!?

The way I see it. Calypso and Leo do love each other but they aren't what the other person needs. To leo, the raft appearing in HOH is a clear sign that Calypso loves him. And to Calypso, Leo returning to Ogygia was the sign of love. They thought that would be enough. The both of them used to believe that they would never find love and then they found it in each other. To them, their relationship meant that they were deserving of love. They thought that would be enough. But it's not.

They aren't good for each other. They're actually horrible for each other. And they don't put in any effort to become good for each other. They're constantly fighting because they don't know how to communicate. There is love between them, but not really any kind of understanding. They don't know what the other person wants or needs. They don't even know what they need.

Calypso wants to figure herself out and explore the world after being stuck in her island. And Leo wants stability. But he chooses to sacrifice what he wants because Calypso doesn't want to settle down. He's so desperate for her love that he prioritises her needs over his. Leo's use of humour as a coping mechanism also annoys Calypso because she feels that he's making a joke out of things that she takes seriously. One the other hand, when Calypso isn't able to cope with her stress of being mortal, it results in her snapping at leo.

They don't have the space to figure out themselves and fix their personal issues, let alone their issues as a couple. And there's also all kinds of insecurities hanging over their heads. Leo might think that Calypso's only with him because she feels like she owes it to him. And Calypso might think that Leo is only with her because of his oath. They don't talk to each other about this. They don't try to reach an understanding. Maybe they don't know how to. But because of that, they don't truly know each other.

I don't hate caleo but I don't really love it either. I don't think caleo is necessarily a good or bad ship. I think it suffers from bad writing. Rick thought that their individual character issues could be fixed with a relationship. Well he thought wrong.

But regardless, in my mind, caleo is a ship that was never meant to last. I love Leo and I love Calypso. I loved the time they had together, however messy it was. By the end of TOA, Caleo is 'on a break'. Maybe they'll break up. Maybe they'll get back together. But however it goes, their relationship means something to them. It means that, at least for a while, they got to hold onto something they never thought they would get to have.

Chapter 2

Piper surveys Hazel and Frank, the last couple standing, and says, "Is this where you tell us you broke up?"

"God," Leo chokes out, still facing away from them all, but Nico can see the hand he reaches up, the heel of his palm grinding into his forehead. 

"Leo," Hazel says, voice exhausted. 

"Can you just get this over with?" Leo asks, sounding like he's a second away from throwing up. 

Nico's stomach drops in an awful swoop.