Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒮𝓉𝒾𝓇𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 ·.

MALEFICENT WAS ENJOYING herself far more than she expected.

Each time she saw Hades watching her with Poseidon, his icy eyes narrowing just a fraction more, the satisfaction within her grew. She knew she was playing with fire, but the thrill of it was intoxicating. 

The days passed, and with every encounter in the courtyard or at lunch, Poseidon was right by her side, always ready with a laugh or a teasing comment. Maleficent made sure to give him extra attention when Hades was around, leaning in closer, touching his arm casually, and laughing at everything he said—louder than she normally would. 

It was working. Hades was livid. 

At first, he tried ignoring her like before, thinking his cold shoulder would somehow teach her a lesson. But Maleficent knew better. His silence only meant he was stewing in his jealousy, and the longer he simmered, the more intense the confrontation would be when it finally happened. 

One afternoon, Maleficent and Poseidon were lounging near the lake, soaking in the sun. She noticed Hades on the other side, leaning against a tree with Zeus and Persephone. His eyes were dark, fixed on her and Poseidon as they talked. Persephone said something to Hades, but he barely responded, too focused on the sight of Maleficent leaning into Poseidon's shoulder as they laughed. 

Poseidon glanced at Hades and smirked. "I think your boy over there is ready to throw me into the lake." 

Maleficent grinned. "Let him try." 

"I've got to hand it to you," Poseidon continued, looking impressed, "you're really getting under his skin." 

"That's the plan," Maleficent said, her tone casual but her eyes still on Hades. "He thinks he can just act like what we had was nothing, so I'm showing him what nothing feels like." 

Poseidon chuckled. "You're wicked."

"And you love it," Maleficent quipped back. 

As she threw her head back in mock laughter, Hades pushed off the tree, jaw tight. He turned away from the group and stalked back toward the castle, his shoulders tense with barely contained frustration. 

Maleficent's smile faltered. She had expected him to come storming over, to confront her in front of everyone, but instead, he was retreating. 

Poseidon noticed her change in expression. "You sure this is still just fun and games, Maleficent?" 

She didn't answer. A flicker of doubt crept into her mind, but she shoved it away. It wasn't like she had anything to prove to Poseidon. This was about her and Hades, and the undeniable tension that was still lingering between them. She couldn't let herself get too caught up in it just yet. 

·.༄࿔

Later that night, Maleficent was alone in her room, going over the events of the day. There was something different about Hades this time. He wasn't just angry anymore—he was hurt. She could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her, but she wasn't ready to face that yet. 

A sharp knock at her door startled her. 

She stood up, smoothing her clothes, already knowing who it would be. When she opened the door, Hades was standing there, his expression hard, eyes stormy with emotions he was barely keeping in check. 

"We need to talk," he said without preamble, pushing past her into the room. 

Maleficent crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "You could've at least waited for an invitation."