Author's note: Written for Maleval Week Day Four. Prompt: Sleeping/Spooning + Preening. I went for the spooning prompt. It fit my style best. I'm really happy that everyone seems to be enjoying these! I'm having a blast with this ship.

Pleasantly Preoccupied

She would never voice the thought aloud; but Maleficent's favorite moments were often spent in the afterglow with Diaval.

It felt deliciously sinful to lie there wrapped up in her mate's arms: their bodies still mainly entwined and his heart a steady beat against her spine.

Most nights she would allow sleep to claim her and just drifted off in his embrace, but for some reason her mind was rampant with activity on this particular night.

Diaval seemed aware of it too, though he was cautious when he finally found the nerve to bring it up: "Is something troubling you?"

She went rigid for a moment, startled by the question. "What makes you think that?"

"You're usually asleep by now."

Sighing, she took one of his hands within hers and laced their fingers together. "It's nothing."

She felt him shift behind her and then there was a soft pair of lips pressing along her neck. "You can either tell me what's wrong, or let me distract you. What'll it be?"

Maleficent twisted just enough to look into her lover's dark, tender gaze. "If I tell you will you still distract me afterwards?"

He smirked and leaned down to kiss her lightly. "It's a guarantee."

She managed a short laugh before allowing him to gather her against him, and rested her head on his chest before speaking: "I'm worried about Aurora."

"What for?" he caressed along the slope of her shoulder in a comforting manner.

"She and Philip are expecting their first child and…while she doesn't require my presence constantly, I sometimes feel like I should be spending more time at the castle. Just in case."

Diaval was silent for longer than she felt comfortable with, so she glanced up, only to find him smiling widely.

"What?"

"It's just amusing to me how in sync you and our goddaughter can be. Aurora was mentioning the same thing to me the last time I went to visit her."

"So…that means she wants me there, right?"

He chortled at this. "Of course she does! In her eyes: you are her mother. And she's as anxious about this baby as you are. It makes perfect sense that she'd want you around as much as possible."

Maleficent seemed to relax, although another troubling thought occurred to her. "But what about you?"

"What about me?"

"If I go to stay in the palace, will you be all right?"

He arched an eyebrow and then, with a swift and sudden movement, he had her pinned under him. "Oh my dear, dear mistress…" he still used the term, even though it was a term of endearment rather than a mark of servitude now, "Whatever makes you think I'm going to be left behind?"

She blinked owlishly at him. "You're going to have to clarify."

He shook his head fondly. "I'm coming with you, of course! Aurora's setting up a guest room for the both of us in the palace. It should be ready in a few days."

"But what about our duties here, as King and Queen?"

"I already spoke to Balthazar about that. He's more than happy to take our place till Aurora has the child."

Utter relief crossed his mate's face. "Oh thank god…" she buried her head against his neck. "I know I'll go crazy without you there."

His chuckle vibrated against her lips. "I thought you wanted to be with Aurora during this time?"

"I do!" she looked up at him again. "But not without my backup…my partner: the raven I love at my side."

His eyes softened, and the next thing she knew, he was dragging her against him for a fervent kiss as he reclined her against the soft moss that lined their nest.

"So you were serious about that distracting thing, I see," she managed, breathless, when he pulled away.

Diaval's eyes sparkled with promise, and then he set about taking her mind off everything except what mattered: namely, how they felt about one another.

Maleficent was more than willing to be so pleasantly preoccupied.

The End