#theyna fic

[thebigqueer]

"The Beauty within the Beast" - Theyna - One-Shot

Summary: theyna snippet from my arcane au series. thalia, resident of the undercity, and reyna, resident of piltover, discuss their differences and begin to at least confront their attraction to each other. TW: Underage drinking & alcoholism. Notes: to learn more about my arcane au snippets check out the series description here. Word Count: 6014 Read on AO3

Thalia has to admit, for a Topsider, Reyna knows how to party. 

Of course, it did take a bit for her to get comfortable. Thalia had to forcibly swallow a drink down just to show her that they were not, in fact, poisonous. But once Reyna got over her initial doubts, she was completely transformed. Thalia didn’t know she had an ounce of fun in her until she was the one inviting Thalia to dance with her.

It’s been kind of nice, seeing this other side of her. Usually she’s all business, with her “We need to find a way to investigate the source of the shimmer shipments” this and “It just doesn’t make sense for something like this to go unnoticed” that. Thalia’s gotten to enjoy seeing the furrow in her eyebrows every time she tried to get a rise out of Reyna. But after tonight, seeing her true smile as she soaked in all the music, or hearing her deep, rolling laugh any time Thalia said something that probably wasn’t even that funny… Thalia’s starting to like these other parts, too. The parts of her that she’s letting Thalia see. 

Thalia knows she’s purposefully being vulnerable. She’s refraining from shaking Reyna’s shoulders and screaming in her face that Thalia is not the person she should be doing this with. But it makes things better for Thalia, because now she’ll have an easier time completing her part of the mission. 

It’s kind of a shame, though. Because Thalia knows that if Reyna found out the truth, she might never get to hear that laugh again. 

Now they’re back home, getting ready for bed in Thalia’s room. Reyna is gently undoing her braids in the mirror, hissing every now and then. As each lock comes undone, it flashes in the light and swings gently for a few seconds, then settles down against Reyna’s back. It takes all of Thalia’s willpower to not just go and touch it, just to see if it’s really as soft as it looks.

“You know,” Reyna says, catching Thalia’s eyes in the mirror, “I still don’t understand the point of going out tonight. I thought you had some plan to further the investigation, but I don’t think we actually did much investigating.” 

Thalia scoffs and throws on a new T-shirt, if only to try to distract herself from Reyna’s penetrating gaze. “You know, Princess, sometimes people just like to have fun. You looked like you could use some.” Thalia raises a brow. “But I'm not hearing a ‘thank you’ anywhere.” 

Reyna rolls her eyes, but a smirk she tries - and fails - to hold back appears against her lips. “Okay. Thank you.” 

Thalia’s eyebrows jump in surprise. She wasn’t actually expecting Reyna to say anything; she was mostly joking, anyway. But there’s a softness in Reyna’s dark eyes, a sort of flush to her skin, and for some reason Thalia feels touched by her gratefulness. 

Wow, she thinks to herself. A Topsider shows even an ounce of respect, and suddenly I’m on my knees for her? Could I get any lower? 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” asks Reyna. 

Thalia blinks. “Like what?”

“Like… you’re trying to drill a hole into my brain.”

Thalia shrugs and climbs onto her bed, throwing on the barest smirk. “Just thinking about how pretty your hair looks down,” she lies. 

Reyna’s eyes widen in surprise. But when she looks at Thalia’s face and finds the amusement in her features, she rolls her eyes. “Shut up.” 

Thalia laughs and lets herself sprawl out on the bed. “Now that you’ve had a taste of the Undercity, tell me - are we better at partying or what?”

Reyna shrugs. “I’m not really sure. I didn’t go out much on Topside.” 

“Really? Why’s that?”

Reyna hesitates. She meets Thalia’s eyes, and after a beat of silence, she turns around and leans against the wall. “Let’s just say I’ve been a bit… preoccupied.” 

Thalia sits up, her interest piqued. A part of her is surprised; she didn’t really expect anything from Reyna. Maybe just a nonchalant wave of her hand and joking admittance of the fact that maybe the Undercity did have good parties. Or maybe scoffing that her life was none of Thalia’s business. But the fact she even mentioned that slightest tidbit about herself… it heats Thalia’s chest. 

“How come?” Thalia asks. She knows it’s a long shot to question her further, but it’s better than nothing. 

“It’s kind of a long story,” Reyna responds, but the way her dark eyes glaze over, turn almost abysmal, Thalia has a feeling it’s more than just a story. 

So Thalia pats the space next to her. “I’ve got time.” 

Whatever it takes to get leverage.

A beat of silence passes as Reyna glances over at the empty space next to Thalia. Thalia half expects her to pass her up, tell her that it’s none of her business and slam the door behind her. Not that Thalia would blame her - she’s asking a lot right now. If it were Reyna asking her, she would say the same thing and probably even worse.

But instead, Reyna only shrugs and sits down precariously in the empty space on the bed. She watches Thalia warily for a few seconds, and when Thalia doesn’t bite her, she seems to ease in a bit more. And then, to Thalia’s surprise - and maybe delight - she lies down. They’re so close, the subtle scent of the party tickles Thalia’s nose - not the bad scents, but the good ones, like the tangy scent of her sweat, or the sweetness of her perfume. Reyna’s gaze travels up to the ceiling, and Thalia follows and sees the cracks on the ceiling, just barely holding the roof above their heads.

“Let me ask you something,” Reyna murmurs, now turning her eyes on Thalia. “Did it hurt when Jason left you?”

Thalia snorts. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t think many of us are particularly intent on making things easy for Jason at the moment. Especially not Leo.” 

“Yeah. I wouldn’t either.” Reyna sighs. “I haven’t.” 

Thalia eyebrows rise in confusion. “You… haven’t forgiven Jason? Uh, I don’t think you guys even knew each other until he left for Topside.” 

Reyna rolls her eyes. “No, I meant… I’ve been in a similar position as you.” She hugs her arms against her chest and looks at her feet, which dange off the edge of Thalia’s bed. “I haven’t always lived on Topside, you know.” 

“So… what? You’re from the Undercity, too?” 

“Not really.” Reyna turns to meet Thalia’s eyes, and Thalia’s shocked to find them sizzling with guilt. “My family was part of a house in Noxus, so I guess I’ve always lived in comfort, sort of.” 

Thalia offers a nod as she takes in this information. She lets her gaze trail over Reyna’s face, over those arched eyebrows, hardened over the years with constant frowning, and those gorgeous cheekbones, high and mighty over her face. “Huh,” she murmurs. “I never really expected you to be from there. You seem Piltover through and through.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah. I guess I can see it, now that you mention it, considering how bossy you are. But you don’t strike me as a bully. You seem… composed, I guess. I feel like you can really hold yourself back.”

“Are you saying you don’t think Noxians can?”

“Well, I’ve never met one until you, so I wouldn’t really know. But from what I’ve heard of them, they’re pretty brutal.” 

Reyna raises an eyebrow. “Not everything you hear is always correct.” 

Thalia gestures for Reyna to continue. “How’d you get to Piltover then?”

Reyna’s expression crumbles from scrutinizing to desolate within seconds. Her chin quivers as she takes in a deep breath, and Thalia can’t help but to get the feeling she should be guarding herself for whatever bullets Reyna plans to shoot her way.

“Let’s just say I did something I shouldn’t have.” Reyna’s gaze burns a hole through Thalia’s bedsheet, and she’s convinced it might just start smoking any second. “My sister and I ran away to Piltover. To make a new life here.” 

Thalia frowns. “How’d you manage to survive here? I mean, did you guys even come with anything”

Reyna shakes her head. “One of our uncles moved here a little while back. My sister thought we’d have the best shot here, so that’s why we came.” Then Reyna looks down the bed, her gaze hardening. “That’s what she told me, at least. Until she left me.” 

A cold, tingling sensation erupts in Thalia’s chest, and her eyes widen. “She left you?”

Reyna nods, swallowing nervously. “We stayed with our uncle for a bit, but I could tell my sister didn’t like it. She kept telling me it reminded her too much of home, of feeling like she wasn’t doing enough, wasn’t living enough.” Reyna shrugs. “We got the opportunity to work with Enforcers because of him, since he was an Enforcer. But we only got small positions - desk jobs, really - because we were so new to Piltover and he wanted to keep an eye on us. My sister hated it, though. Said she felt like she was right back home, with people watching her every move, expecting her to be on her utmost behavior.” Reyna’s brows furrow into a frown. “But I think the last straw was when she visited the Undercity for the first time.” 

“What do you mean?”

“When she returned, she… told me she found a chance to get a better life.” Reyna shrugs. “She said she met a man that might be able to help her get out of Piltover. I asked if I could come, but she said no - said it was too risky. I asked her why she was considering it at all, and she said because she was tired of living under everyone’s rule. She was captivated by the Undercity, by everything you all stood for.” Reyna’s jaw trembles, and then she latches onto Thalia’s gaze, and suddenly all Thalia can feel is guilt piercing her through the chest. 

“She said she’d come back to me,” Reyna mutters, her eyes shining. “She promised.” 

Reyna’s desperation takes Thalia by surprise. Not because she wouldn’t react the same, but rather because she’s surprised Reyna is even allowing herself to display these emotions in front of Thalia. Reyna sounds almost like a child whining, and maybe that’s what makes Thalia concerned. The fact she’s even bending so low in front of her. 

“How old were you two when you ran away?” Thalia asks softly.

Reyna shrugs. “I don’t know. I must’ve been, like, twelve. She was almost eighteen, maybe.” 

Thalia nods, considering. “Young.” 

“I guess.” Reyna tilts her head at Thalia. “So, I get it, you know. Feeling betrayed by Jason. I understand the pain you must have felt. My sister did the same.”

Thalia stares at her for a moment. Even though Reyna’s watching her, she gets the sense that Reyna isn’t really here - her eyes flicker around, and Thalia can only assume she’s reliving every one of those moments she brought up. 

Thalia wants to say that was a bitchy move on her sister’s part. Because it was, really. Leaving your younger sister behind in a foreign place? Knowing how young she was? But if Thalia were to say that, she would just be a hypocrite. How much hasn’t she told Jason, or even Leo and Piper? How much is she hiding from them? And isn’t it for the same reason - just to try to get them all a more comfortable life?

Reyna frowns at her, then taps the space between Thalia’s eyebrows gently. “I can see the gears turning in your head. What do you have to say?”

Thalia swats Reyna’s finger away and scowls at her, but it’s all a show. She wants to feel more of the warmth underneath her skin, wants to see just how much closer her and Reyna can get.

She doesn’t, though. She shouldn’t.

“I can’t say what your sister did was good by any means,” Thalia says. “You deserved some sort of clarification, or conclusion, or something. You didn’t deserve to be left in the dark.” 

“But…?”

“But… I don’t completely blame her.” Thalia winces at Reyna’s astonished face. “I know that sounds bad. But the thing is… Respectfully, you don’t really know what it’s like having so many people look up to you.” Her mind stings with the memory of bright blue eyes, cracked by horror and fear. She sighs. “They all stare at you with their eager faces because you’ve always been the one to lead them, and you know without a doubt that they’ll do whatever it is that you tell them to. And do that enough times, you start to want to protect them. Even when you don’t think you want to, you do.” Thalia turns to look at Reyna. “She was wrong for not telling you about her plans, and for leaving you alone. But I don’t think she was doing it out of the evilness in her heart, Reyna. I think she just thought she was doing the right thing. She made a bad decision, but at seventeen? That’s a lot of responsibility for a girl that age. You’re not really a kid, not really an adult, but still stuck somewhere in between. Everyone expects you to know what you’re doing, and you don’t. Maybe that’s what happened with her. Maybe she thought she figured it out.” 

Reyna’s eyebrows knit at the center, furrowing so cutely Thalia’s almost tempted to reach out and kiss the space between them. But when she doesn’t say anything, Thalia narrows her eyes at her. “You look like you want to say something.” 

Reyna’s bottom lip trembles as she figures out what to say. “I don’t know,” she mutters. “Just… When she first left, I guess I thought it might have had something to do with me. Maybe I’d stressed her out enough, or maybe she was done. Maybe I’d fucked up my chances with the one person who had my back the entire time.” Reyna shakes her head. “And now, hearing everything you just said, I get this weird feeling that I was right. That I was always too much for her.” 

Shame burns through Thalia’s chest, and she shakes her head vigorously at Reyna. “Wait… that’s not what I meant.” 

Reyna’s dark eyes harden into blades. “Then what did you mean?”

“I didn’t mean that you were her issue. I’m saying that I think… I just think maybe she thought she could do it on her own. Maybe she thought she could fix everything.” Thalia shrugs and winces. “But I’m not her. I’ve never met her. I don’t know for sure.”

Thalia expected that to help, maybe to clear her name. Instead, Reyna’s eyes only narrow further and she pulls herself up on one arm, her head blocking the light from above her and turning her into a silhouette. Thalia would love to admire the way her brown hair glints under the light if she didn’t look so deadly. 

“I don’t know why I bothered talking about it,” Reyna mutters, closing her eyes. “I guess it’s not even your business.” 

Shame burns Thalia’s chest. She doesn’t know why she cares so much; it’s not like they’re even that close, and Reyna had every choice not to tell her anything. Thalia knows maybe she’s expecting more sympathy, but all she can pull out is, “Sorry for not knowing the real reason behind everything some girl I don’t even know did, I guess?”

This must be the final straw for Reyna, because her eyes spring open, flames throwing left and right off them, and a tinge of pink blooms across her cheeks. Thalia immediately regrets saying that as Reyna throws herself into a sitting position and stares down at Thalia.

“Fuck you,” she spits. Her words make the bed underneath them shake, an earthquake rumbling from her very mouth, and Thalia has to fight not to fall off her own bed. 

Reyna starts to storm off, but - for some reason she’ll never understand - Thalia lunges out and grips her wrist fast, before she can slip away. She pushes all the sympathy she can into her eyes as she stares up at her. 

“Wait,” Thalia sighs. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t fair. I shouldn’t have said it like that.” 

“Yeah, maybe.” 

“I’m sorry,” Thalia says again, and the words sound like cotton on her tongue - big, fluffy, leaving a strange, sticky aftertaste behind. “I- I know it’s hard, when someone you thought you could trust leaves. I get that.” 

Reyna raises a brow. 

Thalia rolls onto her back again, her eyes trained on the ceiling above her. They travel over the cracks - some there since she first moved in, some she’s sure appeared over the years. Each one probably with its own story. 

She knows she’s risking a lot by even telling Reyna anything about her. Who knows - maybe Reyna’s even investigating on her. But something in her convinces her to share something - Reyna wouldn’t have told her this much if she didn’t trust her to some extent, and that’s what this is about, right? Making sure Reyna trusts Thalia? 

“When me and Jason were younger,” Thalia murmurs, trailing her gaze over one of the cracks, “our dad left us. He said he didn’t want to deal with our mom.” 

Reyna is quiet for a moment, and Thalia can almost hear Reyna’s hesitation - should she stay or go? But then the bed creaks as she leans her weight back down against the mattress, and Thalia’s heart begins beating again. “What happened to your mom?”

“She was a drinker.” When Thalia sees the concern drawing on Reyna’s eyebrows, she shrugs. “Yeah. Don’t know why he thought he couldn’t take us with him, but you know… parents, I guess. I always had a feeling he wasn’t only talking about our mom.” Thalia’s throat aches at the memory of her father, his tall, broad, suited figure storming out the doorway, his rage trailing after him, crawling along the floors of their home. “Anyway, Jason and I just had to survive on our own, I guess. But he was so young when my father left. Seven, maybe. I was nine.”

Thalia tries not to let any sort of emotion slip into her voice, tries not to let Reyna worry, but it clearly doesn’t work because her voice cripples against her lips and Reyna’s brows contort into sympathy. So she clears her throat. “Our mother wasn’t all bad,” she continues. “She would play with us when she had the time, coming home from work. She’d read to us, or if she couldn’t find our favorite books she’d tell us stories about the time she was our age. But that wasn’t often, and usually it was just me and Jason against the world.”

Reyna’s eyes glint with an invitation to continue.

“So, yeah, that’s basically what it was like. All me and Jason had was each other, and I felt bad, knowing he had no one proper to look up to. I tried to be there for him in the ways I could. I mean, he was basically my responsibility at that point.” Thalia’s eyes burn, and she’s fighting hard to keep her voice under control. “But it became a little too real when he really didn’t have anyone else to look up to.”

“What happened?” Reyna asks. 

“Well…” Thalia sighs. “He found our mother dead in a bathtub.” 

Reyna sucks in a breath.

“Yeah,” Thalia murmurs. Her thoughts barrel into that moment, the sight of her mother’s gaping mouth and her motionless body, sinking into the now-gray water of the bathtub. Jason’s face rapidly crumbling into the same ashy color as the water, his eyes unable to leave their mother’s naked body. All Thalia remembers is thinking, How humiliating does it have to feel to have your kids find you naked and alone in your bathtub? 

“What about you?” Reyna asks. “What were you doing?”

“Well, I stared for a few moments.” Thalia sucks on her lip. “And then I ran away.” 

It wasn’t her proudest moment, but she didn’t really know what else to do. She’d just found her mother dead. It was one thing to be taking care of Jason - it was another to be his one and only guardian from now on. But really, it wasn’t even the fact that she’d seen her mother dead that drove her away. No, instead, it was the way Jason’s eyes dilated, his pupils sucking every particle of light in that dingy, shadowed bathroom, as he stared at Thalia in disbelief. And it was at that moment, with him looking up at her, his lips trembling in unleashed emotions, that it dawned on her: they were truly, utterly alone. 

Maybe she should have rushed to him and hugged him. Maybe she should have consoled him, knowing he was the one who found her. Maybe she should have just grabbed his wrist and walked out and decided never to look back again. 

But in that second, with Jason looking at her with his eyes cracked into millions of shards, all Thalia could think about was how they glimmered just like the broken wine bottles on the ground next to the bathtub. Next to their mother’s useless corpse.

And then she ran. 

She could hear Jason’s cries for her, his shrill voice cracking against the walls as she rushed down the hall, slammed the door shut, stumbled down the stairs. But she didn’t go back. She ignored him.

Thalia didn’t come back for three days. She spent the first two nights wandering through the Night Market, stealing food to keep her stomach from eating itself, finishing off left over bottles of wine on the road, throwing them onto the ground when she was done just to see them crack and shatter and explode into millions of pieces, trying not to think about how they looked embedded into her mother’s hand. 

The irony didn’t pass her. Drinking to forget about her problems, just like her mother. And the thought disgusted her, but even then, she couldn’t help thinking maybe her mother had a point. Forgetting was a much better use of her time than remembering everything behind her. 

Of course all she thought about was Jason. His wide blue eyes, staring at her in astonishment and grief as he held his mother’s limp wrist in his palm. The ashen tone of his skin, glowing like moonlight even in the darkness of the bedroom. The trembling of his mouth as he tried to form words. All she could think about as she chugged the next bottle of booze was Jason, sitting alone in that bathroom, crying for her, realizing that he truly had no one left to take care of  him. 

But Thalia couldn’t find the courage in herself to get up, to go back to that house and face the future ahead of her. Maybe Thalia should have been thinking more about how Jason was feeling. But her mother didn’t deserve that, didn’t deserve to have Thalia clean up all her shit for her. If she never gave Thalia anything, why should Thalia? 

Then things changed on the morning of the third day. She woke up in a house she’d never been in, with her head pounding and her tongue dry and the scent of burnt toast wafting all around her. And, in front of her, two older women, eyes brimming with pity.

That was how she’d met Emmie and Jo, as humiliating as it was. Hungover out of her mind at twelve years old, stumbling away from a responsibility she didn’t want, haunted by the eyes of a brother who didn’t deserve it either. It took a while, but eventually she warmed up to Emmie and Jo, and despite how much she despised their pity, she took in their offer for her and Jason to live with them, because what better choice did she have? It was one thing for her to live on the streets - Jason wasn’t even ten. He couldn’t survive on his own if he tried. 

“Wow,” Reyna mutters, and Thalia’s gaze flicks to hers, her heart tripping in surprise. She forgot she was even here. “That’s… really terrible. I’m sorry, Thalia.” 

Thalia shrugs, mostly because she’s not really sure how else to respond. “Yeah, I guess. But that’s what I’m talking about… sometimes, when you know someone really depends on you for something, it just… makes you want to go away more.” Her chest floods with dread at the memory of Jason’s eyes, brimming with terror at the sight before him, turning to her expectantly. “Especially when that much responsibility falls on you.” 

Reyna lets out a deep breath. “But you were twelve. That’s a lot for a kid. My sister was seventeen.” 

Thalia raises a brow at Reyna. “You don’t think seventeen is young?”

“Not that young.” 

“I don’t think a feeling like that has an age limit.” Thalia shrugs. “I’m not saying you can’t be mad at her. I’m just saying, I don’t think it was anything you did. Just… maybe the circumstances.” 

Reyna continues watching her for a moment, then tips her chin high and points her eyes down, as if even now, lying down next to each other, she’s trying to look down at Thalia. “I guess I’m just surprised.” 

“About what?” Thalia props her head against her right hand, holding herself higher over Reyna, and smirks. “Surprised I have a heart?”

“Surprised you’ve told me this much about you.” 

Thalia raises a brow. “You’re the one going soft on me, Princess.”

Reyna frowns again, and this time her nose crinkles, too. Thalia pretends not to notice the skip in her heartbeat at the sight of it. “Why do you call me Princess?” she asks.

“Good question.” Thalia reaches out to twirl a lock of hair that’s fallen over Reyna’s face. She pulls it towards her and wraps it around her finger, admiring how it shines even in the limited light around them. “The first thing I noticed about you was your long hair,” she murmurs. “I’ve never seen something so shiny before. It made me think of a princess.” 

Reyna rolls her eyes, but even in the flickering lights, Thalia can see a subtle pink inking through her cheeks. “Stupid nickname.”

“You don’t look like you find it all that stupid.” 

Reyna rolls her eyes, but Thalia decides that by her lack of response she’s won.

“Okay,” Thalia says. “Now it’s my turn to ask you a question. Why did you tell me all that stuff about you and your sister?”

Reyna’s eyebrows scrunch in consideration. After a long pause, she takes Thalia’s right hand and holds it between her palms, and Thalia hopes beyond hope that Reyna doesn’t see the blush on her face. 

“I know that maybe we both come from… really different places,” she says, her eyes oozing with sincerity. “You have every right not to trust me. But being down here… I’ve started to see just how much Topside has screwed you over. How they’ve treated you. And I guess now I understand why you all hate us so much.” Reyna tilts her head, and Thalia’s eyes follow the strand of long hair that falls over her face. It’s the same strand, too. “But you and I aren’t so different. We come from really different backgrounds, but I want you to know you can trust me.” 

Thalia’s chest rings with guilt at Reyna’s words. She hates the way her palm stings under her genuine touch, hates the way her voice burns Thalia’s skin. She feels trapped under lava, being scorched alive with no one to help her out. 

She hates Reyna’s sincerity, because she knows she can’t offer the same. 

There’s a spark of optimism in Reyna’s eyes - not too much, but it’s definitely there, and it makes Thalia’s chest ache. She knows that part of Reyna’s vulnerability must come from the drinks, and maybe that’s even the reason Thalia decided to spill her own guts, but she knows there’s something deeper there, too. If there’s anything Thalia’s learned about Reyna these past few days, it’s that she doesn’t just trust people easily - she takes her time investigating. If Reyna is saying all this now, Thalia knows she’s in for shit when, eventually, she’ll have to break Reyna’s trust. 

Thalia opens her mouth to retort something stupid, like “We’re nothing alike” or “Don’t pretend you know me.” But watching Reyna, with her brown eyes swimming with sincerity and nervousness, Thalia refrains. Isn’t the point to make her trust you? she tries to tell herself. Why risk that trust by trying to tell her something she doesn’t want to hear?

Is that really why you want her to trust you? some other voice asks her, and she has to close her eyes to ignore the thought.

After a few beats of silence, Thalia just exhales and trails a finger through Reyna’s hair. It feels like a gentle river through her fingers - soft, delicate, like cool air swimming past her knuckles. Thalia locks eyes with Reyna and says, “Don’t sell yourself short, Princess. You don’t want to be like me.” 

Reyna’s brows scrunch in confused frustration, but she chooses wisely not to say anything. Instead, she pulls herself closer and brushes a hand against Thalia’s face. Thalia’s breath hitches at her touch. “It’s sad that so many people see themselves as monsters,” she says, “and that the true monsters only see themselves as the hero.” 

Thalia traces her thumb against Reyna’s jaw, down her chin, against her lips. “You’ve never seen yourself as a monster?”

Reyna tilts her head closer, and her eyes drift towards Thalia’s lips. “What do you think got me to Piltover to begin with?”

Thalia lets a beat of silence pass. Just to make sure Reyna knows what she’s doing, to make sure she knows she can run away now if she wants.

But she doesn’t. 

So Thalia leans in and kisses her. 

It’s nothing like any kiss she’s had before. Most of them have been quick, pointless - little displays of urgent passion, but nothing more than that. They never mattered. 

But this… this matters. Like it needs to go as perfect as possible, otherwise Thalia risks everything - her life, her future, her family. She’s teetering on the edge, and this is the only thing that can save her from falling over. 

Maybe it’s because every move with Reyna has to be calculated, if Thalia wants to get her share of the fortune. She can’t risk something looking too cheap, too fake, too lackluster - she needs Reyna to think she’s the real deal, or else…

Or else what? she thinks. I risk losing some money? Why does it matter?

But Thalia knows why it matters. Because if she fucks up this job, she risks everything. She’s never even met the man behind all her missions, but she already knows he has the power to uproot her life straight from the source.

She’s built too much for the people she loves. She can’t let it all burn down, especially now that Jason’s back. 

Reyna tugs Thalia’s waist, trying to pull her closer - so Thalia edges away. That’s the smart thing to do, she tries to tell herself. Let Reyna know she’s wanted, but not too much. Let her in only enough.

If Reyna feels anything about this, she’s good at hiding it. In fact, maybe Thalia might be the most hurt by this - she’s the one trying to pull away, and yet Reyna doesn’t even care. Is it possible that she’s playing the same game that I am? 

Thalia supposes she can’t put it past her. That doesn’t seem like the kind of thing she’d do, but Thalia also doesn’t know her well enough to make a judgment. Maybe Reyna’s a phenomenal actress. 

And maybe it’s a sign there’s nowhere for them to go from here. Just something they can throw away at the end of this investigation. Something with no strings, because that way it would be harder for them to get tangled. Thalia knows neither of them could afford that.

Reyna tries to say something, but it seems to get caught in her throat. Thalia just watches her, waiting for the moment she can pull it out. 

“I had fun tonight,” she finally says. But her eyes are vacant, and her mouth is in a straight line, and Thalia has no idea whether to truly believe her. 

Thalia tries on a smile. “Me too.”

A million thoughts seem to be soaring across Reyna’s eyes, but her mouth remains firm, and Thalia decides it’s not worth trying to catch any of those thoughts. She and Reyna just watch each other, peering through the layers of secrets between them. 

“You can stay in my room tonight,” Thalia whispers, brushing a finger through Reyna’s hair. She’s not sure why she’s doing this - why offer her another night, another inch of her? She could easily let the moment pass and let Reyna go back to her place in the basement. But Thalia’s beginning to enjoy the heat of another body with her; it’s been too long since the last time she’s been this physically close to someone. She’s been starved. 

Still, Reyna’s expression remains blank. She’s staring at Thalia with her large, round eyes, sucking up her entire essence, and Thalia has no choice but to let her. “Okay” is all she says. 

“You can leave if you—” 

“No.” Reyna takes a deep breath. “If you mind, I can leave. But I don’t mind.” 

“I don’t.” 

“Then I don’t, either.” 

“Great.” 

“Great.” 

Thalia hesitates, then decides to brush another strand of Reyna’s hair. She doesn’t know if that’s too much, but Reyna ends up leaning into the touch, tilting her head to make it easier, and Thalia has to fight the urge to smile. Her hair feels like silk under her fingertips, cool and soft, with the faint scent of apples lingering over it. Thalia almost wants to bury her face into it and smell it forever. 

“I wasn’t kidding,” Thalia says. “You really are as gorgeous as a princess.” 

“No need to flatter me.” But now Reyna’s smiling. 

Thalia rolls her eyes. “Aren’t you going to say it back?”

“What? That you’re as beautiful as a princess?” Reyna raises an eyebrow at her. “You seem like the kind of person who’d start beating me up if I said that.” 

“Sure, if it were anyone else,” Thalia says. She wants to add Not you, though, but she knows it would make her sound too cheesy. 

“Okay, but that’s too cliché for my taste.” 

“Fine. What would you say instead?”

Reyna runs her eyes over Thalia’s face, and it feels like her skin is being turned inside out. She simply stares at Thalia, eyes burning with thoughts, and Thalia just wishes she could reach inside her brain and read whatever it is she’s thinking. But she can’t, so she just watches Reyna watch her, wishing they weren’t stuck here in this strange, unspoken void. 

Reyna reaches out and brushes her fingertips over Thalia’s face, and Thalia feels like she’s just discovered what touch feels like for the first time. Then Reyna smiles a slow smile, one that melts over her warm skin and turns the space between them into soft, watery sunlight, and Thalia can do nothing but bask in her warmth, wishing she could be underneath it for eternity.

Then, just as Thalia’s thinking about kissing her again, Reyna turns around. And suddenly all the sunlight shuts off. 

Typical Topsider, thinks Thalia, trying hard to keep her hands to herself. Taunting me when they know they have me.

As if she can hear Thalia’s thoughts, Reyna lets out a small laugh. “I’ll let you know when I think of something that fits you.”

[katiefromcabin7]

I have officially 1400 words (out of what i assume will be around 3000) written for a pjo pirate au 😭 😭 (i dont have time for this)

My offical plan is to have the main story be multi chapter but have a bunch of one shots for characters full indepth backstories and for how some of them became pirates)

Also i forgot to mention this in my other post about it but if all goes to plan there will be some theyna as well lol

The post

[curseofdelos]

Spears Drawn (1/1)

Relationship(s): Theyna Word Count: 2.1k Summary: As Hunter Kowalski rattled off the rules - no powers, weapons only, the first to pin the other for three seconds or knock the other out of bounds wins, nothing Reyna didn’t know already - they stared each other down. Reyna had a good four inches on her at least and a broader build too, but she had seen Thalia fight enough times by now to know she wasn’t above playing dirty if it got her a win. Her electric blue eyes and toothy smile projected a brash confidence that would only make it all the more satisfying when Reyna knocked it off of her. (Written for the @sapphic-summer-riordanverse Day 2 prompt 'sparring')

[Read on Ao3]

[Fic Masterlist]

[theyna-will-happen]

Can you please recommend PJO fanfics to me, I don’t care what platform it’s on whether ao3, wattpad or whatnot I just need some to read!!!!

[thestarstoasun]

Some of my PJO ships & why

Percabeth (Percy/Annabeth - They invented love)

Ruegard (Clarisse/Silena - THE LAST OLYMPIAN, THE PARALLELS, PLS)

Clarisse/Chris (*I do not know their ship name, my bad - The Labyrinth, need I say more?)

Silena/Beckendorf (*Idk if they ever had an official ship name - They were so tragic)

Clarisse/Beckendorf/Silena/Chris (Polycule, bc multishipper really)

Jake Mason/Michael Yew (I have a thousand reasons and I don't think any are canon)

Conchell (Connor/Mitchell - THE FANFICS PLS, but some of them need to remember these are minors pls)

Connor x Malcolm Pace (I saw really cute ship art 1 time and I was sold)

Connor/Mitchell/Malcolm (I think they'd be really cute together and I don't care if it's impractical)

Luke/Lee Fletcher (Lukelee - Honestly, its more of a crack ship for me, but some people on Tumblr have me considering how much)

Luke/Ethan Nakamura (Lukethan - I can't be alone in this, pls)

Theyna (Thalia/Reyna - They would make an awesome QPR, and I thought this even before Reyna was revealed to be aroace. They flirt endlessly if only to enjoy the confused looks on their friends faces)

Tratie (Travis/Katie Gardner - Is there anyone who read the books in the 2010s when the fandom was like super big that doesn't ship them? It's big now, but like, still.)

Tyson/Ella (They deserve the world)

Solangelo (Nico/Will - Tbf, I shipped them since The Last Olympian AS A CRACK SHIP, but A WIN IS A WIN)

Grover/Juniper (Just yes)

Sally/Paul (The King that our Queen Sally Jackson deserves)

Shelper (Shel/Piper - The plot twist I didn't know I needed)

Valgrace (Leo/Jason - When I read The Lost Hero, I just thought "these two idiots could definitely work well together.")

Jasper (Jason/Piper - It isn't my favorite, but I think they're cute together. I hate that their relationship was built on the Gods interference, because neither of them deserved that. I would probably like it more if it didn't start because of Hera.)

Ethabaster (Ethan Nakamura/Alabaster Torrington - The fandom is the reason I ship them mainly tbh. I ship Ethan with Luke more, but Ethan honestly deserves better)

Jercy (Jason/Percy - I have read a single Jercy fanfiction and its kind of growing on me)

Cecil/Lou Ellen (They are literally the idiots in love that annoy Will until he gets with Nico {personal hc}, Love them)

Sherman/Miranda (I didn't think I would like this as much as I do, but its in so many fics I've read I'm low-key a little attached. Like, yeah Sherman show off, get your girl)

Damien/Chiara (I couldn't see them with anyone else tbh, but honestly could possibly change that one day, they will always hold my heart as #1 together though)

Frazel (Frank/Hazel - They are one of the sweetest pairings in the series)

Jason/Percy/Annabeth/Piper (Yes, another poly ship. I've seen this in a few fics and honestly, I think the way its written has grown on me.)

Castor/Will (Literally, because of a single fanfic. They were probably each other's first crushes and didn't even know it)

[rosesradio]

I’ve been seeing this thing around about rating pjo ships so i thought I’d give it a go 🤠 no personal offense if i don’t give your ship a high rating, i’m pretty particular except for when I’m not

Percabeth - 9/10. love them loads, but could have gone without the judo flip + other odd behaviors that are only seen as “cute” because the sexes are flipped, otherwise they’re great

Jercy - 1/10. i can see potential i guess but also there’s just a lot of better options for both of these characters imo, plus i see them as bros

Valgrace - 10/10, to storm or fire the world must fall, best friends to lovers, no notes

Solangelo - 2/10. i can see…the potential. their “significant annoyance” scene gave me the warm fuzzies as a 14 year old looking for rep. but oh my god how they’re written in canon sometimes is just so bad, it ruins fanon for me as well. not to mention the one-dimensional-ization done in order to amplify the “grumpy x sunshine !!!1!” trope. however i will say Some solangelo fans understand that they should Both be freaks (and in that AU it’s a respectable 8/10 from me) and the ship has fantastic fan artists

Shelper - 2/10. no hate i’m just bored…like who is shel?? tell me one thing about her personality. does she get any dialogue?? richard??

Jasper/Jiper - 1/10 the fake memories were cute but the inside of pipers head did not pass the Bechdel test. would love to see them as platonic soulmate roommates though

Jeyna - 1/10 the devotion is admirable but yk. can relate being aroace and latching on to some dude lmao

Theyna - 4/10. not my cup of tea but in a world where either they aren’t hunters or it’s an interpretation where the hunters can be lesbians…it’s a good ship. haven’t really seen much for them but I’m open to it. might prefer them as a platonic buddy cop duo though

Pernico - 4/10 i see them as annoying cousins but i respect the angst potential of unrequited love. i don’t think the ship as endgame would be good for either of the characters. however, again, really good fan artists

Jasico - 10/10 the drinking out of the chalice scene was hot don’t look at me. really good fan artists etc. i should write more with them

Valdangelo - 10/10, yk how i feel about pushing my blorbos together and making them kiss lol. massively underrated, read ceaseless eve, etc 

Pipabeth - 7.5/10 i like percabeth more but it’s my favorite piper ship. I haven’t seen much content with them but i’ve liked what i have seen. I might make some stuff with them

Rachbeth - 2/10, the potential is there i guess but i see them as best friends

Perchel - 8.5/10 i guess i’m in the minority but what makes the pjo love triangle so compelling compared to other YA love triangles is that Both of the ships are really good. idk what to tell you they go well together

Lukercy - 6/10 i see the potential but if you’re going for dark fic vibes i think lukabeth is better

Lukabeth - 9/10 the dark fic potential has me chewing the furniture. wouldn’t ship them as like a fluffy endgame but that’s not the point

Frazel - 0/10 richard please let two people of the opposite sex be friends

Caleo - -100000000/10 nothing could be a better crafted anti-caleo fic than canon itself

[ssavinggrace]

im going in order of what gets picked/the most votes

also yes most of these are song titles, suck it

[phrog42]

I'm not back from my trip yet but I just needed to say this:

Theyna fic where the hunters of Artemis are a roller derby team.

I will literally help you write it.

Please

[the-one-and-only-aroace]

Why are all the hunter of Artemis fics

1 theyna

2 Zoe/Artemis

3 hunter annabeth au

[ethannku]

smh alphie @lordstormageddidnt why would you make me do this...

WIP tag game! RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

i'm just gonna go with my pjo folder because if i went with all of them this post would be the new do you love the color of the sky. also i haven't touched some of these in literal years so not even i know whats in them. anyways.

2020:

demon will

drunk nico

nico dies

will fake dates nico for school

5 times hp x pjo

harry potter x pjo

ethan's avatar x pjo

2021:

Nico Birthday 1/28

superhero nico, handler will

valgrace week day two

jaspereo oneshot

solangelo week 2021

band au pjo

valgrace soulmates 5+1

soulmate music valgrace

5+1 hp valgrace

leo groundhog day

valgrace pride

fwb solangelo

2022:

werewolf jason

sawdust nectar valgrace

vampire theyna

first kiss valgrace

misunderstandings valgrace

social media au 2 electric boogaloo

valgrace social media au

heartbreaker valgrace

jasico piper drew

jasico snippets

valgrace platonic jasiper

emi fic (fr this time)

another social media valgraceangelo

superhero roommates

2023:

angsty argo ii

emi valentine's day

hockey will

i left some out that have like less than 100 words and i'm glad i did because wow that list is still so long. likelihood any of these will see the light of ao3 is like. 0. anyhoo send asks i suppose. and i'm tagging anyone who wants to do this bc i forget which mutuals like being tagged and which don't lmao

[providing-leverage]

WIP tag game

Adding myself to this train for fun.

Game: put the titles of your WIPs, reguardless of how vague or uninformative they are and let people send asks about them. Tag some people, maybe the amount of WIPs you have.

This is far from complete but:

Summer Nights (Ted Lasso)

Fundamentals sequel (Ted Lasso)

The Strangest Reinforcements in Roman Military History (Percy Jackson)

Stranger Ranger (Stranger Things, Power Rangers 2017)

Prof Theyna ch1 try1 (Percy Jackson)

Adam Milligan: Campus Cryptid (Supernatural)

Roots and Wings (Supernatural)

W-I-L-L (Percy Jackson, 9-1-1)

Atlantic Aces AU (Ted Lasso)

Lunch fic (Stranger Things)

Tagging @manwholovescabins @orbitalpirate @magdaclaire

@clearskiesandmistyeyes @writer-and-thrasher

and anyone who sees this

[amnenome]

My fav fics

masterlist, a bunch of random shit. you can probably psychoanalyze me based on this.

Bridgerton

All’s Well That Ends Well (To End Up With You) - aRegularJo. Kathony, modern AU, modern royalty.

most eligible - first glances (amalin). Kathony, The Bachelor AU.

Primogeniture - 55anon (Anon). Series. Kathony, canon-compliant. Canon-expansive(?). Character studies, parentification.

hunt you, unmake you - SarahRoseSerena. Kathony vs. colonialism.

Stranger Things

Off to the Races - CrisSasegov. Ronance, f1 AU, enemies to lovers.

Which Way Up? - wornoutplaces. Ronance, canon divergence, Nancy is trapped in the upside down.

Grishaverse

In Another Life - anon56. Zoyalai, canon divergence. AU - their parent actually cares about them.

burned but not buried this time - lazy_universes. Zoya & Alina bond over Darkling trauma.

Killing Me to Love You - venus_in_retrograde. Inej/Kaz Hanahaki AU.

Like Calls to Like (A Grishaverse AU Textfic) - the_loosest_moose. Anything by them is great.

Wheel of Time

The Path of Fire and Foxes - LarraineLynch. Siuaraine, time travel AU.

kept impulse dormant - QuickYoke. Siuan/Moiraine, canon-compliant, childhood friends.

Moiraine is Jane - EvadneGrand. Moiraine Damodred and Jane Bennet switch places.

Percy Jackson

Roman Holiday - BobInTheComments. Bamf Reyna x Celtic mythology. Adventure.

Every Breath You Take, I’ll Be Watching You (strictly in my position as your babysitter, Morgan, now go wash the grease off your hands) - randomest_username. Bamf Annabeth x the MCU. Annabeth is Morgan Stark's babysitter.

Road to the White House - plalligator. Samirah al-Abbas runs for president of the United States.

Felix Culpa - advictorem. Theyna, Thalia is switched AU, camp swap, trans!Thalia.

Hope Is A Delicate Thing - BandKid247, oh__peachy. PJO reading the books fic, almost through the whole series.

Reading Blood of Olympus - anenomenome. Reading the books fic.

Game of Thrones

darkly, darkly, dawn glittered in the sky - cheshire_carroll. Bamf Sansa Stark x Harry Potter marauder's era.

The Gilded Wolf - Mikasaessucasaa. Jonsa. Canon divergence - Sansa was raised by the Lannisters. Politics.

Harry Potter

shadow magnolia - pansexual_intellectual. Ginny/Fleur. Ginny goes to Beauxbatons and deals with her trauma.

A Crinkle of Fate - AFaith1192. Remadora, Tonks time travel fix-it.

The Weight of the After - Paperyink. Ginny-centric, Dumbledore's army. Hogwarts book 7 x Nuremberg trial.

MCU

it’s such a shame for us to part (take me back to the start) - whitetiger1249. Sersi-centric time-travel fix-it.

Natasha, Daughter of Ivan - AzureLightningEmeraldCloud. Natasha/Carol, Natasha lives AU.

Higher Further Faster - CapturetheFinnick. Carol/Maria backstory in the Air Force.

P.S. 35, Hell's Kitchen - martial-quill (quilling_me_softly), quilling_me_softly. Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, Foggy Nelson, and Patricia Walker grow up together.

runaways are running the night - anothercover. Clintasha, Rock Star AU. Natasha, Nakia, Okoye, Jessica Jones, and Valkyrie are in a band, Clint is John Mulaney.

all it takes is a little water - independentalto. YoYoMack, summer camp AU, soulmates AU.

show me why you're strong - fr0ntier. Buckynat in Wakanda.

Look into my eyes, it's where my demons hide - MomoYoMaki. Bucky defects and raises the Widows in a cottage in Canada.

Somewhere Normal - lilyinblue. Bobbi Morse goes home and tells her family she's a secret agent.

the world turns upside down - Clintasha, Star Wars AU. Clint and Natasha join the resistance.

I'll build a house inside of you - magdaliny. Bucky defects and raises little kid Natasha.

How to Transform Your Life Through Reality TV - igrockspock. Natasha competes on a cooking show.

The Girl in the Photograph - ashen_key. Natasha's long-lost cousin writes a book.

aliens and assassins - anenomenome. Natasha doesn't die, and ends up in Star Wars instead.

Supergirl

Back to the Basket - performativezippers. Sanvers basketball AU.

Last Car - Roadie. Sanvers public transportation AU.

yearning to breathe free - softsawyer, TheseTornadoesAreForYou. Sanvers, celebrity AU, fake dating, enemies to friends to lovers

Other

Run at the Cup - TheHomelyBadger. Arcane. Caitvi, hockey AU, enemies to lovers.

Impulse Decisions - Mirradin. The Old Guard. AU - canon divergence. The group is captured by Merrick. Five years later, Dizzy Ali takes a job.

now that i found you: a queer eye x brooklyn 99 crossover - chipsghost. B99. Jake Peralta gets queer-eyed.

show a little loving, shine a little light on me - ev0lution. Star Wars Rogue One. Cassian/Jyn, The Good Place AU.

Bittersweet - inkedstarlight. ACOTAR, Nessian. College AU.

American Pie - micster. We Are Lady Parts - amina/saira. Canon-extension(?). Lots of music references

A Favor - shaziskhalid. ACOTAR, Nessian. Modern AU, Nesta character study.

The Shephards - MiniM236. ADOW. Miriam-centric, Phoebe + Miriam + legacy.

[redvelvetpdf]

OH MY GOD NOVIE HIII

we haven’t talked in a hot second

I’m less active atm bc I’ve got a lot going on at home and with school

But I was cleaning out my drafts and I saw that you requested a theyna fic for the Halloween event

I started it and was wondering if you still want me to write it

It’ll take a while and it definitely won’t be Halloween anymore but if you want I could finish it for you

Also ily drink water and get enough sleep <33

HEY CHERRYY

yeahh we havent :( how are you doing?? whats up?

aw i hope you're okay and it isnt overwhelming. remember to take care of yourself <3

well if it isnt a problem i would like that :D and take your time!! there's absolutely no rush <33 thank u :]

ahh tysm <333 i will and you do too!! lysmmm

[floof-writes]

Requests Are Closed!

Despite theoretically having a mountain of things I need to do, I've been bored out of my mind lately. Because I have the unbearable urge to create and no good ideas to satiate it, I'm turning it over to y'all.

I'll take fic requests for:

Linked Universe (Gen, + Malink as a side pairing)

Batfam (Gen Batfam, Gen Young Justice, Timbern, TimKon, TimBart, StephCass)

As of 1/2/23, no new Owl House requests please :)

Percy Jackson and Magnus Chase (Gen, Canon Pairings + Theyna, Solangelo and Fierrochase especially. No Trials of Apollo) < added 10/6

Avatar: The Last Airbender (Gen, canon pairings, Zukka, no Korra because I'm just not familiar enough)

The scope of the prompt can be as big or small as you like, with as much detail as you like. Not all prompts are created equal, I may end up writing 200 words for one and 1000 for another. Some may get cross-posted to Ao3. No smut, other than that go wild! I accept requests in my Ask box and my Ask box only.

[thebigqueer]

full arcane au when...

girl never😔 i had it all planned out and then i was like i dont have the energy for this. but i hope you know im working on another snippet fic rn actually which is ultra homoerotic & i really hope you like it. and then im gonna do a theyna snippet some time later this month maybe

[onlydreamofmysoul]

You should visit more often

I couldn’t do a whole thing on the background of the fic and then not post it😂 

Some Theyna to feed the soul

Summary: High school. The best or worst days of your life? That's definitely up for debate.

(But it certainly helps when your girlfriend visits.)

"Ugh! I just cannot with her anymore!" Thalia declared dramatically flopping down on the grass on the grounds of their school, throwing her bag down next to her and crossing her legs as she sat.

"Uh, Thals? You're in a skirt." Annabeth pointed out, having caught a a nice glimpse of Thalia's underwear.

"Stupid school uniforms. Stupid Katie. Stupid assigned seating." Thalia grumbled as she readjusted herself, rearranging her skirt.

"Wait, are you talking about Katie Gardner?" Piper asked, eyes wide in shock.

Thalia shook her head as she backpedalled a little. "Katie Gardner is a sweetheart. I'm talking about the infamous Katie-"

"Greene." Everyone else sitting in their little circle finished.

Thalia grinned. "At least I'm predictable. Anyways so we were in chemistry, you know the way she's my lab partner? So we were just starting to measure the amount of hydrogen peroxide when she declares that she can't help because she didn't want the chemicals to mess with her fake tan..."

Thalia launched into her story of the day, her friends called it the Katie Chronicles. Attending an all-girls Catholic school didn't have many perks and it certainly had a few downfalls. One being uniforms and dress codes, another being assigned seating. Thalia could swear her chemistry teacher sat her next to Katie on purpose. What Thalia did in a past life to deserve this, she didn't know, but it must have been truly awful to wind up with this punishment.

It wasn't that Katie was blatantly a bitch. Thalia could have grudgingly respected that, being absolutely awful, but at least you were honest about it. No, Katie was much worse than that. On the surface she seemed so sweet, almost kind. But her tone was always teasing. Her words sweet but her eyes betrayed her. She would wait for you to say something she thought she could use against you, then pounce. Thalia always had to have a guard up around her, making her responses almost always sarcastic, so Katie wouldn't be able to hold anything against her. To be perfectly honest, it was exhausting. Thalia had no idea why being cruel to other people seemed to get Katie off, but she would be damned if she ended up one of her unwitting victims.

Thalia finished telling her tale, then normal conversation resumed, Annabeth organizing a party for Percy's up and coming eighteenth birthday, Piper chiming in to help with the guest list. Her boyfriend Jason would be flying in from California to attend along with Reyna -  Thalia's girlfriend. Leo, who was attending the neighbouring boys school was secretly inviting all of Percy's friends without him knowing. It was truly becoming quite the undercover operation.

A few weeks and many Katie encounters later, only a day remained until the surprise party of the year. Jason and Reyna had arrived the previous day, under the guise that they were due a visit to their respectful significant others and it just so happened to coincide with Percy's birthday. To be perfectly honest, Thalia couldn’t believe they had made it this far without Percy noticing anything, but who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

She had the entire day for herself and Reyna planned, and it had been perfect. They had gotten hot chocolate and strolled leisurely around the city, basking in the sun and each others presence. But all good things must come to an end and Reyna and Thalia had to depart ways, Thalia getting the bus back to her apartment, where she lived with Percy and Sally while Reyna returned to the accommodation she and Jason were staying in. 

After walking her to the bus stop, Reyna pulled Thalia in by the waist, tugging her into a kiss. Thalia went with it willingly, melting into the warmth and familiarity of her girlfriend. They kissed sweetly for a few minutes, until Thalia pulled away reluctantly, having heard the bus pull up behind her.

"I gotta go." She mumbled against Reyna's lips.

Reyna groaned, kissed her one more time before pushing Thalia away slightly.

"Go." She laughed. "You'll miss your bus. I'll see you tomorrow."

Thalia laughed, waved then spun around to join the line for the bus. And her stomach dropped.

Standing in the queue was none other, than the one and only Katie Greene herself. Staring at her. Complete with her entire group of friends, all of whom would have looked less shocked if Thalia had shot them. Thalia smiled politely, groaning inwardly, before proceeding to ignore their presence on the bus the entire way home.

The party was a massive hit. Percy was genuinely surprised and everything went off without a hitch - Thalia would have expected nothing less from something planned by Annabeth Chase. Most of the other guests had left, leaving only Percy's close friends gathered around in the living room, just talking and having fun. Somewhere along the line, chatting had turned to revealing ones secrets and they had fallen down the rabbit hole of telling their most embarrassing stories.

 "Your turn Thalia." Hazel called from the floor having just regaled them with a story involving shampoo, a wild horse and an avocado and was still blushing ever so slightly, Thalia groaned from her seat between Reyna's legs on the couch, hiding her face behind her hands as she cringed.

"Okay guys, you'd better buckle your seatbelts because you are in for a wild ride." She stated before launching into her latest Katie encounter. Her friends were an excellent audience, oohing and aahing in just the right places, groaning as expected and looking at Thalia sympathetically.

"I'm never gonna live this down!" Thalia cried as she finished her tale of woe.

"But," She added a few minutes later, as Reyna stroked her thigh soothingly, you should've seen her face. “I'm never going to forget it. Her mouth made a perfect 'o'.” Everyone laughed and Thalia found herself joining them no longer dreading facing chemistry class next week.

The following Monday, Thalia strolled into the chemistry lab, Katie already at their desk. Reyna had left last night and this time, she and Thalia had said goodbye sans-audience. Katie looked up as Thalia reached their desk, eyes already wider than plates.

Thalia just smirked at her before she could begin her interrogation.

"I hope your jaw didn't hurt when it hit the ground."

Katie's eyes grew impossibly wider. Thalia just smiled sweetly as the teacher walked into the room.

After class, Thalia took out her phone and texted Reyna.

You should visit more often.