A/N: VERY IMPORTANT! When you read the beginning, you will probably feel at least one of the following:
-sad
-disappointed
-angry
But please read the whole thing! I promise it will get better! I am a Leyna shipper after all!
EPILOUGUE
There were several factors that contributed to the end of their relationship.
The first was jealousy. When Reyna and Leo had been dating for a whole year, a girl named Calypso entered the picture. She was absolutely gorgeous, with amber eyes and cinnamon-colored hair. Her face was kind and delicate; her every move held grace that every girl wishes she had. Reyna felt like a bull in a china shop next to her.
In Science, there was an important project that was due by the end of the quarter. Reyna had insisted that she and Leo be paired, but the teacher shook her head and paired Leo with Calypso. Because Leo had to go over to Calypso's so much, Reyna felt rejected. They had no time together whatsoever, and it made fury run through her veins when Leo would deny her a nice evening out in exchange for another visit to Calypso.
They became fast friends, and Reyna didn't know that she could hate someone at such an extent. "You don't need to be with each other so much," Reyna had said.
Leo had shrugged in response. "It's a big project, mi reina. It is really important that we get this finished."
Reyna had growled and turned away. She did not feel like Leo had to go over to Calypso's every other day. Including the weekends.
Reyna had told Annabeth what had happened and her experiences with that jealousy, and Annabeth had snarled, "That Calypso's a harlot. She tried to do the same with Percy and me." And then she had explained that jealousy was perfectly natural; but when Reyna had mentioned how much they had seen each other, the blonde had concluded that Leo may not had been loyal to Reyna.
Reyna had dismissed the thought, but a small part of her wondered,Has Leo been with Calypso romantically?
And when the project was due and they still spent time together, Reyna had confronted him head first.
"Why the hell are you still going to her god damn house?!" Reyna shrieked. "The project's over!"
"She's lonely," Leo tried to reason, "And she needs someone to spend time with."
"Oh, so, to solve her loneliness, you make me lonely too?!" Reyna shouted. Leo looked shocked when she had said that. "Reyna, she doesn't have a lot of friends—"
Reyna sighed in frustration and ran her hands through her hair. "God damn it, I don't either, idiot."
"Reyna, I—"
Reyna had turned around swiftly, not willing to hear Leo's excuse. She slammed the door shut, and had made her way to Bellona. Her mother asked her what had happened; and Reyna had explained, and Bellona told her daughter that Leo was probably telling the truth, but he was being completely clueless.
Leo had apologized, and took her out for lunch the next day. Reyna wanted to believe that he was sorry, but for some reason, she just couldn't believe it.
The second was fights. They started just a month after the situation with Calypso. Leo and Reyna seemed like they disagreed on everything, and with the stress of the finals, Reyna was on edge, especially around her boyfriend.
One fight had been particularly nasty.
"Why did you blow me off yesterday?" Leo yelled. "Do you even want to be with me anymore?!"
Reyna felt like denying what he had said, but decided that she was done with this fighting. She was fighting back. "No, I don't! Because you are irritating, and annoying!"
They had been in her room, and Reyna lifted the bear Leo had won for her in the fair. It seemed so long ago. Reyna threw the bear in the trash can. Leo stared at it, completely shocked. No one had been so…malicious to him before.
"I'm irritating?!" Leo shouted. "I'm not the one who's always nagging about cleaning, and schedules for dates, and how to win class president—"
"You know that I want to run for that position! It's important to me! But you won't get off your lazy butt for two whole minutes to help!"
Leo jumped back like he had been slapped. "What are you talking about? I help you all the time! Or is my effort not good enough?"
"No, it's not, because you don't put in any effort!"
"Oh yeah? What about those times when I put up the posters, or when I—"
"That was Jason and Piper, you moron!"
"Oh, so this is about Jason?! Is this why I'm not good enough? Because I'm not Jason?" Leo had become eerily calm during his small speech. His shoulders were heaving up and down as he tried to cool himself. Reyna's eyes immediately softened. "No, Leo, you are good enough. You're amazing."
Leo looked away. "It certainly doesn't feel that way."
Reyna caressed his cheek and kissed him on the lips. Even though they made up after that fight, the same can't be said about the next one.
The third was a death.
Six months after Reyna had graduated; her father returned. Bellona had not welcomed him with open arms, but Reyna had, because she hadn't seen him in many years. She had wrapped her arms around him and cried out of happiness. She focused nearly all her time and attention on her father for the next two weeks, and Leo had been angry.
"I've been with you longer than he ever has!" Leo had claimed.
But after the two weeks, Reyna's father told her devastating news: he had a brain tumor. Reyna stayed by his side for days on end, and she even slept in the hospital room. This broke Reyna's and Leo's relationship in two.
And when Mr. Ramirez-Arellano had passed away, Reyna spent all her time on planning the funeral.
Leo didn't feel it was right to complain, but they hadn't been intimate in a month, and he felt farther away from her than ever. He didn't feel like they were in a relationship anymore.
Reyna and Leo finally talked to each other for the first time since Reyna's father visited, and it was like they didn't know each other anymore. They probably didn't. So Reyna ended it, in her room, with the teddy bear still in the trash can. She couldn't quite bring herself to really throw it away.
Three Years Later
Reyna stands by Annabeth, smiling brightly, but her smile is not nearly as bright as her blonde friend's. She spins in her teal dress, it's the same color as Percy's eyes.
"You look beautiful," Reyna says proudly, "It's no surprise that Percy fell in love with you."
Annabeth smiles at her, and she looks truly angelic at this moment. She has light eye makeup and blood red lips and pink cheeks. Her crazy curly hair is tamed to look like loose waves. "Thank you," she says sweetly. "I know one day, you'll find an amazing man."
Reyna wilts microscopically at that, she still hasn't fully gotten over Leo.
Reyna had plenty of chances to forget though. Boys come after her in mobs. Her regal features look goddess-like, and her body had matured quite a bit. But yet she still does not feel adequate personality wise. No one could ever get past the second date with her, saying that she was too "difficult." Leo was the only one.
"Thank you," she returns, smiling with a fake smile.
Annabeth places a hand on Reyna's shoulder. "Don't let all those douchebags faze you," she reassures, "Percy is a perfect guy, yes, but there are plenty more like him."
"Still a boy bragger, aren't ya?" Reyna says, grinning.
Annabeth laughs. "Yes, I still am. But you'll be one, too."
"I doubt that," Reyna grumbles, "Men seem to stay away from me like I have the plague." Annabeth dares to say, "That's not true. Leo stayed with you and he's a man."
All of Reyna's previous elation is erased from her mind. Her whole face darkens. "Look, I was trying to forget him. And I was succeeding until you decided to invite him to the wedding."
Annabeth pouts daintily. "I said that I'm sorry. But Percy got to invite whoever he wants. And some petty fight between my bridesmaid and his best man—"
"W-what?" Reyna sputters. "He's the best man?!"
Annabeth nods. "Yeah…it was either him or Jason but Jason had to cancel because he's on his honeymoon with Piper."
Reyna looks down at the ground. All of her friends have their happy endings. Annabeth and Percy are getting married, Piper and Jason are on their honeymoon, Hazel and Frank just had their first child, hell, even Octavian is dating some girl named Rachel. Reyna is the odd man out. She wonders if Leo feels the same way before shaking the thought from her mind.
"Oh. Good for him."
Annabeth eyes her best friend carefully before shrugging it off. She knew that Reyna was upset; but there was nothing she could do about it. "Come on, we gotta go. I don't want to be late."
During the ceremony, Reyna cannot stop staring at Leo. He looked more handsome than ever, and while he used to look unsure of himself and very awkward, he now looks like he knows who he is. Reyna blinks when she's told that she should start walking.
And then, Leo steals at glance at her before quickly averting his eyes in the other direction. Reyna's breath catches.
The reception is huge. It's held in a big building normally booked for balls and galas. Reyna stands by the walls, watching absent-mindedly at Annabeth and her father as they dance. She smiles sadly at them. Even if by some miracle she got married, she'd never be able to have that magical and surreal father and daughter dance. A tear slips down her cheek as she looks down at the floor to hide her tears. "I'm sorry daddy," Reyna whispers.
"Reyna?"
And even more torture, Reyna thinks as she looks up at the eccentric engineer Leo Valdez.
"Leo," she replies quietly. "How have you been?"
Leo leans casually next to her. "I've been good. I became a mechanical and a part-time chemical engineer. It's been pretty busy."
Leo doesn't sound as 'fun,' Reyna observes. She looks up at Leo's dark brown eyes. And even though they are still as warm and welcoming as they used to be, they've lost their playful spark. She misses it when he'd call her mi reina. She wants him desperately to hold her close and say her name over and over again as if he misses her so much. But he doesn't miss her at all.
"What about you?" Leo asks politely. Reyna shrugs despondently. "I became a governor."
She knows that Leo didn't necessarily have to ask for her career path, everyone in the state recognizes her. Over three quarters of the voters voted for her. Leo was probably the one quarter that didn't.
He stares at her, baffled by her beauty. Even when she is clearly distressed by his sudden appearance, she's still mesmerizing. "You look nice," he comments, making Reyna blush. "Thanks," she mumbles. She looks him up and down and Leo swallows hard. He misses Reyna's dark eyes. His heart still aches for her. "You do too," she finally says. And then she turns away from him completely, going back to her quiet solitude.
"Thank you," Leo says, "It took me a whole ten minutes to get ready."
Reyna looks at him. "Ten minutes? I took an hour to get ready."
That hour was definitely worth it, Leo's mind says as he examines her. Her eyeshadow was a mix of a bright purple and dark turquoise. Her eyeliner was shaped into a cat eye. Her cheeks were a light shade of pink and her lips were painted red, making her lips look full and inviting. "Beautiful," he says breathlessly. Reyna's whole face turns a bright shade of red. "O-oh…"
"I'm sorry," Leo says as he looks away.
"For what?" Reyna asks with a raised eyebrow.
"For everything," Leo replies. "Gods, I'm such a retarded asshole for letting you go."
Reyna holds back a smug smirk. "Yes, you are," she replies coldly.
"Can you forgive me?" Leo asks, giving her a pleading look. "Please, mi amor perdido?"
Reyna bites her lip. She is not a forgiving person. But Leo…he is the only one that treats her like she is truly important, like she is not the third wheel.
She is not lost when she is with him.
"Of course, mi cielo."
THE END
Translations: mi amor perdido: my lost love
mi cielo: my heaven
End Note: Oh my, my first finished story. This is just…surreal. Thank you guys, thank you.
I'm leaning towards a Pirate AU or a Spies AU, so that may come out in a month or two. Thanks for reading,
-coolcoco98