Chapter Text
Adora wasn’t sure what woke her, the vestiges of some vaguely disturbing dream slipping away as she blinked into wakefulness, warm and comfortable and safe. She took a deep breath to ground herself. The air was cool and clean, heavy with the smell of sleep and—
Catra. She was holding her a little too tight. Adora loosened her arms, pressing an apologetic kiss to the crown of her head. Catra leaned into it, relaxing with a contented sigh that melted into the syrupy purr that meant she was still sleeping.
Adora smiled to herself, watching her for a moment in the pale blue of fading night. She wasn’t ready to go back to sleep yet, and, curled on their sides, she had the perfect vantage point to simply drink Catra in.
She was beautiful, soft and vulnerable in a way she so rarely was during her waking hours, her eyes crinkled by the ghost of a smile as she pressed nearer to Adora, nuzzling against her skin. Catra was so… delicate was the wrong word, but there was something in the details of her face, something almost urgent about absorbing and preserving the details. Memorizing the freckles dusting the apple of her cheek, the sweep of her eyelashes, the fur-softened edge of her jaw.
Adora reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, heart squeezing as Catra’s face turned instinctively to follow the warmth of her wrist.
She trilled faintly at the contact, yellow eye cracking open just a sliver to peer up at her. “Mmm, ‘dora?”
“Hey,” Adora whispered, pressing another kiss to her forehead. “Go back to sleep.”
“Why’re you up?” asked Catra, a little clearer. She raised her hand to rub her eyes, still half-asleep.
“Just am,” said Adora, when Catra had lowered her hand enough to look back at her. “Don’t worry. Everything’s perfect.”
Catra smiled slyly, craning her neck so their foreheads were resting against each other. “Were you watching me sleep, you big weirdo?”
“Can’t help it,” said Adora, grinning at her. “I woke up and hey, there you were. Have I told you how pretty you are lately?”
Catra’s smile turned to fond exasperation, and she broke eye contact as if it would stop Adora from picking up on the pleased blush just visible under her fur, even in the poor lighting. Adora chased that blush so often and so ardently that she could practically see it with her eyes closed.
“Ugh,” Catra mumbled, though she didn’t pull away. “Get out of my room.”
“Make me,” Adora teased, sliding their noses together, half-nuzzle and half-challenge.
Catra huffed, visibly debating whether it was too early to physically kick Adora out of the bed.
Fortunately, the answer seemed to be yes. She raised her chin instead, and Adora sighed blissfully as their lips met in a slow, lazy kiss.
“Love you,” she whispered as they broke apart, chest warm and full. Catra seemed to be drifting back off to sleep, pressing her nose to Adora’s cheek like she wanted to get closer but wasn’t awake enough to puzzle out how.
“Love you too,” she mumbled into the space by Adora’s ear. Adora shifted a little, rolling onto her back so that Catra was draped over her like a blanket, and let the sound of her purr soothe her back to her own sleep.
- - -
“Adora! Catra! I’m respecting your boundaries!”
Adora groaned, pressing her face into Catra’s hair.
“One of my boundaries is not being woken up!” Catra called back, limbs tightening around her. Her voice cracked a little in the middle, rough with sleep.
Adora reluctantly peeled her eyelids open, squinting around the room. It had been a few hours since she’d drifted back to sleep; it was well after when she would have woken up back home, but it was hard to convince herself to get out of a bed that had Catra in it.
“Yeah but I knocked!” said Bow, bursting into the room and beaming at them. Adora groaned again, dropping her head back onto the pillow and trying to blink the sleep from her eyes.
“Bow,” she stressed, rubbing her face and addressing the ceiling because his smile was way too bright to handle without breakfast, “we didn’t say you could come in.”
She looked back at him just in time for him to pull out the pout, crossing his arms defensively over his chest like the overgrown toddler he was. She was so going to put him in a headlock for this later.
“You wouldn’t have answered if you were busy!” he insisted.
“One of these days I will, and then you’ll really be sorry,” Catra muttered into Adora’s shoulder. “What do you even want?”
“They’re gonna stop serving breakfast in like twenty minutes,” said Bow. “You know what Adora’s like when she’s hungry.”
“Ugh, I do,” Catra muttered, releasing her hold on Adora to wriggle into a sitting position. Adora whined at the loss of warmth, wrapping her arms around Catra’s neck so she was half-dragged up herself. “We could just raid the kitchens later, you know.”
“I also wanted to talk to you about the party,” he admitted sheepishly.
“Party?” Adora mumbled into Catra’s elbow, squinting one eye open.
“Uh, yeah? Your birthday?”
She frowned to herself. Birthday. Birthday party.
“Man, how late were you guys up?” asked Bow, chuckling.
“Too late,” said Catra, brushing some of Adora’s hair out of her face. “Hey, dumbass. Wake up a little.”
“But I’m comfy.”
“You can be comfy once you’ve got your brain turned on. You forgot your own birthday.”
“S’not my birthday,” she yawned, reluctantly pulling her face from Catra’s arm. “... When’s my birthday?”
“It’s next week, dummy,” Catra chuckled. “C’mon, let’s get some food in you.”
“Get some food in you,” said Adora, slumping sideways onto the mattress as Catra abandoned her. “Nooo, come back.”
“We can nap later,” Catra told her severely, pulling the blanket away. “It’s your first birthday party, I’m not fucking it up.”
“First? Catra, you’ve been going since she turned like, five,” said Bow, snorting.
“It’s her first birthday party as my girlfriend,” she replied haughtily. “The rest don’t count.”
“You were there!”
Adora grumbled to herself as she stood up, grabbing her clothes from the pile by the dresser and getting changed, trying not to sulk. Catra wasn’t even looking, arguing with Bow about something.
Stupid Bow.
“Okay, okay,” she said, striding over as she tied up her hair. “Beat it, shrimp. Catra’s gotta get dressed.”
“I am taller than you,” he told her, faux-scandalized, but allowed her to shove him bodily out the door, slamming it behind him.
She pressed her forehead against the cool wood, sighing.
“Aw, hangry already?” teased Catra, grabbing her own clothes.
“I just want a little time alone with my super hot girlfriend,” said Adora, gesturing at the closed door as if to ask how it had the nerve to interrupt. “Is that so much to ask?”
“It is in Bright Moon,” Catra said ruefully as she changed. She made an exaggerated ‘thinking’ face as she shrugged into her jacket. “Or anywhere, with him and Glimmer around. I keep telling you we should run away together.”
Adora rolled her eyes, opening the door for her with a dramatic bow. “Yeah, the Rebellion would love that. There’s no way they’d come after us immediately.”
“Oh, come on,” said Catra, grinning at her. “Do you really think they could catch us?”
“No,” she admitted. “But we’d cave after like, a week. We couldn’t just let them have all the fun without us, right?”
Catra made a show of rolling her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. And I guess we’d miss your party.”
“Right!”
They didn’t quite race to the dining hall, but there was too much jostling and a few too many playful swipes for it to be called even speed-walking, and they were definitely competing to see who could get there first. Adora allowed herself a triumphant shout as she was the first to cross the threshold, seconds before Catra tackled her to the ground.
“You cheated,” she informed Adora. “I refuse to abide by these results. Surrender immediately.”
“I didn’t cheat!” Adora protested, grinning up at her. “It’s not my fault you weren’t paying attention.”
“Uh, it super was. You distracted me by being all pretty and in love with me and shit.”
Adora laughed, pressing a kiss to her chin, the only part of her face within reach while she was pinned by the shoulders. “You’re right, I shouldn’t distract you by having a face. I totally cheated.”
“I’m glad you agree,” said Catra, releasing her and getting to her feet. “Morning, Glim.”
Glimmer raised a hand in greeting, more than used to their antics at this point. “Catra. Adora. You two are up later than usual.”
“You’re not, sleepyhead,” said Catra, plopping into the seat next to her and ruffling her hair. Glimmer squawked, smacking her hand away. “Bow didn’t wake you up for the party planning committee too, did he?”
“He knows better,” she said darkly, taking a bite of her food.
Adora laughed openly at her murderous expression. Sleepy Glimmer was one of her favorite people, just the right amount of ruthless and adorable. It always reminded her of Catra, though she’d never tell either of them so; she liked all of her limbs attached to her body.
She loaded up a plate of food and took a seat across from them, content to watch their morning bickering unfold.
“Speaking of knowing better, did you present the plan yet?” asked Catra, trying to steal some of Glimmer’s food. Glimmer slapped her fingers away, eyes narrowing.
“Yes. Mom says it’s ‘too dangerous’ and we’re going to get ourselves killed. You know, the usual.”
Catra rolled her eyes. “Right, because we haven’t been kicking the Horde’s ass since she let us on the field. What’d your dad say?” she asked, plucking a sausage from Adora’s plate. Adora, who had prepared a small cache of breakfast meats for this very purpose, pushed the dish closer to her. Catra insisted that food tasted better when it was stolen, even if it was something Adora was happy to share in the first place.
“That it’s risky and he’ll only authorize it if we can get another princess on board,” said Glimmer, pouting. “Perfuma is closest but somehow I don’t really see her signing on for an offensive, do you?”
“She can be persuaded,” said Catra, eyes glittering as she looked back at Adora, who instantly sat up a little straighter. “We just need to bring out the big guns.”
“We have guns now?” asked Adora, frowning at her. That seemed like something she should have been briefed on. “How many? What kind?”
“She means your arms, Adora,” sighed Glimmer.
“Is it ethical to dangle your girlfriend in front of another woman like a carrot?” Bow asked from the doorway. Adora could hear his raised eyebrow, so she just kept looking at Catra. It was a much better view, anyway.
“Please. Adora’s mine and she knows it,” said Catra, popping another sausage into her mouth. “Perfuma is more than welcome to eat her heart out.”
“Yeah, her heart. That’s all she wants to–ow!” Glimmer protested as Catra elbowed her in the ribs, smirking at Adora.
Adora grinned back, cheeks warming a little even as Bow made a melodramatic retching noise, sliding into the chair next to her. “She can dangle me wherever she wants,” she assured Bow, relishing in the disgusted face he made. “It’s for the good of the cause, right?”
“Sure,” said Glimmer, flat and sarcastic. “It’s not like we have any other ways to convince her, or other princesses who will be coming to your party in a week. Clearly getting Adora to flex in front of Perfuma is the only solution.”
“Sorry for wanting to show off my girlfriend,” said Catra, rolling her eyes despite her genuine smile. “It’s not my fault Perfuma likes them shredded.”
“And you don’t?” Glimmer asked skeptically. “You stare at her arms constantly.”
Bow whined slightly, but Adora ignored him, preening as Catra’s eyes skated over her exposed arms and softened when they reached her face.
“I can’t help it, I love her,” said Catra, smiling in a way anyone else would describe as shy, but Adora recognized as coy. They weren’t done punishing Bow for waking them up yet. It didn’t stop her from practically melting in her seat at the affection.
“I love you too,” she said honestly, with a little sigh of contentment for good measure.
“Ugh, if I’d known you two were going to be this gross I wouldn’t have rooted for you,” Glimmer muttered as they fluttered their eyelashes dramatically across the table at one another, playing up the googoo eyes as Bow groaned in agony.
“I told you,” he said, shaking his head. His mouth was twisted between a smile and a grimace. “I told you it would be insufferable, but did anyone listen?”
“You were biased,” said Glimmer, wrinkling her nose at him. “And don’t pretend you aren’t thrilled with this, you cried for like three hours when they got together. You love it.”
“I loved it a lot more before I saw my sister getting—”
“We told you to knock!” Adora interrupted, blushing.
“It wasn’t even that bad, you big baby,” said Catra. “We still had all our clothes on and everything.”
“La la la la la! I can’t hear you!” said Bow, slapping his hands over his ears. “I’m not thinking about this now or ever again!”
“You know your door has a lock, right?” Glimmer asked Catra.
“You know you never use my door, right?” she countered. “Like it would stop any of you freaks regardless. He should be grateful we aren’t making out on every surface in this fucking castle.”
“We could change that,” Adora put in helpfully, sticking her tongue out at Bow as he cautiously lowered his hands.
“Please don’t,” said Glimmer, with a smirk that belied her amusement. “I have to eat on this table.”
“All I am asking is for a little decorum,” said Bow.
“Ugh, you weren’t like this when—when um—”
“When…?” asked Bow, raising an eyebrow.
Adora scowled at him, wracking her brain. “... I have forgotten the names of every single one of our siblings.”
“What is your deal today?” asked Catra, openly laughing at her. Adora put a hand to her head, frowning.
“I’m not—”
Catra’s face was superimposed with an expression of absolute betrayal, heartbreak barely concealed beneath the sudden influx of distrust. A mask held her hair out of her face, sharp metal covering her soft edges.
Adora blinked, and her Catra was back, now looking mildly concerned.
“Adora?” she asked uncertainly. “You good?”
“I’m—yeah,” said Adora, looking around the dining hall. “Yeah, I’m just—I guess I slept worse than I thought.”
“Well, let’s go take a walk or something. Get you some fresh air.”
“Okay,” said Adora, getting to her feet. “Yeah. Some fresh air.”
- - -
“Do you think it’ll ever end?” Catra asked.
Adora blinked, looking over at her and then around them at the gardens. Which they were in, suddenly. She must have really spaced out. “Huh?”
“The war,” clarified Catra, not making eye contact. “Do you think we’ll even… Are we just going to keep fighting until we die? Is that all there is?”
“Of course not,” Adora said softly, slipping Catra’s hand into hers. “There’re things we’re fighting for.”
Catra smiled back, wry and almost exasperated. “You fucking sap,” she accused with no bite, bumping their shoulders together. “You know what I mean.”
“It’s got to end eventually,” said Adora, shrugging. “We’ve been taking so much back since Thaymor. The Horde’s running out of territory, and every victory gives us new land, new recruits, new hope.”
“My plan could… If it works, it could all finally be over. If we can just get a second princess on board, or even more than one—we could end this. For real.”
Adora smiled at Catra, watching the way her eyes traced along the lines of shrubs, the petals of flowers, every leaf and twig under intense scrutiny as she organized her thoughts. She was still so alert to every minute change, tuned into her surroundings like no one else Adora had ever known. It made her want to see the world the way Catra saw it, to pick up on every detail and sense every kernel of potential. To appreciate everything Etheria had to offer them.
“What do you want?” Catra asked finally, looking back at her. “When this is all over, when we win, what do you want to do?”
Adora thought about it for a moment, looking back out at the flowers, trying to see them the way Catra did. They’d been fighting for so long that Adora got swept away in it sometimes, pulled along in other people’s currents, distracted from her goals. But Catra never lost sight of what she was fighting for. What she wanted.
“I wanna unseat the reigning champion of ice-ball,” Adora said decisively.
“Adora, it’s a team sport. We’re the reigning champions.”
“Yeah, but you’re the top scorer. That can’t stand,” said Adora, grinning at her.
“Oh Adora,” said Catra, dripping with condescension. “You’ll take that title over my dead body.”
“That can be arranged,” said Adora, capitalizing on the disbelieving snort that elicited to pounce.
Catra squeaked as Adora tackled her, rolling to absorb the impact with her shoulders. They struggled for a few moments, but the element of surprise had given Adora the edge she needed. She bracketed Catra’s hips with her knees, grinning victoriously down at her, reveling in Catra’s feigned annoyance.
“Alright, Second Place Scorer,” said Catra, rolling her eyes. She wriggled experimentally, but Adora’s hold was solid. Catra huffed and crossed her arms. “You’ve caught me unawares. Let the assassination attempt commence.”
Adora snickered a little as she leaned down to kiss her, running her hands along Catra’s arms to entice her to unwind them.
Catra relented after only a moment’s cursory pretense, arms unfolding like the petals of some flower Adora didn’t know the name of, but could scent from ten paces off. She wrapped them around Adora’s neck, drawing her nearer, until their bodies were almost flush and Adora could feel the moon-warmed grass prickling against her bare forearms.
Her hands skated down Catra’s sides, her right settling on a hip to draw her even closer as her left palm flattened against Catra’s stomach, feeling her breathing change as the kiss deepened.
She was overcome by a wave of affection, breaking the kiss when her smile grew too wide to continue. Catra laughed breathlessly as Adora instead peppered her face with kisses, nuzzling along her cheekbone and pressing their foreheads together for a moment.
“You’re such an idiot,” said Catra, pressing back. Her voice was full of the same warmth and love that Adora felt bursting out of her own chest, echoing perfectly.
“Your idiot,” Adora agreed, grinning wider. Catra laughed again beneath her, stomach shaking under Adora’s hand.
It didn’t match the deep, fond laugh she was hearing, though. It was almost trembling, Catra’s pulse quick and erratic just under her skin. Adora drew back, opening her eyes to check in, and recoiled like she’d been struck at the sight beneath her.
Catra was laid out on the ground, eyes wild and unfocused, the skin under Adora’s hand suddenly slick with blood as her chest heaved in too-short breaths.
“No—what—” Adora gasped, surging instinctively onto the wound, uncomprehending as she fought to apply pressure, to locate the source of the injury at all, to—
“Adora!” said Catra, grabbing her face with both hands.
Adora blinked at her, terrified, short gasping breaths wracking her body. She looked down at her hands, pressed against Catra’s stomach where her shirt had ridden up slightly, and—
There was no blood. No wound. Catra wasn’t even breathing abnormally, Adora was.
“Are you okay? What happened?” asked Catra, rubbing a thumb along her cheek. Adora looked back up at her helplessly. Did she fall asleep somehow? Was that a nightmare?
“I’m—I thought I saw—” she tried, swallowing thickly as she looked back down at Catra’s stomach, pulling her shirt a little higher.
“You’re freaking me out,” said Catra, with a nervous laugh as Adora ran her fingers through her fur. “Any particular reason you jumped on my stomach like it was a live grenade?”
“You were hurt,” Adora said, knowing how lost she sounded. “I… you’re not hurt? You’re okay?”
“I’m okay,” said Catra, frowning up at her, hands still curled around Adora’s face. “I mean, I’m kind of concerned that you’re having a nervous breakdown or something, but I’m not hurt.”
“I honestly might be? I feel like I’m forgetting something,” Adora confessed, looking back down at Catra’s stomach so she wouldn’t have to meet her eyes. “Something important.”
“Did you forget your birthday again already?” asked Catra. There was a strained note to the teasing that made Adora’s heart sink in her chest. She was worrying Catra for nothing, everything was fine.
Everything was perfect.