Whispers of Change
Piper McLean sat cross-legged on the couch, absently twirling a strand of her brown hair as she watched Jason Grace organize the bookshelf for the third time that week. He stood in front of the shelf, his blond hair catching the golden afternoon sunlight streaming through their apartment window. His electric blue eyes were narrowed in concentration as he debated whether "ancient history" belonged above or below "modern philosophy."
"Jason," Piper said with a laugh, "You do realize the books don’t care where they go, right?"
He turned to her, his lips quirking into a boyish smile. "If they’re not organized, how will we ever find anything? Besides," he added, holding up a dog-eared copy of The Odyssey, "this should definitely go on the top shelf. It’s a classic."
"You’re such a nerd," Piper teased, shaking her head. Her kaleidoscope eyes sparkled with affection as she leaned back against the couch cushions. "But fine, top shelf it is. Just don’t complain when you can’t reach it."
"That’s what you’re for," Jason replied, walking over to plant a kiss on her forehead. He rested his hands on her shoulders, his touch warm and grounding. "Feeling okay? You’ve been lying around a lot today."
Piper shrugged, brushing off the faint nausea that had lingered all morning. "I’m fine. Just tired. Work was crazy this week—two new patients and a mountain of paperwork."
Jason nodded but didn’t look entirely convinced. "You’ve been tired a lot lately. Maybe you’re overworking yourself?"
"Maybe," she admitted, though she couldn’t shake the nagging thought that something felt... off. She’d been uncharacteristically fatigued for weeks now, and her appetite was doing strange things. One moment, she’d crave Leo’s ridiculous jalapeño-and-pineapple pizza, and the next, the mere thought of food would turn her stomach. But she chalked it up to stress. That made sense, didn’t it?
"I’ll be fine," Piper said, squeezing his hand. "Besides, you’re the one who should be relaxing. You’re leaving in a month, and I want you to be rested before then."
Jason’s face softened, though a flicker of tension passed through his eyes. "I’ll be fine, Pipes. It’s just another mission."
She raised an eyebrow. "You always say that."
"And I’m always fine," he countered, sitting beside her. "We’ve been through worse than this. Remember the time we got stuck in that storm outside Flagstaff?"
Piper chuckled at the memory. "You mean the time you thought it’d be romantic to take me stargazing in the middle of monsoon season?"
"Hey, I didn’t check the weather report."
"Clearly." She shook her head, smiling despite herself. "But yes, I remember. We ended up huddled in the back of your car, eating soggy sandwiches and talking all night."
Jason’s expression turned thoughtful. "That was the night I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."
Piper’s breath caught, her heart swelling with warmth. "You never told me that."
"Didn’t I?" He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Well, now you know."
She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I knew I loved you that night too. Even if you did drag me out into the rain."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the weight of Jason’s impending departure hanging unspoken between them. Piper’s fingers brushed absently against her abdomen as a faint wave of nausea rolled through her again, but she ignored it. This was their time, and she wouldn’t let anything ruin it.
"So," Jason said, breaking the quiet. "What’s on the agenda for tonight?"
"I was thinking takeout and a movie," Piper replied. "Something cheesy and terrible."
"Terrible like your taste in movies or terrible like Leo’s cooking?"
"Hey!" She elbowed him playfully. "My taste in movies is flawless, thank you very much."
Jason laughed, pulling her close. "Fine, takeout and a flawless movie. But no rom-coms."
"No promises," she teased, resting her hand over his. And for a moment, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the room filled with the soft glow of twilight, it felt like nothing could ever touch them.