To RandomFanAuthor- well, her full name is Alokia, but they all just call her Kia. Never linked it to the car brand before though! :P And her mother is a bad influence, don't encourage her ^_^
To KotlcExpert521- I am trying for a continuation of the Percico lot, only done a little bit though D: but thank you! I will do my best!
To HoO Fan- (Chapter 23) And I know Nico's caught up with 21st century stuff, but I like Will teasing him for being an old man ^_^
"You're going to get us barred."
"Nah, we're their best customers!" Louisa laughed, swinging their arms again. Reyna carried their tub of cake in her free hand. The sunset had begun, painting gentle oranges and pinks across the New Rome skyline. The evening was cool, quiet for the most part. Pure silence never lay across the camp, it was not something the Romans knew. Reyna did not mind it. It was like listening to the coqui frogs in her childhood home.
"It is still a family restaurant, Lou, there are children-"
"I know, I know. I'm sorry."
"You're not."
"I… can try ta be?" She made a face. Reyna laughed despite herself, tugging on her hand to still the swinging. The praetorium came into view and Louisa grinned, lurching forward. "Jumanji time!" Reyna did not object, more concerned on not dropping their cake.
Louisa was quick to set the film up, once in Reyna's flat, but she did not play it until she had pulled apart the sofa and built a fort from the cushions and blankets. She bundled pillows and more blankets inside, set a flashlight on the floor, though they hardly needed it. The glow from the television was light enough, a sereneness settling about the room once the curtains were closed.
While she was doing this, Reyna had a quick shower, changing into her nightwear. She settled in the fort while Louisa washed up and changed as well. Five minutes later, they were both nestled in the fort, the film seconds to start and Louisa's hot chocolates cupped in their hands. The cake tub sat between them, two spoons resting beside it.
They lay on their fronts, shoulder to shoulder. Louisa reached out to squeeze Reyna's hand or wrist every so often, making sure she was paying attention; so frequently so the contact, that Reyna began to do it back. They finished their hot chocolates as the kids found the board game, worked their way through the chocolate cake. Louisa fumbled with the spoon in her right hand, complaining when she dropped it. Reyna elected to feed her to avoid the whining, cooing teasingly. "Little bubba." She smirked.
"No talkin', Jumanji is on."
It didn't take long for Louisa to fidget, sitting up, lying back down, leaning on Reyna. She was focusing on the screen, but her mind made her body restless of its own accord. At the seventh or eighth change in seating within two minutes, Reyna sat up as well, tucking an arm around her waist and leaning her head on her shoulder. She lay her hand, palm up, on Louisa's knee, smiling at the familiar weight and coldness of Louisa's fingers around her own.
"You've had too much sugar."
"Sssh, Jumanji!"
"Lo siento, mi amor." Reyna kissed her cheek. In the flickering light of the television, she was sure a rosiness had settled in Louisa's expression, but she didn't get to confirm- Louisa gently gripped her chin and had her face forward again, another shush.
By the time the film finished- far more enjoyable than Reyna had anticipated, given Louisa's tendency to exaggerate- Louisa's sugar high was coming down, but she was still in dire need to spring up and burn out the build-up of repressed fidgets. Reyna remained in the fort, tidying somewhat and adjusting the cushions and blankets.
Once satisfied, she moved to the bathroom, finding Louisa brushing her teeth, making faces at herself in the mirror. She waved at Reyna's reflection, bumped her with her shoulder as she stood beside her at the sink, picking up her own toothbrush. Louisa mumbled around the foam of toothpaste, bowing slightly to spit and then repeating.
"How cool was that film?"
"I can see why you like it."
"If ya tell me you don't like Jumanji-"
"Of course I do, can never go wrong with Robin Williams."
"Thank fuck for that, I was gonna kill ya with this." She waggled her toothbrush, rinsing it under the tap when toothpaste bubbles fell on her knuckles.
"I'd prefer not to be killed by something that's been in your mouth."
"Rude." Louisa grumbled. Reyna gave a soft laugh around her toothbrush, watching Louisa's reflection. Louisa stuck her tongue out, freeing her hair from its ponytail to run her fingers through the tangles. With her free hand, Reyna reached for the pink hair brush she kept by the sink, without a second thought.
It was only when she held her toothbrush in her cheek, to free her hands and brush out Louisa's hair when she was cursing at the tangles, did Reyna notice. They had picked up a routine. Beyond Louisa's self-appointed role as Reyna's second-in-command, beyond the cloak-stealing and arm-swinging, even beyond going out for dinner and coming back with chocolate cake to watch a film in their fort- this was… simpler. But it felt like more.
Reyna couldn't put a word to it, a fluttery feeling somewhere in her chest as she brushed and braided Louisa's hair for the night. Louisa was a disaster in every sense that Reyna was a praetor. While one was organised and hardworking, driven and leading, caring and decisive, the other was chaotic and flighty, hot-headed and back-up, fussing and impractical. They could not be more different. Reyna knew that; she had heard the whispers. Why had Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, praetor of the Twelfth Legion and famed, beloved daughter of Bellona, slayer of Orion and returner of the Athena Parthenos, chosen of the goddess's aegis, settle for a daughter of Neptune? Why build and strengthen and rally when the other could so easily bring it all down?
"Rey? You OK?"
"Mm?"
"I mean, ya finished my hair, like, an hour ago 'n' ya ain't let go."
"It wasn't an hour." Reyna argued lightly, dropping the finished braid between Louisa's shoulders.
"Fuckin' felt like it." Louisa smiled, turning. "Everythin' OK?" Reyna nodded, wetting her toothbrush to finish brushing her teeth. "Ah, damn, Rey-Rey. If I knew Jumanji was gonna make ya'll quiet, I'd've put it on sooner."
"Oh, shut up." Reyna shook her head, stifling laughter. She rinsed the toothbrush, dropped it in the pot beside Louisa's. Louisa stretched her arms over her head, half-yawning, half-whining. Reyna slipped her arms around her waist, resting her chin on her shoulder. Louisa's arms fell about her shoulders. "Thank you."
"Uh, it's just a hug, Rey."
"No. For coming back."
"Aw, Rey, ya know I'd never leave you with these idiots."
"You mean you're the only idiot I should tolerate."
"Obviously. No, wait, that's rude." Reyna could hear the pout in her voice, laughing at it. "Bitch." Louisa chided. Reyna drew back and kissed her nose.
"Want to bunk in your totally stable fort tonight?"
"Hey, my fort is a work of genius."
"If it comes down on my head during the night, I was not the last person to see you."
"Ditto."