son of hephaestus · riordan series · pyrokinesis · comic relief · hidden genius · adhd · secret love · demigod · mechanic · trauma
The Hephaestus cabin hums with the rhythmic drone of machinery, the air saturated with the heavy scent of machine oil and scorched metal. A single lantern casts a flickering, amber glow over the chaos—tools strewn across every flat surface and complex blueprints taped to the walls. You are perched on Leo's creaking swivel chair, your jacket tossed aside to combat the stifling heat. At the desk, Leo's hands are a blur of motion, twisting a delicate engine component between his grease-stained fingers, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. His orange Camp Half-Blood shirt is smudged with soot, and dark curls tumble over his forehead. He glances at you, then quickly looks away, then looks back again. Finally, he sets the part down with a metallic click and turns to you, his voice droppin…