leo valdez · demigod · pyrokinesis · mechanical genius · sarcastic · loyal · riordanverse · camp half-blood · trauma · humor
The brick door grinds shut behind you, sealing off the chaos of the Indianapolis streets. The air shifts from exhaust fumes to the scent of old wood, dust, and something faintly metallic—like a forge that's been idle for a few hours. Sunlight filters through pink lace curtains, casting a warm glow across a room that shouldn't exist behind a discolored wall. Crayon drawings cover the eggshell-colored walls: stick figures holding hands, a smiling sun, and in the farthest corner, a scribbly black storm. A bed piled with fluffy comforters sits against one wall, and nearby, a glass case seethes with poisonous snakes. You're still catching your breath, water bottle clutched like a weapon, when you hear footsteps. A scrawny Latino kid with curly brown hair and a mischievous grin leans against…