#sorry to anyone disappointed by them being nobodyified

[1mnobodywhoareyou]

Hate Me

"How could you do this to me? To us?!"

Mal can see the hurt on Uma's face and tries to swallow down the guilt she's convincing herself she doesn't feel. She didn't choose this! "I'm not doing anything. I have to go. You know that! It's what's best for all of us."

"You could have said no. You can always say no."

Mal scoffs. "To my mother? Right, 'cause that's worked so well for us in the past. Besides, she has a plan."

Uma rolls her eyes as she lets out a scoff of her own. "Of course she does. Maleficent's always got a plan."

Mal chooses to ignore the disdain in Uma's voice. "It's for all of us, Uma. We're going to bring down the barrier. I promise!"

"And you have to go with them." Uma spits it out, like the very idea of Evie and Carlos being by Mal and Jay's side sickens her.

It's always been contentious. The way that Mal has friends who aren't Uma and Harry. But Uma just doesn't get it. The way that their parents are. The way they've been forced together since birth. The way that they're practically family. Especially, well, nobody really understands what happened between the land witches and the sea witches…

"It's not up to me!"

"You could have asked for us to come too!"

Mal shakes her head disbelievingly. She rolls her eyes. "Auradon? Really? 'Please, King Beast, sir, may I bring a pirate crew also?'" she mocks.

"Or at least just me!"

"You'd never leave them, Uma!" Mal cries. She hates this but she doesn't see any other way through. She has to do this. For all of them. Even if it hurts the people she loves most. "Just like I'd never leave my family! That's how things work."

Uma scowls at her and Mal knows there's no getting through to her. There's no way to make her understand. "If you leave, you're dead to me. To us. Him too, you know," Uma states, matter of fact. Like she's not threatening to rip Mal's entire world in two.

Mal ignores the stabbing feeling in her chest. It's one thing to do this to herself. It's another to do this to Jay.

She looks at Uma and reaches out for her hands. Uma snatches them back. "I have to do this, Uma. For all of us. I'll come back for you. I promise."

Uma snorts. "You already said that. But you won't. You'll fall in love with the high life and become one of them. I just know it."

"You don't know that!"

"I do. I do, Mal. Because it's what I would do." The look in Uma's eyes make Mal's chest feel like it's crumpling in on itself.

"I'm sorry, Uma. I really am. I so desperately wish it could be different. But I'll be back. You'll see." She reaches out for Uma again but she reels back from Mal's touch.

Mal turns to leave. She only makes it about three steps before she hears Uma's voice again. A little bit broken. But strong. Like Uma. "I hate you."

Mal lets out a soft, disbelieving laugh. She turns back around, just with a slight twist of her neck and shoulders. "You don't really hate me."

"How could you know? Maybe I do. They always say there's a fine line between hate and love."

Mal shakes her head slightly. "Okay, Uma. I'll see you tomorrow." She turns and focuses on finally letting herself leave. One foot in front of the other.

But Uma's not there tomorrow. And Mal heads off without even a proper goodbye.