A/N - Hey guys. I did this one-shot for a friend of mine. She's a huge fan of Thalico. And me, not so much. But I will admit, it's pretty cool. So any way, I hope you enjoy this. And please, read and review. :D - Aria
Chapter One
Thalia sighed happily as she lay back in the lush, green meadow, staring in wonder at the setting sun. She could hear the crickets and frogs, the bees and the butterflies' wings; all of the wildlife surrounding her, bringing her closer to ultimate tranquility. The birds were singing and chirping cheerfully as they returned to their nest and the wind gently blew her midnight black hair around her. It was a picturesque scene and there was only one person who could undoubtedly perfect the beauty of it.
A ghost of a smile brushed her lips as she heard the footsteps approaching. She counted in her mind, four feet, three feet, two, one. She smiled widely as she felt the hands brush her shoulder. The brush of the lips on her cheek sent goose bumps racing down her skin, crawling over each other to send a shiver down her spine.
"Hello Nico, son of Hades. You have made me wait, long enough." Her voice was cold, calculative.
"Cut the crap, Thalia. We both know this is not business, Hunter or not." His voice was husky, persuasive; dangerous.
Thalia looked up into the deadliest pair of eyes she had ever seen, black; not a shred of sympathy, not a shred of remorse. Except when her looked at her and when he was in her presence. He always seemed so much calmer around her.
"You are right, as always, demigod."
"Perhaps you forget, daughter of Zeus, but you too are a demigod."
He pulled off his leather jacket and placed it on the ground. Lowering himself gracefully, he sat beside her.
"I never forget. But now I am a Hunter of Artemis. I am their Lieutenant."
"And you have sworn an oath never to give yourself to a man?"
"Indeed," she sighed, "Yet here I am. With you."
"Here you are, with me: a man. Tell me, Hunter, what is it that you hope to achieve by meeting with me here?"
His voice was silky, hypnotic. And his eyes pierced straight down to her very soul. But it was his mouth, the way it curved into a smirk, so sinfully beautiful, that was her undoing. His raven hair blew across his face, brushing his cheekbones, forehead and tickled his neck. He looked the epitome of Adonis. Gods forgive her, but he was more beautiful than any Adonis to her.
"Peace of mind," she whispered huskily.
His face was serious now.
"And was it so? Did you attain your peace of mind, Thalia?"
She started at the use of her name on his tongue.
"No," she stated simply.
His lips curved, "I thought not."
"Why do you think it so?"
"It is because I know of your reasons for calling me here."
"Do you? Please, enlighten me."
"Stop playing games with me Hunter, I am not your prey, nor am I a fool."
There was a trace of annoyance in his voice now.
"It is simple, really. You miss me."
Thalia smiled.
"Perhaps I do demigod, which is why I brought you a gift."
From her jacket, she retrieved a bundle wrapped in paper. She offered it to him and smiled gently when he took it
His laugh when he revealed its contents was infectious: rich, husky, real.
"Gummy bears? You remembered."
"How could I forget? It is your one weakness," she blushed.
"No, it is not. There is one other," he stated seriously.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"You."
"What?"
He faced her and captured her hands in his.
"My weakness is you, Thalia Grace."
Thalia stared at him in astonishment.
"You are the one thing that could hurt me. You control everything about me. If you wanted to kill me, right here, right now, I could not stop you. But, if anything or anyone were to harm you, I would drag them to hell and back to protect you. You hold my heart in the palm of your hand, Thalia. You could destroy me as easily as you breathe. You are my reason for living, the reason I breathe, every day. You are my life, the light in my darkness, the warmth in my coldness. And I will protect you until the day that I die," he swore. His voice was deadly serious, ringing with truth and sincerity.
Thalia sat frozen. All the air had left her lungs and she no longer believed her ears.
"Come with me," he implored, "We could leave this place, go to Italy, live there. Give me no excuses. I know you are no longer a Hunter. Whatever your reason, I do not care for it."
She gasped in fright and horror, attempting to pull away from him.
"How?" she asked terrified.
"Your attire. Do you honestly think that I would believe the Goddess of the Hunt would allow her Lieutenant to wear entirely black and leather? Also, the way you respond every time I call you 'Hunter'. But it does not trouble me. I prefer you this way; free. Not bound by your senseless oath," he sneered.
She tried to retrieve her hands from his firm grasp. Her face was of terror, a trapped bunny in the lion's den.
He was resilient. He would not allow her hands to leave his. He refused to let her comforting warmth leave him.
"Please, Thalia. I can never lose the only thing I deem precious to me. I cannot and will not let you go."
He spoke fiercely, firmly: absolutely. And then he did what he had been yearning to do since he first laid eyes on her.
He pulled her into an embrace; a possessive, fierce, passionate embrace that spoke in deafening volumes of his feelings towards her.
She sighed in both relief and demoralization and leaned in closer to him.
"Gods forgive me, but I cannot resist you," she whispered brokenly into his cloth covered shoulder.
"Then do not," he murmured back, "Do not resist. Come with me, stay with me. I promise I will protect you, care for you."
"Do you know why I left the Hunters?"
"Tell me."
"It was because Artemis noticed I was distracted. And she knew exactly why," she whispered.
"Why were you distracted?" he smirked against her neck.
She shoved his shoulder.
"You are too arrogant," she grumbled.
He released his grip on her and held her by her shoulders, onyx eyes penetrating her soul.
"Say it," he demanded.
"It is because I could never stop thinking of you," she admitted reluctantly.
"Hmm."
"Why is it that you do not seem surprised?" she asked in wonder.
"I knew."
"You assumed," she retorted, "I have said it once and I say it again, you are too arrogant," she smiled.
"No, I am simply very perceptive," he countered gently.
"If it allows you rest at night," she teased.
"Believe me; it does."
She blushed.
"It matters not fair maiden, for you have also been my distraction. And I know exactly why."
"Oh? Do tell."
He leaned close and whispered, "Because I love you."
And he sealed that declaration with a kiss, lips melding with each other.
And so, as the first stars came out, and the birds stopped twittering, Nico and Thalia, the perfect couple stood, black attire fluttering in the wind, bathed in the first starlight, silhouetted by the dark blue dusk and tied together in an embrace for eternity.
Never minding their love was once forbidden.
A/N - Sooo...how was it? Please, lemme know. Drop a review. :D Byee - Aria :D