SUMMARY

It's  easy for Tooru to be marvelled by Hinata's beauty. Everything he does,  no matter how average or simple, is always bright. How he waters the  hyacinths, how he plays volleyball, how he is always lighting up the  room he is at. It's even easier to fall in love with him.

If only he could have him.

"I guess what scares me the most now is the thought that I won't be able to protect you."

― Julia Hoban, Willow

The  first time Tooru sees him, he is marveled by his beauty. He is  fulfilling his duties as the sun god, driving his chariot across the  blue skies, and then he spots a man tending to the beautiful flowers of  his balcony. But that doesn't catch his attention, not the balcony on  itself, nor the man, but the flowers he is tending to. The hyacinths  look healthy and of a bright violet color, clashing with the greys that  seem to cover everything else around them. It's obvious for anyone that  the man takes great care of them.

Tooru, who holds hyacinths  especially close to his heart, remembering a love that could have been  but never really was, can't help but to feel interest. Who in the mortal  world would have a balcony solely for hyacinths? This is the first time  Tooru has ever seen one, and it's one of the most beautiful bunch of  hyacinths he has ever seen, rivalling even the ones left for him in his  shrines back when people still prayed for him every day.

With this  in mind, he sets his chariot - currently on his Ferrari mode - on  self-drive and goes to look a bit more closely. He doesn't appear in  front of the man, he is a mortal after all, but Tooru makes himself  invisible to observe without being noticed, and looks at the man from  where he is resting against the glass door that leads to the man's  apartment.

The man, Tooru notices once he is closer, is beautiful.  He is quite small, smaller than him by a long shot, and his orange hair  looks like it is on fire. His face holds a ton of freckles caused by  the summer sun, and his brown eyes shine with happiness as he hums an  idle melody while tending to the radiant hyacinths. Somehow, his sunny  expression rivals the beautiful flowers.

Tooru leaves soon after,  before the sun sets and his sister can spot him while she rides her own  chariot. But for the first time after thousands of years, Tooru can't  get a mortal out of his head.

Suddenly, Tooru finds himself  looking for the orange haired mortal every day while he rides his  chariot, a small smile tugging on his lips every time he sees him. The  man, Hinata Shouyou he comes to learn with time, isn't always tending to  the hyacinths, but everything he does is enthralling, from buying  groceries at the convenience store, to spiking balls at volleyball  practice, something he seems to love just as much as tending to the  flowers.

Tooru has never let Hinata see him. Even though mortals  no longer believe in them, and they have long since stopped praying for  them, the gods try not to alert them of their presence. Mortals are  safer that way, they don't get in the way of things, and the gods don't  have to worry about them at all.

But this mortal... well, Tooru  can't say he's not interested. Tooru has had many lovers in the past,  and was once considered to be quite a flirt. Still is, according to  Hajime, but then again, it's not Tooru's fault the other goddesses and  nymphs throw themselves at him. That doesn't mean he hasn't had a fling  or once during the last eons, but it has never been anything serious.  Not since the last one of his lovers got once again turned into a type  of plant. His sister Miko always laughs, telling him he's cursed and  that he should have been like her and taken a chastity oath. Tooru is  always sure to flip her off as he tells her her to watch it because she  has a son, one Tooru has to look after quite a lot, mind you.

Sometimes though, when he's feeling specially melancholic, he thinks maybe she's right.

Hinata though... Hinata is special. He makes Tooru feel things, things he thought forgotten after so much time without them.

The  thing with Hinata is that he does everything with passion. He plays  volleyball with passion, he waters the hyacinths with passion, he spends  time playing with his little sister with passion. Everything is just so  genuine and pure, the happiness, the sadness, the determination and the  frustration. Tooru can't get enough of it, can't stop being amazed by  just how radiant he is, how he illuminates a room every time he enters  it, how people just feel happier when he's with them. It's fascinating.

Things  change one day though, when during his daily observation sessions - no,  it is not stalking, Tooru is not a stalker despite what the myths say -  Hajime catches him.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, and Tooru  jumps more than a few centimeters in the air, almost knocking his head  against the small roof outside the convenience store he's using as a  place to watch Hinata from afar as he helps a group of kids with their  volleyball technique at the nearby park.

(Yes, for someone claiming not to be a stalker, Tooru gets quite alarmed when he gets caught doing something stalkerish).

"H-Hajime,  hey!" he says, eyes wide as he tries - and fails spectacularly - to  appear calm. "Nothing, just enjoying the view. You would be surprised of  how interesting mortals can be sometimes," he chokes down the nervous  laugh bubbling from his mouth.

"Yeah? Like that redhead over  there?" Hajime points at the park's direction, and Tooru's gaze  involuntarily follow the finger's imaginary line. Hinata is bending  down, patiently explaining to a kid how to do a receive in volleyball.  His face is adorned with a soft smile and bright eyes, and he moves his  arms on a demonstration.

"It's not what you think."

"U-huh.  Because you haven't been stalking that mortal for the last few months,"  Hajime deadpans, and Tooru sighs, knowing his efforts are futile. Hajime  knows him better than anyone. They aren't best friends for nothing.

At  first glance, one wouldn't think Hajime is the god of love. He looks  intimidating, can be a bit aggressive at times, and is often gruff. But  he's also level headed, and a pretty decent guy. His loyalty to his own  is admirable, his passion unrivalled. Hajime's advices are really good,  and not only on the love department, though those are especially  helpful. He's a sensible guy, he understands people, and he knows how to  make someone feel better.

He's also really hot, and Tooru is  pretty sure every single god and goddess has a major crush on him. Not  that he blames them, with those arms...

"Alright, I'll admit it. But  before you go on lecturing me, just... look at him," Tooru says, never  tearing his eyes from Hinata. He just can't, not when the redhead is so  hypnotic. "He's a professional volleyball player, and he plays for the  National team. But he does things like that, out of the goodness of his  heart. You should see it, how the room lights up when he arrives, how  everyone is happier around him. He grows the most beautiful hyacinths in  his apartment's balcony, and he doesn't let any of his roommates touch  them in fear of them ruining the flowers," Tooru tells his best friend,  softly telling him all the things that make Hinata Shouyou so special.

"Hyacinths?" Hajime looks slightly more interested, and Tooru nods, excited.

"Yeah,"  he says breathlessly, like the mere thought is enough to marvell him.  It probably is. "I've never seen hyacinths so beautiful. He cares for  them so much, you know? He always makes time for them even when he's  tired."

"If you like him so much, why haven't you shown yourself?" Tooru's head makes a crack sound as he turns around, looking at his best friend his he's crazy. "What? It's not like it's illegal."

"Well, yes, but— but I can't just go and talk to him. What if he thinks I'm weird?"

"You're a god."

"Is that supposed to be an encouragement or...?"

"Oh  for the love of— just go talk to him," Hajime rolls his eyes, but Tooru  still bites his lip, anxiously looking at Hinata, who is now talking  loudly so all the kids can hear him. "Are you doubting my advice now? Do  you need a reminder of who the god of love is?"

"You've never  told me to go through with my pursuits before," he says, trying to find a  reason not to go talk to that enthralling mortal. Hajime looks at him,  lips thinning in a straight line.

"You know why."

And Tooru  does know. While Hajime is the god of love, he does not decide who falls  in love with who. He just makes sure things happen as they should. Fate  is not something to me tampered with, even the gods know that. Hajime  can make people fall in love, and he can break couples apart - not that  he would, he is too kind for that, but he can - but if their fate says something different, there's little he can do.

There  are curses, and blessings of course, that make mortal's paths easier or  harder, but either way, fate always comes to get you at some point.

Tooru  often wonders if maybe the Fates placed a curse on him, that made his  love life so shitty. Hajime has tried to help him, countless of times,  but no matter what, nothing ever seems to work on him. His past  relationships all ended in tragedy, which is why Hajime never told him  it was a good idea. Tooru seldom listens to his advice, which is  probably why things always end in heartbreak for him. But even he gave  up after all the failed attempts. This is the first time Tooru has taken  a genuine interest for anyone in eons.

But this time... Hajime is telling him to go for it.

Does that mean Tooru has a chance? After all this time?

The  god of love vanishes before Tooru can pry for answers, before he can  convince his best friend to tell him it's a bad idea and that he should  leave the matter rest before he ends with his heart in pieces again,  watching as Hinata turns into something beautifully sad like a yellow  tulip, leaving him alone at the entrance of a convenience store,  watching a mortal with bright orange hair helping kids in the park.

(He, too, leaves soon after, still invisible to the mortal eye, and still a coward).

* * *

It's Takahiro, surprisingly, the one that makes Tooru think about going visible in front of Hinata for the first time.

Tooru  wasn't planning on it - he prefers to watch from afar, where his heart  is safe and Hinata can't hurt him - but when he sees the traveller god  talking with Hinata like they are old friends, all his rationality  leaves him, and all that's left is that instinctual feeling of mine.

Takahiro  is one of his closest friends, second only to Hajime, but that doesn't  mean he trusts the deity with something like his love life. In fact,  it's exactly the opposite. The last time Tooru let him and Issei drag  him to a blind date with a minor goddess, things didn't turn all that  good. He refuses to let them be a part of it since then, even if they  apologised, telling him they had no idea about the poisoned fangs.

Now,  seeing Takahiro in the mortal world isn't unusual. He likes to make  deliveries by himself when he has the time, and he's one of those  deities that enjoy confusing mortals with his seemingly crazy talk. But  Tooru is sure he has never been around Hinata before, which means either  Hajime told him about the redhead - which could be both totally  possible and at the same time not, it really depends on his mood and how  pissed he is with Tooru at the moment - or Takahiro has taken to  following him again.

Not really a pleasing experience either, he and his precious car can attest to that.

Either way, Tooru doesn't like it. Hinata is his  mortal, not Takahiro's. Tooru found him first, so Tooru gets to keep  him, and if Takahiro even thinks of trying to take him away, Tooru will  make him regret it.

So when Takahiro finally parts ways with  Hinata - the redhead has to go train with his team, and Takahiro can't  seem to find anything to hold him back any longer - Tooru marchs to him,  sickenly sweet smile in place, and sits down next to him in the bench  where he and Hinata had just been talking.

"Fancy seeing you here, Hiro-chan."

"I could say the same thing, Tooru, but we both know why you're here."

"What  were you doing talking with Shou-chan?" he asks, and something  possessive clings to him like a spiralling cobra as he says so because,  what is it he was doing, huh?

His eyes go wide as he realises his  mistake. Takahiro doesn't let it go either, shit eating smile creeping  on his face as he turns to face Tooru.

"Ohoho, is that a nickname I  heard? He doesn't even know you exist and you already have a nickname  for him? That's sounds a bit stalkerish, don't you think?"

"Oh,  shut up Takahiro! Like you don't stalk Issei while he's visiting his  shrines," he says with a huff, and while Takahiro's cheeks colour with a  light pink, that annoying smile of his doesn't leave. "How'd you find  out?"

"Hajime told me, of course."

"Traitor," Tooru mutters, already planning on how to steal Hajime's favourite dagger and give it to Shinji to melt in his forge.

"He  worries for you, there's a difference." Takahiro pats his back, and  Tooru falls back on the bench. He is right, of course. Hajime only ever  looks after him, and whenever he does something Tooru doesn't like -  when he's not just being an asshole, of course - it's because he cares.

Doesn't mean it's less annoying.

There  is a moment of silence, when neither Tooru nor Takahiro say anything.  As gods, silence is something they are more than used to, and it's not  really a bother. After knowing someone for so long, words stop being all  that important to communicate. Tooru knows that, with patience, he  could figure out Takahiro's intentions without any of them uttering a  single syllable. But he isn't feeling very patient at the moment,  because Takahiro was talking to Hinata, and he doesn't like it.

"What  are you doing here?" he asks again, not looking at his friend, taking  interest for the flowers that surround them instead. They aren't as  pretty as Hinata's hyacinths, but they hold a certain charm to them. Or  maybe that's just his inner romantic talking, who knows.

"I wanted  to make sure he's good for you," the sincere answer surprises him, but  he should have expected something like this. Just like Hajime, Takahiro  has been there ever since they were days old. He always liked to play  pranks on all of them, and then he wiselled his way out with his charm  and bargains that kept all parties happy. But Takahiro was there for  every heartbreak too, and he has seen how Tooru's heart breaks a little  bit more every time, to the point where he stopped trying altogether in a  last attempt to keep it whole. "Even if Hajime approves, I needed to  see it for myself. You're no good when your lovers turn to trees."

The  words sting, but in an aching, faded way. Takahiro is one of those  people who's blunt, he doesn't tell things by halves - unless he's  shamelessly lying to you, but that's another matter entirely - and he  doesn't sugarcoat anything. Tooru is used to his cutting words, how he's  not afraid to bring back old memories. It's refreshing, in a way. Most  deities are scared to even mention any of his past lovers, and the only  ones who ever do are his sister, Hajime, Takahiro and Issei. Akira may  do it too, from time to time, but that's just because he doesn't give a  damn about anyone's feelings except Yuutarou's.

"Well, you saw him. Now leave him alone." Tooru knows that would be too easy, but he is a dreamer, and there have been times when the Fates have smiled to him.

"Why?  He's actually pretty fun to be around. Maybe, if you won't make a move,  then I'll do it instead." Tooru would say he's joking, but he doesn't  know for sure. Takahiro is a prankster, his poker face is almost as good  as Akira's - and Akira invented poker, so it's a pretty damn good one -  and most importantly, Tooru is one hundred percent sure his friend  would go for it if he knew Tooru would do something.

Which Tooru would.

Ugh.

"I hate you so much sometimes. I'll tell Issei about this."

"Bold  of you to assume I haven't already." well, he has a good point there.  "Just go talk to him," Takahiro says, smile softening if only a little  as he stands up. "And I don't want to see you roaming Olympus for a few  hours, got it? If I do, I really will go and take your little Shou-chan  away."

He's gone before Tooru can reply, leaving the sun god  grumbling alone, thinking that maybe, he should take Takahiro's advice  this time, if only to get him off his back.

But the thing is,  Tooru is scared. He doesn't want Hinata to end up a like the rest of his  lovers did. His love life is a sequence of complicated stories and  tragic ends, and Tooru has fallen too deep for Hinata Shouyou to bear  with his possible disappearance. Gods are eternal, they don't age, they  don't pass away like mortals do. Tooru has always been aware of this,  and it has never bothered him all that much. But looking at Hinata,  watching that bright smile... he dreads the day when he'll pass away,  light leaving his eyes and soul going to his uncle's realm. Tooru can't  stop it, he knows he can't, but the least he can do is try to make that  day come as slow as possible.

If he has to stay away from him, to keep him from his curse, then so be it.

* * *

He  is once again observing Hinata, invisible to the mortal eye and leaning  against a wall as he watches Hinata's team going about their business.  They're good, as expected for a team on the first division of the V  League. The spikers are powerful, and everyone can do national rated  jump serves. Solid receives, all of them all around players, all in all,  a solid team. And Tooru has a blast watching them, they are hilarious.

They  all live together in the penthouse where Tooru first saw Hinata  watering the hyacinths, the same one where he is now. It's a strange  mix, between the rowdy trio of which Hinata is a part of, and the others  who have learned how to deal with them, but it works most of the time.  They all spend a lot of time together, given that they live in the same  place and have the same occupation, so Tooru guesses it's more out of  necessity than anything else. Well, not everyone can blast away their  friends when they are being annoying. Mortal life must be hard.

Even  though the possessive part of him would want to keep Hinata for himself  - you know, if he ever builds up the courage to talk to him - Tooru is  glad he has so many people looking after him. It's obvious his team  cares a lot about him, and they go out of their way to make sure he  stays safe, so Tooru guesses he can share him with them.

But they aren't always with him, and that day is one of those times.

It's  Hinata's turn to go buy groceries, and as always, he insists on going  alone even though half of the team offers to go with him. Tooru doesn't  know if it's because they fear the man won't be able to take all the  bags with him, or if they are just overprotective. Probably a mix of  both.

So as the redhead grabs his keys and his wallet, Tooru  considers going with him. That's what he usually does, not wanting to  leave Hinata out of his sight if he doesn't have to. He would go with  him, always two steps behind Hinata, the god's mouth quirking in a small  smile when he hears the redhead happily humming an idle melody like he  always does.

But this time Tooru is actually interested about what  that chaotic duo conformed by Bokuto Koutarou and Miya Atsumu are  talking about. It's about Ushijima Wakatoshi, a volleyball player of a  rival team that just keeps asking Hinata to go with them and ditch the  MSBY Black Jackals. He also seems to have a romantic interest, which is  something Tooru is not pleased with. So when he hears Bokuto and Miya  plotting on how to make him pay for trying to once again get Hinata,  Tooru can't just leave. How would he help otherwise?

So, he stays  in his post besides the wall and, still invisible, leaving Hinata to go  buy groceries on his own as he laughs - cackles - in delight at the many  ideas he is hearing.

He regrets that decision less than fifteen minutes later.

It's  just a small, tingling sensation. That feeling in the pit of his  stomach telling him something is wrong. Tooru has learned to trust his  instincts for the most part - he is the god of prophecies, after all -  so he doesn't doubt it before he's gone from the apartment, unnoticed by  the group of mortals who can't sense his power.

He reappears moments later near an alley, still invisible, and what he sees makes his golden ichor boil in anger.

Hinata, sweet Hinata who isn't anything but happy and cheery to everyone, Hinata who is his, is being pinned against a wall.

Now,  Hinata could possibly get out on his own. He is an athlete, and he  trains his muscles every day. He is in no way weak. But the guy pressing  him against the brick wall is at least twice his size, and Tooru knows  Hinata wouldn't hurt anyone if he can help it.

Oh well, it's a good thing Tooru has no qualms in doing it for him, then.

For  the first time in eons, Tooru becomes visible for mortals. It comes as a  simple thing, a reflex that, even though it's thought forgotten, comes  naturally, like riding a bike. One moment, he is invisible, and the  next, the mist that surrounds all that is mythical is warping mortals'  minds so that they don't notice him appearing seemingly out of thin air.

Tooru  marchs with purpose, half ignoring that voice in his head that sounds  suspiciously like Hajime telling him not to cause irreparable damage to  that filthy pice of scum touching Hinata. He is a god, he can do  whatever he fucking pleases, and if that means turning that  insignificant peasant to dust, then he'll do it.

As he approaches,  his vision turns red for a second when he hears Hinata's stuttering  voice, trying to be brave but obviously scared, telling that thing to stop touching him, and that he wants to be let go. And when Hinata is ignored, Tooru steps in.

"I  think he said he wants to be let go. Are you deaf besides stupid?"  Tooru asks, surprizing both Hinata and the man. His voice sounds  sickenly sweet with the undertone of a threat, and he has to suppress  the smirk in pleasure when he sees the scum try to hide his fear. Even a  simple mortal can tell Tooru is powerful, despite not knowing why.

"T-This  is none of your business," the man manages to get out, holding Hinata's  wrists harder and making him whimper in pain. This time Tooru doesn't  hide his condescending expression, masking off the rage that threatens  to fall over at the evident fear in Hinata's eyes.

"Oh, but it is. You see, you're making him uncomfortable, and even an idiot like you should know when to back off,"  his words are clear as he steps closer, a raised eyebrow in a sign of  'come on, do it now before I stop being nice'. "So I don't need to be  anyone special to just... you know, be a decent being."

"Why you—"

"If  you don't let him go, I'll make you regret it," Tooru says, and his  eyes flash gold only for the man to see. His face, half covered by a  dark beard, pales in fear, fear of something he cannot comprehend, and  he is running around in the opposite direction before Tooru has to say  anything else, in hopes that the god doesn't follow him.

It doesn't matter. He can find him later and make him pay.

For  now though, he has another thing to worry about. Hinata, even though he  is no longer trapped, is still against the wall, looking at him with a  mix of gratitude, curiosity, and wariness. When Tooru makes a move to  get closer, his expression pains when he sees Hinata trying to become  smaller.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. Are you alright? He  didn't do anything to you, did he?" even if he didn't, Tooru will make  him pay. Even looking at Hinata the wrong way is enough to deserve his  wrath.

"N-No, he didn't do anything... you got here first," Hinata  tells him, and Tooru stops for a moment, because this is the first time  he has ever had Hinata directing his words directly to him. This is the  first time he and Hinata have a real interaction, and Tooru could scream  in joy if he weren't making sure Hinata is alright. "Thank you."

"You're  welcome. I wouldn't want anything bad happening to you," Tooru says,  ignoring Hinata's confused expression. "Were you going somewhere? I can  accompany you until you get to a more crowded place."

Tooru knows  his offer is selfish. He knows that he only offered because he craves  for more time to talk to him, even though he is cursed and he shouldn't,  for Hinata's sake and his own. But when he sees those beautiful brown  eyes shine in relief, a shy nod and another thank you, Tooru can't find it in himself to regret it.

"My  name is Hinata Shouyou, by the way," says the redhead a few minutes  later, once they are both walking down the street. For the first time,  Tooru walks beside him instead of two steps behind, and he basks in the  mortal's attention with glee. It's addictive, he finds out only after  mere moments, knowing he has Hinata's unwavering gaze on him, to know he  is being seen by him.

"Tooru. It's nice to meet you,  even if the circumstances could be better," he says, flashing the  redhead a smile, and he would be blinded by the one he gets in response  if he weren't the sun god.

"Tooru, like the sun god?"

"Yes.  My... parents thought it would be funny. It's just a coincidence though!"  Tooru tries not to cringe. Isn't he supposed to be smooth?

Ah, right. That just works with the nymphs and goddesses. Damn Hajime and his stupid prank turned curse.

Hinata's giggling makes him look at the redhead again, eyes widening slightly and mouth parting at the beautiful sound.

He  is just walking down the street, with empty bags on his way to buy  groceries. He is just wearing sweatpants, an old volleyball jersey, a  hoodie and sneakers. His hair isn't styled in any way, fluffy and messy  from the wind. His face is mostly pale, cheeks and nose red from the  cold.

But just watching him, giggling for something that isn't  even that funny, Tooru can't help but feel that he lights up the whole  street, bubbly and charming in a way Hinata doesn't seem to realise.

Eventually,  after fifteen minutes of idle chat and silly laughing, they get to the  grocery store, and Tooru's entire self starts to deflate because this  means his time with Hinata is up. He can't keep dragging this, not if he  wants to keep him safe. So he turns to the redhead, ready to say  goodbye and go back to following him in silence, invisible, trying to  get enough of something that makes him insatiable. He is greeted with a  body closer than he remembers, and a couple of bright brown eyes, full  of what Tooru thinks is shyness and hope.

"I— umh... thank you,  again. For earlier. You really saved me back there," Hinata says,  rubbing the back of his neck, and Tooru smiles softly, the selfish,  godly part of him making him want to dip in for a kiss he knows he can't  have.

"Oh, I was really nothing. I just got really mad when I saw  him doing that to you," Tooru doesn't know why he says that, he really  doesn't know. He should just say goodbye, disappear and never let Hinata  see him again. He doesn't want Hinata to become another flower, another  tragedy to add to his tally mark. He doesn't want to see the sunshine  he found all those months ago disappear, slipping between his fingers  because of his own egoistical actions. Tooru has always been selfish,  even for the god's standards, but this time... he doesn't want to be the  cause of Hinata's demise. Which is why he pulls back, smile dimming.  "I'll leave you alone, then. Now that you're here, I'm not needed  anymore. Goodbye, Hinata Shouyou."

And he turns around, before he  regrets his choice and tries to keep stalling for more time, before he  manages to stay in Hinata's life for a few more moments, before he robs  his beautiful sun of his chance in the world.

"Wait!" a hand grabs  the sleeve of his coat, and Tooru turns around. Hinata's cheeks are  red, and he tries to convince himself it's because of the cold. Tooru  waits, patient - for Hinata, he would always be patient - and the ghost  of a smile graces his features as he watches the redhead fumble with his  words. "Do you think I could... maybe get your number?"

It feels  like the air got knocked off his lungs. Tooru's eyes bulge, and for a  moment he just stares, shocked. But then he sees Hinata's hopeful  expression, eyes bright and lower lip bitten, and he can't help it. He  hears Hajime's voice, telling him to take a chance, and for once, he  listens.

In a daze, Tooru gives out a phone number, one he doesn't  have but can obtain with a snap of his fingers, getting Hinata's number  in exchange. Tooru could get it on his own if he wanted, he could do a  lot of things if he wanted, but he finds himself liking it more this  way.

He is going to trust Hajime. He is going to trust Takahiro.  He is going to trust in love for the first time in eons. And if his  actions really do cause Hinata's death... then he'll do anything to fix  it.

And that's a promise.

Tooru - Apollo
Miko - Artemis
Hajime - Aphrodite
Takahiro - Hermes
Issei - Athena
Shinji - Hephaestus
Akira - Dionysius
Yuutarou - Deméter