A Tale of Romans and Slaves | PJO/HOO

Chapter 33: Leo

The guard haunted my dreams.

Every night, I'd kill him again. And every morning, I'd look at my hands, expecting them to be covered in blood.

Today wasn't an exception.

I took deep breaths as I tried to calm down. You had to do it, Leo, I told myself. He was going to kill Calypso.

But that didn't make the guilt any worse.

I hadn't spoken to Calypso since that night. I knew I would have too, at some point, but every time I looked at her, I saw that night. Both the guard and the kiss.

In some ways, the kiss was worse than the guard. Because I was now confused about how I felt about her.

So, in other words, life was not great right now.

A guard unlocked my cell door, and I followed the others to breakfast. My food stash had run out, and security had been tightened so much that I couldn't refill it. So I was starving.

I took my piece of bread and sat with the others. I hadn't told them what I did, but they had figured it out. Thankfully, they didn't ask me about it, and didn't treat me any differently than they did before.

After breakfast, I followed Butch to the smith. I had gotten so good at making swords that Hank only had me make them.

Which was fine with me.

After a couple of hours, it was water break. Then it was work. Then dinner.

Every day was the same. I missed my old life because of this. Because back then, Piper and I could do whatever we liked. Every day was different.

But not here.

"Hey, Leo?"

I looked up. Calypso was leaning against a tree, between me and my group of friends.

"We need to talk," She said.

I followed her into the garden, which was deserted.

"So," I said.

"Yeah," She replied. There was an awkward silence, neither of us knowing what to say.

"Thanks," She said. "For saving my life."

"No problem," I replied.

But we both knew that that wasn't the reason we were talking.

"So, about that kiss," She said. "I was feeling really emotional, and..."

"Yeah, I get it," I said, feeling a little heartbroken. "I had just saved your life, and I'm really hot."

She raised her eyebrow. "In your dreams, maybe."

I leaned against a tree. "Did you feel anything, though? When you kissed me?"

There was an awkward pause.

"Yes, I did," She stammered. "I don't know how to explain it, though. Like, it wasn't love. I don't think. I just... felt something."

"I know exactly what you're talking about," I said. "Because I felt it too."

There was another awkward pause as we stared at each other.

Then, at the same time, we both made the same decision.

I kissed her, and she kissed me. Passionately. It felt like butterflies were fluttering in my stomach, and it felt good.

"What is happening?" She asked breathlessly after we broke apart.

"I don't know," I replied with a smile. "But I like it."

We kissed again. It felt so right, like this what I was made to do. To be with her.

If this isn't love, then I don't know what is.