Chapter 25…...gosh, I wrote 70k words. Tbh, I wasn't actually planning on making this a thousands of words fanfic. The idea at first, was just some oc i made for a scenario for me to sleep; oh what if there was a reincarnated daughter of cupid with anxiety who has a girlfriend that can understand fears? It'll be this short fic or something. Boy, was i wrong.

Anyways, for the people that read my story and those specifically that respect kudos, Thank you!

And special mention to Adyda, for they seemingly always leave lovely reviews and suggestions.

Cinta was doing her patrol around camp when she caught a boy morphing from the shadows. She waved excitedly and shouted, "hey, Nico!" Even though it wasn't necessary.

She swears that she heard the son of Pluto groan, turning around to face her. "Hi, Cinta." He greeted her nonetheless.

She chuckled. "It's been, what, like two days since I last saw you, where do you go when you leave from camp anyway?" She asked, knowing very well where he goes; camp half-blood, or the Underworld. Or maybe even McDonald's.

Nico looked around nervously before he shrugged, attempting to be casual. "Here and there,"

Cinta raised an eyebrow but didn't push further. She changed the subject, "are you here to visit Hazel?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah. Do you know where she is?"

"Of course! Do you want me to lead you to her?"

"Uh," Nico contemplated. "Sure, I guess. "

She smiled, turned and started walking, gesturing to the younger boy to follow her. Ruby eyes glanced at the sky. She studied the view; the usual bright sun, soft clouds blending with blue, and of course, a couple of massager eagles. One of which was suspiciously looking like it was heading to her and Nico.

"Um, Cinta, is that an eagle?" Nico asked nervously as the eagle seemed closer.

Still staring at the bird, she answered, "yeah."

"Is it supposed to fly towards us?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"Wh–maybe?!" Nico questioned quite loudly, almost as if he was freaking out.

"Chill, Nico," she attempted rather horribly at comforting Nico. "It's not like it would put its claws on me and kidnap me away to a certain god." There was no thunder, because technically she wasn't talking about Jupiter.

(Somewhere in Olympus, A breaded 20-foot tall man with a suit and eyes the color a mixture of electric blue and stormy grey, sneezed.

"is someone talking about me?" He assumed, and the gods near him just looked at him weirdly. )

But then, her words jinxed herself. Claws did actually place themselves on her shoulder, just more calmly than Nico had expected, it seemed. "Hey, eagle."

"Eagle?" Nico questioned. "That's what you call it?"

"Look, Nico, i can't just say buddy, or girlie. I don't know its gender. And I really don't want to look at its butt." The eagle cawed, wanting to leave. Cinta shushed it. "Okay, Okay, Give me the letter." She took the letter in her hands and watched as the eagle flew away.

"A letter?" Nico said, and Cinta looked at him.

"Yeah,"

"...who is it from?"

...should she tell him? Ah, well, "my mortal friend, Piper."

Nico hummed, then stopped. It seemed that he caught sight of Hazel. The daughter of Pluto looked up and beamed, approaching them. "Nico! Oh, hi Prefect." She said, noticing the blond girl next to her half-brother.

Cinta nodded in greeting before she patted Nico's shoulder. "I'll leave you siblings to talk. Goodbye Nico, bye Hazel." She waved, and turned, walking away.

~••~

Reyna glanced at Cinta when she heard a flop as the daughter of Cupid sat down on the coach, then returned to her conversation with Jason.

Cinta ripped open the envelope with her nails, taking the letter inside. She read;

Hey, Cinta.

Sadly, I'm still in this damn wilderness school. Leo and most of the other students still annoy me, as usual.

Cinta chuckled, picturing a Piper rolling her eyes.

But, there's a problem. Leo….found out who my dad is!! Can you believe that?! Like it's going to be soo annoying. What if he tells everyone? I hope he won't tell anyone. I know he promised and all, but you can understand why I don't want anyone to know right?

Anyways, did something happen last month? You pretty much stopped replying to me til September. If you don't want to talk about it, I understand. But Cinta, you know that I'm only a mailman away.

Ew, I sound like Leo.

Ps. Do you know any way to stab a teenage boy and not get arrested?

From Piper.

Huh, so she wants to know how to stab someone. Cinta smiled proudly. Good.

"...so I'm just gonna finish my patrol for a bit, guys."

Cinta snapped away from her thoughts by Jason closing the door. She looked at her girlfriend. Reyna was sitting on her chair and desk, continuing paperwork as usual.

But suddenly, Cinta felt a shudder of sudden Déjà vu. Jason just spoke to Reyna. Then he left. Before Jason left, he talked to Reyna. Hmm….oh, well.

Cinta shrugged.

~••~

oh, gods, She really should've gone with Jason.

Morning, the next day, Cinta and Reyna didn't find Jason back to the Praetor's office after the hour when he should've done his patrol around camp. Cinta tried as much as she could to not jump to the worse conclusion, which was pretty hard, because she's a major overthinker. She immediately went to find her little brother when the chance of Jason already being kidnapped came to mind.

"You really can't sense him in camp anymore?" Cinta didn't want to pressure her baby brother, but she needed to be sure.

Lavelle frowned. "Yes, Cinta. Honestly, last night I thought I felt a presence come in camp for a split second then leave with another, but it was when I was asleep. But that's no excuse, it should've been noticed…"

His big sister ruffled his blond hair. "It wasn't your fault, Lavelle. Though, this is gonna be a huge problem."

Oh, gods. Juno specifically, why now?

As her breaths slowly got heavier, suddenly, she felt hand wrap themselves over her. "Big sister, please calm down. We'll find Jason. It'll all be alright."

She...Cinta was being comforted by her baby brother. She looked down, and her eyes softened. She rubbed Lavelle's back, saying, "Thank you, little bro."

~••~

The gym where the senate is placed was filled with murmurs and whispering from the mouths of new Rome officers. Reyna stood, chin up, back straight, her greyhounds by her side, and most importantly, only the Praefectus Castrorum was beside her right. That image caused the senate to overfill with gossip and assumptions, until Cinta shouted, "Silence!" Her red eyes intensely glared at each and everyone of the senators, daring them to speak. None of them did.

At the temporary silence, Reyna began. "Romans! I, unfortunately, have a important yet negative announcement; my fellow Praetor, Jason Grace..is missing."

Instantly, the senate voiced their concerns.

"What?! How?! When?!" Many shouted, some even standing more alarmingly.

"Quiet." Cinta ordered, she looked to Reyna.

At the sole Praetor's nod, she said, "we shall explain," Reyna promised.

Reyna hastily stood up, Alarmed at what Cinta just told her. "Repeat that,"

"It's just as I said, Jason isn't at camp anymore since last night." Cinta pained to say.

"That," Reyna said. "Are you sure he hasn't just, went out without telling us?"

Cinta shook her head, ice blond waves flowing with the movement of her head. "You know he isn't like that, he would tell us. And regardless, Lavelle isn't so sure that he got out in a normal way, such as walking, flying, or even using a Pegasus, Reyna."

The son of Psyche nodded grimly. "It was just like he vanished all of a sudden. And i can't even detect his soul! It's like somethings hiding him from me," he paused. "Or at least, if he isn't dead."

All wavelengths in the air were still. Until Cinta spoke up, staring down at her brother. "You didn't tell me this! Lavelle, are you entirely sure that Jason isn't dead?"

"Big sister, I don't have the ability to tell exactly if a person goes into the Underworld all the time. I can only do that if they're really near me."

"I.."

"Cinta, we'll find him. Don't worry." Reyna Hurriedly interrupted her. She didn't try for a reassuring smile, the determination in her abyssal eyes were enough to relax her lover.

The daughter of Cupid inhaled a large breath, then sighed.

"I hope so."

"Oh?" Octavian so fakedly said. "What a tragic announcement. Do we know for certain who is not at fault for our Praetor's disappearance?"

An accusing tone and choice of words, Cinta resisted to scowl. Instead, she settled for a pitiful yet not weak sigh. "Oh, yes. Me and Reyna were waiting together for Jason yesterday night at the Praetor. My little brother, however, is very obviously with your cohort's sleeping quarters, Augur." Cinta implied her and her brother's innocence while also suggesting for the budget version of an oracle to back down and learn his place as someone who is of lower rank than her.

"So what do we do?" An unnamed senator voiced.

Reyna regarded the officer with narrow eyes, and said, "wasn't it clear? We will search for our Praetor. nam romam expeditionum annales divinae par praetoribus," for Rome is ruled by a pair of praetors.

praefectum castrorum et Romana ordo servetur, and its order is maintained by the camp prefect.

~••~

Since the end of September and the start of October, Cinta rarely sees her godly mother. She, as expected, was disappointed, but not confused. She knew why her mother suddenly stopped trying to help Cinta deal with the mess that is her psyche as in her state of mind.

Juno.

Ah, and also Jupiter and Khione.

She would curse them, but sadly, they can very well curse her worse in return. So she just slams hundreds of swears (derogatory) when she is unfortunately reminded of them.

But nevermind that! The somewhat good news she has to tell is that she somewhat can make herself not y'know, relive unsettling memories. Although, if she has a badly stressful day, or is seemingly tired, she's–well,

A boy that formerly had icy blue eyes and bright blond hair laid on lifelessly in front of her. Arrows sprouted almost on every limb, wounds and dried blood on his pale skin. But the worst of all was a spear, to be more exact, her spear, White details and made of rose gold and imperial gold all together in all, stuck in his chest.

Why? Why? Why is her spear in Jason's chest? She–she wasn't that one that killed him in the books, so why?!

Cinta tried to step away, but she tripped. Stumbled on what you ask? She doesn't know. Her butt and feet on the weird dream floor, she noticed the hot tears endlessly running down her face. She would've wonder why it felt so real if Jason's dead body wasn't right next to her.

"Jason!" She called out, her voice surprised her at how louder than what she expected for it to sound. "Hey, Jason. You're not really dead, right? Hey, Jason–" her voice cracked. "Please, why are your eyes so dead?"

But then, she felt something shaking. Something shaking her. It felt like hands, two familiar hands. And a voice calling out, "Cin….Cinta..! CINTA!!"

She gasped, her upper body straightened up. Cinta turned to stare at somethin–someone–gently shaking her body. Tear-eyed ruby pupils blinked their eyelids, and she finally saw her lover's beautiful face. "Reyna, " she said in relief, though her tears still ran. "It..it was just a dream right?" She asked. "I didn't let, I didn't let Jas—"

"Cinta!" Reyna cupped her face, dark black eyes gazed worriedly, a fixed frown on her gorgeous face. "Yes, it was just a dream. What you saw isn't real. Jason isn't dead. Jason. Isn't. Dead. Okay?"

Cinta sniffed, wiping some of her tears. "Sorry, Rey-rey. I-yeah, Jason isn't dead. Haha, I'm so stupid. I'm really sorry. I'm—"

"Cinta," Reyna said her name softly, gently, all full of warmth and care. "You don't have to apologize. Please. Cinta, calm down. It's all alright, I'm with you. I'm right next to you. No one is dying near us. Jason is not dead."

Truth. All she says is true. Red eyes gleamed slightly, and Cinta properly sat herself on Reyna's bed. She tried to fix on a cheerful smile, but for once, her acting skills failed. It looked like she was trying not to cringe, which was what she was doing actually. Cinta sighed pathetically. "I...I can't smile."

She felt sudden arms embrace her, Reyna whispered, "you don't have to smile for me, you know that. You just have to be with me, you don't have to always pretend. "

"Oh," Cinta breathed. "Hahaha, but what if I want your world's color to be brighter from my shining smile, Reyna?" She placed her index fingers on the edges of her mouth, grinning.

It should've looked pathetic, a crying teenage girl grinning for her girlfriend in the middle of the night after waking up from a nightmare. But Reyna just sighed in amusement and relief. "Of course, My love."

As she said that, Cinta's grin widened, and her tear-dripped cheeks blushed.