the song of persephone ♡ ziall/niam au [COMPLETE]

six

(a/n: sorry i didn't update for so long. i had absolutely 0 interest in this story, but people have been voting/commenting/asking me to update, so here ya go!)

niall had become accustomed to living in the underworld with liam. it was so different from living at home, and niall loved the change. liam treated him like a prince, and he found himself happier there than he'd ever been back at home.

"niall," liam said gently, sitting at the edge of his bed. niall was curled up on his side, hand curled up in a fist, fast asleep. "niall, sweetheart." he shook his shoulder gently, not wanting to startle the small boy awake.

"mmm?" niall rolled over, rubbing his eyes.

"hey, sweetheart." liam kept his voice soft. "you're heading home today."

niall jerked upright. "noooo," he whined, leaning his head against liam's broad chest. liam's hand immediately went up to stroke niall's hair. "can't i have one more day? i'll go back tomorrow, and we can spend one last day together?"

liam considered it. he knew one extra day wouldn't be that big of a deal, though demeter would throw a fit. "sure," he said, knowing that he really couldn't deny niall anything. "what would oen more day hurt, right?"

niall let out a whoop of joy and scrambled into liam's lap so he could hug him around the neck. in his excitement, he forgot himself, and planted a huge kiss right on liam's lips. liam froze in surprise, and niall pulled back, cheeks pink.

"sorry, sorry, sorry," he babbled, worming his way out of liam's lap, but he caught him by the hips.

"baby, it's okay," liam cooed. "you just caught me by surprise." he caught niall's chin in his large palm, thumb going up to stroke his cheek. "you want me to kiss you, angel?"

niall stared down at the comforter, biting his lip shyly. liam didn't rush him, just waited patiently until he finally looked up at him. "um...yeah," niall mumbled, still biting his lip. "i mean...i mean, if you want. don't want you to if you don't want to. i --" he was cut off by liam laughing, and then he leaned in and kissed him, gentle. it was obvious that niall wasn't experienced in kissing, which made it even more cute when he looped his arms around liam's neck in order to deepen the kiss.

liam broke the kiss soon after so niall could breathe. "was that okay, ni?"

niall just giggled, eyes a bit cloudy, lips kiss-bitten. "wow!"

"i'll take that as a yes," liam smirked, and niall blushed. "what do you wanna do for our last day together?"

"cuddle," niall informed him, leaning forward so that his cheek was smushed against liam's chest. 

"we can do that," liam snickered. "we could also make food if you wanted."

"pancakes?" niall chirped, and liam grinned with a nod.

- - -

by the time evening rolled around, niall's mood was starting to deflate. all he could think about was that he was going to have to go home, and soon. he really didn't want to -- he'd enjoyed being with liam so much, and he wasn't looking forward to spending six months with his mother before they could be together again.

"i'm gonna miss you so much," niall whispered. his tears dotted the pillow in the dark.

"shhh, baby," liam murmured, pulling niall closer. he didn't want to think about that, about niall being up there, so unprotected. "it's gonna be all right. i'm gonna miss you, too, though."

niall nestled closer. "i love you, liam."

liam's heart soared, and he could feel the exact second that happiness rolled over him like a wave. he rolled over niall, causing the boy to squeak, and then giggle as liam planted kisses everywhere he could reach. "oh, niall," he laughed. "i love you, too. of course i do. how could i not?"

niall couldn't stop giggling, even when liam stopped kissing him, and even as he slept, he had a smile on his face.

- - -

"i don't want to go," niall whispered. he was clinging to liam's shirt as they made their way to the house. niall couldn't lie, as much as he didn't want to be back, he'd missed the sun and the sky. "can't i stay?"

"your mother would never allow it," liam grumbled. it made niall feel a bit better that liam wasn't happy about this either.

"you're late!" demeter's voice called before they'd even rung the doorbell. she was tugging niall into her arms, kissing his head, cooing over her baby. "come inside, niall!"

"wait!" he gasped, "want to say goodbye --"

demeter slammed the door shut, and liam felt cold inside. he hadn't even got to kiss him one last time, to tell him he loved him, and it would be six months before he would get to again.