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“But Leo,” Calypso asked confused “I thought you said Walmart had everything. Why wouldn’t it have one? I miss them from my Island.”
“Cal-ey,” Leo said “These people are basic; they don’t understand the luxury of Galapagos tortoises.” He wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked around the ‘basic’ aisles looking to the tortoise anyway, because Calypso really missed them from her island, they were her only company for millennia, and she desperately wanted something familiar in this strange new world. She loved Leo, but it was scary for her.
They happened to turn down the toy aisle next where a pyramid of stuffed animals were stacked in a corner in an assortment of colors they passed giraffes, zebras, pandas, and Leo stopped in his tracks, whirled around, and ran back to the pillow pets at the end of the aisle. When he came back, he was holding a Galapagos tortuous out to Calypso.
“Here babe, is this good enough? It isn’t the real thing but it is as close as I think we can find.” He gave her a look showing how desperate he was to make her comfortable. Though Calypso did not know it, Leo’s biggest fear, besides being killed by a monster or Zeus, was the possibility that Calypso would want to go back to her island. The thought made him cringe, he had to tell himself that she would probably stay out of fear of being alone for another hundred years. Never before had anyone actually cared about him, except his mom, without wanting something in return. Well, one other time, when the other members of the seven, plus Nico and Will, accepted him without question but what he felt for Calypso was stronger than how he felt for his friends and the thought of her rejecting him was terrifying and scared the motor oil out of him.
Calypso’s face lit up with joy as she exclaimed “it looks just like Dromeda from my island! I love it!” She grinned at Leo with a one-hundred watt smile. “And I love you too.” She kissed the top of his nose then hugged him tightly. She followed Leo up to the register, beaming and petting her pillow pet. She reluctantly set it on the counter so the lady could ring it up, and Leo paid for it.
As they walked out Calypso stopped and turned to Leo. “You should stop thinking you aren’t worth it.”
“I-I don…” he stammered flushing
“I heard you and Jason talking.” She said wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him. “You are worth it to me, and I never, EVER want to go back to that blasted island. Ever.” She said then she smirked, “Plus I can always tell when you are self-loathing, don’t do it again. At least when I am around got it Valdez?”
Leo nodded. “I just, I’ve never..” he trailed off “I’ve never dated anyone.” He admitted.
“Ever?” Calypso asked
“Never was able to, I was always doing housework for my Tia and then after that I didn’t really stay in one place for very long.” Leo was rubbing the back of his neck now, this was kind of embarrassing to admit but he tried to trust Calypso “I also never found anyone I really trusted enough, or was close enough to, to even ask them to a school dance, let alone to be my girlfriend."
“Does that mean I’m officially your girlfriend?” Calypso asked smiling slightly
“Uhhhh.” Leo just gave her a halfheartedly shrug. “Yes? No I mean Yes! We are defiantly officially dating!” He tried to flashed her a smile but his ears were bright red and he couldn’t meet her eyes.
She snuggled in close to him and buried her face in his neck, kissing his collar bone softly. “I would love to be your first girlfriend.”
Leo walked with her snuggled into him with a hop in his step and completely giddy.