Room 507, Sunday Afternoon

[dontvotemeout]

Jason had woken up intending to have a nice, boring Sunday, but those plans had been set aside when he got a call from Bruce. He was going to have go to home in the next few weeks, and Bruce had a long list of things he wanted Jason to be ready for when he got back to Gotham. For now, that meant reading, so Jason was sprawled out on his bed, trying to absorb the information in front of him without falling asleep or skipping past the boring but necessary details to get to the good stuff.

[For that shadowy guy!]

Comments

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Well, I'd kind of expect you to be a little different with your criminals than with me," Nico replied. "But I don't have super fighting skills. I'm just probably stronger and faster."

[dontvotemeout]

"Stronger and faster makes a lot of difference. Half of what I'm able to pull off is because I'm faster than the idiots we fight," Jason said.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"So I'd have to take it easy on you?" It sounded so weird to Nico. He didn't think of himself as much more than taller than Jason.

[dontvotemeout]

"I assume so," Jason said. "I mean, I think it's probably safe to say you're stronger than me, but we'd have to really fight to find out."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"It'd be weird to try and hit you. Especially if I'm stronger. Just seems unfair." And he kind of liked, you know, hugging Jason. Not that he wanted to say that.

[dontvotemeout]

"We don't have to test my theory," Jason said around a mouthful of candy. "I'm perfectly happy just figuring you're stronger. And you get beat up enough by Luke. You don't need me adding to your bruises." Plus, he liked hugging Nico a lot more too.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"We could do it in a way that doesn't involve me trying to punch you," Nico suggested. "Just for curiosity's sake. Like, I'm kind of interested to know what you can do."

[dontvotemeout]

"I'm interested to know what you can do too," Jason said. "Maybe we could spar, but like, not as seriously as you and Luke do. More like a test of each other's skills or something." Nico fighting was hot, so, if nothing else, it'd be enjoyable for that.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yes, or even something like, attacking gym equipment. You could see serious without the repercussions of it." This idea had Nico smiling and throwing candy in the air so he could lean his head back and catch it.

[dontvotemeout]

"Hey, that's a really good idea," Jason said, laughing as he watched Nico. "You're just impressive all over today."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I'm not impressive all the time?" Nico scoffed. "Now I'm hurt, Jay."

[dontvotemeout]

"Oh, you know what I meant," Jason said, giving Nico a nudge. "So, what did you get up to last night? Anything good?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't call it good," he said, leaning toward Jason's nudging arm. "I went down to see the zombies play and ended up in that three minute dating thing again."

[dontvotemeout]

That definitely wasn't what Jason had expected to hear. "You did?" he said, managing to sound nonchalant in the hope that he wouldn't cause Nico to clam up. "Um, the dating thing, I mean, not going to see the zombies play, although that's pretty unique, you have to admit."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Not on purpose, I kinda got roped into it," Nice said, finding his explanation sounded lame now that he was saying it to Jason. "I wasn't like, trying to get dates for later. I mean, I invited a kid to come see Luke and I train, but that was all."

[dontvotemeout]

"So, why'd you let yourself get roped in, if you weren't looking for dates?" Jason asked, very grateful that he had candy in his hands to focus on.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," Nico shrugged, wondering why Jason was staring at his hands like that. "It was kind of an impulsive thing. Like, sure, why not talk to a bunch of people really fast, get in my monthly quota so Luke can't call me antisocial again."

[dontvotemeout]

As easy as it might have been for Nico to lie, Jason's instincts were telling him that Nico was telling the truth. Of course, that was what he wanted to believe, but he was going to go with his instincts nonetheless. "You really weren't looking for dates? Just conversation?" he asked, taking a chance on glancing at Nico.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"That's what I just said," Nico replied slowly, still not quite getting what Jason was after. "I wasn't looking for sex either, before you ask."

[dontvotemeout]

"I...don't know if I was going to ask that, actually." He hadn't gotten that far in his thought process, to be honest. After a moment, he added, "Do you want to look for dates? Or am I being stupid right now?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you're stupid," Nico told him, Jason being one of the smartest people he knew, keeping in mind Nico knew two Percy's. "But I'm starting to feel like I did something really wrong going on those dates, no matter how harmless I thought it was."

[dontvotemeout]

"No, hey, you didn't do anything wrong," Jason said, shaking his head. "If you think the dates were harmless, then they were. Like I said, I'm just being stupid." And jealous, but he wasn't going to say that out loud.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Nico definitely didn't think he should tell Jason about how he'd spent three minutes completely in love with Hank from class after that. "Okay. You really don't want me to date, huh?"

[dontvotemeout]

"No, that's not what I meant," Jason said quickly, despite how the thought of Nico making out with other people made his stomach feel a little tight. That seemed like the answer Nico wanted him to give. "I don't have any right to say that. I want whatever's gonna keep you happy, you know? That's why I was being stupid, I shouldn't have even asked."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Oh, okay." Nico thought he understood even less now, if that was possible. But if Jason wanted him to do what would make him happy, well, he could try that. "Um, do you wanna go on a date with me, Jay?"