Chapter Text
"How long are you going to scare the legionnaires?" Dakota, sleepy and habitually drunk, touched Reyna's elbow, making the girl flinch. "You have a vacation, go get some rest."
"I'm not scaring them, I'm just waiting... for the Jacksons and Annabeth."
Dakota's red eyes narrowed on Reyna's face. The girl just raised her eyebrows, "do you doubt me?" Dakota was doubtful. All the officers were doubtful, and Reyna knew it: it was not easy to send her to rest. But she wasn't lying at this particular moment. She kept it a secret between herself and Annabeth, but she wasn't lying. She actually came to the entrance to new Rome to meet the girl and the Jackson family and help them carry their bags to their new home.
And she forgot that at five the centurions go to check the guards with ammonia, water and everything else necessary.
"Then you could have told me why I was here" Dakota sighed heavily and put the ammonia in his pocket.
A suppressed chuckle came from the guards. Actually, this was forbidden by the statute, but, as the golden rule said, everything is possible as long as lares don't see.
Reyna herself smiled looking into her friend's face:
"Go get some sleep, if there will be trouble, we will raise your."
Dakota yawned, glanced at the guards once more, and trudged off in the direction of the camp and the barracks. As if he can fall asleep after such a morning workout!
"Oh, goddesses, does he always take so long to check?" Scarlett pressed her spear against the wall as soon as Dakota was a good distance away.
"We weren't standing on the same cohort, in case you've already forgotten. You can ask Jason or Gwen later. But you'll have to explain how it happened that you were examined by a centurion of the fifth cohort," Reyna muttered the last to herself, peering at the dial on her wrist. They're late, what if something happened?
"What can I explain, they have half a cohort in the infirmary after yesterday's game, thay can put two probationers or those who were standing recently on guard duty, and I volunteered to help," Scarlett stretched while her partner was really standing, not moving. Reyna looked her over, remembering the name she hadn't learned in her month of service.
"Scarlett - oh no, I'm standing at the tunnel again tomorrow, not that - volunteered to be a guard herself! Is this how the end of the service affects you? Or are you going to tell me that you forgot here after all?" Reyna folded her arms across her chest. She knew that the fifth cohort did not have enough combat—ready legionnaires: the last game turned out to be hot; but Reyna also knew her friend, and she certainly would not get up all night without her own advantage.
Scarlett bit her lip and turned her head to Probazio.
"Close your ears, baby," and then leaned closer to Reyna. "I understand you don't follow the rumors, but I thought you knew that one of Athena's daughters, who stole my friend's heart, is due to arrive today."
Well, that's right, the whole legion knows, it would be too naive to believe that these crooks didn't find out everything before Reyna realized it. Scarlett laughed.
"Well, my friend from the college housing commission said that most likely Theo will live with," Scarlett sighed theatrically, "Percy Jackson. I have to look at this poor guy who has been putting up with my brother for four years."
The girl fell silent, peering at the cars on the highway, which seemed to be rushing at the speed of light. Reyna wanted to ask if her friend wasn't afraid to leave the service behind and enroll, who she would live with, and in general, whether they would see each other, but she didn't have time. The traffic was exactly the same, but the three sisters' taxi stopped right next to the tunnel.
Scarlett barely had time to grab her spear and stand up straight, and Reyna had time to realize that her beloved girl would now be right next to her when the taxi door opened.
***
Annabeth was balancing neatly on the kitchen counter, putting dishes on the upper shelves. Plates for guests, not always the right baking pans, some kind of trays - Sally and Percy loved to cook, and therefore spared no expense on everything related to the kitchen. Annabeth and Paul loved eating their cooking, so they were always ready to help.
The door opened softly and Sally stood in the doorway with Estelle in her arms. Paul and Percy rearranged the furniture, and Annabeth was entrusted with sorting out the bags. Sally was left to babysit Estelle and chat with everyone. In fact, if only Percy and Annabeth had decided everything, they would have sent Paul to rest, but everyone in this house was stubborn.
"This girl, Reyna, I thought she was still serving?"
"Is she serving, just took a vacation? Or did she make an agreement with Frank?" Annabeth jumped off the table and sighed heavily when she saw another bag.
"So she can't leave like this every day?" Sally sat Estelle down on a chair and dragged her bag towards her. "I'll serve it to you, it'll be faster, I won't break down from a few plates."
Annabeth smiled. "What about Reyna? If you need help, she will come, of course, and we can ask Hazel, it will be easier for her to come, or Jason is here sometimes.… But she can do it, too. Probably."
"No, no, nothing. It's just that she's so collected, it hurts to look at her, you invite her to us sometime. Not today, but in a couple of days, when we'll sort the bags here. At least let she relax her back," Sally handed Annabeth a grater that was lying at the very top.
Annabeth picked it up and looked at the shelves. Oh, goddesses, where should she put the grater?
And how can she convince Reyna that she will have to spend the evening with the Jacksons?