Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒮𝒾𝓁𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝒮𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂 ·.

MALEFICENT HAD BEEN avoiding him for days.

The halls of Merlin Academy were vast, a maze of corridors and towering walls, but no matter where she went, Hades's presence loomed over her like a storm waiting to break. Every time she caught sight of him in the distance, her heart would clench, a heavy mixture of frustration and longing settling deep in her chest. She knew the argument wasn't over — far from it — but she couldn't bring herself to face him. Not yet. 

Instead, she kept walking. Always walking away. 

Today was no different. Maleficent rounded the corner of one of the lesser-used corridors, hoping for some peace before her next class. Her mind buzzed with thoughts of the argument still hanging between them, of Queen Leah's harsh words, of the rumors about Belle and Beast's plan to banish all villains. The weight of it all felt suffocating. 

Ahead, she spotted Hades. He was leaning casually against the stone wall, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes fixed on her as though he had been waiting. His signature smirk was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his eyes burned with a mixture of impatience and something deeper — hurt, perhaps? 

Maleficent's breath caught for a second, but she quickly tore her gaze away, pretending she hadn't seen him. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she kept walking, forcing herself to remain calm. 

"Mal," Hades called, his voice calm but firm. He wasn't loud, but it was enough to cut through the quiet hallway. 

She ignored him, quickening her steps. The walls felt like they were closing in, the silence between them growing heavier with every second. 

"Maleficent," he called again, this time sharper, a warning edge in his tone. 

Her body tensed, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. If she did, she would have to face the storm brewing between them, and she wasn't ready for that. Not yet.

The common room was buzzing with quiet conversations as Maleficent sat with her friends, though she barely registered their presence. Eve was lounging on the couch beside her, flipping through a book, while Cruella sat across from them, tapping her nails on the armrest in boredom. Zeus and Poseidon were off to the side, sparring with their usual playful banter. 

Maleficent, however, was miles away, her thoughts still stuck on Hades. She hadn't said a word to him since their argument, and the weight of that silence was crushing her. Every time he looked at her, she felt the words she wanted to say — needed to say — caught in her throat. 

"You two need to talk," Eve said, breaking the silence. She didn't look up from her book, but the pointed tone in her voice left no room for doubt. 

Maleficent stiffened but didn't respond. She didn't want to talk about it, especially not with Eve. She wasn't even sure what she would say to Hades if she did talk to him. How could she explain the whirlwind of emotions that had been tearing her apart since Queen Leah's vicious slap, the anger that had been building up over the rumors about the villains' exile? 

"Seriously," Zeus chimed in from the other side of the room, exchanging a glance with Poseidon. "You're both acting like ticking time bombs. Either talk it out or start throwing fireballs. At least make it entertaining." 

"Shut up, Zeus," Maleficent snapped, her voice sharper than she intended.

Zeus raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered by her reaction, but he didn't push further. Hades, however, hadn't said a word. He was sitting a few feet away, his arms crossed, his blue hair flickering subtly with barely-contained frustration. His eyes hadn't left Maleficent since she entered the room.