helloeverybunny | PSL • Normal Is A Myth (Riordanverse AU)

[ It’s been a long shift and Jacen’s more than ready to call it a day. It’s funny how these things work, though, because last he checked he finally just has half an hour to go... and it looks like he still has twenty-five minutes left. After what felt like an hour, at least. Weird, huh?

Tired as he is, he still has a smile on his face. He always does, somehow. ]

Tall Americano, 1 raw sugar, splash of steamed 2% — do you have a death wish today, Mike?

[ His jokes are consistently bad. Fortunately, Mike’s a regular, and he’s developed a fondness for Jacen’s sense of humor. And the fact that the kid consistently misspells his name. You must be flabbergasted; who misspells Mike? Well, demigods. And Jacen Solo.

He hands Mike his drink with a lopsided grin, then glances at the wall clock. Twenty-two minutes more. ]

[ weekend trips to the east coast aren't as frequent as reyna would have liked, but no one can ever say she doesn't try to make the most of it when they happen. life back in camp jupiter has more or less settled back into the norm, despite their new graecan brethren, so for once, perhaps foolishly, she travels alone. tis but a simple weekend trip anyway, made that much shorter by the pegasus, guido's, gracious offer to accompany her. they aren't too far from long island, but after a long trip, a pit stop had been in order, and reyna's feeling oddly antsy for reasons she isn't too willing to pinpoint yet.

and so she stands here in line at starbucks, as if she were some regular teenage girl enjoying her weekend, nevermind the fact she's got a pegasus waiting on her and some donuts just outside, though to many humans he would just look like a particularly excitable great dane.

she'd only been half-paying attention to the exchange happening just in front of her, but her interest couldn't help but be piqued at the mention of death. an unfortunate side effect of being a war goddess' daughter, or so she'll assert. it's just a regular conversation though, so she has to blink and shake away her instinct to be on guard, and fashions on what she hopes is a normal smile as she steps up to the counter. ]

One hot chocolate, please. [ which is probably weird, given it's the middle of summer. ] And two plain donuts. Glazed.

[ Jacen looks away from the clock and towards the next customer, but something outside the shop catches his attention. He blinks dumbly — is that a horse?

Then his eyes widen slightly. Kriff, that’s a winged horse. Certainly not the weirdest creature he’s seen in his lifetime, but pegasi aren’t known patrons of Starbucks, are they? And that also means his rider’s around here somewhere... possibly even inside.

He swallows the lump that has suddenly formed in his throat; then, with a sheepish smile, turns back to the girl in front of the counter. Oops, he only caught the donuts part. ]

Two glazed donuts and a... uh... sorry, miss, beg your pardon?

[ He resists the urge to avert his eyes and check if the pegasus is still there. ]

[ she thinks, at first, that he finds her order odd. she supposes it wouldn't be a common thing to ask for, given the day's heat, but she can't deny her love for hot chocolate anymore than she can deny he's definitely glancing over her shoulder behind the glass doors. she resists the urge to look back, knowing full well the sight that'll meet her once she does. but for all intents and purposes, he shouldn't see anything out of the ordinary... so why is he acting like he is?

immediately, reyna's defenses go back up. eyes narrow just faintly as she takes a mental stock of the weapons she's got on her person — a switchblade in her back pocket, a dagger in her boot. ]

Hot chocolate, [ she repeats, taking care to keep her smile polite and courteous. ] Tall.

[ He’s always been quite sensitive to emotions — he’s not sure how, but he just is, although he finds animals much easier to read than humans — so her caution doesn’t go unnoticed. Unknowingly, he does the same thing, although he seeks out what he can use to defend himself. ]

Day’s not hot enough for you, huh? [ He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes this time. He picks up a marker and a cup, trying to appear as chill as possible, while still restraining himself from looking back at the pegasus outside. He can feel Guido’s restlessness, though. ] May I have your name, please?

[ guido wants his donuts, man... ]

I live in California. [ and puerto rico, before that. ] You could say I'm used to the heat.

[ and if she gives a slight hesitation about handing her name over? that's totally normal, right? right. ] It's Reyna.

[ there's no harm in it, she figures. if this boy were indeed a monster meaning to attack her, he'd already know her name. so far, though, she sees nothing too off about his demeanor. a little stitled, perhaps, which is a far cry from his friendliness with mike, but it could just be because reyna is new, or he's itching to get to the end of his shift. relax, she tells herself. she is as close to a vacation as a praetor can get. she needs to act like it. ]

California? [ Okay, he’s genuinely intrigued. The not-quite-smile is a real smile now, although still a little shy. Girls... are not his strong point. Human girls, anyway. ] Wow, that must have been quite a trip.

[ He proceeds to jot down her name on the cup. R-A-Y-N-A. Oops. But he does ask, rather thoughtfully: ] Would you like some marshmallows or sprinkles on your hot chocolate?

[ It’s the least he can do, right? She’s from so far away. That’s probably even why she’s a little jumpy — jetlag. Maybe adding something a little extra to her drink will make her smile.

And, well, make her leave a generous tip. ]

Yes, [ she agrees emphatically, with a sight twitch to the corner of her mouth, ] an overnight flight. [ she resists the urge to glance back over her shoulder at guido again. it'd definitely been a trip, especially considering the pegasus has an affinity for doing barrel rolls mid-flight whenever he grew bored. ]

Marshmallows would be lovely, thank you. [ she speaks perhaps a little too stiffly or formally for a sixteen year old, but given she's used to commanding more than she's used to casual conversation... well. it's to be expected.

still, her tone is warm, and she genuinely looks pretty excited for the extra treat. ]

[ Ah, there it is. A hint of a smile — and that's enough for him. For now. There's only so much he can do with... wait, fifteen minutes? Why is time flying so fast now that he's finally talking to someone cute? Granted, she seems a little too serious, and even a tad intimidating, but who is he kidding, he's always liked girls who are out of his league. ]

Here you go. One hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and two glazed donuts for our visitor from the West Coast. Hope you enjoy your stay.

[ He grins and holds her gaze for a moment, then ducks his head, suddenly shy. Trying to be cool about the whole thing, he busies himself on the register, so he's not able to see her reaction to her misspelled name. ]

[ it would not be the first time someone's ever been intimidated by her, so she's certainly used to having eye contact dropped fairly quickly — and often. curiously, she finds it a bit of a shame, as he had had rather nice eyes, and a nice smile, and—

whoa there, reyna. let's not get ahead of ourselves. ]

Thank you... [ her own gaze drops down to the nametag pinned to his apron. ] Jacen.

[ and that was that. or at least, it should be. but oddly enough there isn't anyone else in line behind her, so leaving so suddenly isn't all that necessary...

she turns the steaming cup in her hands. ]

It's with an 'e', by the way. Reyna.

[ gods. that's even worse than small talk about the weather. she can practically sense guido shaking his head at her behind the glass. ]

[ Kriff, he’s done it again? He winces, then looks up from the register to smile apologetically at her. She doesn’t seem to be upset, but he could never be sure when it comes to girls. ] Sorry. Uh...

[ He laughs, shaking his head, and somehow surprises himself by admitting: ] I’m dyslexic. I think that’s even why my name’s Jacen — it’s probably supposed to be Jason, but I kept misspelling it.

[ A thoughtful expression settles on his face as he attempts to spell her name, slowly mouthing R-E-Y-N-A. ] It’s nicer. With an “e”.

[ reyna's smile remains kind, but as he explains, there is a touch of understanding there as well. her own dyslexia isn't nearly as bad as others, but she can certainly empathize.

later, when she's had more time to replay these events and be properly mortified by them, she'll blame this moment on her training. that every proper warrior should always be vigilant and pay attention to every little detail and movement.

like the silent spelling of her name on a cute boy's lips.

you know. for diligence. ]

Thank you. I like yours with an "e," too.

[ she almost winces. perhaps she should just take her leave before she embarrasses herself further... ]

[ Whoa is he starting to feel some connection here, over the mutual “e” in their names? He doesn’t want to get his hopes up, but if she’s smiling, he’s got to be doing something right. ]

So, uh... [ Why is small talk suddenly so hard? Even if he’s not the most sociable of the baristas in the immediate vicinity, he’s somehow always known what to say to his customers. Call it intuition, empathy... whatever it is, it’s worked for him. He’s even managed to make his mild dyslexia and chronic misspelling endearing. But, nope, whatever power he has seems to be fading fast, the longer he stands in her presence.

He glances over her shoulder to make sure there aren’t any more people waiting in line, only for his gaze to be met by Guido’s. He blinks. ]

Your pet likes donuts?

[ somewhere between her absolute failure of a compliment and jacen's similarly unfortunate attempt as small talk, reyna realizes she should have walked away ten minutes ago. should have just taken her treats and left, maybe distract guido with her own donut to make the trip to camp half-blood a little longer, just so she had more than enough time to swallow down her embarrassment.

but now not only is he attempting to carry on the conversation (however stilted and awkward it might be), he's also turned his attention back to her "pet." without even looking, she's absolutely certain the pegasus is pawing impatiently at the ground for his donut. ]

He... yes. [ reyna ramírez-arellano, daugther of bellona, sister of the queen of the amazons, praetor of the twelfth legion, master of pokerfaces, cannot even hide her wince at that. she'd faced down giants and titans and orion the hunter himself, but here finds her weakness in a cute boy whom she can't even manage to hold a real conversation with. she can just imagine hylla laughing at her right now. ]

It's a bad habit he picked up from a friend. [ ... ] From a dog park. [ because he's. he's a dog. yes. ]

[ So. Dog park. Uh. He’s either hallucinating, because he’s pretty sure the creature outside is not a dog, or she’s unaware that what she has isn’t a dog.

Does it occur to him that maybe she’s lying, that she‘s just pretending Guido’s a dog for the sake of the poor ordinary people around them? Of course.

Does he believe it? Of course not.

But not because he doesn’t want to. Quite the opposite, in fact. But, well, he doesn’t want to get his hopes up. Not after the last time. ]

Tell you what... [ Grinning, he leans over the counter to whisper to her conspiratorially. ] My shift ends in like, five minutes. If you can wait until a little after then, I can grab a couple more donuts for him?

[ Then he pulls back a little, as it dawns on him that he might be coming off a little too forward. ] Unless, you know, you’re in a hurry. Or you have to fly back to California. [ Dude, they just arrived, remember? Focus. ]

[ she is in a hurry. or, at least she was? technically she hasn't got any time table to actually keep to (she vaguely remembers telling jason and piper she would there sometime today, but not necessarily early), but she's also very aware of the fact she's hastily trying to come up with any reason to prolong keeping this guy's company. (gods, she's even more pathetic than she thought.)

that said, maybe this isn't what she thinks it is. (and what she hopes it will be.) maybe this is just a nice guy trying to do a nice thing for her and her "dog." in a starbucks. in new york city.

riiiiiight... ]

We'll be right outside.

[ she hides a smile behind a hasty sip of her hot chocolate (it's delicious), and turns on her heel to make the hastiest exit she's ever made in her life.

guido ends up devouring both donuts by the time she's led him to a nearby bench a little out of the busy streetside's way. in that moment, she's very thankful she isn't a daughter of neptune, because she definitely doesn't want to hear the laughter guido is probably having at her expense. ]

[ He watches her leave, slowly letting out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. That went rather well. She didn’t say no, at least.

But does he dare hope? That Reyna-with-an-E, the girl with a donut-loving dog-that-looks-like-a-pegasus, is actually... well, different? The sort of different that he is?

He practically flies out of the shop as soon as his shift ends, with the bag of donuts he’s promised. Dressed in a plain white shirt, denim jeans and standard Chuck Taylors, no one would really think that this tall, lanky boy is anything but ordinary.

He grins as he approaches, although there’s a look of relief on his face — that she’s really there, that she hasn’t fled in terror from his awkward advances. ]

Hi.

[ He glances at Guido. Definitely not a dog. ]

[ in five minutes' time, reyna has already managed to down half of her hot chocolate. it does nothing for the frantic beating of her heart, suffering from more nerves in this instant than she ever has when battling an actual monster that could kill her. she stands from the bench when he approaches, fixing on that same polite smile, hoping it doesn't look as nervous as she feels. in her own jeans and plain sneakers, she looks just as "ordinary" as he does. the only thing that might seem a little out of place is the bright purple tracksuit jacket she's got on; not exactly weather-appropriate, but the small, nondescript insignia stitched in gold thread of a laurel wreath encircling the letters SPQR doesn't really conjure up any known track team or school. it's exactly the sort of logo that one would only recognize if they already knew about it. her long hair is done up in a low braid, hanging over one shoulder that partially obscures the embroidery. ]

Hi.

[ there is a weird flutter in her chest that she is quick to stamp down, forcing her attention from his handsome smile to the package in his hands instead. ]

You really didn't have to be so generous... I'm sure Guido doesn't really need the extra calories.

[ the definitely-not-a-dog whinnies in objection, which reyna can only hope translates to a bark through the mist. ]

[ He tries to say something more than hi, maybe a cool or witty remark to impress her, but nothing comes out of him for a moment. She’s, well, stunning. With a confidence and strength that not even her plain clothing can conceal.

Yeah, he’s definitely out of his league. But it’s not like that’s ever stopped him before. ]

Nice jacket.

[ Her comment gives him pause. Why is he being generous? Apart from just wanting an excuse to see her?

Not having an answer to that, he simply laughs, handing her the bag of donuts. He hopes his hands aren’t shaking from his fraying nerves... though he should really be concerned by the line of runes encircling his left wrist like a bracelet. In the full light of the outdoors, and up close like this, the tattoo is more visible, and so is, perhaps, traces of its magic. ]

I’d blame it on my New Yorker hospitality, if I was a New Yorker. So let’s just say I know what it feels like to travel from coast to coast. Not fun.

[ Although a flying horse is quite the fancy mode of transportation, he thinks. ]

[ she fingers the collar of her jacket with a nervous little smile. normally, she would wear such colors and insignia with pride, but right now she wishes they weren't quite so conspicuous. not for the first time, reyna finds herself wishing she truly were just a regular girl.

a nudge on her arm reminds her of her priorities (that is, guido), and she's back to refocusing her attention on the flying equine, digging into the bag for a whole donut and distractedly holding it out for him while he happily munches away. ]

Where did you move from..?

[ Jacen can't hide his smile as he watches Guido munching happily on the donut. This is certainly a first. Well, the pegasus, anyway. Not the animals-eating-human-snacks-and-loving-it. They have a wolf, after all, and for some strange, inexplicable reason Chewie's obsessed with Cheetos.

He pauses thoughtfully at her question, then settles with: ] The most recent? Orlando.

[ reyna wonders what it must look like, a great dane munching away on a whole donut. if it's weird at all, jacen makes no indication of it. she appreciates that, even if she finds it a little suspicious. perhaps he's just eager to please? but that would imply something else entirely, and there's no point in hoping like that. ]

I've never been... [ for some unknown reason, her gaze flickers down to the tattoo on his wrist. it hadn't drummed up anything odd to reyna before — magic, again, is not her forte — but now she finds herself wondering about the strange symbols. ]

You've moved around a lot?

[ He’s become so amused with the pegasus that he’s unable to resist reaching out to pet him. If Guido would let him, anyway. Still, he figures it should be okay; he’s not feeling any animosity from Reyna’s winged companion.

He turns to her again, and while he answers her, there’s a little shift in his tone. He’s suddenly a lot more cautious. ]

Yeah. Mostly around the north and midwestern states. My parents... they can’t sit still in one place for long. [ He smiles, but he also casually tries to shift the subject. ] You’ve never been to Orlando?

[ there is a brief moment where both demigod and pegasus pause and tense, but guido, for one reason or another (maybe because he's aware the donuts came from jacen, or that jacen still smelled like donuts, or both) he nudges his snout towards that hand, gladly welcoming the pets. reyna relaxes, but only somewhat... she knows that the mist is only as strong as the mortal being affected, so she can only hope he's feeling what he expects to feel. ]

I never really had any reason to go. Once I moved to California... [ she falters, expression closing off. ] I don't leave very often.

[ anyway. a change in subject, that sounds nice. ]

You must be pretty settled in New York if you've already gotten yourself a job. [ despite her better judgment, she's already wondering if she might be able to cross paths with him again... ]

[ Pet pet! Yep, definitely not a dog. But, if Reyna insists that he is... well, Jacen’s not about to destroy that illusion. Besides, how is he even going to bring it up? Hey, Reyna, do you know your dog is not a dog, or that I know that your dog is not a dog? Awkward.

His attention is quickly drawn back to her, though, as she starts to talk about a part of her life... and then just stops and changes the subject, much like he’s done. He raises an eyebrow slightly at that, but doesn’t say anything.

Someone’s got secrets, too, huh. ]

I don’t really have a choice. I got four mouths to feed, including a... dog. [ Actually, a wolf, but technicalities. ] New York’s not exactly easy to settle into, though. There’s a lot going on, but it’s so big, you can stand in the middle of Times Square and still feel utterly alone.

[ Yikes. Where’s all this melodrama coming from, man? Separation anxiety so soon? ]

[ if she notices his arched brow, she makes no indication of it. rather, she keeps her attention entirely on guido as he begins to speak, though her hand pauses in the middle of digging out another donut in the bag.

she truly should know better, but reyna's brain completely short-circuits over a small section of his response, unable to move past it until she can clarify: ]

You have children?

[ reyna.............. ]

[ Wait, what?

He stares dumbly at her for a few seconds before the implication of her question sinks in, and when it does, he laughs and shakes his head. Maybe even a little too strongly. ] N-No, nothing like that! I meant my twin sister and our baby brother. And our dog.

[ A blush begins to spread across his face as he realizes how much he desperately wants her to not think that he’s not single. ]

[ it takes a lot longer for his clarification to actually process in reyna's stalling mind, but when it does, her own cheeks heat up in a sudden flood of embarrassment. beside her, guido huffs in what she's certain is the equine version of a laugh. she hastily stuffs another donut into his mouth, if only to prevent him from doing it again. ]

Oh — right. Yes. [ of course that's what he meant. he can't be that much older than her, if at all. what was she even thinking?

though, vaguely, she now wonders about his aforementioned parents... ]

Sorry, I... I'm not sure what got into me. [ which is a bold-faced lie, because she definitely knows the cause behind that irrational worry; it's just far too embarrassing to admit out loud. ] Summer heat, I suppose. [ which is also dumb, speaking as a girl from the west coast. regardless, she tries to keep up the lie, reaching up to tug the zipper of her jacket a little lower. ]

[ His gaze distractedly follows her hands as she tugs on her jacket — and he turns even redder the moment he realizes what he’s just done. Kriff, IT’S NOT LIKE THAT OKAY.

Please don’t kill him, Reyna. ]

D-Do you need to sit down, somewhere cooler maybe? [ He is definitely feeling the heat. Gods this is so embarrassing! ] Central Park’s just a short walk from here.

[ LUCKILY FOR JACEN, reyna had been too distracted to catch the direction of his gaze. (which is already saying something, isn't it? reyna doesn't get distracted.)

but guido saw it. he sees you, son. ]

You don't have anywhere else to be...?

[ he sounded like he had a lot of responsibilities, after all. she may want to spend as much time with him as possible, but reyna definitely knows a thing or two about responsibility. she definitely wouldn't want to get in the way of that. ]

[ He could feel Guido... silently judging him. Or something. He gives the pegasus an apologetic and maybe even a little pleading please-don’t-tell-her smile. Remember the donuts, Guido? ]

Not for a few hours, no.

[ And even if he did, his siblings would understand. This is like... a one chance kind of thing. She’s from California, after all. The odds of them running into each other again don’t seem to be in his favor. ]

Besides, they’ll call me if something really important comes up. [ Like a monster attack. ]

[ the smile on her face at his answer is at once relieved and bashful. suddenly she finds herself feeling way more in over her head than she had anticipated with this initial excursion, but like a good roman soldier she adapts. adjusts. ]

Then I'd love the shade and company.

[ she turns towards the park, but has to forcibly stop herself from taking the lead. watch yourself, she chides. she isn't a praetor right now. so she offers him a smile, waiting for him to fall into step with her. ]

Edited 2018-07-19 00:58 (UTC)

[ If she only knew she doesn't have to worry so much. He's used to headstrong women. Likes them, even.

He grins at her reply, although he chooses not to say anything directly in response, trying to avoid any more awkwardness between them. (Guido the not!dog was already awkward enough; he's not sure if he's just imagining it, but was the pegasus smirking at him?)

He finds himself amused, too, when he notices how quick she is to get going, and is unable to resist teasing. ] Not your first time in New York, huh?

[ she's been far too used to intimidating other boys with her strength, which is all good and fine, their loss and all, but it's still made her somewhat wary in her future interactions.

still, he remains amiable, so she will take cue from his persisting smiles and carry on. ]

No, [ she hums in confirmation, a wry smile playing on her lips. ] I have friends that I visit here. [ she wishes she could say it were always for good reasons, but... ]

But we don't often... take the time to explore. [ it simply isn't safe, after all. that many demigods all at once? that's just asking for trouble. ]

( ooc; btw! i'll be away visiting family for the weekend, so responses may be spotty, if at all. ;w;/ )

So you haven't done the touristy stuff? Broadway, MoMA, Grand Central, Liberty Island, the Empire State Building? [ Funny you should ask, Jace. And what's this, trying to figure out the kind of things she's into?

Although he keeps up with her pace, he gestures towards the general direction of Belvedere Castle when they begin to enter the park and starts to lead her and Guido toward it. It's one of his favorite places: panoramic view, great architecture, maybe even a tad romantic... ]

( ooc: don't worry about it! <3 have a good trip~ :3 )

[ her lips purse at the mention of the empire state building, all too aware thanks to her greek brethren's comments about the importance it holds for demigods... but everything else she shakes her head at. there might have been a time she would have found admitting such a thing somewhat sad, but... well. as far as she's concerned, her life could certainly be much worse. so she's learned to be grateful for what she has. ]

It was never really a concern.

[ she fishes out the last of the donuts, holding it over her shoulder for guido to snatch up from where he trails behind the two. she chances a glance over his way when she notices him begin to lead, steps falling into easy step beside him. ]

What would you recommend?

[ it's... a pretty subtle invitation. maybe too subtle, but she's playing it safe as it is. if he's not interested, he can always just make a suggestion, and that'll be that. but if he is... ]

( ooc; thank you!! ♥ )

Edited 2018-07-19 19:36 (UTC)

[ His face breaks into a grin, seeing an opportunity there... although for a moment he wonders if this is even a good idea. He's never had much success with girls, after all. That's not even considering the kind of life that he has; does he really want to drag a normal, unassuming girl into his family's mess (even if she has a dog that's actually a pegasus)?

As a friend. You're just asking her out as a friend, he thinks, not quite able to admit to himself just yet that he might be interested in something more than that. ]

Sometimes the theatres offer last-minute discounted tickets; if we get lucky and you still got time, we can check it out. [ Hint, hint. ] And there's always the zoo, so we don't have to leave our buddy here behind.

[ He points to the castle ahead. ] That's my favorite spot in this city, though. Belvedere Castle.

( ooc; hello again! )

[ he has an infectious grin, or something like that, because reyna finds herself mirroring his look of excitement all too easily. ]

I suppose the day is still young... [ it's not quite an acceptance, but it's not quite a denial either. she doesn't want to make any promises, knowing that given her luck, this whole moment could be ruined in just a few short hours. (minutes, let's be real.)

they'll have time for this, at least. his favorite spot. she turns her attention to it almost reverently, giving it the focus it deserves now that he's classified it as meaning something to him. she walks across the lawn, walking just close enough that she can see the entire structure in just one look. ]

...It's beautiful, Jacen. [ there's something almost wistful in her tone. ] I'm sorry I never noticed.

( ooc: welcome back! ♥ so does reyna want to meet a troll of the non-internet variety :p )

Isn't it? Not something you'd normally associate with NYC. [ He's grinning at her still, although he sobers a little at her expression. He considers asking her if everything's alright, but he stops himself before he does, not wanting to ruin her moment... or jinx their luck.

So he jokes, instead: ] I'm probably the only one who noticed because I'm an old-fashioned softie. [ Although that's not too far off the truth, actually. ]

The interior's nice, too. Want to check it out?

( ooc: gurgles how does one get back into the swing of things, gosh. and YES PLEASE. i mean reyna wouldn't want to, but i do i do. )

There's nothing wrong with that. [ being an old-fashioned softie, that is. it's refreshing, given all the cynicism reyna has become familiar with in the last decade or so.

with that in mind, she allows herself to relax, just a little bit more. his offer is met with a decisive nod, and a resolute smile. ]

I'd love to.

[ before stepping any further, though, she turns to guido, who tilts his head at them curiously. ]

Um... stay.

[ she winces inwardly, hoping the pegasus doesn't mind her choice of words. reaching out, she runs her hand down his mane a couple of times, attempting to be soothing. ]

We'll be right back, I promise.

( ooc: like a demigod, HEADFIRST INTO TROUBLE! :p also it’s my turn to be spotty with tags because i’m out for a family trip, but i have good internet with me so i can tag when we’re not doing stuff lol )

[ Jacen looks quite pleased with himself, both at his somehow well-received joke, and the fact that she’s agreed to go into the castle with him. He figures this is the closest he can get to a date with this attractive young lady from California, and he’s taking it.

He finds himself in the middle of a laugh and a snort when Reyna tells Guido to stay, though. And perhaps he’s lowered his guard just a little too much, because then he says: ]

Does “stay” actually work on horses?

[ He’s a moment too late in realizing what‘s come out of his mouth, and he freezes for a full second before he manages to recover. Kriff. ]

... dogs. I meant dogs.

( ooc: oh, have fun! forgive me as i stumble along, trying to remember how to rp again x_x )

[ but can it really count as a 'recovery' when reyna is much quicker to catch onto his slip of the tongue. when her entire body freezes at his words, and immediately what few defenses she'd let down are now right back up to being impenetrable.

slowly, she turns to look at him, watch his expression carefully. her own has closed up, pokerface back in its place, and she wills her breathing to calm.

the fact that he can see guido's true form isn't what bothers her — instances of mortals who have been able to see through the mist are not all that uncommon, after all — but it's the fact he's been able to, and yet kept up the ruse despite it.

which can really, unfortunately, only mean one thing. ]

Demigod, [ she whispers under her breath, almost like a swear. ]

Edited 2018-07-26 13:13 (UTC)

( ooc: you’re doing great so don’t worry about it okay, love all this so much <3 )

[ Unfortunately he’s unfamiliar with the term, at least in context. With that, and her whispering, he actually thinks she’s said oh my god. ]

Okay, wait, so you know he’s not a horse?

[ That closed up expression though... not a good sign. Usually used by girls on him when he’s messed something up — his own twin sister included. He rubs the runes on his wrist absently as his nerves begin to fire up at a possible flight or fight situation, although the empath in him might also just be mirroring her own tension. ]

[ guido makes a whinnying sound that is definitely horse-like, but even a non-neptune child like reyna can guess what he means by that. ]

I think he prefers "pegasus," yes.

[ she sighs, the sunniness and warmth from her earlier demeanor long gone. now she just seems weary. she supposes the dream would have had to disappear sometime... ]

Whose son are you? Does Camp Half-Blood know you're without supervision?

( ooc; oops sorry i've been so out of it lately that my inspiration has been quite dry ;w; apologies! )

Edited 2018-07-29 18:22 (UTC)

Pegasus. [ He lifts his hands up in a gesture of surrender, looking apologetically at Guido. ] Sorry, man.

[ Then he turns back to Reyna. His expression is wistful, though, apparently coming to the same conclusion as her. And missing her smile, already gone so soon. Ugh, just when things were going so well. ]

I... don’t know what you’re talking about. Camp Half-Blood?

[ He tries to ignore the alarm bells going off in his head at her first question, which he casually attempts to leave unanswered. She doesn’t look like a monster, but Loki’s a trickster. If he’s sent her, or worse, he is her...

But then a shadow comes over them — a little too abruptly, or he simply hasn’t been paying close attention. He glances up to find dark clouds in the sky, moving across the city as if being chased by something. He mutters something under his breath. This is not good. What in the Nine Worlds is going on?

The fact that a large boulder he also hadn’t noticed before suddenly starts vibrating isn’t helping matters any. He takes a step back, wide eyes now transfixed at the big lump of rock. ]

Ah, kriff. A troll.

[ He tenses as it dawns on him that he’s made a terrible mistake and let his guard down, allowed himself to get lured out by this charming girl and her pegasus. He’ll have to deal with her later, though, because this other creature’s the bigger threat at the moment. Normally a sky darkened by storm clouds isn’t enough to wake trolls up, but somehow this one is de-stoning just fine.

And it’s... well, ugly. It takes a sniff around once it’s fully recovered. It seems to be quite interested in Reyna and Guido — apparently all demigods smell like food to monsters, regardless of pantheon — but when it turns to Jacen, it bares its teeth in what looks to be a very disturbing smile. Yet it’s not its appearance that makes the young man recoil, or its twisted smile; it’s the single word it says in a loud, guttural voice.

Odinson. ]

( ooc: back from our trip! and no worries, it happens :3 just let me know if you want to try another scenario, or whatever? otherwise i’m perfectly happy to backtag no matter how slow we go :D )

PSL • Normal Is A Myth (Riordanverse AU)

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sorry i got distracted by game things, the open event just started lol

no worries at all!! :)

i must sleep but i’m loving this already, so much awkward and cute <3

ahh sleep well! and yes as am i c:

good morning! :3

good morning!! just as i toddle off to bed weeps

it’s okay welp work ate me too BUT i’ll be up for a couple of hours more tonight! :D

tmw work actually makes you work wth... same hat, friend, same hat :weary:

here’s a cute awkward tag to ease our mutual weariness :3

c:!! somebody pls help these losers

guido must be totally facehoofing right now lol

tmw the pegasus has more game than these two...

sob i must bed so here’s one more cute awkward tag :>

sleep well! curse our tragic timezones... and why is jacen so cute!!

he’s adorable until the writers decided to dump his universe’s tragedies on him :c

ahh... it happens to the best of em, jace

but for now he's cute and awkward :> how much do you know of star wars though?

none of the eu, i'm afraid! i've only seen the original six and episode vii :x

oh np! was gonna give you a hint of his future but wasn’t sure if you’d get the terminologies :>

oh i totally peeked at his character wiki page before lamdaklsja sweats

oooh so you already know that his life is a greek tragedy :c

yes, poor bean 8C but hey he fits right in

oh yeah :> i love this au so much already, though i’m still fine-tuning the details <3

me too omg <3 but that's not a problem at all, pls let me know if i can help in any way!

thanks! <3 so far just made lil bro not dead yet lol. and added some non-canon norse things ;)

ah yes spare him more tragedies (for now??) ;;

for now /insert suspenseful music lol

omg... rip baby bro

it’s interesting to think about at least, what if reyna’s there when it happens, or afterwards :

👀 ...

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