Ok! "Sweet Enough To Eat"

I know post House of Hades that we the readers know that Nico's motivation for helping Percy in The Last Olympian is because he had a crush, but I think it's a little shallow to just leave it at that.

Percy was one of the only other children of the Big Three. He knows what it's like to be avoided out of fear, although not to the same degree as Nico. He's one of the few other people to share that experience of not supposed to be alive.

Also, Nico knew that Percy chose to take the prophecy and make it about him. He resisted Hades's suggestion to keep Percy locked in the Underworld so Nico could be the hero. There's a lot more going on than a crush.

Despite the misunderstandings between them, Percy shouldered the prophecy to protect Nico. And Nico helped him as much as he could, because they were the ones being targeted. No other demigods felt the weight of the prophecy like they did.

I think it's also something to think about with Jason in the equation. Did he know that Percy took that burden on himself? That he took a hit for the team? Did he know that Percy protected him?

To take it even further, would Thalia have opted out if she knew Jason was alive? She wanted to escape the prophecy and kind of dumped it on Percy. Would she have done the same if she knew there was a chance Jason would suffer for it?

The dynamics between the kids of the Big Three are so intriguing and I feel like they don't get explored enough.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME - PERCY/NICO AU HIGH SCHOOL - CHAPTER XVI

Hi, how are you? I managed to translate the chapter just in time.

The chapter was going to come out earlier, but because of the holiday in Brazil I've allowed myself to rest. I've definitely given up on having a posting schedule, but I'll try to update every week. So, just come by once a week, on Friday, because if I post something it'll be ready on Friday. And, like, consider the texts here as initial drafts, okay? I'm still in my creative phase, and I love putting sub-plots and other things in the middle of the main plot. If I followed my original plan, I would have finished the story by now. So, let's relax and have fun. Thanks for being here!

Not too many warnings apart from mental health, 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

Nico put the pen down on the last page he had written and rested the diary next to his pillow, stretching his arms and neck. He had written more than he had intended. Well, Percy was in for a bit of a surprise when he read it. But in the end, Percy was right, writing had taken the pressure off his shoulders that Nico hadn't even known was there to begin with. It was a magical moment, as he put his thoughts down on paper, his mind felt light and empty, as if he was telling what was bothering him to someone who wouldn't judge him and wouldn't try to give him 'advice' he hadn't asked for.

Tired of waiting, Nico lay down on the bed and put his head on the pillow. Why was Percy doing taking so long? The next thing he knew, he had closed his eyes, opening them again to feel something soft slide over his body. It was a damp, warm towel that Percy was holding. Nico blinked slowly and then Percy's figure came into view, wet hair and bare chest, wearing only a towel as he gently cleaned his body.

"Would you like a bath?" Percy murmured, moving closer to him, making him sit against the edge of the bed. "I filled the tub for you.”

"I could." He shrugged, it seemed like a good idea. Nico rarely saw any reason to use the bathtub.

So Percy took him by the hand and led him into the bathroom, asking: 

"How do you feel?”

He didn't know. A slight burning that pulsed inside him, maybe? Muscle and mental fatigue? A relaxation he had never felt before? It was all of this together and more. In general? Nico felt good, or as good as possible, similar to when he hadn't run away to Italy yet, maybe even better, now that he didn't need to hide his feelings.

"I'm fine." Nico shrugged again.

"Do you remember our rules?”

Unfortunately, Nico remembered. Percy must have been referring to always being honest.

"I don't know." Nico said, trying to be as honest as he could. "It's all too new for me to have an opinion.”

"Nico.” 

He stopped and faced Percy, who now had his arms crossed.

"You have to stop this. Don't tell me what I want to hear”.

"What do you want me to say?”

"What you're really feeling. Does something hurt? Do you need anything?”

"Why are you always questioning me?”

"Because you're always trying to please me.”

"What's wrong with that?”

He looked at Percy, but Percy looked at him like he was going to explode. None of that happened, though. Percy took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them again, an aura of calm was present. It was one of those moments where Nico knew he wasn't going to win, no matter what he did. So he let Percy lead him to the bathtub and lathered him up slowly and leisurely.

"You don't see the problem with that? Do you?" Percy asked distractedly, his hands sliding down between Nico's legs.

"Things have always been like this.”

"That's why I didn't go after you.”

"I don't think I understand.”

"I discovered that I... can't control myself around you. I made you act this way. I put you in this perfect, unbreakable little box. No one should live like that, according to someone else's wishes.”

"That's not true, I've always been like that.”

"Really? It took you five years to say all those things to me. If you didn't feel comfortable telling me how you felt before, what does that mean?”

Nico turned to face Percy, who had a distant look on his face, and realized that this bothered Percy more than he thought.

"I don't like fighting. I prefer things to stay that way.”

"Like what?”

"No conflict and no drama. I don't want to have to think about every step of the way. I just want to be with you and... satisfy you. Isn't that enough?”

"I can't do that." Then Percy grabbed his face and slid his fingers to the back of his neck, massaging it slowly and making him relax even more. "How can I be sure I'm not hurting you or stopping you from doing other things?”

"That's the point, isn't it? You feel guilty about wanting the same things I do.”

"Nico, don't torture me.”

"I'm not." He didn't think he was. "When I don't want... this thing we have, you'll know. 

"How?”

"I'll run away. Not like today. But, like, as if my life depended on it.

"Nico!”

"You know, when people try to get close to me, I usually feel suffocated. But when it's you, I just feel free and safe, even if I'm scared.”

Nico thought he was losing his mind, looking like a lunatic on the edge of a cliff. But it was the pure truth, what he looked for in all those faces, wasn't the beauty or the deep green eyes, no, it was always that feeling of security and stability, the comfort that Percy's arms always gave him. For those things were hard to emulate; if only he could have found this somewhere else, Nico wouldn't have felt so controlled and conditioned to do those things that Percy criticized so much, even though Percy had never asked for them. In the end, he understood what Percy was trying to imply; things would only get worse from now on, and they would probably continue this game of cat and mouse for a long time until he gave in. What could Nico do if Percy was the only one who made him feel this way, so free and trapped at the same time?

"Nico." Now Percy's voice sounded all hoarse and firm.

Opps. He looked down and saw that his hand was in Percy's lap, on top of the towel, but in a very strategic place.

"Why can't you tell me what's bothering you?”

He denied it, not ready to say what he really thought to Percy. Although he knew Percy felt something similar or worse. Nico had seen how much Percy had tried to get over him with other people, before and after he went to Italy. So, deep down, arguing was pointless. They needed a consensus.

"This will lead to nothing. I suggest a truce." Nico said, instead of explaining himself.

"Truce? This is not a war.”

"So why all we do is fight and have sex? I'd much rather just have sex.”

This brought a little smile to the corner of Percy's lips.

"What do you suggest?”

"l will... trust you and do whatever you ask if you stop questioning me.”

Now, Percy just looked sad.

"I don't want you to feel bad and cornered. I just worry. I want you to be the best possible version of yourself.”

"What if I just want to be the Nico who wants to be with Percy and not have to argue?”

"That's fine. We can do it your way. You have to promise me that if it's not working, you'll tell me.”

"I promise.”

All Nico could do was hope for the best and try to keep his end of the bargain.

***

When they woke up again, the sun was high in the sky, the morning already giving way to afternoon at a milder temperature. They were still in bed, his head on Percy's shoulder and Percy's arms around his waist. Finally, the silence was lasting more than five minutes. They didn't need to do anything or be anywhere other than there, where they had chosen to be.

"Hungry?" Nico heard Percy say quietly, his voice hoarse with sleep.

"No.”

"Not at all? Sally will come here soon, to see if we're still alive.”

That would be funny. Nico could even imagine Sally opening the door and catching them in bed like that, naked and hugging. It would be great. 

With this thought haunting him, Nico disentangled himself from Percy and sat down on the bed, feeling slightly dizzy but content, stretching until he fell backwards, closing his eyes. Maybe he needed something to eat. When was the last time? Had he even eaten anything at the party or just drunk?

"Tired?”

Nico sighed and gave in, knowing that his peace was about to end. He lay on his side of the bed and stared at Percy, who didn't look happy at all.

"Not much.”

"You know, I think we should create a system.”

"I think--”

"Every time you lie to me you will be punished.”

"You said you wouldn't doubt me!”

"It's not a doubt when I know the truth, when I see you lying to me.”

"What do you want me to do?”

"Tell the truth or say nothing at all.”

"Oh.”

"Are you going to spend the rest of your life keeping quiet to please me?”

That was a good question. It was hard to go back into the darkness when you could see so much light.

"This isn't funny." He muttered, feeling something inside his chest spread.

"Yeah. Imagine how I feel watching you lower yourself, being less than you could be.”

"I don't do it all the time.”

"No?”

"Only with you.”

Then Nico saw Percy reach out and touch his face in a light caress.

"I hate what I did to you, what your father did.” 

"You didn't do anything." His father, on the other hand, was a different story.

"I molded you into this perfect person who is afraid of offending anyone.” 

"That's not true! I…”

"I want you to scream if you want. I want you to hit me, to curse me if you feel like it. To revolt. Demand it. I never want to see you so hurt again.”

Maybe Percy was right. But did he really have to do these things? Wasn't something he could see himself doing.

"Don't get me wrong. You don't have to. But if you want to, or one day do these things, it's okay and completely normal”.

"Normal? How can doing these things be normal?”

"Gods." Percy hugged him tighter and leaned his head on Nico’s shoulder. "You don't have to be perfect. Do you understand that?”

But if he's not perfect, no one will like him. How could Nico not be what he already was?

"It's all right." Percy said, but Nico had the impression that Percy was saying this to himself.

In the end, Nico chose to keep quiet. What he had to say wouldn't make any difference, and maybe Percy was right. If he had nothing good to say, he'd better keep his mouth shut.

***

"Gods, what has Percy done to you?!”

As soon as they got downstairs, Sally greeted them with a loving smile and tight hugs. That is, that's what happened until Sally saw the bruise on Nico's neck; a bruise that was actually a well-placed hickey. 

"Mom, you're exaggerating.”

Nico, poor thing, looked between them, trying to understand what was going on. And Percy, like a good Samaritan, helped him to understand it. As if on cue, Percy put his hand on Nico's neck and Nico moaned. Whether it was pain, surprise or pleasure, was hard to tell. Whatever it was, it made his heart race and something else wake.

"Oh." Nico then said, bringing his hand up to his neck. "I didn't realize. It’s very ugly?”

"I wouldn't say that.”

He heard laughter behind him, but preferred to concentrate on Nico, who was frowning sweetly and taking his cell phone out of his pocket, looking at himself in the reflection of the screen.

"Percy! What were you trying to do? Tear off a piece?”

"You are not the only one." Percy opened the first two buttons of his shirt and showed his set of marks, small nails and the shape of teeth that went down until they disappeared inside his shirt.

"I... I didn't do this! Did I?”

"And much more.” 

Percy couldn't help himself, he laughed and pulled Nico into a hug, kissing his cheek. But everything seemed to be fine, because as soon as Percy hugged him, Nico melted against his shoulder, hugging him back.

"It's all right. You can bite me all you want, I like it. "And the way things were going, Nico liked it too.

Percy heard a snort and turned to look at Sally, who didn’t seem all that happy about the display of... affection.”

"Percy Jackson! That's not how you treat people.”

"It was something mutual. And if you must know, Nico started it. You can ask Annabeth, she was the first to see. See here? It was the first." And, right at the nape of his neck, where his hair was starting to grow long, there was a mark that was beginning to fade.

Nico hid his face in his shoulder and Sally crossed her arms. And before another wave of complaints arrived, Percy hurried over:

"Permission to maim?" Nico nodded yes, too embarrassed to face the room full of witnesses, which didn't stop the cursing, laughter and protests.

"That's enough." Sally raised one of her hands to her face and turned to Nico, making him raise his face. "Are you all right, darling? How was the party? Better than old times, no?”

Immediately, Percy knew something was wrong. Suddenly, Nico opened his mouth, about to say something and then closed it, cowering against his arms. The worst part was seeing Nico raise his head and look at him, as if waiting for Percy's permission for something, keeping his lips sealed tightly. He heard another gasp and realized that everyone was waiting for Nico to answer. Grover, Tyson and Sally all found Nico's behavior strange.

All that was left for Percy to do was smile and lead Nico into the living room to sit with him on the sofa.

"What's going on, hm?”

But all Nico did was deny it and look down at his lap, refusing to face him. 

"Please.”

This made Nico look between his eyelashes at him and take a deep breath: "I thought about what you said last night.” 

"About not lying?”

"About keeping quiet.”

Something in Percy's chest tightened at that moment, and hoping it wasn't what he thought, he asked: "Why would you keep quiet?”

"You said that if I was going to lie, I should keep quiet, and since I have nothing important to say, I'll do as you say.”

Percy thought he had stopped breathing. 

He wasn't serious! Who would follow such a ridiculous order? He just wanted to make Nico respond in any way other than accepting everything without protest, he wanted to make him react and see what was going on. And instead, Nico decided to go along with it in the worst possible way?

"Baby, please. I was wrong. I just wanted you to react.”

"React how?”

"In any way you want." Percy then smiled, trying to encourage Nico. "Come on, you can shout at me. You can swear at me. I've done something very bad. I deserve punishment.”

"Punishment?" Nico tilted his head like a confused puppy and moved closer. He kissed him on the lips in a sweet, gentle kiss and touched his hair, smiling angelically. "That's it. Your punishment.”

Percy wanted to cry. Why did everything he said seem to come out backwards? Or maybe it was Nico doing the best he could.

"Are you punishing me or  comforting me?”

"If I choose the punishment, you have to accept it.”

Percy let himself go and hugged Nico tightly, hearing him sigh with pleasure.

"I don't deserve you. I just wanted you to feel free to express yourself. You've been kept quiet for so long that I'm afraid the same thing will happen now.”

"I know." Nico murmured softly, looking pleased.

"What you have to say is important, always will be.” 

"I thought that if I kept quiet I wouldn't have to measure my words.” 

"Don't make me cry.”

"You're so silly. "Nico finally said, the only sincere thing in all that. "I made that decision. I had all the freedom in the world, but at the end of the day, I still missed you and the way things were.” 

In the end, life was about decisions and consequences. He continued to hug Percy and understood, Percy was as lost as he was in all this confusion, he understood that it was a period of adaptation and soon everything would return to normal. Now, what that normal was, they both had no idea, since they had never had a common friendship. 

"I'm sorry." Nico said again. "I think it's a period of adjustment. I'll try not to take everything you say so seriously.”

"I'm very happy about that." The truth was that Percy was relieved, thanking all the gods and deities for finding someone so understanding, although he would have liked Nico to be more combative. 

Don't get him wrong, Nico was one of the most independent and responsible people he had ever met, but what Nico had in the way of independence, he also had in the way of emotional dependence. And sometimes that emotional dependence was too heavy for him to carry alone, although he was willing to carry it for the rest of his life if it guaranteed that Nico would stay in his life.

"So, are we okay?" Nico asked, raising his head and peeking at him shyly.

"Of course, baby. As long as you are.”

Nico seemed immediately reassured. And if that’s what Nico wanted, Percy would do his best to sort things out. Obviously, asking hadn't worked it, nor had talking or pressuring. The way would be to do things the traditional way. Not that he knew what he was doing in the past, but if it’d worked before, it would work now.

Smiling, like nothing had happened, he guided Nico back to the kitchen and sat down next to him at the table, discovering too late that everyone had overheard his conversation with Nico. What could he do? Nico's well-being was more important than the disapproving looks. He knew he would soon see the reprimand, and if making a mistake was necessary to put right what he had done, then so be it! Percy would never regret putting Nico first.

"Pancakes or eggs?”

"Pancakes." Nico answered him. So pancakes it was. 

This was nothing new. Nico's favorite foods were sweet, and the savory ones had a nostalgic feeling, from the time when Nico's mother was still alive. So, next to the pancakes and the chocolate topping, Percy placed a cheese croissant in Nico’s plate, along with a glass of juice and a cup of coffee.

It was incredible. It seemed as if nothing bad had happened ten minutes ago. Nico took the first gulp from his coffee cup and smiled like it was the happiest day of his life, diving into his sugary pancakes next. And just like that, as if by magic, the atmosphere was friendly again, Nico chatting animatedly with Sally, while he, Grover and Tyson watched, trembling for the next feast they would be forced to attend.

"Dude, thanks for letting me stay. My mom's back.”

"You can stay as long as you like, it's your house. Why don't you pack a bag and stay until graduation? It won't be long now.

"If a whole year isn't too much..." Both he and Grover shrugged and Grover punched his shoulder amiably, making them both smile. It was a good idea, especially when he and Nico left; his mother would be alone and Grover would always be a great company.

"Really! What are you still doing in that house?”

"Yeah! There'll always be a room for you." Tyson finally deigned to join in the conversation, usually preferring to stay away from the drama. "You already work for us, what does it takes to be part of the family?”

"Do you think working is smiling at customers and taking them to the right table when others can't?”

"Of course it is. You even wear a nice suit and comb your hair with gel." Tyson continued, all too happy to mock Grover, back to their natural routine.

"Shut up! That's not even a uniform. Juniper likes it..." Grover's last words sounded very low, as if he was embarrassed.

And well, who was Percy to interrupt such a sweet and happy moment?

He turned to his food and took the first bite of his eggs, soft and lightly salted, just the way he liked them, and took a sip of his strong coffee without sugar or milk, noticing that Nico had already finished eating and was looking at him with a little smile on his face.

"What is it, hm? Do you want more?”

"No. I like to see you happy and having fun with your friends. You didn't used to do that.”

"It's true. I told you I had problems, didn't I?”

"I didn’t take it seriously. You always seem so determined and confident.”

"That doesn't mean I was right.”

"Hm." Nico murmured, thoughtfully. "I never thought about it from that angle. I think everyone has something to hide. Some people just hide it better.”

"That's just it. The more things we hide, the better actors we are, no?" Percy couldn't help himself, Nico was being so sincere that he deserved a reward. He pulled Nico by the scruff of his neck and kissed him right there in front of everyone, a kiss meant for four walls.

"What was that?" Nico said as soon as he caught his breath.

"A reward for an obedient baby.”

Blushing from head to toe, Nico just looked at him, giving him a cute little peck, but not complaining. What could he do? If that was how Nico understood it, then that was how it would be from now on.

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So? I have the impression that Nico is becoming so dramatic… or is it Percy's view of him? Well, I think Nico thinks Percy is a bit dramatic too 🤣🤣🤣🤣 What's your opinion? Your comments help me to understand the weak points in the story so that I can rewrite it in the best way in the future.

Thanks for reading!

Creative misfortunes for characters

Identity Crisis: Have your character lose their memory, forcing them to rediscover their true self and past.

Betrayal by a Loved One: A close friend or family member betrays the character's trust, leading to emotional turmoil and inner conflict.

Physical Transformation: Give your character a physical ailment or transformation that they must come to terms with, such as sudden blindness, a debilitating illness, or turning into a different species.

Unrequited Love: Make your character fall deeply in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate their feelings, causing heartache and a quest for self-discovery.

Financial Ruin: Strip your character of their wealth and privilege, forcing them to adapt to a life of poverty and face the harsh realities of the world.

False Accusation: Have your character falsely accused of a crime they didn't commit, leading to a desperate quest to clear their name.

Natural Disaster: Place your character in the path of a devastating natural disaster, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or tsunami, and force them to survive and rebuild.

Loss of a Sense: Take away one of your character's senses (e.g., sight, hearing, taste) and explore how they adapt and cope with this profound change.

Forced Isolation: Trap your character in a remote location, like a deserted island, and make them confront their inner demons while struggling to survive.

Haunted Past: Reveal a dark secret from your character's past that comes back to haunt them, threatening their relationships and well-being.

Time Travel Consequences: Send your character back in time, but make them inadvertently change a crucial event in history, leading to unintended consequences in the present.

Psychological Breakdown: Push your character to the brink of a mental breakdown, exploring the complexities of their psyche and their journey towards recovery.

Unwanted Prophecy: Have your character be the subject of a prophecy they want no part of, as it places them in grave danger or disrupts their life.

Loss of a Loved One: Kill off a beloved character or make your protagonist witness the death of someone close to them, igniting a quest for revenge or justice.

Incurable Curse or Disease: Curse your character with an incurable ailment or supernatural curse, and follow their journey to find a cure or accept their fate.

Sudden Disappearance: Make a character disappear mysteriously, leaving the others to search for them and uncover the truth.

Betrayal of Morals: Force your character into a situation where they must compromise their ethical values for a greater cause, leading to moral dilemmas and internal conflict.

Loss of a Precious Object: Have your character lose a cherished possession or artifact that holds sentimental or magical significance, setting them on a quest to recover it.

Political Intrigue: Place your character in a position of power or influence, then subject them to political intrigue, manipulation, and power struggles.

Existential Crisis: Make your character question the meaning of life, their purpose, and their place in the universe, leading to a philosophical journey of self-discovery.

Remember that misfortunes should serve a purpose in your story, driving character growth, plot development, and thematic exploration.

I need inspiration. Thank you!

Been kinda obsessed with them kissing each other

hey if you're the type of writer that's like me where you tend to write specific scenes first that vaguely weave together into a plot, you might like using obsidian as a writing app.

my frustration with other writing applications is that i will write my scenes out of order and it's hard to move things around and rearrange them on a regular document.

but with obsidian there's this canvas feature where you can just write all your scenes and plot moments on these little cards that you can freely rearrange. you can color code them and connect them too.

here's the canvas i've created for my current multi-chapter fic: (if you zoom in you can see all the text in each card this what it looks like zoomed out)

as you can see, i color code them based off chapters and will group them next to a document card with the working title of the chapter. anything not color-coded are scenes that don't have a proper place quite yet or it's just world building references. this app can also be good for note-taking and collecting research!

best of all, it's FREE!!! the only downside is that if you want your stuff to sync across devices, you do have to pay for that. i constantly hop between my laptop and desktop so i pay for the syncing. but if you write on only one device it's completely free! EDIT: some reblogs have mentioned that you can apparently link your own personal cloud storage (dropbox, gdrive, icloud, etc.) to obsidian for free! that way you can access your obsidian vaults across multiple devices without the extra fee. i don't mind supporting the devs but just something to look into if costs is a concern.

i typically use it for organizing my thoughts for a first draft. once i get all the scenes arranged and mostly written out, i will copy and paste them into ellipsus (also free & highly recommended as a google doc alternative) so that they're all in one document that i can edit.

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

Oi, como vai! Enfim consegui escrever mais um pouco. Confesso que não ficou muito bom, mas eu tentei meu melhor. Sabe quando não sai como você quer não importa o quanto você tente? Pelo menos um pouco do plot avançou.

Espero que esteja aceitavel. Se não fosse por vocês confesso que já teria largado essa história, não porque eu não goste dela e sim porque depois de dois meses escrevendo algo a motivação vai embora. Tipo, eu tenho todo o plot e milhares de cenas, mas na hora de colocar na pagina fica chato porque eu já sei o que vai acontecer. Então, eu sou mais uma criadora/imaginadora do que uma escritora. Enfim, eu tento meu melhor e vou continuar tentando por vocês.

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

Boa leitura!

— Lindo. 

Nico ignorou Percy que estava deitado na cama e terminou de secar os cabelos com a toalha, os penteando para trás. Colocou a camiseta, a puxou para baixo e abotoou suas calças, puxou o zíper para cima e se olhou em frente ao espelho. 

Se fosse por ele teria ficado na cozinha, onde pertencia, e teria terminado de ajudar com os preparativos para a festa mais tarde. Infelizmente, logo depois do pedido de casamento, Sally havia o expulsado da cozinha, o empurrando para longe do fogão enquanto Percy tinha lhe pegado no colo e o carregado pelas escadas até que chegaram ao quarto de Percy. E sem escolha, ainda cheio de farinha pelas roupas, entrou no banheiro sem reclamar, tomando um longo banho na banheira para logo depois procurar por roupas que ainda o servisse. Aparentemente, Percy não tinha jogado fora as coisas que ele havia deixado para trás, como sua calça jeans preta favorita ou suas camisetas cheias de piadas e de super-heróis estampadas nelas, ou mesmo sua jaqueta de couro, roupa que sua mãe costumava usar antes do câncer a impedir de levantar da cama. 

Ele admitia que as camisetas que antes eram largas e chegavam a suas coxas, agora serviam perfeitamente bem, embora um pouco mais justas do que ele gostaria, contornando suas curvas não tão masculinas; tirando seus ombros largos e altura, o resto era bem… bem magro em algumas partes e delgadas em outras, impossível de não reparar naquelas roupas justas. Ele nem gostava de pensar sobre isso. Talvez fosse por isso que Percy adorava segurar em sua cintura.

— Desde quando você tem esses músculos, hm? — Percy voltou a perguntar com bom-humor.

Músculos? Ele não via muitos. E claro, Percy até poderia enganá-lo se fosse alguns anos atrás. Agora? Ele conseguia ouvir o puro ciúme por trás do riso.

— Eu não sei. Tive tempo livre na Itália.

De fato, a vida em Verona era bem mais fácil e descomplicada do que essa primeira semana de volta estava sendo. Quer dizer, quando Percy estava envolvido, problemas e emoções fortes eram garantidos. Ele nem sabia porque ainda se lamentava, as coisas sempre tinham sido assim.

— Não faça essa cara. Hoje é dia de comemorar. Ou pelo menos é de acordo com Sally.

— Claro. — Nico revirou os olhos e enfim colocou sua jaqueta, enfiando os pés dentro de seus tênis de cano alto que também tinha ficado dentro do guarda-roupa de Percy. Agora sim, Nico estava de volta no passado e com o look completo. Ele quase se sentia nostálgico; se não fosse a ansiedade e a auto dúvida constante, sentiria saudade daquela época. — Vamos.

— Espera. Comprei uma coisa pra você.

— Mais um presente? O que vai ser agora? Um carro?

— Você precisa de outro? — Mas Percy estava sorrindo. Nico observou ele se levantar e dar a volta na cama, abrindo a gaveta da cômoda ao lado da cama. — Não é nada muito caro.

— O que é isso? — Dessa vez, o objeto nas mãos de Percy despertou sua curiosidade. Ele conseguia ver o que era, a questão era que Percy nunca tinha lhe dado nada desse tipo, foi o que o fez se aproximar mais e pegar o diário das mãos de Percy, abrindo a capa rígida e negra de couro, encontrando páginas simples e pautadas, notando uma dedicatória no lado de dentro da capa: “Para que seus pensamentos e ideias nunca se percam”. — Per?

— Eu pensei sobre o que você disse… sobre não conseguir se expressar.

— Me expressar?

— Na cama. — Percy disse e então segurou em suas mãos sobre o diário, o fazendo encará-lo. — Sei como as coisas podem ser… assustadoras de vez em quando. Quero que esse diário seja uma forma da gente conversar sem precisar de todo aquele… drama.

Percy usou a palavra “drama”, mas para Nico era mais… “humilhação”.

— Você vai escrever também?

— É claro.

— E você vai… vai ler tudo? Tudo o que eu escrever?

— Se você quiser.

Nico parou por um momento e encarou Percy, seu noivo, o amor de sua vida, a pessoa que sempre o aceitou incondicionalmente. Percy parecia tão calmo e confiante, tão sincero… ninguém antes fez tanto esforço para tentar entendê-lo. 

— Não precisa ser sobre isso. — Percy voltou a dizer. — Você pode escrever sobre qualquer coisa. Ou algo que você queira que eu saiba.

— Qualquer coisa? De verdade?

— O que foi? — Então, Percy voltou a sorrir, despreocupado. — O que você ainda tem para esconder de mim?

Esse foi o momento que a mortificação o tomou. Nico desviou o olhar e encarou o diário que ambos ainda seguravam, as alianças brilhando em seus dedos. Se somente Percy soubesse… ele não sabia se era a melhor ou a pior das ideias que Percy já tinha sugerido.

— Olha, você não precisa se forçar. Vamos deixar o diário do lado da cama e se você sentir vontade, ele vai estar aqui. Tudo bem?

Percy sorriu mais uma vez para ele, pegou o diário de suas mãos e o colocou em cima da cômoda, há menos de um metro de distância deles. Mas esse era o problema, Nico já sentia vontade de folhear aquele caderno e escrever o que viesse à mente, como num exercício de escrita livre, só que mais estranho e constrangedor. Sentia vontade de escrever e deixar tudo sair como há anos não fazia.

— Não, eu quero! Me dá. — E feito uma criancinha, Nico esticou a mão e pegou o diário, o abraçando contra o peito, se sentindo satisfeito ao segurar mais uma vez naquele caderno de couro negro.

— Fico feliz de saber que você gostou. — E agindo feito o papai que ambos se negavam a admitir, mesmo que ambos tivessem a mesma idade, Percy o abraçou forte e beijou seus cabelos, dizendo: — Bom garoto.

É claro que isso teve o efeito esperado. Nico escondeu o rosto no ombro de Percy e gemeu mais uma vez, mortificado, se recriminando por se sentir tão bem e contente com aquelas palavras. Ou com o cuidado que Percy continuava demonstrando dia após dia.

***

Antes de irem para a festa, Nico guardou o diário junto com a caixinha das alianças agora vazia dentro da mochila e segurou na mão Percy, fazendo o peito de Percy se aquecer com o gesto distraído de Nico. Não era o gesto mais romântico ou afetivo que ele já tinha visto, mas Nico fazia tudo com tanto cuidado que ele tinha certeza de ter feito a escolha certa ao esperar até aquele momento. Sabia que essas atitudes, tanto quanto as dele ou de Nico, vinha de um lugar doloroso; da perda e do abandono, coisas que ambos sentiram na pele e que queriam evitar a todo custo. Por isso, cada momento que servisse para a próxima-los seria motivo para comemorar. Ainda não acreditava que finalmente tinha proposto para Nico. Eles iriam se casar! Houve uma época em que Percy pensou que nunca mais veria Nico, e quem dera que estariam tão contentes e felizes, mesmo que o garotinho escondesse por detrás de um biquinho zangado e o costumeiro mau-humor e insegurança. E quem era ele para julgar como outras pessoas se comportavam quando ele era o pior deles? Tudo o que Percy sabia é que tinha um plano e que faria tudo para executá-lo com maestria. Ele sorriu para Nico, segurou de volta na mão oferecida a ele e quando menos percebeu, um dos ajudantes de sua mãe o guiavam para a parte externa da casa onde mesas estavam dispostas no jardim e pessoas já andavam pela pista de dança improvisada ao lado de uma mesa de buffet divida em três fileiras organizadas por pratos doces, frios e quentes, e ali nem estava toda a comida que ele tinha visto na cozinha.

— Vocês exageraram dessa vez.

— Nada foi nada além do normal. — Nico deu de ombros.

— Claro. Eu queria--

— Nico! Finalmente consegui te encontrar!

Percy suspirou e se deu por vencido, agora que ele estavam no meio daquelas pessoas seria impossível ter a atenção de Nico só para ele. Como em câmera lenta, viu Clarisse se aproximar deles em passos apressados e pegar Nico em um abraço de urso, o puxando para longe dele.

— Até quando você ia me ignorar!

— Eu não estava te ignorando! — Nico gritou de volta, mas abraçou Clarisse tão forte como ela tinha feito, fechando os olhos com prazer.

— Por que você não me disse que tinha voltado? E quando isso aconteceu?

— Faz… cinco dias? Seis?

— Oposto que é culpa dele.

— Clar!

— Não venha com isso pra cima de mim. Eu quero saber tudo!

— Pra depois você contar para Annabeth? Não, muito obrigado.

— Isso é não verdade. Fiz isso uma vez e--

Parecia que não teria jeito. Percy deixou Nico com Clarisse, vendo as pessoas se aproximar do par barulhento e voltou para dentro da casa, encontrando sua mãe agora com um longo vestido preto e saltos altos, embora ela ainda andasse pela cozinha de um lado para o outro, dando ordens e verificando os fornos ainda em funcionamento.

— Mãe.

— Oh, Percy, querido. — Sua mãe veio em passos rápidos até ele e apertou suas bochechas, as beijando em seguida. — Você podia ter me contado antes. Não tive tempo de preparar nada.

— Também não tive tempo.

Esse foi o momento que Percy abraçou a mãe e se deixou relaxar.

— O que foi, querido?

— Acho que Nico não quer ficar comigo.

— Percy, isso não faz sentido. Por que você pensaria isso? — Então, sua mãe tocou em seu rosto novamente e encarou com afeto.

— Ele mudou. A gente parece brigar a cada passo do caminho, e agora ele tem tantos amigos e coisas para fazer…

— Percy. — Agora sua mãe parecia decepcionada. — Nós conversamos sobre isso. Você precisa de ajuda?

— Não. — Ele negou, se afastando. Não queria voltar para horas eternas no psiquiatra ou se entupir de remédios.

— Querido, Nico está crescendo e você devia também.

— Eu sei. É só que… ele está me dizendo tantas coisas… eu não sabia que ele se sentia assim.

— Isso é ótimo. Quer dizer que ele confia em você.

No fundo Percy sabia disso. Ele só queria que alguém lhe dissesse que tudo ficaria bem. Mas não era o que sua mãe estava fazendo, como sempre ela dizia o que ele precisava ouvir e não o que ele gostaria.

— O que eu devo fazer?

— Nada que você não queira.

— E se ele só se casar comigo por pressão?

— Percy! — Sally segurou em seus ombro e riu em sua cara. — Meu garotinho está crescendo tão rápido. Me lembro como você fugia de qualquer responsabilidade e agora aqui estamos nós, você se preocupando com o bem-estar de outra pessoa?

— Ma-nhe! Estou falando sério!

— Olha, pelo meu ponto de vista, nunca vi Nico tão feliz ou calmo. Ele não parece estar se forçando a nada.

— Ele disse que não queria namorar comigo e eu insisti! E se ele falou a verdade?

— Querido, nada disso é sua responsabilidade. Ele aceitou por vontade própria. Mesmo que você queira protegê-lo, é decisão de Nico. Ele aceitando ou não, ainda que no futuro ele decidir ir embora mais uma vez, não será sua culpa.

— Então, de quem é a culpa?

— Ninguém tem culpa. São coisas que acontecem e nós temos que aceitá-las. E sendo sincera? Já era tempo, não? Se você tivesse conversado com Nico, nada disso teria acontecido. 

— Você… você estragou a surpresa. Eu devia ter falado com ele sozinho.

— Exatamente, querido. Você não vê? Quanto menos você disser, mais Nico se afastará de você.

— Você acha mesmo?

— Acredite em mim. Sei tudo sobre relações fracassadas. Não crie distância entre vocês, sim?

— Eu nunca faria isso.

— Não? Se você não diz o que sente, Nico pode pensar que você não se importa. 

— Eu--

— Você conversou com ele nos últimos dias?

— Sim, mas--

— Como ele reagiu?

Percy queria revirar os olhos. Sua mãe estava certa, como sempre. Nico tinha sido sincero de volta. O pior era pensar que Nico tinha guardado tudo dentro do peito, pensando que Percy não iria aceitá-lo ou que Percy não se importava. Pelo menos o tempo perdido no psiquiatra tinha servido para algo.

— Você tem razão. — Percy admitiu, olhando ao redor para as pessoas que continuavam andando de um lado para outro. — Eu não queria admitir a derrota.

— Querido.

— Eu fiz Nico ir embora antes e não quero ser o culpado de novo. É tão ruim ter cuidado em não destruir as coisas de novo?

— É claro que não. Eu entendo.

— Entende mesmo? — Então, Percy voltou a encarar a mãe. — Se você entende, você pode ficar fora disso?

— Tudo bem, não vou me meter. Mas você devia prestar atenção quem são seus amigos.

— O que isso significa?

— Aquela sua amiga loira está na festa. Pensei que vocês não se falavam mais?

— Quem? Annabeth?

— Ela mesmo.

— Eu não convidei ela.

— Então, quem convidou? — Sally e Percy se encararam durante longos momentos não entendendo o que estava acontecendo até que Percy tem um estalo e dá as costas para a mãe, voltando para o lado de fora. No jardim, ele encontra uma cena que pensou que nunca fosse ver, Annabeth com seus longos cabelos prateados brilhando no sol parecendo furiosa e Nico, com as calça rasgadas e camiseta preta, a encarando como se ela fosse uma minhoca prestes a ser pisoteada.

***

— O que está acontecendo aqui?

Quando Percy menos viu estava parado no meio da multidão, vendo Annabeth e Nico se voltando para ele.

Como em um passe de mágica, o ambiente mudou. Nico veio para seu lado e se segurou em sua mão, abaixando a cabeça e a encostando em seu ombro como o garotinho mais obediente e comportado, enquanto que Annabeth ficou lá, de cabeça erguida, parecendo mais furiosa ainda com a demonstração de afeto.

— Não foi nada, Per. A gente estava conversando sobre os velhos tempos. Não é, Anne? — Nico sorriu, o abraçando pela cintura e de repente o silêncio se fez, até os garçons e ajudantes da cozinha ficando em silêncio.

— Você, por acaso, está bêbado?

— Eu? Nunca! — Ele olhou para Nico e Nico fez um biquinho fofo. — Eu nunca faria isso.

Para provar sua teoria, Percy se inclinou sobre Nico e o beijou ali mesmo. Dessa vez, Nico não pareceu nenhum pouco encabulado. O garotinho o agarrou forte pela nuca e se deixou ser beijado, abrindo a boca na demonstração mais sem vergonha de afeto.

— Meu bebê está com ciúmes, hm?

— Não sei do que você está falando. — Mas o rubor no rosto de Nico dizia o Percy precisava saber.

— Por que a gente não conversa num lugar mais calmo? — Mas antes de guiar Nico para longe da multidão, Percy se voltou para Annabeth: — Você não foi convidada. Vá embora.

— Mas, Percy! Você prometeu!

— Eu não prometi nada.

— Seu mentir--

— Não vou repetir. 

Com isso, ele pegou Nico pela mão e o guiou para dentro da casa, deixando para tras uma multidão curiosa e uma loira espumando de raiva.

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Obrigada por ler! Sua presença e comentario é sempre bem-vindo!^^

O começo do fim

#desafiodascempalavras

Prompt: Apocalipse

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

Prompt tirado de https://promptuarium.wordpress.com/2020/01/06/survivors-2/

O começo do fim

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 a 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 pela árvores. Era a única opção se ele quisesse continuar escondido.