A/N: So, I'm anticipating your Xmas gift! Even if I'm really sad about not getting any other vote for pjo awards after the last two updates...   :(   and now it's already closed

MONDAY, 2nd January

After waving to a parting Sierra, Reyna entered the gym with Frank.

"Hm... hi, praetor. Hey, pal, good to see you again."

Reyna nodded to the awkward wave Adam sent in her direction, going to change her clothes before Krav Maga, pointing Frank to the man's bathroom.

Why is he acting so weird?

It could be because we didn't call him after our date.

Well, we had no reason to. And we were away with Hilda, that was enough of a headache.

I almost feel sorry for him.

You do?

He's trying to get close to us. And admittedly, we're not the kind of people who make easy for others to get close. Sierra was right about that, the only reason she's your friend is that she decided to be, because I think you never really made any effort to have her as a friend. And before you yell at me, just know I'm the same. I'm a bit of a loner at a camp I was made the leader. I used to think that it was because of my position, that I had to keep a certain distance, and I just made me look more stupid.

Why do you say that?

I was alone, so I tried to grasp at whatever I could. First, with Jason, I was creating in my mind something that was not meant to be, mostly because I didn't have anyone else, it was him who knew me, truly knew me.

And then he left and came back with a girlfriend.

I wasn't really jealous of her, I was jealous of them. It hurt more to know that I couldn't have THAT, not that I couldn't have HIM. I'm grateful that Percy remembered having a girlfriend right at the start because getting my hopes up and then crushed a second time wouldn't have been nice. I think a lot of praetors got involved not only because they worked closely together, but because they were close only to each other.

And why are you thinking about that now?

I don't have close friends, Regina. You at least have Sierra.

Didn't you say you became close to Nico?

He's like a small little brother, but I can't have girl talk with him, for an example.

Annabeth?

She's my equal and I'm very grateful for having met her, she can see a lot of things others can't, just because she thinks like me. Still, she has Percy, she's friends with Piper and Hazel, she lives in a cabin full of half-siblings, she works closely with their teacher, she's searched for general advice, and not only war-related advice. When they play Capture the Flag, she leads her group, while I act as referee to War Games. She can connect better than I can.

Do you want to connect as she does?

I just want to have people treating me with a small degree of informal. Hazel does it a little because she saw me outside camp. Frank is my co-praetor and even he took his time to start treating me less formally. I like the respect, but I miss a little the easy interactions I saw the Greeks keep between them. I'm Roman, I value order and hierarchy, I just wished I could get a break from it with at last a couple of people.

So... what now?

Just think a little about not kicking Adam away. He's offering a hand, don't bite it like a rabid dog.

She entered the mat and saw Frank next to Adam who looked at her hesitantly. She answered with a small smile, which relaxed him a little before starting class.

***

She was re-braiding her hair after a shower, not really interested in the conversation between two women next to her, even if she caught snippets of it.

"... my husband didn't even notice..."

"... my sister went through the same thing..."

"... I'm thinking about doing it again tonight..."

Do you like Adam?

What?

Adam, do you like him?

In what sense, if I like his company or...

His company.

... Yeah, I'd say I do. Even if a bit cheesy, I like his humor.

Okay.

That's it?

For now, yes.

Ok, then.

TUESDAY, 3rd January

"Reggie, we found a sister."

Reyna turned to Sierra with her eyebrows raised.

"We did?"

"For you, yes. I don't want her as a sister. Nuh-hu, definitely not a sister."

"I already have a sister."

"Good, then she's all mine."

"Who?"

Sierra made her turn around and pointed to a girl not far from them, glancing at the students around her with a mix of contempt and distrust. A contrast to her simple and discreet clothing was the bright lilac hair with blue streaks. Before Reyna could say anything, the girl saw them and narrowed her eyes. Coming like an angry bull, she stopped right in front of Sierra, her face getting red from anger.

"I saw you pointing. Were you talking about me!?"

Sierra didn't even blink to answer.

"Yes."

Reyna was ready to see steam coming out of her ears anytime now.

"Well, say it to my face!"

"I was to tell Reggie here that I thought your hair was crazy."

"Better crazy than boring! At least I have a style!"

Sierra fake yawned like she was bored.

"Did Jeff do it? He's the best."

She clearly hadn't been expecting that answer, because it gave her a pause.

"...What?"

Sierra released her own hair from the bun it was, allowing the other girl to see the green tips.

"I meant crazy as a compliment. I was trying to be nice and you just threw me off!"

The girl blushed in embarrassment and took a step back.

"Oh! I'm sor-"

"I'm so proud of you!"

The girl blinked in confusion. Sierra didn't waste time and took a step forward to get closer to the new girl.

"A question, do you kiss girls?"

Her blush got more intense and went down her neck.

"Eh... w-why d-do you ask?"

"I'll take that as a yes. Hi, I'm Sierra, but you can call me whatever you want, darling, as long as you let me kiss that pretty mouth of yours. Can I call you darling? Or sweetie? Maybe my precious honeybun?"

The girl froze while Sierra leaned, invading her space.

"Ahn... Eh..."

The bell rang, saving the new girl of answering Sierra. Reyna starting pulling her friend by the arm.

"Come on, we need to go to class and you need to stop harassing her."

"Ok, just let me say one last thing."

"As long as it doesn't get you a harassing complaint."

"Then it's better if I don't say anything."

Releasing herself from Reyna's grip, Sierra approached the girl with blue hair again with a feral smile, while the poor girl was even more petrified by Sierra's actions, which went up a notch when Sierra grabbed the girl by the hair and kissed her lips. It was closed-mouth and only for a couple of seconds, but the remaining students stared in surprise and the girl became even more rigid. Sierra let go of her and winked.

"See you around for more of that, honeybun."

Reyna was joined by a very satisfied Sierra. Sighing, she started walking to class.

"I was sure you knew that, but you can't go kissing people at the middle of the hallway without their consent, someone might open a lawsuit against you. And you don't even know if she likes kissing girls."

"Trust me, Reggie, that girl is as straight as a cooked noodle. My gaydar is perfect. And she wants more of all this."

She gestured to her whole body with an arrogant smile.

"Is modesty even in your dictionary?"

"I just know the effect I cause. Have you tried?"

"To know the effect that I cause?"

I do, usually is fear for foes and respect for friends.

I don't know if I cause fear...

You do, that's why most people keep their distance from you.

"No, kissing a girl."

Reyna stopped to look at her friend.

"Why do you ask?"

"Sweetie, I might not be your type, but your posture and your hair are the only straight things about you, I knew from the moment I met you."

Wait, what?

"She tasted like strawberry. Maybe a lip balm?"

"What exactly did you mean by that?"

"Nothing serious. Take your time, Reggie. Go out with Adam, I know you like him. Just know that when you decide to try something not so mainstream, I want to hear every detail."

Sierra winked with a knowing smile and went back to her wonderings.

"Do you think I should ask her on a date or just kidnap her to Vegas? Reggie, a mission for you, finding out the name of my precious honeybun. Dammit, I need to let Niel know she's TOTALLY out limits for his fish-stinking hands..."

Don't even bother to ask for anything else, she won't share, I just know it.

So... just the two of us.

We're not talking about it.

Your choice.

WEDNESDAY, 4th January

You sure?

I am.

I'm happy for you.

For me or for you? Just do it.

"Adam?"

He stopped putting his coat and looked at her with surprise.

"Regina. Praetor. Hi!"

"Just Regina is okay. I was thinking about going to eat something. Care to join me?"

"Are you ill?"

"Well, you can say no if you don't want t-"

"I do! I swear I do! It's just... unexpected."

He grinned like a kid on Christmas.

"Where do you wanna go?"

***

Before Regina changed her mind, Reyna took the wrapped gift from her backpack and pushed over the table to Adam. He looked between her and the gift in surprise.

"What is this?"

"A late Christmas gift, I guess. It's not something personal, as we still don't know yo-each other very well."

He opened to find a light denim jacket and tried it right there over his shirt and it fit perfectly, eliminating the girls' doubt about the right size. Adam grinned at them and took it off, carefully folding it.

"So, what caused this change of heart?"

I told you he would ask.

Well, he could not ask.

Reyna looked up from her milkshake to the ceiling, buying time to answer.

What do you want me to answer?

Why me?

You changed idea, not me. So, why was it?

"Let's just say I met someone who had a very similar life to mine, almost like a twin from another mother..."

Or reality.

Which also means another mother, and father, etc.

"... and she made me see things from a different perspective. I was always so sure that everything was the way it was supposed to be. She made me see that maybe things can change."

That maybe I can change.

As cliché as it sounds, no man, or woman, is an island.

"Well, then I'd be happy to watch you bloom."

This caught their attention.

"What did you say?"

"Watch you bloom. Sierra said you're a bit of a loner, so if you say you want to change and I think that means expanding your horizon, I'd be happy to see it and help however I can. You're beautiful, smart, brave, strong. Your potential is enormous, and I think you will bloom beautifully."

Regina was at a loss for words and Reyna couldn't help but feel these words were also meant to her. The daughter of war being compared to a flower ready to bloom was unexpected, and she could feel the heat from a blush spreading over her face and neck.

***

After parting ways with Adam to go home, Reyna checked her notification on her phone for the word of the day.

You know, I think I might install something like that at camp when I return.

An app for word of the day?

Not an app, demigods don't use phones. But we can have some panels around camp, with a new word every day.

English word?

I was thinking more like Latin. Maybe also Greek?

You speak both?

Not really. However, with the peace treaty between camps, would be interesting to learn some words like this. It doesn't replace classes and lessons but might help expand our vocabulary.

And you will change every panel around the city yourself? That's a lot of legwork.

Regina, we might not have electronics, but we do have magic.

Sure, of course.

The moment she put the phone in her back pocket, it rang.

Should I answer?

I vote for not answering.

We both know who is calling.

One more reason not to answer.

Maybe we should listen to Sierra and try?

I don't know which part is worse, listen to Sierra or try.

Reyna picked up the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Regina, where are you?"

"At home."

"Really? Because I'm here waiting for you for the last hour and you're nowhere to be seen. Hurry up, we have an appointment."

The call was cut off.

Well, maybe we should have ordered a bottle of tequila instead of a milkshake.

***

After two hours of accompanying Hilda and the real state agent, Reyna had approached a window of an empty apartment, trying to ignore the other two discussing details.

Do you think we die if we jump?

You certainly do. I have no idea what would happen to me.

"Regina!"

"What?"

"I've been calling you for ages. Come on, we're finished here."

Here she means this apartment or the hunting?

Let's hope the apartment.

Do you want to keep hunting?

Not really, but I hated every single one so far.

***

They stopped at a red light and Hilda glanced at Reyna.

"If you don't stop frowning, your face will stay like that."

"That is such a mother thing to say. Please, don't do it again."

Hilda kept silent the rest of the trip back to Reyna's apartment.

Wow, she's more sensitive than I remember her being.

***

Reyna paused her episode of Westworld on her laptop and answered her phone, not bothering to check the ID, knowing it had to be either Sierra or Hilda.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Reyna."

"Nico?"

Were you expecting him to call?

Definitely not.

"That's a surprise. Tell me, what can I do?"

"I was just wondering if you knew a girl named Claire."

"From this world? I don't think I do. Why?"

Wait a moment, I think we heard something about a Claire.

Where?

"Because she knows me. She started calling me Nico di Angelo. WHO is she to know that?"

Could it have been by one of the demigods?

Reyna did a mental scan, trying to think which demigod got close to a mortal in this reality.

"Could be Piper's friend?"

"Piper?"

"She has a friend here. I mean, Trish does. Piper said she told the girl about our demigod lives."

"What!?"

"Both she and Jason said the girl needed to know. They said she promised secrecy."

"Then I need to talk to Piper to have a serious talk with this girl."

"Want me to do it?"

His pause was enough to let her know he considered her offer seriously.

"... No, I can do it."

She smiled hearing the hesitation in his voice about making an effort at human interaction.

"You know, you can always text and avoid more interaction than necessary."

"I'll do it."

"Ok."

"..."

"Nico? Would you like to say something else?"

"Hm... Are you ok?"

She adjusted herself, putting the laptop aside, sensing something she couldn't explain.

"Yes... why do you ask?"

"I was just... I'm glad that you're okay."

"Do you want to talk?"

"We're part of a group."

That was... vague.

"A... group? You mean a study group, a text group..."

"A group. With a mascot and a secret handshake."

Like small children? Do they have a hideout in a tree house with a sign 'Girls keep out'?

"Who is in this group?"

"So far, me, Niel, Lucy. She said we could invite Hazel."

"And what is it group for?"

"I don't think it has a purpose, it's just a... group. The last time I was part of something like this would be when we were taking the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood, but it's different."

A group of friends? He's worried because he has friends?

Nico is not really... social.

"Of course it was, we were running against time to avoid the end of the world. Why are you so unsettled about being part of a group?"

"I guess I never really felt like I belonged. There are people that like me, like Hazel, Bianca..."

"Me, Jason. And Will."

"Maybe. It's just, the way Lucy said it, so... natural, it was weird."

"Nico, you're part of both camps. You have friends. If you could just see it..."

"I still feel like people just feel forced to accept me."

"Do you think this Lucy and Niel... they feel forced or they want to be your friends?"

"That's the thing, I have no idea because I don't even know why they started to walk with us."

Flashback over, back to present

FRIDAY 6th January

"Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?"

Sierra looked up from her cappuccino to the guy leaning against their table. She had invited Reyna for a coffee after Krav Maga, so she could avoid her sister for a little longer. Reyna simply ignored the man, not in the mood. Her friend, on the other hand, gave her sexiest smile to him.

"No, but I broke a nail crawling out of Hell. But now it has grown back, look!"

She showed him her hand with manicured nails, but not very long ones.

"Tell me, tiger, want me to give you stripes in bed?"

He blinked for a couple of seconds but regained his wits and grinned.

"I live just a-"

"Too late, my heart was taken a couple days ago by the most beautiful mismatching eyes. Now go bother someone else, shoo!"

When he left, Reyna narrowed her eyes at Sierra.

"Mismatching eyes?"

"One the most beautiful brown, like molten chocolate, the other bright as a sapphire. Why hasn't she called me yet, Reggie?"

"Maybe because instead of giving her your number you kissed her by force?"

"It wasn't really by force, she wanted, I felt it! Right here!"

She put her hand over her heart and after a couple of seconds, pointed down.

"And a little bit there too. Ok, a lot. Star's sexy, and hot, and has style. Before I made her shy, she showed she has quite a tongue. I want to feel her using it. And she tastes sooo good, and I'm not talking about her lip balm."

"Have you thought about changing your approach?"

"You mean I should stop waiting and just kidnap her?"

"I mean apologizing for kissing her in front of an audience, giving her your number and asking her out."

"She's too shy to say yes, I just know it."

"Or maybe she doesn't want to say yes."

"I need help."

"From a therapist? Agreed."

Sierra picked up her phone and started calling someone. It took her four tries, but finally, the other person answered.

"Captain? I require your aid for a shenanigan. Nothing too drastic, just a kidnapping. Yes, her! She has been staring in all my erotic dreams for the last nights..."

Wow, that's blunt.

And quite unnecessary.

"... and plaguing my days by not calling me. Stop laughing, you dirty rat, I'm serious right now!"

Should we be concerned she might do something that would land her in jail?

I never saw her like this, I have no idea.