The Arms Hotel, Some Room, Monday Morning

[dontvotemeout]

When Jason first woke up, the only thing he was aware of at first was the feeling of Nico's body next to his in bed. Slowly though, more little things started to come to him, like the fact that the bed was a lot bigger than normal, and that he couldn't for the life of him remember how they'd ended up in bed in the first place. As Jason sat up a little, he tried to remember what he and Nico had done this weekend to end up in a hotel room, but nothing was coming to him at all.

Leaning over to Nico, Jason gave him a little shake. "Nico? Wake up," he said softly. Of course Nico would have the answers he wanted. He always had Jason's back, right?

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[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico started awake, half sitting up and groping for his sword (that was not actually under the hotel room pillow) before he realized Jason was right there and nothing was actually going to attack them. "'M awake," he murmured, stifling a yawn.

[dontvotemeout]

"Hey, sorry," Jason said quickly. He really was sorry that he'd had to wake Nico, but there was a good reason for it. "Nico, where are we?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico reached up to rub his eye and have a glance around. "The hotel? Oh gods, last night was...a really bad dream?" Okay, not bad, but complicated.

[dontvotemeout]

"Was there drinking? Because, um, I don't really remember much," Jason said, trying not to sound as worried as he felt. Amnesia wasn't exactly a good sign of anything, really. God, he hoped he hadn't said anything stupid and forgotten about it.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Maybe. It's still a little hazy in my head," Nico told him, trying to assure Jason that it wasn't just him as he leaned a little closer. "Everyone was really...old and you looked nothing like Percy."

[dontvotemeout]

"I didn't?" Jason asked, thinking hard to see if he could remember any details. "Was that a good thing?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Always," Nico said decidedly, thinking he could fall asleep again. "You were hot, don't worry. I had a--" he reached up, hand scratching at his face to make sure it was still bare, "--beard."

[dontvotemeout]

"I...think I maybe remember the beard," Jason said, running his hand over Nico's cheek. "But that's it. God, I hate this place sometimes."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, it's not about keeping my sanity, that's for sure," Nico replied, suddenly recalling how very dead everyone had been to him. He would just keep that detail to himself, though. No need to freak out anyone else.

[dontvotemeout]

"At least this isn't as awkward as waking up with someone I'm not used to waking up with," Jason said, trying to find any bright side he could. "Were you insane or something? Or evil? Is that why you had a beard?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I am not evil," Nico insisted, reaching over to give Jason a little shove. "Beards are distinguished or something. Or maybe razors were too expensive, I don't know."

[dontvotemeout]

"I bet you looked hot. I mean, I obviously thought you looked hot, or..." Jason trailed off, motioning to their current positions in the bed.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Nico snorted. "I always knew you were into me for my looks."

[dontvotemeout]

"That's not all I'm into. It's just a part of why I like you so much," Jason said, smiling softly before getting more serious. "I didn't do anything bad, did I? Especially to you."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"No," Nico said quickly, shaking his head. "You were great. I...I think I died in your world, so that was bad." If he gave one piece, he wouldn't have to give the others.

[dontvotemeout]

"Wait, what?" Jason asked, sitting up and looking at Nico. "What do you mean you died? But you were here, obviously."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"I know. But you said I was dead," Nico said, reaching up to stop Jason from going too far. "It's okay, I'm a demigod, remember? Stranger things have happened."

[dontvotemeout]

"Yeah, but...death's kind of a big deal," Jason insisted, laying back down and slipping an arm around Nico. "I don't like that at all. Do you think that could really happen?"

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

Jason was telling Nico that death was a big deal. There was something thoroughly amusing to Nico about that. "Yes. Nothing's certain." And at this point, he would still rather risk his life than see all the same people die all over again. "But I'll try my best not to die."

[dontvotemeout]

"Try hard. You're in tune with death, you should be able to stop anything like that from happening," Jason said, moving closer. "I'm almost glad I can't remember anything now. I don't want to remember how that must have felt."

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"Not good," Nico promised, glad he could wrap his arms around Jason for the time being. "And I can't stop death, but I can see when people are slipping away."

[dontvotemeout]

"Can you see yourself slipping away? Would you know if it was going to happen?" Jason asked, partly out of concern, and partly out of plain curiosity.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"No, it doesn't work that way," Nico explained. "But if you were seriously injured, like, to the point where if no one intervened you would die, I could see it. Kind of a useless skill since I'm no doctor."

[dontvotemeout]

"That's not useless. You'd know to get a doctor," Jason pointed out. "Nothing you can do is useless. It's all got a purpose, or you wouldn't be able to do it." It was possible that Jason just didn't like to hear Nico call himself useless.

[deaths-demigod.livejournal.com]

"You're seriously cute when you try to rationalize my weird powers," Nico told him, leaning in press a kiss to his cheek. "But if I had to give up one power, it'd be that one first."

Yes, he'd keep the coldness. It was weirdly useful to Nico.