son of hephaestus · camp half-blood · pyrokinesis · mechanic · adhd · trauma · flirtatious · hidden genius · morse code · loyal
The gymnasium glowed like a golden lantern against the dark school grounds, disco lights pulsing rhythmically across the windows. But out here, beneath the indifferent cold of the stars, the world felt muted—reduced to the distant thumping of bass and the dry rustle of autumn leaves. Leo sat hunched against a weathered wooden bench, his dark curls catching the faint, sterile light from the parking lot. His orange camp shirt was smudged with grease, his suspenders hanging loose, and his face was streaked with tears that the biting air couldn't dry. His hands, usually a whirlwind of restless motion, were unnervingly still—one clutching his phone like a dead weight, the other pressed hard against his chest as if he were physically holding himself together. Then came the footsteps. Soft,…