A/N: Hello my lovely readers! Thank you all for your wonderful reviews for my last story, I definitely didn't expect such positive results! I know some of you wanted more Sherlock fics but I've hit quite the writer's block on that one (reason #6413 why I am now Queen of the Writer's Block Haters) so I instead I whipped up a Once Upon a Time drabble. Not really my usual cup of tea (I prefer earl grey) but I hope you guys like it anyway! You know what's coming next, all together now, say it with me... DON'T FORGET TO R&R!
Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT and I'm pretty sure I never will (unless for once life lets me have something nice, which is about as likely as me stopping my unhealthy obsession with Supernatural and Loki, exactly, not gonna happen). All rights go to their rightful owners.
It was as if he had a sixth sense that could tell when she had arrived. But then again he was the Lord of the Dead and this was his domain so he probably did. That and she was the only one brave enough (or foolish enough, depending on how you look at things) to venture into the Underworld and make her presence known.
Hades would hear the banging of the door as she slammed it open with far too much force, he'd hear the terrified squeaking of one of his demons as it cowered against the wall to avoid her wrath, he'd hear the sharp click of her emerald high heels ringing out like a volley of bullets against the onyx black floor and he'd know who it was.
Fiery red hair, electric blue eyes, and a vicious temper to match, ladies and gentlemen... the Wicked Witch of the West!
"Hello, Zelena." Hades said calmly before she had even fully entered the throne room. He didn't need to look at her to know that she was furious (wasn't she always though?) so he kept his gaze trained on the glass of blood red wine in his hand.
Zelena payed no attention to his greeting, and instead strode right up to Hades and snatched the bottle of wine from him, pouring herself a generous amount into the glass she had summoned with a wave of her green hand.
"Things not going well I take it?" Hades asked in that same old silky smooth tone that others found charming but could twist and warp and spit out words more swiftly and lethally than a viper at a moments notice, and with deadly accuracy too; though it never rose an octave higher when doing so, even when spitting furious his voice remained the same: clipped and guarded, coldly biting yet unnaturally soft, all but a whisper. And there was something freakishly hair-rising abut that, the fact that his voice was always so dull and emotionless but at the same time carried a bitter virulence that could, and would, cause nigh unthinkable levels of carnage and destruction.
"No! Everything is nice and dandy!" Zelena snarled sarcastically, "Of course, things aren't going well! Would I be here if they were?!" she yelled, if looks could kill and if Hades wasn't immortal then he would have been dead at least ten times over. Well at least that quelled any doubts on that matter, not that he hadn't known the answer already of course. But he lived to get a rise out of people. It was just a bit of fun, really.
"Well you could just be here for a friendly chat or maybe dinner and some catching up... you know... socialising?" The Lord of the Dead replied cynically, rolling his eyes, he violently pushed down the small part of him that was actually being sincere.
Zelena tipped her glass and swallowed its contents in one gulp, staring off angrily into the distance as Hades gave her a refill.
"Let me guess... Regina?" He drawled in that usual bored tone of his that implied he thought everything and everyone was not in any way worthy of his attention; which, to be honest, he did.
Zelena's cup "accidentally" collided with the floor, shattering into a million pieces, as crimson wine flew everywhere. Splattering the walls and ceiling to create a rather grotesque, and bloody, masterpiece.
"Do NOT speak her name!" The witch screamed angrily, green magic sparking all around her.
Any normal person would have backed down and cowered in fear, stuttering and shaking and trying to beg for forgiveness but this was Hades, he was never scared and he never begged. He simply raised an unamused eyebrow and tsked under his breath in disappointment, as if he was dealing with a particularly hot headed (pun not intended) rebellious teenager.
"That is mahogany..." he murmured like a petulant child as Zelena blinked and gaped at him.
"Did- did you just quote the Hunger Games?!"
Hades gave her one of his infuriating smirks and sank back into his throne, swishing his cup around about lazily.
Zelena shook her head, sometimes she wondered how Hades earned his reputation as the malicious "Devil" when he acted like an immature teenager for so much of the time.
Evil. Evil Queen. Regina.
Her calm mood evaporated in an instant, replaced by a white, boiling hot rage.
"I'll end her! I will, I'll kill her!" The green witch fumed as she paced up and down the throne room, her fists clenching and unclenching as her eyes flashed murderously.
"Kill her? That's a bit boring isn't it? I mean, yeah, sure, go ahead. I'm not complaining or anything, but just killing her seems like a bit of a waste don't ya think?"
Zelena spun around so quickly Hades wondered how she didn't get whiplash. She glowered at the King of the Underworld, her hands on her hips.
"Oh? And what do you think I should do to her then?" She demanded in a patronising tone that oozed irritation.
Hades smiled a cold, cruel smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. All of a sudden the throne room seemed a lot darker and Zelena could have sworn that the patches of shadows clinging to the walls had moved closer to her, as if waiting to devour her whole the second she turned her back on them. She shivered slightly, and it wasn't from the sudden chill that had gripped the room.
"Why destroy her of course. Make her suffer, make her pay. Take what she has and make it yours... sometimes you don't know what you have until you lose it."
Zelena's features softened just a fraction as she eyed Hades with a questioning expression. How did he-?
"If there is one thing I know it's watching your siblings get everything you want while you get nothing. Why do you think I'm stuck in this place? We were both condemned to dingy lives because of our siblings, Zelena dear..." Hades pointed out as Zelena looked at him- really looked at him- with new light.
After giving it barely a moment's thought, the Witch marched purposefully up to the ebony throne Hades was sitting on and conjured another glass, pouring more wine into it. She raised it in the air.
"To their ruin." She murmured softly, a wicked glint in her eye.
A shadow of a devilish (no pun intended... again) smile crossed over Hades' face.
"I'll drink to that..."
A/N: Thanks for reading! Peace out dudes and dudettes!