Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT
Author's Notes: My best friend chose the prompt "Did you really just throw popcorn at me? Oh, it is on!"
Motherly Bonding
Maleficent was curled up on the regal looking couch with her legs underneath her, an arm on the rest to her left as her cool blue eyes were glued to the screen some distance from their location. She had been desperately curious about this realm's depiction of her story so she had requested that Lily take part in this affair with her, mostly because she had yet to discern how to get the television and adjoining devices to work properly, despite thorough investigations when left alone. They had already watched Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty and though a little less humane a creature, she had been absolutely impressed with the severity of her portrayal and enjoyed how little she cared for anything around her. Even the dragon representation was decent. So now they had decided to brave Angelina Jolie's Maleficent movie at the behest of the true dragon lady, Lily concerned to wouldn't be up to her mother's standards.
Frankly, the blonde grew more and more confused yet intrigued as the movie went on. It had deeper meaning than the previous one but it seemed...odd. Probably because it was totally inaccurate to her own life so it seemed impossible a story to tell, but as all fiction writing she had read, it was the author's prerogative to make changes and add their own twist to the tale. It was weird because it was her tale though. The Maleficent on the screen was endearing and powerful, bitter but succumbed to the darkness far too swiftly, but some interactions with humans do that to a mythical being, sending them spiraling into a dark abyss to never be seen again. Not unlike her own self those two decades of pricking her finger to numb the pain of Stefan and Briar Rose's betrayal. Until Lily's other parent forced her way into the old dragon's life.
A small smile graced her defined features as the thought passed her consciousness, her right hand reaching for the bowl of popped corn to cradle in her lap before diving a hand into its buttery contents. Maleficent pulled a small handful out before eating them, having developed a fondness for the salty snack since deciding a quick way to learn about this realm was to watch movies. Plus, it was a good past time to bond with her daughter or cuddle with her lover. Finally fed up, she couldn't help the small groan that passed between her unpainted lips before she glanced at Lily and tossed a few popped kernels in her daughter's direction to get her attention.
"You told me she was a badass dragon bitch, not this lovelorn sappy wuss," Maleficent explained.
The brunette's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to process what had just happened. Slowly she turned to gaze at her mother, blinking her chocolate eyes a few times before speaking. "Did you really just throw popcorn at me?" she queried, raising a single eyebrow in such a Regina-esque fashion that it made the elder dragon chuckle and nod her head in ascent, a glint of mirth in her eyes. "Oh, it is on!" she added before grabbing her own bowl of popcorn and started to chuck handfuls of the treat at her mother, aiming more for her hair than anything for it was sure to stick there.
Not to be outdone, Maleficent took charge too and ducked her head at the first throw, narrowly evading the slightly sticky substance as she reeled her hand for another shot of popcorn toward the brunette. She took a moment of briefly distracting her daughter and readjust her legs to rest her bare feet on the floor and steady herself for better maneuverability, the grin that split her face in two never once faltering. Lily grunted lightly as she shielded her eyes, head bobbing back with the light impact before she righted herself and tossed two handfuls of popcorn back to back at her mother, giggling lightly as the older woman winced and pretended to be wounded.
The younger woman took the opportunity to stand and cross the distance to the blonde's side of the couch before dumping the entire bowl over on top of her target, a rich laugh escaping her lips at the expression adorning the infamous dragon lady's face.
"What's going on here?"
Both movie viewers paused mid movement, one laughing, the other batting at popcorn in her hair, before turning to gaze upon the room's new occupant. The owner of the house in which they were currently dirtying, stood in the doorway with a single hand on her hip as she regarded the interaction between mother and daughter with guarded amusement.
"Regina, sweetheart. You're home early," the blonde recovered quickly, smiling sweetly at her partner as Lily rolled her eyes at the term of endearment. It was sweet to see that her parents loved each other now and then, but they were keen enough to remain mostly platonic in front of their still relatively new to town daughter. It was odd for the brunette so she usually shrugged it off and ignored them.
"And you're trashing my home..." the mayor trailed off suspiciously, eyes coasting over to the TV briefly, nodding her head in understanding. "I told you, she wouldn't like this movie," Regina mused, the smile breaking out on her face.
Lily glanced up at her other parent and shrugged. "I tried to prevent this, but would she listen...?" She tipped one head to the side because all three knew the answer to that question.
The parents took a moment to share a look before Regina crossed the distance to the couch and sat down in the middle of the two women after brushing the popcorn off the seat. "I actually quite enjoyed this movie. It shows that not all love has to be romantic. In fact, that's how both of the curses on this town were broken. A mother's love," she explained in a soft voice, gaining the attention of the other two briefly.
Lily cleared her throat before sitting back down, squished into one side of the couch to not touch Regina accidentally as Maleficent reached for her love's hand and squeezed it in comfort. The brunette smiled at her as they continued to watch the movie.