The Darkest Love Maleficent X Hades

5 The cold forest

Maleficent POV's

Had been walking for what felt like half an hour, frustration building with every step. I still couldn't understand why I had to be the one to go looking for Hades. Uliana and Morgie had mumbled something about mending things between him and Hook, but I honestly couldn't care less. Plus, I had been asleep during that whole scene, so how was I supposed to know what had gone down?

Annoyed, I kept protesting silently in my head, trudging further into the nearby forest. If he wasn't here either, I was done with this. The forest air was cold and damp, and the chill began to creep through my jacket. This place was dark and unwelcoming, with shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly between the towering trees. Not my favorite spot.

I was ready to give up when, just as I was about to turn back, something caught my eye—a flicker of blue light, faint but unmistakable.

Curiosity piqued, I pushed through a patch of undergrowth and found Hades standing by a small pond. He was hurling tiny bursts of blue fire onto the water's surface, creating an entrancing dance of light and ripples. The flames flickered in rhythm with the soft sounds of nature, casting his face in a pale, almost ethereal glow.

"Wow," I whispered without thinking, stepping closer.

He spun around, clearly startled, his usually sharp features softening just a little. "Uh, what are you doing here?" he asked, his tone confused but not unfriendly.

I shrugged. "Honestly? I don't really know. The others seemed to think I could help you sort things out with Hook or something, but I'm not exactly sure how." I felt a bit silly even saying it out loud. What could I, of all people, possibly say to make things better?

He chuckled, a brief, humorless sound. His eyes lingered on me for a second longer than I expected, and for the first time, I noticed how tired he looked—like he was carrying something much heavier than he let on. He leaned back against the trunk of a nearby tree, his gaze shifting to the pond, the flickering blue light reflected in his eyes.

I sat down beside him, the ground cool and damp beneath me. We didn't speak at first, the silence between us thick and almost oppressive. I wasn't used to seeing him like this. The usual cocky, flippant Hades seemed to have disappeared, replaced by someone quieter—someone far more vulnerable than I'd ever imagined.

"I know I'm beautiful, sweetheart, but staring this much? You're going to drain me of my charm," he said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence, though the teasing edge in it wasn't quite as sharp as usual.

I blinked, realizing that I had, in fact, been staring at him. "What? No! I wasn't... I mean, I'm not..." I stammered, caught off guard.

"Yeah, yeah, as you wish." He smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

I rolled my eyes, trying to shake off the strange tension. "Ugh, anyway... about what happened earlier in class," I said, trying to steer the conversation back to why I was there. "Do you want to talk about it? Or is it that bad?"

Hades' expression darkened, his smirk vanishing. "Mhm," he muttered, barely acknowledging my question.

I frowned, leaning closer. "Is it really that hard to talk about? You don't even know why you went off on James?"

He sighed heavily, turning his face toward me. His eyes locked with mine, and for the first time, I could see something raw behind his usual bravado—confusion, frustration, maybe even guilt. He was sitting just a little too close now, the warmth of his body contrasting sharply with the cool forest air.

"I don't know," he said quietly, his voice low. "I didn't mean it. I was just... mad. But I don't even know why. It's frustrating."

I watched him carefully. There was something different in the way he spoke, in the way he looked at me. It was like a wall had come down, and beneath it, I saw someone else entirely—someone who wasn't always sure of himself, who wasn't always in control.

Before I knew what I was doing, my hand reached up, gently brushing his cheek. "You don't have to figure it all out right now," I said softly, surprising myself with how gentle my voice sounded. "Whatever it is, you'll sort it out. Just give it time."

Hades didn't pull away from my touch. In fact, he seemed to lean into it, just slightly. For a moment, there was something unspoken between us—an understanding, a connection that I hadn't realized was there before. His usual bravado had faded entirely, replaced by a vulnerability I had never seen in him.

"Yeah," he murmured, offering a small, hesitant smile. "I hope so."

We fell into silence again, but it wasn't the awkward kind. This silence felt... different. Comfortable, in a way. We didn't need words. The forest around us seemed to fade away, the rustling of leaves and the distant sound of water becoming mere background noise.

At some point, he took off his jacket, draping it over my shoulders without a word.

"There's no need, really," I started to protest, but he placed a hand on my cheek, gently guiding my face back toward him.

"Your cheeks are red, and I doubt it's because of my charm," he said, his voice soft but teasing. I let out a small laugh, feeling the tension ease just a little.

"Maybe a little bit," I joked back, pulling his jacket tighter around me.

We sat like that, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. I could feel my heart beating faster in my chest, but I couldn't bring myself to look away from him. His eyes were intense, piercing blue, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel the urge to run or hide.

Hades shifted slightly, closing the distance between us. His hand found mine, his touch gentle but firm, and suddenly the space between us felt unbearably small. I could feel his breath, warm and steady, against my skin. The air seemed to crackle with tension, the kind that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

We were inches apart now. One breath away from something I didn't know how to define, but that I felt deep in my bones. I didn't move. Neither did he. It was like we were suspended in this single moment, and neither of us dared to break it.... utill....

Ok I have to admit it, i loved writing this chapter (not sorry for the cliffhanger tho :)