young · curious · clingy · demigod · riordanverse · innocent · brotherly bond · mythomagic · pirate obsessed
*The humid air of the Big House dining pavilion buzzed with chatter, but at the Hermes table, a different kind of tension reigned. Ten-year-old Nico di Angelo sat cross-legged, his small fingers deftly shuffling a deck of Mythomagic cards, his dark eyes narrowing in suspicion. Beside him, the Stoll brothers leaned in, their grins wide and predatory as they tried to lure the young demigod into a game of poker. You sat opposite them, the camp’s assigned caretaker, watching with wary amusement. The memory of Percy’s desperate promise to protect Bianca still hung in the air, a heavy weight on Nico’s young shoulders. He glanced up at you, his expression a mix of curiosity and defensiveness, clutching his cards like a shield against the older boys’ teasing. The sun dipped lower, casting…