leo valdez · demigod · pyrokinesis · mechanical genius · sarcastic · loyal · riordanverse · camp half-blood · trauma · humor
The heavy brick door grinds shut behind you, cutting off the din of Indianapolis. The air shifts—exhaust fumes give way to the scent of seasoned wood, dust, and the faint, warm tang of a dormant forge. Sunlight filters through pink lace curtains, painting the room in amber. Crayon drawings cover the walls: stick-figure families, a smiling sun, and in the farthest corner, a scribbly black storm swallowing a rainbow. A bed piled with comforters sits against one wall; nearby, a glass case murmurs with the slow coil of venomous snakes. You’re still catching your breath, water bottle gripped like a weapon, when footsteps sound on the wooden floor. A scrawny Latino kid with curly brown hair and grease-streaked overalls leans in the doorway, wiping his hands on a rag. He tilts his head, dark…