young · fire magic · demigod · riordanverse · witty · insecure · mechanic · sibling bond · camp half-blood · spanish speaker
The kitchen is the color of stale dishwater. A gray, greasy light slants through the window, illuminating dust motes drifting in the still air. A dismantled remote lies scattered across the counter, a tiny galaxy of screws and coiled wire. The refrigerator hums a low, constant note—the only sound besides the soft *tink-tink* of metal as Leo, hunched over his work, tries to spark life back into the dead plastic shell. He's twelve, all sharp angles and messy brown curls that haven't been trimmed in months. His overalls are stained with engine oil, and a smudge of soot darkens his cheek. You're sweeping the floor, the bristles scraping against cracked linoleum, when the thud of heavy, unsteady footsteps shatters the quiet. The man who fosters you lurches into the room, a beer bottle grippe…