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1.
“Tag, you’re it!”
Catra laughed as she passed Adora. Being faster than the average seven-year-old, she was winning. She increased in speed as she turned the corner. With the cold metal floor of the Fright Zone under her feet, she quickly glanced behind her, making sure the others weren’t catching up. From a short distance, she could see Adora gaining speed, Lonnie following close behind. There was no trace of Kyle besides the occasional-
“Hey guys, slow down!”
Catra rolled her eyes. ‘That’s not how tag works, dummy.”
“What on Etheria is going on here?”
Catra whipped her head around, halting in her tracks before losing her balance and falling to her commanding officer’s feet. She let out a groan of pain. Suddenly, she felt the weight of her team toppling over her, minus Kyle, who was the only one far back enough to prepare for the impact. She glared at him as he calmly walked up to the rest of them, holding a baby Rogelio in his arms.
“I said what is going on here?” Catra swallowed with fear as she looked up at Shadow Weaver, “Do not make me repeat myself a third time.”
“Um we- we were just playing -”
“You were causing chaos. The more time you spend wildly running through the halls, disturbing everyone, the less the Horde can spread our message to the world. Some of us want to protect Etheria from the princesses’ tyranny,” her tone was stern, her intensity increasing as she spoke.
“We’re sorry Shadow Weaver, we never meant to hurt the Horde,” said a small voice.
Shadow Weaver moved her attention from Catra, her demeanor changing with it.
“Adora, you know better than to let Catra influence you like this. Don’t let this happen again,” Catra felt Adora tense up beside her, “Now run along.”
The rest of the junior cadets started to leave. Catra turned to do the same but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder,
“Not you.”
....
Catra was used to punishments and lectures from Shadow Weaver. However, no matter how many times it happened, nothing could prevent the pain she felt afterward. This hadn’t been the worst punishment she’d ever received, but that didn’t stop Catra from holding in tears on the walk back to the barracks.
As she approached she heard Adora’s laugh. Suddenly Catra’s sulking turned into a smile. This brief moment of happiness was quickly paused as she walked in to see Adora and Lonnie sitting on Adora’s bed whispering to each other. Catra slowly walked to the bunk as Lonnie said something inaudible, causing Adora to burst out in laughter.
Catra felt her stomach drop and her heart rate increase. She glared at Lonnie as her anger rose. She marched up to them as Adora turned her head mid-laugh and caught Catra’s gaze.
“Catra!” Adora exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
“Hey Catra,” Lonnie said, smiling at Catra.
Catra scoffed.
How dare Lonnie try and steal her best friend and pretend like everything was normal. Catra felt like she was on fire. Lucky for Lonnie, Catra wasn’t magic because if looks could kill, Lonnie wouldn’t stand a chance. Without saying a word Catra raised her arm and slapped Lonnie across the face.
“Catra!” she heard Adora gasp.
“OW WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?” Lonnie screamed clutching her reddening cheek. Adora put a hand on Lonnie’s shoulder to calm her.
“Wait, I'm sure Catra -” Before she could finish, Adora was cut off by the bell signifying that it was time for dinner. Crowds of cadets and soldiers alike gathered into the halls. Catra, seeing this as an opportunity to escape, ran as fast as her little legs could take her.
All she could think about was Adora. Catra felt her throat tighten and her stomach churn.
She finally stopped running to catch her breath. She felt the tears starting to pour out. She quickly looked for a hiding spot, finding one among some boxes.
Adora was playing with Lonnie. without her. And she made Adora laugh. The laugh that was reserved just for Catra.
“Do I make her laugh that hard? Was she ever really my friend?”
Her thoughts started to consume her. She wanted to scream but then someone might find her. Catra was overwhelmed with emotion, an emotion she couldn’t define. All she knew is that she really liked spending time with Adora. She wanted to be the one to make her laugh and play games with. Adora made her stomach all twirly, and not in the way it does when she sees shadow weaver. No, this was different. She had no idea how to describe it or why she felt that way. Frightened by this phenomenon she brought her thoughts back to the issue at hand.
Adora didn’t want her anymore. Didn’t need her.
“She doesn’t want to be my friend anymore. she likes Lonnie better than me,” she thought. Soon she was interrupted by a voice calling out to her.
“Catra?”
2.
Adora took a deep breath before tightening her usual ponytail. As she looked in the mirror, she noticed the new red bump that had appeared on her forehead. Shadow Weaver had told her it was normal for people her age, that they were called pimples but also not to waste time caring about her looks. That she had more important things to focus on, like training.
“Shadow Weaver is right,” she thought. “You need to work on becoming a better solider. The Horde is your top priority. Focus Adora. You’ve got this.”
Moving into the training arena, she began to stretch. Reminding herself to breathe, she centered her thoughts on the weaker spots in her training, coming up with ways to improve this time around.
“Hey Adora,” Adora looked up to see her best friend smirking at her.
“Catra! Good, you’re here,” Adora got up and jogged to Catra, “you ready?”
“You know, you’re the only one who would want to spend our first day off ever doing work,” Catra said rolling her eyes.
“First of all, it's not a day off. Shadow Weaver just canceled training today because all the higher-ups need to focus on preparing for the big attack tomorrow,” Adora began stretching again, “and second, we aren’t kids anymore Catra. In a few years, we’ll be senior cadets. We need to start taking our training more seriously. Now are you gonna fight me or are you gonna chicken out?” she teased.
“And miss out on an opportunity to kick your butt? Not a chance.”
The girls smiled at each other for a moment before Catra took the first swing. Adora took a step back, dodging Catra’s fist. Adora took a fighting stance before kicking at her friend. Catra leaped in the air landing behind Adora. Adora attacked with force, careful to avoid hurting Catra. Whenever they trained, Adora made a mental note not to hesitate once she was put in the field and fighting the rebellion. Adora soon gained the upper hand, Catra was faster but Adora was stronger.
This always confused Adora. If Catra applied herself a bit more she could easily be just as strong. Nonetheless, Catra was a good fighter and Adora was proud of how far her friend had come since they were kids. Adora couldn’t wait till they were old enough to actually fight for the Horde, together.
Catra noticed Adora’s mind had wandered and decided to use this to her advantage. Catra lunged at Adora, who fell to the ground. Adora fought back against Catra who was on top of her.
“That was so unfair” Adora complained as she tried to take the lead again. She managed to gain some control over Catra, grabbing her left arm. Using her free arm, Adora managed to flip them so that she was now over Catra.
“It was totally fair!” Catra retorted as she pushed back at Adora before rolling out of Adora’s grasp, “not my fault ‘little miss perfect’ isn’t as perfect as she thought” Catra laughed.
Their wrestling match went on like this, both girls punching and kicking and rolling on the ground until Catra got an idea. As Adora wound back for a punch, Catra went in, lightly tickling the other girl’s side. Losing the form and technique she was known for, Adora couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Soon Adora was unable to escape as Catra continued tickling her. Once there was finally a chance for Adora to tickle her back, Catra yelped and started running away, laughing. Adora rolled her eyes and smiled as she started chasing her best friend.
Suddenly and without much thought Adora lunged at Catra, tickling Catra just as she had done earlier. Catra fought back until both girls' sides hurt from laughing so hard.
“Truce! Truce!” Adora said, rolling her body to face Catra who was also still on the ground. They grinned at each other as they came down from their “tickling high”.
Laying next to Catra, Adora realized just how close together they were. Their noses were almost touching and Adora couldn’t help but notice how pretty Catra was when she laughed. For a moment, Adora thought she was floating, all her stress seemed to disappear. She had never felt like this and quickly became uncomfortable at the new sensation. She felt light-headed. Probably from training.
“Yeah that must be it,” she thought. Suddenly Adora noticed her palms had grown sweaty and her stomach had butterflies.
“why isn’t she saying anything? Catra always has something to say,” It soon became clear to Adora that her heartbeat was ringing in her ears. “Why aren’t I saying anything?” her mind continued to race as neither of them moved.
“Why do I want to stay like this forever?”
Adora decided it would be best to ignore her thoughts. She pushed them down, knowing that’s what was best. There wasn’t time to think about her feelings. The most important thing was her loyalty to the Horde. She was a soldier, that was her purpose. She couldn’t let herself become distracted by anything that did not benefit the Horde. Besides, she wouldn’t ignore her feelings forever, just until the Horde succeeded.
Catra suddenly cleared her throat, pulling Adora out of her head.
“Uh- we should um, we should head back,” Catra said awkwardly, “the uh- the others will be looking for us.”
“huh? Oh right,” Catra rose to her feet before offering Adora a hand.
She blushed as Catra helped her up. Adora gave her a soft smile which Catra returned.
“So um I totally won,” Catra said, finally breaking the silence between them. Adora scoffed.
“No way! I definitely beat you!”
“You wish!”
“Just admit it, Catra. I won!”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night” Catra laughed. With a giant grin, Adora elbowed Catra.
“Race you to the locker room,” said Catra before taking off.
“You are so on!” Adora yelled after her.
3.
Catra didn’t like change, she didn’t like Shadow Weaver, and she certainly didn’t like feeling weak. Unfortunately for her, that day, she had experienced all three. She sighed as she starred out at the Fright Zone. She had wanted to be alone. So she went where she always did when she felt like she needed to escape. It was her secret spot. Here, no one could find her, no one, but Adora. Catra knew Adora would be here sooner or later. She hadn’t exactly hidden her anger from her. Catra rubbed her temples. She didn’t want to think about it. All she wanted to do was freeze time.
As if on cue Catra heard the clanging sound of Adora climbing up to her.
“Hey Adora,” she said without turning to look at her. From her periphery, she saw Adora take a seat next to her.
Adora sighed.
“Catra, I don’t understand,” she started. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” The words came out harsher than Catra had intended.
“Bullshit.”
“I said I’m fine! Just leave me alone!” She pulled her knees into her chest.
“Catra,” Adora said sternly, “You know that won’t work.”
For a few moments, they sat in awkward silence. Catra wanted to tell her. She wanted to break down and let it all out. Catra knew that wasn’t an option. That would mean admitting weakness, and Catra was not weak. The tension between the two remained as they looked out at buildings of the Fright Zone. At night it seemed never-ending. The dark buildings blended into the sky.
Finally, Adora couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
“This is supposed to be a happy day! Our team passed the test! We’re getting promoted to senior cadets,” Adora spoke excitedly as Catra winced, “It’s what we’ve always wanted! Only one more year of training until we get to finally fight in the field!”
Catra didn’t reply.
“Come on, we’ve always wanted to be on the front lines, see the world!” she nudged Catra, “We’re so close to that! We have a year of training, plus the test, then all Shadow Weaver has to do is pick a Force Captain and boom! We’re there, fighting off princesses!”
“Oh of course you’d be excited, we all know you're basically already Force Captain anyway,” Snorted Catra.
“What? No, I’m not. It could be any of us!”
“Yeah? And who else would Shadow Weaver choose, Kyle?” Catra looked at Adora for the first time that night, “Face it, Adora, it’s not even a competition."
Adora frowned.
“That’s not true,” Catra rolled her eyes, “If you applied yourself, really worked hard this year, you could easily become Force Captain.”
If she wasn’t so angry, Catra would laugh at the claim.
“You’re an idiot,” she uttered, “I don’t care about being Force Captain.”
“Then what’s wrong? Did something else happen?”
“No! Nothing is wrong! Just leave me alone!” she was practically screaming now.
Adora groaned, frustration rising.
“Obviously everything is not fine or you wouldn’t be acting like this!” challenged Adora. She was met by silence.
“Ugh, you’re impossible! I’m just trying to help you!”
“Well, maybe I don’t need your help! I’m not some helpless little girl! For fucks sake Adora, stop trying to be a hero all the time!” It was taking more and more effort for Catra to keep her walls up.
“I’m not trying to be a hero! I’m trying to be your friend!”
Adora was visibly upset by now. Catra noticed how red her face had gotten. Catra’s eyes widened as Adora’s words sunk in. Catra took a deep breath and met Adora's gaze.
“Please Catra you’re my best friend” Adora spoke softer now, “What’s bothering you?”
Catra made sure to choose her next words very carefully.
“It’s just-” I’m scared of what the future will bring
“The-” unknown terrifies me and there’s nothing I can do
“It seems-” like the older, we get the more monotonous and boring life is
“I just,” Catra exhaled, “I don’t like change.”
Adora grabbed her hand. Suddenly that was the only thing Catra could pay attention to. Catra’s face became hot. She knew she was blushing. Catra hated blushing. She wished she was invisible so Adora couldn’t see.
“I don’t like change either,” Adora finally said. Catra furrowed her brow.
“What?”
“Change is scary,” she started, “and yeah rankings and titles- those things are gonna change. But none of that can ever be that scary because we won’t be doing it alone. We have each other.”
Catra didn’t know what to say. Adora was always so determined to climb the ranks in the Horde, she assumed she would have embraced change. Instead of words, Catra squeezed her hand in response.
“You're right,” Catra said, her signature smirk growing bigger, “you can’t be Force Captain. You’re way too mushy for that.”
Adora gasped, pretending to be hurt by the comment but couldn’t stop herself from laughing. She was never a good actor.
Adora rested her head on Catra’s shoulder. Catra froze. She felt paralyzed, unsure of what to do. If she moved, Adora might stop. Did she want Adora to stop? Catra was pretty sure the answer was no. She decided against moving, but staying frozen was weird. As she began to internally panic, Catra was growing increasingly aware of how loud her heart was beating.
“Oh my god,” she thought, “can Adora hear that?”
She needed to do something and quick.
“Um,” Catra pulled away, “Just because you forced that out of me, doesn’t mean I like you.”
Adora just smiled in response
4.
She gave her the sword back.
She let her escape.
It had been hours but Adora couldn’t stop replaying the moment in her head.
“What does this mean? Could I convince her to leave the Horde? Could we be friends again?” Adora’s mind raced as she turned in her bed.
“I shouldn't be thinking about this right now,” Adora mentally kicked herself.
She felt like an awful person. There were more pressing matters at hand than whether or not she and Catra could rekindle their friendship.
Something was wrong with Glimmer’s powers.
Entrapta was dead.
All of it was her fault. Guilt consumed her and yet her mind kept coming back to Catra. Thinking about Catra and her moral standings was a lot less painful than thinking about the harm she caused her friends. That’s the reason for thinking about her, Adora convinced herself.
Adora sat up and groaned. She was never going to get any sleep.
“Here. Take it.”
She remembered the fear she felt while Catra approached her and Glimmer. Then she offered her the sword and- what? relief? Confusion? Hope?
“This isn't cause I like you.”
Catra had said this to her many times. It never bothered Adora, she knew Catra cared for her. But now, she wasn’t as confident.
“Even if we were still friends it’s not like Catra was ever one to talk about her feelings.”
If this had happened a few days earlier Adora would ask Bow and Gimmer what they thought, but now this was the least of their problems. Besides, even if she did, They’d never truly understand. From an outside perspective, it seems like the obvious choice to leave the Horde, the easy choice.
Adora knew it wasn't not easy though. It goes against everything they’ve ever been told.
“Forget about leaving,” Adora thought “Just admitting to yourself that you don’t believe in the Horde is hard enough!”
Adora sighed and looked out her window. Bright Moon’s beauty never ceased to amaze her, especially at night.
“In the Horde, we’re taught to suppress all feelings. That expressing or verbalizing those emotions is a sign of weakness and showing weakness is the worst thing you can do,” Adora didn’t know what she was trying to convince herself of. It's not like she could force Catra to stop.
The transition into the real world had been difficult. Leaving the Fright Zone, Adora had to change her way of thinking about...everything.
She wished everything could be simple. That Catra would suddenly realize the error of the Horde’s ways and join the rebellion. Adora let out an exasperated laugh as she rubbed her eyes. It felt like such a stupid thought.
If Catra were there she’d let Adora know that. She missed their banter. She missed her. Not the current Catra who wanted to destroy her, but the Catra who was her friend. Their past friendship simultaneously felt like it was yesterday and a lifetime ago.
Adora lay back down. She needed to get some sleep.
She needed to help Glimmer, then maybe she’d be able to help Catra too.
5.
“Welcome home!”
As the Best Friend Squad made their way off of Darla, the cheers and smiles of their loved ones surrounded them.
Scorpia scooped Catra into a big hug as the rest of the princesses greeted Bow, Glimmer, and Adora.
It had been a year since She-Ra defeated Horde Prime and saved the universe.
“You also saved everyone,” Adora would always remind her. To which Catra would always roll her eyes before making some sort of joke about being glad she was hot or there would have been no hope for the universe.
The best friend squad had just finished restoring the magic to different planets and Catra was exhausted. They had worked tirelessly to help fix the damage done by Horde Prime, not taking a day off. All she wanted to do was curl up with Adora, Meelog at their feet, and go to bed. The Princess Alliance, however, had other plans.
They had been planning this party for months and Perfuma had made sure that every detail was perfect. Bright Moon had been transformed to accommodate for their party. Chains of flowers hung in rows on the walls and there were tables set up with lots of food. It was filled with people from all over Etheria, everyone mingling with one another.
Catra made her way to a snack table, Meelog traipsing behind her. She grabbed some kind of pink surgery dessert. She ripped off a chunk and handed it to Meelog, before biting into it herself. She licked her lips. After years of eating ration bars, the food at Bright Moon never got old.
As she started to grab another one, Catra felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist followed by a soft kiss on the cheek.
“Hey, Adora.”
“Having fun?”
“Yeah, I guess. It’s better now that you’re here” Catra replied turning around to face her girlfriend.
“Wow who knew, Catra, Hordak’s former right hand, the women who spent the better part of three years trying to kill me, was, in fact, the biggest softy in the world,” teased Adora.
Catra narrowed her eyes at the blonde.
“Please,” she scoffed, “I don’t even like you.”
Adora smiled at Catra’s act.
“What about you?” Catra asked. “Having fun?”
“Yeah! It’s so great to see everyone again but…”
Catra raised an eyebrow in question.
“Okay honestly, I really appreciate the celebration but I’m so tired and I’m pretty sure Frosta promised a bunch of local kids I would turn into She-Ra for them and sign autographs which I would totally do if I had more energy and Swift Wind won’t leave me alone and -” Adora sighed. “It’s just a little overwhelming right now.”
Catra looked around at the party-goers. Most of their friends were occupied with each other and it didn’t seem like the party was going to die down anytime soon. She turned her attention back to Adora.
“Wanna go somewhere?” Catra asked, extending her hand.
“Where did you have in mind?” Adora replied.
“Trust me?”
“Always,” said Adora taking her girlfriend’s hand.
Laughing, the two ran away from the party, Catra leading the way.
“Where are we going?” asked Adora.
“You’ll see.”
They finally stopped when they reached a small garden on the outskirts of Bright Moon. It was full of blooming flowers and plants of all kinds. It was small and secluded, cozy, unlike the royal gardens. There was a single bench that had a perfect view of the night sky.
“Woah” muttered Adora, taking in the sights around her. Ever since its true magic had been released, Etheria became even more beautiful. “How did you find this place?”
“Oh, I stumbled across it on one of my first nights here, when I couldn’t sleep,” Catra rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. Her fingers lightly brushed over where Horde Prime’s chip had been implanted and she shivered at the memory. Her hair was longer now. Still not to its former glory but it covered where the chip once was, so Catra was happy. Catra grabbed Adora’s hand and led her to the bench.
“I um- I thought we could look at the stars,” she admitted.
Gently holding Catra’s cheek, Adora pulled her in for a brief kiss. Adora felt Catra smile against her.
“I love you” Adora whispered.
“I love you too.”
They sat on the bench looking up at the night sky, holding hands, occasionally exchanging words, but mostly just enjoying each other’s presence.
For most Etherians, stars had become symbolic. They had gone a thousand years without them, and their return was soon followed by an era of peace. For Catra it was more than that. The world was finally at peace, but so was she. She spent so much of her life filled with rage, pain, and jealousy. But now, she was finally happy.
Some days were better than others. She still tended to lash out when upset, something Perfuma offered to help with, and of course, she was still haunted by the memories of her life in the Fright Zone. She still felt guilty, like she shouldn’t have been forgiven. She did so many terrible things and she knew no amount of apologies would ever fix the damage done.
She still had nightmares too. Adora also got them. Catra took comfort knowing she wasn’t alone. They could be about anything. Sometimes she dreamt she was a little kid getting punished by Shadow Weaver, sometimes she was back on Horde Prime’s ship, and sometimes she dreamt that one of her plans actually succeeded. That she killed Adora. Catra hated those ones the most.
Soon Catra noticed Adora had fallen asleep. Her head resting on Catra’s shoulder. Catra smiled as she stared at her girlfriend.
“She’s so beautiful.”
They had come a long way. Catra could still remember the fear she felt as a teenager when she realized she had feelings for Adora. Not that she would have admitted it, even to herself. Catra snuggled into Adora as her mind continued to wonder. She didn’t even care if she started to purr.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with her,” Catra thought.
It took Catra by surprise. Her first instinct was to panic, to not even acknowledge the thought. Then Catra took a deep breath, looked at the stars, and started to calm down. She looked back at her sleeping girlfriend and the idea suddenly filled her with warmth. The idea still made Catra nervous, but a good nervous. An excited nervous.
She couldn’t wait to tell Adora- or ask her? Of course, she needed to ask her! Catra vaguely knew about the concept of proposing though she’d have to find out more before she actually did it. She had so many questions. Catra’s fears calmed when she remembered there was a good chance Adora was just as clueless about Etherian traditions as she was. Instead of worrying about the details, she decided to enjoy the moment, taking a mental note to ask Glimmer about the technicalities tomorrow.
The time they let their inhibitions go
“Wow,” Adora turned around to find Bow and Glimmer standing at her doorway.
“You look beautiful, Adora,” said Glimmer.
Adora stared at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. She really did. She was wearing a gold tiara that allowed her hair to fall so that it framed her face perfectly. Adora was never one to obsess over her looks. She never considered herself that pretty, especially compared to when she was She-Ra. Adora sat up straight feeling confident but not in her usual beating up people and fighting evil way. This was a new type of confidence but she liked the feeling.
“Catra’s gonna lose it when she sees you,” Bow said. Glimmer giggled in agreement.
Catra.
Adora couldn’t wait to see her. It had been over 24 hours without the comfort of her presence, something Adora hadn’t experienced in a long time. Neither herself nor Catra understood why they couldn’t see each other, but Glimmer had insisted muttering something about “Etherian tradition” and that is was “bad luck”.
Adora could barely contain her excitement. Thinking of spending the rest of her life with Catra, their future together, her body filled with a warmth that she could only label as bliss. It was hard to believe that only a few years ago they were enemies, fighting on opposing sides of what seemed like a never-ending war. Her life was so different now, better. Happier.
“Come on, it’s time to go,” Glimmer told her.
Adora took a breath as she followed her best friends out of the room.
“I’m marrying Catra today.”
Catra walked down the aisle first, escorted by Scorpia who was holding back tears the entire walk. Usually, Catra would have commented on the fact, but today Catra felt the same way. After today, Adora would be her wife. Catra fought the smile appearing on her face.
Never in her life would she have thought this day would come. Growing up in the Horde, the concept of love, let alone marriage, was foreign to them. She had always loved Adora, that much was clear. She was the light in the darkness that was the Fright Zone. She couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life with her.
Soon it was Adora’s turn to go down the aisle, Bow, and Glimmer at either side of her. Catra’s breath hitched when she laid eyes on her.
“She’s so beautiful,” she thought.
Catra suddenly stood up straighter than she ever had, she ran her hands over the jacket of her white tuxedo, making sure she looked okay. Adora’s white dress flowed behind her as she walked, Catra couldn’t understand how someone could look so gorgeous.
Unknown to Catra, Adora was thinking the same thing.
“Wow,” Adora said under her breath, spotting Catra and locking eyes with her.
All Adora wanted to do was run to her, to hold her in her arms. After what felt like an eternity, Adora reached the end where her future wife was standing. They faced each other, adoration in both of their eyes.
Soon Glimmer began to speak. As Queen of Bright Moon, it was her responsibility to officiate their wedding. Catra and Adora wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
“Both brides have prepared vows to read,” Said Glimmer.
Adora was first.
“Catra, if you would have told me a few years ago that we would be standing here today, I probably would have called you crazy,” Adora laughed as she spoke. “You’re my best friend, you always have been. Growing up, you were the best part of every day.” Adora grabbed Catra’s hand, gently stroking it with her thumb.
“You make me so happy. I love the way we tell each other jokes as if we’re the only two people in the world. I love waking up to your face in the morning. I love the way you say my name even in that half-mocking tone of yours. I love spending time with you, whether we’re saving the Universe or lounging around Bright Moon,” Adora’s voice was gentle as she spoke. She felt full, content. Though consumed by passion and emotion, Adora remained composed.
Catra on the other hand had begun to shed a tear. She quickly wiped it away, aware of the people watching them. Adora had seen her in every state, at this point, but she still had walls up when it came to others. As Adora continued her vows, Catra’s concerns started melting away, focusing solely on the woman in front of her. This day was about her and Adora.
“I love you,” Adora said, looking into Catra’s multi-colored eyes. “We have been through a lot together. We were best friends, enemies, girlfriends, and now, wives. There was once a time where I questioned whether we’d find each other again. I’m so glad we did.” By this time both Catra and Adora were fulling crying.
“Long ago I told you I would always be your friend. I still mean every word of that. I’m always going to be there for you. For all the highs, all the lows, and everything in between. I promise to love you, I promise to stay. I promise to never leave you again,” Catra squeezed Adora’s hand. “I’m so proud of us. We defied the odds. We made it.”
As Adora finished her vows, Catra took a deep breath. It was taking everything in her not to kiss Adora right then and there. Composing herself, she cleared her throat and began her vows.
“Hey Adora,” she smiled at her. Adora briefly chuckled, smiling back at Catra.
“As you know, I’m not great with words. I sometimes have trouble opening up about my emotions, even to myself. That made this both the hardest and easiest things I’ve ever had to write. There’s so much I want to say to you, I don’t even know where to start. I haven’t been sure about many things in my life but loving you? I’ll never doubt that. Not anymore.” Catra exhaled.
“I know I’ve said this countless times but I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you in the past. Both the emotional and physical pain I caused you- I’ll never forgive myself for. However, you chose to love me regardless. You make me a better person. You don’t pretend the past didn’t exist or absolve me from anything, you hold me accountable for my actions. But at the same time, you taught me that that I’m not defined by my past.” Catra looked at her feet momentarily, before Adora brought her gaze back to her. Adora gently held Catra’s cheek, as if she was reminding Catra that she loved her.
“I can’t remember a time where I didn’t love you. Ever since we were kids, the sight of your face or the mention of your name filled me with a feeling that I didn’t quite understand. If I’m being honest not much has changed in that department. Just hearing your voice brightens my day. The thought of you can provide me happiness, even in my darkest moments. That’s what it’s like when I picture spending the rest of my life with you,” Catra’s voice grew raspier as she felt herself tear up.
“From my earliest memories, I’d pictured us spending our lives together. We always talked about our future together, planning to see the world,” Adora faintly laughed at their former selves plans to take over the world with the Horde.
“Obviously, the details changed, we won the war, for the other side. We traveled not only Etheria but the universe,” continued Catra.
“We once made a vow to take care of each other, a vow we are cementing today. Younger Adora must have been wise beyond her years because I can’t say it any better as an adult. ‘You look out for me and I look out for you. Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other... I promise.’”
During their vows, they heard the occasional sniffle from the crowd but now they were bombarded by a wail coming from a disoriented Sea Hawk. It was only momentary as they heard Mermista whisper-yell at him to shut up.
Glimmer and Bow were also messes, unsurprisingly. Realizing this was her cue, Glimmer quickly pulled herself together, handing Bow her handkerchief.
“Well if everyone’s ready, Adora, do you, take Catra, to be your wife?”
“I do,” Adora said a little too enthusiastically, overlapping with the end of Glimmer’s sentence.
Catra laughed.
“She’s such an idiot,” Catra thought with a lovestruck smile.
“And do you Catra, take Adora, to be your wife?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then with the power vested in me, by the kingdom of Bright Moon, I now pronounce you, wives!! You may kiss the bride!” Glimmer exclaimed.
Without hesitation, Catra wrapped her arms around Adora’s waist, pulling her close before gently kissing her. The kiss was filled with just as much passion and magic as when they kissed at the heart of Etheria. When they pulled apart they rested their foreheads against each other, still wrapped in an embrace.
They felt nothing but love and all they wanted to do was make it known to one another.
“I love you so much,” Catra expressed.
“I love you too,” Adora replied.