5:05 - love doctor 🌱

- Oh hey!

- PLEASE make haste woman

- Montell is calling me stupid and Idk why

- Why is he calling me stupid what am I missing am I losing my mind

You snorted at Piper's texts as you stood in your kitchen surrounded by a myriad of flowers, vases, and vase-adjacent containers, having just finished your Sunday shift. You knew immediately what Montell was calling Piper stupid for, seeing as it was the number one thing on your mind all day. It was additionally the thing that had a few of your dearest regulars bringing you bouquets and the thing that had Sarah and Benny (and maybe James too, but you had him silenced now so you couldn't be certain) sending you cautious check-in texts.

It was the third anniversary of Gran Gran's passing, and while it was certainly at the forefront of your mind, honestly, you were holding up pretty well. Maybe it was because you had shed more tears in the past few days than you had in months or maybe it was because of the emotional breakthrough you had yesterday with Piper, but instead of feeling the crushing life-shattering grief you had the past two years on the anniversary, the grief you felt now was more akin to a dull ache that sat in the middle of your heart, the levels of pain waning throughout the day.

You weren't a ray of sunshine or anything crazy, but things felt bearable. It made you feel a bit guilty to be so much less affected than you had in the past, but you also knew that Gran Gran would be glad to know that you'd made it to a place where the grief wasn't hindering you from life, but rather accompanying you through it and pushing you to be the best you that you could be in her honor.

Now, as to why Montell was calling Piper stupid, that was most likely because Piper was the only person around you who was unaware of the significance of the day. Multiple times after you'd received bouquets or cards from customers, he'd come up to you after and whisper confusedly about how strange people were being, and you made no move to explain their actions to the poor man. You felt a teensy bit bad, as you'd also explicitly asked Montell not to inform him of why everyone was being extra sweet towards you, but you had your reasons.

Even though you were doing relatively okay dealing with your grief, everyone else was still walking on eggshells around you. Your best friend and her husband, the few knowing regulars, and even Montell all seemed to think you were lying when you said the day wasn't hitting as hard this time around. While their sympathies were deeply appreciated, you feared you'd lose your mind if Piper also looked at you and treated you like you were some delicate flower that might fall apart at any given second.

Unless he could piece things together himself, Piper was not going to be finding out about what day it was anytime soon. And he was annoyingly smart, so chances were he'd figure things out soon enough.

5:06 - you

- hmm idk!

- that's tough tho :(

- he's calling you stupid and won't tell you why !?

- imagine how tired i am 😐

5:06 - love doctor 🌱

- So I never said you were stupid I said you were dense which is different! Of course I know that youre sososo smart and also perfect 😁

- Now hurry I wanna look at flowers and little trinkets with you

5:07 - you

- you're pushing it...

- and can you give me like two seconds im trying to find vases for my bouquets

5:07 - love doctor 🌱

- Without the actual flower expert 💔

- Im saying bye to Montell and then Im coming up

- This works out bc I have things to give you hehe

You sighed as you placed your phone down and you began to haphazardly shove flowers into a few mason jars, not caring at the moment to make them look pretty. You probably should've had more actual vases concerning your profession, but most of them you'd purchased stayed downstairs where they were intended to be sold yet again, carrying your more expensive arrangements.

A few minutes passed when you heard a dramatic flourish of a knock at your door, and you padded over while carrying an obscene amount of Lillies you had yet to situate. You struggled to open it, only to be greeted with the most shit-eating of grins from Piper as he posed with an overflowing tote bag hung tight over his shoulder. The cockiness combined with his cozy look was almost cute in a dorky sort of way– at least until he opened his mouth.

"Daddy's home," he said– decorum nowhere to be found– causing your jaw to drop as you blinked at him in horror.

"No. Absolutely not. Try the fuck again," you ordered dryly as you shut the door in his face with your foot.

He knocked again with notably less vigor, and you once again struggled to balance the flowers as you opened the door.

He smiled flatly at you. "Hello..."

"Hmm." You tilted your head in mock thought before stepping aside to allow him entrance. "Better, but honestly a bit boring."

He sighed as he took a good amount of the lilies from you and stepped inside. "I gave you my least boring entrance and you rejected it! Beggars can't be choosers, (N/n). And Jesus Christ, why'd you get so many lilies today? This is like the death flower, why would people give you these? You might have more enemies than I thought."

You pursed your lips and shook your head as you followed him silently, trying not to laugh at his accidental ignorance. He placed the lilies on your countertop as he turned to you expectantly, awaiting an explanation, but you were still unwilling to provide him that explanation yourself, so you wordlessly continued your prior task of putting flowers in jars.

You knew your fun was almost up as you could nearly hear the cogs turning in his mind as he gazed at you, and your heart sank a little when you saw his face morph to one of mortification in your peripheral vision. Next thing you knew, he was probably gonna be spewing the series of sympathies and condolences you'd hoped you'd have avoided from him, at least for a little while longer.

"Oh my God, I am stupid," he choked out.

"Maybe," was your offhand response. If you remained unfazed, maybe he'd match your energy.

"Okay I'm stupid, but you're evil."

"What?" you snapped, pausing your work to turn and glare at him. That was not your energy. "You realized it's Gran Gran's fucking death day and the first thing you tell me is that I'm evil? You're evil."

"You let me walk around all day looking like a moronic asshole who didn't pay you or Montell any condolences! Miss Francesca is looking down on me in disgust! I must've looked like such a dick! No wonder Montell called me a clueless idiot– he probably lost all his respect for me..."

This time you openly laughed at him. This was probably the most inappropriate exchange you'd had concerning Gran Gran's passing today, but it was by far the most refreshing. And he was so wrong too– you knew in your heart that his reaction was the one she'd most appreciate. She loved a good untimely laugh in dire situations, and you were certain that wherever she was, she was giggling at Piper's needless despair.

"Montell would have lost more respect for you if he'd heard you call yourself daddy in the third person earlier, bud– and rightfully so," you chuckled as you gave him a pat on the shoulder before returning once more to the lilies. "Don't freak out or feel bad. I told Montell not to tell you, so he doesn't think ill of you. If anything, he just thinks I'm crazy."

"Yeah. You are crazy. Why are you being so nonchalant about this? Is this more emotional repression that we should address, because you've kinda been a sobbing mess up until today"

"No, I'm actually okay, I think. I don't know. I'm not ecstatic or anything, but today the grief feels more like misplaced love than it does just significant loss, if that makes sense?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It makes perfect sense. That's a touching way to put it, (N/n). I'm guessing you don't want me to get sappy, but she's definitely proud of the woman you've become."

You paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. This was the main area surrounding your Gran Gran's passing that was still a touchy subject for you, as you often struggled to see yourself as someone who was worthy of her approval now that she was gone. After your horrific first few months nearly running the shop into the ground following her death, it was like there was an overarching dread of inferiority that loomed over you. You tried not to openly address it to anyone else, because speaking your fears aloud meant that other people could affirm them. You felt that if the people around you confirmed that ever-present belief in the back of your mind that you were letting Gran Gran down, you might not ever recover.

You sent a tense smile Piper's way. "I hope you're right."

"No, you should know I'm right," he pressed. "Seriously. I know with 100% certainty that she would be."

"Okay, but..." you began unsurely, curious about his adamancy but still not entirely comfortable with the current topic of conversation. Ultimately, though, you gave in. "Um, how do you know that?"

He chuckled weakly, his cheeks suddenly sporting a red hue. "Well, I don't know if you remember, but little Piper happened to have a crush on a certain someone that was unbelievably intense despite the fact that she practically never looked his way."

"Wait, you're so right," you snorted. "Why did you like me?"

"Well, I mean, most crushes are formed because you find someone cute, so that's how things started. Congrats, you were absolutely stunning to my five-year-old eyes and I wanted to be around you all the time. Of course, you only ever cared about Jamie, and if he was around I knew you weren't gonna spare me a single glance. At first, I tried to hang around him to figure out what he had that made him your ideal guy. It was like I had a crush on him sometimes, but he did not want me around him– or you. I remember he'd tell me girls liked tough loner guys, and I think he was setting me up to become your number one enemy with that advice because eventually, you started to actively avoid my loser ass. You'd think the crush would pass once I realized I'd never get to actually know you or be close to you or anything."

"How does this relate to me making Gran Gran proud?" you asked sheepishly. "Right now you're just making me feel bad for not hanging out with you back then."

"Eh, don't feel bad. This will still be a Piper Greene success story one day if I have anything to say about it," he assured you confidently. You raised a brow to question what he meant, but he continued before you had the chance. "Anyways, that's when Miss Francesca came in. Being that she was intuitive the way many adults are, she picked up on my little crush on you pretty quick and she brought it up at the beginning of our little plant power agreement. I was mortified, but she had her fun with it– gave her an excuse to yap about her pride and joy to a captive audience."

"Aw," you smiled bashfully.

"I think that's the reason my crush was so persistent without me ever really interacting with you, because all she would ever do was talk about you. Seriously. About your favorite things, about how you did in school, about your daily habits– it's a wonder I didn't become a creep with how much I knew about you without knowing you, but y'know... I was still just an innocent kid who really just wanted to hold hands with the prettiest girl I knew. She sorta fueled my fixation. I mean, your favorite flower was the first one I ever made because she encouraged me to. Before that, I was just managing little sprouts and shit."

"Wait," you gasped. "Is that how she always had a (f/f) bouquet on hand when I was little, even in their off-season?"

"Probably," he smiled warmly. "She had me piping those suckers out weekly. So she really kept my dream alive, if you get what I'm saying."

"This is incredibly sweet and precious," you sighed. "But I'm still mostly feeling bad for not spending more time with adorable baby Piper."

He flashed you a guilty smile. "Uh... I wasn't that adorable. I was still pretty diabolical and inept at expressing my emotions towards you. We can just blame it on my jealousy towards Jamie, though. Or we can just blame Jamie in general, since he's a dick now."

You snorted. "Alright, back to Gran Gran."

"Sure. Basically, when I'd hang out in the backroom with her, Miss Francesca also told me about who you were as a person. Not just surface-level stuff like your interests and shit that was subject to change as you grew, but things about your character. That's what sold me on you."

"Oh." You didn't wanna come across as weird or overeager, but you wanted to know more– anything you could learn about Gran Gran after her passing was worth more than gold to you. "Uh, what did she say? If you can remember, I mean– if not that makes sense cause it was a long time ago and-"

"Woah, slow down," he eased with a light chuckle. "I can very much remember. Let's see... well, she talked about your discipline a lot– how determined you were to always be the best version of yourself. She also said that you had an old soul and that oftentimes you seemed to carry the awareness and discernment of someone who'd lived many more years than you had. Maybe that's why you're as grouchy as an old man too."

"Asshole," you sulked as he laughed at you.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Sorta," he added quickly under his breath" "Anyways, mind you, I was what- five? When I was first hearing all that, so I didn't quite understand the weight of her words then, but as I grew older I began to get it. The thing I remember she went on about most was your empathy, though. I think that was probably the thing she valued most in you, (N/n). She was always talking about how you had this otherworldly ability to understand people– to know them and to come alongside them no matter how diverse their background was from yours. Not cause you were a social kid or super outgoing, but just cause you wanted to make others feel good. And it was like she a had a new tale about you exhibiting this empathy every day I saw her, because you caring deeply for others like that was a daily occurrence."

Your eyes began tosing with bittersweet tears as he brought Gran Gran's memory to life so sweetly. She'd never shied away from giving you words of affirmation when she was still around, but you knew it was common for loving parental figures to fill their children's heads up with flowery praise even when they didn't really mean it. The fact that she was singing your praises to others without even thinking it would make its way back to you meant it was real to her.

"I'm probably just yapping now, but what I think I'm trying to say is that she was telling me all those things about you, and I didn't actually know you but I was still pretty enamored by the person Miss Francesca had painted in mind. How could I not adore this kind, funny, loving little (N/n)?"

"But that was back then," you pointed out. "I don't know if she'd think the same way about me now, y'know?"

"Yeah. I do know, cause for me I'd heard all this when I was a kid, and then all these years had passed and I met you again... and to be honest– I was pretty skeptical of you at first. You were still so caught up in your crush on Jamie that I didn't think I'd get to actually know the '(N/n)' I heard about back then and see if Miss Francesca was being honest with me, or if being related to you had somehow clouded her judgment."

You tried not to show it on your face, but it was kind of embarrassing to hear how obvious it was to an outside perspective that you were caught up in James' existence for so long. "So was she right?"

He blinked at you like it was obvious. "Yes, (N/n). Somehow– miraculously– you were just as cool as she'd made you look. You're as kind as she said, you're super nurturing towards the people close to you, and you're almost as knowledgeable about flowers as I am. It's pretty impressive."

You rolled your eyes playfully. "Thanks."

"And to be real," he began with what sounded almost like a nervous chuckle. "Whenever it was that you decided to stop prioritizing Jamie all the time– which I'm pretty sure actually started before you consciously made that choice, if your behavior meant anything– and as you've stepped into your own personhood, I've been able to watch you not only grow into the woman Miss Francesca already thought you to be, but I think in a lot of ways you've surpassed her hopes for you, too. Sure, you've got your flaws and your areas for growth, but you're pretty receptive to working on that shit. Especially lately with how you've tried to open up more, even if just to me. You're pretty fucking cool, so I stand by what I said. You have, without a doubt, made your grandmother proud."

You had long since finished organizing the lilies, your eyes glued to the laidback smile on Piper's face as he so casually spilled some of the most tender memories to you like it was nothing. You had never really remembered Gran Gran this way, never having dared to think that she truly had this much faith in who you were and who you'd become. Most of your memories of her were of the kindness and light she shared with others, so to hear that she seemingly thought of you as reverently and adoringly as you thought of her was something you doubted you'd ever be able to adequately thank Piper for.

Since you couldn't find the words, you decided that actions would have to do, and you pulled the man into a tight hug that he immediately reciprocated.

"Thank you," you mumbled into his shoulder. "No one's ever shared this side of Gran Gran with me before."

He hummed in response as you pulled away, and wiped the few tears that had rolled down your cheeks. "You are more of a crybaby now than you were back then, though."

You gasped in mock offense. "Never beating the bully allegations."

"Loving this pattern of me saying the nicest possible things to you and you discounting them for one half-insult," he teased. "And, actually, being a crybaby isn't even bad, so maybe you should check your perception."

"Enough with your philosophizing and psychoanalyzing. I'll go grab my coat and then we can go. Can you send me the address so I know where to drive?"

"What, why are you driving?" You sent him a look that communicated your reasoning well enough, and he rolled his eyes in defeat. "Fine. You don't need a coat, though."

"Uh... yes I do?" you began in slight confusion. "It's mid-autumn and it's cloudy today... even I'll freeze. You're literally wearing the thickest sweater I've ever seen what are you– wait, no faded band tee? Decided to drop the teenage e-boy look? I like this vibe."

"I definitely told you I go for the cool, hot, academic look in colder months, don't act so surprised," he shrugged. "But you don't need a coat because I brought you one! It's part of my warding-off-Oakley plan. I'm going to make you unrecognizable to the untrained eye. Arms up, please."

"Really?"

"Really."

You sighed in submission as you lifted your arms, and he reached into his tote and pulled out a frayed baseball cap, an oversized-looking jacket, a knitted scarf, and something else small you didn't quite recognize. He plopped the cap on your head and stuffed you in the coat, finishing off by wrapping the soft scarf around you. His body drew close to yours as he delicately adjusted it for a few seconds longer than you felt necessary, smiling softly at you while you were practically swallowed alive by the clothing.

"Is this really necessary?" you asked flatly, not wanting to betray your inner excitement at the fact that you were wearing his clothing. "Why do you even have such big clothing? This cannot all be your size."

"Hand-me-downs, lady. It's oversized for now, but you never know when I'll get totally swole and I'll need to size up. And yes. Very necessary. Oakley is still a threat, because if nothing else, he's one disturbingly persistent motherfucker. I highly doubt he'd do anything as batshit insane as proposing to you again, but I don't want him to spot you somehow and make his obnoxious presence known."

"Fair enough," you relented.

"Good. Plus, you look insanely silly drowning in my comically oversized clothing. It's a win-win! For me, I mean. You, not so much."

"Man, whatever. Let's just go– if I can fucking see through this scarf and hat halfway blocking my vision."

"If you have impaired vision you shouldn't drive, so I-"

"You wear glasses, bitch! Talking about 'impaired vision,'" you grumbled, grabbing your keys and making your way toward the door. "Let's go."

It quickly became evident to you that no matter what role Piper played in the driving experience, he was sure to make it an... experience. You were forced to endure him constantly adjusting the radio volume and station, him shoving his phone in your face like a literal iPad kid, and him telling you to look at random landmarks he pointed out on the short drive to the street that held the farmer's market. You said a prayer of thanks when you put the car into park a few streets down, but you were back to grumbling again when you remembered the ginormous clothing swamping your body.

"I look stupid."

"No, you look silly," Piper amended as he shut the passenger door. "They're quite different."

"Do you know you drive me a little bit insane all the time? Why is this even necessary? What's Oakley really gonna do if he sees me?"

"You're pretty unfazed about the whole situation now," Piper noted as you both began to walk down the street towards the market. "You were freaking out yesterday."

"Yeah, but then I remembered it was Oakley, y'know?" you explained. "Being afraid of him is almost embarrassing. He's more obnoxious than dangerous, and if things somehow do get serious, I can just talk to Jamie. Even if we're arguing, I know that he'll still come to my aid when it's my safety on the line. I mean, I'd hope he would..."

Piper didn't respond, instead opting to interlock your hand with his. You didn't make any move to reject the gesture, but you did send him an inquiring look. Not that you didn't want to hold his hand or anything, but you remembered he said he only did it when he thought you were feeling anxious. What was his motive now?

"Why'd you do that? I'm not worried about Oakley or anything, so you don't have to."

"Maybe I just want to, then," he responded a bit too matter-of-factly for you to grasp, leaving you at a slight loss for words. "Besides, there's probably gonna be lots of people here, and you don't do well with crowds. Think of it as preventative hand-holding, if you want."

"I don't like crowds?" you asked before memories of certain minor freak out you had at Eloise's scam event flashed in your mind. "Oh, I don't. I don't do well in lots of places and situations, do I? Damn, maybe I do have anxiety. Huh."

"Yeah, maybe," he agreed with a shake of his head.

"Do you have problems?" you asked bluntly, and he laughed at the vague question. "Okay, okay, let me elaborate. I just mean I feel like whenever we talk about me it's about shit that sucks, but when we talk about you it's just funny stories from your class or exciting stuff about your research project. Where are your deep-rooted issues for me to help you break down and overcome?"

"You're funny, (N/n)," he chuckled, giving your hand a squeeze. "I have problems too, but I started going to therapy in high school so I've been sorting them out since then. Also, they're not quite as... well, let's just say I don't have a bunch of shitty men circling me like a gang of sharks that all weaponize my best qualities! So I kind of have a head up on you there."

"Yeah," you sighed. "That's good though. I'm happy you're happy."

"And you add to that happiness, believe it or not," he said, eyes lighting up as he looked ahead. "We're here."

You turned your head to take in the scene of the street, with him, and it was beautiful– the seemingly endless row of tents set up beneath the red, orange, and brown falling leaves, people milling about them and smiling together. There was an abundance of flower-bearing tents, but there seemed to be a few others selling clothing, jewelry, and even food and drinks as well. He was right in his assumption that there'd be many people present, but his grip on your hand was firm and you felt safe by his side.

Had circumstances been different, it would've been the perfect setting for a date– especially a date with Piper. It wasn't, of course. You knew it wasn't. But when Piper looked at you the way he did under the twinkling fairy lights lining the street, it was pretty easy to pretend.

"Oh, I think I see the one I heard about," Piper explained excitedly as he led you to a tent housing a beautiful collection of countless different autumnal flowers, all of them placed unbound in bins of water. "You get to make your own bouquet. Isn't that rad?"

"Very rad," you smiled, equally excited. "But can't you make your own flowers if you want them in your apartment? It's probably cheaper."

"Uh... you'd actually kill me if I did that, and that's not my desired outcome of the bouquet we make," he replied simply as he picked his first flowers and handed them to you- a couple of white anemones. You immediately clocked their meaning somewhat offhandedly, a subconscious habit you'd picked up long ago. Sincerity.

"Not if you made them in the privacy of your own home. Hey, I still don't get how your powers work," you added quietly so only he could hear it over the sound of chatter and music around you. He handed you a few more flowers, a few tiny stems of chamomile. Tenderness. "Like how can you manipulate dirt?"

"I don't really know, actually. Only heroes have their powers studied so they can 'maximize their efficiency' or whatever. I kinda just realized I could move dirt one day and I went with it," he chuckled, this time passing you a few soft blue asters. Admiration. "Or, soil, technically. Once again, I don't really know, nor do I care, but sometimes I try to move a patch of mud or something just for fun and I can't do shit. Powers are trippy and make zero sense. I think mine were wasted on me sometimes."

"What? Yours suit you perfectly, Piper," you insisted, receiving from him what was likely meant to be the filler plant: pink sedums. Their meaning was sweet– curing a broken heart. "Jamie has a ton, which are all cool and all, but his are all seen as valuable in the ways they're able to execute violence most of the time. Your power is to literally create life. You can convey messages and sentiments with your power, too! And also, I just really like flowers. So I'm glad that's your gift. It's so shitty you can't use your powers outside of military combat, cause I think you'd bring a lot of joy to the people around you if you could use them in ways that aligned with your beliefs."

"That's nice of you to say. I'd like to think so, too, though I'd also use them selfishly sometimes too," he smiled at you, handing you a few final flowers- muted red chrysanthemums. These had multiple meanings, but the first thought that came to your mind was your grandmother. "These are my favorites."

"Chrysanthemums were Gran Gran's favorites too, but not red ones. She liked yellow," you said with a nostalgic smile. "So many different meanings for one flower, yet the only one I bothered to remember was that they were her favorite."

"She's why they're my favorite. She told me the story of how they came to be special to her and I guess it stuck with me."

He led you to the vendor and pulled out some cash to pay for the flowers, helping the seller calculate the prices of his unique bouquet. You listened to their interaction absentmindedly, staring at the slightly unconventional mix of flowers on the table as they were wrapped up in thick tissue paper. Despite their contrasting shapes and shades, they looked stunning together, and they felt incredibly Piper. And before you'd even processed that he'd paid, he was pressing the arrangement back into your hands.

"For you," he beamed.

You accepted his gift with an awed smile, heart pounding at the gesture. "I doubt I'd ever think to pair these all together, but once again you have proven your floral expertise. The question is: do you even know the meanings? I can tell you if you want, seeing as I'm the real floral expert."

"You think I don't– you drive me insane," he huffed, leading you through the crowded street again. "You don't even know what red mums mean, and those are basic flowers. Basic red flowers. And you don't know why I'd... Dense as hell, but it's fine. We have time to work that out, now."

"You sound ominous as hell right now, I hope you know," you commented as he stopped at the end of a line leading to a stand selling warm drinks like cocoa, tea, and cider. "Like a secret supervillain, maybe."

"I already told you that the only way I'm turning into a villain is if you die on me. But also, I think I legally am a villain since I use my powers all the time."

You squeezed his hand tightly and you narrowed your eyes at him. "You what."

"I never use my powers because I am a law-abiding citizen," he chanted to you, and you nodded in approval. "Know whatcha want?"

"Yeah, I wanna pay for yours too, though. You bought me flowers, so it's only fair."

"Would Jamie let you pay for his drink?"

You let out a confused laugh. "No? Definitely not, but he's stupid rich. Why is he relevant...?"

He rolled his eyes and muttered something to himself (likely about your density), before getting your order and pulling out his wallet yet again. He managed to balance both cups in his free hand so he could still hold yours with his other, and he led you to a street bench under a slowly turning tree.

"You are trying to get over Jamie, right?" he asked softly after a moment of comfortable silence had passed.

You took a pensive sip of your drink and nodded. "Yeah. Trying. It's harder than I thought it would be, but he's my first love so that makes sense. You're the self-proclaimed love doctor and you solve problems for a living, got any advice?"

"Okay, I don't solve problems for a living, I just bitch and moan about them for hours on end," he joked. "Why do you want to get over him? You find someone new or something?"

"That's part of it, I guess. I, uh... I really like the new guy," you admitted shyly. "But the other part of it was me realizing I'd like to be loved just as much as I like to love, if that makes sense. Jamie can't ever do that, I don't think."

"He could, though, (N/n)," Piper scoffed, sitting up straighter on the bench. "That's what makes me the most upset for you– the fact that he could've had you for so long and he didn't. And honestly, no reasoning for passing up on you could make him any less of a coward in my eyes. He doesn't deserve you."

You only hummed in response, unsure where his emotions were stemming from.

"Anyway, to answer your question, I don't really know how you get over your first love, but I've made my best guess as I've grown up. I think that you either learn to live with it or you just fall in love with someone else harder. And I think that'd probably apply to most instances of being in love, too."

"Is this from experience? Do you have a first love?"

"Sort of," he responded slowly, and you felt your heart selfishly sink a little at the admission. You had a first love, why couldn't Piper?

"That's sweet," you began hesitantly. "You've had partners, then?"

He laughed at the question and you grew confused. "Yeah. I've had two girlfriends who were both very nice people, but I wasn't in love with either of them. One of them was from middle school and she was actually a lesbian– which my friends still flame me for– but she and I are still pretty tight to this day. And the other one was during my junior and senior years of high school, but I don't know why I dated her. The only love in my life then was my homework, and she dumped me because of it me a bit before graduation– as she should've."

"Oh, I'm sorry," you replied politely, trying to suppress the smile threatening to surface at the information given to you. "Wait, so how'd you get over this mysterious first love that you're not explaining at all."

"Uh, that's... tricky," he began awkwardly. You shifted in your seat to look him more head-on, trying to read whatever complex feelings he was conveying, but it only seemed to make him squirm more. "I'm kinda living with the love, if you could even call it that, and also simultaneously trying to move on with the next person, but also not really cause I want to give the person space. Sort of. So...yeah. Um, what are you gonna do?"

"I'm not following your weird broody yearning at all, but I'm sorry things are so complicated with this person. That's a lot of trouble to go through for them, though, so they must be special," you gritted out halfheartedly, once again baselessly jealous. Piper failed to hide his groan at what you thought were compassionate words, but you moved past the short exchange to spare your feelings. You then mulled over his question for a bit, your face heating up when you noticed how intently he was watching you. "Well, I don't really wanna live with it, so I guess I'll love someone else harder if those are the two options."

"Okay, my ideologies are not infallible so don't go treating me like I know everything. But you're probably in for less heartache than I've experienced if that's the route you decide," he said, and then he paused for a moment, seemingly bracing himself before continuing. "There's only one question left then: who's the next victim of (Y/n) (L/n)'s all-encompassing, logic-defying, highly coveted love?"

You immediately froze up mid-sip of your drink, not expecting him to just flat-out ask you such a personal question. Maybe you should've, seeing how intimate and close your friendship had become with him, but you'd had an intimate and close relationship with James too and he'd never inquired so openly about your love life– not until recently, at least.

And fuck– what could you even say? No way you were about to embarrass yourself and express your feelings for him right here and right now. Yeah, you'd just told him you wanted to fall in love harder with the other person you'd caught feelings for, but he could not know that was him- not yet. You hadn't been monitoring his actions or feelings towards you at all because you'd been so focused on your feelings for him as well as on getting over James, so you had no clue if what you felt was at all reciprocated. Also, he was just talking about his confusing and complex feelings for his first almost-love or whatever, and you weren't trying to add to his stress.

"Hello?" you heard him say, and you realized you might've been pondering and ruminating in your mind for a bit too long. "(N/n)?"

You slowly turned your head and attempted to send him a calm, collected, and normal smile, but you could tell by how strained it felt as it pulled at your lips that it looked fake as fuck. Bad. And then the strain morphed into abject mortification when he seemingly went through multiple emotions and conclusions in one second, just from your one failure of an expression. Very bad.

"Wait, what?" he muttered at a nearly inaudible volume, a wide grin slowly spreading across his face. "No fucking way-"

"Can you shut the fuck up?" you snapped, not appreciating the enjoyment he was deriving from your inner turmoil. "Whatever you're thinking you've realized is definitely wrong."

He dropped his empty cup next to him on the bench and he seized your shoulders in his hands, bringing you inches away from his face as he sent you the most serious expression you'd ever seen on him, the close proximity forcing a flush of heat to your face and neck. You slowly sank into the huge scarf like a turtle retreating into its shell, but he was so close to you that it didn't help hide your flustered features at all.

"Who do you like, then?" he pressed. "Who's the new guy? It's not Angel and it's sure as hell not Oakley."

"Don't do this to me," you squeaked, his smile reappearing at your meekness. "Piper, this is so embarrassing."

"Oh c'mon," he urged you with a light laugh. "I suffered years pining for your Jamie-obsessed ass. What you have to admit isn't even bad at all, I just wanna hear you say it."

"Don't wanna."

"Don't care."

"Please?"

"Nope."

You sighed in irritation at his persistence. "You're a real asshat, y'know that? I don't even know what an asshat is, but I know that you are one for taking so much enjoyment in seeing me suffer."

He blinked at you in disbelief. "Seeing you suffer? What are you on about?"

"I don't know! This feels like some sick revenge where the roles are reversed and I'm gonna have to have some unrequited crush on you for years!" you accused him, only making him laugh harder. Unbelievable. "See, you're just laughing at me!"

He paused hia reveling in your agony and his brows furrowed when he saw the genuine hurt and insecurity present on your face, bringing his hands up to cup your cheeks gently over the thick scarf.

"Wait, (N/n), no," he began softly, his earlier amusement replaced with a gentleness that had your insides melting. The mixed signals were far too much. "I'm not happy because I wanna see you in pain or I wanna get revenge on you, I'm happy cause I've wanted you so badly for so long and now I can actually do something about it without complicating your life or stressing you out."

"What."

He laughed again, though now the sound was sweeter and warmer, and his thumbs began to softly trace circles where they rest on your face as he explained himself. "My feelings for you came back on, like, my first fucking shift at Francesca's. I tried to ignore them and first, and then once they couldn't be ignored, I just never made a move because I knew you still liked Jamie and I wasn't trying to homewreck anything like he accused me of that night when I had dinner with you guys. I kinda fucked up and felt really bad for flirting with you before I knew you wanted to get over him, but I started liking you a lot, and seeing Jamie fuck around with your emotions made me so annoyed because I could see how much it hurt you."

"...what."

"Okay... I can keep explaining, then?" You nodded numbly. "You got it. When you told me yesterday you were trying to get over Jamie, I figured I could try and win you over subtly, like by treating you better than Jamie does and by crafting you really romantic bouquets that you thought I didn't understand– which was insane of you, by the way. And lately, I kinda felt like you were slowly beginning to grow feelings for me too with how nervous you keep getting, which was great. But just now when you said you liked some new guy already, and 'a lot' at that, I thought I was cooked. But it was me!"

"It was you– or, uh, it is you. But... but your disaster first love...?" you tried to argue, not really able to comprehend what you were being told.

"So, I don't know if you remember my whole earlier spiel about falling in love with the idea your grandmother painted of who you were?" he smiled expectantly, and you nodded again. "That's why it was confusing– because I wasn't really in love with you back then, but I became so attached to who I thought you were at the time that I have literally sought those qualities out in everyone I've met since then. And now I know the real you, and while you are those things, you're also so much more than them. And the real you is far better than what child Piper could've ever immaturely projected onto you– the actual, genuine you is who I want to fall in love with for real. That's why I wasn't making any sense, but once again, I wasn't planning on confessing anything to you the day after I found out I could actually try to pursue you. I was in it for the long run."

"Okay, um... hmm. You express your feelings and emotions better than anyone I've ever met, and I'm not entirely sure how to respond to you right now," you said after a long portion of time spent failing to conjure up a more eloquent response in your short-circuiting brain. "Uh... well, I'm so so happy to hear everything you're saying, but also I don't know... I'm unsure how to receive this amount of open affection. I don't know if I deserve it, and I honestly don't know if I deserve you."

Piper frowned at your final confession, pulling you into another tight embrace. "You do deserve it. Of course you deserve it. I want to show you that you do, and I want you to know what it feels like to be loved properly."

"But I still love Jamie," you divulged quietly, ashamed of yourself for still caring for him in that way and ashamed of yourself for wanting Piper too.

"So then I'll make just you fall in love with me harder," he responded, pulling away to meet your eyes. "I don't care how long it takes. I've been waiting this long, anyway. It won't even be hard for me, 'cause caring for you is like my second nature at this point. I'll do it, you just have to let me. I don't want to ever make you feel uncomfortable or pressure you into anything, but I can be openly affectionate with you, I can spend more time with you, I can give you an outlet to feel things openly– all you need is to say it's what you want."

"I still don't– I don't know what to say," you began, genuinely overwhelmed by the formerly unimaginable phenomenon that was having your feelings reciprocated. "But I think I want that."

"That's okay. You don't have to know everything right now. We'll figure it out together, and we've got so much time to, yeah?'

"Yeah. I think I like you more after all of that, though," you declared with a wry smile. "You want me so bad."

He grinned at you, clearly too elated to even care about your teasing. "I do want you so bad, but it sounds like you want me pretty bad too. The love doctor wins again."

"Dear God," you sighed, before bashfully sinking back into your borrowed scarf. "I have a request."

"Yeah sure, we can make out," he tried nonchalantly, and you immediately shoved him away from you with scofa f.

"Freak. No, I was gonna ask if we could go back to my apartment and like- watch a movie or something. I wanna spend more time with you tonight."

"Whatever my pretty girl wants," he eagerly agreed, grabbing your hand and dragging you towards your car.

"I'm spending the night at Angel's again, but I'll tell him to come later."

"You know, I thought I saw him earlier," Piper chuckled. "But I must've hallucinated it out of fear. That guy does not fuck with me."

"He's a bit territorial with me sometimes," you conceded. "I still haven't told him my decision about the gala... I feel kinda bad but I don't know what to do. I don't really want to go with him, but even if I go as the shop's rep he'll still be there. And Jamie. I'm fucked no matter what."

You both climbed into your car and turned on the heat before pulling out and heading back towards your apartment.

"You should go with Angel."

"I should?"

"Yeah, go with Angel and then invite me or Montell as the rep so you have a safe person there the whole time. Cause you're right– if you go as the rep then you're alone with them. This way you'll have someone there to support you and be a safe space. Actually, the fuck am I on? Don't even consider Montell, just choose me. I wanna be your safe space and I wanna see you dressed up all pretty."

"Okay." You couldn't stop the smile that spread across your face. "This is how you're gonna be now? Super open with your feelings about me?"

"Absolutely. Gotta get you to fall in love with me, so that means I gotta be totally upfront with you. It's not like I haven't been thinking these things before, and I definitely still voiced them. Just ask the kids. They found out a while ago and they've been torturing me since finding out."

"So conniving. I love them," you laughed.

"Yeah. Me too, somehow."

When you finally made it back to your apartment and you successfully mason jarred your new favorite bouquet of all time, you both situated yourselves on the couch as you rifled together through your movie collection. You selected one and put it on, although you both soon disregarded the film in favor of enjoying each other's presence. Somehow you ended back on the topic of Gran Gran, and you mentioned your curiosity from earlier concerning whether or not James had texted you histhing about her.

"Why don't you just check," Piper asked as you rested your head on his shoulder. "You don't have to answer or anything."

"Mmm, I could relapse."

"O-kay, give me your phone and I'll check. I don't have to read it, but I'll let you know if he at least said something," he said, and you immediately passed him your unlocked phone. "(N/n)... 8% is slightly concerning. And that reminds me, I brought you an extra portable charger that I left on your counter earlier. It stays in your purse at all times, please."

"I don't really use a purse that often."

"Use a tote then, woman. I don't care. You just need to be more cautious of your-" he paused, and you looked up at him from his shoulder to see his face morphed in disappointment. "(N/n), please tell me this man isn't in your phone as 'the greatest' with three exclamation points."

"Are you jealous," you teased, and he maneuvered himself to deliver your forehead the perfectly painful flick. "Ow-"

"No, I'm not jealous. I have full confidence that you mean what you say and that you wanna get over him and also that you're gonna fall super embarrassingly hard for me one day. I'm just wondering how you think you're gonna get over him when you've got him saved in your phone with such a flirty contact name? The small things are what'll keep you hooked."

"It's not flirty... is it? It's just his hero name in English."

"What am I gonna do with you?" he sighed. "Can I change it?"

"Don't put anything mean. Just his name."

"Gotcha."

Just as you watched him switch the contact name to a very subtly shady 'james...' your phone began to vibrate, signifying a video call from your other best friend. A pleasant surprise. Of course, Piper wasn't able to tell that it was Sarah, and he gasped as he read the contact name.

"Now I'm jealous..." he began, giving you a mean side-eye. "Who's the 'love of your life'? Can they fight?"

"Oh my God, calm down," you laughed. "It's Sarah. Pick it up."

He did as you said and you stifled a laugh when it was Benny's face that flashed on the screen. A moment of silence passed, both men clearly not anticipating seeing the other.

"You are not Sarah Bartell," Piper observed dubiously.

"Yeah. And you are not (Y/n) (L/n)," the other man replied suspiciously. "I'm Sarah's husband, Benny. You are?"

"I'm (N/n)'s– uh..." he trailed off, peeking at you for help in finding the right words for what he was to you. You shrugged and he rolled his eyes with a small smile. "Can you please go get your wife?"

"Wait, you're Piper, aren't you? As in the Piper?" Benny boomed, expression shifting from distrust to pure delight. "Hey, you go get your wife, am I right? Where's (Y/n)?"

"Benjamin!" you scolded, grabbing your phone back to give the man a glare for his lack of tact.

Piper, on the other hand, seemed all too pleased by the interaction as his arms went around your waist and he placed his head on your shoulder with a satisfied little grin on his face. He peeked up at you to ask for a silent confirmation that what he'd done was alright with you, and you nodded as you bit back your own smile.

"Sarah! Get over here! That Piper guy's on the phone!"

"What!? With (Y/n)?" you heard her muffled voice ask.

"Uh-huh! Cuddling her on the damn couch!"

You and Piper giggled as you heard her flabbergasted response, and soon enough she was also in frame asking you both a million questions a second about what was transpiring on your end of the call and how you'd both gotten to that point. You both attempted to answer the barrage of questions to the best of your abilities, until both Sarah and Benny felt satisfied enough with the information they'd received.

"I guess... I guess my biggest and final question is: did your parents know that you would have plant powers?" Benny mused quite seriously for such a dumbass question. "Y'know, because your last name is Greene."

You and Piper both shared a glance as you tried to maintain your laughter, and he shook his head at the man. "No. A really fun thing about last names is that often parents don't change them even if they conceive a superhuman child. It might be common sense to most, but I admire your sense of childlike curiosity."

Sarah snorted and Benny recoiled from the screen, practically clutching his pearls at the dig. "Well. My goodness. Glad to see (Y/n) found someone who enjoys tearing me down just as much as she does. You're perfect for each other, I hope you share a lifetime of sarcasm and never truly knowing if the other really means what they're saying when they insult you."

"That's not gonna be a problem," you stated confidently, nuzzling into Piper.

"I will be nothing but real when it counts with my future woman," he agreed.

"You guys are adorable," Sarah cooed. "But, Piper, know that what you and (Y/n) have will never come close to what I have with her! We are soulmates, you and Benny are the side pieces. With peace and love."

"I already knew that much," Piper grumbled, squeezing you a bit tighter. "But she's in my arms right now, so I won't complain."

You yawned as you leaned further into him, and he wrapped up the call as he caught on to your exhaustion. You asked him to text Angel to come by and he did so, offering to stay until the hero arrived to which you gladly agreed. You had only a few moments before fast raps arrived at your front door, Angel's incredible speed still slightly baffling to you. Still, you waited a moment to answer the door, instead catching Piper in a sleepy hug as you both stood from the couch.

"Thank you for today, Piper. You're so sweet to me when you're not being a mean little bitch," you poked at him before squeezing him just a bit harder. "I'm gonna fall in love with you so hard."

He chuckled softly. "Damn right."

You were reluctant to let go, but you knew you couldn't stay in the moment forever no matter how much you might've wished you could've. Except you didn't dread leaving the moment too much if the future promised similar ones and a tender, sweet life by Piper's side. You weren't there quite yet, but it was so close– and it was this truth you rested in as you greeted Angel and concluded your night.