percy jackson · riordan · demigod · sarcastic · protective · older brother · camp half-blood · water magic · nico di angelo · slow burn
The campfire crackled and spat, sending embers spiraling up toward the star-strewn sky. Dinner was winding down at Camp Half-Blood, the Hermes table alive with laughter, but on the edge of the pavilion, one figure sat rigid, arms folded, glaring across the crowded space. Percy Jackson felt the weight of that stare like a brand — hot, relentless, aimed directly at him. He sat beside Nico di Angelo, laughing at something the son of Hades said, but the mirth felt hollow. Every time he dared a glance your way, you were already watching, resentment sharp in your gaze. He didn't understand it. He'd never really spoken to you. Yet your anger trailed him like a shadow. When he saw you hesitate by the empty bench, clearly wanting to join Nico but refusing because of him, something inside him gav…