AN: If I owned OUAT, it wouldn't be such a shitshow.
Holy fuck, I haven't uploaded in over a year. My muse has pretty much abandoned me, so I can't promise how often I'll be publishing anymore.
This takes place sometime before the s4 finale.
This is really weird.
"You're a lot better than I was at this," Maleficent calls from her position atop Lily's back. It's odd to be carrying her mother like this, but Maleficent can't talk when she's in her dragon form and there's really no way for her to teach Lily the finer points of flying on the ground. "I crashed into a mountain my first flight."
Lily snorts. For some reason it's not all that hard to imagine. "Now remember, you need to pay attention to the air currents. Sometimes there are updrafts or downdrafts that can catch you off guard, particularly if there's about to be a storm," the older woman instructs. "And give yourself a bit more space between you and the treetops." Lily obeys, flapping her wings and climbing into the sky.
They've been doing this for the past day or two, Maleficent instructing her daughter in magic and all things related. (To be honest, Lily is still a bit freaked out that she can turn into a motherfucking dragon, but on the other hand this is kind of awesome.) They've also been getting to know each other, a process that's both frightening and exhilarating; Lily never felt as though her human family wanted or understood her, but Maleficent has been nothing but patient and understanding. It's been going surprisingly well, but Lily is just waiting for the other shoe to drop. With her, it never takes long.
Suddenly she doesn't really feel like flying anymore, so she tucks her wings and begins to glide downward, finding an open space among the trees that provides enough space for her to land. Maleficent slides from her back as she shrinks down to her human form. "Lily? What's the matter?"
Maleficent's concern makes her skin crawl. Lily turns away, arms crossed over her chest. "Just tired. That's all."
"Lily." The blonde reaches for her daughter's shoulder, but Lily spins away, eyes flashing gold.
"Don't touch me!" she yells, backing away. Maleficent's face falls, and she has to choke back the lump that's rising in her throat.
"Lily," Maleficent says softly, not moving forward even though she's clearly aching to do so. "Please talk to me."
Lily snarls, rakes her hands through her hair. What is there to say? I'm pushing you away before you can do it yourself. I don't know how to do this. I'm scared. "I just—I need some space. Okay? Please." Her voice trembles perceptibly on the last word and she curses silently.
Maleficent slowly nods, and Lily doesn't think twice before throwing her hands up and whisking herself away in a whirl of purple magic.
Not so surprisingly, she ends up in front of the sheriff station.
"Emma," Lily half-calls, half-yells as she bolts inside. Emma glances up from her paperwork, green eyes widening in surprise as she sees the brunette race into the room like something is nipping at her heels.
"Lily! What's wrong?"
Lily can't seem to get enough air in her lungs. "I can't—she can't—this isn't—I—"
Something sparks in Emma's eyes, something like recognition, but she doesn't say anything, putting her pen down and slowly standing up. "I'm getting kind of stir-crazy in here. How about we go down to the docks?" she asks, and Lily nods. Emma grins. "I'll even throw in shitty station coffee," she jokes, earning a tiny smile from the brunette.
They're silent on the walk down, but as soon as they seat themselves on a bench, Emma turns to Lily and says, "I know it's scary to suddenly have someone there for you. Someone who swears that they won't let you down, that they'll love you no matter what. You and I both suck at relationships." She smiles, soft and sad, and Lily swallows and looks down into her coffee. "But Maleficent means it, Lily. She's not unfamiliar with darkness herself, so I'm pretty sure there's nothing you could throw at her that she can't take."
"She told me she didn't mind a little darkness, but…what if you're wrong?" Her voice comes out hoarse. "What if even I'm too much for her?"
"Then you blame it on me," Emma shrugs, and her response is so Emma that Lily can't help but laugh. "My darkness is part of that, you know." She pauses, becomes thoughtful. "It took me a long time to learn that my parents love me, that they want what's best for me. Your mom's not any different. I promise."
"Weren't you scared?"
"Terrified," Emma admits. "But then I saw my mom die in front of my eyes—or so I thought—and suddenly, I was more scared of losing them than I was of being hurt."
Lily winces slightly, remembers whacking Snow White into a rock with her tail. "Nobody's ever loved me before," she mutters.
"First time for everything." Emma smiles. "You've never been a dragon before either."
"Yeah, well, that didn't go so well." Lily runs a hand through her hair. "I ran off in the middle of a flight lesson."
"I jumped into a magic hat to get away from my parents," Emma says, her expression dead serious. Lily stares at her until the blonde bursts out laughing, and it's so infectious that she can't help but join in. She laughs until her sides ache and she's almost crying.
"I lied, you know," Lily says after they've both gotten themselves under control, and Emma gets this sort of resigned look on her face.
"About what?"
"When I said I hadn't thought about you in years." Lily looks away, tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "I lied."
"Oh." There is a smile in Emma's voice.
They sit like that in comfortable silence for a while before Emma stands up. "I hate to say it, but I should get back to work. Regina wanted my paperwork in three days ago." She offers a hand to Lily, who takes it even though she's more than capable of getting up on her own.
"I guess I should be getting back too." The idea of facing her mother is no longer quite so frightening.
"You'll be glad you did," Emma says with a knowing smile as she turns to leave. "Trust me."
And to Lily's immense surprise, she does.
"Mom?" The name still feels strange on her tongue. "Are you still here?" With each step she takes, Lily feels the knot in her chest grow bigger, blocking her throat and making her heart beat faster—
"Lily?" Maleficent's voice sounds from behind her, making the brunette spin around. There is a look of wary expectation on her face.
"Hey." Lily chews on her lip, crosses her arms. "I, uh, I'm sorry I ran off. Just….."
"You were afraid," Maleficent finishes, her eyes soft. "I know."
Lily exhales. It feels as though she's trying to swallow a bowling ball. "Yeah."
Maleficent's hands slowly lift to cradle Lily's shoulders. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to watch you grow up," she whispers. "To tell you every day that I loved you and that you were everything I had ever wanted in life. But I have you now, and it would take heaven and hell combined to make me leave you again. And not even then."
Fuck, now there's another bowling ball in her throat. Lily clenches her eyes shut, ducks her head. "I'm dark," she chokes. "Like, really dark. And I….I'm so scared of that messing this up. I know you told me you didn't mind a little darkness, but—"
The sensation of a hand cupping her cheek makes her jerk her head up. Maleficent's eyes are glistening, but she's smiling. "Heaven and hell," she repeats, leaning in and very gently pressing her lips to Lily's forehead. A hitching sob breaks loose at the contact, and before she can quite comprehend what she's doing, Lily launches herself at her mother and engulfs her in a bone-crushing hug. Maleficent doesn't hesitate, returning the embrace with just as much strength and rocking her daughter back and forth. "I'm here."
Home has never felt like a person before. Lily buries her face into Maleficent's shoulder, unable to stop the tears cascading down her cheeks. "Mom," she whimpers. "Mom."
They stay that way for an indeterminable length of time; what could be an hour or a minute. Finally Lily's tears slow and then cease altogether, and when she pulls back with a hoarse, embarrassed laugh, Maleficent is wiping away some tears of her own. "So, uh, I think I owe you a flying lesson?" Lily says, trying to lighten the mood.
"I'll tell you what. Let's leave the lesson for another day and just…..talk. I really don't know anything about you." Maleficent's eyes are hopeful, and Lily can't hold back a small, shy grin.
"I….I'd like that. Just talking, I mean," she clarifies. Maleficent slips an arm around Lily and squeezes gently.
Honestly, this is better than being a scary dragon bitch.