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

Bonus One-shot (2) :)

A/N: 

Same as last time, the better formatted version with tags and all is up on AO3. This one contains Hadeficent, but also my sad attempt at Little Mal. It's titled Family, At Last. Emo ending, you have been warned, rubyyhaleee says it's touching so I'll take her word for it. The writing prompt is in the media section, but I've typed it out below for those who can't see it.

Towards the end it gets a little more...analogical? I mean there's some contrasting factors, ig. Btw there's intentional moderate OOC parts because mmm I need that stark difference yeah.

If anyone wants the link to my music when I was writing this (like writer's pick for mood music but not exactly it's not related, it's just mood that makes me feel enough to churn stuff out), here it is https://open.spotify.com/playlist/723RV0LEBCbCGsJHdYowsj?si=09e8a5cc034f4972 yep

That's about it. Please enjoy :)

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Based on: Writing prompt: With no other choice left, you summon the devil. It becomes very awkward when your Dad that 'left to buy cigarettes' suddenly appears in the circle.

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"Tell your father to lay off those cigars, Mali, it's not healthy. Tell him to try gum."

Maleira nods obediently, pausing in her mother's foot massage to get up, but Hadith merely tosses her a ball of gum, a piece of hay peeking from between teeth as he nods at Nyladi, "Gum's for kids, Nyla. And it's not cigars, it's cigarettes." Her father's voice is gruff, as is always, but he softens when he reaches over to give an unlikely gentle pat to her mother's swollen belly, "I'll bring back some rum. You look like you'll need it."

Then, turning to his daughter, Hadith rubs her head with his knuckles, like he always does, "I heard Jay and Evelynn came by to look for you? What's stopping you, buddy?" "Nothing, Papi." She mumbles, twisting her fingers to keep herself from looking at her father, "I'd rather be here with Mam." "Silly girl." Her father cups her chin with one big hand, making her look up at him, "At this age, you should be out there playing with kids. Besides, there's still Cerbie here." He nods at the oversized hound currently snoozing under Nyladi's hand, a midnight Mastweiler they saved from the garbage disposal yard, "Your Mam will be fine."

"Mmm." Nyladi hums her agreement, flicking her hand at Maleira in a chasing gesture, "Run along now, just be back before dinner." Her rocking chair gives a creak as she shifts herself, "Staying here won't make your sibling come earlier, darling."

Both her parents nod at her encouragingly, and Maleira doesn't have the heart to tell them that the neighbours' kids are weird and being around them means she'd catch some of that oddity, too. "Sure." She fumbles for the metal ring Hadith gave her when she turned seven, because it'll work in a fix, like a knuckle duster if she needs to attack, "Bye Mam. Bye Papi."

It doesn't take more than two steps off her porch before she's knocked off her feet, and long black hair falls in her face, hair that's not hers. "Leira!" Jay punches her in the arm, half playfully, and he throws his head back, black mane flying, "Hadith threw you out, eh?" He eyes her father, who waves at them as his bike groans its complaints, "Evelynn brought her brother today. Lil' Carlos."

He raises his hand again, and Maleira punches him in the upper leg first, before he can land another on her arm. "Woah, woah." Jay backs away, wincing at the sting in his thigh, "Someone's feisty today."

That earns a glare, and the nine year old pinch his lips shut tightly. It doesn't matter that he's a year older than Maleira and Evelynn, and three years older than Carlos. Whenever Maleira turns those unearthly sharp green eyes on anyone, it'll make you feel like you're six years old. Her mother, Nyladi, is quite warm too, but on the rare occasions that she's angry, Jay would recognise that hawkish stare anywhere. It makes you feel like you're barely a year old, desperately crawling away from her wrath.