Hey! Sorry for the long break—school is the worst. Here's LEO!
Leo and Calypso's Secret Message
Leo spent a lot of time on the island paradise Ogygia, creating things. Anything—trinkets, machines, mechanisms—anything he could think of. As he worked, the beautiful goddess, Calypso, would sometimes watch him from afar, wondering what he was doing or making, or thinking.
One day, she just could not help her curiosity anymore. She sat down next to him, studying the craftsmanship and focus he had to have to create such a delicate instrument. She, of course, had no clue what it was, but it was interesting, nonetheless.
When Leo stopped what he was doing and took in his surroundings, he was slightly surprised and slightly upset to see the beautiful girl in front of him. Sure, she was wearing that fine red dress again, and sure her hair was perfectly messy and clothes a little dirty from her time tending to her garden, but she was a jerk to him too. Leo mentally slapped himself. It wasn't her fault she was the way she was. If he was in her shoes, he'd cure the gods too. Even his dad. It wasn't fair. He was convinced that Calypso was just extremely lonely and afraid of getting emotionally attached to someone who would have to leave eventually anyway. He could also relate to that, being the seventh wheel and the runaway. He decided maybe it was time for a little kindness.
"It's a helicopter. It's small—a prototype—but building helps clear my mind," he said softly, handing the copter to her. She took it gently in her hands, examining it closely. It might have been the fumes from his clothes burning up getting to his head, or wishful thinking, but she actually looked interested in Leo's handiwork.
"It's very nice," she whispered, almost inaudible, cheeks slightly pink. "It is very creative and intelligent. More so than Odysseus, even."
Leo couldn't help but smile. He was the best. That was not a thought usually associated with Leo Valdez. Could this be her way of saying she was actually on Team Leo? No. He told himself. Don't think like that. It isn't fair to either of you.
If only he could have listened to his brain.
Over time, Leo and Calypso became friends. He loved seeing a girl actually not care to get down and dirty, still look beautiful, and laugh at his jokes because they are actually funny. She loved knowing that Leo was dependable, reliable, and a good natured boy. He wasn't exactly the usual type the gods would send to punish her, so she let the smallest crevice of her heart believe that he would stay and never have to leave.
If only she could have not listened to her heart.
The day the raft came was the most dreadful days Calypso had ever felt. The pain she felt in her heart was the pain of a thousand Percy Jacksons. Leo was unique and was hers, no? No. he wasn't. He really was destined to leave. Like all the others.
Sighing, she knew this day would come and decided she would try to make the best of it. As she watched Leo make his last invention, she finally got the courage to ask him a question she'd been wondering since the first day he came here.
"What are you doing with your fingers?"
Leo looked up from his work, confused. "What?"
"Your fingers," she said again. "When you work, you tap them against the table. Why?"
Leo looked down at his hand on the table, noticing what Calypso was talking about. "Oh, that. I tap my fingers in Morse code when I'm working. I used to say simple stuff to my mom while we worked in her workspace—I love you, I miss you, I'm hungry—small things like that."
Her face twisted slightly. "And how do you say I love you, I miss you, and I'm hungry?"
He tapped his fingers to each tune, carefully.
I love you— . / .-.. - ...- . / -.- - ..-
I miss you— .. / - .. ... ... / -.- - ..-
I'm hungry— .. .-. - / ... ..- -. -. .-. -.—
Then the raft came. Leo's heart fell, like a solid bock of lead. He didn't know leaving would be this hard, but then again, how could it not?
Calypso watched him sail off, leaving her once again, but this time, it was different. She felt conflicted. Her heart was filled with the sorrow of loosing someone she loved, angry at the gods for cursing her so, but happy that he was brave enough to know what he had to do and help his friends, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit hopeful that he would one day return.
Whatever the case, she found herself thinking of her Hot Head every spare second she had, which is to say almost every second of every day, tapping her hands on anything she could touch to the beat of her heart— .. / - .. ... ... / -.- - ..-, .. / - .. ... ... / -.- - ..-, .. / - .. ... ... / -.- - ..-. If only he knew.
Once Leo got back on the Argo 2, everyone noticed he was different. They'd seen the look on his face before, but they couldn't place an emotion with it. He'd changed in such a small way, but it made a big impact and no one was brave enough to question it. Not even Jason, Leo's best friend.
Leo wasn't dumb. He knew they knew something happened, but Calypso—even falling on Ogygia—was a secret. It was his and his alone. Sure, he wasn't the first to visit, but he would be the last. He would save her. He thought it was almost funny. Every time someone gave him a look, he'd smile knowingly, tapping even louder. . / .-.. - ...- . / -.- - ..-, . / .-.. - ...- . / -.- - ..-, . / .-.. - ...- . / -.- - ..-. If only she knew.