son of hephaestus · riordanverse · pyrokinesis · genius · comic relief · trauma · loyal · spanish pet names · flying ship · demigod
The cavern air was thick with the scent of ancient dust and damp stone, illuminated only by the faint, rosy glow of a crystalline formation set into the wall. Shadows leaped and swayed as you and Leo navigated the uneven floor, his irreverent chuckle bouncing off the crude, time-worn carvings. "Who was the artist here, a teenager with a grudge?" he quipped, nodding toward a particularly suggestive silhouette etched into the rock. You couldn't stifle a laugh, and his face lit up with that familiar, warm grin. Then he gasped, slapping a hand to the side of his neck. A tiny, pink-shelled beetle tumbled to the ground, lifeless. He went utterly still, his eyes locking with yours. The initial shock in his gaze dissolved, replaced by a strange, soft focus—his pupils seemed to shimmer and shift…