The Darkest Love Maleficent X Hades

20 Stay with me

Hades POV

I'm sitting at the end of the outside stairs of the school, idly carving some stupid little drawings into the side railing with a small knife. The mess with Uliana earlier was complete bullshit, but at least it was entertaining in its own ridiculous way. Now, though, I can already feel the weight of what's coming, Uliana's endless complaints, her frustration bubbling over and pouring out on all of us. The thought of dealing with that makes me groan inwardly. Poor Mali is going to bear the brunt of it, forced to listen to Uliana whine 24/7. She was already worried when Uliana started turning pink; I can't even imagine what it'll be like now.

I hear footsteps approaching, and I glance up, a smile creeping onto my face as I see her. "I was just thinking about you," I say, my voice softening as Maleficent comes into view. Even in this moment, she's breathtaking, her presence calming in a way that nothing else is. She greets me with a soft smile, but I can tell something's weighing on her. There's a hint of sadness in her eyes, a slight droop to her usually proud posture.

"Come here, beautiful," I say, patting the spot next to me on the stairs. She takes the invitation, settling down beside me with a heavy sigh, and as she leans her head against my shoulder, I can feel the tension in her body. I gently wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her a little closer, offering what comfort I can. My thumb starts to trace slow, soothing circles on her hip, hoping to ease whatever's troubling her.

For a moment, we just sit there in silence, the chaos of the day fading into the background as we find a quiet moment together. The world feels distant, almost unreal, as we sit side by side on those cold, hard steps. I can feel the warmth of her body against mine, the gentle rise and fall of her breath. It's a simple moment, but it's enough to ground me, to remind me that not everything has to be so complicated.

"Are you ok?" I finally ask, keeping my voice low and steady. I don't need her to answer right away, since I already know the answer, I'm just letting her know that I'm here, that she doesn't have to carry whatever's on her mind alone.

She shakes her head slightly, still resting on my shoulder. "no.." she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just... I not ready yet to hear Uliana's complains and screams."

"I get it," I reply, my thumb still moving in slow circles. "It's gonna be a lot knowing her. But you'll get through it."

She doesn't respond right away, but I can feel her start to relax a little, the tension slowly leaving her body. We sit there for a while longer, the outside world nothing but a distant hum. Eventually, the weight of the day begins to lift, and in this small, quiet moment, it's just the two of us, finding comfort in each other's presence.

I break the silence, my voice soft but laced with a bit of playfulness. "Perhaps you should stay with me more often. You've got me now, and you can hide away from Uliana whenever she goes psycho. I'll make an excuse for you every time," I say, half-joking but fully serious. She smiles at my proposal, a chuckle escaping her lips. "You're too sweet," she says, though I can tell she's tempted by the idea.

"I'm not kidding," I insist, meeting her eyes with a steady gaze. "You can stay here with me as long as you want. Whenever you need to escape, I'm here, okay?" She nods slightly, the weight of the day easing a bit from her shoulders. "Yeah... thank you," she murmurs, her voice carrying a quiet sincerity that warms me from the inside out.

I smile, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "Anytime, Mali. Really, every time," I say, my words firm with promise. But I can feel that lingering cloud of Uliana's drama still hovering over us, and I want to lift it completely. "But let's change the subject, yeah? Let's leave Uliana and her bullshit aside for a moment." She nods again, this time more eagerly. "You're right," she agrees, and I can see a bit of light return to her eyes. I smirk, already thinking of something to brighten her mood. "So, soon there's going to be Castlecoming..."