get up and shake the glitter off your clothes now

[kelpheaded]

When she wakes up, she doesn't realize anything's wrong at first. She's in a bed, soft but supportive, tucked under a thick blanket. She's cuddled up against a warm body, her head pillowed against a firm chest that moves up and down steadily with even breaths. It's comfortable, and when she cracks her eyes open and sees she's in a (hotel?) room that's empty aside from her sleeping companion, no monsters (why would she be looking for monsters?) or anything else dangerous in sight, she almost shuts her eyes again to fall back asleep.

It's the thought that she doesn't quite remember how she got here that really wakes her up. Because: how did she get here? Where is here? It might be safe... ish... in that she might not be in immediate danger, but there's a lot of unknowns right now, including the question of who the frick is in bed with her.

It would probably make more sense to stay quiet and take in more of the situation, but the realization that she's in bed with a stranger causes her to flail backwards in a way that would absolutely have had her falling off the side of the bed if the mattress itself wasn't surprisingly large. Instead, she ends up tangled gracelessly in the sheets and slightly frozen in place, like the guy waking up won't see her if she's completely still.

Comments

[gracedlightning]

He can't blame her for wanting to try to make it back on foot; he just nods and tightens his arm around her waist and tries to match his steps to hers so he's not pushing the pace faster than she's comfortable with.

Slow and steady is just fine with him, too. Slow and squishy, even, because his shoes are definitely squelching with every step. Oh, well - small price to pay.

"I'm not even sure what happened," he admits quietly, as they get closer to their hotel. "How did it just turn to dust?"

[kelpheaded]

"I don't know. I feel like I've seen it before? But I don't remember seeing it before. Like it made sense, but also it really, really doesn't."

It's barely been any time at all, and already she's feeling pretty exhausted of this whole amnesia thing. (And maybe kind of exhausted in general.)

[gracedlightning]

Jason laughs a little, but it's a grim sound. And he only makes it because he feels exactly the same way.

"I feel like the more time passes, the more I... don't remember things, exactly, but things feel familiar. Or right. Or wrong."

He does notice the way she seems to be sagging a little, and tries to adjust his grip accordingly to keep her close and upright without totally taking away her autonomy. "Almost there," he murmurs, in case it'll help.

[kelpheaded]

“Yeah. I think I know what you mean. And I know it’s barely been any time at all, but it’s already pretty frustrating.”

Truthfully, she’s pretty sure she needs a break, but they really are almost there, right? She can hold on for that long. Definitely. Absolutely.

Her legs collapse out from under her again.

[gracedlightning]

Jason might have an agreement on the tip of his tongue, but right about then Percy collapses, and he almost - but doesn't quite - trip trying to twist himself to keep her upright.

He's definitely got reflexes he had not known about, but he guesses after fighting a giant boar with a sword he apparently knows how to use, that isn't so surprising.

"Okay, yeah. Sorry - " he says, even as he's shifting and sliding his other arm under her legs to heft her up against his chest. "You're getting a ride the rest of the way."

At least they are almost there.

[kelpheaded]

She opens her mouth with intent to object to being carried, but he kind of has a point. They're not going to get anywhere very fast if her body keeps betraying her like this ever few yards. So instead she ends up huffing, but she doesn't fight it.

"Fine."

It... does feel surprisingly nice, to be bundled up against his chest like this. Unsurprisingly undignified, but nice.

[gracedlightning]

Jason does offer her another, "Sorry," that sounds only a little chagrined, but it really will get them back faster and without risking her getting hurt if being in the ocean is the only thing that was preventing it before. She definitely doesn't need to smash her nose trying to get back to the room.

He's aware it's not the most dignified option, but it's serviceable and he picks up the pace as best he can, trying to ignore the look the woman at the front desk gives them as he strides in and straight for the elevators.

Of course, "Can you push the button?" His hands are a little full and he can't quite elbow the call button.

[kelpheaded]

Luckily, Percy’s too busy pretending that this isn’t embarrassing to notice the way her acquaintance at the front desk eyes them like she has a very different idea of what they’ve been up to. “Yeah,” she says, reaching out for the call button and then, once it arrives, their floor number. Which leaves them in the elevator alone for a minute, which is fancy and has a very reflective wall that she can’t help but see the two of them in.

Yep. She looks about as embarrassing as she thought.

[gracedlightning]

It's... definitely a little awkward in the elevator, just standing there staring into the mirrored wall and waiting for it to rise to their floor. Jason offers Percy a hopeful smile in the reflection, glad they're almost back and very aware that he is once again dripping all over the floor. Oh, well - if they get charged extra for damages, it's not like they'll be the ones paying, right?

"You should probably rest for a little while," he says, mostly to have something to say in the silence before the doors open. Truth be told, he could use a rest, too; he's still feeling weirdly drained, even if he's in no danger of dropping her. It's a different kind of drained that he feels.

[kelpheaded]

“I really want to say that’s not necessary, but - “

But he is still carrying her. She sighs and lets her head rest against his chest, frowning for a moment when it occurs to her that he’s pretty soaked, actually. And she’s not. And she’s not sure why that’s caught her attention just now, except that for some reason she thinks she can fix that?

It’s not totally unlike controlling the water in the ocean. It’s just - coaxing the water off him, and letting it dissipate into the air. (It may not have been the best idea to do right now, given that she’s already pretty exhausted, but hey, it’s not like she can collapse again when he’s already carrying her.)

[gracedlightning]

The air in the elevator starts to grow decidedly more humid, right around the time Jason realizes that he's personally getting less wet.

On instinct, he tries to look down to check, but Percy's in his arms and that's really all he can see right now. But... yeah. Yeah, his shoes are less waterlogged.

"Are you doing that?" he asks curiously, as though anyone else could be.

[kelpheaded]

“Mm-hmm,” she murmurs, somehow sounding even more wiped out than she was a short while ago. Maybe she shouldn’t be experimenting with her powers right now. Maybe. She already did it, though, so it’s not like she can take it back. “Sorry I got you all soaked again.”

[gracedlightning]

Jason just lets out a soft breath that is, if anything, a fond sigh. He definitely gets the feeling she shouldn't have done it, but what's done is done.

"Nah, I figure it comes with being married to the daughter of the sea god?"

If they're really married. If this is real. He doesn't know, but he's got to assume they are. And this is.

"But thanks." He's not going to admonish her over it, though he suspects she'll argue a lot less against a nap now. Which is good.

[kelpheaded]

“Probably. Still.”

The doors open, after what feels like forever but probably just felt like that because she decided to strain her powers. “Felt bad. Those were your dry clothes. And the shirt’s already too tight.”

[gracedlightning]

"I definitely don't need it to shrink," he points out, but there's good-natured humor under it, even though he also feels his cheeks getting a little warm at the reminder.

But he does appreciate the way his shoes no longer squish when he steps out of the elevator. "D'you have the room key? There's one in my pocket."

Which... could get a little awkward if she doesn't have her own, but he really doesn't want to put her down now.

[kelpheaded]

“It looks good on you,” she helpfully points out because she might be a touch zonked out now. Which is a good excuse for saying the quiet thoughts out loud.

Anyway. She does have her room key, thank goodness, and it’s still dry, though it takes a little awkward wiggling to access while still in his arms. It’s successful, at least.

[gracedlightning]

"... Thanks," he murmurs, though he doesn't sound put out about it. He... kind of means it, even if he's not quite sure the tight shirt look is for him. Desperate times, after all. At least it doesn't look bad?

He lets Percy fish out her key and get the door open; he carries her into the room and nudges it shut with his foot, then beelines straight for the bed, because that's where he's going to put her down. Gently.

"Okay, let's just... stay here for a while," he says, dropping to sit on the bed beside her.

[kelpheaded]

She struggles upright for just long enough to pull her shoes off and let them fall somewhere she hopefully won’t trip on later before lying back down and scooting under the covers. It’s a nice bed, which she did not appreciate properly when they were both panicking about having no memory and waking up with a stranger.

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

[gracedlightning]

Jason gently nudges her shoes to the side and works on unlacing his own, admittedly more than a little grateful they're not sopping wet anymore.

He does pause then, though, before he settles down onto the other side of the bed, staying on top of the covers. He doesn't want to make Percy uncomfortable, after all.

He also doesn't close his eyes, just keeps them on the door - clearly keeping some kind of watch.