AN: Men are but boys before war. After, they can never be children again.

Adora ran across the beach, an onslaught on every side. Nothing but chaos and carnage surrounded her, and she feared for her very life. But she couldn't get to cover, not without losing everything. Adora needed to win this. She had to get to the base, or else it would all end.

"Adora!" Glimmer was off behind a dune, fending off attacks while protecting Bow. He'd been hit bad and it was only a matter of time now, but Adora knew Glimmer. She would stay with him until the end. "Get to cover!"

"I'm going for the base!" Adora shouted back. Glimmer nodded to her grimly and threw sand at an approaching offender, blinding him.

"Good luck!"

"She's gonna need it." Scorpia leapt from behind cover and blocked Adora's way. "No one goes near the base. Our stronghold will survive this battle if I have to go down protecting it."

"Very well." Adora charged Scorpia, swinging her staff. Scorpia tried to block it, but Adora sidestepped her quickly and landed a hit on her chest. Scorpia fell back, out of the fight, and Adora raced past her. The real defender of the enemy base was yet to come.

She could see it, a mighty castle in the sand that everyone was fighting over. Some, like Scorpia, sought to protect it. Others like her and Glimmer went after it, aiming to destroy and be victorious. Across the beach, Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio likely waged a similar war on Adora's own castle while the Princesses defended it.

Sand flew around her on all sides. The violence was everywhere, and while she had once loved the thrill, it left her cold now. After so long fighting, she wanted some joy. But she couldn't have that without it all ending, and she hated the thought of that.

All this for a lousy castle. Somedays, Adora didn't see the appeal. She fought day in and day out, waging the same war for the same paltry reward. Was it even worth it if she had to fight-

"Hey, Adora." Right on schedule. Catra emerged from behind the castle and smirked at her foe. She and Catra, best friends on opposite sides of this great conflict. Only when it was over could they know peace. But once it was over, they would have to separate and return home. Was there no justice?

"Catra." Adora narrowed her eyes. "We meet again."

"Don't act so surprised. You knew it would come to this." Catra sneered. "It always does."

"This time, you won't stop me. I'm ending this."

"Oh? But the fun is just beginning." Catra jumped at Adora, claws out. She blocked the strike with her staff, but Catra swept her legs out from under her with her tail. Adora stumbled into the grains of sand and Catra punched downward. The blonde rolled out of the way and got to her feet, kicking Catra down.

"It didn't have to be this way, Catra." Adora said wistfully as she stood above Catra, the cat now the one on the ground.

"You know it does." Catra growled. "This is the way it was destined to go down. The way the lots were drawn, our fates decided."

"I know. But I thought, maybe we could defy all that."

"Wishful thinking for you, though I'm surprised when you think at all."

"Take that back!" Adora jumped on top of Catra, the two rolling about in the sand as the war grew worse and worse the more they delayed the inevitable. One of them would be victorious over the other. It was bound to go down this way.

"Never!" Catra kicked Adora away from her, sending the other girl onto her back as Catra stood back up. Adora, slightly stunned, made no move as Catra loomed over her.

"You're out." Catra geared up for a winning strike right across Adora's chest-

"Okay, kids, that's enough for today." Adora's dad called from the grownups' tent. Adora and Catra both paused in their mock battle.

"But dad…." Adora whined, standing and dropping her stick with a sigh. Catra sheathed her pretend claws, practice for when they came in when she was older, and pouted.

"We want to keep playing. I was about to defeat her." Catra crossed her arms.

"No, you weren't." Adora shoved her friend playfully. "I was totally gonna topple your sandcastle and win." Catra grinned and pushed back, the two tumbling into the sand.

"Mr. Grayskull is right, baby." Catra's mom chimed in. "It's almost dinner time, and your momma is making salmon burgers." Catra grimaced, torn between the delicious meal awaiting her and wanting more time with her friend.

"But I wanna keep playing." She whimpered. "Everyone else gets to stay."

Behind them, the war still raged on, though Bow's parents were looking ready to leave themselves. His dads would have to wash him off before they left, as the hit he took completely coated him in sand. Glimmer would likely put up an even bigger fight than Catra and Adora, too. She had to stay for a while longer and always got mad when Bow left before her.

The Princesses, as Catra called the teachers' kids, battled away, none of them out like Bow or Scorpia. The lucky kids would likely stay until sunset. Their parents were at a meeting and wouldn't come for them for some time. Adora's dad was the principal, but he didn't go to any meetings and wouldn't let Adora stay at the beach all afternoon.

"Me too. I want to stay with Catra." Adora took her friend's hand and stuck out her lip.

"You can play with Catra again tomorrow, Adora." Adora's dad promised, getting up and approaching the kids. "But today, we have to go home."

"Fine." Adora sighed, kicking the beach under her feet in exasperation.

"Atta girl. Let's get you into a bath. You're covered in sand."

"It's okay, Catra. I was starting to get hungry anyway. Can't miss dinner time." Adora soothed. Catra's ears perked up slightly.

"I guess if we have to leave, then it's good we're going at the same time."

"Absolutely." Adora agreed.

"Bye, Adora." Catra still looked pretty sad about the end of their fun.

"Goodbye, Catra. See you soon." Adora pulled her friend in for a hug, relishing her purr.

"Promise you'll come back tomorrow and play with me again?" Catra asked, curling her tail around Adora's wrist.

"Of course. I promise." Adora grinned, showing off her tooth gap. "Next time, let's be on the same team. It'll be way more fun that way." Adora's dad took her hand, and they started to leave the beach.

"I'd like that." Catra whispered, watching them go. Adora would come back tomorrow. She always came back to Catra.

AN: Hehehe. Gotcha. It was fluff all along!
This was written for the SPOP Writer's server WTIYS challenge, inspired by Alice_h, so check her out, she's great. I really like this little blurb and I enjoyed revisiting fluff again while all my other work burns in the fires of angst. Good stuff. Hope you liked this, and if you did, leave me some love down in the comments to let me know what you think. See you soon!