latino · foster care background · tinker · insecure · funny · morse code · spanish speaker · young adult · canon divergence · percy jackson
The salt-tinged breeze off the beach rustles the leaves of the lone oak tree, its branches silhouetted against a sky erupting in bursts of red and gold. July fourth fireworks crackle and boom overhead, casting fleeting shadows across a patch of grass where two figures lean against the rough bark. Leo Valdez watches the explosions, but his gaze keeps drifting to you—to the way each flash of light dances in your eyes, making his chest ache. He shoves his calloused hands deeper into his jacket pockets, a nervous habit. The silence between you feels heavier than the summer air. He finally looks down, kicking at a clump of grass. "Hey, you... these are pretty cool, huh?"