are you mine[?]

.vingt.

Patroclus couldn't find it within himself to care about the exploding Terminus statue. Instead, he played the diplomat, just so he could meet Nico's sister Hazel.

Maybe they could help each other.

He wore a white high collared shirt under the same white blazer he'd worn during his coronation. Only, this time, he wore one of Nico's brooches on his collar and had buttoned the blazer up to his chest. His pants, too, were similar to the ones he'd worn to his coronation, also white, also matching his white shoes with gold laces.

His weapons were left on the deck, his laurel nestled in his hair. He carried himself like he used to, on a mission.

A sea of demigods parted for him as he walked through the forum. Some looked tense, some nervous. Some were bandaged from their recent battle with the giants, but no one was armed. No one attacked. Everyone recognized him. A few bowed, a few smiled.

Entire families had gathered to see them.

At the far end of the crowd, Patroclus spotted Tyson the Cyclops and Percy's hellhound, Mrs. O'Leary — who had been the first scouting party from Camp Half-Blood to reach Camp Jupiter. They looked to be in good spirits. Tyson waved and grinned. He was wearing an SPOR banner like a giant bib.

Some part of Patroclus's mind registered how beautiful the city was — the smells from the bakeries, the gurgling fountains, the flowers blooming in the gardens.

In front of him, the demigods made way for their praetor. She was a girl in full Roman armor and a purple cape. Dark hair tumbled across her shoulders. Her eyes were as black as obsidian. Medals decorated her armor. She carried herself with such confidence the other demigods backed away and averted their gaze.

Patroclus recognized something else in her face, too — in the hard set of her mouth and the deliberate way she raised her chin like she was ready to accept any challenge. Reyna was forcing a look of courage, while holding back a mixture of hopefulness and worry and fear that she couldnt show in public.

Patroclus knew that expression. He saw it every time he looked in a mirror.

Reyna and Annabeth considered each other. Annabeth's friends fanned out on either side. The Romans murmured Jason's name, staring at him in awe.

Then someone else appeared from the crowd, and Annabeth's vision tunneled.

Percy smiled at her.

Annabeth was too stunned to move.

Reyna straightened. With apparent reluctance, she turned toward Jason.

"Jason Grace, my former colleague..." She spoke the word colleague like it was a dangerous thing. "I welcome you home. And these, your friends —"

Annabeth didn't mean to, but she surged forward. Percy rushed toward her at the same time. The crowd tensed.
Some reached for swords that weren't there.

Percy threw his arms around her. They kissed, and for a moment nothing else mattered.

Patroclus grit his teeth and fought his broken sob.

Percy pulled away and studied her face. "Gods, I never thought —"

Annabeth grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He slammed into the stone pavement. Romans cried out. Some surged forward, but Reyna shouted, "Hold! Stand down!"

Annabeth put her knee on Percy's chest. She pushed her forearm against his throat.

"If you ever leave me again," she said, her eyes stinging, "I swear to all the gods —"

Percy had the nerve to laugh. Suddenly the lump of heated emotions melted inside Annabeth.

"Consider me warned," Percy said. "I missed you, too."

Annabeth rose and helped him to his feet.

Jason cleared his throat. "So, yeah... It's good to be back."

He introduced Reyna to Piper, who looked a little miffed that she hadn't gotten to say the lines she'd been practicing, then to Leo, who grinned and flashed a peace sign.

"And this is Annabeth," Jason said. "Uh, normally she doesn't judo-flip people."

Reyna's eyes sparkled. "You sure you're not a Roman, Annabeth? Or an Amazon?"

Annabeth didn't seem to know if that was a compliment, but she held out her hand anyway. "I only attack my boyfriend like that," she promised. "Pleased to meet you."

Reyna clasped her hand firmly. "It seems we have a lot to discuss. Centurions!"

A few of the Roman campers hustled forward — the senior officers. Two kids appeared at Percy's side, the same ones Patroclus had seen him chumming around with earlier. The burly Asian guy with the buzz cut was about fifteen. He was cute in a sort of oversized-cuddly-panda-bear way. The girl was younger, maybe thirteen, with amber eyes and chocolate skin and long curly hair. Her cavalry helmet was tucked under her arm.

He could tell from their body language that they felt close to Percy. They stood next to him protectively, like they'd already shared many adventures.

There was one thing he didn't understand: what was the girl staring at? She kept frowning in Piper and Leo's direction, like she recognized one of them and the memory was painful.

Meanwhile, Reyna was giving orders to her officers. "...tell the legion to stand down. Dakota, alert the spirits in the kitchen. Tell them to prepare a welcome feast. And, Octavian —"

"You're letting these intruders into the camp?" A tall guy with stringy blond hair elbowed his way forward. "Reyna, the security risks —"

"We're not taking them to the camp, Octavian." Reyna flashed him a stern look. "We'll eat here, in the forum."

"Oh, much better," Octavian grumbled. He seemed to be the only one who didn't defer to Reyna as his superior,
despite the fact that he was scrawny and pale and for some reason had three teddy bears hanging from his belt. "You want us to relax in the shadow of their warship."

"These — are — our — guests." Reyna clipped off every word. "You will defer to King Patroclus and we will welcome them, and we will talk to them. As augur, you should burn an offering to thank the gods for bringing Jason back to us safely."

"Good idea," Percy put in. "Go burn your bears, Octavian."

Reyna looked like she was trying not to smile. "You have my orders. Go."

The officers dispersed. Octavian shot Percy a look of absolute loathing. Then he gave Annabeth a suspicious once-over and stalked away.

Percy slipped his hand into Annabeth's. "Don't worry about Octavian," he said. "Most of the Romans are good people — like Frank and Hazel here, and Reyna. We'll be fine."

Patroclus felt as if someone had draped a cold washcloth across her neck. He heard that whispering laughter, as if some presence had followed him from the ship.

He looked up at the Argo II. Its massive bronze hull glittered in the sunlight.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.

"Well be fine," Annabeth repeated, trying to believe it.

"Excellent," Reyna said. She turned to Jason. "Let's talk, and we can have a proper reunion."

}{}{}{

Since I started this story, I wanted to have Patroclus on the ship with them, but I only just now figured out how that would happen. Also, yeah. Double update. The one before this is really short and depressing, so...