I Did A Post On Religion A While Ago, But I Can Do A Better Job With It.
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.
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someone said ‘the version of me you created in your mind is not my responsibility’ and wow
tony stark would do everything in his power to please peter parker, and if i say everything, i meant everything.
Writing meme!
Olá, como tudo bem? Esse é o primeiro post do projeto "Escrevendo histórias". Serão posts semanais, as quintas ou nas sextas. Espero que eles possam te inspirar!
SITTER'S LOVE - Nico!Babysitter, Percy!Teacher-father - Chapter VI e Chapter VII
Hi, how are you? Since I'm going to try to write a new chapter tomorrow, I decided to post it today. Two more short chapters for you. I hope you like it! See you on Wednesday!
Previous chapters: CHAPTER I / CHAPTER II / / CHAPTER III, CHAPTER IV e CHAPTER V
Chapter VI
"No running, please." Nico murmured, knowing that the children were already too far away to hear.
Fortunately, the day had passed without too many problems. After that warm introduction, he had dropped the children off at school and with nothing left to do, he returned to Mr. Jackson's house. It was only when Nico found himself standing in the large living room that he found a note on the coffee table:
“Nico, I need you to babysit the kids tonight. I pay overtime. I hope you don’t have any problems. Sorry for the late notice. I’ll be home until 5 if you have any questions.”
Percy Jackson.”
Percy Jackson had to be kidding him, right? It was his first day and the guy already thought he was going to enslave him anyway? What a strange family! Apparently, Percy Jackson was the type to stay locked in his room for hours and the mysterious lady Annabeth Chase was even worse, she was never home and on top of that she seemed to practice maternal abandonment. It was even funny, she hired him and wasn't even home to explain things while he had to put up with her bipolar husband? But everything was fine, as always. He would stay, anyway.
The real problem arose when Nico went to the kitchen that afternoon in search of lunch and came across a fridge full of food, yes, but all the food in there was raw. Or spoiled. In fact, it looked like no one had opened that fridge for months. And since he was there, why not?
Taking a deep breath and feeling a little nauseous, Nico stuck his face in the fridge and started taking out everything that smelled or looked suspicious, vegetables, greens, legumes and even a piece of meat that seemed to have a different color. In the end, he ended up with a giant garbage bag, full to the brim and giving off a foul odor, resting to him very little that could be used. He had a few options, of course; either he could spend the afternoon making a soup, or he could buy food. And since Nico was the only one who was going to eat, he thought it best to buy something for now. So, he grabbed the car keys again and left before it got too late. When he came back he brought back some cooked rice, vegetables, roast meat and a large salad that could be shared with three other people. The good thing was that he had arrived just in time for lunch, almost after one o'clock.
That was how Nico spent his first afternoon at the Chase-Jackson house, reading a book about literature, eating slowly and then exploring the rest of the house, he even found a swimming pool in the backyard to the right of the property while he waited patiently until it was time to pick up the kids. And when the time finally came, he grabbed the car keys, remembering the food that was left in the fridge and neatly packed in its containers. So, Nico decided, Mr. Jackson deserved some food too; Like, the man couldn't stay inside his room all day without eating, could he?
He made a nice plate for the boss, knocked on the door and put the plate and tray on the floor. Without looking back, he turned and went down the stairs, heading straight out of the house towards the car, luckily arriving at the children's school before they got out. It wasn't long before a sea of students arrived, all in a hurry to leave.
Before he knew it, Nico was attacked by hands and arms that dug into him in a way that made it impossible for him to break free.
"You came!”
"Shouldn't I?" He asked Logan, confused.
"The nannies are always late." Alice completed her brother's speech. "It's boring to wait here. Is it really that hard to be on time, you know?”
"I understand. You don't have to wait with me.”
Happy, the children held his hand and walked with him to the car. With his help, they sat in the back seat without stopping talking; even Alice, who had seemed quiet that morning, was now gesturing and telling them about her day. Nico did his best to pay attention to what they were saying and wave at the right times, preferring to pay attention to driving through the city, soon entering the condominium once again. And now? Now he was trying to keep up with their pace. The moment they arrived home, Nico helped them out of the car and as soon as they were free, they each gave him a tight hug and both ran through the garden, already climbing the small porch and going through the front door.
And, in a burst of energy, he ran after the children, taking their backpacks and lunchboxes with him, listening to them talking in the kitchen, this scene reminding him that they would have nothing to eat.
"Nico! Nico! I'm hungry!" He heard one of them scream.
"Do you know how to cook?" The other one completed.
Admitting defeat, it seemed like Nico would have to cook after all, right?
He placed their bag and car keys next to the living room table and walked towards the kitchen until he entered it; Nico already regretted not having ordered more food. As much as he wanted to avoid further interrogation, he had no choice. The children were lucky to be so cute. The good thing was that after spending part of the afternoon cleaning out the fridge, Nico knew exactly where to find everything he needed; vegetables, spices and greens, going straight to the cupboard and grabbing a pot. He filled it with water and put it on the stove, trying to pretend to be in front of the stove, pretending to be busy just so he wouldn't have to face this ordeal.
And honestly? He was already getting tired of this.
"Nicooo… where did you learn to do that?”
"Did your daddy teach you?”
Has he said he was tired of it? Nico knew how curious children could be and have a thousand questions. But this went beyond pure curiosity, it was the work of a being made entirely of cruelty. However, something made him stop halfway to the refrigerator. He turned towards Logan and saw how the little boy showed the most innocent expression he had ever seen. His blue-green eyes, like his father's, and blond hair that he must have inherited from his mother, sparkled like rays of sunlight that shone brightly in his direction. Yes, Nico could not ignore him any longer. He stopped what he was doing and raised his head, the last question taking him by surprise.
Nico smiled and then opened the fridge, taking out all the vegetables he would need; potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions and cilantro. Some peppers too and chayote to make everything healthier.
"Why my father?" Nico had to ask. The question was too specific to be a coincidence.
"Daddy teaches us everything!" Logan said. His face expressive, proud to tell him this.
"And your mother?”
“She never stays home.” This time it was Alice who answered, looking away from the phone she was holding. Alice shrugged and went back to her phone, although he knew Alice paid even more attention than Logan.
"Ah." He said. At least that seemed to have stopped the endless string of questions they insisted on firing.
"Do you like your mother?" Alice asked.
Nico looked through the corner of his eyelashes and saw that this time it wasn't the type of question to extract information from him.
"She is one of the best people I know. She taught me how to cook and study. How to take care of the house and my brothers.”
"And your father?" Logan wanted to know.
"He… he did the best he could. He taught me how to take care of the land and to respect all living things. But he can be violent when provoked.”
"Like mom and dad?”
"Logan!" Alice scolded him. She put her hand over his brother's mouth and tried to smile at Nico.
“I see,” Nico said after a while, knowing exactly what Logan meant by that. When the silence became uncomfortable, he added, “This will be our secret.”
Fortunately, after this revelation, the questions stopped completely. Nico went back to the stove and, seeing that the water was almost boiling, quickly peeled the vegetables. He fried the garlic and onion, added the peppers and put everything in the pot, waiting for the mixture to cook properly and the broth to thicken a little. Dealing with children was always strange and despite these children having everything anyone could want, he felt bad for them. They seemed so lonely and resigned to this, as if it was all they could have, reminding him of his own childhood. Now he knew that he could have so much more if he wanted, and he felt the urge to show them that they could have this and much more too.
There was just one detail, he wasn't their father and it wasn't up to him to get involved in what wasn't his business; Nico had to remember that, he knew that Mr. Jackson was responsible for all these questions the children insisted on asking him and he had no right to take it out on them or influence them in that way. So, while the soup wasn't ready, Nico went to the table, smiled at Logan and Alice and approached until he was at their height, kissing each of their hair, trying to convey calm and affection.
"So, what do you guys want to do? Homework?”
"Let's play 10 questions!”
Logan was hopeless, he would always be daddy's boy.
"Nice try." He pinched Logan's nose and Logan laughed, trying to push Nico's hands away. "Come on, this will be quick. Don't you need help? I'll do it with you.”
"Are you really going? Dad doesn't always have time…”
"Okay. Stand up. You too, Alice.”
"I'm not a little kid who needs help.”
"Hey!"Logan complained, crossing his arms.
“No exceptions.” Was all he said before turning down the heat and heading out of the kitchen.
Logan skipped after him, and Alice could only roll her eyes and follow them into the living room, where they spread their notebooks and books out on the coffee table while Nico supervised them. It was oddly pleasant, the kids got all their homework done and still had time to watch a bit of television before heading back to the kitchen.
In the end, the soup had turned out better than Nico remembered; his grandmother's recipe never failed, or so she used to tell him. He went to the stove, turned it off, and inhaled the appetizing and fragrant aroma, took the pot to the center of the table, placed three plates on the table, and served generous portions. He felt like he should wait for the owner of the house, however, since Mr. Jackson must have already left, it would be just him, the children, and the comfortable sofa in the living room. Which he didn't mind; their company would always be better than that of that man who spent all his time staring at him, his inquisitive gaze making something inside Nico stir uneasily. His skin would heat up and the base of his neck would tingle for hours. Then, this anxiety, unlike any other, would take over him in a way that forced him to get up or do something useful with his hands. That's why afternoons like these were good for his heart, his anxiety remained at normal levels and he could relax even in the midst of the millions of questions those little pests insisted on asking.
"Wow! This is so delicious!”
“It really is.” Alice agreed with Logan. She blew slowly and took another spoonful, moaning in pleasure.
Nico smiled in satisfaction at the compliment. It was nice to know that someone still liked what he did.
Chapter VII
"Nico? Nico? It's time to go to bed." Nico heard someone call him in a whisper next to his ear. In fact, it had been a while since anyone had used that tone of voice with him, something careful and gentle, soft, trying to wake him up without scaring him. Then, someone's hand touched his shoulder, heavy but comforting as it slid and rested on his back, moving him and helping him to get up gently from the couch.
Nico opened his eyes slowly, and this time he didn't react as he had expected. It was Mr. Jackson, of course, in a designer black suit and smelling so good that Nico found himself leaning toward the man, watching his dark hair slicked back and the stubble that was already growing out tickle his fingertips.
How did he know that? Well... maybe he touched Mr. Jackson's face, fingering the skin as he tried to sit up and face whoever was calling him. And maybe he kept his hand there a little longer than necessary, just a small error of course, you know, right? That was all. The good thing about all this was that Mr. Jackson didn't seem to mind; he smiled at Nico and held out his hand so he could stand up, guiding him by the middle of his back as they walked through the house. And Nico, with the biggest blank face he could muster, finally sat up straight on the couch and followed him, doing his best to pretend nothing was happening. Now, why this man kept catching him in this situation, Nico couldn't explain.
“Bed?” Nico finally muttered. He rubbed his eyes and tried to think of what bed that was.
"It's already two in the morning. I'm sorry the meeting lasted longer than I intended. And thank you for the food.”
"Ah… then I… I think I’ll go.”
"No, you can use the guest room. Please.”
Mr. Jackson didn't give any other excuse or try to explain why Nico should sleep there. No, the man just stated like it was obvious that he would obey. And that was it, simple as that, things were resolved. Nico thought about arguing, about saying that they shouldn't do this, but ... but he knew that things would be easier if he just accepted it and since Nico didn't have the right to choose, he shrugged; after all, what could be wrong with sleeping a night away from home? "That's it. No problem", he thought again. Nico would have to wake up early and be there at seven, so... just this once... just once... it was okay. Right?
Feeling his body go limp, he let Mr. Jackson hold him by the shoulders and continue to guide him through the house.
"Are you hungry?" Mr. Jackson asked him.
Nico blinked slowly, trying to think and turned to him, seeing the man's smile returning in full force.
Oh, it was true! He had forgotten.
"I made soup.”
“Did you make soup?” Mr. Jackson repeated, as if to make sure.
"It's in the fridge.”
Okay, this wasn't even that strange of a situation, right? It must be a normal thing to have dinner with your boss…? Nico shook his head and decided not to do anything else inappropriate, he sat down near the kitchen counter, while still smiling Mr. Jackson walked over to the fridge, opening it. And inside, as Nico had said, there was a giant container full of vegetable soup and one with the rest of the food he had bought.
Mr. Jackson, clearly surprised, picked up the container and opened it, inhaling the aroma.
“Are these real vegetables?" Mr. Jackson asks even more surprised, realizing that it wasn't the instant soup type.
"Isn't that how you make soup? Did you know there was no food for the children?" He murmured uncertainty.
"Nah. We have frozen food.”
"Ah." Nico said.
He wanted to tell him that frozen food was horrible and unhealthy. But of course he didn’t say what he thought. Instead, he watched as the man scooped out some of the soup, put it in a deep dish, microwaved it, and then sat down across from him, taking the first spoonful. When Nico said this, he wasn’t joking; Mr. Jackson closed his eyes contentedly and groaned so loudly that he felt like he had reached heaven.
"Mr. Di Ângelo, who would have thought! You are full of surprises. What else can you do?”
And didn't the question sound… strangely dubious? Nico felt the sleep dissipating faster than a rocket as his face caught fire. He couldn't help it, it was something physical, he felt his skin heating up and sweating and his heart racing for some reason. It wasn't his fault that Mr. Jackson looked at him like that, the man's smile looking… slightly different.
"Anything. Food, desserts, and pasta. My mother…" He swallowed and cleared his throat, feeling his throat close up for some reason he couldn't understand. "She learned it from her mother. And since my sisters aren't interested… I like to spend my time helping her.”
He shrugged, it wasn't that unusual. The difference was that he preferred to stay at home while other children ran around the fields playing.
"How old are you again?”
It was the exact moment when Nico realized that the questionnaire was returning with full force.
"I wanted to talk to you about this.”
"Please, call me Percy.”
"Okay, Percy. Could you stop with these interrogations?" Nico spoke as seriously as he could. He straightened his spine, placed his hands on the counter and added, so as not to seem too rude: "Please. If you want to know anything, just tell me. I have nothing to hide.”
Facing him head on, Mr. Jackson, I mean, Percy, placed the spoon over the plate and leaned in close to him, getting a little too close.
"What is it?" Nico had to ask.
"Okay. I'll ask the kids to stop. But you have to be honest with me.”
"Right…?”
He saw Percy take a deep breath and couldn't believe what he heard next:
"How did you find the ad? Do you study? What do you plan to do in the future? How are you so good with children? How old are you? Where does your family come from? And about--”
"W-what? Wait a minute! They didn't give you that information?”
"Give me information? I don't even know who they are!”
"Oh." Now he understood.
"I had no choice! The girl who cleaned the house quit right after the nanny was fired. I really had no choice. You know how hard it is to take care of children…”
Nico put his arm on the counter and rested his head on it, watching Percy huff angrily, trying not to laugh in the man's face, and only when he was sure Percy was finished, he replied:
"So… I’m twenty years old. I’ve been studying law at community college on the weekends and working during the week to pay for college since I was seventeen.”
"Oh." It was Percy's turn to mutter.
"My family is from Italy, we came here when my paternal grandfather died a few years ago and as my father has no brothers, he took responsibility for the family business.”
“Shouldn't he pay for your college?" Percy said.
"We… we don't get along very well. He thinks doing Law School is a waste of time.”
"I see you like children…”
Nico shrugged again.
"I helped my mother at home. Children are… pure and they don’t lie. They are better company than many adults.”
After that… Nico wasn't sure of anything anymore. Mr. Jackson, I mean, Percy, continued eating his soup while Nico just stood there thinking that, after all, Percy had a reason to act that way, waiting for Percy to finish his dinner. He knew he didn't need to wait and he even knew where the room was, Nico just… he just didn't want to move, feeling that drowsiness return. It was more interesting to stay where he was, feeling sleep come back to him minute by minute, the movement Percy made with the spoon seeming almost hypnotic, raising and lowering it, until the plate was empty and Percy had leaned against the seat of the chair.
"You know tomorrow is Saturday, don't you?”
“Is that so?" He had completely forgotten.
"And, in this house, no one wakes up early on the weekend.”
"Hmm.”
"So, if you want to take a shower and sleep until noon…”
"Oh. Right.”
Nico stopped looking at Percy's hands and looked up at his eyes. He was confused... was Percy inviting him as a guest? The man looked so different from before that he seemed like a completely changed person. Nico didn't know if he liked this, this quick change, and he still didn't know if it was right for a person who provided a service to sleep in his employer's house.
"I have no clean clothes.”
"I'll lend you some. Look, I can't let you go out at this time. So be a good boy and obey me, okay?”
So, Percy got up, washed his own plate and on the way out he pulled him by the hand. Nico found himself with no choice but to follow him like a sleepy puppy, like he were being guided by a leash, completely obedient and without saying a single word.
Thanks for your support!
Presented without comment.
EXCEPT to say- commonplacecaz.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME - PERCY/NICO AU HIGH SCHOOL - CHAPTER XXI
Hi, guys. How are you doing? I had a bit of a burnout this week, but a promise is a promise. If I don't show up next week, it's because I'm sick and completely drained. I hope you like it.
CHAPTER I / CHAPTER II / CHAPTER III / CHAPTER IV / CHAPTER V / CHAPTER VI / CHAPTER VII / CHAPTER VIII / CHAPTER IX / CHAPTER X / CHAPTER XI / CHAPTER XII / CHAPTER XIII / CHAPTER XIV / CHAPTER XV / CHAPTER XVI / CHAPTER XVII / CHAPTER XVIII / CHAPTER XIX / CHAPTER XX
“I love you too.”
Percy continued to hold Nico against his chest and only moved when he was sure that Nico would no longer hate him. He leaned back against the couch and brought Nico with him, touching him gently
For a moment, in the silence of the living room, where all he could hear was Nico's heavy breathing slowing down, Percy thought that things between them would return to their normal and that Nico would finally be satisfied. Imagine his surprise when he felt Nico moving on his lap in a very specific way, rubbing against him, making him lose his breath when he felt small hands touch between his legs over his pants, a touch so gentle that it made him gasp, the sweet torture reminding him of his erection.
“Do you want to…?” He heard Nico say, the uncertainty in his voice clear, although that didn't stop Nico. Because, right after, he felt Nico's hands continue to explore the area, sliding up and down, drawing a tortured moan from him.
“You don't have to.” He mumbled, or thought he had. In those moments it was hard to tell what was real and what was a creation of his mind.
“I know you're... trying to treat me with respect, but... is that necessary? Wasn't it because of sex that we... fell apart?”
The insinuation was clear, and with each passing day Percy saw how much the unspoken words made the distance between them grow.
“Do you think that's why I like you?”
“Well... you always say I'm pretty.” Nico said in a lower voice, as if he expected not to be heard. It was at that moment when Nico hesitated that Percy remembered to take his eyes off what Nico was doing between his legs and pay attention to what Nico was saying. What caught his attention was the blank expression on Nico's face, the distracted way he touched him, like Nico was trying to hide something behind the mask of indifference. “Isn't that why you looked for other people when I was right in front of you? For thinking I was... pure?”
“Nico. That doesn't make sense! I wouldn't do that again.” When would he have time to do that? Between his depression and the mountain of work and studying?
“Wouldn't you?” Nico then raised his head and looked at him, without any kind of judgment in his voice, but that still made Percy feel very judged. — “What I have to do so you don't ignore me?”
“I'm not ignoring you!” Like, he didn't think he was. Right? Didn't they spend all day together? How could Percy ignore someone who was right next to him?
“When was the last time you did something you wanted?”
“I... we went to that party last week?”
“Percy.” Now Nico looked like he was about to cry. “When was the last time you did something no one asked you to do? You say I'm not interested in things? You're not either. And now, you don't even want sex.”
“It's not your fault. It's not because you came back.”
“I'm starting to see that. But that doesn't make me any less guilty.”
"What do you want me to do? Everything I do is a mistake! It's better to keep things this way. If I do what people expect of me, I won't make mistakes."
"Percy!" Nico's scream echoed through the room, making him open his eyes wide.
With a dry throat, Percy watched Nico get up from his lap and kneel between his legs. With tears in his eyes, Nico rested his hands on Percy’s thighs and put his face in his lap, ready to start begging. "No one is asking you to be perfect!"
"I have to be!"
"I should have never come back! If I'm going to see you like this, it would have been better to go somewhere else. It would have hurt less. You can say whatever you want, It's my fault you're acting like this again."
"How could this be your fault?"
"I made you remember the past."
Nico was right about that. Percy was thinking about his childhood more often than usual. He had worked to get rid of it, and now that his memories were flooding back, it was hard to tell the difference between the person he used to be and the person he was now.
“Please,” Nico finally begged in the most miserable voice he had ever heard. “I don’t want you to hold yourself back because of me. I know you care about me, and I care about you. I just… I want to live these things with you. I want to wake up every day next to you, and I want to be with you every day, and I want you to have all the things you want, and I want… I want, um… you know… I don’t mind if you’re… not so kind in bed. I like it… really. I mean, you were never a saint, maybe a little vindictive, and also--”
“I’m glad you think that of me.” Percy said, and smiled sincerely for the first time in days, interrupting Nico. The boy wanted him to be honest and do what he wanted, didn’t he? “That’s not fair. And where does that leave you?”
“Me? I'll stay by your side.” Nico said and smiled back at him, still with his head on his lap, rubbing his face against him like a kitten. “I'd rather see you acting like the worst person in the world than see you turning into an empty shell.”
“Nico.” Percy leaned forward and grabbed Nico by the back of his neck, making him lift his head. “I don't want to take advantage of you. I feel like that's going to happen if we keep going like this.”
“What are you waiting for, then?”
“Nico!”
“There's nothing either of us can do. The damage is already done. Now, you have to take responsibility for what you did.”
“And what would that be?”
“You can start by taking me to the bedroom and taking off my clothes.”
“I'm not sure.”
“But I am.” Nico pouted cutely, and Percy found himself smiling again, watching Nico stretch toward him still kneeling and kiss him sweetly. “I can wait.”
When Nico spoke like that... so convincingly, Percy could almost see the reason behind it all. Although he didn't really understand. Who would want to be treated like Nico had been and still ask to continue suffering alongside someone like him? Percy would try one more time. If Nico had knelt at his feet and put his head in his lap like a pet, Percy could also try to be a good owner.
***
Honestly? Percy hadn't thought it would be so easy to surrender after so long fighting these urges. It was a magnificent sight to watch Nico get up from the floor. His pants still open, his hair messy and his lips swollen. Nico offered him his hand and Percy didn't hesitate, as he had promised, he went upstairs to their room. He sat on the edge of the bed and took off Nico's clothes. First, the skull t-shirt, then he pulled Nico's pants down, taking his underwear with him, his All-Stars and socks too, and finally allowed himself a moment to appreciate Nico's beauty.
In the end, what his baby had said was true. The first thing that had caught his attention in Nico was his natural beauty. Long eyelashes, deep black eyes, full mouth, soft skin, rounded hips, long legs, the sweetest voice even when angry and, above all, that well-behaved boyish appearance, always obeying what he was told. There were exceptions, of course, moments like these, where Nico would beg and be demanding, but not like Percy would. Never.
"What about now? How that leave us?" It was a rhetorical question, and they both knew it. Percy smiled and Nico moved closer, placing himself between his legs, holding onto his shoulders.
"Do you want to see something?" Nico asked, cheerful.
"It depends. Is it a surprise?"
"You could say that."
Nico smiled and ran towards the closet, coming back with a golden box with a lid on top.
"Did you buy it for me?"
"No, it's for me." Still smiling, Nico said and took off the lid revealing a nice collection of toys, only these toys were for adults. Three dildos of different sizes, a vibrating ball, handcuffs, nipple clamps and even a paddle. And lots of lube, at least three large tubes.
"Are you sure you haven't been having fun with someone?" He couldn't even blame Nico if that was the case.
"I don't want anyone else touching me but you. This is all your fault! Here I am, offering myself and saying that you can do whatever you want with me, and you having a crisis of conscience? I never thought something like this would happen.”
“Hey! I'm not that bad!”
“Right now, you’re not.”
“That's why I wanted to take it slow.”
“Sorry. I guess I've changed too. But if I knew, I would never have run away. At least, you didn't do the same thing I did.”
Yeah, Percy could imagine. Where would he run away to? To his father's house? To look at the face of his stepmother who hated him or deal with his stepbrother who stalked him when his mother wasn't looking? No way.
“I needed some time. I want to make sure that something like this won't happen again.”
“I know. I was safe in Verona. Hades isn't brave enough to face my nona. If she knew everything today, Hades wouldn't have a penny.”
“Why didn't you tell her?”
“It doesn't matter. She already spoils me too much.” But Nico said this with a smile on his face, seeming to remember happier times. “We don't have to do anything today. Or tomorrow. I want you to know that I'm here and that you don't need to feel guilty, because I've never blamed you for anything. Okay?”
Nico took the box from his hands and placed it on the bed, then sat on his lap, kissing Percy once more. And maybe... maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let himself go a little bit.
***
So… Percy found that he really liked that toy box Nico had put together. Especially the vibrating ball. It was the size of his thumb and was fluorescent pink, with a long string and a button in the middle. Really interesting. And since Nico had bought all those things, it would be a waste not to use them.
He grabbed the handcuffs, the lube and the ball, and well, there they were. Nico lying against the pillows, on his back on the bed and his hands tied above his head to the bed frame, while he was between Nico's legs, fully clothed. It was kind of funny. Percy had pressed the button on the ball and it had started vibrating immediately, making him laugh and say "You asked for it" and before Nico could complain, Percy brought the madly vibrating toy to Nico's legs, following the same path with his mouth. It seemed that Nico didn't know what to do, whether to laugh because of the vibration or to moan, bite marks, teeth brushing against his skin and lsucking lips in places that had never been marked before.
"What now? Should I stop?" Percy said in the most innocent voice, moving the ball up between Nico's legs, stopping at his groin before reaching the really sensitive parts.
"No! Please!"
"What do I get if I keep going?"
"Anything!"
"I don't know... it seems too generic."
"Um-- I... I suck you? Or..."
"Or?"
"Whatever you want."
"Really?"
"Hmhm." Nico sighed and gasped, because Percy was tired of playing.
He brought the little ball down and pressed it against Nico's member, and like in a magic trick, it had magically gone from semi-erect to hard so quickly that it must have hurt. Percy slid the vibrator along the base of the member and slowly moved up, reaching the tip and lingering there, pressing in small circles on the reddish head.
Percy couldn't believe his eyes, he pressed just a little more and suddenly, Nico was screaming, the small member throbbed in his hand and expelled faster than Percy could react. He removed the vibrator from Nico's member and watched Nico shake all over, breathing as if he had run a marathon. But he wanted more, Nico reacted so strongly to the vibrations that Percy wanted to see how long Nico could hold out.
He turned the toy back on, feeling it vibrate in his hand for a few moments and waited until Nico was not about to have an asthma attack, and slowly, like nothing was happening, placed the little ball on Nico's skin again, near his hip, going down his long legs.
All Nico did was gasp in surprise, still shaking, he didn't say anything or even move in protest, he just looked at Percy, his gaze half lost and half ecstatic, trusting Percy and allowing himself to feel, as if that was all he wanted to do. So Percy, like the gentleman he was, continued with his exploration. He went back up with the vibrator and reached Nico's groin once more, this time passing straight past his member and touching his testicles, watching Nico open his lips in a silent moan, his body shaking without his control. To Percy the whole experience seemed painful, the way Nico contracted and arched, the high-pitched moans, if it weren't for the expression of complete pleasure on Nico's face, he would think that... no... it was better not to think about it.
Percy concentrated on what he was doing and finally brought the vibrator lower, finding Nico's entrance, who let out a little moan so delicious that Percy wanted to make things even more interesting. But, no, that was enough. Then, he rubbed the ball around the entrance until it went in, disappearing inside Nico. Maybe he had overdone it, Nico opened his eyes wide and writhed, whimpering and panting, seeming like he had never done this before, and when Nico did nothing to stop him, Percy kept on exploring. He pulled the vibrator out by the string and pressed it back in, playing with the entrance, doing this so many times that the skin began to swell, like when you kissed someone for a long time and this was the result.
"Please!" Nico begged, twitching on the bed, back arched and head thrown back, looking like he was about to cum once again. And who was Percy to deny his sweet baby.
He pressed the ball in once more, making Nico shudder and this time, he pushed it in harder, inserting his fingers along with it, moving the vibrator around. Nico went crazy, he began to beg nonstop and held on to the bed frame, his toes curling. It was a magical moment for Percy. With two fingers, he took the ball a little deeper and pressed it into that little spot they both knew well. The reaction was immediate. Nico screamed at the top of his lungs and Percy was amazed. He had never seen Nico cum so fast and hard, making Nico's orgasm hit his chest.
"Good boy. So obedient." He said as he pulled the ball by the string, finally bringing it out. Nico fell onto the bed and sobbed, still finishing his orgasm with a strange expression caught between agony and ecstasy. Maybe he really had overdone it. Well, Percy would leave that up to Nico to decide, since he himself didn't know whether to run away, disgusted with himself, or try not to think about his erection at seeing Nico completely under his control like this.
How about a comment to cheer up this writer? See you next time.
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Sejam bem-vindos! Olá, esse é meu blog pessoal. Escrevo fanfics Pernico/Nicercy e orginais, e reblogo alguns posts de vez em quando. História Atual Não há lugar como o Lar - versão em Portugues There's no Place like home - English version Resumo: Nico está voltando da Itália depois de passar dois anos por lá e encontra Percy, o melhor amigo que ele deixou para trás, mas que manteve contato nesse tempo afastado. O resto se desenvolve a partir desse reencontro. Se você quiser saber o que eu escrevo, siga a tag #my writing
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