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bomber-grl · 11 days ago

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Helloooo! Can I request a Leo x gn!reader (can be male if you'd like)

I'd love a good established relationship but also rivals as lovers. My s/i is a child of Hecate and I've always imagined that as fascinated as he'd be, him and reader would be in a constant competition of like mechanics vs. magic, which can do it better.

HELP also side headcanon I think reader would tease him for being short when they're losing one of their little competitions because I'm taller than him (I'm likr 6' he's like 5'6) and I think it would be hilarious to tease him.. in a nice way tho!

Anyway tysmmmmm I'm crying screaming sobbing Thank you I love reading your fics 😭😭😭

౨ৎ‧₊˚ ⋅ 1k Follower Celebration! .°˖✧

Trope: Rivals to AND Lovers |Pairing(s): Leo Valdez x gn!Reader | Art Creds: @/chakichakiman on tumblr | Word Count: 2417

Whenever the two of you returned to camp, the rest of the campers knew to stay out of your guys’ way. For the two to three days you stayed there, there was a constant war, a fire that just didn’t seem to burn out. It was so intense, that it made even the usually laid-back campers wary. Some of them thought you two were actual enemies and hated each other's guts. Enough to think your hatred extended to the pits of Tartarus itself. But as time passed, the campers began to realize something: it wasn’t hatred at all. Quite the opposite. It was your love language.

The Hephaestus kids would cheer Leo on with enthusiasm, some even choosing to cheer for you and getting called traitors by Leo in the end. Campers from all cabins quickly learned: you and Leo’s rivalry wasn’t just a battle—it was a spectacle.

Today? Today was the grand finale. It was no longer just about the pride of being the best. It was about testing yourselves, testing your bond in front of the entire camp. Days before you had asked your boyfriend–Leo– to a battle (a never-ending one at that.) You two had been consistently trying to one-up the other, show each other that Magic–or inventing– was just as good as the other. They initially started with an intense seriousness but eventually fizzled out into a way to bond once the two of you started dating. It was your ultimate challenge: a music box. Not just any music box, but one that had to represent your creative strengths. The problem? You were way out of your element.

You sat slumped over your desk in the Hecate cabin, frustration building up. Why was it so hard? Magic should be easy, right? You muttered to yourself and threw a half-baked potion out the window, wincing as you heard a groan of pain come from outside shortly after. Yelling out a quick ‘sorry!’, your shoulders sagged. You let out a dramatic sigh, flopping onto your bed, curling up with the crochet Festus Leo had commissioned from an Athena kid for you.

The magic just wasn’t working. You’d tried everything—from enchanted metals to potions to magic-infused spells. But nothing was going right. You needed a solution, fast. You’d even tried asking Annabeth earlier in the week for ideas. You thought she could help, being the strategic mastermind she was, but her response hadn’t exactly been what you expected.

"Annabeth, you’re a genius with plans, right? Got any ideas for magic-infused parts for my music box?" you had asked, your voice tinged with desperation. You stood (more like groveled) where you had managed to catch her, at Arts and Crafts of all places.

Her eyebrow arched. "You do realize I’m the last person to come to about magic, right?"

"But you know people who know things! Like—maybe a Hephaestus kid or—" You were interrupted by a kid presenting their macaroni abomination to her, she praised it then turned her attention back to you.

"Try Rachel," Annabeth suggested flatly, "She’s the one with the insight and the artsy thing going on. Not me." You could say she was trying to be nice, especially with the way you practically got to your knees in desperation.

Right! You had forgotten that Rachel was here. She hardly was aside from when she delivered prophecies. She usually stayed with her very rich, and decent-looking father.

You had approached Rachel with a bit more hope, but her response had been as underwhelming as Annabeth's: a polite nod followed by an awkward look as she handed you a much too-enthusiastic "Good luck!"

Now, here you were, hours before the competition was about to start, and you were stuck with a pile of half-finished magic-infused parts that weren’t working at all. Magic potions? Fizzling. Enchanted metals? Not behaving. In the end, your solution—like any sensible demigod in a pinch—was to rely on the Mist.

Standing at your desk, you muttered an incantation under your breath and tried to twist the Mist in order to ensure that Leo and everyone else would see something other than your current disaster of a music box. You focused harder, willing the Mist to distract anyone. This had to work.

And then… it didn’t.

"Uh, I’m pretty sure I can see through the Mist, you know," Rachel’s voice cut through the tension, amusement thick in her tone. "You’re not fooling anyone."

You froze, eyes wide, as you scrambled to cover your project, but it was already too late. Rachel had walked right into your trap, her sharp eyes scanning over your half-baked attempt. She shot you a sympathetic glance and patted you lightly on the shoulder. "Maybe just stick to magic next time? No need to cheat." She retrieved a few art supplies she had leant Lou.

You didn’t have the heart to argue. What was left to say?

"Great. Just great," you muttered to yourself. "I’m definitely going to lose this one."

The challenge began a few hours later, and as usual, the entire camp filed in, surrounding the area in front of the Big House. Even Chiron looked slightly amused. Leo stood confidently in front of the crowd, giving his final tweaks to his music box—a mechanical masterpiece that gleamed under the sunlight. The soft whirring of gears and the steady tune it produced were perfect. The Hephaestus kids cheered, whistling and clapping.

You could practically feel the weight of their expectations. It wasn’t just Leo’s music box that had to be flawless—it was your magic, too. You had to show them that you were more than just a witch with fancy spells. You had to prove that you could be just as impressive as Leo. The pressure was building up and the sweat beading on your forehead didn’t help.

Your turn came, and you approached the podium with your music box in hand. The whole camp seemed to lean in as if they could sense the tension hanging thick in the air. You took a deep breath, steadying your trembling hands as you placed the box before you.

You activated the spell. Magic swirled, light flickered—but the tune? Nothing.

The camp held its breath. Silence rang out like a slap in the face.

You could feel Leo’s eyes on you, the smugness in his expression evident even from the corner of your eye. "Everything okay?" His voice rang out like a challenge, teasing but soft enough for only you to hear.

You forced a tight smile, trying to cover the panic in your chest. "Just... testing it out. Magic takes time." You turned the music box in your hands, pretending to adjust something. To find something you weren’t even sure you were looking for.

The silence felt like it was going on for too long. Campers shot you looks—some sympathetic, others ready to receive their money from placing bets on who would win. You could feel Leo’s gaze burning into the back of your neck, practically tasting his victory.

Then, as if the universe had a sick sense of humor, your music box sputtered to life in the most horrifying way. It wasn’t a sweet tune. No, it was a screeching, wrenching noise like a cat stuck in a dryer. The enchanted gears rattled and shook as if they were trying to escape from the agony that was existing, and then, just as quickly, a burst of sparkles shot from the sides, shaking fervently.

Your eyes widened, and before you could register, Leo shouted out for you to throw it. You did, you hauled it into the air using a boost of magic to propel it. Instead of what was supposed to be a magic music box, It ended up exploding and shooting into what resembled a million shooting stars. You heard a few gasps and some ‘wow’s.

The camp watched in stunned silence as your music box exploded into a shower of sparkles. The brilliant bursts of light shot into the air, scattering in all directions like a constellation gone rogue. Some campers gasped, others laughed in awe, and a few exchanged confused glances, unsure of whether to be impressed or concerned. You could feel every eye on you, every moment of awkwardness seeping through the ground beneath your feet.

Leo, of course, wasn’t fazed by it in the slightest. He had a way of taking everything in stride, especially when it involved you. As the final sparkles settled into the air, he raised an eyebrow and chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, that’s… that was amazing," Leo said, his voice laced with both amusement and a hint of something else—maybe respect, but above all, awe.

You looked down at the remains of your music box, the pieces scattered in a chaotic pattern across the field. The failure was so spectacular that it almost felt... impressive in its own right.

"Yeah, uh, definitely not what I had in mind," you muttered, running a hand through your hair, trying to keep the heat from rising to your face.

Meanwhile, Leo’s own music box, the one he’d been tweaking obsessively all day, sat pristine and flawless, playing its perfect, sweet melody. The sound seemed to mock you, ringing in the background as if it had been orchestrated just to remind you of your defeat.

Despite the beauty that was your constellation/firework, it wasn’t what was to be completed. Evil won again and so Leo was declared the winner.

The Hephaestus kids in the crowd gave Leo a round of applause, their cheers echoing across the clearing. Some were nodding approvingly, others with wide grins. You couldn’t help but shoot Leo an exasperated glance, wishing you could pull out something else from your sleeve. Anything to save face.

"Nice job, Leo," you said, voice dripping with feigned sincerity, trying to hide the frustration behind it. "You really… nailed it."

Leo’s smug grin widened, and he walked over, stretching out a hand as if he’d just won a world championship. "I know, right?" he teased, his eyes gleaming. "I’m a genius."

You rolled your eyes. "And here I thought you were the humble type."

"Humility isn’t really my thing," Leo replied with a wink, but then he paused, giving you a thoughtful look. "But hey, I gotta admit, your music box… Well, it wasn’t exactly a failure. I mean, it did explode into a thousand little sparkles. That’s got to count for something, right?" He chuckled, clearly amused.

You shot him a glare, but beneath it, you couldn’t help but feel a flicker of something else—maybe pride? Your heart tightened as you realized that even though your creation was a complete disaster, it was still yours. It wasn’t perfect, but it had its own charm.

You crossed your arms, leaning in slightly toward him. "Yeah, well, maybe I’ll let you have this one. But seriously, Leo," you said, pointing a finger in his direction, "you’re way too confident for someone the size of a garden gnome."

Leo stopped mid-laugh, his eyes widening comically. He blinked, clearly processing what you’d just said. The amusement didn’t leave his face, though. In fact, he leaned in a little, crossing his arms as well, mirroring your stance.

"Garden gnome?" Leo repeated, his voice playful but with a hint of challenge. "Well, I’ll have you know, I’m not that short."

You raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because I’m pretty sure that if we stood any closer to each other, I’d have to look down to see you."

Leo’s grin grew wider, and he chuckled in response, the sound as contagious as ever. "Keep talking, shorty. You’re not exactly a towering giant yourself." He motioned toward you with a hand that mimicked your supposed height, giving you a playful smirk. Despite the fact that you were very well towering over him.

Your eyes narrowed, but a grin tugged at the corners of your mouth despite yourself. "Alright, alright," you said with a huff, "Says the person who needs to stand on their tiptoes to reach the top shelf."

Leo laughed at that, his voice almost ringing with triumph. "I can’t help it if I’m just perfectly proportioned." He leaned back, mockingly stretching his arms wide as though to show off his nonexistent height.

You rolled your eyes, though you couldn’t hide your smile. "Perfectly proportioned, huh? More like perfectly delusional."

Leo only laughed harder, and for a moment, the entire competition, the stress, and the rivalry felt like it was just background noise. Even though you’d lost, and even though the entire camp had watched your music box explode in a spectacular display, you couldn’t help but feel… Well, you couldn't help but feel like you’d won something, too.

Despite Leo’s teasing, there was this warmth between you two, this undeniable connection that had come from all those ridiculous competitions, all the insults, and the playful arguments. You might not have won the battle, but Leo's unwillingness to back down and his constant teasing had somehow become a form of support—one that didn’t involve telling you to give up or settle.

"Next time, I’ll win," you said with a determined gleam in your eyes, squaring your shoulders as if preparing for another round.

Leo shook his head with mock pity. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that, but I’ll be ready when it happens." He grinned, his voice dripping with sarcasm but also affection. "After all, we both know I’m the best."

You shot him a look that could kill, but deep down, you couldn't help but admire his more recent- genuine, confidence. And maybe, just maybe, you’d keep coming back for more.

As Leo gave you one last teasing wink, you couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head in disbelief. It was just like him to turn something so frustrating into something that made you want to laugh instead of throw a potion at his face.

The crowd around you began to disperse, the campers chatting and laughing about the spectacle they’d just witnessed. You and Leo exchanged one last look before you both turned to walk off, your competitive rivalry continuing—but now with an unspoken understanding.

"Next time, you’re going down," you muttered under your breath, but Leo, with his never-ending grin, caught up to you and bumped your shoulder with his.

You walked off towards the Dining Pavilion.

"I’ll be waiting," he said with a laugh as if he knew you’d never truly give up. And he was right.

You never would.

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