Two things- that big ramble from Antevorta, that was important, I gave ya'll clues in that one! And second- yooooou're not gonna like this one...
To RandomFanAuthor- ahaha, existential crisis! That's cute! ^_^
They weren't sure how long they sat there. The goddess had left, almost a lifetime ago. Leo could feel the weight of Calypso's scrutiny on him. He was watching Louisa. She was still bowed to the earth, crying and hiccupping, clutching her head as if she could squeeze her memories back in place. Whatever protest she could muster, whatever defiance she had for Antevorta's predictions, had long since dwindled.
"You knew." Calypso broke the silence. Leo finally looked at her. He had not been greeted well, his first time on Ogygia. That look had nothing on the one he was getting now. Something splintered in his chest, her glare withering, crushing. Final.
She sniffed, working her jaw as her eyes glistened. "You knew." She repeated, voice croaking. "Powerful children? You knew. Didn't you?" Leo hesitated. Her cheeks flooded crimson and she smacked the grass in temper. "Just answer the question!" She heaved a sob, shoulders hunching. "Did you know or not?"
"I… I knew." Leo nodded, hanging his head. She did too, squeezing her eyes shut. She inhaled deeply, raggedly, fingers scraping on mud as she tore handfuls of grass in her fists.
"And what does it mean?"
"I don't… I don't know."
"Don't lie to me!" Her head snapped up, eyes blazing.
"I don't know!" Leo shot back, flames snapping on his palms. "Hecate showed me-"
"Hecate showed you?! In the same dream with all the bad paths?"
"Yes, in the same dream!"
"Why didn't you tell me?!"
"Because I didn't want to upset you and I didn't know what it meant!"
"It's not that hard to understand! You've got a future with her!"
"Are you forgetting the 'strong daughter' part?! That seemed pretty futuristic too!"
"That's not the point!"
"Then what is?" Leo glowered. Calypso opened her mouth, readying a handful of sod to throw at him. Then she froze, anger melting into confusion. The rain had stopped. Not falling, it was still falling. However, each droplet was now suspended in the air, thousands of liquid beads shivering all around them. Calypso raised her hand, touching her palm to one near her face. It dribbled into a little pool on her skin.
"Stop it." Louisa growled, pushing herself up on trembling arms. "Stop it." She repeated, firmer, fists in her lap. She looked at neither of them, glaring at a space between them, unsteady with abundance of emotion. "Don't… argue. You're supposed… you're supposed ta be happy, don't argue."
"Lou-"
"What did Hecate show you, Leo?"
"Lou-"
"Leo. What… did she show you?" Leo stayed quiet. Louisa blinked, slowly turning her head to face him. She didn't want to know. But he had to tell her.
Leo recounted the first three visions, Calypso fuming at him as he spoke. Louisa closed her eyes around the point of her death under her father's will. The suspended rain fell back into its regular showers. Otherwise, she did not move. He told her of the dream of the gods, debating if she was to live or die; admitted Hephaestus's request, their job to keep her on their side, the good side. He paused, shooting Calypso a sidelong, hesitant look before detailing the fourth vision. And then the dream in Bunker Nine, with the young boy and his talk of older or other siblings.
"And why would that vision be a thing, Leo?" Calypso quizzed, pursing her lips and raising a furious, expectant brow. "Tell her." She instructed, lifting her chin in challenge. Leo did not look at Louisa, determined to stare Calypso down, but he spoke to the former.
"I loved you." He said. "But I didn't do anything about it. I was scared. And you were too good a friend to lose. So I stayed quiet."
"'N' then ya met Callie."
"And then I met Callie." He confirmed. "Headstrong, bossy, condescending, rude Callie." Calypso angered, voicing outrage and arming herself with mud. "Who made me fireproof clothes and bothered to give me the time of day, even if I did break her table. Came to work with me in the forge. Listened to my stories. Didn't stand for my nonsense, didn't encourage it, didn't let me be alone. Let me talk about my ideas, my… my goals for the future. Our future." Her hand shook as his voice softened, mud slipping between her fingers. "I was going to open a workshop. She was going to sell lemonade. Headstrong, bossy, condescending and rude. But kind. Funny. Bit mad. Curious and clever, she wanted to learn and to teach. Finding Ogygia again… that's not how my luck goes. But you were there, Cal. You were waiting for me."
"Of course I was waiting for you." Calypso said, temper draining from her body. "In all those years, of all the heroes… you were the only one to give me hope. Real hope. I… I know about… about you and Lou, or at least your side of it. You're too obvious, Leo, you couldn't hide it if your life depended on it-"
"My life depends on a lot of stuff."
"-and this path, this line, whatever it's called… powerful children. I… I shouldn't have got angry, I'm sorry, but I… I can't lose now, I can't lose hope now. Not after all this time."
"Ya had every right ta be angry." Louisa mumbled.
"You did." Leo agreed. "You do."
"I don't want to be. But if the only path that keeps the gods alive is with you… I'm just in the way."
"No." Leo shook his head, crawling to her side. He gripped her hands in his own, leaning his forehead on hers. "No, no, you're not in the way, you're never in the way. We had plans, sunshine, remember?"
"Keep those plans." Louisa said. "You will keep those plans." She shivered, bowing her head. "You two deserve your futures. Mine will just ruin that." Calypso sat up straighter.
"No," she said, "no, Lou-"
"Two of those visions you die, Lou." Leo prompted.
"'N' three of those visions, the gods die." She retorted. "What's the better option?" Her hand went for her watch, sword springing into her grasp. Leo's skin went cold.
"Don't-"
"Don't move." Louisa warned, pressing the tip of her blade to her chest. Her arms shook, but her hands were steady. "You two have already lost too much in the name of the gods. Ya ain't losin' anymore 'cos of me."
"You do that and I lose my best friend again!" Leo protested. Calypso squeaked, hands over her mouth. Louisa gritted her teeth, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Don't you dare, Lou, don't you dare-"
"Ya ain't losin' much here, Valdez. I don't remember who I was."
"I do! And I'll do anything so you can too, just put the sword down!"
"This is the better option!" Louisa insisted, closing her eyes as more tears fell.
"No it's not!" Calypso argued. "Louisa, don't- please, we can figure this out-"
"There ain't nothin' ta figure out, Callie. Thank you for tryin' though. Means more than ya know." Pain hit her chest, mingling with relief. She could hear them screaming.
Louisa managed to smile as the blade hit her ribs. "Yeah," she coughed, something warm splattering her lower lip, "I love you too."
Merry Christmas! ^_^