#reyna de la fuerza (formerly reyna avila ramírez-arellano)

[holly-natnicole]

I headcanon Thalia being a disaster bi who has a one-sided crush on Reyna who at 1st is very uncomfortable when she's told coz she's aro ace and already had various negative experiences with this stuff, but Thalia reassures Reyna that their friendship is way more important than the crush plus Thalia respects Ártemis too much to betray her trust and likes being a Hunter thus she told Reyna solely to be honest; there's no pressure and they stay solely best friends who keep being honourary big sisters to the younger Hunters.

[holly-natnicole]

Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano? (Or, as I prefer to call her, Reyna de la Fuerza?) Heck yeah, I headcanon her as aro ace!!

Here's what the canon books have on the topic:

'Reyna grimaced. Percy got the feeling this guy Jason might've been more to her than just a colleague'. — 'the Heroes of Olympus: the Son of Neptune' (2011)

Percy probably assumed Reyna had romantic feelings for Jason (but even then, Percy didn't explicitly think it was romance; simply that Jason wasn't solely Reyna's colleague – there's other options for bonds between people besides "boyfriend or colleague" and I despise the assumption that "more" must mean romance). Reyna never said to Percy that she has romantic feelings for Jason.

'Jason... Percy couldn't go very far in this camp without hearing that name. "The way you talk about him..." Percy said. "Were you two a couple?" Reyna's eyes bored into him – like the eyes of a hungry wolf. Percy had seen enough hungry wolves to know."We might have been," Reyna said, "given time. Praetors work closely together. It's common for them to become romantically involved. But, Jason was only praetor for a few months before he disappeared. Ever since then, Octavian has been pestering me, agitating for new elections. I've resisted. I need a new partner in power – but I prefer someone like Jason. A warrior, not a schemer." She waited. Percy realized she was sending him a silent invitation.His mouth went dry. "Oh... you mean... oh." "I believe the gods sent you to help me," Reyna said. "I don’t understand where you come from, any more than I understood it four years ago. But I think your arrival is some form of repayment. You destroyed my home once. Now you’ve been sent to save my home. I don’t hold a grudge against you for the past, Percy. My sister hates you still, it’s true, but Fate brought me here to Camp Jupiter. I’ve done well. All I ask is that you work with me for the future. I intend to save this camp'."

— 'the Heroes of Olympus: the Son of Neptune' (2011)

To me, the whole thing comes across as other people being heteronormative & amatonormative towards her and Reyna basically going along with it despite having no romantic feelings for Jason or anyone else.

"The point is, Percy, you are the real power on this quest. You are a seasoned veteran. I’ve seen what you can do. A son of Neptune wouldn’t be my first choice, but if you return successfully from this mission, the legion might be saved. The praetorship will be yours for the taking. Together, you and I could expand the power of Rome. We could raise an army and find the Doors of Death, crush Gaea’s forces once and for all. You would find me a very helpful… friend." She said that word like it could have several meanings, and he could pick which one. Percy’s feet started tapping on the floor, anxious to run. "Reyna… I’m honored, and all. Seriously. But I’ve got a girlfriend. And I don’t want power, or a praetorship."Percy was afraid he’d made her mad. Instead she just raised her eyebrows. "A man who turns down power?" she said. "That’s not very Roman of you. Just think about it. In four days, I have to make a choice. If we are to fight off an invasion, we must have two strong praetors. I’d prefer you, but if you fail on your quest, or don’t come back, or refuse my offer… Well, I’ll work with Octavian. I mean to save this camp, Percy Jackson. Things are worse than you realize'."

— 'the Heroes of Olympus: the Son of Neptune' (2011)

This seriously sounds to me more like Reyna trying to get help in dealing with her responsibilities and Percy assuming romance would be involved.

'Reyna broke a dry branch off a shrub and flicked it into the underbrush. "I went on that quest with Jason, what, two years ago? Venus took one look at me and decided… I don’t know. I was broken. I needed romantic healing. Whatever. I wasn’t back at camp a full day before the whispering started. Nobody would admit that they knew, but they knew. The looks I got: Oh, poor Reyna. The innocent suggestions I got about who I should date." She didn’t sound angry. It was more like weighed down and weary. I remembered Frank Zhang’s concern about how long Reyna had shouldered the burdens of leadership, how he wished he could do more to relieve her. Apparently, a lot of legionnaires wanted to help Reyna. Not all of that had been welcome or useful. "The thing is,” she continued, “I’m not broken." "Of course not'."

— 'the Trials of Apollo: the Tyrant's Tomb' (2019)

This is heart-breaking!! Reyna went through the same amatonormativity crap many Real Life aro ace people unfortunately experience.

"My whole life, I’ve been living with other people’s expectations of what I’m supposed to be. Be this. Be that. You know?"

— 'the Trials of Apollo: the Tyrant's Tomb' (2019)

Again, the crappiness that is amatonormativity!!

"But the whole time I’ve been a leader here,” she forged on, “I was looking for a partner. Praetors often partner up. In power. But also romantically, I mean. I thought Jason. Then for a hot minute, Percy Jackson. Gods help me, I even considered Octavian." She shuddered. "Everybody was always trying to ship me with somebody. Thalia. Jason. Gwen. Even Frank. Oh, you’d be perfect together! That’s who you need! But I was never really sure if I wanted that, or if I just felt like I was supposed to want it. People, well-meaning, would be like, Oh, you poor thing. You deserve somebody in your life. Date him. Date her. Date whoever. Find your soulmate." She looked to me to see if I was following. Her words came out hot and fast, as if she’d been holding them in for a long time. "And that meeting with Venus. That really messed me up. No demigod will heal your heart. What was that supposed to mean? Then finally, you came along." "Do we have to review that part again? I am quite embarrassed enough." "But you showed me. When you proposed dating…" She took a deep breath, her body shaking with silent giggles. "Oh, gods. I saw how ridiculous I’d been. How ridiculous the whole situation was. That’s what healed my heart – being able to laugh at myself again, at my stupid ideas about destiny. That allowed me to break free – just like Frank broke free of his firewood. I don’t need another person to heal my heart. I don’t need a partner… at least, not until and unless I’m ready on my own terms. I don’t need to be force-shipped with anyone or wear anyone else’s label. For the first time in a long time, I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. So thank you'."

— 'the Trials of Apollo: the Tyrant's Tomb' (2019)

I'm so happy for Reyna!! She finally found herself.

Reyna's romantic orientation hasn't been explicitly confirmed, but she's definitely asexual; whether she's alloromantic or aromantic or demiromantic etc. is up for interpretation in canon. I personally think she's aro.

Does anyone else think that Reyna is Aromantic or Asexual????

[holly-natnicole]

I'm against shipping Reyna with anyone!!