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

Chapter 45

She sighed and stood from her chair approaching CJ's sleeping figure and unfolding the red blanket Carlos had at the end of his bed. She draped it over the pirate avoiding Dude who was curled up next to her with Diaval. Drac's raven had never liked the mutt, but since Drac had fallen into this state the two pets were inseparable. Mal thought it was Dude's way of trying to comfort the bird. She gave a small smile at them before pulling closed the curtains of the four poster bed, blocking out the light so CJ could sleep easy. She remembered when she first got to Auradon and the light pouring in through the windows was amazingly off-putting. Amazingly gross, Evie had said. She sighed again looking down at her brother. Even as stressed as she had been about getting the magic wand, things had been so much simpler back then.

Mal sat on the bed beside Drac, letting her feet cross at the ankle as she dangled them off the side and ran her fingers through his green hair.

"Maybe dad can fix you too." she whispered as she stroked his cheek, his skin paler then ever. Then there was a knock on the door. She sniffled, wiped the tears that were taking over her eyes and called softly, "Come in."

The dark wood door opened and Aziz' head poked inside. She tried to muster up a smile as he stepped into the room and approached her, a sad smile plastered on his lips too.

"Anything?" he asked. She shook her head. Lots of Drac's friends in band had been checking in on him, Opal even offered to call her Grandmama Odie to Auradon to try and help, but Mal turned it down. If Fairy Godmother couldn't help. . . nothing short of Hades' ember could.

Though, Aziz had been the most frequent friend to check in. Mal watched him carefully as he walked forward, his eyes glued to Drac, the worry in them deeper then she expected.

"He's lucky to have someone like you." she said breaking the silence, "Someone who cares so much."

He gave a half hearted chuckle, "Thank you. But I think its guilt. . . I wish I had spent more time with him."

"How?"

"When he went back to the Isle after Cotillion. I was hoping. . . he'd stay here instead. But I know he wanted to go somewhere he felt needed."

Mal smiled and looked back down at her brother. Drac was a very unique VK, he didn't want power for himself, he wanted it so he could protect others. And he had always wanted to help the kids on the Isle.

"I just. . .wonder if I should have made him feel more needed here." he paused still looking at Drac's sleeping form, "I think it was a bit out of the blue when I tried to ask him out at your engagement."

Mal couldn't hide the shock on her face.

"You? . . . And Drac?" she asked and Aziz tore his gaze from Drac to look at her with a small grin.

"You never noticed that I -"

"No, not really. Sorry."

He shrugged, "Well you have been through it." his gaze turned back to Drac, "Both of you. You've accomplished more then anyone else in Auradon at sixteen."

She looked back to her brother playing with his hair again.

"I never even thought that maybe. . . " she trailed off stroking Drac's cheek again, "He was under so much more pressure then I ever knew about." Why did he never tell her?

Like he read her mind Aziz shrugged and said, "He knew he was your rock. He wanted to be strong for you, be there for you."

"I should have been there for him." her voice cracked as a sob broke free, "And when it mattered most I wasn't." and now it might be too late to do a thing about it.