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The lock on the door turned, a tiny click echoing in the room. I gasped loudly, standing up from the pile of blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, and fairy lights around me. My feet got tangled in the process, sending me stumbling out of the tent in the living room. I almost face-planted into the coffee table in front of the TV. No no no! It wasn’t ready yet! I lunged for the door as it barely opened, a sliver of light coming in from outside. In a swift movement, I slipped out of it, pulled it shut from outside, and plastered on the most innocent smile I could. My eyes were squinted shut with the intensity of my very innocent smile. I was aware of that fact the glitter on my hands made me look suspicious.
“ADORA HEY! What are you doing back so early? Didn’t Glimmer need you to - wow ,” I’d opened my eyes, still holding the door closed, but my grip slackened. Along with my knees, jaw, and mental processes. Adora was all She-Ra’d up, but She-Ra looked different. She always grew taller than me when she transformed, but now instead of a few inches taller, she had about head and half on me. Adora also looked stronger - like a lot stronger. I mean, she’d always been strong, even without the help of a glowy warrior, but now she looked like some sort of mythical warrior goddess, all regal and powerful and - gorgeous?! Not that she wasn’t before, because of course she was, she always was, but - whoa. Talk about a glow up. The flowing blonde hair was now tucked in a very Adora-like ponytail. The little puff peeked over a crown that framed her face, sleek gold highlighting the sharp curves of her face and the fierce blue of her eyes.
She looked older, the usual air of goofiness that accompanied Adora into her She-Ra form mostly gone now; overtaken by an air of power, confidence, and boldness - a different side of Adora on display. My mouth went dry, I think I swallowed my tongue, and the tips of my ears burned, a few sparks flying in the corner of my eyes alerting me that they were, in fact, on fire. I smacked at them with the hand that wasn’t feebly holding on to the door (to close it or keep myself upright? Not sure). I extinguished the flames but not the creeping blush I felt spread from my chest to the crown of my head. A few strange strangled noises stumbled from my lips before some semi-coherent words came out.
“Uh, hmm, new su-suit?” the words fell clumsily into the air between us. I was more concerned she heard the frantic manic sound of my heart using my ribs like a marimba, the rhythm frightfully unsteady. Adora smirked, leaning down until our eyes were level and my heart ceased its concerto, opting instead to stop beating completely. In the intense sky-blue of her eyes I could see the reflection of flames - my ears and shoulders were on fire again. Adora giggled and booped my nose, her laughter ringing out around me in the most beautiful melody. She backed away and twirled around, her cape and very long ponytail smacking me in the process. My heart got sick of hanging out in my chest and shot into my throat, keeping any air from flowing in or out, leaving me dizzy - or maybe that was just Adora.
“Yeah, what do you think?” she asked. She had the audacity to ask, even though the blue sparks flying all around me were a clear indicator of what I thought . So rude… but so pretty… I coughed into my free hand, looking anywhere but at Adora, which meant I had to strain my neck to look straight up at the ceiling. Very smooth and nonchalant, I know.
“Is, um, it’s very nice,” I squeaked. Pathetic? Sure, but it was hardly my fault. Adora stopped twirling around (mercifully) and looked down at me, her intense eyes squinting. I grinned, which probably looked more like a grimace, and waved awkwardly.
“What are you up to?” she asked. I could feel beads of sweat running down the back of my neck and shot my hand up to run through my hair.
“Me?! Nothing!” I said a bit too loudly. Adora transformed back to herself, the glowing warrior disappearing but leaving the same ridiculously beautiful girl in front of me. It was almost unfair. I tightened my hold on the door. Adora cocked her head to the side, looking at the door handle and then at me.
“Really? Can I come in then?” she asked, and I shook my head violently. Which, yeah, made me look a little guilty I suppose.
“NOPE! I uh… set the microwave on fire. I’ll take care of it. You just stay here and don’t come in until I tell you to ok? NO PEEKING!” I said, rushing behind the door in a whirlwind. I took a second to breathe, running my hands down my face. Not my smoothest moment. The room was almost done. I’d set a big black sheet over the ceiling and taped glow in the dark stars to it, the glitter on my hands was from having sprinkled some on the sheet. Underneath it was a tent, little electric candles encircling it, and a few real ones that smelled like the ocean and pine trees because Adora found them relaxing. Also, the food scented ones made her hungry.
I rushed over and finished hanging up the fairy lights around the tent, ran over to the fridge and microwave and grabbed the snacks, put it on the coffee table, and fluffed up all the pillows. Looking around I smiled, gently kicking the edge of a blanket back into the tent and away from a real candle. Adora had been kind enough to heed my please and not peek. I turned off the lights, the glow from the candles and the fairy lights enough to see everything, but still created a comfy atmosphere.
“Ok, you can come in now,” I said just loud enough so that Adora could hear me. She walked inside and gasped, looking around. Her gaze trailed over the makeshift starry sky, the glowing stars reflecting in the brilliant blue of her eyes. She laughed quietly, looking at the tent in the middle of the room, the neatly arranged small army of candles, the twinkling fairy lights. I stood in front of the tent, one hand shoved into my hoodie and the other scratching at the back of my neck. The blush from earlier stubbornly stayed on my face, the heat of it radiating on my cheeks. I shifted my eyes up from my socked feet, looking at Adora. Her lips were curved into a warm smile, her own face having a rosy tint to it, making the usually invisible freckles across her nose and cheeks glow. I cleared my throat and picked at the threadbare sleeves of my hoodie with one hand, the other still rubbing the back of my neck.
“Do you, uh, do you like it?” I asked, swaying on my feet, “I mean, I know you’ve been really busy bringing balance to, well, the universe really ever since you know, we won, and I just wanted to do something nice for you because you deserve it and -” my rambling was mercifully cut off by a blur of blonde hair crashing into me. A puff of air fell from my lips as the wind was knocked out of me, my arms pinned against my side. I smiled, hugging Adora back as best I could. She pulled away, her eyes twinkling beautifully. I brought my hands up to her face, cradling it as I pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose.
Adora chuckled, leaning into my right hand, “I love it. It’s perfect. Thank you,” she said, nuzzling my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly. A few moments of peaceful silence passed by in our tender embrace. There was no war, no fighting, no running, no fear. I’d almost forgotten what that was like in the past few months, to be at ease, to be calm.
I knew for Adora it had been much longer, her whole life had been anchored to a war, to a burden placed on her shoulders. It had made her the person she was today, not just because of She-Ra, but because of the way she stepped into her role of protecting others with compassion, bravery, and determination. She-Ra gave her magical powers, but Adora had always been a fierce fighter - a hero. I breathed in deeply, feeling the peaceful warmth of her presence anchor me to the present. Chuckling, I pulled away, tugging on Adora’s sleeve so she would sit down with me. It took a few moments of digging around the endless tangle of blankets, but I finally found the remote to the tv. Snuggling into the fluffy fortress I opened my arms, a grin spread on my face. Adora smiled and shook her head, cuddling into my chest.
“Do you wanna watch a movie?” I asked, powering on the tv and placing a kiss to the top of Adora’s head, the blonde curls tickling my lips. She wrapped herself around me like the world’s most magical koala bear and pulled a blanket over us.
“Yeah. Can we watch the one with the little lions?”
“You mean the Lion King?”
“Yeah that one! I like the little lemur looking thing,” Adora said and I laughed, pulling up the movie on the screen.
“Timon is a meerkat, I’m sure he’d be offended,” I said and Adora playfully punched my arm. I had borrowed a smuggled copy of a few Disney movies from my sister; Etheria couldn’t go on without knowing the magic of Disney. However, Adora was still learning the movies and their characters… and animals they did not have here. The movie started up and Adora whisper-sang the beginning song - or, more like mumbled incoherently in a somewhat on beat rhythm. I tried not to laugh, I really did, but Adora was curled into my side, her hair a tousled mess splayed out on the pillows. Her eyes sparkled with childlike wonder as she mumbled the Lion King.
She poked my nose with her fingers, a pout forming on her lips, “What you laughing at?” she asked, looking slighted. I grinned and tickled her sides, causing a squeak to sound in the room as she twitched and jumped around. Out of mercy, I stopped my barrage of tickles and opted to pepper sloppy kisses around her face, her hands half-heartedly pushing me away as she giggled.
“Nothing. You’re just very cute,” I said, looking down at her and tucking the rebellious strands of hair behind her ear. Adora’s blush was radiant, her big blue eyes playful and loving. It made me feel a little lightheaded, but I’d grown used to it. That’s how it always was around her. Adora’s lips curled into a smirk, the tip of her tongue peeking out the corner of her mouth.
“Would you say I’m… adorable?” she said and I groaned, shaking my head. Adora just cackled, an attempt at an evil laugh leaving her coughing quietly. I was holding myself up with my arms, slowly getting lost in the endless ocean of her eyes. It never bothered me: how easily the world melted away when she was in the room, how nothing else seemed to matter when she laughed, or how erratically my heart beat when she was close by. It never bothered me how quickly she’d gone from being another face in a strange world to being my whole world. It didn’t bother me how quickly and deeply I’d fallen.
I smiled warmly, a feeling of electricity running up from my toes to the tips of my ears. Adora blinked at me, her breathing quiet and calm. My heart gushed with overwhelming love; she was brilliant, strong, kind, caring, funny, and stunningly beautiful. She was perfect. I leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to her smiling lips, so delicate and shy it felt like a secret. Maybe it was. Maybe there was always a secret song in every kiss that told of a love lost in words but found in harmony. Adora gingerly held my face, her hands warm against the skin of my cheeks. She returned the gesture just as sweetly, the ghost of a touch overflowing with love. I sighed and pulled away, leaning my forehead against hers, my eyes still closed.
“I’d say you’re perfect,” I whispered into the space between us. My eyes fluttered open and I found baby blue eyes, a little watery, but brilliant. Her arms wrapped around my back and she pulled me into a fierce hug, burying her face in my neck. I laughed quietly and stroked her hair.
“I love you,” she breathed against the skin there; it tickled slightly. I shifted around so she was laying on my chest and I wrapped my own arms around her, rubbing her back.
“And I’ll always love you. Now come on, Mufasa is about to present Simba, this is important!” I said, and Adora laughed, snuggling back into my side. She laid her hand over my heart, and I was sure she could feel the light fluttering underneath her fingertips. Halfway through the movie, she started running her hands through my rowdy black hair, the short waves getting messier and messier. I was lulled to sleep by the action, the calm pattern of her breathing, the strong beating of her heart next to me, and the comfort of her presence. It was peaceful and quiet and -
“HAKUNA MATATA!” shouted Adora, causing me to jump about three feet into the air. I looked down at her with wide, confused, and sleepy eyes. “What? The lemur was singing, I had to join him.”