There's A First Time For Everything (Diaval from Maleficent)

[Wildwood]

Poke. Poke.

Diaval sniffled, giving his dramatically pointed nose a twitch. He had woken at precisely midnight with a peculiar tickling sensation in his beak—ahem, nose—and he was unaware of the reason it had surfaced.

Poke.

…Poke, poke.

“Mi-hihh… M-Mistress…?”

The once-winged fairy stirred, frowning tiredly. “You poor simple fool…” Maleficent moaned sleepily, putting fists to her eyes and rubbing them into the deep sockets. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet, sleep is essential in order to maintain proper function in a creature other than a crow.”

“I-hh-hhh… I-I know, Mistress, and I apologize, but—” Diaval’s nose gave a much more significant twitch and he coughed out a gasping exhale.

Maleficent paused, watching him intently for a moment before smirking. “This should be interesting,” she murmured, more to herself than to her servant.

Diaval spent several seconds fighting hitching breaths, a hand placed before his nose, fingers scrambling over and across the bridge and the septum trying desperately to figure out a way to stop this fearsome feeling. Finally, he inhaled an enormous gust of air and expelled it with a trio of strained and husky sneezes. “Ha-AHHhhuhh!! HAAHHhuhh!! …EHHAAhuhh!!”

Maleficent laughed teasingly. “Dia leat,”* she chuckled.

Diaval’s eyes were wide with surprise and uncertainty, a slight trickle of wetness escaping his left nostril. “Wh-… What was that…?”

“A sneeze, you simpleton.” Maleficent giggled again and reached into her dress, producing a white square of gentle cloth. “Wipe your nose with this; you’re dripping.”

“Dripping what? Blood?”

“No, dear; brains. When you sneeze, your brains come out your nose. You’ll certainly be dead by dawn.”

Maleficent allowed nearly all the color to drain from Diaval’s face before bursting once more into laughter. “I’m only joking~!” she assured him. “Nose fluid is a rather unpleasant thing to have hanging from that beak of yours. Use that cloth to clean up. The cloth is called a handkerchief.”

“Handkerchief…” Diaval tried out the strange word as he wiped the cloth underneath the hooked end of his nose. “…How interesting.”

“Quite.”

“And what were those words you said? After…after I sneezed?”

“I told you Dia leat. It’s what you say if someone around you sneezes.”

“What for?”

Maleficent paused. “…You know, I’m not really sure. Besides, I haven’t had anyone to say it to since I was a young girl.” She smiled fondly at the memory:

---

“ESHHheuuww!! …Ohh, snf, excuse me, Maleficent. This unusual abundance of flora and fauna has my nose itching up madness.” Stefan rubbed under his nose with a curled knuckle.

Maleficent was thoroughly startled. “Wh-What was that?!”

“What was what?”

“That strange loud noise you’ve just made.”

“O-Oh! Haha, it was a sneeze.”

“What’s a sneeze?”

“Well, it’s… Well, you see, i-it’s…” Stefan paused to think. “I’m not really sure what it is, actually. It just happens when you’ve got something in your nose that makes it itch. It’s rather annoying.” He took out a square cloth from one of his many pockets and wiped his nose with it.

“What’s that?”

“A handkerchief. You use it to clean up the fluid that comes from your nose after a sneeze.”

“Oh. Why?”

“Because it’s quite disgusting.”

“Oh.”

Stefan was about to ask if fairies could sneeze when his nose gave a twitch. “Hihhh…” His breath hitched.

Maleficent giggled. “You look silly~”

Stefan managed a laugh before he buckled forward into the cloth. “EHHSHEUhuhh!!”

Maleficent laughed again.

“You’re supposed to say Dia leat,” Stefan said, wiping his nose again.

“What’s that?”

“It’s something you say after someone sneezes.”

“Why?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Oh. Well, Dia leat, then.”

“Thank you.”

---

“…I’m not sure,” Maleficent repeated softly, still half-consumed by the memory.

“Oh. Well, then, I suppose I’ll just say thank you and have it over with?”

“If you like.”

“All right. Thank you, Mistress.”

“You’re welcome, Diaval."

*Dia leat = Irish Gaelic for 'bless you'

[Wildwood]

I forgot to add this:

I expect that this would be set in between the time that Maleficent finds Diaval and the time that Maleficent hears of Aurora's birth. And as for her reminiscing fondly on Stefan, who for most of the movie she hates with a burning passion, I admit that that could be taken as OOC, but at that particular moment in this fic, I personally thought it would pass for all right.

I hope you guys like it~

[Galaxy]

Ohhh my goodness ;o; I totally LOVED Diaval and you captured his and Maleficent's characters so well!! Ohhohhhh that confusion he's got, never having sneezed before, that's madly sweet~ I loved this!! Omg how dare you, your sneezy writing is phenomenal

[Wildwood]

Ohhh my goodness ;o; I totally LOVED Diaval and you captured his and Maleficent's characters so well!! Ohhohhhh that confusion he's got, never having sneezed before, that's madly sweet~ I loved this!! Omg how dare you, your sneezy writing is phenomenal

Wow, what a flattering comment I'm honored you like my work~ I'm seeing the movie again on Sunday with one of my close friends (lol she demands that i go with her when she sees it for the first time, she's a cutie) sooo expect some more of this goodness!

[The Kneezle]

Well this promises to be an awesome story! The writing is excellent and I've got to admit, the band thing is right up my ally. Can't wait for some sneezing!

[Chanel_no5]

I like this, it's really cute and I absolutely love the interactions between Maleficent and Diaval.

[babygirl45]

I liked it also malficient is a great movie

[Wildwood]

Awww haha thank you all very much I'm very glad you all enjoyed it!

[Deadsh0t]

I LOVED the movie, and this is just too adorable. Perfectly in-character, too. I do think that there would be times when Maleficent, particularly when in that hazy state of just having woken up like she is here, would catch herself reminiscing fondly on her friendship with Stefan. So no, it's not too OOC. ^^

[SterlingSilver]

Ahhhh~!! I had been waiting for something like this since seeing the movie, and you certainly delivered~! SO ADORABLE~!

Well written too <33. Good job, and thanks so much for sharing~!

[Sonicman]

this looks like a good story indeed. can't wait to see more.

[Wildwood]

this looks like a good story indeed. can't wait to see more.

Waitwaitwaitwai--------…do you guys want me to continue it…?

[SpookyBoi]

Yes I think that this should go on. Like this is Diaval’s first time I'll as a human.

[Akahana]

AHHHHHH!!! I just saw Maleficant recently and it was so great~ the entire movie is beautiful and had me in tears and Diaval and Maleficant's relationship is beautiful and with Aurora they are such a perfect family!! Thank you for this fic too, it's cute and Diaval is just YES.

[squealofapproval]

Ahhh, that was SO CUTE! Diaval's nose is something I could stare at forever. And I love fics where newbie humans don't know what sneezes are.

[Dylan]

I watched this on Friday and oh my God this is perfect

I went with school, and everyone else was like ooooo Prince Philip, but me and my friend Abbie were like diaval because he looked like Gerard way!

Just Asdfghjkl hi I like you

Edited June 29, 2014 by BringVerityTheHorizon

[Deadsh0t]

Waitwaitwaitwai--------…do you guys want me to continue it…?

Yes! If you want to, of course. :3

[Wildwood]

Waitwaitwaitwai--------…do you guys want me to continue it…?

Yes! If you want to, of course. :3

I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO! What sort of stuff would you guys like to see?

[SpookyBoi]

He should get sick for his time in his human form.

[Sunshower]

Can I just say that I especially love the way you portrayed the characters? Oh my goodness, everything was extremely on-point. I absolutely love Maleficent, and her relationship with Diaval is one of my favorite things. Of course, I would love to see it continued, perhaps with Diaval finding out what human illness feels like for the first time? And perhaps a bit of teasing (but also concern and care) from Maleficent?

Whatever you choose to do, I can't wait to read it!

[rockblock706]

Can I just say that I especially love the way you portrayed the characters? Oh my goodness, everything was extremely on-point. I absolutely love Maleficent, and her relationship with Diaval is one of my favorite things. Of course, I would love to see it continued, perhaps with Diaval finding out what human illness feels like for the first time? And perhaps a bit of teasing (but also concern and care) from Maleficent?

Whatever you choose to do, I can't wait to read it!

I totally agree with Sunshower! Diaval feeling a human illness for the first time would be a great idea! Just to point out though, don't birds sneeze as well? I think I read it in a book, and was just wondering if Diaval sneezed as a crow.

[Wildwood]

Wow, guys, I'm flattered that you guys had such a positive response towards my first story on here! I think I'll make my next Diaval fic a separate story from this one, but I'll post the link to it on here to make sure you all know I started it So it appears the most popular wish is to have Diaval experience the common cold in his human form for the first time. Is that cool?

[Sunshower]

That would be absolutely amazing! I honestly can't wait to read it. All those sneezes with that long, beaky nose.... mmmm... yes, please! I'm glad you decided to go ahead with it. Please do let us know when it's up!

[Wildwood]

Okay guys, here's the continuation!

http://www.sneezefetishforum.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=57360