Can you continue to write what could have happened? The AU where Reyna and Annabeth get switched instead of Jason and Percy?
Oh man I would if I could. The AU is kind of stale to me right now which I hate because I adore that AU.
I’ve had a few wonderful reviews from people over time the years and I’m trying my hardest to muster up the final thoughts to close up that AU and move on. I’m gonna need to bounce ideas off with someone to get the final ideas just right. I know in my heart the next one-shot should finish that AU.
It doesn’t help that I’m trying to move with WIP to google docs and they’re kind of spread all over the place and my internet keeps cutting in and out.
How about an outtake from the Market prompt? This was an idea I was gonna use but scrapped for what’s currently published:
Piper thanked the Roman shopkeeper as he handed her two ice cream cones. The Feast of Fortuna was in full swing. Shopkeepers of New Rome had set their carts out along the road as campers from both Half-blood and Jupiter roamed the streets. The exchange was slowly coming to an end, another successful meeting of the demigods and legacies. Piper smiled as a few Greek girls tried to flirt with Bobby, Jason’s Fifth Cohort buddy. She weaved through the crowd, trying to find where she left Jason.
“Excuse me,” Piper said as she squeezed through a tight spot, nearly tripping. Strong arms grabbed her arms, holding her up right. Piper looked up, expected to see Jason but gasped as she recognized the dreamy gray eyes and neat dirty blond hair. “Malcolm…” She whispered, stepping away from the boy and noticing Reyna beside him. “Reyna… What are you two doing?”
Reyna looked so natural in her traditional Roman dress. Unlike her formal purple toga, she wore a white toga with gold trimmings. Her hair was braided in elaborate twists and small white flowers were weaved in. A purple shawl was pulled over her right shoulder, signifying her rank. Malcolm was dressed in a pair of jeans and a flannel button-up, unbuttoned revealing his half-blood camp shirt. He looked out of place beside the beautiful Roman girl.
“Malcolm needs to buy some souvenirs. He’s been neglecting it all week.” Reyna replied as she held back a piece of her dark hair as the wind blew. Malcolm rolled his gray eyes, smiling at the girl. Reyna glared at him. “Don’t smile, it’s true.” Malcolm chuckled, shaking his head.
“It’s because I could rarely find any time. Romans are a stickler for schedules. How do you Romans breathe?” Malcolm teased. Reyna rolled her dark eyes and crossed her arms. “Where’s Jason?” He asked Piper, oblivious of the death glare the female praetor was giving him. “Don’t you need to address the crowd soon?” He asked the second question poised to Reyna.
“Missed me, Malcolm? Sorry, but you’re not my type.” Jason replied from behind Piper. Piper turned around and smiled at her boyfriend. Jason was dressed in traditional Roman clothes too. His white toga draped over his broad shoulders. A thin golden circlet rested on his blond hair, slightly crooked. A deep purple shawl sat across his left shoulder. Before Piper could move, Reyna crossed the distance, reaching up and adjusting the circlet. Jason bent down, allowing the girl to smooth his hair in public. “I bet I look like a mess.”
“Just a bit,” Reyna whispered, smoothing down the creases in purple fabric.
This chapter was gonna put some doubt in Piper’s thoughts about Jason but it didn’t fit with the overall idea since Jason/Piper wouldn’t be together in the AU. I think I wanted Piper and Malcolm to interact and think about their relationship with these two. Ideas shift and change over time. Thinking now, this would be a good piece to follow my Checkmate series.