Chapter Text
Reyna leaned up against the counter of the makeshift bar in Camp Half-Blood, twirling her straw around the ice-cubes of her drink absentmindedly, as she watched her friends on the dancefloor. They’d finally dispensed with the cheesy, slow-dance, romance music – Reyna had firmly wanted to die when the mush had extended far beyond the first dance – and they were now playing a plethora of only slightly preferable pop songs.
From her vantage point by the bar, which Chiron had let them have and Mr D had generously stocked, she could see Percy and Annabeth twirling around the dancefloor. They weren’t at all graceful, and the song was not made for slow-dancing. Reyna winced when she saw them occasionally knock into their other guests, or bump into a table, making the drinks left there wobble precariously and threaten to spill. But they looked happy, Reyna thought, grins plastered on their faces and laughter bubbling from the dancefloor. Nobody could possibly be better made for each other than those two, Reyna decided as she stared into her drink, looking up and smiling again as she saw them bump into Grover for the umpteenth time that evening.
The ceremony, after all the fuss of the morning, had been beautiful.
*************
The four of them had rolled up with 20 minutes to spare before the service began, and across the grounds Reyna had seen Percy chatting to Tyson and Ella as he paced the length of the path. He’d chosen a gorgeous light grey tux – no guessing as to why it was that colour - and a pale blue tie. It was the first time Reyna had seen him wear anything close to formal: Percy thought wearing his obnoxiously orange Camp Half-Blood shirt with jeans and a jacket, rather than shorts, was fancy. He’d even looked like he’d brushed his hair. Reyna’d admitted she’d found him rather endearing. Tyson, whilst not formally dressed, had at least put on a buttoned shirt; Ella had sported a lilac bow tied loosely around her neck. Honestly, Reyna hadn’t been sure what she’d applauded the most: Annabeth and Percy sourcing formal clothes for a Cyclops and a Harpy; or the fact that Tyson and Ella were actually wearing them.
As they’d gotten out of the car, Reyna had spotted Jason just walking out the church. He was evidently as keen as Annabeth to get everybody in the right places in plenty time, she’d thought, as she saw him push his glasses back up his nose and go over to Percy, clearly reminding him that he was supposed to be waiting inside. Given that Jason had been dealing with a Cyclops, a Harpy, and a Percy who was so nervous the pond in the grounds had thrashed like the sea in a storm, Reyna really hadn’t blamed him for wanting to be prepared. She’d flashed him a reassuring smile as Nico and Will had made their way over, asking where they should sit and offering some help, and Jason had shot one back as he’d ushered his unruly mob back into the church.
Thalia had grabbed Reyna’s hand (Reyna absolutely hadn’t blushed) and dragged her down the side of the building, and in through a back entrance that lead to the room the rest of the girls were occupying. They’d found Calypso fussing over Annabeth’s veil, which had been tucked safely in its bag and guarded by Piper, lest it’d gotten lost or crumpled. It was simple, like the dress, and merely clipped to the front of Annabeth’s bun by way of an understated grip. Annabeth had twirled in the full-length mirror, looking herself over critically, before smiling and looking over at the group.
“I guess I’m ready,” she’d said, grabbing her bouquet and taking a deep breath.
“Bloody better be,” Piper quipped, “after all that time I spent on your makeup.”
The group had burst into laughter as Annabeth had thrown a hairbrush at Piper, who’d deftly dodged it and smiled innocently.
“Reckon that’s our cue to go.” Thalia had turned to Reyna.
Nodding, Reyna had shot Annabeth a quick “good luck!” and followed Thalia and Calypso back round to the front of the Church, through the lobby into the main room to find their seats. They’d found Nico and Will in one of the middle rows, and Reyna had slid in next to Thalia completely and totally unaware of how their thighs were touching.
Percy had been jittering agitatedly by the alter, before crushing Sally and Paul into a hug as they’d arrived. It was sweet, really, and if Reyna didn’t pride herself on stoic, authoritative reputation, she might’ve teared up. Maybe. Turning to Thalia when she’d felt her tapping impatiently at her arm, Reyna had just caught Annabeth’s step-mother and younger brothers walking into the church, moving to sit in the front row next to Sally and Paul.
Then the church doors were opening, and the whole room turned to silence.
For the most part, Reyna had thought the ceremony was over rather quickly, with only a tasteful amount of sap, though she’d distinctly heard Grover sniffling throughout the entirety of the vows. What’d thrown Reyna the most, though, was that it was Chiron who was officiating. How a centaur had managed to obtain a license had been totally beyond her. Given that she believed in literal Ancient Greek and Roman Deities, though, Reyna had thought she’d perhaps let that one slide.
Once they’d slowly filtered out of the church and the obligatory photos had been taken – Leo had taken it upon himself to help the photographer, and for the last ones Percy and Annabeth had even let him write “Leo McShizzle” on his forehead for old times sake, whatever that meant – they’d finally headed out for the meal.
The venue had been around halfway between the church and Camp Half-Blood, where the party would be later, so the rest of Percy and Annabeth’s friends could celebrate safely. The dining hall, though small, had once again been flawlessly decorated. It’d been a gorgeously naturally-lit room, with arched floor-to-ceiling windows half-covered by draping net curtains. Thick white-linen table cloths had hung over the white metal tables adorned with white lace placemats and beautiful crystal glasses. In the centre of each table had sat the cream, grey, and purple flowers, and the green stems seen through the glass vases had brought a pop of colour to the room. The flickering tealights placed in a ring around the flowers had bathed the table in a warm glow.
Percy and Annabeth’s table had been more traditional: a long, oblong wooden structure placed against the wall and draped with a matching fabric to the curtains, littered intermittently with vases and candles. It’d been designed so that the whole party – Percy, Annabeth, their parents and Annabeth’s brothers – could all face towards the centre of the hall. Reyna had found herself seated at a table with Thalia, Nico, and Will, towards the edge of the tables clustered in the middle of the hall. She’d idly wondered if Percy and Annabeth had purposely sat all the gays at one table, and if so, what the best method to kill them by was. It wasn’t even that Reyna had minded, really. She’d found the whole situation incredibly amusing. She just always revelled in having a reason to scold Percy. Not that he ever seemed to care. Not even those first few days when he’d stumbled into Camp Jupiter and somehow managed to become a Praetor had he flinched at Reyna’s disapproval, and since then it had never failed to make Reyna smile. Inside, of course: she’d never let that slip to Percy, or her reputation might just be ruined.
Speeches were made after dessert, and like most aspects of their lives, the process had been thoroughly unconventional. Percy and Annabeth had mentioned that anybody who wanted to make a speech was welcome to, and after emotional recitals from Sally and Annabeth’s dad, and Paul’s mood-lightened recount of Percy and Annabeth’s antics from a mortal point of view, Jason and Piper had stood up and said a joint few words about their best friends. Chiron had given his rather emotional blessing speech, during which Leo had delivered a few wise-cracks that had the whole room crying with laughter.
Reyna herself obviously hadn’t chosen to say anything. She was fine talking to large crowds, of course, but she’d always felt that in these situations, it was more heartfelt if she delivered her kind words in private. Nico and Will seemed to agree, predictably making no move to make a speech; instead staying put in their seats and smiling at the happy couple. Thalia, on the other hand, had had no such reservations. Scraping the chair back against the polished wooden floor and jumping up enthusiastically, she’d started with an exuberant:
“To the happy couple!”
After the loud whoops and whistles from the gathered guests had died down, she’d continued.
“I guess a quick shout-out to my dearest Annie is in order, for putting up with ol’ Seaweed Brain over here these past few years – the Gods know I couldn’t do it!”
That had earned glares from the couple in question (that would be threatening if they weren’t smiling) and chuckles from the rest of the group.
“Here’s to many more years of fighting bad-guys, reluctantly pleasing the Gods, and maybe getting some sleep once in a while.” Thalia had paused for effect. “And here’s to screwing prophecies and doing whatever we want. Here’s to love.”
Thalia had looked to Reyna as she finished, holding her gaze as the room around them had erupted into a resounding cheers! and clinking glasses and a cacophony of celebrations. Reyna held the look levelly, lifting her drink up to toast in the vague direction of Percy and Annabeth, without taking her eyes off of Thalia’s.
*************
Reyna felt, rather than saw, Thalia pull-up a barstool to sit beside her, ordering a whisky at bar as she did so. She seemed to be staring off into nowhere; watching the demigods on the dancefloor with great intensity but seemingly little interest.
“She almost joined the Hunters, you-know.”
Thalia swirled the whisky around in her glass. Reyna didn’t need an explanation to know they were taking about Annabeth. She raised her eyebrows – not that Thalia could see that – and contemplated the concept. She couldn’t imagine Annabeth there. She was tough enough, all right; and smart and determined and dedicated. But still, the idea left Reyna with a sour taste in her mouth. Especially when she thought of Thalia in the Hunters. Reyna hadn’t realised how deep she was in with Thalia until she’d rocked-up to Camp Jupiter with Jason, knocked on the door of Reyna’s villa, declared her freedom; Reyna had had the sudden urge to kiss her.
Shaking herself from the memory, Reyna asked simply:
“Why didn’t she?”
“Percy.”
Thalia replied matter-of-factly, looking at Reyna with an unreadable expression on her face.
Reyna almost flinched at the expression; she could usually read Thalia like a book. It wasn’t like Thalia to try and be cold or mysterious around her.
She could remember earlier this evening…
Thalia had just come from dancing with Percy, who’d insisted Thalia come and join him on the dancefloor where some ridiculous upbeat song Reyna had never heard of was playing. Thalia hadn’t wanted to go. She wasn’t as introverted as Reyna, but she did have a reputation to uphold; one held-up by many years of winged eyeliner and leather jackets and death to barbie t-shirts. One held by not dancing like a fool to stupid pop music. But Thalia had relented at Percy’s puppy-dog eyes, and, muttering to Reyna something along the lines of “if I survive this please kill me anyway,” she’d jumped onto the floor and almost outdone Percy on embarrassing dance-moves.
She’d come back to find Reyna laughing at her from their table, and giving her a death glare, she’d sat down with a:
“Yeah yeah, Ramirez. Pass me my drink.”
They’d been sitting in companionable silence for a few moments when the DJ’s, Travis and Connor Stoll - Reyna didn’t even want to know how they’d managed to convince Annabeth to hire them - had abruptly changed the music to a slow-dance. Reyna had inwardly sighed.
But then she’d seen Thalia looking at her, a huge grin on her face, and Reyna had locked eyes with her in understanding.
Oh no, she’d thought, but she’d gotten up anyway and taken Thalia’s hand and blushed hard, and enjoyed the way Thalia’s palm felt in hers.
The music had been awful. Reyna had spent the vast majority of her younger years either at camp or… elsewhere… and she’d never quite taken a liking to the modern day hits that played on the radio in the mess hall on occasion. She certainly wasn’t a fan of romantic mush, either, and both categories mashed together into one song, that Reyna was being forced to dance to in public, should have been one of Reyna’s worst nightmares.
Except it hadn’t been. Because Thalia had been there.
Reyna had perched her hands nervously on Thalia’s shoulders, gripping them slightly in an attempt to ground herself. She didn’t do weddings. She didn’t dance. So for the first few moments the only thing Reyna could do was hold on to Thalia and try not to run for the hills. And then, gradually, she had started to relax. And oh man, had that caused her problems.
Because when Reyna wasn’t worried about the fact that she was on a dancefloor, she suddenly became hyper-aware that she was on a dancefloor with Thalia. They were an inch apart, and Reyna would’ve taken the opportunity to finally count all of the freckles on Thalia’s nose, if she hadn’t been staring into her eyes instead. Bright blue shot sparks into her deep brown ones, and Reyna couldn’t’ve looked away if she’d wanted too. But that was alright. She hadn’t wanted to. Because if she had, she might’ve looked at Thalia’s mouth instead. She might’ve paid incredibly close attention to how some of the blue lipstick had worn off over the night, leaving parts of Thalia’s lips bare and pink and exposed against the dark paint. Reyna might’ve started to wonder how much more blue might come off if she kissed them. If she kissed Thalia right there right then in the middle of the very crowded pavilion of Camp Half-Blood. And then Reyna might pay attention to other parts of Thalia too, like her neck, or chest, or how close their two bodies were and what it would feel like if they were closer.
And that might cause Reyna even more problems. So she’d decided she’d best just keep looking into Thalia’s eyes. It hadn’t been hard.
She’d been entranced. Thalia hadn’t broken eye-contact the entire dance. In other circumstances Reyna might have found it weird, and tried to crack a joke to ease the tension; or in another, she might have scoffed at the TV and told the useless characters to get a grip. But Reyna hadn’t wanted to get a grip. She hadn’t wanted to look away. Because the way Thalia had looked at her as they floated along the dancefloor to that awful music had done all kinds of things to Reyna’s body. And all kinds of things to her mind. It’d got her thinking. Hoping. Believing.
“Maybe this could work.”
“Maybe this might just be alright.”
But that had been an hour ago.
The song had finished. People had made their way back to their tables or their partners or their drinks, and Reyna had had to face reality once more. She'd smiled at Thalia, mentioned something about getting a drink, and she hadn't moved from her spot at the bar since. Reyna had spent her time swirling the clear liquid around in the small tumbler glass, staring vacantly at the scene in front of her, and making polite conversation to those that stopped to greet her on their way.
On the dancefloor, Reyna had almost allowed herself to think that Thalia looked disappointed as she left. Had allowed herself to think that her and Thalia might be something more. Had allowed herself to put her guard down and enjoy herself, and the only place it had got her was the bar. Because there was no way Thalia felt the same way as she did, Reyna thought darkly. Now way on this planet that Thalia wanted to give-up her days in Camp Half-Blood and move her entire life to New Rome for Reyna. She would never ask Thalia to do that, because Reyna knew she couldn't leave New Rome for her. Not yet, at least. Not that it mattered. It's not like Reyna would ever get the chance to put that to the test, anyway.
So Reyna continued to swirl her warming drink around the now melting ice-cubes, and tried not to lament over the what-if's and the but's. But that was hard, when Thalia Grace was sat right next to Reyna, staring at her glass with a dark look on her face.
If Reyna was romantic, she'd say she wanted to kiss that look right off Thalia's face. It was a good job Reyna was practical, then.
And then Thalia sighed, a sad expression replacing the confident and assertive one that normally graced the daughter of Zeus. She looked at Reyna again, those piercing eyes once more holding Reyna’s attention and making every nerve on her body vibrate, and downed her drink, setting it back on the counter with a quiet, but firm, clink.
“What do you want, Reyna?”
Thalia asked it calmly; carefully. There was no expression in the question. No room left for misinterpretation. No room for Reyna to avoid the question. The meaning should’ve been ambiguous, given out of context like this - Reyna didn’t have access to Thalia’s inner thoughts. But Reyna wasn’t coy, or one to toy with other people’s emotions.
So she answered the question.
"I want you to fuck me."
Reyna let it hang in the air as she took a swig of her drink.
They weren't drunk, really. There wasn't any excuse for Reyna to have said what she just had. She wasn't sure what she'd been thinking.
Except she was.
She had been thinking about her and Thalia and earlier today on the dancefloor; and last night during the pillow fight; and last month during capture the flag; and all that time ago during the war with Gaea. Reyna had been thinking about her and Thalia and how great they felt together and how good Reyna would look on her and why the hell Reyna hadn’t made a move yet. Fuck logistics and prophecies. Frankly, Reyna had just about had enough.
“What?” Thalia replied finally, looking like she’d just been slapped.
Reyna downed her drink as well. This was happening.
“I want you to fuck me. And kiss me. Properly. I want you to pretend with me for one fucking minute that you like me like that. Pretend with me that we’re normal fucking people in a normal fucking relationship and not messed-up demigods, and that things could possibly work for us for once.”
Reyna took a deep breath after the outburst, and looked up at Thalia, holding eye-contact; again. If things didn’t go well, she could at least take a shot for every time Thalia had held her in intense eye-contact this weekend, and black-out.
The expression on Thalia’s face was unreadable; calculating. Reyna was sure she’d ruined everything, but she was no coward. She would stay here, stand her ground, and face Thalia’s reaction no matter the outcome. But she was beginning to fear the worst. She was just contemplating how bad a night on the sofa could possibly be, or if Nico was still sober enough to shadow-travel straight back to Camp Jupiter, when suddenly Thalia lurched forward and grabbed Reyna’s face in her hands.
And then Thalia was kissing her.
For a moment, Reyna forgot how to move; how to breathe; how to think. She forgot what her own name was. But then she was tangling her hands in Thalia’s short hair and kissing her back like her life depended on it.
Their position, from the way they’d been sitting, was awkward. Thalia looked like she was about to fall off the chair she was straddling, and Reyna was bent over awkwardly trying to get down to Thalia’s height. Not that she was really complaining. Reyna would’ve loved to say that Thalia tasted of chocolate or berries or something equally romantic and untrue, but in reality Thalia tasted like whisky and Reyna probably tasted like vodka and honestly, she wouldn’t ever change a thing.
Except maybe to break apart for air – which Reyna was sure at this point was optional – and pull Thalia up to exchange a breathy laugh, both their chests heaving, before Reyna pulled her back in again. She felt electric; and so what if maybe Thalia actually was? Reyna could feel the prickle everywhere Thalia touched her: indents on her arm; a tingle on her lips; shivers up her spine; and Reyna didn’t know what to do with herself, except wrap her arms around Thalia’s waist, clutching her iconic leather jacket, and attempt to mould herself completely into Thalia.
The second time they paused for air, Thalia looked at Reyna with a dopey grin on her face, and Reyna decided she liked that perhaps even more than her signature smirk. More so because she herself was the cause of it.
“Fuck.” Thalia breathed, always eloquent.
“Uh huh.” Reyna replied. She wasn’t feeling much like words either.
There was a slight pause, but Reyna was comfortable, perched less than an inch from Reyna, reeling from their kiss. She was in no hurry to move.
“So…” Thalia resumed her usual sarcastic demeanour, shifting her weight to one hip and folding her arms over her chest. “You want me to fuck you?”
Reyna straightened up and smirked. She wasn’t fazed. She knew this game; she knew them.
“You offering?”
Thalia laughed, long and loud, before grinning at Reyna.
“Definitely.”
Then Thalia kissed her again – Reyna was beginning to feel giddy – and grabbed her hand.
“Let’s get out of here, yeah?”
Reyna let herself be pulled onto the dancefloor, where they found Percy and Annabeth, Reyna gripping Thalia’s hand tightly. If Percy and Annabeth noticed their smudged makeup and intertwined hands, they didn’t say anything, only hugging each of them tightly and accepting their congratulations and good-bye’s with beams and even tighter hugs. Then her and Thalia were walking out of pavilion, through camp, past the tree that still held the Golden Fleece (and had once held Thalia; Reyna looked at it darkly and squeezed Thalia’s hand), through the forest, and onto the main road.
They hailed a taxi and headed back to the hotel. To their hotel room. To their Only One Bed that last night had seemed like such a problem to Reyna but was now suddenly full of possibilities. Possibilities that Reyna hoped to every God she knew weren’t only limited to one night. Reyna was trying to work out again why they’d all booked the hotel for two nights, rather than staying at Camp Half-Blood, but Thalia’s hands roaming up and down her sides and her mouth pressed firmly against hers in the back of the cab made thinking rather difficult for Reyna. It might’ve been because Camp only had single beds, and shared cabins, and everybody had wanted some privacy. Probably. Reyna pressed her mouth against Thalia’s neck, causing a low moan to emit from the daughter of Zeus, and Reyna decided that if that was the reason they were staying in this Gods awful hotel, it was an explanation she could totally get behind.
The taxi stopped outside the hotel, and Reyna regained enough sensibility to count out the fare before jogging up the front steps to meet Thalia, who was keeping the door open for her. Reyna grabbed Thalia’s outstretched hand and pulled her through the lobby, temporarily being blinded by the fluorescent lights, and up the stairs to their hotel room.
Reyna had briefly considered taking the lift, imagining being pushed up against the wall in the tiny little box and having Thalia’s hands and mouth and body pressed all over her. But then she remembered they were only one flight up, and the doors would be opening no sooner than they’d got in, and that she wouldn’t she wouldn’t be able to ogle at Thalia’s ass if they didn’t go up the stairs.
As Thalia fumbled for their hotel key Reyna took the opportunity to pin her against the door, back against the wooden panel and body pressed impossibly close to Reyna’s. For a second Thalia stilled in surprise, and then one hand was tangled into Reyna’s hair and the other placed firmly on her lower back, tugging Reyna ever closer. Reyna lost herself in the feel of Thalia’s lips, and her own hands pressed against Thalia’s stomach, palms feeling the soft thin material of her dress. Eventually – and Reyna didn’t know where Thalia found the brain power – the key-card was retrieved and slotted into the reader, and Thalia manoeuvred the door handle behind her one-handed; the other was still possessively wrapped around Reyna’s body. The door flung open, and if it wasn’t for years of demigod training and honed reflexes, Reyna was pretty sure they would’ve fallen flat on the floor. As it was, they stumbled back into the room until they were facing opposite each other, less than a foot apart, the door clicking softly shut behind them.
Reyna was breathing hard. She could feel her chest rising and falling, and the slight tremble of her hands as they rested by her side. Thalia’s hair looked a mess; even more tousled and unruly than Percy’s after a day at the lake. Her blue lipstick was smeared across her face, and Reyna was pretty sure she saw some purple smudged there too. The silence was immense. It was as-if the whole of New York was still. The world was, to Reyna. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and for the millionth time that evening her eyes seemed to be locked onto Thalia’s. Dark brown onto light blue.
Reyna took a tentative step forward. She couldn’t think of anything to say – what even did you say when the person you’re interested in suddenly seems interested in you too and you’re this close to getting what you thought was only possible in fantasies. How do you not fuck that up?
So she settled for a simple “hey” as she gently took one of Thalia’s hands in hers.
Thalia chuckled.
“Hey,” she said back, grinning softly, squeezing Reyna’s hand gently.
“So: what next?”
If Reyna thought she’d been nervous before, she was almost trembling now. There was a reason she was careful never to get herself into awkward situations.
“Well.” Thalia started, looking smug. “I do believe someone suggested I fuck them.”
Reyna smiled a little. Thalia always was a cocky little shit.
“Did they, now?” Reyna hummed, feigning innocence.
“Oh yes. I thought it was fine idea, too.”
Thalia grabbed Reyna’s other hand, lacing their fingers together.
“I almost suggested it myself, but they must’ve beat me to it.” Thalia added, grinning wickedly.
Reyna laughed. From the way Thalia had kissed her in the taxi, Reyna had been pretty certain she’d gotten the right idea. No harm in hearing it confirmed though, she thought, as she leaned her head on Thalia’s shoulder.
“Right then.” Reyna started. “So we should-”
She trailed off. Partly because she wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence, and partly because Thalia’s lips had reached Reyna’s neck, and all thoughts completely left Reyna’s brain.
“Get ready for bed.” Thalia finished into Reyna’s shoulder.
Thalia moved away, slowly, crossing the room to rummage around her bag, and Reyna figured she’d follow her lead. The dress was really starting to irritate her and at this point - she wanted nothing more than her pyjamas… and maybe Thalia also, but that wasn’t the point. Reyna was just walking into the bathroom when she remembered the zip. The one at the back of her dress. The one she couldn’t reach by herself. Ah.
Reyna took a breath. She didn’t know why she was struggling so much to communicate this evening. Maybe it was the vodka. Yeah; she’d blame it on that. She walked over to Thalia and motioned to the back of her dress.
“Could you. Uhh… the zip. Undo it? Please.”
“Oh shit, yeah!”
Thalia grinned at Reyna and confidently sauntered behind her. Reyna rolled her eyes.
For the second time that night, Thalia’s breath warmed the back of Reyna’s neck; only this time Thalia wrapped an arm securely around Reyna’s middle, palm resting on her hip, as she slowly undid the zip. Reyna was half temped to turn around and kiss Thalia right then right there and see what else happened – the risk of her dress falling off be damned. But then Thalia was moving her arm and Reyna realised the zip had only been undone halfway - just enough so that Reyna could get to it herself - and she thought maybe the daughter of Zeus was more chivalrous than she let on.
Thalia placed a quick kiss to the back of Reyna’s head, and Reyna thought of all the kisses they’d shared that evening, that was the one most likely to make her knees weak and result in her falling into a useless puddle on the floor.
Mentally brushing herself off as Thalia went over to her case again, Reyna collected her makeup bag and walked into the bathroom with a sizeable pit in her stomach. She methodically removed all traces of Piper’s handiwork (and, well, Thalia’s, too, judging by the purple shadow around her mouth and the blue smudge on her neck), and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Blinking a few times to ground herself, she idly wondered if it was even worth putting her pyjamas on, given that in a few moments they were likely to be coming off. She shrugged at the mirror. Reyna would just do what she did every night. And if it was wrong; well: it wasn’t like there were rules for this kind of thing.
She emerged from the bathroom to find Thalia in – again – a simple oversized shirt. And probably not much else. Reyna was beginning to feel a bit inadequate in her sensible cotton button shirt and matching trousers. But then Thalia threw a cushion at Reyna (which, for the record, she deftly dodged), and then she was thinking of nothing but sweet, sweet revenge. Reyna picked up the pillow and marched over the bed, slamming the cushion onto a laughing Thalia.
Thalia grabbed Reyna and rolled her over onto the bed, pinning her down and grabbing her wrists. The laughter died in Reyna’s throat as she felt Thalia’s weight against her; both of them stretched out on the mattress. There was nowhere to hide. But Reyna was done hiding.
She craned her neck up slightly, and gently pressed her lips against Thalia’s, the pillow previously clutched in her hands falling and rolling off the edge of the bed. Thalia let-out a muffled oh and released Reyna’s wrists. Using one arm to hold herself up, she dragged the other along Reyna’s torso and under her shirt. Reyna shivered, and kissed back harder, tangling her hands into Thalia’s hair. One moved to the nape of Thalia’s neck, playing with the short strands of hair there, and Thalia shuddered. She pressed her tongue into Reyna’s mouth, deepening the kiss and holding Reyna tightly and pressing firmly against her. Reyna was starting to feel dizzy; and she didn’t think it had anything to do with the lack of oxygen. Thalia’s free hand resumed its roaming, tracing Reyna’s middle and up to her chest, barely brushing the fabric there before dipping back down and threatening to move under her trousers. Reyna moaned and, reluctantly detaching her mouth from Thalia’s, placed open-mouthed kisses down the column of Thalia’s neck all the way to her collarbone. She traced the outline of the bone with her lips, barely touching there; teasing. Thalia squirmed, and began tugging at Reyna’s shirt buttons.
Reyna felt fidgety; there was too much fabric between them. Thalia had moved her legs forward, knees level with Thalia’s hips, and it was becoming harder and harder not to think about Thalia without all those clothes on. Images began to flash through Reyna’s mind: Thalia’s hair ruffled and damp after training. Thalia undressing in the middle of the room. Thalia wrapped in just a towel after a shower this morning. Thalia in an oversized shirt and nothing else. Thalia-
The daughter of Zeus let out a frustrated whine when Reyna’s shirt didn’t come undone, though Reyna wasn’t sure what Thalia'd been expecting, using only one hand.
Reyna let out a soft laugh and pressed a chaste kiss on Thalia’s lips, moving both her hands to Thalia’s shoulders, pushing back slightly so they could both awkwardly sit-up, Thalia straddling Reyna.
“Fuck.” Reyna gritted as Thalia’s weight rested on her, creating a friction and heat that Reyna was rapidly becoming aware of.
Thalia gave her a questioning look.
“My clothes – I’m taking them off.”
A look of understanding came over Thalia as Reyna got off the bed. Reyna unbuttoned her shirt and folded it carefully, placing it on top of her case. She was about to take off her trousers when she realised Thalia wasn’t moving.
“Yours too!” Reyna chided, rolling her eyes as she finished undressing and placing everything neatly inside her bag, before taking a breath and turning back round to Thalia.
Reyna managed to look just in time to see the shirt being flung halfway across the room, and she rolled her eyes at the other girl, who grinned at Reyna like a Cheshire cat. Reyna walked over and kissed her, not sure what else to do given that her heart was pounding in her chest and she was in danger of staring at a near clothes-less Thalia and embarrassing herself, if she didn’t do something right now.
Thalia’s hands moved to Reyna’s bare hips, leaving trails of goosebumps where they ran up and down her torso. Reyna wrapped one arm around Thalia’s neck, and the other to rest on Thalia’s shoulder. She dragged her palm down to the dip caused by her collar-bones, and Reyna couldn’t resist moving to kiss Thalia there. They were both breathing heavily now, chests rising and falling as their hands stilled. Reyna felt warm despite the open window and the chill of the evening, and she didn’t resist when Thalia unhooked her bra and pushed her back down onto the bed.
Reyna reached up behind Thalia to take off hers, too. And, after a moment of deliberation, removed her own underwear as well, Thalia copying Reyna’s motions.
Reyna cupped Thalia’s cheek in her hand, looking up at her, and enjoyed the fact that this time she was the one holding the eye-contact, rather than being lost in it. Thalia bent down and pressed her soft lips on Reyna’s, and her heart stuttered. Reyna would never get used to it, she didn’t think: the ease with which Thalia kissed her. So effortlessly. Like it didn’t make Reyna’s heart leap to her throat or cause her brain to stall or send her body into (a good kind of) turmoil every time.
Reyna was also becoming increasingly aware of the fact that their bodies were being pressed together, and that Thalia’s roaming hands had moved to her chest, moulding the soft flesh there. Reyna’s moans were swallowed in the kiss, but she could still feel Thalia smiling against her mouth. Thalia proceeded to press kisses down Reyna’s neck, leaving a trail of heat on Reyna’s body, through the valley of her chest and down to her belly-button, and back up again. When Thalia pressed her mouth to the top of one of Reyna’s breasts, Reyna’s whole body arched upwards as she let-out a string of profanities in Latin. Thalia snickered, but quickly shut up when Reyna brushed her hands down along Thalia’s body and grabbed her ass.
Thalia continued back down the length of Reyna’s body, hands following her mouth until she reached the inside of Reyna’s thighs. She paused to smirk at Reyna (who swore Thalia had never looked better, but would vehemently deny it if asked) before placing her hands on the centre of Reyna’s thighs and kissing up the inside of her leg, reaching the sensitive skin right at the centre. Reyna’s breathing hitched, and she could feel Thalia’s breath on her, paused right where the pool of heat was building in Reyna. Right where she desperately wanted Thalia to be.
But Reyna needed to focus. Thalia was looking up at her again. She was asking a question, Reyna realised through the fog of her brain trying to work out why Thalia had stopped.
“This ok?” Thalia asked.
“Won’t be if you don’t get a move on.” Reyna quipped. But she said with a grin – the best she could muster when her body was screaming more but her brain was trying to sternly remind her that she really really liked Thalia, and should probably not push this too much and ruin everything.
But as ever Thalia had far less reservations than Reyna did. She was starting to think Thalia could hear her thoughts, the way she always seemed to respond to Reyna like she was an open book; an easy read on a Sunday afternoon. But that didn’t matter. Because Thalia’s tongue was on her. Reyna forgot how to breathe for a solid minute, she reckoned, because when she finally let out the breath she was holding, the air came out in a sudden whoosh and then refused to enter back into her lungs altogether.
Reyna didn’t have a comparison for the way Thalia’s tongue felt on (or in?) her. Reyna could only squirm and mutter expletives in Latin and clutch at the soft locks of Thalia’s spiky hair. Thalia’s grip on Reyna’s legs would probably bruise. But that was irrelevant, Reyna decided. A small price to pay for the feeling of Thalia’s mouth on her, licking the soft folds and entering inside her until Reyna was sure she was going to come undone. She was pretty certain she might die, actually, the way this felt. She was probably dreaming, because there was no way reality could feel this good.
The heat burning through Reyna was intensifying now, pooling between her legs. She was positively writhing underneath Thalia, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she was going to last. Everything about Reyna felt hot. The whole of her was on fire and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad; except that Thalia was the one making her feel like this, so it couldn’t possibly be wrong. Not with the way Thalia’s tongue had begun to focus on her clit, applying pressure and moving in fast strokes; or the way one hand had reached up to Reyna’s breasts, teasingly just brushing over one before taking the other into firmly into her hand and squeezing with delicious pressure.
Things were starting get to blurry. Reyna was clutching the bedsheets, and she reckoned she’d been constantly swearing for the past minute. Her head was ringing and she felt like her whole middle was coiling and all she was aware of was Thalia’s mouth and Thalia’s hand and then Reyna was yelling, and ordinarily Reyna would’ve cringed and sworn to never get herself into this kind of position again. But this wasn’t an ordinary situation and Thalia and Reyna were having sex and Thalia’s other hand had moved from Reyna’s leg to brush at Reyna’s folds and Reyna barely had time to yell a warning before the coil snapped, and Reyna was coming.
She hardly registered Thalia kissing her way back up Thalia’s side until Thalia’s face was next to Reyna’s, pale and beautiful and freckled and despite Reyna firmly believing she might never be able to move from this bed ever again she felt so boneless, she couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to Thalia’s soft lips.
“Good?” Thalia waggled her eyebrows suggestively, teasing Reyna into paying her a compliment, a game they often played when Thalia followed Reyna around New Rome when Reyna was supposed to be doing Praetor duties and Thalia was proving to be good company, but woefully distracting.
Reyna half-heartedly wacked her on the shoulder with one arm, before muttering a “fuck, Grace” and kissing her again.
Thalia laughed and kissed back, slowly and lazily, and full of promise. But Reyna tried not to think too much about that bit. She sighed contentedly, snuggling down next to Reyna and wrapping an arm around her. And Reyna almost succumbed to sleep, except Thalia was still placing light kisses along Reyna’s jaw and trailing patterns around her hip and whilst Reyna was thoroughly satisfied to have been fucked by Thalia, Reyna hadn’t forgotten her previous intention of doing the same to her.
Reyna rolled over so that she was the one pinning Reyna down, grinning when Thalia’s eyes went wide. It took a lot surprise the previous lieutenant of the Hunters. It was silly of Thalia, really, to think Reyna wouldn’t give as good as she got. She was no pushover, as their annual training sessions in Camp Jupiter had taught them both. They kept a running total of who was winning, and it was anybody’s guess who was going to be the victor. Or when they’d stop counting…
Reyna started small, with the parts of Thalia she knew. She kissed Thalia’s freckled nose; those pale, blushing cheeks; the soft lips and the hollow of her neck. Reyna brought one hand up to caress Thalia’s shoulder as she kissed the other; branching into new territory as she dipped blow the collar-bones, sliding her hand back down to the curve above Thalia’s hip as she experimentally placed her mouth onto one of Thalia’s breasts. When Thalia swore, loudly, and jerked beneath Reyna, she did it again; moving her tongue in slow, experimental circles until Thalia’s breath was coming out in short, ragged gaps. Reyna paid a lot of attention to the rest of Thalia’s middle: kissing; feeling; holding; trying to etch everything to memory. She felt Thalia’s racing pulse when she kissed up the centre of her chest; heard her gasps when Reyna touched or kissed or just missed her breasts; felt her relax and tense alternately as Reyna teasing moved her mouth downwards and back up again, hands moving all over Thalia with a mind of their own and an agenda Reyna hadn’t realised they had.
It wasn’t until Thalia ground-out a strangled “fuck” when Reyna kissed the inside of her thigh that the reality of what was happening really hit Reyna.
She stopped. Reyna didn’t know what to do. She’d thought about it, sure. Thought about her and Thalia in this position a lot, actually. And it’s not like she was as innocent or as much of a prude as everyone seemed to think she was, either. But that didn’t mean Reyna had any practical experience, or much of an idea of what to do now that she was here. Reyna cursed inwardly. She was probably making a fool of herself, deliberating like this.
“Reyna, we don’t have-”
Thalia didn’t get to finish the sentence. Reyna realised she was being ridiculous. This was Thalia. This girl had seen Reyna at her worst in Puerto-Rico; relaxed in a cosy café in New Rome; and during war games in Camp Half-Blood. She’d insulted Reyna’s taste in books and stolen jellybeans out of the jar in her kitchen and had survived. Reyna wasn’t sure what was going to happen after tonight. But she liked Thalia. A lot. And by the Gods Reyna was determined to not overthink what was quite possibly the best night of her life.
She placed her hands back on Thalia’s upper thighs, and resumed her kissing there. Thalia promptly shut-up, and made an “ooohhh” sound when Reyna tentatively placed her tongue against Thalia, licking up towards her clit. Reyna stayed there, making lazy circles with her tongue or repeatedly making a stipe up and down Thalia’s centre. When Reyna placed her tongue carefully in Thalia’s entrance, shivers shot up her spine at the sounds Thalia made and the memory of how it felt when Thalia had done that to her. She let her hands continue to wander Thalia’s body, smoothing over her pale skin and grazing her nails gently down Thalia’s leg or squeezing the curve of the arse Reyna had admired from afar more times than she’d ever admit aloud.
Reyna picked up the pace with her mouth, enjoying the feeling of Thalia writhing beneath her, trying to increase the friction. Thalia made a strangled sound when Reyna removed her tongue all-together, but when Reyna gently teased her entrance with a finger Thalia yelled in what Reyna could only assume was Greek, and she took it as a good sign.
She entered slowly, not really sure what she was doing, but Thalia almost bucked off the bed, and Reyna almost laughed with the absurdity of it all, increasing the pace. She kissed around Thalia’s pelvis and ran her hands along Thalia’s body and tried to focus on what she was doing and not getting lost in the way Thalia was chanting her name. Reyna moved her mouth back down again to Thalia’s clit, a bit rougher this time round, moving in sharper and faster circles.
Thalia felt like she was vibrating now, shaking and squirming and tangling her hands in Reyna’s positively ruined hair, yelling and grinding down against her until her entire body froze, and Thalia murmured a pitiful moan.
She tugged at Reyna’s hair, pulling her up the bed to place her mouth against Reyna’s and kiss her so soundly Reyna really thought she might never see air again, not that that was problem.
“Fuck.” Thalia repeated Reyna’s earlier statement without a trace of sarcasm.
And Reyna laughed at Thalia’s ability to form words, like Thalia had laughed at Reyna earlier, and for once everything around Reyna felt right.
***
“You-know, Rey,” Thalia said quietly, as they drifted into sleep and all they could hear was the gentle rustling of the curtains against the open window and the soothing background noise of New York.
“Hmm?”
Reyna had her eyes closed; one hand wrapped around Thalia’s waist, the other tucked safely underneath her head.
“I think I could pretend with you for more than just a minute.”
Thalia shuffled up to tilt her head up at Reyna, bright blue eyes boring into hers.
“Yeah?” Reyna’s heart felt like it had stopped.
“Yeah.” Thalia replied, a stupid grin on her face.
Reyna smiled then, too, and rolled over to face Thalia.
“Good,” she said simply.
Reyna tugged Thalia slightly closer, and listened as the girls gentle breathing became steady and relaxed. Reyna counted all the freckles on Thalia’s nose. Perhaps weddings weren’t so bad, after all.