"When Fate Aligns" ~ A Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus Oneshot Collection

"Five Times Reyna met Leo" (Written at Age 13)

Five Times Reyna met Leo…  

…And the one time Leo met her.

~...~

When Reyna had first met the Repair Boy she didn’t really ‘meet’ him. In fact, he was possessed by an Eidolon and was firing on her home at the time. She, of course, didn’t know about that little detail, so of course, she was understandably furious. He was destroying her home, how could she trust the Greeks? Of course, she didn’t blame Percy, he was trustworthy (surprise, surprise) she could see that spark of loyalty to Rome in his eyes, that gratefulness to Lupa that she had trained him, even though he already knew how to fight.

But she also feared the Repair Boy, she had no idea why she felt like she could trust him with everything, her life, her secrets, maybe even her heart, and she had a hard time squashing down that little flicker of warmth in her when he had looked at her with a smile, it was so similar to the time Jason and Percy had looked at her, but so different. So much… more, but he would leave and break her heart, just as they always did.

So, it was then that she vowed to never like him, the Repair Boy… to bad that destiny had a strange way of working against her.

~…~

The second time was when they had met in Greece. Literately. Gaea had decided to give her a little ride half way around the world and she ended up almost drowning in the ocean. Somehow, the Repair Boy had found her and carried her back to the ship. Jason had told her that he had refused to leave the room until he and Percy had to knock him out (that wasn’t true, Percy had said, they had to drag him, not knock him out). He was still asleep by the time Reyna had woken up.

“I’ve never seen him this way.” Jason had told her and she looked at him in confusion. 

“Really? But why would he stay awake for me?” She had asked in surprise.  Jason just shrugged and she could tell he was as baffled as she was.

Percy had said that he might know what it was, he might, with his eyes warm but tired eyes, not only physical as well, but mentally (he had seen the horrors of Tartarus, him and Annabeth both). It was as if he knew what she was going through at the moment. (She hated feelings sometimes, really hated them.)

She tried to tell herself that it didn’t matter what the Repair Boy did for her, she hated him. Unfortunately she couldn’t help but feel delight in the fact that he did seemed to care for her, just a little.

~…~

The third time she had ran into him when he was fixing Coffee at six AM. He had dark circles under his eyes and he seemed to be yawning every two minutes. She had to raise an eyebrow, despite her usual cold, empty, emotionless façade. But then, it seemed like he was tearing it down, like he was with her heart, thawing it with his flames.

(Fire and water should not mix especially fire and ice.)

Of course, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you up so early, Repair Boy?” She was most certainly not concerned about him. Not at all. Nope. She’s a hero of Rome, and she wasn’t concerned.

Okay, so maybe just a little.

The Repair Boy looked up in surprise and smiled warmly. Not one of the big cheeky grins that he wore usually, and the ones she was used to seeing, but a smaller, more serious, smile. It seemed to be more real than the grins for some reason. “I stayed up all night fixing the engine, reina. Why are you up this early?”

She rubbed her arms, her eyes staring out to the distance. “Nightmares.” She admitted softly. “I can’t sleep after I have one. Never have.” Leo nodded understandingly and reached into the cabinet, pulling out a small box full of packets of something. She raised an eyebrow at him, “Hot Chocolate, Flame Boy?” She asked, not loftily but genuinely curious. Leo shrugged and smiled lightly at her.