing you falling in love with someone felt like a stab to his heart. But now he was standing on the sidewalk below your apartment, and he knew exactly why. He couldn't bear to picture you falling for someone because deep down he wanted that to be him.

Angel was in love with you. He'd probably been for a while, now. How he hadn't realized it for so long he wasn't sure, though the fact you and Megistos, the two people he trusted most, were constantly telling him otherwise probably hadn't helped.

And coming to that realization was making him feel a myriad of conflicting emotions he could barely even discern, because literally everything he was feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally was all overshadowed by the debilitating heartbreak of knowing that you didn't return his feelings. You didn't want Angel the way he wanted you, and today you'd made it explicitly clear that you never would.

He couldn't even go to you with this like he would any of his other emotional developments, seeing as today he had also broken your heart in a different way, and he'd created a chasm between you both. And even if he hadn't messed everything up today, you'd told him before that if he ever began to develop feelings for you then you'd pull away for his sake. As he ruminated on the entirety of his relationship with you, he came to the bitter realization that that promise was likely the subconscious reason he had repressed his feelings for so long in the first place.

Suddenly he became all too aware of his senses again, and was met with a crushing weight on his chest as well as the desire to hurl. Was this what rejection felt like? Or maybe jealousy? He hoped not, or else this was how it was going to be from now on. He'd doubted anyone would even entertain rejecting you, so he'd have to silently pine after you while watching you fall in love with another. It was entirely unbearable.

He wobbled on the pavement, too heavy with sorrow to fly, and he plodded clumsily beneath the soft yellow streetlights. He didn't deserve to fly, anyways. It was his fault for fucking things up, it was his fault for getting so attached, and it was his fault for being so unlovable to you. Everything was all his fault.

He walked and walked through the night, at some point descending into a weepy mess as he lamented his place by your side. How long until you began to officially date this other person? How long until you decided to cut Angel off for good? And God, he had to go to work tomorrow... surely you'd tell Megistos about this, and how could he ever face his boss after making you so upset?

Angel didn't make it home until a couple hours before sunrise, and he clambered inside his apartment shutting the door softly behind him. He couldn't even make it to his bed, collapsing onto the entryway floor in a heap of even more pitiful tears and praying for sleep to come and relieve him of his self-inflicted torment, even if just for a while.