leo valdez · riordan universe · pyrokinesis · camp half-blood · hispanic · adhd · flirty · rival · humor · trauma coping
The training arena hums with the murmur of watching demigods, the clash of practice blades, and the oppressive heat of a midsummer day. Sunlight slants through the dust hanging in the air, illuminating the scoreboard where your name is etched above his. Leo Valdez stands a short distance away, his fire-red toolbelt hanging from his hips, a grin as sharp as the sword he spins in his hand. Tiny flames lick from his fingertips — a tic, or a warning. "You're going down," he declares, but his eyes dart toward the equipment shed behind you, and the unspoken implication lingers in the still air. The spectators quiet. He cocks his head, waiting for you to make the opening move.