To RandomFanAuthor- (Chapter 12) I WILL TRY TO! And I await the PM, I'm curious! ^_^ (Chapter 13) Yeah, that's right. SUFFER.
To zantarak- I will definitely be a multi-parter, but that NAP sounds rather tempting, not gonna lie :P
To HoO Fan- (Chapter 11) I thoroughly enjoyed writing that one! And I'm stacking my writing- so some of these I started while I was still doing the re-writes and the others are either requests or continuations of them! Little bit of Jasper for you in Chapter 13, but Leoisa will have to wait a little why, we've got Reyisa today! ^_^
Continued from the last Reyisa one-shot, I believe Lou ran off with Reyna's cloak!
"Can I get down now?"
"Maybe."
"I can find a table."
"Uh, ya praetor. Ain't ya got, like, a special praetor-only table?"
"That means you're not allowed on it then."
"Bitch, I should be praetor, I'd be well good!"
"You keep telling yourself that." Reyna smiled. "Now put me down." Louisa glanced back, pursing her lips. Reyna shook her head, pressing a kiss to Louisa's cheek. "Better?" Louisa grinned and held her arms out to either side. Reyna dropped to the floor, straightening her cloak. "Thank you."
"Oh please, ya could've got outta that anytime." Reyna pretended not to hear her, joining the queue. Louisa bounced at her side, studying the menu above the counter. It was all in Latin, with a new Ancient Greek addition underneath.
"I don't know why you bother looking, you're only going to order the same as always."
"But I want ice cream as well."
"Mint choc chip." Reyna smiled. Louisa beamed at her. "And cheeseburger with extra cheese and fries. And a milkshake?"
"Banana!"
"Of course." Reyna shook her head with a soft laugh. Louisa extended her hand, grasping at the air until Reyna took it.
They were quick to be served, perks of praetorship, and shown to a table in a quieter section of the restaurant, softly lit and by a window, a floral patterned net curtain fuzzing their image of New Rome. Despite, their order at the till, Louisa still picked up the menu, examining the desserts selection. "Did you want chocolate cake as well?"
"Mmm, maybe ta take away. We could have it later, I'll make hot chocolate. Then ya can watch Jumanji."
"I'm sorry."
"So ya should be! Can't believe ya ain't seen that, it's an outrage, Rey-Rey. Outrage." Louisa shook her head, wrinkling her nose with disgust. Reyna tapped her fingers on the table and Louisa was quick to smile. "Ain't no excuse, it's Jumanji." And she returned to the menu, humming to herself. Reyna set her elbow on the table, laying the curve of her cheek in her palm. She was content just to watch Louisa as they waited on their food. The sparkle in her eyes as she examined the menu, or the childish little smile when she tented the menu on her head, the drumming of her fingers or the bouncing of her knee under the table, just lightly bumping into Reyna's leg every so often.
When the food arrived, she sat up straighter, the energy behind the movement spilling the menu-hat from her head, off the edge of the table and to the floor. Their waiter, a third generation legacy of Ceres, smiled and set their plates before them.
"Thank you, Angela." Reyna slipped her a few denarii.
"Thank you, Praetor." Angela stooped to collect the menu, Louisa having left it forgotten at the arrival of food. She already possessed a mouthful of cheeseburger, a smile creasing the corners of her eyes.
"Please forgive Louisa, her table manners are yet to improve."
"Oh, it's not a bother, Praetor. You should see the mess the Mars lot leave behind." Angela bowed her head and took her leave. Louisa was dipping a fry in her ketchup, a bit of melted cheese on her chin. Reyna selected a portion from her plate of empanadillas.
"Try one." She insisted, sliding the plate a little closer to Louisa. With a mouthful of fries, Louisa considered the plate, squinting suspiciously. "They are ground beef and potatoes, with sofrito and achiote." Louisa worked through her mouthful, frowning.
"Sof-what 'n'… what?"
"Sofrito. And achiote."
"I don't know what those are."
"There's no fish."
"Oh good. Gimme." She took a large bite, nodding at Reyna's other dish. "Maduros." Reyna smiled.
"So you can get names right."
"Eventually." Louisa agreed, smiling sweetly. As per, they ate from each other's plates. Reyna had been set on expanding Louisa's otherwise American palate, only ever ordering Puerto Rican dishes. That was why they always came to this restaurant in New Rome- Angela put that little homely spin on meals Reyna had not enjoyed since she was a child.
And Angela always served them- she knew Louisa's habits. When she brought out their ice-cream, she provided them with a takeaway tub of homemade chocolate cake as well, two large slices, still slightly warm.
"No, no, Praetor. On the house, these ones." Louisa rummaged in her pockets, coming up with a handful of drachma.
"Ah, fuck. Ya'll take Greek? It's a tip!" She dropped them in Angela's hand anyway, nodding twice, pulled away by her ice cream.
"Lou, we talked about swearing-"
"Fuckin' shit bollocks bastard motherfucker."
"I am so sorry. No, don't laugh, Rico! Don't encourage her!" Rico, serving at the till, ducked dutifully behind the counter, but they could still hear him snickering. Angela had pressed her lips together, maintaining her composure, albeit the amusement in her eyes. "Lou, this is a family restaurant-"
"You love me."
"In small doses."
"Ya always say that 'n' yet, ya still bring me here."
"I question why."
"Good. Like ta keep ya on ya toes, Rey-Rey."
"My toes are tired. Eat your ice-cream."
"Way ahead of ya."