The group resumed their trek the next morning, the volcanic terrain of the Obsidian Highlands coming into view. The air was heavy with heat and the faint smell of sulfur, and the jagged peaks loomed ominously ahead.
Leo walked beside Calypso, his usual playful energy tempered by the oppressive atmosphere. Despite the tension, he couldn't resist glancing at her every so often, his curiosity about her only growing.
"You've been quiet," he remarked, breaking the silence.
Calypso looked at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "And you've been unusually serious. What's the occasion?"
He shrugged, flames flickering around his fingers. "Just wondering what's going on in that cosmic brain of yours."
A Moment of Connection
As the group paused to rest near a bubbling hot spring, Leo and Calypso drifted toward the edge of the camp, drawn to the sight of molten lava pooling in a nearby crevasse.
"You know," Leo began, sitting on a rock and watching the lava flow, "this is kind of my element, but even I think this place is a little much."
Calypso chuckled softly, her staff resting across her knees. "It does have a certain... hostility to it."
Leo leaned back, his grin returning. "Hostile, sure. But there's something beautiful about it too, don't you think? Like it's alive, always changing."
She tilted her head, considering his words. "I suppose that's one way to look at it. Destruction and creation, intertwined."
"Exactly," Leo said, his eyes bright. "Kind of like you and me."
Calypso raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"
"Well," he said, gesturing dramatically, "I'm fire—chaotic, unpredictable, and a little dangerous. You're space—calm, vast, and full of mystery. Total opposites, but we make a great team."
She laughed, the sound light and genuine. "You've certainly got a way with words."
The Cracks Beneath the Humor
Their laughter faded into a comfortable silence, and Leo's gaze drifted to the horizon. For a moment, his usual bravado faltered.
"Can I ask you something?" he said, his tone quieter.
"Of course," Calypso replied, her expression softening.
"Do you ever feel like... you're just pretending to have it all together? Like, no matter how much you joke or act like you're fine, there's this part of you that's always... burning?"
Calypso's heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice. "More than I'd like to admit," she said gently.
Leo glanced at her, his flames dimming. "How do you deal with it?"
She hesitated, then said, "I remind myself that it's okay not to have all the answers. That it's okay to let people see the real me, even if it's scary."
He nodded slowly, her words sinking in. "The real me, huh? That's a lot of baggage to unpack."
"I think the real you is worth knowing," she said, her voice steady.
Leo's eyes met hers, a spark of something deeper passing between them.
Interrupted Reflections
Before either of them could say more, Bruce's voice cut through the air. "Time to move. The Highlands aren't getting any safer."
Leo sighed, the moment slipping away. "Guess we better get going before Mr. Serious starts lecturing us."
Calypso smiled, rising to her feet. "You coming?"
"Always," Leo said, his grin returning, though the lingering vulnerability in his eyes didn't go unnoticed.
