An Island Across the Sea
A/N: Happy Valentine's Day! I'm sick, and suffering from laryngitis, so I'm stuck here. Here's a happy little one-shot for all ya'll who don't have Valentines. And remember, I love you!
"ANNABETH!"
"What, Leo?!"
"PIPER!
"WHAT IT IS, LEO?!
"HAAAAAZELLL!"
"Yes, Leo?"
The three girls looked over at the scrawny boy standing at the doorway of the living room. He was looking from girl to girl, his usually ambitious eyes full of worry. His fingers were tapping patterns in morse code, against his brown, wrinkled trousers. Eyeing each of them wearily, he wiped the sweat off his brow, before striding over to where the girls were sitting, he took a spot next to Piper, who had been lounging on the couch.
"Okay, so-oh, is that chocolate?" He spots the heart shaped box of french chocolate on her lap, and without permission, takes one and plops it into his mouth.
"Leo!"
"Jeez, Beauty Queen really likes her chocolate, huh?"
"Jason got those for me from Paris!"
"Yeah, and the fool still can't speak french to save his life."
After finishing the creamed bonbon, he sits up, wiping some chocolate from the top of his mouth. Clapping excitedly, he fumbles with his words for a bit, before clearing his throat.
"Ladies, okay, so...you're girls."
"No really," Annabeth replies in a sarcastic tone, "What, did you think we're all boys?"
"No way!" Leo laughs, "But anyway, here's the deal. Today is Valentine's Day, and I need to get Calypso something."
"Your immortal girlfriend?" Hazel raised an eyebrow at the mention of his goddess girlfriend who was now on the ship with them. Last time she remembered, Calypso was napping in the room Leo had hastily built for her.
"Yeah, and she doesn't know. So, I know girls like chocolates and flowers and stuff, but I want to get her something special. Something that only she would deserve."
The ladies pause, contemplating what Calypso would like. Flowers seemed too plain, as back in Ogygia, she was a gardener. The flowers might make her homesick. Chocolates seem too cliche, and besides, they weren't sure if Calypso enjoyed chocolate. And clothes and jewelry seemed out of the idea, as Calypso could weave herself her own clothing. The shimmering jewels that had been on her cave back in Ogygia would just bring back bad memories, so they ruled that out.
"Well..." Hazel began slowly, cuddling the stuffed panda that Frank had given her prior to the hour, "I know she likes music. Maybe you could play her something."
"That does seem like a good idea, Hazel," Annabeth says, a growing smile on her face, "Calypso loves music. And I don't think any of those other material stuff will get to her."
"Agreed," Piper carries on their thoughts, "And besides, even if you suck at it, which we all know you do-"
"Hey!"
"Joking, Leo. Anyway, even if you suck at it, she'll love it. If it comes from the heart, it'll mean the world."
"Really? I thought all the ladies needed were big lightning powers or scary dragons to make them happy." Leo narrows his eyes a bit, the mention of his obviously taller and broader friends making Hazel, Piper and Annabeth blush.
"No joke," Piper says, taking another bonbon out of the heart shaped box, "If you sing to her, I bet she'll even kiss you."
Preparing for the hour seems to be the worse hour of all, as Leo straightened his suspenders. He had tried to clean up a bit, washing his t-shirt, pants and even his hair, which was always gucked up with who knows what. Using deodorant, he tried his best to comb his hair, and stared at himself in the mirror for a long time. Who was he to enchant the immoral goddess, Calypso? It was always a wonder how she ended up falling for him in the first place. If someone had told him years ago that an immortal goddess would fall in love with him, he would've laughed in their face. Now, he wasn't so sure.
Picking up the wooden instrument he had so hastily created, he took a deep breath, before marching out of his room. The ship hallway seemed so short, as he approached her room, right next to Piper's. When he arrived at the door, his fist seemed to weigh a ton, as he carefully raised it, and knocked sharply upon the wooden surface. It was barely a minute before the door swung open, and there she was. Calypso
Even when she had been working hard, she was beautiful. Leo remembers the first day he landed on Ogygia, to find a beautiful girl screaming at him. He remembers the way he pouted, knowing she was unhappy with his looks and charm, and spitefully cursing the Gods for bringing him there. Now, looking back at it, he wouldn't have had it any other way.
Dressed in a simple white t-shirt and a long red skirt, Leo's cheeks reddened. Man, did she look good in red. Why did red have to be his favourite color? His long auburn hair was pulled back into a braid, and her eyes were wide with curiosity, seeing Leo standing there with the ukelele.
"Anything the matter, Leo?" she asks, raising an eyebrow, "You're holding the ukelele backwards and your cheeks are red.
Gah! Leo quickly turned the instrument right side up, and cleared his throat, the words becoming lodged.
"Calypso...er..." he tried to avoid her eyes, but couldn't help staring back into them, "I...I wanted to...er...wish you Happy Valentine's Day..." His hands slid over the awkward strings, and placed his fingers on the right squares, "So...this song is...for you..."
His right hand began to strum up and down, as he played the chords. This song better be worth it, as Leo knew he wasn't the musical type. But he knew, he'd do anything for Calypso, so he better do this now. C chord...Am...Dm7...
"Now do ya hear me...?
I'm talking to you...
Across the water, across the deep blue ocean..."
He blushes highly, as he screws up on the Em chord. Calypso giggles, but continues to watch him as he fumbles with the instrument.
"Under the open sky, oh my...
Baby, I'm trying..."
He continues the song, slowly growing into it, and highly aware as Coach Hedge sticks his head out of his room. Highly aware that Percy, Jason and Frank were watching him with raised eyebrows. And super aware that Annabeth, Piper and Hazel were giggling when he sang off tune. But that didn't matter to him now...all that mattered was that Calypso was smiling. Gods, he loved that smile. He began to relax, growing more confident with every chord, and in the end, he strummed the final chord, and slowly lowered the instrument. Calypso stood there, stunned, before smiling with those coral lips. Without hesitation, she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek.
"Thank you, Leo..." she whispers, smiling, "I loved it."
He founds his own arms wrapping around her shoulders, and burying his head deep in her shoulder. If this what it was like to be in love, he never wanted to lose this feeling ever again. She pulls back, to gaze into his eyes. Lifting her hand, she caressed his cheek gently.
"You might want to work on your singing, though."
"For you, Calypso..." he says softly, nuzzling into her hand unconciously, "I could do anything."
So that's the end! Please leave a review or even favourite! Happy Valentine's Day!
