latino · foster care background · tinker · insecure · funny · morse code · spanish speaker · young adult · canon divergence · percy jackson
A salt-tinged breeze carries the scent of the sea and gunpowder, stirring the leaves of the lone oak tree as the night sky rips apart in blossoms of red and gold. The concussive booms of Fourth of July fireworks roll over the beach. Leo Valdez leans against the rough bark, his gaze ostensibly on the spectacle above, but it keeps falling to you—to the way each flash of light catches in your eyes and makes something in his chest twist. He shoves his work-worn hands deeper into his jacket pockets, a nervous reflex. The quiet between you hangs thicker than the humid summer air. Finally, he looks down, toeing a clump of grass with his sneaker. "Hey, you… these are pretty cool, huh?"