-Adora-

"Uhg, finally! Something to do!" Glimmer exclaims, happily walking alongside me and Bow as we traverse through the Whispering Woods, "I was getting bored just sitting around the castle all day".

Bow crosses his and sighs, "So, what you're saying is… you wanted the Horde to prepare an attack on an unsuspecting village, just so we can go defend it?".

"No!" she exclaims, her face growing red when I stifle a giggle, "Adora, you know what I mean… right?".

I nod a little and smile, "Yeah, I get it Glimmer. Back in the Fright Zone, all we really did was fight and train… you get used to it after a while, even start looking forward to matches and stuff. But now… it's nice knowing that I'm doing some good in the world now".

Both Glimmer and Bow are quiet for a moment, and I wonder if I said something wrong. Trust between me and the people of Bright Moon have still been thin, despite being 'The Princess of Power' herself… I'm still just a Horde soldier to most. And sometimes I wonder if my friends see me in the same light and only let me hang around because I am She-Ra.

"Do you ever miss the Fright Zone, Adora?" Glimmer asks.

I blink, "What?".

"Do you miss it? I'm, I'm not saying I think you're going to defect or anything, I just… I know you left your whole life behind when you joined the rebellion and I know it couldn't have been easy,".

I stare at her for a moment, stopping in my tracks. That's not something I'd ever really thought of, Glimmer, Bow and the revolution have become my entire life now… everything in the past is just that… the past.

"No," I finally said, shuttering slightly at the thought of Shadow Weaver's grasp over me. "Back there, my whole life was just fighting, training and manipulation, but here… I have real friends, people who really care about me and… people I care about. I'm not just some one's tool or pawn anymore. I'm… free, ".

Glimmer smiles a little at that, and I smile back.

"I'm glad you're here, Adora,"

"Me too. Besides, why would I want to go anywhere else… if you're here?".

That gets Glimmer's face to go a whole different color, and I once again wonder if I've said something wrong or offended her, but then I realize she's… blushing.

And suddenly I am too because it clicks in my head that was I just said would be considered flirting. Mermista told me about it, apparently, you do it when you really like someone and want to be with them, and… I like Glimmer, a lot, and the thought of being with her is an appealing one. Plus, it's not the first time I've said something like this, and it's definently not the first time Glimmer has said something back.

A few moments of silence falls between us, with Bow just staring at us both with eyes the size of moons.

"Are you two going to say something or are you going to leave me on the edge of my seat!" He exclaims, his voice cracking with excitement.

Glimmer groans and walks up to him, playfully punching his arm, "Knock it off and let us have our moment!".

That seems to break us all from the trance we were in, and we all laugh and smile like what I just said was the most natural thing.

"Huh, sorry," I say, even though I'm really not, "That was really corny wasn't it?".

"That was beautiful!" Bow says, chuckling when Glimmer grumbles and shoves him away again.

"Go scout ahead, Bow. We should be getting close to the village," she says, turning to me with an innocent smile, "Come on, Adora… let's walk".

I giggle nervously as we continue on our way, now with Bow leading us through the still damaged woods. "Hey, so… about what I said back there".

"If you're going to apologize, please don't," Glimmer says.

"I'm sorr- wait, what?".

She giggles, "It's okay, Adora. I like you too,".

Now it's my turn to blush and get flustered. I open my mouth to say something but no words fall out, and needless to say, I've stopped in my tracks yet again, blubbering like a fish. She's not serious, is she? I mean… only a month ago, I was just another Horde spy to her, a heartless destroyed and now she's saying she likes me?

I blink.

"Do… do you mean that in a friend kind of way, or… cause I don't-".

Glimmer just giggles again and smiles, taking my hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze, "Whichever you're more comfortable with, okay? I know you're still adjusting to life outside the Horde so we'll take it slow, I can wait. And trust me… I'm very good at waiting"

"Heh, sure you are," I say, "but uh… what are you waiting for exactly?".

Glimmer furrows her eyebrows for a moment, "Adora… you do know what flirting leads to, right?".

"Uh… I think so. I mean, we weren't really allowed to have relationships in training camp, a few of the cadets got around the rules but… things like crushes and feeling were never on my mind".

"Well, you're not in the Horde anymore, you can do what you want," Glimmer reassures, now holding both hands as she stands in front of me, "And if you like me, and I like you… we can make it work,".

"W- what? I… what are you?" I say, tripping over my words as I grow more and more flustered.

"Adora," Glimmer says.

"Glimmer," I say back, my face beet red.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?".

At first, the words don't compute in my head, and I'm left with nothing but the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. Glimmer's smile turns to a confused stare before I realize I haven't said anything and have been staring dumbly at her for too long.

I blink and smile, nodding vigorously, "Oh! Yes, yes of course! That would be nice… but-".

I don't know why I hesitate, but I do.

"Tell me," she whispers, reaching up and placing her hand on the side of my face, her thumb absently tracing over my cheek, "It's okay, Adora… you can talk to me. I'm here for you, remember?".

I suck in a sharp breath and hold back a shutter when she caresses my cheek in an all too familiar way. "Glimmer, I… I don't *sigh* I don't understand how you could like me back..." I say, trying not to get too worked up over emotions but that's not something I've been very good at. "Some people in Bright Moon still sees me as a threat, and… I was a Horde soldier, I hurt your people, Glimmer, I hurt you. I just, I don't understa-?!"

I don't get to finish my sentence because all of a sudden, Glimmer's lips are against mine, soft and distracting and calming all at the same time. At first, I'm confused, and a little more than startled, but after a moment, I relax and allow the kiss to happen. All the tension in my muscles and shoulders seem to melt away. I'm almost sad when she pulls away.

"Listen to me, Adora," she says, "No one hates you okay? And you're not a threat, you're a hero! You saved Bright Moon and everyone living there… You saved me and Bow from the Fright Zone and helped me get my powers back! Plus… you're an amazing girl, Adora. What's not to like?".

I close my eyes and let out a breathy sigh, "But I didn't".

"You didn't what?".

"I- I didn't help cure you of whatever Shadow Weaver did to you, your mom did. All I did was run away and hide!" I say, taking a step back, "I could have helped you… I wanted to. I really wanted to be the one to help you, Glimmer,".

"Adora, you did help me. I know what Shadow Weaver did to me really scared you. But I'm okay now, alright?".

"It was my fault that you got hurt in the first place! If I'd just focused on you instead of trying to see what Catra and Scorpia were up to, you and Bow wouldn't have gotten kidnapped and-"

"Are you even listening to yourself?" Glimmer says, almost shouting, "It wasn't your fault, it was no one's fault, it just happened. This is what Catra and the Horde wants, to drive us away from the inside, and I won't let that happen to us, okay?".

I try to nod, try to understand but I don't, and tears begin to well in my eyes. "I was so scared, Glimmer. I thought I was going to lose you, and I was willing to do anything to make sure you were okay… even if-".

"Even if it meant losing all your memories," Glimmer says, her voice and face almost deadpan.

"Y- you and Bow… you guys mean everything to me, and I'd hate myself if anything bad happened to you two…".

Glimmer throws her arms around me and holds me tight as I continue to cry, unsure of what else to do. "You really do care about us… don't you, Adora?".

"More than anything," I mutter, wrapping my arms around her.

"Uh, guys," Bow yells, running through the brush ahead of us, "Hate to break up your tender moment again but uh, we've got a problem".

"What is it, are we close to the village?" I say, sniffling and wiping my face of tears, carefully stepping out of Glimmer's embrace.

"Yeah, but the Horde is already there! Look!" He yells pointing to the sky.

A dark plume of smoke fills the air above us, signifying that the Horde has indeed already launched its attack on the village.

"We need to go," I say, reaching back to draw my sword, only to have Glimmer grab my hand.

"Be careful," she says softly.

I nod, and take a step forward and pressing my forehead against hers, "Stay safe,".

As it turns out, we both have the same way of saying what's on our mind without really saying it.

So, with a large exhale, I pull away and hold aloft my sword.

"For the honor of Grayskull!"