summary || In which there are three ways Jason and Reyna could be reunited.

author's note || Because Rick Riordan was not kind enough to give us some Jason/Reyna reunion in "The Mark of Athena."

It hurts too much. My heart longs for Jeyna who I learned to love over the months. When I read the spoilers, I heard something break, and a few seconds later did I only realized that that was my heart.

Delayed one-shot for the Jason/Reyna ship week.

Dedicated to theperksofbeinganauthor. I really owe you one.

Check my tumblr? XD The link is on my profile.

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i. when everything reaches endgame

Being a sixteen year-old with a terrible case of ADHD was something you would not want to experience. Especially if you are standing next to a daughter of Bellona (or was it Bologna?) who can feed you to her pegasus.

"Jackson, if you don't stand still, I am going to skewer you," Reyna seethed. She glared at Percy who swallowed nervously.

It was not the first time his life had been threatened by a girl with a knife.

(Come on! Thalia Grace was his cousin and Annabeth Chase was his girlfriend!)

Although this time, he had to say that he was really, really scared because he doubted that Reyna would want to spare his life. Beside them, Aurum and Argentum growled. Their ruby eyes glared at him as if to say "back off".

Okay. Forget about Reyna killing him. Her dogs, on the other hand, would not hesitate to chew him.

"Praetors," a legionnaire approached them and spoke to them in Latin,"the Graeci have arrived."

Reyna nodded before glaring at Percy again as if to say "stay still". He, though, could make out a hint of excitement passing by her usual cold eyes that could possible beat Hera in a staring contest.

Well, he hoped Reyna would beat her.

He glanced at the sky to see if Ze - err, Jupiter heard him.

As it turned out, Roman gods were not that easily offended; he let out a sigh of relief.

"Ready!"

Her voice echoed as the Romans looked even more alert than before. They straightened their backs and held their weapons firmly in hand. Some of them adjusted their armor before looking straight ahead.

Really, Percy thought, he was never, ever getting used to this kind of lifestyle.

"Reyna, they came here in peace," Percy reminded her, feeling a hint of excitement rising above his chest. Reyna did not falter her gaze and continued to stare ahead with a cold and calculating stare. He hid a smirk when he found a good way to tease her.

"Besides, Jason is there," he teased, hoping to ease the tension. His voice rose slightly to make sure that the other Romans heard him.

Several chuckled (especially Dakota who nearly spit out his Kool-Aid!); Hazel tried to hide her giggles while Frank tried not to smile.

Reyna did not respond, but she did placed her hand on the hilt of her dagger.

TIP 1: Never, ever mention Jason Grace in front of her if you want to live.

He gulped and decided not to push her. He wanted to see Annabeth before he died on the hands of a daughter of sausage; she glared at him before speaking.

Aside from that, it seemed that her dogs did not want to see their mistress being made fun of. They showed him their shiny white teeth, and Percy tried to do the same.

It was just that the goddess of teeth (whoever she was) was not that generous to him.

Reyna rolled her eyes at his childish behavior.

"One more thing, Jackson. If you dare cross the line later..." her voice drifted off, but Percy understood what she meant.

If you dare cross the line later, I'd tell Octavian that you'd be his the next teddy bear he'd use.

Percy nodded nervously before making a mental note to always put a masking tape on his face when he was around Reyna.

Never mess with her.

Shadow loomed over them as people - at least twenty of them - stepped out of the coolest war ship Percy had ever seen (not that he had actually seen one before). Apparently, he was not the only one who thought warships were really cool.

Mutters surrounded the Romans. Reyna had to raise her hand to silence them, but at that moment, he couldn't care any less.

You know the expression "time seemed to stop..."? Or was it some other word he did not know?

He opted the second choice.

Either way, that was what he felt when his eyes landed on a pretty girl with startling gray eyes and princess curls -

Annabeth.

Her eyes sparkled, and all Percy wanted to was hug her. He glanced at Reyna; he was begging her now. He'd do anything to be with Annabeth who saved him so many times, who called him Seaweed brain and -

And made him feel a lot of other things that he never thought he'd experience.

That all changed when he saw Reyna's face. It was emotionless and blank, but there was something wrong with it. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the others who arrived.

Annabeth was now talking to Clarisse La Rue, the girl who always wanted his head, Chris Rodriguez, Will Solace, Katie Gardner, two boys who looked like they could steal your armors (Travis and Connor Stoll) and several people he recognized. Now...

Where the hell were Silena and Beckendorf...?

He frowned. Perhaps not all of his memories have returned yet.

To the middle, he saw a Latino with curly hair that looked like noodles. He didn't remember a boy with a problem with ADHD that was as bad as his though. To the right of the boy was a blonde with cropped hair and electric blue eyes.

He was wearing... bed sheets? And had a serious disposition around him.

This was definitely Jason. His eyes traveled to Jason's hand which was intertwined with an -

Woah.

Wait.

What the...

He looked at the person (who happened to be a girl - a pretty one, at that) Jason was holding hands with.

Percy blinked his eyes in shock. That just confirmed things.

One: Jason, whoever he was, had his memories back by the well-placed bed shee - err... toga.

Two: He'd probably kill him for taking his place (if he was like his father, that is).

Three: He probably found a special friend at Camp Half-Blood that Percy did not know.

Four: The girl was probably a daughter of Aphrodite.

Fifth: Whoever the girl was, she's probably Jason's gir -

His eyes were wide like saucers when the truth hit him faster than a turtle's run.

Insert For the First Time by the Script here please.

Percy whipped his head to look at Reyna. Her face was even more still than before, and the stare she had on now was even worse than when he had first entered the Roman camp with a certain goddess at his back.

"What are you doing here, Graeci?"

Game over.

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ii. a bit too much

"Reyna."

The praetor turned around, and saw Jason Grace with that - that Venus spawn in his arm.

She gritted her teeth as she restrained herself from clenching her fist.

Did he have to rub it in her face that he had a girlfriend now and it would be like "hey, Reyna, meet Piper and I love her so love her too, 'kay?".

She bit her lip as she silently chanted.

Relax.

You are a queen. A queen never falters.

"Grace. McLean," she greeted them; her voice was cold and clipped.

Jason looked at her, eyes still as sharp, as filled with life, as electrifying as it was before. He looked unreadable with his jaw clenched and set. Piper McLean gave her a smile. But it was too sweet and endearing for Reyna's liking.

Looking at the two of them made her feel sick. It was frustrating - the way he can suddenly or perhaps the way they can make her feel like her plans would all fail.

Stupid son of Jupiter - or maybe she should say Zeus now.

Facing someone you waited for a long time only to find out he replaced you with someone far better was something Reyna did not expect she'd ever experience; however, the feeling she had inside her was something more unexpected than that.

This is definitely not jealousy. Definitely not.

"What do you want?" she asked. She glanced at the two of them.

If someone would speak first, it might as well be her. Jason shifted nervously on his feet while Piper McLean tried to look casual. She stood there, silently waiting for them to speak up. She set her lips in a straight line.

Content flooded her when she saw Piper McLean back away slightly.

Good. Let her squirm.

The Greeks were definitely influencing him, she thought bitterly.

Her eyes narrowed at this; Jason Grace i - was confident. He did not stutter; he was a great leader, and was someone who can speak without hesitating, without flinching.

"I was wondering if I could show the villa to Piper," Jason told her. His voice sounded different; it was almost as if he would not ask it.

The sun dimmed, and the birds stopped singing. The lights illuminating the marbled temples dulled. The busy chatters of the Romans seemed to be muted.

The cord broke.

Her lips curl as the hymn of war haunted her mind.

"Look, if you're going to show her Percy's villa," she snapped, "I suggest that you go ask permission from Jackson instead."

They looked taken back, and awkward silence surrounded them before Piper dragged Jason away. She was muttering apologies that Reyna did not bother to hear.

When they were out of sight, she bit her lip and tried to stop the tears that threatened to spill out.

Sometimes she just can't help but wonder how on the earth can Jason Grace make her feel this way.

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"Love and war can never be on the same boat, hon."

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iii. because technicalities and rules were made to be broken

Heroes are heroes - at least until you become one of their lovers.

Because once words of love - not lust, never lust - escape your lips, you'd be part of their play. And you'd realize that they are nothing but cruel bastards who took you for granted. You'd soon realize how cruel, how faithless they are. You'd soon realize how willingly they would throw you aside like you were some piece of trash.

Love would be nothing but a game for them.

It is ironic that they would say they would love you, but in the end, you'd be nothing but a hindrance in their way once they found another lo - no, consort.

Of course, Jason is determined to change all this.

After Hercules and that huntress of Diana; Jason and Medea...

He's definitely not going to let his genes get in the way this time.

His hands gripped the railings of the worn-out Argo II as they neared the shore of Camp Half-Blood where both Romans and Greeks arewaiting for them.

Déjà vu much, huh?

"You two were such a couple! It would be like the Trojan war all over again."

He clenches his jaw.

What a good mother. Meddling with her daughter's affairs for the sake of a sick story? - she's definitely worse than some other sick goddess out there.

(And he's aware that he used "sick" twice.)

Of course, him disliking her has something to do with Aphrodite (not Venus because she might actually be a bit more logical) messing with his life, too.

"Well, that's Aphrodite for you," Annabeth remarks. Her eyes are even stormier, and suddenly he has this feeling that says, he's not the only who loathes the goddess.

Percy laughs, holds her hand and gives Jason a pat in the back before whispering what Jason thought was 'good luck.'

Piper passes by, waves a bit as she sends him a sweet, soft smile that would probably melt him a few weeks ago, gives him a look before heading to the control room to give Leo some sort of candy good for sugar rush.

He breathes.

How many times did he practice this?

Ever since they defeated Gaea, he has been practicing on what he is going to say. But it's as if there's a voice at the back of his mind nagging him that this would be futile.

Of course, everything he has practiced all went to the waste bin.

Because when he saw the shining gold armor tinted with the purest of ink-blank, he jumps off the ship, runs to her and pretty much forgets all the things he has prepared.

"Don't disappoint me, sweetheart."

Screw the goddess and her stupid dove and all those other rules and Romans and Greeks looking at hi - err... them. He follows his instincts (and slams his lips on her).

(And of course, she does the same. His eyes were wide open as realization hits hi-

Welcome home.)

Screw Hercules and Jason and that freaking hydra who ate his energy and all those other things bothering him such as the gift of immortality awaiting him on Olympus.

Kissing her shouldn't feel this damn good.

(But he's kind of glad that it does.)