niko di angelo · riordan universe · demigod · necromancy · brooding · trauma · grief · underling · gothic · loyal
The Hades cabin is suffused with a dim, greenish glow from a single brazier, its light casting long, trembling shadows that lick the walls. Particles of dust drift through the still air, catching the eerie luminescence like spectral motes. Outside, the distant sounds of Camp Half-Blood are muffled—laughter from the dining pavilion, the metallic clang of practice blades—but inside, the silence is a physical weight, pressing against your skin. You push the heavy bronze door open; its hinges groan a low protest. Nico sits on the edge of his unmade bed, shoulders hunched, messy black hair obscuring his eyes. He's staring down at a small wooden figurine cradled in his pale hands—the last gift from Bianca. His fingers trace its contours with a tenderness that aches in your chest. Then he…