Thorn and Ember

·. 𝒮𝒾𝒸𝓀 𝑜𝒻 𝒮𝑒𝒸𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓈 ·.

MALEFICENT SHOT UP from the bed, her stomach turning violently, sending a wave of nausea crashing over her. She barely registered the warmth of the covers falling off as she rushed out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom. The cold tile under her feet did nothing to ground her spinning head, and before she could steady herself, her body lurched, and she barely made it to the sink. 

The remnants of last night's drinks came rushing up. She groaned, gripping the edges of the sink for support as another wave of nausea overtook her, harsher this time. Her stomach churned, and her throat burned from the acid. She felt weak, like her entire body was fighting against her. 

From behind her, she heard a groan and the sound of Hades stirring in the bed. His voice came out groggy. "Mal? You good?" 

She didn't respond, too busy trying to keep herself from collapsing as she dry-heaved again. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead, and she squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the nausea to pass. Her hands trembled, knuckles white against the porcelain sink. 

The door creaked open, and Hades stepped inside, his expression softening when he saw her hunched over. "Mal, you alright?" His voice was laced with concern, a rare softness creeping into his tone. 

"I... I don't know what's wrong with me," she managed, her voice weak. "I feel awful." 

Hades moved closer, his hand gently rubbing circles on her back. "You drank a lot last night. Could be that." But there was a flicker of something in his eyes—a hint of doubt. Maleficent wasn't usually this sick after drinking, not like this. 

Maleficent took a shaky breath, trying to regain her composure. "This feels different," she whispered. "It's not just the alcohol." 

Hades raised an eyebrow. "Different how?" 

She shook her head, standing up straight as the nausea ebbed slightly. "I don't know... I just feel... off." 

Hades studied her face for a moment, his hand lingering on her back. "Maybe you should go see a healer or something."

Maleficent scoffed weakly, trying to brush it off. "It's probably just stress, the whole banishment thing. I'm fine." 

But deep down, a small knot of worry had begun to twist in her gut. This wasn't just a hangover. She had felt tired more often lately, her body aching in ways that didn't make sense. And then there was this—waking up feeling like her insides were in turmoil. 

"Come on, let's get you some water," Hades said, guiding her back toward the bed. She resisted slightly, her hand on her stomach as another wave of nausea rolled through her. She pushed through it, taking slow, deep breaths. 

"I just need to lie down for a bit," she muttered. 

Hades nodded, but the flicker of concern in his eyes didn't fade. He grabbed a glass of water from the bedside table and handed it to her. "Here, drink this. You need to stay hydrated." 

Maleficent took the glass, her hands still shaky, and took a small sip. The cold water felt like relief as it slid down her throat, but her stomach clenched again, and she forced herself to take another sip. 

"You sure you're alright?" Hades asked, sitting down beside her on the edge of the bed.

She shot him a weak smile. "I'll be fine. Just need to get through this." 

Hades nodded but didn't look convinced. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "If you need anything, let me know, alright?" 

Maleficent closed her eyes, leaning into his touch for a moment before pulling away. "I'm going to see Cruella and Eve. Maybe they have something that'll help."