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Chapter Text

Adora sighed. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She was hunched over herself. Her chin now resting upon her kneecaps. She was sitting on the roof of her bedroom in Bright Moon. Her face stoic. Her lips tugged in a frown. Her gaze was fixed on some far-off spot.

She felt her ponytail lift up with the gentle breeze that swept through. It lightly thumped against her back a few times. She could hear a faint rustle as the breeze went through the Whispering Woods below, filling the silence that had fallen. Gradually, the wind died down. The rustling quieted. It was quiet once more.

Adora was alone. In more ways than one. She hadn’t been in Bright Moon long. She curled more in on herself. She tried to think back and remember just how long it had been since she left the Fright Zone…

Her home...

Maybe a week… Maybe two...

Except for sleeping, she hadn’t been alone often in Bright Moon or for very long. Glimmer and Bow had slept in her room with her every night until recently. They had called it a sleep-over. And she was grateful to them for doing it. Their presence had made her adjustment to Bright Moon easier! It really had!

But…

Another sigh escaped her. She couldn’t see it from here. She wasn’t sure if that made her glad or if it added to her sudden somber mood.

She appreciated Bow and Glimmer. The two of them had done so much for her! But she felt as if she hadn’t a moment… A real moment to herself. To decompress and to let the reality of the situation catch up.

She was glad for the moment alone. She really was! Still though… She strained her eyes, trying to catch even a glimpse of it... She couldn’t see it. Not even a hazy outline. Her heart sank just a bit.

She wished she wasn’t alone. But she didn’t want Bow or Glimmer around. Not right now, anyway. She wanted someone... Just not them.

A face flashed in her mind. Familiar. With two long pointed ears. A mischievous smirk with a fang prodding… A pair of mismatched eyes…

She wanted Catra. She needed Catra with her… In Bright Moon. Before they had been inseparable. Now though, the entirety of the Whispering Woods, and a decades-long war was between them.

Adora blinked. Tears rolled down her cheek. When her eyes opened again, she tried to set her expression back to stoic and serious. She was She-Ra after all… Hero of Etheria! Champion of Bright Moon! Her thoughts drifted back to Catra and her serious expression faltered. The frown too much and– She blinked again, trying to vain to quell the tears that fell. It didn’t stop them.

Would her and Catra always be enemies now? Would she one-day have to fight Catra? Or could she convince her best friend to defect from the Horde? Catra had shaped so much of her life. Could she really just walk away from her?

Catra was the reason she was up on this roof anyway. She had shown Adora long ago that rooftops were a great place to hide out and think. Or just exist for a moment… Without Shadow Weaver or someone finding out.

She thought back to the first time she discovered Catra’s hiding spot…

“Catra!”

A small, frightened voice called out. An eight-year old Adora sprinted down the hall. Her ponytail bounced against her head as she ran. Her blue eyes were on the verge of tears as she scanned the familiar, grey metal hall. She didn’t slow her pace as she searched. She continued her run, turning her head this way and that, looking desperately for Catra.

The pipes above her, covered in rust and grit hissed above her as steamed escaped. The heavy clank of her hurried steps echoed through the hall. She hadn’t run into anyone else in the hall yet. Which was good. She didn’t want Catra to get into trouble.

Adora had spent the last couple of hours searching for Catra. She had checked every single nook and cranny she could think of. She checked their bunks. Under the bunks. She looked in the locker room. She even checked random boxes that looked as though they would be tempting to hide in… She had found Catra in one of those boxes before… On the day they met actually…

“Catra!” She called again. There was no answer.

She continued her sprint through the hall. No matter where she looked, she couldn’t find any sign of the magicat. Her heart was pounding in her chest now. The memory of a promise she made long ago echoed within her mind…

You look out for me…

Catra tried to look out for her today. She really had…

…I’ll look out for you…

Unfortunately, during their training today, she couldn’t. She had to look out for herself during this exercise. They all had. It was a solo exercise, the whole purpose of it was to measure their squad and rank them individually, see who truly was the top cadet in their little five person team…

…Nothing bad can really happen as long as we have each other!

Catra had wanted to team up. She floated the idea along to Adora just before the exercise started, even though Commander Cobalt had already told them that this exercise was to be done solo.

Adora decided to listen to their instructor, citing that there were no hard feelings, it was just training… Unfortunately, without even realizing it, her and Lonnie had basically tag-teamed against Catra and Catra ended the exercise in fourth place instead of her usual second…

Disappointing, Catra…

Adora shuddered as she could still hear Shadow Weaver’s harsh whisper after she left their squad after their afternoon reports. Catra got upset and disappeared. Adora knew that she should have done better.

She should have just teamed up with Catra. They could have hidden their alliance. So why didn’t they? Why didn’t she? Why was she always failing Catra?

She burst through a door, finding herself outside. She stumbled as she tried to come to a stop, panting as the run had worn her out. She quickly scanned the area around her. There was still no sign of Catra. Adora was determined to not give up though! Slowly, she stepped further out. An awning covered the area she was in. Soon, Adora stepped out from under it…

She still didn’t see any sign of Catra. Frowning, she dared to glance up. She was met with the usual orange and haze of the sky and– A certain magicat, who was sitting on the railing of the awning above her.

“Catra!” Adora called out excitedly. A smile finally formed on her face. Relief spread through her as she finally caught sight of her missing friend. The near deafening thump of her heart stopped.

Catra glanced down. Her face immediately soured and she hurriedly looked away. Her tail was thrashing behind her. Adora frowned.

“Catra?” Adora asked, still keeping her voice loud enough for the magicat girl to hear all the way up there. They were separated by a story or two. She watched as Catra’s ear twitched, as if involuntarily answering her call. The magicat girl gave no other sign of hearing her though.

Adora tore her gaze away from Catra. She had to get up there. She needed to apologize. She looked around for some way to do it…

It took some time. And some boxes. Many, many boxes actually. But eventually Adora did manage to get up to the awning…

…Almost…

She couldn’t stack them at the front of the awning, where Catra was. She was trying to reach the back of the awning, the part that was near the door she came out of originally. She was so close to reaching it and being on the same level of Catra. She was just a hair too short.

She was on her tippy toes, her arm and fingers stretched out as far as she could. She felt the tips of her fingers brush against the awning. There was a rail that covered the whole thing and a gap that separated the bottom of the rail from the floor. Maybe she could jump up, grab the floor, and pull herself up?

She sighed and brought her arm down. This was stupid. She knew that. If she missed, she could get hurt. But she didn’t want Catra to be out here alone. She took a few deep breaths, trying to ready herself. She crouched, readying herself to jump up, hoping that crouching down would somehow give her lift when she jumped.

Like a frog, she leapt up, her arms outstretched over her head. She was able to grab the floor of the awning but– She dangled over the floor below, her legs swinging wildly and in a panic as she realized she didn’t quite have enough strength to pull herself up…

“Catra!” She called in a panic. She glanced at the far end of the awning. Catra’s back was turned to her. Her tail had stopped thrashing at some point and instead now flickered every now and then.

“Catra!” She called out again, the panic raising as she felt her grip begin to slip. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on.

One of Catra’s ears twitched in her direction. Adora hesitantly looked down, her grip still slipping. Her heart began to pound within her chest again. She closed her eyes. She didn’t want to watch the ground as it caught up to her. Just when she resigned herself to falling, she felt someone grab her arm.

”I can’t do this by myself!” Catra hissed. Adora opened her eyes and glanced back up, her gaze meeting Catra’s. There was a scowl on the magicat’s face. Her ears were pinned back and her tail thrashed behind her.

”Adora! Come on!” Catra almost yelled, frustration clear in her voice.

After a brief moment of confusion, Adora started to pull herself back up, a task made easier with Catra pulling her as well. They both grunted but after a moment, they had Adora on the awning. Catra practically dragged her a little, furthering the distance between her and the edge. Adora was lying on her stomach, exhausted from the ordeal and breathing heavily as the panic gradually began to subside. Catra immediately released her hand but she didn’t leave.

”Catra, I’m sorry!” Adora said as she finally got to her feet. She took a step towards Catra but the magicat quickly lifted up a hand, stopping her. The scowl had disappeared but Catra still didn’t look happy.

”Don’t…” Catra hissed. Adora took a hesitant step back. She wasn’t sure how to fix the situation. What Catra wanted or needed right then. Maybe she should have just given her space. She glanced back over her shoulder, wondering for a moment if she should just leave and let Catra sulk for a few more hours.

”Alright… Well…” She decided leaving Catra alone for a bit was the best call. She knew where she was, that was the main thing, right?

If Catra heard, she gave no indication. Instead, she went back to the railing and gracefully hopped on top of it, balancing perfectly and staring out at some spot past the Fright Zone.

”If you need anything…” Adora began hesitantly. She still wasn’t sure how she was going to get back down without hurting herself but–

”You can stay,” Catra murmured, still staring out past the Fright Zone. Her ears flickered back, as if she was trying to listen for Adora’s footsteps.

”If you want that is,” she added.

Adora gave a small smile and slowly and carefully, made her way to the rail.

”Sure.”

One day… One day Catra would join her out on this rooftop too. One day her and Catra would be in Bright Moon. Adora looked up at the sky, pink now as day faded. She wondered then if Catra was maybe looking up at the same sky…

Chapter Text

Stupid Adora!

Stupid Shadow Weaver!

Stupid Lonnie!!

Stupid, stupid Adora!!!

Catra sat on the rooftop alone, her small frame curled up. She was sitting, hugging her knees close to herself. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, fingers intertwined and locked. Her chin rested on her kneecaps. Her tail whipped around behind her, thrashing as she stewed in her anger and frustrations.

There was a scowl on her face. Her brow was furrowed. Her jaw locked closed but lips partially opened, allowing for her fangs to stick out. Her teeth were clenching, grinding against each other, as the events of the day played out. Again. And Again.

She had come up to this spot a few times before. So far no one in the Fright Zone could find it. Not that anyone ever really looked for her in the Fright Zone… No one cared about her. No one wanted her around.

Two pale blue eyes and a familiar, bright grin, flashed in her mind then.

Adora…

Catra huffed. Her tail finally stopped thrashing and it curled up next to her numbly. It wrapped itself around her ankles. She wanted to believe that Adora wanted her around. She wanted to believe that Adora cared. But that hope was fading. It had been fading ever since Lonnie showed up.

Stupid Lonnie!

The tip of her tail drummed against the ground near her ankle. Ever since Lonnie had shown up, everything had changed. Catra couldn’t recall Adora ever being this fond or friendly to Kyle or Rogelio.

Adora used to just ignore those two. It used to be just them. Catra and Adora against Etheria! Against Shadow Weaver (well, in her mind). She knew Adora didn’t consider Shadow Weaver to be their enemy but a part of her still liked to pretend that Adora secretly hated the old witch. And that secretly Adora was just pretending to suck up to the hag to make things easier. Like a double agent! Or… Or…

Catra sighed dejectedly. She turned her face so that her cheek rested on her kneecaps instead. Maybe she was just making up fantasies in her head. Maybe it was just chance that brought her and Adora together. It was just convenience that kept them as friends. They were squadmates after all.

So where Rogelio, Kyle, and Lonnie.

Catra growled as her thoughts turned back to their newest member. And the main reason for her frustration today. The reason why she was out here on a random rooftop in the Fright Zone, under the orange, hazy, and smog filled sky instead of under the gray, metal ceiling in her room.

She turned her head back upright, her chin on her kneecaps once more. She was the one who suggested to Adora that they team up in the exercises today. No one had to know. No one would know. She was sure of it!

But goody two-shoes Adora just had said it was unfair and refused. Then she had the audacity to team up with Lonnie! She wouldn’t have even cared about Adora’s refusal to team-up. She understood it, as annoying as it was that Adora always had to follow the stupid rules but teaming up with Lonnine instead! Why not just tell her the truth! Why not just admit that she liked Lonnie better?!

Stupid Adora!

Stupid, stupid Adora!

Stupid, stupid, stupid–

“Catra!”

Speaking of Adora– Catra perked her head up. So, Adora was looking for her? She uncurled from her spot on the roof and stood up.

“Catra!” She felt slightly smug at Adora’s concerned wail.

Slowly and silently, Catra made her way over to the railing. She put a hand on the rusted railing and climbed on top, she watched Adora darted out from the cover of the roof. She was glancing everywhere.

Catra smirked. Maybe this would teach Adora a lesson finally. Maybe now Adora would forget all about Lonnie. Catra was balancing perfectly on top of the rail. She looked up at the hazy sky.

Stupid Lonnie…

Although she was still angry at Adora. For some reason though, she found herself wishing her and Adora were finally away from the Fright Zone. Finally conquering the world together! Just the two of them. They didn’t need a team! They didn’t need Shadow Weaver! Just the two–

“Catra!” Adora’s relieved voice broke through her thoughts.

Catra glanced down, her eyes meeting Adora’s. Her expression soured at the blonde…

Stupid Adora…

Catra sat, perfectly balanced on the rusty rails that guarded the roof. She was curled up, nearly in a ball. She was still sitting up right. She wasn’t in the fetal position on the ground. And she wouldn’t get in that position. No matter how much a part of her secretly wanted to…

Her knees were drawn up to her chest. Her arms were folded over her kneecaps. Her chin resting on them as she stared out moodily across the wasteland that spawned out from the Fright Zone.

She sighed. Frustration built up within her. Anger. Boiling anger. Rage. It filled her. It consumed her. It threatened to spill over. It threatened to erupt. She tried to focus on something else. Her tail, which was once thrashing wildly behind her, stopped. It curled around the railing she was using as a seat.

She wasn’t even sure why this roof (No! Awning! Adora told her several times it was actually called an awning) had a railing. It why it went around the whole freaking perimeter!

No one was supposed to be out here. There wasn’t a door or a stairway leading out to her secluded, hiding spot. Hell. Adora had to use a freaking grappling hook to reach this spot!

Adora…

Catra purposely kept her gaze on the wasteland. She couldn’t bear to look up further. She couldn’t chance accidently seeing those stupid, stupid woods…

If it wasn’t for the Whispering Woods, Adora would still be here. If it wasn’t for that stupid sword, Adora would still be here! If it wasn’t for that damn princess– Adora would still be here!

She would be in the Fright Zone! Where she belonged! With her!!!

So why wasn’t she? Why was that sword so important? Why did she choose that glittery princess over her?

Catra scowled. A growl, low and dangerous, escaped. She blinked, trying to keep the tears that wanted to fall in check.

For a moment, a part of her wondered if Adora regretted leaving. If maybe, Adora was looking up at the same sky and thinking of her as well…

Tears fell then.

Stupid Adora!

Stupid Adora!

Catra had spent the last two hours searching all around the palace for her soon-to-be wife. She had scoured their shared room. Searched the kitchen. Questioned every guard she could find. And none of them had seen her since early that morning.

Finally, she had found Glimmer and asked her. After explaining the previous spots she had searched, Glimmer had suggested the roof of all places. Apparently that was Adora’s favorite ‘hiding spot’ when she didn’t want to be found or bothered.

Interesting that Adora never told her that. Especially two years after the war but whatever. She tried to not let it bother her too much. But as always, doubt crept in. The voice that told her Adora didn’t really love her became too loud. And anger replaced worry. As it seemed to be doing more and more often these days.
If Glimmer wasn’t already late for a meeting, she would have teleported to the roof herself and looked. But Glimmer wasn’t available to for a search (no matter how quick) and thus Catra had spent the last fifteen or so minutes, scaling the roof of the palace, searching every nook and cranny she could see, and all without bothering to call her soon-to-be wife’s name in an attempt to ‘honor her privacy’.

The whole castle didn’t need to know that their hero occasionally came out to hide on the roof. That was Adora’s business. And the only reason Catra was looking for her out on the roof was because Adora seemed weirdly upset this morning and she just wanted–

No…

Catra needed to check up on her. Something was wrong but she just wasn’t sure what. But she would find out…

Chapter Text

Don’t you get it?

Catra’s voice. Desperate. Pleading. Echoed.

I love you!

Words she had longed to hear. Words she had wanted to say. For so long those words. Three simple words. They had lingered between her and Catra. They had occupied a space between them. Maybe if she had spoken them sooner. Maybe if she had made Catra feel the words…

…Maybe then, they wouldn’t have spent so long apart.

Adora was laying on the roof. The pink tile against her back. Firm. And maybe just a bit too hot from the summer sun bearing down on them. Her back felt feverish. Despite the two layers of clothes separating her back from the heat of the tiles. Slightly moist too.

Her arms were behind her head, cushioning it. Her eyes closed. Memories of that day played out in her mind. They always did.

…Well…

Not always...

She could spend days and nights, even weeks without thinking of that day. Without hearing Catra’s pleas for her to just stay… Just this once… Stay!. Without hearing the dark, almost chuckling voice of Prime. Mocking her.

A beautiful wish…

Adora opened her eyes. She glared. Not at the sky. Her gaze was set far away. Miles away it seemed. Her face was set in a frown. And then a scowl.

She could picture it clearly. Prime staring down at her. Her room in Bright fading into the sickening green and then nothingness.

But there will be no future for you…

His smug, cruel smile and green eyes, afire with hatred and malice burned into her mind. She closed her eyes. She tried to will his image away. He disappeared but…

Two green, translucent straps materialized from nothingness. They wrapped around her. They were tight. Binding. Her heart began to beat faster. They held her in place. She couldn’t move. Her heartbeat quickened. It pounded.

She had failed. All of Etheria was doomed! She saw the deaths of everyone. She saw the kingdoms crumble. She saw the Rebellion valiantly but vainly fighting off Prime’s army of clones.

Glimmer. Bow. They both fell.

Catra… Catra!

“There you are!”

Catra’s voice cut through the images. Adora slowly and cautiously opened her eyes. Catra was crouched down in front of her. Her mismatched eyes staring and watching her with worry.

“You okay?”

A small frown touched Catra’s lips. Her brows were furrowed. Her tail twitched behind her.

Adora offered her a small smile. She tried to make it reassuring. Catra returned the smile with her own, but Adora knew that she hadn’t succeeded in quelling Catra’s concern for her. Although Catra wasn’t frowning anymore and her brows weren’t as scrunched as they were, Adora could spot the worry in her girlfriend’s eyes. The lingering question of Are you okay? still hung in the air.

“Yeah…” Adora murmured. She lifted her head and brought her arms out, using her elbows to shift into a sitting position. Catra wordlessly moved around to sit down next to her. She placed a hand on Adora’s shoulder to steady herself as she sat down. Her hand lingered on Adora’s shoulder, moving down her bicep for a moment, and then retreated.

Adora found herself missing the touch immediately. She brought her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs, her fingers interlocking. And she rested her chin on her kneecaps.

“I’m fine.”

She felt Catra’s eyes on her. She didn’t glance up at her though. The memory of Prime. The memory of the Heart. That whole day… It was still fresh on her mind. Three years since the Heart. Three years and yet she still couldn’t shake it from her head.

Would she ever be okay from it? Would she ever feel normal again? She felt Catra’s hand on her back. Her tail wrapped around Adora’s waist. Catra scooted closer. She nestled against Adora. Her hand moved. Her arm snaked across her back, so that her hand now gripped the opposite bicep. She leaned her head on Adora’s shoulder. A purr rumbled. And Adora leaned into Catra’s touch.

“It’s okay if you’re not,” Catra said suddenly. Adora felt Catra move away from her then. She released Adora’s bicep. Adora frowned at the no-contact. She missed Catra’s warmth. The purring stopped. She felt Catra’s hand on shoulder and then one on her chin, gently pulling her to look at Catra’s face.

Her brow was scrunched in worry again. A small frown on her face.

“Seriously, it’s okay if you’re not fine. Just…” Her voice grew softer. It was pleading. “Tell us? Okay?” She leaned forward, placing a kiss on Adora’s forehead. As she pulled away, she nestled back into Adora’s side; leaning into her. Wrapped her arm around Adora once more. Hugged her close.

Adora gazed out onto the outskirts of the Whispering Woods. Catra’s purrs, rumbling and gentle, filled the silence once more.

“I’m…”

Her words trailed off. She bit back her usual response. Fine. It was on the tip of her tongue. The answer she always gave. Even if– when it wasn’t true. Usually Glimmer and Bow would accept that answer. Even if it was only begrudgingly. Catra though…

Somehow… Catra just always knew... Even without her answering. Even if she was silent. Quiet. She didn’t need words to communicate with Catra. But she knew Catra asked because she cared. She asked because she wanted Adora to find think and find the answer for herself.

“I guess… I just…” Adora sighed. She wanted to look at Catra. She stopped herself though. Silence fell between them.

“It’s okay,” Catra finally said. And she hugged Adora even tighter. Suddenly Adora felt as though she was being nestled into Catra’s side, rather than the other way around.

“You can open up whenever you’re ready.”

For some reason, that brought Adora comfort. They stayed like that for awhile. The sky was pink. The sun setting.

There will be no future for you…

Prime was wrong. There is a future for her. And that beautiful wish wasn’t just a wish anymore…

Chapter Text

“Hey! Here she is!”

Adora leaned further into the roof. She willed herself to somehow blend into the pink tiles. To become invisible. Unseen by anyone in Bright Moon. She had done so well today. She kept it together during the meeting with Queen Angella and the rest of the Princess Alliance. Kept it together during a separate meeting with just the Queen, Glimmer, and General Juliet.

She still wasn’t sure if the Queen or the General trusted her. She didn’t think they did. And she didn’t blame them. She couldn’t blame them. She knew who and what she was.

She was Horde…

…Well…

She was Horde.

She heard someone slide on the tiles above her. There was a poof. A sprinkle of pink sparkles and glitter and–

“Adora! What are you doing out here?”

Glimmer stood in front of her. She planted her hands on her hip. Her pink eyes staring intensely into her blue ones. She felt Bow slide into place beside her. She felt him wrap an arm around her. He hugged her close for a moment. Somehow he always seemed to know when she needed one of those. She leaned into the embrace. Although she was grateful for it she couldn’t help but wish it was Catra holding her then instead.

She longed to feel Catra’s untamed, wild mane against her. To feel her tail wrap around her waist as it always when they used to sit out on that little awning. Catra’s purrs filling the silence between them.

Bow pulled away then. Glimmer stepped away and sat down on the other side of her.

“You okay?” Bow’s voice, soft and gentle, broke through her mind. Catra vanished. The hazy, orange sky of the Fright Zone vanished. She was in Bright Moon. She had been in Bright Moon for months now.

“Adora?” Glimmer asked from next to her. Her voice trembled a bit. She seemed uncertain. Adora felt a hand placed on her shoulder. Glimmer’s.

“Yeah…” Adora murmured in reply, “I’m…”

She closed her eyes and sighed. She really wished Catra was here. She wished she wasn’t alone. Catra couldn’t share the responsibility of She-Ra with her but maybe…

Catra’s flashed in her mind. Memories of them. Together. Played out in her head. She couldn’t share the mantle of She-Ra with Catra. But everything would be easier with Catra here by her side. It would be simpler.

She saw visions of when she and Catra would team up in training. Of them taking out the giant bots in simulation. Days spent running through the metal, rust-covered halls of the Fright Zone. Days and nights spent on their awning, watching the world and imaging and longing for the day they would rule the world together.

Together...

They were meant to be together. Always.

“Adora?” Glimmer’s small voice came through.

She felt Bow poke her arm on her other side.

“You okay…?” Bow asked gently.

Adora sighed as she opened her eyes once more.

“I’m fine,” she finally answered. She brought her knees close to herself. She folded her arms on top and rested her chin on them. She tried to make herself small. She tried to not take up too much space. She wished that one of She-Ra’s abilities was to turn invisible. Oh, how much she wished to just vanish from her friends’ prying eyes. And from their concern.

“You know…” Bow again. “You can talk to us about anything… right?”

“I know but…” Adora’s words trailed off. She should be able to talk to them. But she couldn’t. Why?
“Yeah! Like Bow said,” Glimmer cut in. And she draped an arm around Adora. She hugged her from the side.

“You’re not alone, Adora! Never!” Glimmer continued, suddenly sounding more upbeat.

“Yeah!” Bow repeated and he hugged her other side.

A small smile flickered across Adora’s face then.

“Yeah…” she mumbled and then added, “Thanks…”

They stayed like that. Adora sandwiched between them, nestled in both of their embrace.

Not alone…

But she was… And she would be… Unless she could get Catra to join the rebellion…

“You know…” Catra’s voice broke through the void in her mind. Much like it had during that day. The Heart.

Adora lazily opened her eyes. At some point she had begun to doze off in the embrace of her fiancee.

“Yeah…?” Adora replied sleepily. She was slightly surprised at the roughness and tiredness of her own voice.

“You aren’t…” Catra began, her voice so confident at first. That confidence quickly faded. It disappeared into silence.

Adora was about to pull away from Catra’s side. Look at her and ask her what was wrong. Before she could though, Catra continued.

“You’re… You’re not… alone… Adora.” She felt Catra pull away from her. Her arm slid across her back. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Catra shift. She turned. And so Adora did too, so that they faced each other.

Catra reached down. She took Adora’s hands, gripping them tightly in her own. Her thumbs rubbed soothing circles on the top of Adora’s hands. Her tail flickered and twitched. It wrapped itself around Adora’s waist. It curled tightly and securely around her.

“No matter what, Adora.”

The way Catra gazed into her eyes. The intensity behind her gaze. There was something behind it. And behind her words. A promise. A vow.

“Adora, you’re not alone.” She said as if it were just a matter of fact. A statement.

You’re not alone...

Bow and Glimmer had always tried to tell her that over the years. Angella had as well. Netossa and Spinnerella. So many in the Princess Alliance. She had wanted to believe them. She needed to believe them. But for some reason, those words only registered when Catra said them then.

“I know,” Adora replied, for once believing it.

Chapter Text

“So…”

Catra and Adora were still on the rooftop. They were sitting side-by-side. Adora wasn’t hunched over anymore, hugging her knees close together, making herself seem smaller than she actually was. Her legs were stretched out in front of her. She seemed more confident now. More comfortable with herself. And that filled Catra with a calmness she hadn’t realized she had been missing.

The stress of seeing Adora so… unlike herself… She hadn’t noticed how much it had weighed on her. At least not until it had faded…

…Mostly faded that was…

Something was still bothering Adora. There was still a nervous energy. A tenseness to Adora’s aura. And Catra knew she had to figure out what it was. But she also couldn’t push Adora to open up. Adora didn’t work that way. And for that matter, she didn’t either.

Adora sighed. Catra’s ears twitched. Her tail flickered. It brushed against Adora’s back, moving and swaying from her shoulder to her hip. Adora exhaled. Relived. Content. She leaned into Catra’s side. So Catra wrapped an arm around her and nestled her into her embrace.

“So…?” Adora repeated Catra’s earlier thought.

Catra wasn’t sure where she was going when she had muttered that single, simple word. She had hoped that Adora would take over the conversation. Say something, anything, to keep the conversation going. Apparently, she wasn’t. The responsibility was all on Catra. And now she had to figure out what to say.

She wracked her brain. What would help Adora right now? A joke? A story? A random tidbit or a mention of some memory. She made a face at that. Bringing up the past could help or hinder. Past experience said that it would hinder though.

They were still learning. They both were. So much of their lives was built on survival. Surviving the Fright Zone. Surviving the Horde. Other recruits. Octavia. Shadow Weaver.

And then they had to learn how to survive facing each other. Every time she saw Ador– She-Ra on the battlefield… It killed her a little inside. It filled her with dread. Anger. Bitterness. Sadness.
They were soldiers through and through though. Born and bred to fight. But how did soldiers live without war? Without strife? How did non-soldiers handle things like emotions and simple talking?

She thought back to others she knew. Others she trusted. And so she considered their friends. And she thought about how they would handle this situation. They were much better at these types of situations! They had to be.

How would they deal with Adora?

Glimmer would probably be no help. Bow always seemed to know what to say. She was jealous of that. She knew Bow would be able to fix this. Maybe. Scorpia wouldn’t be helpful. Or would she? She would probably offer Adora a hug. And maybe ramble for a bit… Peruma would have advice. But Catra already knew she couldn’t help the way Perfuma could. Who else…?

A face. Purple hair, held in twin ponytails. A mask, looking eerily similar to a bug, concealing a face. Entrapta.

Her voice echoed in Catra’s mind then. A phrase she had heard the mad science princess say more than once. Words she often said to her partner in crime.

Imperfection is beautiful.

Those words were meant for Hordak. But maybe they didn’t just apply to him? What was one of Adora’s issues? Asides from being a self-sacrificing idiot? Asides from feeling as if all of Etheria rested on her (and for some dumb-ass reason) shoulders. And her shoulders alone?

Adora believed she had to be perfect. No. She believed she was expected to be perfect. If she wasn’t perfect, then there would be consequences (at least in Adora’s mind).

Adora wasn’t perfect. No one was though. And she needed Adora to know that was okay. Adora didn’t need to be perfect. She didn’t expect Adora to be perfect.

Everyone who saw Adora, saw the Hero of Etheria. They saw She-Ra. But Catra… Well… She just saw Adora. The woman who had grown up alongside her. Her childhood friend. Her rival. The little blonde-headed kid who happened to find her hiding out in a box.

“You know…” Catra mused, leaning up against Adora. She rested her head on the blonde’s shoulder. Adora immediately followed suit, leaning into Catra’s touch, her head now resting on Catra’s regrowing mane. Her tail flickered. It brushed up against Adora’s back, swaying up and down for a moment, before finally curling itself around the blonde’s hips.

“I once heard someone say that ‘imperfection is beautiful’.”

Silence fell upon them. Catra would practically hear the gears turning in Adora’s head.

“...Imperfection…” Her ears flickered, turning towards Adora as the blonde repeated the words in a mumbled whisper.

“...is…beautiful…?”

She didn’t have to look at the blonde to know she was frowning. Her brow was no doubt knotted in confusion. Even when utterly confused, she still looked cute.

“Yup,” Catra answered simply. She snuggled even more into Adora’s side. A soft purr rumbled.

“You don’t have to be perfect, Adora,” Catra continued. She made sure to keep her voice calm and gentle. “I don’t know what’s bothering you. If it’s something I can help with or not. But… No matter what, I’m here for you. When and if you ever want to talk. Okay?”

Catra inched away then. Adora turned her head to look at her. Catra reached out, a hand cupping Adora’s face.

“No matter what,” Catra was gazing into Adora’s eyes, “I’ll always be here.”

She then placed a kiss atop Adora’s brow and then settled back into Adora’s side. They stayed like that for a bit. Watching the sun as it set. A comfortable silence between them. The sun was nearly gone when Adora finally broke the silence.

“Hey, Catra, I think… I think there are some things I want to talk to you about…”

Chapter Text

The Heart was pulsating. It loomed above them. Threateningly. Menacingly. Every beat was loud. Every thump, thunderous. Electricity crackled. It flashed. Lightning, green and sickly, flared above them. It flashed around them.

This was bad. And she knew it.

Adora could feel her eyelids growing heavy. Her vision was blurry. She needed to ground herself. She needed to stay alive , if only for a few more moments. A few meager moments, if just to take on the magic. If just to save Etheria. Save Glimmer. Bow.Catra.

Her breathing was gradually becoming shallow. Her chest felt heavy. Her breathing was labored. It was a struggle to stay awake. Struggling to just stay. Stay here with Catra. At least for a few moments more…

Catra…

Adora blinked. She needed to refocus her vision. She wanted to lay her eyes upon– Catra!

Catra’s face came into focus. Blue and gold eyes, eyes she missed for so long, eyes had used to see every night in her dreams while they stood on opposite sides of the war, met hers. There was an anxious light in Catra’s gaze. And a small, thin smile was on her face. It looked strained. Adora didn’t like it. She wanted to reach out. She longed to cup Catra’s cheek in her hand. To give her a comforting touch and let her know everything was okay.

But she also wished that Catra wasn’t here. She wanted to tell the magicat to leave. She opened her mouth but the words couldn’t push themselves out of her throat and she closed her mouth again. Catra didn’t need to see this. She shouldn’t see this.

Why was Catra here?

Adora felt the darkness pull her in. The heaviness in her eyelids grew. And her eyes started to close. The pulsating of the Heart, once much too loud, gradually became dull. Almost muted. The quieting thumps felt as though they were trying to lull her to a deep sleep. to lull to sleep.

She needed to fight it. The call of sleep. The beckoning of rest. She was tired though.

So…

...so…

...tired…

Maybe just a moment wouldn’t hurt? Maybe a moment of rest would allow her to gather enough strength save Etheria?

”Adora.” A voice, desperate, called out. Her eyelids slowly reopened. She barely registered the glistening of tears in Catra’s eyes.

”Adora, stay awake!” Catra called out to her. Frantic. Scared.

Adora’s gaze met Catra’s. Would this be the last time she saw her? Catra was holding her, she was dimly aware. She was lying with her head in Catra’s lap. A hand was squeezing hers. It felt so warm and nice. She swore she could also feel Catra’s tail thumping against her legs.

”I’m sorry,” Adora croaked out. And the darkness consumed her.

Adora felt Catra’s tail curled around her waist. Her purrs, soft, comforting, and grounding rumbled nearby. Catra was snuggled into her side. Adora had an arm wrapped around her girlfriend’s back, hugging her close. Hugging her tight.

“So… Whenever you’re ready.”

Catra’s voice was soft. It was calm. It was comforting. It felt as though it were a warm blanket, wrapped around her on a cold day. Adora snuggled into Catra. They had sat in silence for a while now.

“Do you remember…” Adora began, her words trailing off hesitantly. Catra’s tail curled even tighter around her.

“Do you remember… the Heart?” Adora finally finished.
Catra’s purr stopped. Adora felt her shift uncomfortably.

“Y-yeah… Of course…” Catra’s voice was strained. She heard Catra clear her throat.

“I…” Catra faltered. She sighed and then continued, “I still… Think about it… Sometimes… Do… Do you?”

She felt Catra’s gaze on her. She could practically feel worry and anguish radiating off of Catra now. She felt a twinge of her worry then. Worry for Catra. Catra still thought about the Heart?

How long had she been doing that, Adora wondered? Had Catra been suffering in silence this whole time? Should she even share her worry, her nightmares, with Catra?

Maybe she should just hold on to it. Her mouth began to move of its own accord then and, “Yeah… I do and…” She stopped herself once more.

Adora’s throat tightened. Her brow furrowed. Why was this so hard? She knew Catra would want to hear her concerns. She knew Catra wanted to help. She just didn’t want to be another weight on Catra.

“Adora,” Catra said steadily, “You can tell me anything.”

How did she know that was her concern? She sighed and decided to finally just open up.

“I still think about it,” she repeated, her voice low.

“I can’t… I can’t stop thinking about it sometimes. I can hear the Heart. I can feel the,” she found herself glancing at her hands for a moment, as if expecting to see those green lines covering them again. They weren’t there. There were a few little scars on her hands, wounds that she apparently hadn’t been healed when she turned into She-Ra. They were left over marks from the poison from that monster? She wasn’t sure. And she didn’t want to know.

“Sometimes, I just… I feel like I’m there… Back at…” Her voice was now a mere whisper, “...the Heart…”

Catra hugged her closer. Tighter.

“And sometimes I worry.”

Prime’s face, taunting, flashed in her mind. His words echoed in her mind. A beautiful wish…

She closed her eyes. She focused on the softness of Catra’s fur under her fingers. The rumble of Catra’s purr that had returned a few seconds ago. How would she explain this to Catra? The question that haunted her every now and then?

“Sometimes, I worry that we… That I,” she corrected herself. The Heart. Etheria. It was all her responsibility. If there was failure in the fight against the Horde or in the fight against Prime, it was squarely on Adora.

“That this isn’t real. That I lost…”

Chapter Text

Catra’s ear flickered and twitched.

Had she… Had she heard Adora wrong?

Catra’s brow furrowed. Her face became set in a serious expression. She let Adora’s previous statement wash over her.

Sometimes I worry that this isn’t real. That I lost…

Her tail lashed behind her. She willed it to become still. She didn’t want it to thump against Adora, or accidentally whip her with it. She didn’t want any of her irritation to seep out and be noticeable. It wasn’t Adora’s fault, after all.

None of this; Prime, Etheria, the magic, the failsafe, the Heart… None of it was Adora’s fault. Unfortunately, the responsibility of it all had fallen on her. It shouldn’t have but it did.

Every day Catra cursed that stupid joyride they had done. Cursed the sword that used to be slung across Adora’s back. The new Sword of Protection was different enough that Catra could push back any negative feelings she had about it and She-Ra when she saw it.

Plus, it helped that Adora’s new She-Ra form came when she wanted to pay Prime back for what he had done to Catra. Despite the gloomy mood that settled upon them, a small smile flickered across Catra’s face momentarily.

Her bright mood only lasted a moment though. She sighed. A heavy, weary sigh.

The Heart…

Adora was upset. And she was already stressed. Catra knew Adora so well. Even before she had found Adora out on the rooftop, she had figured something must have been wrong, that something must have been upsetting her.

She just wished that it wasn’t this. The Heart.

Even after all this time, even when it’s been a while since Prime and the Heart, Adora felt guilty. She felt afraid. She shouldn’t!

Adora had done everything! She had been willing to forfeit her life for all of Etheria! All of that: the Heart, Prime. All of that should be gone now! Away from her mind! Out of her life!

Prime was gone! The Heart was gone! The magic released! Adora had done way more than anyone had any right to ask of her! So why does her mind still linger on that day? Why was she sitting here, worried that this, that everything that had come after, was fake? Why did she think she failed?

Catra’s tail did lash out behind her and thumped against Adora then. She couldn’t help it though! She was getting all riled up, angry at Etheria! At Prime! She stilled it again and drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. If the force of her tail hitting her hurt, Adora made no sound. Still, that didn’t stop Catra from casting Adora an apologetic smile.

The Heart.

The trapped magic of Etheria.

It all flashed before Catra.

Pulsating.

The Heart.

Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

It beat as if it were the actual organ.

Adora flashed before her then…

On death’s door. Her skin unnaturally pale, and unusually cold ; the warmth she had missed during their time apart had disappeared that day.

It had made Catra panic. The memory filled her with dread.

Adora’s heartbeat slowed. Her breaths were becoming so, so shallow. Green lines, sickly and glowing, were etched on Adora’s skin.

Catra screwed her eyes shut, trying to let the memory wash over her. She willed it to disappear from her mind, to banish it. Even now, Catra swore she still saw the faintest of outlines marring Adora’s body. Her arms, legs, neck, and face. She could see the faintest of scarring from those damn green lines.

She opened her eyes and glanced at Adora. She was staring off into space. Her knees were pulled up, hugged tightly to her chest. A small frown was etched on her face. Catra felt her heart drop at the sight.

She wrapped an arm around Adora, hugging the blonde tighter than before. Wisps of Adora’s long, blonde locks were nearly shoved into her face then. She took a moment to breathe in the familiar scent. Adora smelt like summer. Like the open fields and multi-colored flowers that surrounded Bright Moon.

How could she help Adora? How could she possibly quell the fear that had been tormenting the blonde for so long? Catra sighed again, unsure of how to help her. The blonde was quiet; unusually quiet.

How could she prove to Adora that the Heart, that Prime, that everything was over? Without a thought, she began to run a hand up and down Adora’s arm. Adora nestled into her embrace.

Catra wished that Bow was here. Bow was great with situations like this! How many times had she heard Adora and Glimmer talk about the archer and call him the heart of their group? How many times had she gotten one of those ‘Bow patent’ (as Glimmer called them), pep talks. Somehow the archer always knew what to say. And she was envious of that. Angry that she couldn’t just fix this issue easily and quickly for Adora.

How was running the Horde, an entire military operation, easier than this?! Catra bit back a curse. She scolded her then, as she quickly realized she was getting distracted from Adora and her problem.

“I mean…” Adora began, her voice timid and uncertain. Catra turned her head to look at Adora, but the blonde wasn’t looking back. Her eyes were downcast. Her brow furrowed. She hated that Adora’s usual vibrant and warm smile was gone, that Adora sounded so uncertain.

Her tail curled around Adora tightly. She hoped that the small gesture brought Adora some comfort at least.
“It’s been… a while... Since that day,” Adora continued. She still wasn’t looking at Catra as she spoke. It was as if she was trying to convince herself rather than Catra. So she let Adora talk. She held her close. A low rumble vibrated from her. Her purring always helped Adora.

“I remember every day since the Heart. I do what Perfuma told me to do. Think of what I hear, feel, smell, all of that. I know that this has to be real. But sometimes…” Her voice grew quieter. Catra’s ears flickered, straining to hear Adora as she continued.

Adora sighed. Her eyes shut for a moment. Her face screwed up in pain. She looked as if she were trapped in some bad memory. She opened her eyes again and turned her head, her eyes finally meeting Catra’s.

“Did I ever tell you that during that… That… That day… I saw us>?”

Catra shook her head. And Adora continued, “Future us… We were getting ready for a party or something. Glimmer and Bow were there. You were in Bright Moon. With me…”

The familiar vibrant smile flashed across Adora’s face then. Catra smiled in return, relieved to finally see Adora seem more like her old self. Hope flickered in her blue eyes. She sounded happy and lively once again, “You know… I always… I always dreamed of having you in Bright Moon… With me…”

She should’ve gone with Adora that day. She knew she should have. It would have saved both of them so much heartbreak.

“I guess sometimes,” she continued, her voice growing quiet and somber once more. The smile faded. The hope in her eyes vanished.

“Sometimes, I worry that it didn’t– That it couldn’t–”

“Shhh…” Catra couldn’t take it anymore. She cupped Adora’s cheek and stared deeply into her eyes. There was probably nothing she could say. Nothing she could do to prove to Adora that this was real.

“Adora…” She began, but she found herself lost in Adora’s confused stare. She leaned in then, her lips brushing against Adora’s, until they finally touched. They stayed like that for a while. Adora melting into her embrace. When they finally pulled a part, the somberness was gone. Adora didn’t look completely like herself. It would take time for the events of the Heart and Prime to completely fade away.

“This is real, Adora,” Catra said, sternly but gently.

“But what if…” Adora began to murmur.

“It is.”

Adora still didn’t look convinced. And that was okay. It took time to heal.

“What if something else comes along?” Adora then asked.

“Then… then we’ll face it. Together this time. And we’re going to win. We’re going to win in the end.”