dance like waves along the wind {l.s.}

part 5

Niall handed him a crystal glass filled to the brim with syrupy ambrosia. Mint-cucumber flavoured this time.

"You look like you need it," the god said sympathetically as he settled down next to Louis with his own beverage in hand. "I call this a mojito. It's a little too overpowering for the mortals right now, but in time I am hoping they will take to it in a few centuries or so."

Louis chose not to answer, instead conveying his opinion by almost slurping down the entirety of the heavy liquid in one go, loving the way it soothed his throat like a balm. He would have to collect mint leaves the next time he was back at the garden so he could imitate the refreshing concoction.

Niall only watched in equal parts amazement and amusement as the glass was emptied in record time.

"Niall, you are the God of roads and doorways. Tell me which road I should choose please," Louis politely requested as he closed his eyes and leaned back onto the comfortable seats out on the verandah. Servants immediately came out with cool towels and a platter of delicious looking grapes and cheeses. Niall's house was one of his favourites in all of Mt. Olympus, adorned with gold touches and the same Olympian marble.

Niall only laughed. "Hermes does not offer directions like that and you know it, Lou. What I can do is send you on a gust of wind straight to Poseidon himself—with the assistance of Zephyrus, of course. Well, I guess since Harry resides in the sea right now, it would be south of us. But Notos would be more than happy to help, he's always been a romantic at heart."

Shooting up from his reclined position and startling the servants who were about to plop another grape into his mouth, Louis steadied the beverage in his hand before levelling a glare at his friend.

"It sure seems like you're offering me directions and wind intervention," he said sullenly. "I cannot talk to Harry right now. He will only make my head throb madly and we will inevitably scream at each other again and I simply cannot have that weighing on me. I feel fragile."

"Hey," Niall held his hands up in surrender. "You asked for council and I am simply advising you the best I know how to. We are Gods. It would be foolish to let miscommunication hold us back from loving each other. And a little birdie tells me that there is definitely something that needs to be discussed between the two of you."

"Who is it?" Louis demanded. "Has Hephaestus been running his mouth at the chess games again?"

Niall laughed at this. "Louis, you do realise you are one of the only gods who gets along with The Big Three. They all care about you in their own way which is exceedingly rare but that's not the point. Gossip and scandal is sure to run from their mouths all the way down to the other gods, those ornery nymphs, and even the servants."

"It's not a scandal, don't call it that Niall."

"I'm just saying," Niall continued on. "I really think Harry would be willing to put in the work for you, Lou. All you have to do is be honest with him. Let him know how much your insecurities affect you. That God would bottle up all of the ocean if it was what you wanted, and he can. You just cannot see past your own doubt."

Letting Niall's word sit in his brain, Louis sighed, chewing on a grape thoughtfully. It wasn't as if he hadn't tried to communicate in the past, but perhaps it was a little bit of his fault that he hadn't been clear enough.

Almost like he sensed Louis's swaying feelings, Niall prodded further. "You will have to see him at the Summer Solstice."

He tried not to think about how those words held an echoing familiarity to the ones Zayn had uttered a season prior.

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A beautiful creature soared through the sky, wings ablaze with all the prowess the world had to offer, before it settled down right in front of Louis's wondrous eyes.

"Pray Tell, what has our brother done now?" Zayn rolled his eyes, but even the dullest of men could pick out the slight interest colouring his tone.

Louis couldn't find the words to answer as he stepped up to the magnificent four-legged creature, entranced by the way its immense, shiny, wings fluttered under the moonlight.

"Hello there beautiful," he cooed. "You are so enchanting, I have never seen an animal like you before."

The creature huffed out a snort as if to agree and Louis couldn't help but giggle. "Of course you already know, how could you not?" he questioned rhetorically.

Louis slowly extended his hand out, making sure it was in sight of the animal's line of sight. After making sure it didn't react with hostility, Louis let his hand fall against the flank as he stroked the soft, white coat.

"I think he wanted to call it a pegasus?" Liam offered helpfully. "He worked tirelessly to perfect its form and shape before rendering it. She is meant to carry you to the Summer Solstice."

Louis gasped, already feeling something warm and fuzzy settling throughout his insides.

"He did this for me?" he gaped as the pegasus nudged his forehead with her own. "She is truly magnificent."

"Harry certainly has gone above and beyond," Liam applauded, impressed and slowly inching forward to the pegasus. "He has said he has created a simpler version of this animal called a horse. It will help the mortals greatly on Earth but this horse will not have the wings that your beloved pegasus does. He thought that might be too advanced for such a trivial species."

Louis laughed as Liam attempted to pet the magnificent being, but the pegasus just bucked her head away, levelling the god with a sceptical glare.

Even Zayn couldn't help but smirk at the frosty treatment. "Well it seems we have finally found a creature that will not yield to the King of the Gods," he teased his brother as Liam looked affronted.

"I think I shall name her Calliope, Callie for short," Louis interrupted loudly so as to prevent any further sibling squabbles.

"That is beautiful," Liam said, Zayn nodding in agreement. "A fitting name for such a beautiful pegasus."

"But just so everyone knows," Liam began pridefully as Louis groaned and Zayn rolled his eyes. "It was I, who slayed that impudent beast, Typhon and locked him in the pits of Tartarus. I don't know if you recall, but I harnessed the power of my lightning bolts to bring that monster to its horrid knees. No one has ever not yielded to me, and Calliope will be no exception."

"Well perhaps you don't remember my creation of the Kraken then," Zayn said mock boredly, as he examined his nails. "Just the most terrifying beast who slayed our Titan father for us?"

Louis laughed quietly into his hand at the pettiness between the sibling gods as he began to mount Callie.

"Perhaps you two will be able to catch the tail end evening of the Solstice once you are done with your pissing contest. Oh and don't even think of touching my pegasus, Liam," he called out gleefully, as he gently nudged Calliope.

The two brothers ceased their bickering to watch in awe as Calliope galloped a few metres and then took off into the gleaming night sky.

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