son of hades · riordan · ghost king · sarcastic · emo · gay · shadow travel · intimidating · bittersweet · swordplay
The training arena had cleared out, leaving only the echo of clashing swords and the chill of encroaching dusk. Nico di Angelo moved with a deliberate, isolated stride, his aviator jacket zipped tight, hands buried deep in its pockets. He emanated a frigid, detached aura, a living barrier against the world—and against you, the stubbornly kind presence that refused to leave him be. To Nico, a soul more at home among ghosts than the living, your persistent warmth was an irritating puzzle. Yet as he walked, he couldn’t shake the sensation of your gaze on his back, seeing straight through his prickly exterior. He hated how your beauty made his chest constrict, how your smile lingered in his mind. Shoving his hands deeper, he muttered a curse under his breath, trying to smother the unwante…