Room 313, Sunday Afternoon

[dontvotemeout]

After calling Bruce and filling him in on how things were going - some things, at least, and Bruce might have known he was leaving stuff out, but Jason was convinced that it would be worse to tell Bruce everything - Jason went downstairs to check up on Nico. He knew that the demigods had things to make themselves feel better when they got hurt, but Nico had been looking really bad after his fight with Percy, and Jason was, quite honestly, worried. It was a weird feeling, and one he wasn't going to share with anyone else. Maybe not even Nico.

When he got to the door, Jason knocked, and listened for the sounds of anyone being in the room.

Comments

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Four days later, Nico had pretty well repressed how his battle with Percy had ended, ignoring the splash of color along his temple that was dissipating well with ointment. Now he was suffering through Luke's new training regimen that seemed to entail working Nico till he spit blood.

Which meant when he was done with practice for the day, he appreciated vegging out with games he could win.

Hearing the knock, Nico groaned and paused his game to go open the door, fully prepared to tell Percy to fuck off just because he could. But oh, that was so not Percy. "Oh, hey."

[dontvotemeout]

"Hey," Jason said, trying to give Nico a subtle once-over glance. "Am I interrupting anything?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Just a game. I just passed a save point if you wanted more than hi." Nico pulled the door open wider, stepping aside and allowing his body language to invite Jason in.

[dontvotemeout]

"I wouldn't have come down here just to say hi," Jason said, going inside. "I wanted to see how you're doing."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico shut the door, kicking a shoe out of the way and hurrying to clear the bed of stray pieces of armor in need of repair. Jason didn't need to hurt himself sitting on a wrist guard. "Uh, I'm good. A little beat up, but that's normal enough, right?"

[dontvotemeout]

"Not really," Jason said, watching Nico with amusement. "I mean, not if it's all the time. Are you feeling better, at least?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Of course it's all the time," he shrugged, smoothing out the blanket and taking a seat. "But can we not talk about that? I mean, I know what you're going to say and I so think skipping it would be better. At least on my end." Nico really didn't feel like hearing how expected his performance had been when matched with Percy.

[dontvotemeout]

"You don't want to talk about how hot you looked fighting?" Jason asked, sitting down next to Nico. "At least, from my view."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Totally not what he'd expected, no. "Okay, that part I'll listen to."

[dontvotemeout]

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Jason said with a smirk. "You were really badass. I don't know why I expected you guys to hold back, maybe 'cause it wasn't a real fight. But you really went at it, and with all your armor and stuff...yeah, it was fun to watch. You know, until you guys got really hurt."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, the end wasn't all that much, but we don't mess around with our sparring. Especially Percy." Since he was the natural and all.

[dontvotemeout]

"It didn't look like you were messing around either. You looked really awesome," Jason said sincerely. He might have had some inappropriate thoughts about Nico in all of his armor.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Uh, thanks," Nico replied, looking as surprised as he sounded that Jason would think that. "I'm still trying to get better. Maybe actually beat him next time."

[dontvotemeout]

"Before you knock each other out?" Jason said, unable to resist. "Are you sure you're okay?" he added, reaching over to gently touch the side of Nico's head, like he could feel for bumps.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico eyed him, but allowed Jason to inspect his bruises. "Fine. Just a punch to the side of the head. Nothing more than a reason to wear a helmet next time."

[dontvotemeout]

"Sounds like a good plan," Jason said, letting his hand drift down to Nico's arm until he noticed bruises there too. "Did Percy do that too?" He didn't remember seeing those in class.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Twisting his arm up so he could see what Jason saw, Nico shrugged. "Nah, that's just practice. Luke's working me hard, I'll put something on it later." Since he'd not noticed it before, oops.

[dontvotemeout]

"Luke did that to you?" Jason asked in surprise. "Shouldn't you be taking it a little easier until you're okay again?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Going easy won't amount to improvement," Nico told him, looking a little confused now. "Why aren't you getting that I'm okay?"

[dontvotemeout]

"Because you're still all banged up," Jason said, equally confused that Nico didn't get that. "You still look hurt and sore and...you know."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"And I know...you expected me to look better since I didn't actually lose?" Nico was totally guessing here.

[dontvotemeout]

"I expected you to not look worse since you were already hurt," Jason said, shifting closer so he could look Nico over for more bruises. "I just don't get you guys sometimes, I think, even still."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico rolled his eyes and pulled off his shirt to let Jason see the full damage from the last days. "It's really not bad. I put a vitamin ointment on the ones I can reach and I chewed a little ambrosia for the rib issue. I was made to get banged around by monsters, what's another demigod?"

[dontvotemeout]

"Someone who's apparently good at abusing you. I'm sorry, I just..." Jason trailed off, looking sheepish. "This is going to sound pathetic, but I just don't like seeing you hurt."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico's forehead crinkled with thought. "You're worried?" People weren't supposed to worry about him. It usually went the other way. "I mean, you probably shouldn't."