A/N
Hello again!
As always apologies for being so awful at updating, I don't really have an excuse this time other than I suck and procrastinate across all areas of my life.
This one took a little longer anyway because the editing process for this was BLAAAAHHHHHH. This is kind of a special chapter to me so I really didn't want to mess it up so there's that pressure too.
I kind of feel like Maleficent is getting borderline OOC here too? I'm not sure, I guess her confidence was a little odd for me to write. So let me know if you think I overdid it or comment on any other aspect too as I wanna make this thing good for you guys to read.
This one's dedicated to MeriKiwi because she is awesome and a continued supporter of this story despite my awful update speed and self-depreciating humour.
Anyway, here's wonderwall…
Chapter Soundtrack:
Kings of Leon – Closer
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Free Bird
The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter
Aurora headed back to her house rather reluctantly. She'd pocketed the flyer Maleficent had handed to her and played with it anxiously, folding and refolding it in the lining of her pocket.
Upon reaching the garage she found it empty. Seeing it untouched since the squabble was almost enough to make her wonder if anything had really happened at all.
A low rumble from inside the house however, pulled her back to matters at hand.
Philip.
She followed the sound of his voice, finding him pacing in the living room.
"...she just gets under my skin man. I don't like the way she looks at- Aurora."
His head snapped up as he registered his girlfriend stood in the doorway.
"What happened back there was way out of line."
Philip bowed his head in shame, refusing to meet Aurora's eyes.
"She just... I can't explain it 'Rora. I just get a funny feeling about her."
Aurora sighed, taking a seat next to Eric who had stayed to attempt to calm Philip down.
"You're not even giving her a chance. How can you expect her to be anything but hostile towards you if every time you see her you blow up at her?"
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, bunching his fingers into his scalp.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry; I guess I'm just stressed. We need this."
Chocolate brown eyes finally met Aurora's, trying to convey an apology.
"We do bro, but seriously just chill. She could really help."
Eric flung his legs onto Aurora's lap, smiling as she cradled his feet to her stomach.
"Hey, I'll admit I was out of line with what I said, but that doesn't mean I'm cool with her helping. All she's done is distract us and cause this huge rift."
"Whatever man, I'm not arguing with you. C'mon, let's go play video games at mine, you need to de-stress."
Eric freed his feet from Aurora's grasp, stretching his arms as he stood.
"Sure, gimme a sec?"
Philip motioned to Aurora who remained on the sofa.
"Course man, I'll wait outside."
Once the dark haired boy had left the room, Philip turned warily to the blonde.
A silence filled the room, one which Aurora was eager to break but somehow couldn't find the words she wanted to say.
"I'm-"
"We-"
They both chuckled nervously, trying to avoid the growing tension in the room.
Should I tell him now? Break it off with him?
Aurora tried to push down the nausea filling her stomach. She'd never broken up with anyone before, let alone her best friend/first love.
Was this the right time? Was there ever a right time to break up with someone?
Philip interrupted her musings.
"Look I am really sorry about what happened today. And I know I'm acting like a tool like, all of the time. But I'm just having a hard time dealing with stuff at the minute,"
Aurora tried to calm her breathing. Was he going to break up with her? It would certainly be easier she thought, but she'd never even entertained the notion of him being just as unhappy in the relationship as she was.
"But I swear I'll try to be calmer. I know we need to talk about... About a lot of things,"
At this point he averted his eyes, clearing his throat. Clearly he wanted to skirt around this conversation just as much as Aurora did.
She could deal with ignoring it for a little longer.
"But...but maybe another time?"
His eyes pleaded with her, although she wasn't entirely sure what he was pleading for. For her to disagree, for her to understand.
She nodded and shot him a weak smile, accepting the soft kiss he placed on her temple.
Her arms wrapped around his neck briefly, pulling him into a hug. She relished his scent, like Lynx masking salty skin. It was safe and familiar.
Releasing him, they shared a smile before he exited the room the same way Eric had.
"God that was awkward." She mumbled to herself.
Aurora groaned, flopping back onto the sofa.
"And that wasn't even a break up."
She curled onto her side, reaching for the TV remote and flicking idly through channels before settling on some mindless reality show.
After a while her phone buzzed from somewhere under her. She huffed as she lifted her hip off one side of the sofa and felt for the object.
She really didn't want to talk to anyone, she just wanted to wallow from her almost break up with Philip.
Seeing the name however, she slid her finger across the screen, pressing the phone to her face.
"WHAT'S UP BIIITTTCCCHHHH?!"
Aurora snorted down the phone, keeping her eyes glued to Storage Wars or Hunters or whatever crap was on.
"Hey Belle."
"That's it? Hey Belle?! You haven't called me for like a month and all I get is hey Belle?!"
Rolling her eyes, Aurora turned the volume on the TV down. The auctioneer's incessant incoherent shouts were beginning to drain her.
"First of all it's been like a week, don't be so dramatic, and secondly, you could've called me."
"Oh please, and sound desperate? So not my style."
Aurora laughed again.
"So what's up anyway?"
"What're you doing tonight? Adam's having a party and I got us both an invite."
"No can do, I have plans." Aurora replied, watching a fight break out on show.
Watching with no sound it looked almost comical.
"Plans with who?!"
Aurora held the phone away from her face, wincing at her friend's shrill voice.
"It's a long story, but my neighbours friend."
"Cool, I'll be over in ten. What time we going?"
Aurora could hear Belle shuffling around on the other end. She could picture her bounding down the stairs, grabbing her signature yellow bomber jacket on the way out of the door.
"That wasn't an invitation you know."
Aurora could sense her friend rolling her eyes through the phone at her comment.
"Bitch please, like I need one. Be over soon, love you!"
"Wait, WAIT!"
Her phone beeped twice, signalling the end of the call.
"I guess Belle is coming too." She murmured before smiling softly.
Turning back on her side, she hit the volume back up, eagerly awaiting the arrival of her friend.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"You're not wearing that and that's the end of it."
Belle swept the offending item of clothing out of Aurora's hand, grimacing at the 'sparkly monstrosity' as she'd put it.
"But it's cuuutteee!" Aurora pouted, shooting the best puppy dog eyes she had at her friend.
"And don't even try those eyes at me, I practically invented those." Belle playfully poked Aurora's nose, resuming her rifling through her wardrobe.
"And anyway Hannah Montana, if you wanna impress this mysterious person you're gonna need to look a little more grunge."
"I'm not trying to impress her." Aurora mumbled, straining to pull the leather pants that Belle had thrust at her over her thighs.
"Keep telling yourself that 'Rora, you got it bad for this one."
Aurora merely scowled half heartedly, snatching the KISS crop out of Belle's hand.
"No, she's just... Different is all. There's something about her."
"So tell me some more anyway. So far all I've got is 'she's alluring' and 'she has the most hypnotic eyes'"
Belle clasped her hands over her heart and fluttered her eyelashes, earning her a pillow to the face.
She cackled loudly, turning to face the mirror.
"I did not sound like that."
"You so did, I can practically see your boner straining through those pants. What's going on with Philip anyway? Ditched the douche yet?"
Aurora searched her make up bag for some eyeliner, trying to ignore the question.
"You seen my eyeliner? Ouch!"
The stick of make up hit her head and bounced onto the bed unceremoniously.
"Stop avoiding it bitch, has the deed been done?" Belle threw her hands up exasperatedly, fluffing her hair for more volume.
Bouncing off the bed, Aurora went and stood by the slightly smaller brunette in front of the mirror in her room, generously applying eyeliner.
"Nope." She popped the "p", unconsciously opening her mouth slightly in concentration.
"God I can never make them even!" She moaned in frustration as she hastily wiped off the smudged wing she'd attempted on her eyelids.
At this rate they'd be late.
"Why not?! Just do it already! I know he's your friend too and everything but just rip the band aid off or whatever."
"Lipstick or no?" Aurora held a tube of blood red lipstick in one hand, a nude lip gloss in the other.
Belle shot a disapproving look at her, shaking her head and frowning at Aurora's not so subtle attempts to change the subject.
"Look can we please drop this? I know I need to call it off and I'm pretty sure he knows it too." Aurora focussed on her own reflection in the mirror, worried that if she looked at her friend the tears she'd been holding back for most of the day may start falling.
"Can we, just, have fun tonight? Forget about everything for now? I promise I'll do it soon?"
Despite Belle's earlier claim of immunity to Aurora's puppy dog eyes, she sighed in resignation at those same eyes now.
"No lipstick, and fine, no Philip talk. Now let me do your hair, you need to look hot as balls."
Aurora let out a breath of relief, letting all tension fall from her shoulders as she sank into a plush chair in front of the mirror.
She closed her eyes listening to Belle's musical voice chattering away, feeling the girls supple fingers working through her hair and teasing out any lingering thoughts of her soon to be ex boyfriend.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I have no idea how you convinced me to not wear a jacket, I'm so cold!" Aurora whined, clasping at her shoulders in an attempt to trap in the warmth.
"Oh will you quit moaning! We're almost there."
The cab had dropped them a few streets away from The Moors at the girl's request, giving them time to mentally prepare for the night.
The Moors itself looked nondescript from the outside. The luminous green sign cast dream like shadows across the pavement, seeming to pulse in time with the thrum of music coming from inside.
The girls stopped short of the entrance, eyeing up the absurdly tall bouncer guarding the door.
Spying them lingering, the bouncer looked up questioningly.
"Can I help you girls?"
The two shared a look, Aurora biting her lip, suddenly unsure.
"Ermm we're here for the band?"
"Mortal Fae? You don't look like their usual fans."
His tone was playful, the smile visible past the smoke he exhaled.
"We're friends of the band. Well, 'Rora is."
Belle smirked as she nudged Aurora's side.
Aurora hid behind her lightly waving hair, shielding her flushed face from the bouncer.
The bouncer stood up straighter, discarding his cigarette as he leant closer to the pair, trying to get a closer look.
"'Rora? As in Aurora?"
Her head snapped up at the sound of her name. She lightly pushed her hair behind her ears to reveal her face once more.
"Yes?"
"I thought as much. Go straight on in girls, no ID necessary. Mal told me to not give you any trouble."
He stepped aside from the doorway, pulling the handle as he did so. The music thrummed louder, seeping into the street through the now open door.
"First drink is on me, tell Sam behind the bar that Bert said to give you whatever."
Smiling warmly he gestured for the girls to enter, which they did eagerly.
"Thanks Bert!" Belle grabbed Aurora's hand, pulling her swiftly inside.
"Oh my!"
Aurora couldn't help being taken aback by the sight.
Despite The Moors almost intimidating exterior, the interior was far from what she expected.
It had never occurred to her that the name might actually signify for any form of botanical elements. Exotic looking plants covered almost all corners of the bar, striking even in the dim light.
The bar itself seemed to be carved from some sort of tree, polished smooth on top but with knots and grooves evident on the sides exposed. Even the bar stools were large wooden logs.
"Man it's like... A Moor!"
Aurora managed to splutter out, ignoring Belle's laughter at her dumbfounded expression.
"Funny that, you would've thought they'd have named it after something more relevant. Now stop admiring the decor and let's get our drink on!"
Aurora's eyes continued to search the bar, scanning for the now familiar statuesque woman.
Belle reeled off their order, her natural charisma and charm clearly working on the barman.
Aurora spied a stage area at the far end of the bar through the throng of people already gathered there. But no Maleficent. Or Diaval for that matter.
"Shot." Belle necked her own before handing Aurora the small glass filled with clear liquid.
"Do I even want to know what this is?" Aurora wrinkled her nose at the smell of the alcohol, pre-emptively feeling the burn down her throat.
Her brunette friend rolled her eyes, gesturing for Aurora to drink.
She did so, gagging at the taste as she fought to keep it down.
"Eurgh, you know I hate Sambuca!"
Laughing at her friend's discomfort, Belle replaced the shot glass in Aurora's hand with a vodka and coke.
"Everyone hates Sambuca, unless it's free."
The lights dimmed some more and an electric buzz shot through the room. The crowd of people seemed to edge further forward, a collective murmur passing through them.
"Quick! They're about to start!"
Aurora made a beeline for the stage area, sidestepping into the crowd carefully to avoid spilling her drink.
It was then that she saw Diaval stepping onto the stage, swigging a beer.
Grabbing the mic, he addressed the crowd.
"Hey guys, thanks for coming out. It's good to see so many of you, although Dave I swear Balthazar barred you last week?"
He pointed to a burly, bearded man near the front of the crowd. This earned a rumble of laughter, everyone drawn to the man's boyish cheek.
"Ermm so for those of you whose first time it is here, I'll explain how this works..."
A movement at the back of the stage caught Aurora's eye.
Maleficent had appeared and was quietly tuning a guitar behind Diaval in the darkness.
Sensing Aurora's distracted gaze, Belle trained her eyes upon the woman also.
"Jesus Aurora! No wonder you're hot for her!"
Aurora didn't respond, choosing instead to continue watching the woman.
She looked far more relaxed than Aurora had ever seen her.
Her long brown tresses cascaded carelessly down her sides, swaying as she moved her head back and forth from looking at the the tuning peg to the corresponding string.
She'd opted for a fairly scruffy black tank top, one that Aurora was willing to bet had been Diaval's at one point or another. Skinny black jeans perfectly hugged her slender legs, accentuating the toned limbs underneath. Her Doc's were the only real signifier that the woman was truly there, clomping slightly whenever she took a step to the amp or the pedal board.
Aurora couldn't help but observe the woman's supple fingers turning various dials on the amp. Just observing the way she moved so freely around, occasionally stopping to murmur something to an even taller silhouette to the side of her, face splitting into an unexpected grin at times, made Aurora also smile in turn.
It was odd to see Maleficent so at ease, so at home in this most peculiar place. Odd, but reassuring she thought. Although the woman gave off an extremely introverted and almost antisocial vibe, Aurora enjoyed seeing Maleficent genuinely happy in the presence of others.
"...so yeah we've already got a few requests in so ermm we're gonna get playing. Remember you can request whilst we're playing too, just tell Sam over at the bar there your choice- wave Sam!"
Diaval waved animatedly at the bartender, drawing Aurora's attention back to the front of the stage.
"If we don't like it, we won't play it. And Peter for the thousandth time; no. No matter how many times you request Nickelback, just no. How You Remind Me is a great song, but it's a matter of principle."
A man wearing sunglasses despite the darkness of the bar near the front of the crowd flipped the Diaval the finger, but smiled nonetheless at the man.
"Alright, let's see what we have..."
He reached into what appeared to be a wooden tankard filled with slips of paper, pulling one carefully out and holding it to his face.
"Ooohhhh good choice! Mal you can take this one."
Aurora's heart sped up as Maleficent strode confidently towards centre stage.
The spotlight fell on her as she exchanged a few words with Diaval, her laugh at whatever comment he had made echoing into the microphone.
Silence fell upon the audience as the first few notes struck, the only sounds coming from the guitar.
As soon as the drum kicked in Aurora could feel something stir within her, a need to move, to feel something. Something new. To escape from the underlying nausea that came with any thoughts of Philip, to escape from her father's disappointment and aversion to even look at her. From the never-ending pain of her mothers death and the hole she'd been left with in her life.
Each drum hit, wailing cry of the guitar and low and throbbing pulse of the bass swelled her chest and surged through her veins.
Maleficent hoisted the guitar to her mouth, wailing into it.
The atmospheric screech ebbed over the room, eliciting goose bumps on Aurora.
A shudder crept through her and she could almost see her cares float away, riding that eerie screech.
"Stranded in this spooky town, Stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down."
Maleficent's voice was...raw. There was no other way Aurora could describe it. It was messy, unclean. The notes weren't rounded off properly, the words slurred at the edges. Not clipped and pronounced clearly. But it was full of meaning. Eyes closed, swaying with a half smirk on her face.
Effortless.
"Holy SHIT!"
Belle had to shout to be heard over the music, but Aurora heard her and couldn't help but look a bit smug. Her eyes never left Maleficent.
"I know! I told you she would be incredible"
"She took my heart, I think she took my soul, With the moon I run, Far from the carnage of the fiery sun."
Maleficent's voice relentlessly conducted the band.
Both Diaval and Balthazaar taking cues from the changes in Maleficent's voice accustomed now to the way it lulled and swelled and adjusting accordingly.
"She looks like Lara Croft or something! All sweaty and scruffy and ahh..."
Although Aurora agreed, she shot Belle a warning glance. She immediately regretted it; after all, Belle had just as much right if not more to ogle Maleficent.
"Chill, crushes on broody female guitarists, you know I love dick too much."
Aurora snorted at her friend, vaguely aware of the fact that she hadn't denied her crush on Maleficent.
As the song drew to a close in a series of near deafening crashes, Aurora downed what remained of her drink, freeing up her hands to clap.
Applause rang through the bar, Aurora and Belle screaming and whooping drawing a few looks from those nearest.
"Thanks." Maleficent drawled into the mic, shooting a look at the girls whilst trying not to laugh.
She stepped away from centre stage and walked over to the amp, adjusting a few dials and swigging her beer.
"The wonderful Maleficent Mistress of Evil kids."
Diaval announced over the mic, earning a glare from Maleficent over her beer.
"Alright next song... Heads Will Roll. Yeah I'll take that one."
"Let's get another drink." Belle gestured to the bar, grabbing Aurora's hand and dragging her through the crowd.
Once the drinks were ordered Belle motioned to the toilets and shot off in their direction.
"Belle! Belle!" Aurora yelled after her friend, looking around awkwardly.
"Hey, Aurora, right? I'm Sam."
She turned around to see the barman from earlier smiling kindly at her, sliding a weird green coloured shot at her.
Aurora nodded awkwardly, trying to mirror his smile and not look disdainfully at whatever liquid was in the cup.
He must've sensed her discomfort as he laughed and took the shot himself.
"It's fine, it's some apple liqueur stuff that Balthazaar brews himself. It's actually quite nice once you get used to the taste."
He pulled a fresh glass from under the bar, pouring another in plain sight so Aurora could see what was going into it.
"Diaval told us you were coming, said you were a friend of Maleficent's?"
She heard the question at the end of his sentence.
"Is that so hard to believe?" She pulled a bar stool shaped like a gnarled log towards her and sat opposite the towering man.
"I guess I didn't know Maleficent had many friends, besides us guys."
"Huh." Aurora pondered this for a while. She knew the woman seemed like a bit of a recluse but hadn't quite expected to this extent.
The man, sensing he'd somehow offended her quickly backtracked.
"Not that you don't seem like the type of person she'd be friends with, it's just she doesn't take too kindly to strangers."
"And why is that?" The blonde felt a pang of guilt for prying, but this was an opportunity to perhaps learn more about the mysterious woman without having to ask her directly.
The man shrugged, asking her if she'd like another shot.
Aurora nodded once, pushing her now empty glass towards him.
"She's been like it for as long as I've known her. She used to come here when she was younger, caused quite a bit of trouble or so I'm told."
"So you've known her for a while?"
Sam smiled at her curiosity and laughed at the blush that had crept onto her cheeks at her questioning.
"I don't mean to pry..."
"Oh no it's fine! She's quite the enigma. I've worked here for near to 10 years now. Balthazaar likes to take on stragglers, you know, unruly kids, rebellious teens, that sort of thing."
"And you were one of them?"
He polished off another shot. Aurora followed suit, allowing her glass to be refilled again.
"I had my fair share of problems, nothing on Mal of course."
"Why what happened?"
Aurora tried to keep her tone neutral; choosing to stare at the glass in what she hoped was a nonchalant way.
"I'm not really sure. She used to roadie for a pretty successful band back in the day, I can't remember the name, she doesn't talk about it much. And then one day she just up and left and no one knows why. Career gone, just like that. And then she turns up here a lot, drinks far too much too often and starts a lot of fights. I don't know if you've noticed but she's quite quick to anger."
Sam winked at Aurora, sharing a knowing look that had Aurora giggling.
"I'll take that as a yes to noticing. So Balthazaar, being the good guy he is, takes her in. You know, offers her a job behind the bar which she declines. But he's persistent, his protective nature makes it hard for him to give up on anyone."
Sam had a faraway look, a soft smile on his face as he spoke about the freakishly tall and thin drummer.
"Then one time he hears her sing and play the guitar and well as they say; the rest is history."
At this point he nodded towards the stage where Diaval had somehow managed to undo his shirt and was gyrating against the microphone stand.
"Heads will roll, Heads will roll, Heads will roll on the floor!"
Just as Aurora went to enquire deeper into Maleficent's history, Belle pranced back up to the bar.
"Hey sorry I was a while, there's like one stall and apparently a lot of people who gotta pee. I'll have another of that weird green stuff please Sam." She fluttered her eyelashes and not so subtly pushed her boobs together extenuating her cleavage.
Sam shook his head and muttered something under his breath as he pushed a few shots at her.
"Thanks Sam! C'mon 'Rora, let's go dance!"
Aurora gave Sam a departing thanks and allowed herself to be walked back to the crowd.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After an up-tempo set, the trio walked off stage, carried on a wave of applause.
"Fuck me, I'm sweating like a blind lesbian in a fish bar!" Diaval had removed his shirt over the course of the evening and used it to slap some of the sweat off his back.
"What a lovely turn of phrase." Maleficent drily shot back, lightly fanning herself with her hand.
Diaval merely grinned, tousling his messy raven black hair.
Maleficent turned away from the man, letting her eyes wander over to where Aurora and her friend had been sat moments before.
The blonde was laughing at something the brunette beside her had said, head tossed back over the back of the seat.
Something akin to jealously rolled into Maleficent's gut as she watched Aurora place a hand absentmindedly over her friends, twirling her fingers over the other pair and grasping them as she continued to laugh.
Shaking her head, Maleficent scowled moodily. She wasn't jealous. Wasn't jealous of that other brunette. They were clearly just friends. Wouldn't even matter if they were something more anyway.
"I'm going for a smoke." She snapped at no one in particular, stalking past the band towards the side exit.
Aurora cackled loudly as Belle once again described in detail the way she imagined Maleficent and Aurora would "pork" as she kept putting it so eloquently, trying to ignore the piercing green eyes she could feel watching her from the far corner of the room.
"Is she still looking over?" Belle muttered in between interlocking her index and middle finger on both hands, pushing them together in an attempt to demonstrate her idea of sex.
Giggles still fell from Aurora's lips as she grasped Belle's hand to make her stop, nodding in answer.
"What's she doing now? Go over!"
Despite her best efforts to hold her friends attention, Belle knew exactly where Aurora would rather be right now, or more like who she would rather be with.
"She's just left," Aurora frowned, slyly looking over at Diaval who was still shirtless and sweating in the corner.
"Should I follow?"
"Yes! Go go!" Belle shooed her on, all but shoving her out of her seat and towards the door.
Aurora tumbled out of the side exit, stumbling straight into the woman they'd just been discussing.
"Careful beastie."
Strong arms had enveloped her instinctively and kept her balanced.
Maleficent looked unaffected at the girls entrance, keeping hold of her lit cigarette in one hand whilst the other remained around Aurora's waist.
"Sorry." Aurora suddenly felt self-conscious, tucking loose pieces of hair behind her ears and trying not to act as drunk as she felt.
"It's quite alright."
An awkward pause ensued in which Aurora fought to keep her eyes from drooping. Acting like a stupid drunken teenager right now would not be productive.
"That was a really great set. You guys sounded amazing."
Chancing a look up at the woman, she watched the wind play in the brunette's hair. Seeing her eyes were closed, face turned towards the breeze in an attempt to cool down, Aurora took it as a chance to rake her eyes over the woman.
Her black tank top had stuck to parts of her body with sweat. She could the dampness of Maleficent's smooth, pale skin reflecting that strange green glow of The Moors.
Aurora swallowed, dispelling the thoughts her brain had begun to conjure up at the sight of a droplet of sweat trickling down Maleficent's exposed cleavage.
She looked up to see Maleficent watching her amusedly and blushed furiously red, averting her eyes immediately.
"Thank you beastie." A stream of smoke escaped her lips.
Another pause in the conversation. Aurora half regretted coming outside now, it's not like she had a reason to, other than to talk to the woman.
"I'm surprised you turned up."
Maleficent's tone was aloof and casual as she flicked the ash off the end of her cigarette.
"Managed to escape from your captors?" It turned teasing and her eyes shone teasingly as she turned back to the girl.
"I have no captors, I can do what I want." Aurora was aware of how petulant she sounded. Wow this really wasn't the way she wanted to present herself. A drunken child.
"Hmmm, an independent woman, I like that."
Aurora giggled nervously, aware of the way Maleficent had sidled slightly closer to her as she spoke.
"Very independent." Aurora reiterated.
"No boyfriend then?"
It was said so softly that Aurora thought she must've imagined it. Maleficent's face gave away nothing; in fact she'd turned away from Aurora once more. It was almost like she hadn't moved in the first place.
"Not for long..."
Aurora trailed off unsure of how else to respond.
Quite suddenly, Maleficent turned back to Aurora once more, the playful gleam having returned to her emerald eyes.
"So, tell me Aurora, after seeing me play properly" Maleficent stubbed out her cigarette under her boot, crushing the embers into the pavement, "who did it better; me or prince douche?"
There it was again, that closeness. A strange electricity seemed to pass through Aurora as she stared into those green eyes. Maleficent was offering her a challenge, seeing how far she could push the girl.
Standing up straight, praying that she didn't stumble or sway, Aurora reached out her hand towards the woman slowly.
Her finger traced Maleficent's inner forearm, eyes trained on Maleficent's the whole time to make sure the contact was okay.
She flicked an errant speck of ash from the older woman's arm, letting her forefinger remain in contact with the now cold skin for longer than necessary.
"I think you know the answer to that." Her voice was barely more than a whisper, huskier than moments before.
Maleficent's eyes flashed in surprise for a moment at Aurora's blatant flirting, before her neutral expression reappeared.
Aurora returned her arm to her side carefully, as if not to startle the woman.
Studying the girl, Maleficent shook her head lightly before turning on her heel and opening the side door.
"Come on princess, the evening's just beginning."
Suppressing a gasp, Aurora watched the retreating woman, gazing freely at what appeared to be a set of ornately tattooed wings flexing across her back as she moved further into the bar.
Before the door swung shut, Aurora allowed herself to be swallowed back up into the strange pull the bar seemed to posses. What the rest of the evening had in store for her, she had no idea. But if it was anything involving Maleficent, she was more than willing to find out.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"This is the most fun I've had in soooooo long!" Aurora tried to keep her words intact, mindful of the slur that had crept in somehow midway through dancing. Could've been all that green stuff, she mused internally, trying to keep the brain fuzz from overwhelming her.
"Mmmhhmmmm." Belle's head rested on her shoulder. The fatigue had set in halfway through an epic and impromptu encore of Free Bird by the band that resulted in a small riot in the crowd.
"D'you think we should get her home?" Maleficent had joined the girls after packing up the bands equipment, keeping a watchful eye on the amount that Sam had been pouring into their glasses.
God when did I become their godmother? She thought, trying not to think about where Aurora's hand currently rested on her thigh.
"She's fine, I'm fine, are you fine?"
Aurora's head lolled towards Maleficent, struggling to hold itself up.
Maleficent raised an eyebrow, cupping the girl's chin to force her to look at her.
"I am fine. You however, are not. It's home time for you two."
Aurora pouted, trying to wriggle free from the woman's grip.
"Nooooo I wanna stay here with you!"
The sober part of her brain yelled at her to shut up. The plan to keep it cool around Maleficent had not worked at all.
"Plus I can't go home like this, if my aunts are there they'll kill me! Do you want me to get killed?"
Maleficent snorted at Aurora's words, allowing the blonde to grasp her free hand.
"Hmmm, that wouldn't be ideal."
Her green eyes met with Aurora's blue ones, searching for the answer to the dilemma she was faced with.
She knew she shouldn't take Aurora back to her apartment. And Diaval had already promised to drop Belle home on the way knowing that she had specifically requested her own bed for the evening, so dropping Aurora at her own house wouldn't be a huge inconvenience.
But a large part of her wanted to make sure Aurora was safe. Even if her Aunt's weren't home the fact still remained that she didn't want Aurora home alone for the evening.
"You could stay at my place, if that's what you wanted?"
Maleficent tried to say it with confidence, to keep the uncertainty out of her voice but was sure she failed.
Even in her drunken state Aurora was surprised at the offer. She didn't think her pleading and whining would actually work.
"I mean, you could stay at Belle's if you-"
Belle raised her head, eyes still tightly shut.
"No can do, my bed's a single and my mum can handle one hung over young adult, but not two."
She tried to shoot Aurora a wink, but instead just twitched her mouth to the side before flopping back down on the bar.
"Diaval?"
Maleficent knew she was running out of options. Having the girl stay wouldn't be the end of the world but she knew it would be crossing into unfamiliar territory. At Diaval's she was safe. It was neutral ground, they had a purpose for being there and Diaval made for a perfect in between for the pair.
"Oh no can do, I promised the spare to Balthazaar tonight, he's ermm lost the key to the flat."
Maleficent saw right through Diaval's lie but didn't question him. She'd made her bed.
"Aurora?"
Aurora didn't hesitate before answering, wanting nothing more than to see where the woman lived.
"Yes! Let's go to yours."
They left the bar in a stupor, shouting goodbyes to the regulars that remained sprawled out in various corners of the bar despite the late (or early) hour.
Aurora leant on Maleficent for support as they walked the short distance to the staff parking lot, enjoying the warmth the woman was radiating despite her barely there attire.
Buckling the girls into Diaval's car was a mission. Belle flopped heavily in the front seat, struggling to keep her eyes open. Meanwhile Aurora kept playfully swatting Maleficent's hands away, enjoying seeing the woman get more and more frustrated whilst trying not to smile at the girls antics.
Once they were all in, Belle in the front with Diaval and Maleficent having slid in next to a now still Aurora, Diaval flicked the radio on.
Aurora watched the streetlights fly past, vaguely aware of Maleficent's arm cradling her. Was that Gimme Shelter on the radio?
Before she passed out she remembered Maleficent's arm tightening around her, and thought she felt a soft pressure and warmth on her temple before a drink induced sleep swallowed her whole.