Author's note: I *tried* to have this chapter done in time for the final day of Maleval week, but it simply didn't work out the way I intended. That being said: the plot thickens. *rubs hands together and cackles gleefully*. You'll see some more Aurora in this chapter, among other faces familiar to a different fairy-tale based work ;) I may take a week off fic thanks to all the work I did for this one…or at least I may work with a different ship for a chance next weekend. But I'll be back to this AU soon enough. I'm having so much fun working on it and I'm loving the response to it! Enjoy the update!
Part Five: A Favor, A Prospective Client, and a Realization
Three weeks had gone by rather blissfully for the newly founded couple.
Most of that was due to Maleficent. She had taken great pains to insist that a line was drawn between work and romance—something that Diaval had not only understood, but agreed to entirely.
Their daily schedules became something of a routine: they would meet for coffee in the morning, walk to the train station and ride into the city together, before going separate ways to their offices. They'd hook up again for lunch (if they could, sometimes their workloads could get in the way), and take each other's minds off of the hectic life a lawyer had for a while before heading back and finishing their work for the day. Then, every evening they'd ride the train home together, get dinner at one of the local places they liked, and typically part ways unless it was a weekend and they wanted to have a full-fledged date night.
As for what these dates consisted of: it varied. One week it could be dinner and a movie. Another they would head for an amusement park.
Diaval had even braved taking her to the beach. And while it had not taken her long to figure out that this was mainly to see her in a bathing suit (though she had worn a cover-up to keep the scars on her back hidden), secretly, she had rather liked being admired.
The key to their success so far was that they liked each other. They didn't get bored of each other's company, and while they were compatible sexually (their sometimes epically long make-out sessions were a testament to this), that wasn't what drove them to spend time together.
Diaval had a knack for bringing out the bright side in everything. Maleficent often felt that he was pure sunshine encased in a human form, and that was the main reason she enjoyed being with him.
For his part, Diaval found that Maleficent balanced him out, even if getting to know her better could be a chore. Peeling back the metaphorical layers was an arduous task, but whenever she opened up to him and let him in a bit more, it was worth it.
Of course, the problem with things going smoothly for such a long time was: inevitably something would disrupt the peace.
This disruption arrived in a flurry of blond curls, wide blue eyes, and a particularly excitable personality.
"Whoa, whoa, Aurora slow down," Maleficent pinched the bridge of her nose, and then cast an apologetic look towards Diaval, as her goddaughter's phone call had interrupted what had been a quiet afternoon together. "You got tickets to what now?"
"Killian Jones and the Pirates! Honestly, godmother: they're only the hottest rock band around right now. And I have two more tickets but Philip had to back out because he's sick. He was going to bring his cousin, David, but now it looks like I'm on my own."
"What? No, you are not going to a concert unaccompanied!"
"You think I want to?! I might be a teenager but I'm not naïve! I was…hoping that you might be willing to tag along."
Maleficent pondered the offer, and immediately her brain began to swim with horrific images of bright lights, bodies crowded into a mosh pit, and drugs being passed around. "I might not be willing, but I'm coming with you. Is it…all right if," she swallowed and glanced at Diaval. "You said you had two extra tickets right?"
"Oh please, bring Diaval; I've been dying to meet him in person!"
She arched an eyebrow. "And how did you know I wasn't going to ask to bring someone else?"
"Like you'd ask anyone else?" Aurora's voice was dripping with unneeded sarcasm.
"Do be quiet Beastie."
Diaval, who had remained silent the entire time, bit back a snort of laughter.
Maleficent glared at him. "What time's this concert?"
"It starts at 7. We should be there by 6 at the latest."
"So that gives the two of us an hour to get ready. We'll be at your place around 4:30, okay?"
"Okay. Oh and wear something "cool."
The lawyer rolled her eyes. "I'm sure with my boyfriend's help, I'll manage."
Aurora giggled, thanked her, and then said goodbye before hanging up the phone.
Maleficent ended the call on her cell and locked eyes with a smug-looking Diaval, who was sitting on the couch next to her.
"So…I'm your boyfriend now, am I?"
She swatted at his arm. "Shut up."
He chuckled and tugged her close for a quick kiss. "Now, what kind of concert are we going to?"
"Some rock band called Killian and the Pirates."
"Heard of 'em. The lead singer's rather infamous, actually. His wife is a big time fashion designer. Anyway: they're really popular, so I'm not surprised Aurora is aware of them."
"It doesn't matter if they're a huge success or an indie band, a rock concert is still a rock concert, and she's not going alone."
"Oh I agree entirely. It's not place for a sixteen year old girl alone."
Maleficent rested her head on his shoulder and leaned into his side. "So you don't mind interrupting our date to chaperone, then?"
"I'm still spending time with you. It counts," he brushed his lips against her temple. "But what was the thing you needed my help with?"
"Clothes. Aurora said we need to look cool. I think she's mainly addressing me," she gestured at herself, as she was currently dressed in yoga pants and a shirt with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles grinning and eating pizza as the design.
Diaval grinned and raked his eyes over her. "Well I think you look perfect, but I'm sure I can come up with something appropriate."
She shook her head, but smiled back and leaned in to kiss him again: intent to use what little spare time they had to pursue more pleasant avenues of distraction.
Aurora's face when they showed up at her door was worth the painstaking process of finding the right outfit.
After rummaging around the dregs of her closet, her boyfriend had discovered something she had thought she'd thrown away: a miniskirt made out of black leather.
Declaring it perfect, he went on to match it with a leopard print top that she'd hidden at the base of her dresser (she never thought it would suit her well but bought it on an impulse), and completed the outfit with her black, thigh-length boots.
She had then taken the time to style her hair in loose waves and applied a bit more eyeliner than she usually did, before putting on smoky eye-shadow and bright red lipstick.
To stave off the slight chill in the air, Diaval had leant her one of his leather coats when they had stopped at his place so he could change.
Her expression when he had emerged from his bedroom in skin-tight dark jeans and a black button-down shirt left unbuttoned at his collar, which revealed hints of the scars on his skin, had probably been similar to Aurora's when she saw the two of them.
"Oh my god. Who are you and what have you done with my godmother?" Aurora teased, dragging Maleficent in for a hug.
"Very funny," she pulled back and looked back at Diaval. "Diaval, this is my god-daughter, Aurora. Aurora, meet Diaval."
With a charming smile, Diaval reached out, took Aurora's hand in his, and pressed a brief kiss to her knuckles. "It's very nice to meet you, princess."
Aurora blushed, but offered him a bright, happy smile, and then leaned in to whisper in Maleficent's ear. "Keep him. Keep him forever."
The attorney resisted the urge to groan. "Let's get going, shall we?" She linked one arm with Diaval, and the other with Aurora, before leading the way to her boyfriend's car.
Two hours later, Maleficent was certain that she was in hell.
Whatever Killian Jones and the Pirates were playing: it wasn't music. It was noise.
That noise was accompanied by ear-drum shattering screams of the mostly female crowd, the majority of it directed at the lead singer.
Killian Jones himself seemed to be eating up every second of it. While he was handsome, in a rugged, rapscallion-type of way: Maleficent could tell that he was also arrogant. His grey-blue eyes would twinkle knowingly at the crowd, and a smug smirk rarely left his face as he strutted around in tight leather pants and no shirt, much to the delight of everyone there under 20.
Eventually, she'd had enough and leaned in to shout in Diaval's ear. "I'm getting some air! Can you keep an eye on her?" she gestured at Aurora, who was screaming and jumping with the rest of the teens around her.
Diaval glanced at her, understanding in his eyes, and nodded, waving her off.
Gratefully, she bolted and headed out into the lobby, wincing as her ears began to ring. "Ugh. I think I might be deaf…"
She wandered over to the concessions booth, bought a soda, and took a seat at a bench.
She sipped at the drink and relaxed, stretching out a kink in her shoulder, when she was approached by a young, tear-streaked woman with reddish-brown hair. "Is this seat taken?" Maleficent picked up traces of an Australian accent as she indicated the space next to her.
She shook her head, her brows furrowing in concern. "Are you all right?"
"I've been better," the woman admitted, slumping next to her and dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "Thanks."
Maleficent just nodded and they sat in silence for a few moments before the other woman spoke again. "Why are men such pigs?"
The lawyer snorted. "I get asked that question a lot, actually."
"Well…what's your answer?"
"Some are. Some aren't. It all depends on the guy."
"Well the one I'm married to is…I mean, he screws everything."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"I should just dump divorce papers on his lap and be done with it."
"Well then it's a good thing you ran into me." Never one to turn down a prospective client, Maleficent reached into her purse and found a business card, which she then handed over to the young woman. "Maleficent Maurum, attorney at law: at your service."
The brunette's eyes widened. "Wait. Are you the lawyer that worked on the Hood case?"
Maleficent nodded. "Yes, I am."
"Oh you're good…" her companion gushed before extending out a hand. "Belle Jones."
At this new information, Maleficent blinked. "As in French Fashions?"
"You've heard of me! I kept my maiden name on the line, it just sounded better, you know?"
"So the pig that you're married to…"
"Is the fathead on stage right now? Yep." Belle informed, and then glanced rather gleefully down at the business card. "I'll be sure to give you a call. Thanks!"
"You're most welcome," Maleficent watched, astounded, as the young fashion designer bounded off as if there was nothing wrong in the world and she hadn't been crying minutes before.
As she sat there, wondering about how easily some people could just bounce back from things, the doors to the arena opened and teenagers began to pile out.
Diaval was the one to spot her through the crowd and sprinted over with Aurora in tow. "Hey. You all right?"
"Yeah. It was just stuffy in there," she stood and looked over at her god-daughter. "Did you have a good time?"
Aurora nodded rapidly, grinning from ear to ear. "Killian winked at me!"
Chuckling, Maleficent happily allowed Diaval to wrap his arms around her. "Come on, let's get this one home before she starts bouncing off the walls."
He laughed. "Agreed."
After dropping Aurora off, Diaval drove Maleficent back to her apartment complex and walked her all the way back to her door, as it was quite late.
"Thanks," she murmured, rummaging around for her key.
"For what?" he tilted his head curiously.
"Doing this; for me and for Aurora. I really appreciated having you there, because I don't think I would have made it the entire concert."
"Oh I don't know about that…after all you can be quite a ball-buster in the courtroom."
She smirked once she found her house-key and placed it into the lock. "Still. Thanks for being there."
He gently took hold of her arm and pulled her towards him, placing his lips on hers and initiating a sweet kiss.
She draped her arms over his neck and gladly gave in to the embrace, her fingers coiling into his hair as they allowed their feelings for one another to surface.
Slowly, she pulled back for air, and then…the unexpected happened.
"I love you."
She wasn't sure why the words fell from her lips, and her eyes went wide upon realizing that she had even said it.
Diaval's dark eyes were just as wide as he stared at her.
Silence fell between them as they both processed the effect that three simple words had.
Finally, Diaval managed a smile and whispered: "You mean it?"
She nodded slowly. "I think I do."
His response was that smile widening, and then he claimed her mouth in a far more passionate kiss that informed her that he felt exactly the same way.