Daddy Issues | A Descendants Story | Mal & Hades

TWO

TWO

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Walking out of the cave was a strange experience, almost as if they were leaving the bubble they'd found themselves in and re-entering the real world. Neither of them spoke for a long time, just enjoying the other's company.

At some point during their walk, Hades' hand had found itself on the small of Mal's back. Initially, it had been placed there to direct her in a different direction when she'd almost taken the wrong tunnel, but he'd never removed it after this and Mal hadn't seemed to notice or care enough to mention it.

Occasionally, Mal would have to remind herself that this wasn't actually real. Yes, it was happening and yes, it was reality, but it wasn't real. Despite everything that had happened since Mal had once again stepped foot on the Isle, despite the concerned eyes and comforting arms she'd been welcomed with, it wasn't Hades; it wasn't her father. Not the one she knew- or rather didn't know.

Hades wasn't, and had never pretended to be, a good parent. He'd never done a thing for her which didn't benefit himself or have some other ulterior motive. He'd left Mal to make her strong- or to make himself less weak. He'd spent years keeping an eye on here, asking whoever he could how she was because he wanted to make sure she was okay- or because he didn't want her causing trouble leading back to him. He'd given her the ember to help his daughter- or to stop the world, his world, from ending. He'd comforted her in an attempt to make her feel better- or to stop her from blubbering so he could catch up on his beauty rest. He'd never deny that his motives to help were un-pure. It's not like he was trying to make up for all the years he'd lost. He wasn't trying to make things right with Mal. That's what he told himself anyway.

As they reached the gate that separated their private bubble from reality, Mal let out a soft sigh. After stepping through this gate, not only would she have the future of Auradon once again resting on her shoulders, but she'd lose this. Back to reality meant back to pretending Hades wasn't her father, pretending she hadn't been abandoned, maybe even pretending what everyone else believed to be true: that her father was dead. Anything to stop herself from thinking she just wasn't good enough, that she didn't deserve a loving father.

Honestly, the time she'd been able to spend with Hades had been more than she'd hoped she'd get. But a selfish part of her wanted more. She'd managed to live her life without a father up until now, but it seemed so much harder to step away when she'd caught a glimpse of what they could have- who Hades could be.

So, as she pushed open the gates, which groaned with lack of use, she took a deep breath, schooled her emotions, and stepped away from the warmth of the hand on her back. "I understand that reclusement is kind of your thing, so you might not be familiar with this," Mal said with a wry grin as she motioned around herself, the humoured light not quite reaching her eyes. "This is called fresh air."

Mal took a deep breath to exaggerate her point and let out a satisfied moan. "See, if you breathe deeply enough you almost can't make out of the scent of sewage and dirt."

Hades offered an incredulous smile, wondering how someone who was clearly in as much pain as Mal was, was able to put on a brave face and make a joke. Pride flooded through him, warming him from the inside out. He masked the smile within a second of it appearing on his face with a low groan and a "Don't be a smartass." The slight twinkle in Mal's eyes was the only sign that the smile had ever even happened.

"My father's Hades, what do you expect?" Smirking, she gracefully swung her leg over the bike she'd borrowed earlier, glad no one had been stupid enough to steal it this time. She didn't feel like swimming back to Auradon when she left the Isle.