Room 507, Sunday Afternoon

[dontvotemeout]

After spending Friday night sleeping in the labyrinth, getting to crash in his bed last night had almost been a treat for Jason. He hadn't bothered setting an alarm for this morning, figuring that after dealing with groping hands and violent goblins he deserved to sleep in a little, so he hadn't been awake all that long even though the morning had long since passed. When he'd woken up, he'd found that fighting his way out with the others was finally taking its toll, and he was scratched up and sore enough that just staying in bed for a little while longer seemed like a great idea.

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[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"People bites would be a little different to explain," Nico said, clinging to the almost funny notion as he touched the torn skin on Jason's knuckles. "Imagine the scars."

[dontvotemeout]

"Especially if the scars were in an awkward place," Jason said, laughing. He looked down at his hands, and how Nico was touching them. "It's okay, I'll get better. It's not a big deal."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico smiled at Jason's laugh, freeing the boy's hands because his concern seemed unwelcome or unwarranted, or maybe both. "Yeah, I guess it's not like you're running off to fight again tomorrow. There's time for natural healing."

[dontvotemeout]

"Unless something else attacks us," Jason teased, before giving Nico another nudge. "I'm kidding, I swear. I appreciate the concern though. It's...kind of nice. Especially coming from you."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"You're funny," Nico said, knocking his shoulder against Jason's. "Though I am starting to wonder what gave you the idea I'm an uncaring bastard." He said it completely conversationally.

[dontvotemeout]

"That's not what I think," Jason said quickly. "I--that wasn't what I meant. I meant it's nice because I like you. It's, you know, not what I'm used to."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Ah," Nico felt he understood things better now. "In that case, you know, I do actually care. And not just because you usually have nice hands."

[dontvotemeout]

Jason smirked a little at that. "I know you do. It's just been a while since anyone's really cared. And that sounds totally pathetic, I know," he said, shaking his head with an embarrassed look. "But I want to make sure you know that it's not you, it's me."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Another thing you're wrong about," Nico told him, pulling his feet up to sneak under Jason's blanket. "It's not pathetic. I'm used to caring about people who forget I exist after a couple weeks. So when do we get to the part where you're usually right?"

[dontvotemeout]

As soon as Nico was under the blanket, Jason moved right up against him to share his warmth. "Maybe in a couple weeks? When I haven't forgotten you exist? Because that's so not going to happen. You're not exactly an easy person to forget, even if I didn't like you."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Easy for you to say," Nico replied, perfectly happy to share Jason's wealth of heat. "The black is not all that memorable for most people."

[dontvotemeout]

"It's not the black I pay attention to, it's you," Jason said. "How could anyone meet you and forget you?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," Nico shrugged, unsure how to explain being in his position. "I'm kind of an outsider, I guess. It doesn't bother me, but it's always been that way." Even when he was around for months at a time.

[dontvotemeout]

Jason gave Nico a thoughtful look. "Does it really not bother you, or do you just say that because it sounds better?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Only because of who he was did Jason get a straight answer. "Maybe a little. But there's no changing things." Not unless he wanted to follow in Luke's footsteps.

[dontvotemeout]

"That doesn't sound very fair," Jason said. "You're just as amazing as everyone else. You should be recognized as much as they are, right?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, it doesn't work that way," Nico shared. "As much as I appreciate you thinking that. I mean, it was a lot worse back in Luke's time, but it's still not exactly cool to be the kid who talks to ghosts and hangs out in the Underworld."

[dontvotemeout]

"Why not? That sounds badass," Jason said. "I mean, it's not like you only talk to ghosts, right?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico smirked, nudging Jason with his elbow. "Are you a ghost?"

[dontvotemeout]

Jason laughed and nudged Nico back. "I meant at home. I know that here us mortals have badgered you into speaking to us sometimes."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I happen to like talking to you mortals," Nico told him, reaching a hand under the blanket to poke at Jason's side. "But yes, I talk to demigods at camp. And nymphs and satyrs and everyone else."

[dontvotemeout]

Jason shifted a little closer to Nico, and tried to grab his hand under the blanket. "So, it sounds like talking to ghosts is just part of that," he said. "Can you talk to anyone you want, or do you just get a random ghost when you want to have a chat?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Almost anyone," Nico shared, his hand taken captive. "I can summon them to me. Well, I mean, there's a whole need for a pit and an offering, but they show up if I ask." Everyone except for his mother.

[dontvotemeout]

"That's awesome," Jason said in, well, awe. He intertwined his fingers with Nico's - so he couldn't poke him anymore, of course - and smiled. "There's so many people I'd want to talk to that I'd probably end up abusing the power. It's probably good I don't have that skill."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I tried my best to work the advantages when I was younger," Nico admitted a little embarrassed. "Sometimes it's best to let the dead be. Who would you want to see?"