Found Family (HoO, Mortal AU)

PIPER MCLEAN

Living with Leo Valdez was.. different. Piper thought he'd sleep in on school mornings but nope. She didn't know her best friend of over five years was an early bird on school mornings.

"Pipes are you dead in there?" He knocked on Piper's door. "I made breakfast for you and your dad. It's gonna be all gone if you don't get up."
Piper groaned. "My alarm doesn't go off for another fifteen minutes. I'm gonna sleep for another fifteen minutes."
"What?! You get ready for school in ten minutes?"
"I'll make you walk to school if you don't let me sleep for fifteen minutes."
"Ugh- fine. Sweet dreams. I am not making you another breakfast."

"Okay," Piper said into her pillow, enjoying another blissful 15 minutes of sleep.

• • •

Leo seemed strangely happy about going to school, but Piper knew why. Jason was officially his boyfriend. He spent all week FaceTiming him and talking about him, which was annoying but adorable.

"I'm giving him a shovel talk today," Piper said, parking her car.
"No, Piper."
"Too late. I've rehearsed. He needs it."
"Piper!"
"That's me!"

• • •

Jason wasn't hard to find. He was at his locker, talking to Frank.
"Piper. Piper. Piper. Piper. Please," Leo whispered.
"Nope. Not listening. If he hurts you-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know."
"So I'll just threaten him!"

"Ey, Valdez," Reyna walked over to Leo.
"Oh. Shit," Leo whispered to Piper.
"Looks like Jason's not the only one getting a shovel talk. Good luck!" She grinned. "Grace!"
"Nico gave me the same talk," Frank laughed. "You'll be fine."
Piper was happy to see Jason looking extremely timid as he walked over to her.

"Good morning, Jason!" Piper smiled.
"Morning," Jason was not as smiley.
"How are you?"
"Goo-"
"I don't actually care right now. First thing is first. Hurt him, you're dead."
"I know, I'm not going to hurt him."
"Second- uh. Yeah. I don't really have anything else to say."
Jason laughed and Piper glared at him.
"Sorry-" He stopped laughing. "But trust me. I won't hurt him. Annabeth, Hazel, Will, Reyna- everyone already made sure of that."
"Even Reyna?"
"Oh, yeah. Especially Reyna."

"Oh," Piper laughed. "Then you definitely know to not mess with Leo. Also, he gets up early, apparently, his favourite food is tacos, his mother's name was Esperanza, it takes him a while to talk about his past and he is always moody on Sundays."
"Oookay?"
"Be good to him."
"I will, Piper. I promise you."
"Good," She smiled. "Oh- one last thing. Don't play slim shady around him."
"I wasn't going to?"
"Don't."

Jason looked so confused Piper had to laugh. "Go get ready for class."
She walked back to her locker, seeing Percy and Annabeth having a conversation, practically in a world of their own. Piper felt a pang of jealously- their chemistry was undeniable. The way that they looked at each other- anyone could see it. It took her a while to accept that. She'd liked Annabeth since sophomore year. But she looked so happy with Percy. Piper was happy for them, too, even though they weren't together yet. She wasn't going to waste time pining over someone who liked someone else- she was only 17, there was plenty of time for love in the future.

"You good, Pipes?" Grover asked. Piper hadn't even realised he was standing next to her.
"Oh- yeah. Did you ever notice we're lonely?"
"Excuse me?"
"I mean everyone else in our friend group has gotten with someone- or is clearly flirting with each other. We're lonely."
"Ouch," Grover laughed. "The truth is painful."
"Hahah. Wanna go to prom with me?"
"Excuse me?!"
"I mean, unless you wanna ask someone else, we both have no one to go with. It's in like- a month. I don't think I'm gonna meet someone that soon."

"Oh thank god," Grover sighed. "You're a life saver. I did not want to ask anyone. Yes, I'll go to prom with you. Please."
"HAHA! You all suck. Grover Underwood is going to prom with me!"
Nico looked over with a confused look, then looked away, obviously not wanting to ask. 
"Piper, you stole my date!" Rachel sighed, getting a glare from Reyna. "I was kidding-"
"Guys, guys, stop fighting over me!" Grover joked.
"Too late, Rachel," Piper got on one knee, not able to stop laughing. "Grover Underwood, light of my life, my one true love-"
"GROVER I'M PREGNANT AND THE BABY IS YOURS!" Rachel screamed, probably a bit too loud.

"I- I love you both," Grover said. "I can't choose!"
"I see how it is," Piper sighed. "Choose her. You never loved me anyway. Like a small boat on the ocean sending big waves into motion. Like how a single word can make a heart open-"
"You all need help," Frank shook his head. Piper, who was still kneeling on one knee, fell to the floor, laughing. Reyna had to help her up.

"Anyway," Piper caught her breath. "I have a prom date. Y'all better hurry up." She took an extra moment to look at Percy and Annabeth, just so they'd know what she meant.
Will sighed loudly. "If only there were someone I could ask."
"Sucks. I'll be at home playing Minecraft." Nico shrugged.
"That's not good. We'll all be at prom and you'll be alone," Will raised an eyebrow.
"Hm."

Piper rolled her eyes. Could Will's crush be anymore obvious? Everyone apart from Nico knew. She wasn't sure about Nico, though. The guy was dark and mysterious. She could only hope that he liked Will, too. They'd be a cute couple.

"Hey-" Piper looked around. "Where's Jason and Le- never mind. Don't want to know."
"Talking," Reyna said. "I told them to. They're both too shy to talk to each other."
"Talking," Percy nodded.
"Shut up. I warned them." Reyna said.
Percy grinned. "Okay!"
"Aaand they're coming back," Will nodded in their direction, just as the bell for first period rang.

"Ugh, history," Piper sighed.
"You're lucky," Hazel mumbled. "We have math."
"Geography!" Grover grinned.
"But," Nico smiled. "We have study class after math-"
"Please get me out of class," Will said. "I don't have the homework done."
"Sure. Anyone else wanna get out of class?"

Piper knew a silent agreement was passing through the rest of the friend group.
"Uhm- actually I'm way behind on art so I might go to class," Rachel shrugged.
"Yeah- I need to learn Spanish-" Leo muttered.
"You're fluent in Spanish."
"Still have to go. Sorry, man."
"Yeah," everyone else agreed, making up some sort of an excuse.
"Honestly," Hazel said. "I need to study. I might actually spend the free class studying."

"Oh-" Will said. "Then- I can just go to class. Probably get detention for not having my homework but oh well-"
"No it's okay," Nico shook his head. "I can still go get you- I don't want to be alone for the whole study class since my sister is a loser."
"Thanks," Hazel muttered.
"Uhm- sure-" Will smiled.

Hazel and Frank gave each other a not-so-secret fist bump. Piper had to pretend to cough to hide her smile.
"Anyway-" Will continued. "Better get to history- yup-"
"Mhm," Nico didn't seem to make eye contact. "See you next class." He walked away with Hazel. Will didn't move.
"Earth to Will!" Piper waved a hand in front of his face. "Come on. We have to go to history."
"Right- history-"
"You better think of how to ask him to prom," she whispered.
"Yea- what? Who?" Will quickly picked up his bag and walked ahead of Piper. 

Leo started walking beside her instead. "Is it weird to like someone even more every second?"
"You're lovesick, Valdez."
"Yeah, I am. It's awful. I love it."
Piper laughed. "I'm happy for you, Leo."
"Thanks, Pipes."

———

Word Count: 1304

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A/N: A NORMAL LENGTH CHAPTER?!
Anyway, SCHOOLS ARE REOPENING ON THURSDAY?? COVID is literally so high in my country but the government are opening schools which sucks.

Oh, by the way, I have no clue what was going on in my head when I wrote the grover piper Rachel love triangle 😍😍🥺🥺🥺
(It was a joke, obviously. Piper and Rachel are both lesbian)