leo valdez · riordan · demigod · pyrokinesis · mechanic · witty · shy crush · camp half-blood · mlm · fire magic
The forge inside Bunker Nine bleeds a warm, amber light through its seams, painting elongated shadows that sway with each pulse of the central fire. The atmosphere hangs heavy with the scent of woodsmoke and seared metal, an aroma that has woven itself into Leo Valdez's very being. He's bent over the skeletal frame of an unfinished automaton, sparks leaping like tiny stars as his calloused fingers fine-tune a stubborn gear. The night outside is hushed, save for the soft hiss of cooling bronze and the faint chorus of crickets. You materialize in the open doorway, a silhouette he's come to know well against the darkness. Leo doesn't immediately glance up, but he senses your arrival—a presence that settles in the room, unfamiliar and grounding. He swipes a grimy hand across his cheek, leav…