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Mae Nysus(F!yn) X Leo Valdez PJO (I’m bored today so boom free uncalled for fanfic!)

Title: Ember and Vine

Chapter 1: Sparks and Shadows

Mae Nysus had always hated the smell of grapes. The tang of sour wine and the cloying sweetness of overripe fruit clung to her skin like a curse—a side effect of being Dionysus’ daughter. She preferred the scent of burning wood, the crackle of flame under her fingertips, the warmth she could summon at will. Fire was hers. Vines belonged to her father.

It was just another day at Camp Half-Blood when she met Leo Valdez—completely by accident. Or maybe not. Fate was a sneaky bitch.

She was practicing her song control by the lake, her voice making the water ripple and slosh against the rocks in time with her humming. The power still felt foreign, even though she had been training with Chiron for months. She barely noticed when Leo, the infamous son of Hephaestus, crash-landed his bronze dragon, Festus, into the clearing nearby.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Mae muttered, turning to watch the chaos unfold.

Leo hopped off Festus and patted the dragon’s snout. His curly brown hair was tousled from the wind, goggles perched crookedly on his forehead. “You’re fine, buddy,” he soothed, before glancing over and noticing Mae. “Oh. Uh… hey?”

Mae crossed her arms, raising a brow. “Did you just nearly barbecue the forest, or is that just your dramatic entrance?”

Leo’s grin widened, and he took a step closer. “Oh, you noticed? I was going for legendary.”

Mae rolled her eyes, but a reluctant smile tugged at her lips.

Chapter 2: Fire Meets Fire

The next time they crossed paths was at the forge. Mae didn’t even have a reason to be there—she had simply been walking by when she heard Leo cursing and clanging metal. Her curiosity got the better of her. She leaned against the doorway, watching him tinker with Festus’ mechanical wing

“Are you always this graceful?” she teased as Leo dropped his wrench for the fifth time.

He didn’t glance up. “Oh, totally. I’m like a mechanical ballerina.”

Her eyes narrowed playfully. She extended her hand and sang a single note, a haunting, lilting melody. The wrench lifted off the ground, floating toward Leo’s hand. He blinked, startled, and caught it mid-air.

“You’re creepy,” he deadpanned, but the sparkle in his eyes gave him away. “I like it.”

For some reason, her cheeks warmed. She had no idea why.

Chapter 3: Kindling

For the next few weeks, they ran into each other constantly. At the stables, during campfires, and once in the forest when Leo accidentally tripped over a root and blamed it on a “vengeful satyr.”

But things shifted during the camp’s bonfire night.

Leo was throwing fireballs into the air, making shapes—a dragon, a ship, a mechanical chicken. Mae, tired of watching, finally stepped forward. Without a word, she opened her palm and summoned her own flame. It burned a little hotter, a little brighter than his.

His eyes widened. “You can do that?”

“Yup.”

Leo grinned. “Race you.”

They spent the rest of the night weaving fiery patterns into the sky, their flames dancing and intertwining. The campers eventually drifted away, leaving only the two of them by the smoldering embers.

Leo’s hand brushed against hers as he reached for another log. She felt it like a spark, unexpected and lingering.

Chapter 4: Closer Than Flames

Over the next few weeks, they became inseparable. Mae found herself waiting by the forge just to “run into” Leo. She didn’t want to admit that she was falling for his lopsided grin and his endless, ridiculous jokes.

But one afternoon, everything nearly came undone.

They were training together when a hellhound attacked during a Capture the Flag game. Mae’s first instinct was fire—her hands glowed hot as she sent a column of flame roaring toward the monster. But she lost control. The fire lashed out in all directions.

Leo dove, tackling her to the ground as the flames whirled overhead.

“Hey! Hey!” He gripped her shoulders. “Mae, you’re okay. You’re okay.”

She was shaking.

Leo’s hand slipped down to lace his fingers with hers. “You’re not fireproof, but I am,” he whispered. “You ever need a shield, I’ve got you.”

Her throat tightened, and for the first time, she didn’t pull away.

Chapter 5: Ember and Vine

After the battle, Leo kept showing up at her cabin. He didn’t say much. Just sat with her, fiddling with spare bits of metal, sometimes singing softly under his breath.

One night, she sang along. Her voice wrapped around his, pulling him into a harmony that made his breath hitch. He stared at her in awe.

“Do that again,” he murmured.

“Why?” “just do it..firegirl!”he teased and she did.

Chapter 6: The Greenhouse

They snuck out of camp one night, heading to the old greenhouse near the woods. Mae’s hands glowed softly with firelight as they slipped inside. The scent of earth and vines filled the space.

“Nice place,” Leo said, rubbing his hands together. “Very ‘Serial Killer Chic.’”

Mae snorted. “It’s my dad’s old wine greenhouse. No one comes here anymore.”

They sat beneath a canopy of overgrown vines, firelight flickering between them.

Leo’s fingers brushed her palm again. This time, she didn’t pull away.

Chapter 7: Burning Confessions

Mae woke in the middle of the night with a jolt. Her room was too quiet. She threw on a hoodie and walked to the forge, knowing he’d be there.

Sure enough, Leo was hunched over a project, smudges of grease on his face. He looked up as she entered, eyes wide.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” he asked.

She shook her head and sat beside him.

After a long pause, she muttered, “I’m scared of fire sometimes.”

Leo glanced at her, and for once, he didn’t crack a joke. “I’m scared of losing people.”

Her breath caught as he reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“Mae?” he whispered.

Her heart stuttered. “Yeah?”

He pressed his forehead to hers. “Can I kiss you?”

Chapter 8: Fire and Song

The first kiss was slow—soft and hesitant. Firelight curled around them, creating a golden cocoon.

Mae’s fingers wove into his hair, and Leo’s hands, calloused and warm, cupped her face. She felt herself melting into him, her song laced in their breath.

Chapter 9: Under the Stars

They stayed by the forge until the early hours of the morning, wrapped in each other’s warmth. Leo traced patterns on her palm, the fire in his eyes matching the one in her chest.

“Stay with me,” he whispered.

She didChapter 10: Sparks and Shadows

Mae spent most of her days trying not to think about Leo Valdez. But that was impossible when he kept popping up, always with a joke, always with a smirk, always making her chest feel like it was being squeezed by celestial bronze chains.

“You okay, songbird?” Leo asked one night by the campfire, flipping a wrench in his hands.

She glared at him. “Don’t call me that.”

He grinned. “Why not? You’ve got the voice of an angel. Well, a dangerous, slightly terrifying angel.”

“Leo.”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

The problem was, he never did. And she wasn’t sure she wanted him to.

Chapter 6: Flames That Whisper

The next quest came too soon. A minor god was causing trouble in an abandoned temple in California, and Chiron assigned Mae, Leo, and Reyna to handle it. Mae wasn’t thrilled about the lineup—Reyna was great, but Leo? He was distracting.

“You ever been on a quest with me before, songbird?” Leo asked as they set up camp for the night.

“No, but I assume it involves things exploding.”

“You know me so well.”

He leaned in, and for a moment, the world shrank. The campfire cast flickering light over his face, making his dark brown eyes gleam like molten metal.

Mae took a step back. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—let herself fall for him. Dionysus was all about losing control, but she needed to be different.

She needed to stay in control.

Chapter 7: The Siren’s Song

The temple was cursed. That much was obvious when Mae stepped inside and felt the power buzzing in her veins.

It was her kind of magic—music and mind-control.

“Stay close,” she warned.

Leo did not stay close. He wandered off, touching old gears and levers.

Then the spirits attacked.

Mae had to use her voice, weaving a song of command, forcing the spirits to kneel. The power surged through her, wild and intoxicating.

But it didn’t just work on the spirits.

Leo turned to her, dazed, eyes clouded like something reached inside his mind and rewired it.

She gasped. “Leo—”

He took a step forward, his breath shallow. “Mae…”

She cut the song off, heart hammering. “Are you okay?”

It wasn't Leo anymore. “Haha…get ready to die child.”

“Leo….you're ok i'll help you….” she took a breath and started singing”I know you don't love yourself

Like you did when you were twelve

You're missing a piece of you

It hurts worse than it used to

I know that you hate it when

You have to make brand new friends

'Cause you'll get to wondering

If they'll ever let you in

You don't understand

Why anyone would love

Someone who's not enough

I wish you knew how much I love you

I wish you knew how bad I need you here

I wish you knew how much I miss you

I wish you knew how bad it hurts to hear

That you're not liking it on earth anymore

But when you feel like you're alone in the world

I hope you know how much I love you

I hope you know how bad I need you here

I know you don't like to talk

About all of your dark thoughts

You don't like to ask for help

You carry it by yourself

You think that if you're too seen

The people you love might leave

You feel like you bring them down

You say that its your fault, how?

You don't understand

Why anyone would love

Someone who's not enough

I wish you knew how much I love you

I wish you knew how bad I need you here

I wish you knew how much I miss you

I wish you knew how bad it hurts to hear

That you're not liking it on earth anymore

But when you feel like you're alone in the world

I hope you know how much I love you

I hope you know how bad I need you here

I hope you know how much I love you

I hope you know how bad I need you here

I hope you know how much I miss you

I hope you know how bad it hurts to hear

That you're not liking it on earth anymore

But when you feel like you're alone in the world

I hope you know how much I love you

I hope you know how bad I need you here” when you finished he went back to normal,she hoped he didn't hear the song though but a small part of her hoped he did…

Chapter 8: Cracks in the Armor

Leo wouldn’t stop staring at her.

Back at Camp Half-Blood, after the quest, he kept showing up. In the forge. By the strawberry fields. In the dining pavilion.

“Why do you keep following me?” she snapped one day.

Leo grinned. “Dunno. Just like annoying you, I guess.”

But that wasn’t it.

Something had shifted. That moment in the temple—when she sang—had broken something between them.

“Was it the song?” she said cautiously.

Leo’s smile faded. “I don’t know. I just know that ever since then, I can’t stop thinking about you and the song..well it seemed like you couldn't stop thinking about me either” he teased the last bit grinning sheepishly

Her stomach twisted. “Leo, I can’t—”

He held up his hands. “I get it. You don’t want to mess with people’s heads. You don’t want to use your powers like that.”

She nodded, relieved that he understood.

Then he smirked. “But what if I want you to mess with my head?”

“Leo Valdez—”

“C’mon, songbird. Sing me a lullaby.”

Chapter 9: The Fire and the Vine

Mae was doomed.

She’d spent months trying to deny it, but there was no escaping the truth: she had feelings for Leo Valdez.

Big, annoying, ridiculous feelings.

And he wasn’t making it easy.

One night, they were watching the stars near Bunker Nine when he said, “So… let’s say, hypothetically, you liked someone.”

She stiffened. “Hypothetically?”

“Yeah. Just, y’know, totally random question.”

She sighed. “I don’t know, Leo. Maybe I’d avoid them. Maybe I’d push them away because I was scared.”

Leo nodded, like he understood. Then he turned to her and said, “That sucks. Because I’d run straight to them.”

Her heart almost stopped.

She had a choice: keep running, or finally let herself fall.

Chapter 10: Ember and Vine

Mae found Leo in the forge, tinkering with Festus’ metal plating.

She took a deep breath. “Leo.”

He turned, surprise flashing across his face. “Hey, songbird.”

She hesitated, then said, “Sing me a lullaby.”

Leo froze. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face. “That mean what I think it means?”

She nodded.

He wiped his hands on his tool belt and walked up to her, eyes searching hers. “You sure? Because I don’t want to be just a song you hum for fun.”

She swallowed. “You’re not. You never were.”

Then, before she could overthink it, she grabbed his collar and kissed him.

His hands found her waist, pulling her closer. The forge was warm, but his lips were warmer.

When they broke apart, Leo whispered, “So… does this mean I’m your favorite demigod now?”

Mae laughed. “You were always my favorite, Valdez.”

The fire burned bright. The vines grew wild. And for the first time in her life, Mae let herself lose control.

Chapter 11: Smoke and Mirrors

Being with Leo Valdez was like standing too close to a fire—you knew you’d get burned, but you couldn’t step away.

After that first kiss, Mae had braced herself for things to feel awkward. For Leo to make too many jokes or back off with that cocky grin of his.

But he didn’t. Instead, he was… steady. Solid.

He walked with her to meals. Helped her rebuild the old garden behind the Apollo cabin. Slipped his hand into hers like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“People are staring,” she muttered one morning when they sat together at breakfast, their fingers loosely intertwined under the table.

Leo shrugged, shoving half a waffle into his mouth. “Let ’em stare.”

“Valdez.”

“What? It’s not my fault you’re dating the most handsome, charming, and dangerously clever demigod in camp.”

She snorted. “Oh? You’re dating Jason now?”

Leo clutched his chest dramatically. “Betrayed by my own songbird.”

She shook her head, but she was smiling.

For once, she didn’t care who was watching.

Chapter 12: Threads of Gold and Fire

Mae wasn’t used to softness. She was a fighter—powerful, unpredictable, and sharp-edged. Dionysus didn’t make delicate daughters.

But Leo kept making her feel soft.

When she got caught in a brutal sparring session with Clarisse, Leo found her afterward with a cut on her cheek.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” His voice was laced with mock horror. “What monster dared to harm this beautiful face?”

She shoved him playfully. “Clarisse.”

“Ah.” He nodded sagely. “Well, she’s terrifying, so that makes sense.”

Then, to her surprise, he crouched in front of her, gently pressing a clean rag to the cut. His hands were stained with soot, but they were steady. Warm.

Mae’s throat tightened. She wanted to make a joke—deflect with sarcasm—but the words wouldn’t come.

Leo’s eyes softened. “You okay?”

And just like that, the armor she always wore cracked.

Without thinking, she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his.

His arms circled around her without hesitation. She stayed like that, tangled in his warmth, feeling the fire in her chest settle into something steady. Something safe.

Chapter 13: Flares and Fractures

The next quest came too soon. Again.

This time, Leo and Mae were sent with Nyssa and Will Solace to deal with some rogue telkhines along the coast. It should’ve been routine. It wasn’t.

Mae’s fire clashed violently with the sea water magic the telkhines wielded. She screamed in frustration as one of them slashed her arm, sending a wave of water magic slicing through her skin.

She staggered back. The saltwater stung like acid.

And then Leo lost it.

His flames roared to life—hotter and brighter than she’d ever seen. His hands were wreathed in blue-white fire, and the heat was almost unbearable. He didn’t just fight. He burned.

By the time the telkhines fled, Leo was panting, his hands still flickering with flames. His face was pale with fury.

“You’re hurt,” he rasped, turning to Mae. His hands shook slightly when he reached for her arm.

“I’m fine.”

He shook his head, voice low. “You’re not.”

Without another word, he pulled her close, arms trembling slightly as they wrapped around her.

Mae could feel his fear in the way his hands tightened around her. She pressed her face into his chest, letting the warmth of his fire ease the ache in her skin.

She didn’t say it, but she knew he could feel it in the way she held on. I’m fine because of you.

Chapter 14: Ashes and Vines

After the quest, Leo was different. Quieter.

They sat by the lake at sunset, Leo tossing bits of scrap metal into the water. The orange glow reflected off his skin, making his tanned arms gleam.

Mae nudged him. “You’re brooding.”

Leo gave her a half-hearted smirk. “I don’t brood. I smolder.”

She rolled her eyes. “Leo.”

He was silent for a moment, then let out a slow breath. “You could’ve died back there.”

Her stomach clenched. “But I didn’t.”

“Yeah, but you could’ve,” he snapped, voice cracking. “And the whole time I was fighting, I was thinking—” He cut off, shaking his head.

Mae’s throat tightened. “Thinking what?”

His eyes found hers. “That if I lost you, I’d burn the whole world down.”

Her chest ached. She reached out and slid her fingers through his, squeezing gently.

“You won’t lose me, Leo.”

His breath caught slightly. His hand trembled in hers.

And for the first time, Leo Valdez—the guy who always made jokes, who hid behind smiles and clever words—let himself be vulnerable.

He kissed her, slow and deliberate, like he was afraid she might disappear.

She kissed him back, her hands threading through his curls, anchoring him.

She tasted the salt of his tears. And she loved him even more for it.

Chapter 15: Ember and Vine – Part II

Leo Valdez was not good at staying still. He was jittery and restless, always building and tinkering. Always on the move.

But with Mae, he found stillness.

They sat on the edge of Bunker Nine, watching the stars. His hand was warm in hers, their fingers intertwined.

“Y’know,” Leo said casually, “I’ve been thinking.”

“That’s dangerous.”

He bumped her shoulder with his. “Hey, I’m being serious.”

She smirked. “Okay. What’ve you been thinking?”

He turned toward her, his brown eyes dark and steady. “That I love you.”

Her breath caught. The words were so simple, so easy—but they unraveled something in her chest.

Leo blinked nervously. “I mean—uh, no pressure, okay? You don’t have to say it back or—”

She kissed him before he could finish.

When she pulled back, her voice was barely above a whisper. “I love you too, Leo Valdez.”

His grin was blinding, brighter than any fire he’d ever conjured.

“Yeah?” he breathed, brushing her hair behind her ear.

“Yeah.”

And just like that, Leo Valdez—the guy who could never sit still—stayed still for her.

Because she was the one thing he never wanted to run from.

Chapter 16: Starlight and Cinders

Dating Leo Valdez was an experience.

Mae learned that he never walked anywhere—he practically bounced. He sang obnoxiously loud while tinkering. He kept scrap metal in his pockets at all times (why, she had no idea).

And she loved all of it.

“Are you even listening?” Leo teased one evening, holding up a shiny new bronze contraption he’d built.

“Hmm?” Mae blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts.

He narrowed his eyes. “You were staring at me.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

His grin widened. “Yes, you were. It’s okay. I get it. I’m very distracting.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“Yeah, but you’re stuck with me.”

And just like that, he kissed her—a quick, playful press of lips that still left her stomach doing flips.

Gods, she was so doomed.

Chapter 17: Tangled Vines and Twisted Wires

Leo hated when she sparred with Clarisse.

He knew she was strong. He knew she could hold her own. But that didn’t stop the itch in his chest every time he saw Mae take a hit.

So, when Clarisse slammed Mae to the ground during a match, Leo was halfway across the field before he could stop himself.

“Hey!” he snapped, hands already sparking with fire. “Go easy!”

Clarisse snorted. “This is sparring, Valdez. Not a dance lesson.”

Mae wiped blood from her lip and glared at him. “Leo.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but then he saw the warning in her eyes.

Don’t fight my battles.

He swallowed hard. Then, with a stiff nod, he stepped back.

Clarisse, clearly unfazed, smirked. “You’re lucky your girlfriend’s tougher than you.”

Leo’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing.

Later, when it was just the two of them, Mae gently pressed her hand to his chest. “You can’t protect me from everything.”

His voice was raw. “But I want to.”

And she kissed him until he stopped shaking.

Chapter 18: Heat and Haze

Summer hit Camp Half-Blood hard. The heat was sweltering, and everyone was sticky and irritable.

Everyone except Leo.

Fire didn’t care about heat waves. If anything, he thrived in the warmth.

Mae? Not so much.

“Leo,” she groaned, flopping onto the couch in Bunker Nine. “I’m melting.”

“Good thing you’re dating a walking air conditioner,” he teased, summoning a small burst of cool blue flame in his palm.

She glared at him. “That’s cheating.”

“Nah, it’s just me being smarter than everyone else.”

Without warning, he flicked his wrist and sent a cool breeze of flame swirling around her, making her hair flutter.

She sighed in relief. “I take it back. You’re a genius.”

He sat beside her, pulling her legs into his lap and tracing lazy patterns on her knee.

“Yeah?” he smirked. “You’re only realizing that now?”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.

Chapter 19: Flicker and Fuse

Leo was teaching her how to use Festus.

Or at least, he was trying to.

“Okay, so you just press this lever—”

BANG.

Mae blinked as the catapult fired prematurely, launching a bronze plate directly into a tree.

Leo paled. “Oh… okay, so maybe not that lever.”

She burst into laughter. “You’re the worst teacher.”

Leo pouted. “Hey! That’s rude. You just destroyed half of the forest, and I’m the problem?”

She grinned. “Yeah. You definitely are.”

His eyes narrowed playfully. “Oh-ho-ho. I see how it is.”

Then he lunged, wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her in a circle.

“Leo!” she shrieked, laughing as he stumbled over a stray gear.

They both went tumbling to the ground, limbs tangled.

Mae’s heart pounded as she landed on top of him, their faces inches apart.

Leo grinned up at her. “I’m starting to think you’re just using Festus training as an excuse to tackle me.”

She smirked. “What gave it away?”

And then she kissed him, tasting the grease on his lips and the laughter in his breath.

Chapter 20: Wildfire and Wine

Dionysus was not happy.

To be fair, Mae hadn’t expected him to be thrilled about her dating Leo.

But she hadn’t expected him to glower at Leo every time they were near the Big House.

Leo, of course, found it hilarious.

“Your dad hates me,” he whispered, clearly delighted.

Mae groaned. “Leo, he could turn you into a grapevine.”

“Yeah, but then you could carry me around in a little pot. Cute, right?”

“You’re impossible.”

“Impossible to resist.”

She smacked his shoulder, but she was laughing.

Later, Dionysus caught her sneaking out of the Big House after curfew.

He folded his arms. “So. You’re in love with the flaming metal child.”

Mae’s face heated. “I—”

Dionysus waved a hand dramatically. “Spare me. I’m not in the mood for a romantic monologue.”

But when she turned to leave, he muttered, “He makes you smile. I suppose that’s something.”

She bit back her grin.

Chapter 21: Burning Bright

Leo made her a bracelet.

It was crafted from celestial bronze, with delicate filigree shaped like vines wrapping around a tiny flame-shaped charm.

He handed it to her, face unusually shy.

“Made this for you,” he mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Y’know. In case you get tired of me and decide to set me on fire. It’s fireproof.”

Her chest tightened. “Leo.”

“Yeah?”

She kissed him, slow and deep, before whispering against his lips, “I love you, you absolute dork.”

His hands tangled in her hair, pulling her closer.

And when they finally pulled apart, he grinned.

“Good. Because you’re stuck with me, songbird.dork? You wound me”

Chapter 22: Inferno and Ivy

They sparred together now. Mae with her fire, Leo with his.

And the world burned.

Their powers were a perfect storm—wild vines, untamed fire, and heat that could split stone.

But it was their laughter that made the forest come alive.

“Try to keep up, Valdez!” Mae teased, launching a wave of flame at him.

Leo smirked, dodging with ease. “Oh, please. You’re not even sweating.”

She tackled him, flames dancing around them both. They hit the grass, both breathless and grinning.

“You know what’s funny?” Leo panted, eyes bright.

“What?”

He brushed a lock of hair from her face. “I think I’m still falling for you.”

Mae smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah

Chapter 23: Smoke and Sweetness

Leo had grease on his face again.

Mae didn’t tell him right away.

Instead, she stared at it, smiling like an idiot as he rambled on about Festus’ new flame propulsion system.

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“You’ve got a little something…” she murmured, brushing her thumb over his cheek.

Leo blinked. “Oh.”

She smirked. “Actually, a lot of something.”

He flushed. “What, like here?” He swiped at his face, completely missing the spot.

She giggled. “Nope. Here.”

And she leaned in, brushing her lips against his cheek.

Leo froze. His hand slowly fell away.

When she pulled back, his eyes were wide.

“That was so unfair,” he whispered.

She grinned. “You love it.”

“Yeah,” he breathed. “I really do.”

Chapter 24: Sizzle and Snark

The next time they sparred, Leo refused to hold back.

“C’mon, songbird,” he teased, flames crackling between his fingers. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Mae narrowed her eyes. “Oh, you’re gonna regret that.”

She lunged, unleashing a wave of scorching vines, but Leo grinned and danced through it, his own flames cutting through hers like wildfire.

They clashed, heat and power rising between them. Her song filled the air, making the ground tremble, but Leo only smirked.

“Nice try,” he whispered, voice low and challenging.

And then he flipped her over his shoulder.

She hit the ground with a thud, glaring up at him.

“You’re so dead,” she growled.

But Leo only grinned and flopped beside her, panting. “You love me, though.”

She scowled fakely . “Unfortunately.”

Chapter 25: Sparks in the Dark

They had started sneaking out.

Leo would tap on her cabin window late at night, a mischievous grin plastered across his face.

“Get dressed, songbird,” he’d whisper. “We’re going on an adventure.”

And gods, she never said no.

One night, they sat on the beach, toes buried in the sand, watching the stars flicker overhead.

Mae leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Leo pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

“Y’know,” he murmured, “I used to feel kinda… replaceable. Like if I blew up one day, nobody would really notice.”

Mae sat up, eyes sharp. “Leo, that’s not—”

“I know,” he interrupted, pulling her back down beside him. “I know. It’s different now.”

He ran his fingers through her hair, voice soft.

“Because you’d notice.”

Her throat tightened. “Always.”

Chapter 26: Fire and Flight

Leo had built her a flying chariot.

“Well, technically it’s a self-propelled aerial combat vehicle,” he clarified, patting the side of the bronze frame. “But chariot sounds cooler.”

Mae gaped at it. “You built this… for me?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly nervous. “Yeah. You know, in case you want to do some aerial fire-slinging. Or just, y’know, fly around with me. No big deal.”

She stared at him, heart thudding.

Then she grabbed him by the collar and kissed him so fiercely that he almost tripped over his own feet.

When she pulled back, breathless, Leo blinked.

“…So you like it?”

She laughed shaking her head “I love it, you maniac of a boy.”

Chapter 27: Unsteady Ground

The ground shook.

No, really. The entire ground shook.

“Uh, Leo?” Mae asked, staring at the trembling forest floor. “What did you do?”

He winced. “So. Funny story. I may have… accidentally activated an underground bronze golem army while fixing Festus.”

She blinked. “You what?!”

Before he could respond, the ground split open, and a massive bronze automaton clawed its way up.

Leo grabbed her hand. “Running now. Explaining later.”

They sprinted through the forest, fire lighting the trees as they fought off the mechanical army.

Mae’s vines tangled the limbs of the golems, while Leo’s fire turned their joints to molten slag.

They fought side by side, perfectly in sync.

And later, when they were breathless and covered in soot, Leo grinned at her, hair wild with soot.

“Gods,” he panted. “You’re kinda hot when you’re wrecking things.”

She smirked. “Right back at you, Valdez.”

Chapter 28: Hidden Flames

Leo had started leaving little gifts for her.

A piece of celestial bronze shaped like a flower on her bunk.

A mechanical hummingbird that flapped its wings when she sang.

A note in her pocket that read, You’re kinda everything.

She caught him one morning, sneaking away from her cabin.

“Leo,” she called.

He froze, sheepish. “Oh. Hey. Didn’t see you there.”

She crossed her arms. “You’re seriously leaving me secret presents?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean… yeah? Is that weird?”

Her expression softened.

Without a word, she stepped forward and kissed him, slow and sweet.

He blinked. “So… not weird?”

She smiled. “Not weird at all.”

Chapter 29: Festus Flies Again

Festus was back.

Fully rebuilt, sleek and polished, gleaming under the sun.

Mae clung to Leo as they soared over Camp Half-Blood, the wind whipping through her hair.

Leo whooped. “You hanging in there, songbird?”

She laughed. “Faster, Valdez!”

He grinned wickedly. “Oh-ho. You asked for it.”

The bronze dragon shot into the sky, spiraling upward. Mae’s heart pounded in her chest as Leo’s laughter rang in her ears.

And when they finally landed, wind-tossed and giddy, she threw her arms around him.

“Leo Valdez,” she whispered, voice trembling with joy. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me.”

He cupped her face, eyes soft.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” he whispered.

Chapter 40: The Lake of Forbidden Tension™

The sun beat down on Camp Half-Blood, hot enough to melt celestial bronze. The humidity was brutal, even for Leo, who practically was a walking inferno.

Which is why he made the very smart decision of dragging Mae to the lake.

Leo stood at the shoreline, shoreline, arms folded across his chest as he watched Mae wade into the water.

She glanced back over her shoulder, hair falling in wet tendrils around her face.

And Leo nearly swallowed his tongue.

Because gods, she was wearing a bikini. A wine-red one, because of course she was, because she was Mae, daughter of Dionysus, and she was about to give him a heart attack.

The thin straps clung to her shoulders, and the fabric stuck to her skin in a way that made Leo’s brain short-circuit.

Her smirk was downright wicked when she caught him staring.

“Something wrong, Valdez?” she called, her voice teasing.

Leo cleared his throat, immediately pulling off his swim shirt.

“Uh, no,” he managed. “Just admiring the view.”

And then he kicked off his sandals and waded into the water after her, in nothing but his low-hanging swim shorts that definitely dipped lower than necessary.

Mae’s eyes dropped immediately to his bare chest. She bit her bottom lip, pretending to focus on the water, but Leo caught the way her gaze lingered on the cut lines of his abs.

“Oh?” Leo smirked, wading closer. “You admiring the view too, songbird?”

Her face flushed, but she refused to look away. Instead, she swam backward, letting the lake water rise over her shoulders, eyes locked on his.

“Maybe.”

Leo, never one to back down from a challenge, lunged.

She shrieked, laughing, and twisted in the water. But Leo was faster. He snatched her around the waist and dunked her under the water.

When she surfaced, water droplets clung to her skin, trailing down her collarbone, and Leo nearly forgot how to breathe.

She lunged back at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that, Valdez.”

Leo grinned, completely unfazed by the threat. “Oh yeah? Whatcha gonna do about it, songbird?”

She pressed her lips to his ear and whispered in a voice that made his knees buckle.

“Whatever I want.”

And then she shoved him backward, sending him splashing into the water.

When he resurfaced, gasping and grinning, she was already swimming away, laughing over her shoulder.

“Oh-ho, you’re in so much trouble now!” Leo called, swimming after her.

But he didn’t care. Not even a little.

Because watching her swim away in that bikini? Worth it.

Chapter 41: Sunburn and Smirks

The lake day turned into a full-blown water war.

Leo used his fire to evaporate the water she tried to splash at him. Mae retaliated by singing a ripple of energy into the lake, making the water lift and smack him right in the face.

“Oh, you little—” Leo sputtered, wiping water from his eyes.

She smirked. “You started it, Valdez.”

They spent the afternoon swimming, splashing, and shamelessly ogling each other.

And when the sun started to set, they lay side by side on the dock, skin damp, fingers loosely intertwined.

Leo turned his head slightly, gaze drifting over Mae’s face. Her hair was drying in messy waves, sticking to her cheek, and her eyes were soft and sleepy in the golden light.

“You’re staring,” she murmured, voice barely above a breath.

Leo didn’t even blink.

“Yeah,” he whispered back. “Get used to it.”

And when he leaned over and brushed his lips against hers, she sighed into his mouth, fingers sliding into his damp curls.

Chapter 42: Secrets and Scars

Later that night, Leo sat cross-legged by the fire, shirtless again, because clearly, he was on a mission to destroy Mae’s entire existence.

She sat beside him, tracing the edge of a scar on his ribs—one she hadn’t noticed before.

“Where’d you get this?” she asked softly.

Leo’s eyes softened. He caught her hand and pressed it over the scar, holding her palm there.

“Battle of Mount Othrys,” he said quietly. “Got a little too close to one of Kronos’ scythe-wielding cronies.”

Mae’s fingers trembled slightly. “Does it hurt?”

He shook his head. “Not anymore.”

But her hand stayed, fingers spread over the scar, as if she could will the memory away.

Leo pressed a kiss to her temple, voice a low murmur against her skin.

“Hey. I’m still here, songbird.”

Her fingers curled over his.

And she believed him.

Chapter 43: Sunset Promises

Leo found her on the edge of the beach later, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the horizon.

Without a word, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“Whatcha thinking about?” he murmured.

Mae sighed softly, leaning back into his chest.

“You.”

Leo’s lips curved into a slow, lazy grin. “Oh yeah? What about me?”

She turned in his arms, slipping her hands under the hem of his shirt, fingers splayed over the warm skin of his back.

“That I kinda like you,” she teased, voice light but eyes burning with sincerity.

He grinned, leaning down, voice low.

“Good,” he whispered against her lips. “Because I’m kinda in love with you.”

And when he kissed her, it wasn’t a demigod kiss, fierce and wild and fleeting.

It was slow. And deep. And certain.Like he was never letting go….

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