𝙸 𝙲𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚜

𝚂𝟸𝙴𝟷𝟺: 𝙹𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝙾𝚞𝚝

Part  II of The Post-Finals Paintball Crisis

Inspired by Community S2E23: "A Fistful of Paintballs."

Piper POV

The sun went down long ago. Piper wants to assume that most of the enemy players went home to sleep and take care of themselves, but paintball knows no mercy. They're out there somewhere, she just knows it.

Annabeth stops the group behind a bush. "No cameras, no lights... perfect," she notes to nobody in particular. She sits down on the concrete and leans back, disregarding the pointy holly bush leaves clinging to her hair and clothes.

The others join her in the temporary hiding spot. "So," Frank says. "Can we all make up and be friends again?"

"No," everyone says simultaneously.

"Oh, c'mon! We're like a family. Families fight sometimes, and then they make up!" he adds, which doesn't help his case. He needs to shut up or else everyone will know about his crush on Hazel.

"I'm filing for independence from this family," says Jason.

"I'm an orphan," Leo adds.

"Oh. Shit." Frank looks at the ground.

Leo shrugs. "You didn't know."

"You didn't mean that, did you?" Percy asks Hazel. "About leaving the study group?"

"Nico and I already signed up for a biology class together," Hazel says.

Piper doesn't like the idea of having a study group without her. Frank's sure to follow her out, then Jason will get all guilty and join them, and Piper won't know whether to stay with Annabeth and the others or leave to be with Jason. She wants to say otherwise, but she knows she wouldn't be able to choose and just end up alone in the end. Ugh, then her parents would get on her about transferring to a college in Oklahoma, then they'd be on her about commuting from the reservation, and then? They'd probably force her to drop out altogether and become an actress—no—a model. Goodbye independence.

So if she gets a say, Piper would prefer for Hazel to not quit the study group, thank you very much.

Oh. They're all looking at her now. Piper's the one with the charmspeak, figuratively speaking. If anyone can talk Hazel into staying, it's her.

The only problem is Piper doesn't know what she can say right now that's helpful to their cause. Sure, Hazel screwed up by giving into their childlike perception of her, but the rest of the group screwed up by creating that perception in the first place.

Piper chooses her words carefully. "I hope you'll change your mind, but even if you don't, you've always got a place with us."

Hazel raises an eyebrow, as do several of the others. This wasn't the answer they expected, but in all honesty, it was the best one. "Thank you very much, Piper," Hazel says.

It's quiet, except for Percy tearing open a package of gummy sharks.

It's too dang quiet.

"No! Please! I'll do anything!"

"Octavian," Piper scowls. "I thought we shook him back in the library."

"Yeah, right. The Hunters should have got him by now," Annabeth says.

"Please! I didn't mean to-"

"Put your hands above your head!"

Jason knits his eyebrows. "That sounds like Zoë Nightshade."