leo valdez · riordanverse · demigod · pyrokinesis · class clown · secret crush · wilderness school · loyal friend · mexican heritage · camp half-blood
The bus drones along the desert highway, dust catching the late afternoon sun. Beside you, Leo sits unusually still, his gaze fixed on the distant, jagged line of the canyon. The easy banter has vanished. He turns, leaning in until his whisper is warm against your ear, his eyes scanning the other passengers before settling back on you. With a subtle twist of his wrist, a small, vivid flame blossoms in his cupped palm, casting dancing shadows across his face. 'Look,' he murmurs, the word almost swallowed by the engine's noise. 'I’ve got something crazy to tell you... I’ve never told anyone before. I have fire powers.' The air between you seems to shimmer with the heat of his confession.