Adora and Catra were slowly walking through the long corridor. It was very hurtful to walk, to stand up, to fight to keep going, but the blonde was determined. She-Ra was going to save Etheria, she was going to save this planet, her people, this.. this fucking cat. She sighed and kept walking to her goal. The heart.
When they arrived at the heart, Adora looked at it for a moment. "So.. this is it, right ?" She thought. This is where she is probably going to die ? Mara was saying she could still survive, but.. Adora couldn't really believe that. She lowered her eyes to look at the failsafe. Still glowing blue. Maybe the virus wasn't into the heart yet ? She turned to face the brunette, looking at her beautiful mismatched eyes.
"I can still save everybody," she started. She walked closer to her and put her hand on the cat's cheek, caressing it with her thumb. "It's okay, i'm ready." Adora smiled.
"No." Catra replied immediately, taking her hands in hers.
"Catra..." started the blonde one, in a broken voice. She couldn't hide her pain anymore.
"No. I'm not leaving. Whatever happens, I'm staying with you." The brunette frowned, facing her friend.
The blonde frowned and then she let go her hand, both turning to watch the heart. Adora closed her eyes, breathing. She tried to calm herself a bit. She didn't know what she was supposed to do now, try to turn into She-Ra ? Is she supposed, to, like.. attack the heart ?
Deep down, she knew she wasn't going to make it. But.. there's still hope, right ? Mara said so. But a huge pain in her chest -right where the failsafe is, took her out of her thoughts, she screamed and Catra caught her before she fell. The failsafe was turning green. The virus reached the -no, their hearts.
The cat put the blonde's head on her lap and bit her lips. Adora passed out, but her heart was still beating. Slowly, but still beating.. She passed her hand in the blonde's hair, closing her eyes. She was, at least, alive.
"Please, Adora, please.. stay awake.." she muttered, hoping she can still hear her. "Don't you dare abandon me.. not again.. not like this.." the more she talked, the more her voice was broken.
She kept speaking to her, hoping she was still there. She was listening to her heartbeat, her ear against Adora's chest. It was very slow, like she was dying. Catra closed her eyes, holding the body harder in her arms. She felt a tear flow down her cheek slowly, dying in the corner of her lips.
Catra knew she had to admit her feelings. She knew she had to say it now. Otherwise, it might be too late. She took a deep breathe, and started :
"Don't you get it ? I love you.." she paused. "I always... have. So please, Adora… just this once.. stay.." the last word was barely audible, her voice was broken in emotions.
Her heart was beating slower and slower. Catra couldn't hold her tears anymore. It wasn't actually possible. Adora couldn't.. not like that. The heart started to glow harder and started to explode, if Adora hadn't gathered her last force to create the shield, Catra would have been hitten. The shield disappeared and the blonde put her hand on the cat's back, struggling to open her eyes.
"Catra you.." she smiled through her pain. It was really hard to talk, she could barely breathe. "Can you.. can you kiss me ?" she moved her hand from her back to her hair, playing with it while closing her eyes.
The brunette looked at her for a second before closing her eyes, closing the space between their lips. And they kissed. It was passionate as Adora tried to answer it, but Catra could feel her hand slowly stopping to play with her hair.
Adora felt at peace. She felt peace in dying in her beloved arms. She was relieved. Finally relieved of everything. She wasn't going to be She-Ra anymore, she wasn't going to fight anymore.. this fucking war.. it's over. The failsafe turned blue again as the heart does. This peace must have.. destroyed the virus ? She wasn't sure, but she smiled through the kiss, while her heart beat for the last time.
Her hand fell back along her body and Catra rose up, breaking the kiss. She looked at Adora. Her vision started to blur as the tears fell down her face.
She was smiling.
Catra couldn't believe she was dead. It wasn't possible. The heart was saved. Etheria was saved, so "why, Adora…" she breathed. Why did she have to die now ?! Catra was holding Adora's body against her so hard that she felt her nails piercing the blonde's skin. But Adora didn't move.
She was gone.
Adora was.. dead.
The cat started to desperately scream, calling her name. Adora's body was already cold. Even if she had this peaceful expression on her face, Catra was in pain. She thought it was going to end, she was going to be with Adora, working with her on their problems. She thought she was going to start a new life with.. with her girlfriend.
She didn't know how long she stayed like that, crying over the blonde's body, calling her name again and again, hoping she'll miraculously revive. But nothing happened. The body was cold, her skin was deadly white, her eyes definitely closed.
Catra got up and wiped her tears with her wrist. She gently grabbed Adora's inert body and started to walk her way out.
[...] Glimmer, Bow, Perfuma, Mermista and everyone else were standing quietly in a circle. Perfuma created a statue of Adora standing proudly with her sword in her hand in the castle's garden. The blonde was buried under it a few hours ago.
Nobody really said a word since the funeral started. Of course they wanted to say how much Adora was kind, how she saved everyone, but the truth is, nobody was able to speak. They were all hurt, grieving.
Days passed, everyone tried to keep their mind occupied, trying to move on, but Catra went every day to Adora's tomb. All day long, sitting next to the statue, crying with Melog. Every night since.. since her death was a nightmare. She couldn't really sleep, and when she miraculously succeeded, she had nightmares.
It was getting late when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Glimmer. "Come on, Catra.. it's getting late.." She paused and softly smiled at her. "It's time to go.."