[locked to new hires] post-babadon't

[princesspower]

[ Adora fidgets with her communicator, staring at the screen, her brow furrowed as the video feed starts up. She's in a bed in the infirmary, with some bandaging on her head where she's was previously bleeding from the scalp. She looks tired, mostly. ]

Hey everybody. I just - I guess I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let myself get taken out like that. Everyone had to deal with that because of me. I screwed up. I won't let it happen again. Uh - I guess that's about it.

Comments

[heterochrocatic]

It's not your fault! If anyone says that it is, they're wrong.

[princesspower]

Catra, I could've done something! Instead I was just locked in a file cabinet!

[71lines]

And if it hadn't been you, it would've been someone else. Maybe someone who wouldn't've recovered as fast.

[princesspower]

But it wasn't someone else. It was me.

[71lines]

And because it was you, it wasn't Setsuna again. Or Catra. Or Stacia.

[princesspower]

It wouldn't have been anyone if I'd been able to handle it.

[71lines]

I said the same thing. Didn't change the facts.

[princesspower]

The fact is I should've been better.

[71lines]

Then be better and don't worry about being sorry. You can't change the fact that you weren't good enough then and no one blames you for it.

[Dammit, when she said "be selfish", she didn't mean in this way!]


Besides, you were only down for, what, two hours, plus the time we were in lockdown?

[princesspower]

Felt like a lot longer.

[ Ugh. ]

[71lines]

At least you got a nap in.

[princesspower]

It wasn't a nap.

[71lines]

No, I guess you'd be feeling more refreshed if it was.

Laugh. It's over.

[princesspower]

I don't really feel like laughing.

[heterochrocatic]

Yeah? So what? It could happen to anyone, you idiot.

[princesspower]

But it didn't.

[heterochrocatic]

If it had been me would you be saying this crap?

[princesspower]

You're not She-Ra.

[heterochrocatic]

And you're not just She-Ra!

[princesspower]

But I have that power! That means I have to be better then... this!

[heterochrocatic]

It took me a long time to figure this out, but you're allowed to be weak sometimes, Adora. I don't want to watch you--watch you kill yourself over this stuff.

[ She feels like she's had this conversation before. ]

[princesspower]

It's not about being weak, Catra.

It's about being responsible. About being who I'm supposed to be. It's about protecting other people.

[ They probably have, in another life. ]

[heterochrocatic]

[ Catra remembers it and it frustrates her. ]

This is just like your stupid bullshit with the Heart! How many times do you have to martyr yourself?

cw: suicidal tendencies

[princesspower]

I don't remember the Heart. I don't... I don't know what that is.

[ The answer to that question is honestly "as many times as it takes", as far as Adora is concerned.

She may be low-key suicidal. ]

[heterochrocatic]

Of course you don't! FUCK!

[ Catra snaps. She's trying really hard not to be the person she used to be but if there's anything that makes her angry, it's the way Adora tries to throw herself away for everyone else's benefit. ]

I'm not going to just watch you burn yourself up for other people! I can't do that anymore!