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[purrsistence]

@catra.victorious | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[purrsistence]

What? Why do you need to wait until tonight. Just tell me now.

[sparklequeen]

It's something I want to talk about in person, that's all! I need advice on something.

[purrsistence]

Wait wait wait

YOU want advice from ME?

Has your brain cooked or are you finally admitting I'm the brains of this operation?

[sparklequeen]

UGH. I have TWO people here that I kind of know well enough to MAYBE ask for help from so could you NOT be smug about this?

[purrsistence]

Absolutely not.

[sparklequeen]

You're the worst.

Are you going to be there or not?

[purrsistence]

Wouldn't miss it for the world.

[sparklequeen]

[ Glimmer gets home and (sadly) has to skip a shower. Thanks, water rationing. She settles for changing into something loose and breathable and then slips out into the tiny main room. Naturally, the first place she looks for Catra is out on the fire escape. ]

Catra?

[purrsistence]

[ Catra is sitting there languidly. Her ear flicks and she turns towards Glimmer, failing at not looking like the cat who got the cream. ]

Sparkles. What took you so long? I was waiting for you.

[ She pats the space beside her. ]

Sit. It's nice outside. We got this view of the whole city, might as well use it.

[sparklequeen]

I had to catch the train home and I had to stay later than normal to help with closing, so missed my normal train and had to wait for the next one. Ugh.

[ It's weird how these things have started to become normal. She's not sure how she feels about it. She pauses, just for a moment, and then wriggles through the window and out onto the fire escape. She likes this spot, honestly--she's sat here before, some evenings. Just never with Catra. She hesitates, then sinks down to sit, one leg dangling through the bars of the fire-escape's railing. ]

It can be kinda pretty. Especially in the evening.

[ She's putting off the advice part just a little. ]

[purrsistence]

Yeah, well. It's better than anything in the Fright Zone, that's for sure.

[ Catra smirks. ]

So. Are we gonna dance around this all day, or are you going to tell me what's got your Queenly panties in a knot so bad you'd come to me for help?

[sparklequeen]

It reminded me of the Fright Zone when I got here, but the longer I see it, the more differences I see.

[ UGH. Catra, please. Glimmer leans her head forward against the bars between her and the open air, then heaves a sigh. ]

This is what I deserve for asking you.

[ She glances over at Catra. Her cheeks flush a little. ]

I've been making friends with this girl. Which is great! I never thought I'd have an easy time making friends, but we just get along really well, you know?

[ She's beating around the bush and she knows it. She takes a slow, deep breath as if it might help her to feel a bit more calm. It doesn't. ]

...And I think I might, you know... Like her as more than a friend? Maybe?

1/?

[purrsistence]

[ Catra just blinks for a second, momentarily stunned. ]

Are you...

2/?

[purrsistence]

[ Then her expression turns into one of mixed joy and shock-- like half of her doesn't believe it, and half of her is having a field day. ]

Are you asking me for romantic advice?!

3/4

[purrsistence]

Haha!

[ Her voice cracks a bit on that laugh. ]

This is genuinely the funniest thing I've ever heard! Wow! You must really be out of friends if you're asking me.

4/4

[purrsistence]

[ She wipes a tear from her eye. ]

Ahh... thanks. I needed that, Sparkles.

So. What's the problem, exactly? What, she doesn't like you back?

Re: 4/4

[sparklequeen]

[ Glimmer listens with a hefty sigh. It's honestly about what she expected. It doesn't make it any less aggravating, of course, but it's easier to deal with. ]

Well, guess what Catra? You're right. I have a really, really short list of people I can talk to about this stuff and that list is Adora and you. It's not like I have a lot of friends here!

[ Her annoyance bleeds into her voice and she has to try and clamp her mouth shut for a moment before she says anything too revealing of the things she knows or anything too aggressive. ]

No. It's not that. It's more like... I don't know when we're going to go home.

[ A pause follows before she speaks again with obvious uncertainty and perhaps fear. ]

I don't know if we can get home. What would it mean if I, you know, actually said anything? Is it okay for me to do that?

[purrsistence]

[ Catra stares for a second, just listening, though her face is no less judgmental. After a beat-- ]

... Ugh. I always forget how awkward and insecure you are. I guess 'cause you're all-- "best friend squad sparkles and joy everywhere et cetera" I always think of you as this person who has friends everywhere.

[ It's about as much of an apology as Glimmer is going to get. ]

I dunno. Why would it not be okay?

[ Glimmer has phrased the question in terms of morality, which is not really something Catra bases her decisions on. It's just not how she thinks. ]

[sparklequeen]

[ Glimmer rolls her eyes again, but there's a touch of relief to the gesture. It's something like an unspoken acknowledgement that Catra admitting she made a mistake might mean something. Kind of. Probably. ]

Well... if we can't get back to Etheria, it makes me feel like I'm giving up on home. Maybe I'm just replacing Etheria with other people. I know, that doesn't make a lot of sense but... I've been off Etheria for months. Maybe I'm just homesick.

[ Another sigh and she leans her head against the bars. Thunk. ]

[purrsistence]

[ There's a pause, and Catra looks away then. Looks off into the skyline of New Amsterdam. But she's frowning. Finally-- ]

... Everyone who comes here leaves eventually.

[sparklequeen]

They do?

[ Glimmer hasn't been here long, definitely not logn enough to notice anyone she knows simply... vanishing. ]

But we don't know that they actually go home.

[purrsistence]

... We don't. [ Catra will give Glimmer that much. ]

But what does it matter? Regardless of where people go, gone is gone.

[ This is a side of Catra that Glimmer's only seen once before-- when Glimmer had her cornered in the Fright Zone, right before Horde Prime's ship sucked them up. ]

My point is-- there's no point in worrying about what's gonna happen in the future. Nobody knows. The only certainty we have is that any plan you make is likely only gonna get trashed. So you should... do what you want.

[sparklequeen]

[ This side of Catra always makes Glimmer uncomfortable. She had been ready and willing to simply put an end to Catra when they had met in the Fright Zone, but the sad, defeated air the other girl had given off had stayed her hand. She's used to Catra being a jerk, not to Catra being... whatever this is. Sad? Depressed? Resigned? Glimmersighs and leans back, rests her hands on the surface of the fire escape. ]

I guess.

[ She's quiet again, watching as air cars pass in the growing twilight. ]

I'm just so used to being responsible for so much and worrying about everyone I feel like I can't just do what I want. The last time I did what I wanted I almost helped blow up the rest of the universe.

[ Ugh. This is not where the conversation was supposed to go and yet-- ]

I hurt my friends.

[purrsistence]

[ Catra snorts. ]

Telling someone you ~like~ them is a far cry from blowing up the universe, Sparkles.

[sparklequeen]

[ Glimmer reaches over and gives Catra a shove. It's light, though. The kind you give a friend. ]

I'm not saying it's the same! Ugh. I just... I'm supposed to be responsible.

[ SIGH. She flops back fully onto her back to stare at the summer twilight sky overhead. ]

Adora told me the same thing you did. If she makes me happy, I should just go for it.