A/N: I saw Maleficent recently. While I will continue to write A Rainy Night of Realization, I just had to write a quick Malora one-shot before I finished the next chapter.

The light was fading from the sky when Aurora came.

She found Maleficent sitting on large, gnarled tree roots as she stared out into the lake. It was just beginning to light up as the shadows of the day continued to grow longer and the creatures of the Moors began to ease their activities. Aurora sat beside her, but the fairy gave no indication of noticing her presence. The young blond woman, knowing Maleficent quite well by now, merely wrapped her arms around her legs and smiled at her fairy godmother while she waited.

Maleficent finally turned to acknowledge Aurora. Her calculating eyes analyzed the human with precision, not missing a single detail as they raked over her. She turned her eyes away once again before she spoke.

"It's been a while, Beastie. You've certainly grown up well. You are eighteen now, was it?" teased Maleficent, knowing full well what day it was.

Aurora suppressed a shiver at the sound of Maleficent's naturally sultry voice. It really had been quite some time.

"Nineteen today," huffed Aurora. "It's been far too long. You could have visited," she added.

"Or you could have come to the Moors instead," replied Maleficent.

Aurora moved closer to Maleficent and placed her head against the fairy's shoulder. Maleficent's wing immediately moved to cover the girl.

"Things have been…busy," said Aurora.

"My…father," she continued, hesitating on the word. "He left quite a mess of things. They tell me he lost his mind to paranoia before his death, leaving many things neglected. Now that I'm older, they want me to have more responsibility before I fully take the role of a queen. It's driving me mad, honestly. I couldn't wait to come back."

"I would be the same. That castle is a dreary place from what little I saw. I never exactly had the time to admire the decorations," said Maleficent, seemingly hinting at something in that vague way of hers. Aurora caught on.

"I still haven't forgotten this place. I'll be coming home soon," she assured gently

"Already shrinking away from your duties? Shame on you, Beastie," smirked Maleficent.

"I could always appoint someone else since they never cared much about royal blood in the first place. I was thinking of asking that Phillip fellow. He's third in line in his kingdom, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He's always hovering around the castle anyway."

"Oh?" Maleficent's practiced face betrayed nothing.

"He's nice enough, and he is definitely eager enough. He's perfect for the kingdom. Just not as the husband everyone thinks I ought to have," said Aurora, her voice faltering slightly with the final words.

The fairy said nothing. Silence overcame them as they watched the Moors, now brightly lit beneath the moonlight. On the other side, the other fairy folk floated along. Though eager to rush over to Aurora and play with her as they used to, they sensed they needed to wait. For now.

"How long has it been, Fairy Godmother?" asked Aurora.

"Five months and fifteen days," responded Maleficent.

"And let me guess, 4 hours?" teased Aurora.

"Seven," she replied softly.

"So you did miss me."

"I never said otherwise."

Once again, they sat silently side by side atop those wide tree roots as they always did whenever Aurora came home to visit. She always loved the Moors since the day she first breathed in its sweet air, but with the flowers now blooming and the creatures free to scurry about without the looming oppression of what Maleficent used to be, the world was constantly alive. Even when the creatures slept, the Moors never did. It made Aurora love the land all the more when she would compare it to the cold castle walls and harsh angles she was born within. It was…soft here. Here, especially beside the warmth of Maleficent.

Aurora, moved her body away the protector of the Moors to look at her. A careful hand reached out began to stroke the sharp cheek bones of Maleficent. She said nothing, but the fairy inclined her head as to give the young princess better access. Aurora's slender fingers traced along the contours of her face, from her prominent cheeks bones, to pointed delicate ears, and down to her regal jaw line. Though Maleficent continued to stare off into the lake's waters, she made no indication of being disturbed by the girl's exploration. Aurora closed her eyes and allowed the sense of peace to wrap around her.

"I finally figured it out," said Aurora, twirling a lock of Maleficent's hair between her fingers.

"Have you?"

"Yes. You woke me up from my slumber with a True Love's kiss. I've got it all figured out in my head now," whispered the girl.

"It took you a while," said Maleficent. Her face continued to stay in its stoic expression, but her eyes sparkled.

"I haven't really had the time to sit down and think about those things, you know. But thank you. For waiting," said Aurora, staring at Maleficent's features freely, her hand finally still against her cheek.

"And what do you have to say then, now that you have everything sorted out?" asked Maleficent, turning to face Aurora. There it was, the precious smile that graced Maleficent's face more and more frequently throughout the years. The one Maleficent once thought Stefan had stolen along with her wings to be shut away some iron cage. To Aurora, it was everything.

The blond haired princess leaned in towards her companion's face. She stopped only centimeters away to take in the inhumanly beautiful features of the one who watched her from the beginning. Her Fairy Godmother. Her protector. The one she never feared when the rest of the world told her different. And she closed the gap with a firm kiss to the lips that ached for her just as much.

"I love you, too, Maleficent."

A/N: There we go! Hope you enjoyed that quick one-shot.