To The Stars and Back

Episode 9

The night was cool, the air tinged with the unmistakable scent of impending rain. They were just outside their apartment.

Adora, a short figure with a bright, infectious enthusiasm, was gripping Catra's coat. The gesture was gentle but firm, a physical manifestation of her reluctance to end their evening. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Catra, on the other hand, bore an inscrutable expression, her features unreadable under the dim light. Her hands were buried deep in her pockets, her posture relaxed yet guarded.

Breaking the momentary silence, Adora turned toward her apartment, her smile broadening as she spoke, her voice carrying a note of mischief and promise.

"Ah, I'll be right back."

With a flourish, she disappeared into the apartment, the door closing softly behind her. Only her arm remained visible for a brief moment as she pointed upward, her finger wagging playfully.

"Don't move—"

Catra obeyed, her curiosity piqued despite her neutral facade. She stood perfectly still, her gaze fixed on the spot where Adora had vanished, wondering what could be so important that it couldn't wait till morning.

Moments later, Adora reappeared as suddenly as she had left, her arms laden with a plate of cookies. This batch, however, was different—they bore an uncanny resemblance to Catra's usual unimpressed expression. Adora's eyes twinkled with pride and a hint of anxiety as she presented her culinary creation.

"Ta-da! They have less sugar. I made sure this time."

Catra eyed the cookies. Each one was a miniature portrait, an edible caricature. Her thoughts raced, a mix of amusement and bewilderment crossing her mind. "Are those... supposed to be my face?" she wondered silently, her face a mask of awkwardness.

Adora, oblivious to Catra's internal monologue, beamed as she handed over the plate. With a cheerful and somewhat abrupt farewell, she turned back towards her door.

"Well, goodnight, Catra!"

The door clicked shut, and Catra was left alone, holding a plate of cookies that looked just like her. She stared at the door for a moment, then, with a resigned shake of her head, walked to her own apartment just next door.

Inside, the familiar clutter of her living space welcomed her. She slid off her shoes, balancing against the wall with one hand while still clutching the plate. Moving through the dimly lit room, she approached the trash can, her intention clear. The memory of her previous rejection of Adora's baking efforts hung heavily in the air.

Catra paused, the plate hovering over the open bin. She remembered Adora's crestfallen face from their last encounter, the way her shoulders had drooped when Catra had dismissed her cookies. With a heavy sigh, her features set in a stubborn frown, she made a decision.

Instead of consigning them to the trash, she transferred the cookies to a small box. She then hoisted herself up slightly to place the box atop a crowded shelf, its contents a chaotic mix of cup noodles, spicy beans, and assorted non-perishables. The cookies were out of immediate sight but saved from the indignity of the garbage.

Clinging to the shelf, Catra looked down at the kitchen floor, her thoughts swirling. "Dammit. It's that guilty feeling again," she admitted to herself, her inner turmoil a stark contrast to the comic expressions frozen in sugar and flour on the shelf above. The night's silence returned as she stood there, alone with her thoughts and the faces of cookies that looked just like her.