Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒲𝒶𝓁𝓉𝓏 𝑜𝒻 𝒮𝒽𝒶𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓈 ·.

THE MORNING LIGHT streamed through the grand windows of Merlin Academy, casting long shadows on the stone floors. Maleficent's footsteps echoed softly as she made her way to the dance studio. Her mind replayed the events of the day when he had visted her—The way he had held her hands ensuring her that he was there for her, sweet gesture, is it not? But it's not something she's used to.

A few days after that, she had gone back to attending her classes, they both had acted like nothing had happened. Her mind replayed the events of the previous day—Hades had been particularly infuriating, leading to a clumsy, almost disastrous attempt at the waltz. The memory of his smug grin as she stormed out lingered, irritating her to no end.

As she rounded the corner, she could already hear the faint sound of music drifting from the studio. Maleficent's heart sank. Of course, he would be early. Bracing herself, she pushed open the heavy door.

Inside, Hades was leaning against the mirrored wall, his usual nonchalant posture slightly relaxed, his eyes closed as if lost in thought. The moment the door creaked, his eyes snapped open, and he straightened up with a smirk.

"Back for another round, Mal?" he asked, using the nickname he knew she despised.

Maleficent's ignored the nickname, her gaze cold as she walked past him to the center of the room. "Let's get this over with. The sooner we master this dance, the sooner I can stop dealing with your insufferable presence."

Hades chuckled, pushing herself off the wall. "You know, I think you secretly enjoy our little lessons. Why else would you keep showing up?"

Maleficent shot a glare that could freeze lava. "Because, unlike you, I care about passing this class. Now, are you going to keep talking, or are we going to dance?"

Hades shrugged, moving into position across from her. The music started again, a slow, almost haunting melody that filled the room. They moved into the starting stance, Maleficent's hand resting lightly on Hades's shoulder, his hand firm on her waist.

They began to move in sync, each step more precise than the last. Despite their constant bickering, there was something almost magical about how they moved together. It was as if music guided them, the rhythm of the dance momentarily bridging the gap between their clashing personalities.

But as the tension between them started to ease, Hades stepped too close, his breath brushing against her ear as he whispered, "Try not to trip this time, Mal."

Maleficent's focus shattered, and she stepped on his foot, hard. Hades winced, pulling back slightly. "Watch it!"

"Maybe if you stopped trying to distract me, I wouldn't have to," Maleficent retorted, her voice sharp.

"Can't help it," Hades replied with a grin. "It's just too easy."

Before Maleficent could respond, the door to the studio swung open, and their dance instructor, a stern-looking witch with silver hair and a no-nonsense attitude, entered. She surveyed the scene with a critical eye.

"You two again?" she sighed. "I was hoping to see some improvement."

Maleficent straightened, trying to ignore the heat rising to her cheeks. "We were just about to get it right."

The instructor raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, you'll have another chance later today. The end-of-term showcase is approaching, and I expect you both to be prepared. You'll meet here after lunch to go over the new routine."

Maleficent's heart sank. More time with Hades was the last thing she wanted, but she forced herself to nod. "Of course."

The instructor turned to Hades, who was now leaning casually against the wall again, a bored expression on his face. "And you, Mr. Underworld, try to take this seriously for once. You're both in this together, so start acting like it."