A/N: NEW FIC! Hey guys, I know everyone is eagerly waiting for the next Café Jupiter chapter but before that, I need to write this story. With You Always is actually gonna be a companion story to Café Jupiter! They are in the same universe but following Piper and Leo's lives instead. I knew when I introduced Leo and Piper in the Café Jupiter, they needed their own story. Some scenes will intersect, reference and offer multiple insight of the other story. You don't need to read Café Jupiter to follow this story but it would be a more rounded experience if you did! Thank you for reading and reviewing! Btw, fans of Café Jupiter, guess where the title 'With You Always' came from. :]
Chapter 1: Morning Call
The sun was shining from the wrong side of her room. That was Piper's first thought as she shifted in her bed, burying her head deeper into her body pillow. Her 'pillow' was firmer than usual and warm, radiating heat like a tiny furnace. Curiously, Piper squeezed the pillow hard, digging her fingers in. A sharp yelp followed by a grunt before a familiar cry confirmed Piper's suspicions.
"God damn it!" Leo Valdez shouted unintentionally into Piper's ears. He pulled Piper's tightly wrapped arms off of his narrow waist and rolled off of the narrow bed. The petite girl yawned and stretched, occupying the warm spot Leo left. "Pipes, you need to stop doing this."
Piper dragged the still warm covers around her shoulders, peeking at her best friend. Leo stood there in a loose t-shirt and a pair of flannel sleeping bottoms. He frowned down at her as he ran his long fingers through his bed hair. The deep brown curls flopped over his sharp eyes.
"Doing what, Leo?" She asked, slowly sitting up and combing her fingers through her tangled mocha locks. A slight headache pounded against her temple, reminding her of the party last night. She looked down, recognizing the soft cotton of Leo's t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts he must have loaned her.
"Crawl into my bed in the middle of the night." Leo clarified as he stepped back, leaning against the post of his roommate's risen bed. Piper lay back down on the bed, lazily resting her cheek against her hand, watching Leo with a fond smile as he continued rambling. "There's a perfectly vacant bed here. It's soft, comfy and clean since Travis is rarely here. Please, Piper, think of my reputation." He clapped his hands together in a prayer pose. Piper scoffed and rolled her ever-changing eyes.
"Leo, you flirt with nearly every girl we've ever met. I don't think I can ruin your respectable reputation." Sarcasm seeped into her words as she hugged Leo's pillow, trying to capture the heat the boy naturally radiated. The room was chilly. Fall was slowly turning into winter in Seattle which meant rain, wind and possibly snow. Even after spending a whole year here, Piper wasn't fond of the Pacific Northwest weather. "It's too cold here. I miss California." Piper whispered absentmindedly as she looked out Leo's modest window. The signature gray clouds of Seattle was slowly rolling in, promising another cloudy day.
"I'm sorry, Piper." Leo's whisper was faint. If the room wasn't so quiet, Piper probably wouldn't have heard him. She glanced over and frowned at her best friend since high school. Leo's eyes were downcast as he stared at the faded carpet of the dorm. His hands were tucked in his pajama bottom pockets still for once. This wasn't the Leo she knew. Leo was animated, constantly in motion and blabbing. The young man in front of her was solemn and grave. "If I didn't get this scholarship, we wouldn't be here in Seattle. You would still be in California, going to the sandy beach, soaking up the sun. This is my fault -" Piper bounced up from the bed, grabbing Leo's cheeks and forced the boy to look up, directly into her deep eyes.
"Don't." Piper's voice held a steely edge as she threatened Leo. "Don't you ever say that again. You didn't drag me to Seattle. I came here of my own free will. This was my decision, my choice. I'm a big girl." For a moment, Leo looked at her, allowing her words to seep into his thick skull. The dark look in his eyes shifted to the playful twinkle. A smirk settled on his lips as he purposely dragged his eyes up and down her body. Piper felt a tiny shiver ripple through her body but she blamed it on the cold air of the room and not Leo's heated look.
"Yes, yes you are." Leo commented. The girl shoved Leo's shoulder and crossed her arms as a light chuckle escaped his lips. Her Leo returned with his easy smile as he reached up and squeezed her hand before ruffling her already messy hair. "I'm just teasing, Pipes, revenge for using me as your teddy bear last night." Piper rolled her eyes and shoved his arm away.
"Pssh, I'm the closest thing you'll get to any action, Mr. Valdez." Piper quipped back, flipping her messy hair. Leo and Piper traded a knowing glance before dissolving into a fit of giggles. "Do you have any water or aspirin? Laughing isn't good for my hangover." Piper added as she pressed her hand against her temple, feeling a dull throb.
"Not that I don't love your presence, why didn't you spend the night at Jason's?" Leo asked as he handed her a bottle before opening his own. Piper arched her eyebrow and gave her best friend a stern look. He nervously shuffled his feet, fiddling with his own bottle. "Not that I'm hinting towards anything. Gah, stop looking at me like that, Piper! You're making me feel bad." Leo said, sitting on the floor with a guilt look.
"Good, that's what you get for being a pervert." Leo rolled his eyes and leaned his back against the frame of Travis's bed. His brown eyes appeared amber as they bore into Piper's, waiting patiently for her response. She fiddled with her bottle cap, thinking about her words carefully. "I've only known him for two months. We've dated for one month exclusively. I'm not going to stay over with a guy I've just met. Also, last night just ended oddly. You've noticed right?"
"The big elephant in the room." Leo commented, sipping his water as he stretched his legs out. Piper nodded her head, popping the aspirin into her mouth followed with a gulp of water. The party was a success and a failure in a way. It was fun, casual at the beginning with only Jason, Piper, Percy and Annabeth. Piper knew about the marine biology and architecture couple but rarely spoke to them since they ran in different social circles. The pair was easy-going and friendly. When Jason disappeared to answer his phone, Reyna arrived with the cafe crew. She was polite, composed, and always difficult to read. The air seemed tense even as Dakota and Bobby tried to keep it lively. It felt like everyone in the room knew a secret but no one was going to say it. Reyna quickly clicked with Annabeth and Percy, playfully shoving the swim captain's head when he commented on her stunning white dress. There was an ease between them interacting with Reyna like old friends. Piper absently unbraided her tiny side braid, unable to stop herself from thinking about Reyna, how well she fits with everyone especially Jason.
The two of them had something, something Piper couldn't put her finger on. It was in the way they acted around each other. The little glint in their eyes as they trade looks. Tiny, nearly unnoticeable, touches they may not realize they were trading. Piper clenched the sheets as she recalled how Jason seemed to light up when Reyna approached him, even with Malcolm by her side. She couldn't help but feel threatened by the icy girl and her unspoken bond with her boyfriend. Jason's mine. Piper thought but it didn't help the doubt from settling in her stomach. For how long, though?
"Leo," Piper whispered, drawing her best friend's attention to her. Leo looked up with honest open amber eyes. "Why do you like Reyna?" His expressive face twisted through a range of emotions: surprise, confusion and then a thoughtful pondering gaze. Piper wrapped the comforter around her. "You've had a crush on her for a while, right?"
"Yeah…" Leo confirmed after a moment before a heavy knock cut through their conversation. Piper and Leo froze as a voice shouted through the door.
"Room service!" Piper's eyes widen as she recognized the voice before pulling the covers over her head. Leo shouted something back but his answer was muffled as he threw pillows that fell down onto the bed, trying to cover Piper's petite but noticeable form. Piper clenched Leo's pillow to her body, unconsciously inhaling his scent. It smelt amazing and for a moment, Piper thought about raiding his bathroom for the soap. The door clicked open, cutting through her clouded thoughts. "Now, Mr. Valdez, that took a suspiciously long time." Malcolm's muffled voice greeted when Leo finally opened the door.
"I expected an omelette and bowl of cut fruit." Leo countered as he allowed the dorm resident assistant in. Piper pressed her body closer to the wall, hoping she looked like a pile of pillows. Peeking underneath the covers, she could see Malcolm's jean glad legs as he walked in. Members of the opposite sex weren't allowed in each other's rooms. "I was just cleaning up, making to make myself more presentable, just for you, Mal."
"I'm flattered Leo, but I don't like you like that." Malcolm teased back easily before reaching into his pocket. "I actually have a present for you. Here, happy birthday."
"Um… you're either five months too early or seven months late. Tickets to Hamlet?" Leo read confused as he sat on the end of the bed. Piper pressed the pillow against her mouth to muffle her involuntary squeak and closed her eyes, praying Malcolm didn't notice. "Thanks but no thanks." Leo added, raising his voice at the beginning. "Shakespeare makes my head hurt."
"But wait, Mr. Valdez, there's more…" Malcolm announced in a game show announcer voice. "This is a ticket to a lovely…" Malcolm hesitated for a moment. "Well I can't guarantee it would be lovely. A date with Reyna."
"What?" Piper gasped before clasping her hands over her mouth.
"WHAT?" Leo shouted, thankfully drowning Piper's gasp as he jumped up, grabbing the blond RA's arm. "Reyna, as in your Reyna?"
"She's her own person, Leo." Malcolm replied smartly as he pulled Leo's hands off. "And what other Reynas do I know? I promised to take her before Thanksgiving break but the damn dean thought it would be fun to hit me with a huge charity event I can't bail on. Only one of us has to suffer and Friday is the last showing. So, do you want them or not?"
"Why me?" Leo asked cautiously. Piper could hear the hesitation in his voice as she inched closer to the edge, trying to hear their conversation. "I can name a dozen guys who would kill for this opportunity. I can name a few who you've known longer than me."
"Hmm…" Malcolm hummed as he scratched his blond head. "You make her laugh which is pretty hard. She smiles a bit more around you. Reyna slips a bit of Spanish around you which doesn't seem like a big deal but it is. I think she's been avoiding that part of her life for a while now. If you want the honest truth, you're not her type."
"Thanks," Leo replied sharply.
"But," Malcolm added, talking over Leo's comment. "That's a good thing. You may not be her type but I think she can like you. I think you'll be good for each other. So, you're gonna give her a call?" Piper hugged Leo's pillow close, waiting for her response.
"I'll be crazy not to, especially with the approval of her partner in everything." Leo replied with a breathless chuckle. Malcolm slapped Leo's back.
"Good man," he complimented before walking towards the door. Piper relaxed her shoulders, knowing they were a few seconds from the clear. "I'll text you her number later. Don't let me down." Leo let a nervous chuckle as he stood up to let Malcolm out. "Oh, by the way," the cover lifted slightly and Piper stared wide-eyed at a smiling Malcolm. "Morning, Piper."
"Good morning, Malcolm." Piper greeted back as he dropped the cover. She groaned loudly which was drowned out by Malcolm's laugh as he left the dorm room. "God, how the hell did he know?" She demanded, sitting on the edge of the bed. Leo was leaning against Travis's bed, still looking at the two tickets in his hand.
"Your dress was hanging on the back of the door. Heels were kicked under Travis's bed. And it's hard to miss a Piper-sixed lump in the bed. Malcolm is a pretty cool RA but he's not stupid. I mean, his sister is Annabeth. Malcolm jokes sometimes how he's the stupid one in the family. Can you believe that?" Piper studied Leo as he spoke. He still seems a bit dazed as he played with the two thick tickets like they might disappear. The girl stood up, dragging the blanket with her as she took the tickets out of his hands. "So, I have a date with Reyna Ramirez?"
"So, you have a date with Reyna Ramirez." Piper repeated, not exactly sure how she feels.