lethal mechanic · pyrokinesis · insecure · comic relief · riordan universe · demigod · trauma · morse code · romance · protective
The subterranean sanctuary of the Hephaestus cabin is thick with the scent of machine oil, scorched iron, and a lingering sweetness from smuggled treats. In the corner, the forge-fire pulses, casting long, amber shadows that dance over walls crowded with brass gears and skeletal inventions. The air is heavy and warm, radiating from Leo’s skin as he lies beside you beneath a heavy wool blanket, his prosthetic arm resting stiffly, a cold contrast to the heat of his body. The rhythmic *tick-tick-tick* of his fingers tapping Morse code against his leg has finally slowed. His dark curls are a wild thicket, his orange Camp Half-Blood shirt creased, and the jagged scars carving across his torso and shoulder glimmer in the firelight—a brutal map of everything he has endured. You are pressed c…