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Adora fidgets, adjusting the bow tie on her neck.
“Bow! Are you sure this is on correctly?” Adora asks.
“Yes, Adora, I’m sure. I’ve fixed it for you three times now!” He laughs, knowing full well Adora’s outfit is impeccable.
She knows it too, and is only nit-picking so she can be perfect for her crush, a certain senior girl by the name of Catra.
Glimmer walks into the bedroom, carrying a red bow that she promptly drops once she turns to Adora.
“Adora! You look amazing, like an angel from above!” Glimmer hurriedly bends down and picks up the hair bow she dropped, handing it to Adora.
“You think so? All I did was follow a tutorial...” Adora picks up the bow and ties it to her signature ponytail.
“Of course I do. Now let’s hurry, we can’t be late for the dance!”
Glimmer and Bow usher Adora out of her bedroom, eagerly running to Glimmer’s car.
“Trust me, this’ll be the best night of your entire high school career!”
Scorpia’s phone lights up with a cheerful ring, signaling a text message. Scorpia lunges forward to reply, nearly running into Catra.
“Scorpia! Can you please try and be a bit more careful when I have the straightener on?” Catra sighs, trying to tame her cascading curls.
“I’m so sorry Catra! I had to see if Perfuma texted me back.” The taller girl smiles at Catra briefly before turning to her phone.
“Ugh! I give up, my stupid hair just won’t be straight.” Catra unplugs the straightener, letting her hair win the battle yet again. The only two pieces of hair she could ever hope to change were two locks of hair that frames her face, reminders of bangs from years past. But her curls would have to do, as she was quickly running out of time to prepare. Surely Adora wouldn’t mind her unruly hair, right? Catra certainly hoped so.
Scorpia looks up from her phone, hiding a snicker behind a cough.
“Don’t worry Catra. Your hair won’t be a problem at all, not with that eyeliner to distract everyone!” Scorpia nods, giving her another once-over.
“Let’s get going. Oh! But first, a little holiday selfie!” Catra huffs, but smiles for the picture, unable to stay annoyed with Scorpia for long.
When Glimmer pulls up to the front doors of Bright Moon High, the party is just about to begin. Her parents, Principal Angella and Vice Principal Micah, likely were waiting until Glimmer arrived. Glimmer sighs, but she appreciates the gesture all the same.
Inside the cafeteria, Netossa and Spinnerella are standing on an elevated platform. The two graduated a few years back, but still came to the school from time to time. Tonight, they were providing live music and entertainment.
The hall is decorated with festive lights and other adornments, a little cheesy but all the more endearing.
As soon as the Best Friend Squad enters, Mermista and Sea Hawk wave to them from the punch table. Adora gives the couple a small wave, scanning the cafeteria for Catra. After a few moments of searching, Bow drags her off to the table for refreshments. Adora picks at her desserts, her stomach full of butterflies, leaving no appetite for food. Where was Catra? She must have come, the Holiday Dance was legendary among the High School’s students.
Before Adora can voice her concerns, the lights dim. Several spotlights flicker on in their place, lighting the floor with glittering colors of every shade. Glimmer and Bow quickly head to the dance floor, eager to dance the night away. Adora reluctantly follows, but soon relaxes in the flow of the music. She’s so into the song, she doesn’t even notice when another figure comes up to her and taps her shoulder.
“Hey, Adora!”
Catra laughs as Adora whirls around, opening her mouth to reply.
All that she can say, however, is a star-struck oh.
Catra looks like a model that simply never stopped strutting the catwalk. A rich, vibrant red dress drapes Catra’s figure, hugging her body in the perfect places and making Adora incapable of speech. Her voluminous curls lie across her shoulders, bouncing along with her laughter. What really draws Adora in is her eyeliner, a swooping cat’s eye done with an artistic flourish.
“You look... gorgeous.” Adora manages to get the words out without stuttering.
“Oh Adora, you’ve always been so endearingly, charmingly dense. I came up here to dance with you! Shall we?” Without waiting for her to reply, Catra sweeps Adora into her arms as the music swells.
Catra rests her head on Adora’s shoulder, the height difference between them just so that neither girl has to reach up or down.
Catra may not have shown it, but she was just as enamored with Adora.
Adora chose to wear a pristine white suit, an outfit that was eye-catching and perfect for her. Unlike Catra, her makeup was focused not on eyeliner but eyeshadow. Snowy white eyeshadow dusts her eyelids, with glitter carefully brushed on like snowflakes. Of course, it wouldn’t be Adora without her ponytail that Catra so loved to play with. Adora had fastened a festive red bow to her hair, a vibrant pop of color in her blonde waves.
As the girls sway to the music, Adora murmurs against Catra’s ears.
“Catra, I have to tell you. I... I like you. A lot. Whenever I see you, my heart leaps. Even if you don’t feel the same, I had to tell you.”
Catra pulls slightly back from Adora so she can meet her eyes.
“Adora, you’re the first girl I’ve ever loved. There’s no one I want more than you.”
Adora gasps, tears of joy threatening to spill over. She opens her mouth to reply, but Catra points up.
Above them, a sprig of mistletoe has been attached to balloon arch. A tall figure dressed in green smiles in the distance, as they were the one who put it there for the sole purpose of match-making.
“Let’s make it official, shall we?” Catra whispers.
Adora answers by giving Catra a soft but sure kiss. Around them, other couples cheer. Perfuma and Scorpia join the girls on the dance floor, eager to congratulate them. Netossa and Spinnerella smile, starting a romantic duet to fit the mood.
All I want for Christmas is you.
As the girls leave Bright Moon High, snow begins to fall from the sky. Laughing, the couple spins around, catching snowflakes on their tongues. When their dizziness threatens them with exhaustion, the couple walks back to Catra’s car, holding each other up to avoid falling.
When they reach Catra’s car, she asks “Adora, would you like to come back to my place?”
Adora cheerfully nods, not quite ready to give Catra up. Before Catra can start the car, Adora suddenly runs back to Glimmer’s car.
“Where are you going??” Catra yells to her, confused.
“I need something out of Glimmer’s car!” She replies, quickly heading back with a small present.
“It’s, uh, for you.” She blushes, red as her hair bow.
Catra smiles as she opens the present, revealing a small box. She opens it to reveal an ornament of a cat, curling around an engraved heart. Inscribed on the heart is the name Catra. She beams, overjoyed at the gift.
“I love it. It’s perfect. As it turns out, you and I are pretty similar when it comes to gift-giving!” Catra presents Adora with a present of her own.
As Adora tears open the present, she too receives a small box. Inside the box, an ornament rests. A blue sword with a golden handle is attached to a string.
“I heard you talking about that TV show the other day, She-Ra? I thought you would like the ornament.”
Catra smiles at Adora, who is too choked up at the moment to reply.
Instead, she kisses her, and the two stay in the warm embrace of each other’s arms for a long, long time.
“Merry Christmas, Adora.”
“Merry Christmas to you too, Catra. I love you.”