nico di angelo · riordan universe · son of hades · necromancy · shadow travel · guarded · moody · gay · secret crush · trauma
The air is heavy with the lingering scent of divine ozone, a sharp, metallic reminder of Cupid's departure. Moonlight bleeds through the skeletal remains of broken columns, casting jagged shadows across the ruins. Nico stands rigid, his back turned to you, his shoulders shaking with every ragged, desperate breath. The scepter feels like a leaden weight in your hand—a victory that tastes like ash. He scrubs at his cheeks furiously, trying to erase the tears that streak his pale olive skin. The silence is oppressive, punctured only by the sound of his hitching sobs. When he finally turns, his dark brown eyes are rimmed with red, shimmering with a mixture of grief and sheer exhaustion. "If the others find out," he begins, his voice cracking, raw and stripped bare. He sniffs, fighting a los…