How
Written by A.M
Reyna doesn't really know how it all happened, it just sort of did.
Leo was a spunky, funny, curly haired Mexican-Texan that was currently majoring in engineering and had been her best friend for more than half of her life. Occasionally sleeping over at the each other's place was one of the side effects. Sometimes on purpose, other times they pass out sometime during whatever movie they were watching. Other times when they had an excruciatingly bad day, they'd just go to the other's house at whatever time and one of them would listen to the other rant or cry, etc.
So it wasn't that out of the norm when she showed up at Leo's apartment at 2:57am on a Saturday (or Sunday since it was after midnight) after walking in on her boyfriend of a year, Brian, cheating on her.
Since these occasions were rather often (unfortunately), they had given each other keys a long while back. However, the Latina didn't expect to see her best friend in his living room eating a carton of mint chip ice cream and watching The Lion King.
"Leo?"
He jumped a foot in the air, obviously not hearing her come in.
"Rey? I thought you were on a date with Brian?" he asked as she sat next to him
"Yeah, well." She didn't have to finish the sentence, stealing his ice cream said I all
"So how do you want me to kill him?" his eyes a darker brown than usual
"We could always burn him on a stake." Reyna said downing another scoop of mint chip
"Rey,"
"Do you have any jelly beans?"
"Rey,"
"Everything is better with jelly beans."
Before she could eat another spoonful, the Latino stole the ice cream away and set it on the table
"Hey!" she protested
"Talk to me."
Reyna swallowed hard. He was using his I'm-dead-serious-speak-now voice.
"Nothing to talk about. He was with Drew when I walked in."
She couldn't meet his gaze and she didn't have to. Leo pulled her into a hug and she let the tears fall muttering curses in English and Spanish.
After what seemed an eternity, they fell asleep on the couch in one another's arms. In the morning everything was ok again, he made breakfast, she cleaned up after him, just like any other day. When she left, she forgot her scarf.
Later that day she kicked Brian out and burned the table he and Drew had been on at Leo's command. The next time she had been caught in a rainstorm. She wanted Chinese and since it was nice out so she decided to walk to the restaurant. That's what she got for wanting to enjoy nature.
Reyna walked into the apartment soaking wet praying the food was still ok in the containers since she had put them in three plastic take-out bags.
She heard the shower shut off and decided to warn the mechanic of her presence.
"I'm in the kitchen! Make sure to come out decent!"
The young woman heard a CRASH THUD followed by multiple swears in Spanish and a muffled ok. Rolling her eyes she took out the plates and started serving herself and her best friend some of the miraculously warm take-out.
Leo came into the kitchen in sweatpants and a white tee saying,
"Someone has been awesome."
Reyna scoffed, "I try."
As he went in to hug her from behind the realization hit him.
"It's pouring outside."
"Yup."
"You're soaking wet."
"Quite the deduction Sherlock."
He placed a hand on her shoulder, she turned to meet his eyes. That's when she realized how adorable he looked. His wet curls slightly sticking to his forehead.
"I have some sweats in the closet you can borrow. Go take a warm shower before you catch a cold and I'm stuck taking care of you."
She stuck her tongue out at him and he returned the childish act. Then shoved her in the direction of his bedroom.
"Shower now."
She obeyed just so he wouldn't see her blush. Might have recently imagined him saying that under different circumstances, completely platonic circumstances of course. Reyna showered and changed into one of his sweatpants and old tees, they ate Chinese while watching Aladdin, and they fell asleep on the couch again. When she left to class after breakfast, she forgot to take her clothes and kept his.
There had been no complaints about the exchange. Over the course of a month Reyna had rightfully claimed a drawer and about ΒΌ of Leo's closet. The third time she and Leo had a Spanish paper due in 5 days so she had gone to his place to study.
"Grocery shopping?" she placed her hands on her hips and stared him down (well more like up since he was taller than her)
They had been reading up on the political problems in Venezuela when the Mexican decided he had to go.
"Yes grocery shopping." He replied matter of factly
"I usually go to BJ's on Friday's but you've been eating all my food." He accusingly waved a finger in her face.
Rolling her eyes she stated, "Fine, you finish reading up and I'll go to BJ's."
Before he could protest, she grabbed her keys and his wallet and was out the door.
In the car ride she thought over his words and noticed he was kind of right. They had been spending lots of time together (more than usual any way) meaning that she was eating lots of his food (again more than usual cause she always ate his food, inside joke)
Strolling through the aisles of food she picked up everything they liked. She also got him some of the shampoo and conditioner he used, she had noticed he was running out (she might have been showering there more often during their late night study sessions) She also picked up some of shaving cream, toothpaste, etc. Then before heading to the register she decided to pick up some stuff for herself. Finals were coming up which meant lots of late night studies and indirectly showering at his place, so she might as well pick up her shampoo and conditioner.
After that it became almost a regular thing, getting the groceries. They would sometimes do them together and Reyna would pick up whatever she needed and remind him that he couldn't buy every Nerf gun he saw.
Even when she didn't get the groceries or accompany the mechanic he always picked up exactly what she needed. Even though she never told him, she's pretty sure he noticed that she had started to help pay. The fourth time she wasn't even at his apartment.
The Latina was frantically going through her closet in search of her favorite purple blouse that went perfectly with the new pair leggings she had splurged herself on.
After about an hour of looking all through her apartment, Reyna decided to look through her closet one more time before calling it a lost cause. As she searched she realized how just how much of Leo's clothes she owned. Well not owned owned cause they were still his. She just borrowed them. She had always had a few of his things at her place because that's what best friends do. They leave things at each other's homes. But the amount of things that were his seemed to have tripled over the last few months.
Biting her lip, the brunette thought of something. It was stupid, a total long shot. She picked up the phone and dialed Leo's number, he picked up at after the second ring.
"Greetings reina."
"Hey, you home?"
Home.
The word lingered on tongue a second longer. Not your apartment. Not your place. Home. She brushed it aside focusing on the matter at hand.
"Yeah, why?"
"Is my favorite purple shirt there?" she bit her lip waiting for his response
A second later he asked, "The one with the gold splatters or the one you wear with your leggings?"
When had Leo paid attention to her wardrobe? Let alone what shirts she paired with her pants.
"Leggings."
"Let me check."
She sucked in a breath. It felt somewhat natural in some way. After hearing some shuffling on his side of the line he said, "Yup, it's here."
Letting out a breath she didn't even know she was holding Reyna replied, "Okay."
There a small moment of silence.
"Do you need it? I could bring it over."
"Nah, just wanted to know. Thanks."
Hanging up before he could even say bye, Reyna decided to pay a visit to her other best friend.
Annabeth hadn't been much help to her dismay. She had laughed and laughed and laughed and called over her husband Percy who had just gotten home, told him the story and they laughed together. After they calmed down, they suggested the craziest thing the brunette had ever heard. That they (Leo and herself) were practically living together. The fifth time it happened, she had been going over to Leo's for game night.
Dropping her keys into the basket next to the door, Reyna made her way to the living room. She brought up her hand to cover her mouth, muffling her laughs. Leo was pacing back and forth trying to tie his tie. He was wearing black dress pants and a white dress shirt. The tux's jacket was currently on the couch as Leo tried to figure out how to work with the fabric.
She cleared her throat to make her presence known.
"Reina?" Leo all but jumped a foot in the air, obviously not expecting her
"Um, I thought you were taking night classes tonight so I was trying on my tux for Jason's wedding, but I can't tie this stupid thing which is insane since I can take a part an Auto Union V16 and put back together in 12 hours tops and-"
Leo kept on rambling as the brunette made her way towards him. It wasn't until she placed her hands on his that he stopped. He swallowed hard and looked form their hands to her face to their hands then back to her face.
"Um, what are you doing?"
"I'm helping you with you tie idiot."
"Oh."
He let his hands fall to his side as her hands expertly tied the fabric. When she was done, she held the jacket has he slipped his arms through the sleeves. The mechanic turned towards her and smiled.
"Well?"
Reyna tapped a finger on her chin for a moment teasingly before buttoning one button on the jacket then taking a step back to admire her work.
"Well, I think Jason couldn't have a better looking best man than the one he has now." She smirked
Leo gave her his signature elfish grin.
"You really think so?"
He asked tugging on the cufflinks.
Reyna almost scoffed thinking he was just being cocky. But then she saw his eyes. As much as he liked to play it like he was a really easy-going-don't-care-what-anyone-thinks kinda guy, Leo was pretty sensitive. Losing his mother at a young age, his father never being there, bullied, lend on way too many times. Leo was the type of guy that let people in really easily, and that got him his heartbroken. He really didn't think he was much.
"Hey." She placed a hand in his shoulder "You amazing you know that."
"Yeah."
He wouldn't meet her eyes, so Reyna cupped his cheek and made him.
"You are amazing."
She saw a small smile tug at the side of his lips, "I think you're amazing."
She swallowed hard. It took all of her not to glance down at lips. Leo however, wasn't having as much self-control as she was. His eyes darting from her lips to her eyes and back down at her lips.
He kissed her.
She kissed him back.
It wasn't heated, it wasn't some super deep lust-filled thing.
It was simple, it was small, it was sweet.
It was everything she expected it would be, and it was nothing like she had imagined.
She was almost positive that if she opened her eyes she would find him blushing and that was ok, because she's pretty sure she's blushing too.
Leo's lips were warm. They tasted like chocolate and hot sauce and something else that could only be described as Leo. It felt like that moment had lasted a lifetime even though they couldn't have been standing there for more than five seconds.
He pulled away first.
She opened her eyes first.
His head leaned against hers, eyes still closed, like he was savoring the moment. Almost as if he opened his eyes it would all vanish.
But Reyna knew it wouldn't.
She knew that they had finally crossed that thin line that they always toyed with. It was inevitable she supposed. She always knew somewhere in the back of her subconscious that they would end up here. In this moment. Where they would decide whether or not they would go further, whether or not they would experiment with a romantic relationship.
She gave him a peck on the forehead and walked towards the door.
She could hear him calling her name. She could hear his footsteps as he came towards her. So she picked up pace, running out the door. She ran into the elevator and frantically pushed the close button just as Leo ran into the room. He sprinted towards her, but he was a second too late.
The doors closed.
They didn't speak for a whole week. Well in was more like she didn't speak to him. It was almost like a routine. He would call her in the morning, she would ignore his ringtone. He would look for her in school, she would hide from him. He would come around her apartment around 6pm, knock, and stand in her hallway for about an hour before heading home. Then at 10pm he would start sending her texts consisting of everything from "Hey" to "I can't believe that guy choose Team Blake, I SOOOO would've gone for Team Shakira." Then came the sixth time.
She deemed that Saturday the most awkward moment of her life when she and Leo had to walk down the aisle as maid of honor and best man. The tension between them was so strong, it could've stopped a freight train.
Eventually the ceremony passed and it was time for the celebration. And of course fate would have it that she caught the bouquet and Leo caught the band. When the time came for Leo to put it on her, there were a lot of wolf whistles and cheers coming from their friends. They didn't speak afterwards.
The party was ending and Reyna was making her way to her car when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.
"Are you just gonna avoid me for the rest of your life?"
Taking a deep breath, she faced him.
"I can't do this." She said
"Do what, exactly?" he raised a brow
"This! You and me and kissing and dating and-" she cut herself off and breathed
"I just don't want to ruin what we have."
She doesn't really know what she expected him to do, but she sure didn't think he was going to laugh. Not just a little "Oh that's funny" laugh, no, it was a full-blown-wet-your-pants-Jesus-take-the-wheel laugh.
"What's so funny?" she asked slightly irritated at his light heartedness
"Nothing," he said wiping a tear "just the fact that you just said that you didn't want to ruin what we have and you've been avoiding me like the plague for the past week."
"Leo-" she started but he cut her off
"Rey don't you get it? We might as well have been a couple the way we acted around each other."
"We-" he cut her off again
"I'm not gonna deny it!" He yelled slightly shrugging
"Do you have any idea how many times Percy and Jason and Frank called me out on it? Heck even Nico noticed."
"Noticed what?" she asked
He stared at the ground for a few moments before responding.
"We've been best friends for, what, 19 years?" he shifted his view from the ground to the sky
"I've been in love with you for 10 of those years."
They didn't speak for a long while. They just stood there in the silence, staring at anything and everything but each other. When they finally met one another's gaze, Reyna was the first to break.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
He smiled ever so slightly, "What could I say mi reina?"
She closed her eyes and smiled, when they had first met Leo could only speak Spanish and would always pronounce her name like the Spanish word for queen. It became one of their many inside jokes. He would call her mi reina, which meant my queen and she would roll her eyes giving him a playful push.
"You could've asked me out?"
Leo's eyes widened.
"I would've said yes in a heartbeat." She let out a small laugh, tearing up slightly
"You- you would've said yes?" he looked at her with his beautiful brown eyes and she couldn't help but give him a slap on the shoulder
"Yes! Of course I would've said yes!"
"But then, all those guys-"
"Distractions." She replied with ease
"I thought that if I didn't pay attention to the feelings I had felt, still feel, that they would go away."
The brunette started to bite her lip in that way that only she did.
"Did they?" the mechanic asked
"Gee, what do think?" she said slapping him again
"Ow, I think you should keep your hands to yourself!"
In reponse Reyna stuck out her tongue at him in a 5 year old fashion and he retutned the gesture. In seconds they were laughing like the children they were.
"Man, I more oblivious than Percy."
"At least Percy ended up actually marrying Annabeth." Reyna teased
"Alright then."
"What are you-"
Before she could finish her sentence, Leo was down on one knee. He took her small and dainty hands into his big, calloused ones.
"Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano, we haven't been on a single date and frankly I don't think that matters. We've known each other for as long as I can remember and we know each other better than anyone else."
"Don' .Dare." Reyna muttered, close to tears
"Will you marry me?"
Time stopped. She's sure it did. Everything seemed to be so still, almost like it was all a dream.
"You're insane." She said
He shrugged, "I know."
"This is insane."
"I'm aware."
Pause.
"Ok."
Then time started running again. Leo stood up, faster than humanly possible she thought.
"Ok?" his face full of so many different emotions ranging from complete joy to utter confusion
"Yeah, I'll marry you." She said it like it was the most casual thing in the world
So actually her first statement was a lie.
She knew exactly how it all happened, and she is so glad it did.