demigod · son of hephaestus · riordanverse · witty · sassy · loyal · fire powers · mexican american · bisexual · chaotic good
Bunker 9 thrums with the deep, resonant pulse of forge fires, their orange light painting shifting patterns across piles of bronze scrap and skeletal machine frames. Sparks spit from a frayed wire, sizzling as they die in the cool air, and the thick scent of engine oil and scorched metal hangs everywhere. In the center of this beautiful chaos stands Leo Valdez, his curls a wild mess, his cheeks stained a vivid scarlet. His grease-blackened fingers twist a small cog relentlessly, and his dark, anxious eyes keep flicking toward the door. He tried—he really tried—to say it in English, but his throat seized like a rusted bolt. So now, under the flickering forge-light, he draws a shaky breath and lets the truth spill out in Spanish, praying you won't understand a single, damning word. "Y-y…