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Chapter Text

"That's perfect, Emily! Great job," Entrapta said, clapping two hair-hands together.

Emily beeped happily and bounced a little, mindful of the item still perched on the top of her dome.

"Come on over here so I can take that basket off your head," Entrapta continued.

Emily gave a couple of digital boops in acknowledgement before making her way around Entrapta's workbench in the Sanctum.

Entrapta took another quick look at the row of three beefed-up datapads she had propped up against the collapsible back of her workspace as Emily took the dozen or so thudding, metallic "steps" necessary to close the distance between them. Nodding to herself, Entrapta's lips tightened a moment at what she was seeing before she turned to Emily and pasted on a smile.

Emily stood perfectly still, allowing Entrapta to remove the four magnetic metal clips that had been fastened onto the circumference near the top of Emily's dome at intercardinal points with four hair pincers. Two hair hands formed to catch the woven, rectangular basket the brackets had been holding in place before shifting it around to the other side of Entrapta's stool.

Once the operation was complete, a hair tendril reached out to rub the top of Emily's dome. "Thanks so much for helping me today. I couldn't have done it all without your help!" Entrapta said.

Emily made a mechanical whining sound, somehow tilting her body to make her one "eye" droop pleadingly.

Entrapta's smile turned genuine as she chuckled. "Fine, fine," she said, one tendril from each ponytail reaching out to cup the side of Emily's body as if she were just one, big head. Silky hair slipped along the indented strip of black and pink material before rubbing gently but vigorously. "Who's a good girl? You are, that's who! Emily's the best bot on Etheria, no, the universe! Oh yes she is!"

Emily beeped happily, well pleased now. So pleased, in fact, that the moment Entrapta reclaimed her lengths of hair, Emily went rolling around the Sanctum in joy.

Entrapta continued to smile as she shook her head. The scientific part of her had been fascinated to learn that despite the amount of destruction Emily could cause on one of her "zooms", she never harmed a single thing in the Sanctum. Entrapta privately wondered if somehow Hordak had encoded awareness of his Sanctum into the bots, just in case someone tried to use them to cause deliberate, wanton destruction.

At the thought of Hordak, Entrapta sobered, turning back and taking in the screens she had programmed to follow Hordak's every move. Even though no one else could see it, she knew her lab partner was running on fumes. Oh he still ate and slept, but it seemed as though every cosmic force in existence had decided Hordak had been given enough time to putter around the Sanctum, so his presence kept being summoned all day for the past three days to keep the Fright Zone running.

Entrapta hadn't honestly realized up to this point how hands-on Hordak was as a leader when necessary. She had truly thought he was like her. She always made sure her people had everything they needed to function well, but Hordak went above and beyond in ways most rulers on Etheria didn't, but were also so subtle, no one apparently put alpha and beta together.

Today, for example, started during "office hours" when there was apparently a major malfunction at one of the plants responsible for manufacturing bots. Hordak had put on his "Imbeciles!" routine to clear out the room before stalking off to deal with the problem. Entrapta had watched, honestly enthralled, as the plant workers explained everything they had tried to fix the issue on their own and she could see Hordak's mind sorting everything out. Although he couched it in his "you fools" tone, he had pinpointed the cause in record time. Apparently two part machines and three conveyor belts ended up with various malfunctions at the same time, creating the chaos that had apparently ensued. Hordak had quickly and smoothly directed the workers to the needed repairs, and it wasn't long before the plant was humming along again.

The workers themselves had hustled back to work, but the plant manager had expressed his eternal gratitude. Which Hordak shrugged off with a "Now you know how to deal with this for next time. Which hopefully there won't be!," before taking his leave.

Hordak had nearly reached the barracks once more when another panicked Fright Zone resident approached. Entrapta's eyes widened as she watched the lizard-like being immediately started gesturing with its hands. Then her jaw dropped slightly as Hordak, without missing a beat, began to gesture back. Entrapta had heard of non-verbal communication before, but she had honestly never seen it in action herself. Oh she was more than familiar with pantomime, but this was different. Whatever it was had to be BIG, considering the split-second of panic that washed over her lab partner's face before both of them took off sprinting in the direction of one of the forges.

If the whole incident hadn't been caught on camera, Entrapta would never have believed it. The moment the security camera feed of the affected forge flickered onto one of her screens, she felt her heart stop. The massive pot in the center of the forge, a "ladle", she thought it was called, was tilted, one of the two massive metal arms that suspended the ladle from the ceiling had cracked and was giving way. Several workers had made makeshift levers out of stone pillars resting on the lip of the forge itself to try and keep it up, but the strain was showing on everyone's face.

Hordak once again immediately took charge, and Entrapta had another glimpse of the General he had once been. He ordered pairs of stone pillars be moved closer together on each side, and despite the uncertain looks on the workers' faces, they complied. It wasn't until that first task was complete that Hordak's plan became more clear. He quickly and calmly simply put his right foot down on the end of one of the pillars, freeing up all three workers who had originally been holding it down. Then he did the same with his left foot on the second pillar, relieving four more. Hordak simply stood there like a giant statue as he shouted more orders, the two workers with the lightest builds scrambling up ladders built into the walls of the forge to the beams above to work on repairing the crack. The five remaining workers went over to spell their comrades, switching out as they tired.

Entrapta had to remind herself to breathe, watching the workers, one humanoid male and one reptilian female, clamber up to such heights with molten metal in stone vessels to do the repair work. The humanoid male used stone tools on his side, while the snake-like female simply used her hands to spread the incredibly hot mixture as if it were putty. Then they both got to work shaping, molding, before packing more liquid metal into the weakened section.

On the ground, workers were relieving each other on the stone pillars resting on three sides, but Hordak literally stood alone, arms crossed over his chest as he watched the entire production.

He looked so incredibly regal, Entrapta knew she was going a bit starry-eyed. He reminded her a little of something the First Ones called a "superhero", standing there so calmly, his cape stirring slightly in the currents created as heat met cooler air.

Once the repairs were complete, the two workers on top climbed down, and one by one, the supporting pillars were removed. Each time, the ladle stayed in place, the repair to the suspension arm so seamless, one would never know there had been a crack.

Hordak's pillars were the last to be removed, the Lord of the Fright Zone moving only when absolutely necessary. The moment the final lever slipped from its position, there was a communal held breath. Several seconds passed, and the ladle stayed perfectly even, the molten metal inside safe from spilling out. Then a roar of relief and jubilation rose up, filling the forge with sound.

Hordak himself did not join in, keeping absolutely silent as he turned toward the door to go. He had nearly escaped when the lizard man who had first approached him came up and made a simple gesture. Hordak replied in kind, his face seeming neutral to most, but his ears were slightly down in what Entrapta had come to recognize as a signal he was feeling shy or bashful.

Entrapta had a feeling the lizard man had caught the change in Hordak's ears, too, because he flicked in his tail in response. This brought just the faintest hint of color to Hordak's cheeks before he swept out the door back into the early evening moonglow.

They had been working together for over two months now, and there was still so much for Entrapta to learn about her lab partner! Hopefully he wouldn't be too upset over the fact she was keeping track of him via the security system, but he had been almost to the point of collapsing the previous day when he finally returned. He was sorely lacking rest, and Entrapta wanted to make sure he remained safe throughout the day.

Then the scrap icing on the dross cake had come once Hordak was inside the barracks. Apparently a prankster had spiked the reservoir of what Hordak called a "coffee machine" with some sort of eye medication. Which resulted in practically everyone who had dinner in the mess hall that night running to, as Hordak called it, "the facilities".

Apparently Moocella, the head chef, was holding the person responsible. As the security feed flicked to the cameras in the main kitchen, Entrapta couldn't help but smile at the sight of the black-spotted Taurean holding the culprit with his arms behind his back. Lightly, but in a grip Entrapta knew he would never escape. Mannfera were a strong, beast-like species with super strength and impressive manes regardless of gender, but Moocella knew how to use her own strength and impressive height to keep her prisoner in custody despite her overall gentle disposition.

Hordak strode into the kitchen, using every inch of his impressive height to stare down at the culprit in displeasure. There he handed down the punishment: sole responsibility for latrine duty for a week. And any slacking would result in even worse punishment. The last three words being delivered, of course, with a snarl and an evil glint in Hordak's eye.

At first, Entrapta hadn't understood why Hordak tended to give so many vague threats, especially when he rarely followed through. But when she asked, her lab partner had explained that usually the person being threatened did a much better job of using their imagination to conjure worse punishments than he ever could. The few who had no imagination, he said, he did have to come up with more severe consequences on his own. The difference could be quickly spotted if you knew what to look for.

"So what are the 'dire consequences' for my 'flagrant breach of conduct'?" Entrapta asked, giving him a slightly cheeky grin.

Hordak had smiled back with a touch of wickedness. "Being forced to endure my presence for prolonged periods of time."

"Oooo, then I should see what other rules I can break! Maybe I can get to spend even more time with you!" had been her response.

Which made Hordak choke, then blush, before muttering something about getting back to work.

Beautiful fanart of the conversation by cinamoncune

The sensation of Emily leaning up against Entrapta's right thigh brought Entrapta out of her reverie. A tendril of hair snaked out to "scritch" the top of Emily's dome. "Now remember the plan, Emily. When Hordak comes in, you'll need to keep yourself busy elsewhere for a while. Understood?"

Emily beeped in assent. She didn't quite understand why, despite Imp's attempts to explain. But it apparently came down to organic beings' needs for privacy. Which she also didn't understand. But that was okay. Her creators were happy when they had time together, and Emily was fully aware of Hordak's absence the last few days.

Entrapta watched as Hordak left the kitchen area. Even though he kept his strides firm and moved at a good clip, his cape billowing out behind him, Entrapta caught the slight tremor in his hands signaling the toll so many days without true rest had taken. Again, it was nothing his troops would catch, but Entrapta had officially included him in her small list of personal interests. Which meant paying, to be honest, obsessive attention to details when it came to her.. beloved.. lab partner.

Entrapta found herself blushing at the thought. She couldn't quite get the words out of her mouth yet, but at least she was allowing herself to say them in the privacy of her own mind. It wasn't a grand, dramatic thing as portrayed in various types of media, but thankfully she had seen the behavior of other organic beings to help her identify the feeling that could be warm and fuzzy, heated and pulse-racing, to infuriating and sometimes almost devastating.

There was one undeniable truth in Entrapta's mind: she loved, and was in love with, Hordak. It was simple as that. Which had led to her latest creation, among others. The only ingredient left to add was her aforementioned lab partner, and the project would be complete.

In fact, Entrapta couldn't help but note the way her heart lifted and sped up as Hordak entered the throne room. She shut off two of the three datapads, relinquishing her hold on the security system. The remaining one showed him striding through the area, even though he had locked the throne room doors behind him. That was enough to make Entrapta's brows furrow in concern. That meant Hordak himself was aware of how depleted his energy levels were, and seeing him make even that small a concession blared an emergency klaxon loud and clear for Entrapta.

The doors to the Sanctum slid open and Hordak began to stride through, only to obviously be hit with by a dizzy spell. He staggered slightly, leaning over to his right side which allowed him to use the doorframe for support against his shoulder.

Entrapta pressed her lips together tightly. Hordak's name was on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't want to break his concentration and send him crashing to the floor. So instead, she focused her energy on rising up, using her ponytails as legs directly since that would allow her to cross the room the fastest. In a matter of seconds, she was standing before him. She let herself down, and she was short enough she didn't have to bend down to peer at his face. "Hordak? Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked in a soft, gentle voice.

Hordak felt his knees grow almost weak enough to send him crashing to the floor. It took him a moment to realize the emotion that had raced through him in that moment was relief. Entrapta was there. He wasn't alone. Hordak knew full well he had pushed himself far beyond his physical capacity for too many days in a row, but it couldn't be helped. He was still Lord of the Fright Zone, and he refused to relinquish his iron-clad grip on the role. At least, in public. Nearly a week ago now, Entrapta had seen him in dire physical distress, and no matter how much he had hated it in that moment, he was grateful for it now.

She didn't try to force assistance on him. She waited with almost uncharacteristic patience for him to reply. That made it easier to accept her offer, as galling as it was.

Collapsing on the floor and being unable to get up would be much worse. Been there, done that, and yes, in front of Entrapta.

All Hordak could do was be honest. "I.. don't know," he said. If he were alone, he would have done everything in his power to make it to his quarters, but the thought of going there right now made his chest grow tight. He was too tired to think straight, but he didn't want to be alone just then.

That was when he realized that due to the copious demands on his time outside the Sanctum, he and Entrapta had barely spent any time together in the last few days. Her presence in his personal space was keeping him upright, focused. In all brutal honesty, he missed her.

Hordak saw Entrapta's brow furrow at his reply, so he did his best to clarify. "I require rest. However, I do not wish to be alone." His pride tried to rise up, choke him, but Hordak used the last bit of his strength to smack it back down, reminding himself of what had happened the last time when he listened to that impulse instead of trusting in his lab partner.

Entrapta could not help the flood of warmth both in her heart and in her cheeks, giving her face and chest a rich glow. She knew what a massive step forward it was for Hordak to not only admit to his physical need, but an emotional one as well. She wanted to grin and "twirl" in joy that he wasn't pushing her away this time, but presenting her with a problem to solve. While she would love to show him her newest project, he obviously needed to catch his breath first. Familiarity would help in the transition, or so her theory went.

"Why don't I help you to your 'backup throne'?" Entrapta asked. "That way you can sit down somewhere familiar until you're not feeling so dizzy. I'll stay right here in the Sanctum until you feel better. Okay?"

Hordak felt a slight wash of color coming into his cheeks. He had not sat in his massive green, leather-covered chair since he and Entrapta had.. experimented.. in it. But he knew it was the best course of action for now. He nodded in assent.

"How should I help?" Entrapta asked. "I would like to just carry you over, but you weren't happy with that last time."

Hordak slowly drew breath to try and expand his lungs as much as possible in his armor before letting it out at a measured pace. "That was my pride speaking," Hordak admitted. "The true 'problem' was, I liked it too much."

Entrapta blinked. She had heard of exhaustion sometimes affecting people like drinking too much alcohol, and there was even an Etherian idiom about finding truth in the bottom of a bottle. As relaxed as Hordak had become around her, he was rarely so candid about his true feelings. Entrapta was grateful for the insight, but she didn't want to push so Hordak would not regret trusting in her once he was feeling better. "So how would you like me to carry you?" she asked.

Hordak shook his head, once again at a loss. "I don't know," he said once more. "No one has ever been able to do so except you."

Entrapta's blush deepened. Hordak was very tall, and solidly built, at least in his armor. She thought a moment. "Well, I could either lift you up by your waist and shoulders so you'd still be standing, or I could carry you in a reclining position. Standing, I could hold you further away from me with my hair, but reclining, I would be holding you closer. Still with my hair, but it would be more.. intimate," she said.

Hordak's dignity tried to rise up, tell him to accept the standing-up offer. But, for lack of better terms, Hordak's heart firmly told his pride to sit down and shut up. He was dead tired, and his instincts were clamoring for more time with his.. lab partner. His cheeks and the tips of his ears turned red. "I would prefer to be.. closer to you."

Entrapta took a quick but deep breath before letting it out. Inwardly, she was positively giddy. She knew she was risking getting her hair caught in the joins in Hordak's armor, but it was a risk she was more than willing to take at that moment. Then she realized that if she were careful, she actually could avoid his armor! "Ready?" she asked.

Hordak nodded.

Consciously slowing the movement of her hair down so it wouldn't startle Hordak, Entrapta slipped her left ponytail around Hordak's back, and the right one slithered down just above his knees, both of them remaining over his cape with a little leeway between so she wouldn't inadvertently snap his head back. Part of her was sorely tempted to slide her hair between Hordak's cape and his legs, but tonight was about taking care of him, not seduction.

Entrapta eased Hordak into her hair's embrace, carrying him as if he weighed nothing at all.

Hordak found himself blushing profusely, while his dignity promptly drowned itself in a pit of sludge to allow his weariness reign so he could savor the moment. He despised being weak, yet at the same time, knowing that Entrapta could handle him even if he were incapacitated made him feel.. safe. A sensation he had only ever felt in her presence. She held him with a slight hair buffer separating their bodies, but that was perfectly all right. He did not want to overwhelm her, though he did tightly cross his arms over his body so he wouldn't give in to the absurd urge to put his arms around her neck.

Entrapta seemed to understand, though, since she had only taken a few steps before smiling down at him. "Still okay with this?" she asked.

Hordak hummed before replying. "Never better." Then he fought down a snicker as that beautiful rich wash of color he adored came into Entrapta's cheeks. He really was overtired, thinking such flowery, sentimental things.

Entrapta couldn't help the way her heart beat powerfully, as if it wanted to escape her chest and join Hordak's. Or should she make that plural, as she would almost swear she could sometimes hear two distinct beats coming from Hordak's chest when they were close enough, usually during their now nightly snow kiss before leaving the Sanctum for the day. It filled her with warmth, seeing Hordak trust her so completely. Usually he was cranky when he was tired, but it seemed he was currently even too exhausted to fight against his instincts. Now that she knew what his instincts would be thanks to Imp's unofficial tutoring sessions.

All too soon, they reached the well-padded green leather chair. Entrapta carefully maneuvered Hordak with her hair, making sure he was firmly in place on the seat cushion before withdrawing her hair and going to sit on the arm of the chair farthest away from him to give him space to rest.

Hordak choked back a whimper at the sensation of Entrapta's hair letting him go, feeling the sensation even through the barrier of his cloak. Speaking of his cloak, he really didn't feel like eventually getting up just to take it off in Entrapta's presence, so he simply extended his claws and slipped them under the edges of his cloak, looking for the latches normally unfastened by the ADC machine.

Entrapta watched, originally uncertain what on Etheria Hordak was doing, but then his cape came loose. Hordak took the ends of the cloak and peeled them away from his armor, allowing the article of clothing to now slump off to the side and over the righthand arm of the chair, top-heavy due to the, in Entrapta's opinion, ridiculous headpiece. Entrapta understood why Hordak designed it that way, considering how wary he was of anything coming near the port on the back of his neck, and it did make him look more menacing. But Entrapta knew it was more a display, like creatures that puffed up when in danger of attack. She recognized it was important to Hordak, but she privately thought it just looked silly.

Hordak breathed a sigh of relief as he leaned back in the chair, letting his head rest against the smooth leather of the backrest behind him. Normally, this would be fine. However, his left side felt as if it were open to some gaping chasm. He looked to the side to see Entrapta perched on the far arm of the chair. Ever since the beginning of his degeneration, isolation during his weaker times had been his only chance of survival. He had convinced himself that would always be best, as he could not fathom ever allowing anyone to see how physically weak he really was. But now, he found himself yearning for closeness. For the touch of the one being in the universe besides Imp he could tolerate when he was this run down.

"If it would not make you uncomfortable," Hordak said, his voice low and gravelly with exhaustion, "you are welcome to sit beside me."

Chapter Text

Entrapta blinked, then felt that now very familiar tingle of heat rising into her cheeks. She gauged the amount of room in the chair and realized with Hordak tucked against the far righthand side that there would be just enough space for her. However, that would mean given the fact they both had generous thighs, they would be pressed together. She thought back to her day belowground, and how she had not been uncomfortable with that at all. Although this time, there would be no box of First Ones' parts to help keep them separate.

"If you're sure you wouldn't be uncomfortable with it," Entrapta said, wanting to make absolutely sure. "I mean, I'm wearing coveralls and you're.. not."

Hordak's cheeks and the tips of his ears glowed with heat. He had already considered that variable, and he found himself yearning for it. He now knew from experience the texture of Entrapta's coveralls was not at all unpleasant against his skin. In fact, the slight roughness added an intriguing element of sensation. "Your coveralls are a part of you," Hordak said, trying to remain nonchalant. "They do not bother me in the slightest."

Entrapta wracked her brain for a moment, then found herself blushing harder. She knew when Hordak tried to act like something didn't affect him, it really did. Usually when he liked it a lot. That brought her back to nearly a week ago, when they had discovered a way they could hug. All Entrapta had to do was bring the straps of her coveralls up so her waist was covered, and the tougher fabric kept Hordak's armor from pinching her if he wrapped his arms around her there. Of course, this was not the time to dwell on what else had happened. She had to keep her mind fully focused on taking care of her partner, not her libido.

So she simply shifted her weight to the side, allowing gravity to do the work of plopping her down on the seat cushion next to Hordak.

As they had both calculated, the side of their thighs were squeezed together, but not uncomfortably at all. The pressure was firm and even, perfectly balanced. Both of them blushed, their hearts pounding at how right it felt, being so close together.

And yet somehow, it wasn't quite close enough.

Entrapta sat her hands fisted on her thighs, her hair in front of her shoulders. She snuck a sideways look at Hordak, finding herself staring at his partially-bared side. The sudden desire to snuggle there, under his arm, filled her. But the "ribs" in his armor would pinch her, and she tried not to sigh in frustration.

Hordak caught the slight frown lines forming between Entrapta's eyebrows, and he wondered if she were feeling the same way he was. They were close to each other as it was, but he found himself longing for even more contact. He was reminded of a gesture he had considered absurd when he observed it: one person pretending to stretch, then placing their arm around the back of wherever the object of their interest was seated. But the high back of the chair did not allow for that, and he was fully aware that his armor could pinch her delicate skin.

Then an idea came to him.

"Entrapta?" he asked, seeking her attention.

"Yeah?" Entrapta replied, her voice slightly strained.

"I..." The words lodged in his brain, and it took a moment to shake them loose. If Hordak wasn't so tired, he wouldn't even dream of allowing himself to ask something like this. But considering how much better he felt in the morning if he simply hugged a pillow with Entrapta's scent embedded in it, he could technically file this under 'necessities for a full recovery'. "I would like to put my arm around you. I have not noticed, but how high does the back of your coveralls go when the straps are up?"

Entrapta's eyes widened before she turned to Hordak, excitement lighting up every detail of her face. "It covers everything but a small strip of skin below the start of the window," she replied. "Which means it would protect me from being pinched! But..." She swallowed, trying to gather up her own courage. Hordak had been brave enough to ask about putting his arm around her. So maybe her own request wouldn't be so far-fetched. "Putting your arm around me would facilitate what I'd really like to do, but again, pinchy armor."

Hordak's eyebrows rose. Entrapta was thinking of a request as well? "What is it?" he asked. "If it is within the realm of possibility, I will oblige."

Entrapta's blush deepened. "I would really like to lean against your side," she admitted.

The image of what Entrapta was suggesting flashed before Hordak's mind's eye. He had seen couples sitting in such a way before, one with their arm around the other, and the one being held, for lack of a better term, snuggling into their partner's side. He found himself yearning for such contact. It was something considered so normal, but he never dared dream of doing so with anyone.

Then inspiration hit.

Hordak reached with his right hand and grasped the hood of his cloak, pulling the length of wide fabric from behind him. He rested the metal frame on the arm of the chair, then used the cloth itself to wrap around his chest and side, pinning the edge between his back and the chair. "Would this be acceptable?" he asked.

Entrapta had watched the whole production with avid interest, and once he was done, it was all she could do to bounce in place. Hordak had come up with a solution! "Absolutely!" Entrapta burst out. "Cotton is fine against my shoulders, so it should work!" She beamed up at him. "You are definitely a genius."

The tips of Hordak's ears burned in concert with his cheeks. "My only wish is to ensure your comfort," he said.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Entrapta declared before slipping her arms into the straps of her coveralls and pulling them up into place. Then she leaned over slightly, pressing their thighs and now hips even more firmly together as Hordak put his arm up instinctively to allow her to do so. Entrapta hummed happily as first her shoulder met the cloth, then the top of her head. "Phase one, successful!" she announced.

Hordak had wound up closing his eyes as Entrapta shifted, savoring the sensation of her moving against him. Then the light pressure of her shoulder pressing against his rib cage forced him to bite back a sigh of pleasure. Such a simple touch, but it held an incredible amount of meaning for him. That was when he realized he was still holding his arm up. Slowly, carefully, he lowered it, dodging the sliver of remaining skin between Entrapta's top and her coveralls before sliding down her spine until his hand came to rest on the curve of her far hip. He cupped her soft flesh lightly, not wanting to harm her even through the rubber-infused canvas of her coveralls.

Entrapta let out a contented sigh, then she giggled at the way Hordak's hand landed so proprietorially on her hip. Eager to reassure her partner she wasn't laughing at him, she said, "I'm not going anywhere, but you can grip a little tighter if you want to."

Hordak definitely wanted to and he needed no further urging before curling his fingers just slightly, turning his grasp firm.

"Perfect," Entrapta said, then snuggled in a little bit deeper against Hordak's side.

Hordak always marveled every time he was confronted with how small Entrapta really was compared to him. Between her hair and personality, she typically seemed a much larger presence than her stature indicated. Then there were moments like these when the difference couldn't be denied and, of all things, it made him feel.. protective of her. The fact that her existence had become precious to him underlined by the fact that his large hand would reach almost halfway around her torso if he were holding her by the waist instead of her generously rounded hip. And the way she nestled against his side, her head only just reached his armpit, her welding mask following the trajectory along then away from his body. Yet she was a solid presence, a true force of nature that could reduce him to a quivering mess or, like now, support him until he regained a bit of stamina.

She was truly a wonder, and she had chosen him, him, as her partner, both in the lab and.. romantically.

Entrapta couldn't help the tiny sounds of contentment she knew she was making with her body being pressed so close to Hordak's. He was firm and yielding in all the right places, proof to her once again that somehow they had been made for each other, despite all their physical differences. Her forearm rested comfortably in the dip between his rib cage and waist, the ridges of his armor pressing against her bicep with a firmness that echoed the way their hips and thighs met.

Entrapta was so lost in the moment, a thought escaped her mind and slipped out between her lips. "This wasn't what I had planned, but it's wonderful." She drew out each vowel in "wonderful", infusing the word with bliss.

Hordak felt his hearts go from beating somewhat in tandem to the trip-thump pattern only Entrapta could bring about. "You had other plans?" he asked.

"Oh dross it," Entrapta muttered, then a little louder, "I didn't mean to say that out loud. It was meant to be a surprise."

"I can pretend to ignore it if you need me to," Hordak tried to reassure her.

"No, no, it's fine," Entrapta said, letting the coolness of Hordak's body temperature seep into her warmer one. She fought back the impulse to trace random patterns on his exposed thigh. This was all meant to comfort and support him, not put a further drain on his energy reserves. "One of the books in my latest delivery of First Ones' texts was an instruction manual, the title of which roughly translates to 'Therapeutic Massage for Idiots'."

Hordak raised a brow ridge and looked down at Entrapta, finding his view blocked by her mask. So he had to go by her tone alone. "Therapeutic Massage?" he asked, deciding to leave the rest of the title alone.

"Yup! I took the book down to Doctor Clawdia, and she said judging by the diagrams, the techniques in the manual would definitely apply to most humanoids," Entrapta replied.

Doctor Clawdia was the head physician in charge of the non-military infirmary, located in the far north of the Fright Zone's "crag shell".

"And you wish to experiment on.. me?" Hordak asked. He was 99.9% positive he was correct, but there was still a part of him that didn't want to assume. Because he was not worthy of the care and attention Entrapta paid him, always completely unasked-for.

"That was the plan," Entrapta said. She turned her head to the side and looked up at Hordak, the expression on her face somehow both shy and calculating. "I still owe you for that neck massage, but I promise, no hanky panky this time. I just want to help you relax."

Color flared in Hordak's cheeks and the tips of his ears, remembering that day. "Hanky panky?" he drawled, before quickly amending his words. "I am aware of what you are referring to. However, you continue to add to my knowledge of Etherian slang in the most interesting of ways."

Entrapta grinned sheepishly. "I can't help it. I love fun words," she said.

"But truthfully, you owe me nothing. It was my.. pleasure to be able to assist you," Hordak said.

Entrapta beamed. "Now you see why I'm so eager to return the favor!"

"Well, if you are that eager..." Hordak trailed off. Truth be told, the thought of Entrapta setting up a surprise for him made him anxious, but in a pleasant way. The experiments she performed between the two of them had always gone well overall, and he was beginning to understand the concept of surprises not necessarily being a bad thing. "Where were you intending to give this massage?" he asked.

Entrapta dropped and straightened her head, a tendril of hair hovering over her welding mask, even though it was doing a perfect job of shielding her face from its current position. "I kind of expanded my nap nest to be big enough for two. And Emily helped me shuttle in a mountain of pillows I've been working on to surprise you with."

"To surprise me with?" Hordak echoed.

"I noticed, and Imp confirmed, how much more well-rested you've been looking since you had one of my old pillows to add to your own collection," Entrapta said. "So I've been sleeping on a different pillow each night. I know that means my scent won't have entirely permeated the fabric and stuffing, but hopefully the quantity will help make up for the lack of quality."

"Imp told you about.. the pillows?" Hordak asked, embarrassment and frustration warring with each other to claim dominance in his awareness.

Entrapta moved her right shoulder slightly, rubbing gently against the fabric of Hordak's cloak but firmly enough he was likely to feel it. "There's no need to be embarrassed," she told him. "I don't think Imp meant to. I'd asked him to confirm my hypothesis about you looking more well-rested, and he gave me the full pantomime, including gestures that implied pulling more pillows up around you. It does make sense, given that I know you suffer from chronic pain, and pillows in specific places would help alleviate that."

Hordak closed his eyes and breathed in as much as he could before letting it out slowly. Imp was essentially a child, and even Hordak had learned that the young did not have the complexity of thought to censor what could be potentially embarrassing to their caretakers. "It is true that having your sleep scent nearby seems to have a calming effect," he admitted.

"Good," Entrapta said. "I'm just glad I can help, even in that small way."

"I am still.. unaccustomed to others thinking about my well-being," Hordak told her, his mouth running away from him again out of fatigue.

"I know," Entrapta said. "Which is why I'm going to keep working on getting you used to it." A few tendrils of hair rose up and undulated in her happy/shy dance. "You're my partner, and that's what partners do."

"So I have heard," was Hordak's response.

They sat for a few minutes in comfortable silence. Then Hordak's curiosity started to override his level of exhaustion.

"I believe I have had sufficient rest now, if you still wished to proceed in your experiment despite the 'surprise' being ruined," Hordak said.

Entrapta lifted her head up and to the side, her entire face beaming. "Okay! Although I will say, we'll have to do this again sometime, too."

A light dusting of pink washed across Hordak's cheekbones before he looked down at her and dared to give her hip a light squeeze. "We most certainly will," he replied, before letting her go with definite reluctance.

Entrapta stood up, then spun around. "Believe me, the only reason I'm going farther away for a moment is so we can reconfigure our positions. After the last few days, you need some sort of relaxation, especially since who knows what tomorrow will bring?"

"I am highly tempted to, as the recruits put it 'play hooky' tomorrow, regardless," Hordak said, then winced as once again he realized the filter between his brain and his mouth seemed to have taken the rest of the night off.

"Ooo, does that mean I get to play with you?" Entrapta asked, bouncing a little in place.

Hordak forced himself to cough in order to prevent any actual words coming out of his mouth as heat scalded his cheeks and the tips of his ears once more. He knew full well Entrapta's meaning was entirely innocent, the flash that heralded when she was flirting missing from her eyes. His mind, however, had happily twisted the meaning and presented him with images he didn't need in that moment. He finished by clearing his throat before replying, his words now carefully measured and considered. "Yes, it does."

"Goodie!" Entrapta burst out, forming hair hands and clapping them, while her gloved ones clasped in front of her. Then she let her hair fall back into place, and color filled her cheeks as she loosened her grip with her gloved ones in order to extend her left one towards him. Then she looked away, as if losing her nerve. "If you want to."

Hordak understood the double meaning, and even without it, he had absolutely no hesitation in accepting her offer, putting his right hand in her left. Despite her gloved hand being so much smaller, she gripped his firmly and helped pull him to his feet.

Entrapta turned and began to walk away, but she was gently pulled back as Hordak stood his ground. She stopped and faced him, her head tilted questioningly.

"There is nothing I would like more," Hordak said, nearly boring a hole between her eyebrows with his gaze as he willed her to understand.

Entrapta's answering smile was blinding. "I..." Her lips softened a bit, her expression turning both sincere and a bit bashful. "I love.. spending time with you, too." The last portion rushed out between her lips at top speed.

Hordak blinked, processing not only her words, but the way she said them. She hadn't almost said.. no. It was only his fevered imagination. His hearts nearly pounded out of his chest as he wracked his weary brain for a proper reply, not the one hovering on the tip of his tongue. "I.. feel the exact same way," he finally settled on.

Entrapta's shock was plain to see, and she stared up at him, as if gauging his sincerity. "Really?" she replied, then formed two hair hands and clapped them over her mouth.

"Really," Hordak said, his voice low, almost gravelly. It was the complete truth. Most other languages he had encountered actually had different words for different types of love. On the other hand, the fact Etherians only had one was both useful and potentially confusing. Hordak had never considered why this was, until his burgeoning feelings for Entrapta made themselves known. Those feelings, mused over while consuming his morning nutrient pack or waiting for sleep to come, were insanely complex.

Hordak had been forced to go by category, for lack of a better term. He was absolutely sure he felt the type of love that was unconditional. He would happily go to any lengths to please Entrapta, or just see her smile. He also recognized the physical reactions attributed to "having a crush", as Etherians put it. His frequent blushes, the way his heart would race around Entrapta, even a specific beat pattern that only manifested in her presence. Some societies believed that friendship and romantic love were mutually exclusive, but Hordak's findings had proven that false, at least in his and Entrapta's case. They had become friends and lab partners first, and still were. It was the heart of everything they did. However, he could not deny he also desired her. Something he had been taught was an impossibility for Clones. Yet here he was, imagining them in sexual situations with each other, and given Entrapta's reactions, Hordak knew his feelings in that arena were definitely reciprocated given the frequent references to the slight bit of progress they had made on that front.

A front he was actually looking forward to revisiting and exploring once more, even if this evening he was too fatigued to do so.

All of which had resulted in Hordak realizing he was well on his way to the enduring type of love. It was hard to imagine his feelings for Entrapta being even more intense, yet deep in his soul, he could feel the pathway his emotions were paving. He could no longer imagine his life without her, and wanted to be by her side for as long as he existed.

But he did not want to overwhelm his lab-and-romantic partner with the depth of his feelings, so he would follow her lead in expressing them, or tempering them, as they had just done.

Entrapta's face lit up like a sun, energy infusing her strong, sturdy, yet tiny frame. Her hair hands fell away to reveal a dazzling smile, her head lifting to focus her gaze between his brow ridges so she could see the absolute truth in his eyes. "I'm so glad," she said, relief and joy infusing every word. "C'mon, then. Let's get you comfy."

Hordak "allowed" himself to be dragged by the hand around to the far side of Entrapta's workbench to the space he privately referred to as Entrapta's "nap nook", though the sight that greeted him shocked him to the very core and made him stop, staring at seeing the reality of Entrapta's intended surprise.

Gone was the narrow mattress that had been on the floor, as well as the pile of blue, standard-regulation Horde blankets that Entrapta normally used when she needed to get, as she called it, some "shut-eye". Instead, a platform several inches off the ground had been built out of wood that filled the entire area, and what was obviously a custom-made mattress fit on it to perfection. Said mattress was somehow covered by some sort of casing that at a glance appeared to be made of thin plastic or vinyl, then a fitted sheet over that. Colorful blankets were stacked in a pile, the designs making it obvious they came from Mistress Foxglove's stall. As were the profusion of pillows strewn about, obvious relatives of the pillows on Hordak's own bed. Everything was more than big and plentiful enough for both of them.

"You.. don't like it?" Entrapta asked, a tendril of hair waving above her welding mask as she started to let go of Hordak's hand.

Hordak quickly yet carefully tightened his own grip in response, not wishing to harm Entrapta in any way, but wanting to make it clear she had no reason to withdraw. "I am merely.. unaccustomed to anyone investing so much effort, especially into something to be.. shared.. with me," he said.

Entrapta could feel heat rising from her chest into her cheeks as a blush washed over Hordak's cheekbones. Relief flooded through her at Hordak's reassurance, even though another part of her felt incredibly sad that something like this would be overwhelming for him. "Well," she said, squeezing his hand back. She had not missed the way his long, strong fingers had curled around her smaller ones when she tried to pull away. "Then this is a good place to start getting you used to it," she finished, giving him a shy smile. "You're not alone anymore, and the universe knows you deserve a break after everything you've done the last few days."

"You are right," Hordak said, then slowly and tenderly shifted his grip. He fixed his gaze between Entrapta's eyebrows as he lifted the hand that had led him to this place, so powerful yet fragile, giving her ample time to read his intentions and pull away.

She didn't, and so his thin lips met the back of her gloved hand, allowing a tantalizing caress against the weave he had created with his own two hands. When Hordak looked back up, Entrapta was blushing profusely, as she always did when he pulled such a stunt.

"Thank you, Entrapta," he said, his tone rich with meaning.

"A.. anyway," Entrapta stammered, then somehow her blush grew even deeper, "let's go get more comfortable, okay?"

Chapter Text

Hordak let his fingers go lax, expecting Entrapta to immediately retrieve her hand. However, she defied expectations by leaving it there a moment. Not only that, Hordak was sure he saw something flash in the depths of her eyes. Then she furiously shook her head, as if to dislodge whatever thought process had held her so rapt before very slowly withdrawing, making the gesture more of a lingering caress than a simple end to a polite gesture.

The slight friction of the weave of her gloves being firmly pressed against the naked skin of his palm, especially the pad of her middle finger, blazed a trail of heat and electricity in its wake. His nerves sparked with an intensity that he normally associated with pain. However, this sensation was far from unpleasant. Hordak could almost swear he smelt ozone in the air as his blood heated and warmed every pathway it touched. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but words had completely deserted him.

Entrapta's eyes widened as she watched the intensity of the glow coming from Hordak's eyes increase, and bit back a curse or two. She had been trying not to let the oh-so-natural attraction between them build, but it seemed her body had a mind of its own, sneaking in tiny betrayals before she became aware of them. This was supposed to relax Hordak so he could rest, not stoke the fire that only seemed to have grown more intense since their first foray into experiments of a personal nature. "I'm sorry!" she burst out, before quickly turning away and bounding toward the mattress, bouncing up onto it without hesitation with the aid of two extra legs made of hair.

Hordak took as deep a breath as he could and let it out slowly. Entrapta didn't have to elaborate. She took her promises to him seriously despite being much more lax when it came to others, and she had promised not to get carried away. Besides, this was good practice for dealing with his own rapidly growing passion towards Entrapta. It was much easier when he had never experienced desirous impulses at all, but he would not change the shifting nuances in their relationship for all the stars in the universe.

From Entrapta's position, Hordak could see her intent in their configuration quite clearly, but he wanted, no, needed verbal confirmation. "Where do you want me?" he asked, then winced slightly as he realized how the words could be interpreted.

Entrapta smiled, her earlier embarrassment disappearing. Apparently they were in the same leaky boat when it came to their subconscious thoughts. "I thought maybe what the manual called a scalp massage would be best," she said. "I know you have frequent headaches, so maybe this would help?" Entrapta paused. "If you're not comfortable with that, I could do your hands instead!" she offered.

Hordak realized Entrapta's current options for giving him a massage were limited. There was a part of him that desperately wanted to simply shuck off his armor and reveal the extent of the damage his condition had wrought over time, but the much greater part, his self-preservation, still prevented him. And massaging his thighs would be the exact opposite of relaxing. He could simply offer her his hands, but the thought left him feeling almost.. cheated, in a way. When a scalp massage would likely mean she would be caressing practically his entire head.

"As long as you stay above the collar of my clothing," Hordak said, "you have my full permission for a scalp massage."

Entrapta clapped her gloved hands together softly as her hair did the same, but much more firmly, giving off a definite smacking sound. "Excellent, and I promise not to mess with the back of your neck," she said.

Hordak nodded in acceptance.

"However, I can't extend my arms all the way over there, and it would be a stretch even for my hair, so come on over," Entrapta said, patting the mattress next to her. "You can either sit with your back to me, or if you want to..." She hesitated, color suffusing her cheeks. "You could lie down and put your head on my lap. I'll be using my hair to give you the massage, so it can just slip between my coveralls and your skin."

The blush that had finally receded came back in a light wash over Hordak's cheekbones. Once again, logic stated that he should remain sitting up. It would be easier to regain his feet afterwards that way. However, the thought of denying himself the chance to rest his head on Entrapta's firm yet pillowy thigh sent a wave of yearning through his entire body and a whine nearly escaped his throat.

Hordak approached slowly, carefully, the battle continuing to be waged in the depths of his body that for once, he could not predict the outcome.

Entrapta watched, keeping her face schooled in a gentle, encouraging smile. Hordak reminded her of an animal that had been hit repeatedly when it had only sought affection. What kind of life must he have led to cause such a thing? If she ever found out who was responsible, they would suffer in as many creative ways as she could think of.

It was all Entrapta could do not to squeal with joy and wrap her arms around herself for a "confined space" twirl as Hordak laid down, the surprising weight of his head coming to rest on top of her left thigh. The mattress was wide enough for Entrapta to have her legs completely outstretched and her booted feet didn't dangle off, her back supported by an expanse of metal wall behind her free of rivets or seams.

"Do you need a blanket or anything?" Entrapta asked.

Hordak could feel his emotions dancing on the ashes of logic. Entrapta's thigh was just as he remembered from when she had used her legs to hug him less than a week prior, softness over a layer of firm, bulky yet not unfeminine muscle with a strong, dense bone at the core. The curve of it supported the back of his neck perfectly, as if meant to fit there. Entrapta's words barely filtered through his sensory bliss, but he managed to grasp the words after chasing them around a bit first. "No, I am fine," he said, and he truly was.

Hordak was willing to wager that it would feel even better if he did not have to wear his clunky armor, but that was another factor he hadn't taken into account. He would have had to be much more careful without it so his skeletal frame did not pop out of place anywhere. It was painful when that happened, but had never been life-threatening yet. Even so, there was no sense potentially courting disaster.

"Okay," Entrapta said. "One more thing, is there anywhere else near your head I shouldn't touch? Like your hair, or anything on your face?"

Hordak gave Entrapta's question true consideration. He felt himself shudder deep down inside, the ghost of a memory rising up, even though he was becoming increasingly convinced that Entrapta would never harm him. "If you touch the side of my face, do so on both sides at once. Just one side is.. unnerving. Everything else above my collar is fair game."

"Can do," Entrapta replied with a nod. "Now the book said to use heat to relax the muscles, and oil to reduce friction. But your body temperature is lower than a typical humanoid Etherian, so that might be too warm. I brought some simmond oil just in case, but I think the fact I'm using my hair instead of my hands will take care of any uncomfortable friction. What do you think?"

"I believe your hypotheses to be correct," Hordak replied. "If the friction is too great, I will let you know. However, I cannot think it would be enjoyable for you to have oil in your hair."

Entrapta flushed as her heart skipped a beat. "It wouldn't. Thank you," she said, working on wrapping her formidable mind around the concept of someone knowing her so well and paying so much attention to her comfort levels.

"As a certain scientist of my acquaintance has said before, partners look out for each other," Hordak said, tilting his head back a little to catch a glimpse of Entrapta's face. "In fact, I am still far in debt given how much work you put into this."

"Nonsense," Entrapta shot back, nearly cutting him off. "You're my partner. I.. care about you, and you need a break. So here we are." Then she noticed Hordak wriggle slightly. "Do you need a pillow for your lower back? There is quite a curve there."

Hordak flushed. He had been determined to ignore the slight twinge in his lower spine. He would have cursed how blatant the curve of his backside was if he had not noted how Entrapta tended to stare at it when she thought he wasn't looking. "That would be.. helpful," Hordak admitted.

Entrapta sent out a tendril of hair to retrieve a pillow of the right size and shape, helping slip it into place under the small of Hordak's back. Of course, she tried not to pay attention to the way he had to lift his pelvis to do so, but she found herself biting her lip anyway. That was when she noticed another problem area. "One under your knees, too?"

Hordak sighed. "Yes."

The process was repeated until Hordak's legs were bent at an angle that was most comfortable for him.

"Okay, I think we're really ready now," Entrapta announced. "Shall I proceed with the experiment?"

A smile pulled at the corners of Hordak's lips. "Proceed," he said.

Slowly and gently, Entrapta put her right ponytail to work, the individual strands fanning out to slide underneath Hordak's head and lift it a millimeter or so above her thigh, just enough to allow her to move along and against his skull. She marveled at the smoothness of his skin, the texture reminiscent of pure beeswax. She had never found it uncomfortable, which was a miracle in and of itself.

Hordak felt the slide of Entrapta's hair along the back of his head and his eyes slipped closed, blocking his sense of sight so he could more fully concentrate on the silky softness cradling the back of his head. She hadn't even really done anything yet, but he was already enjoying the experience.

Entrapta couldn't help but smile as the corners of Hordak's mouth rose slightly, obviously without his conscious input. She hadn't missed the way his eyes drifted closed at the feeling of her hair against his skin. She knew she sometimes didn't know her own strength when it came to using her hair on organic beings, so she would go easy at first. She rested her right hand on her unoccupied thigh, while her left hand had landed palm down beside her thigh, her left ponytail currently lax, but ready to give Hordak's head extra support when she made it that far.

Hordak's brow ridges drew together as he felt Entrapta's hair begin to move. It was distracting, almost ticklish, rather than firm enough for a proper massage. He fought down the split second thought that he had no business doing anything but giving her fulsome praise in return for her care, letting logic win this time. If he was not comfortable, that would go against Entrapta's stated purpose: to relax him. "Umm..."

Entrapta immediately stopped. "Yeah?" she asked.

"I believe," Hordak said, "more pressure is needed." He winced. "The current sensation is distracting, not therapeutic."

Entrapta blushed. "Sorry 'bout that. I just didn't want to end up crushing your head or anything. I don't know how thick or durable your skull actually is."

Hordak blinked. "Did you just insert a joke in there?" he asked.

Entrapta's grin turned sheepish. "I couldn't resist, once I realized what wording I was going to use."

"Then as you well know, my skull is very thick, so it can withstand quite a bit of pressure," Hordak quipped.

Entrapta burst out laughing. So hard in fact, it took her a few moments to calm back down, and she had to use her right sleeve to dry her eyes once she was down to gasping chuckles. Any and all tension that might have remained between them was now thoroughly broken. "Okay, okay," she finally said. "But let me know if I'm using too much pressure now, all right?"

"I will," Hordak vowed, closing his eyes once more, but a smile lingering on his face. His heart had lightened at the sound of Entrapta's unfettered laughter. It was a sound he cherished, and he could feel the increased confidence their moment of levity had given her.

A flash of inspiration came to Entrapta, and a tendril from her left ponytail rose up to the back of her own head. It would be easier to judge the amount of pressure if she had a scientific baseline to go off of. The length of hair spread out, then she adjusted both ponytails to match until she could quite literally feel the right amount of intensity.

Hordak's eyes had closed once more as Entrapta's hair somehow made its touch more firm. Then it started to move, and it was as if hundreds of tiny fingers were massaging his scalp all at once. Unbeknownst to him, a moan escaped and his neck arched as she hit just the right intensity.

Entrapta couldn't help the blush she could feel rising up from her chest all the way to her face. Hordak actually needed a little more pressure than would be comfortable to her, but if she had known he would be so responsive, she would not have had to experiment on herself at the same time at all. Of course, a tiny part of her had suspected he would be. Her observations had led her to conclude that Hordak naturally responded very well to touch. Imp was the same way, so her hypothesis was perhaps his species were not just scent-based, but touch-based as well to some extent. Yet on the heels of that thought, the realization how alone he had been for so long made her heart ache for him. Hordak, for lack of a better term, blossomed when given physical affection.

That was one of the many reasons Entrapta was determined to continue her self-prescribed desensitization therapy, specifically targeted at Hordak. Her partner thrived on being touched, and Entrapta was finding that the more she touched him, the less overwhelming it was. The only unpleasant part of him for her to touch was his armor, and even that could be tempered as long as there was a barrier. In the back of her mind, she was already making plans for when he would inevitably need new armor. She had heard the occasional creaks and clunks the metal construct already gave off. It was close to the end of its lifespan, and Entrapta was already determined to put all her knowledge and.. care into a replacement. One in which he could hold her without causing discomfort. Then once that tech was established, Entrapta would see how much she could condense it so he wouldn't have to wear full armor all the time if he didn't want to.

But those were thoughts for the future.

Right now, her focus needed to be on the striations of muscle she could feel beneath the smoothness of Hordak's scalp. Entrapta made absolutely sure not to even brush the collar of his clothing, but got as close as she could, wanting to work from the base of his skull, then go up towards the top.

Hordak rapidly found himself immersed in a feeling he could only categorize as bliss. He had tried rubbing his own head every once in a while, when the twinges of a headache had just started. This, however, was far above and beyond any of his own paltry attempts. Tiny hair-fingers moved slowly but methodically up his skull, not only relaxing the muscles, but prompting conscious grunts and unconscious moans as microscopic knots fell before the onslaught of Entrapta's healing strength. Every once in a while, his head would start to list over to his left side, and he would straighten it. He could not remember a time he had truly felt so relaxed, and the fatigue of several days' worth of overwork began to make itself known.

After seeing Hordak straighten his head for the third time, Entrapta'd had enough. "Don't worry about your head," she said. "I can still massage you just fine if your skull isn't perfectly straight. I'm using my hair, remember?"

It took Hordak a moment to find his voice amidst the sea of sensation. "I did not want to impede the effectiveness of your treatment," he said.

"You won't. So go ahead. Listen to your.. instincts," Entrapta replied. She knew it was a risk, Hordak having been so far removed from his natural inclinations. However, she had to stifle a gleeful shout when Hordak almost immediately stopped fighting and his head listed over to the left side until his temple rested against her pooch. Even though Hordak couldn't see it because his eyes were closed, Entrapta smiled, her heart filling with the knowledge that he trusted her so completely.

"Yes, this.. this is even better," Hordak thought to himself, snuggling against the softness without fully realizing what he was doing. Entrapta had nearly made it to the top of his head, the tiny circles she had been making at the base of his skull having widened somewhat, but still tending to every millimeter of his scalp with minute precision. His hands had started out resting over his visceral ports, one grasping the other lightly. Yet in the time since then, he had relaxed to the point his arms and hands were now at his sides. Peace and, dare he say, contentment washed through him, beating in time with the slow, heady rhythm of his hearts in perfect synch.

Entrapta had watched the entire thing, both curious and mesmerized by the signs of Hordak's entire body growing ever more relaxed. She'd known he had to be exhausted, and the fact he was letting his guard down almost completely while she had his head in her hair's grasp touched her deeply. In fact, he almost seemed to be nodding off, so if she were going to ask permission for one last thing, it should probably be now. "Hordak?"

Hordak hummed in response.

"I'm almost to your hair," Entrapta said. "Do you want me to massage your scalp there, too, or go around?"

Entrapta's question filtered through the haze of well-being that was lulling Hordak into what he could only describe as "restful repose". If he wasn't so relaxed, Hordak would likely have blushed. Twining their fingers when they held hands was intimate enough, but Entrapta's hair winding and sliding in and around his own? "If you are not uncomfortable with it, I have no objections," he said, privately grateful that by now, the shellac in his hair would have just about run its course.

"Okay," Entrapta said. "Just keep resting, all right?"

"Mmmm-hmm," was Hordak's reply.

Entrapta took a deep breath, knowing she was nearly at the thatch of hair on top of Hordak's head. Her cheeks were nearly scalding as she measured her comfort levels. Her scientific mind was insanely curious as to the thickness and texture of Hordak's hair, but the part of her still coming to grips with being so intimate with another organic being was gibbering in panic. Entrapta tended to use her hair instead of her hands for most things, simply because her hair had much less feeling in it overall. However, it was sensitive enough to handle delicate tools and wiring. The only part of their bodies that had entwined before were their fingers, and Entrapta's gloves provided a layer of protection against overwhelming sensation. This would be completely uncharted territory, and while she was excited at the prospect of exploring a new frontier, trepidation nibbled at her heels.

Well, she had never been one to shy away from a new experiment. So without further ado, and to prevent her worries from ruining the moment, Entrapta moved up to the next strip of Hordak's scalp, which included the very tip of the roughly diamond-shaped patch of hair on top of his head.

Entrapta's eyes fluttered closed, and she took several slow, deep breaths as the strands of her hair mingled with Hordak's. The motions absolutely destroyed what was left of the shellac holding his hair in place, causing it to slip and slide against Entrapta's in a way that was almost unbearably sensual. The closest Entrapta could come to describing how Hordak's hair felt was floppy insulated wire. It was smooth, but draped around her own active strands, its diameter thicker than her own. Entrapta frowned slightly. If she had to characterize Hordak's hair, it was the total opposite of its owner in personality. Appearing to just be lazing around, allowing itself to be manipulated even as its weight gave an impression of underlying strength.

Or, perhaps, it was very like him after all.

Entrapta still gave enough attention to the hair-fingers that were massaging Hordak's bare scalp so the treatment would continue uninterrupted, but the rest focused on the way Hordak's hair danced with hers as she drew hundreds of tiny circles within the patch of what she had originally assumed was purely organic material. Hordak shifted, his eyes still closed and his body relaxed, but the moans and groans Entrapta had been purposefully ignoring changed in cadence along with his breathing.

Entrapta knew then that she could not linger in that area, no matter how much she might want to. She had apparently found another unspoken erogenous zone for Hordak, and getting him hot and bothered, even accidentally, ran contrary to her intent. Besides, she had promised Hordak no hanky panky, and even though she knew she tended to play fast and loose with promises made to others, her lab partner was different. He took promises very seriously, to the point she always recorded the ones she made to him so she would remember even if something exploded in her face and knocked her out for a bit.

Her hair's movements turned brisk, professional, but not harsh in any way. Hordak fully relaxed once more, and Entrapta knew she had made the right decision. Not a millimeter of his scalp was left untended, including his high, rather broad, forehead. She had an almost overwhelming urge to take the sharp flaps of his ears between hair-fingers and massage them, too. But if Hordak's ears were anywhere near as sensitive as her own, that would also violate the unofficial policy she had put in place.

According to the instruction manual, there was one last part she should skip, but Entrapta truly thought it could be beneficial to Hordak. "Hordak?"

A very drowsy but inquisitive hum was his response.

"I'm going to use two tendrils of hair, one on either side of your face, to cap off the massage, okay?" Entrapta asked.

Hordak nodded his head slightly, a puff of air leaving his lips that sounded like an affirmative.

Slowly and carefully, a thick tendril of hair separated itself from each of Entrapta's ponytails, the mass of her right one withdrawing from Hordak's skull. They cautiously slid down from the crown of Hordak's head along the sides of his face, cradling it in silky softness. A slight whimper escaped Hordak's lips.

Entrapta frowned slightly, her eyebrows drawing together. "Good sound or bad sound?" she asked.

"Good. Very good." Hordak's words were slightly garbled, almost as if he were drunk. "Nice."

Entrapta's expression lightened, and she chuckled a little despite herself. It reminded her of Adora after She-Ra had been corrupted by the faulty First Ones' data crystal that had made her robots run amok. Then she sobered, her mind once again bringing up the question of what she had done to get left behind. She knew the other Princesses had been mad at her for running off and trying to explore, but she didn't think she had made them that mad.

"Still," Entrapta thought, gently caressing the sides of Hordak's face, the gesture more affectionate than therapeutic, "if they hadn't left me behind, I would have never have met Catra or Scorpia. I would never have had access to the Black Garnet. And most importantly, I would never have found Hordak. My lab partner. My best friend." Entrapta blushed as she completed the list. "The first person to ever be interested in me as both a scientist and.. a sexual partner."

A feeling that was certainly mutual. Entrapta found she actually liked the weight of Hordak's head on her thigh, now that she had let him fully rest it there in the wake of her thorough massage. Then she was brought out of her private musings by the sheer amount of tension she found around the hinge of Hordak's jaw. She knew Hordak had a tendency to grit his teeth, but she suddenly realized that being in constant, if varying, levels of pain likely added to the strain. She adjusted her hair to rub circles around the abused joint on either side of Hordak's face, lighter than before, but with a touch more pressure than what Hordak had informed her earlier was not intense enough.

Slowly but surely, the taut muscles gave way beneath her gentle yet persuasive coaxing. As they loosened, Entrapta upped the pressure in minute increments until she felt Hordak's jaw give way enough that his mouth gaped open the slightest bit.

That was what made Entrapta realize that her lab partner had actually fallen asleep.

Entrapta's hair slipped down, gently cupping Hordak's face on both sides, the ends of both tendrils loosely overlapping beneath his chin. It was in that moment Entrapta was confronted by how precious he was to her. Hordak looked so open, vulnerable, when he was asleep. Air rushed in and out of his slightly opened mouth with barely a whisper. His eyes were solid lines of red in a sea of black. His chest rose and fell rhythmically in time with his breath. No one would ever guess the feared warlord of the Fright Zone could look so peaceful and innocent.

Entrapta wished she dared lean down and rub the tip of her nose against his, or even place her lips against the cool, smooth flesh of his forehead. But she knew with Hordak's warrior instincts, the moment she moved her body to any degree, he would wake up. Fortunately, though, her hair could still move.

Entrapta slowly withdrew the lengths of hair around Hordak's face, then sent them out to capture a couple of pillows. The first one she put at the base of her spine, and the second one she slipped behind her own head as she leaned back. Then she used those same tendrils to slowly and carefully draw her headgear with its attached welding mask up and off her head before setting it aside, around the natural corner made by the wall behind her off to the left. Recognizing her body's signals, the bits of hair that usually functioned to keep her ponytails confined loosened themselves, allowing the mass to fall naturally over her shoulders and cascade to the mattress on either side of her, making sure not to accidentally smother Hordak in the process.

It was much earlier than Entrapta normally went to sleep, but she also hadn't taken any naps during the day. She had been too focused on Hordak's well-being to get engrossed in a project, which was when she was more apt to take a nap or two so she could burn the midnight oil without suffering from a foggy brain the next day.

But if Hordak needed sleep after the exertions of the last three days, Entrapta was going to ensure he got it. She had slept in much more uncomfortable spaces before, and once she was asleep for the night, she tended to truly "conk out" for a minimum of five hours.

A light blush washed over Entrapta's cheeks as it occurred to her that although it was likely public enough for Hordak's sensibilities, they were sharing sleeping space behind a locked door in the Sanctum. It hadn't been her intention, truly! She had only meant to relax him enough that he could spend the night in his own bed with a minimum of aches and pains keeping him awake. Yet her heart was full, awed by Hordak's implicit trust in her to keep him safe while he slumbered. A task she knew she could fulfill, but no one ever trusted her with anything. She was bad at secrets and maintaining focus on anything not tech-related. Then again, Hordak was currently holding the second-place spot on her "topics of interest" list, only just barely beaten out by robotics, which she had loved her entire life. Given enough time, Entrapta had a sneaking suspicion her lab partner would eventually claim the top tier for his own.

Either way, anyone who even tried to disturb Hordak's slumber would have her to deal with, and no one besides Entrapta herself was aware her hair could track the movements of other beings in a room via air currents, so if anyone entered, her hair would deal with the interloper before she had even regained full consciousness.

So right there, with her, was the safest place her lab partner could be outside of his own private quarters.

"Sweet dreams, Hordak," Entrapta whispered, not minding that their nightly parting ritual could not be fully completed. There was no need, since for tonight, they would be in each other's company rather than having to retreat to their respective bedrooms alone.

Chapter Text

The first thing to enter Hordak's drowsy yet slowly waking consciousness was a sensation of softness pressed against his forehead and the bridge of his nose.

He inhaled deeply, allowing a murmur of contentment to pass his lips. He knew he would be a laughing stock if anyone knew he now always slept hugging one of Entrapta's old pillows, thoroughly saturated in her sleep scent. That had to be what his upper face was pressed against, though how the pillow had shifted from his arms to his head, he had no idea. Then again, he was aware he sometimes flailed in his sleep, plagued by dreams that dissipated the moment consciousness returned. The fact that his arms were empty only served to further prove his hypothesis.

Hordak mentally frowned, noting the fact he was still in his armor. He had overdone it the last several days, he reasoned, and he had slept in his armor before when the pain was simply too great to allow him to sleep. That must have been what happened.

He was honestly not looking forward to truly waking up and facing the coming day, but what choice did he have? He didn't want to end up spending another day away from the Sanctum. From Entrapta. In fact, Hordak was severely tempted to, as his recruits put it, "play hooky". A notion that would have been pure anathema to him before a certain chaotic scientist came into his life.

Entrapta not only preached work/life balance, but she was much better at it than him. Oh, it was easy for her to get lost in a project, but she always ate and slept, even if only in snippets.

Hadn't he earned a day off, after several of constantly putting out fires that threatened to spread throughout the Fright Zone?

A smile touched his lips as he thought of what Entrapta would say or do. He could just see her, standing there, hands on hips, demanding he rest. In fact, it was surprising she hadn't risen early just to meet him in the Sanctum and tell him off before he had a chance to leave yet.

That brought up another facet of Hordak's decision of what to do with his day. He already knew Entrapta had hacked the security system. The cameras usually didn't follow him as if they were living creatures. He tallied up the amount of time he'd been away, and shocked himself to realize it had been three days since he spent more than a few minutes in the Sanctum.

He was neglecting his.. partner. His projects, too, yes, but those paled in comparison with the living, breathing proof that someone could.. care for him. He refused to go down the path he had witnessed from afar all too many times. Even he knew relationships needed regular care in order to continue growing healthy and strong, and he had been remiss.

Today he would put himself in Entrapta's tiny yet strong gloved hands, and the rest of the Fright Zone could go hang.

But in order to put that plan in action, he would have to get out of bed first.

That thought was what finally woke his mind up enough to realize what he had been hearing the entire time: Entrapta's unique snore.

Slowly, warily, Hordak opened his eyes, only for darkness to greet him. It would have been disconcerting if he hadn't almost immediately realized that would make sense if he had buried the upper part of his face in something. He carefully slid his left arm underneath him for leverage before pushing his torso upward and eventually achieving a sitting position after maneuvering his legs down from the pile of pillows that had been beneath his knees. He turned his head, and the sight that greeted him hit like a body blow.

Entrapta, asleep against the wall in a sitting position, her hair down and her headgear resting inches away from his current position.

She shifted a little, interrupting the cadence of her snoring, but only for a moment before her breathing returned to the deep, even rhythm of someone very much asleep.

Hordak couldn't help but stare. He had seen Entrapta sleep before, but she had never taken off her headgear, much less let her hair flow completely free in his presence. Rivers of lavender silk flowed down her head and over her shoulders to pool on the mattress, much like a fancy illustration of an Etherian fairy tale princess. Even the sound, reminiscent of a propulsion engine, coming out of her mouth didn't detract from the scene, nor the tiny hint of drool escaping the corner of her mouth.

Sleeping Entrapta by ararouge

Then he suddenly blushed profusely, his eyes going to Entrapta's coverall-clad thigh and the slight roundness of her stomach above that. Memories of laying his head on Entrapta's lap flooded his awareness, as well as the fact he must have rolled over onto his preferred side in his sleep. Hordak had never truly paid attention to the muscles he knew were located beneath his scalp, and thus had never been aware how tight they must have been until the tension was gone. And it was all Entrapta's doing.

Hordak winced. She could not possibly be comfortable sleeping sitting up like that! He knew it would be a risk to move her at all, but he hoped his observations as to the depth of her slumber were correct. She should stay asleep if he was careful, so he would do his utmost to follow through with that.

Following that plan of action, Hordak slowly eased his body around so he could dangle his legs off the edge of the mattress, then place his feet firmly on the ground. He rose, taking his time so he would jostle his lab partner as little as possible. Once he was in a standing position, he turned and was relieved to find that his maneuvers had thus far not disturbed Entrapta's rest.

Hordak's blush from earlier still lingered as his eyes fell on the pillow that had been supporting his lower back. Out of sheer curiosity, he picked it up and held it to his nasal openings before taking a solid sniff. Although he knew that humanoid Etherians did not have nearly as acute a sense of smell as he did, Hordak had observed some evidence of a link between scent and feelings or memories. He had even accidentally once caught a soldier who had just lost their partner in battle sniffing said partner's training clothes which had been retrieved from their locker.

What would Entrapta's reaction be if he used the pillow that had at least been in contact with his clothing to cushion her head?

The scientist in him refused to let the question go unanswered, despite the fact it might wake Entrapta up if she were disgusted by it.

Hordak shook his head, but gently this time, in an effort not to undo all of Entrapta's hard work so soon. She had never said anything about him smelling disagreeable, even when they were in very close proximity. That included when he had sheltered her with his cloak in the bazaar during her tour through the belowground portion of the Fright Zone.

Still, he bit his lip in anxiety as he placed the pillow on the far end of the mattress so Entrapta would have more than enough room to lay down on her side. Hordak wasn't sure if she had a preference or not, since she tended to nap at her workbench or curled up against the wall. So he would simply ease her down onto her right side, and hopefully she could make any adjustments herself without fully waking up. As he had apparently done earlier.

Hordak positioned himself and was about to reach out when he realized at the last second that in order to lay Entrapta down, he would need to cradle her head with his forearm. A forearm covered in "pinchy" armor. He straightened, and his gaze fell on the pile of blankets tucked away in a far corner of the mattress-covered area.

Once again moving slowly to cause as little disturbance as possible on Entrapta's end of the mattress, Hordak actually got on his hands and knees to get close enough in order to snag the topmost blanket from the pile. To his relief, his suspicions were correct, and they had been woven out of poa thread. Hordak then shifted backward until he could put his feet on the ground again, his prize still in hand.

Hordak unfurled the blanket, thankful that his hypothesis about the topmost blanket being the smallest had been accurate. It would be a perfect size for Entrapta, but not cover much of anything on him, except what he truly needed to at the moment. He quickly wound the blanket around his left arm, letting the layers of soft cloth ease any discomfort his armor might cause Entrapta. He nodded in satisfaction once that task was done before turning to continue with his original plan.

Hordak brought himself right to the edge of the mattress, hitting just above his knees. He leaned over carefully, giving his long arms enough reach to gently insert his blanket-clad arm in the space between Entrapta's right cheek and shoulder, making sure to leave an extra curve of hair above it so he wouldn't accidentally pull it.

Entrapta immediately leaned into it with a happy murmur interrupting her snores before the sounds of her deep slumber continued.

Hordak felt the warmth in his chest as he used his right hand to cup Entrapta's lower bicep, where the dark cloth of her sleeve covered her skin. He applied just a bit of pressure, and Entrapta swayed perfectly into his grasp, allowing him to take her weight. He eased her down until her head was on the pillow, substituting it for his blanket-covered arm.

Almost immediately, Entrapta turned a little towards her stomach, burying her nose in the pillow.

Hordak watched, entranced, as Entrapta took an obvious sniff and a slight smile lifted the corners of her mouth. A sigh Hordak could only categorize as blissful escaped her once again interrupted snoring, followed by a murmur of contentment.

Hordak's cheeks and the tips of his ears were both scalding with heat now. He busied himself unwrapping his arm, then folding the blanket before walking to the far end of the mattress and putting the covering down. Apparently Entrapta did not object to his personal scent. In fact, he likely made the same embarrassing noises in his sleep.

He glanced at a digital clock on the wall, and to his surprise, found he had slept the entire night through, only waking an hour or so before his usual time.

Hordak took as deep a breath as he could, then let it out slowly, forcing himself to focus. Even though he was going to allow himself the day off despite feeling leagues better, there were still some responsibilities he had to take care of. Namely, sending out the message he wouldn't be available, followed by his usual breakfast-of-sorts. Especially as he knew full well he had skipped the previous evening's meal. However, even if he had managed to hook himself up yesterday, his energy reserves had been so depleted, there might have been some.. backwash, and that was always quite unpleasant. His system's version of regurgitation that had originally taken quite some getting used to.

It didn't take him long after snagging the datapad on his workbench to compose a message, the gist of it being he was not to be disturbed under any circumstances, or heads would roll. Hordak knew in the event of a true emergency, one of his Commanders could and would contact him via an alert system that would turn the lights in the Sanctum and his private quarters red. So it wasn't as though he was completely abandoning his duties. This was simply the first time, well, ever he had done so simply because he wanted to.

In the back of his mind, the thought that Horde Prime never did such things wriggled like a worm. But if he followed the trail of logic, it led him to the realization that unlike Horde Prime, Hordak could not see all or know all. He was simply a defective clone. Why not lean on Horde Prime's judgement just the slightest bit for his own benefit for once?

He set the datapad back down on his workbench and went over to the small refrigeration unit Entrapta had built to keep a supply of his nutrient packs in. She had insisted, with infallible logic, that they would stay much fresher that way than sitting in a pocket of his clothing or in his work area now that he tended to leave or take his cloak off when it was just the two of them.

Minutes later, he was ensconced in his green leather chair, his nutrient pack suspended by a metal stand beside the oversized piece of furniture as the only food source his partially-mechanized digestive system would accept entered his lower left abdominal port via medical tubing.

Normally Hordak would feel painfully exposed, sitting in the vastness of his Sanctum with the way he ingested his meals plain for anyone to see. However, Entrapta's continued snoring soothed his nerves. It was just the two of them. Hordak had a sneaking suspicion Entrapta had told her modified bot, Emily, to give them privacy when he entered. He had been peripherally aware of her departure despite his fatigue. As for Imp, Hordak had noticed that the closer he and Entrapta became, the more his little spy steered clear of an area if they were alone behind a locked door.

While Imp was technically a clone, Hordak had never even tried to establish a mental link between them. He had been certain Imp would ultimately die outside of a vitrine, so he had considered Imp's early days as a version of palliative care. Yet instead of dying, apparently Imp was as stubborn in his progenitor, and by then, it was too late. Not to mention, Imp's independence was something Hordak had never been given the opportunity to have. Hordak wanted nothing but the best for his own "little brother", so he observed and indulged, ultimately forging an unbreakable bond that did not have to be forced.

Hordak sighed, feeling the last dregs of breakfast entering his stomach. His morning musing-time was at an end, and it was time to think of something to work on that wouldn't wake Entrapta.

He carefully disconnected the feeding tube, gathering it and the now empty pack up before disposing of it in one of the now-many trash bins that littered the Sanctum. Entrapta's doing, of course.

Ultimately, Hordak ended up hovering around Entrapta's workbench, his mind refusing to come up with anything better to do than just stand and stare at the sleeping Princess snoring away on her.. their.. newly-made sleeping space.

Hordak felt his hands twitch, and when he looked down, the fingers of his right hand were lightly curled, while those on his left pinched as if holding some sort of implement. Hordak's eyes widened. It had been a very, very long time since he'd had the urge to draw anything so frivolous. Diagrams and even patterns for clothing were one thing, but drawing something so.. beautiful... Could he bring himself to do it?

Hordak brought his hands up, staring at the palms as all his fingers lightly curled towards the ceiling in response. Pain that Hordak knew full well was psychosomatic twinged along every fine bone and blood vessel. These hands had never been critically injured. And yet there was a part of Hordak that wondered if he could actually commit such blasphemy.

~*~*~*~

33 Epact P.P. (Post Pod)

AK-Ω37 regained consciousness slowly. Very slowly, indeed. He felt as if he were drifting, the usual buzz of Lord Prime and his brothers speaking in his mind as if far underwater. Muffled. Indistinct.

He knew this feeling. He had been put in a medically-induced coma again. Mentally, he sighed. Why couldn't he just be like his brethren? Lord Prime himself had said AK-Ω37 was special, and that was why he suffered so. But Lord Prime never elaborated, and it was not AK-Ω37's place to question the Ruler of the Known Universe.

Suddenly, AK-Ω37 realized he was hearing voices outside of his mind rather than inside. His cursed curiosity got the better of him, and he could feel his ears twitch as he zeroed in on the sounds.

"He is expected to awaken at any time, Lord Prime."

Ah, AK-Ω37 knew that voice. It was his brother RX-T89, head of the recovery department. Other worlds would refer to him as a "medical professional".

"Unfortunately, even with putting him in stasis, the damage to his hands is.. irreparable." These last words made it clear RX-T89 was cringing, waiting for the wrath of Prime to descend upon him. "Bionites were utilized as per your orders, Lord Prime. However, they simply milled about in the sea of.. detritus."

Ah yes, AK-Ω37 remembered now. He could feel the straps holding him perfectly still, and the relative lack of sensation beyond the wrist restraints. AK-Ω37 did not open his eyes. He did not have to, as his mind swiftly conjured the nearly gelatinous mass that had remained of his hands after Lord Prime was done inflicting his punishment.

He had been found sketching. Again.

AK-Ω37 had been warned three times about his behavior, so the pain, the punishment, the now apparent loss was all his own fault. He knew better than to try and replicate reality on paper. It was his own impulsiveness that had led him to this pass.

RX-T89 seemed to break under the heavy silence. "Should I send him for disposal, as per protocol?" RX-T89 ventured.

A few more moments of unnatural quiet followed. AK-Ω37 knew Lord Prime was considering something. AK-Ω37 had discovered his other brothers somehow seemed to not pay attention to Lord Prime's thoughts and moods, even though they were always plain to see. Why would they not want to learn, so they could better serve Lord Prime?

Then again, it was that very curiosity and quest for knowledge that kept landing him in the maintenance bay.

Perhaps it was better this way. AK-Ω37 had only made it thirty-three epacts, what others called "days", outside of the pod. Time would only compound his mistakes, so perhaps it was best to simply remove the aberration, himself, out of Lord Prime's perfect world. At least he would be useful as replacement parts for his other, more exalted, brethren.

At long last, Lord Prime spoke. "No."

"No?" The word was spoken with complete surprise, followed by the most grovelling tone possible. "Forgive me, Lord Prime!"

"Have no fear," Lord Prime purred. "I can see why my decree would seem to defy logic. This particular Little Brother of mine is special. Great care was taken in his creation. Therefore, I will not dispose of him so easily. I merely misjudged the amount of healing his body was capable of."

AK-Ω37 could hear and feel the shrug in Lord Prime's voice.

"No matter. In fact, this presents me with a perfect opportunity." Lord Prime's tone took on a note of command that no one would dare counter as he continued. "Retrieve Parts WBHD-8763 and WBHD-8764, remove your brother's faulty components and replace them with the new ones."

AK-Ω37 could feel RX-T89's shock. "Yes, Lord Prime."

Footsteps approached, and AK-Ω38 could feel Lord Prime's amusement. "Eavesdropping, Little Brother?"

AK-Ω37 felt his ears droop. "Forgive me, Lord Prime."

"Hmm, no gibbering, no excuses. It seems I have chosen well," Horde Prime said. "Open your eyes, Little Brother."

AK-Ω37 did so, focusing his gaze on his progenitor's face to find all four eyes gracing him with their undivided attention.

"Your suffering has exalted you in my sight," Horde Prime announced, then actually sat on the edge of the platform on which AK-Ω37 lay. He leaned forward, reaching out a hand to cup the left side of AK-Ω37's face with his right hand. "Blessed are you amongst my Little Brothers," he said. "Keep this up, and you shall become one of my Chosen before long."

AK-Ω37 couldn't help but gasp. To be Chosen was the highest honor a Little Brother could receive.

Horde Prime chuckled low in his throat. "Oh, yes. I can see a very bright future for you, Little Brother." Then he clucked his tongue. "If only you learn to control any and all frivolous impulses."

"I will, Lord Prime! I swear it!" AK-Ω37 burst out.

A beatific smile crossed Horde Prime's face. "I can feel the depths of your sincerity and devotion. Accept my gifts, and use them only to do my will."

~*~*~*~

Present day, Etheria

Hordak stared at the diamond pattern on his palms, which Entrapta had likened to snake scales. Horde Prime had been so pleased with the success of their intended function, to increase friction in wet conditions, by the time Hordak's body failed to the point Prime finally did dispose of him, all new clones were created with them. Yet those initial prototypes still held after all this time.

Hordak knew where his original arm and replacement hands met, but there was no scarring even now that his upper body was so withered. Clone parts were all but identical, and could be attached in a way that left no flaw because they were by and large perfect genetic matches. Or so he had been told.

He was not a medical professional, despite his moderate degree of competance.

With these hands, he had built an empire. Yet Horde Prime did not even exist in this dimension. Hordak had been, and remained, sealed away from Horde Prime and his brethren for decades, something that had nearly driven Hordak mad in his first days on Etheria.

Prime had tossed him away like garbage, onto the battlefield with mindless drones.

Hordak clenched his hands, remembering how Entrapta's hair and gloved fingers felt intertwining with his. She had declared her approval of the texture there, letting him know it did not bother her.

He had sworn to use them in service of Prime, but Prime had no use for him any more. Hordak's progenitor had made that clear enough.

Then, after so many decades alone, another deity had stolen into his Sanctum intending to purloin one of his tools, only to stay and fix a simple mistake that had stymied him for months. A breathtaking goddess with lavender hair and magenta eyes, her coveralls baggy and an ever-present oil stain on her shirt. One who never treated him unkindly, even when he was, as she herself put it, "in a tizzy".

This was the time. He would create his first true work of art since he was a neophyte with these hands. Hands that his lab partner had made clear she wanted to touch her. To eventually do things Hordak only had the slightest inkling of.

He knew he wouldn't truly do her justice, but hopefully his paltry effort would be enough of an offering to the Princess who was now the primary focus of his devotion.

Chapter Text

Despite his strong resolve, it took Hordak several minutes to gather the needed materials.

Whenever the gibbering, panicked thoughts in the back of his mind threatened to take over, he focused on the sound of Entrapta's snoring. Reminding himself of why he was going against everything he was once taught. Providing irrefutable evidence that at least in some areas, Horde Prime had been wrong.

Hordak was not ready to let go of everything, but slow and steady alterations were permissible.

First, Hordak brought over the high-backed wooden chair he usually kept at his drafting table, tucked away in the corner of the Sanctum closest to the opening leading to the biochemical lab. He lifted and set Entrapta's stool aside before putting the chair down where Entrapta usually sat at her workbench. Hordak was tall enough he could see clearly over the back of her workbench, still having a full view of his slumbering subject. Then he retrieved a pencil and found a pad of scrap paper large enough for his intended purpose.

Once Hordak had sat down, his programming tried to rear its ugly head one last time. A final effort to stop the madness he was planning. But all it took was one slow, reverent sweep of his gaze from Entrapta's head to her booted feet to quell that internal voice.

Hordak was honestly shocked as his left hand immediately went to work, as if he had never stopped drawing at all. Then again, maybe all the "acceptable" things he had done in the intervening years had kept him in practice. A smile touched his lips as he once again appreciated the way Entrapta seemed to be made of nothing but rounded shapes, a fact even more pronounced when her usually animated face was at rest.

Messy circles and ovals filled the paper, to be refined over time. Hordak wanted to at least get a basic sketch done before Entrapta awakened, and he hoped the weight of his stare was interrupted enough not to disturb her. Heat coursed through his veins as he tried to capture the wild cascade of her hair, free from any restraints. The curvature of her form, especially the deepened hint of cleavage displayed by the window of her shirt front, made his nerve endings spark in a way only she ever had. Then a deeper ache added to the mix as he strove to capture the pure artistry that was her hips and thighs.

Whoever made Entrapta broke the mold, and it galled Hordak that apparently no one else on Etheria appreciated her sheer beauty. Not that a part of him wasn't exceedingly grateful for it. He knew she was older than the typical age Etherians formed life bonds, so the chance of her having been someone's lover or.. wife.. when they met was very high.

But she had not been. And the one time he had delicately inquired as to if anyone would be concerned by her sudden "disappearance", Entrapta herself had let him know that wasn't the case.

"I have a hard enough time with friendship. People only deal with me when they want something from me." Entrapta's mask had already been down, since she was soldering two pieces of metal together, but Hordak could tell by the tone of her voice she was sad but resigned. "Relationships are even harder, from what I've heard, and I'm.. me."

It was one of the first times Hordak had allowed himself to be "dramatic", couching the drivel that escaped his mouth in such outrageous terms, the impact would be softened for the both of them.

Hordak had admired her mind, due to her immediate grasp of the concept of a wider universe, and work ethic from the start. The rest had developed over time, as they continued to work together as a nearly seamless team. Her strengths bolstered his weaknesses and vice versa.

They had truly become partners, in every sense of the word.

Well, there was one last facet that was still in the very early stages, but Hordak had.. faith that Entrapta would help them both navigate this completely new territory.

The image on paper was looking more and more like the tableau before him, rough, simple shapes refined time and time again. Entrapta's basic outline was complete, but now it was time for details.

Details that Hordak didn't even need to look up anymore to see, as he had branded them into his consciousness during previous sweeps. He was so focused on his work, in fact, that he didn't realize Entrapta was no longer snoring.

Entrapta's consciousness had swam up to the surface like a deep-sea diver: slowly, in stages so there would not be any negative aftereffects. The first thing she became aware of was her change in position. She could have sworn she had gone to sleep sitting up. The signature green glow of the Sanctum illuminated the insides of her eyelids, letting her know she was at least in the same place. She turned her head slightly in an effort to escape even such gentle light and she immediately realized it was not a bed pillow she had beneath her head, but one of the many throw pillows she had added to the "nap nook".

Out of pure curiosity, she buried her nose in it, and nearly squealed aloud. At the very edges, where the item had likely been in contact with Hordak's skin, was a lingering trace of his scent. Entrapta knew Hordak's olfactory abilities were vastly superior to her own, but that didn't mean she hadn't already analyzed the natural whiffs of scent she had caught over time. Traces of citrus from his disinfectant danced around a core of fresh, heady tanned leather with a light undertone of vanilla or caramel.

Such organic scents coming from a being who had tech installed from neck to foot had surprised Entrapta at first. But as the days marched on, she ended up focusing more on how edible he smelled, bringing up images Entrapta had to quell before Hordak noted any distinct change in her own scent.

Entrapta rolled back a little, allowing her to open her left eye a bit. To her relief, Hordak was there, almost close enough to touch. He sat at her workbench, obviously working feverishly on a project. Entrapta stifled a giggle. She knew Hordak was focused because the very tip of his tongue was sticking out from between his lips. He always did that when he was engrossed in something, but she knew better than to call his attention to it because it was so cute.

Realization slammed into Entrapta with a force that took her breath away. This was something she would like to experience regularly, not just as a stolen moment. Waking up to see Hordak nearby. She was fully aware he almost always woke up much earlier than her, so even if they were sharing a bed, he would likely have started his day by the time she opened her eyes.

Entrapta ventured to turn farther onto her side, allowing her full gaze to land on her lab partner. She brought her still gloved hands together, making her cleavage even deeper behind the window she liked to have in her clothing. Hordak had absolutely no idea how attractive he was, his eyes glowing intensely with passion for whatever he was doing, his dark hair having not yet seen a brush or shellac and thus threatening to flop completely into his eyes. Her workbench light and the glow from the Sanctum highlighted his angular features and sharp cheekbones.

He was completely mesmerizing, and he had apparently spent the entire night with her.

Entrapta knew she should get up, have breakfast, then get to work. But she didn't want to disturb Hordak, or so she told herself. Speaking of breakfast, she shifted just enough to make sure that the area around the mini-fridge had been disturbed and the metal stand Hordak used for his nutrient pouches, now that he went without his cloak in the privacy of the Sanctum with a locked door, had moved by a few millimeters.

Entrapta bit her lower lip slightly, forcing her words of praise back down until he noticed she was awake.

Hordak was nearly in a trance, his hand moving faster than a typical Etherian as he sketched. Every little detail was precious to him, each fold of Entrapta's clothing and wave of her hair worthy of worship. The roundness of her cheek, which he knew led others to believe she was much younger than her years. The clever yet soft shape of her eyes, especially in slumber. Short yet strong fingers clad in one of the many pairs of gloves he had made to protect her sensitive hands. The sweep of her generous hip compared to her tiny waist. She was an absolute vision, and he simply had to commit it to paper.

Hordak had no idea how long he had worked until he put the finishing touches on his creation. He let out a breath with a rush of air as he put the pencil he had been using aside. He looked up, intending to compare his portrait to the original, only to find out that at some point, she had awakened. Entrapta was looking at him with a soft, reverent smile on her lips, her eyes reflecting the same feeling of awe he felt.

Hordak cleared his throat. "How long have you been awake?" he asked.

"A while now," Entrapta replied, her tone what could only be described as affectionate. "I didn't want to disturb you, and it was fascinating watching you. What're you drawing?"

Hordak blushed profusely. He had been hoping to secret it away so Entrapta would never know he had taken such a liberty. However, that plan was officially ruined, since he refused to lie to her, even to save his own pride. "You," was his simple reply.

"Me?!" Entrapta quickly sat up, swinging her booted feet over the edge of the mattress. Then she seemed to hesitate, her entire body quivering with interrupted momentum. "Can I see? Please?"

Hordak's hearts pounded painfully, one beating in a rapid pattern with anxiety, while the other fluttered with joy. There was no logical reason to deny her request. His reticence was grounded in the simple fact that no one had ever seen a sketch of his without punishment soon following. Even though he knew Entrapta would never do such a thing, even if she hated it.

"All right," Hordak said so softly, Entrapta almost missed it.

Instead of bounding to her feet as she was going to, Entrapta slid down off the mattress carefully. Thanks to her continuing study of Hordak, she recognized the hunch of his shoulders, the way his arms pressed tightly against his chest, and his downcast eyes. He was definitely feeling insecure, and she had seen similar body language from various organic beings, cornered and cringing as if expecting to be harmed.

Entrapta added it to her list of reasons to subject the person or people responsible to a long, slow, torturous death.

Instead of rising up on her hair like usual, Entrapta stayed on her feet, doing her best to be as non-threatening as possible. That was also when she realized she had not put her hair back up yet. She blushed slightly. "Should I put my hair up, or is it okay to leave it down?" she asked as she made her way around the workbench.

Hordak blinked. Seeing Entrapta approach him so slowly, elegantly, it was as if he were in a dream, and he discreetly pinched his thigh to make sure he was not still asleep. Her hair continued to cascade down in a sea of waves, the ends trailing on the ground. "Whichever you are more comfortable with," he said.

"Just one more variable to consider," Entrapta told him. "Judging by the fact you aren't bustling around the Sanctum, can I assume you're taking the day off?"

"You may. Your theory is correct," Hordak replied, blushing slightly. "I have overextended myself the last several days, thus a rest period would be.. prudent."

"Good!" Entrapta declared, the ends of her hair lifting and waving in approval. "Then I'll take the day off with you! If that's okay?"

"You wish to spend the day with me when you are free to do anything you desire?" Hordak asked. His heart already knew the answer, but his mind was still trying to wrap itself around the concept.

Entrapta grinned, her usual enthusiasm peeking through. "Of course!" Then she dropped her gaze, her gloved hands going behind her back to clasp above her tailbone as tendrils of hair rose up, waving in the graceful dance it only did when she was feeling both happy and shy. "I.. really like spending time with you, and I've.. missed you the last few days." Entrapta could feel the blush climbing up from her chest into her cheeks, but her lab partner needed to hear the honest truth.

A true smile touched Hordak's lips, and some of the tension left his shoulders. Even though Entrapta wasn't looking at him directly, preferring to keep her gaze in the vicinity of his boots for the moment, he could tell she meant every word she had just said. All he could do was reward her honesty with his own. "I have felt the absence of your company as well, Entrapta. Very much so."

Entrapta's head shot up, and she fastened her gaze between Hordak's brow ridges so she could read every line of the sincerity in his expression. "You have?"

She sounded so astonished, and Hordak realized it was another thing they had in common. "Absolutely," he said. "I did not realize how accustomed I have become to your presence. Being forced to do without it, foolish as it may seem..." Hordak couldn't help the way the tips of his ears were burning as he made himself voice the words threatening to spill from his lips anyway. "Your presence brightens my day, Entrapta. And makes the fools infinitely easier to deal with when there is the assurance of returning to your side afterwards."

"I've.. never been somebody's reward before," Entrapta murmured, scuffing the floor with her boot.

Hordak opened his mouth to rebut her statement, but he quickly closed it upon truly taking in her demeanor. She actually liked the idea. She was still smiling, but shyly, peeking up at him through her eyelashes. Even Hordak knew looking at someone like that was one of the many ways Etherians started a flirtation. And taken at face value, her statement was absolutely correct. So rather than saying anything, Hordak held out his right hand, palm up, in offering.

As Hordak had hoped, Entrapta straightened with a bounce and a slight squealing sound that she tended to make when she was happy. She crossed the foot or so of distance between them to take his hand with her own gloved one, her left hand joining with his right with the seamlessness of comfort and familiarity.

Entrapta began to speak, but was halted as Hordak's project caught the corner of her eye. Without letting go of Hordak's hand, she turned to face the workbench. Her eyes widened in wonder as she took in the sight before her. "That's.. me?" she squeaked.

Hordak wondered if he could burst a vessel from the amount of blood suffusing his face and the tips of his ears. "I know it doesn't do you justice. However--"

Entrapta briskly cut him off. "What are you saying?!" she exclaimed. "Do me justice? I look," Entrapta found her throat tightening and the backs of her eyes stinging, "beautiful." She tried to clear her throat a little, to no avail.

Hordak's Sketch by the-goddess-of-sleep

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Hordak said, uncertainty filling his mind, voice, and body language.

Entrapta squeezed Hordak's fingers firmly in an attempt to reassure him. "Your drawing is incredible. It's just.. hard for me to see myself this way. I'm not traditionally pretty, or all that feminine."

"My portrayal is accurate," Hordak said, immediately surprised at himself. He had been ready to admit his attempt was a failure, but seeing Entrapta's uncertainty cleared any other concerns from his mind. "Every feature is in its correct proportion. This is you, Entrapta. Just the way you looked while you were asleep. You are..." Hordak wrestled against his mental censor for a moment, but this was important. She needed to know! So he shoved it aside and spat the words out before it was too late. "Breathtakingly beautiful, in my perception."

"Hordak," Entrapta whispered, words temporarily abandoning her. Her free right hand hovered over the paper, tracing the lines of her hair and body without actually touching. She slid her left hand forward, towards Hordak, so she could grasp the base of his thumb between hers and her index finger before wrapping the rest around. His own longer fingers came up to cup the base of her own thumb, the remainder of them coming to rest lightly over the back of her hand. "I.. understand," she finally said.

"You understand?" Hordak asked.

Entrapta turned fully towards her partner. "Yes, I understand how you can see me that way. If I were good at art and tried to draw you, you probably wouldn't recognize yourself through my eyes, either," she said, wondering if Hordak could feel the heat radiating from her skin. "Because you're beautiful, too."

"No I'm not." The words sped out of Hordak's mouth before he could stop them.

Entrapta smiled warmly. "Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not," Hordak repeated, this time more firmly.

"Maybe not in your opinion, but you are in mine," Entrapta said, a trace of humor lacing her words.

Hordak tried to respond, but found himself stymied. She had quite neatly outmaneuvered him, because he couldn't logically refute a personal opinion! He gave her a look that he didn't realize was half glare, half pout.

An image crossed Entrapta's mind, and she found herself eager to give in to the impulse. She took a single step, bringing her body as close to Hordak's as possible, heat coloring her cheeks as she realized that she had simply walked between Hordak's typical, almost absurdly widespread legs earlier without even thinking about it. Her awareness suddenly made the moment even more intimate between their proximity and her unbound hair. "May I try an experiment?" she asked with a squeak.

Hordak blinked, the same realization hitting him. They were quite close to one another, so much so, if he wanted to and she would be comfortable with it, he could pull her right down to perch on one of his thighs. He kept forgetting how actually vulnerable his typical widespread sitting position could make him. Being seated on his drafting chair made them nearly of a height, but he was still taller. A part of him wished the chair had a height adjustment function, so he could lower himself. Have an excuse to look up at the one he cared for so deeply. "There is a 90% probability I will say yes," Hordak replied.

Entrapta grinned. "I like those odds," she said. "Last night I used my hair to massage the sides of your face, and you seemed to find it soothing. Would it be all right if I touched you there right now, but with my hands, instead?"

Hordak stared at her, stunned. "You wish to touch my face with your hands?" he asked, wanting to verify beyond any doubt.

"Yes, I do," Entrapta replied. "And please don't let my increased pulse rate and breathing pattern deter you. I'm nervous, yes, but the good kind of nervous."

Hordak snorted. "And fools say you do not read others well," he remarked.

Entrapta's grin softened to a smile. "What can I say? I've made an extra special study of you."

The thought that anyone would care enough to pay such close attention to him was a concept Hordak was still wrestling with in the back of his mind. Yet Entrapta was living proof. "If you are absolutely certain, then you may, as long as it is with both hands at the same time." Hordak lowered his head slightly so his face would be more within range.

"Ah, ah," Entrapta tutted as she slowly, reluctantly let go of his hand. "Sit up straight. I'll come to you."

Hordak did as she commanded despite his confusion until he saw that even free, Entrapta's hair could easily lift her up, two thick sections meeting and pooling beneath her feet like a small tidal wave. His breath caught as he lifted his face to her, the only brilliant sun in this dimension.

Entrapta had noted from previous times that Hordak seemed to really like looking up at her when they were close together. He was definitely more relaxed, his head almost lolling back as he stared up at her with both heat and reverence, his glowing gaze fixed between her eyebrows to ensure she would not be uncomfortable.

Those gorgeous red eyes closed as, before she could lose her nerve, Entrapta raised her gloved hands to gently cup Hordak's jawline on both sides at once. He immediately melted into her touch, allowing her to take the full weight of his skull.

Entrapta bit back a happy squeal in response. With the barrier of her gloves, she could feel the pressure, but it wasn't unpleasant. "May I move my fingers at all?" she asked.

It was difficult for Hordak to access his ability to speak. Warmth radiated through him from where the weave of Entrapta's gloves rested against the smooth flesh of his face. He wondered if it was anything like when people submersed themselves in a bath. Bliss made his entire body relax, his usually taut muscles releasing the tension as she held him so firmly, yet so carefully, with a tenderness that made his chest ache and his hearts trip-thump. "Move them however you like," he finally said.

Entrapta blushed as Hordak's words came out soft and slightly slurred, as if speaking were an effort he would prefer not to put too much energy into at the moment. Gently and carefully, Entrapta moved her thumbs slightly, allowing them to sweep the surprising softness of his cheeks. This time a squeal did escape her.

Hordak cracked an eye open. "I know that was a happy sound," he said.

"You have squishy cheeks!" Entrapta exclaimed. "The severity of your cheekbones makes your cheeks look almost hollow, but they're squishy, like Imp's!"

Hordak immediately blushed profusely, both his aforementioned cheeks and the tips of his ears tingling.

"Squishy, squishy, squishy, squishy," Entrapta sing-songed, delighted by her discovery as she lightly pressed her thumbs inward, watching how the secret padding molded to her touch. "Every time I think you can't get more adorable, I find even more evidence!"

"I am not adorable!" Hordak tried to hiss, but it came out more like a squeak instead.

"You are to me."

Entrapta's matter-of-fact response once again robbed Hordak of any chance for rebuttal. He sighed, resigned to his fate of being considered 'adorable'.. for now.

Entrapta watched as Hordak seemed to blossom within her grasp, his features shifting from relaxed to blissful and back again. "Your species really does thrive on touch, doesn't it?" she mused, half aloud.

Hordak debated for a split second whether he should say anything, but considering he was already, as Etherians put it, "putty in her hands", there was no use denying it any longer. "Yes, we do," Hordak told her. "It has always been that way, as far as I know."

Entrapta smiled. "So that's another reason Imp climbs all over you whenever he gets a chance," she said.

"Correct," Hordak admitted. "I never censored him for it due to that fact. I was singled out early amongst my peers, so I never experienced the type of bonding typical for those of.. lower status. I did not want Imp suffering in the same way."

"Oh Hordak..." Entrapta breathed.

Hordak opened his eyes, and as he was coming to expect, there was no trace of pity in Entrapta's gaze, only sadness and understanding. "It stood me in good stead for being tossed into a pocket dimension, completely cut off from all I had known," he said.

"That may be," Entrapta said, "but I think that might be at least partially an excuse. My hypothesis is based on.. my own experiences." Entrapta stopped moving her thumbs, but her hands still cupped Hordak's jawline. "I mean, I thought I was a-okay with just my robots. It wasn't until the other Princesses came along that I allowed myself to admit there is a part of me that wants organic contact. However, there's another part of me that's scared to get attached, because once I do, I think I'll get really attached, y'know?"

Hordak had noticed two tendrils of hair had formed fingers and were pushing against each other, one of Entrapta's signs she was feeling uncertain. "So does being with me scare you in that way?" Hordak asked, keeping his voice low and gentle as he could.

Entrapta gave Hordak a tremulous, heartbreaking smile. "It does, but it's too late. There's no reason for me to be scared, because it's already happened." A length of hair hovered over her head, looking to put down a welding mask that was currently not there. "And yet, here I am."

Hordak wanted to reach out, return her current gesture. However, he also knew that the sensation of pure skin against skin would only make the threat of overwhelming her senses even worse. So instead, he balled his hands into tight fists and pressed them against his thighs. "I would never, ever purposefully hurt you," he said.

"I know." Entrapta voice cracked slightly as her throat tightened. "I know that beyond any shadow of a doubt. But it's still scary, having such intense feelings for anyone, organic or not."

Hordak focused his gaze between Entrapta's eyebrows, letting himself take in the maelstrom of emotions in her eyes without increasing her discomfort. "I know precisely what you mean," he finally said. Then he reached out his left hand to let the tips of his fingers brush the piece of paper he had been drawing on. "My desire to try and capture you on paper overrode some very.. intense training against doing anything 'frivolous' with my skills. That is how strongly I feel about you, Entrapta of Dryl."

Entrapta leaned forward, keeping her hands in place as she moved her head closer to Hordak's. What she really wanted to do was move her hands from his face over his shoulders to his back and hug him, allowing his chin to rest on her bare shoulder. However, she could feel the pressure from the combination of sensation and intense emotions bringing her very close to the edge of a meltdown. So she had to keep a sliver of distance for now, despite her heart wanting to cling to him in every possible way.

But she had a need to tell Hordak how she was feeling. So she paused, close enough that she could whisper in his ear, but far enough away that their skin wasn't touching. "I swear, if I ever find out who 'trained' you, they are going to be very, very sorry."

Hordak shivered from both the puffs of warm air against his sensitive ears and Entrapta's words. His first impulse was to tell her not to. The image of her bloodied, battered corpse at Horde Prime's feet flashed across his mind's eye. However, he was aware she would take it the wrong way. That he didn't think her strong enough. Which.. she could be, but he didn't want to find out in case she was not. Such a titanic dispute between gods could only result in death for at least one of the combatants.

And to his own horror and pride, he wanted the victor to be Entrapta, impossible as that might seem.

No one had ever thought him worthy enough to fight for. Not even his progenitor.

Yet Entrapta would in a heartbeat.

"I.. thank you for the sentiment," Hordak finally said.

Entrapta pulled back, her hands still on his face, as she cocked her head slightly in a silent question, studying his expression as though looking for answers.

"I do not doubt your battle prowess, knowledge, or determination," Hordak said, infusing each word with all the sincerity he could muster. "But the one responsible is very old and powerful. One might even consider him a God."

"Well, I may be just a Princess," Entrapta said with an evil smile that made Hordak weak in the knees, "but I'm more than willing to go toe-to-toe with anyone or anything to keep you safe."

Safe. Entrapta wanted to keep him safe. Something he had never truly been, not even at the highest pinnacle of Horde Prime's regard. He had been expected to give his very life at any moment in service to his Brother. But to Entrapta, his existence had worth. Enough to risk her own without a single question or qualm.

Hordak could feel more and more threadbare wires binding him to the greater universe and Prime's rule snapping. Being replaced with strands of lavender hair that might as well be titanium for the grip Entrapta had on his very soul.

"Entrapta." That was it, all he could say, but he infused it with as much reverence and gratitude as he could muster.

And Entrapta understood, at least on some level. She took a deep breath, able to get a better handle on her emotions so she could indulge in at least one more impulse. She moved slowly, carefully, giving Hordak plenty of time to decipher her trajectory and stop her if he wished.

Hordak realized her intent immediately, and found himself tilting his head up and forward as if attempting to meet her halfway. Which perhaps, he was.

Entrapta softly rested her forehead against Hordak's, and both their eyes closed to savor the contact as her hair swung forward to provide thick curtains for privacy.

Entrapta knew most organic beings kissed or hugged on a regular basis, and would not even consider what she and Hordak were doing romantic at all. However, she knew for herself and Hordak, simply touching such vulnerable parts of their body to each other's was intensely intimate. Not to mention the way they always seemed to fall into a breathing pattern that allowed one to breathe out, while the other breathed in, sharing the very element that kept them alive, at least to some extent.

For his part, Hordak reveled in the moment, even as he kept reeling in disbelief deep down every time Entrapta did this. Horde Prime touched shoulders, cheeks, and chins, never the forehead. It was as if that area had been reserved exclusively for Entrapta's benediction.

Neither of them knew how long they stayed that way. Entrapta hated to break the peaceful stillness, but her heart was so full, the impulse to do one more thing was overwhelming. "Hordak?" she asked, keeping her voice soft and low.

"Yes?" Hordak replied, his own tone matching hers.

"May I kiss your forehead, please?"

Entrapta had done so once before, and the memory of her warm, soft lips against his skin was still branded into his very soul. "Please do," Hordak found himself saying.

Inwardly, Entrapta was bouncing up and down, the urge to "twirl" almost overwhelming. The way Hordak had responded made it clear that not only was he comfortable with that particular show of affection, he was actively seeking it. They hadn't had a chance to truly discuss the first time she performed that particular maneuver, but his eager agreement now was proof enough for her.

Entrapta tilted her head back slightly, just enough to bring her lips in range. A part of her wanted to grin, privately considering Hordak's "widow's peak" an arrow, guiding her to exactly where she should kiss him. An unspoken invitation to give him as much affection as she wished.

She kissed him gently but firmly, her lips naturally soft and smooth.

Hordak sighed as warmth flooded through him from that single contact point. Any doubts he might have had about Entrapta's divinity were washed away in that moment. He felt a slight stinging behind his ocular panels as the differences between Entrapta and Horde Prime made themselves even more clear. With Entrapta, he wanted to please her from his own pure intention, with no underlying threat or manipulation. She gave him affection of her own free will, and for no discernible reason other than that she.. cared for him.

His only remaining fear was the biggest one. Would she still want to be by his side if the full extent of his weakness was revealed? It was something he did not want to ponder in this breathtaking moment, so he set it aside and firmly closed a mental door behind it. That day would come, but this was not it. The last time he had denied Entrapta's care, he had only hurt the both of them. He refused to repeat that horrible mistake.

Entrapta could tell unhappy thoughts were flitting across Hordak's mind in the wake of her kiss, but she knew by now they had nothing to do with her, personally. Hordak was always incredibly hard on himself, somehow thinking that affection had a price tag. Which was utterly ridiculous; even she knew that! "Hordak," she said a little sternly, determined to break whatever cycle had started to run in his psyche.

That caught Hordak's attention, bringing him back into the moment. He looked up at Entrapta, once again committing every single feature to memory. "Yes?"

"No matter what your thoughts might be telling you, listen to me instead," Entrapta said.

The sheepish look that crossed Hordak's face was all Entrapta needed to know she was on the right track.

Entrapta pressed her hands a little more firmly against his jawbone, a reminder that she had been touching him with her gloved hands the entire time. "You are.. precious to me. Do you hear me, Hordak? You. Are. Precious. So take that negative voice and let me tell it where to go and how to get there when you can't yourself."

"Entrapta, I..." Hordak trailed off as he saw his partner's face fall just a little. She knew him so well, she could hear the rejection in his voice already, and that made him take a second look to try and figure out his true feelings. He was used to being worthless. Now Entrapta was declaring his importance to her. It was a concept that was quite difficult for him to accept. "Acknowledge what you have said, and know that you are saying what is true for you. I am.. unaccustomed to being considered worthy of any personal accolade."

"I know," Entrapta said softly. "That's why I would like to get you used to hearing it, if that's okay with you."

"I am not worth such effort," Hordak blurted out.

"You are to me," Entrapta countered, echoes of their earlier dispute surrounding them.

Hordak bowed his head. "Then I shall endeavor to learn.. acceptance of your estimation."

"Good. That's all I ask," Entrapta said, a smile touching her lips as she recognized what a massive step Hordak had just taken. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" Hordak asked, the concept completely foreign to him in this situation.

Entrapta's smile grew even brighter. "For having faith in me, and trusting in my opinion when it comes not only to science, but.. personal stuff, too."

"You are the most intelligent being on this planet besides myself," Hordak said. "If I am going to believe in anyone, it is going to be you, Entrapta."

"Does that mean you'll keep drawing, too?" Entrapta asked, her gaze sliding over to the sketch still laying so innocently on her workbench. "You really are good at it!"

Hordak finally returned her smile as joy broke free and infused his soul. "Yes. Yes, I believe I will."

Chapter Text

"Moocella!"

The head chef of the Fright Zone barracks didn't even flinch, a smile crossing her face as the familiar greeting preceded by the bang of a ceiling vent opening echoed through the kitchen area. "Good morning Entrap.. whoa." Moocella's typical response was cut off at the sight before her.

Rather than being confined to two ponytails, Entrapta's hair was completely free. What seemed to be hundreds of lavender tentacles hooked around the lip of the hole in the ceiling, allowing Entrapta to lower herself enough to flip right-side up before continuing to slowly aid her descent as the Princess of Dryl yawned sleepily into her gloved hand.

Then Entrapta blinked, noticing how Moocella was staring. That was when she realized Moocella had never seen her with her hair down, either. The head chef towered above her, roughly as tall as Hordak. Moocella shared her startling green eyes and husky build with her younger brother Forgemaster Ajax, but that was where the similarities ended. Moocella's hide was white with random splotches of black, as if someone had spilled ink in various places on her body, including her snout. Two modest horns the color of ivory curved out gently from either side of her skull, in contrast to her brother's large, black pair. "Oops, sorry! Should I put my hair up so it doesn't get in the food?" Entrapta asked.

"Oh no, that's okay," Moocella replied with a smile, having quickly recovered from her surprise. "I've just never seen you with your hair down."

Entrapta could feel a touch of heat blooming in her cheeks. "I debated putting it up or not, but Hordak and I are taking the day off, so I figured I'd let my hair breathe a little." Then two tendrils of hair separated themselves from the mass and softly clapped over her mouth, and Entrapta's eyes grew wide as she realized her faux pas.

Moocella laughed. "Don't worry, Entrapta," she said. "You and Lord Hordak's secret is safe with me."

Entrapta let her hair drop gracefully away from her face before sighing in relief. "Thanks, Moocella."

"Honestly, Lord Hordak should take the day off more often, but apparently he's always been, as my mother and grandmother say, a 'workaholic'," Moocella said.

"Workaholic," Entrapta repeated, as if testing the new word and finding it rather tasty. "That definitely describes Hordak!" Then she sniffed the air. "Ooo, do I smell honey-cured ham?"

"You do, indeed," Moocella replied. "I figured it would go best with my newest creation, and I have some set aside for your breakfast."

"Newest creation?" Entrapta echoed, rising up on a tidal wave of hair and flowing toward the head chef. "Show me, show me, show me! Er, please?"

Moocella chuckled. "I'm just happy to have someone almost as excited about my experiments as I am," she said.

"Of course! Your title may be head chef, but you're a food scientist!" Entrapta exclaimed, bobbing slightly in place. "And everything you make comes out delicious!"

"That's only because I taste test everything before I even think of offering it to others," Moocella replied with a self-deprecating laugh. "You've never seen some of the horrible concoctions I've come up with. Though on a brighter note, the rest of your breakfast possibly awaits." Moocella crossed the room in a handful of strides, then picked up a baking sheet before turning and going back to Entrapta. She held the morsels out for inspection, and Entrapta squealed with delight.

"What are those?" Entrapta asked.

Moocella's tail swished bashfully. "I haven't settled on a name, but I'm learning towards something like 'stuffed horn pancakes'."

"They do look like your horns," Entrapta said as her gaze roved over the tiny, colorful desserts. She picked one up with a tendril of hair, while other lengths poked, prodded and examined. It seemed to be a very thin pancake filled with fruit and cream with something drizzled on top. The one in her grasp had red pastry, whipped cream, and strawberries with a syrup that was a darker, richer red than the pancake. Entrapta popped it in her mouth, and her eyes widened. She almost opened her mouth to speak right away, but remembered her manners at the last second and waited until she had properly chewed and swallowed it. "They're amazing!" she proclaimed, drawing out every vowel enthusiastically. "Ooh, what's in the yellow one?"

Moocella grinned. "Cream, coconut custard, and banana slices, with pineapple syrup," she said.

As Entrapta popped the next treat in her mouth, Moocella chuckled inwardly. She had noticed early on that the princess from Dryl tended to turn up her nose at anything not sweet, and there was a dearth of vegetables in her diet. Which had led to Moocella being creative to balance things out, since Entrapta never ate any ration bars. Not that Moocella blamed her. Those bars were nutrients, not food, as far as the head chef was concerned. So in this case, the colorful pastry was made with vegetable puree to give them such vibrant hues.

What Entrapta didn't know, in this case, would only help her.

"So I take it breakfast is approved?" Moocella asked.

"Absolutely!" Entrapta proclaimed.

Moocella then proceeded to put the baking sheet back, only to immediately start placing the contents in pre-made boxes that had been divided into tiny compartments so the delicate goodies would not be destroyed on Entrapta's way through the vents. Moocella filled two boxes, then grabbed a rather slim, black metal case before offering everything to Entrapta.

Entrapta squealed in delight, and allowed herself a single "twirl" in place before taking the items, knowing the case contained the aforementioned honey-cured ham cut up into little pieces for her.

Moocella smiled in delight before asking, "Any preferences in fizzy drink flavor today?"

Entrapta put her culinary treasures in various pockets of her coveralls. "I really liked that peachy one you gave me the other day!"

Moocella turned to retrieve three bottles from the pantry, hiding another sly grin as she did so. She was rather proud of herself for having come up with sneaking vegetable juice into Entrapta's drinks, in this case, the natural musky sweetness of peach juice covering up the similar musky sweetness of carrots. She had schooled her expression by the time she came back from the pantry and handed over the final pieces of Entrapta's provisions.

Entrapta seemed lost in thought as she accepted the bottles of fizzy juice.

"Entrapta?" Moocella prompted, just in case her friend felt like talking.

Entrapta scuffed her right boot against the ground as she clasped her hands behind her back. "I just.. I can't say this to Hordak, but I really wish I could share my goodies with him."

"But he would be likely to take it as pity if you said anything, rather than you just want to share with him," Moocella said.

Entrapta nodded. "I mean, sharing food is really common between organic beings who are.. close to each other," she said.

Moocella smiled gently at her well-meaning friend. "But you and Lord Hordak share so much more. I won't even pretend to know anything about your projects. I suspect having someone his intellectual equal to talk and listen to means more to him than anything else you could offer."

Realization dawned bit by bit, Entrapta's expression brightening until it was absolutely radiant. "You know, you're right! There are a lot of smart people on Etheria, but his intellect is off the charts! And.. he listens to me." This last part was said so quietly, Moocella almost missed it.

"See? What did I tell you," Moocella said. "Now go on, enjoy your day off. Just don't wear Lord Hordak out too much!"

Moocella had meant the last part as a joke, and she had honestly only been thinking of the two of them tinkering with some project all day, until Entrapta's eyes widened and her complexion was suddenly highlighted by the rich glow of an intense blush.

"I'll.. do my best," Entrapta said. "I guess I should be going now. Bye, Moocella!"

Moocella didn't have a chance to say anything in reply before Entrapta swiftly reached up with her hair and literally catapulted herself up and out of the kitchen.

The head chef blinked, then burst out laughing. It took her a good few minutes to calm down, dabbing her eyes with a dry cloth she usually kept at hand to wipe sweat away from her brow. Her smile afterwards was genuine, her eyes filled with fondness for both the tiny Princess and the alien Lord of the Fright Zone.

"Good for them," Moocella murmured to herself, before turning her attention to the much more boring task of portioning out and wrapping ration bars.

Life had definitely become much less dull in the Fright Zone since Entrapta's arrival, and Moocella wouldn't have it any other way.