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Adora swallowed thickly as she watched Catra come through the doors. She’d been planning this for days, weeks, months at this point, and now that it was happening… Adora wasn’t quite sure she could go through with it.
“What’s all this?” Catra’s tone was light, lacking the bite that Adora had been irrationally nervous of.
“Er, well, I wanted to do something nice for you and…” Adora trailed off, gesturing apologetically around the balcony.
Glimmer and Bow had helped her of course, giggling the whole time they hung up the garlands of lights and offering comforting hugs when something inevitably got tangled or messed up. Their hard work had paid off however, or at least Adora hoped it had. The balcony adjoining Catra and Adora’s room was beautiful, gorgeous. Gleaming, soft strings of lights hung in curtains around its circumference, with flowers tucked carefully among them. The lights perfectly framed the view of Bright Moon and the Whispering Woods that was now being illuminated by a setting, golden sun, painting everything in its warmth.
Adora had set up a small table in the middle of the balcony, with only two chairs. Despite Bow and Glimmer’s involvement in the planning and set-up, this was not a Best Friends Squad event. Adora had tried to cook dinner, which had gone horribly and almost resulted in Bright Moon needing a new kitchen, so the only thing she’d actually set out on the table was desserts from Catra’s favorite bakery in Bright Moon. It was all supposed to be perfect. It was the least she could do for her.
Adora dragged her eyes away from the set-up, squeezing them shut for a second before facing Catra again. Okay, Adora, you can do this. Has to be easier than defeating a galaxy conquering tyrant, right? The gleam from the lights caught Catra’s fangs as she smiled softly at Adora, the smile that made Adora’s bones melt. Nope, this is definitely going to be harder.
Catra narrowed her eyes at Adora, “It’s not my birthday, is it? Oh, God, is it your birthday?”
And that was just enough to break the tension. Adora laughed, “Catra, we don’t have birthdays.”
The way Catra smiled in response told her that she’d accomplished exactly what she’d been trying to. She sidled up to her, looping her arms around Adora’s neck and leaning in to press a quick kiss to Adora’s lips.
Adora’s hands automatically moved to Catra’s hips, her mind going blissfully blank for a second. Kissing Catra was something she could do, something she was pretty good at (she hoped). Kissing Catra was easy. Loving Catra was easy. That’s all you have to do, a voice whispered in her head, one that sounded suspiciously like Spinnerella, who had been helping her through the logistics of this whole thing.
“There you are,” Catra murmured into her mouth, pulling back just enough to stare up into Adora’s eyes. Her tail wrapped loosely around Adora’s right leg.
Adora panicked. “Sorry, I’m acting weird. This is weird. You should probably just go.” Dammit.
Catra looked alarmed. “No. No, Adora, this isn’t weird. What’s going on?”
Adora pulled away, wiping her sweaty palms down the sides of her dress. “Do you want to sit down?” Her voice cracked slightly. How dare it.
Catra looked at her again, assessing, the look of someone who had practically commanded an entire army and knew when something was off. Adora swallowed again. Catra sat down without another word, swinging herself into her chair in the way she hadn’t grown out of even after five years of post-war living.
Her eyes caught on the baked goods before her, her pupils sparkling just enough that Adora knew it wasn’t just from the lights. “Is that chocolate cake?”
Adora smiled, still nervous, and sat down across from her. “Yeah. From Kymug’s.”
Catra moved in a blur, snatching the piece of cake from the middle of the table and taking a bite before Adora could so much as blink. “I love you,” she said around a mouthful of chocolate.
Adora should be used to it, should be used to Catra saying that, but she couldn’t help the dark red blush that came to her cheeks. She was about to return the sentiment when Spinnerella’s words came back to her: Let it happen naturally, bring it up in conversation with her if you’re nervous.
Her smile slipped, “Actually, about that…” Catra looked up at her expectantly and now Adora was blushing even more. She chickened out. “It’s really a lovely night isn’t it?”
“Uh, yeah, I guess. Why are you acting—”
“Weird?”
“No, ugh, okay, fine. Yes, weird.”
Adora’s heart thundered in her ears, her palms were sweating so much they felt like miniature oceans and she frantically grasped at her napkin. “I’m not weird. You’re weird.”
“What is up with you?”
Adora’s vision blurred, she didn’t know what to say to that, she hadn’t prepared for that, she didn’t know what to do with that, she— Well, she hurled her napkin at Catra who, understandably, shrieked in response, leaping onto all fours on her chair. “Oh, gosh, I’m so sorry. My reflexes just—”
“Adora, stop.” Adora buried her head in her hands, Catra continued, “Please, it’s, er, it’s okay.”
She heard Catra’s feet pad across the floor, but it wasn’t until she felt her hands on her shoulders that she finally let out the breath she’d been holding.
“Hey, hey, you’re okay,” Catra repeated again.
She smoothed her hands over Adora’s shoulders, down her back, playing with Adora’s hair. Adora sighed into the touch and unhunched herself, lifting her head just barely out of her hands.
“Why can’t She-Ra help me propose?” Adora muttered under her breath. Then, at Catra’s hissing inhale of breath, “Oh no.”
There was a pregnant pause, broken only by the swishing of light strands against one another, the sounds of life from the woods and Bright Moon, and Catra’s breathing.
“You were going to propose to me?”
Adora finally looked at her. Catra was staring down at Adora with the softest look imaginable, the corners of her mouth melted just slightly. Adora heard herself gasp at the sight.
She averted her gaze. “Yeah. I had this whole plan,” she laughed weakly. “I was going to surprise you with dinner, but then I couldn’t cook. And Glimmer and Bow helped me set all this up, but then I ruined it by being so… so out of it. I’m sorry, Catra, I wanted you to love it.”
“What are you talking about?” Catra asked, her voice tinted with just enough amusement that Adora didn’t flinch. “This is perfect. You got my favorite cake and did all this on a balcony that’s full of all the things we couldn’t have as kids. You know, like life and stuff. Ugh, I’m not good with words. But,” Catra put one claw to Adora’s forehead and tipped it back, Adora held her breath, “it’s you, idiot. Of course I’m going to love it. I love you.”
“Catra,” Adora’s voice broke.
She saw the second Catra made her decision, the flash of fire in her eyes. Her breath was tight in her chest as Catra slid herself down onto Adora’s lap, wrapping her legs around Adora’s waist. Catra leaned behind Adora and plucked a single flower from where it had been woven into the lights, holding it up in between them even as she leaned her forehead down to meet Adora’s.
“Adora, will you marry me?”
And her voice was strong when she replied. Strong like the feeling in her heart when she stared into Catra’s eyes, when Catra leaned against her in that way they’d been doing since the beginning of time, since the beginning of love. “Yes. Yes, I’d love to marry you, Catra.”
Catra smiled and tucked the flower she was holding behind Adora’s ear before kissing her, softly, on the mouth. Adora sighed into the kiss, pulling Catra forward and closer to her.
“Guess you’re gonna be stuck with my last name,” Catra smirked into Adora’s mouth.
Adora hummed, her chest full, “Hey, I’m the one who came up with it.”
“You’re right. I’m definitely going to be the one naming our kid.”
Adora spluttered, pulling away to look indignantly at her, “ Excuse me?”
Catra cut her off with another kiss, tipping Adora’s chin up into it. “I still love you even though you cursed me to a life of being called Catra Applesauce Meow-Meow.”
A loud pop filled the balcony and Adora instinctively clamped her eyes shut at the rain of sparkles that came with it. Catra and Adora remained in the position they’d been in before, long past any alarm at Glimmer’s powers. They’d grown, changed, and with that came the comfort of Catra no longer leaping out of Adora’s arms every time their friends appeared.
“I’m sorry, your name is what?” Glimmer yelled, landing just a step away from them with a sheepish looking Bow.
“How long were you listening?” Adora cringed inwardly, her face flushing.
Bow rubbed apologetically at the back of his head, “Er, not long? Just, you know, the whole time.”
Adora groaned. Catra cackled in the breathy way that Adora thought was the equivalent of an evil giggle.
“Hey, at least you didn’t set anything on fire!” He said, trying to save Adora from the embarrassment she’d inflicted upon herself.
“Thanks, Bow, I’m glad you expected such great things from me.”
Now Catra did snort. At the sound, Adora’s gaze was immediately pulled to her and all of the breath was once again knocked from her body. Catra was gorgeous. And she was going to be her wife.
“You’re going to be my wife,” Adora said out loud, tucking a lock of Catra’s now-long-again hair behind her ear.
“I am.”
“She’s going to be my wife!” Adora said, louder, turning to Bow and Glimmer.
Glimmer laughed, stepping forward and hugging them. Bow joined them, and the four of them stood/sat in a slightly awkward hug that was still amazing and incredible and warm and home.
After a long moment had passed, Glimmer quietly asked from where her head was pressed flush with Adora’s shoulder, “Is anyone going to eat that pie?”
The group laughed. “Go ahead,” Adora said, and Glimmer and Bow pulled back, playfully fighting to get at the desserts that the other two had left forgotten on the table.
Adora moved to release Catra but she only held on tighter. “Just, hold me?” Catra’s voice was tentative, Adora’s heart ached.
“Always.”
And Adora squeezed her eyes shut, trying in vain to remember this moment, remember all of its details. How Catra’s head was pressed against her’s, how Catra’s body felt resting on her’s. How her friends laughed in the background, how the air smelled of sweet things and life and love. She realized, though, halfway through memorizing all of the details, that there would be many more nights like it, many more days holding Catra and loving Catra.
And soon she’d be announcing that love to all of Etheria. Adora blinked as tears sprung to her eyes. If Catra saw, she didn’t say, only brushed her lips lightly against Adora’s once more.
And, God, she loved this woman.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Adora.”
At least she’d gotten this part right.