This one is going to be a one (or maybe two) shot about my version of a dark and somewhat twisted version of what Reyna and Jason might have had before he disappeared. T for some swearing and references. So I present to you my first songfic based on Let Me Love You by Justin Beiber, Betray.
For best effects, read alongside listening to the song. Pre-TLH.
Chapter One: Betray
'It's funny how the people who betray you are the ones who swore they never would.'
-Anonymous
I used to believe
We were burning on the edge of something beautiful
Something beautiful
Reyna remembered Jason's mysterious expression as they walked out of the Senate House. The meeting had been an especially boring one, what with Octavian stretching minutes into hours, and Jason had been talking incessantly about wanting to leave, his golden gladius, Julius, clutched in his hand. He had just turned fifteen and praetor. So had Reyna.
As they walked to the praetors' villa, Jason rambled on and cursed Octavian and the bloody Roman Senate. Reyna shushed Jason. If someone overheard them, they'd be dead meat and out of their job within seconds. Even though she loved him, getting caught wasn't high on her list.
Selling a dream
Smoke and mirrors keep us waiting on a miracle
On a miracle
All of a sudden, Jason pulled her to the side of his villa, pinning her to the wall facing the back. His fingers hovered over her face for a second before dropping; his face was centimeters away from hers.
"Do you trust me?" he asked her huskily, the darkness of the night accentuating the situation.
She nodded slowly, a little scared. Seconds later, she found herself floating off the ground, wrapped in his embrace. Jason had to clamp his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming.
Say, go through the darkest of days
Heaven's a heartbreak away
Jason flew through the winds, almost touching the heavens. The city was beautiful under them, lights illuminating the dark.
Reyna was glad they had shed their togas, people seeing two kids in Ancients Roman outfits flying above them were bound to get a heart attack. She whispered into her partner's ear, "What are you doing?"
Never let you go
Never let me down
She could feel his smile against her neck, sending a shock through her. "Need a break."
Oh, it's been a hell of a ride
Driving the edge of a knife
Jason was living in a dream. He was in the city. It was against the rules, but Reyna did not protest. He pulled her into an expensive shop and turned her towards him.
"Why are we here?" she looked at him through narrowed eyes, obviously suspicious.
He smiled at her. "Getting you a dress."
Her eyes widened as he steered her into the girls' section and grabbed a sleek black one that went halfway to the knees.
"This?" Reyna looked disbelievingly at him with wide eyes and a red face.
Never let you go
Never let me down
He drank her in as she emerged from the changing room, blushing furiously. "Jason, this is not what Roman legionnaires wear. Plus, it's expensive."
He grinned slyly at her. "Leave it to me." He turned, and then looked back at her. "You look gorgeous, by the way."
Reyna looked at him in utter amazement.
Don't you give up, nah nah nah
I won't give up, nah nah nah
Reyna couldn't stop her eyebrows from trying to reach up as they stopped before an illuminated building, and that she had been told to keep the dress on. "Jaybird, what the Pluto are we doing here? It's a fucking disco. We're fifteen."
Jason turned to her with an over-addictively charming smile. "I hear this is where mortal teens hang out. Even if we're fifteen, we can act sixteen. Just go with it. And that dress, no bouncer can refuse."
The raven-haired demigod blushed as he walked up the stairs, his arm possessively around her waist.
Let me love you
Let me love you
Jason looked at the guard as he shook his head no. "I need to see your pass, kid."
The blond Roman looked at him with a mask of arrogance. "Do you know who my dad is? He could get you fired in under a minute. Anyway, me and this beauty have been visiting clubs for years."
Reyna tried to keep her expression neutral as the bouncer glared at them. After a beat, the pulse in Jason's neck jumped as he continued his mask, an eyebrow cocked.
The guard moved away with a sigh. "Whatever, kid."
She heard the son of Jupiter let out a breath as he entered with her. She smiled. "Persuasive, much?"
He grinned at her, the dim blue lights making his hair shine gold, his sharp cheekbones and jaw accentuated by the shadows. "And the Mist actually helps rogue demigods too."
She leaned into his embrace without thinking, unable to suppress her feelings. "'Rogue?'"
Don't you give up, nah nah nah
I won't give up, nah nah nah
They stood close together on the floor of the disco, their bodies almost touching, but not quite. Jason was staring at her, his gaze with the intensity of a storm. The blue and green lights pulsating on his face made his expression even harder to decipher. Reyna almost lost her confidence at that, but ultimately made the first move. She laid her hands on his hard chest and pulled herself close to him, looking up at him from the three inches that separated them.
His arms were around her immediately, drawing her close. Reyna was glad the darkness and few moving lights would hide the fire that had consumed her cheeks. "What are we doing here, Jason?"
Let me love you
Let me love you
His head lowered and his nose bumped against her forehead. She closed her eyes, letting her imagination run away for once as his hot breath stirred her hair. They had never confessed to each other and were still just best friend, although the truth was always clearly laid out in front of the whole camp. She hoped that this would change that. That they would finally love.
His hand reached up and stroked her cheek. "To escape. We both need this escape, Reyna. So," his arms slid to her hips as his fingers tipped her face towards him, "just dance."
So they danced.
Don't fall asleep
At the wheel we've got a million miles ahead of us
Miles ahead of us
The next day, Jason stretched his arms as he woke up in his bed, only to find someone else in the bed with him. He was in his Pikachu pajamas, but was she? Alarmed, he lowered the blanket just enough to reveal an oversized purple shirt clothing his fellow praetor. Thank the gods. He tried to slide off the bed furtively, but Reyna stirred and woke.
As her eyes turned to his, they widened and color rushed to her cheeks. After a few minutes of awkwardly checking out the floor, Jason tried to break the silence. "Did we...?"
"No." Reyna's tone was low, but decisive. "I was too tired to walk to my own villa. But I guess I forgot to change out of that dress, so you slipped your shirt over my head."
Jason stared at her retreating form as he wondered whether he wanted the picture painted by her words to be real or not.
All that we need
Is a rude awakening to know we're good enough
Know we're good enough
The next time, they were at the bar, ordering drinks as alcohol didn't affect demigods the way it affected mortals. Reyna stared skeptically at the shimmering dark liquid was placed in front of her, as she looked to Jason, who was seated in a way that spoke of recklessness as, he downed a second.
She rolled her eyes when a handsome red haired guy slipped into the seat next to her and smiled at her charmingly. "I hope you like booze, babe," he winked at her before turning to the barwoman. "A martini for me and Miss Sexy here, please."
Jason next to her had gone surprisingly quiet.
As she turned to the unknown guy to deal out a harsh no, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her and lift her up. She suppressed the urge to hit Jason as he placed her in his lap and gave the red haired guy a glare. When he spoke, his voice housed ice.
"No one touches her."
Say, go through the darkest of days
Heaven's a heartbreak away
Reyna frowned at Jason as they lay on the grass in the Field of Mars, the starry sky serving as their shade. Their hands lay intertwined between them, and although they were still 'just friends,' the gesture spoke of a rebellious romance. "Why didn't you let me handle that guy? I did not appreciate being lifted into your lap."
He smiled, the smile that made her want to cave into him and fuse their souls together, inseparable and harmonious. "Let me be the Superman for once, Wonder Woman."
She rolled her eyes. It was well known why he hadn't said Lois Lane. He shipped the Man of Steel with the whip-wielding super heroine.
"And besides, I wanted to show him that you were with me."
Though the words were innocent, his tone spoke of desire and need. She let go of his hand and popped herself up on her elbows, looking at him in part elation and part expectation.
He immediately sat up and looked at her with a worried frown, his eyes petulant and fearful. "Was I not supposed to say that?" he asked in an anxious tone different from his previous one.
Her shoulders relaxed as she lay back down onto the soft green grass, holding out her hand to him. "Quite the opposite. That was like a shot of adrenaline." He grabbed her hand and pressed his lips to her scarred knuckles.
His smile was pure light.
Never let you go
Never let me down
Jason rested his knees on either side of her hips as shy reclined on the grass, his hands cupping her face as his forehead touched hers. "I've waited so long to say this."
Reyna looked up at him as her hands slid onto his muscled chest, feeling his elevated heartbeat as it beat in rhythm with her own. She felt as if she could get lost into his blue, blue eyes.
He let out a long, slow breath as one of his hands threaded in her hair. "You are the only permanent thing in my life, Reyna. Ever since you came, bloody and bruised, yet beautiful, both literally and figuratively. I need you to love me. This," he placed his hand on hers, over his heart. "wants nothing but you. Couldn't imagine being without you. Wouldn't imagine being without you. So I'm asking you for your permission. To be with me."
Reyna's breathing quickened; she suspected her heartbeat did too. Jason never said mine or my girlfriend, and she understood that. He wanted her to be free, herself, because that was something he loved. That was something he celebrated.
Her speaking skills were limited to influencing a military, political crowd. This was a matter of the heart.
Oh, it's been a hell of a ride
Driving the edge of a knife
Jason's face hovered above Reyna's, his pulse jumping as he wondered what she would do. All the time they'd known each other, their relationship had been the edge of a knife, sharp and deadly. That could cut you if you handled it the wrong way; could draw blood.
For a moment she stared up at him, gaze unreeling. Jason thought she was going to punch him. And then she did something that surprised him even more.
She kissed him.
Never let you go
Never let me down
They kissed each other on the misty grass, Jason's hands around her waist and hers in his hair. He slid his lips along her jawline, as her hands slid underneath his t-shirt, the coolness of her fingertips sliding over his hot, bare skin, sending shivers down his spine as he went unhinged.
Then she whispered something that was sweeter to him than any speech; something that would change his life forever. She pressed her lips to the end of his jaw, and breathed out, "I love you."
Don't you give up, nah nah nah
I won't give up, nah nah nah
The next time they were at the club, they danced freely, hands slithering over each other's bodies like serpents. Reyna smiled as Jason grabbed her waist and pulled her against his body. "I'm so glad I love you."
All of a sudden, Jason tensed. The dark-haired beauty frowned. "What's wrong, Jaybird? Don't tell me you saw a blue-haired guy follow a white gowned, dark-haired girl into a secluded room. We don't need angel blood here."
Jason slid down to his knees, and looked up at her, a small crease between his gold eyebrows. "You haven't given me your permission yet."
"Permission?"
"To let me love you."
She smiled as she pulled him up. "You have my permission."
Let me love you
Let me love you
August eighteenth. The Titan War.
The Titans' Palace, Mount Othrys.
Jason felt his mind cloud over with rage, his vision turning red as Reyna crashed against the black column, as blood trickled out of a huge cut on her neck. They were the only two ones in the throne room, except Krios, of course.
The Titan laughed and mocked Jason that even he, a son of Jupiter, was nothing against the power of a Titan. And that his friends would never get there on time.
Oh, Jason knew that, all right.
Reyna's pain-wrecked body sent a jolt of energy through him. He lunged at the Titan, forgetting everything but retribution for her. For the daughter of Bellona who held his heart in the palm of her hand. His gladius sank into Krios's chest, at the place where his heart should have been.
Don't you give up, nah nah nah
I won't give up, nah nah nah
The Titan gazed at him in utter shock as he sank to his knees, his essence already fading. "How?"
Jason spat the blood out of his mouth. "Love, monster. It is love that drives us to do the impossible." And he turned away, running to kneel next to the one person who gave him more of it than he could've thought possible. The demigod army had arrived, feeding her ambrosia.
Krios stared at the two. "Is it so?" he muttered. "Well, then, demigod, I curse you in the name of Krios. You shall forget your greatest love just before you plan your union. You shall forget your Reyna."
But no one heard him. Jason was too busy kissing Reyna, the legionnaires too busy hooting and yelling, "Well, it's about damn time, you two!"
Let me love you
Let me love you
October.
Jason and Reyna kissed passionately in his bed, covered by blankets, nothing between them but skin. Jason broke their heated lock and looked into Reyna's beautiful onyx eyes as they looked back into his, full of fearless love and passion.
This was what their love was. The passionate love of animals, yet the unstoppable love of the immortals.
"Are you sure you want this?" he whispered huskily. "We're fifteen. We're underage."
She stroked his scarred biceps with her scarred fingers. "We're demigods. We don't have the time."
A small smile Graced his face as he leaned down to press his lips against her collarbone, his hands stroking her thighs. "Of course." A beat of silence, that Reyna broke.
"Don't you ever give me up."
"I will never give you up."
Don't you give up, nah nah nah
I won't give up, nah nah nah
As he gazed lovingly at the sleeping form of Reyna beside him, covered in blankets, Jason couldn't have been happier. His mind planned out what he was going to do.
No one could deny that the couple was irrevocably in love. Reyna was the one for him, he was sure of it. And so what if they were too young? They had done that, and they were just fifteen.
And besides, they shared a secret now. Aside from the fact they were the only ones who knew about the other's past. No one could stop this union. No one could stop Jason from proposing tomorrow.
No one had ever loved him like this.
Tomorrow, Jason thought, as he felt Somnus claim his consciousness. Tomorrow.
Let me love you
Let me love you
But that tomorrow would not come for a long time.
For tomorrow, shall unfold the Titan's curse.
Tomorrow, Reyna would shatter as she discovers the disappearance of Jason, as she cradles the intricate ring she finds under the covers in place of her love.
Tomorrow, an amnesiac Jason would wake up in the back seat of a school bus, not sure where he was, holding hands with a girl he didn't know.
I hope this was sad enough. And beware; this story was not about lost love, it was about true love. I live this ship. I mean, come on! It was the Percabeth of Camp Jupiter!
All right, who can discover all the Easter eggs in this story, pjo or hoo or any other series?
Enjoy, and R n R!