The Mechanic and the Witch- Leo x Calypso

In Which Leo Remembers Stuff

Leo and Calypso hauled Festus's head out onto the beach, so they could work at the (repaired) dining room table. A nice breeze had kicked up, stoking the waves, while the sun turned the tips of the water to gold. It looked like the ocean was on fire, just a little bit.

Sitting by the water, machinery at his fingertips, Calypso by his side, Leo felt like everything had come full circle. Like the crazy sh*t he'd dealt with all his life made sense, because it led to this day.

Leo watched his girlfriend's quick fingers for a moment, smiling as he remembered the first day they had worked together. She pushed in next to him on the bench and began to work, her hands braiding the bronze wiring faster than he could have. 

"Just like weaving," she said. "This isn't so hard."

"Huh," Leo said. "Well, if you ever get off this island and want a job, let me know. You're not a total klutz." She smirked. "A job, eh? Making things in your forge?" "Nah, we could start our own shop," Leo said, surprising himself. Starting a machine shop had always been one of his dreams, but he'd never told anyone about it.

"Leo and Calypso's Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters."

"Fresh fruits and vegetables," Calypso offered.

"Cider and stew," Leo added. "We could even provide entertainment. You could sing and I could randomly burst into flames."

Calypso laughed-- a clear, happy sound that make Leo's heart go ka-bump.

"See," he said. "I'm funny."

She managed to kill her smile. "You are not funny. Now, get back to work, or no cider and stew."

"Yes, ma'am," he said. They worked in silence, side by side, for the rest of the afternoon.

Calypso sensed when Leo's busy hands stilled over a cluster of gears. She glanced up, then froze. Leo was looking at her with soft eyes-- he was looking at her like she was the sunrise, waves crashing on the surf, a cool breeze on a hot day. He was looking at her the way a dreamer gazes into a distant fantasy, looking at her like she was his dream.

Warmth bloomed inside of her, and Calypso tilted her head back, towards the empty blue.

Is this how it is, she wondered, to be alive?

***

As you probably know, everything in italics is from The House of Hades. I wanted make this chapter a little nostalgic-- I think this is the moment when Leo and Calypso really fell for each other. That's the thing I really like about their relationship, it's slow burn. They start off hating everything about the other person, but over time they learn to love each other. I know a lot of people dislike Calypso and claim she's abusive... huh? Leo had a "dislike at first sight" moment with her, but in the end they both learned that their prejudices were wrong. I feel like a lot of Team Leo fans didn't see the progression of their relationship and judged Calypso for how she and Leo treated each other at first (trust me, there is blame on both sides). That's the main reason I started writing about them, I wanted to explore her character and maybe help people understand her more. I could write a whole essay about why their relationship is the best out of any in Rick Riordan's books ;)