Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

PIPER MCLEAN

It was 6a.m. when Grover called her.
"What?" She groaned.
"Hey, Pipes," Grover said.
"Grover, I have things to be doing. Like sleeping. As it's six a.m."
"Yeah, I know, but I need a favour."
"Anything for you, G-man."
"Shel's going home today, yeah?"
"Yeah," Piper agreed, trying not to sound disappointed.
"Well, I just remembered I have a hospital appointment today that I can't miss. I won't be able to leave her to the airport. And she gets along best with you so-"
"I'd love to."
"You're a lifesaver. Love you!"

Piper hung up and enjoyed another few hours of blissful sleep.

• • •

Piper got up earlier than she intended to get ready. Usually if she were going anywhere- school, one of her father's red carpet events- she'd throw on whatever clothes she could find and leave. Today she felt like making an effort. For no reason at all whatsoever.

She did her makeup, brushed her hair, planned her outfit. She looked like a whole new person, but in a good way. She walked downstairs, Leo Valdez and Jason Grace in her kitchen.
"Oh-my-gosh!" Leo exaggerated. "Is that THE Piper McLean? The beauty, the grace, the great Piper!"
"Uhm, thanks?"
"I'm the Grace," Jason protested.
"Please never tell a dad joke again," Leo sighed. "So, Pipes, why you lookin so fancy."
"Is it so bad that I decided to dress up?" Piper raised an eyebrow.
"No. But I know there's a reason."
"I'm just leaving Shel at the airport. I'm dressed up for no reason."
"Ohhhhhh," Leo grinned. "I get it now. Have fun. You look beautiful, by the way."
"Shut up," Piper rolled her eyes and grabbed her keys. "I'll be back soon-ish. Be good!"

• • •

Piper pulled up outside Grover's house, looking in the rear mirror to fix her hair quickly. Grover and Shel walked outside, both of them pulling Shel's suitcases.
"Thanks a million for this, Piper," Grover said, putting one of Shel's suitcases into the backseat.
"Anytime, seriously," Piper smiled.
Shel got into the car. "Heya Pipe- woah. You look great."
"Thanks, you too," Piper replied.
"That's my cue to go," Grover muttered. "Bye, Shel. Don't forget to call me. Safe flight. Thanks again, Pipes."
"See ya," Shel grinned. "And I will call. Promise."

Piper drove off to the airport. "Will you call me, too?" She asked, mostly as a joke. Over the past two weeks, her and Shel had gotten close. Really close. Piper knew she was going to miss her.
"Obviously. More often than Grover, anyway," Shel laughed.
"I won't tell him if you don't."
"Deal."

They got to the airport much quicker than Piper would've liked. While talking to Shel, time seemed to go ten times quicker.
"Well-" Shel unbuckled her seatbelt. "See you.. soon."
"Yeah," Piper nodded, turning down the radio. Shel opened the car door.
"Wait-" Piper stopped her. "Do you want me to wait with you? Your flight isn't for another while. You might get lonely."
"If you have time then I'd love that."
"I have plenty of time," she got out of her car.

Again, while in the airport, time passed much to quickly.
"My flight will be going soon," Shel sighed, sounding genuinely disappointed.
"Oh," Piper nodded. "Well, until summer."
"Yeah," Shel stood up. For some reason, Piper stood up, too.
"See ya."

"Uhm, thanks for the last two weeks," Shel began unexpectedly. "Seriously, best spring break ever. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too."
"I wish we weren't so far apart-"
"I know. But hey, we'll stay friends."
"That's the problem."
"Shel," Piper said, realisation hitting her. She took both of Shel's hands. "You'll be back for summer."
"Just to go back to Oklahoma after summer."
"I know, Shel," she looked down. "I'm sorry. I'll see you in a few months." She let go of  Shel's hands. "I- you better go. You don't want to miss your flight."
"Yeah," Shel smiled sadly, giving Piper a hug. "Bye."
"Be safe. And don't forget your promise to call."
"Of course not."

With that, Shel stepped into the queue. Piper didn't know how long she stood in the airport, people walking around her.

The drive home was much lonelier, much quieter. Piper didn't even put the radio on full blast when 'Poker Face' came on. She got home, walked inside, walked up to Leo's room and walked in without knocking.
"You're back," Leo smiled, playing Uno with Jason.
"Nerds," Piper muttered. "Anyway, you've had Leo for long enough. He's mine for a while."
"What?" Jason asked.

She grabbed Leo and dragged her into his room.
"Love problems?" He asked.
Piper lay on her bed and buried her head into her pillow. "UGHHH!"
"Is that a yes?"
"YES!"
"Okay, don't be mad at me. What happened?"
"I don't know!"
"Why are you yelling?" Leo asked.
"YOU ARE SO ANNOYING!" She screamed into her pillow.
"Woah, woah, woah, beauty queen. Inside voices. Deep breaths."
"I like Shel and Shel likes me but she lives in Oklahoma and I live in New York and we're like never gonna see each other and my life is so difficult!"
"Yikes," Leo sighed.
"IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY?!"

Leo was completely silent for a minute. "Gosh. After all your relationship advice I thought you'd be calmer when it came to your own love life."
Piper sobbed into her pillow, completely aware that she was being slightly melodramatic. "I know!"
Leo hugged her. "Hey, I turned the straightest guy ever gay. If you really like her, then distance won't stop you. Now stop crying. You still laugh about when I cried over Jason."
"That was funny," Piper laughed through a sob.
"A little," he agreed. "Because I was being unreasonable. And let's be real, you're being a little unreasonable right now."
"I'm not," she protested.

"Pipes, Shel isn't dead. She's not going to loose feelings for you right away. Oklahoma might be far away, but you're both in the same universe. Do you like Shel."
"Yeah."
"That doesn't sound certain," he said. "Do you like Shel Underwood?"
"Yes," Piper said louder.
"Are you going to let a little distance get in the way?"
"No."
"LOUDER!"
"NO!"
"HELL YEAH YOU'RE NOT! WHY'S THAT?"
"BECAUSE I LIKE SHEL UNDERWOOD!"
"YEAH!"

Piper laughed, wiping her eyes, her makeup now completely smudged. "Do you think Jason would know I like Shel now?"
"Well, if he didn't hear that then he's deaf."
"Good point. I thought you were a fool for falling for Jason so suddenly. Turns out it only took me two weeks to fall for one of my best friends' cousin."
"Exactly. So never judge me again," Leo grinned.
"Of course. You're right, as always."
"I know," he shrugged. "Anyway, I've got a game of Uno to get back to. I've got two 'draw 4's. Oh, and a skip. Basically, Jason's gonna loose for the sixteenth time. Wanna play?"
"You've been playing Uno this whole time?"
"Obviously. So do you want to play or not."
"I'd love to. You're no longer going to have your winning streak."
"Bet," he laughed.
"Go finish your game. I'll be out in a minute."

Once Leo left her room, Piper picked up her phone to text Shel.
Piper: hey, I have an app that lets you watch movies together over FaceTime. You up for Twilight marathon?
Shel: TWILIGHT?! Seriously?
Piper: my favourite least favourite movie. So, yes or no?
Shel: DUH, LOCA!
Piper: BAHAHA, FACETIME ME AS SOON AS YOU GET HOME.

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Word Count: 1254

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A/N: y'all instead of thinking 'I have to publish another chapter' I wrote this one without having to force myself! Beautiful motivation:)

(Watch it disappear when mid term is over)

Anyway, Shel x Piper. And Leo relationship advice. And valgrace Uno. What is life without those three things?

But seriously, I'm so happy to finally have motivation back. I've even gone back to writing fan fiction that I'm never going to publish for my own entertainment. So again, thank you to everyone who's stuck around during my unmotivated times!:)