Comments On Fanfics

This is a callout post.

Fixo

SEJAM BEM-VINDOS!

Oii, como vai?

Você pode me chamar de Ana ou Aurora, meu pseudônimo. Escrevo fanfics Pernico/Nicercy e originais.  Aqui colocarei minhas ideias e histórias, trazendo o que eu puder de interessante para esse pequeno cantinho de criatividade.

MEUS SITES DE ESCRITA

> Spirit Fanfiction

> AO3

> Tapas

>Dreame (Uma das minhas histórias completas. Se você puder dê uma olhada^^)

>AO3

>SpiritFanfics

>Dicas de Escrita 

> Tumblr - Meu blog pessoal de escrita e dicas sobre escrita.

MEUS LINKS

Tudo o que eu escrever estará sob o link mywriting

Os posts sobre as dicas de escrita estarão sob o link aurora ajuda para escritores

Todos os posts reblogados não terão tags.

Agora que tiramos isso da frente, podemos começar!

Eu escrevo desde o início dos anos 2000 e já passei por milhares de fandons, porém escrevi para poucos. O primeiro em que escrevi foi o de Naruto, depois Supernatural por uns bons cinco anos e lá pelos anos 2010 Percy Jackson, lugar que não saí desde então.

A verdade é que eu escrevo originais com a imagem que eu tenho dos personagens de Percy Jackson, e como os aspectos dessas histórias não são completamente originais (apenas uns 85%) eu considero minhas histórias fanfiction. Por exemplo, sempre imagino Percy com quase dois metros de alta, cabelos castanhos e levemente clareado do sol, pele bronzeada e olhos verdes, a personalidade tende mais para o lado rebelde e ligeiramente obscura dependendo do enredo. Já o Nico é alguém que tem o exterior vulnerável e doce, mas que por dentro é o mais forte e inteligente, principalmente na parte mental. Imagino ele com cabelos lisos e ondulados, pretos, olhos negros, nariz fino e arrebitado e pele cor oliva-escura, não exatamente chegando a ser uma pele negra. Os enredos, também, são os mais variados. Já escrevi sobre máfia, vampiros, a/b/o e outros que eu nem me lembro mais.

A questão aqui é que encontrei no Percy e no Nico meus modelos perfeitos de personagens para escrever, eu confesso, também os modifiquei bastante durante os anos, suas personalidades e histórias de vidas, para se adequarem ao que eu precisar dependendo da história que eu estiver contando.

O que eu realmente quero dizer é: eu criei uma versão deles, com motivações e objetivos tão diferentes dos livros que eles na maioria das vezes são bem OCC e fora do caráter original, sabe? Embora eu tente manter a essência deles viva. Isso me permite criar mundos e enredos que do contrário eu não me sentiria inclinada a escrever.

Imagine dessa forma, eles são os meus brinquedos favoritos para brincar, mesmo que eu tenha milhares de outros tão bons ou até melhores; eles ainda são os meus favoritos e sou apegada a eles. Dessa forma, não espere que eu vá escrever enredos canon, são bem raros para mim. A razão disso? Bem... me sinto muito limitada e eu não quero lidar com Will Solace.

Sou Anti-solangêlo? Pode se dizer que sim. É simples, não gosto de personagens jogados e que aparecem miraculosamente para ser o par de um personagem só porque ele se tornou popular. Eu, como demisexual, não aceito o fato de não ter desenvolvimento em como um romance acontece. Bons exemplos de casais, Reyna e Percy já que eles têm um bom tempo para se conhecer em cenas, Percy e Rachel já que eles também passam um tempo juntos e não simplesmente começam a namorar, Percy e Annabeth, e até Annabeth e Reyna eu aceitaria já que elas passam um tempo juntas, mesmo que seja desconfiando uma da outra. É tudo o que eu tenho a falar sobre o assunto. Então, vocês não me verão escrever boas coisas sobre eles.

Já sobre o blog de dicas de escrita, é um projeto que tenho há cinco anos. Sou alguém que precisa aprender algo novo de vez em quanto, por isso fiz um blog de escrita criativa. Com o tempo ele foi se tornando algo mais parecido com um trabalho, então decidi movê-lo para um lugar que me permita uma remuneração por isso. Vocês estão convidados a participar dele também; logo teremos posts interessantes sobre como melhorar nossas histórias por lá.

Bem, é isso. Sou uma escritora lenta e por vezes metódica, não sei como lidar muito bem com o fandom, principalmente pela agressividade que eu costumava ver. Também não sei trabalhar com pedidos, sabe? Eu preciso seguir meus pensamentos e não o que as pessoas me pedem, o não me impede de tentar encaixar sugestões nos meus textos. Estou fazendo o meu melhor para me enturmar mais. Então, sugestões são sempre bem-vindas, porém o que me dá vida é receber feedback e comentários. Também quero avisar que ao encerrar das minhas histórias é provável que eu as transforme em originais, elas podendo ou não sair do ar quando chegar essa hora. Então, se divirtam e se vocês se sentirem a vontade, comentários me incentivará a escrever ainda mais.

Obrigada por ler!

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WELCOME!

Hi, how are you?

You can call me Ana or Aurora, my pseudonym. I write Pernico/Nicercy and original fanfics. Here  I will put my ideas and stories, bringing whatever I can of interest to this little corner of creativity.

MY WRITING

> Spirit Fanfiction

> AO3

> Tapas

>Dreame (One of my complete stories. Take a look if you can^^)

>AO3

>SpiritFanfics

>Writing Tips in Portuguese

> Tumblr - My personal writing blog and writing tips.

MY LINKS

Everything I write will be under the link mywriting

Posts about writing tips in portuguese will be under the link aurora ajuda para escritores

All reblogged posts will have no tags.

Now that we got that out of the way, we can get started!

I've been writing since the early 2000s and have been in thousands of fandoms, but I've written for very few. The first one I wrote for was Naruto, then Supernatural for a good five years and back in the 2010s for Percy Jackson, a place I haven't left since.

The truth is that I write originals with the imagery that I have of Percy Jackson's characters, and since aspects of those stories are not completely original (only about 85%) I consider my stories fanfiction. For example, I always imagine Percy as almost six feet tall, brown hair and slightly bleached from the sun, tanned skin and green eyes, the personality tends more towards the rebellious and slightly dark side, depending on the plot. Nico, on the other hand, is someone who has a vulnerable and sweet exterior, but who inside is the strongest and most intelligent, especially in the mental part. I imagine him with straight, wavy black hair, black eyes, a thin, upturned nose and dark olive-colored skin, not quite a black skin. The plots, too, are varied. I've written about mafia, vampires, a/b/o and others I can't even remember anymore.

The point here is that I found in Percy and Nico my perfect models of characters to write about, I confess, I also modified them a lot during the years, their personalities and life stories, to fit whatever I need depending on the story I'm telling.

What I really mean is: I've created a version of them, with motivations and goals so different from the books that they're mostly pretty OCC and out of the original character, you know? Though I try to keep their essence alive. This allows me to create worlds and plots that I otherwise wouldn't feel inclined to write.

Imagine it this way, they are my favorite toys to play with, even if I have thousands of others just as good or even better; they are still my favorites and I am attached to them. In that way, don't expect me to go writing canon plots, they are quite rare for me. The reason for that? Well… I feel very limited and I don't want to deal with Will Solace.

Am I anti-solangêlo? You could say that. It's simple, I don't like characters who miraculously appear and became the love interest of a character, and just because they became popular. I, as a demisexual, do not accept the fact that there is no development in how a romance happens. Good examples of couples, Reyna and Percy since they have a good time getting to know each other in scenes, Percy and Rachel since they also spend time together and don't just start dating, Percy and Annabeth, and even Annabeth and Reyna I would accept since they've spend time together, even if it is in distrusting each other. That's all I have to say on the subject. So you won't see me writhing nice things about them.

About the writing tips blog, it's a project I've had for five years (in Portuguese). I'm someone who needs to learn something new from time to time, so I made a creative writing blog. Eventually, it became more like a job, so I decided to move it to a place that allows me to get paid for it. You're invited to join it too; soon we'll have interesting posts on how to improve our stories there.

Well, that's it. I'm a slow and sometimes methodical writer, I don't know how to deal with fandom very well, mostly because of the aggressiveness I used to see. I also don't know how to work with requests, you know? I need to follow my thoughts and not what people ask me, which doesn't stop me from trying to fit suggestions into my texts. I'm doing my best to get along more with all of you. So, suggestions are always welcome, but what gives me life is receiving feedback and comments. I also want to let you know that when I finish my stories, I'll probably turn them into originals, and they may or may not go off the air when that time comes. So have fun and if you feel like it, comments will encourage me to write even more.

Thanks for reading!

do you ever not write for so long that you’re almost afraid to? like what if I’m dumb now

I did a post on religion a while ago, but I can do a better job with it.

Part I: World Building Considerations: Religious Hierarchies

Part II: World Building Considerations: Deities and Mythologies

THE BASICS

Religion is the belief that supernatural or spiritual powers exist.

There are four “branches” of beliefs that form the way a person feels about their religion (or lack of) and other religions. They are:

Theism: A theist believes in a god (or more).

Atheism: An atheist lacks the belief in a god (or more).

Gnosticism: A gnostic believes it is possible to know that a god (or more) does or does not exist.

Agnosticism: An agnostic believes that it is not possible to know that a god (or more) does or does not exist.

These create people who are one of the following (this can change throughout a person’s life):

Gnostic Theist: These characters believe in a god (or more) and are absolutely sure that it exists. Depending on the personality of this character, they might take offense if other people tell them they are wrong or that their religion is false. Others will brush it off and not care.

Agnostic Theist: These characters believe in a god (or more), but do not claim to know for sure if this god exists. These characters might struggle with their religion if this existence is important to them.

Gnostic Atheist: These characters are absolutely sure that there is no god (or more).

Agnostic Atheist: These characters do not believe in a god (or more), but do not claim to know of its existence for sure.

THE BEGINNINGS

Most early religions began with animism. This is when supernatural powers, life, souls, or spirits are attributed to the natural world as well as objects.

Sometimes, deities can be created when certain attributes as parts of the natural world are viewed as more important than others. A population may give a name to a particular spirit (like the sun) and thus make a deity out of it. Over time, this leads to polytheism.

The earliest deities were most likely female because back then, humans believed that women had the ability to create life from nothing. This is why “virgin” deities, goddesses, beings, and religious figures are common. They are seen as being able to make life by themselves, but the concept of virginity has changed to being “clean” or “pure”.

Early monotheistic religions often came from polytheism, but not always. What happens is one deity becomes more important than all the others for whatever reason. Here are some reasons for why monotheism might have come up in your world (with the exception of the spread of religion):

A person claims that one deity is the true deity. All other deities are slowly forgotten or reassigned as lesser religious beings, but not deities.

One deity may be more important than the other deities. Over time, this deity becomes the sole deity. All other deities are slowly forgotten or reassigned as lesser religious beings, but not deities.

A historical figure transforms into a deity over time through myth and legend, thus becoming a major deity.

One deity might “absorb” other deities and their attributes due to its importance, thus becoming a single deity who is a mixture of other deities.

Religion does not always evolve in this order and it does not have to. There is no “ultimate” form of religion. Monotheism is not “civilized” and animism is not “primitive”. They are both valid religions, they just exist in different ways.

One source of conflict for your story could be the switch from one form of religion to another. If polytheism is moving into monotheism, a minority of the population might be trying hard to hold onto old deities.

Of course, there are more types of religion other than animism, polytheism, and monotheism, such as naturalism. Look around at various religions for some inspiration.

NAME

The name! You have to name your religion. The followers of this religion need a name to refer to themselves by. You can also have names for the various branches of a religion or for the followers of a specific religious figure. If you’ve made up a language, you can use that language to create a name. You can also name the religion after a deity, a historical figure, or a religious figure. You can also name it after the founder of the religion.

ORIGINS

Where did this religion originate? With older religions, it might not be clear. Other religions have a clear start, or at least are known to have started in a specific area or with a specific person. If there is a founder of the religion, create this character and their history.

You also need an origin story for the world. A lot of religions have them.

REASON AND APPEAL

There are three general reasons for why people practice religion:

Sociological: Religion is used for cultural conformity. It unites a community through similar morals and values and can be used to control a population or to bring general peace among worldviews. If you can influence a person’s thoughts, you can control their actions.

Cognitive: Religion has been used to explain the unknown and to help people make sense of the world they live in. Myths, legends, and deities have been used to explain why the seasons change or why storms happen. Religion offers an explanation.

Psychological: People turn to religion in times of need or emotional struggle. They might turn to religion because they have a sick family member or they might turn to religion because they need an end to a drought. Having a reason to hold on (religion) can help people get through the hard times.

It’s common that all three reasons exist together, but one reason may outweigh another in an individual or a population. For example, in a time of famine, the majority of a population might turn to religion for reason 2. In a society with little understanding of science, the majority of the population might use religion for reason 1.

When creating a religion, think about why your characters are religious or why they are not religious. Think about situations that would make them approach religion. All characters will differ based on their personal needs, how religious they are, and how they were raised. Some characters might only turn to religion when they are extremely desperate.

SACRED TEXTS

A sacred text is a general term that refers to a text that is important to a religion. The Bible is an example. Sacred texts do not have to exist in a religion. Oral histories can take their place or exist alongside them.

If there is a sacred text, decide how it is supposed to be read. Some religious texts are meant to be read by a religious official, who teaches others what it says (the Bible). Other texts are meant to be ready by everyone and interpreted on an individual level (the Qur’an).

If the sacred text is meant to be read by a religious official and no one else, religious officials will be educated while most of the population will not be (depending on the society, available education, hierarchy, and technology available to spread written texts). Lack of literacy might be used to control the population.

Sacred texts might be a part of the government. If so, create laws carefully and make sure you know all the details about the religion and the government you’ve created.

Another option for a sacred text is one that is created by an individual or by a community. These sacred texts are filled with whatever information a person sees as important to the way they practice their religion. They may collect information through religious officials, oral histories, or their own experiences. These sacred texts can be passed down to another generation.

Here are some things you can put in a sacred text:

Historical Accounts: If a sacred text is just a historical account of a religion, you’ll need to come up with mythologies that fit into this text.

Laws & Guidelines: Sometimes, a sacred text is used to write down laws and guidelines of a religion.

Prayers, Songs, etc.: If prayers, chants, songs, and other spoken words are important to a religion or hold meaning, they might show up in a sacred text.

PLACE OF WORSHIP

Not all religions have a place of worship. However, places of worship can be as grand as the Hagia Sophia or they can be as simple as a personal altar in one’s home.

Within certain religions, such as Catholicism, there can be a hierarchy of places of worship. For example, a Cathedral is a church, but it also acts as the seat of a Bishop for a given area. Places of worship, in times when the majority of the population could not read, used lots of common symbols within the architecture so that people knew it was a place of worship for a certain religion. This is why many medieval religious buildings portray religious stories or figures within the architecture.

If there are places of worship in your world, put them in your story. If they are in a city or near a trading center, they might be more grand than others due to available resources. If a government official commissions one of these buildings, it will likely be large and detailed due to available expenses. Places of worship in isolated areas are likely to be smaller and simpler.

Make these places known in your world. Give them a feel. A lot of religious buildings are meant to give the feeling of grandness and divinity. Some might make a person feel small and insignificant. Give these buildings a demeanor. This will help readers get a feel for this religion while also setting the mood and tone for the scene.

BELIEFS

Create the main beliefs and philosophies of your religion. This will impact your society as a whole. However, there should be differing opinions and beliefs within a religion. People are going to interpret parts of a religion in different ways and will have different opinions on how to approach a religion.

Opposing Forces: Some religions have opposing forces within it, such as good vs evil. Some religions don’t have opposing forces and rather see everything just as it is without attributing morality. Decide how your religion views the world.

Opposing Forces 2: This refers to the opinions of people within the religion. Having differing opinions within a religion can be mild, but it can also be extreme. The latter can cause lots of conflict and even a split in religion, creating two different branches or a new religion altogether.

Common Values: The main values and morals of this religion will affect the way your characters think and behave, even if they are not religious. Being raised around this religion can sway their opinions. This might create conflict for your characters when faced with a decision that goes against what they were raised with.

Afterlife: Everyone, at one point, wonders what happens when we die. As I mentioned above, religion is often used to explain the unknown. What is the afterlife in this religion? If there are no opposing forces of good vs evil, there will probably not be a hell-like place.

Sins: You don’t need to put sins in your religion, but it can help with conflict and character morals. Decide what this religion has outlawed or what it has looked down upon. If you want, sins can become law through the government.

Other Religions: For a post on what happens when other cultures come in contact with each other, look at the lower part of this post. Sometimes, religions can exist peacefully side by side.

Like I said, beliefs will impact your characters and the world they grew up in. People are a part of whatever culture they were raised in and it’s impossible to completely cut off those ties. The morals, values, and beliefs of your world’s religion impacts your characters in a much larger way than you think.

BRANCHES

Lots of religions have different sub-religions, branches, and denominations. If the religion you have created it widespread, it’s likely that this religion will have sub-religions and different forms of worship. If a religion has influence on another religion, those religions might end up combining.

Region: Different branches of a religion tend to be dominant in certain regions, even in multi-cultural places. Decide where certain branches are more common or where they are limited to.

Interaction: Two different branches within a religion might hate each other to such extremities that war can occur. This is another source of conflict for your fictional world.

Difference of Beliefs: If applicable to your story, think up some differences between the branches of religion.

VISIBILITY

Religion should be seen in your story if you make up one. It doesn’t matter if it’s not a huge part or if none of the characters are extremely religious. If you have created a religion, it should  have some visibility. It could influence language, dress, architecture, holidays, and more.

Architecture: This will most likely be places of worship, but religion can appear in all types of buildings and structures. Certain symbols might be seen in windows or on doors. Certain architectural styles might hold symbolic meaning, like how tall buildings are seen as reaching up to the heavens and therefore are seen as divine.

Clothing: Religious clothing can be obvious or subtle, but it still affects fashion. People might mimic the style of a religious figure or they might wear something that shows which deity they worship. If you show this, you can let the reader know what certain characters value. For example, wearing a certain symbol in the form of a pin might show that a person worships the deity of bravery, thus showing that this character values bravery.

Language: People mention parts of their religion in common phrases all the time, sometimes without realizing it. You can come up with exclamations and common phrases in your world through their religion.

Calendars: A lot of calendars surround important dates in religion. If you’re looking where to put year zero, go to religion. Did someone important die in that year? Were they born? Did something else important happen?

SYMBOL

Most religions have some kind of symbol. This symbol is often important to that religion (like the cross for Christianity). Creating a symbol can add depth to your world while also bringing reality to this religion. You can put this symbol in various places to help show readers where this religion has spread.

It’s not necessary to have a symbol.

POPULARITY

Decide how far this religion has spread and what people think about it. Religions, if small, are sometimes viewed as cults. If they gain popularity and start overcoming another dominant religion, they might be seen as threats.

Region: Know the region that your religion has spread to. There can be small regions within larger regions that resist this religion. If your characters are traveling, knowing the boundaries of this religion can help you create scenes and cultures that have this religious influence.

Subscribers: Decide how many people subscribe to this religion. If this is the dominant religion in a region, this religion will be more visible in your world.

Influence: Religion has massive influence on culture. If you are writing a world where religion is important, it will greatly influence your characters’ lives and worlds.

Spread: Does this religion have a goal to spread to other places? If so, your religious characters might try to convert others or there might be conflict with the spread of religion.

JOINING

Is there a certain way to join this religion? Many religions have rituals, ceremonies, and initiations that are used to accept a person into that religion.

Invitation: A few religions are invitation-only. This can be rigid or more free. A rigid invitation means that only a certain person can invite others into this religion. For example, if a person wants to bring a friend into their religion, they might have to bring their friend to a religious official to get permission. Less rigid invitations can be as simple as allowing any member of a religion to bring in others.

Open: An open religion allows anyone to join whether they were invited or not. These religions can spread fast while invitation-only religions are able to stay small and private for a longer period of time.

The Initiator: Who performs the ceremony? Most often, it is a religious official, but it doesn’t have to be.

The Ceremony: How they are brought into a religion? What happens during the ceremony? How long does it take? Are there any preparations that need to be made? Does it have to happen at a certain age? If so, your characters might have to go through this.

Birth: Most people are born into a religion. Sometimes, they are given the choice to leave this religion at a certain age or they can be officially initiated (like within some Amish communities). This might cause stress for characters if they come of this age and if their parents or guardians are expecting them to turn a certain way.

Forced: Sometimes, people are forced to join a religion.

RELIGIONS IN YOUR WORLD

It’s realistic to have more than one religion present. They don’t have to exist equally and probably won’t.

Outlawed: An outlawed religion is one that is not allowed to be practiced. What are the punishments for practicing an outlawed religion? Why are they outlawed?

Minority: A minority religion is simply one that has a lesser amount of followers than a dominant religion. They do not have to be oppressed religions.

Oppressed: An oppressed religion is one that may or may not have been outlawed and one that is rejected by society as a whole. Practitioners experience discrimination. What this discrimination is depends on you.

Dominant: The dominant religion is the one that is most common in a given region. It does not have to be oppressive to other religions.

Secret: Secret religions are unknown to the general population and are invitation-only.

Mythical: Mythical religions are secret religions that may or may not exist. The general population might have conspiracies about the existence, but they have no hard proof.

Dead: These religions are no longer practiced.

Revived: These are religions that were previously dead, but revived by a population. The practices in the revival will not be the same as the original religion.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What is the dominant religion in your character’s region? How do they feel about it? Is it their religion? Do they agree with the dominant opinions?

How much power does religion have? Are government rulers considered divine or close to divinity? Is religion above the law? Does it dictate your character’s world?

What is the most well known story? What does this story explain? Does it give morals or does it explain a natural occurrence? Or something else? How does this story affect your characters and their world?

How important is religion to your character? Do they turn to religion in times of need? Do they take offense if someone puts down their religion? Do they try to spread their religion?

Why do people follow this religion? Did it appear in a time of need? Or is it used as an explanation? Does it bring a community together? Is there a reward (like in the afterlife)? Were they forced to convert?

What sacred days are there? Are there any at all? If so, how are these days viewed? How often do they come along? What do they celebrate?

How did this religion spread? Some religions spread unintentionally, as do languages and other cultures. The Phoenicians never had the intention of conquest, only trade. Their trade led to widespread cultural exchange. Was your religion spread on purpose? Is it actively spread? Was it forced upon a population?

How does the environment affect religion? Available resource might determine what is used for places of worship. Weather might create deities. Positions of the sun might create holidays. Geography in general might impact the origin story of the world.

How does this religion feel about various topics like marriage, death, sex, sexuality, drugs, magic, incest, and murder? What this religion says about such topics will determine what is considered “the norm” in your world and how your characters act. If incest is considered a sin rather than just taboo, people might be afraid to get too close to their sibling.

What conflict does this religion create? Does it create internal conflict for your character? Does it create wars or fights between people? Is it dangerous for your character to travel in a certain area because of their religion?

How does this religion impact your character’s outlook on life? Religion shapes the way a person perceives the world. It impacts whether they see a person as a villain or as a hero and how they feel about everything in general.

PSA from Blobby. Something we should talk about more ❤️

Jercy Week 2025 Official Prompt List!

Main Prompts:

Day 1: Alternative Meeting Day 2: Co-Praetors or Co-Head Counsellors Day 3: Arranged Marriage Day 4: At the Jackson's Day 5: Wolf House and/or Wolf Tendencies Day 6: Alternate Universe - Gods Day 7: Protectiveness

Extra Prompts:

Extra Prompt 1: Alternate Universe - Royalty Extra Prompt 2: Trials of Apollo Fix-It Extra Prompt 3: Alternate Universe - Hanahaki Disease

(Extra Prompts can be used instead of the main prompts or alongside/combined with the main prompts)

AO3 collection: jercy_week_2025

Event hashtag: #jercy week 2025

Please read the updated FAQ for any important information for the event submissions and as per usual, ask box & DMs are open for any questions

New to Jercy Events? Check out the pinned post for more information

UPDATE e microfic

Oii, como vão todos? Estou passando para avisar que não morri, mas parte da "Não há lugar como o lar" morreu.

Eu admito! Fiz merda. Acabei me deixando levar e a história foi para um caminho que eu não tinha previsto. Então, resolvi começar uma revisão mais cedo, até porque eu queria colocar algumas cenas extras e estou arrumando algumas partes do texto. Basicamente ignorem tudo depois do Nico contar sobre o Hades e que quer ser emancipado. Já tenho umas 10 mil palavras revisadas, devo respostar os capítulos na primeira semana de janeiro no meu blog. Já tenho um capítulo pronto por lá, nele nenhum acontecimento mudou, apenas algumas palavras modificadas.

escritoraaurora.com.br

NÃO HÁ LUGAR COMO O LAR - Capítulo I

Bem, esse é o planejamento para os próximos meses, revisar o que eu tenho e voltar aos trilhos. E para não ficarmos sem história, trago um minitexto de 100 palavras. Fiz para um desafio que eu acabei não colocando no ar, no tempo que eu tinha tempo para escrever textos curtos; eles eram ótimos para desenvolver a criatividade. De fato, sinto falta da época que eu tinha tempo para participar de qualquer desafio. De qualquer forma, aqui está, curto, mas que poderia muito bem ter se tornado uma boa história.

O começo do fim

Prompt: Apocalipse

Premissa: Eles estavam procurando por sobreviventes, mas eu escolhi ficar quieto. Eu gostava daqui.

Eles estavam procurando por sobreviventes, mas Nico escolheu ficar quieto. Ele gostava dali, era tranquilo, não havia problemas e nem monstros a serem destruídos. Ele nunca pensou que fosse gostar tanto de um mundo onde noventa e cinco por cento da população tinha perecido por culpa de uma nova vacina contra o câncer e, ao invés de prevenir tumores, a vacina acabou por mudar o DNA das pessoas, as transformando em um tipo de zumbi que não representava qualquer tipo de perigo; eles andavam por aí durante dias e dias e quando a energia deles acabavam ou eles se definhavam devido à desnutrição, as pessoas infectadas apenas caiam no chão e não se levantavam novamente.

Mas é claro que Nico tinha que ouvir a voz “dele”.

Nico se abaixou atrás de um arbusto, fechando sua bolsa cheia de frutas e ouviu novamente a voz chamando.

— Tem alguém aí?

Nico se virou, se preparando para rastejar para longe dali quando uma voz falou novamente, bem as suas costas:

— Eu sabia que era você. Eu pensei que era minha imaginação, porque faz tempo que eu não sinto a energia de um semideus, então quando eu--

— Cala a boca! Eles vão te escutar!

Nico pegou Percy pelo braço e o puxou para longe, subindo por um caminho íngreme e entrando em uma caverna escondida pelas árvores. Era a única opção se ele quisesse continuar escondido.

SITTER'S LOVE - Nico!Babysitter, Percy!Teacher-father - Chapter XXII and Chapter XXIII

Hi! New chapter for you. Hope you like it!

Previous chapters: CHAPTER I / CHAPTER II / / CHAPTER III, CHAPTER IV e CHAPTER V / Chapter VI e Chapter VII / Chapter VIII e Chapter IX / Chapter X, Chapter XI, Chapter XII e Chapter XIII / Chapter XIV / Chapter XV / Chapter XVI e Chapter XVII / Chapter XVIII and Chapter XIX / Chapter XX and Chapter XXI

Chapter XXII

"You really don't want me to take you home?”

Nico denied it and hugged Percy tightly. They were outside the condominium, Percy insisting on taking him home.

"The children can't stay alone, Annabeth just left and--”

“Nico, let me decide about that, will you?”

He looked at Percy suspiciously and took a step back. Normally Nico would trust the man's judgment, but he was beginning to see that Percy wasn't as responsible or perfect as he thought, especially when it came to something Percy wanted, and in this case, that was Nico himself.

"I don't like it when you do that to them. Alice and Logan may be grown up, but they still need their family's attention.”

"I liked it better when you said yes to everything. It was much easier." Percy gave a small smile, apologizing with his eyes and raised his hands, in surrender, and said: "Don't be like that, Roberta is still at home.”

Roberta was the housekeeper, the one who kept the house in order, helped prepare food and had control over the children's routine. And honestly? She was more efficient at raising the children than he could ever be. So this was Nico making the most of the rest of the time he had around.

"Come on, don't be mad at me. Let me take you home. It's already past nine o'clock.”

"No, I'm not going to make you drive across town.”

"I want to, so I can see where you're living.”

"I knew there was a reason behind it." Nico couldn't help but feel like a bratty little kid. He crossed his arms and glared at him.

"Nico, please. I feel responsible for what happened. I just want to make sure you're safe.”

That's when Percy touched Nico's shoulder and with his other hand, gently held his chin, making him look at Percy more closely.

Ahg, Nico groaned and shifted restlessly, refusing to look away. He hated when Percy did that; those stormy green eyes and worried frown always had the same effect on him. In the end, Nico just sighed, knowing he would never win.

Percy opened the car door for him, satisfaction oozing from every pore as Nico jumped into the gigantic jeep.

"Satisfied, now?”

"I'll be when you tell me the address.”

Why did Percy have to be so childish? Or was it just him? Did it matter? Nico gave in and relaxed against the passenger seat, feeling that little bit more anxious, a good kind of anxious; the kind that makes you act and gives you an unknown but welcome pleasure. Thinking about it, the butterflies in the middle of his stomach only fluttered more when Percy smiled at him, starting the car, one of his hands coming to rest on his knee, not helping him in the least.

The worst part was that the gesture sounded almost respectful, with a certain degree of affection. He had only seen that kind of thing with couples, likeHades and Maria. Nico remembered when they still lived in Italy, Maria used to smile a lot more andHades still acted like his father;Hades often sought some contact with Maria, so on car trips it was common forHades to smile at Maria and place one of his hands on her knee, just like Percy did now. Nico wanted to question him, he wanted to ask what that gesture meant, he wanted to know what it meant to them. But even if he had an answer, it wouldn't be the right one. Percy already had a family and a career, while he had barely started his. What would happen when Nico spent more time working than at home? What if he had to travel far away? Nico couldn't let that happen to them, such a common story, but one that could define their future completely. It’s like, if he was already attached to the point of thinking about these things, what would become of the future?

"…ico … Nico.”

"Hm?”

"Are you okay? Where was that little head of yours?”

"I… it’s nothing. I just…”

He shrugged and looked down at Percy's hand that was still on his knee, as if that was exactly where it belonged.

"I…" For some strange reason, Nico felt his throat tighten, the words he wanted to say so badly trapped in uncertainty. He might not be sure of the future, but he also didn’t want to lose these moments with Percy. Each one was special, memories Nico would treasure for when things got tough.

"It's nothing. Really. I'm just tired.”

"Do you need a break?”

Nico shook his head, he had barely come back. He kept looking forward and placed his hands on the one in his knee, trying not to think about anything, just fingering the knuckles and veins in the strong arm that was three times bigger than his.

"Turn right. I live in the city center, near those historic buildings.”

It didn't take long and soon they were in front of the apartment, forcing Nico to take his cell phone out of his pocket and call Jason, letting him know he had arrived. In less than five minutes Jason appeared, only in shorts and flip-flops, his blond hair sticking out in every direction and with a not-so-friendly expression.

"Where were you? Thalia and I were waiting for you until late.”

"It's not what it looks like.”

“What did you expect? Do you know what time it is?” Jason scowled at Nico until he looked at Percy, finally seeming to wake up from his stupor. “And why is Percy Jackson with you?”

"Do you know him?" Nico had to ask, confused.

"Who doesn't? He's known for a lot of things around here.”

"Among the businessmen and upper class." This time, it was Percy who answered, grimacing. "It's a pleasure to meet you. You're Zeus's son, right? My father speaks highly of you.”

“That’s news to me,” Jason said in greeting, shaking the hand Percy offered.

"Hey, I want to know what these things are!”

Were they, by any chance, ignoring him?

"I wish you wouldn't talk about it." Again, Percy referred to Jason, as if they were best friends.

"I can't promise anything. It wouldn't be fair for you to know everything about Nico while Nico knows nothing about you.”

“How do you know that?” Percy asked, lifting his head, mocking Jason in a friendly way.

"No Jackson would let himself be so vulnerable. And if there's one thing I know, it's that you're the kind of people who like to be in control of everything.”

Nico didn’t know why, but he found himself smiling, a slow kind of smile that slowly spread until there was nothing left in its path. Because, it was a fact, Percy seemed to be that kind of person. Controlling and domineering, but not in a negative way? It was very confusing. Or maybe, he was already too invested to see the real danger.

"You're overreacting," Percy said.

"No, he's not." Nico replied.

He couldn't help himself. He grabbed Percy's arm and kissed him on the cheek, holding himself close until Percy turned to him, giving him all the attention Nico could possibly want.

"Are you scared? Too late for that, don't you think?" Nico murmured to Percy.

"Nico! I was a different person. What teenager doesn't do stupid things?”

"Me. I never did!”

"Exactly. You're an exception. You would never do that.”

"That, what, exactly?" Nico smiled even wider and leaned towards him, Percy looking uncomfortable, but seeming to be equally amused.

"Mm-rh." Jason cleared his throat and Nico turned to see what it was.

Jason watched him with a raised eyebrow, judging him as only he could. Oh, Nico could already see it; no one would sleep today, as this would be the length of his questioning.

"I think we better go in, it's very late.”

"That's right, sorry for keeping you guys. Jason, why don't you stop by the company and talk to Max? I'm sure he can help you.”

"Is that a bribe?”

"Only if it's working.”

Jason wasn't usually so friendly with strangers, but all he did was smile and pull Nico inside.

"I'll think about your case.”

Just like that, the gate slammed shut and he turned to see Percy still smiling as he was led down the stairs and then up the elevator.

***

"Gods! What took you so long! I have to wake up early tomorrow." Thalia greeted them at the apartment door, even less pleased than Jason had been.

"You won't believe it. Guess who came to bring Nico home?”

"The president?”

"Even better. Percy Jackson. Co-CEO, financial analyst, and one of the most handsome men and heir to one of the largest fortunes in the country.”

"I know who Percy Jackson is, Jason! Don't be ridiculous.”

"You know, but the question is: does Nico knows it?”

The two turned to Nico and he blushed. Okay, he admitted it. Nico wasn’t into these kind of things…

"Well, I… of course--”

"Nico! I'm so proud of you. You've grown so much!" Thalia ran up to Nico and pulled his cheeks until they looked like they were going to fall off.

"It’s not like that…”

"You have to tell me everything." Jason said, completing his torture. In the end, the two brothers dragged him to the couch and each of them sat next to him. All that was missing was the popcorn.

"It's nothing. It was supposed to be a temporary job through the agency. And he's not all that, just a father taking care of his children.”

"You liar! I saw how he looked at you and I've never seen you act like that with anyone!”

"Oh. My. God! I love weddings. When is it due?" Thalia said again.

"Can you guys stop?" Nico cringed at their stares and snorted. "I swear. I take care of his children and that's it.”

"I'll pretend to believe you." Thalia held his hand, pretending to be understanding. "But tell me, is he everything everyone says he is?”

"What… does everyone say?" He was even afraid to know.

"You know… hot in bed? Is he as dominant as everyone says? Bossy? Generous… monetarily?

"I…" He felt horrible thinking about these things, let alone talking about them, especially when Percy wasn’t there to defend himself. But they were his friends, weren’t they? Maybe if he talked to someone, things would become clearer.

"So?" Jason insisted, as curious as Thalia.

"He's… he's a very reserved person. At least in the beginning. Disciplined. Loyal.”

"And…?”

"And… we never… never got there, but… there are times when…" Nico put his feet up on the couch and buried his face between his legs. "…there are times when he hugs me in a way that… that makes me… oh! I don’t want to talk about it. I have a boyfriend! And he… he’s so…”

"Older?" Thalia finished for him.

"No! I mean, yes! He drives me crazy, in every possible way, and I love kids, they're so sweet. I feel like I'm going to explode!”

"That can't be true. How long have you known them? Two, three weeks?”

"That's enough for me! From the start I knew things would go wrong. How could it not be? After a month of dating, I knew I would never marry Will, so why can't it be true with Percy? And like, why? I feel this attraction, this magnetic thing that forces me to be around him and--”

"Shhh, it's okay. You don't have to decide anything right now. It's okay." Thalia said, trying to comfort him. "And Will? Have you talked to him? I know he's an idiot, but even he doesn't deserve to be betrayed.”

"That's the point!" Nico practically shouted. "We didn't even kiss, nothing at all! How can this be happening to me? Me, the most boring and proper person in the world? I've never even run over a red light!”

"Oh." Both brothers muttered, surprised.

"From what I saw, it seemed much more, intimate, you know?" Jason said quietly into the silence of the room.

"I don't understand. I've just started living without my parents. It's too early! I can't… I can't let anyone hold me back again!”

"Nico, you have to calm down. Come on, I'll get you a glass of water."

"No! I don't want water!" Nico got up from the couch and started pacing around the room, no longer anxious, now irritated. "It's so unfair! Because... because I want it, I feel that this time... this time it's the right person…”

When he realized this, Nico stopped walking around the room and looked at the brothers who were looking at him in surprise. He didn't even know what he was saying anymore. He sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the room, and took a deep breath. Yes, he felt lighter, but on the other hand, he felt even more conflicted. 

In theory, Nico knew what he should do, but his desire was different; it was that little voice that always got him into trouble. It screamed louder than his rationality, telling him that "what if this time it wouldn't be so bad to let himself live, just a little bit?"

In the end, it didn't matter how much they wanted to help him. This was a decision he needed to make on his own.

Chapter XXIII

Nico opened his eyes and for a moment he didn't know where he was. The alarm clock was ringing, it was six o'clock in the morning. He looked around and found it strange, peering through the crack in the window where the weak morning light was coming in. There was no view of trees and the countryside he loved so much, no, all he could see were the tall buildings and the noise of cars passing by on the avenue outside. He turned off that annoying noise, rubbed his eyes and only then could he remember.

It was true, Nico told himself. He wasn’t home. It had been a few weeks since he had packed his bags and snuck out without anyone seeing him, in the dead of night. He still hadn’t gotten used to it. It was the silence of voices and, at the same time, the endless noise of cars, the cozy nights and the support of friends, the understanding he hadn’t known he deserved before this. It was liberating to decide what he was going to do without having to look around for fear of disappointing someone. So, all that was left for Nico to do was get out of bed and face another day; he took a shower, brushed his teeth and put on the first clothes he found, barely looking where he was going, letting his feet carry him.

He stopped for a moment in front of the table and walked into the kitchen, staring at the glass in his hands, the water inside it moving as he stirred it slowly. Nico felt strangely empty; not sad, not angry and not happy at all. It was an absence of emotions that only made him feel relieved.

It must have been the new medication, or maybe it had been the explosion last night. Nico felt calm, calmer than he had ever felt before. He couldn’t be thankful enough for having Thalia and Jason in his life. They had stayed with him a little longer last night, had sat beside him on the living room floor, holding him tightly until his breathing had returned to normal and he had calmed down, though he had spent a long time staring at his hands.

He didn't know what was so important that made him look at them so much or why Jason and Thalia hadn't gone to their own rooms. Nico remembered asking them, feeling light and comfortable, even though he was sitting on that hard, cold wooden floor. The brothers looked at each other and out of the corner of his eye, Nico saw Thalia shrugging. They didn't answer him, they just got up, taking him with them and walked with him to his room, making him sit on the bed and lie down soon after, Jason covering him from chin to feet with the duvet. He had then sighed and closed his eyes, with them still looking at him and observing him with concern.

That was how Nico fell asleep, with their presence and the sound of the door closing as he finally lost consciousness. But now… now--

"Nico, how do you feel?”

Ah, it was Jason. His friend usually went out later than Nico. At that time, Jason would still be asleep, taking advantage of every extra second of sleep he could get. But not today. Today Jason was already up, wearing the same pants as the night before and a rock band t-shirt. He was offering Nico an extra large mug of black, unsweetened coffee, just the way he liked it first thing in the morning.

"Hm?" He asked, accepting the steaming mug. Nico placed the glass of water on the counter and inhaled the aroma of the freshly ground and filtered coffee, taking a big sip and not even realizing when he had burned his tongue.

"Did you sleep well?" Jason repeated.

Nico just smiled, almost feeling himself wake up, warmed by his concern. This was Jason, a full-time psychiatrist, but still in training. If he knew him well, he would have thought Jason would be a great professional. Jason cared more than he should have.

"Yes, thank you. And yes, I'm fine. I've already taken my medicine. And no, I don't feel any symptoms of a panic attack or shortness of breath." Nico said and took another sip of coffee, this time being careful not to burn his tongue. As for Jason, he grimaced and stopped in front of Nico, crossing his arms.

"I worry. I don't want to--”

"Jason, you know I love you. But you don't have to worry." Nico smiled at Jason again and drank the rest of his coffee, watching him blush. It had been a short while since they had reconnected, but he didn't remember Jason being so charming and handsome, a little clumsy, too. He thought he was spending too much time with Percy, but that kind of approach had its advantages. Jason stuttered and blushed more, raising his hands and pointing at Nico, his words trailing off and going nowhere.

"Really. I guess I needed to get it off my chest, you know? It's okay.”

"Nico, the way you acted before… so aggressive… it didn’t seem normal.”

"You know what? I think it was great! I've never felt so free, like nothing could stop me.”

"I know that, I know how difficult it is for you to express yourself. I want you to know that whenever you want, you can talk to me.”

"Jason, you're my best friend. I'm living in your house! Of course I know that. There are things I need to do on my own.”

“I understand that.” Jason repeated, coming around the table and looking at him closely, his bright blue eyes looking at him seriously. “It’s just… you look so small, so vulnerable that you feel like you’ll break with the slightest blow.”

"Jason--”

“I know you're not helpless, you showed that yesterday. You show me that every day that passes by. I want you to know that we're here, Thalia and I, we're here if you need us. How long are you going to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders alone?”

Nico snorted and pushed him lightly by the shoulders.

"Don't be so dramatic. I asked for help, didn't I? So why all the drama?”

"It’s Percy… I’ve never seen you react like this because of someone. With so much… passion.”

"Passion? So you think I'm in love? That I'm going to do crazy things?" He rolled his eyes and turned his back on Jason, going after his backpack. "I already left the house. What else could I do?”

"Something that will get you and Percy into trouble.”

Ah, and they say he's the innocent one, right? It was too late to think about that and it was Jason who didn't see reality.

Nico nodded at Jason, watching his friend’s disgruntled grimace, and picked up his bag. It was best if Jason didn’t know about this. The fewer people who noticed, the better.

***

"Bia, I'm fine. We'll see each other soon.”

"Nico Di Ângelo! Hazel had to go after you to find out what happened with you! What would it take for you to show up? Someone having an accident?" Bianca practically screamed on the other end of the line. "You even changed your cell phone number!”

"Okay, okay! I admit it, I needed some time, okay? I promise I'll visit.”

"You promise?”

“I Do.”

“When?”

"Errr… soon?”

"Nico!”

"I think… on the weekend? We can meet somewhere.”

"Oh." She told him, and on the other end of the line, he could hear her voice fading. "I thought… right. Will you ring me up? Papa is calling me.”

"I'll call you.”

"Remember, you promised.”

The line went dead and he looked at his cell phone, bringing a smile to his face. He confessed, he was being childish, the most selfish of all, petty, even. Seeing Hazel and now Bianca looking for him was all he needed; it was everything he never thought they would do. Nico could hardly believe that he mattered to the point that they would stop what they were doing to talk to him. The only thing missing wasHades showing up at his door.

Feeling his chest warm, Nico took the magnetic card out of his bag and when he was about to unlock the lock, someone grabbed his arm, pulling him under a nearby tree.

"Nico." Someone whispered, finally allowing him to see who this rude person was who had pulled him so hard.

"Not again!" He grumbled in anguish. Of course it was Will showing up uninvited, even taller and more muscular than before, his bright eyes making Nico’s stomach churn with revulsion. Maybe it was anger or anxiety, or maybe it was all of those things mixed together.

"I missed you, shorty." Nico felt hands wrap around him, making him take a step back, avoiding his embrace.

"Will, I was very clear with you.”

"Avoiding me and running away? I don't think so.”

"Will Solace!”

"What?" Will looked at him, finally seeming to pay attention.

"There is nothing between us anymore!”

"What is this? Are you going to throw away all those years because of sex? Because of a fantasy? I don't care. Now that you've had your fun, we can get down to business.”

"Will, I--”

"Look, I know how it is. Every man has the need to try new things, I don't blame you. But what do we have? It's forever.”

Nico was shocked, open-mouthed, astonished, dumbfounded. Will was confessing that he had cheated on him, right to his face?

"Will, I'm going to say it one more time: We're breaking up. We're already broken up. This between us is no longer possible. Do you understand?”

"Oh, come on! Is that what you're mad about? Because of a fuck? They're not important.”

"They? They? Do you realize what you're saying?" Nico paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "Will, you cheated on me. Do you understand? Look, I'm very tired. I hope to never see you again.”

He turned to leave, but again Will grabbed him by the arm, this time pinning him against a tree.

"Is this how you repay me for all these years? Everything I've done for you and your family?”

"I didn't ask you to do it." He replied. But Will was right, Nico didn't say or do anything to deny all the money the Solace family invested inHades's business, even so... he refused... he refused to feel bad about it! He was a child who would do whatever his father told him to do.

"You b--”

It was Will's turn to take a deep breath and calm down. When he spoke again, Will had a smile plastered on his face.

"Look, I know you're confused. There have been so many changes, right? I can wait, give you the time you need.”

"Will, I know about you and Lou. I know you were together before you even met me. How can you do this to me? To him? Don't you care at all?”

"He's just my friend, shorty. You're the only one for me.”

"You-- you're hopeless! If I go to your house now, will he be in your bed? Still sleeping? Or maybe on the couch, the place you both like so much, hm?”

"Did you… did you see?”

"Of course I saw it! I would have to be blind not to see it! Now, if you'll excuse me…”

"Nico, please. I love you. I promise that--”

"I've given you every chance and you keep doing the same things!”

"If you knew, why only now… oh! Is it because of that Percy? Do you think you have more options now? That he’ll stay with you? Someone useless who’s good for anything?" It was then that Will’s smile came back in full force, dimples and white teeth, making Nico's stomach churn even more. "Don’t be ridiculous. Someone like him would never stay with you. I bet he fucks you the way you never let me, doesn’t he? Does he satisfy you? Does he tell you what you want to hear? Have you no shame? A man his age playing house with you?”

Will shook his head and stepped closer.

"It would be horrible if the police got involved. What would happen if people found out that the famous Percy Jackson fucks underage boys?”

"You… you have no way of proving it.”

"That's true, but imagine people's reactions when they found out about the accusations?”

"I… I need some time to think.”

"Oh, of course you do, dear. As long as you want. While you're thinking, how about we go to the movies? This Friday?”

"I leave work late.”

"I know you can make an effort. I'll pick you up here at seven, okay?”

Will smiled once more at Nico and bent down until he was at his height, getting closer and closer and he… he couldn't do it; he turned his face just as Will's lips would touch his, kissing his face.

"It's okay, shorty. I can wait.”

Will touched Nico's hair, stroking it lovingly and stepped back, allowing him to see something that made his stomach turn even more. Percy was there, watching everything, much closer than Nico felt comfortable.

Thanks for reading!

NÃO HÁ LUGAR COMO O LAR - PERCY/NICO AU COLEGIAL - CAPÍTULO X

Ahhhhhh eu disse que não ia voltar até agosto, mas consegui escrever e ficou tão fofinho que eu teve que compartilhar. Me desculpem os erros. Espero que você gostem!^^

Boa leitura!

Capítulos anteriores: CAPÍTULO I / CAPÍTULO II / CAPÍTULO III / CAPÍTULO IV / CAPÍTULO V / CAPÍTULO VI / CAPÍTULO VII / CAPÍTULO VIII / CAPÍTULO IX

PS: Vou voltar a escrever capítulos curtos até 3 mil palavras, assim me sinto menos pressão, mesmo que essa pressão seja eu mesma que coloco em mim. E se vocês acharem que esse capítulo foi apressado ou apareceu do nada, me desculpe! Não sei quando terá novo capítulo, provavelmente na semana que vem.

— Você está pronto? Não contei que a gente vinha. — Percy pegou em sua mão e o puxou para fora do carro.

Nico nem podia acreditar que estava de volta na casa onde suas melhores memórias foram feitas. Essa era a casa de sua infância, o lugar que ele tinha descoberto que o amor e carinho ainda eram possíveis depois que sua mãe morreu. Era o lugar que ele tinha descoberto que o amor podia vir em diversos tamanhos e formas e ser expressado de jeitos simples ou complicados.

— Talvez a gente devesse voltar depois?

— Ela vai adorar te ver. 

— Você tem certeza?

— Nico, essa é sua casa também. Sempre vai ser.

Nico teve que respirar fundo, parando em frente a porta de entrada. Ele se sentia tão culpado! Percy não foi a única pessoa que ele tinha deixado para trás. Sally também tinha sido uma delas. Sua segunda mãe, a pessoa que ele podia contar tudo depois de Percy, sempre oferecendo um abraço apertado e uma cozinha aberta a ele.

— Percy, eu--

— Shhh. — Percy apertou sua mão, sorriu para ele e enfim empurrou a porta da casa, o guiando para dentro. — Mãe! Chegamos!

Não demorou muito e logo ambos puderam ouvir o som de saltos pelo chão de granito branco, e aparecendo de uma das portas que Nico sabia dar na cozinha, Sally veio quase correndo e com tanta energia que por um momento Nico se viu no passado, na primeira vez que ele tinha entrado por aquela mesma porta, vendo a decoração simples, porém, elegante. Sofás cor creme, paredes num azul quase branco, puffs e cobertores espalhados pelo cômodo e uma grande televisão. O cheio era o mesmo, a mesma fragrância de comida recém-feita, açucarada e agridoce, o fazendo sorrir imediatamente.

— Nico, meu filho. — Foi tudo o que ouviu antes do ataque de Sally vir, braços magros e fortes o rodearam e cabelos longos e castanhos escuros caíram sobre ele, o perfume de Sally ainda era o mesmo. 

— Deuses, olha como você cresceu! E essas bochechas, hm? Tão bonito.

— Mãe!

— Percy, olhe para ele? Vocês já se resolveram? Espero que sim! Você sumiu por três dias! É o mínimo.

— Sally. — Nico finalmente disse, sorrindo, e se inclinou em direção a ela, recebendo mais um abraço de Sally com prazer.

— Não acredito que vou ter meu assistente de volta! Nosso cardápio sofreu muito com sua partida. Que tal discutirmos isso amanhã? Você vai ficar hoje conosco? Que pergunta! É claro que você vai ficar.

Sally segurou em sua mão, o puxando em direção a cozinha e Nico olhou para trás, vendo Percy dar de ombros. Ele sabia que agora demoraria para Sally se cansar dele. E como diz o ditado, “tal mãe, tal filho”, ou algo assim. E como não adiantava lutar contra nenhum dos Jackson, Nico se deixou ser levado por Sally, não que ele se importasse; era sempre divertido passar algumas horas na companhia de Sally Jackson, comida gostosa, conversa descontraída e um ombro amigo para desabafar.

***

Fazia tempo que Percy não andava pelas ruas do bairro. Elas não eram o que costumavam ser, pois de quietas e humildes, se tornaram cheias de prédios altos e carros barulhentos devido à linha de metrô localizada há poucos quarteirões de sua casa. O bom nisso tudo é que agora praticamente em cada esquina tinha uma loja ou mercado, ou até um shopping center. Exatamente o que ele estava procurando. Andando despreocupado, foi diretamente a uma loja de papelaria e logo encontrou o que procurava, um diário de couro escuro e de aparência delicada e bonita, exatamente como Nico. Ele pagou, deu uma volta pelo shopping e se viu parando em frente a uma relojoaria familiar, se lembrando de ter entrado naquele lugar anos atrás e comprado algo especial, mas nunca ter prosseguido com seu plano. Agora, algumas horas depois, voltava para casa. Imagina sua surpresa ao ver os ajudantes de sua mãe entrarem com sacolas atrás de sacolas com comida e panelas. Percy nem se surpreendia mais. Na verdade, era uma visão familiar, mas que ele não presenciava desde que Nico tinha ido embora, a casa cheia e o aroma de doces e salgados permeando o ar.

Bem, parecia que seu presente teria que esperar.

Sem ser visto, foi até seu quarto, deixou a sacola em cima da cama e abriu a primeira gaveta da cômoda, entrando os anéis que tinha comprado. Será que esse era o momento que vinha esperando? Afinal, eles já tinham deixado claro que se amavam, então, por que não dar o próximo passo? Tinha aprendido que o melhor a fazer era nunca assumir nada, e se não se expressasse, como Nico poderia saber? Percy mal podia esperar para ver a reação de Nico. Assim, trocando os anéis pelo diário, pegou a caixinha com as alianças e colocou o diário dentro da gaveta, se sentindo confiante. Saiu do quarto e foi em direção a cozinha quase trombando com uma garota que usava um avental do restaurante de sua mãe. Ela pediu desculpa e continuou apressada para fora da casa, sem a bajulação usual. Ele esperava que essa durasse mais do que as outras. O caso não era sua mãe ser uma chefe ruim, o problema é que a maioria das pessoas não tinha o mesmo entusiasmo que ela ou Nico tinham quando se tratava de culinária.

Percy enfim entrou na cozinha e se deparou com um banquete completo. Ele viu carnes assadas, fritas, cozidas, grãos e massas de vários tipos, sem contar os doces e comidas salgadas nem tão saudáveis.

— A gente vai ter um jantar de gala ou o quê? — Ele teve que perguntar assim que entrou na cozinha. Era até engraçado. Sally e Nico, além de vários ajudantes, cobertos de farinha e outras coisas que Percy não conseguia identificar, todos vestindo aventais idênticos e andando de um lado para o outro de uma forma tão organizada que pareciam formigas operárias.

— Você tem razão, querido! — Sua mãe exclamou. Ela limpou a mão em uma toalha, tão energética como ele não via há muito tempo, ou pelo menos não nesse nível de “criança que comeu muito açúcar” e o abraçou apertado para logo em seguida, voltar a andar pela cozinha checando o forno e vendo se tudo estava em ordem. — Chame seus amigos! Chame os amigos dos seus amigos. Não, melhor, também chame os pais dos seus amigos.

Ele não tinha certeza sobre isso. Será que se quer ainda tinha tantos amigos assim? Percy deu de ombros, prestes a fazer o que a mãe tinha pedido quando Nico apareceu em sua frente, tentando encontrar um lugar para colocar uma espécie de bolo esbranquiçado na mesa.

 — Eu te ajudo. 

Percy moveu algumas coisas ao redor e enfim achou um espaço, pegando a travessa das mãos de Nico e a colocando em cima da bancada.

— Aqui está meu bebê. Onde você se meteu?

— Eu não sou seu bebê.

— Não é?

Será que agora era um bom momento? Não importava como Nico estivesse vestido, com o uniforme da escola ou com suas calças justas, e mesmo agora com farinha dos pés a cabeça, Nico sempre seria a coisa mais bonita e fofa que Percy jamais encontraria, principalmente quanto tentava não se constranger pela demonstração de afeto em público. 

Percy colocou a mão no bolso, tocando na caixinha e observou por mais um momento, vendo Nico abaixar a cabeça, seus cabelos negros protegidos por uma redinha de cabelo permitindo que ele visse o rubor se espalhar com força na face de Nico, descendo pelo pescoço longo e elegante. Percy não se reprimiu, segurou na nuca de Nico e o puxou para perto, o beijou devagar e longamente, e só parou quando ouviu um gemido e o repentino silêncio que se seguiu; os murmúrios ao redor deles pararam e o barulho de panelas batendo também.

— Per. — Nico sussurrou numa voz quase inexistente e segurou em seu braço, seu rosto agora pegando fogo. Tão tímido e tão doce, ele pôde sentir o açúcar na língua de Nico e a doçura em seu toque suave. Mas quando ele achava que Nico iria se afastar, como ele comumente faria no passado, Nico apenas ficou ali, agarrado a seu braço e olhando para ele sem saber o que fazer. Talvez esse não fosse o momento indicado, porque, se com somente um beijo Nico tinha reagido assim, pego despreparado e todo ansioso, o que Nico faria se ele se ajoelhasse no meio da cozinha? Infelizmente quando isso acontecia, Nico não sabia o que fazer, o garotinho costumava congelar dos pés á cabeça. Era como se Nico não tivesse um script para tal situação e preferisse não fazer nada com medo de errar.

— Lindo. Me dá um abraço, hm?

Nico piscou lentamente e mordeu os lábios, parecendo indeciso. No fim, Nico fez o que Percy pediu. Colocou os braços ao redor da cintura de Percy e o abraçou forte por longos momentos, Percy o abraçando de volta e acariciando seus cabelos.

— Certo. — Percy levantou a cabeça e ainda abraçando Nico, olhou ao redor e encarou cada um dos ajudantes de sua mãe, o que teve o efeito desejado. 

Todos começaram a se mover como se fossem um e o ambiente voltou ao normal. Ele pensou em se desculpar para Nico, mas só o pensamento de Nico entender que beijá-lo na frente de outras pessoas era errado, embrulhava seu estômago. Nico era um ser bem perceptivo, e se ele entendesse que estava fazendo algo errado, nunca mais faria tal coisa, como na vez que eles estavam conversando com algumas pessoas, Nico riu muito alto e alguém o repreendeu, depois disso demorou meses para ele ver Nico sorrindo em público.

— O que você fez de gostoso?

— Já comeu bolo japonês? — Nico pareceu aliviado com a mudança de assunto e largou de sua cintura. Ele pegou na mão de Percy e o levou até um bolo leve e de textura esponjosa, diferente de tudo o que ele já tinha comido.

Nico cortou um pedaço e colocou em um prato para ele. Assim que levou uma garfada na boca, o bolo se desfez em sua língua, algo tão gostoso que Percy não sabia explicar, então ele apenas gemeu, fechando os olhos de prazer.

— Tão bom assim?

— Tudo o que meu bebê faz é exemplar.

— Obrigado.

Percy parou de comer e prestou atenção em Nico. De verdade, ele parou e o observou. Nico parecia feliz e contente em seu avental e roupa suja de farinha. Ele parecia um pequeno chefe de cozinha, orgulhoso de um trabalho bem feito.

— Eu vi num restaurante em Verona e quis tentar.

— Lindo.

— Você devia estudar culinária. — Dessa vez quem falou tinha sido Sally que estava terminando uma torta de chocolate, os observando discretamente. Ela se aproximou deles e colocou um de suas mãos sobre os ombros de Nico. — Você já pensou sobre isso?

***

— Você devia estudar culinária. Já pensou sobre isso?

Nico piscou lentamente, tentando se concentrar em qualquer coisa que não fosse o jeito que Percy olhava para ele, que quase perdeu o momento onde Sally se aproximou do canto onde eles estavam.

— Hm?

— Já se decidiu sobre a faculdade?

— Ah. — Nico olhou de canto de olho para Percy, mas se focou em Sally. — Eu não sei. Hades quer que eu faça administração.

— Por que não algo que você tenha talento? Como música e culinária? Artes?

— Eu… eu gostaria muito. Não sei se Hades iria permitir.

— Sabe, outro dia desses, esse senhor educado e simpático trouxe a família para jantar. Ele disse que o lugar onde ele trabalha tem um curso excelente de culinária. — Ele olhou bem para Sally, tentando desvendar o que isso significava. — Por que você não faz uma graduação dupla? Tenho o contato dele se você estiver interessado.

— E também fica perto de casa. — Percy completou.

Nico parou tudo e se apoiou na quina da bancada, tentando não criar expectativas.

— Eu não poderia.

— Querido, você não precisa se preocupar com os detalhes. Dê uma olhada, sim? Eu cuido de tudo. 

— Não, Sally. Você não precisa… eu nunca--

— Deixe disso. Dinheiro não é problema. — Então, Sally sorriu para ele toda radiante e o pegou desprevenido mais uma vez, o abraçando forte. — Não importa o que você escolha. Vamos te apoiar, agora e sempre. 

— Oh. — Foi tudo o que escapou de sua garganta, um som engasgado e abafado contra o ombro de Sally. Sua visão ficou embaçada e sua garganta se apertou, mas seu coração batia forte, um calor gostoso aquecendo seu peito, ao mesmo tempo em que as mãos de Percy o tocaram nos ombros, abraçando ele e a Sally de uma vez só.

— Mamãe está certa. Vamos te apoiar não importa o que aconteça, mesmo que eu tenha que ir para a Itália com você.

— Vocês planejaram isso? Me surpreender para não me deixar pensar sobre o assunto?

— Nico, é claro que não! — Sally exclamou toda energética e segurou em seus ombros, seus grandes olhos castanhos claros o acertando em cheio no meio do peito. — Percy fez alguns testes vocacionais e de aptidão ano passado e desde então estamos procurando as melhores opções. Você também tem que fazer, eles são bastante certeiros. Semana que vem parece bom? Ah, nós temos tanto a fazer!

E assim, como se conversar sobre seu futuro fosse algo corriqueiro, Sally continuou, voltando a bater com uma espátula algo em uma grande travessa de vidro.

— Então, está certo. Faculdade decidida. Teremos um casamento?

— Ca-casamento?

— É claro! Quanto mais cedo marcarmos a data, melhor! E uma casa? Vocês vão ficar perto da gente, certo? E… Percy ainda não falou com você?

Nico não sabia se estava pronto para um passo tão grande, ele ainda nem sabia se conseguiria terminar o colégio sem se auto destruir, quem dera um… um casamento.

— Mãe! — Percy resmungou. — Ela está brincando. Não escute o que ela diz.

Era Percy que dizia isso, mas seu olhar era intenso sobre ele, pensativo e analítico. E… talvez… talvez Sally não estivesse brincando, se fosse pela expressão decepcionada no rosto de Percy.

— Desde quando você vem planejando essas coisas?

— Desde que…

— Desde quando?

— Desde que entendi que acordar do seu lado todo dia era a melhor parte do meu dia.

Nico achava que tinha algo estranho em seus olhos, eles não paravam de lacrimejar. Devia ser sinusite, só podia. Sim, era isso. Talvez uma alergia.

— Você não vai dizer nada? — Percy insistiu, e de repente, o mundo sumia e só eles dois importavam; o som de panelas batendo e sussurros sumiram, e até os murmúrios apressados ao redor deles desapareceram.

— O que eu devia dizer? Você está me pedindo em casamento?

Esse era o melhor e o pior momento de sua vida. Percy sorriu para ele e colocou a mão dentro do bolso, tirando de lá uma caixinha em veludo delicada. E então, o pior veio, Percy se ajoelhou no chão cheio de farinha e açúcar, e abriu a tal caixinha, lhe mostrando que dentro havia dois anéis idênticos banhados a ouro e com um pequeno diamante no centro, um grande e o outro menor, com delicadas gravuras ao redor das alianças, os anéis tão delicados que Nico tinha medo de tocá-los.

— Você não pode estar falando sério!

— Eu comprei eles antes de você fugir para a Itália. Queria ter te contado antes. Tinha medo que isso fosse te afastar mais uma vez.

E sem pedir permissão, Percy segurou em sua mão e deslizou a menor das alianças em seu dedo anelar da mão direita.

— Esse anel é a prova do meu comprometimento e fidelidade a você. É a promessa que eu faço de sempre estar a seu lado e sempre dar o que você precisar e desejar. Não importa o que seja ou onde seja.

— Percy, para com isso! Agora mesmo! Você não quer isso. — Nico se afastou das mãos de Percy e tentou tirar o anel, se sentindo ansioso, mas não foi tirá-lo. Algo dentro dele o impediu.

— É claro que eu quero. Eu te amo. Quero passar o resto da minha vida com você. — Percy continuava sorrindo e continuava ajoelhado, como se pagasse por seus pecados em prece enamorada. Percy se arrastou de joelhos até estar novamente perto o suficiente para tocá-lo e ofereceu a caixinha a Nico, dizendo: — É sua vez de colocar em mim. Você aceita se casar comigo?

— Deuses! — Nico choramingou, aquele aperto no coração e quentura no peito se alastrando feito chamas infernais por suas veias. — Você vai se arrepender disso. Vai se arrepender tanto. Depois não me culpa pelo o que acontecer.

— Eu tomo toda a responsabilidade.

Fungando, Nico se ajoelhou também e fez o mesmo que Percy, colocou o anel no dedo anelar da mão direita de Percy e observou suas mãos juntas. Nem em seus sonhos mais selvagens Nico poderia imaginar algo assim.

— Satisfeito agora?

— E o meu beijo, hm?

Ainda se sentindo ansioso e trêmulo, Nico pulou no colo de Percy e o beijou com tudo o que ele tinha, sendo recebido pelos abraços fortes da pessoa que ele mais amava no mundo.

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Obrigada por ler! Sua presença é sempre um prazer.