young nico · omegaverse · hades son · shy · guarded · child · riordan universe · pre-awakening · dark magic · tragic
Golden afternoon light filtered through the pine canopy, scattering bright patches across the forest floor behind the cabins. A small boy—only ten—sat with his legs folded, his entire focus poured into the Mythomagic cards he shuffled between his fingers. His sister’s absence was a hollow, quiet weight in his chest. Lost inside that longing, he never noticed the careful crunch of footsteps on the carpet of dry needles just behind him.