Disclaimer: PJO doesn't belong to me.

First Encounter

He squeezed the traps of his bag tightly as he looked around. It was so dark he had to squint his eyes to see just a little bit. His heart was pounding heavily. If anyone asked what he was doing here, he would say that he was just wandering, never I got lost.

He walked carefully not to step on anything, or anybody.

Then he saw her.

He couldn't see her features clearly, since it was too dark. But her eyes, blue, beautiful, shone as brightly as stars on the night sky. They were mesmerizing. So, even though he had no real reason or the need to, he called out.

"Hey, I'm Luke. What's your name?"

After a while, the response came.

"Thalia."

First Promise

"We are both run-away. So what do you think about – about traveling together?" Luke asked with his hand rubbing the back of his neck in nervous.

Seeing the indecision on Thalia's face, he bit his lips and said.

"Two is always better than one. We can watch out and support each other. We can also share food and clothes and money. And w-well, I'm good at stealing."

"And plus, it's not every day you meet a fellow demigod. I can have your back while fighting monsters." He added.

Still he got no answer from Thalia. Right before he was about to give up, she asked.

"Always?"

For some reason, he couldn't help but give her a small smile.

"Always. Promise."

First Getting Caught

"I thought you said you were good at stealing!"

"I am!"

"Then why the fuck are we running away from the cops?"

"This is really not the time for sarcasm. And don't swear. In case you don't notice, there's a giant dog after us!"

"And whose fault is that?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Even if my dad's the god of thieves, it doesn't guarantee 100% success."

"…Eh, Luke?"

"What?"

"I don't think that, wait, those are normal dogs."

"…Hellhounds. Shit."

"Don't swear."

"This is really not the time, Thalia."

First Fight

"Are you fucking stupid? You could have died!" shouted Thalia furiously.

"But I didn't. So could we please stop this matter?" Luke said exasperatedly.

"No. Because you're gonna make that fucking stupid mistake again and get yourself killed!"

"I can take care of myself!"

"Oh really? Then explain this huge gash on your back, Mr. I-can-take-care-of-myself!"

"Isn't it your fault? You're supposed to have my back!"

"How am I supposed to know that you're stupid enough to charge them yourself? Why the fuck did you do that? You think you're powerful after some triumph over small monsters? So now you can beat five empousai on your own?"

Thalia was at her limit now. Her throat felt raspy and Luke's attitude was annoying her to no end.

"Shut it, Thals. I'm sick of this." He let out a heavy sigh.

"What? Is my opinion no longer worth your precious time?"

"Whatever."

"Whatever?" Thalia repeated. "Fine. I give up. Have fun traveling alone."

Swung her backpack on her shoulder, she left a startle Luke behind without looking back.

First Making Up

"Hey." Luke said, sitting down next to her.

"Hey." She responded weakly.

"Look, I – I'm sorry. For brushing you off. And snapping at you."

"I was a little annoying, I admit. I'm just worried."

"…I know." He said understandingly.

"I…There's just the two of us Luke." She turned and looked at him. "If one day you're gone, what do I do? What can I do?" She blinked, trying to fight off tears.

His heart clenched. He never thought of Thalia as a deep and emotional person, a carefree girl she was. He never expected Thalia to cry for him. He couldn't help but feel happy as he did hold some kind of position in her heart.

He pulled her into a fierce hug.

"I won't leave you, ever."

And don't you dare leave me too.

First Nightmare

He was waken up by a thrashing sound. Turning around, he saw Thalia, eyes squeezing and forehead sweating. She was mumbling something – Jason, he wasn't so sure. He moved over and tried to wake her up, but to no avail. So instead, he rubbed her arm gently, hoping that it would soothe her somewhat. After a while, he body started to relax and her eyes squeezed not at tightly anymore.

He smiled.

"Sleep tight, Thalia."

First Jealousy

Holding the bag of supplies he just bought, he walked to where Thalia was waiting. The scene put him to a halt. Thalia and a strange guy (who was obviously hitting on her) were conversing rather happily. For some unknown reason, he was gritting his teeth. And before he realized, he was standing between them and yelling.

"Stay away from her!"

The guy frowned and retorted.

"Who are you to tell me to stay away?"

"Well, I happen to be her…" Her what? "…friend."

"Yeah right." The guy snorted.

That triggered something in him. His body reacted on its own and the next moment, his fist collided with the guy's nose. Luke flashed a smile of victory, watching him stumbling backwards. After all the monsters, beating this guy would be a piece of cake. There was no way he could lose this one-on-one fight. That was true, well, until his buddies came. Three, no, five, six,…

Oh shoot.

As he started to panic, he felt another back pressing against his own.

"Don't worry, I've got your back." Said Thalia.

"He smiled and the fight started. Fortunately, these guys decided to be gentleman and didn't hit Thalia at all. Instead, all the kicking and punching was happily aimed at him.

In the end, he owned a bruised jaw that hurt whenever he spoke, a black eye that made he look like a panda and finally, a limping leg.

Best day ever.

First 'Adoption'

"You should have discussed with me before letting her go with us."

Luke sighed.

"I know, but what else could I do? That's the best option, and she seems a sweet kid."

It was Thalia's turn to sigh.

"But how are we gonna take care of her?"

"Like usual. Stealing. We just need to steal more." Luke shrugged.

"Doesn't seem right."

"You were fine with it when there were just the two of us." He raised an eyebrow.

"Then how are we gonna protect her?"

"We can teach her to fight. She can hold on. Come on, Thalia. You're worrying yourself out."

"Fine." Thalia sighed again.

He smiled and put an arm around her shoulder.

"It's just like a family, isn't it? You're the mother, I'm the father, Annabeth's the child. And tomorrow, we're gonna celebrate to welcome our first 'recruitment'. What d'ya think?"

She smiled back.

"It's gonna be awesome."

First 'I Love You'

He didn't know if they could continue any longer. All of them seemed to be losing their last bit of strength. At this rate, none of them would reach the 'safe haven' Grover talked about. He stopped a little to catch his breath and spun around. The monsters were approaching, closer and closer. Before he resumed to running, Thalia held his wrist.

"We're not gonna make it." She said.

He looked at her quizzically. Then realization struck him.

"Don't." He begged.

"I have to."

She took his face in her hands and their lips met. Just briefly, a few seconds at most.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too." He whispered back hoarsely.

They looked at each other lingeringly. Then, as if practiced, she turned around and charged the monsters the moment he pulled the other two in the opposite direction.

That was their first 'I love you'.

And also their last.

A/N: A present for all of you after finals.

I've read somewhere that Thalia and Luke first met in a dragon cave, but I haven't read "Demigod's Diaries" so every time I just came up with a different setting for their encounter. In the First Getting Caught, the 'don't swear' part, I get that from Avengers 2. You know when Cap told Tony to mind his language then the whole Avengers didn't let it go for, like, the rest of the movie? (especially Tony). And in the First Jealousy, you may realize, I get the 'happen to be friend' from the infamous scene in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince.

Well, don't mind my rambling.

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