Before We Say Goodbye || HoO x Reader Oneshots

Leo x Reader- I Promise Pt. 2

"What?!" You sprang to your feet, surprise coursing through you. "But- I- how- but-" you stammered, unable to form a coherent thought.

Calypso's almond eyes were filled with clashing emotions: laughter, bittersweetness, sadness. "Perhaps I should explain."

She pulled your arm, signaling for you to sit down beside her.

"When Leo first landed in Ogygia, despite my misgivings, I tended to him. Sometimes, when I visited him, he was asleep, and he kept having nightmares. He kept crying out in his sleep, for people that I have since met. Hazel, Frank, Percy, Annabeth, Piper, Jason, Reyna, Nico... so many people."

Her gaze locked onto yours, making you listen even more closely. "But there was one name that was mentioned more than others, a name that was said with happiness. You, Y/N."

She squeezed your hand, and you squeezed back. "When we got onto better terms, I asked him who they were. He painted pictures of all of them with his words, although it wasn't needed for Percy. But when he got to you, he painted a picture so - so vivid. He knew - he knows - you so well. He regaled me with tales of the two of you and your adventures, and even as I started to fall for him and I hoped he would for me, I knew, just by hearing him talk about you, that part of his heart would always belong to you - and now, I think even more will. Even though I tried to deny it to myself, now I know. Leo Valdez still loves you. And once I'm - once I'm gone, it will be even easier."

"No, Cali," you said, helpless. "I don't want happiness at someone else's expense."

She looked at you then, and you saw those ages of wisdom beyond her appearance. Eyes that'd experienced heartbreak, over and over again. Only one person had ever loved her back.

And now she was willing to give him up.

"But, Y/N, don't you see? You will make him happy, and that's all I need. Please, Y/N. I need you to do this."

You frantically tried to think of a protest. Yes, you loved Leo, but snatching him from another girl's cold corpse was too far. "But - but then why did he avoid me when you two got back?"

"He avoided you because Leo knew my heartbreak. He understood on a level that none other of the ones who visited my island did. Odysseus, Perseus: they both got who they wanted. 'Forever and always'. But Leo knew what it was like - and he went as extreme as possible to make sure he never caused anyone that kind of heartbreak. If you feel how I think you feel, then know that Leo deluded himself into thinking that you would never love him. So when he came back with me, he didn't - couldn't - ever even think to hurt me like others had hurt the both of us. And so he avoided you, because he had had a crush on you before he left on the Argo ||."

"But- I- he- that idiot!"

Calypso gave a light, tinkling laugh, then grew serious. Leaning forward, she asked, "So will you?"

Swallowing, as your throat had suddenly seemed to grow dry, you bit your lip before answering.

"I promise." (ayyyy! there's the title.)

•∞•∞•∞•

When Leo entered the infirmary, still covered in soot and grease from the forges, he found you and Calypso engaged in a game.

A very fun, if little-known game. It was called: 'Leo is such an idiot. One time he...'

You looked up from your anecdote about the time Leo almost set the entire camp on fire (moral of the story: Leo + coffee + sugar + glitter is a very bad idea) to see the Bad Boy Supreme himself, gaping at the two of you like a fish out of water. His ears had turned pink, barely visible through the layer of dirt and grime covering almost every inch of available skin. "Um- hey."