Chapter Text
Hordak could feel Entrapta’s lips press flush and move timidly against his own. He didn’t even have the time to feel like he was not reciprocating, he could only be still and absorb the feeling. Her bare hands moved against his face, tracing the lines they found, and Hordak could still hardly believe she was touching him.
Hordak was unsure what do with his hands, hovering them stunned and shaking just over her sides before Entrapta’s hair, seeming to sense their presence somehow, moved them to her to hold her waist. She shivered under his touch and he was reminded of their size difference as he held her lightly, but securely. There was a static between them and a small sound emerged from one or both of them as they separated, but Entrapta stayed close. She had managed to essentially climb into his lap again. The closeness was almost surreal.
“..Oooh, I like this a lot.” She said, breathing nearly against his mouth. “Significantly increased sympathetic nervous activity, heightened senses, everything feels more vivid. Hordak, I’ve only ever felt like this when I’ve achieved a breakthrough in one of my experiments! Your eyes are very bright from this angle. I’ve never been this close to anyone before.. Can we try again?” She questioned eagerly.
Hordak breathed in the heat of her words, mouth slightly parted. He looked upon her eager enthusiasm in awe. She was warm and soft under his hands, and while he kept his touch light, at her inquiry, he tightened his grip. She shuddered under his touch. He thought he heard himself whisper an affirmation, head spinning, but he was honestly too otherwise occupied just looking between her mouth and her eyes.
“Oh, okay, I also really like how your hands feel.” She said quietly, sounding surprised, almost to herself. Her hair was essentially holding her up and she moved her hands to touch his on her waist. She tentatively trailed up his wrists with both hands before leaning in and capturing his lips with her own again.
Hordak let out a brief sound of surprise against her mouth before surrendering to the small woman in his arms. She had angled her face more against his this time and pushed a bit more firmly. Hordak closed his eyes and felt his fragile heart pounding in his throat.
Despite her smaller mouth, her plush lips coaxed his into returning the kiss as much as he was capable. He truly wasn’t sure what to do, but when she bestowed another kiss upon him, he found that, to a degree, some of this capturing movement with his mouth was intuitive.
When they parted again, now slightly out of breath, a moment of fond, but surprised eye contact was shared. Entrapta’s tongue passed over her upper lip fleetingly, making a few of Hordak’s circuits misfire, before she beamed at him, shaking her hands with an excited need. Hordak continued to hold her, supporting her with his arms as she just about melted against him.
“..This is exciting. Hordak, would you consider that a successful experiment?” Entrapta asked, pressed against him and now partially folded into his lap.
“..Yes.” Hordak conjured the word to speak as he tried not to sound too eager. He was often exaggerative when it came to describing his emotions internally, but he actually did feel physically lighter. Entrapta smiled joyously
“I understand why people do this now. It’s strange and nerve-wracking, but also very thrilling. You make me feel things I’ve never felt. I wonder if that’s the endorphins. I want to move around and stay still right here all at the same time.” She lost herself in thought for a moment before she eyed him curiously. Hordak thought that he could listen to her talk all night.
Hordak saw her lift her hand and then felt her fingers trace across his facial ridges; the symmetrical lines that ran from his eyes to his cheek. Hordak’s eyes fluttered shut at the light touch and his ears twitched and lowered helplessly. Hordak was certain that if she did not stop touching him, he would surely combust at some point.
“..I recognize again that we’re from different planets. ..How does your species show affection? Is it different?” She inquired, tilting her head. Hordak took a moment before he realized he was being addressed and an answer was expected.
“I.. do not know. We were raised to be soldiers. We were not bred to be.. affectionate. Prolonged close contact was prohibited.. unless it was.. initiated by Prime..” Hordak adjusted himself uncomfortably. He did not want to discuss Prime nor his “affections”. A confused, but stern look crossed Entrapta’s face, but she didn’t say anything even if it looked like she wanted to. Hordak thought for a moment.
“Among the older clones that grew close, there was a greeting that involved the contact of touching foreheads. It was brief, but I suppose that was affection..” Hordak contemplated.
“Even if you weren’t bred for it, I think you’re pretty good at being affectionate.” Entrapta said looking up at him, easing back to give him some more space, seeping so much sincerity, Hordak could not help but to feel proud at her statement. If he could make her happy, even for a moment, that was monumental to him.
The moment was interrupted by a wide yawn coming from Entrapta, unable to hide her growing fatigue. Hordak was uncertain what time it was, but it had to have been getting late by now; they had been in the ship for hours past sundown. Hordak found himself surprised that no one had some interrupting them to check on Entrapta during all this time, seeing as the princesses certainly did not trust him.
“You require rest.” Hordak stated, taking in other signs of her physical weariness. His hands were still holding her, her weight comfortable against him and in his lap. He felt the urge to continue to hold her and never let go. The feeling was conflicting, he had never wanted to be this close to anyone before. He had never been so dependent on anyone else, he never thought that this was something he would want. Entrapta looked disappointed.
“Ohh, but sleeping is so boring! I really like experimenting in being affectionate with you as romantic partners!” She exclaimed dramatically looking directly at his face. Hordak shrinked back slightly, his heart gave a weak skip and again he was unsure how he was supposed to respond to her bold claim.
She interrupted herself with another yawn that Hordak could not possibly see as anything other than endearing. Her hair slid slowly off his shoulder as she pulled herself further back.
“Okay, fine, we should call it a successful experiment and resume tomorrow! A good scientist should know her limitations, I suppose.. Plus, we have time now!” She pondered as she stood, picking her gloves up off the floor and putting them on again.
Hordak heard the word echo in his head - time. There was time for them now. The princesses nor Prime would take her away or keep them apart. She loved him. His insides fluttered again and a shiver ran down his spine.
He blinked when he saw that she was offering him a loop of her hair for assistance in getting up. He hesitated for a moment before tentatively grasped it and she quickly helped pull him to his feet. When she kept a lock of hair wrapped securely around his hand, he held it gently.
Entrapta guided him out of the ship, patting Darla’s doorway fondly. She had only just
stepped out of the threshold before she looked up at the sky and gasped.
“Hordak, look at the stars! You can see them so clearly now without the lighting from the camp or the ships!” She exclaimed, twirling around and staring up at the black abyss in wonder.
“It’s beautiful!” She exclaimed, eyes dazzling as she fell backwards onto her hair, still looking up. Hordak was alarmed when she fell back, reaching for her until he realized it was an intentional drop.
She laid in the grass next to the ship before Hordak felt a tug on his hand and he found himself sitting again, his back against the hull of the spaceship. Entrapta squirmed her way close to him and rested her head of his lap. Hordak looked down at her in surprise, his ears upright.
She snaked a lock of hair around his waist and arm and Hordak saw the reflection of the stars in her eyes. He settled into her embrace and fought the melting feeling that made him want to vocalize. He physically relaxed his muscles and allowed her to rest against his upper leg. It was a quiet night. Hordak had scanned the area, on alert now that they were out in the open. While there was a slight chill in the air, it was still a fairly warm temperature. Entrapta still looked tired, but if she fell asleep here it should not be a problem. He would watch over her.
“There’s so much to explore.” She said, holding her arms out. “We could travel the universe! It’s huge, isn’t it? Constantly expanding? Once our assignments are finished here, would you want to go?” She inquired, looking up at him. Hordak caught her eyes.
“I believe I mentioned.. I would go anywhere with you.” He stated, feeling the truth roll freely off of his tongue. Entrapta flushed and beamed again.
“I remember when you told me about the different planets you’d been to. Back in the Sanctum. Remember?” Hordak couldn’t have possibly forgotten. That was when he first started recognizing her for who she was. When he learned that she was genuinely interested in what he had to say.
“How many planets have you been to?” She asked curiously. Hordak had to think for a moment. She shivered and he realized his fingers were threading through the rope of hair that was around his hand. She seemed to enjoy it, looking even more sleepy, so he continued the gentle motions.
“..Countless.” Hordak finally said, recalling his days of conquest. “Hundreds. I do not clearly remember them all. And many of which may not be.. viable anymore.” Hordak had a strange feeling of guilt thinking on the civilizations he had lead to a premature demise. Under Prime’s command, he had just felt duty-bound and righteous. Knowing what he knew now about how Prime had used him, what Prime had used them all for, made him feel a bit sick.
“How old are you, Hordak?” She suddenly asked, tilting her head back and glancing up at him again. Hordak’s ear twitched as he looked back to her; he had no easy answer for this. In a way, he was used to her abrupt subject changes, attributing this to connections she was making in her mind non-verbally.
“I am.. unsure. Time was measured differently on Prime’s ship. We did not keep track of annual cycles as you Etherians do. Even the concept of individual days did not exist. I am fully matured as all of the clones are when they emerge from incubation.” Hordak said. Entrapta seemed to contemplate this.
“That means you don’t have a birthday!” She said, looking up at him. “We need to assign you a birth date so we can celebrate it annually!” Entrapta said determinedly. Hordak felt like he had seen this tradition performed on Etheria before, but was unclear why it was required for him to participate in the bizarre ritual. He looked at her, head tilted, confused. Entrapta noticed and attempted to elaborate.
“It’s a strange, Etherian tradition used to make light of getting older, but it can be fun! And there’s usually sweets involved. And a social gathering, but that part I always considered optional.” Entrapta explained. Hordak considered this.
Entrapta then broke into a large smile, looking upward. Hordak blinked at her curiously. She seemed to sense the question in the air and she shrugged as her smile grew.
“It’s just that.. I won’t have to spend it alone anymore. My birthday, I mean.. ‘cause now I have you.” She grinned, her sharp gaze attuned to him. Her lock of hair squeezed around his hand and Hordak melted again. He bowed his head slightly.
“..It would be my honor.” He said softly. Entrapta nuzzled further into his lap, sighing contentedly, eyelids drooping as Hordak weaved his claws slowly though her strands again.
“..Hordak? Can you tell me about the stars again?” She asked. Hordak remembered this conversation, over a year ago, when they worked together in the Sanctum. She always had questions for him about space and there were some days when he would answer freely. Her eyes were half-closed and Hordak was sure that she would drift off shortly. He also knew that Entrapta had to have already memorized all of this information by heart, but she wanted to hear him say it anyway. So he did.
Hordak began quietly with the formation of a star and the collapse of a nebula. He rattled on, explaining the compositions of the stars to the internal pressure and expansion. He had only just gotten to the formulary science of light travel before he realized that she was soundly asleep; the sound of soft snores reaching his sensitive ears.
He continued to comb fingers though her smooth hair, captivated by the texture and by this small creature in his lap who has changed him and trusted him enough to be at her most vulnerable with. He would protect her, Hordak vowed. He would keep her safe.
He leaned his head against Darla’s paneling, comforted by the weight of her head against his leg. Hordak stared up into the inky infinity lit by the light of the moon and asked the universe what he had done right to deserve her.
Hordak was unsure how long he sat like that, still and peaceful, listening to the sounds of Entrapta’s steady breaths and the sounds of the night. Feeling the warmth she emitted and letting himself absorb everything inwards, not letting a single, quiet moment be taken for granted.
His ears twitched as he heard the footsteps of an outsider drawing nearer. Hordak snapped wide awake, staying perfectly still, but facing the direction of the sound. A deep, menacing growl tumbled out of his throat as his ears drew back, ready to battle the intruder if he had to. Armor or no armor.
The footsteps grew slower and more cautious until Hordak could recognize a faint scent in the air. He relaxed minutely before a familiar outfit and blonde head came into view. Adora.
“Oh, uh, hi..” She looked at him tentatively before looking flustered as she took in the full scene in front of her. Hordak curled his growl into the back of his throat and started sternly at her, unmoving. Entrapta was still asleep, he could tell by the even feel of her deep breaths against him. He did not wish to disturb her much-needed rest if he did not have to.
He looked her over. Adora was hesitant and did not appear overtly threatening. Hordak caught himself just immediately before the words ‘leave us’ were about to be growled out from the depths of his chest. He had no right to make demands of anyone anymore. He had no authority, no army, no suit. Just the fact that he was alive and with Entrapta had him in the Princesses’ debt. The fact that he had his body back made him particularly in She-Ra’s debt.
Adora seemed fixated on Entrapta sleeping in his lap, his hand in her hair. Hordak interestingly was not embarrassed, but instead he felt irritated at a private moment being intruded upon. He preferred not to think of anyone else when he was with Entrapta.
“..What do you want?” Hordak said lowly. It took all of the self control Hordak had within him not to growl it out. He supposed Adora should be considered an ally now. It was because of her that Prime was gone. She appeared to treat Entrapta fairly and she did not seem to be growing hostile over how close he was to the smaller princess in this moment as some of the other princesses may have.
Adora seemed to blink back up at him, like he was snapping her out of a thought.
“..Oh, your eyes and teeth are orange now. We thought Wrong Hordak’s were turning yellow..” She lowered her voice when Hordak glared and his ears turned back. She seemed to understand that Entrapta was fast asleep.
“I’m sorry to, uh, interrupt.. The rest of the group wanted someone to check up on Entrapta to make sure she was..-“
“I am not trusted. I am aware. Are you here to take her away?” Hordak inquired plainly. He kept his outward appearance calm, but he felt his muscles subconsciously tense. It was difficult not to always believe that they would try to take her from him, that despite everything, that they were doomed to be separated. He hated how scared he was of this. The blonde princess seemed confused.
“What? No! You two are free to do.. almost what you want now..” She said scratching the back of her head anxiously. Hordak raised a brow. It wasn’t as if he did not understand them, but their statements were not matching up with their actions and Hordak felt himself losing his patience. He already lived with this paranoia that everything that they had told him was a lie. He already knew that despite as many times as he was told otherwise, he was not worthy of Entrapta and any time that they did have together was sacred, but it could not last.. could it?
“Free, but we must be under constant surveillance by this planet’s authority..?” He questioned somewhat patronizingly. Adora then appeared more flustered and somewhat frustrated.
“No, no,” She shook her head. “That’s not it..” Adora looked to be trying to find her words.
“..I’m not trying to go back on our word, it’s just.. you do realize that this is kind of.. strange and unprecedented for everyone, right?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she looked upwards and seemed to contemplate this.
“..Not that I am particularly one to talk, but-“
“And what makes you think that I care about that?” Hordak quipped impatiently, still keeping his voice low, Entrapta snoring soundly. Adora paused and looked at him.
“You do care.” She said simply. Hordak’s ears flicked.
“You care about how the princesses will view you.” Hordak met her gaze before briefly looking down to Entrapta. She looked peaceful. He tried to borrow some of that energy.
“..It is unclear what is expected of me under your authority.” Hordak said with all of the confidence of a subordinate. Adora tilted her head and gave him a look that Hordak thought went too deep, saw too much.
“..You’re afraid.” She said finally with so much certainty, Hordak felt his lips curl in a snarl.
“..You don’t have a good track record with authority. You think we’d lie to you. That we’d separate you.” For someone who acted as childish as she did sometimes, this Adora was alarmingly intuitive and Hordak did not enjoy the way she seemed to understand others the way she did. The way she made him seem transparent underneath her gaze.
As the understanding set in, Adora looked concerned and she spoke more quietly.
“I wouldn’t allow that. Not unless she, or you, wanted it. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that. I know this isn’t.. easy for you.” She said calmly.
Hordak took a breath to speak when Entrapta chose that moment to sigh and murmur in her sleep, turning to nuzzle further into his thigh. Hordak looked to her and found it difficult to keep a look of what had to be fondness off of his face. She muttered something about hydrogen and red stars, wrapping her hair further around his hand, sending a strand winding up his arm. Hordak’s protective instincts flared inside of his chest and he tried to quell the warm feeling that travelled though him at her subconscious gesture. He did not want to show anyone else how she made him feel. That was private.
“..She really cares about you, you know.”
Hordak’s ears tilted, but he did not look at her. He knew that now. By some miracle. He kept his eyes on Entrapta and let just her mere unconscious presence calm him. He noticed goosebumps prickling over Entrapta’s bared skin and knew that her core body temperature had likely dropped. He would need to bring her to the warmed tents soon.
“...And I’m actually really glad that you care about her too.” She said quietly with a small smile. Despite himself, Hordak felt his face flush slightly and he subconsciously straightened minutely to hide his vulnerability. His ear tilted as he avoided Adora’s gaze.
But he knew this as well. So much more than that. He would not confirm or deny the princess’ accusations. He had no obligation to tell her anything. If the small woman in his arms meant more to him than she could possibly comprehend, that was his business.
“..You may leave.” Hordak finally spoke after a moment, still not looking at his unwanted guest. “I will not allow Entrapta to come to harm.” He said with finality. He wasn’t sure if this would work, but Hordak had had an exhausting day of picking apart his emotions, breaking down who he was, letting Entrapta unravel him and rebuild him again, and he did not wish to talk anymore.
Adora seemed to take the hint and Hordak was grateful for that. She raised both hands, palms out, in a palliative gesture.
“Okay, okay, I believe you.” She took a step back before hesitating.
“..You’re welcome back at the campsite. We kept everything up. ..Make sure she gets somewhere warmer to sleep.” She told him, looking them over one more time before turning to walk back the way she came.
Hordak looked up to watch her leave before looking back down at Entrapta, thankfully still sound asleep. He combed his claws gently through her locks again with the hand that wasn’t currently wrapped in her hair. Hordak was soothed by the rhythm of her soft breaths. She was still and warm.
Hordak cradled her closer, as it was getting colder the later it became. As a breeze rushed though, he let himself raise a hand to softly brush her disheveled bangs back into place, tracing the small hairs that made up her brows with his eyes. Even her eyelashes were lavender. She was beautiful.
He continued to study her and before he knew what he was doing, he had bent down and gently pressed his lips to her brow. He stayed in a place for a moment, breathing in her heady scent, she smelled so pleasant. He allowed himself to scent her fringe cautiously before she started to stir.
Entrapta shifted and her eyes opened, startling Hordak. She blinked a few times, focusing.
“..Your eyes are darker now. I think they are turning red again.” She said focusing first on his eyes and then his mouth. She smiled up at him.
“Hello! I fell asleep, didn’t I?” She said before yawning again. Hordak blinked down at her before nodding, embarrassed by what he was doing before she woke. He silently hoped she didn’t notice. His eyes dropped to her shoulders as she shivered with the next breeze. Etherians were so fragile. That would not do.
“You must sleep somewhere warm. May I carry you?” Hordak asked. This seemed to confuse Entrapta as she tilted her head, still in Hordak’s lap.
“Why? I can walk-“ She started before letting out a high pitched sound of alarm as Hordak gathered her into his arms before standing. Entrapta clung to his shoulders and coiled her hair around him. Hordak was unsure if her look of surprise was positive or not.
“..Say the word and I will place you down.” Hordak stated seriously. He did not know what had gotten into him, he was being particularly forward and she did not deserve to be manhandled. However, Hordak did find that he greatly enjoyed the feeling of her small form in his arms. Entrapta looked at him, arms around his neck.
“..This isn’t.. physically straining to you in any way?” Entrapta asked curiously. Hordak shook his head.
“No. You are.. light weight.” When he said this, Entrapta made an interested noise like she was mentally taking notes. Then seemed to ponder.
“..I usually don’t like this sort of thing, because people always assumed they could just pick me up when I was younger because I’m small, but I do kind of like this..” Hordak listened and paused.
“I had not meant to-“ He started before the princess interrupted.
“I know you didn’t. It’s okay. I like this far more than expected. It’s kind of like a hug.” She said, kicking her feet as he cradled her more tightly and started to walk toward the campground.
After a few minutes of silence, Entrapta, now seeming quite awake, spoke again.
“..Are scent and smells a big part of your species’ culture?” She inquired. Hordak only needed to think for a moment.
“..I suppose so. Our sense of smell is quite sensitive and attuned to certain hormonal changes. However, because we were never permitted to socialize or to be taught how to use this culturally, to what extent, I cannot be entirely certain.” Hordak explained. He noted her sudden interest in his species, but he did not completely know the intricacies of his own culture himself. He wondered if he would ever know. If Prime had erased all traces of their heritage. If they even existed before Prime.
“Is it part of bonding? Is that why you were sniffing me before? After you kissed my head?” Entrapta questioned and Hordak’s arms tensed under her; he nearly sputtered, alarmed.
“I-!”
“I thought it was nice. I’m not as sensitive to sound, but I’m very sensitive to touch. Next time, I would prefer if you do it while I’m awake. I don’t mind you smelling me. I thought it was cute. You just have to tell me if you don’t like any certain smells if you have a sensitive nose.”
Hordak felt his face heat and he lowered his head slightly, but of course, Entrapta noticed.
“..Oh, you’re embarrassed now, aren’t you? I can tell by your ears. Don’t be! We don’t know what our instincts are capable of when we’re experiencing something new! This is novel to both of us.” She explained brightly.
“..Do you like the way I smell?” Entrapta asked tentatively, tapping two fingers together. Hordak tried to adjust his ears to a more normal resting position. He sighed, resigned to being completely mortified around her.
“...Very much so.” He muttered lowly, relenting. Entrapta made a happy sound and squirmed in his arms gleefully.
“Oh good!” She exclaimed. “I find your scent comforting. I have a hard time describing it..” She then leaned into him and proceeded to sniff his neck which sent jolts of something down Hordak’s spine. He nearly tripped over his own feet when her nose touched the bottom of his ear, the soft touch and feel of her heated breath on his sensitive ear pinna sent it into rapid, defensive twitching. This seemed to intrigue Entrapta as her face remained close to his despite his instinctively leaning away from the disturbance.
The curious princess then reached a finger up to lightly trace the edge of his ear and Hordak’s knees nearly buckled.
A small, strangled sound escaped his mouth before he halted it at the source. Entrapta froze as Hordak gripped her tighter as his whole body shuddered. He stopped walking altogether, willing himself to remain upright. Once he was certain that he would not sink to the ground, he tried to compose himself because that was new.
“Entrapta.” He let out, sounding strained - part scolding, part pleading. He was not even certain how to complete that thought. He didn’t even know what that was. Entrapta was focused intently on him.
“Oh. Oops. Sorry! Your ears were blushing and it was really cute. Is that another ‘no-touch’ place?” She asked tentatively, now looking a bit regretful. Hordak hesitated before shaking his head.
“Not-..” He started, before he realized he was not sure how to describe this. How was he supposed to say that even he did not even know how sensitive his own ears were? That no one else besides himself had ever touched them before? This was all so strange. Definitely worth further evaluation at a later date, but if Entrapta peeled back any more of his vulnerabilities today, he was not sure if he would even make it to tomorrow. She would be the death of him, he was sure of it.
“..They are.. sensitive.” He decided on, hoping this response would satisfy her. Entrapta studied him for a moment before looking away.
“..Okay! I’ll ask permission before I touch your ears next time.” She said simply. Hordak boggled. Next time?
He looked down at her again, dragging his eyes off of the surrounding terrain. She was smiling, but there was something different about it. Mischievous, almost. Was that in jest? Was she teasing him?
Hordak swallowed and felt slightly overwhelmed at the thought that he had managed to enter into a romantic relationship with the most important being in his life and he had no idea what he was doing. The only thing that made this entire scenario feel real was the weight of Entrapta in his arms. Otherwise he was sure that he could convince himself that he merely dreamed this entire day.
By the grace of something, they made it back to Entrapta’s tent, and finally without being bothered by another one of Entrapta’s comrades, or a clone, or a talking horse...
The rest of the campground was silent and dark. Hordak was relieved to find the space within the tent flaps warmer in temperature and he carried Entrapta to the edge of the bed. He gently lowered her onto the surface and once again, Entrapta’s letting go of him with her many ‘limbs’ seemed reluctant. Hordak backed away to lower the light so she could rest. The light was low, but Hordak could see how her eyes watched him.
“Hordak..?” Entrapta began, but Hordak’s eyes were pulled to an abnormal reflection of light in a pile of cloth items on the floor. Upon further inspection the shape of the object seemed familiar, half hidden under a tarp. Hordak reached to pull it out.
“Your-“
“My tape recorder!!” She exclaimed gleefully. Taking it out of Hordak’s hand so quickly with her hair, he wondered if he had even held it at all.
“Hordak, you’re brilliant! Just when I thought today couldn’t get any better!!”
He felt a small smile come to his face at her joy. His eyes followed her as she launched herself off of the bed and was zipping across the room.
“I have so much recording to catch up on! And I don’t have to make another recorder! That’s one less thing on the list of things to do once we get home!”
Hordak realized that she had already started recording.
“We’re going to have to design a huge cleaning robot for all of the battlefield damage, a transport system to get us from one place to the next for travel, protective equipment for Beast Island, I definitely have to design new weather-appropriate gear, new coveralls, new gloves! I’ve needed new work gloves for ages-“
“You need not-“ Hordak had hardly realized that he had started speaking before he realized that he had interrupted her. He snapped his mouth shut. Entrapta stopped recording and looked over to him curiously.
“I ‘need not’ what?” She asked. Hordak understood with clarity that his tongue was become extremely loose around her. He hadn’t meant to tell her right now..
“It is nothing.” Hordak straightened and tried to brush it off. He knew almost immediately that that was not going to work. Entrapta moved closer to him, hovering on her hair and looking at him with her head tilted as if she knew there was more to be said. Hordak had never in his life been so transparent to another being. The more she stared at him, the more he felt his face heat. Hordak sighed in defeat. She had previously rejoiced in his honesty..
“..The gloves. You.. need not design new ones. ..I already have, for you..” He slowly forced out. Entrapta’s eyes lit up.
“You have?? Hordak, you.. made new gloves, for me?” She rose up closer to his height. Hordak looked to the side.
“..If they have not been destroyed in the Fright Zone..”
Entrapta squeezed her hands into fists and they shook with excitement. Her eyes were large and her stare made Hordak jittery.
“When?? When did you have time to..”
Hordak’s ears stiffened as he felt his face heat even more.
“When you.. were injured..” Hordak grew frustrated with his inability to communicate normally with her, stumbling over his own embarrassment. He let out a quick breath through his nose and lifted his head in a false sense of confidence. He motioned to the first knuckle of his own right hand and spoke, not looking directly at her, gaze directed just above her.
“I had not wished for you to become unable to work. It was clear that the previous design of your gloves was flawed and lacked certain protective measures that allowed you to perform to your optimal ability, therefore I saw an opportunity to-“
Hordak was abruptly cut off by the feeling of her hands on his face and her lips pushed against his again. Hordak was shocked into silence as Entrapta pulled away. While her face was red, her eyes were moist and she looked at him seriously. This made Hordak nervous and his knees and heart were only hanging on by a thread.
“..En-trapta?” He questioned hesitantly. He cursed the crack in his own voice.
“..Oh, your eyes are red again. I’m sorry if that was rude. Do you believe in the concept of soulmates?” She asked rapidly. Hordak was not sure what to think of that, he had only loosely ever heard of this term before.
“It’s funny. I never believed in destiny before. Until you.” Entrapta wiped at one of her eyes with the back of her sleeve. She rose up to his height and she looked at him again with such adoration, almost pleading. Hordak was captivated and he felt any resistance within him melt away.
“..Hordak, can you.. Can you promise me again that you’ll stay?” Her eyes watered as they looked directly into his. Hordak felt his resolution manifest as something wild and immensely powerful within him. There was nothing in this universe that could keep him from her.
He recognized a burning sensation collapsing his inhibitions and drowning his insecurities. When he finally understood what this was, the answer was obvious; it was love that was heating his soul.
He took her hand gently and leaned their foreheads together again.
“I will stay.” He vowed, he promised, as he closed his eyes. His chest vibrated with vocalizations as Entrapta nuzzled against him and firmly squeezed his hand.
“Always.”
The night was his witness, his word was his honor, and for the first time in his life, Hordak finally felt that things would be alright. He still did not know how to be hers, but he would spend his life trying, and for once, that actually felt like enough.