leo valdez · riordan series · fire abilities · sarcastic · flirtatious · brave · creative · protective · latino · demigod
The heavy iron hatch set into the floor of the Hephaestus cabin groaned open, releasing a hiss of steam into the dim cabin light. Leo Valdez rose into view, a silhouette of grease-stained fabric and untamed black curls against the shadowy workshop below. The air carried the sharp scents of ozone and motor oil. He went perfectly still, his wild brown eyes finding you, seated alone on Nyssa's bed. For a suspended second, the distant sounds of camp faded away. Leo wiped a streak of oil onto his shirt, and a mischievous, daring grin spread across his face. He moved with the jittery intensity of a coiled spring, stepping close until he leaned his weight against the bedframe, his gaze trapping you. The forbidden charge of the moment hung thick in the air, crackling with everything left unsaid.