Just a little something I came up with yesterday but managed to write until today. I'm still working on "A Rather Unconventional...", I haven't quit it, but this was practically demanding all my attention.

So, read, enjoy and review :)

"Keep them at bay, Diaval."

The man bird turned his head slowly, taking his time so she could notice his heated stare on her as he moved. She was annoyed, so very annoyed.

But newsflash: so was him.

"You seem to be doing a great job on your own."

The way her green eyes glowed with anger sent a chill down his spine and Diaval wished he could fly away; either way he kept his feet well placed on the ground, he was not going to run away. This time Maleficent was going to hear him.

"Well, that's the problem indeed. It shouldn't be my job" for almost nineteen years Diaval had ignored his true raven nature because of her, but now it was too much. He could only fight against his instinct for so long, and she was definitely pushing all the right buttons to send him over the edge. She didn't notice, of course. Maleficent could drive herself sick with worry about him, she'd fly miles and miles just for him, in fact, Diaval was almost completely sure she'd even risk her own life for him. But when it came to other ravens, especially female ones, she didn't care about how he felt… Maleficent just focused on how much they annoyed her and didn't hold back to blame him for the entire deal completely.

"Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe I want this?" Diaval stepped closer to her, they were so close he could feel her agitated breathing against his face. Brave as ever, Maleficent stayed still and looked him in the eye. She didn't blink.

"You want this?" the horned lady sounded offended "You want stupid birds squawking all over you?" Maleficent let out a sardonic laughter "You have such low standards it's ridiculous, if not wholly pathetic."

She was making his blood boil, each word she said just added to the fire that was consuming him from the inside out.

"Quite the opposite, I have them too damned high" Diaval hissed. This particular sentence earned him a curious glance from Maleficent, and he was eager to say more… But in the end he decided he'd said enough. She then took a step back, then another… and finally turned around to walk away from him. Her majestic beautiful wings blocked his vision of her face; he didn't know what she looked like when she spoke next, she far enough to make him stretch his neck to listen better.

"What do you mean?" why didn't it surprise him that she wanted an explanation? Maleficent was incredibly clever but also so incredibly blind…

"You freed me. I can do as I please, can't I?" now he was testing her limits. Diaval was aware her question had been about his last comment about having his standards way too high, but that was something she could figure out on her own.

"Why do you stay here then?" Maleficent still didn't face him, but Diaval could now perfectly picture the serious expression she'd have, his throat ached with just listening to the tension in her voice as she spoke.

"I stay out of devotion. To you" that was the truth. His life wouldn't be the same without her and he didn't care to find out what it could be like.

"Then don't. Go away and mate with whoever you want since I'm the only one stopping you from having a family!" she was hurt.

"You are my family!" he shouted. Diaval didn't know if was due to the words or to the way his voiced cracked at the end of the sentence that she turned around; her pretty eyes were wide with surprise and he also noticed a tear or two rolling down her cheeks "You and Aurora are my family; Maleficent, you shouldn't be jealous of those birds. I won't be an hypocrite and deny that it doesn't bother me to turn them down, I won't deny that I'm actually curious. But even if I truly wished to, I couldn't be with anyone of them because I'm already mated to you."

"That's what you meant with having your standards too high?" Maleficent sounded mesmerized.

"Yes."

After a few minutes of showing absolutely nothing, she cut short the distance between them and slapped him. Diaval couldn't believe that had actually happened until he felt his cheek burning; of all the reactions she could have to his confession that one never even crossed his mind once.

"You vain bird. This was all about making me jealous and making me admit it, wasn't it? How I hate you! You, inconsiderate little creature! I could turn you into a dog and not even care!" she spat.

"And I could shift back into whatever I wanted because you gave me that power" he smirked at her, knowing that their argument was now headed into an utterly different direction. Diaval liked the way she looked when she was flustered and annoyed. Maleficent was always in control and seeing her lose it –even if it was just for a second, made her oh so attractive to him he couldn't even put an effort in denying he was totally in love with her.

Also, for the first time in forever, she didn't say anything in return to his comment, Diaval wondered if he had taken things too far now but felt relieved when he saw her grinning at him "So, I'm your mate?" she quirked an eyebrow and pressed her red lips together in an attempt to hide the previous smile that Diaval now knew had been unconscious.

He nodded and took a step closer.

"And you don't want any of those stupid she-ravens?" he nodded again and placed his hands on her hips, Maleficent pressed her chest against his own then "You're all mine?" Maleficent rested her chin on his shoulder and pressed a kiss against his neck; they had done this before, being close was nothing new to any of them, but the sensuality she was evoking and showing turned all the tables… This was what he'd been wanting. This was exactly what the female ravens had been offering but he wouldn't take from anyone except Maleficent.

This was it.

Although Diaval could feel his body screaming for him to finally do something, he chose not to give into it completely. Gods he needed to know… "Are you?" he asked. He liked shiny things, he liked the glow the jewels gave the water in the bottom of the lake, he liked the flowers of The Moors and he liked flying at dawn; but he loved her and he would like more than anything to hear her saying she was his and only his.

"I am." Diaval stretched his hand to caress her wings; he ran his palm against the soft feathers and smiled, truly smiled.

"At last…" his forehead rested on her shoulder for two seconds maximum before he went back to look at her and cup her sharp but delicate face between his hands and kissed her. He'd dreamed of that moment thousandths of times and it still felt like a dream until she kissed him back; her lips were soft and inviting, Maleficent tasted like wild berries and something else that was entirely hers. He grew hungry into the kiss, especially when he heard her faintly moan against his lips… the way her hands were moving on his chest made his heartbeat go crazy. Then his own hands came back to life and moved from her face to her hair, he entangled his fingers in her long brown hair, twisting strands of it. He caressed the base of her horns and earned another moan from his love before running them down her neck and shoulders, heading down until he reached her waist.

Diaval had never cared to button his shirt up completely, Maleficent often told him he showed way too much; but right then he was glad he never listened to her because the second their lips parted, hers went down to kiss his neck and chest. She pressed a particular soft kiss just above his heart and then fixed her now lust glowing eyes on his.

"I can't believe your heart is mine," she said, looking almost completely lost "a bird's heart is supposed to be free forever…"

"Like you didn't know…" Diaval leaned forward and let his forehead touch hers "Promise me you won't leave me."

"Never, Diaval, I'll never leave you. You're mine, now more than ever…" then Maleficent whispered against his lips "And I'm yours forever."

The tenderness in their kisses after that certainly decreased as they were both consumed by passion; lip-bruising kisses were shared like there was no tomorrow and the need for air meant nothing when compared to their need for each other. Diaval could feel it in her skin; he could taste in her mouth just how much she wanted him.

And he wanted her too. He wanted her so bad it was physically hurting him and making him lose control, the little self-restraint he had left was fading away happily to be replaced by the madness and heat of their bodies.

His hands were working Maleficent's dress open –he could see the beginnings of her breasts and the pale skin of her chest all blushed– when she stopped him.

"Since you tried to make jealous, Diaval, it is only fair I get my revenge…" she backed away from him, the space she put between them felt like a rock had fallen on his chest and was crushing his ribs, making him unable to breathe. When he noticed she was redoing the laces of her dress he wanted to shout out in desperation.

He had waited years.

He needed her.

"Maleficent…" he pleaded.

"You know I like it when people beg to me," then she used a playful tone and repeated a phrase he'd used before with some modifications to fit their current situation "I won't be hypocrite and deny that I want you, I won't deny that I'm actually curious… But I can wait."

With that she was finished and flew up away from him.

He was going to kill her.

Diaval was going to chase that woman and make her pay.

Diaval promised himself that when they finally got together, when he finally made love to her, it was going to be explosive.

And Maleficent, for a change, was going to regret having them wait so long.