Adora wiped the moisture off her forehead, rubbing the sweat onto her leggings before tightening her grip on her dumbells. With one in each hand, she focused on her lunges, the slight satisfying burn in her muscles. Her adept physical speed and strength had always been a point of pride, even before she was She Ra. It made her feel important, worthy. Over the years it kept her sane. When she had briefly lost her She Ra powers, she had sought refuge in this life-long habit, to make sure she was still pulling her weight in the Princess Alliance. Adora snorted aloud at the pun. Pulling my weight.

"Adora, you're so going to lose," Catra shook her head.

"I'm going to hit one hundred lunges before you do. You're at, what, twenty?"

"I'm at sixty-five. Anyways, my stamina is better than yours."

"Oh, trust me, my stamina is fine," Adora punctuated this sentence with a deeper lunge.

From across the gym, Glimmer cleared her throat. "Ew, you guys."

With a bout of laughter that almost cost Adora what remained of her energy after nearly two hours of exercising, Adora and Catra exchanged wicked looks. The next few minutes passed in focused silence.

"Ninety-nine, one hundred!" Catra declared.

"Fuck!" Adora cried, dropping her dumbells. "I was at ninety-eight!"

Catra teased her even after they reached their bedroom to change out of their athleisure clothes. Her declarations followed Adora until they were at the front castle doors. Outside, there was a large expanse of shrubbery and flowers that turned seaweed green in the darkness. It was a cloudy night.

"We should go on a walk. All this time living here, but I've barely gotten the chance to explore the villages," Adora gazed out at the evening sky.

Catra's eyes were alight with anticipation - slightly widened, with a small grin. "Let's go!"

Catra grabbed her hand and tugged her forward. If it weren't for her quick reflexes, Adora would have tumbled into her. As it was, she quickly matched Catra's pace and let her guide them as they ran through the bushes, breathless with laughter. The leaves brushed against her as she swiftly twisted through the trail. Chuckling, Catra purposefully tugged at a tree branch as they ran, sending it flinging into Adora's face - or it would have if Adora didn't deflect with her elbow.

With a new, stubborn resolve, Adora sprinted until she was in front of Catra. She glanced backwards to grin at Catra, the spark of competitiveness likely visible on her face. Catra's eyes softened suddenly, her eyebrows losing their vengeful crease and returning to their resting position, her grin turning genuine and sentimental. Adora's heart swelled. She wanted to stay in this moment forever.

Catra flashed Adora her teeth as she quickly succeeded Adora's pace, letting go of her hand. Adora gasped.

"Unfair!"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Oh, shut up!" Adora exclaimed, her cheeks warm.

Nevertheless, Adora watched Catra's silhouette as she ran, the moonlight grazing her back and illuminating her skin, leaving glowing flecks in her close-cropped brown hair. Just for a moment.

As they turned the corner, Adora's competitive spirit returned. With renewed vigour, she took a deep breath and bounded forward, a burning feeling in her calves. Before long, they were nearing the edge of the courtyard and into the streets that would lead to nearby villages. They were neck and neck now. Adora could hear Catra's panting beside her.

She concentrated on the plot of grass in front of them, freshly plucked weeds in a wheelbarrow. Her world honed in on the gate. Narrowing her eyes, she quickened her strides, each pad of her food sending her farther and farther until finally, she was just in front of Catra. She reached forward to grab onto the metal poles that constructed the gate as she stopped suddenly. The pounding of adrenaline lingered as she grinned defiantly.

"I won! Take that, Catra!"

"Ugh," Catra grumbled. She was grinning, though, her teeth showing, and Adora could tell she was really just impressed.

There was a slight crease around her eyes from smiling. Adora watched her ever-confident stance as she leaned against the gate. Catra raised her eyebrows slightly at the longevity of Adora's stare. Adora darted her eyes away, embarrassed at being caught. After a beat, she couldn't help but bring her eyes back to Catra. There she was, in her armour-like top that exposed her collarbones. There was something expectant in her eyes. Adora stepped closer, aware of the familiar but faded scent of orange-scented shampoo though overpowered by the scent of sterilization from the earlier weeks. It was a step above the Horde-issued shampoo - when they were pre-teens, Lonnie craftily stole some shampoo for curly hair. She had loaned it to Catra ever since. Some things, Adora observed, never changed.

The desire to lean in closer made it hard to make observations about Catra's hair. All she could think about was the curve of her top lip, the lingering feeling of the first time they kissed. This thought reminded her that she didn't have to fight the feeling. Emboldened, Adora met Catra's eyes.

Adora dipped her head closer, watching the way Catra tentatively closed her eyes as she leaned in, feeling her heart dip in her chest. She closed her eyes. Their noses bumped against each other for a moment, and she let out a light laugh as she shifted her face. Their lips met softly, finally. Adora didn't think she'd ever get enough.

Lips, she found recently, were as impossibly soft as Sea Hawk's cheesy shanties proclaimed them to be. Adora's hand found that spot, the curve of her neck - recently exposed because of her new hair - that she always found herself staring at. Adora moved her lips cautiously. She was met with Catra's lips, her soft lips, kissing back. Adora could barely think, a wave of wanting coming over her. For several long moments, they stayed like that. The only noise was Catra's breathing and crickets in the distance.

She could feel fingertips on her waist. Adora shivered, leaning closer. Catra's hand on her waist pulled her closer until their bodies were aligned with each other. Adora was lost in how good it all felt. Her brain had short-circuited. The possessive hand on her waist sent sparks through her. She let her leg fall forward, leaning against the wall. Catra let out a shuddering breath against her lips. It was then Adora gained the awareness that Catra's thighs were pressed against her thigh. Adora felt like her skin was alight with static electricity. Unwillingly, she made a small sound. The contact was almost overwhelming. Her world had narrowed to the woman in front of her.

Adora let her other hand snake along Catra's hip. Her fingertips grazed a small patch of skin. Catra made a surprised sound. Adora was about to pull her hand back to herself, not wanting to make Catra uncomfortable when she drew closer. Adora's lips tugged upwards in a smirk. Her shirt tugged further upwards under the pressure. Adora slipped her hand further onto Catra's torso. The contact was heady and disorienting. Her skin was so smooth.

Suddenly, there was a sharp ring coming from the gate. Adora sprung backwards in surprise.

"There's a lock on the gate," Adora frowned, still out of breath.

"We could climb over it," Catra said. Adora was gratified to hear Catra's voice slightly hoarse.

A few minutes of scrambling left them on the other side of the gate.

"That felt much too easy," Catra looked around suspiciously, kicking the pebbles on the side of the path. "We should take these bikes to the city."

"I think there's magic that allows us through since we live there," Adora mumbled, focusing on the vibration of magic that radiated through the gate. She hopped on her bike without any preamble.

They rode through the countryside, the puffs of white-grey clouds brightening the night. The path wove through a forest that couldn't be less like the Whispering Woods - the thickets of trees were thin, encasing countryside houses. There were mailboxes littered on either edge of the path.

"Do you remember that time we climbed the tree outside the training room and it broke as soon as we got to the second branch?"

Adora giggled. "Oh my god, and you caught me before I fell? Thank god for your quick reflexes or we would have been in so much trouble with Shadow Weaver."

"For getting you hurt, or breaking the only tree for a mile in that stupid wasteland?"

"Both. It's so great how many trees there are here, huh?" Adora said with wonder.

"We should climb one!" Catra grinned.

Adora widened her eyes. "And die two days after we survived a war?"

"We'll be fine, dummy," Catra rebuffed, already searching for a climbable tree.

"Oh, god no," Adora raised the hand that wasn't preoccupied steering in surrender.

"Can you steer with no hands?" Catra asked, taking her hands off of the handles and straightening her posture.

"You have a death wish," Adora quipped as she attempted it herself, raising her hands off of the bike. With a gasp, she found herself losing control of the bike, turning into the forest. Instinctually, she grabbed the handles again.

"I am going to figure this out," Adora nodded to herself. Beside her, Catra snorted.

"Should we turn right or left? I think they lead to two different towns."

"We should go right today and go left tomorrow," Adora responded, glad they had moved past tree-climbing. "Funny we came here at night - everything will be closed."

The village was still torn from the war, but the resources Glimmer had authorized once the initial battle had been won caused the beginnings of some semblance of normalcy. Adora and Catra had never lived in a place like this. It was disorienting to wonder what it would have been like to grow up a civilian instead of always preparing to fight some otherworldly force.

Bo's words from the day before echoed in her head - they didn't have it very easy, either. Before she could ponder this further, she spied a bright light in the window of a store. Frowning, she stepped off of her bike, leaving it leaning against the wall.

"I guess we do have one store we could visit," Adora remarked.

"I wonder why they're still open. It's the second night after a lifetime of war, after all."

Catra pushed open the door, a bell signalling their presence.

"Good evening," Adora greeted cautiously. To lighten the mood in the grim storefront, she added, "I didn't expect you guys to be open so late."

"Well, you know how it is. Have to make money somehow, right? I have four kids to take care of," the owner said from under the counter.

"That must be hard," Adora said tentatively. "You must be so tired."

The person stood up, brushing their hands together. Adora was suddenly glad the masses wouldn't recognize her unless she was in her She-Ra form.

"It is tiring," they nodded. Noticing Catra and Adora's cleanliness, the obvious signal that they weren't as poor as the storekeeper, they quickly changed tones. Their voice became light. "Enough about me, though, right? Times are good right now."

Catra nodded briskly, turning into the aisles. She had a sad expression ghosting over her face, but she continued talking normally. "Look at these candies. Orange flavoured!"

"Want to get some?"

"Do you want the cherry ones?" Catra asked, already grabbing a few. "Which ones will Bow and Glimmer want?"

"Anything but strawberry," Adora rolled her eyes.

Catra scoffed. "I don't get it! Who hates strawberries?"

"Bow might want this guitar pick," Adora thought out loud. "I don't know if ukelele players need picks, but I'm sure he'd appreciate it anyway."

"Get the blue one," Catra suggested. "It's his favourite colour, right?"
Adora's heart warmed at the easy way her friends had become Catra's friends, too. At the cash register, Adora left a generous amount of change and left before the shopkeeper could attempt to give any of it back.

"Have a nice night!"

"That was terrible," Adora burst out as soon as they were out of earshot. "We should bring it up to Glimmer."

"If only there was some way for them to voice their concerns themselves," Catra brainstormed.

"True," Adora frowned. "But how?"

"I don't know," Catra sighed. "Maybe Glimmer will."

"We should keep exploring," Adora said, changing the subject.

They waded through the empty streets with their bikes dragged alongside them, pointing out houses with plants in their windows, or bright designs. One house had a mural of fish painted all the way down its side, complemented by the fish-related ornaments that lined the front yard.

After exploring the neighbourhood, they crossed into the street where each house was painted a different pastel colour. Catra stopped in the middle of the street, revelling in the plethora of colours. She seemed so happy, as vibrant as the houses around them.

Lowly, so quiet that Adora was sure if Catra didn't have specialized hearing she would have missed it, Adora said, "I wish we had grown up here."

Catra whipped around. "Anywhere but where Shadow Weaver was, right?"

"Her death keeps flashing in my head," Adora whispered.

Catra nodded. They exchanged sombre looks. There was a silent understanding between them. They didn't have to say anything more. Adora took a deep breath, grabbed Catra's hand, and continued walking. The clouds above them began to rumble.

"Wait, Adora, look!" Catra exclaimed.

An abandoned building was hidden behind the row of houses. The walls were greyed and rusted, dirt encrusting the walls. Years of decay were evident from the bricks.

"If this is what it takes to not have to climb a tree, we should go inside," Adora quipped.

Catra groaned, opening the rusted door with a sharp creak. There was a spider-ridden stairwell that looked like it was once painted black. Now, it was mostly the same rusted brown that adorned the door and windowpanes. Adora climbed up the staircase, half-running. She ran past each level's door in favour of what had caught her attention before - the open roof. The towers in Bright Moon's castle didn't allow for a lot of shenanigans the way the Horde's flat buildings used to.

Soon, they were back in the night air. Adora sat on the edge of the building's roof, her legs dangling into the night. Catra shifted her head on Adora's shoulder. The pressing question that had lingered in the back of her head since the first night after the war suddenly pushed to the forefront.

"Catra, do you want to live here?"

"What, in this building?"

Adora snorted. She persisted, "No, like in Bright Moon. I mean, is this where you want to be? In Glimmer's castle?"

"I haven't been here long. Bright Moon seems nice, like another life we could have lived if we had been born somewhere else. I think it could become my home - with you, Glimmer and Bow here. I like how bright it is. I like how orange candies are easy to find. I'll miss Scorpia, though. Do you remember when Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio were our best friends?"

"Where are they?" Adora asked, with a pang of guilt.

"I don't know," Catra said soberly. "They ran away. Lonnie - she stopped for a little while, but - she still mails me bottles of orange shampoo. I bet there are boxes of it back at the Horde, right now."

"I hope we see them again," Adora mumbled.

"Me too," Catra agreed. "Well, I don't know. The last time I saw them, I was so cruel. I don't know if they'll forgive me. I don't think I would have. I don't know."

Not knowing seemed to be a common theme, right now. Adora wanted to call it being lost, but in all truth, this was the least lost she had ever been. She suspected Catra felt the same. The last time they were on a roof together like this, they thought they had known exactly what they wanted. World domination. Now, older and wiser, they knew that almost everything they wanted was already with them.