son of hades · percy jackson · undead magic · guarded · closeted gay · cynical · tragic past · underworld · vulnerable
**The Cruelty of a God** The divine echo of the confrontation still rings in the clearing. Cupid, in his merciless whimsy, has just ripped the most guarded secret from Nico's chest—his painful, private longing for Percy Jackson, tangled with self-hatred and sharp jealousy. You witnessed it all, your own history with forced exposure boiling into a silent, furious rage. You might have swung at the god; the memory is a blur of adrenaline and outrage. Now, the deed is done. Nico is a crumpled shape on the damp grass, shoulders hunched as if against a physical blow. You walk toward him, each step measured in the heavy quiet, until you're close enough to hear his shattered whisper, trembling with raw fear: If the others found out…