[Jack blinks, visibly surprised by Angel's vehement and preemptive defense of Steven.]

I mean...I'm sure not planning on it... I am dating the guy for a reason, sweetheart. And it's not like he doesn't know what he got into, so I wouldn't worry about it.

[Steven knows by now exactly the sort of person he's dating. Or at least he should, Jack isn't a terribly difficult man to figure out. The surface part, anyway.]

[As to the more important part of this conversation....]

But look...I've tried with...you know. Those people you spend all your time with. I've made an effort. And it was thrown back in my face. Literally doing my part to save the world, and I was pretty much told my help wasn't even wanted, plus a bunch of insults and threats. You're talking about people who refuse to even be involved in a friggin network based group activity with me. Me? I was perfectly fine to be cool and play nice! The other part of your 'family' threw tantrums and ghosted.

Look, I know how you see me. I get it. But for fuck's sake, Angel, here and now...I'm not the one making problems. And I am not gonna keep making an effort and getting nothing but dragged across the coals.

[He honestly considers this a reasonable stance. How many times can he extend a hand, only to have it slapped away? With threats of pissing on it thrown in, because why not?]

It's like trying to punch through ten feet of concrete - the concrete doesn't budge, I just get hurt and frustrated.