This chapter has some very bittersweet moments- and poor Leo just doesn't want her to worry about him too much. He's a sweet boy really.
Replies:
Weirdhead: Or in Percy's case you stay a hero with some rather... dark blips in your history.
Undeath9087: Yep, Percy's just there like 'must not murder him' on the inside but on the outside she's all shy and nervous and confused and Alabaster's so desperate that he believes she's falling.
Leo had done a lot of weird things before- he was proud of that fact- but following a Titan through Tartarus? Yeah he'd never expected to do that, though he did like the Titan. Bob seemed pretty cool honestly, and he'd definitely saved their asses.
Also, Leo just really liked the idea of having a Titan as a friend- and Bob had declared Leo his friend because Leo was Nico and Percy's brother.
Still, there were a few things he was curious about. "I gotta ask Bob, as cool as you are... how did you get down here? Not that we don't appreciate it-"
"I jumped." Bob declared, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"You jumped down here just because Nico said your name?" Leo asked.
"He needed me." Those silver eyes gleamed in the darkness. "It is okay. I was tired of sweeping the palace. Come along! We are almost at a rest stop."
"A rest stop sounds great," Leo declared, "Also, you are awesome Bob, like, ten out of ten, the best Titan I have ever met-" He paused, "Unless- wait no sorry. No offence to you dude but I mean, technically Cal was a Titan I guess-"
"You are such a dumbass." Nico rolled his eyes, a weak smile playing across his lips.
"You know other Titans?" Bob asked, "Good Titans?"
"Yeah." Leo nodded, "I mean, she's not as powerful as you or anything but my girlfriend. She was a Titan. She's mortal now but she still has some of her powers- she's working on it."
"Bob isn't the only good Titan?" he looked hopeful- and Leo gave a warm smile.
"Yeah, yeah you're not. Maybe once we get out of here you can meet her."
"Leo." Nico's voice was almost hesitant and he gave a tiny shake of his head- Leo wasn't sure why but he trusted Nico's judgement on the matter so he stopped talking as they picked their way across the ashen wasteland as red lightning flashed overhead in the poisonous clouds. Just another lovely day in the dungeon of creation.
As they walked they passed a blister in the ground—a writhing, translucent bubble the size of a minivan. Curled inside was the half-formed body of a drakon. Bob speared the blister without a second thought. It burst in a geyser of steaming yellow slime, and the drakon dissolved into nothing.
Bob kept walking.
Leo blinked rapidly, and gods but that was weird- it was gross- like someone popping a zit or something- and ew Leo did not need that mental image.
"Here," Bob said.
They stopped at the top of a ridge. Below them, in a sheltered depression like a moon crater, stood a ring of broken black marble columns surrounding a dark stone altar.
"Hermes's shrine," Bob explained.
"A-" Leo blinked, "A shrine to Hermes in Tartarus. That- is so freaking weird."
Bob laughed in delight. "Yes. It fell from somewhere long ago. Maybe mortal world. Maybe Olympus. Anyway, monsters steer clear. Mostly."
"How did you know it was here?" Nico's brows furrowed.
Bob's smile faded. He got a vacant look in his eyes. "Can't remember."
And Nico shifted nervously again.
"That's okay Bob. Not remembering is okay."
They climbed into the crater and entered the circle of columns. The inky storm front was less than a hundred feet away now, obscuring everything ahead of them. The crater's rim blocked their view of the wasteland behind. On one hand they'd be well hidden here, but if monsters did stumble across them, they would have no warning.
Leo glanced at Nico, who gave a small shrug. "It's probably the best we've got right?"
"You said someone was chasing us." Leo asked hesitantly. "Who?"
Bob swept his broom around the base of the altar, occasionally crouching to study the ground as if looking for something.
"They are following, yes. They know you are here. Giants and Titans. The defeated ones. They know."
The defeated ones… Leo felt like he'd swallowed a stone or something- not nice at all. Because- it was terrifying to imagine. All of the monsters was scary enough but that- knowing that there were Titans who were hunting them down- it just made him feel more and more desperate to find Percy before they did. Because the gods only knew what the Titans would do if they got to Percy first. Leo doubted the fact that Percy had technically married would hold much sway.
"We need to keep moving then." Leo said quickly, "We need to keep moving- Percy- Percy is out there we need to keep moving."
"Soon," Bob said. "But mortals need rest. Good place here. Best place for…oh, long, long way. I will guard you."
"That- no." Leo shook his head, "No. Bob you need to look for Percy- please she needs you more than we do- if Titans are hunting for her-" his voice was terrified- and he met Nico's eyes.
"Bob-" Nico faltered, "Leo isn't wrong. Percy's on her own and who knows where she is? Mortals need to drink from the Phlegethon to survive down here. A-and we don't know how close she is to the river. All I know for sure is that she's alive."
Bob hesitated at that.
"Percy needs Bob... but so do Nico and Leo."
"Please." Leo shook his head, "Percy needs your help more than us- she's strong yes but she's on her own. That's bad down here right? If you can help her-" Leo was certain that Bob would be able to get to her quicker without them, would be able to get to her and get her back to them within the time it would take for them to find her if they were slowing him down.
But still, Bob was clearly worried, he didn't want to leave them. Which was sweet and all but kind of infuriating since Leo and Nico could watch each others backs.
"You rest first." Bob said after a long moment. "I will guard you. You rest and then when you're better I will go-"
And Leo glanced at Nico- who hesitated before shrugging- it wasn't like they had much of a choice. They couldn't force the Titan to leave them behind, they weren't strong enough now to even fight normal monsters very well.
"Okay." Nico spoke up after a moment, "Okay. We'll get some sleep, and then once we're rested you can go and find Percy for us." he paused, "But one of us will stay awake to keep watch with you." he decided- ignoring the confused look Leo shot him- the other boy was definitely worried about something to do with the Titan- but- well, they couldn't talk about whatever it was with him around.
"Okay." Bob nodded happily, "Bob likes talking to friends like you."
"We like talking to you too." Nico shifted slightly, glancing towards Leo, "Do you want to get first sleep?"
"I don't mind." Leo shrugged, "I can do either watch so it's up to you."
"You sleep then." Nico gave a strained smile, "I'll see if I can figure out a way to reach out to Percy-not that that I think it'll work but-" he shook his head, "I feel useless doing nothing."
"Just wake me up in like, an hour or two okay." Leo gave Nico his best attempt at a stern look as he settled down- and it didn't take very long for his exhaustion to swallow him.
And when Leo opened his eyes his breath caught-he was on a familiar island, sat on the beach- and he turned his head, heart pounding in his chest as he saw a familiar figure sat next to him.
"Sunshine?"
And he was being knocked backwards onto the sand, warm arms folding around him- and Leo's arms snaked around Calypso in return as her lips landed on his.
Gods but if this was a dream then he wanted it to never end.
Of course it couldn't last forever and after a long moment Calypso's lips left his- and she was leaning over him, her eyes soft and warm. "Leonidas- I can't believe it worked. I'll have to thank Lou-Ellen."
"Cal-" Leo hesitated- she was in her Camp clothes he realised- rather than the dress she'd work when they first met- oh she still looked beautiful but- if it was just a dream- "Cal is this real?"
"Not fully." Calypso's expression was soft. "You're dreaming-but we're sharing a dream."
"Wow." Leo blinked, "I can think of so many uses for-ouch!" He laughed when Calypso pinched his arm, a fondly annoyed look on his face.
"You are terrible Leonidas." as she spoke she pulled back and Leo pushed himself back up so that he was sitting. "I have missed you though. Are you and the others safe enough? I heard that your sister's back." her smile was warm, "That must have been wonderful news for you."
"I-" Leo nodded, "It was." he shifted, slightly, nervously. Calypso was annoyingly good at reading him at times.
"Leo- what's wrong?"
"I'm not on the Argo II right now." he admitted, "I- Nico, Percy and I kind of got stranded- it's okay-" he tried to soothe the panicked look on his girlfriends face. "We're- I mean we're going to be fine. I just- we're not with the others."
"I should come." Calypso's voice was tight with worried, "I can help you all- where-"
"No!" Leo waved his arms frantically. "No, no you can't come okay? It's- we're going to be fine I promise. I just-" Leo shook his head, "It's really good to see you again." and it was.
He'd missed her so much. Seeing her again made his chest ache painfully.
"I know." Calypso reached out, rubbing her thumb against his cheek, "You're filthy Leonidas. Honestly you should clean yourself up. I'm sure you can at least wash in a stream or something if there's nowhere around for you to bathe."
"Sure." Leo resisted the urge to laugh, "I uh-I'll get right on that as soon as I can." he threaded their fingers together. "But can we talk about something else Cal?" he wanted this to last forever. He knew it wasn't real but- feeling the sun on his skin, breathing in air that wasn't toxic, it felt amazing.
"Like what?" she could clearly tell that he was stressed because she didn't try and argue otherwise. "Do you want to hear how Mellie is?"
"Sure." Leo grinned faintly, "It'd be nice to give coach an update on her when we re-join the others." if they re-joined the others- and gods but he couldn't let her know how bad it was. There was nothing she could do and all it would do would be make her worry.
And as she talked he listened, Calypso's voice was soothing- usually he hated staying still for more than five minutes at a time but with her he could- with Calypso he could stay like this forever, especially when she shifted so that her head was resting on his shoulder.
Eventually though Leo could feel a hand on his arm, shaking him slightly and his soft smile turned strained. "Cal-"
"Yes Leonidas?"
"I have to go." his voice was soft, "I- I think Nico's trying to wake me up. It's my turn to take watch."
"Oh." Calypso looked disappointed but she forced it down quickly. "Go then." she pressed her lips to his cheek- and Leo turned his head, so that their lips brushed together as he raised his hand, pressing it to Calypso's cheek gently.
"Cal. Do you remember the promise I made to you before I left Camp? With Piper and Jason I mean."
"Of course I do." Calypso's brows furrowed cutely. "Why?"
"I mean every word of it." he let his forehead rest against hers. "I'm coming back to you Cal." he blinked back the sudden tears that burned his eyes. "Thank you for this- I- I needed a spot of sunshine in the dark."
"Leo-" and Leo didn't hear the rest of what she'd been about to say, because he was opening his eyes, and the sunshine was gone.
