gift of the gods ♡ ziall au [COMPLETE]

uno

niall couldn't go a day without being addressed as a son of apollo.

sometimes he hated how obvious it was. it was a given in the luster of his skin, in the blondeness of his hair, in the whiteness of his smile. everyone knew that apollo had given him too much sunlight. it was twisted all inside of niall, a part of him, and there was no escaping that.

because of his...condition, niall spent a lot of his time alone. it was hard for him to get along with other people. they called him "sunshine," and "sunflower," and other things that would've been compliments if they'd sounded remotely kind.

they kind of made niall feel bitter. they dimmed the light that his father had given him, and niall could feel it going out. the children of ares were especially unkind, since they were filled with more war than the others, and they were especially cruel.

when niall felt particularly sad, he would reach out to his father. he would go to the farthest end of the village, where the sun would set, and lower himself to the ground. usually, if he just spoke his name, apollo would appear.

"apollo," niall called softly, chin resting on his knees. "i need your help, father." he waited for just an instant, and then his father appeared out of thin air.

"what's wrong?" apollo's voice was the sound of falling asleep, the song of the sunset.

"they hate me," niall whimpered. he knew he was being childish, whining like this, but he was hurt. "everyone else. they...they know i'm different. why did you give me so much sun?" niall's voice broke at the end. he was so close to crying.

"niall," apollo said, his tone of voice disappointed. "i...i'm sorry. i know that the fact that you have more sunlight in you is hard for you sometimes." he placed a hand on niall's shoulder, and niall could feel the sun leaking into his skin, recharging him. "but you also must remember that it's a gift. you have been given more light for a reason."

"what reason?" niall leaned a bit into the cradle of his father's arm, shut his eyes. his father was so warm, and niall felt like he had been sitting out in the cold for years.

"you'll know soon." apollo pressed a scorching kiss against niall's forehead. it would have burned anyone else. "have faith, son." he lifted niall's chin. "i have faith in you."

~ ~ ~

"i feel empty," zayn called out to the moon. he was beyond tired, but he was a son of artemis. the moon was a familiar face to him, and would always bring him peace.

"empty?" artemis' voice responded, and zayn jumped. she'd frightened him. "sorry. i always forget."

"empty," zayn nodded once he recovered. "i...i'm your only son, mother. i..." he took a deep breath. "i'd like to visit the mainland, if that's all right."

the hunters of artemis lived on an island, separate from the other demigods. because all of artemis' children were her hunters, they couldn't marry, and were made to stay separate from all of the other demigods at all times.

"you want to go to the mainland?" she repeated. she sounded agitated. "zayn...i've never let any of my children do that before. i'm not sure..."

"mother, i'll be careful, i promise!" zayn chirped. she hadn't outright said no, and he was getting excited.

"zayn..."

"just for one day, mother, please? i'll be back by the time apollo puts the sun away," he pleaded, sticking his lower lip out to pout at her.

"well..." artemis bit her lip. "okay. okay, fine, zayn, but you must be home by sundown."

"thank you, mother!" he cheered, and he threw his arms around her.

~ ~ ~

it was early morning when niall saw him. he liked to be up before the sun so that he could see his father raise it, and he was walking along the shoreline, waiting for apollo, when he saw him.

wading through the shallow part of the shore to the mainland was...a boy, a hunter of artemis. and he...well, niall could hardly breathe, he was so beautiful. his mouth fluttered open and shut like a fish, and his heart stuttered in his chest as the boy walked up to him.

"hi," he said, but all niall could do was gape, speechless. he was so damn pretty, niall was almost sure he was a son of aphrodite instead. "cat got your tongue?"

niall's cheeks pinked. "uh — um — hi."

zayn smirked at him. "what's your name?"

"n-niall," niall stammered. zayn's eyes traveled over niall's face.

"you've got so much sun in you," zayn said. he sounded surprised, but not displeased, and he was smiling a little. it was the first time that niall had felt real pride in being a son of apollo.

"apollo is my father," niall admitted, smiling shyly. "you're...a hunter of artemis? i thought they were all girls."

"all except one." zayn gave niall a small smile. "see you around, niall."

"wait!" niall called, shocked into silence until zayn was halfway off the beach. "what's your name?"

"zayn," zayn grinned, and niall's heart felt warmer than it ever had.