Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒫𝓁𝒶𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝓉 ·.

THE COOL NIGHT air swept through the halls of Merlin Academy, carrying with it the tension between Maleficent and Hades. For the past few days, the quiet space between them had grown larger, filled with unanswered questions and silent frustrations. Maleficent had been pulling away, and Hades could sense it. Every conversation had been short, her responses clipped, and her usual sharp humor now had an edge that felt distant.

Maleficent hadn't explained herself, but Hades was beginning to feel the weight of it all, unsure whether to push for answers or give her the space she seemed to want. 

That night, Hades sat alone at the edge of the courtyard, tapping his foot impatiently, his thoughts a swirl of frustration and confusion. He had tried reaching out to her multiple times, only to be met with cold detachment. Every joke he made fell flat, every attempt at connection met with her turning her back. 

The truth was, it was driving him crazy. He didn't understand what had changed. They had their ups and downs, sure, but the past week had been different. Something had shifted, and he wasn't sure how to fix it. 

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. The name 'Cruella' lit up the screen, and he sighed, answering it reluctantly. 

"Yeah?" Hades' voice was tired, impatient. 

On the other end, Cruella's laugh echoed through the receiver. "You might want to come get your girl. She's. . . well, let's just say she's had one too many. Eve and I tried to get her to slow down, but you know how she gets." 

"Drunk?" Hades rubbed his temple, standing up and already moving toward the exit. "Where are you?" 

"We're at that little bar near the academy. The one that's barely lit," Cruella replied, sounding far too amused by the situation. "She's not... dangerous or anything. Just emotional. I figured you'd want to handle it." 

Hades groaned but thanked Cruella before hanging up. His footsteps were quick as he made his way off campus, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. He didn't mind helping her, but the sudden shift in her behavior left him unsettled. Something deeper was going on, and tonight, he was going to find out. 

The bar was small and dimly lit, the kind of place that attracted very few students, which made it perfect for nights when Maleficent wanted to disappear. Hades stepped through the doorway and quickly spotted Eve and Cruella sitting at a table, both looking far too pleased with themselves.

And there, slumped in her chair, was Maleficent, a half-empty drink in front of her. Her eyes were slightly glazed, her lips twisted into a crooked smile as she absentmindedly twirled her fingers over the glass. 

"She's all yours," Eve said with a smirk, standing up. "We tried to calm her down, but it looks like she's in one of those moods." 

"What mood?" Hades asked, exasperated. 

"You know, the kind where she gets all introspective and dramatic," Cruella chimed in, standing beside Eve. "She's been rambling on about you for the past hour. Pretty sure she's overthinking everything again." 

Hades ran a hand through his hair, his frustration growing. "Of course she is." 

Eve and Cruella exchanged amused looks before giving Hades a pat on the shoulder. 

"Good luck," Cruella said. "She's all yours now." 

Hades sighed heavily as the two girls left. He walked over to Maleficent, crouching down so he was at eye level with her. She glanced at him, her expression distant, and then looked back at her glass as if he hadn't even spoken. 

"Come on," Hades said softly, trying to be patient. "Let's get you out of here." 

"I'm fine," Maleficent mumbled, her voice low and thick with emotion.