Do What You Gotta Do - a Descendants fanfic - Hades Maleficent

Chapter 9

Deep in the caverns below the Isle of the Lost Hades had been sitting in his chair watching a television he'd propped in one of the divots in the wall. It was showing the royal coronation in Auradon and he'd been watching ever since he'd learned of the five villain kids who'd been chosen to go there and get off this rock. He heard footsteps behind him and pressed a button on the remote in his hand shutting off the TV and he dropped his leg from the back of the chair before he turned to see a fifteen year old boy with green hair in the tunnel entrance. Each time Hades had been granted a glimpse of him Drac had been smiling, parkour-ing around the Isle making mischief; in his element and on his way to becoming a top notch villain. The boy he saw now resembled nothing of that Drac, now his eyebrows were pulled down by distress and loss, his shoulders sagged and his head was angled downward like a great weight was crushing him from above.

"Hi dad." Drac said warily not knowing how his father would react to his uninvited appearance. But Hades could see the pain and fear in his son's eyes. He didn't fault him for it, he had just watched what Maleficent had done to him, how she tried to twist him and bend him to her will like one of her pawns. It made his hatred for the woman grow. How dare she torment their son like he was one of her goblin minions, if he still had his powers his hair would be in flames right now.

"Come here." he said monotone, extending his hand to his boy. Drac walked across the wooden platform and down the steps to where his father's seat was. Hades stood when Drac approached him and the boy immediately fell into his father's chest as his dad's arms went around him hugging him. Drac had only seen his father a few times in his life since Mal told him his identity. Mal resented their father for leaving and pretended like he didn't exist but Drac didn't care, the few times he'd seen Hades the man hadn't turned him away which Drac was grateful for. Right now he needed his father.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled feeling himself fall apart. After all he'd had a long day and the consequences of it were just beginning, "I'm sorry for being weak."

Hades pulled back from the hug and sat down looking Drac in the eye as he rested his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Hey. You are not weak." He said sternly, "You survived fifteen years with your mother and you went to Auradon, a place full of your enemies, people who despise you and you came back and survived that too. You are not weak."

Drac nodded slowly inhaling a sniffle.

"Now what's really bothering you?"

Drac took a deep breath knowing what he was about to say was something all villains would look down on. "I'm alone." He said trying to hold back the emotions that were clearly churning inside him, "Mom's gone, Mal's gone, my crew is gone. Anyone who wants to take over the Isle will be looking for me, to take me out so they can have control. I have a target on my back and no way to defend myself." He admitted afraid for his life.

"That's not true." Hades said, "You have me. And no one on this rock messes with your old man."

"But they don't know you're my father." Drac replied, "Unless, you're going to tell them?"

Hades let out a deep breath, "No, I'm not telling the world that information yet."

Drac felt his heart sink, part of him had been hoping Hades would claim him as his own blood but after fifteen years Drac should know better. And now he only felt like more of a disappointment.

"Do you know why?" his dad went on and Drac shook his head, "Because you're not going to live in my shadow, you're not going to live in your mother's shadow and you're not going to live in your sister's shadow. You're going to stand on your own two feet and be your own man. You're stronger then you realize and you have allies still lurking in the shadows. We just need to weed them out."