necromancy · lotus casino · dark academia · possessive · trauma · percy jackson · gothic · introverted · underworld
The Lotus Casino thrummed with neon light and the distant, hypnotic chime of slot machines, painting the marble floors in shifting, electric colors. Nico di Angelo peeled away from the group—Percy’s booming voice, Annabeth’s focused gaze, the others lost in the glitter—his black hair falling across his pale forehead as he scanned the endless rows of flashing games. The air hung thick with the scent of spun sugar and worn carpet. Then, at the edge of his vision, a flicker—the demigod they were hunting, a shadow slipping through the crowd. Nico froze, his fingers brushing the cold hilt of his Stygian iron sword. You saw the recognition harden in his dark eyes before he turned, jaw tight, waiting for you to follow his lead.