VivaciousCynner

#1 "Awwwww, hey, Adora. You don't seem too happy to see me." She watches Adora grinding her teeth on her approach. She could see the muscles around her jaw flexing.

Catra's overly sweet voice caused Adora's eyes to narrow. Her voice came out as a harsh whisper, "Should come to no surprise seeing you were trying to kill me!" She eyed the room to make sure her voice wasn't too loud. "How did you even get in? You're not even supposed to be here."

A hummed chuckle told Adora there was obviously a loop hole she didn't consider. "I have a date." Adora's heart sank and it was only made worse with Catra's beautiful grin. "Don't be sad, Adora. You can still dance with me if you want. Would you like that? One last dance?" Adora's face turned to stone; cold and filled with hurt. "What's the matter, you don't care about me anymore? Hmm?"

Adora was silent. She balled her hands into a fist. "I do." Catra's face dropped. Her pupils shrunk to pinholes. Anger and fury were all that show on her face. She turned to leave. She was done distracting Adora. It was time to execute the plan, but her wrist was caught and she stopped. Adora said, "I will always care about you."

"Fuck you, Adora." She didn't even turn to look. "Let go."

"I made a mistake. I made a lot of mistakes. I'm sor-"

"Let. Go." Adora's hand didn't immediately let go, it had to tremble first. And then Catra began to walk away.

"One last dance then!" She watched Catra slow her pace. "Before-" quieter now, "before you do whatever you're gonna do. It might be our only chance, Catra." Tears began to well up while she tried to force it back down. Then Catra stopped. And with no other response, Adora said, "Please?"

Music began slow and whimsical. "Well, come on then. The floor is filling already." Adora released a breath, hard. It was embarrassing. She wanted to cry, she was so relieved. She ran up to Catra and embraced her. Catra placed a hand on her face as if to push her away, but she didn't try very hard, "Come on, idiot."

She sniffed, "Yeah," she wiped a tear that dared to fall, "okay." She placed her forehead on Catra's and swayed to the music with her arms around Catra's neck, and hers around Adora's waist.

Adora kept her eyes softly closed and let the music, and Catra, guide her. She knew if she opened her eyes to meet Catra's she'd crumble, but it only took a minute when her eyelids defied her. How she wanted to kiss her made her heart ache. "You look...really," she thought it was stupid and her voice trailed off when she said, "great." Catra could feel Adora chastising herself internally.

"Thanks," she said weakly, "Never thought I'd see you in a dress."

"I feel ridiculous."

"It looks good."

It made her smile. Adora didn't know the song playing, but she knew they it wouldn't last forever. The internal clock in her mind knew it was going to be soon. "This is really nice, Catra, maybe we-"

"Don't." It was cold. Firm. No more than a transaction between the two of them.

Adora missed a step, but caught herself. She whispered to herself, "Okay."

Catra could hear the disappointment. The hurt. And maybe she considered it was going too far. "Just- just talk about something else." She could barely look at her. "Is it really so much better than home?"

Adora took a deep breath, "Are you actually asking?" The melodies were slowing. Softening. Adora's arms became more tense and she brought Catra even closer. She spoke quickly, "A lot better. There's so much food. Their water is warm. They have so many pillows and not just for sleeping." The music stopped. An announcement that the band was going to take a break. Adora held Catra tighter, wrapping her arms across her back. "Th-they have flowers and gardens. And they have these fountains that might be showers. It-it-it's quiet except when Glimmer complains about her mom, but it's kinda funny because it's basically over nothing. And-and-"

"Adora, stop."

"And the kids the play in the court yard all have smiles on their faces. They-"

"Adora."

"Please don't go." When Catra remained silent, Adora knew there was nothing she could do. She pulled away slowly. She looked at Catra with eyes that begged to know if this was really it between them. Catra pulled her in, pushing herself up on her toes. Adora's eyes widened in shock when Catra kissed her. She ended with a little bite on Adora's lip that made her utter an "nng?" before Catra let go.

"See you around, Princess," she said as she began walking away. She pulled something out of her pocket and tossed it over her shoulder to Adora. "Be careful with that." Adora dove for it and nearly pressed the big protruding button from the detonator by accident. Adora sighed a bit of relief, but now Catra was getting farther away. "Where are you going!" Adora cried out. Catra looked as if she shrugged.

With a grunt she got up and started to chase her with detonator in hand. She was coming up on Glimmer who she handed the detonator to and kept going. Then she quickened her pace.

When she finally caught up with she grabbed Catra's arm just outside the castle. "Hey!" Catra didn't turn around. "Wh-why did you do that? Do you know how confused I am? You-you-you can't do that and just leave. I-I-" Catra sniffed hard and coughed a laugh. "Catra?"

Catra brushed Adora's arm off. She took another breath and tried to steady herself. "Do you have any idea how stupid you are?" She scoffed and then wiped her eyes with a sleeve. "You actually think I'd have a chance?" She turned around and her voice pitched, "You're so stupid." She looked at Adora through her teary eyes for just a moment while Adora tried to think of anything to say. Catra took a deep, shaky breath. She raked her hair back. She straightened her jacket. "Enjoy your new life, Adora, it sounds really nice, but I've gotta go back to mine."

At the slightest movement away, Adora grabbed her arm again, "No-no-no-no-no-no. Come on, they took me in. What's another Horde soldier?"

Catra smacked her hand away, hard, "You are such an idiot. YOU are fucking SHE-Ra. Of COURSE they let you in. Me? I'm a liability. And you'll be one too if you have anything to do with me. So just... let me go." Adora took a moment to try to refute. And each second thinking was another step Catra was taking away.

"No!" In a panic she tackled Catra to the ground. More embrace than restraint.

"What. Are. You. Doing? Stop it!"

"No! If you won't go with me, then I'm... I'm gonna take you as my prisoner. And you're gonna sleep in a big room. With pillows. And soft sheets. You're gonna have warm meals." She spoke softer, "And after what you did back there, I'm gonna kiss you, a lot. Because," even softer now, "I kinda..., um, want more." She relaxed when Catra relaxed, "I'm gonna make up for the fact I didn't take you with me that night. I swear."

Incredulous. "As your prisoner? Really?"

"Please? Also, I could take you."

Scorpia interjected having found both of them. She readied her stinger over Adora, "In a fight?" Bow and Glimmer were unconscious being held up by a struggling Kyle while Lonnie held She-Ra's sword. Rogelio stood firm and still like a bodyguard.

Adora rolled off Catra. Catra said, "Stand down or whatever. Mission's failed."

Scorpia held up a pincer holding the detonator, "We could still..."

"No. Disarm. Disengage." She casually brushed herself off and helped Adora to her feet even though she clearly didn't need it. Catra grumbled and scratched her head furiously, "FUCK!" Another growl, "What about them, Adora? Are they gonna be your prisoners too?"

"Well, I didn't really-"

"Think that far ahead? That was clear." Her tail flicked aggressively and her hands trembled into fists when she looked to her team. "You all want to defect? Hot meals? Warm beds?" Back to Adora, "You got enough rooms for all of us, Adora? I'm sure Sparkles will totally agree to that! Fuck fuck FUCK!" She rubbed her temples, "Adora? You got a plan? Because I sure fucking don't!"

Glimmer began to wake up, "nnggg, horde scum." Her hand began to glow, but she slumped limp, slowly sliding down off of Kyle as he couldn't hold her any longer. Then went Bow. And all three of them simply rested on the ground. Rogelio and Lonnie simply looked at him and shook their heads.

"I- I- I'll figure it out. I'll vouch for you. Like you said, I'm She-Ra." Just fucking say yes already She watched Catra do the same thing she did when she went against the Horde. Watched her try to figure out where she was going to go, to hide. "I- We can do this. Those two just need to wake up first." She turned to the rest of them, "I know you all probably hate me, but you haven't tried to fight me or kill me this whole time, so..., you must be considering it at least?" She watched them ponder on that. "Do you REALLY want to be on that side of the war?" She outstretched an arm to some landscape even she wasn't sure if the Horde resided. "Catra?"

Catra growled in frustration. She looked to Scorpia, "How long before those two wake up?"

She giggled a nervous response, "I'm not really sure, I had to hit the glittery one twice. I swear the smaller you guys are the more scary."

Catra sighed. "Great." Catra looked out, took a breath and shivered from the cold. "Everyone get to the ship. We can at least stay warm." She walked passed Adora, grabbing her arm without stopping until she was far enough away from the others. "I'm still really angry with you." Adora opened her mouth to speak, but Catra wouldn't let her. "I have been in your shadow for years. I have been hurt and tortured for sins I never committed all my life!" She caught her own voice rising and forced it back down, "So, imagine my lack of surprise when you told me the Horde was evil. No fucking shit, Adora." Adora mouthed the words, I'm sorry, through building tears. "No. I don't want apologies. I want action. What we're going to do is get in that ship and you're gonna have a plan ready for Sparkles and Arrow Boy when they wake up, got it?" Adora nodded. "And it won't be until I'm in your bed and you massaging my head will I even think about forgiving you." Adora nodded more emphatically with a smile that broke through her frown. "Now, come on!" She grabbed Adora's ponytail and dragged her towards the ship.

I'm mainly just trying to cover all my bases. I've settled quite a lot of my own questions. still have quite a handful of scenes to get through still.

but if you've got questions on like, "hey you mentioned this earlier in the story but haven't heard anything after that... whats up with that"

Perfuma and Scorpia resting on the surfboard, looking at each other lovingly as Perfuma tries to teach Scorpia how to surf but Scorpia is just so lost in Perfuma's eyes that she has to ask her to repeat what she said.

Netossa and Spinnerella under the umbrella -- you know they're just kissing after staring at each other

Kyle play-fighting Frosta on top of Rogelio and Lonnie

Of COURSE Adora is playing 3 against 1 volley ball.

Mermista and Seahawk likely on the ships

And Imp with Swifty in the sky.

Source

💌 Heartstrings chapter 32 is up! 💌 (18+)