A/N: So…. I love the Nico and Thalia pairing so this takes place when Thalia and Nico go to babysit their goddaughter—Sally and Paul's daughter, and Percy's half-sister, Thea. Thea is a three year- old, and Nico and Thalia have dated for five years. They're both twenty. So that means Thalia decided to quit the huntresses five years ago….. Because. Just—because. Lolz. So… Enjoy!
Thalia climbed up the stairs of Sally's apartment building with Nico following behind her. She loved to babysit her god-daughter Thea with her boyfriend Nico. She really loved Thea. She looked a lot like Percy, without the sea-green eyes, and was unbelievably smart. They visited her every Saturday, and came over whenever Sally needed a babysitter.
They soon reached the third floor were Sally's apartment was, and Thalia eagerly knocked. She smiled when Percy's mom answered the door. "Hey Thalia, Nico! Come in, Thea and Paul are in the living room." Sally said as she took Thalia's hand and directed her towards them.
"Thalia! Nicooooooo!" screeched Thea in her cute toddler voice as she ran toward us and lifted her arms up—signaling she wanted one of us to pick her up. Nico bent down to her level as she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a baby-kiss on the cheek. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a blueberry sucker. She happily snatched it out of his hand, unwrapped it, and started sucking on it as he picked her up.
"Nico! What have I told you about giving Thea sugar! Thalia, don't let him have any of the blue cookies!" Sally said from the kitchen. "What! Come on, Sally!" Nico complained while putting Thea in Thalia's hands and jogging towards her voice. Sally laughed as she emerged from the entryway and headed towards the front door with Paul following her. "Your guys know where everything is… Thalia, make sure Nico doesn't get any cookies, and you can make anything in the house for dinner. I'll see you I a few hours. Bye!" Sally called as she closed the door behind her.
Thalia smiled as she sat on the couch with Thea on her lap and Nico with his arm around her. "So…. Do you wanna play a game, Sweetie?" Thalia asked. "Yea! Yea! Play dress-up with me Thalia! Pleaseeee?" Thea cheered as she bounced off Thalia's lap and ran towards her room and came back dragging a trunk. Thalia shot the grinning Nico an annoyed look. He didn't have to dress-up. But Thalia allowed Thea to drag her to the bathroom to change.
She sat on the side of the bathtub and waited for Thea to find her something to dress-up in. Minutes later Thea came back from the living room holding a rather short electric blue princess-like dress. "Nico helped me pick it, Thalia!" Thea exclaimed as she gave Thalia the dress and pushed her legs into the bathroom. Figures, she thought. She hesitantly stepped into the blue dress, thinking that no matter how much she dreaded dresses like these, she was playing dress-up with Thea. But that didn't stop her from planning on punching Nico when they got home to the apartment they shared.
She stepped out of the bathroom wondering why Thea had a dress like this. In fact, it was probably Thea's! she thought. She walked out to the living room with a glare aimed towards Nico, and several ancient Greek curse words. Thalia smiled as she silently watched Nico zip the back of Thea's dress. "Yay! Thalia! Guess what? Nico took a cookie and told me not to tell you!" Thea's cute voice sang. A look of confusion followed as Nico sighed. "Oops. I don't think I'm supposed to tell you that. Sorry Nico!" Thea said as I hit Nico upside the head. "Come on, Thalia! You're the….. Queen! And I'm the Princess! And… Nicooooooooooooo!" Thea sang. He glanced up at her. "You're the King!" she continued. "You are on a trail to find the Princess and the Queen who are lost in the forest!" she squealed while dragging me around the house, trying to find a hiding place.
Nico laughed as he walked around the house, prolonging the experience to please Thea. He finally came across a small trunk and knew that they were in there. He paused as he heard whispering. "Thalia?" Thea mumbled. "Yes?" she answered. "Are you and Nico ever gonna get married? Because that's all Percy and Annie and Mommy talk about!" There were a few moments of silence. "What do you think?" she asked. "I think you should, like Mommy and Daddy, and Percy and Annie!" she exclaimed. "Maybe we will." She sighed. "When Nico and you get married, can I be the flower girl?" "Absolutely." "Promise?" "I promise." Thalia said. You could hear the smile in her voice. I opened the trunk moments later to reveal a scream of happiness. "You found us!" Thalia exclaimed for Thea's benefit.
Thalia cooked dinner for Thea a few minutes later, and tucked her in bed. She was smiling as she walked out of Thea's bedroom. "And why are you so happy if you don't mind me asking?" Nico asked as he wrapped his arms around her slim waist, and lowered his forehead against hers. She sighed. "Thea's pretty wise for a toddler." She concluded giving Nico a peck on the lips, and wrapping her arms around his neck. Nico thought he had a clue what she was talking about. A few minutes later Sally and Paul arrived home. "Thanks so much Thals. You too, Nico." Sally said, handing Thalia fifty dollars. "No, no. It's fine. We really love watching her." Thalia smiled hugging Paul and Sally. Sally attempted to get Thalia to accept it two more times before laughing it off.
Thalia and Nico walked home in the darkness holding hands. "Hey, do you want to get a sundae?" he asked. Thalia shrugged. "I guess." They walked to a small café somewhere down the road and ordered one to share. "So… what were you and Thea talking about?" Nico asked, though he knew the answer. "Flowers." She answered simply. "Girl things." Nico laughed while Thalia smiled. From an outsider's point of view, they looked like trouble. And they were, but with Nico's arm around Thalia and all her punk glory, they looked like they had had ran away together.
Nico smiled and fished around in his pocket for the small velvet box he had been carrying around for the last week or two. Thalia looked at his questioningly as he pulled out the small velvet box. He opened it with a smile, and realization dawned on her face. "Thalia, will you marry me?" he said as she gaped at the ring in surprise. "Yea. Um, I mean—Yes!" she exclaimed as he slipped the ring onto her finger. They grinned at each other, thinking about the uproar that had probably just erupted on Mt. Olympus. And they set off home. The heavens and the underworld. Engaged.