Mr Fire hazard (Leo Valdez x reader)

18. I control mice

Y/n POV

He slipped around the side of the tomb. He ran his hand down the back of a Roman column, all the way to the base. Right at the bottom, a series of lines had been etched into the marble— Roman numerals. "Heh," Valdez said. "Not very elegant, but effective." "What is?" Frank asked.

"The combination for a lock.The lock face itself has been ripped out—probably vandalized sometime in the last few centuries. But I should be able to control the mechanism inside, if I can..."

I kind of just watched in awe he's pretty good with machines. I would hate him less if he was that good with people . On the floor next to the wall, one section of marble tile slid under another, revealing a dark square opening barely large enough to wiggle through.

"Romans must've been small." Leo looked at Frank appraisingly. "You'll need to change into something thinner to get through here." "That's not nice!" Hazel chided. 

"Valdez if you make slightest fun of my brother I'll make sure you rot in this basement looking place and you'll wish you weren't fireproof so you could kill yourself but I'll enjoy your pain throughout because you're too weak to kill yourself, you filthy piece of—" "Enough! It's fine but we are a team. We should get Jason and Piper before we explore piper said to do that remember?"

"They're halfway across the city," Leo muttered him. "Besides, uh, I'm not sure I can close this hatch again. The gears are pretty old." "Great," Frank said. "How do we know it's safe down there?"

Hazel knelt. She put her hand over the opening as if checking the temperature. "There's nothing alive...at least not for several hundred feet. The tunnel slants down, then levels out and goes south, more or less. I don't sense any traps..." "How can you tell all that?" Leo asked.

She shrugged. "Same way you can pick locks on marble columns, I guess. I'm glad you're not into robbing banks." "Oh...bank vaults, I never thought of that" Valdez said.

"Valdez kindly shut up or I'll make my every word before come true." Y/n said in a friendly manner. Hazel sighed. "Look, it's not three o'clock yet. We can at least do a little exploring, try to pinpoint Nico's location before we contact the others. You two stay here until I call for you. I want to check things out, make sure the tunnel is structurally sound. I'll be able to tell more once I'm underground."

Frank scowled. "We can't let you go by yourself. You could get hurt."

"Frank, I can take care of myself," she said.

"Underground is my specialty. It's safest for all of us if I go first." "Unless Frank wants to turn into a mole," Leo suggested. "Or a prairie dog. Those things are awesome." "Shut up," Frank mumbled.

"Or a badger."

Frank jabbed a finger at Leo's face. "Valdez, I swear—" "Do it bro you're wearing Nike" I said like a supportive sister.

"Three of you, be quiet," Hazel scolded. "I'll be back soon. Give me ten minutes. If you don't hear from me by then...Never mind. I'll be fine. Just try not to kill each other while I'm down there." I did get scolded by person younger than me but at least I did because I was protecting my brother. "No promises." I said truthfully then Hazel stared at me " Keep Leo and Frank apart I trust you. To do that please." Hazel said. "Okay" I said but hazel's words hit me if she would've yelled I wouldn't have been surprised but this was not on my radar.

I stood in between Frank and Leo they were shoulder to shoulder I was in between taking a bit of support from Frank since I wanted to collapse on the ground.

"She talked to me earlier," Frank said abruptly. "Hazel told me you figured out about my lifeline." Leo stirred. I kind of knew about Hazel telling him in fact she asked me if she should tell Frank that she told Leo or not. I told her to tell him because a relationship isn't built on lies.