Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒞𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓇𝓂𝑜𝓇 ·.

THE NEXT MORNING, the sun barely pierced through the heavy curtains of Maleficent's room at Merlin Academy. The light was dim, casting long shadows over the stone walls, and the air was thick with the remnants of last night's storms. Raindrops still clung to the windowpane, sliding down in slow, uneven trails.

Maleficent lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The events of the previous day replayed in her mind, a jumble of emotions and half-formed thoughts. She had never intended for things to spiral so out of control. The idea that she had fainted—twice—was humiliating enough. The fact that Hades had witnessed it, that he had seen her at her most vulnerable, gnawed at her even more.

But it wasn't just that. It was the panic attack that had followed, the way she had completely lost control in front of him and her friends. The walls she had built around herself felt as though they were crumbling, exposing the parts of her she had tried so hard to keep hidden.

The worst part was the truth she had admitted to herself, if not to anyone else. She wasn't just skipping meals because she wasn't hungry. It was more complicated than that—so much more complicated.

A soft knock on the door broke through her thoughts. She stiffened, immediately on edge. Eve and Cruella had already visited earlier, and she doubted they would back so soon. Which meant. . .

"Maleficent?" Hades' voice called out from the other side. "Can I come in?"

She hesitated, her mind racing. Part of her wanted to tell him to go away, to leave her alone so she could pretend none of this had ever happened. But another part of her, the part that was tired of carrying the weight of her secrets alone, told her to let him in.

With a sigh, she sat up and pulled the blanket tighter around her. "Come in," she said softly.

The door creaked open, and Hades stepped inside. He looked different in the morning light—less imposing, more human. The usual confidence in his expression was tempered with something else, something she wasn't used to seeing in him. Concern, maybe? Or was it curiosity?

He closed the door behind him and walked over to the edge of her bed, hesitating for a moment before sitting down in the chair beside her. There was an awkward silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them.

"I'm glad you're okay," Hades said finally, his voice careful, almost hesitant.

Maleficent forced a small smile. "I've had better days," she admitted.

He nodded, his eyes searching hers for something—an explanation, perhaps. "Mal, I know you don't want to talk about it, but. . . what happened yesterday? Why did you faint?"

She looked away, her heart pounding. She had known this conversation was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. "I already told you—I didn't eat," she said, her voice clipped.

"That's not the whole story, though, is it?" Hades pressed gently. "It's more than just skipping a meal, Mal. You've been pushing yourself too hard, and it's taking a toll."

She bit her lip, struggling to keep her emotions in check. He was right, of course, but admitting that out loud felt like admitting weakness. And weakness was something she couldn't afford.

"I'm fine," she insisted, her voice wavering slightly. "I can handle it."

"Clearly, you can't," Hades countered, his tone still calm but firmer now. "You don't have to do this alone, you know."

The words hit her like a physical blow, and she recoiled slightly, her defenses snapping back into place. "Why do you care?" she shot back, her tone harsher than she intended. "Why are you even here, Hades?"