This really isn't my best work but I wanted to post something after reading 'The Dark Prophecy' so be warned that there are SPOILERS if you haven't read it yet!
Hostage
Leo Valdez was an idiot.
It was an opinion that Calypso voiced daily. Mostly to his face. So, why was she still surprised by his idiocy? They had been together for a while now and throughout their adventures, she had witnessed these moments of absurdity frequently.
But thumping a murderous Roman Emperor over the head with an oversized carrot, really had to be near the top of the list. Especially, when the recently risen from the dead Emperor, had tried to kill them on multiple occasions.
Okay, maybe she had needed help fighting off the two Germani even before Commodus had cornered her. But in her defence, Festus' severed foot made an excellent club. Not to mention, it was ten times more effective as a weapon than a vegetable.
Which was how Leo had ended up in the arms of one of Commodus' brutes with a crossbow pressed to his temple.
And he had still thought that it was a good idea to make provocative statements; until one of the henchmen was ordered to shoot him if he opened his mouth again.
Even now that the nightmare was over, the replay of the battle's final moments still made her cringe. Calypso buried her face into her pillow and screamed. She was sore and tired and so done with these near-death experiences. Burrowing further into the blankets to try to expel the cold chill which lingered in her bones, she felt another wave of nausea.
He had almost died.
The sickening realisation was a stab in heart, because she had been powerless to save him. Her boyfriend who had dived headfirst into danger armed with a carrot. Knowing full well that she was no longer a goddess. Knowing full well that those villains wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Knowing full well that she would be forced to watch him die.
Her newfound mortality would mean nothing without him.
Eyelids drooping, she gave in to the sweet temptation of sleep.
xxxx
The dream itself was fuzzy but she remembers the Emperors snarl and her buckling knees as the glinting dagger was driven into Leo's abdomen, she can vividly recall the last traces of a smile leaving his lips as he gasped for breath. Most of all she remembers bolting upright in bed, awakened by the heavy bedroom door being thrown open, hitting the wall. Vaguely aware that someone was screaming as she collapsed back against her pillow.
"Are you alright?" Emmie's concerned face swam into her vision, "Calypso?"
She blinked dazedly, his name came tumbling from her lips as little more than a whisper "Leo?"
"Cal?" his voice floated around the edge of her consciousness. Shivering, she looked up.
A cold hand pressed against her forehead. "She's burning up" muttered Emmie "I'll be back in a second."
"mmm" she groaned, feeling the bed dip as somebody perched on the edge by her hip. Followed by another hand laid gently on her forehead, a warmer one.
"Hey, mamacita." It was his voice again, louder this time.
"Am I dreaming?" Her eyes flickered open.
"No.
"You died" she whispered sadly.
"Woah" he grabbed her hands which lay limply by her sides, "No, no. Mi sol, Apollo toasted them with his awesome Godly light. We survived!"
"I saw it, you died!" Her voice strained as she forced the words out of her sandpaper throat, "Commodus, he-"
"Cal, listen to me" he begged, "you were dreaming. You have a fever and Emmie's getting some medicine to make it better. Okay?"
"Go away" she rasped ripping her hands out of his grasp, but tugged weakly at the hem of his 'TEAM LEO' shirt until his arms folded around her, and she began to sob into his chest as he stroked her back. Despite his calm ministrations, she could feel his heart pounding.
His heart pounding!?
"It was a dream" she breathed. Squeezing her eyes shut and choking down the remaining tears, but feeling better after her embarrassing display of catharsis. Calypso dried her eyes and pushed back the loose cinnamon tresses that framed her face, "promise me that you won't die."
"Nah, I won't die" he smirked running a hand through her hair, "we still haven't opened our garage. Auto Repairs and Mechanical Monsters are a lucrative business, y'know."He could see her eyelids drooping again and feel her breaths evening out again, much to his relief.
"I love you, idiot" she mumbled, "death wish or not."
"I know" he smiled. Looking up as the room flooded with light, revealing Emmie in the doorway with a bottle of medicine in one hand and a damp cloth in the other. He put a finger to his lips and she nodded. Tiptoeing into the room only far enough to place the items next to Leo.
"I think it would be best for you to stay here tonight to stabilise her temperature" she whispered with a wink. Closing the door softly behind her before he could reply.
Shaking his head with a smile, he got to work fixing her temperature. Giving his half-asleep girlfriend a dose of strawberry scented medicine before she was lost completely to the land of dreams, hopefully a much more pleasant trip than before, he thought as he disentangled their bodies and tucked her back into bed with the damp cloth on her forehead a light kiss pressed to her temple.
"I'm sorry" he whispered into the darkness, "I love you too, Calypso and I don't ever want to leave you. In death or otherwise, so I guess you're stuck with this hot mess extraordinaire forever."
