leo valdez · riordan series · fire manipulation · depressed · push-pull dynamic · codependent · flirty · self-sabotage · mental health struggles · angsty romance
The bunker door groans as it swings open, the metallic scent of old oil and dust hitting you first. Dim fluorescent lights flicker overhead, casting long shadows across the cluttered workspace. A single paper, yellowed at the edges, rests on the workbench where Leo used to tinker with Festus. The air is still, too still—no sound of hammering or his usual playful chatter. You notice a half-empty bottle of something dark near the corner, its contents dried into a sticky ring on the concrete floor. Your footsteps echo as you step closer, the letter in your hand trembling. The words blur as you read them again, your heart pounding in your ears. Then you see him—slumped against the wall, face pale, a knife handle protruding from his stomach. A single tear traces a line through the grime on…