Forever Fallen (Catra x OC She-Ra Fanfic)

13. The Attack on Salineas

When Harley had first seen Salineas on the horizon, her breath had been caught in her throat. It was beautiful. It was like Atlantis but on land and the very sight of it mesmerised Harley, but now, as Harley stared at its burning buildings and crumbling walls, it reminded Harley of some desecrated Ancient Greek temple. Even though it was broken, it was no less beautiful, only Harley's heart ached at the needless waste.

Harley was keeled over the Horde ship's bow, her knuckles gone white as she tightly gripped the bulwark and gazed vacantly at the roiling, black water below her that glowed with the orange hue of sunset. She didn't want to look at the destruction anymore, the bloodcurdling screams ringing in her ears and the bitter taste of ash that coated the back of her throat was enough.

'I could have stopped this... If only I'd known...'

The girl loosened her grip on the railing and turned her hands over, staring at her trembling palms as she felt bile rise in her throat. She doubled over the bulwark and hurled up her insides, coughing violently as her throat burned like Salineas.

"You doing alright over there, Princess?" Came Catra's wry voice and Harley turned around, wiping her lips, "You caught a bug or something whilst at sea?"

Harley didn't respond and instead turned back to the ocean, spitting the last of her sick into the water. Even after all the bad things Catra had done, Harley still trusted her-- even after all the good things Catra had done, Harley still didn't trust her-- and Harley still tiptoed around her, despite their relationship.

The girl had clearly expressed her interest in Catra and though Catra had kissed her back, she didn't know whether Catra wanted to be with her or not.

"Hey, turn around!" Catra demanded and Harley sighed, doing as she was told. The force captain was only a few yards away and she delicately placed something on the bridge of Harley's nose. Her left eye could see all the intricacies of Catra's face; her light smattering of freckles and the colourful flecks in her two-toned eyes, but her right eye was blocked by a fracture like the one in her mirror back home, "There. You probably don't need 'em anymore but..."

Catra's fingers lingered a moment longer at the sides of Harley's face and the girl reached her hands up and curled her fingers around Catra's wrists and with her enhanced vision, Harley could see the pink flush against Catra's brown skin.

"How'd you get them?" Harley smiled warmly, taking the glasses off her face and turning them over in her hands, inspecting the dust and the giant crack across one of the lenses.

"Well I didn't want to spend another second in the fucking sea so I went back to the forward base outside of Bright Moon. It was in ruins but... I managed to find them-- and your laptop too-- but it looks a little worse for wear..." Catra confessed and Harley's lips split into a jaunty beam as she watched Catra keenly.

She was glowing orange in the firelight, her beauty only heightened by the yellows, the reds and the purples that were cast along her sharp features. Harley leaned forward, blinking her eyes shut and moving to press her lips to Catra's but a hand on her chest held her back.

"Not right now, Princess. You reek." She told her and Harley's face fell as Catra pulled her back down by the collar of her shirt and ghosted her lips across her ear, her voice no more than a whisper, "But you better make it up to me later,"

Catra's purr in her ear sent the fireflies in her stomach into a thrilling flurry and her head into a gay panic as the cat-girl stepped away, turning her back on Harley.

"Kyle! Get the ship ready! We're moving troops along the coast! I don't want to stay any second longer here..." Catra shouted out across the deck before she disappeared inside the ship leaving Harley to stare at her retreating form.