Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For Glimmer, everything was going her way. Not only did her first real crush like her back, but the tender moment that was shared between them a few nights before was a lovely surprise. Who would’ve guessed that Adora was just as nervous about all of this as her? Not to mention that this was also Adora’s first real experience dating as well. Glimmer would’ve sworn someone as tall and gorgeous as Adora would’ve at least had a few flirts in the Horde. If the way the other princesses looked at Adora was any indication, Glimmer was very lucky to have the local teenage heartthrob in her hands.

Despite this, at this exact moment in time, Glimmer wished for the sweet release of death.

The war room was beginning to fill with the other princesses in the Alliance. The midmorning brought a slight breeze into the room with each swing of the door. This was the first meeting of the princesses since the Battle for Bright Moon, and the possibility of a plan of action was inciting. However, this was not what was making Glimmer beg for a mercy killing.

It was the shared expression of smugness that was plastered all over her mom and Bow’s faces.

The two of them were both staring coy daggers into Glimmer ever since she walked in with Adora. Perhaps the hand holding gave it away? Or was it that the two of them already knew that they would end up together? Glimmer couldn’t address the issue directly with either of them at the moment. It was bad enough the two of them were giving her a hard time, she didn’t want any of the other princesses in on it just yet.

“You seem nervous,” Adora said softly, “is something wrong?” Glimmer looked over to the seat next to her and saw Adora with that look she always has when she senses something. It was kind of cute how she always got worked up over Glimmer, like a puppy that barks at the mailman. At least, Glimmer thought it was cute. She took Adora’s hand under the table and held it firmly in her own.

“It’s nothing, just excited for the meeting is all,” Glimmer lied through her teeth. Adora knew her better than that and continued to stare with those icy blue eyes of hers. “Ok fine. Don’t look now, but Bow and my mom are looking at us kinda funny, and it’s throwing me off.” Adora immediately looked straight at the two of them and waved. Bow returned the wave while Queen Angella lightly laughed.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Glim,” Adora said with certainty. If it weren’t for the fact that Glimmer knew this girl had been through years of social repression and horrible circumstances, she would rightfully call her out for being socially inept. But she couldn’t do that to Adora if she tried. Glimmer sighed and cracked a smile.

“I guess I should just learn to get over myself for once,” she said as the doors for the war room closed with a clang. Glimmer squeezed Adora’s hand tighter as everyone’s attention as drawn to Angella, who stood with her wings unfurled. The meeting had begun. She spoke in her affirmative mom voice.

“I have called you all here to provide an update on the state of the Rebellion. For starters, Perfuma has been providing aid in the effort to restore the Whispering Woods as best she can. Some of you here have contributed greatly to the reconstruction efforts around Bright Moon, and for that we are immensely thankful,” she looked at Adora as she said this.

“Additionally, the devastation that the Horde’s dark magic had on the entire planet is still being addressed on all fronts. While it does not seem to be permanent, the hardest hit area was definitely Bright Moon. Any effort to help in the strengthening of the Rebellion’s home is appreciated.” Glimmer could only roll her eyes at the last statement. Angella was never good with asking for assistance, especially in any financial or material sense. To be honest, Glimmer was just glad her mother didn’t sound like a desperate salesman this time around.

“Furthermore, Frosta had requested from us a selection of our most qualified medical professionals. While she has refrained from elaborating on the specifics, I trust that this need will be addressed adequately,” she said, directing a masked layer of spite at the youngest of the princesses. Frosta replied with a grave stare. While Glimmer was familiar with this kind of nonverbal standoff, as she was a master at the stare-down, the flash of aggression between the two was unexpected. Perhaps it was the imagery of the 11¾ year-old refusing the authority of her mother that was making this a slightly awkward moment. Just as quickly as it came, the tension faded and the meeting continued.

“And with that, all of the issues I had intended to address and bring to our attention have been brought forth to the meeting. This is mostly a formality to make sure everyone is on the same page. We’ve all been a little on edge recently, which is my sister-in-law has invited every member of the Princess Alliance for an extended stay at Mystacor.” Everyone in the room had an even mixture of excitement and confusion at the prospect of visiting a place as beautiful and tranquil as Mystacor. Glimmer, knowing the tumultuous history between her mom and aunt, looked the most confused. Angella continued.

“You’ve all worked hard in order for this rebellion to stand on its own two feet, and as of now, many of the pressing matters at hand are being addressed. We managed to survive impossible odds, I say that warrants a few days off. A date and time have been forwarded to each of you in advance, so please consider participating. Now, I leave the floor open to any comments you wish to bring to our attention.” Almost immediately, Adora shot a hand up and stood. She cleared her throat.

“I would like everyone to know that Glimmer and I are now dating, that is all.”

Silence. This was almost a new record for the shortest time between moments of lethal embarrassment for Glimmer. While she could only physically react with a blushing, blank expression, she frantically looked around to see how the others were reacting. Mermista handed Perfuma a couple of dollars, seemingly loosing a prearranged bet. Bow was literally about to burst at the seams from holding back his reaction. Netossa had a sparkle of excitement in her eye as Spineralla gave a thumbs up to Adora. Frosta was unmoved.

“Um, yes, thank you for the contribution Adora. Hopefully that turns out well for you two,” Angella said. Glimmer could see the intent in her mother’s eyes as her attention was drawn to the two of them. If it weren’t for the fact that she was currently leading a meeting, Angella would absolutely find it in her to find a way to further embarrass her only daughter. It must be an instinct that all mothers have to instigate as much resent from their children as possible through embarrassing them. But she simply winked at Glimmer as the meeting was unofficially adjourned.

--

Glimmer was out for blood.

Well, if by blood she means a stern talking to. The Best Friend Squad was sharing a meal together in her room and she didn’t want to get blood on her sheets. She did, however, throw a strategic chip directly into Bow’s face.

“I can’t believe you would go and do something like that Bow,” Glimmer said. Shortly after the meeting’s awkward conclusion, Glimmer made a beeline for Bow. She could smell his dirty work from a mile away, as it was usually the two of them working together to pull something like that. Being on the receiving end of such a trick was not as fun, as Glimmer learned today.

“What? I just told Adora that most people at some point make it publicly known that they’re dating somebody,” Bow replied, stealing the weaponized chip as his own.

“Well, yeah, but it’s usually done by like, y’know, more subtle ways than a public declaration? You told her to say that exactly at the end of the meeting today, didn’t you?” Glimmer gave Bow a slightly menacing glance as she took a bite of her sandwich.

“Look,” Adora interjected, “I was the one who said it, I should’ve known better than to make it weird for everyone.” She sat her food down and folded her arms. Glimmer knew that Adora sincerely didn’t know what she was doing would be considered socially awkward, and it shows in her usual “I-messed-up” body language.  

“No, it wasn’t your bad, really,” Glimmer said, giving her girlfriend a hug, “in a way, it was kinda cute.”

“You say everything I do is cute, Glim,” Adora replied with a smirk.

“Well, only because its true!”

“Ugh, I would tell you two to get a room but we’re already there,” Bow interrupted. Glimmer rolled her eyes as the jest went right over Adora’s head.

“What’s your deal anyways Bow? It’s not like the two of us dating are gonna forget you exist or something,” Glimmer said, finishing her food.

“Look, all I’m saying is that you two have only been together for like, what, almost a week? And I haven’t seen you all even hold hands until today. Are you two afraid of a little P.D.A. or something?” Bow said as he melodramatically crunched on a chip.

“He kind of has a point, Glim,” Adora said weakly, “I know neither of us have really done this sort of thing before. I mean, how are we supposed to know if we’re doing things right?” Glimmer remained silent for a moment, trying to come up for a good reason as to why she gets embarrassed like she does to no avail. This was not a conversation she wanted to be having right now.

“I, I don’t really know, but what I do know is that we’ll get there when both us of feel ready. Does that sound good?” She directed her question to Adora who nodded in agreement. Glimmer took the taller girl’s hand in her own and grinned. “Ok, and as for you,” snapped her gaze at the boy sitting on the floor, “I think you should learn to respect some boundaries, or should I tell Adora all about what happened at the new year’s party a couple of ye –”

“YOU WOULDN’T DARE!” Bow interrupted with a loud crack of his voice. After the following silence the three of them all shared a laugh as things were back to normal. For a trio like them, it was hard to find in issue among them that couldn’t be quickly resolved. Glimmer didn’t know if she’d still be around without Bow, and Adora was the reason she’s glad she stuck around. Things really were looking good for Glimmer.

As long as she could avoid telling Adora something about herself – something she was hoping to ignore.

Chapter Text

Growing up as a soldier for the Horde meant that scars were inevitable. They were somehow both symbols of pride and shame, an everlasting symbol of both recovery and weakness. Any fighter worth their salt is destined to earn them in the learning process. To have no scars either means you were too weak to survive the gauntlet that was life in the Fright Zone’s military – your wounds causing your death – or you fight dirty.

Adora was no stranger to them either, as there were several small cuts and scratches from years of what she used to jokingly call “tough love”. She was never hit, none of them were really. Punishment was never corporal. Instead it was always a scrape from hitting the training room floor, or fighting one of the other cadets over a petty argument, or pushing yourself a little too hard in order to impress the overseers. Competition was how the Horde both kept the children in it’s ranks motivated and nurtured – it was expected. Nothing reminded Adora more of that than thinking about Catra.

Adora sat in Glimmer’s room, the morning light reaching midday as she examined herself in the mirror. They had been packing their stuff for the trip to Mystacor when Glimmer was summoned by her mother for a moment. Adora turned her back to see her latest scars in the reflection. Ten long streaks just now beginning to heal over. Adora remembers the days following the battle and how, immediately after the rush of adrenaline and the magic of that flushed the Horde out, the pain from those wounds stung like fire – she couldn’t even move until they were dressed and a few days of bed rest. Her fingers moved over the deep scars, letting out a deep sigh as she continued staring at them.

In the corner of the reflection, she saw a familiar pink sparkle in the door way. Adora had no idea how long Glimmer had been standing there, turning to face her girlfriend. It was still an adjustment for Adora to refer to Glimmer as her “girlfriend”, the word still felt odd. She dryly laughed for a moment.

“You know, if you wanted to see me without a shirt on all you have to do is ask,” Adora joked in an attempt to drown the concern that was clearly plastered on Glimmer’s face. It didn’t work. Adora knew it wouldn’t, she knows Glimmer has an uncanny knack for knowing when she feels down. It’s something in her eyes, those bright brown eyes loose some of their sparkle when Glimmer’s concerned.

“Adora, are you feeling alright?” She blinked over to the taller girl and sat on the bed next to her. Glimmer placed an arm over Adora’s shoulders, holding her tight. She had a way of warming Adora’s heart when it grew cold, and it was with more than her gentle touch. Everything about her, from her glittery voice and cute posture to her genuine passion and caring heart, made Adora feel a little softer.

“I guess, I don’t know,” Adora said with a gentle sigh, “just thinking about stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?” Glimmer asked as she leaned on Adora for support. The physical contrast between the two of them always fascinated Adora. If she had grown up somewhere out of the Fright Zone, maybe even in Bright Moon, would she still be the firm, calloused girl she is today? The thought quickly evaporated in Adora’s mind.

“Horde stuff,” Adora replied, which was met with a loud sound from Glimmer. It’s that thing you do when you blow into your hand and make a fart noise. Adora wasn’t sure what it was called, but it made her laugh.

“Glim! What’re you doing?” The smaller of the princesses moved over, falling onto Adora’s lap facing up.

“Providing a –” she struck a dramatic pose and made sparkles dazzle from her fingers, “–distraction.” Adora chuckled.

“A distraction from what?” She placed a hand on Glimmer’s head, petting the fluffy, sparkly hair. It seemed like the natural thing to do for Adora.

“Oh, stuff,” Glimmer said with a whimper. She enjoyed being like this, just the two of them, doing what feels right. Neither of them felt any pressure or embarrassment, just comfort. “I was taught that when you’re facing a feeling that feels too big to handle, you do something you love or find something funny. It helps with finding ways to deal with stuff, and thus,” she made the noise again much to Adora’s delight.

“Well, I guess it worked, cause I’m feeling a little better now,” Adora said as she started to smile, “when did you learn that?”

“When I first went to Mystacor, back in the day,” Glimmer said. She had told Adora before that she didn’t go to Mystacor at all until she was around Frosta’s age. Something to do with her aunt and mom not getting along too well. It wasn’t until something happened that she went and stayed with her aunt for some time. Despite Adora’s attempts to learn more about that time, Glimmer refused to answer, but she did say that she met Bow that way. He also refuses to discuss that time in detail.

“I see…hey Glim, I just remembered,” Adora said, gaining Glimmer’s attention, “I wanted to apologize about yesterday. I guess I shouldn’t have worried about our relationship like that, I don’t want to pressure you into something or anything. I mean, I wouldn’t even know what to pressure you into or anything I –”

Adora was swiftly cut off by a pair of lips meeting hers. Glimmer had sat up to give Adora a kiss, cutting her off from her tendency to ramble when she’s nervous. Caught off guard, Adora’s initial surprise turned into enjoyment, as she continued to kiss back. If she thought Glimmer was soft before, then she definitely knew she was soft now as her lips were softer and sweeter than anything else. As the kiss broke, Adora only stared at Glimmer, stammering.

“Does that answer anything for you?” Glimmer said playfully.

“I, uh, um, yes,” Adora said as her cheeks began to grow red, “That was, um, really nice. I’ve never done, um, that before.”

“You haven’t ?!” Glimmer said in genuine shock, placing her hands on her cheeks in melodrama.

“Um, no, not until just now. Can, uh, can we do it again sometime?” Adora could tell she was probably a lighthouse of beaming red flusterment.

“Of course, silly,” Glimmer replied with a quick peck on the cheek. She sat up and turned to now sit in Adora’s lap. The two of them kissed again, Adora feeling much more confident in the situation. This one was much longer, and Adora was leading into it more intensely. The trepidation she had before was gone once she knew that this was something Glimmer would enjoy. Adora moved Glimmer onto her lap more, the room almost heating up to her as they continued.

“Ahem!”

The kiss broke as the two of them snapped to attention at the doorway. Bow stood there, holding a hand over his eyes nervously.

“The Queen wants to see Adora, sorry to uh, interrupt you two’s business.” All three of the friend’s faces were mildly flushed at the situation as Adora sighed and sat up from the bed to fetch a shirt.

“I’ll be here for you Adora,” Glimmer said weakly as her girlfriend rushed out of the room. For as much as Adora loved everything about Glimmer, she didn’t want to be the reason Glimmer was feeling embarrassed or hurt.

She made a mental note to apologize again later.

--

The door to Queen Angella’s study was open. Adora felt a chill as the room was much colder than the rest of the castle. A single, massive window faced the Queen as she stared out onto the kingdom.

“Come, sit.”

Adora followed promptly. She was never one to act casually around figures of authority, at least the ones she respected anyways. Something about the Queen set off Adora’s flight or fight response, maybe it had something to do with the memory of their first encounter and the fear of being the outsider. Adora wasn’t sure, all she wanted to do was make it out of here in one piece. She shifted uncomfortably in the regal wooden chair.

“Before you say anything, this isn’t about what you said at the meeting today. Bow cleared it up for me, so don’t think I’m mad or anything. I knew this was going to happen sooner or later,” the Queen finished without turning to face Adora. Whatever she thought Angella was going to say, Adora was sure that wasn’t it.

“Um, permission to speak freely, ma’am?” Adora swallowed hard.

“You always have permission, my dear. I may be royalty but I’m not a sergeant.” Feeling a new wave of regret wash over her, Adora cleared her throat.

“Oh, um, well, what do mean exactly? Should I –” Adora was interrupted by the Queen suddenly turning her head. Adora could see the remnants of tears on her face, shining in the light. Adora was at a loss for words. “Do, I, is this, um…”

In a snap, curtains fell over the window, instantly making the room much dimmer. Angella walked slowly over to a desk, turning the lights on. She sighed as she took her seat opposite of Adora’s.

“Adora, you are not in any trouble. I’m just being a real mother,” she chuckled at her own pun. It did not register on Adora’s radar. She continued, “Glimmer came to me several nights ago, asking me about thoughts of love and dating. Though, she didn’t know it at the time, I knew she was talking about you.” The Queen’s eyes were radiating a softness that Adora recognized in Glimmer’s as she talked. “I have no doubt you two will be good for each other, but I need to get a few things off my mind in order, is that ok?”

“Of course,” Adora said in almost a whisper. This was a side of the Queen that she had never seen before, and she wasn’t sure what to think. She was someone who could be both stern and commanding, but also showed sincere care for others. Is this what a mother was like? Adora shoved the thought to the side.

“Glimmer is my daughter, and because of this, I know firsthand that sometimes she can be a tad bit intense. She means well but she tends to get caught up in the details of things – especially when things don’t go as planned,” she reached over and took Adora’s hand, “promise me that you won’t hurt Glimmer. Not that she needs protection, but that you’ll always be there for her, okay?”

Adora nodded earnestly. “I will.”

The tension in the room was suddenly relieved as Angella’s expression grew warmer. “Good. Just needed to hear you say it,” she let go of Adora as she stood up, “before I let you go, I wanted to let you know that I will not be joining the rest of the alliance for the upcoming trip. Mystacor is a place of magic and healing, but I don’t think I’m ready to go back there. If you have any concerns, please direct them to either Netossa or Spinerella. Sound good?”

Adora, with a slight confusion, nodded again. “Sounds good, ma’am.”

“Do not ma’am me. Call me Angella when it’s just the two of us.” Adora awkwardly nodded in acknowledgement as she nearly stumbled out of the room. She let out an almost exasperated sigh as the swarm of perplexing topics surrounded her. Adora wasn’t exactly sure what she just witnessed. Is every meeting with her like that? Is everyone just given cryptic riddles as polite conversation? Why was the Queen crying earlier? She added another mental note to remember as she made her way back to Glimmer.

Why she didn’t take the time to update her journals for this kind of stuff is beyond anyone.