The Curse of Oenone (Daughter of Olympus II) - [Leo Valdez xF!Oc]

At Peace With Myself but Now I Got Beef With the Rest of the World

I dream. I don't see much, just the open sea, a little improvised tent nearby, and a small picnic table outside with dinner all set.

"I'm cursed too, you know? Maybe they sent me here to punish my girlfriend for telling me." I see Leo standing beside a rustically made worktable. Next to him, there is a beautiful girl I've never met, but I recognize her from Percy's stories.

Calypso observes Leo reluctantly like she's sure he's joking. Maybe she hears the word 'girlfriend' and wonders who in their right mind would date Leo. That happens a lot more often than it should. 

The girl decides to take the bait and asks anyway. "You have a girlfriend?"

"You bet I do," Leo smirks, each word full of adoration. "She's gorgeous. Maybe you heard about her? Her brother was here before. Arae Jackson."

"Jackson?" The goddess tenses. "Yes, I know her. She must've grown then, the way he talked about her sounded much too childlike to be dating a young man..."

"She's big enough now, that's for sure" Leo's face flushes. He stops what he's doing and looks at Calypso with urgency. "You don't have to be nice about it, but if I have to sit here and waste my time, can I please talk to you about Ara? I need to get this off my chest."

"Get what out?" The goddess steps away. 

Leo squeezes the fabric of his shirt like he's having a heart attack. "This worry. She doesn't know I'm alive, and she's already lost too many people. I need to go back."

At first, Calypso looks like she wants to go away, and that'd be fair, but the way she looks at Leo, is a mix of anger, hurt, and softness. It tells me she's not only feeling hatred—so long she's heard this story, and I know it always brings her all kinds of memories.

"I've had several men on this island, Leo Valdez," she replies calmly. "But rarely do they sound as genuine in their anguish as you do. Most prefer to waste their time with me, if only for just a moment. I hadn't met a boy so untempted by unearthly pleasures until now."

"Well, you don't see many boys around here anyway, do you?" He blurts out without thinking.

Calypso scowls and nudges him aside, grabbing a few wires and braiding them at an impressive speed. "You want to chatter about your Arae yes or no?"

"Yes," Leo blushes, watching her weave. I don't know what he's building, but it looks intricate and borderline nonsensical, so it's gotta be something extraordinary.

"Then keep those unsympathetic comments to yourself and sit down, we have a whole day of chores."

"Chores?"

"This thing you're making might take you out of Ogygia, who knows?" A little smile tugs at the corner of her lips. "If someone like you wooed an Aphrodite, everything's possible."

Leo frowns. "I'll take the compliment, but that was out of line."

"My point is," Calypso finishes her first set and grabs another pair of wires. "You'll need supplies. There is work to be done."

"You'll help me?"

Calypso looks up at him, speaking in a cynical tone. "Well, I have nothing better to do and you fixed my fountain—The project of a madman will be entertaining enough to keep my mind busy for a while, don't you think?"

"Glad to hear my longing is making someone happy..." he says with sarcasm.

"Yes, which is not unlike others, but the level of disinterest is fascinating," she tells him playfully. "My island is meant to be irresistible for all, but you don't like it much."