Chapter 21.
The girls smiled, their hearts warmed by the affection between Percy and Reyna. "So what are we talking about?" Percy inquired, his smile bright.
"I was about to ask how you landed such an impressive young woman, Percy," Diana teased, her laughter echoing in the air.
Percy rolled his eyes playfully before responding, "I've been asking myself that for years." The group erupted into laughter at his response, while Reyna smiled warmly, her love for Percy evident in her eyes.
"You have a primordial with powerful domains, and then me as a leader of a city. I think we know what's more impressive," Reyna remarked, her smile radiant.
Percy nodded in agreement as he nestled himself in Reyna's hair and shoulder. "Yeah, one of those was given for free and the other had to work for it. We definitely know which is out of their league, and it ain't him," he quipped with a chuckle, his affectionate banter drawing more laughter from the group.
Reyna's smile brightened as she turned her head to softly kiss Percy, a gesture of affection that he warmly returned. They broke apart, and Reyna turned back to the group as Percy nestled back into her shoulder.
"Well, Reyna, I'm glad that we got the chance to meet you. We need to head out for our mission," Diana announced as they all stood up. Reyna nodded in understanding as she prepared to bid farewell to Percy, but he hadn't moved an inch.
Diana smiled knowingly as she spoke, "Normally, I would protest leaving our guardian behind, but it's clear he's happy where he is. Percy, I'll send you a message when we arrive and need you."
Percy nodded in response, content that Diana understood his desire to stay by Reyna's side for a few days longer. "Reyna, make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Zoe chimed in with a playful tone.
Reyna laughed heartily before replying, "I'll do my best," her voice filled with affection as she leaned back against Percy once again, feeling grateful for his desire to stay with her for a few extra days.
With that, the hunters headed off, leaving the city behind. Once they were gone, Reyna turned to Percy with a curious expression. "Babe, why didn't you go with them?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
Percy lifted his head, meeting her gaze with a tender smile. "Because I can shadow travel to them when they arrive. So I'm going to take any chance I can to see you," he explained softly, his love for her shining in his eyes.
Reyna's heart swelled with warmth at his words, and she let out a contented sigh. "I love you," she whispered softly.
Percy grinned, his eyes sparkling with affection as he replied, "I love you too." The two of them remained in their embrace until Percy noticed people entering the park. Without a word, he pulled them both into the shadows, transporting them to Reyna's home, where they could enjoy each other's company in peace and privacy.
The day after Percy arrived in Rome, he had an unexpected encounter with an old friend. While on a date with Reyna at a restaurant, Percy's attention was drawn to a familiar face passing by the window.
Turning to Reyna, who was focused on the menu, Percy quickly said, "Rey, I'll be right back. I need to check on something." Reyna looked up from her menu, her expression filled with curiosity, but she smiled and nodded in agreement.
Grinning, Percy faded into the shadows and reappeared outside the restaurant, where he caught up with the person he had spotted. Moving swiftly, he wrapped his arms around her chest, startling her. "Hi B," he greeted warmly.
Bianca turned in surprise, but her shock quickly turned into a wide smile of recognition as she hugged Percy tightly, returning his warmth.
"Hi Percy, what are you doing in Rome?" Bianca asked, her expression puzzled. Percy smiled warmly as he replied, "I'm checking out the restaurants here. What about you?"
Bianca smiled back, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "This is where me and Nico live when we aren't in the underworld. We aren't in any of the cohorts, but we help train the soldiers," she explained.
Percy nodded, a playful glint in his eyes. "Tell death breath I said hi then. I need to get back to the restaurant," he said with a grin.
Bianca nodded in agreement. "I will. Come visit us when you're free," she invited warmly.
Percy grinned before giving her another quick hug and fading back into the shadows, reappearing at the table. However, his smile faltered when he realized that Reyna was missing. Glancing around, he noticed the front door swinging closed, prompting him to quickly rise from his seat and head outside to find her.
Standing up, Percy hurried outside just in time to see Reyna walking away from the restaurant. Growing increasingly worried, he sprinted towards her, his heart pounding with concern.
"Reyna, where are you going?" he asked urgently as he caught up to her. She turned around, and Percy's heart sank at the look of betrayal in her eyes. Tears streaked down her face as she spoke.
"Who's the girl, Percy?" she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion.
Percy was taken aback by her accusation, confusion evident on his face. "What do you mean?" he asked, bewildered as to why his interaction with Bianca had upset Reyna so much.
Reyna glared at him, her eyes filled with hurt and suspicion. "The girl I just saw you hugging and chatting it up with," she replied bitterly.
Percy's concern deepened as he realized the misunderstanding. "That's Bianca. I rescued her and her brother years ago. I trained them for a summer and haven't seen them in a year," he explained earnestly, hoping to ease Reyna's distress.
Reyna's eyes widened as she realized she had misunderstood the situation, and she collapsed onto her knees, overcome with emotion. Not wanting others to see her in such a vulnerable state, Percy quickly stepped forward. He crouched down beside her, enveloping her in a comforting embrace, and pulled shadows around them before vanishing back to her home.
When they reappeared, they found themselves in her living room. Percy quietly held her as she cried, offering her the solace of his presence. He listened patiently as she apologized profusely between sobs.
"Reyna, it's okay. You're okay," he responded softly, his voice filled with reassurance and understanding. He continued to hold her close, providing her with the comfort she needed.
As her tears began to subside, Reyna slowly gathered herself, her breathing steadying. "I'm sorry, I should have trusted you. But I saw you outside, so I went to see what was going on. And then I saw you guys hugging tightly and talking, and it just brought back what Venus said, and it hurt really bad," she confessed once she could articulate her thoughts clearly.
Percy nodded, understanding why it set her off the way it did. "Reyna, it's okay. I would never cheat on you. I love you too much to do that," he reassured her gently. Reyna nodded in response, finding solace in his words as she snuggled closer into his embrace while softly smiling, grateful that he understood her reaction.
"If you're feeling better, I would like to take my lovely girlfriend on a dinner date," Percy said softly, his voice warm with affection. Reyna's smile grew wider as she nodded in agreement. With a tender kiss on her forehead, Percy stood up, offering her a hand to help her up as well.
Reyna smiled warmly before she got up to go fix her makeup that had been ruined by her tears, feeling lighter and more at ease now that she and Percy had resolved the misunderstanding.
Later that night, once they had returned home, they found themselves lounging around Reyna's living room. As the evening wore on, Reyna let out a loud yawn, signaling her exhaustion. Percy couldn't help but grin at her.
"I think it's time for bed. Don't want to give life another chance to cause issues," Percy suggested, his tone light but caring. Reyna grimaced in agreement. "Yeah, you're right," she admitted, feeling the weight of the evening catching up with her.
Sensing her lingering unease, Percy walked over to her and pulled her close, enveloping her in a comforting embrace. "We're fine, Rey. It was just a misunderstanding, and we'll leave it at that. I love you, and no girl will ever change that," he reassured her earnestly.
Reyna sighed softly, feeling reassured by Percy's words. A small smile graced her lips as she nodded in acknowledgment. With Percy's comforting words echoing in her mind, she allowed him to lift her up, and together they headed to bed, ready to leave the day's troubles behind them.
The next morning, when Reyna woke up, she felt a pang of panic as she realized Percy was not beside her. Fearing the worst, her mind raced with thoughts that he might have left because of the previous evening's misunderstanding. Her heart began to sink at the prospect of him being gone.
However, her anxiety was quickly replaced by relief when she heard movement coming from her kitchen. Hastily throwing off her covers, Reyna rushed to the kitchen, her heart pounding with anticipation. As she stepped into the room, her eyes immediately landed on Percy, seated at the table shirtless, with a cup of coffee in front of him and a bagel in hand, looking at a newspaper.
A wave of relief washed over Reyna as she took in the sight of him. Without hesitation, she crossed the room and approached him, a soft smile forming on her lips. "Percy, you're here," she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mixture of joy and relief.
A warm smile spread across Percy's face as Reyna approached, her relief palpable. "Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" he replied casually, taking another bite of his bagel. "Bagel?" he offered, extending the remainder of his breakfast to her.
Reyna accepted the bagel with a grateful smile before settling down, using him as a makeshift chair as she stretched her legs out across his before she glanced at the newspaper laid out on the table. "What are you looking at?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, The paper said that Rome was looking at expanding the temple area, so I was checking out what it said about it," Percy explained, pressing a light kiss to Reyna's cheek. She smiled in response, taking a bite of the bagel before nestling her head against his chest.
Percy wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, knowing she needed the comfort after the events of the previous evening. They remained in their cozy embrace while Percy continued to read the newspaper. Eventually, Reyna looked up at him, her expression soft and grateful.
"Thank you for being here," she said softly, her voice filled with sincerity and affection.
Percy smiled tenderly, resting his chin on her head. "Of course. I'll always be here for you. I wouldn't trade you for any girl, demigod, goddess, or primordial. I love you and only you," he whispered, his words carrying the weight of his unwavering devotion.
Reyna smiled warmly as she nodded before returning to nestle into his chest. After a while, she got up to go get dressed for the day. Meanwhile, Percy quickly teleported home to have a conversation with his parents.
Upon his arrival, Percy took a seat on his throne, which his parents had enchanted to notify them of his return. A few moments later, his parents materialized in the throne room. "Ah, Percy my dear, what can we do for you?" his mother asked, her voice filled with warmth.
"Hi Mom, Dad," Percy greeted them warmly. "I was hoping you could help me make a pair of necklaces. I want to give one to Reyna so she can reach me if she needs me."
His parents smiled warmly as Erebus replied, "Funny you should say that, because we figured this topic would come up at some point." With a wave of his hand, a pair of necklaces materialized before them. They were intricately woven with purple, gold, and black material. The only difference between them was the pendant: one bore a black scythe, while the other displayed a gold shield.
Percy looked at them in amazement before gently taking them, his eyes sparkling with gratitude as he glanced at his parents. "Thank you, guys," he said warmly. His parents nodded with affectionate smiles before they left the throne room.
Examining the necklaces in his hands, Percy couldn't contain his excitement. With a bright smile, he vanished from the throne room, reappearing at Reyna's home.