always ♡ ziall au (gotg #2) [COMPLETE]

nove

"how are we going to get to the underworld?" liam asked one night. they'd been planning for weeks, never sure of when hades was going to attack. they had an idea of what his attack would be -- something regarding niall's easy loss of sunlight. "we'll have to arrive there somehow if we want to fight hades, right?"

"i know," niall answered. zayn, liam, and louis all lifted their heads to look at niall. "me. i'll be bait."

"no," zayn snapped immediately. 

"i'm with zee on this one," liam shrugged.

"yeah. me, too," louis frowned. "you're too valuable, niall."

"that makes no sense," niall argued. "if i don't go, one of you will have to. how are any of you less valuable than i am?" his words cracked like a whip. "you guys won't let me do anything. even if hades is attacking us and his target is me, i want to help somehow! you guys matter, too!" 

zayn stares at his soulmate for a little while, eyes so sad. "sorry, niall. you'll help somehow, but not this way." he switched his gaze to his hands, which were lightly shaking. "i can't lose you again."

"well, i can't lose any of you," niall snapped, and stormed upstairs.

- - -

"i need your help," niall demanded of his father. apollo was open to listen, as he always was when it came to niall. niall explained his plan to his father. apollo wasn't pleased either, but he understood where niall was coming from. "but you can't tell zayn," niall pleaded additionally. "dad, please. he'll never let me go through with this, and..." niall took a deep breath. his chest was aching. "this could be my last chance to save him."

- - -

it was early.

niall never thought he'd be grateful that zayn was a heavy sleeper, but tonight he was. he'd laid down with zayn until he fell asleep, cradling niall close. niall had been extremely affectionate, for obvious reasons, but zayn didn't suspect anything. he just accepted and dealt out the extra kisses, and niall had climbed into zayn's lap at one point, just wanting to be near him.

he felt bad for what he was about to do, knowing that zayn would probably never forgive him. so he wanted zayn to know how much he loved him before that happened. so every opportunity he had, he mumbled out an, "i love you."

"such a cutie," zayn had murmured, raining kisses on niall's cheeks. "i love you, too, sweetheart. i hope you know how much i do."

niall hoped zayn would remember that later, when he found out.

- - -

when he was sure zayn was deeply enough asleep, niall wormed his way out of the bed and pulled on jeans and a hoodie. his hands shook as he pulled on his backpack that his father had given him, and he turned to stare at zayn's sleeping face. he pressed a kiss to his cheek before he went down the stairs and out the front door.

"i'm ready," niall called to his father. he was sitting astride a motorcycle that was light grey and gold. he climbed on behind his father, wrapping his arms around his waist. he could smell his cologne as he leaned his cheek against his father's back, heart beating hard in his chest. "i love you," niall told his father as he started the bike, riding off to the gates of the underworld.

when niall got off his bike, apollo grabbed his arm before he could go.

"niall," he said softly. his eyes were full of pain; it hurt niall's chest to look at them. "please remember how loved you are. you are so loved. you are so loved, you are so brave, and i am so honored to be your father." he put a hand to niall's cheek. "you know i don't approve of this, but if i didn't help you, you would find a more dangerous way to get here. so please be careful, niall." he kissed his son's forehead. "my boy." he turned away then, not wanting niall to see his eyes fill with tears. 

niall took a deep breath then. it was all on him. it was time.

- - -

zayn woke up confused. the other half of the bed was empty, and when he put a hand out to touch the sheets, they were cold.

"niall?" he called, and then he saw the note.

zayn,

i know you'll be mad, and that's okay. you can be angry all you want -- you can even hate me -- but it won't change the fact that i did this because i love you.

you, liam, and louis are all i have. maybe it's selfish of me, but i didn't want to lose any of you, especially because we have become a family. so i made the selfish decision to go alone. to go instead, and to save you all.

i think once hades has me, he'll leave you three alone. that's what i'm banking on, anyway. i don't know if i'll ever see you again, but i hope someday you can forgive me. 

i have been blessed enough to hold you in my arms and kiss your face and see how you look younger when you sleep and hear your laugh and see you smile and usually i am surprised by how much i love you, but not today.

no -- today i am realizing that i would be willing to walk to the gates of hell to protect you.

and, of course, that's why i have to.

i love you forever. i will love you until the world ends and even as i take my final breath my thoughts will be of you, like always.

yours, always.

niall.

then zayn was very, very awake.