Blood of Olympus FanFic {completed}

35: LEO

"Am I 'no one'?" Leo teased, as Calypso swatted his arm playfully. She looked like she was going to press more, but then decided she didn't want to know.

"Wait." The voice of Nico di Angelo spoke. Leo had almost forgotten Nico was there: for the last moments it had been only him and Calypso. "If Leo arrived on the raft..."

Calypso seemed to catch on. "Yes! It will still be there, Nicholas, or whatever your full name is. Go search for it!"

"Nico, wait!" Even though Nico di Angelo creeped him out a little bit, Leo still had questions for him. "The raft will wait, I feel it. How did you get here?"

Nico's face darkened. "I... don't know. We were on the West Coast after a mistaken shadow travel, and encountered a few dracaenae who kind of blasted me into the ocean: next thing I know I'm here, with her."

Calypso frowned. "You feel no attraction to me. All of them have. This is unusual," she said.

Leo took her hand. "That's because you like me," he joked. "You're special."

Nico stared wistfully at them, then shook his head. "Leo, camp is in trouble. Octavian has already started attacking and even if we get back today we might be too late."

Leo swallowed.

"What? What is wrong?" Calypso asked.

Leo looked down at her -well, not really down since she was only about two inches shorter than him- and gulped. "It's kind of..."

"Complcated?" Nico finished. "Yeah, I hear you. The story of my life."

An awkward silence ensued.

"So, tell me," Calypso broke the silence, "what has happened to this camp?"

"It's..." Leo glanced at Nico. He didn't want to keep secrets from Calypso, but he didn't want to traumatise her either. "Well, it's under attack. There's kind of a giant war happening between the Gods and Gaea."

Calypso's lips parted in disbelief. "But... Hermes and Hephaestus... they told me none of this!"

Leo moistened his lips. "Maybe they were busy..."

Calypso turned, but Leo had time to catch the tears in her eyes. He made to take her other hand, but she pulled her hand out of his. 

"I'm tired of doing nothing in this war," she said and despite her tears, her voice was quite steady. Then, she turned and walked away.

"Calypso!" Leo made to go after her, but she walked behind a bush and was out of sight. "Ah, man-"

"Leave her," Nico interrupted. "I need you to show me the raft."

"I can't leave her," Leo said, and started after her just as Nico di Angelo's hand enclosed around his wrist and tugged him backwards. Nico might have been scrawny, but he was certainly strong, and his hands were ice-cold.

"What?" Leo asked Nico angrily.

"Show me the raft." Nico repeated, and this time it was an order. "We also must talk."

Leo grumbled, but he understood better than most people how Calypso might want to be left alone. He set off towards the dining pavilion, Nico following him.

"So, what've you been up to?" Nico asked him.

"Oh, the usual," Leo answered still slightly miffed. "Killing monsters, avoiding death. Trying to stop the world from being destroyed."

A smile tugged at Nico's lips, but never made it through. "How's Percy?" The question was asked with too much nonchalance.

"He's... currently in Corinth, with Hazel," Leo said. "Why?"

Nico shook his head. "Why's he in Corinth?"

"Well, Dionysus kind of ordered us to go on two person quests," Leo said. He explained about everything to Nico, and before they knew it they were back at the beach.

"Is this the raft?" Nico asked.

"Yup, say where you want to go and it'll take you," Leo informed him. 

Nico nodded, before stepping onto a log. He then turned back to Leo. "Good luck, you'll need it," he said.

"You too," Leo wished him, and meant it.

Nico held out his hand, and Leo realized that... Nico wanted to shake his hand. He grasped Nico's hand in his and shook twice. Then with a smile, he turned back onto the beach just in time to hear Nico's cry of, "Take me to Akron, Ohio."

He walked up the beach and into the dining pavilion, and to his surprise saw Calypso sitting there. She smiled faintly at him.

"Hey," he said. Always a good start.

"Hello," she answered somewhat more formally.

"How're you feeling?" This conversation was getting lamer and lamer.

"Good," she answered.

Then suddenly she rose, and kissed Leo, who circled his arms around her. When Calypso pulled away, she said:

"I've done something foolish."

"Oh yeah?" Leo wasn't worried. He'd done plenty of things in his life that could definitely be labeled as 'foolish'.

"Yes, but it was also the right thing to do," she told him.

"I trust you," he said. "You always do the right thing."

"Please do not be mad at me," she begged, looking up at him and placing her arms on his shoulders.

"I could never be." He kissed her forehead, and noticed she seemed to be shimmering a bit more than usual.

"Leo, I am sorry," she said.

"Stop apologizing, tell me," Leo said. He noticed that she started to shimmer even more now.

"I am the one that has sacrificed myself for the seven of you."

BAM BAM BAM...

I know, we've been milking this secret since the beginning of the book and I hope it's paid off to finally know who was the person to sacrifice themself for the Seven.

Bear in mind, before you say this chapter was an absolute pile of horse manure (and I'd agree with you) that this was extremely hard to write. The Caleo reunion might've seemed a bit rushed, and I'm so sorry if the reunion wasn't what you'd expected. I've been suffering from a huge writer's block. I'm sorry again.

Dedication for @mickel11 for having been super sweet with a poem to us. Thank you so much for everything, we hope you continue to enjoy our fanfic!

~Rachel :) x