Hey, y'all! We're now on chapter 16! This is crazy! Well, please check out the poll on my profile, and leave a review on this chapter! I will do my best to follow through with your requests. On with the chapter! (I don't own PJO or HOO.)

Reyna's POV

Reyna was sick and tired of being cooped up in a dingy medical cabin. Sure, the cot was pretty comfortable, but the small room was hot and musty. She would have to talk to the healers about getting better accommodations for the ill and injured. Just then, the healer walked into the room. The son of Apollo with blond hair that Reyna had soon learned was named Lucas.

He walked over to her cot and took a deep breath. "Good news! You are cleared to leave," he said, unwrapping the bandage on her arm.

She exhaled. Finally. She would get out of there, and continue on just like nothing had happened. Reyna couldn't help but admit that getting injured, and being sent to stay in the medical cabin did hurt her pride. It had been a while since Reyna had ever really asked for help from anyone other than another praetor. The truth stung. Reyna needed more help than she wanted to admit.

One of Reyna's powers that she had inherited from her mother, Bellona, was that she could lend her strength to others when they needed it. It gave her a sense of pride that others could use her strength, Reyna's strength, to win battles. Reyna didn't do this often, since not a lot of people even knew about this ability that she possessed. She feared that too many people would take advantage of it.

But, it hurt Reyna's pride to let others use their strength on her. Especially when she had so much of it.

Lucas finished unraveling the bandage that covered the better part of Reyna's right arm. Her limb was still sore, but no longer did Reyna feel like she was being poked with a thousand hot daggers. Of course, Ambrosia and Nectar were mainly to blame for Reyna's quick recovery.

Reyna still had a scar on her arm, where the wound had healed, but she knew that in time, even that would heal if she took a little more Ambrosia and Nectar. "Looks like you are all set, praetor," Lucas said. "Can I get you anything?"

Reyna shook her head politely. "Thank you for taking care of me. Can I return to my full praetor duties?"

Lucas hesitated. "Probably," he said. "Just go a little easy on the dueling. Your arm might still hurt."

Reyna slid out of the cot and slipped into her sneakers, which Lucas had insisted she take off when she had first arrived at the medical cabin. Reyna also grabbed her praetor's robes as she slipped out the door.

The first place Reyna went was to her praetor's cabin. Once she was inside, she grabbed some fresh jeans and a clean Camp Jupiter purple T-shirt. Then, she headed towards the bathhouse. She hadn't cleaned herself in a couple of days, and a nice Roman bath was just what she needed.

When she was inside, she ran the water to one of the tubs and slipped inside. She washed thoroughly, then stepped out and changed into her new clothes, and her praetor robes. Reyna finally attached her deep red cloak and armor, then took her dirty clothes back to her cabin. Once she had freshened up, she started walking towards the Principia, knowing far too well that there would be excess paperwork there that Percy hadn't completed.

She stepped inside, and to her dismay, found Octavian sitting on her "throne." He quickly scrambled off and smoothed out his robes. He had a teddy bear in hand but threw it aside when he saw Reyna's piercing gaze.

"What are you doing in here?" Reyna practically yelled.

"Just consulting the auguries, praetor, Octavian stammered.

"You're supposed to do that in the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus," Reyna seethed.

"Yes, yes, of course, praetor," Octavian said. "Um, would this be a good time to talk about the extra praetor problem? I can always get the senate together, and we can hold a vote!"

Reyna was so mad, she thought she might erupt. "No, centurion, this is not a good time. You may return to the first cohort. Now."

"Uh, yes, Reyna," Octavian said as he snatched up his teddy bear and began to flee the room.

"And Octavian," Reyna began. "I better not find you sitting in any praetor-designated area unless you have been elected praetor by the senate. But personally, I don't think that's happening any time soon. Do you understand me?"

Octavian nodded briskly and fled the room, teddy bear fluff trailing him as he went. Reyna sighed. She honestly had no way in Juno of knowing what she would do with the augur if he decided to start a campaign against Jason. She would be forced by public opinion to hold a meeting with the senate, and that was something she despised the thought of doing.

She honestly wondered if she could put a centurion on probatio. Roman law most likely wouldn't allow it, but it would be amusing to try.

Reyna walked over to her "throne" to see if Octavian did anything to it. Reyna wouldn't trust him to not hijack something. On the way, she noticed that not one document was left on Percy's seat. He usually left the unfinished ones there so that Reyna could complete them later. Percy must have finished them all. This made Reyna want to beam with pride, but she didn't. She realized that maybe she didn't give Percy enough credit. He had told her to trust him, didn't he? But that was also when... oh gods. She wouldn't think about that. Maybe if she didn't think about how much she enjoyed Percy's kisses, she wouldn't want any more.

At least, that's what she hoped.

Percy's POV

Percy hoped that whenever Reyna got out of the medical cabins, she would see that he had finished all of the documents that he was supposed to. He didn't know why, but he wanted her to be proud of him. He wanted to prove that he could be a good praetor and that he wasn't always ignorant. He needed to show her that. Not that it mattered anyway when he would be leaving on the quest on the Argo ll in a little while, and he probably wasn't going to be a praetor when he came back. He had offered the job back to Jason, so the chances of him staying praetor were pretty low.

Speaking of Reyna, when would she be ready to return to her duties? One would think that with all the Ambrosia and Nectar she was being fed she would've been healed by now. Maybe, just maybe, it was worse than he thought. Sure, he wanted to impress Reyna and show her that he could be an outstanding praetor, but he didn't know how much more paperwork he could take. And ADHD and dyslexic demigod mixed with tons of papers to read and sign didn't make the best mix.

Nevertheless, he had completed all the documents with only a small migraine.

As he stood outside the fifth cohort's barracks, he saw Octavian storm by. He looked like he had just been in a heated argument, and his opponent had won. That could only mean one thing.

Octavian noticed Percy staring at him. "What are you looking at, praetor?" The blond boy sneered at Percy.

"Watch your tongue, centurion," Percy countered. "I wouldn't sass your superiors."

Octavian stopped, his face turning red in rage. "I wouldn't go there if I were you," he said, staring daggers at Percy. "When I finally convince the senate to hold an election for praetor, I'll have you disposed of just as quickly as Jason was."

"Jason was never disposed of. Technically, he is still a praetor. A rank that you could only dream of attaining," Percy said, knowing far too well how close to home that comment would hit Octavian. "And since we both outrank you by a long shot, we both can tell you to shut up. Which is exactly what I'm doing."

Octavian looked about ready to explode. Percy almost wanted Octavian to come and fight him. Percy knew he would win, and it would hurt Octavian's ego. Maybe if he angered him just a little bit more...

Suddenly, Percy heard footsteps, but neither he nor Octavian moved an inch. He looked to his right, only to find a girl with dark hair, and obsidian eyes. She was adorned with a purple cape and full Roman armor. Reyna was walking towards them, with full strides. Unluckily for Octavian, he had unsheathed his dagger, preparing for a fight. Percy had yet to take out his ballpoint pen, Riptide.

Reyna looked furious. Fortunately for Percy, her fury was aimed at Octavian.

"What is the meaning of this?" Reyna practically screamed. "Were you planning on attacking a praetor?"

Octavian cowered under Reyna's fiery gaze. "N- no, Reyna."

Reyna turned to Percy and raised her eyebrows. "What's going on here?"

"Well, our augur here, threatened to dispose of me. He claims that he will become a praetor instead. I told him that was never going to happen. Not while Jason, you, or I are existing praetors."

Reyna inhaled slowly and turned toward the frightened augur. "Is this true, Octavian?"

Octavian looked up, finally taking his eyes off the ground. "This disgrace of a praetor was mocking me," he began. Percy snickered.

"I think I've heard enough," Reyna said, interrupting Octavian. "Centurion, return to your cohort. I don't want to see or hear of you angering yet another praetor. Even Jason."

"But, Jason-," Octavian began.

"Do I make myself clear, centurion?" Reyna said.

Octavian muttered something inaudible under his breath. "Yes, praetor," he mumbled, and scurried away, cursing as he went.

Reyna turned to him. "He's been a pain lately. He's so convinced that he will become a praetor," she said.

"Let's hope he doesn't win the senate's approval," Percy sighed. "Who knows what this camp would become with him running it."

"As long as I'm praetor, I'll do everything in my power to make sure he doesn't gain that title," Reyna said, determination in her eyes.

A long second passed. Reyna suddenly looked down, as if she had been staring for too long at something. Or someone.

"Well, I better get going. I missed out on a lot while I was healing," Reyna said, still avoiding Percy's gaze. She began to walk away.

"Wait, Reyna!" Percy exclaimed, careful to grab her left arm instead of her right. "When did they let you leave?"

"About an hour ago," Reyna said, looking up for only a second, then blushing and turning away.

"Hey, is something wrong?" Percy softened his grip on her arm.

She shook her head. "N- no, nothing's wrong," she said, though Percy could tell she was lying.

"Are you stressed about the paperwork? Because I got that all done," Percy said.

"No. It's just... Well, thanks for finishing them," she sighed. "I did doubt you for a little bit." She looked up again. Then quickly turned away again. It was like she was in the middle of a civil war with herself about whether to look at Percy or not. Why? Percy didn't have a clue.

"Yep, I'm pretty doubtable," Percy admitted. "Most of the time I pull through, though."

Percy saw Reyna smile, but she quickly pushed it away, scowling, as if she had betrayed herself when she smiled.

"You're acting really weird. Are you sure you're okay?" Percy pushed.

"I'm fine," Reyna lied again, this time, a little forcefully. "I'm gonna go eat something. Uh, see you around."

Reyna slipped from Percy's grasp and strode away. That was unlike Reyna, Percy thought. What's up with her? She was fine when Octavian was around, but when it was just the two of us... Percy's mind trailed away, but just then, he had a startling thought.

Maybe it's because you keep going in for kisses, you idiot! He thought. No wonder she's avoiding you!

Percy knew that was partially the reason, but he couldn't shake the feeling that whenever he kissed her, she kissed him back, no matter how subtle Reyna tried to make it. So she couldn't despise his kisses, right? Percy didn't know, but if he opened up to someone and asked them for advice, word would get around and he would be screwed. Especially by his girlfriend. That's what hurt even more. That he had a girlfriend, but he enjoyed this. He did this anyway. Whatever this was. He couldn't help but feel that this was Aphrodite's dealing. After all, she did promise to make his love life interesting.

After all, was said and done, Aphrodite might have been Percy's least favorite goddess. But then again, there was Hera, so that was debatable. But then again, if love wasn't a thing, Percy wouldn't have fallen for Annabeth. He did love her a lot. But, he also wouldn't have fallen for a certain praetor of the Twelfth Legion. Argh, Percy thought. Why is love so complicated?

Hope you liked this one! If Octavian knows what's good for him, he'll stay away from the praetors, LOL. Anyway, please review, and check out my poll! Doing even one of those things would make me very happy! Sorry, it took a while for me to write this one, but I was a little busy! Thanks for reading!

-Bookish77