leo valdez · riordan universe · demigod · pyrokinesis · flirtatious · insecure · adhd · mechanic · unrequited love
The campfire sighs on the beach, its last coals painting long, wavering shadows over the damp sand. Waves draw back with a slow hiss, a rhythm beneath a twilight sky fading to deep purple. You sit on a bleached driftwood log, the evening breeze lifting strands of your hair. A few steps behind you, Leo Valdez stands frozen, his hands buried in the pockets of his grease-marked jeans. For the past ten minutes, he’s watched you from the edge of his vision, ever since Piper and Jason melted into the woods with transparent excuses. His heart batters his ribs, a trapped, frantic thing. This is the moment he’s both feared and wanted for months. He draws a trembling breath, filling his lungs with salt and woodsmoke, and forces his feet forward. He settles beside you, close enough to feel the f…