Title: You´re my savior
Disclaimer: They were all better off if I would own them and not DC
Summary: Piper and his savior
Word Count: 669
Characters/Pairing: Piper, Trickster
Rating: PG
Warning: none

Hartley smiled a shy little smile.

"You´re my savior. You know that?" he slurred.

"You´re drunk, Hart. You´re not thinking straight." A snort. "No, I meant...you know what I meant."

"Yeah...you´re funny, James."

"Now I know you´re totally smashed."

"I ...I mean it." he slurred more and knocked over his glas. It was empty anyway. He leaned over the table. "You´re funny, James." He poked James in the chest. "I like you"

"Come on," said Trickster, "I´m bringing you to your room, ok? Get up, Piper." He got to his feet and pulled Piper up. "Let´s call it a night."

Piper frowned. There was this sad expression on James´face. That was wrong. James was not supposed to be said. James was fun and laughter for him; no place for sadness. Something was wrong.There was something lurking at the edge of his memory, wanting to remind him of something...but he was feeling so blissfully numb right now.

He let James drag him to his room. When they arrived at the door James pulled it open and steered Piper in the direction of the bed.

"I trust you can handle it from here on" said James.

Piper tugged his shirt over his head. "I´ll handle this just fine" He smiled at James.

James tried to tell himself that he was not feeling warm and fuzzy from that inside.

Piper toed his shoes off and sat down on the bed.

James smiled with exasperation. He walked to Piper and reached for his glasses. "Maybe you should take them off" and put them on the nightstand.

Smiling. Yes, smiling was good. Piper smiled back.

"What´s so funny?" James asked.

"You are. And you´re smiling. I like that."

"Come on Piper..."

"What? I mean it. I. Like. You."

"You´re not serious, Piper, you´re drunk."

"And if it is like that? Does that make it wrong what I´m saying? It´s true...I like you."

"Go to sleep, Piper." You´re drunk, Piper. You won´t remember it in the morning. Please go to sleep, don´t make me deal with this right now.

"You´re right, James, you always are..."

James turned to leave. Suddenly he felt Piper´s hand at his wrist.

"Please don´t leave."

"What-"

As he turned around, Piper pulled him into a hug. "I mean it. I like you. A lot." A pair of green eyes looked up at him strangely desperate. "Can´t you see it?"

Piper clung to him. "How could I not ...come to like you? You´re so-"

"Piper." James said, "look at me"

"What-"

"Shhh." James put his finger at Piper´s lips. "Just listen. I...I like you, too. But, you´re not well. I don´t think that right now is the best time for us to-"

Piper buried his head on James´shoulder. "Don´t say that. Don´t say something like that."

James patted his head and put his arm around his waist. "I wish I could tell you that it will be ok-"

"James: I know I´m not well. But ...I want to get better. I can get ok."

"Piper: is that real? Is this a dream?"

There was this incredibly hurt look in Piper´s eyes. "If it were anyone else...but this is real. Because it´s you."

James gripped Piper´s shoulder and stepped away to look at him. "Why?"

"Don´t you get it, James? You´re my anchor. Only you can convince me that this is real. Without you...it feels wrong. Please don´t leave."

The sun found them both in Piper´s bed, curled up against each other. James looked at Piper´s sleeping face; the relaxed, young vulnerable look made James feel so protective. It felt strange. Of course Piper was someone worth protecting, but he was not weak. Sonic weapons and lots of wrecked metal proved otherwise. He just needed someone to look after him. And James wouldn´t let Piper out of his sight. Ever.