JUST THIS ONCE... (Catradora)
Rating: General Audiences
Tags: She-Ra Season 5 Spoilers, Dark, Self-Hatred, Catra POV, Angst with a happy ending.
WC: 642
Notes: Bolded parts are whispers by Adora that Catra perceives as yells.
Read on AO3
"You look out for me. And I look out for you. Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
That was the last memory that crossed Catra's mind before the pain.
"It was time I did justice to that promise myself. Stay safe, Adora..."
And those were her last thoughts before being forced to submerge inside the green glowing pool. Before the shadows took over and all she could hear was Horde Prime's voice, soon enough joined by thousands upon thousands of voices in the darkness. The hivemind. Their sound was deafening and Horde Prime's will was even sicker than any punishment Shadow Weaver had ever inflicted upon Catra. So she withdrew deep into her soul, far deeper than anyone could ever reach, to slumber for eternity as Horde Prime used her as a mere puppet.
Anyone but Adora. Suddenly, a light. And Adora was there. Somehow she had managed to break Prime's mind control. She didn't remember doing so. But soon enough, Prime took over again. This happened many times in a lapse of time way too short and Catra was hurting.
The last thing she saw before being surrounded by darkness once again... Was the abyss. A deep, dark abyss. Horde Prime wanted to end her life.
The darkness surrounded her, once again. She could also feel the grip of Horde Prime, restraining her whole mind. And the shadows started to grow bigger. And bigger. And bigger.
She was dying. And all she could think was... That she deserved it. She had ruined way too many people's lives. She had broken people, and pushed them away. A single good action couldn't redeem a monster like her. She deserved nothing, but death. The whole universe would be better off without her.
And then, among the shadows, she heard a voice. A shout, a yell. Accompanied by a light, so bright that the shadows started to retreat. So bright, that Horde Prime's light seemed like a shadow itself. So pure that she could feel Horde Prime's grip weakening, as he was burned by the light.
"Come on, Catra, you're not done. Not yet!"
She knew that voice. She knew it as well as she knew that the sun would rise every morning. Her heart skipped way too many heartbeats.
"Adora?"
"We're going home, Catra! You have to wake up!"
Then, Catra saw it. A bright, glowing door, calling her from within the shadows, attracting her. And Adora was there. Trying to reach Catra with her hand.
"Adora... I'm worthless. I hurt people. Why would you come back for me? I wanted you to be safe... To uphold my end of the promise for once. Leave me. You're better off without me."
"No, no!"
The sheer emotion in Adora's yells was enough to made Catra look at her. She was crying.
"I was the one who failed you! I broke the promise, while you always looked out for me, even after I left! So don't you dare blame yourself for that!"
"But..."
"Don't you get it!? I know I don't deserve it, but I'm begging you! I will never leave you again, so please, just this once... Come with me!"
Adora wasn't able to continue as she burst into tears. But her words were more than enough to make Catra feel something she hadn't felt in a long time. Hope for a better future. Hope for herself. Hope... For redemption. A will to live.
So she struggled with Horde Prime's weakened wrap. She struggled through the shadows, through the pain and through the darkness, reaching for Adora's hand, as her face filled with surprise.
When she opened her eyes, Adora was there. Leaning on her chest, feeling mentally exhausted and vulnerable... She said the only thing she could think of at the moment.
"Hey, Adora..."
AO3.
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