Hi guys, I'm back. I know this is the third chapter so you're probably sick of hearing it, but I'm new to writing fanfiction, so don't expect this to be amazing. Please read and review. Thank you.
Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. All rights belong to Rick Riordan. I also do not own the Stardust Diner. It is a real place in New York City.
P.S. That story about the moonlace last chapter was FAKE.
P.P.S. I'm sorry. I was a day late on the update. Please don't hurt me...
The bell on the front door jingled. Leo came back to the outside world.
The girl looked to be about his age. She looked at him with a testy expression and shoved at him a nondescript pouch. There was a sticker on it that said in hastily scribbled writing, Handle With Care!
"'Morning," Leo tried.
The girl huffed. "I need this repaired."
Leo rolled his eyes. "You know, a 'Hey' or a 'Hi' would be nice, too."
"There is no need for greetings! It is your job, no? To repair things?"
Suddenly, the back door was pushed open. Calypso emerged. Her glare gave the girl a run for her money. She wrapped her hands around one of Leo's arms. The butterflies came back, but he couldn't show weakness in front of this disrespectful girl.
"Why," Calypso began, with a venomous tone, "don't you try that again?"
The girl had been scared, but suddenly her steely gaze returned. "These are some very delicate materials. They have been slightly damaged by one of my 'friends.' I have a feeling that the boy here will recognize them."
A flash of recognition played along Calypso's face.
"Lady Hera." There was no pleasantry in her voice.
Leo held up his hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. This little girl is Hera? As in the goddess Hera?"
Anger flared across the disguised goddess' face. "Show some respect, child."
"Fine. Have a nice day, then!" There was fake happiness in his voice.
Teen Hera huffed and disappeared behind a layer of golden dust.
Leo coughed. "What the... heck- Was she doing here?"
Calypso waved her hand and said simply, "The gods and goddesses must make their own special appearances sometimes."
"Yeah, like you see a freaking goddess of Olympus randomly at your totally obscure machine shop?"
Calypso tutted. "You are a demigod, remember."
Leo's eyebrows raised. "Then again, so are you."
Other than that, it was a pretty typical morning.
It was nearing the end of the work day for Leo and Calypso. The sky outside the shop was dark, and no more than a handful of people passed the block.
Leo was beating his fingers against the table, subconsciously tapping out I love you in Morse code as he had done so many times before.
And... a miniature bell tolled in his head. 5:00 p.m.
He switched the sign at the door from "Now Open" to "Sorry, We're Closed" and locked up.
"Well, Calypso, it's five o'clock."
Calypso perked up. "Yes. I'll get ready, then." She trotted up the stairs.
Well, she seems excited. The Supersized McShizzle is gonna work some moves on her, Leo joked with himself.
Possibly. The fatherly voice interrupted his thoughts once again.
Dad, please don't do that. Leo thought that one time was enough, but apparently not for the god of fire.
I apologize. I am only rooting for you, son.
Yeah, yeah. Leo dismissed him.
He went up the stairs to his room to get ready. His wardrobe was not very extensive (or fancy, for that matter). But he did have one button-down shirt for special occasions. He chose it instantly and took a pair of black work pants. In the shoes department, well... he only had his sneakers. So he put those on.
Calypso was a little nervous. She wished she had something different from the white dresses she owned along with the jeans and t-shirt that she had specially made for herself. Something... different. Hmmm... How about something black? She'd always worn bright colors. Why not? But that would have to wait, and she'd have to work with what she had.
She chose one of the white dresses. Shocker.
Leo was at the foot of the stairs, waiting for her. Timidly, she walked her way down. The slip-on shoes she wore made small, muffled, tapping sounds on the wood.
Leo was overwhelmed. Gods, she looked amazing. It didn't even look like the former goddess was trying. She was that pretty. Leo looked down and saw that his hands were ablaze. He quickly snuffed them out, blushing furiously.
Calypso was just as flustered. She was looking down at the ground, refusing to put her eyes on Leo. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she struggled to form words.
"C-come on, Leo. Let's, ah, let's get out of here."
Leo got the idea and strode towards the exit. He opened the door in a gracious manner and held it for Calypso.
"After you, madam." Calypso tried not to frown at the joke. She may not have understood it, but Leo was only trying to be nice.
Gods, Leo thought. You're being such a doof. Seriously, he was only making this worse and worse for himself. He mentally beat himself up.
Calypso relished the cool night air, feeling it run over her skin, giving her small goosebumps all over her arms.
Leo had no idea what to say, incoherent mumblings being all he could produce. Thankfully, Calypso saved him from further embarrassment.
"So, Leo Valdez, where are you taking me?"
The boy was relieved. "I'm not 'taking you' anywhere.' We're going together. We're taking each other. But we're going to this place called the Stardust Diner. It's just a few blocks from here, actually. And the waitresses actually sing!" Calypso perked up at this, but Leo quickly quelled this excitement by adding, "In English, though."
"Ah." Calypso sighed.
"Well, we should really get going." Leo ran his hands through his hair.
"Yes. Show me this 'Stardust Diner.'"
Leo grinned. "I was getting to that."
So they walked through the streets, reaching the brightly lit Broadway. Calypso's breath caught in her throat. She suddenly stopped walking. "Leo...?"
Leo stopped. "Yeah?"
"This is beautiful."
The boy grinned. "Indeed." He loved how curious she sounded. He'd have to take her on a genuine tour of New York someday.
Eh. Didn't matter. Right now, this was probably all she could handle.
Leo started walking again, Calypso jogging to keep up with him.
At the opposite end of the block, large, garish neon lights spelled out the words "Ellen's Stardust Diner" all over the outside walls of the establishment.
Leo whistled. "Is it just me or did they go a little bit overboard with the lights?"
Calypso said humorlessly, "No. It is not just you."
They entered together. Immediately they were hit with a blast of cold air. There was the distinct sound of singing. A soundtrack of trumpets and upbeat drums played under the voice. Jazz, like something Leo's bisabuelo, Sammy, would listen to. The thought of him brought his mind to Hazel, who'd basically fallen in love with the guy. 70 years ago. The thought of Hazel brought back the thoughts of his friends back at Camp Half Blood and Camp Jupiter. So many good memories...
Gods, he was such a jerk.
Why hadn't he visited them recently?
But once again, it didn't matter now.
A woman came up to the duo and smiled at Leo knowingly.
"Is it just you two?" She asked.
Leo could feel himself heating up. Not here, not here, not here...
"Yes. Yes, it is." Calypso finally spoke.
"All right then, follow me." The woman turned and started walking.
There was a bluish glow about the place. It illuminated every customer's face in an odd way, and Leo's eyesight suddenly became incredibly sensitive to this. Everything burned.
Just breathe, boy. Damn Hephaestus and his timing.
I'm trying, I'm trying. Leo insisted in thought.
His heartbeat instantly slowed down, without any influence from Leo himself.
Thank you, Dad. Leo was finally relaxed. He hadn't been paying any real attention to where the woman was going, but Leo's legs had carried him there, as if his mind was disconnected from his body and it had to act on its own for a few seconds.
"Well, here we are... Hope you two like the view."
They were at a table on the edge of a sort of balcony level that overlooked the ground floor and the singing staff members.
Leo smiled at the woman. "Thank you, ma'am."
There was that knowing smile again. "Anytime." She walked away, leaving Calypso and Leo alone.
Calypso plopped down in her seat, Leo following suit. "Well, Leo, this is an... interesting place."
"I know."
Calypso picked up the menu. "What is this?"
Leo rolled his eyes inwardly. "It's a menu. It tells you what kind of food they serve and how much it costs."
"What are hamburgers?"
Leo audibly groaned. This girl was hopeless. "They're these cuts of ground beef, you know, cow, in between two pieces of bread, called a bun."
"What is a 'soda?'"
Leo was too tired of the questions to care. "They're these carbonated drinks with a lot of sugar and they taste really good, depending on what you're used to."
Calypso was utterly confused. She was looking for something she actually knew the name of, until her eyes rested on "Lentil Soup (vegetarian) - a light and healthy soup with carrot and crusting."
"Okay, I think I know what I want."
"Good." Leo already knew what he wanted. It was the same every time- cheeseburger deluxe. He could order two, but he didn't want to come home covered in melted yellow goo and breathing tomatoes out of his nostrils. Especially with Calypso with him. That girl was the apple of his eye. She was the best friend he could ever ask for. He couldn't tell Festus that he thought that, though.
Leo escaped his mind and motioned to the waitress who'd been looking at Leo like she could read his mind. She rushed over to the table, awaiting their orders.
"Yeah, uh, can I get the cheeseburger deluxe? And a Coke?"
The woman scribbled on her pad. "And for the young lady?"
Calypso grinned at Leo, as if to say, if only she knew. "Yes. Can I get the lentil soup? Just water for me."
This time, the waitress smiled at Calypso. The girl's expression darkened as the woman rushed off to the kitchen. She voiced her thoughts when she thought nobody was listening.
"Leo, I recognized that woman."
The boy nodded in agreement. "She looked like she knew something I didn't."
They waited for several minutes, making small talk, until the same waitress came back with a platter of food.
The cheeseburger looked heavenly. Leo whistled.
The waitress set the food down on the table, Calypso saying a quick "thank you."
"Enjoy your meal, dears." There it was again. That smile.
And she walked away.
Leo was too hungry to care. He tore into his cheeseburger, while Calypso watched in amazement.
"Leo-" The boy continued eating.
"Leo Valdez-" The boy continued to inhale his burger.
"Leo!" This caught his attention.
"Wha'?" Leo would never learn.
"For Zeus' sake! Swallow before you speak."
Leo swallowed. "What?" He asked again.
"Slow down, too. Come on, Valdez."
Leo grudgingly complied.
Calypso rolled her eyes. "Look, we're in a public place. I have been living in solitude for 3000 years and yet I have better etiquette than you? You should be embarrassed!"
Leo frowned. "Well, I remember back when I was on Ogygia, and you weren't exactly the happiest camper."
Calypso was annoyed, but he was right. She didn't really take it easy on him. "Point made," she admitted.
"Wow, Ogygia feels like so long ago."
Calypso smiled. "You have no idea."
She finally put her spoon in the soup and ate. The taste wasn't necessarily what she was expecting, but she still enjoyed it.
"How is it?"
"Good, although it doesn't taste amazing."
"Yeah, that's diner food for you."
Leo and Calypso ate in silence for the next few minutes. By that time, Leo was done, and Calypso was finishing up.
"Calypso?"
The girl looked up.
"Do you remember that time on Ogygia when I came into your cave and you chucked some pots at me?"
Calypso smiled. She remembered that moment very well.
"Man, you were edgy."
"I have no idea what that word means, but you are probably right."
The girl put her spoon down, licking her lips, savoring the taste of the soup.
"I guess you're done, then," Leo assumed.
He gestured to the lady again.
Just like the other time, she rushed over to the table, expectant.
"You two ready for the check?" Her eyes glittered.
Calypso smacked herself mentally. "Sorry, my lady. One second."
Leo frowned. My lady? Too late. Calypso was whispering into his ear.
"Leo, that's Aphrodite."
Leo was shocked, yet at the same time, he wasn't surprised. He barely had time to process this before the goddess interrupted.
"You are right, dear Calypso. I see you have found a suitable... companion?"
The two flushed, flustered. Leo stuttered, "What?! No- uh..."
The goddess waved her hand impatiently and said, "Bah! You two are so cute."
Calypso swallowed. "My lady, can we just have the 'check,' or whatever Leo called it?"
Aphrodite produced a slip of paper from her pocket. "Here you go. Well, farewell, dears. I hope to see you soon."
She vaporized into thin air, leaving a very flustered Leo and Calypso to their own devices. Leo awkwardly fished the money out of his pocket.
The two were finally walking back to the shop. Calypso was literally staggering from the exhaustion that she was feeling.
"Whoa, Sunshine, you look like you'll topple over any second now."
The girl smiled. She missed that nickname.
"Do not worry, Leo Valdez. I can walk on my own."
And she promptly fell. Leo had just enough time to catch her before she faceplanted on the concrete and cracked her skull open. She had an odd tendency of doing exactly that, and being caught by Leo every time.
The boy turned her over in his arms, investigating her face. She was definitely asleep. Her breathing was even, and there was a shadow of a smirk on her face. She looked so... serene.
Leo flushed. Looked like he'd have to carry her the rest of the way. He didn't want to wake her. Thank the gods his work in the shop had strengthened him, no matter how minimally. He picked her up with general ease, bridal style, and walked slowly towards the door of Leo and Calypso's Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters (Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Cider and Stew). The whole place was dark. The moonlight illuminated the counter and waiting area weakly, giving it the ambience of a summer cabin in the night that hadn't been entered for a while.
The boy kicked the door open, which was quite a challenge considering the bundle of absolute hotness he was carrying.
He stopped when inside the protection of his shop and took a breath. You are almost there, Leo. Enjoy the moment while you can.
Leo didn't even bother to address his intrusive father that time. He started walking again, up the stairs, through the living room, and finally, into Calypso's bedroom. He had never really taken a close look in there, but now that he could, he noticed that Calypso was not as neat as she had been on Ogygia. Some clothes were strewn across the floor, her dresser's top covered in random items, probably from her cave back on the island. He smiled. Now I can use this against her. Don't know how, don't know when, but at least it's an option.
He set her down in her bed, tucking her under her comforters gently as a father would his children. When he was finished, he stood there in indecision. Why was he lingering? He didn't know. Suddenly, impulsively, he lowered his head slowly, and kissed Calypso's forehead.
Ah, congratulations, darling! Whoa.
Aphrodite? Not you, too... Leo was getting tired of mind-invading Olympians, but now it was the goddess of love who had taken control of him.
Get used to it, dear. And her presence was gone. Leo went, as quickly and quietly as he could, to his own bedroom, and flopped down in bed.
Did Calypso have a power that warded off bad dreams?
It certainly seemed that way.
Author's Note: Hi, guys! Hope you enjoyed that chapter and all the fluff that essentially coated it. I finally decided on a schedule. Updates will be weekly. As always, thank you so much for reading. Don't forget to review. Until next time :)