#beauiful children fic

[catracorner962]

Beautiful Children Ch 7

It's been five years since Horde Prime was defeated. Two years since Catra and Adora got married. Magic has been brought to Etheria, but all is not well. On a mission to destroy the last of The Brotherhood of Prime Catra finds an orphan magicat among the ruin. Now she and Adora must decide if they are ready for another adventure all together. Adora is ecstatic, Catra...less so. Through their decision, both must revisit childhood memories, some more pleasant than others.

*Warning: Violence, themes of childhood abuse and trauma.*

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“Mama!” Finn kicked, tail swishing wildly. They reached for Catra with tiny little claws. The adult magicat stepped backward, hitting her hip against the table.

“Mmmmaaaaa!”

“I really think they want you,” Bow encouraged.

Why would anyone want me? Catra scrambled, bewildered. Still, Adora, her best friend, her lover, her wife, held the magikit out to them, her blue eyes shimmering with optimism despite their argument.

Finn screeched, limbs trying to frantically extricate themselves from Adora’s hold. Catra reached out and took them, heaving a reluctant sigh. She rolled her eyes, though a warm swell grew in her chest, brimming with a light-hearted feeling.

Ignore it Catra, you can’t sustain this. Finn is little, of course they attach to you. They’re a magicat, they’re just recognizing someone of their own species. It’s instinctual. They don’t love you, and you can’t love them. You can’t.

Finn bumped their head into Catra’s, headbutting her with a bubbly giggle.

“Ooohhh!: Bow squealed,

“Don’t say it.” Catra’s ears flattened. She jostled Finn on her hip, then looked to Adora.

If Finn does want me to be their mom….I…

Finn grabbed a fistful of her brown hair, stuffing it into their mouth and drooling, content. Their head fell against her chest. They cooed happily,

“Mamamamamama,”

Then that...that changes everything.

“This changes nothing,” Catra snapped, Adora only shook her head, scowling. She glanced around the room, the floor to ceiling windows and vaulted buttresses suddenly too large, too vast. She needed to flee, to get away, to find somewhere small and dark and hidden.

“Catra, are you..?” Next to Adora Sparkles looked at her concerned, purple hair shining like the royalty she was. Catra’s tail fidgeted.

“Mama!” Finn exclaimed, thumping their hands against her chest. They grabbed one of her ears trying to pull it into their mouth.

“Finn, don’t do that,” Adora scolded lamely. Still dazed from their argument.

“It’s fine,” Catra mumbled. She grasped the little wrist with her fingers gently, easing them off. Finn babbled, kicking against Catra’s legs but they didn’t cry, so she considered it a win.

“I only want what’s best for Finn,” Adora started again, though her anger tempered.

“So do I,” Catra answered, leveling with her. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I just, don’t think that’s with us, with me,” she corrected.

Even as she said it, Finn gurgled, their little mouth biting and puckering at her shoulder, trying to either kiss or suckle.

Shit if I know, I don’t know anything about magikits. Or magicats…

“Finn seems to think you’re doing just fine!” Bow piped up between them. Bless his heart, he was trying to make her feel better. Catra rolled her eyes.

He’s not wrong. Finn wants you, look at them…

Finn’s little teeth poked at her skin, their cheeks rubbing against her.

“I think we should...all get some fresh air,” Adora offered, Catra couldn’t argue with that.

Better not run into Kyle Rogelio or Lonnie snooping around. The guest rooms were on the other side of the castle, but Kyle always did have a penchant for wandering around aimlessly.

Outside, amid the moonlit gardens of night, Catra plopped Finn down among the grass. They giggled excited, trying to get all four limbs under them. Adora laughed, her smile lifting Catra’s spirits as it always did. However briefly.

Adora’s smile was the thing Catra adored the most about her wife’s appearance, and the thing that had set the fire of jealousy through her at Princess Prom all those years ago. Adora, laughing and smiling with new friends. Even as children in the Horde Catra took every chance she could to make Adora smile, and resented anyone else with the ability to make Adora laugh like she did.

“They're getting so big!” Bow rolled around on the ground beside Finn. He plucked a string of grass and held it before the magikit’s wide eyes. “Do magikits walk on four legs before two?”

“How the hell should I know Bow?” Spite rose inside Catra once again,

Guess I’m going to have to spell it out for them, again.

“The Horde didn’t exactly embrace my cat-like tendencies. If I walked or ran on all fours Weaver would threaten to declaw me again, or beat the snot out of me until I walked upright.”

Bow’s face crumpled, even Finn’s grabby little hands and joyful babbling didn’t stop the archer’s face from falling. He stared at Catra in terror.

“Get a grip, Arrow Boy.”

Finn pounced, much to Bow’s surprise, the magikit launching themself at his bare torso with enough force that Bow rocked backward, Finn’s little claws clamping down on him, tackling him to the dirt.

“Hahaha! Easy there Arrow Boy! Finn’s going to kick your ass!” Catra’s chest swelled with pride, watching Finn proceed to try and tear at Bow’s exposed tummy with their tiny claws. It filled her with inexplicable joy, a giddy rush of admiration and levity she was unaccustomed to.

Except for our wedding, and when Adora gave me her pin...when I approached Scorpia and hugged her after the engagement.

Catra’s smile grew wider, she self-consciously raised a hand to cover her lips. Looking out over the twinkling stars and the silver flowers among them.

“Finn! Easy there! Finn!” Adora bent down, trying to disentangle the magikit from their prey. Bow only rolled over, taking Finn with them.

“You’re so fierce! Such a fierce magkit! Ohhhh you got me! I see the light!”

“AAAAhhhhrr,” Finn attempted a growl,

“Ohhh, you’re so adorable when you're trying to maul me!” Bow allowed the little magikit to nibble at them. Catra smirked, her eyes flitting to Adora who gave her an apologetic smile.

I’m the one who should be sorry, her shoulders slumped. Trying to pawn Finn off like that, out of fear. Psh, like they’d even like living with Kyle Rogelio and Lonnie.  She watched Bow squirm and scream as Finn leapt again, rolling and leaping onto him, then growling and giggling and doing it all over in an endless loop of energy.

You could have this. You could choose this.

You want this.

No, you can’t. You’ll only fail them in the end.

Catra watched Finn ready their stance, waiting until Bow was trying to get himself up and then lunging forward, this time clinging to his back. Bow shrieked for real and fell down once more, rolling just in time to not squash the magikit beneath them. She let another laugh spill out, just a little bit.

“Hey,”

Adora’s fingers against the small of her back nearly startled Catra, her tail puffing out for a moment.

 “It’s okay,” she rushed to reassure, as Adora drew back. “It’s okay I was just...distracted.” Adora nodded, her hand sliding around Catra’s waist.

“You don’t have to choose, I’m sorry. I never should have made you choose.”

“No, you were right. I shouldn’t have gone behind your back.”

Adora’s perfumed scent drifted through Catra, her wife’s unique smell, mingling with the pastel purple lilies and moonlight. Sparkles and Arrow Boy’s trademark smells were also there, and Finn’s too of course, fresh and milky.

Glimmer teleported, grabbed Finn, then sparkled away to reappear a few feet away, the magikit howling with laughter.

“I know we didn’t have the same childhood,” Adora started carefully.

Catra sighed, pinching her eyes shut, the light of happiness in her chest shriveling.

“Spare me the speech Adora, I’m too tired for it right now okay?”

“I’m just saying...I’m scared too. I've never done this before either. Our childhoods were different, but neither of them were easy. But we could do this together, if you wanted.”

“Thought you said I didn’t have to choose.”

Something clawed at her leg, little pricks.

“Hey you,” she smiled down at Finn, who looked up at her happily, their tongue trying to form more words. Their ears perked, little fangs gleaming.

“Mama!”

Their tail thrashed from side to side. Catra eased, scooping them up.

“It’s late, let’s get you to bed and maybe just maybe you’ll sleep through the night. Little hellion.” Finn only babbled some more, their tiny claws kneading into Catra’s thin shirt. Adora’s hand slid around her waist while they walked, grounding her.

“I’ll see you both tomorrow. The meeting with Scorpia, Entrapta, Kyle Rogelio in the morning, please don’t be late again!” Glimmer called after them.

“That’ll depend on Finn,” Catra replied over her shoulder, terse. Still she couldn’t help a smile from tugging at her lips as they felt the magikit’s comfortable weight in her arms.

---

“Adora, it’s just a piece of paper, you don’t have to…”

“For the honor of Gray Skull!”

Catra pressed Finn tight against her chest, one hand shielding them from the luminous white glow that filled the hall. Adora, now Shera, eyed the paper suspiciously, sword out.

“Mamanbrafjg?” A little drool bubble popped as Finn attempted to turn their head towards the glowing magical woman. Catra let them, trying to quell the high blush rising in her cheeks.

“Adora, it’s probably a page from one of my sketchbooks, let me see.”

“Catra! Don’t!”

Holding Finn with one arm she ducked under Shera’s mighty sword and plucked up the folded piece of paper. Claws flicking it open revealing curling swirly lettering, frantically jotted down in uneven script.

Dear Adora and Catra, Sorry about the dinner. Lonnie didn’t mean anything by it. It was really nice to see you both. We are so happy for you. I know we weren’t a family in the Horde but we were all children together and it’s just really nice to see that you two made it...after the war and everything. Your baby is really cute. Even if you don’t want them. Anyway I know I”ll see you tomorrow at the meetings but I wanted to let you know that Lonnie is sorry for whatever trouble she caused, even if she doesn’t show it. Love, Kyle

“Huh, I didn’t know Kyle was literate,” Catra muttered, looking over the words several times. Finn reached to grab the paper, she held it up for Shera to take a look.

“I don’t buy it,” Catra quipped, watching Adora’s expression soften.

“I think it’s sweet!” Adora cooed, “I know you and Lonnie have a...complicated relationship but, this is nice of Kyle.”

We were all children together, the sentiment of it echoed through Cata more than she liked. It was true. They were all kids, trying to survive in a brutal regime. Like anyone they had tried to adapt, each in different ways. Rogelio had the advantage of his parents being Force Captains, he survived by finding Lonnie and Kyle and sticking to them, assuming the “strong and silent,” persona. It worked. Kyle made it by being the butt of every joke and the victim of every prank. It was cruel of course, but it gave him safety, security, a place among the cadets. Lonnie lived by her smarts, competent and efficient, not as stand out stellar as Adora but definitely not a failure like Catra. Lonnie survived by her generally good fighting ability and her dedication to strategy and their platoon. Never a Force Captain officially, but basically a captain among their year of cadets.

Adora survived by, well, being Shadow Weaver’s golden child or, as Catra had finally come to reckon with, by being Shadow Weaver’s perfect sacrificial lamb.

And Catra? Catra didn’t know yet if the little scrappy magikit she used to be had survived at all. Though she was slowly realizing, through all of Finn’s antics and silly roughhousing, through her art in the early morning and Adora’s cuddles at night, that maybe there was more of her left than she thought.

“It was still nice of him to write it,” Adora prompted, turning back into her normal form. Catra shrugged.

“I guess. Come on, let's get this kiddo to bed before they claw my face off.”

She watched Adora place the note on their bureau and pull the ponytail from her hair. Heat rose in her cheeks once more at the sight of those golden tresses. Cascading down her shoulders.

“Mama!” She turned to Finn, still in her arms and smiled.

“I keep telling Adora she’s going to lose all her hair if she keeps yanking on it like that. But does she listen to me? No. It’s stupid too, see how pretty it is when it’s down? She should just wear it like that all the time!”

Finn blinked slowly, nuzzling against Catra’s chest.

“I’ll try to get them down,” she muttered, doing her best to sound grouchy about it.

Catra made her way from their room to Finn’s, Adora had set it up with Glimmer shortly after they took the little magikit in. The “temporary,” nursery now featured a fountain, a decorative mobile, toys, a plush rug, rocking chair and heaps of toys from all the princesses. Even Mermista had given Finn a toy fish. Catra adjusted Finn in their hold, swaying back and forth, looking out the large window.

The moon cast silver shadows across the room, enveloping her and the magikit in cool light. Fin’s eyes gleamed in the dark. Brilliant and glowing blue, reflective. They clutched Catra’s finger in their grip, sucking on her finger fervently, mumbling to themselves.

Did my parent’s ever hold me like  this?

She tried to remember a time before the Horde, before the barracks and the drills and the back of Shadow Weaver’s hand. She tried to recall any semblance of a lullaby for a soothing pat, any scent of warmth or love that was not from Adora. Nothing. Only darkness. There was rain and wind and Hordak’s red eyes, then Adora’s pudgy baby face. Those were her earliest memories. Adora.

Catra cleared her throat, shaking her head from those memories. She leaned down, breathing in Finn’s scent as they quieted, but still blinked up at her. Their slit pupil eyes stared up at her. Those eyes reflected hope, the possibility of a future. A promise, one Catra would try to keep and treasure with all her broken-still-healing soul. Those eyes held a promise. What promise was that, Catra could only guess. It was different from the sacred one she shared with Adora. Different, but similar.

I promise to try and love you, even if I get it wrong sometimes. And no matter what else,  I promise not to be like her.

She thought, leaning down and, making sure no one not even Adora could see, she kissed the velvet fur of Finn’s ears.

---

“Catra, what’s wrong?” Adora stirred beside her. Catra held her breath, still half tangled in their sheets.

“Is it Finn? The Brotherhood of Prime?” Adora started to sit up, Catra placed a hand on her shoulder, easing her down.

“It’s fine,” she whispered, “Finn’s asleep. Everything’s fine, but I have to go away for a few days okay?”

This had the opposite desired effect. Adora shot upward, eyes wild,

“Go? Go where?! Is everything okay?”

Catra kissed her cheek, brushing some hair from her wife’s face.

“I’ve been thinking about Kyle’s dumb letter okay, I just need to go find some answers. I’ll be back in a few days. I promise okay?”

“Answers? What do you mean? Where are you going? We’ll go together, we can bring Finn, we’ll…”

“No,” Catra cut her off, then regretted her severe tone. She took Adora’s hand in her’s and squeezed, kissing her knuckles.

“I’ll be back soon okay? I...I need you to trust me on this okay?”

Adora looked at her, eyes trying to discern her face in the dark. Catra almost laughed at the effort. Instead she felt her wife’s fingers trace her face, cupping her cheek. Adora nodded, though Catra could clearly see the creases in her worried brow.

“Okay,” she felt her wife’s hot breath against her face. “I do trust you, but I worry.”

Catra’s heart inflated, she rubbed Adora’s arm,

“Don’t worry about me dummy. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“You really have to leave now?” Adora murmured sleepily, still stroking her face.

“Yes.”

“Is there anything I can do to make you stay?”

Oh Adora, sweet summer child. You really set yourself up for that one.

A vicious grin made Catra’s fangs gleam in the dark. She turned her head, licking Adora’s fingers.

“Well, I can think of a few things,” she whispered.

Adora laughed, snorting. Her fingers on Catra’s face became intentional and precise, she slid another digit between her lips.

“But then I have to go,” Catra whispered, breath heavy. She had to commit now before she lost the ability to form words. Which was getting increasingly harder with Adora leaning forward and kissing her neck.

“Of course,” Adora sucked on her neck, shifting and turning over in bed to pin Catra down beneath her. Catra shivered with pleasure, hands gliding up and down Adora’s shoulders and down her sides. Adora kissed her, over and over, gradually lower and lower down her chest to her stomach, her belly button and lower still.

---

Afterward, still dazed in a fog of  all things Adora, Catra forced herself to sit up, kissed Adora on the cheek and slipped out of bed.  She passed Finn’s room, but they were fast asleep.

“I’m doing this for you, got it?”

She leaned down and kissed Finn’s nose before grabbing her whip, and leaping out the window.

---

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