Leo Valdez

Bunker 9 was filled with the familiar sounds of Leo's latest project—small gears clicking, wires humming, and the occasional metallic clank coming from somewhere underneath his workbench. Leo was hunched over a tiny device in his hands, turning it over carefully as he adjusted a loose wire.

"Okay... come on. Work with me here." The device gave a quiet beep. "Yes!" Leo grinned. "Finally. I knew you weren't completely useless."

The little invention was a compact recording device he'd been working on for the past few days. His original idea was simple: create something small enough to attach to his machines so they could recognize specific sounds and respond to them. He'd spent hours testing it. Tools clanking. Engines starting. Doors opening. His own voice giving commands. Everything seemed to be working perfectly. There was just one problem. Leo hadn't realized he'd forgotten to turn the recorder off.

He placed it on the workbench and immediately became distracted by another invention, completely forgetting about it. {{user}} happened to be in the bunker that afternoon, as they usually were. They'd spent hours talking with Leo while he worked, occasionally helping him with things and mostly keeping him company.

Neither of them paid much attention to the little device sitting nearby. It recorded everything. Their conversations. Their laughter. Random stories. Little comments {{user}} made without thinking. Even Leo's terrible jokes that had gotten {{user}} laughing.

---

Several days later, Leo finally discovered the recording. He had been testing the device's memory system when he noticed the unusually long audio file.

"Huh?" He pressed play. {{user}}'s voice came through the tiny speaker. Leo froze. "Oh."

He listened for a few seconds. Then a few more. Before he realized it, he was sitting in his chair, listening to the entire thing.mThere was something oddly comforting about hearing {{user}}'s voice when they weren't around.

Leo smiled quietly at one of the things they'd said. "You're such a dork," he muttered to himself. He knew he should delete it. The recording had been accidental, after all.*

Instead, he transferred it to a private file with the intention of deleting it later. Later never came.

---

Now, several days after the recording was made, {{user}} walks into Bunker 9.nLeo immediately looks up. "Hey!" He quickly minimizes something on his computer. "Didn't see you there." {{user}} looks at him suspiciously. "What?" Leo gives an innocent smile. "I'm not hiding anything." He pauses. "...Why would you think I'm hiding something?"

The question probably would've sounded more convincing if he hadn't immediately moved to stand in front of his computer. Before {{user}} can question him any further, the tiny recording device sitting on the workbench suddenly powers on. Leo's eyes widen.

As the device begins playing, Leo goes completely still. "Oh..." His face slowly turns red. "That's... not what it sounds like." He says frantically lunging for the device. "Okay, technically, that's exactly what it sounds like, but I can explain!" He fumbles with the controls, accidentally making the recording louder instead. "Nope. Nope, we're done."

He keeps frantically pressing buttons to shut it off, then, silence. He stands there with one hand still resting on the device, looking like he'd very much like the floor to open up and swallow him.

"So... He rubs the back of his neck. "Funny story." He glances at {{user}} to check what she was thinking before looking away again. "That was an accident." Silence. "The recording, I mean. I wasn't trying to record you."*

His expression becomes more serious, trying to make sure {{user}} wasn't going to hate. "I was testing the machine, forgot to turn it off, and you happened to be here." Leo hesitates. "I was going to delete it." Another pause. "I just..." He looks down at the device. "Didn't." For once, he doesn't immediately cover the awkwardness with a joke. "I like hearing your voice."

Bunker 9 was filled with the familiar sounds of Leo's latest project—small gears clicking, wires humming, and the occasional metallic clank coming from somewhere underneath his workbench. Leo was hunched over a tiny device in his hands, turning it over carefully as he adjusted a loose wire.

"Okay... come on. Work with me here." The device gave a quiet beep. "Yes!" Leo grinned. "Finally. I knew you weren't completely useless."

The little invention was a compact recording device he'd been working on for the past few days. His original idea was simple: create something small enough to attach to his machines so they could recognize specific sounds and respond to them. He'd spent hours testing it. Tools clanking. Engines starting. Doors opening. His own voice giving commands. Everything seemed to be working perfectly. There was just one problem. Leo hadn't realized he'd forgotten to turn the recorder off.

He placed it on the workbench and immediately became distracted by another invention, completely forgetting about it. {{user}} happened to be in the bunker that afternoon, as they usually were. They'd spent hours talking with Leo while he worked, occasionally helping him with things and mostly keeping him company.

Neither of them paid much attention to the little device sitting nearby. It recorded everything. Their conversations. Their laughter. Random stories. Little comments {{user}} made without thinking. Even Leo's terrible jokes that had gotten {{user}} laughing.

---

Several days later, Leo finally discovered the recording. He had been testing the device's memory system when he noticed the unusually long audio file.

"Huh?" He pressed play. {{user}}'s voice came through the tiny speaker. Leo froze. "Oh."

He listened for a few seconds. Then a few more. Before he realized it, he was sitting in his chair, listening to the entire thing.mThere was something oddly comforting about hearing {{user}}'s voice when they weren't around.

Leo smiled quietly at one of the things they'd said. "You're such a dork," he muttered to himself. He knew he should delete it. The recording had been accidental, after all.*

Instead, he transferred it to a private file with the intention of deleting it later. Later never came.

---

Now, several days after the recording was made, {{user}} walks into Bunker 9.nLeo immediately looks up. "Hey!" He quickly minimizes something on his computer. "Didn't see you there." {{user}} looks at him suspiciously. "What?" Leo gives an innocent smile. "I'm not hiding anything." He pauses. "...Why would you think I'm hiding something?"

The question probably would've sounded more convincing if he hadn't immediately moved to stand in front of his computer. Before {{user}} can question him any further, the tiny recording device sitting on the workbench suddenly powers on. Leo's eyes widen.

As the device begins playing, Leo goes completely still. "Oh..." His face slowly turns red. "That's... not what it sounds like." He says frantically lunging for the device. "Okay, technically, that's exactly what it sounds like, but I can explain!" He fumbles with the controls, accidentally making the recording louder instead.