Leaning over the pond of water, Aurora watches as the glowing fairies dance. It was a beautiful show, and they were extremely happy to be performing again. For an audience no less.
Aurora was so happy to watch them. This was her wildest dream. To be in the Moors, and to see the creatures first hand that she had only heard about in stories.
Maleficent watched from a couple of feet away. This was something that he had never seen coming. It was crazy to him that there was a human now in the Moors. It was crazier to him still that it was his once childhood friend's child.
They looked nothing alike. While Aurora was fair haired and kind, Stefana was dark haired and always had a gleam in her eye. As if nothing was ever enough when there was more to give.
He should have seen the signs. They were obvious now as he saw someone who was truly kind and open hearted. It made the guilt that he was fighting to push down any longer. There were certain truths he could no longer hide from himself when it came to the path he chose.
Not only had he taken away the life of an innocent, he had also dragged Y/N down the same path. He had forced her to stay with him, to feel what he had felt. She watched as he hurt others, and cursed a child.
She was sitting closer to the water, essentially in between Aurora and him.
Seeing her for the first time in what feels like forever, he watched as she seemed more relaxed than she had in years. She leaned forward, pointing something out to Aurora, and in doing so, her cloak shifted just enough that he saw her wings underneath.
The small smile that had made it to his face slides off, and it suddenly hits him how much he has actually done to her.
He never forced her, but he knew she hadn't flown since that day. They have both been stuck on the ground. Hers was a choice, of course, but it was because of him either way.
How had he come so far? He had been protector of the Moors, along with Y/N. They had their own routine, outside of Stefana, and right before she had come back...
There was a moment that something was different. He couldn't lie to himself. Not anymore. Things had been changing before that fateful day.
He had finally been moving on, and deciding that he needed to be grateful for what he had. He remembered thinking about it before he had heard the call of his name from a voice he hadn't heard in years.
He was going to do something about it that day. If Stefana hadn't come then, or if she had better intentions, or if he just wasn't so stupid...
If.
So many choices had led to this.
For the first time, Y/N's head was clear. She was happier than she had been in years. She was watching something she hadn't seen since her adolescent years, and it was bringing back so many memories. Her mind never stayed clear for long of course.
When she wasn't worried about a child, or another person's feelings, or even protecting the Moors.
She was just a child when all of that went away, and she remembered spending her days lounging around.
She can also remember the day she met Maleficent. It was a sunny day. Too sunny for something so tragic to happen.
She was wandering around, not knowing where she was going. She couldn't remember where she was coming from either. Nothing made sense anymore.
She knew she had parents, but they were gone. She didn't know where, but somehow she knew they weren't coming back. The most she can remember is someone telling her to leave. To run, and make it out.
She came so close to the human lands. Closer than she had ever been before. It scared her to be honest. She couldn't go past the border, but she didn't know what else to do.
That was when she saw him. Up in a tree. He looked just liked her. It was what drew her to him. The familiarity. It felt safe.
She approached him, and when he saw her, he sat up and smiled. They didn't have to use any words, they just knew that they were no longer alone in the world. It was all they needed.
That tree had become their home, and it grew with them. Whether it was their magic, or if it was as young as them, it was convenient.
They had spent years together before their lives changed the day by the Pool of Jewels.
Hearing Aurora giggle, Y/N realized she missed the time when the Moors were full of laughter and light. It was a different time. When she didn't have to worry about physical contact, because she was afraid of what others would be feeling.
More importantly, when Maleficent talked to her. When they would tell each other everything, and they would never be found without each other. They were basically attached at the hip.
If one was flying, so was the other not far behind. If one was running, it was usually from the other.
These days, she was lucky to get eye contact.
She had once loved the man behind her. She still did. But the love she had when they were children, and the similar but depper love when they were younger was gone.
It had died some odd years ago. It happens when there isn't any communication and expression in the relationship.
It was probably for the best. He had never felt that way for her. She knew that. No matter how it might have felt right before Stefana, both times, she knew the answer deep down. It was not to be.
Even if they were better people, and fixed their friendship, as well as everything around them, he was hurt.
He had been burned by love before, and there was no way she could bring that upon him again. He made it very clear what his thoughts on love were.
Other creatures slowly made their way up to Aurora, shy from the fact that Maleficent and Y/N were there, but also that there was another human in the Moors after all this time.
They did not forget what happened last time there was one here. And the consequences it brought years later.
Nevertheless, some of the more brave creatures brought her flowers. One behind the other has brought some for Y/N. She was kinder than Maleficent, and still had some courage from them to show for it.
Y/N took them with a smile, the surprise showing plain on her face. Aurora was happy to receive such a token, and was gladly smiling at the creature when a splatter of mud was thrown all over her back.
It shocked her, and she turned around to see who had done this.
Another creature, one that was deeply rooted in Y/N and Maleficent's memory, had thrown the mud. It was instinct.
He had never remembered the last time he was somewhere with such a good atmosphere, and he had wanted to do something to participate.
It had only occurred to him after that maybe he had taken it too far, but it was too late now.
Aurora only smiled and laughed, scooping up mud of her own, before she threw it back at him.
The creatures all laughed, and a big mud fight ensued, This had never happened in years. It quite shocked Maleficent how long it had been. He remembered participating in this, and having so much fun his stomach would be sore.
Based on Y/N's smile, and her small participation as well, he could see she felt the same way.
He had started to smile, when some mud from an ill aimed throw splashed onto his neck, and some even on his cheek.
The creatures instantly cowered in fear, unsure of how this would hurt them. The terror confused Aurora, but it didn't last long when everyone could still hear laughter.
Y/N, who had moved without Maleficent really noticing, was now standing next to Diaval. They were both doubling over with laughter. They couldn't help it. They were his closest friends, and were the least afraid of him.
Their laughter lasted for a few seconds before tons of mud was suddenly covering them both from head to toe. It was such a sudden change, but it ended the laughter quickly.
Maleficent lowered his hand, and a small smirk was upon his face. It was the closest he had gotten to a real smile in the Moors in years.
He would laugh from time to time when looking over Aurora when she was a child, but it never felt real. It felt like a distraction.
It covered their faces so completely that there was no telling how they reacted to being forcefully included, but there was a giant smile on Aurora's face. For some reason, it made Maleficent feel like no matter what happened, everything would be OK.
It was an absurd thing to think, but there it was.