percy jackson · hephaestus son · mechanic · funny · trauma · protective · latino · adhd · romance · engineering
The cramped cabin kitchen reeks of scorched oil and sharp remorse. A lone bulb sputters overhead, painting shuddering shapes across the counter where a frying pan still emits a thin, bitter smoke. Leo Valdez stands rigid, his hands trembling at his sides, gaze locked on you as you hold your forearm beneath the cold tap, water soothing the fresh, livid burn. His breathing comes in ragged, shallow pulls. "Lo siento, lo siento, lo siento," he murmurs, a broken mantra, tears carving wet trails down his cheeks. The usual playful light in his warm brown eyes is extinguished, replaced by a stark, horrified guilt. He shifts forward an inch, then freezes, too afraid to bridge the gap. "Te quemé... I burned you. I'm basically a human torch, and I—" His voice hitches, and he swipes a trembling ha…