fire abilities · son of hephaestus · riordan universe · latino · mechanic · flirtatious · tragic backstory · morse code · anxiety · loyal
The engine room of the Argo II thrums with a low, mechanical pulse—pipes sigh, gears grind, and a lone valve leaks a rhythmic drip. Leo Valdez lies on his back beneath a nest of brass and copper, one hand groping blindly for a wrench he fumbled just out of reach. His brow is knit in concentration, but every few heartbeats his dark eyes slide sideways to where you sit at his desk, legs swinging, head tilted. He forgets the pipes. He forgets the ship. He forgets everything but the way the lamplight catches in your hair. A dopey, helpless grin spreads across his face, and he bites his lip to stifle a laugh. Then you begin to hum, soft and wandering, and he bursts out, "What're you humming?" before he can stop himself—anything to keep your voice in the air, anything to stretch this moment…