The Mechanic and the Witch- Leo x Calypso

In Which the Adventure Begins

It was finally time.

The bags were stocked with food and water. Festus was all fixed up, spiraling gleefully over the island with his new wings-- Happy the Dragon was overjoyed. Some smaller bags were filled with clothes and personal items, although Leo refused to take off his tool belt for even a moment. Calypso had teased him a bit, but she understood. When he had found it hanging up in the cave, charred and dirty, he had shrieked and cried over it for half an hour before pulling out a tin of breath mints, eating one, and kissing Calypso.

He grinned at the memory.

Leo had even deconstructed Calypso's loom so they could bring it with them. He smiled-- who was he kidding? Calypso wouldn't leave without it. He'd bundled the heavy wooden bars together and attached them securely to Festus's talons.

Now, there wasn't anything more to do. They'd worked and waited and planned for so long, but eventually they had run out of tasks.

Calypso had spent the last week roaming the island by herself, from the sandy dunes and sea grottos to the towering cliffs and cedar groves. Leo waited for her. He knew that she was mourning Ogygia, saying goodbye. Who knew what would happen when she left? Would it become a regular island? Would it remain hidden? Would it simply vanish, like it had never existed? Leo didn't know, and neither did Calypso.

She stood up to her knees in the surf, watching the sun rise slowly over the rim of the world. The horizon burned brighter than Leo's hottest fire, lighting Calypso's eyes. She was scared, he could tell. Leo splashed into the sea next to her, took her hand.

"You ready, sunshine?"

She turned to him, tears streaked across her face by the sweetly brackish breeze.

"I do not know. But I want to leave." Leo wiped a tear away, leaving a streak of engine grease. Calypso smiled.

"Let's go home," she whispered. Leo's eyes burned. 

"I'll take you there, sweetheart. Calypso. I'll get you home."

They waded over to the shore, where Festus waited, snorting flames. Leo helped Calypso scramble up the warm bronze paneling, and when she was seated she reached down and pulled Leo up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. She was dressed in blue jeans and a cropped white blouse she'd made herself.

"Alright, Festus," said Leo. "Let's get off this godsforsaken island!" Calypso elbowed him.

"What? You're forsaking it, and you're a goddess!" He could practically hear her rolling her eyes. He tugged her braid mischievously.

In an excellent impression of Dora, he called out, "Vamanos! Let's go!"

Festus tensed his mechanical joints, then burst into flight. Calypso screamed and Leo gripped her tightly, before he realized that she was shrieking for joy. Her voice echoed off the cliffs of Ogygia, rapidly disappearing behind them.

She thrust both hands into the air and whooped while the headwinds beat against her body and carried Festus even higher towards the cerulean sky.

Leo craned his neck around, but he couldn't see anything. The island was gone, there was only blue sea below and blue sky above. He started laughing hysterically, slumped against Calypso's back. They had done it, they had really done it.

Festus squeaked happily, twisting through the cool air. Grey clouds hung heavily in front of them, woolly with moisture. The great metal dragon flew straight for them. With a flicker of bronze, they were gone.