ask-thediangelo - Tumblr blog

[ask-thediangelo]

"It takes away nothing." A lie.

Shadow travel drains the user of much - usually at great risk to their health if one wasn't careful. His father had certainly shared plenty cautionary tales of the ill-fated shadow-touched of their line who overextended their power and faded away into the darkness before he passed. Hellbent on instilling respect and a good amount of fear into his spare heir when Nico's magic revealed themselves sooner than Bianca's had. (Ironic now, considering his father fell ill due to the very same magic that he warned Nico to sparingly use.)

Nico certainly was not one of the careful sort. (And some days, he can see the cost show in him. The gradual eerie palor of his skin, the pitch black that would occasionally peak in his veins - the shadows inching their way to claiming him. Like they did his father...) Shadow travel to him was like breathing. It was easy to slip in and out of the darkness. (Some days it was easier to maneuver through the void than it was to maneuver through life without Father, and Mother, and Bianca.) It was something that he could control. The only thing he could control. (And it was addicting. To hide, to disappear, to fall into the dark and run.)

"But... if you are certain you don't mind the descent, well" - he holds his arm out for Will to take, as if he were escorting him through a garden stroll (or to a ball as his partner) rather than a long descent back to the palace suites - "who am I to deny you?" he chuckled.

"Though if you do get tired, do tell me. I can carry you the rest of the way down," he says with a teasing twinkle in his eyes.

ask-thediangelo​:

‘I doubt I will.’ The words came easily in his mind. Far easier than freeing the thought to his lips. But it was likely for the best that they remained thoughts. They had just met after all. (And did that not already shake him - how drawn he found himself to be; to a complete stranger!)

Keep it slow. They had to. After all, if things fell apart and they had rushed deep into this - whatever this was - it wouldn’t be something that can just easily be swept under a rug. He was a king. And Will was a prince.

Nico smiled; head unconsciously leaning in to the warmth sourced from Will’s hand against his cheek. “Worried about my health already? My younger sister will adore you,” he said; a laugh ghosting his words - half joke and half truth.

With care, he held the hand Will rested against his cheek. “No need to walk. I can just shadow travel us back. The best option, in my opinion” - he inclined his head to Will; eyed winking in the moonlight with mischief - “unless you truly want to go down three flights of stairs?”

A tiny smirk pulled at the corner of Will’s lips. “Glad Princess Hazel would approve. I’ll have to meet her sometime while I’m here.” Of course he’d read up on both of them whatever he could before he came here, at least what was reliable public knowledge.

“…How much does that shadow travel take out of you?” he wondered quietly. “I don’t mind going down a few stairs if you don’t…Better walking down than up them.” Besides that, if he was going to stay here he kind of needed to get the layout of the castle so he could find his way around.

[ask-thediangelo]

'I doubt I will.' The words came easily in his mind. Far easier than freeing the thought to his lips. But it was likely for the best that they remained thoughts. They had just met after all. (And did that not already shake him - how drawn he found himself to be; to a complete stranger!)

Keep it slow. They had to. After all, if things fell apart and they had rushed deep into this - whatever this was - it wouldn't be something that can just easily be swept under a rug. He was a king. And Will was a prince.

Nico smiled; head unconsciously leaning in to the warmth sourced from Will's hand against his cheek. "Worried about my health already? My younger sister will adore you," he said; a laugh ghosting his words - half joke and half truth.

With care, he held the hand Will rested against his cheek. "No need to walk. I can just shadow travel us back. The best option, in my opinion" - he inclined his head to Will; eyed winking in the moonlight with mischief - "unless you truly want to go down three flights of stairs?"

ask-thediangelo​:

Oh… Oh, what in the world is happening?

That was all that his brain could muster. Too fixated on two (wonderful, glorious) things: One - the comforting warmth of the Sol prince’s arms around him (like an cloak made of the finest material; chasing away the chill of the night as if buffeted by summer’s wind); and two - Will’s admission. An admission he hadn’t at all expected - let alone from someone whom he had just met. (And perhaps what made this all the more jarring was how… light(?), pleased (?), joyous (?) he felt about it. Because this… This? He’s never felt like this before. Not for anyone. And he’s been presented would-be suitors before and he felt nothing for them. Even when they said something as similar to Will’s words.)

This is different. (And he hated different. Normally, he hated it. Too much change has already happened in his life. Too much jarring and traumatic change that came too soon. But–)

“I… ” He winced at the crack in his voice; at the dryness that set over his mouth. He wasn’t the best speaker - would rather avoid it - but this was… new. “I do… like you. A lot.” He wondered if Will could feel the pounding of his heart with how he held him.

“I… do not know how to proceed with…this,” he admitted with some (plenty) of nerves. “I’ve never–” Mouth pinched. He ended that statement quickly. “B-but I… I want to see where this goes. If… If that’s okay?”

A king asking permission from a prince. Nico idly wondered if his father’s ghost was turning in his tomb.

A coil of tension that had formed in Will’s chest when he made his flub loosened. He smiled softly. “Well…I’m going to be here awhile, if you don’t get sick of me so…I think we probably have plenty of time to decide if we…like each other beyond first impressions…”

It didn’t necessarily help that his mind raced on ahead, excited at the prospect. Not necessarily about ending up in a ruling position-in spite of that, in all honestly. But…Nico was sweet. The poor guy had a lot on his plate. It seemed like he could use some like-minded support. They didn’t know each other so well yet though, so he really needed to hold his horses. If they rushed things…well, it wasn’t like being a commoner, it would be full of rumors and scandal. Best if he didn’t add that to Nico’s current laundry list of issues.

Take things slow. See how it went.

“Time’ll tell…I think you’re right though…it’s really late.” A bare hand touched Nico’s cheek, feeling his exhaustion. “And I think there is a certain king who should be getting more sleep,” he chuckled softly, giving playful chastisement. “Should we walk back downstairs?”

[ask-thediangelo]

With all the dramatics like that of an embarrassed little brother being menaced by his older sister (which, after all this time, well since they've met really, Blade is), Nico groaned in the face of her crooning and cooing. The red now quickly crawling down from his ears to the back of his neck and gradually creeping along his cheeks.

With a playful shove, he removed himself from her grip. Happily turning his attention to the fruit stall that Blade had so helpfully brought to his attention. 

He glanced down his list and beamed when he spotted the fruits he needed among the boxes laid out in the stall.

"Perfect. Thanks, sis," he quipped, bumping his hip against hers as he began to take note of what fruits to grab and beginning to waive the stall owner's attention to get what he needed.

ask-thediangelo​:

With a bashful smile, and his head habitually ducked down in the face of his nerves flaring out, Nico sighed. “Will deserves to be spoiled. He’s done so much, both for me and everyone back at camp, without so much as a simple ‘Thank you’.” A red hue began to slowly envelop the tips of his ears. “That and I just” - a little shrug - “I like seeing him smile.”

The minute he said that, instantly one hand of his fell over his face - the nerves finally winning out as he let out a quiet laugh, glancing bashfully at Blade. “Gods, that was so cheesy. So sorry you had to hear all that, Blade.”

“Awww,” she crooned putting her arm around his shoulder and giving a squeeze as she laughed. “You’re so cuuute, Nico. You two are relationship goals, I swear. It’s nice to want to make your partner smile! That’s just so stinkin’ cute,” she laughed before gesturing to one of the stalls. “You said some fresh fruit, right, what about there?” she offered with a little giggle, giving him a bit of an out so he wouldn’t turn even redder.

[ask-thediangelo]

Oh... Oh, what in the world is happening?

That was all that his brain could muster. Too fixated on two (wonderful, glorious) things: One - the comforting warmth of the Sol prince's arms around him (like an cloak made of the finest material; chasing away the chill of the night as if buffeted by summer's wind); and two - Will's admission. An admission he hadn't at all expected - let alone from someone whom he had just met. (And perhaps what made this all the more jarring was how... light(?), pleased (?), joyous (?) he felt about it. Because this... This? He's never felt like this before. Not for anyone. And he's been presented would-be suitors before and he felt nothing for them. Even when they said something as similar to Will's words.)

This is different. (And he hated different. Normally, he hated it. Too much change has already happened in his life. Too much jarring and traumatic change that came too soon. But--)

"I... " He winced at the crack in his voice; at the dryness that set over his mouth. He wasn't the best speaker - would rather avoid it - but this was... new. "I do... like you. A lot." He wondered if Will could feel the pounding of his heart with how he held him.

"I... do not know how to proceed with...this," he admitted with some (plenty) of nerves. "I've never--" Mouth pinched. He ended that statement quickly. "B-but I... I want to see where this goes. If... If that's okay?"

A king asking permission from a prince. Nico idly wondered if his father's ghost was turning in his tomb.

ask-thediangelo​:

Nico’s expression was an open book to the thoughts in his head.

The first being ’What?’ with a furrowed brow and crooked tilt of his lips. Then his brows slowly arced up as realization finally dawned.

“Oh.” Red blooming across his skin - and not from the Umbran cold. (Will. In his bed. …No. No no no no no - don’t think about it! Don’t!)

“I-I… Uh…” - sounds - vowels and consonants but never full words - flew from his mouth, grasping for a coherent thought (and finding little against the overwhelming embarassment that blew in him like a howling blizzard).

Inevitably, the intimdating Umbran king fell. His free hands flying to his face to hide away from the teasing look fired by Sol’s prince.

“Oh dei - that’s” - a sound that crossed between whine and flustered laughter - “I did not mean it l-like that. I-I meant…escort you to your bedchamber. I didn’t–”

More flustered laughter. Then a big breath (for confidence). “But if…you want me to take you to bed?” A shaking attempt at a teasing tone. (Made even less convincing by his still hidden face.)

Will had to giggle. He couldn’t help it. It was just too cute. He had to just let the Umbran king stutter and flail but he did reach over to wrap his arms around him, still laughing a bit.

When Nico finally got out his question he let his laughter fade. He wasn’t laughing about that, after all. “…I’ll be honest with you…I like you a lot,” he murmured in his ear. “But…maybe we should take things slow if-if that’s what you even want too, I mean.” His turn to be a little flustered but he managed to hold it together a bit better than Nico.

[ask-thediangelo]

Nico's expression was an open book to the thoughts in his head.

The first being 'What?' with a furrowed brow and crooked tilt of his lips. Then his brows slowly arced up as realization finally dawned.

"Oh." Red blooming across his skin - and not from the Umbran cold. (Will. In his bed. ...No. No no no no no - don't think about it! Don't!)

"I-I... Uh..." - sounds - vowels and consonants but never full words - flew from his mouth, grasping for a coherent thought (and finding little against the overwhelming embarassment that blew in him like a howling blizzard).

Inevitably, the intimdating Umbran king fell. His free hands flying to his face to hide away from the teasing look fired by Sol's prince.

"Oh dei - that's" - a sound that crossed between whine and flustered laughter - "I did not mean it l-like that. I-I meant...escort you to your bedchamber. I didn't--"

More flustered laughter. Then a big breath (for confidence). "But if...you want me to take you to bed?" A shaking attempt at a teasing tone. (Made even less convincing by his still hidden face.)

ask-thediangelo​:

His smile widened. (What is it about this prince - about Will - that drew out so many smiles from him? He couldn’t fathom why this man - logically, a stranger (just another royal, another faceless name, that he’s heard occasionally in passing) - made him feel… so at ease.)

“Well you are my guest, and my mother did teach me to be attentive to the guests’ likes,” mused the young king; that teasing tone returning to his voice. “Guess my ”shades“ will have to experience the festivities through the grapevine. Speaking of–”

His eyes went skyward, catching sight of the moon, which now found it’s place at the center of the sky. “It’s late,” he sighed; his voice revealing the disappointment that nipped at him. Looking back to Will, while unknown to the young king, Nico’s expression only carried fondness. “We both will be quite busy, preparations for the official signing and overall cementing of our new alliance was all. Best I take you bed.”

(The less innocuous meaning of the king’s choice of words not at all connecting to him.)

Will, perhaps unfortunately for Nico, heard the innuendo immediately and he couldn’t stop himself from smirking, bright blue eyes looking directly into Nico’s as he raised his brows in silent question before deciding to voice it outright.

“Take me to bed? Your bed? Or…?” he laughed lightly, teasing as he put  one hand on Nico’s shoulder.

[ask-thediangelo]

His smile widened. (What is it about this prince - about Will - that drew out so many smiles from him? He couldn't fathom why this man - logically, a stranger (just another royal, another faceless name, that he's heard occasionally in passing) - made him feel... so at ease.)

"Well you are my guest, and my mother did teach me to be attentive to the guests' likes," mused the young king; that teasing tone returning to his voice. "Guess my "shades" will have to experience the festivities through the grapevine. Speaking of--"

His eyes went skyward, catching sight of the moon, which now found it's place at the center of the sky. "It's late," he sighed; his voice revealing the disappointment that nipped at him. Looking back to Will, while unknown to the young king, Nico's expression only carried fondness. "We both will be quite busy, preparations for the official signing and overall cementing of our new alliance was all. Best I take you bed."

(The less innocuous meaning of the king's choice of words not at all connecting to him.)

ask-thediangelo​:

Nico found his lips twitching upward despite the heaviness - a familiar weight - drape over his shoulders. “Me? Pleasant? Truly?”

A ghost of a laugh drifted from him. “I suppose there are miracles in the world if you truly find me so. Hazel will be pleased to hear that there’s still hope for me still.” He mused, a faint twinkle of playfulness - like a distant star - in eyes. “If my “shades” are the cause, perhaps I should ensure that their absent from the event. Think that a fine strategy, dear prince?“

He chuckled softly. “It’s up to you,” he noted. “They’re you’re advisors, but I certainly like you better without them around.”

[ask-thediangelo]

3. Travel back in time or travel to the future, 6. Horror movies or rom-coms, 14. Domestic pets or wild animals

Nico's Preferences!

3. Travel back in time or travel to the future

6. Horror movies or rom-coms

14. Domestic pets or wild animals

[ask-thediangelo]

Nico found his lips twitching upward despite the heaviness - a familiar weight - drape over his shoulders. "Me? Pleasant? Truly?"

A ghost of a laugh drifted from him. "I suppose there are miracles in the world if you truly find me so. Hazel will be pleased to hear that there's still hope for me still." He mused, a faint twinkle of playfulness - like a distant star - in eyes. "If my "shades" are the cause, perhaps I should ensure that their absent from the event. Think that a fine strategy, dear prince?"

ask-thediangelo​:

An ache pulsed in Nico’s chest as he listened to Will speak about his family. It ached as he heard the fondness in the other prince’s voice; saw it in his eyes when Nico, drawn like a moth to flame, gazed back at him - the frost-encrusted and shadow-strewn landscape of his kingdom bearing a beauty that simply did not compare to Will’s. His chest ached and ached as his mind could not help but hone in on the absence that chilled the halls that were supposed to be Nico’s home; halls that once were louder with voices beyond just his own; halls that…

No. No. Don’t think about her. Don’t think about them. He ripped his mind back to the present. Eyes blinking hard against a burn that Nico was all too familiar with.

“Well” - he cleared his throat; cursing when a slight break in his steady voice slipped past - “whoever comes to the event, I’ll do my best to make a good impression. We are allies now, after all. No need to have my dour character sour it before it even begins,” he chortled. “I promise to socialize like a good king and not cling to the corner of the ballroom.”

Will frowned and looked back over to Nico quickly when he heard his voice crack. He’d been very content watching the view up to that point. He realized he’d hurt the other royal. Of course, talk of family was probably still a bit raw for him. He hadn’t thought of that.

His expression twisted to guilt and sympathy and he reached out again to rest his hand on the king’s forearm. He decided not to apologize and draw attention to his reaction and instead continued the conversation instead. “I think you’ll hardly have to try…without your…what did you call them? Shades? Around…you’re much less dour. Pretty pleasant actually,” he smiled reassuringly.

[ask-thediangelo]

“Have some fire. Be unstoppable. Be a force of nature. Be better than anyone here, and don’t give a damn what anyone thinks. You’re on your own. Be on your own.”

— Dr. Cristina Yang | Grey’s Anatomy (via thoughtkick)

[ask-thediangelo]

“you’re so quiet” thanks i don’t feel comfortable expressing my true personality around you

[ask-thediangelo]

Character this or that - Headcanon Meme

Drop an ask with a number and a character and I’ll say which one I think they’d pick!

Homemade food or take out

Day or night

Travel back in time or travel to the future

Summer or winter

Handwritten or typed

Horror movies or rom-coms

Piercings or tattoos

Happy endings or cliffhangers

Spotify playlists or mixtapes

Physical affection or verbal affection

City or countryside

Cocktails or smoothies

Movies or TV shows

Domestic pets or wild animals

Fancy events or casual meet-ups

[ask-thediangelo]

― Catherynne M. Valente

[ask-thediangelo]

send in " you don't have to do this... " for the sender to intervene just as the receiver is about to kill someone. ( feel free to explain why they're trying to kill them! )

alternatively, send in " walk away. you don't need to see this. " for the sender to notice the receiver trying to intervene as they're about to kill someone.

[ask-thediangelo]

i--believe--in--your--galaxy​:

ask-thediangelo​:

i--believe--in--your--galaxy​:

Amata gave a short, slightly awkward laugh. In reality, Nico, while still harboring the disposition of a grumpy senior citizen, no longer looked anything like the scrawny teenager she knew at Camp Half Blood. His tattered t-shirts and scuffed up sneakers were gone. So was the emo haircut she’d always teased him for. The dark circles under his eyes had even faded a little.

Even more striking than the physical changes, though, were the ones in Nico himself. This Nico was calmer, more gentle than she left him. The air around him was a little lighter, and he carried a sort of quiet maturity about him. It almost seemed like peace.

She tangled a hand in her hair, looking straight ahead as she tried to keep her shoulders from hunching inward. “You’re in college? And a librarian? That’s so…normal.” she paired it with a laugh, but the last word dripped with some emotion she couldn’t identify. “What are you studying?”

“As normal as a demigod can possibly get, I suppose, ” drawled Nico, not at all noticing the odd behavior of his conversation partner. (It had been a while. Some tells that were once obvious to him when he’d been younger had faded from disuse.) “Monster still have a habit of jumping me inbetween classes - disguised as staff or even as students. At the very least, that hasn’t changed.”

“And believe it or not, Wilcox, you are speaking to a future historian.” He shot her a smirk. “Classical Mediterranean Studies. Might as well make use of my god given unfair advantage, right? And it’s a career that both myself and my father have an interest in. Plus any information I unearth could prove useful to future demigods. So everyone wins.”

Amata smiled. “Oh yeah, thank gods the monsters stayed. If there was one thing about my childhood I wanted to keep as an adult it was coming home with my clothes ripped up and covered in suspicious powder.”

She gave his arm a playful nudge. “And don’t get so smug on me about having some fancy degree. You’re the one who’s gonna be sitting around reading dusty books about your distant relatives for a living.”

Nico’s snorted a laugh; a begrudging smile settled itself on his face - matching Amata’s. “Hey! Getting all shredded up and covered in dust is a staple in being a demigod. You can’t just go on life without it - just isn’t right,” he jabbed back; both verbally and physically, as he quickly poked Amata’s side.

“And don’t you make fun of my college choices. In case you’ve forgotten, you brat” - he playfully jabbed at Amata with his elbow - “I quite like Greek Mythology. Remember my Mythomagic cards? Yeah - that’s based off the shenanigans of our “distant relatives”. So me pursuing the classics ain’t so farfetched, Wilcox.”

“Plus” - he couldn’t help but add on; a familiar energy returning to him (the electric-like crackle of childish glee; of comfortable company - something he hasn’t had since, well, the end of his days in camp) as he faced Amata properly - “I advise not making fun of me. Like I said, what I learn and discover as a historian could come in handy for other demigods. Piss me off, Wilcox, and maybe I will choose not to help you when you need my expertise.”

Of course, he didn’t mean that. Never could. As much as Nico avoided people, the desire to help always kept him from leaving the public life entirely. Like his half-sister, he had a bleeding heart. He couldn’t turn away a person-in-need even if the world’s survivability relied on it.

Still...It was a fun playful jab to make. Nico just couldn’t help it; especially when trouble like Amata Wilcox was around to encourage it.

((And my habit of pulling out old prompts for new threads continues~)) “Man you’re awkward. I mean, ridiculously beautiful but damn, grow into yourself.” *if you're cool with it I've been wanting to start something set in the life goes on verse 😄

Nico prides himself on his skill of ignoring the world’s annoyances - one that has been honed into a fine blade after dealing with years of crap from both the gods and his fellow demigods. Usually, such words would lead the speaker to receive a nice classy “Fuck off” from the son of Hades, or a glare that would send even Kronos’s fellow Titans running for the Fields of Punishment.

But today was no usual day.

Instead, Nico found himself reverting to old habits that he’d been certain he’d left behind in his teenage years. The tips of his ears flush red, his nose crinkles, and he pouts - embarrassed and irritated - a feeling he hadn’t felt since, well, his days in Camp Half-Blood. Fitting, considering only one person could draw this out from him; and that person was in front of him now.

“Speak for yourself, Wilcox,” he grumbles - words half muffled by the lollipop in his mouth (His only reprieve now ever since Hazel caught him with a cigarette when she’d dropped by his flat - an unexpected surprise visit - last week. The tongue lashing she’d given left him spinning in guilt, so much so that he’d tossed every pack he had immediately after. He’s been trying to stay on the path of “quitting” his habit of smoking ever since.). “You’re still the same annoying gnat you were when we were younger. No ‘growing’ from where I see.”

He resolutely ignored the part where she’d called him “ridiculously beautiful”. 

[ask-thediangelo]

An ache pulsed in Nico's chest as he listened to Will speak about his family. It ached as he heard the fondness in the other prince's voice; saw it in his eyes when Nico, drawn like a moth to flame, gazed back at him - the frost-encrusted and shadow-strewn landscape of his kingdom bearing a beauty that simply did not compare to Will's. His chest ached and ached as his mind could not help but hone in on the absence that chilled the halls that were supposed to be Nico's home; halls that once were louder with voices beyond just his own; halls that...

No. No. Don't think about her. Don't think about them. He ripped his mind back to the present. Eyes blinking hard against a burn that Nico was all too familiar with.

"Well" - he cleared his throat; cursing when a slight break in his steady voice slipped past - "whoever comes to the event, I'll do my best to make a good impression. We are allies now, after all. No need to have my dour character sour it before it even begins," he chortled. "I promise to socialize like a good king and not cling to the corner of the ballroom."

ask-thediangelo​:

“While I’m sure Prince Lee could give me some advice on how to be a better ruler,” droned Nico, sounding not at all interested in such a thing, “I much prefer your presence. You’re…nice.” His cheeks flushed. Words just really disliked him. Everything he wanted to say didn’t quite come out as… eloquent as he wanted. (And for some reason, it’s Will who gets him like this.) “I just feel comfortable around you… It’s…new. But I like it.” I like you.

Again, his eyes seemed forever stuck on Will. He didn’t know what it was about the prince that captivated him. He just did. He was a beacon of light that continues to glow despite the evening dark. The faint shafts of moonlight that slipped inbetween the pitch clouds above only seemed to turn the prince beside him into something… well, beautiful.

(In the moonlight, Will looked like a figure straight out of the fairytale his mother would once read to him.)

He dug his nails deep into his palms, anchoring him to reality. (Will is a guest. He is an emissary. A new ally. Get yourself together.)

“But likely I could still end up meeting your brother once we hash out the preparation for the treaty signing, right?” He forced his eyes away from Will and stared out into the dark lands that were his kingdom. “Formal party, full ballroom, public show of faith in the alliance - fun stuff,” he quipped dryly; obvious in his show of… discomfort for events like that.

“You say that like my brother isn’t nice,” Will teased with a grin coming to his lips. A soft laugh followed. “You definitely don’t want to meet Michael.” His other older brother could be…rather unpleasant to be around at times. It wasn’t always but it seemed like just about anything could set off his temper.

He felt Nico’s hand release his and curl into a fist and he looked down in mild concern, giving Nico’s hand a little squeeze again in reassurance before letting go, not sure if the king wanted his hand there anymore.

“I suppose you could,” he noted, remembering that they would need to set everything up to sign the treaty. His whole reason for being here. “But…my family is…well, it’s pretty big,” he laughed softly. “My parents typically don’t like to impose when they have to travel by bringing all of my brothers and sisters along. I’m sure they’ll leave Vergil in charge and come here themselves…maybe a couple of my siblings, if they want to come along.” Most royals didn’t travel together, it was safer to leave one at home if the other had to go elsewhere but his parents never went anywhere alone. They always seemed to have to be together.

“So…Maybe Lee, maybe not.”

[ask-thediangelo]

Have some more percy jackson content in 2021

[ask-thediangelo]

nico and friends