Chapter Text
Reyna takes a long sip of her coffee and closes her eyes.
Breathe, she tells herself. Ninety-six, ninety-five…
Counting backward from one hundred -- or any large number she chooses in the moment -- can help ease sudden racing thoughts, calming a panic attack or ensuring she doesn’t have one. Sometimes she counts backwards by threes or fours, just to spice it up each time and so she isn’t getting used to the same thing.
She stares off into the distance, to the shrines Jason Grace has been building for minor gods to honor them on Temple Hill. A feeling of loss and nostalgia and distant heartbreak settles on her whenever she looks at it, which is quite often, unfortunately, as she does live in this small town.
Her co-praetor Frank has been insistent lately, pleading with her to take a day off. But this job has been all she’s known for so long--what would she do with her time?
She would love to hang out with Nico, but he’s been so busy redesigning the Hades cabin at Camp Half-Blood (plus, he has a new boyfriend, Will Solace. So they haven’t been talking much lately because Nico’s been so busy with him instead). And though she misses her friend deeply, she doesn’t want to bother him.
Reyna’s back hurts. Probably from all of this ridiculous armor she wears. But it’s only a facade--to make her seem more tough. Truthfully, she doesn’t want people to see how fragile she really is…
Only one person has ever gotten that close to her to know that about her.
She shakes him out of her mind.
Enough, she thinks. Don’t be pathetic.
She turns her head and she sees someone who instantly makes all thoughts of Jason fly out of her brain as fast as the wind blows.
Piper McLean. What is she doing here?
She is walking with Hazel, Frank’s girlfriend, and fellow member of the Argo II crew. Reyna hasn’t seen much of Piper, only when she comes to visit Jason.
(Every time Reyna sees her, she is reminded of when Jason stepped off the Argo II all those months ago. Her heart had lifted, wanting to jump into his arms just as Percy had to Annabeth, wanting nothing more than to hug her dear friend after so long apart. Then Jason had grabbed Piper’s hand, and Reyna’s world had come crashing down once again.)
Now Piper walks with Hazel. The two girls are laughing about something hysterically.
Reyna catches her breath. Piper’s smile lights up her whole face, making it seem as if she is glowing. She wears loose, high-waisted jeans and a cute, cropped, multi-colored sweater. Her hair is braided down the side just as it has been that day--that day the Argo II came to New Rome and Reyna’s world changed forever. She remembers looking at her and Jason’s intertwined hands, how she looked at him, and thought, Wow. She really is beautiful.
Of course, that hadn’t helped Reyna’s broken heart.
But she had hid it behind her armor and a fake smile and a feigned happy greeting.
Looking at Piper now, Reyna can’t even blame Jason for falling for her. How could he not? She was simply beautiful with a good soul. Reyna remembers their last talk, after the war, at Camp Half-Blood… Reyna had opened up. She had told Piper about her talk with Aphrodite.
And ever since then, Reyna has made it her goal to avoid her.
She throws her coffee cup into the trash can. She sees Piper one last time through the morning Garden Cafe crowd heading out. Piper is talking excitedly about something, using her hands as she speaks -- Reyna notices glitters of gold in the sunlight on her fingers. She wears rings now? And she even notices a new bead on that brown Camp Half-Blood necklace of hers. She wonders what the design is.
Piper’s gaze moves -- Reyna’s heart jumps -- for a second, they lock eyes -- but Reyna moves away into a small alley between two shops before Piper can linger.
For some reason, Reyna’s heart races.
She clears her throat and pushes it away. She takes another deep breath.
Eighty-nine, eighty-eight, eighty-seven…
You don’t need to talk to her.
Why don’t I want to?
Because she stole your boyfriend.
He was never mine.
He might as well have been.
Late nights up talking -- opening up to each other about their deepest feelings, their darkest thoughts, their most tragic memories -- brushed hands and glances that would end up with both of them looking away, blushing -- laughs that had Reyna doubled over, Jason grinning, watching her in awe --
But he wasn’t, she tells that ridiculous, envious, anxiety-inducing voice inside of her head.
But she doesn’t want to talk to Piper.
Why?
She’s scared.
Why am I scared?
Do you really want that answer?
“Reyna,” says a voice. “Are you okay?”
Shit.
And there she is -- those wide, innocent eyes watching her in concern as people move behind her, chatting animatedly. Piper McLean watches her, brushing her long hair out of her face. In her other hand she holds a small paper bag marked with the logo of a nearby coffee shop. Perhaps a scone or some other special treat?
"Piper,” says Reyna, pulling herself together so quickly that Piper feels silly for asking if she’s okay. “Hey.”
“Uh--” Piper looks around. “Why are you in an alley?”
“I just had to… stop two little kids from arguing,” Reyna lies casually. “Problem was solved; they went on their merry way. I guess I got lost in thought for a moment. What are you doing here?”
“I’ve… just been visiting Jason.”
“I see.”
Awkward silence.
“It’s nice to see you,” Piper says, breaking the tension for just a moment. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever…”
“I’ve been very busy,” says Reyna. “So have you, haven’t you? With school and all."
“Yeah, I have,” Piper says, her shoulders sagging as she relaxes. “But I’ve been doing well-- well, better than I ever had. I guess homework isn’t too big of a chore after everything I’ve gone through. Everything we’ve gone through. Right?”
“Right, I guess.”
“Uh-- how about we get out of here?”
Reyna’s heart misses a beat. “Hm?” she says, then feels stupid, and her face suddenly feels too warm. “Sorry. What… Do you mean?”
Piper seems to scan her face for a moment, then breathes out, “I mean, I have some scones.” She shows her bag. “How about we share them together? We can sit at this cafe right here…”
“Oh-- oh, sure.”
“Let’s sit.”
Piper finds them a seat outside where Reyna just was. A waiter spots her and says, “Already back for more, eh, praetor?”
Piper looks at her. Reyna feels as if she’s standing before an audience whenever Piper directs her attention at her.
“What can I get you?” asks the waiter. “Hot chocolate?"
“Yes, please. That would be great.”
“And for your friend? Miss…?"
"Piper,” says the daughter of Aphrodite coolly. “Water is fine, thank you.”
“On it.”
As the waiter hurries away, not wanting to keep the heroes of Olympus waiting, Piper opens her bag of scones.
“So,” she says, “how have you been, Reyna?”
“Fine,” Reyna says at once. Her automatic response -- it’s become some sort of habit. But she also doesn’t want to come off short and rude, so she elaborates, “Busy, you know. Running camp and all. But Frank’s been a big help. So, better.”
“Hazel says Frank’s been trying to get you to take a day off. That you’ve been doing more than necessary, that you’ve been overworking yourself.”
Damn that Pluto child. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that. Speaking of Hazel, where did she go? I could’ve sworn I saw her with you.”
“She went to go check on Jason and the builders progress on the latest shrine,” Piper responds. “And don’t think I didn’t catch that change of topic, praetor.”
Reyna nibbles on her vanilla scone. “I don’t know what you're talking about, graecus.”
Piper’s lips quirk upward into a smirk at that. “So innocent, I see,” she says. “But you don’t have to take everything on by yourself.”
Reyna is silent for a moment.
“I didn’t realize this was a therapy session.”
Piper’s eyebrows furrowed.
“If you won’t mind, Piper,” Reyna says coldly, getting to her feet, “I think I’ll take my leave, since it’s obvious Frank has ordered Hazel to get you to try to--to talk sense into me or something.”
“Wait, Reyna -- that’s not --”
“Have a good day, Piper. Really.”
She turns on her heel and hurries away as Piper tries to get to her feet, but then she falters, not wanting to upset the praetor any further.
The waiter comes back with water and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. He sees Reyna storming away and frowns.
“So I guess she doesn’t want her hot chocolate, does she?”