"...Mother?" (A Descendants × Hadeficent story)

Ch. 5 - Paper can't wrap fire

"Hades...I think I'm going for a shower."

Her eyes were feverish, her shoulders sagged, and Hades reached over to caress her cheek gently, "Mal, if you're not alright, I can ask Yen Sid to summon Asclepius." "It's fine. I feel fine." Maleficent muttered, a little unconvincingly, and his hand moved to massage her back slightly, "I just need a shower."

"Or maybe you need some fever medication?" Hades could feel her heat rising, something that occurred quite occasionally, and she gave a cough as she rose from the bed and stumbled, almost falling onto the floor, "Is the water heater working?" "Cold water. I don't advise you to use it." Hades sighed, standing up, and small flames danced on his arms, a tiny fragment of his past glory all he could provide, "I'll come in with you."

Unfortunately, halfway through the shower, whatever light and water they had all went out. Darkness engulfed the room, not even letting a single flare of light in, and Hades wrapped his arms around his wife as a precaution to keep her close to him, "Blackout. Again." "Hades, not so tight." Maleficent murmured, her wet hair slick against her high cheekbones, and he released the tension in his arm slightly, still holding onto her, "Are your clothes in here?"

"You left them outside..." Maleficent muttered, snapping her fingers slightly, and with whatever magic - frail wisps left on the Isle - she could summon, a small spark of green leapt into the air, in the shape of a small orb, "I'll go get it." "We'll go together. You'll catch a cold without me." Hades insisted, and Maleficent knew that it was useless to argue with him, for it was true; Hades could indeed regulate her temperature, with whatever of his flaming abilities he had left.

"Pain! Panic!" Hades hollered, but Maleficent flinched, having heard his hollering from right next to him, "They went out partying, remember? You dismissed them in your fit of rage." "I did?" Hades blinked, before he groaned in recollection of his actions, "So I did." "It's just a set of clothes. We can find one easily." Maleficent comforted him, reaching out towards the cabinets that held all their clothes, but just as she reached the cabinet door, the lights flickered on, and Maleficent froze in her actions.

She was barely covered, only with a large towel, and she had completely forgotten that she had also agreed long ago to Cruella De Vil's request to come for a late night visit. And then again, Cruella was not quite as polite as to knock before entering, and that was how Maleficent found herself staring straight at the woman with a cigarette holder in one hand and the other clutching thick furs staring back at her.

And Cruella finally seemed to realise something was wrong as she pulled the cigar from her lips, eyeing Maleficent and then Hades, before she cleared her throat.

"Err...is now a bad time, darling?"

...

"So..." Cruella helped herself to a bottle of cider, keeping her gaze on Maleficent, "How long?" "A little over 7 months." Maleficent answered, sipping on a cup of nearly expired juice, "Not quite due yet, I suppose." "7 months? Not due?" Cruella stared at her in disbelief, "You must be absolutely joking." "No. I'm a fae." Maleficent spoke shortly, as though it explained everything, and Cruella shrugged, "And the Isle miraculously doesn't know."

"I wear a cloak." Maleficent explained, reminding Cruella of the bat-like dark purple cape that she did see Maleficent wear occasionally, and Cruella cleared her throat, "Are you intending to announce it?" "Maybe in a few more months or so." Maleficent answered, resuming the sipping of her juice, and Cruella stared at her, before she shrugged, "Alright."

Alas.

Things don't always go your way.

For three weeks later, Cruella accidentally let slip of the secret for a trade of new cigars.