Archive of Our Own ^beta

The first free sunset that Etheria saw in a thousand years was beautiful. How had the world gone without a star like this for that long? Colors Adora didn’t know existed, vibrant yellows and pinks and oranges. Molten gold filled the horizon until turning the sky purple.

Then the stars again. Etheria had always been a place of wonder and beauty, but with magic of the Heart unleashed, there were no proper words to describe the feeling.

The whole Princess Alliance (including Bow and Catra, of course) lay on the grass of the Bright Moon courtyard to watch. The war was over, but there was still so much work to do to get everything back in working order. Everyone knew it, but no one would be ready to tackle that until after a good night’s sleep.

After a while, members got up to find their respective beds. Eventually, all that was left was Bow, Glimmer, Adora, and Catra.

“I was thinking about a slumber party tonight, but I don’t know if I’m up to that.” Glimmer rubbed sleepily at her eyes. She’d managed to stand with Bow’s help. “I kind of want my own bed.”

Adora agreed. “Probably a good idea. We’ll all be meeting tomorrow anyways.”

The others seemed to feel the same, so when Glimmer held her hands out, they joined and teleported to the resident hallway of Bright Moon Castle.

Four sets of footsteps hitting the marble at the same time echoed. On normal occasions, there might’ve been bustling noise throughout this area, since it overlooked the courtyard. Celebrating would be later; no one was awake enough to bustle.

Goodnights did not last long. Soon, Adora and Catra were left standing alone in the hallway.

“What a day.” Adora winced at how loud her voice sounded in the silence. Despite She-Ra having healing properties, her regular body had been through a lot in the last 24 hours. Magic still tingled in the palms of her hands. “How are you feeling?”

The question might have been silly, because Catra looked like she’d been run over by a train. “Fine,” she answered, shrugging weakly. “Ready to sleep though. I guess…I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Tomorrow?

The word took a few seconds to register with Adora. By then Catra had turned and taken a few steps away. Melog was looking back at Adora.

“Where are you going?”

Catra’s tail curled. “The ship, to sleep. I don’t really belong in a castle.” The tone of her voice made it sound like she was trying to be humorous. However, there was a dark glow to her eyes that looked sadder than Adora had seen in a while.

Right. This was all too new. So much change has happened; it was understandable that she wasn’t completely comfortable yet. The only bed she really knew outside of the Fright Zone was the cold, bone-bare cot of the spaceship. Smells of cold metal and the sound of constant humming was no lullaby.

Only time could fix what was broken. “Why don’t you stay in my room?” Adora offered. When they’d kissed at the Heart, that’s just what Adora assumed would happen.

Through the dark hallways, Catra looked back in surprise. “…Really?”

Stars, how could she have not seen this? Every tightness in her chest, every blush that turned her ears red, every butterfly. It was all her. It still felt new and unexplainable.

“Of course. I’m sure you don’t really want to stay the night with Entrapta and Darla.”

“Oh them, I guess I forgot about them.” Catra’s fangs poked through her mouth when she smiled. “Only if you’re okay with it.”

At that second, Adora couldn’t find many complete words. Tonight and every night, she wanted to say. Forever, if we can. Being so tired probably made her a little loopier than normal. The whole day felt like some fever dream she had half-woken out of.

“Come on.” Adora took the other girl’s hand, just the fingertips, and walked her to the bedroom she’d been sleeping in for the past three years.

The room had felt so empty when she first joined the Rebellion. Coming into it then felt like returning home. Stars shone bright from the balcony view, illuminating roads and the tops of houses like they’d been coated in silver. Silver and gold, she thought.

It was the first time she’d been in her own bed in much too long. Not much had changed other than scattered papers and an overturned chair. Most of the destruction occurred in the city, not so much the castle.

“Adora…?” Catra’s squeaky voice brought Adora’s attention sideways, where she was grimacing at the open bathtub layout. “Is that seriously your setup? Does the whole universe have to watch me bathe tonight?”

“No, no, no. I have a bathroom that has a shower in it,” Adora promised, pointing to a door behind the tub. She tried not laughing, because that was exactly her reaction when she first settled in. “You’re welcome to it first. Do you want some clean clothes?”

It wasn’t very bright in the room, but Catra’s cheeks visibly darkened. “Wearing your clothes?” She tried to sound sarcastic, but the laugh that followed was too forced. “I don’t have to, it’s fine.”

“And put on your dirty clothes after getting nice and clean?”

The blush deepened. Maybe it was genuine embarrassment at that point. “I don’t want to have to steal your stuff. I’ll just…figure something out.”

Adora didn’t want to make Catra feel any shame about this. She understood feeling that kind of pride. Everything she’d gone through the last week was nothing short of humbling, but Adora didn’t want to add to that. On the flip side—it would be super gross not to have clean clothes.

She opened her closet, dug out some leggings and a T-shirt that no longer fit her, and threw them over. “If I have to be in the same room as you, I don’t want you stinking.”

Catra looked grateful. She scratched Melog behind their ears before leaving to take a shower.

This is going to take some time getting used to.

Adora paced around her bedroom. Catra had never seen it before. What did she think of it? Did it really matter? Why am I so self-conscious about this? There was good reason for Catra to make fun of how feminine and “princess-y” the whole place was, but if they were planning on sharing a room… She stopped pacing and sighed. Everything was different; Adora couldn’t imagine herself getting used to the new “normal” any time soon.

Because of this, she was not surprised when Catra came out of the shower and her heart did a backflip. It almost woke her right up.

Catra’s hair was damp, curling around the nape of her neck. She’d always been much lither than her companions, but wearing Adora’s clothes accentuated this. It made her look younger, softer. Freckles and stripes decorated her fur in patterns more lovely than the stars.

When Adora caught herself staring, she looked away quickly. “My turn to shower. I’ll be out soon.”

Hot water didn’t help pull her thoughts away. It washed the dirt and grime from battling, helped with the aches. She had to lather her hair twice before washing all of the sweat away. Still, when she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, her thoughts stuck to the girl in her room.

This all must be so weird for her, too. More than anyone else. Looking in the mirror, Adora saw herself as she always did: drained. Is this the same person that Catra saw? She was too exhausted to really think much about it.

Back in the room, Catra was still there. She was sitting on the floor next to the bed and looked seconds away from passing out. A small part of Adora was scared that she’d left, so the relief was shameful.

“Are you okay?” she asked, but what she really meant was, why aren’t you in bed?

The way Catra avoided her eyes was the answer. They had been so focused on saving the world that there was no real discussion about afterwards, their relationship.

Adora didn’t want to treat Catra like she was fragile, but the fear of losing her again stuck tight. She drew the balcony curtains to completely darken the room. Without any light, all she had to go on was muscle memory to pass.

“Don’t sleep on the floor.” Adora slid into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin. “Please. You can come up here.”

Catra didn’t answer, but she obliged and pulled herself onto the foot of the bed. It was just like old times—almost. The war was won, and they were together again. No Hordak, no Shadow Weaver. No “they” versus “us.” It was just like the beginning of their story, but so very different.

Maybe the two of them would have talked, but the second Adora shut her eyes, she was out.

CATRA’S POV

Sleep didn’t seem to last long. Catra closed her eyes on the bed and then opened them to find morning light filtering through the curtains. Nightmares were common, but she didn’t remember the specifics of the one she’d had last night. All she knew was that her heart raced in her throat and she had to sit up to gasp for breath. In and out, she forced herself, shaking.

“…Catra?”

She jumped, nearly kicking Melog in their face.

Right, she’d fallen asleep at the end of Adora’s bed. Under a canopy silk and in the Bright Moon castle. So many feelings flooded to her throat right then, but the main one was panic. She’d slept in Adora’s bed for the first time in three years, and there was Adora—bed head and shirt twisted to the side, looking at Catra with a worried expression.

How many times did she cry herself to sleep, wishing for that exact thing? How many pillows did she destroy with her own self-loathing and grief? How was it possible to look and someone and feel so much longing and pain and yet, all that was over?

“Are you okay?”

A soft hand on her cheek snapped Catra out of it, and she looked up to see Adora sitting up next to her. She smelled like soap, seeming to glow in the sunrise. And she had her hand on Catra’s cheek. It was strange how gentle those calloused fingers touched her like they never meant to hurt her. She hadn’t forgotten the confession they shared—it just seemed much too good to be true.

Catra put her hand up to cover Adora’s, trying not to act too desperate for affection. “I’m fine. Just nightmares.”

“Horde Prime?”

“I think so. Sorry if I woke you.” There was slight shame. She didn’t want to disrupt Adora’s life any more than she already had. It was a stupid thought, and she knew it, but she was terrified of being alone again.

Melog mewed to the emotion. Catra must have looked pathetic, because Adora pinched her cheek.

“Don’t apologize. I’ve been awake for a while. Glimmer came by this morning to talk about what’s going to happen these next few days.”

Catra tried to keep her ears from lowering. “Glimmer was in here?” The idea of anyone seeing her sleep, especially wrapped around Adora’s feet in such a vulnerable state, was mortifying. Might as well get used to it. “Is there a plan for the next few days? I mean, the war is done. It’s over. There’s nothing else to do.”

“I wish it was that easy.” Flopping back onto her pillows, Adora let out a sigh. She hadn’t slept in a ponytail last night so all of her blond hair splayed around her head. “There’s the cleanup, rebuilding everything that was destroyed, caring for displaced citizens until they have new homes. Not to mention all the magic has stirred up a lot of changes in nature as well that w—”

“Okay, okay. So there’s a lot of work to do. I get it. How do we even know where to start?

“Glimmer said we’ll talk about it over breakfast.”

Breakfast. The word made Catra realize how hungry she was, and even Melog responded by ruffling their mane in excitement. The creature didn’t need to eat, but the empathetic side of it knew how empty Catra’s stomach was. She dragged herself out of bed. Every bone in her body ached just enough to make her groan. Maybe another twelve hours of sleep would fix the issue, but that wasn’t an option.

“I thought victory would be less uncomfortable.” Catra scratched the side of her head. Victory. She would take discomfort if she meant she got to wake up with Adora every morning. Even if Bright Moon Castle smelled too much like glitter.

After a minute, Adora also got out of bed and stretched her arms out.

They’d seen each other a thousand times before in the Fright Zone: showering, changing clothes, tending wounds. Nothing about their bodies was any surprise, but this felt…different. Catra could see all the new scars decorating Adora’s skin and all of the defined muscle that wasn’t there before. They might’ve been fully clothed but Catra felt like she was witnessing something much more intimate.

She turned away to avoid the burning in her face. The clothes she wore were Adora’s, too, so this was the most vulnerable she’d felt in a while. Best get used to it.

“There will be a lot to do,” Adora spoke quietly, almost to herself. She did her ponytail in the mirror of a nearby vanity. “No doubt everyone will want She-Ra for the heavy lifting.”

“Can’t catch a break, huh?” That didn’t really bother Catra, but she still felt overwhelmed. When that got a sympathetic expression, she scoffed. “Whatever. I’ll just have to figure out a way for Melog and I to be useful I guess.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You’re a force to be reckoned with. I’m lucky to have you.”

She noticed that Adora said “I’m lucky,” not “we’re lucky.” Meaning that Catra was hers. She caught herself nearly purring, but didn’t say anything else. They dressed to leave for breakfast.

The castle was much less quiet in the morning. Catra and Adora made their way down several halls and corners to reach the situation room where breakfast was planned. What they hadn’t planned on, however, was the massive confetti cannon that exploded when they opened the door.

Cheers, shouts, arms waving. Glimmer was standing on a chair? “They’re here!!”

Catra immediately scrambled back in surprise, grabbing onto Melog’s neck. Piles of confetti tickled the bottoms of her bare feet.

“What kind of breakfast is this?” Adora laughed though the noise. She caught Bow and Glimmer when they launched themselves at her.

“A celebration!” Bow yanked Catra into the hug. “It’s not the official ‘we beat Horde Prime’s butt’ party, but we had to do something special.”

Catra felt like she was being strangled with his biceps. “How many times did you have to reload the cannon before we came through that door?”

“Only twice.”

Breakfasts weren’t meant to be taken like this, Catra thought. She squirmed out of the group hug to see all of the food on the table covered with confetti. Everyone in the Alliance seemed to be there too, each princess and person of importance they’d met along the journey. They were all clapping, looking at Adora and Catra with such happiness and gratitude in their eyes.

Are they celebrating…us?

She looked over at Adora, who was high-fiving people in the dorkiest way possible. I can’t believe she’s mine. And they had won the war together. Sure, everyone helped, but if she hadn’t confessed her love, the world would’ve ended. Literally. Maybe she was allowed to gloat a little.

Catra actually snorted to herself.

“Sit next to me.” Her partner took a chair close to the front and pulled out the chair next to her.

Of course, Catra accepted. When they both sat, she felt Adora’s knee touch her own. I’m with you, the gesture told her.

While the noise quieted down, it was clear that the kitchens held nothing back. Platters were heaped with foods, steaming and glistening, filling the whole room with an intoxicating smell. Catra began piling food onto her plate as Glimmer took the head of the table.

All eyes turned to the queen. King Micah stayed seated, beaming at his daughter.

“I’m not super good at speeches,” Glimmer started, holding a glass of juice, “so this isn’t really going to be one. So much has happened in the last two weeks. The last few decades. There will be plenty time for celebration at the party that Bright Moon is hosting this weekend—” Frosta started to cheer, but Mermista put her hand over her mouth. “—but things aren’t going back to the way they used to be. Hopefully it won’t take long to debrief, but we’re going to need everyone’s help.”

While she spoke, Entrapta was enthusiastically dividing a pile of tech pads to each person at the table. Some of the pads knocks over glasses or accidentally dipped in gravy. Entrapta even kissed a few of them goodbye when handing them out.

“You’re being handed brand-new updated tracker pads, and they—”

“These babies are fanTASTIC!” Interrupting, Entrapta bounded forward on her hair to point out some features. “Bow and I have been working on these for a while, but no time better than the present to try them out!”

Bow stood with his own pad. “We’ve outfitted them with a better communication system and a log of photo and videos that can be shared between individuals and groups,” he explained. “The next few days will be a lot of cleanups, relocation, and organizing. Different applications on the tech pad will be able to track and record progress so we know where we’re at—”

“—and where we need to be.” When Entrapta pressed the screen of her tracker pad, a bright life-sized hologram appeared at the very center of the table. It mirrored each of her movements, so both princesses did a jig. “Unleashing the magical energy at the Heart of Etheria gives us endless possibilities right at the tips of our fingers! I’m planning on outfitting each kingdom with its own communication hub, but baby steps first!” The hologram went away. “The root of all science is trial and error.”

Netossa raised one of her hands, looking unenthusiastic. “So we’re guinea pigs?”

“No, no, no, no. The children are completely harmless.” It was clear Entrapta was referring to the tech pads as children, but that wasn’t the disturbing part; she leaned over to Emily to whispered, “probably,” afterwards.

Great, Catra thought, staring at the reflection in her pad. Let’s hope that Entrapta’s projects didn’t blow up in their faces again, because that would just make so much more work from them. Trust—she had to remind herself.

For the next hour, Bow, Glimmer and Entrapta led the entire group through different functions and applications of the new tech. People ate during it, occasionally chatting amongst themselves. Where they came up with the time to do all of this in the last twelve hours, Catra didn’t know. Maybe they woke up early? She glanced over at Adora, who was hyper-focused on the information. The way her hair turned out immaculate every day would’ve been infuriating, if that wasn’t something Catra loved about her.

Just the way she tried, really tried, to be someone that other people could look up to. Flawless and strong and always the best, but in a great way.

Adora caught Catra watching her, and she smirked. “What’s on your mind?”

Eventually, Catra was going to have to learn how to stop herself from blushing every time this happened. She looked back down to her tech. “Just that the next few days are going to be crazy.”

“Yeah…” Adora frowned, looking down at her own pad as well. “It’ll go by fast, I’m sure. Then we’ll finally have some time to ourselves.” She used her shoulder to nudge Catra’s. “There’s so much I want to share with you.”

Something about that made Catra’s chest squeeze. She would’ve kissed her again—right then and there, in the middle of the meeting, in front of everyone. But she didn’t.

They had just kissed once, following crashing waves of grief and fear and longing. It was the most wonderful and terrifying thing that had ever happened to her. Catra would remember the way that the sky looked afterwards, holding onto Adora and feeling their foreheads press together. It was everything she ever wanted. The beginning of something new. Now the high was over, and it was a different kind of scary.

She had to face all of the feelings she felt. Half of her knew it was real, the other half thought she may be dreaming.

This felt too good to be real, but it was.

The rest of the early morning was spent laying out a plan to get Etheria back in order. While the group talked, sending details and outlines to the group’s tech pads, Catra couldn’t help wondering if Adora played a part in planning this. She loved planning things, and she’s usually the one in charge of those tasks. Maybe it was a relief not to have to oversee things for once.

“We sent out teams ahead of time, early this morning, to let the citizens know what we’re planning. Each of you will be assigned to different tasks over the next two days to maximize efficiency.” Bow seemed so confident in what he said that Catra almost didn’t want to make fun of him for using such fancy words. “Your assignments and details will be sent to your tracker pads.”

Blegh. This was too much like the grunt workdays of the Horde. Catra didn’t enjoy taking orders from anyone, and the thought of being given a list of chores was just dreadful. At least they trust me, I guess.

While they all talked about the ins and outs of their two-day plan, she looked through her own duties. Resource station, handing out food and supplies to citizens who had losses during the siege, was first. She was meant to be there all day until sundown. That shouldn’t be too bad, she thought, but would’ve been much better if she wasn’t stuck with the most frightening 15-year-old in Etheria. Frosta caught her eye and gave her an “I’m watching you” hand gesture.

“Guess I’m doing all the heavy lifting,” Adora joked next to her, using one hand to eat and the other to scroll. “Construction. I’ve never been interested in carpentry.”

“No? Not in all your years being a beefy superhero?” It was easy to make jokes, but Catra very much enjoyed watching her partner flex. She was allowed to watch now. “Sounds lame.” The look that Adora gave her back was sly. It made Catra’s heart do jumping jacks in her chest.

When breakfast dispersed, everyone heading away as planned. Of the people left lingering, Adora and Catra found themselves near the situation room doors.

“See you tonight?” Catra crossed her arms, trying not to let her body language show how disappointed she was. They’d spent the last three horrible years apart; two more days was just a slap in the face.

Adora could tell. Almost bashfully, she touched her thumb to Catra’s chin. It was a sweet gesture, very light, but it made Catra’s heart go crazy again. She wanted very badly to lean forward just a little more, and—

“Hey nerds.” Frosta’s voice made them immediately break apart in surprise. The princess was stomping over in their direction. “Stop being gross. We have work to do.” She stuck her tech pad into the hood of her jacket and passed, puffing her chest out importantly. Being small did not stop her from acting intimidating. “You report to me, Catra. Don’t think I’ll take my eyes off you for a second.”

“I’ll be taken care of.” Catra sighed. “See you tonight, Princess.” Her tail touched Adora’s hand while leaving.

The work was tedious. Not difficult but boring. The entire kingdom of Bright Moon seemed to be on the move that morning.

Her and Frosta had set up in the main square, using some of the market stalls for supplies. They had food, water jugs, clothing, toiletries, and much more available to citizens. Whether they had their house burned down, garden destroyed, anything that they could have lost, Bright Moon would supply for them. Glimmer was a kind of generous queen. Many citizens were in need after such an experience as the battle had been.

Melog wandered while the others worked. They occasionally helped move items, but for the most part found fun in playing with children around the square. At least someone was having fun. Everything outside of her station seemed far more interesting. At least Frosta seemed content being hard at work.

“We need an extra box of eggs,” the princess said, trying to type on her tablet. “Can you go grab one from the back?”

Catra did as she was told, fetching the food from a wooden crate. When she went back up to the front, she saw an elderly woman with two small children standing there. One of the kids had pointed animal ears and a long tail similar to hers.

She passed the eggs over the stall top.

This whole thing was bizarre for sure. Catra never would have expected she would be doing something so helpful after spending years being so horrible. She got nothing in return, no part of this deal was interesting to her. Despite this, helping the citizens out made her feel…fulfilled. Happy? It was certainly a change of pace from trying to take over the planet. Best not tell that to anyone, otherwise they might know she had a heart after all.

“Hey, Horde scum,” Frosta called.

Catra looked behind her to where the stacks of crates stood. “You know you don’t have to call me that anymore, right?”

“What happened to all the apples we had? There were at least two dozen left.”

“I don’t know, I’m not the keeper of the apples. Did you check the boxes underneath the shelf? You’re basically eye-level with those.” She laughed at her own joke.

“You’re about to be eye-level with them when I knock your—oh, there they are.”

They turned to see Swift Wind trotting across the market with a basket between the joints of his wings. For every apple he ate, he would give several out to the people around him. Maybe not what they’d planned on, but not necessarily stealing.

Everything just amazed Catra; the Fright Zone was such a cold, hateful place in comparison. No wonder Adora didn’t want to come back. She was excited to share it, though, and that’s what made it all worth it.

Frosta snapped her fingers. “No time to daydream. Back to work, soldier!”

They continued to bicker back and forth all day.

Work was endless. When they weren’t actively passing supplies out, they were running back from one end of the town to the next. By the time dinner rolled around, they were slumped over the wooden counter of the market stall. It was the first time they got to see a familiar face all day.

Bow, wheeling a small cart of baskets, stopped in front of the stall.

“You two are doing great,” he encouraged. The baskets held a sandwich and a fruit pastry each. “Only another hour left, and then we’ll be done for the day.”

“Easy for you to say.” Catra picked the tomatoes off her sandwich and gave them to Frosta, who put them on her own. “You’re not the one who’s been trapped with a rabid gremlin for the last ten hours.”

“Better than babysitting a war criminal.”

She sighed. “If you see Adora, tell her I might tap out of this whole princess business after all.”

“One hour.” Bow took the empty dinner baskets and slung them over the side of the cart. He hardly looked tired at all. “You’ll live through it. Catch you guys in a bit!”

Both of the girls said “bye” at the same time.

Just another hour, and then she could see Adora again.

The sun was already below the horizon when Catra made it back to the castle. She was pretty sure the tip of her tail was frostbitten from all the times Frosta iced it. They had formed some sort of weird sibling bond that included a lot of rude hand gestures and name calling. It would’ve amused Adora.

And Adora didn’t appear at all since breakfast. Catra was very much looking forward to seeing her again. Behind her, Melog dragged their paws on the marble empathetically.

They didn’t have to wait too long because Glimmer and Adora appeared in front of her with a poof of sparkles. She was almost too sleepy to jump in surprise.

“Catra!” Adora said gratefully and went to pat Melog. “I’m glad I didn’t have to search for you. It has been such a long day.”

I’ll say. Only one of them had the power to transform into a giant muscular goddess, and it wasn’t Catra. She rubbed a hand down her face. “It has been. I just want to go to bed.”

“Dibs on the shower first!”

“Hey, that’s not fair!” How did she have so much energy? Catra followed, leaving Glimmer standing amusedly in the hallway.

The bedtime routine didn’t last long. Showers were brief, and after borrowing more of Adora’s baggy clothes, Catra draped herself over the end of the bed. There really wasn’t a ton of room… She nearly didn’t notice when her partner crawled in after until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“You know,” Adora’s voice was hesitant, “you don’t have to sleep down there.”

Ba-dump. The way Catra’s heart fluttered made her slightly less tired. She lifted herself up onto her elbows. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

Melog made a noise of discontentment being crawled over, having to swap places so they were at the end of the bed. Maybe a larger bed was in their future after all now that things were different.

Catra stretched out next to Adora, laying on her side with her arms wrapped around her stomach to keep them from touching. It was just nerves, being so close like this but with different circumstances. Adora, too, was on her side. They were so close, less than a foot apart and still not touching.

“Is this okay?” The words smelled like warm toothpaste.

Beautiful. Catra wanted this to be real more than she’d ever wanted anything. She bridged the gap and slipped her hand into Adora’s. Just that, nothing more. “Yeah. ‘Night, Adora.”

“Goodnight, Catra.”

Their fingers squeezed, and sleep came easily.

The next day was the same bland work as the last. Waking up at the crack of dawn to Melog laying on her bladder and then heading out to do more work.

Her and Melog were assigned to help near the worst part of the damage: a massive blast from Prime’s initial attack had hit the edge of the city, damaging not only buildings and streets but the waterline. Mermista was working on restoring pipes and water systems, so Catra was bringing supplies to the water’s edge for her.

It would have been easier if Melog’s telekinesis was more powerful, but it wasn’t. They were able to float a boulder at a time while Catra had to use a wheelbarrow. Rocks, metal sheets, pipes, tools. Anything and everything that could be useful. Time flowed a lot slower doing manual labor than it had the day before at their stall.

Perfuma showed up near lunchtime. Flowers decorated her braided hair, and she brought with her several bags of soil. “Oh Catra!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were working over here. Mermista is with you, right?”

Catra pointed with a wrench at the lake. “Whoever assigned me to the water job has a sick sense of humor.”

“Oh, it’s not so bad. The plants grow best around the edge of town.”

Seeing the embroidered overalls and all the flowers made Catra grateful that Adora hadn’t become that type of princess. It wasn’t all bad. She knew that. The Horde had made princesses seem so evil and horrible, but in reality, they were just weird.

While laying out new soil in nearby flower beds, Perfuma tried making conversation. “How are you finding Bright Moon? Now that you’re not, you know, trying to capture it.”

The words stirred shame inside of Catra. She flattened her ears down. “Thanks for bringing that up. Bright Moon is fine. There aren’t a lot of dark alleyways to sulk in, but I guess the food is better than I’m used to.”

Bubbles from the water alerted to Mermista’s presence before her head popped up. There was a bit of algae on her brow. “These fish are rude. Can you hand me another bag of gravel?”

All this gravel couldn’t possibly fill the hole left in the bottom of the lake, but Catra did as she was told. Since that princess could talk to fish, did that mean Adora had some magical animal power? The thought was so ridiculous she didn’t even want to ask.

“Adora seems to be in a really good mood.” Perfuma wheeled her cart right next to Catra’s. “Have you seen her since breakfast?”

“No, I’ve been stuck here.” It wasn’t fair that other people got to see Adora when Catra couldn’t. “Have you?”

“I passed her on the way. She’s working a few blocks back with Scorpia to fix the brick wall at the school.”

A split-second decision. “Can you stay with Mermista for a second?” Without waiting for an answer, Catra left the princess and dashed away.

It wasn’t hard to find the school they were working on. There were regular citizens around, assumably people who were actual construction workers, and then two larger forms standing off to the side. She-Ra and Scorpia both held a dozen bricks on each shoulder, laughing about something.

“Hey, Adora!” Catra called, hopping up onto the fresh wall. She let her tail dangle down the other side. “Who made you wear that dumb construction hat?”

Adora immediately looked over, and her face cracked into a wide grin. The blue of her eyes practically glowed. “Hey!” she put her load of bricks down with a thud. How much did all that weigh? “I didn’t know you were working over here.”

“I’m not, I just came to bother you. ‘Sup, Scorpia.”

Scorpia raised a claw and smiled. They hadn’t yet talked about anything, but Catra wasn’t sure how to go about something like that. There was a list as long as the planet of people she needed to apologize to. Not a fun thought.

“Have you been enjoying yourself?” Adora asked sarcastically, and she looked at the damp ends of Catra’s trousers. “With Mermista, I can see.”

“Yeah. The sooner we get all this over with, the better.”

Small talk was easy, and even though Catra knew she should be working, it was so unfair. She wanted to do her own thing, to hang out with Adora. She was so impatient to start this new life. It wasn’t the “fun” that she lived on at that moment; it was the anxiety and impatience keeping her legs moving.

She wanted to lay on the grass and watch the stars with Adora. She wanted to stay under the covers too long because it was chilly outside, and Adora would be right there next to her. She wanted to spar together and run around chasing each other and go on long road trips together. It was everything they had missed out on. They had a right to that.

The longing nearly made Catra sick to her stomach. Trying not to look too upset, she got off of the brick wall and crossed her arms. “I should get back to work. Just wanted to say hi.” Faster the jobs are done, the sooner we can put it all behind us.

“Ooh, control your excitement.”

When Adora first leaned in, Catra’s mind immediately went back to the Heart. We had kissed. That actually happened. It was with the thought that they were both going to die there, but it happened.

Right then, Adora—She-Ra actually—just pressed her lips to Catra’s cheek very quickly, pink and grinning like the doofus she was. Kiss her again, kiss her, kiss her, pull her back in and kiss her on the lips, kiss her, do it, climb up her like a tree and kiss her.

Catra was unfortunately frozen, and when she unfroze it was too late. She-Ra had already picked back up her pile of bricks.

Stupid. Furiously blushing and frustrated, all Catra said was, “Yeah, sure,” before shuffling away.

The rest of the day sucked.

Catra couldn’t concentrate. She was grumpy and slow, and her thoughts stayed behind with her partner. Sure, she’d crushed on Adora forever. It had never stumped her like this before, though. Now that stupid mushy affection replaced anger, the feelings towards Adora had become debilitating.

Even when Mermista finished her job and Catra went to work with Perfuma fixing the gardens instead, it plagued her.

“At least this is better than dealing with water,” she grumbled to herself, trying to wrestle with tangled metal fencing. Napping in the sun, Melog was no help. “Why is Bright Moon so easy to destroy?”

“Don’t take your frustrations out on the garden,” Perfuma scolded. Her hands were brown from soil. “Horde Prime didn’t discriminate in his attack. It’s just our job to fix it.”

At least I’m not getting a therapy lecture this time, Catra thought. This princess read her too easily, and it was disconcerting.

“So why are you actually planting? Like with the seeds and stuff.” A bit of her fur got caught on the edge of the metal, and she hissed. “You’re magic. Why can’t you just magic the flowers?”

“The point of a garden isn’t just to have a garden. Otherwise, why not carve flowers out of wood?” There were only a few bulbs left in Perfuma’s basket, so she pulled one out and studied it. “It’s to have something you can nurture and grow, something living that you can take pride in.”

She held out one of her hands with an expectant face. Confused, Catra put her hand down and let the princess hand her the flower bulb. To be honest, it looked like nothing special. Smelled like dirt, with little peels of skin coming off of it.

The bulb was guided to a mound of dirt, where Perfuma showed her how to properly bury it.

“It doesn’t look like anything now, but in several months it will become a full blossoming plant. A perfect reminder of what patience and love can bring. Won’t that be exciting to watch? That’s the real magic.”

The real magic? What a cheesy thing to say. While Catra didn’t plan on sitting and waiting to watch a plant grow, she felt like all that was supposed to be some sort of analogy. Patience and love… Was she the ugly plant bulb? Maybe it was the heat getting to her, but there was an unusual feeling in her gut. Stupid princesses, trying to make me introspective.

Gardening was not Catra’s favorite hobby.

By the time they were finished and the sun was heading down, every square inch of her fur was caked with nature. There were clumps of grass between her toes, dirt and mud and bugs probably, all tangled and smelly. There was nothing on the planet that she wanted more than to take a shower. Just like the previous day, she had to walk the whole distance to the rooms. Unlike the previous day, however, she left a perfect track of dirty footprints on the crystal behind her.

Melog’s thoughts were amused. “You’re just lucky you don’t have to bathe,” Catra told them as they walked. “It must be nice to be magic. Or a dumb plant.”

Back at the castle’s resident hallway, everything was quiet. No echoing footsteps or voices, no one there to greet her like Glimmer, Bow and Adora had before. Just…silence. Catra quietly opened Adora’s room door, expecting to see a light on, but no. Everything was dark and the curtains were still drawn. The only thing she heard was snoring coming from underneath the bed canopy.

Sleeping, Melog’s thoughts hummed. Much like eating, they didn’t necessarily need to sleep. That didn’t stop them. When the bedroom door closed, they immediately jumped up onto the bed and flopped across Adora.

Lucky. Catra had to shower before doing any of that. She stole some more clothes from the wardrobe, shut herself in the bathroom, and scrubbed every bit of the day away. The soaps, while not fancy, smelled like Adora. Not Horde Adora but her Adora. It was a strange sensation to be surrounded completely by her. She was almost surprised when she got out of the shower and saw her own reflection in the mirror. Yikes, these clothes are way too big…

Nothing had changed back in the room. Melog hadn’t moved, so Catra had to shoo them over to make room for all three of them on the bed. The thought of getting a bigger bed crossed her mind once more but felt presumptuous. One step at a time. For then, she was content to take her usual spot at the end of the covers.

The night before, they’d slept side-by-side, but this time Adora was taking up the whole bed.

“…Catra?” Adora mumbled. The name was spoken so softly, she was clearly still asleep.

Catra lifted her head to find her partner’s hand reaching out. Soft fingers. Adora had reached across to touch her, and when she felt her there, she sighed.

“Are you awake, Adora?”

“Hnn…”

“Goodnight.” I love you.

They hadn’t said those words since the Heart, but it didn’t mean they weren’t there. Catra was afraid in a thousand ways that this was all too good to be true. That maybe somehow, they couldn’t have their “forever.” It would’ve been so easy to stress and wallow in her own self-doubt until the end of time, but she couldn’t. She saw the way that Adora looked at her. This was only the second night they’d spent together after the victory, but it made her feel so whole.

So she slept.

Morning came uneventful. No loud noises or lights or voices woke Catra, which was almost disconcerting. She allowed herself to lay in bed with her eyes closed while orientating. In normal circumstances, the cushy blanket underneath her would’ve been uncomfortable, but right then was just so relaxing. So soft and warm, hushed noise of the waterfall, fingers playing with her hair…

Wait— Catra shot upright.

Adora was awake up on the pillows with her hair down and cheeks pink and so, so cute. Her hand was still outstretched. “I’m sorry.” She pulled it back. “Do you not like when I touch your hair anymore?”

It was the one weakness Adora would tease her about back in the Fright Zone. When they’d lay side by side in the bunks when no one else was watching, Adora would have her fingers tracing shapes in Catra’s hair, scratching behind her ears until they both fell asleep.

“No, it’s fine.” Catra let out a sigh and lowered herself back down. Immediately, she felt the hand in her hair again. “Thanks.” For letting me know you again.

It had been over two full days since they saved the universe. Things were starting to feel a little bit more real. The butterflies hadn’t left her stomach yet, but they were getting easier to recognize.

“Today is the party, isn’t it?” Catra scooted a little farther up in the bed. “Do we have to go?”

“I’d like to. It might be fun.” The last time they were at any sort of function was Princess Prom, and everyone knew how that went.

Catra butted against the hand that was playing with her hair. “Okay, fine. Sparkles can’t make me wear a dress, though. I refuse.”

“She wouldn’t.” This made Adora laugh. It was such a wonderful sound, and it made all the butterflies inside of her go wild.

She found herself watching, just looking at the other girl. She was familiar in the shape of her eyes and the crooked dimples on her cheeks. There were new scars and old scars, and maybe time in the sunlight turned her hair more golden than it was before.

Catra had seen her several times in the last three years, none of those times pleasant. Sure she saw her, but wasn’t able to see her. Now that she was…

Adora’s mouth turned up into a smile. “What are you looking at?”

Tell her, tell her. Just communicate. Tell her what you’re feeling. Finding the words to use were harder than Catra could anticipate, so she really didn’t know how to answer that question. Her purring was some sort of indicator; Melog very happily mirrored that and swiped their tongue a few times across Adora’s cheek.

“This is going to be super dumb of me to say,” Catra started, looking away, “but I kind of missed this, you know? Just hanging out together.”

That seemed to fluster Adora. “I remember how much we got in trouble for sleeping in late back in the Horde.”

“I got in trouble for that. You’ve always been such a morning person.”

“We get all the time we want now, though.” She turned and adjusted herself so they were parallel, face-to-face like they’d been two nights ago. That time was different because neither of them were tired. No pressure, nothing but morning breath between them.

Catra was still horribly nervous, though. She wasn’t used to getting what she wanted. “Is this too weird?” she asked.

Adora shook her head.

They lay like that for a few minutes, getting comfortable with the closeness. Eventually Melog got up and left them to go exploring elsewhere. It was just them. The pressure of being alone together made the air taste like salt.

Outside, the sunrise was already well underway. It was a matter of time before someone barged into the room and hauled them away to do more of gods-know-what. Party planning? Gross. All Catra wanted to do was stay in with Adora.

“Hey, I’m feeling a little hungry.” Adora propped herself up on the pillow. “Do you want to order in some breakfast?”

“…We can do that?” Catra’s ears flicked in interest. She could have made fun of the privilege royalty had, but this sounded very nice. And there was rumbling in her stomach she just couldn’t ignore. “Alright then. I’m interested.” She rolled out of bed and stretched. Sore muscles strained and joints popped. Though her eyes were mostly closed, she saw Adora watching.

While the morning woke up further and the kitchens were contacted, Catra wandered around the room. It was much bigger than the private force captain quarters she was given in the Horde. The ceiling was high above their heads, frilly furniture and stocked with so much stuff. There was no way Adora actually tended to indoor plants.

She inspected the strange waterfalls and pools at the edge of the room. Just for decoration maybe? The water was warm. A bath? She’d have to find that out later. The closet situation was also laughable. It wasn’t as though Adora ever wore anything other than her usual turtlenecks.

Where did the clothes even come from?

Catra was on the balcony when breakfast came. She was busy watching people down in the streets below the castle, tiny dots wandering all around.

“Come eat,” Adora’s voice called from inside, so she obliged.

Breakfast was nearly an early lunch. The two of them sat quietly on the floor of Adora’s bedroom, picking toast apart with licking melted butter from their fingertips. There was a kettle of coffee on the tray, and though Catra had never enjoyed the taste, there was something so nice about sipping on warm drinks with the person you love.

The morning continued.

“It’s getting loud outside,” Adora noticed after a while, leaning back against Melog like they were a chair. “Everyone must be preparing for the party. It’s probably going to be crazy.”

The idea of a crazy party wasn’t Catra’s first choice as what to do with her first actual day off. In a perfect life, she would be snoozing alone with Adora in a beam of sunshine. No talking or other people or anything. No…questions. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to address anything yet.

“Is the whole city going to be inside the castle?” Catra felt her ears lower uncertainly.

“No, the celebration extends outside. There’s no way we could fit an entire kingdom in the ballroom.”

Kingdom. Ballroom. This was all just princess stuff. Catra had spent too long and too much energy trying to destroy everything like that. There was no way that people would just welcome her like Glimmer and Bow did. Running away and living in the Whispering Woods sounded more like what she deserved, but she wouldn’t be allowed to do that.

Besides—she wanted to be with Adora. If that meant fitting the word “ballroom” into her vocabulary, she would.

From behind them, Melog chirruped. Their thoughts showed what Catra’s did: hesitation, maybe a little fear. It was slowly becoming a dark cloud inside of her stomach. What if people tried to attack her? Would she have to cower behind Adora for the rest of her life? Again?

“We haven’t really gotten a lot of time together lately.” Adora was absentmindedly petting Melog and they hummed in contentment. “I know it’s only been a few days, but still.”

All of the attention Catra’s companion was getting made her feel a little jealous. “I know what you mean. It would’ve been nice to have some time to ourselves.” After everything they’d been through, it definitely would’ve been nice to spend more time alone. Just that thought made her heart speed up.

“Did you want to do anything in particular before the party today?”

“Not really.” It was true; the previous few weeks had really caught up to Catra, and she would really like an extra few weeks to recover. She laid down on the floor to stare upwards. Crystal ceilings stared back. “Your room is so girly,” she teased. “Did you decorate it yourself?”

“Shut up. It was worse when I first got here. You should have seen the bed. It was two feet thick of feathers, it was horrible.” There was a bit of sadness that touched Adora’s cheeks. She pet Melog a little gentler. “I couldn’t sleep alone for a long time.”

Of course she couldn’t. They spent their entire lives sleeping in the same room as a dozen other people. Even Catra had a hard time sleeping alone in her Force Captain quarters, but that may have been for different reasons.

“Hey.”

Adora looked over with little lines under her eyes. She was disheveled from the long night’s sleep.

There was a lot that Catra wanted to say, a lot that she could’ve said. Maybe something comforting, or something funny to make her laugh. There was tension between them that came from years of unspoken trauma.

Surprisingly, Adora was the one to speak up.

“There’s a lot that’s happened.” She was reading Catra’s mind. “If you want to talk about it, we can. But…it’s all in the past, you know?”

“I don’t know how to talk about it,” Catra admitted. Her chest hurt just a little bit, and she didn’t think it was because of the greasy breakfast. There was so much on her mind and on the tip of her tongue. “I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about it. I just—”

Adora took her hands. The act stopped Catra’s words. The two sets of hands looked wildly different. Catra’s knuckles were calloused, as were the insides of her palms. They were smaller, too. More fragile. Compared to Adora’s tanned, strong grip, she felt like a vulnerable animal. Maybe she was just a vulnerable little animal.

“Things have been different since I escaped Prime. You know,” Catra didn’t loosen her hold, “things changed a lot. But it doesn’t erase anything I’ve done. I don’t know how to talk about it, but I want to. Eventually.”

“We’ve got all the time in the world, Catra.” The way Adora spoke suggested a future together, and her eyes sparkled. “I can show you all the cool things you’ve missed out on here. We can get to know each other again.”

That was the tricky part. Catra really wasn’t sure who she was outside of the war. She knew that she’d be given the chance to find that out, but the concept of worthiness continued to bother her.

Out of nowhere, Adora got up on her knees and put her arms around Catra’s shoulders. “I know,” she whispered. “It’s going to be hard. But I really, really can’t wait to start our new lives.”

“…Our new lives, huh?”

Catra was determined to deserve this, whatever it took. She was about to put her arms around Adora too, but Melog got in the way. They jumped between the two girls, purring like a chainsaw, to furiously lick kisses on Adora’s cheek and forehead.

The three fell backwards.

“Ew, Melog,” Adora ruffled the creature’s mane with her hands. “I like you too, buddy. Should we get you a little bowtie to wear to the party tonight?”

From the nightstand a few feet away, Adora’s tech pad buzzed. Catra reached up and took it.

-Glimmer: We just woke up. Do you guys feel like you just fell face-first down a mountain?

This made Catra snort a little in laughter, because she did feel like that. Her bruises had bruises. “It’s Glimmer.” She gave the pad to Adora and scooted up next to her to hold together. So far, Entrapta’s word held true that these devices were shockingly useful.

Adora messaged back and forth with Glimmer for a minute. While she typed, her tongue was sticking out between her teeth. It reminded Catra of when they were kids, she would always stick her tongue out when concentrating, and Catra’s favorite thing was grabbing onto it. That always made them laugh.

-Glimmer: We’re getting ready for the party together, right?

“Hm,” Adora hummed aloud. When she lowered the tech pad onto her lap, her eyebrows were creased. “I’m not going to fit into the last dress I wore. I might just wear what I always wear.”

The dress Catra assumed she was talking about was the one worn to Princess Prom. She could still taste the anger and the hurt from seeing Adora look so happy. It had been such a bitter reminder of how she had moved on. Catra looked away, making a face.

“You’re probably not exempt from a Best Friend Squad makeover too, you know.” Adora nudged her.

She nearly spat out her drink. “A what? If they try to touch my hair, I’m going to kill them. I don’t own any clothes, anyways.” This made her stop. She didn’t own anything. That may be an issue. “…Where would I even get clothes?”

“What, you don’t want to wear my T-shirts forever?” Adora put her weight onto one hand. The smirk she wore was cuter than any T-shirt.

The only pajamas that Catra really had were those clothes, fit for someone much bigger and beefier than herself. She wore one that morning that went past her hips. It smelled like Adora, soft and worn, surrounding her in the best way.

“Of course not, your shirts are hideous,” Catra sniffed, crossing her arms. “And your big muscles stretch out the shoulders.” Big muscles.

They were close, sitting on the floor next to one another not far apart at all. Their empty breakfast platter was pushed off to the side. It would have been so easy to just lean over, to put her hand on the side of Adora’s face and close that difference. How come it flustered her so badly, the thought of doing that again?

What if Adora didn’t want that? After all, she hadn’t kissed Catra either, not since the Heart. If this was because she didn’t want to…

Adora adjusted, throwing her leg over Catra’s as they sat. “There’s a tailor here in the castle. It’s different than in the Fright Zone, but we can go by there today and get you some clothes that fit.”

“Yeah. I guess I don’t have a ton of choices. When do the others want to get ready?”

They messaged Glimmer a few more times back and forth. During this, they still had their legs crossed together. The hair on Adora’s legs looked as soft as little feathers and much blonder. What would happen if Catra were to just…run her fingers across it?

She wanted to feel Adora again, to touch her again. Right then she was still too nervous.

Eventually, everyone decided that after lunch was the best time to meet up and get ready. That way there were still a few hours to mentally prepare. A few hours to themselves.

“It’s kind of weird that we don’t have to do anything right now.” Adora got comfortable, pushing aside the tech pad to settle on Melog. “There will be lots more to do later. Lots and lots.” She blew out a loud, exaggerated sigh. “Endless work. Maybe I should offer to help set up for the party? I’m sure they could use—”

“No,” Catra said automatically. Then her face got hot. “You don’t always have to be responsible for things. Just take a day for yourself.”

“What, you actually want to hang out with me? Me?” She threw one of her arms around Catra’s shoulder, blowing a raspberry into the side of her head.

Catra shrieked in surprise. They rolled over the floor, startling Melog into standing.

“That’s so embarrassing.”

“Get off me!” She heard a mortifying laugh come out of her own mouth as Adora pinned her by the shoulders. On the floor. Adora on top of her. Pinned down. Adora’s victorious grin was a little wild, like it always had been when they were kids. Oh man. Catra’s heart sped up so fast in her throat, it might’ve exploded.  She’s so beautiful. And here they were—

Adora quickly realized what she was doing and crawled off. “Sorry,” she laughed breathlessly. “You okay?”

Okay? If “okay” meant that Catra’s mouth was dry and she began wondering what kind of repercussion she’d have if she would reach up and pull Adora back on top of her. Those thoughts wandered a little too far.

“I’m fine.” Catra turned, worried she’d give these feelings away. It wasn’t fair to have them. “Maybe we should go to the tailor’s first, just in case it takes a long time.” It wasn’t her favorite idea, having to be around other people right then, but if it had to happen, better now than later.

“Okay.” Adora’s cheeks were a little red, too, but it looked much better on her. She stood and helped Catra up with her. “Let’s stop by the kitchens and give them back the dishes, too.”

The two of them gathered what remained of breakfast, as well as some of Adora’s ill-fitting clothes, before setting off.

Crystal floors felt much different under Catra’s feet than the concrete of the Fright Zone. They were warmer, making a slightly louder padding noise while walking. She held Adora’s hand through the halls, stopping once only at the kitchens.

Strangely, they didn’t run into anyone familiar on the way. No other princesses, not King Micah, only castle staff. Each one looked as busy as the next.

“Must be a big celebration,” Catra thought nervously out loud. “You sure no one is going to try to kill me?”

“No one is going to try to kill you. I’m sure the word has gotten around that we’re seeing each other now.”

 Seeing each other. Catra nearly tripped over her own tail. “Yeah. Getting in the way of She-Ra is a bad idea.”

“I’d like to see them try.”

They made eye contact and Adora stuck her tongue out, making Catra smile back. Her heart was so full—so unusually full. All of the anger was replaced by love, the grief replaced by forgiveness. Guilt was something she was still working on, but when Adora looked at her like that…some of it melted. She had to look away. Why don’t I have the courage to kiss her again?

Only when they got to the tailor’s quarters did they let go of each other’s hands.

The area was only a small piece of the castle, probably somewhere near ground level. If there were windows, they would’ve been completely smothered. Racks of clothing, piles of fabric, and mannequins filled the room to the brim. The only bare floor in the area was a raised area in front of some mirrors.

“It’s a little more cramped than I remember,” Adora noted.

It was then the seamstresses noticed their company. About half a dozen of them came over.

“Sorry for such short notice, but we need something for the celebration tonight.” Always so polite, Adora put her hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder. “And Catra needs a full wardrobe. If we can put in a request for that too, that’d be great.”

The “we” was generous when it came to that request. Catra’s nerves were rising being in a cramped room with strangers. They were close, much too close. She stuck by the doorway and let the other two get deeper into the room to stand at the center. Claustrophobic.

Adora looked back at her. “You good? I can go first.”

“Yeah, I’m alright here for now.” Catra wasn’t sure how she was going to avoid getting closer when it was her own turn.

This was much more different than in the Horde, for sure. When they were cadets, clothes just came in various sizes and they all just wore what fit at the time. Catra only did one fitting after becoming a force captain; she hated it so much she decided it wasn’t worth it. Could this be the universe making another morbid comparison between her old life and her new one?

Adora looked perfectly content, standing with her arms out in her tank top while these tailors took measuring tapes to every inch of her body. Measuring the length of her arms, girth of her biceps, waist, hips, legs. She had grown so much since the last time Catra was familiar with that body.

“Beauty” never had been anywhere in her vocabulary. The shape and structure of a person didn’t mean much, as the body was just a tool. There were moments of doubt and self-consciousness, sure, but Catra never put much thought into it until then.

Until she got the chance to watch Adora like this.

Adora chatted politely with the seamstresses, arms out in a T position. Her shoulder and back muscles were well-defined, crossed with scars and some healing yellow bruises. The pants she wore hung low on her hips, also accentuating the shape of a warrior. It was the product of being a hero. No, “beautiful” never made sense to Catra. Not until then.

She was content standing at the wall just watching but it didn’t take as long as she thought it would though.

“It’s your turn,” Adora interrupted her thoughts, stepping off the platform.

The platform—Catra had to stand on it. Her nerves shot right back up, through the ceiling. Standing…in front of a stranger, in the center of their attention? Having a stranger touch her? She knew her tail was bristling straight out, but she managed to take a few steps.

“Arms out, please,” a seamstress instructed as she stepped closer.

Too close. Catra tried not tremble when the woman brought her measuring tape out. She looked over at Adora, who smiled sympathetically and gave her a thumbs-up. This sucks. Getting too close. They were too close.

When the tailor reached around her to get the measurement of her neck, Catra instinctively stepped away, stumbling backwards off the platform with her ears flat against her head. It was humiliating, but the feeling of another person being so close to her, and the hands around her neck—

But Adora was there immediately. “You’re okay.” She had stepped behind Catra, hands on her upper arms. “Just breathe. It’s okay, I get it.” Her smile was so gentle. “Would it be easier if I was the one measuring?”

Without waiting for an answer, she gave the tailor a look and pulled Catra back onto the platform.

Slowly, Catra’s hands stopped shaking and her ears straightened out. What was she suggesting? The seamstress passed over the measuring tape and instructed Adora what to do. Pointing, measuring. Adora’s hands were careful with what they were touching. It was clear she didn’t want to cause any more discomfort, but the feelings now were something different. The racing heart had nothing to do with a stranger’s touch or humiliation.

“Thanks,” Catra whispered as Adora put her arms around to measure her waist. They were so close. She didn’t feel like she deserved the kind of patience and kindness she was shown, but it didn’t seem to be a bother.

“Of course.” Adora kept measuring. “It’s weird the first time, for sure. The tailors.”

Yeah. Weird.

The measurement took a little longer than it would have, with Adora holding the tape and the tailor right behind marking numbers down. After that, they went around and talked just a little bit about what her wardrobe was going to look like. Many items of clothing weren’t horrible. They would just need to be adjusted. By the time everything was sorted, Catra was grateful to leave.

“I just hope she doesn’t make me a dress.” The hallways felt much better than the crowded tailor’s quarters. Catra stretched her arms out behind her. “The only thing that would make this party any worse would be if I have to wear a dress.”

“The more frills the better, right?” Adora teased, taking her hand again. “You don’t look like a dress-wearing type, so I don’t think she would.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Uncomfortable thoughts were still reeling in. Eventually, Catra was going to have to come to terms with the fact that things were never going to just go back to normal with her. There was a lot of stuff she had to work through. No “over” or “under” or “around.” She had to go straight through.

“We’ve still got a bit of time to kill today.” Adora must be sensing the anxiety. “How about a tour of the castle? I can show you the armory.”

A room full of deadly weapons? Sounded like a good way to spend some time.

The tour took Catra and Adora through each wing of the castle. It was way bigger than it looked on the outside, and that included a large underground portion that housed a training arena, the infamous armory, and a dock extending under the waterfall where the royal fleet of boats were stored.

Alright, even Catra had to admit this place was pretty cool for a new home. They could spend hours together in the library, sunbathing in the gardens, chasing one another around the winding halls. It belonged to them.

The afternoon filled Catra’s chest with something she wasn’t used to. Hope for a future? She could look in Adora’s eyes and find her home. They stopped their tour at an open room far away from the party preparations.

“How are you feeling about all this?” Adora took in a deep breath of crisp Bright Moon air. “Is it too much?”

“It is a lot,” Catra admitted. There was no lying about that. “It’s ok, though. I’ll get used to it eventually.”

“Want to go find a spot on the roof?”

Immediately— “Yes.” How come she knows me so well? Catra was in love.

Climbing was easy enough. There weren’t any perfectly flat spots, but the two of them managed to find a comfortable slope to settle.

Where were they? Above the dining quarters maybe? Wherever it was, they were very high up. Everything below was microscopic. The Whispering Woods looked like a blanket of green stretching all the way to the edge of the horizon. Mountains were visible far in the distance.

Catra felt so small from there. So much different than peering down at the Fright Zone. The air was too clean and fresh, the breeze light in her fur. There was no false sense of superiority looking down on it all. Much better than the Horde.

She stretched out against the castle roof and closed her eyes, letting the air run through fur along her stomach. Finally, peace. “Thanks for saving me back at the tailors,” she joked after a bit, sitting up on her elbows. “I don’t know how you could let strangers touch you like that.”

“You get used to it.” Adora laughed through her nose. “It’s nice on the days you don’t want to go out shopping in the city, though. Again—really different than the Fright Zone.”

“Better.”

“Yeah.”

After another few minutes of quiet, Catra sat up again. It was a good thing she wasn’t afraid of heights. Putting a hand up, most of the buildings were the size of her pinky nail. “What’s the big house down there?” She nudged Adora and pointed.

“Hm? Oh that’s the university.”

“What about…that one?”

“I think that’s the blacksmiths?” Adora squinted down into the city. “I’m not sure.”

So many buildings, so many people running around like tiny bugs. It would be more fun to watch if she could tell what they were doing, but that was okay. After a minute of watching, Catra scooted closer and pressed their shoulders together. How lucky was she to get another chance like this?

“Hey,” Catra curled her tail to the other side, around Adora’s hips, “can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Did you…really mean what you said back at the Heart?”

The question was so quiet, it was nearly lost in the wind. Of all the thoughts reeling inside of her, this was the one that stuck to the corners of her mind. Worry, worry, worry. She was never good enough. She would never be good.

Adora looked over, obviously confused.

“You know, when I said…when I told you I loved you. And you said it back.” Despite the air being chilly, there was a burn to her cheeks and throat. “I just… We were both under a lot of pressure right then. Did you mean it?”

The confusion on Adora’s face morphed into something more like shock. “You’re asking if I meant it when I told you I love you?”

“Well—”

“Do you think I don’t love you?” The shock changed to sadness. Adora’s beautiful blue eyes quivered for a moment before she turned completely, sitting up and facing Catra. Wind flicked strands of hair around her face like spun gold. “Catra—Do you think I lied?”

Catra didn’t get a chance to respond to the interrogation before Adora wrapped her arms around her for the second time that day. The face in her shoulder was warm, but squeezed so tight it was nearly painful. With arms as strong as hers, she could’ve popped Catra’s head like a blueberry.

“The last few weeks happened really fast. It hardly makes up for the time.” Adora didn’t lift her head to say that, so her words were muffled with fabric.

Where was she going with this? Catra returned the hug without hesitation.

“I’m not good with words and feelings. It was kind of stupid for me not to realize before, but everything was so crazy, and we were trying not to die. I was such an idiot for so long, even when it was staring me right in the face. I just…didn’t know it was an option.”

“What, me?” Catra hoped Adora couldn’t feel how fast her heart was beating through their embrace.

“Being in love. Letting myself care about someone like that.”

In love. Adora was in love with her. It was love. If anyone else wanted Catra to talk about her feelings, she would puke. But it was Adora, and her chest was full to the brim with feelings. She flicked her tail in amusement. “Were you always such a sap, or has being a princess changed you?”

“Shut up, I’m trying to say something.”

Wind across the kingdom was starting to get wilder. It changed course just enough to where Catra could feel mist from the waterfall make it in their direction.

When Adora pulled back, she only did so far enough so they could look each other in the eyes. “Every day that we were…apart, broke me. I was so focused on trying to do the right thing, I didn’t realize how much I hurt you when I left. That’s something I can’t take back.”

Was this turning into an apology? Not exactly planned.

“I just know that I never want us to be apart again. I look at you, and I feel like everything is perfect. I look at you…” Adora put her hands on either side of Catra’s face, so gentle and sweet, “and I feel so complete. Of course I love you. Everything about you. I love your nose and your freckles and your ears and your stripes, and your voice—”

“Okay, okay.” Catra ducked to hide, knowing her tail was waving back and forth. “I’m sorry I asked.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Just as gently as before, Adora used her hands to lift Catra’s head up so it wasn’t hiding. “I meant what I said earlier, too. We have all the time in the world for this stuff. I do love you. I’ll tell you every day for the rest of our lives if I have to.”

How can it be possible to be so happy? There was an indescribable feeling in Catra’s chest, like someone had stuck a harpoon through her heart and was reeling her in. She loved her so much it hurt.

Catra clenched a hand to her ribs. “That’s…” Tell her how much she means to you. Would this be a good time to kiss her? “Adora—”

*POOF*

Glimmer and Bow appeared on the roof in a cloud of sparkles with their fists in the air.

“Ah-ha!” Glimmer hollered. She wobbled a bit on the slope. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you guys! I’m ready to eat some cake!”

In a blink of an eye, the moment was over. The two parted.

Glimmer clearly knew she’d interrupted something. “Ooh my bad, my bad. Bow said I should give you some privacy but I was just so excited.”

What on Etheria did Bow think they were getting up to?? Catra didn’t want to have to sit there and listen to any questions or anything, so she stood. The wind nearly blew her straight off the roof.

“Is it time to get dressed already?” She held her hand down for her girlfriend. “I wonder if this was even enough time for the tailor to make something decent. It better not be a dress.”

“If it is, you can wear something of mine. You’d look good in anything.”

“Come on, you two.” Glimmer mimed throwing up. “When you’re done being mushy, meet us down in my room. Don’t make us late!” She disappeared once again.

Well, the moment was ruined. So much for confessing her love a second time. Though, “mushy” was something she never thought she’d be called in a million years.

They helped each other down.

“You sure you’re okay with a Best Friend Squad makeover?” Adora teased while walking, but it sounded like she was really looking forward to that night.

“Not really.” The edge of Catra’s mouth lifted. Happiness was contagious, it seemed. “But I’m excited anyways.”

Adora tapped on her tracker pad while walking. It sounded like the other princesses were talking with one another throughout the day, excited for the biggest celebration in the history of…ever. Festivities were going to extend through the ballroom, main hall, out the door, and around the entire castle grounds. There were going to be a lot of people. Lots of noises and smells and would no doubt be overwhelming. It was going to be alright, though.

Melog met the pair close to Glimmer’s room. They had a ribbon tied around their neck and stood comfortably at full-size.

“How handsome,” Catra crooned, feeling her companion’s happy response in the back of her mind. “Someone is ready for the party.”

“That only leaves us four!”

From the doorway of the room, Glimmer herself popped out. She was practically bubbling with excitement and energy. How she could be so riled up after such an exhausting week was beyond Catra.

Bow was right behind her. “Welcome back guys. Can you tell she’s looking forward to this?”

“Not at all.” Adora’s tone was affectionate, but her mind seemed whirling as always. “Do you know if our clothes got delivered?”

“The tailor came by a bit ago.”

Nerves crept up Catra’s stomach once more.

Glimmer kept talking, and while she was doing so, she had her arms wrapped tightly around one of Bow’s. “We were thinking that since this is Catra’s first Best Friend Squad makeover, she and I could use my room, and Bow and Adora use her room to get ready.”

This didn’t sound like the ideal situation for several reasons, but Catra did her best to not grimace. “Can I not just put the stupid outfit on and be done?”

“Of course not. This is a party, and we need to look gorgeous.”

“Yeah, that’s what I figured.” She sighed, giving Adora a sideways smile. “Guess I’ll see you in a bit.”

Adora squeezed her hand and let go. “Have fun.”

Fun. The evil little look on Glimmer’s face suggested the exact opposite of fun.

As it turned out, the tailor had good taste in deciding Catra’s party outfit. It was a mix of a few different things she’d seen while they were down there: high-waisted trousers paired with a revealing blouse, which had a chain connecting two sides of the open collar. There was a cape, too, which reminded her of She-Ra’s preferred look. Catra stood for several minutes in front of a mirror wearing just the trousers and an undershirt.

She didn’t quite recognize herself. Her eyes were less angry, shoulders less stiff. The short hair was definitely something she’d have to get used to. She used to hate looking at herself in the mirror because she hated who she saw.

“So, Catra.” Glimmer was going through her massive closet at the other wall. “Excited for the party?”

Excited might not have been the exact word Catra would use. She ran her hands through her hair. “I guess. The first time I went to an event here didn’t go very well.” The disaster of Princess Prom was better left forgotten.

“It went well for the Horde,” Glimmer remembered.

Yeah, well. They’d blown up the ballroom, kidnapped Bow and Glimmer, and Catra fought Adora on the rooftops. There was so much anger and resentment blinding her back then.

“Sorry. Sore spot for everyone.”

Catra turned around halfway, ears lowered. “You don’t have to be here, you know. I don’t need help getting dressed.”

“What about doing your hair?” Glimmer had pulled out a dress from her closet and held it up to herself. “And your makeup?”

“That’s not happening.”

“But—”

Catra gave a hiss. “You aren’t touching me.” Princesses were the worst with personal space.

There was a moment of silence. She looked backwards out of curiosity but was immediately swarmed by guilt. Back at the closet, Glimmer was staring down at the floor with a disappointed expression. All the bubbliness was gone. Why can’t I just play along? Catra thought to herself.

“…Sorry, I just—”

“I should be the one apologizing.” The dress in Glimmer’s hands lowered, and she looked up. “This stuff isn’t your style. Adora told us stories about the Horde, and how cadets were raised. It’s kind of amazing you’re staying in Bright Moon at all.”

There wasn’t anywhere else in the universe that Catra would rather be, as long as Adora was here.

“We just wanted to make you feel included,” Glimmer closed her wardrobe, “so you don’t hate it here.”

Everything has to be about feelings and emotions with these people. Even though Catra’s first instinct was to say something sarcastic, she didn’t. “Don’t get your sparkly shorts in a twist.” Her ears lower in shame. “I don’t hate it here. Things are…weird right now. They’re going to be weird for a while. I don’t do the whole ‘makeover’ thing, but I’m not going to leave just because you all do.”

Since Adora loved these people, then she had to put up with them too. They weren’t that bad.

“You don’t get to touch my hair, but can you help me figure out how to put this stupid top on?” There didn’t seem to be a zipper anywhere on it.

Glimmer obliged.

They didn’t say anything else for the rest of the dressing time. It was a strange kind of silence, but Catra really didn’t want to make things any more awkward than she already had. Do it for Adora. She buckled up her belt.

While they were finishing up, the queen’s tracker pad went off. “Ooh that’s Bow. He says they’re ready.”

Catra looked over and saw Glimmer donned in a purple dress with a light blue cape. It reminded her of the clothing that Queen Angella wore, even though she never officially met her. The thought punched a hole of grief right in her stomach.

“Hey.” Catra shifted her weight. “Your mom.” Certainly Glimmer wouldn’t want her mom’s name to come from the mouth of the person who killed her. “Saying sorry can never take what I did back. I know that. But I’m so…so sorry. All this grief, it was all because of me. I can never take that back but I’m sorry.”

This made Glimmer stop and look up from her tracker pad. There was expected pain in her eyes. “…Yeah. Thanks.”

Silence between them that followed was uncomfortable. Catra willingly accepted the discomfort.

“Come on. The others are ready. Your outfit really suites you, I know Adora will like it.”

She snorted, but hoped it was true. “Thanks. Bow will like yours, too.” The two of them put the tracking pad away and headed out.

Adora’s bedroom was close by. The walk felt long, though, because Catra kept thinking about the party and having to mingle with an entire kingdom she tried destroying several times. She was also nervous about sharing an event with Adora without being enemies. A new life like this was petrifying.

Just as they got there, Bow opened the bedroom door. His eyes went wide when he saw Glimmer. “Look at you.” He put his hand on his chest, eyes gleaming. “You’re beautiful.”

Sickeningly in love, Catra thought in amusement. She stepped around them into the room to find the last party member.

Adora was standing with her back to the door. It was clear she felt the nerves too, shifting and holding her arms against her middle.

Oh wow.

The dress she wore was dark gold, long enough to touch the floor. It made her look ethereal, just like the goddess she could become. Scars carved parallel lines down her back to serve as a reminder. Regret turned to resolve, and when Adora turned it took Catra’s breath away.

“You nervous, too?” Adora held out her hands and took Catra’s. Up close, all of her little scars and scuffs made her look more real.

Catra couldn’t look away. “I’m still processing everything.”

“You look really nice.”

Her tail flicked. There was that sickeningly-in-love feeling. “You too.”

This was the same girl that let her sleep at the foot of her bed every night, the same girl who found her in all her hiding places when she had a bad day. This was the same soft face that whispered to her in the middle of the night when they were cadets. The same round cheeks and broad shoulders. A love like this felt impossible.

Adora reached up and touched her thumb to Catra’s face in a painfully tender move. “You okay?”

“Something in my eye,” Catra sniffed. “We should go.” She really was turning into a softie.

By then, Glimmer and Bow were ready to go too. The four of them, arm-in-arm, ventured out through the halls of Bright Moon to join in on the celebrations.

Parties didn’t mean much to Catra other than memories of the Crimson Waste. Instead of fun, they gave her a sense of power and control she desperately craved. She had never considered attending a party for fun until this celebration.

Eating tasty food, dancing, spending a wasteful amount of time with people you care about? Nearly too good to be true.

But it was true.

The main hall of Bright Moon was decorated in silks and shining crystals taller than any Etherian. Massive doors opened to the front, letting people in and out, and a smaller set of doors to the side opened to a balcony that oversaw the gardens.

Even for someone who’d seen the galaxy, it was an impressive sight.

At the very head of the hall sat a table long enough for each member of the Princess Alliance—including Bow, King Micah, and Catra of course. That was probably where they were all meant to eat.

“Remember,” Adora leaned down to ear-level, “don’t accept any drinks Perfuma offers. You do not want to know what lettuce juice tastes like.”

“Noted.”

The first hour was a whirlwind. Nearly every single person in the entire city seemed to find them at one time or another, showering praises and shaking hands. Adora wore her popularity well. She laughed and hugged and flexed her biceps when asked. It was amusing to watch her interact outside of working.

Catra kept her distance. She wasn’t much in the spotlight and that’s what she preferred. Occasionally, their friends would pop by to gush but would disappear shortly afterward. A little too busy.

She nodded to Adora before stepping away.

The thick of the party didn’t interest her. There were pillars along the side of the hall, and they offered much-needed reprieve from the current of partygoers. From there, she sipped a drink.

“Catra.”

She spat her drink out. Who—?

Standing in front of her, too short to see in immediate eyeline, was Frosta. The plate she held was caving from the number of tarts piled on.

Catra wiped the drink from her shirt. “You sure you really need all that sugar? Your tiny gremlin heart will explode.”

“Well maybe if you tried one, yours would be less black and cold.”

Couldn’t argue with that. She took a tart.

The two of them stood there out of the traffic flow, eating crumbly treats with their fingers and watching the party. At the Princess Prom, Entrapta had taken the interest of observing people and their nuances. Catra realized this wasn’t a bad idea. Everyone there looked so cheerful. It was a sea of smiles and laughter out there, but it wasn’t just for the defeat of Prime. It was a celebration of freedom from the Horde. No more overhanging threats or rescue missions or burning villages. People were finally free of the fear Hordak imposed.

Catra kept quiet, arms crossed and leaning against a pillar. That’s all the point, she thought solemnly. I’ll spend my entire life atoning for the role I played in that. As Adora reminded her, she worked hard to fight Prime on Etheria’s behalf. Actions spoke louder than words, etcetera.

Next to her, Frosta let out a dramatic sigh. “You’re such a bummer. Why don’t you go dance or something?”

“Me? No thanks. I’m just going to wait here for Adora.”

“You know you could enjoy yourself without her. If you want to do something, just do it.”

There was no reason to want to do anything without Adora. Unfortunately, as pretentious as Frosta was, she might’ve had a point.

“Why don’t you go find someone who’s less of a bummer to hang out with? I’m going to steal some food.” Catra left the last tart on the princess’s plate and left the corner.

It took weaving in and out of crowds to get where the buffet tables stood. They were covered in every food she could think of, and even much that she didn’t. She almost didn’t want to take from it because the display was so nice. Smelled so good, too. There were these little strips of meat in a sauce that made her mouth water just looking at. All of the nearby seating looked too crowded…and there was no way she was going to sit at the giant table in the head of the hall. Catra scanned her surroundings as best as she could. So many people.

Where was Adora at right then? She wondered. Maybe the others were with her. Catra maneuvered around the with her plate until she was safe at the side exit. It led to a wide, mostly-unoccupied balcony that overlooked the castle gardens. Part of the sunset was visible from there, too, even though wind kept blowing through.

The food was delicious, the air was so clean. Much cleaner than in the Fright Zone. Maybe these princesses had the right idea.

Footsteps and a trill preceded Melog appearing.

“Hey Melog. Where have you been?” Catra petted their head. With the others, they thought. “You must be popular. I wonder where Adora is right now.”

Melog butted against her before looking back into the party. Catra followed the gaze. At first, she didn’t see what they were talking about—then the crowd parted a bit. Glimmer, Bow and Adora stood a distance away with drinks in their hands, laughing inaudibly.

They looked so happy. Glimmer was leaning against Bow, making exaggerated motions with her hands. When she mimed an explosion, they all snickered. Seeing Adora enjoy herself that much felt like a different form of love. Catra didn’t even mind that she wasn’t there herself, as long as they were having fun.

Melog looked up at Catra, chirruping a question.

“Nah, it’s okay. Leave her be. I’m fine by myself for now.”

They tilted their head to the side.

“I’m serious, you don’t—” Too late.

Melog left the balcony in a bound, mane glowing cheerfully. They alternated between swerving through the crowd and phasing. Catra watched all the way until they reached the group of friends. From the distance, Melog wriggle into Adora’s arms. All the affection that Catra felt was channeled to them through their empathetic link. It made her a little jealous that she wasn’t the one being hugged and petted.

Holding one another, feeling hands in her hair. The thoughts embarrassed her. It was all Catra wanted, but she didn’t even get to finish what she was saying on the roof. Adora had told her that she will love her every day of their lives. Nothing else could ever compare to that.

The evening was transforming. Sunset faded way for the stars to appear one by one above Bright Moon. It was a wonder they were visible at all through the kingdom lights. Smells, too, wafted from the open castle doors.

Eventually Adora glanced over to catch Catra’s eyes from the balcony. Her whole face lit up. From the distance, Catra saw her say something to the other two before turning in towards the balcony. Finally, she couldn’t help thinking. She put her plate down just in time to greet them.

“I told you not to bother her,” Catra fake-scolded Melog. Her companion trilled. “They were enjoying themselves.”

“Hey, I’m glad they helped me find you.” Coming up from the side, Adora put her arm around Catra and squeezed her close. “We were wondering where you went off. I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

The whole group was wondering, or just her? “Groups aren’t my thing.”

“I know. Thank you for coming.”

Catra really wouldn’t have skipped this party, not if Adora genuinely wanted her to come. It wouldn’t have been fair, and she most likely would have ended up regretting not spending that time together. All the stupid sappy feelings had her a changed person.

“How is the party going so far?” She wrapped her tail around Adora’s ankle.

“Really great, actually. Scorpia and Perfuma have been tearing up the dance floor. It’s hilarious to watch.” Perfuma, huh. “Have you been okay? This must be really overwhelming for you.”

The guilt of thinking about Scorpia waned. “It’s a lot. Definitely overwhelming, but…fun, I guess.”

“I’m glad you’re with me.”

Catra felt herself begin to purr. They stood there for a minute watching the sky darken. Silence was comfortable, between the chaos of the party and noise from Catra’s thoughts inside her own head. It was also nice to have someone to lean up to against the wind.

“I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that everything is over.” Adora put her arm up around the small of Catra’s back. “There’s going to be such a weird adjustment period for everyone. It’s seriously daunting. Where do we go from here?”

That was the question. Catra didn’t have any good answers. Now that she was faced with the possibility of having a future, she was terrified. It felt like standing at the edge of a canyon without being able to see the bottom. What could she do with herself now that she was planning on living? She turned her head to watch Adora.

Lights of the celebration cast deep shadows from behind them. They sharpened every crease of Adora’s dress and every dip of her face. There was a small scar on the left side of her jaw that she didn’t remember. What did regular Etherian citizens do? Get a hobby? Buy a house? Have families?

The thought punched Catra in the gut. She felt guilty for letting herself imagine that. It wasn’t a real possibility, so ludicrous that she shoved it immediately away. All that she wanted was to be with Adora. Everything else was extra. Catra nudged against her. “What are you thinking about? You’ve got a face.”

“A face?” Looking over sideways, Adora gave a sweet smile. “I guess I’m just thinking about everything. Future stuff. It stresses me out a little.”

“You don’t have to think about that right now. Just exist in the present and be happy.”

“I am happy, but—”

“No buts.” Catra grabbed Adora’s face to squish her cheeks. Her eyes were so shiny and cute. She giggled through her nose.

Idiot. The way their faces were close reminded Catra again of their conversation earlier that day. And again it reminded her why she was being silly for worrying Adora didn’t have the same feelings or intentions. It was the way those eyes looked right into hers.

“Adora.”

“Yes?”

“I want…” Catra drew her hands down from her partner’s face to her upper arms. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

That immediately made Adora’s eyes widen. They practically sparkled. “You mean it?”

“Of course, dummy.” The two of them were close, and Catra’s heart was pounding hard inside of her. This was something she had wanted for so long but it was never a possibility. Holding onto Adora, no danger in sight, talking about their future. “I didn’t really get the chance to react to what you said on the roof.” Wind was picking up, blowing pieces of blond hair into her partner’s face. She swept it back. “What I wanted to say was thank you. For not giving up on me. And for letting me ease into everything at my own pace.”

A grin began appearing on Adora’s face. She was visibly biting the inside of her cheek.

“Stop looking at me like that. I’m being serio—”

A snort of laughter escaped.

“Hey,” Catra took her by the hands and tried not to crack too, “I’m trying to tell you I love you, stop laughing.”

“My turn.”

“Your turn for w—?” She exclaimed when Adora put her hands around the back of her head and kissed her.

Finally, finally.

Catra melted. A purr rumbled from her throat at the first touch, growing louder when it deepened. There wasn’t pain or grief or an imploding star right behind their heads; it made her realize just how soft Adora’s lips were.

They fit together perfectly. Two halves of a whole. The embrace was a little clumsy from lack of experience, but that could easily be remedied. All she knew was that Adora was the warmest and most wonderful thing she’d ever experienced.

“Now you’re the one smiling,” Adora teased against her lips. “Guess that makes us both dummies, huh?”

“I love you.”

“That’s embarrassing.”

They were both laughing at that point, and Catra shoved her away. It didn’t matter they were in fancy party wear; she found herself in a headlock with Adora rubbing knuckles into her hair.

Melog became riled up with the energy. They butted into the girls, making excited noises and licking the side of Adora’s face.

Adora shoved them down. “Okay, okay. I’ve had too much food to roughhouse. I don’t want to throw up.” Her hair had almost completely come out of its ponytail, so she took a second to redo it. “There’s still a whole evening of celebrating. Do you…want to join me?”

No one had a right to look so cute, Catra thought. She offered her arm out. “I’d follow you anywhere.”

The party lasted well into the night. Everyone filled up on snacks before the official dinner feast began, so most of the time was spent sharing stories and being excited over the new Etheria. No one brought up the long road ahead of them. That was for another day.

After the feast, many civilians headed home. Lights dimmed and tables cleared for dancing. Catra hardly knew any of the traditional Bright Moon dances, but she had fun watching King Micah’s horrible dancing embarrass Glimmer. Fireworks ended the night with explosions of colors shot out over the lake. Wind made the surface of the water rough, throwing lights around like magic. Maybe the water was magic now, who knew? There were so many new things to learn and explore.

Of the group, Catra and Adora were the last to leave. They sat at the edge of the ballroom until hardly a dozen people were left. Castle staff asked permission before starting to take the decorations down, and that was their cue to head out. It was late anyways.

They walked the hallways and joked together to stave off the sleepiness. It took longer than usual to get to the bedrooms from all the goofing off.

“Oh hey, looks like the tailors got your wardrobe done super fast!” Adora was the first in the room, and she went right over to the covered rack of clothing. “I’m sure you’re looking forward to not having to wear my clothes anymore, huh?”

If Catra were honest with herself, she knew she’d still be stealing clothes long after getting her own. There was something so nice about being surrounded in Adora’s scent. Of course, she would never admit that. She began sorting through the new wardrobe while Adora was in the shower. There was never a reason to own multiple sets of clothes before. It didn’t seem like anyone else cared much for a large selection, but…having a choice made her unusually moved.

The pajamas looked nothing like the Horde-issued sets they had to wear when younger. There were even tail-holes stitched into all the pants. She didn’t have to rip them herself.

“You feeling okay?” Adora came out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel on her hair.

“Yeah. You know I’d tell you if I wasn’t.”

“I know, I just care about you.”

Catra passed her girlfriend to take a shower, but made her to nudge against her affectionately on the way.

The shower could have comfortably lasted all night. Someone (no idea who) had stocked the bathroom up at some point that day, leaving out a fancy set of fur soaps. She had never used anything meant specifically for her. Such a luxury. Soaps to lather, conditioner to soften, oil to brush through.

It all took a long time to complete, but it felt worth it. Catra left the bathroom feeling like a whole new person.

Luckily, Adora was still awake when she got out.

“So all that’s over. The party.” Catra turned lights out before going over to the bed. “Do you think we’ll be called to action again tomorrow?”

“Oh, who knows. We need to hold a meeting about it.”

She pushed the blankets back and crawled in next to her girlfriend. Sleepiness made her eyes heavy. “So many meetings. Do we have to wake up early?”

“No. Let’s sleep in again.” Their arms brushed together, making Adora exclaim. “You’re really soft.”

She thinks I’m soft. Catra began purring without realizing. “Trying to butter me up, Princess?”

“Only if it’s working.”

Even though it was completely dark, she turned to her other side to hide the blush. For a second, she was worried that Adora would take it the wrong way.

Catra raised her tail and curled it over her partner’s legs. “I don’t mind it. You…petting me or whatever.” Was this her own lame attempt at flirting? It was bad. “I used some of that fancy soap in the shower.” Teasing had been so easy before, trying to rile Adora up just to make her angry. This type of teasing—flirting even—just made her flustered. Trying to get a different reaction was new and strange.

Adora laughed a little breathless. “Fancy soap?” She turned sideways, too, so they were back-to-front under the covers.

This was much more comfortable since the bed was so narrow. They hadn’t don’t that before, though. It made her feel intensely vulnerable. Each sense was heightened to the point where she nearly jumped when Adora touched her.

The touch started as a hesitant hand on her shoulder. Fingers tracing down toward the elbow and following her stripes. Like that, she could hardly feel the callouses on Adora’s fingers. Light as a feather, down her forearm and then all the way back up. Catra didn’t want to ever get used to this.

“Hey,” she purred, leaning back into the other girl’s chest. The hand stopped again, but she took it and wrapped the whole arm around her waist. They fit so perfect together. “You promised to show me around the city.”

“Want to go out tomorrow?”

Catra settled in. “Yeah, let’s do that.” Tomorrow. She was looking forward to the next day. “Good night Adora.”

“Sleep tight. Love you.”

Her heart felt so full. “I love you too.”

I love you.

I love you.                                                                                                                                             

The last three days had gone by in a whirlwind, and there was so much more work to be done. Catra wasn’t worried about it. She was in Adora’s arms, right where she needed to be.

She was home.