100 Prompts Challenge
Entry 2: Unprofessional (Reyna/Nico)
She had shown emotion. That was not the Roman way. She had to stay strong, and she couldn't show any feelings or weakness. That would be unprofessional. She was a praetor, and she had to lead her Romans into battle. If she showed any type of weak link, the Roman camp would see her as someone who didn't deserve to be a leader. They would just think of her as some amateur. Rome would perish without a leader, and the formation of their elite army would be diminished. Why was it that she could not just get this around her head and throw away all emotion? Why? The question remained. First it was Jason, then Percy. But now, Nico? This was ridiculous. The Big Three…the three cousins were now closer than ever, with the war over, but she couldn't help but see the gap between Percy and Nico. She had asked, but she had never gotten an answer. She had once been so close, when Nico was talking to Jason, but then he had to acknowledge her presence. But why was she so obsessed with something so simple like this? She was a daughter of Bellona. She could fight battles and wars and not break down after seeing countless of loved ones die. But this she could not stand. To be so close, but to be so far, Reyna could not bear that fact. She had never felt so distant in her life. Everyone, EVERYONE knew. Everyone but her. Why was that people loved to torture her? She needed to know. She HAD to. But she wasn't allowed to. The Fates, so harsh and cruel, had given her the fate similar to Calypso's She would fall for many men, but they would not love her back. She would always be left out, always kept in the darkness of ignorance. But one day, that had all changed. She was spoken to. Not out of duty, or fear, or respect. It was out of friendship. Nico was the only true friend Reyna had thought she had had. And although the little boy seemed like nothing, he was the most important thing to her. He was her first real friend. Yes, there was Jason, and Percy, but they were not at all the same as Nico. He could relate to her, because he felt the same pain she did—losing a sibling in the demigod life; living a misunderstood life, and completely and utterly alone. But not for long…
"Hey". Nico said, stepping out of the shadows. "Do you mind if we take a small walk? I have to talk to you".
"Okay. Just give me a few minutes".
"I'll be out".
"Alright". Reyna quickly took out a charm necklace from her sister, which was supposed to give her good luck. "It's now or never, charm". Reyna exited the praetor's house, breathing in the fresh air of Rome. "Hi". Maybe emotions weren't so bad after all.
-Two months later-
"Lady and Mother. Why do you come?" Reyna asked.
"Daughter, I am aware that you are currently dating Nico di Angelo. But I come here to tell you, both as a mother and your leader, not to."
"WHAT?! Mother, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Please, don't take him away."
"Reyna, you know that you shouldn't do this. Nico is a bad influence. He's so...unprofessional." There was that word. There it was again. Unprofessional. How many times had she told herself that she was being unprofessional, dating a boy like di Angelo? He wasn't really understood. You never knew what he was thinking. So why did she love him? "I don't want you to rub off him and become unprofessional yourself."
"Mother...please."
"Reyna, you will break up with him. Be professional."
And with that, Lady Bellona left Reyna, sobbing, once again, because, as she thought, 'I'm unprofessional'.