MEADOWLARK | IC INBOX

[purrsistence]

@catra.victorious | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[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.

[purrsistence]

Ha! [ Catra grins. ]

Well if Adora's backing me up, then that settles it.

[sparklequeen]

I guess it does.

[ Glimmer sighs and reaches up to rub at her eyes. ]

I think I want to take my time, though. Rushing into this seems, I dunno, Weird.

[ She pauses, quiet settling for a few moments. ]

...She thought I might be talking about you when I started talking about how I'd met this girl I liked.

[ There's a laugh. It's not mean. Or at least it's not meant to be. More just surprised. ]

[purrsistence]

[ For a moment, Catra actually looks-- well, genuinely stunned. It's not a look Glimmer gets to see often, Catra at a loss for words. ]

... Wait, what? Haha. Is she like-- all right in the head?

[sparklequeen]

Probably? She did get hit a lot as She-Ra.

[ Glimmer laughs. ]

I think you're a really important friend to her, so that's why she thought of you.

[ Glimmer knows there's more to it but no way is she just dropping that without Adora's permission. ]

[purrsistence]

[ Catra actually goes a bit pink in the face, but she turns her face away from Glimmer instantly as if there's something else interesting to look at on the horizon, so as not to show it. She tries to keep her voice light and airy and joking, as if this is still just normal banter, but it's not quite right. ]

Well-- I mean, yeah, duh. It's not surprising she'd think people would fall in love with me. I'm awesome! Adora knows that!

But you 'n' me? I mean. I'm not exactly your type, am I? You're more a-- bare midriffs and best friends kinda girl, ha.

[sparklequeen]

[ Glimmer reaches over to shove at Catra again. That reply has her pink in the cheeks, too! ]

How did both of you just call me out like that?! Ugh, am I that obvious?

And I mean you're okay? I like girls too but there was always the war and stuff. I've never had a chance to actually know you, so it's not like I can really say.

[ Smirk. Time to go on the offensive. ]

You probably know alllllll about the best friends thing though, huh?

[purrsistence]

[ Catra starts and her face whips back to look at Glimmer, bright red now. ]

Wait, what? What are you talking about?!

[sparklequeen]

Pfft, come on.

[ Glimmer leans forwards against the railing again, eyes on Catra. ]

You are so into Adora.

[purrsistence]

What-- that's--! [ Catra's hair floofs out like an angry cat. ]

It's not like that. We're just friends!

Maybe-- maybe it was gonna be, but that was a long time ago! All right?! Geez.

[sparklequeen]

I mean...

[ Glimmer looks away for a moment. She knows what's going on but... being the one to spill that wouldn't be right. ]

You won't know unless you try.

[purrsistence]

[ Catra's reply comes out a little more snappish than she intends it to-- ]

What, like I haven't tried?