Chapter Text
The stars shone a million colors as Hordak gazed upon them. While he had been back in the wider universe for nearly six months, it was like seeing them for the first time.
However, no star shone brighter than the brilliant princess beside him.
Entrapta and Hordak sat beneath a flowering tree away from the celebrating crowd. The day moons were chased away beyond the horizon, letting the colors of twilight paint the sky. Entrapta sat babbling about her adventures in space while Hordak sat beside her, listening intently. He wished that he had been with her through all her adventures. He had often dreamed of showing her the stars; he had dreamed that her face would light up with excitement, and she would be bouncing around the ship, recording every detail as the two floated in the endless void of space alone.
Alone.
He was so alone when she left, although, at the time, he would never admit it. Now that she was back with him, he did not know what to feel. Regret or sorrow on how he let Catra take her from him, almost killing her in the process? Relief that she was back. No, he thought, it is love you, idiot! He loves her. When she stepped foot in the Fright Zone, she had stolen his heart, and it took him a long time to realize that.
Too long, he thought. Maybe, if I realized it sooner, she would have never been taken away from me. Maybe, Prime would have never come to Etheria. Maybe-
“Are you ok?” Entrapta looked at him intently.
Shades, Hordak’s face had betrayed him.
“I am feeling alright.” He straightened his posture, desperate to cover the regret previously covering his face.
“Are you sure your ears are drooping, and you were frowning?”
“I am fine, Princess, I assure you. Also, I thought you could not read facial expressions?” Hordak quirked one of his brow bones up with a small smirk.
“Well, after re-joining the Princess Alliance, I had to study facial expressions further to interact with them. They are not as blunt as people from the Fright Zone. Also, since I’ve spent so much time with you, I can read you easier.” She grins at him.
Then something came to Hordak’s mind.
“How did the princesses treat you once you rejoined their forces?”
“Scorpia is still my friend, and Bow was always friendly. Everyone else was busy with the war, so I didn’t get to talk with them unless it was about Darla or Prime’s chips. I don’t know how they feel about me. Even after all my research, it’s still hard to tell what they’re thinking. ”
“In my experience, most nobles are cryptic with their feelings.”
“I know, right? They expect me to know their mood from the tiniest facial movement and never just tell me how they feel. I always feel like have to decode their every movement just to have a conversation! It’s so inefficient!”
Hordak’s green eyes were wide with shock. He had never seen Entrapta angry, let alone frustrated. She was always able to find the good in everything, including him.
“I’m sorry. I’m ranting. The princesses, while confusing, are nice. I can count on them when the time is right.”
Then a question popped into Hordak’s head.
What are the princesses going to do with me?
“Oh, I'm sure you’ll be fine after I explain everything to them.”
Shades, I said that out loud.
“Besides what little I know about the princesses, I doubt they are the type of people to deal out death penalties. Even if they do decide that, I can just kidnap you and start another war.” Entrapta then broke out into a fit of giggles. This eventually broke Hordak down to where he released a low chuckle that made Entrapta stop.
“I didn’t know you could laugh.”
“I am full of surprises.”
This made Entrapta break out into a second fit of giggles, but this time Hordak did not join. Instead, he notices how her hair shines from the light of the stars as it blows in the warm, mid-summer breeze. How her beautiful smile caused her nose and eyes to crinkle most adorably. How she bounces around in the air, bringing brightness and happiness to every room she enters. How she oozes kindness and intelligence in every syllable she speaks. She is a wonder who deserves to be worshiped.
“You are beautiful.”
Entrapta stopped dead, her eyes stuck on Hordak. Her cheeks were flushed, and her pupils dilated.
“Really?”
“Princess, I have been witness to countless galaxies. Seen the sparkling effects of a supernova and have seen the grand power of black holes; however, none can compare to the star I see before me.”
Entrapta stood still like a deer in headlights until determination flooded her body. She grabbed Hordak by his shirt collar and… kissed him.