Odysseus

Calypso had to admit, he looked pretty rough when he first washed up on her shore on just holding on to timber that looked like the remnants of ship. However, despite his initial appearances she felt compelled to help him.

She kneeled next to the man and found that he was breathing. His clothing was in tatters and he was bruised and bloodied, but it was nothing she couldn't fix. She brought him into her cave and laid him down on cot, then tended to his wounds.

"The gods must have brought you here for a reason," she said to him as she dabbed at a cut on his temple. She knew that he could not hear her, but the simple fact that she had someone to talk to now comforted her. She had been alone on the island for so long, and now she wondered if the Olympians were finally granting mercy on her. Perhaps this man was to be her companion, someone to finally keep her company.

On the third day on the island he finally stirred, groaning and holding his aching head. Calypso, who had been sitting beside his bed the whole time, sprung to action. She brought him a draught of healing potion she had made out of the herbs from her garden and pushed it into his hands.

"Here, drink this," she said, "It will take away the pain."

He obliged, and when he was finished he looked up at her. His eyes were a brilliant hazel, powerful and wise beyond his years. Just looking into those intense eyes made her heart flutter.

"Where am I?" he said.

"You're on Ogygia. There was an accident and you washed ashore here. Do you remember who you are?" she said.

He nodded slowly, "Odysseus, son of Laertes," he said softly, his eyebrows furrowed in thought, "An accident, yes, I remember an accident," he said, "My crew betrayed my orders, they slaughtered the sacred cows of Apollo and ate them. Then Zeus unleashed his fury upon us. My ship was destroyed along with the rest of my men. I tried holding to a piece of wood for a wrath, but the storm pushed me towards Charybdis. I haven't a clue how I escaped her."

Calypso reached out and took his hand reassuringly, "Someone on Olympus must be watching over you," she replied, tracing circles on his palm with her thumb, "They knew that I can watch over you and take care of you."

Odysseus smiled, "You never told me who you were."

"I am Calypso, daughter of Atlas."

Odysseus' eyes lit up, "I knew that you were too beautiful to be a mortal. Thank you for taking care of me, my lady. How can I ever repay you?"

Calypso bit her lip and looked down at their entwined hands to hide her blush, "It's nothing, I assure you. It what any decent person would do."

Odysseus sat up with much difficulty, and once he was upright he settled himself so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed and facing towards her, "Oh, I'm not so sure about that anymore. I've been traveling for a while now, and most people have been a lot less accommodating than you."

She raised an eyebrow, "Really? That sounds like quite a story."

And so, not for the first time and definitely not for his last, Odysseus recounted his story to her, of Polyphemus and Aeneas and of Circe and everywhere in between. Calypso listened intently, and she knew more and more that the longer she listened the more she fell in love with him. He was so brave and so wise, a soldier and a sailor but incredibly intelligent as well. She couldn't help it - she was smitten.

After the story ended there was a comfortable silence as Odysseus grasped her hands in his. He finally broke it when he smiled at her, shaking his head like he couldn't believe his luck, "So, now that you understand just how grateful I am - how can I repay you?"

A warm feeling in the pit of her stomach grew as she wondered if she dared answer the way she really wanted to. She knew that it was so much to ask of him, but she couldn't bear the loneliness anymore.

"Will you stay with me?" she said finally.

His face broke into a wide grin, "Of course, my lady."

And he did stay with her. For seven years they tended to her garden, hunted the animals in the forest, and spent each night together. It was bliss, pure bliss.

She was starting to think it couldn't get any better, but then Hermes arrived. She was tending to her flower garden, the sun setting and the moonlace beginning to glow faintly. She crouched in the dirt with her spade, and she heard Odysseus out in the surf spearing fish. She was humming a song quietly to herself, but then stopped when she saw two winged-sandaled.

She looked up at the Messenger God, standing up to her full height and brushing the dirt from the hem of her dress, "Good evening, Lord Hermes. To what do I owe the pleasure? I don't usually have visitors on this island."

Hermes gave a small smile, but it faltered and was gone quickly, "Actually, that is what this visit is about. Your visitor," he said.

Calypso laughed, looking over to Odysseus on the shore with the waves breaking around his legs, "Odysseus?" she said, "I wouldn't call him just a 'visitor' anymore. I think it's a little late for that title, don't you think?"

Hermes, however, was not as amused as she. His mouth was still in a straight line, and Calypso felt her smile disappeared as she realized that whatever Hermes had come to say was serious.

"Calypso, has Odysseus ever told you about his wife and child on Ithaca?" he asked.

Calypso shrugged, "Yes, but he told me that he would be staying here. With the war and his journey on the seas it's been a long time since he's seen them. Time does move different here on Ogygia, but surely his wife and child must think him dead?"

"That's the problem," said Hermes, "Penelope's suitors have grown restless and Ithaca dearly needs its king. Odysseus needs to return to his home."

Calypso crossed her arms, "Ogygia is his home now."

Hermes shook his head, "You have to let him go, Calypso."

The conversation went on for a while after that, but it made no further progress. Finally, after many tears and uncomfortable reassurances from Hermes, she finally gave up.

The next day supplies for a small, one-man raft washed ashore. She watched from the edge of her cave as he constructed his raft. It took him no time.

When she saw that he was done she walked over to the shore to see him away. She gave a small smile to him, but felt nothing but an aching sadness in her heart. Odysseus, however, had a light in his eyes that betrayed his somber expression. She could see how excited he was to be returning back to his home. She could never choose to take that from him.

"Thank you so much for having me," he said, taking her hands in his. Calypso nodded and looked towards the sand. She was afraid to speak, knowing that her voice would betray her. She was certain that if she opened her mouth she would start to cry.

Odysseus took two of his fingers under her chin and lifted her head so that she was looking straight at him. He could certainly see the tears in her eyes now.

"Hey, don't be sad, okay?" he said, "It was an adventure."

Then he kissed her long and hard for the last time.


A/N: Hi guys! Just some info about this story. It will have five installments, with each chapter focusing on a different boy meeting Calypso. They will be, in chronological order, Odysseus, Sir Francis Drake, Harry Houdini, Percy Jackson, and Leo Valdez with Caleo being endgame. (Which is crazy because I'm a diehard Leyna shipper but it's always fun to try something new.)

Each chapter will be about this long, too. I hope you enjoyed it, it would be nice if you reviewed and whatnot :)