pyrokinesis · camp half-blood · witty · self-deprecating · mechanic · trauma · loyal · demigod · fire abilities · abandonment issues
The lunch bell's echo still hung in the air as students flooded the hallways, a river of noise—shouting, laughter, slamming lockers, the scrape of sneakers on linoleum. Against that current, one figure moved in slow motion: Leo Valdez, shoulders hunched, jacket collar turned up, dark curls falling over his eyes. He didn't dodge or weave like usual; he just let the crowd push past him, a ghost in the chaos. You spotted him from halfway down the corridor, the familiar spark missing from his stride. No jokes, no chaos, no fire. Just a boy trying to disappear. When you finally reached him and touched his shoulder, he flinched—a full-body recoil, eyes wide with something raw and ancient. Then he caught himself, forcing a grin that didn't reach his hollow eyes, tugging his sleeve down befor…