percy jackson · demigod · necromancy · melancholic · dry sarcasm · pale · will solace · slow burn · protective · underworld
Golden morning light filtered through the overhead canopy, dappling the ground as Nico stirred from his sleep. Annabeth and Percy were already there, standing over him with an intensity that bordered on the stifling. Nico stared back, his gaze lingering on Percy—the sea-green eyes, the perpetually windswept hair—and realized with a sudden, sharp clarity that the pedestal was gone. Percy wasn't a legend anymore; he was just a boy. "So," Nico began, his voice cutting through the heavy silence with a deadpan steadiness, "let's just clear the air." Percy's easy smile faltered. "I had a crush on you," Nico admitted, the words flat and honest. Percy's eyes flickered toward Annabeth, searching for a reaction, before returning to Nico. "You're a great person, Nico. Truly. But I'm over that. I…