Disclaimer: Δεν είμαι κύριος οτιδήποτε σχετίζεται με Percy Jackson και οι Ολύμπιοι. (I do not own anything related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians.)
Reyna had always seemed cold.
The way she walked along the streets of New Rome, whether by herself or in the company of her fellow soldiers, seemed to freeze people in their tracks. The way she spoke to both the Lares and the insufferable augur Octavianin their councils left both spirits and mortals with frost coating their spines. Even the way she led the soldiers into battle was cold, with her face frozen into an expression that gave absolutely nothing to her enemies, even as they met their ends at the tip of her spear.
It hadn't always been that way.
There had been a time where Jason Grace, the son of Jupiter and fellow Praetor of New Rome, would elicit the smallest of smiles or the tiniest bit of laughter from her. Once they became closer and closer, the first spark of warmth fell from the daughter of Bellona and a new woman began emerging from the ice. Given time, the ice around her could have melted completely and given light to something greater, something less harsh.
Something warmer.
But then the boy disappeared from New Rome and the Legion, leaving Reyna to re-freeze herself and become the cold, hard young woman she had been before she met him. She returned to her previous ways, leaving those who had seen her smile, even laugh, quick to forget and eager to embrace the woman she had left behind, least they themselves become cold. Everything was as it had been, and the cold crept back.
Until Perseus Jackson reappeared into her life.
With his dark black hair and sea-green eyes that tossed and turned like the waves of the ocean, the amnesic boy practically stumbled into the camp and into the Legion with both a confused air and his peculiar bronze blade, leaving the daughter of Bellona both angry and annoyed and the tiniest bit impressed as he defied all of the odds and came back from his quest alive and well, with both the Eagle Standard and assured victory in the battle for New Rome against Polybotes.
And somehow, despite her annoyance and anger at him, she couldn't help but feel the ice she surrounded herself in crack just the slightest when he smiled. But before she could dwell on it, on him, the Greek's message appeared, and the words she had been waiting for eight months reached her ears. Jason Grace was on their ship, and not even Pluto would stop her from seeing him.
So she and Percy gathered the Legion and marched them on to the sea shore to wait for the Greeks arrival. As the ice slowly began to melt away, Reyna allowed herself to sigh, silent but thankful for her fellow Praetor's words of encouragement as the ship descended. He would be on the ship and they could pick up right where they left off eight months ago.
She almost wished he had never returned.
Of course he had forgotten her, and of course he had taken someone else to love during his time with the Greeks. A certain daughter of Athena was clinging to his arm. The one girl that, as soon as Perseus saw her, forced him to tense up and freeze in shock and pain as she planted a kiss on his cheek.
The rest of their meeting was a blur as the ice crept back into her heart, with everything flashing and twisting before her eyes until suddenly she was sitting in the Gardens of Bacchus alone with Percy, sitting on a stone bench with him as she struggled to hold her composure.
But when he touched her shoulder, and she turned and saw the same pain she felt, she allowed the ice, the cold that kept everything she felt hidden from everyone around, to shatter completely just as the tears began to flow.
Strange, she hadn't cried in years and now….
His arms wrapped around her, shielding her from the pain and despair that threatened to tear her apart as she cried into his chest. Allowing his own tears to join her, he ran his hand through her hair and whispered softly into her ear, comforting her the only way he knew. After another few minutes had passed, Reyna looked up, her dark eyes piercing into Percy's own stormy pair and for a moment, everything seemed to stop.
"Perseus…" she mumbled, not noticing the strength returning to her voice as a long absent warmth began spreading throughout her chest and she leaned up, catching his lips with her own as both pulled themselves from the depths of their despair and pain and enjoyed the moment. For what seemed like hours they kissed, neither stopping until both remembered their body's need for air. Panting slightly, they locked eyes and for the first time in what seemed like years, Reyna actually smiled.
Reyna had always seemed cold. But maybe, just maybe, with Percy's help, she could reach the warmth and comfort she had always deserved… at least, when he's around.
A/N: Okay, I need to go ahead and say this: I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS TURNED OUT. Therefore, reviewing and letting me know how it turned out would be awesome of you.
Seeing as how today was Valentine's Day, I figured I would write a little one-shot to celebrate and get me back into the writing mood, seeing as how a freaking 'ice storm' killed the power in my house and deleted the last filler chapter I had to write for my other story, leaving me with nothing but a headache for my troubles.
Anyway, please R&R, and have a happy Valentine's Day!
Sincerely,
kingofsecrets15