It was almost funny to Angel how one man could single-handedly ruin what was meant to be a wonderful night with the girl of his dreams. That man of course was Piper, who was practically shoving in Angel's face the fact that he was the one who had somehow captured your heart and that he was the one who could kiss you and hold you and, most importantly, love you the way Angel wanted to.

Frankly, it was sickening, so it was both a blessing and curse that he had only just come to realize the agonizing truth tonight as opposed to whenever your little love affair had actually begun. But watching you giggle at the other man's lame jokes and seeing how you sought him out as your refuge all night– your refuge from Angel specifically, too? It made him want to pull his hair out.

You were Angel's date, and while he knew it was all just pretend and only for a few hours at most, this was meant to be his one chance to experience just a sliver of what life could've been like if you were his girlfriend. He didn't think this minor delusion was entirely unfounded either since you'd promised him that much, yet you still insisted on clinging to Piper.

And now Megistos was pulling you away from him too? It was slightly different because you didn't have feelings for him, nor did he for you, but it was still all just so messed up. At least now, your sensitive heart wouldn't have to bear witness to the absolute hatred oozing from Angel as he sat by Piper.

He was silent for a while, watching as his superior pulled you away from him in your pretty dress that was in his color– and he almost forgot his current anger when he noticed the way your shoes and the little clutch you were gripping onto for dear life were both white. It couldn't have been accidental– you'd clearly taken it upon yourself to match his wings as well because you were just that sweet and intentional. Shoes that you'd complained about, too, meaning you had chosen to endure that pain for him. It was as heartwarming as it was heartbreaking, because even with how clearly you cared about him, it just wasn't in the way that he craved.

His anger was renewed when his eyes fell back on Piper, who was already looking at him, his mouth curled in an apparent combination of amusement and disgust like Angel was a natural disaster he just couldn't tear his eyes away from. It was so insulting and uncalled for. Angel hadn't done anything disgusting enough that might warrant such a look– at least not in comparison to the shamelessness Piper had exhibited all night as he hogged up all of your time and attention. God, he could just scream at how unfair life could truly be, when people like him lost to people like Piper.

"I don't like you," he finally said, his voice tight and sharp.

"I gathered," Piper replied with a sigh. "Feeling's mutual."

Now that was just ridiculous. What had Angel ever done to Piper? Certainly nothing comparable to stealing the love of his life, though admittedly, if Angel could, he without a doubt would.

"You don't deserve any of the good things that have fallen into your lap recently. I hope you know that."

"Damn. That's tough," Piper droned back, clearly unimpressed.

Angel's eyes sharpened on the suddenly non-confrontational man. Where had his earlier edge gone? He was all too ready to fight when you were around, but now he was acting pretty spineless. Not exactly unexpected, but it still made Angel's blood boil more. You really didn't know how to pick 'em.

"Is (Y/n) your girlfriend?"

Piper yawned– the piece of shit yawned at him."We're taking it slow, but eventually, that'll be the next step."

"I'm in love with her," Angel suddenly blurted.

He wasn't sure what he thought he'd accomplish in the declaration... maybe it was some sort of intimidation tactic? If that was the case though, it didn't work. Piper was still unaffected, and honestly, he looked sort of bored.

"Yeah. I'm well aware."

"And you don't care?" Angel pressed, seeking some sort of explosive, uncalled-for response– anything to make him feel like the better man between the two.

"Not particularly."

"That's pretty careless and cocky. I could make a move. I could steal her away from you," he began to insist, not really because he believed his own words, but rather to make Piper sweat. And still– nothing. Piper only blinked at Angel listlessly.

"That's not gonna happen."

"Why not?" Angel cried out, finally losing his composure. "Stop trying to act like this high and mighty guy– you're not better than me! You're just– you're a weak and pathetic piece of shit, and you've probably got something above (Y/n) to make her stay with you!"

Piper's brows rose in slight surprise, his first real display of emotion in the primarily one-sided conversation. "Wow, Angel. You speak like you think so little of her and like you think she isn't capable of choosing who she wants to be with herself. (N/n) might be forgiving and trusting to a fault sometimes, but if you honestly think that she's with me because she feels she has to be, you've got her and you've got me all wrong. She wouldn't do that, and I would never weaponize her vulnerability in that way anyways. That's why I'm confident that she won't leave me, especially not for someone like you."

Of course. Of course the first time Piper ventured to give Angel an actual response it was to try and defend your honor like some pseudo white night. Angel was supposed to be the hero, but Piper was trying to make him feel like a villain. He wondered if you'd be on his side if he framed this conversation to you like that... if he could pull on your heartstrings just a little longer to try and push Piper back out of your life.

"Someone like me?" he scoffed, digging for more words he could use against him. "What are you even getting at?"

"Really, man?" Piper's face scrunched up in obvious displeasure. "I'm not blind, I've seen and heard you use (N/n)'s kindness against her time and time again. It's fucked up the ways you've made her question herself and bend over backward for forgiveness that you should actually be receiving from her. I hope you can see that she's slowly starting to realize it, too– and for the most part that's great. But honestly? If it breaks her... or if it at all causes her to resent her best qualities like her empathy and her graciousness due to you taking advantage of them? Then we're gonna have a problem beyond me just disliking you, because her sadness and pain are more criminal to me than even your gross abuse of her friendship."

"Stop acting like I'm the bad guy just because I love her," Angel muttered in very thinly restrained fury. "I'm helping her. I'm showing her how to love, even if she-"

"She doesn't love you that way and she's not going to ever. Stop making her feel uncomfortable, and let her be happy. End of story," Piper interjected, his voice still incredibly calm. The soft-spoken sound was almost too grating for Angel to bear, his jaw clenching as he struggled to refrain from silencing it at its source, to put what he ached to do lightly.

He sucked in a deep breath, clenched fists shaking in the face of his apparent defeat. Piper was right, and ultimately, he'd won. He was too perceptive of Angel's... methods in keeping you close for any last-ditch efforts at reeling you in to work. Still...

"I could tell her I love her," he whispered. "I could turn her against you. I could do it– I... I could."

"You're not gonna do that, Angel," Piper frowned, his voice even softer than before.

Angel cringed when he met the man's eyes, which were suddenly swimming with some sort of sympathy, like he was a good person– like he actually cared about Angel's wellbeing. It made him sick, and seeing your sweetness mirrored on Piper's expression reignited his rage, as it was a further reminder that you and Piper had fit together so seamlessly in a way that Angel could only ever dream of.

"You confessed, didn't you? Why can't I? Why can't I have a chance?" he pleaded.

"No. She confessed to me first, technically."

"So then you were never gonna tell her? You act like you're the better choice when you were just as cowardly as I am."

"I wasn't a coward for not telling her," Piper began carefully, perhaps trying to gently explain the situation to Angel in an act of kindness. Instead, it felt like another knife through the hero's heart– another power play reminding him of how inferior he was. "She wasn't in a position to accept my feelings for a long time, and I wasn't going to subject her to the turmoil of some dumbass love triangle when she was still figuring herself out. That's the thing about my love for her. It doesn't aim to monopolize or isolate. How I care for her implies that I want the best for her, even if I myself am not. When I realized that maybe I could be the best in a romantic context, I resolved to wait and see if she came to the same conclusion. When she did, I agreed to go along with her at her pace."

The way Piper spoke was with a slow and gentle cadence, like he was stood before a full lecture hall delivering kindly the day's lesson, and Angel wondered if he exhibited this same patience towards you. He hoped not, because, at least in his case, Piper's attempted benevolence felt more like condescension in Angel's current state of aversion towards the man.

"Angel, I'm trying not to be harsh, but I really just don't think you can honestly say the same of your love for her, and that's why it's time to throw up your white flag. She still loves you a shit ton, trust me. Just as a friend. I think accepting that love and her friendship is preferable to throwing it all away for a confession that's guaranteed to end with a rejection."

"I just don't see why you got to tell her and I can't, maybe I know she'd actually be loved best by me like you said and I should also try-"

"Seriously, Angel? No," Piper cut in harshly, interrupting the blond's frantic ramblings. His prior patience and composure shedded as he sat up straight in his seat, looking at Angel with brows furrowed in immense frustration. "I tried to be patient because I know (N/n) would be, and she wanted us to be civil, but fuck it. I'm not nice to assholes like she is, and I'm sick of your shit. I'm gonna explain this to you one final time, because I really don't want to ever have this long of a conversation with you again. (N/n) does not want you. If you confess to her she will turn you down, and once again, because she is incredibly self-sacrificial and empathetic, doing so will crush her. I don't know what delusions you're entertaining, but she's not your girlfriend and you need to stop acting like she is or like she ever will be."

"I know that. I do. And I'm not gonna confess. I won't," Angel murmured, his fire depleting as it melted back into the sadness he'd carried ever since the day with his parents. "I'm sorry, okay? I just– I wanted one night to-"

"Oh my God– it's always 'I want' and 'I need' with you! Stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about (N/n) if you love her so much!" Piper spat. "It's not just about actually confessing– it's also how you act. She's new to relationships and romance, and she doesn't need you fucking up and convoluting her already strained understanding of intimacy and love by smothering her with unwanted affection. Being her close friend is more than you deserve, but if you can't be happy as one, then you can politely fuck off so she can know peace."

Piper stood from his seat and walked off with a sorry shake of his head, leaving Angel to sit with his words. For a while he remained stiff and unblinking, the entire conversation playing through his head, an unrelenting reminder of his total failure and inadequacy.

Except upon deeper rumination, one point Piper made, coupled with some of your behavior throughout your relationship with Angel, helped him come to a revelation that somehow worked his winning smile right back on his face. Maybe all wasn't lost, and he'd just have to be patient and understanding as he guided you to the truth like you once had with him.

Unlike before, now it was actually funny to Angel how Piper could single-handedly ruin his night, because somehow in some roundabout way, he'd also just potentially fixed the rest of Angel's life with his simple yet game-changing insight into your mind.

...

As James led you away from the safe haven that was your seat next to Piper, his grip on your hand was firm and unrelenting. He didn't say a word to you as he moved through the crowd of now mingling supers, though he did offer them quick 'hello's and polite nods as you passed them by. It was, in a way, reminiscent of the time months ago when James had led you through his Commission office before he scolded you the night you escaped Rowan's clutches, though you didn't understand what you had done wrong this time from James' point of view that would elicit such similar treatment.

He moved quickly, nearly dragging you through the manor and only stopping once to grab and quickly down a glass of champagne. His movements were sloppy and strange, but not anything you felt the need to point out due to the unspoken tension looming over you both. He gave you a look as you politely declined taking your own glass, and you once again failed to recognize what emotion it was that he was feeling towards you.

He still didn't stop even once you both were outside the manor, taking you down a flight of marble steps and practically zooming through what might've been a very lovely, large garden had you had the chance to look at it while standing still, he and lead you to what appeared to be a little leafy alcove that was far from the few other attendees who'd braved the chilly evening air to peruse the outdoors.

You stood in an uncertain silence for a few beats, both of you struggling to find words appropriate to share after more than a month of no contact.

"I really meant it when I said you looked beautiful tonight," James began, the first to breach your shared wordlessness. You envied the way his words possessed a confidence and ease you doubted you'd be able to mirror this early in your conversation, though the casualness of his tone felt almost like a mask over his true feelings that you still had yet to discern.

"Yeah, I know you did. Thanks again," you responded much more meekly, though you did manage a small smile as you anxiously crossed your arms and scratched at your elbow with your hand that wasn't still white-knuckling your clutch. "And I meant it too– about you. Your look, I mean? I'm trying to say you look good– which I already said, so now I'm just– I'm just rambling..."

"I've missed your little nervous rants. They're cute," he chuckled lightly, though the sound felt emptier than it used to when he was sort of your everything. His 'cute' comment fell flatter than you supposed it might've months ago as well. You wondered if that was because he had changed since you last spoke, or because you had. "I've missed you. Whole time I got ready I wished you were there, cause you always know how to make me look my best. Seems I'm a total mess on my own– even Sarah said it the other day, telling me I needed a girlfriend to set me back on track. Guess I never needed one when I had you."

"Oh, well... I thought you didn't want to date seriously, so..." you trailed off, unsure of what more you could say and even more unsure of what he was trying to say in the first place.

"Right. I, uh... I did say that. Back then. Because of safety and shit. You know the whole spiel. But, you know..."

You really did not know.

"Right," you decided on anyway, with a short, awkward nod.

"But to prove Sarah's point, you come in hot tonight telling me I look like a villain," he said as he playfully rolled his eyes, a quick recovery from that last tense exchange. "And I mean– duh. What was I thinking wearing all black to a hero event? I know for a fact when photos from tonight go live some loser's gonna start some actual Megistos supervillain conspiracy theory thread online that my managers will be working overtime to bury... you really were my voice of reason to help me avoid these things."

"Well at least if that happens you really do pull it off, so they won't be able to say you look bad. I really was only kidding about the villain stuff, anyways. Although it is a lot of black," you joked, trying to slowly warm up to him like he had with you.

"And would you have had me wear? Since you're apparently the fashion expert between us," he said with a teasing lilt to his tone as he played into your little schtick.

"I guess... well, I guess I'm partial to brown," you chuckled– mostly to yourself, mind drifting back to your man inside. Apparently, this was a mistake.

"Right," he uttered, his tone falling flat and his smile dropping its warmth for a moment.

It was an interesting reaction in your opinion, though you didn't dare to think his standoffishness meant anything that deep– it was likely just the natural repercussion of the fallout.

You waited for him to say more, but when awkward silence persisted you decided to chime back in. "So... how've you been lately? Most I've heard about you's been from Sarah, and her reporter instincts really disappear when it comes to giving insightful updates about your life."

"You could've just turned on the actual news if you were curious about the hero-ing shit."

"No, you know I hate the 'hero-ing shit.' Watching you narrowly avoid death always seems to lessen my lifespan," you joked again, though he remained visibly unamused, only smiling politely, like the current conversation was tiresome to him. "How are you? Not Megistos."

"Oh, well if you wanted to know that, then you could've just texted me," he pointed out, though now his voice held hints of condescension that instantly had you shifting back into a defensive mode. "Or answered like one of my calls. Crazy how the phone sorta works two ways."

"I'm sorry, I'm confused," you began cautiously. "You told me to reach out when I was ready to, and I told you earlier that I haven't been."

"Yeah, and I can see why," he mused with a smile that was slowly shifting into something predatory, like he was toying with you before going for the kill. "You've been a bit too busy to even entertain rebuilding what we have, huh?"

"Jamie, what are you talking about?" you asked him. It was clear at this point that he was alluding to something, but life had been a bit too hectic lately for you to discern what it was specifically that he was referencing.

"Hmm. Well, I guess while you were asking Sarah about me, I was asking Angel about you."

"Okay, and?" you prodded.

"Can you just be honest with me, (Y/n)?" he lashed out, his true frustrations finally coming to light as his voice rose in both volume and emotion. "Your life has been a fucking train wreck lately– and I'm quite aware despite your best efforts to keep me out of the loop. Like I know about your little blow-up with Angel, because he fucking came into work the next day and sobbed to me in my office about how he 'broke you' and might've 'lost you forever!' You didn't think to maybe clue me into that conflict?"

"Wait, when did this-"

"And I also know about what happened with Oakley, who I've been trying to warn you about in my calls if you'd have picked them up, because the Commission found it reasonable to investigate him for suspected villainous activities due to discrepancies in his records! So unfortunately I can't even say I was all that surprised to find out from Angel a while back that he had you drunk and helpless on the street after trying to force you into a relationship with him!"

You remained silent as you received his frustrations, mentally noting you'd definitely need to have a chat with Angel after James finished ripping into you, because you'd explicitly told him not to discuss any of your recent experiences with his boss in order to avoid such a scenario. Not cool.

"Wow- so once again, you've got nothing to say to me? The first person you should ever come to when you've got a safety concern!" He let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "You're welcome for not fucking forcing you to move in with me after I found out about that shit, by the way, 'cause Oakley's been missing since that night! Did you know that? He's been at perfect liberty to, oh, I don't know– kidnap you? Or worse! And at any time! Since you've agreed to sleep over at Angel's I decided to still try to give you space, but I am quite literally going insane every single day fearing the worst about you and unable to even try to rest until Angel tells me you're both safe in his home every night! Why didn't you ever come to me?"

"Why is this all coming up now? Why are you so angry tonight when it's been going on for so long?" you questioned, struggling to connect with this fiery, almost scary version of your best friend.

"Don't give me that– just answer the fucking question, (Y/n)!" he fired back, his voice louder and harsher than you'd ever heard it in person. You instinctively flinched back from him as tears involuntarily pricked at your eyes, and you took a step back. He softened at the realization that he was the trigger to elicit such a response from you, and he stepped forward trying to close the distance you'd created. "Hey, don't do that... you don't need to be scared of me. I'm not gonna hurt you or anything. You know I wouldn't. You know that I love you. C'mon, hon, I just want to know why you tried to endure this all on your own. Please?"

He brought a hand up to your cheek but you dodged it and pushed it away, once again forming a small gap between your bodies. He winced at your nonverbal rejection, but watching him succumb to his anger like that had shaken you up. You knew he wouldn't ever do anything to harm you intentionally– that was kinda against his whole safety freak thing– but you couldn't honestly say you weren't unsettled at all by the image of him raging at you just then.

"I haven't been enduring it on my own," you finally responded, voice faint. "Life has been hard, and I'm not gonna try to pretend it hasn't been. But you're acting like you're the only person I have in the city to help shoulder it all. That might've been true for a time, but I've formed new bonds with other people."

"Yeah, 'cause Oakley and Angel have both been great new friends for you," he scoffed.

"Not them necessarily. I can recognize that. Especially Oakley," you conceded. "But I do have Piper."

James smiled, but it was an ugly, angry thing, and it made your stomach churn. "There it is."

"...what? There what is?"

"The truth. Angel hasn't said anything, but it became pretty obvious when you showed up with him tonight. You replaced me with Greene," he answered, the utterance of Piper's name laced with venom. "Why'd it have to be him, (Y/n)? He can't protect or save you even if he-"

"No, we're not doing this," you interrupted harshly. You stood and listened to him lash out at you and it had hurt, but you could handle it. Him dogging on Piper for no reason other than his strange insecurities, however, you wouldn't stand for. Piper deserved better than being needlessly criticized behind his back. "I didn't replace you with Piper– saying that totally takes away from all the ways he's showed up for me and helped me heal these past couple of months."

"I showed up for you your entire life. I could've helped you heal."

"Did you show up for me?" you asked, your voice breaking slightly. "Cause these past few months have been so fucking hard. Jamie. And when I needed gentleness, you were angry and you were mean. Just look at tonight. I've been healing from you, in some ways. I didn't replace you... I just realized that I was trying to shove you into a spot that you just didn't want to be put into, and that was unfair to you and to me. And then I just... I realized that Piper fits there. Perfectly, if I'm being honest. It's better this way, and one day when we've both calmed down, you and I can rebuild whatever this is."

James swallowed thickly, staring at you hard. "What is he to you? What does he give you that I apparently can't?"

You sighed as your arms wrapped tighter around your frame, not anticipating having to have this conversation with him tonight. "I already said it..."

"No, not the gentleness bullshit or whatever. So what, then? Are you in love with him or something?"

"Okay, fine!" you relented. "I'm getting there, yes. I have feelings for Piper, but we're taking it slow, so-"

"End it with him," he said firmly as he closed the distance between you both again, this time successfully cradling your face with his large, warm palm and tilting your head up slightly so it faced his better.

"What are you...What?" you questioned, disoriented by the suddenness of both his words and actions, and startled by the intensity behind them both. You finally processed his actual request, shaking your head and attempting to move back to no avail. "Why would I do that? I really like him."

"Do you love him?"

"I– well, it's too soon to say, but I-I think I-"

"Have you stopped loving me?" he continued, his face close enough that you could feel his breath fanning your lips.

You paled at his words, though they still hadn't quite set in. "What do you mean?"

He chuckled softly at you, like your confusion was endearing to him. "I mean, can you honestly say you've fallen entirely out of love with me after a lifetime of wanting us together? Or that you don't want to give us a real try now that I'm ready to be honest with you about how I feel?"

"Ready to– wait, you knew?" you rasped, mind beginning to spin at both the fact that James had been aware of your feelings and that now he apparently might also share them. "You just sat around and– and you watched me give up on everyone else for how-"

Your frenzied words were cut off when James' lips were on yours, soft but hungry in their pursuit. You tried to pull your head back, but his free hand had at some point moved to cradle your neck with a deceptive gentleness, restricting your movement and pulling you further into his kiss. You eventually gave up, going entirely numb until he'd had his fill and he pulled his face back. His hands remained on your cheek and your neck, but you were still too dazed and confused to think to push them away as you gaped up at his stony expression.

"You knew," you whispered again, still in shock. "How long did you know? You said a lifetime... so you knew it the whole time?"

A sweet smile fell on his lips, and it made you want to hurl. "That doesn't matter, does it?"

"It does. It does matter."

"Why, though? I'm telling you how I feel now, so the past should be irrelevant. I love you. That's why I want you to give up on whatever fling you're sharing with Greene– because I'm right here. I wasn't for a long time and I let you down, and I can see how you'd feel that way, but I'm not gonna-"

"Wait, no, just stop for a second. Because what even happens now, James? Where would you and I go from here? Genuinely."

His smile faltered at your emotionless tone, but you really couldn't muster up any fake politeness or kindness at this point, not when you were reeling from the ambush of information and feelings upon you.

"What do you mean?" he blinked at you.

"You have feelings for me– all of a sudden and out of nowhere from my point of view, at least. So where would that even put us? You want me to be what? Your girlfriend? Your girlfriend who you didn't even want to be seen with in public as Megistos or as James when you were friends... so what would be different now?"

"Well, c'mon, (Y/n). You know we'd have to maintain a lot of the same measures for your safety. But we can see each other privately, right?"

Your eyes narrowed at him as you slowly came back into yourself. "No."

"You can still be my girlfriend to me and to Sarah and Benny, but we'd keep it-"

"I said no. I'm not gonna sneak around like one of the poor bitches you fuck for a night and then never talk to again just for your peace of mind or whatever," you mumbled, still considerably unfeeling but finally having the mind to shake his hands from you and take a large step back. He reached for you again and you took another step away. "Stop that. This is so mean, Jamie. You watched me love you for however long, and now as soon as I move onto someone new and I tell you I'm actually happy, then you decide you want me? Seriously, do you know how mean you're being right now? I don't understand you, cause this is just... I don't even have the words. Being in love with you hurt so bad, but whatever this is, is so so much worse."

His brows furrowed like he couldn't comprehend just how much of a dick he was being, and it only made you more upset.

He took a deep breath before trying to reframe things, but you weren't having it. "I didn't think-"

"Clearly. You clearly didn't think– and this was so selfish of you!" you spat, everything finally hitting you at once.

You thought that your anger or hurt towards James would be the most prominent emotion to come to the surface, but almost unsurprisingly, all you really could think about was Piper. Your Piper– your sweet and patient Piper, whose gift of your first kiss you'd just had stolen from you in some crazed act of possession from James. The tears that followed the crushing guilt of the situation were thick and hot, and they nearly blinded you as you rushed away from the private alcove, abandoning James without another word as you sought out Piper with the hope you could make things right.

...

James only managed a few steps out of his leafy haven before stopping in his tracks, heartbroken in the wake of your absence and rejection. Even when he noticed the fog slowly closing in around the expansive garden and estate– even as he registered the subtle rumbling of the earth– he remained rooted to his spot as he was forced to sit in the harsh, all-encompassing regret of ever losing you to another.