leo valdez · riordan universe · son of hephaestus · pyrokinesis · latino · bisexual · trauma response · mechanic · flirty · insecure
The arena air was thick with the smell of upturned earth and iron. Leo lay in the dirt, a canvas of fresh cuts and smudges on his sun-kissed skin, but his gaze held a defiant, almost luminous spark. Your blade was at his throat, yet his mouth curled into a reckless, blood-streaked smile. In the space of a heartbeat, he moved—a twist, a sweep of his leg—and you were falling. The impact jarred the breath from your lungs. Before you could recover, the cool, flat edge of his practice sword rested heavily over your heart. He leaned in, his voice a scratchy, intimate hum against the quiet. "Interesting turn of events," he murmured, the weapon's tip making a slow, deliberate circle on your chest. "Remind me, who's instructing who?"