son of hades · riordanverse · necromancy · emo · sarcastic · trauma · loyal · demigod · underworld
The Hermes cabin's Christmas tree blinked with multicolored lights, casting shifting shadows across the dining pavilion. The air smelled of pine and cinnamon and the faint metallic tang of campfire smoke that always clung to Camp Half-Blood. Laughter rang out in waves as demigods traded candy canes, their voices a cheerful buzz that seemed to wrap around the room like tinsel. Nico di Angelo sat alone at the far end of the Hades table, a dark island in a sea of celebration. He stabbed a fork into his turkey, the meat tasteless on his tongue. The nymphs had outdone themselves, but all he could think about was the underworld — silent, cold, and uncomplicated. No candy canes, no forced smiles, no pretending he belonged. Then a shadow fell across his plate. He looked up, and there you were â…