Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

 “Are you sure about this?”
 The blonde shook her head stubbornly. “Bow, it's ok. I've got this. Just...need to...ah! So close!” 
 Catra watched with amusement as Adora struggled with a bottle of cider - a gift from Perfuma for the housewarming party. Scraps of gold foil littered Adora's side of the table. Catra couldn't contain her laughter. There she was, savior of the universe, losing to a tightly sealed cork. The magicat couldn't help herself. “At this rate, you'll have to turn into She Ra to open it,” she joked. 
   Adora returned her sass with feigned sadness. “Aw, can't spare a little bit of faith for me?” 
 “Got to give me something to believe in first!” she cackled. The magicat could have watched her girlfriend make a fool of herself all night. It was too precious. The fun stopped when their other guest spoke up. 
 “Here, let me try,” Glimmer asked. Adora gave it one more shot before giving up and handing the bottle over to her. With a delicate yet firm hand, Glimmer pushed the cork out with a knife. Her look of triumph turned into panic once the cider began spilling over. Adora moved quickly, grabbing a pile of napkins and wiping the table down in seconds. 
 “None of it gone onto you, right?” she asked. 
 Glimmer did a quick check and shook her head. “No, I'm fine,” she answered. 
 “You know, I loosened it for you,” Adora boasted. 
 Glimmer smiled at her, laughing jovially. “Yup, couldn't do it without you!” she affirmed. After a moment, the queen asked her, “So, do you want to pour it out? This is yours, after all.”
 The warrior princess shrugged her shoulders. “I think it's fine if you do it. You're holding it already, anyway. Catra?” 
 The magicat dully mumbled, “Yeah, sure, whatever,” and closed her eyes. It was silly to expect that she could ignore Glimmer the entire night. Not when she sat directly across from her. Right next to Adora. Catra had wished Bow would've taken that seat, but no. It had to be her. 
 As the night dragged on, Catra's mood waned. There was little doubt in her mind the others were enjoying themselves. They chatted away, sharing details about their goings-on since defeating Prime. There was also small talk with topics ranging from Adora's cooking adventures to Bow's latest invention. Catra found it all to be tedious, and what made it all worse was her suspicion that this dinner was a half-hearted gesture. On the surface, Bow, Perfuma, and even Glimmer claimed they'd come to celebrate with the both of them. Scorpia, Entrapta, and Frosta used conflicting schedules to excuse their absence. Catra was positive Mermista hadn't even RSVP'd. Moreover, the truth was evident in their faces, in their voices – they were here for Adora's sake. Especially Glimmer. To Catra, the queen's intentions were so obvious as to be obnoxious. She could feel the distinct softness of her laugh whenever Adora made a joke, the glances she would sneak when Bow or Perfuma were talking. At certain points, Catra could swear the queen was trying to hold Adora's hand – that's how close she was. The audacity nearly made Catra snap the fork she mindlessly twirled in her hand. 
 “You're rather quiet tonight,” Perfuma said, her signature smile plastered on her face. “How have you been, Catra?” 
 Spurred out of her train of thought, she scrambled for a response. “It's been...I-I've been, you know, fine?”
 “Are you looking forward to your new home? It's a beautiful place.”
 Over the last few months, Catra begrudgingly grew to appreciate Perfuma's friendliness. Of all the princesses, her enthusiasm seemed the most genuine. At times, her unrelenting charm could be exhausting. Not to mention, her uncanny ability to read Catra's emotions with ease disturbed her. Hoping for easy, mindless conversation, Catra indulged her. “Yeah, it's nice to have an actual place of our own. For once.” 
 The princess of Plumeria took a sip from her glass before continuing. “So, have you met any of your neighbors?”
 “Uh..,” Catra didn't now if the truth would disappoint her. One morning, she'd stepped out to check the mail. Across the street, a group of local kids kicked a ball around. One of them hit the ball a little too hard. As Catra walked back to the house, she felt an intense pain dig into the back of her knee. It took significant effort to resist the urge to pop the ball with her claws. As she got ready to roll it back one of the children cried, “Look, it's the evil Horde lady! I told you she lived here. Run!” The kids ran away frantically; she could still hear their screams long after they were gone. 
    “Catra?” Perfuma repeated, her eyebrows slightly raised. 
 Thrust back into reality, Catra stammered, “Y-yeah, yeah. I met some of them. It...could've been worse, I guess.”
 “That's good,” she grinned. “Be patient with yourself. Remember, these things take time.” 
 A tiny smile formed on Catra's lips; the flower princess' optimism was certainly infectious. Unfortunately, her words weren't enough to dissuade Catra's lingering doubts. As she chewed her food, the magicat reflected on the events of that day. While she and Bow finished installing some of their new furniture, Adora helped Glimmer cook food and set the table. The intimacy of cooking with someone refused to leave her mind. Try as she might, Catra couldn't stop thinking about what kind of moments the two shared. If the food wasn't so good, she wasn't sure if she could finish the whole plate. 

  The party ended late in the evening. On her way out, Perfuma hugged the couple gently. “Let's do this again soon!” she insisted. Catra's nose twitched at the strong scent of jasmine wafting from her shoulders. 
 The magicat's tail then flinched as Adora wrapped her arms around the both of them. “You bet!” said the blonde, matching Perfuma's excitement. 
  Feeling obligated to say something, Catra weakly said, “Uh...see you around.” She felt Perfuma lightly pat her back before letting go. 
   Bow was the next one to say goodbye. Catra felt smothered by his embrace. “Thanks for dinner, it was fantastic.” he cheered.
 “Thanks for helping us move in, Bow!” Adora replied, scratching the back of her head. 
 Bow smiled at the two. “Anytime, Adora. You can count on me for anything, alright? Good night! Enjoy your new house!” 
   Catra sighed. Assuming she hadn't miscounted, that was the twelfth time Bow congratulated them. He sounded happier about the place than either her or Adora. To quell her cynicism, Catra told herself that in a few minutes this would finally be over. The discomfort would end. She and Adora could spend some quality time right before bed. Just one more farewell. 
 Glimmer. It still felt surreal to be around her without instinctively going for each other's throats. On the surface, the queen presented an air of grace and respect for her formal rival. Regardless, a voice in the back of Catra's mind refused to trust her. The war for Etheria may have ended, but that didn't mean the queen was above challenging her in a new battlefield. Catra watched her closely. Glimmer approached her first, extending her arm for a handshake. “Good night, Catra,” she began, “I know I'm repeating myself, but welcome to Brightmoon. I really hope this is the start of things getting better for you.”
 Of course, her words were tinged with that typical, patronizing tone of a royal. Catra shook her hand, offered a small smile, and replied, “Thanks, Sparkles. I hope so, too.” 
 Almost immediately, the magicat noticed the twinkles in Glimmer's eyes shine the instant she turned her attention to the blonde.“Adora,” she breathed gently, holding out one of her hands. “The castle's going to be a little quieter now. It'll take some getting used to. Don't be a stranger, ok? The castle is always open to you and Catra.” The magicat didn't miss the pause in the queen's voice at the end of that sentence. 
 Catra looked at her girlfriend. Adora took Glimmer's hand and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thanks for everything, Glim. It means a lot.” she said. Adora had become much more sentimental compared to how she was in the Horde. It bothered Catra that Glimmer could tap into that part of her so well. After seeing the queen take her sweet time releasing herself from Adora's embrace, the magicat made up her mind. She needed confirmation of her suspicions, and she knew just the right person for the task. 

 It was half past three in the morning; another quiet shift at the Underwater Grotto. The “prince” had finished splitting the earnings between the staff, the band and the performers.  Although the bartender offered to lock the doors, the “prince” insisted on letting the others go first. After making sure the coast was clear, he went to the dressing room. Pulling on a hidden string, the “prince” retrieved a note from a secret compartment. 
 About a month prior, an arrogant gambler bet a large sum against the house and lost. To add insult to injury, the poor fool got thrown out on his backside after drunkenly hurling a dagger at the “prince”. The knife, barely sharp enough to cut butter, fell pitifully to the ground. The crowd that witnessed this display laughed uproariously; a server took the knife and framed it. The deadly tool now hung proudly above the back bar. Fast forward a few weeks, and the “prince” opened the door to find the bar completely trashed. The team rushed to get everything back in order. While replacing the bulbs on the dresser, the “prince” found a piece of paper taped over the mirror. The message simply read, “Next ttim e I wn'ot misss”. 
 “Prince Peekablue” gazed at the note with indifference. “Well, you certainly could use typewriting lessons,” he observed. Frankly, the “prince” was wanting for a change of pace. Yes, the calm following the defeat of Horde Prime was all well and good for the world at large. However, work just wasn't as exciting as it used to be. He wanted drama, passion, chaos– but there was only so much entertainment an average night at the Grotto provided. This latest development had potential, but it wasn't quite what he was looking for. Leaning back to rest his legs on the table, the “prince” looked pensively into the mirror. “Perhaps, it's time to retire this bit...move on to another act?” he wondered. 
 That was when the creaking of wooden floorboards caught his attention. He wondered if a staff member left something behind again. The “prince” listened carefully. There was a long silence before the next step. Whoever this was, they weren't familiar with the club's layout. The “prince” used their slow pace to ready himself. After putting the note away, he reached for the trench knife in his jacket. With his free hand, he prepared a paralysis spell that was invisible to the naked eye. The “prince” quietly got up from his seat, parted the velvet curtains, and flicked a switch. A short, hooded figure froze in place as the lights came on. With a tongue-in-cheek tone, the host proclaimed, “Sorry, my dear, but last call ended two hours ago. Do you need help finding the door?”
 The figure pulled their hood down to reveal black cat ears and a distinct pair of heterochromic eyes. 
 Although “the prince” was pleasantly surprised by this discovery, he did not break character. “Well, I wasn't expecting the former force captain to be the one breaking into my salon...it's after-hours, so you mustn't be here to drink. Perhaps, you are here because of the rumors regarding my fa-”
 Catra groaned loudly. “Ugh, cut it out! I know it's you, Double Trouble.”
 Disturbed by the magicat's usual directness, Double Trouble tried in vain to keep the act going. “I-I don't know anyone by that name! In fact, I've never heard that name before. I can't even begin to understand how yo-”
  “Scorpia told me about what happened here,” she interjected, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Anyway, I don't want to waste my time. I'm here because I have a job for you.”
 “Oh,” they said, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Now that's surprising - I wouldn't have expected you two to be on speaking terms.”  
 Catra winced at their remark. “Yeah, me too. She and I...we patched things up or whatever. Ugh, why am I even telling you this?”
 Approaching the magicat slowly, Double Trouble took their regular form, cheeky grin and all. “I don't have the answer to that, kitten, but you said something about needing my help? I'm happy to provide my services...that is, if the price is right.”
 “Yeah, yeah, I remember,” Catra grumbled, crossing her arms in front of her.
 Now standing face to face, Double Trouble looked at their former cohort with anticipation. “Well, what's my role?” they asked. 
 Catra hesitated. Her eyes shifted and her mouth opened; yet, no words came out.
 Double Trouble's smile grew even wider. “That's just fascinating, darling! I'm dying to know more!”
 After letting out a slow, exasperated hiss, Catra growled, “It's Glimmer.”   
 “Well, color me surprised. Still waiting for her to pardon you?” they teased.
 The shapeshifter definitely struck a nerve with that question. “I don't need her to pardon me for anything, all right?,” she barked, getting close to Double Trouble's face before moving back. Catra tried to move on, but she kept faltering. “This-this isn't about that! It's a-a-about - just, she's -”
 The shapeshifter raised their hand, “Say no more; let me guess. This is about how jealous you are of Glimmer and Adora's -,” they paused, “closeness, isn't it?” The look of anguish on Catra's face delighted them. They had forgotten how much fun it was to pull the rug out from under her.     
 Flustered and irritated, Catra loudly refuted, “I. Am. Not. Jealous of Glimmer!”
 “Then, what are you doing here, kitten?” Double Trouble retorted. They paced around the magicat as they went on. “It's funny, they say your love was strong enough to save the universe, yet you're threatened by a few sparkles and a disastrous wardrobe. I suppose-,” their pacing halted once they came full circle, “-not much has changed, has it, kitten?” 
 Catra glared at them silently. After taking a deep breath, she retrieved a generous bag of money from her belt. “Do you want this job or not?” she coldly asked. 
 Double Trouble's eyes widened - they weren't expecting the bounty to be so high. That would explain why she waited until the club was empty to make this proposal. Eyeing the purse, they said, “Now you're speaking my language! What do you want me to do?”
 Catra looked away as she elaborated. “I...I want you to pose as Adora and get Glimmer to fall in love with you. I have this feeling she's still not over her, but I need to know for sure.”
 The shapeshifter's excitement grew exponentially. “Ooh, a romantic role! I've never tried one of those before. This'll be fun!”
 “You'll do it, then?” Catra asked warily. 
  Without delay, the shapeshifter replied, “Please, I'd be a fool to say no! Besides, I've already managed to fool Glimmer before. This'll be a cake walk! So, when do I start?”
 Catra nudged the sack into their hands. “The sooner the better. I'll come by tomorrow to discuss the plan. Same time?”
 “It's a deal! Nice seeing you, kitten.” Double Trouble waved playfully as Catra walked away. After passing by the coat rack to fetch their largest coat, Double Trouble took the exit in the back. They smiled all the way back to their flat; it felt good to have something to look forward to again.  

Chapter Text

Upon entering their hotel room, Double Trouble leaned back into the soft padding of the chaise longue. They shut their eyes and relaxed. Travelling from their main hideout to the surface wasn’t all that demanding; the shapeshifter simply used any excuse to unwind. With one eye part way open, they peered at the clock that ticked away on the nightstand. It was a few minutes past noon. They turned their head to look out the window. The sky was clear, the sun shone brightly. A cool breeze flew by. If there was such a thing as ideal summer weather, this came close. “Perfect timing, kitten,” they mused. Paired with the comfort of their seat, Double Trouble nearly fell asleep. However, they were travelling on business. Clicking their heels together, the shapeshifter shook off the malaise and shifted gears. Sitting upright, they went over the details of Catra’s plan one more time. 

The first thing that sprung to mind were the conditions she laid out. Number one - they could only interact with Glimmer. Catra wanted room for plausible deniability in case the queen started asking around about the blonde’s behavior. While Double Trouble felt this rule was a little restrictive - what good was a performance for an audience of one - Catra insisted on doing things her way. Double Trouble decided not to press further. 

Frankly, the next condition annoyed them the most. For this scheme, Catra forbade them from acting as any of the others. They were only to act as Adora. Now, granted, this is what she asked for from the beginning. However, the plan had gotten them so excited. After their first meeting, Double Trouble stayed up all night plotting out several scenarios. They went into extensive detail about the role each “character” would play in progressing Glimmer’s infatuation with the warrior princess. The magicat didn’t even let them finish before defenestrating the idea with ruthless abandon. The shapeshifter was left with no other option but to mourn their wasted efforts. 

    They found the final condition so preposterous they almost laughed in Catra’s face. “Most importantly,” she warned, “no matter what happens, ‘Adora’ can’t say ‘I love you’ to Glimmer. I don’t want her to have any excuses. She needs to be the one to say it, and she needs to say it to the real Adora, got that?” Simply recalling this requirement brought a ridiculous smile to their face. Glimmer was one of the most gullible targets they’d ever had. Double Trouble was sure a few smiles from “Adora” would be all it would take to have the queen wrapped around their finger. 

Since the magicat had so heartlessly discarded their initial plan, Double Trouble needed to start from scratch. They rested their chin on their hands and reviewed the intel Catra gave them on Glimmer and Adora’s schedules. For the queen, nearly every day was packed with meetings between officials, royalty, and subjects alike. Bow continued to visit the castle as though it were his second home. Every other night, he would accompany the queen and her father for dinner. On some nights, his fathers would join them. Interestingly enough, Adora’s visits to the castle were sparse. Considering her schedule was more flexible than Glimmer’s, Double Trouble found that odd. Nevertheless, it was something they could use to their advantage. When Catra handed them a copy of Adora’s calendar, they scoffed at the painstaking detail of Adora’s notes. They had almost expected to see Adora schedule time with Catra down to the seconds. Poring over the papers, they concluded that the best time to act would be during Adora’s exercising sessions. Her sessions always ended the same way - a jog across the perimeter of either Brightmoon or the Whispering Woods. While the real Adora would be running along somewhere, they could meet one-on-one with Glimmer. Satisfied, Double Trouble checked the time. It was a quarter past noon. After a few minutes, they headed for the castle.

As a precaution, Double Trouble transformed into a guard to pass through the gates. Same as ever, the castle’s security was about as robust as sand. Not a soul even bothered to inquire about the satchel they carried with them. While they strolled down the halls, Double Trouble reminisced on their time spying for the Horde. They looked fondly on the unrest they subjected the rebels to as “Flutterina”. The visceral shock on Glimmer’s face when they morphed into her double was priceless. Their time in so-called captivity wasn’t so bad, either. The worst part had to have been the burden of watching the queen agonize over the most basic of spells. She’d take so long that, for a moment, they would think about casting the spell on themself just to move things along. Passing by the holding room, the shapeshifter reflected on their last day in Brightmoon. They had woken up to an empty room. The magical seal was gone. Double Trouble couldn’t tell if it was an accident, but they were not one to let an opportunity go to waste. The question of who undid the spell and why ran through their mind again. However, upon spotting the door to Glimmer’s office they set that aside. The time had come. To their intrigue, there were no guards standing outside her door. Had she gotten complacent after the war? With quickness, Double Trouble scanned the hallway. Sensing no one else’s presence, they snuck into an adjacent room and got into character. 

Since they wanted to act as though “Adora” took a detour from her running path, Double Trouble forwent her usual uniform. Instead, they opted for something casual - a short, white crop top trimmed in gold with a matching crop hoodie. Loathe to wear a set of anything in that dreadful shade of beige, Double Trouble donned some scarlet jogging shorts. A pair of white knee-high socks and bright red sneakers completed the outfit. With gusto, they hooked the bag over one shoulder and moseyed on over to Glimmer’s office. 

“Adora” knocked once, calling out the queen’s name. There was no answer. She knocked a bit harder. “Glimmer~,” she sang, “it’s me! You there?” Glimmer still didn’t answer. “Adora” checked her watch - she was sure the queen should be in her office. That’s what the schedule indicated, at least. To avoid an encounter in the hallway, “Adora” turned the knob slowly. “I’m coming in, ok?” she announced, pushing the door inward. 

“Adora” peeked over the edge of the door. Sure enough, the queen was there. She was asleep at her desk. Several stacks of papers surrounded her. Her upper body slowly rose and fell with each breath. “Adora” smiled mischievously. She carefully slid through, closing the door without a sound. “Adora” moved closer to her. When Glimmer was within reach she lightly poked her shoulder. “Hey, you,” she whispered softly. 

Glimmer’s eyes fluttered faintly. Once “Adora” came into focus, she gasped and sat upright. A blush tinted her cheeks. “H-hey, Adora!” she stammered. The queen frantically rubbed her eyes in an effort to regain consciousness. “W-what are you doing here?” she murmured. 

  “Adora” stood in a crouched position as she explained. “I’m sorry! I didn’t think you were that deep into your nap. I was out running and wanted to come check on you.” 

There was a brief pause before Glimmer responded, “Oh, ok. Well, I’m here.” 

“Long day, huh?” “Adora” asked empathetically. 

The queen, barely able to keep her eyes open, nodded. “Ugh, don’t get me started. I always get so tired in the afternoon, and it gets worse during summer.”

“I can tell,” “Adora” chimed, smiling impishly. “...but you know what? I think I have the solution to your little problem!”

A small chuckle escaped from the queen. “What, are you a salesperson now? Ok, what do you got?”

Opening the satchel, “Adora” dug around until she felt the cool touch of an iced bottle of juice. “Well, if you’ve got time, I was hoping you could join me for a quick lunch break? Here, I picked this up on my way over. You like pineapple juice, right?” 

Without looking at her, Glimmer breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Adora...you’re a life-saver, you know that?” The queen gingerly took the bottle from her hand. 

“It’s what I do best,” “Adora” agreed. Standing back up, she  held her hand out to the half-awake queen. “Say, how do you feel about going outside? The air is kind of stuffy in here. The fresh air could also help with your drowsiness.” 

“How about the garden?” she asked, pushing her chair back lazily. 

A confident smirk formed on “Adora’s” lips. “That sounds perfect.”

“Adora” followed contentedly while Glimmer led the way. As expected, the queen fell for the bit hook, line, and sinker. They sat on a white arbor bench underneath the shade. For every other sip, “Adora” stealthily watched the queen. She noticed that Glimmer angled her body away from her. There were no obvious signs of romantic affection. However, that could be explained by residual fatigue. “Adora” searched the garden for something to break the ice with. Her curiosity was piqued by a wayward patch of dirt between some bushes. Pointing at it with her bottle of cucumber water, Adora asked, “What’s up with that part of the garden? Wasn’t something there before?” 

Glimmer checked to see what “Adora” pointed at before immediately looking away. Staring down at her hands, she muttered, “Um, yeah, that...that’s where the daisies were.” 

For a moment, “Adora” questioned the significance of that fact. Suddenly, she remembered seeing Shadow Weaver placing a freshly cut set of daisies in a vase. Checking the queen’s body language revealed the gravity of her mistake. She was now hunched over, idly screwing and unscrewing the bottle cap. 

Knowing she had to fix things fast , “Adora” tried to keep the conversation light-hearted. “Oh, pfft,” she started, “I forgot to take out the sandwiches.” One by one, she pulled out two delicately wrapped sandwiches from her bag. She held the first one out to the queen while saying,“Do you have any plans to grow something new there?”

Glimmer mouthed a “thank you” and took the sandwich. After taking a bite, she replied, “You know, I really want to. I just don’t know what I want yet. I haven’t found something I liked, I guess.”

The sound of footsteps in the distance alarmed “Adora”. Fortunately, the steps were headed away from them. Nevertheless, she was starting to doubt the viability of conducting this plan in the castle. Being in an open area, they were at risk of being interrupted by guards or worse - Bow, King Micah, another princess. That risk only increased if they were indoors. 

Worried about the amount of dead air, “Adora” spoke up. “How about I help you find something to plant there?”

This got Glimmer to face her with a look of utter incredulity. “You know about gardening? Seriously?” 

“Adora” playfully shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe.” She gave Glimmer a subtle wink before saying, “Let’s just keep that between us, ok?” 

The queen shook her head, amused by her friend’s response. “Sure.” 

Seeing Glimmer look away from her again, “Adora” felt the need to regain her attention. “So,” she said, lightly nudging Glimmer with her elbow, “Do you feel more awake now? Ready to face the rest of your day?”  

Glimmer nodded. “Almost. It’s nice to take a breather every now and then. It’s just...hard to remember to do that on my own.”

“Adora’s” ears perked up at that last comment. Was that just a passing remark on how busy she’s been, or something else? She pondered that as she drank more of her water. 

“Um..Adora?” Glimmer said sheepishly, fiddling with the wrapper on her sandwich. Seeing the blonde glance at her, she carried on. “Are you and Catra adjusting well to your new house?” 

Had it not been for a lifetime of performing under pressure, “Adora’s” eyes would have widened. The living situation was the one thing she neglected to research before coming here. How could she have overlooked this? Was Glimmer going to ask specific details about this house? Had she even visited the house before? Why ask about this now? To buy herself some time, “Adora” took a generous bite of her sandwich. She was determined to learn more from the queen without her noticing. “Adora” chewed her food slowly, contemplating her response.

With a loud gulp, she nonchalantly answered, “Oh, you know, it’s good! Nothing like the castle, but when the only other place I can compare it to are the bunkers in the Fright Zone...can’t complain, right?” To complement the large bite, “Adora” took a huge drink from her water bottle. 

Hesitantly, Glimmer admitted, “Look, the reason I’m asking -and, please correct me if I’m wrong-I felt like Catra seemed a little distant during the party. I just wanted to know if she was feeling better?”  

“Adora” wasn’t sure if it was the large bite of food, the fear of realizing exactly how much Catra neglected to tell her, or the latent embarrassment, but she began choking on her water. She fell into a violent coughing fit, spitting water all over the ground. While her chest hurt, the pain paled in comparison to her wounded ego.   

Although Glimmer’s voice spoke to the intensity of her panic, “Adora” was grateful she had enough self control to pat her back gently. “Oh no!” she gasped, “are you okay?!”

“Adora” answered while clearing her throat. “Hm-hm! Ugh, uh, yeah. Much better! Much better. She was just...in one of her moods! You get used to it. Trust me, she’s happy. I think...what she likes about it most is the freedom. Being on our own, exploring the world together. That’s what she’s always wanted.” As usual, “Adora” was impressed with how easily she could bounce back. 

Intending to have a quick look, she locked eyes with the queen of Brightmoon. She was smiling, but “Adora” noticed something else in her eyes. It was hard to describe for it was many things all at once. Solace mixed with conflict. A restrained reverence. Mournful happiness? She couldn’t place it, but it was such a sight to behold! Such powerful feelings conveyed with the utmost subtlety. It nearly made up for enduring her previous slip-ups. 

“I’m glad to hear that,” said the queen. “That makes me feel better.” 

“Adora” couldn’t resist trying to goad Glimmer into revealing more. “And you? How are you holding up?”

Unfortunately, her answer didn’t give much away. “I’m alright. Obviously, I’ve got a lot to do now, but I’m getting the hang of things. Dad’s been helping me. I try to not put too much on his plate because he’s been gone for so long. He can be really stubborn sometimes, though. Not that that’s surprising since, ya know?” 

“Yeah,” ‘Adora’ replied. “I like the sound of that.” Considering this first meeting a success, she looked down at her watch. “Well, I gotta go.” 

The queen hesitantly agreed, “Alright. I should probably get back to my desk.” As “Adora” stood up, Glimmer said, “Thanks for treating me to lunch. I really needed that.” 

  “Thanks for joining me,” she insisted. 

As she walked away, Glimmer called, “Adora?”

The blonde stopped, looked back and said, “Yeah?”

Shyly, the queen confessed, “I hope we can do this again soon…”

“Glimmer,” the blonde said. She paused, indulging in the anticipation plain in the queen’s face. “You’ve read my mind. I was actually thinking of something we could do, but I’ll save that for later. That ok?” “Adora” waited to make sure the queen gave her approval. When she did, the blonde gaily waved goodbye. 

Chapter Text

Mild, hazy sun rays poked through the gaps in the leaves. Not a single cloud in the sky. The early-morning breeze flew by delicately. For Adora, this weather made her strolls through the woods a profoundly rewarding experience. While Catra tried to remain present, her mind lingered elsewhere. Her eyes darted around. The blonde’s words ebbed and flowed through her ears. By then, Catra had lost the thread on Adora’s trip to Dryl altogether. She was preoccupied by a desperate need to know how far they were from the house. 

Adora’s voice cut into the foreground. “Is everything alright?” she asked.  

“Uh, yeah. Why?” Catra replied. It used to be so easy to feign a lack of concern. 

Adora spoke in a hesitant voice. “It’s just - you keep looking around. I was wondering, that’s all.” 

“What? I am not,” Catra denied aggressively. “It’s nothing! Nothing, alright? Forget about it.”

Silence. Catra gnawed the inside of her cheek. These moments were so stale in their consistency. Adora would stop talking. Things went from 0 to awkward in the blink of an eye. Then, she’d say just the thing to drive Catra up a wall. “Are you still thinking about those kids?”

The magicat heaved a long sigh. “For the last time, no . Geez, if I fixated on every single person who’s cringed at me since we moved, I’d have time for nothing else!” 

Adora winced. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her eyes turned to the ground.  

Catra huffed and crossed her arms. “Whatever,” she whined. “It’s fine. Not like I’m not used to that by now. Same thing, different day.” 

That uneasy silence followed them all the way back to the house. 

The shapeshifter rejoiced once they saw their client’s shrewd, crabby face on the Commpad screen. “Took you long enough, darling,” they jeered. “You had me in suspense! For a second, I thought you’d forgotten all about little old me.” Double Trouble batted their eyelids.

“Save it, alright?,” Catra snapped. “Just tell me what happened, and make it quick.”

Double Trouble twirled the ends of their hair. “My my, my, my, my! Always so pushy,” they said. “Is our small talk really that much of a bore?”

Catra offered nothing but scornful eyes.  

Their smile grew wider. “It’s alright, darling, your silence speaks volumes.” Double Trouble leaned back into their chair. “Anyway, her royal highness took the bai-”

“ I knew it. ” she snarled.

The spy raised their hand. “Hold it! Hold it right there, kitten. All I meant is that I passed your little sparkle queen’s audition. Though - if I were to be honest - that really should go without saying.”

“Ok, what’s next?” Catra asked.

The shapeshifter grinned from ear to ear. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

After dinner, the queen returned to her office. She caught sight of the twin moons from the window above her. After checking her clock for the third time, Glimmer resigned herself to her work. She got so lost in focus the creaking of her door didn’t disturb her. Before long, a pair of warm, slender hands covered her eyes. “Guess who!” chimed the visitor. 

The queen yelped, then proceeded to laugh. “Ah! Oh my-you really scared me!”she said.

The stranger clicked their tongue. “Clock’s ticking, princess! Got any ideas?”

“Hmm.” Glimmer patted her visitor’s knuckles. “Okay, so I know it isn’t Bow.”

The intruder responded in a ridiculously deep voice,“And what makes you so sure about that?”

The queen’s giggling devolved into an uncontrollable cackle. “Adora, please, you’re gonna kill me! That isn’t even close to what he sounds like.”

The blonde clung to her flimsy impression. “Is that your final answer, your majesty?” 

At this point, Glimmer couldn’t speak. In between fits of laughter, she wheezed, “Yes!”

Finally, “Adora” released the queen from her grasp. She took a seat on a nearby couch. In a playfully sarcastic voice she said, “Gee, thanks for the compliment.”

“My pleasure.” Glimmer turned in her seat and said, “Sounds like somebody had a good day.”

The blonde gave her a pert grin. “Clever girl! What gave it away?”

Glimmer shrugged. “Just a hunch.”

“Adora” leaned forward. “So, how about you? What’s on your plate?”

The queen gestured vaguely at her desk. “Eh, the usual.” Tiny glints flashed as she fixed her bangs. “What brings you to the castle?”

“Adora” had a peculiar look on her face. One that suggested she’d been waiting for that question.  “Okay, so I was out on my run today - and, you know, I try to take different paths each time. Makes it less boring. Anyway, I was running when I found something that stopped me. Dead in my tracks. Like, completely.”

“So,” Glimmer said, “what was it?” 

“You want to know?”

Glimmer nodded. 

“You really want to know?”

Glimmer shook her head in earnest. 

“You really really want to-”

“Adora,” the queen interjected, “I swear on everything, just tell me already!”

 The blonde jumped out of her seat. “Then come with me!” 

Glimmer looked at her, one eyebrow raised. “Huh?”

“So I can show you!” “Adora” offered the queen her hand. “Come on, it won’t take long. I even made some cakes for us to eat once we get there.”

The queen looked back at her desk. 

“Glimmer?”

After a moment’s thought, she grabbed “Adora’s” hand. “Ok. Let’s go!”

The pair walked carefully through the Whispering Woods. “Adora” took the lead. As they approached a pair of tall bushes, the blonde turned around. “Okay, for this next part, I need you to close your eyes.”

Glimmer didn’t understand, but she complied. “Alright, my eyes are closed.”

“Good.” “Adora” took her by the hand and marched ahead. “For the record, this isn’t what I wanted to show you.”

The queen’s brows scrunched further. “Then why’d you ask me to close my eyes?”

“Because it’s fun!” she replied. “Adora” saw a vine hidden in the grass. She warned, “Oh, hey, watch your step.” Glimmer heeded, carefully lifting each foot. Shortly thereafter, they reached a clearing. “We’re here!” Adora proclaimed. “You can look now.” 

Glimmer opened her eyes. Before her stood an enormous, red-colored hovercraft. The vehicle had a large sail and a golden crest. The chassis had space to fit two people. A large handle stuck up from the middle. The queen looked on, utterly dumbfounded. “ Huh ?”

“It’s a skiff.” the blonde said. 

Glimmer’s confusion didn’t subside. “I know what it is.”

“What’s up?”

The queen pouted. “Didn’t the Horde use these, like, all the time?”

“You’re right!” “Adora” made sure to imbue her explanation with an infectious excitement.  “Do you remember what I told you about my trip? About the town full of nothing but Entrapta fans? The folks there clued me in to this thing that’s kicked off all over Etheria. There are these people who take old skiffs and they, uh-they refurbish them. Make them safe for the environment or something? I couldn’t follow what they said, but it sounded really cool! Anyway, every few weeks people get together to race in these tournaments - oh, by the way, we should go to one of those; they’re really fun! Long story short, when our work was finished I got this as a parting gift! Pretty sweet, right?”

She watched Glimmer closely. The queen smiled, but there was a latent forlornness in her eyes. “That sounds great,” she said.

“Adora” made a mental note then returned to the mission at hand. “Okay, to get to what I want to show you, we’ll need to ride on this. Are you ready?”

Glimmer placed her hands behind her back. She rocked back and forth on her heels. “As ready as ever, I guess.”

“Awesome!” The warrior princess took a few steps forward then stopped. She bowed, twirling her hands extravagantly . “Her royal highness first,” she said pompously. 

Her display earned a light chuckle. Glimmer stepped on board and replied, “Oh my, what a gracious knight!” 

“You know it!” “Adora” gave her a quick wink before she hopped onto the other side. Within seconds, the engine began rumbling softly. To top off her hammy display, “Adora” raised her arm, saluted the queen, then faced ahead and shouted, “All aboard!” 

The queen shook her head and followed suit. “Pfft. Roger!” 

As soon as the blonde’s hands grabbed the handle, the skiff drifted steadily through the woods. “Hold on tight,” she warned. “I’m still getting the hang of this.”

The skiff hovered inches above the water’s surface. As the pair zoomed down the river, faint ripples formed behind them. “Adora” kept her eyes on the path. Glimmer, meanwhile, beheld the woods around them. Small, rhythmic waves reflected the dwindling sunlight. Fireflies awoke from their slumber and fluttered about. The trees - full of fresh leaves - enriched the air with a homey, pastoral fragrance. When the queen’s eyes fell on the warrior princess, a slight, sweet smile formed on her lips. It had been months since she glanced at her like that.

Glimmer hopped off. She stood on the ground - mouth agape, eyes shining mesmerizingly. Up ahead was another small clearing that led into a vast field of flowers. Their petals mirrored the sky; small flecks of white glittering against shades of purple. The queen hadn’t seen florals like these before. Quietly, she whispered, “ Wow .”

“Adora” shut the trunk of the skiff; she grabbed the handle of an ample-sized, woven basket with one hand. She grinned at Glimmer’s reaction. “Had a feeling you’d like them,” she boasted. “So,” she grunted while heaving the basket against her side, “while you continue to bask in the luminescent splendor of these flowers, I’ll set up a space for us to sit.” 

No response. 

Once she finished, “Adora” waved her down. “Glimmer!” she called. “Over here.” 

The queen sat on the side closest to the field. 

“I asked the locals about these,” the blonde said. “They’re low maintenance; what I like is that they stay in bloom year-round.”

Glimmer nodded, her eyes glued to the field. “That’s great,” she replied. 

“Adora” set a pair of small plates between them. “Seeing these reminded me of the patch in the courtyard. I’m worried the colors would make them stick out, and not in a good way.” She pursed her lips. “What do you think?” 

The queen reluctantly shifted her focus. “You got a point there,” she admitted, “but they are really pretty.” After a brief moment of silence, Glimmer said, “I’ll consider it.”

Pleased with that answer, the warrior princess looked inside the basket. She carefully scrutinized the cakes. Small and round, the tops were marked with a crescent moon. “Adora” set her best one on the queen’s plate. “This one’s yours. ”  

“Oh, thank you.” When Glimmer saw that “Adora’s” plate was empty, she paused. “You’re not going to have one?”

“I will!” she affirmed. “After you - I tried something different, and I want you to tell me how it tastes.” 

Glimmer shrugged. “Fair enough. Here goes!” “Adora” watched keenly while the queen took a bite. A few seconds passed. Her eyes widened slightly. “Mm!” She went in for more. 

“Adora” couldn’t hide her excitement. “ So , is it good?” she asked. 

“It’s amazing!” Glimmer beamed. “The outside is all nice and crispy, while the inside feels light. Then you have the- the uh, creme - it’s vanilla, right? - in the center. It all tastes so good.” 

The blonde’s smile shone as brightly as the flowers. “You really mean that?” 

Glimmer shook her head. “Of course! You nailed this!” she exclaimed. “First try?”

“Adora” nodded bashfully. 

“That...that’s wonderful.” The queen set her plate next to her and looked away. She let out a soft, halfhearted sigh. 

“Adora” grew curious. “Something on your mind?” she asked. 

Glimmer fiddled with one of the ends of her cape. “Adora,” she began, “sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s over...The war, I mean.” Her shoulders dropped. “Ever since I was a kid, I thought I would always be fighting against the Horde. I never really thought about what life could be like afterward.”

On the surface, “Adora” maintained a calm, empathetic expression. Internally, Glimmer’s confession thrilled her. At last - after a couple weeks’ worth of hard work - a breakthrough.  

While she spoke, the queen held onto the jewel attached to her chest. “But when I-when we met you, something changed. I’m sure I sound like a broken record, but you really inspired me. Adora, you gave us hope to fight for something better, and now - we’re here.” Glimmer looked into her eyes. “So..I just want to say - from the bottom of my heart - thank you .”  

“Adora” sat on the edge of her seat. She cleared her throat and leaned in. “You know, Glimmer, it wouldn’t be fair if I took all the credit. Tell the truth, I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you , Bow, or any of our friends.”

Glimmer ran her fingers through her bangs. Glumly, she replied, “I still think about before - when we were fighting. About...about what I said. When I realized you and Bow had left, I was so afraid that we’d lose.”

“Adora” took a break to indulge herself. Nothing stoked her ego quite like seeing the impact she left on her targets. “It’s funny,” she said, “I thought the same thing. You were right. I knew that, but I didn’t want to admit it.” She took a deep breath. “Things didn’t go as planned at first. Then we got to a point where I said to myself ‘This is it - this is where it ends’. But right when I was ready to give up, I remembered.. ” Pause for effect. 

The gleam in the queen’s eyes spoke to how closely she hung to her words. 

“It was you,” she answered. Plainly and wholeheartedly. “Even with everything that happened, remembering you - our time together, how you always had my back - that’s what got me out of trouble.  Maybe I’ve said this, but I’ll say it again. I owe you, Glimmer - for saving me.”

Reflexively, Glimmer responded, “You don’t owe me anything.” 

“Adora” shook her head. “No, I do. Really. Thank you.” The queen looked at her with tender eyes and a warm smile. The blonde clapped her hands together. “And now we’re even!”

Glimmer chortled. “Totally.” A nearby boom caught her off-guard. Glimmer’s eyes shot up towards the sky. A spontaneous burst of dazzling, multicolored lights spiraled in all directions. 

“Right,” said the blonde, snapping her fingers. “This was the last thing I wanted to show you. The locals host this fireworks show once a year.” 

“I see.”

“Adora” scooted closer - to get a better look. “Want to stick around and watch it before we go?”

“Yes.”