Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒞𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈 𝐵𝑒𝓃𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓊𝓇𝒻𝒶𝒸𝑒 ·.

MALEFICENT SAT ON the edge of her bed, staring at the small plate of food on her bedside table. Her stomach twisted, a dull ache that was as familiar as the day-to-day grind of Merlin Academy. She'd been skipping meals again, not intentionally, but it seemed like the easier option when everything felt overwhelming. There was so much on her mind—the second part of the showcase, hiding her relationship with Hades, and her own conflicted emotions about where they stood.

She hadn't told him about the exhaustion creeping in, the headaches, or the dizziness that had become a constant shadow. He already had enough to deal with, and the last thing she wanted was to seem weak. She was Maleficent. She didn't need help.

Right?

The soft knock at her door startled her. She quickly pushed the plate under her bed, out of sight, as if that would hide the truth. Her heart raced, but she forced herself to sound calm.

"Come in."

Hades stepped inside, his usual air of confidence slightly softened as he shut the door behind him. His blue hair glinted in the dim light of her room, and his eyes scanned her face carefully, as if reading her emotions before she could say a word.

"Hey," he said, his voice low and casual, but there was a hint of something more in it. Concern, maybe?

"Hey," she replied, trying to smile but feeling it waver.

He sat down beside her, the bed creaking slightly under his weight. There was a moment of silence, the kind that used to be comfortable between them but now felt loaded. They were together, secretly navigating their feelings, but the weight of it all was beginning to press on them.

"You've been quiet lately," Hades said, his tone light but his gaze sharp. "Everything okay?"

Maleficent nodded quickly. "Yeah, just. . . showcase stress, you know?"

Hades arched an eyebrow, not buying it. "Since when do you let stress get to you?"

She shrugged, avoiding his eyes. "I don't. I'm fine."

But Hades wasn't letting it go. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his leg. "You don't look fine."

Maleficent's stomach tightened. She knew what he meant—she had seen it too. The slight paleness of her skin, the dark circles under her eyes, the way her clothes hung just a bit looser than before. But admitting it meant admitting that she wasn't handling things as well as she pretended. And that terrified her.

"I told you, I'm fine," she repeated, her voice sharper now.

Hades sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. "You've been skipping meals again, haven't you?"

That question hit her like a punch to the gut. She glanced away, feeling her pulse quicken. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Mal, don't lie to me," Hades said, his voice soft but firm. "You've done this before, remember? You fainted in the middle of dance class because you weren't taking care of yourself. Don't tell me it's happening again."

"I'm not lying," she snapped, her frustration boiling over. "I'm just. . . I'm busy, okay? I don't have time for everything."

"That's not an excuse," he countered, his eyes narrowing. "You need to take care of yourself."

Her chest tightened, a mix of anger and guilt rising up. "I'm not your responsibility, Hades! I can handle myself."

He stood up, pacing to the other side of the room, his frustration clear now. "This isn't about responsibility. I care about you, and I hate seeing you like this."