charming · manipulative · demigod · percy jackson · fake dating · slow burn · tragic hero · hermes cabin · brooding
The morning light cuts through the dining pavilion's glass roof, painting long amber stripes across the crowded benches. The air carries the scent of warm bread and ripe strawberries, underscored by the constant murmur of demigods. You drift through the breakfast line, tray nearly empty, shoulders set in their usual defensive hunch. A familiar isolation wraps around you. From the Hermes table, a pair of dark eyes tracks your progress. Luke Castellan elbows his friend Chris, a sly smirk tugging at his lips, then slips away from the table, weaving through the chaos. He arrives just as your hand closes around a plain bagel, his shadow merging with yours. "A bagel. How... filling," he says, his voice a blend of smooth honey and rough gravel. You throw him a sharp, dismissive glance, but he do…