#i was going to have adora ASK to call her kitten

[n7punk]

Unhinged Instagram Lives Era Fic Notes:

Ok these are small because I TRIED to just put everything in the Author’s notes because it wasn’t supposed to be a “real” project 😭 but I’ve got a few things to say about UILE.

Playlist is just The Sex Was Good Until It Wasn't album by XANA.

Chapter 1:

⦁ Catra was planning to end up with somebody at the end of the night and Adora was lowkey her top choice, so she texted her when she decided she was done with the party she was at and hadn’t found anything else she wanted to do.

⦁ Catra just straight up misheard Adora in chapter 1 and because she never asks she literally never finds out she didn’t say kitten

Chapter 2:

⦁ I swear Catra really isn’t an alcoholic, she just doesn’t mind alcohol, is around it constantly, and has people buying her drinks in addition to have plenty money on hand, so she found she was doing it a lot and realized she needed to be more intentional about it when discussing it with her therapist.

⦁ Not that it literally ever comes up or matters, but Faith’s sister played drums on the Grammy-winning album.

Chapter 3:

⦁ Catra was kinda wrong about how Adora’s management would feel about their connection, so it really was an issue for them to come out, especially because Adora was transitioning her image to include more… well Catra vibes, if we’re honest, which she called maturity in almost the opposite way Catra’s music was becoming more mature. Adora was getting freer and more horny, while Catra was getting happier and more responsible, but overall Adora’s image didn’t change nearly as much as Catra’s did, and even Catra’s was a gradual shift.

⦁ So it was supposed to be a one shot. Then I had the idea for chapter two and was like fuck ittt. Then I had the idea for chapters 3 and 4 and I was like cool good ending 👍 So that’s lowkey where I consider the end of the fic, but my brain wouldn’t shut up, which is how chapter 5 happened even though I consider 4 a solid ending. And Chapter 6 oh my god I swear. I need to stop thinking about this fic at 1AM.

Chapter 4:

⦁ Adora’s parents are dead, Mara took her in as a kid but she’s just a few years older and it was hard on everybody involved. Also, her full name is Grayskull, management just thought that was too “hardcore” for her genre so they shortened it, and even though her last name does mean something to her unlike Catra, Adora ended up liking that distance between what the public owned of her and her private life.

⦁ Catra’s fans are used to and fond of her antics. She calls it living life to the fullest in interviews and she’s not getting into a lot of controversies or breaking the law (at least not laws that matter) so it really isn’t going to affect her appeal either way if she shifts away from it, but it’ll make some people feel old when she eventually gets asked about cutting back the partying an interview. Other people will say it’s about time.

⦁ When Catra does get into controversies it’s usually shit like blowing someone off, being unafraid to insult someone she feels deserves it, or taking over a party like she did the bar. That’s the modern day rockstar stuff, which is a marketing term she doesn’t use herself to the public but that definitely comes up in a lot of coverage of her.

⦁ Conversely, Adora tries to keep her life private and she’s astonishingly successful given her numbers but stuff spills out, mostly in her dating life, because it was a little messy pre-Catra. She did earnestly attempt some relationships, but they were failed attempts and that left some messy exes.

⦁ Catra hasn’t like, actually had sex in public, but there’s definitely been some extremely horny making out in front of people at clubs and exchanges that people with shame would keep behind closed doors. Despite all outward appearances, Catra needs a safe environment to feel comfortable having sex, so she has some standards, she just tries to seem like she doesn’t.

Chapter 5:

⦁ Normally I headcanon Catra as having a really sharp memory for Pain reasons but for both trauma and sobriety reasons she really doesn’t remember much of her burn-down year, which is when she and An dated, and she meets a lot of people literally every week, so at a certain part they get away from her.

"Chapter" 6:

⦁ “lake at the bottom or our river” is a XANA lyric and “unhappy in Manhattan” is a Chappell referenced queen you SERVED at the VMAs.

⦁ I did the capitalizations purposefully here with CATRA used when talking about her music and Catra used when referring to her as a person.

⦁ When I first wrote An I was not intending this bonus scene to exist but it didn’t make sense to invent another ex for it, so I just gave An a really, really bad day. The meltdown was mostly about everything else happening in her life, honestly, but when she saw she was being filmed she assumed she was recognized because of that and she snapped. I support women’s wrongs she was justified.

⦁ Catra and Adora’s fans do, generally, support their relationship. Both of them have come up with ways to call the other toxic so those subsets always exist, but this post really was about an outlier situation that got blown out of proportion on stan twt and wouldn’t have been that big of a deal/worth a post if the 7/11 incident hadn’t happened. I just really like r/HobbyDrama (when it’s good).

⦁ I love how extremely obvious “Hardcore CATRA stan’s” bias is when describing Catra versus Adora lol.

⦁ The link goes to the photo on Tumblr, but if you actually searched for the Twitter image url listed it would take you toa video of Megan thee Stallion at the VMAs. And the link… well c’mon yall I was goofing :3c

⦁ Lonnie made the pie chart Catra ended up posting to make fun of her while they were working on her latest album. Catra hasn’t actually fact-checked it so it’s wrong in some regards but close enough. It’s also a pie chart pulled directly from my writing tracking spreadsheet, though I manipulated some of the values first. Catra would Not have gone to the effort of making this, the only reason she replied at all is because Lonnie sent it to her literally last week and she thought it was funny, and also wanted the (small subset) who were bitter about her finding happiness to get ratio’s appropriately. It bothers her when people try to make Adora out to be toxic, that’s HER girl, excuse you.

⦁ There’s always that one annoying comment at the bottom of the post that then totally unrelated discourse breaks out in the replies on and that’s what happened with that last comment. Also jjaj10 is for Aly & AJ’s recent 10 year album anniversary this summer.

⦁ Catra goes for the slightly subtler “GOD.DESS” title for her next album (her albums are all stylized in all caps) which is mostly about how fucking amazing her or Adora are in various respects (include sex) with a few “bad bitches have bad days too” moments (Megan the Stallion you are iconic). The cover art is centered on Adora, actually, who’s sitting on their sex bench dykespreading in pants and a tight tank top showing off her arm muscles and serving face to the camera while Catra drapes over her wearing black leather and posed with her leg slipping between Adora’s. It’s subtle but the kink people in their fandoms immediately identify this photo was taken in a Very Private room in their home and once they say it everybody knows that’s not a workout bench even though tbh it looks like one in the shot. They knew that was going to happen or they wouldn’t have done it, Catra literally has an S&M-type song on the album. They’re really just living their best lives at this point.

⦁ It is not… impossible that I add to this fic more in the future, and if so it would be tacked on the end but could conceivably by non-linear, i.e. scenes taking place during or before the main fic itself and not just following it.

⦁ I used a modified version of this public work skin for the reddit post.

And now, to humiliate me, here is a list of sentences that were supposed to be the last sentence of the fic when I wrote them (all of which are the final sentence of their respective final scene):

CH1: “Maybe she will release the song after all.” [next to last scene] (then I started writing in the notes that they did do the jam session, etc, and I realized I should just put that in the fucking fic)

CH1: “If Adora wants to put that song they wrote together on the radio, she’ll certainly see Catra in her bed a lot more frequently if only because Catra will get a constant reminder of what she sounds like when she’s moaning for her.” [last scene] (okay it’s a completed one-shot now, cool, what’s that, it’s a party scene coming in with a steel chair-)

CH2: “Maybe her therapist will be proud enough to make up for the disappointment of the drink.” [last scene] (ok two chapters for fun, if I get more ideas maybe- shit I already have more ideas)

CH3: “Maybe Catra wants to know what it would actually be like.” [last scene] (hey that’s a nice wrap-up point. Lol I bet Adora’s introduction to Catra’s scene is- fuck here we go)

CH4: “It’s somebody else’s loss if they don’t like what that does for her.” [last scene]

CH5: “Not when she’s coming home to her arms every night.” [first scene] (ok this one’s interesting because I very quickly had the idea for the Adora interview because I looooooove writing interview scenes after the cat’s out of the bag so originally, I tacked that onto the end of the chapter, and then I had more ideas and separated the interview and the new scenes into their own thing)

CH5: “Faith can stay mad they’re having amazing sex and putting out chart-toppers.” [last scene] (again the fic was supposed to be DONE but I wrote this write before bed and as I was lying there not falling asleep I wrote the stupid hobbydrama post in my head and just. Sighed and picked up my phone to take notes)

And then, finally, the actual final sentence at the end of Chapter 6. I’m exhausting even to myself.

[thenotebookwizard]

Seven years?

Seven years ago today, I lost my fiance to a stroke. They and I didn't meet on tumblr, but tumblr forged a lot of our relationships and mutual friends.

Tumblr was our internet home, and super important to them. They got me on Ye Olde Hellsite, and today I miss them - a lot. Seven years, and you're still helping me chart my course. Seven years, and you're still changing the way I think.

Remembering how you dealt with anxiety helped me when I suddenly got anxiety in my late 30s. (Oh, you would have been empathetic, compassionate, and teased me mercilessly.)

I think, as my first real 'new' fandom in a long time, you would have loved She-Ra even more than I do. You would have been there for the side characters. You would have been there for the characters I don't understand, and you would have helped me see them - and write them - clearer.

And oh, you would have given me such shit for having so many longfic ideas. And been poking me (literally) for writing more angst, not fluff.

I miss you today as much as I missed you then.

(And you would have loved the new kittens. Spoiled them. And laughed at me when Adora cuddles instead of letting me write.)

I know since you've gone, some of your favorites have passed on. You've met the Green Ranger. You've met Bray Wyatt. I know you're on the next great adventure, surrounded by the dogs and cats that got there first.

Though it's going to be awhile, I know I'll see you again.

Below the cut, I've shared the eulogy I wrote and gave for Kalen.

A Eulogy for Kalen Lei Perez (February 27, 1991 - June 1, 2017) Service held: June 24, 2017 at Cook Walden Capitol Parks, Austin TX

I want to talk to you about fear and I want to talk to you about courage - because I can't talk about Kalen without talking about the experiences that framed her life. Fear and courage are not two sides of the same coin; you can be afraid without being courageous, but you cannot be courageous without first being afraid.

And Kalen was always afraid.

She experienced the world through fear created by anxiety. What most people call 'mental illness' is commonly thought of as disorders of behavior - of thinking, feeling and reacting in the 'wrong' way. But Kalen and I always thought of mental illness as neurological conditions, of something physically wrong with that most important organ - the brain - causing someone to have disordered responses to common stimuli. To her and to me, 'mental illness' is an physical as a broken leg.

I'm not talking to you about mental illness to lecture about how awfully we think about and treat people with these conditions, but to give you an idea of who she was how she thought and why it matters. Because Kalen saw her illness the way she did she knew her brain was lying to her all the time. Her brain lied about what she should have been afraid of, why she should have been afraid and all the terrible ways she should have dealt with her fear. She was legally blind, had essential tremors and brain damage from concussions that caused never ending vertigo. Her brain lied to her about what the world looked like. About where the ground was under her feet.

She had to be unspeakably brave just to just stand up in the morning and take a few steps away from our bed. She had to summon immense courage to walk out our front door. And she did. She got out of bed. She went out our front door, even though going out your front door and stepping onto the road is a dangerous business - if she lost her step, she might never find her footing again.

She lived her life like a hero from stories. "Go back?" She would ask. "No good at all! Go sideways? Possible, but why? Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" And so up she would get and trot along, cane in one hand and the other hand feeling the wall.

And she kept going forward, because 'little by little, one travels far.'

Kalen knew better than most what kind of terrible things can happen to people when they go out their front door or even when they stay at home. She didn't let that stop her; while the world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places, Kalen knew there is still much that is fair.

Of course, she believed this because of statistics and math. She knew her brain lied to her about the probability of those terrible things befalling her, of encountering those awful people. So she memorized statistics and did the math. Those statistics and that math told her she was more likely to be struck by lightning than it was that most of those awful things would happen to her.

She relied on that empirical proof to overcome the lies her brain told her- and she walked out our front door, talked to people and did all the things she could live a full and fulfilling life. Many of us were lucky enough to get to know her because she chose to believe facts instead of fears.

She would be laughing at me right now, with all my paraphrasing JRR Tolkien and all my comparing her to a hero - and she did love heroes and stories about heroes. She would argue - and she did love to argue - that she was a simple person living a simple life. Tolkien would, say that 'it is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life' - but Kalen didn't know how to do simple, no matter how often she claimed she did. If there was a more difficult path to take, she would take it, just to see if she could. What hero could resist challenging themselves?

And how could I not make the comparison?

We met in a place called Dragon's Lair after all. She was a work study student and I was assigned to train her. She stuck with me, working even when she didn't have to, because she was determined to make her temporary job into a permanent job. It didn't take long before all the geeks (which is to say 'everyone we worked with') were calling her my Padawan - which is 'Star Wars' for protege.

I didn't know it at the time, but she was determined to change my role in her life from temporary to permanent. Much like when we adopted our first dog, she had chosen the largest, fluffiest and most pathetic creature in the room and decided to keep them. I do not have the words to say how I glad I am that she did.

I didn't make it easy for her to convince me we should be together, because I'm often too stubborn for my own good. She was sneaky about it, too, always getting me to take her to dinner to discuss things. At first, work - and later my objections to dating again at all - and eventually my objections to dating someone so much younger than me.

I couldn't understand. How could she want to be with me, when my life was a quicksand quagmire of bad decisions and absurdly impossible hopes too vague to even be ideas? But she was right about us and in what felt like no time at all, Kalen became an integral, important part of my life - the first person I wanted to see in the morning and who I wanted to talk to just before I slept. The more time I spent with her, the more my life became about us - about her - instead of about me; the more time I spent with her, the firmer the ground under my feet.

Between Kalen's courageous refusal to give up on me and some sage scolding from my mother - whom she had somehow enlisted to her cause - she and I got (officially) together soon after she got a full time position at Dragon's Lair - which she held until she literally could not work.

I am forever grateful she didn't give up on me, because she brought depth and magnitude and meaning into my life that I didn't know I needed, even when I was living the geek dream of working at comic and game store. An awesome adventure to be sure, but not one most of us can make a career of.

She could have, though. She wanted to.

And as far as I know, that job was still there, waiting for her get better. If anyone could have made it back to work after everything she'd gone through, it would be Kalen. Like every hero, she achieved things the rest of us marvel at.

That job meant a lot to her - not just because she was exceptionally good at it, but because of what she got to share with people. Kalen actively sought out joy - sought out things to be happy about, things to enjoy and things to explore - and people she wanted to keep. Every person she met knew it. Could feel it - the light she carried with her and that childlike excitement she refused to give up, that she shared with us all the time.

And that was her job. To share that joy with everyone who walked into that store.

It took heroic courage for her to do her job when her anxiety told her to be afraid of people, afraid of making a mistake - any mistake, afraid of disappointing other people - or worse, herself. Every day, she overcame her fears and did her job with exuberance. But she didn't just overcome the fear once a day when she went to work. Or a few times a day at work. Every moment of every day was a heroic choice to face and overcome her fear.

That decision to be courageous didn't stop when she couldn't work anymore. Some of you know that last November, she had her first seizure and spent a few weeks in the hospital. Soon after she got home, we had to let our first dog - a Great Pyrenees named Odin - cross the rainbow bridge. We still had our dog Patch, but one dog was not enough dogs for Kalen and she was worried Patch would be lonely once she got back to work and wouldn't be at home all the time. So, we looked for a new dog and found Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue. We went to one event - less than a month after she got out of the hospital - and before we left, Kalen had decided she wanted to foster rescue dogs. So, we fostered rescue dogs. Not always an easy thing, but it is worth doing.

We never missed a rescue event after that. No matter how bad she felt, no matter how weak her legs were, how much her hands shook, how uncertain that ground under her feet was, no matter how loudly her brained screamed lies and fears at her - she went to every single event. Because she was going to be a voice for those hurt and scared dogs and make sure they found their people.

That was heroic, too. Because it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay - the small acts of kindness and love.

Kalen wasn't just courageous for herself - she had courage enough she could (and did) share it with the rest of us. She encouraged us to be writers, artists, dancers, actors, business owners - anything and everything we thought we wanted to do, Kalen was there to tell us to do it.

Because - why not?

That was her secret. She was always afraid, so there was no reason not to do things. Her brain told her nothing could ever go well, so there was no reason not to try to do the big, scary things. And she would be right there beside you the entire journey. Kalen never lost faith in her people, no matter how hard things got. She agreed with Tolkien - faithless are they who say farewell when the road darkens.

She gave me courage when it was time for me to leave Dragon's Lair and rebuild an old career. She gave me courage when it was finally time for me to seriously pursue being a professional writer. She gave me courage to keep working and fighting even when my own illnesses and conditions made me just want to lay down and sleep. She gave me hope as I considered a future where I could end up disabled and wracked with pain. She shared with me her joy, her excitement, her love and her life and gave me everything I never knew I wanted from a relationship.

Now, standing here without her, I've realized it's my turn to be afraid - because - because I am afraid to go forward in life without her. I'm not sure where I'm supposed to go next or what I'm supposed to do next, but I do know that I cannot go backwards, there is no reason to go sideways, so I will pick up my bag and I will keep going forward, even if I have to put one hand on the wall so I don't fall over.

I will keep going forward because she showed me how. And I will try to carry that depth, meaning and magnitude she gave me with me for the rest of my life. She would never have believed it, but she was the small person Tolkien envisioned who changed the course of my future, who showed me it was possible to do impossible things.

And I will say goodbye with one last thought from Tolkien: that I was glad to have gone through one lifetime with her than have faced all the ages of my life without her.

[catras-witchy-girlfriend]

Finally Free | Catra x Reader

Content Warning: Meltdowns, self doubt, self destructive thoughts, no gendered pronouns used for reader but Catra does refer to them as "princess"

"Catra! You have to stop!" Adora shouted from the pillar she was tied to.

Catra was unhinged, breaking apart at the revelation that Shadow Weaver had abandoned her for Adora. That Shadow Weaver, the monster who raised her, got a happy ending and she was still stuck in this hell hole!

"I-its always the same with you, Adora! Isn't it? I have to do this! I have to do that! But this time, I'm getting what I want!"

Your heart was racing as you processed it all from the side. You felt lost and scared as the portal frame glitched and sparked. Saying that it looked unstable would be an understatement.

"Catra! If you turn that portal on everyone will die-"

Your heart sunk.

Was Adora telling the truth?

Why would she lie?

This...this isn't a good idea.

"C-catra..." Your voice trembled under the weight of the tension in the air, so you cleared your throat and tried again: "Catra! W-what if she's right? W-we'll all-"

"I-I don't care!" Catra hissed, her chest rising and falling fast as though she was hyperventilating. "I don't care! I don't care if the whole world ends I-I..." Catra turned to Adora and growled, "I won't let you win!!! Not again!"

Catra grabbed the lever but before she could pull it, you rushed up and grabbed it yourself.

"What are you doing, Cadet!?"

"I..." Your head was spinning as though it was trying to predict every outcome. Catra looked so lost, scared, angry. Her thoughts were screaming so...you tried to whisper, "I don't know but...I-I'm scared Catra..."

You put your free hand on top of hers that held the lever and allowed yourself to break into a pout as your face twisted in concern, "P-please Catra, w-what if she's right?" You asked again.

"I don't care-!"

"Everyone is going to die..."

"No, I won't let you or Adora get in my head again!"

"Catra, that means Entrapta will die..."

"She-"

"It means Scorpia will die..."

"Stop it, C-cadet!!"

"It...it means I would die..."

"Y/n..."

"Y-you...you will die..."

She laughed bitterly and hissed, "Who cares!!! I don't care if I die!!! I don't care!!"

"I CARE!" You raised your voice for just a moment as you grabbed her shoulder and then whispered, "Catra please...I don't want to lose you either..."

"S-she can't-" Catra turned her head to look at Adora but you gently pulled her face back to yours.

"Don't look at her," you whispered. Despite your nerves, you tried to stand tall. Your voice was warm and welcoming, "Just look at me, Catra...please."

"S-shadow Weaver left...me...for her!" Catra hissed, "Adora left for people she barely knew for a day!!"

Her voice was breaking as her overly exhausted body began to shake, but she was trying so hard to keep up her tough facade.

"I know...and...I-I'm so so sorry, kitten," Your nickname for her slipped through your lips before you could really stop it, even though you weren't supposed to call her that in public. "But...that's their loss!"

You smiled through your tears, "You don't even see it do you? Look at all you've done, Catra? If it weren't for you, the horde would've crumbled years ago! You...you're the best force captain the horde has ever had!"

Catra whimpered so softly it was hardly audible, "I-its not enough! It's not enough, Y/n!!"

You thought for a split moment, weighting your words carefully, "W-what do you want, kitten?"

"I want to see Adora fail-!"

"No." You said sternly, "You're more than who you were to Adora! You're more than what Shadow Weaver says! What do you want! You! Forget Adora, forget Shadow Weaver, they don't matter, you YOU matter!"

Her beautiful multicolored eyes widened in response.

She was silent for a moment before a single tear fell down her cheek, then another and another and she began to shake, "No...no I don't..."

She looked back up at you: distraught, lost, and broken. "We both know it's true, Y/n...I...I don't matter!"

"You matter to me!" You exclaimed. You began tearing up as you realized what Catra really needed. "C-catra...listen to me, because it's very very important, okay?"

You took a deep breath, "Catra...I love you."

For a moment she looked shocked before her jaw set and she hissed, "No you don't."

Your heart sunk, "Yes, I do."

"No!" She growled, "Stop it! You don't love me, h-how could you-?"

"I-I didn't tell you because...because I was afraid you'd...I don't know...you'd hate me or that you wouldn't want to be friends anymore." You looked up at her, "but I'm not afraid anymore...I can't be...because you need to know it."

You squeezed her hand, "Y-you need to know that there is someone out there who loves you. You need to know that you've made my life better just by being in it, kitten!"

"S-stop..."

"I know...I know it's a lot, but...I'm not saying it because I want something from you. Y-you d-dont owe me anything. You don't have to say anything. You don't have to feel the same, Catra."

You smiled warmly, "I'm only telling you because it's true. No strings attached. I just...I need you to know that...I want you in my life, kitten!" You giggled through your tears, "I need you to know that you matter to me! So listen to me...listen to me and take it in..."

"...I love you..."

"...I love you..."

"...I love you, kitten...and-"

You slipped your hand off of hers that was holding the lever and backed away, "-I trust you...."

She looked between you and the lever. Her face was distorted with distraught as she looked to Adora and then to the lever.

You inhaled sharply as you saw her go to turn the portal on-

-but then her eyes found yours and she froze.

Finally, the fog began to fade, and she saw you, truly saw you. You looked scared, shaken, desperate but...hopeful. You had so much hope for her and so much love and care it practically screamed out for her to finally see it.

Catra's eyes watered again as suddenly everything made sense. The way you always tended to her every need, the way you always tried to make sure she was healthy, the way you were always by her side, the way your face would turn red when she teased you, the way you always defended her, the way you called her different pet names, the way you always reached for her hand, and the way you always came to her when you were scared.

You loved her...

Her head was still too foggy to say for sure if she felt the same, but she knew one thing without a doubt. She cared about you. She really did...

...so she shut down the portal and fell to her knees sobbing.

As soon as she shut it off you ran back up to her and held her in your arms. You didn't care about anything or anyone else in the moment. Adora, Hordak, the princesses they didn't matter, all that mattered was Catra.

You hid her face behind your arm, so she could fall apart without the fear of everyone watching. You nuzzled your face in her hair as you whispered gently, "It's gonna be okay, kitten, I promise. I'm so proud of you..."

Her claws unknowingly dug through your sleeve and into your arm, but you didn't mind, infact you hardly even noticed.

"I'm sorry...for everything."

"it's okay," you whispered back to her, stroking her hair softly, "we can worry about that later, but right now just...just exist with me, okay?"

"Thank you, Catra," Adora butted in as she strained against the cords that kept her down, "you did the right thing-"

Catra scoffed and hissed at her, "Save it, I didn't do it for you..."

She then looked at you as though she wanted to say something but seemed to stop herself.

You smiled and continue stroking her hair and then begin to clean the tear tracks from her cheeks with the end of your sleeve.

Hordak began walking to Adora and grabbed her by her face to force her attention to him, "Don't for a second think you've won, Shera. Prime already knows where we are, and when he gets here, Etheria will be at my feet."

"L-lord Hordak, what's our next move?" Catra asks as she dusted herself off and stood tall beside you.

He snapped around to her and you knew nothing good would follow. "Our next move? No. You disobeyed me, you shut down the portal before it could bring us to big brother, you are a failure-"

Your face twisted with anger, "Are you joking?" You scoff, "Catra is the best force captain the horde has ever had, if it wasn't for her the princesses would have won years ago!"

"I did not give you permission to speak, cadet-"

"-and I didn't ask for it!"

The words left your mouth before you could stop them, and quickly you realized you had signed a bill you weren't certain you could pay.

Hordak began marching up to you, "How dare you speak to me like that, cadet!" He spat as he continued "You are below me, you are insignificant, you are nothing!"

You started to tremble as you stood but tried to stand as tall as you possible, but then as Hordak raised his blaster on his arm towards your face, Catra kicked his arm down to the floor and ripped a glowing pink diamond from his armor that started to weaken him.

"C-catra?"

"We have to go-"

"What?"

She shoved the diamond in the small satchel attached to her belt and ran past you, grabbing your hand to pull you along. "We have to leave before he gets back up!"

"W-what about Adora?" You asked nervously.

Catra looked back for a moment before shaking her head, "The princesses will come and save her, trust me, but us?" She squeezed your hand as she hurriedly lead you to the hover scooters before turning around to face you, "No...no one is going to come for us...we need to protect ourselves so please..."

Catra hopped on the vehicle and turned it on before hesitantly holding out her hand to you, "trust me..."

You smiled warmly as you looked into her brilliant yellow/blue eyes. Your heart warming in your chest as you confidently took her hand and she helped you on the floating ride.

You wrapped your arms around her waist and told her, "I always have, kitten, and I always will..."

She opened her mouth to say something until you both jumped from hearing Hordaks raging scream and saw the distant sight of on coming princesses.

"Wanna finally ditch this place, princess?"

"Thought you'd never ask, force captain~"

With a soft chuckle Catra revved up the engine and you both sped off into the whispering woods.

Neither of you quite knew where you were going, Catra simply kept driving and you trusted her to get you both somewhere safe.

You sighed and laid your head down on her shoulder. "Are you scared?" You asked her quietly.

There was a moment of silence before you felt her shoulders drop from their tense position, "Honestly? A little..."

You nodded before squeezing her midsection assuredly, "Me too...but...no matter what happens next...I'm with you, Catra..."

She simply nodded her head in response until she was met with a large clearing in the woods.

Catra then lifted her arm behind your head and pulled you closer to her to place a soft kiss on your temple and your cheek.

When you looked up at her with hopeful surprised eyes she smiled at you warmly and said, "Just for the record, I love you too, princess~"

[hymn-of-muse]

A Haunted Mind 4 | Nightmares

[a haunted mind 4, nighmares]

chapter 4 in whats now a series. see below for announcements!

parts one(link) / two(link) / three(link)

A murky coloured dust brushed through vacant and still air, settling on the ground at her feet before a sudden hot breeze lifted it up and created a thin haze in front of her, obscuring her vision.

Some sort of light source from an unclear direction shone through the misty dust clouds, a stench like smoke filling her nostrils and clogging her lungs as she stepped forward to try and find some sort of sense of direction. 

Catra placed an arm in front of her face to shield her, squinting against the tossing dust and raising heat. Had an explosion gone off? Something was burning... machinery was burning. This was familiar, she'd been here before.

"Catra?" A voice called out in the midst of the flurries of hot dust. Worried at first, soft and inviting, beckoning even. Then it came again. "Catra."

"Adora?!" Catra called out in response, steps picking up pace in the direction of the voice. "Adora, where are you!?"

"Catra!" She called again, a figure vague in the haze of her vision. "Why?"

Why? Why what? What did she mean why? Why wasn't the question to be asking right now! 

"Adora, what's going on, can we-" she paused, two figures becoming clear as the dust parts and clears away to the sides. Before her stood adora, red jacket missing and replaced with some fabric over her back to hide the horde symbol on her back, the other person...was her. 

She'd been here before alright.

"Why didn't you tell me?! You knew?!" Adora shouted, voice more angry and accusatory than the inviting tone from before.

The catra she saw, her younger self, took a few silent steps back before fleeing.

"No, idiot, go back, don't leave her!" Catra hissed at herself. But she had no effect, things still played out in front of her.

"Why?!" The adora before her turned her gaze directly at her, a glare that sent a cold chill down her spine despite the heat around her. "Why did you lie to me!? Why did you leave me like that!?"

"I-i didn't- I...I was hurting! I didn't know how to handle it! Things were changing and I was scared!" She blurted out, taking a cautious step back as her ears flattened and fur stood on alert.

"You lied to me catra!" Adora shot back.

"I wanted to keep you around! I was scared you'd leave if you knew and you did!" She cried out, holding her arms around herself and shutting her eyes tightly. 

A hot gust of wind surrounded her, blowing back her hair and wiping it around until it settled and she reopened her eyes to see adora gone, replaced by she-ra, harsh glare still on her face and bow and glimmer at her side with the same expressions.

"You lied, you hurt us, you fought us, YOU ruined things. You should be glad we even keep you around, you belong in a cell for everything you've done." She-ra scoffed. "Who am I kidding?" She laughed threateningly "you don't even deserve that much, we should honestly just forget about you" she turned her back to catra.

"What? Wait! No! Adora please!" Catra made and attempt to reach out and catch up but the dust returned, particles hitting her face with sharp pricks and slowing her steps as well as clouding her vision again.

"Wow, kitten, you really messed up, huh?" No, not them too. Not again.

A hand slid softly and gently under her chin and tilted her face in the direction of the voice, a toothy grin flashed her way. "Poor, catra, so alone. And it's all your fault too." 

Double trouble chuckled in amusement as catra stumbled back, retracting from their touch. "Stop it! Back off!" She snapped.

"Awe, throwing a fit again, kitten? You really need to stop driving people away, no wonder no one wants to be around you" they snickered, stepping around her and shifting their appearance.

Scorpia walked to her other side, a hurt frown and sad eyes locked on her. "I would have stuck around for you kitty cat, you know that. But you were so...mean, the worst friend. I can't believe I called you a friend in the first place, I was nieve.."

"What? No I know, I should have done better, I get that! But-" her please were cut short by two hands softly combing the Tufts of fur at behind her ears. 

"Sweet, sweet, idiotic, dear child..." The sickeningly sweet motherly voice of shadow Weaver rang through her ears like a toxic honey. "Stupid fool of a girl, you're such a failure. Adora would have achieved so much more if you hadn't gotten in the way." 

Her hands clawed into her shoulders and the air went icy, almost sufficatingly cold. "I had hopes for you, you know? You turned into SUCH a disappointment." The woman growled into her ear before releasing her hands.

"Stop it! Just stop! Why are you doing this!? I said sorry, I'm trying! Why is this still happening?!" Catra cried, curling in on herself and clutching her hair at the sides of her head and pinpricks of tears threatened to sting the corners of her vision.

"Why!?" A pitchy laugh rang out through the dark dusty area she was in. "Why do you think?! You did this after all" 

Catra looked up to see herself, wicked grin and half obscured by a purple, glitchy sort of corruption, the reality around them seeming to break with the same effect.

"You know exactly what we did, don't deny it" her voice came out choppy like a call with bad connection. "The power, the destruction...it all felt so good to do, to let it out and control...you still want that."

"No! I'm DONE with all that! I don't want to hurt anyone! I don't want any of that I never wanted any of that! I don't want to go back!" Catra whimpered, stepping back like a frightened kitten.

"You fear the pain, you're still suffering..." A calmer, clearer version of her voice rang out from the other side. Turning her head catra saw herself in white and green, eyes glossed over with an eerily familiar green light that made the pit in her stomach boil and the fur on the back of her neck raise on end.

"All that hurt and longing, that fear...you were set free once, he can set us free again, if you just let him" she spoke smoothly, extending her hand like offering an olive branch.

"No! No I'm not letting that-that THING back in my head!!" Catra screamed. Desperate now to break from whatever situation this was.

"But you know how nice it is to finally let go, be free of worry, if your mind is at ease. And you know it can be-" a hand appeared on chipped catra's shoulder and catra felt her heart raise as she watched him step out and finish her sentence.

"If you just joined me." He mused, a threatening look in his eyes as he gave that chilling smile. "You know I'm still here. I will always be here" he stepped closer, glowing green lines spreading out from his steps and reaching for her as his low voice grew closer.

"I'm here, you just need to give in. I'll always be here, because I am a part of you now." He grinned maniacally.

Catra felt the green toxic corruption crawl up her limbs, a pain on the back of her neck. "NO!!"

"NO GET-" she bolted upright and her eyes shot open to a dimly lit room. "...away.." her voice fell.

"Mmn? Catra?" Adoras groggy voice could be heard from beside her, limbs still tangled over her body. She had been cuddling her girlfriend before falling asleep with adoras arms and legs wrapped around her like a bear hug.

Adora lifted her head and sat up, noticing catra's heavily breathing and tension. "Hey, hey, you okay? I-do you?"

"I'm fine" catra sighed. "I'm okay...just...just a bad dream" she told her, attempting a smile. A frequent nightmare, something she couldn't shake no matter how many variations played out, they just seemed to get worse.

"I'm here for you catra" adora wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. 

"Thanks.." catra said softly, fighting back tears that wanted to soak her cheeks and replace the dried streams that matted the fur on her face. 

"Wanna just lay here for a bit? I think it's bow's turn to make breakfast" adora said softly, leaning back against her pillow as catra placed her head on her shoulder and nuzzled into her.

"Yeah..." Nothing could chase the nightmares away..at least she got to be in adoras arms when she woke up from them...but for how long would that last? Or would that become part of her nightmares too?

announcement!!

hey! so, i turned this oneshot series into an actual story! and its now available on both quotev and wattpad as a book!

links below!

tagging: @mariabrightmoon

i may have stayed up late putting this together and just threw a book cover together this morning

reblogs are appreciated!

feel free to request more angst, fluff or whatever comes to mind!

be sure to check my pinned post!

[thatsgay-writes]

Catra x twin!sister reader where reader travels in alot of planets to find her sister and when she landed on etheria she explored the whispering woods and found melog, with their help she found glimmer and she led her to her castle and she finally met her sister. Catra wasn't pleased about it thinking that her family abounded her she just pushes reader away and goes to her room. Reader stays and went to deal with catra. They talked (mostly arguing) and in the end catra and reader hugs and they became very dear friends.

(I'm basically making you a nicer version of Catra with super girl powers (which you don't use in the story) and Lena Luthor as your wife because why not. I am also putting everyone in their early to late 20s... I also forgot to add Melog :( sorry.)

"Space log, day... 2000?" You mumble as you speak into the recorder on your ship. "It's been... 4 years since my son was born. 8 years since my people finally fully integrated with the civilization of our sister planet. 10 years since I renounced my royal title. 12 years since I met the love of my life. 16 years since my home world was destroyed by the Horde and my parents were killed. And... 24 years since I have last seen my baby sister." You breath out, having lost hope after so many years of things going wrong. "Lena and Madden have stayed on the planet Oa while I explore this last planet. It appeared almost 2 years ago and was the last place the Horde had ever been. Who or whatever is on the planet must be powerful." "This... This will be the final planet I explore. I have no hope of seeing my sister again." God you were so tired of the disappointment you felt every time you couldn't find your sister. "Happy 26th birthday." You mumble out as you get closer to the new planet. "End log."

---

"This is spaceship Kr 97. Requesting permission to land. I repeat requesting permission to land." You spoke into your radio, hoping to hear anything back. Maybe this planet didn't have the technology yet for radios? "If anyone can hear me. My name is Y/n and I come in peace. I will be landing my ship on your planet and will wait 2 days before exploring on my own." You say into your radio before putting it back where it had been hanging and controlling your ship into the planets atmosphere. It was a little bit of a bumpy landing but you landed your ship just fine on the outskirts of what seemed to be a forest. You set a 48 hour alarm on your phone. You weren't sure how the people or creatures of the planet told time, so you just stuck with what you knew. It had kept you alive so far anyways.

"Alrighty." You say to yourself as you step off of your ship. You take a deep breath as you feel the yellow sun power you up. "48 hours, let's get to work."

---

You spent the next two days cleaning up in and around your spaceship, setting up a camp, and watching how the forest worked so you knew what you could eat and what you couldn't. You had been sitting on the ground relaxing when you hear your timer go off. You click the loud noise off and stand up, grabbing the bag you had prepared. While learning the forest, you had seen some villages that seemingly lead towards somewhere and you had decided that the best course of action was to hop from village to village to see if their was a kingdom or something of that nature that you could get into contact with. You just hoped everyone was nice and that this wouldn't be a hard planet to navigate.

---

The first town you enter seems to be a farming village. You can tell because you had to walk through fields and saw, what you assume, were the livestock on the planet. You stood behind some trees for a while as you assessed how the villagers acted. You watched as kids ran around playing with their friends, shopkeepers and homeowners leaving their windows open in the nice weather, clearly not scared of being robbed. You decide that it's safe enough to enter and you have your powers to back you up incase things go wrong. It was weird because the planet had 3 moons and only 1 sun, usually planets had the suns out number moons but it was enough. You fix your cloak over your ears and tuck them back so they wouldn't be noticeable or a defining characteristic if things went sideways.

You walk slowly through the village, having expected to get some attention from your large black robe. And you do get some curious looks but it's mainly all friendly smiles. You are almost halfway through the village, aiming to enter one of the shops and ask around, when a something hits your leg. You look down and see a ball a few inches in front of your foot. You pick it up, making sure to retract your claws, and hold it out to the toddler who was staring at you and his ball. "Here you go." You say to him as you hold the ball out and shake it a little so his attention goes to it. He waddles up to you and takes the ball from you. He stares at it for a few seconds before making motions with his hands, wanting you to hold him.

Without hesitating, you pick him up and hold him close to your chest. "Where is your mother, kitten?" You ask him as he reaches up to play with your ear that were still under your hood. "Kitty!" He squeals as he knocks the hood off your head and you hear an audible gasp from behind you. "Oh my gosh, Catra I am so sorry! We didn't think you were visiting till next week. We would have prepared a feast for you and the rest of the princesses." You turn around and see an elderly looking man, who's eyes widen at the sight of you. "Have you gotten taller and cut your hair again?" He asks confused. You give him a small smile, "I'm sorry but I'm not this Catra you speak of. Are you saying there is someone similar looking to me on your planet?" You ask and the man gives you a weird look when you call it his planet but slowly nods his head. You feel hope for the first time in years and eagerly ask the man if you could stay near the town till she came next week. He gave you a bit of a weird look, not sure who you were now and unsure of your intentions, even though your reaction was positive. "Sure."

---

After returning the toddler to his mother, you basically sprinted back to your ship in excitement. "Lena! Lena!" You shout happily into the radio on your ship. Time is a little different on the planet as the sun was just starting to set but it would already be completely dark on Oa. But by your clock it was only 9, so Lena and Madden should still be awake. "Y/n?" You hear your name crackle through the radio and a smile appears on your face. "Lena you'll never believe it! There is someone on this planet that supposedly looks just like me and vice versa!" You say into the radio, feeling like a kid on Nova day. "I think it's her... I hope its her." You say as you image seeing your sister again for the first time in 24 years. "I'm so happy for you y/n! We will start making preparations to join you soon." You bite your lip in thought. "Maybe you should wait... I just wouldn't want to overwhelm her, you know?" You can almost hear Lena nodding on the other end of the phone. "That makes sense, we'll plan to leave by the end of the week if everything goes well."

"Geez I love you so much." You mumble with a wide grin. "And Madden too. Is he still up?" "No he fell asleep a few minutes before you radioed, he spent all day playing." "Oh well, tell him I love him and I'll radio back in the morning." "Okay, bye." "Bye."

---

"We need to be very careful about this." Glimmer says as she and the best friend squad enter the village who sent a letter the day before about someone who looked like Catra in their village. "We already knew that there were other people out there but as we already know not all of them are friendly." Catra walks next to Adora, numbly nodding along. Could this be it? Could she finally learn where she came from? Everyone else in the Horde had been born into it and Adora had come through a portal but no one really knew where Catra was from. "Are you okay?" Adora asked as she squeezed Catra's hand, nervous at how silent her girlfriend was. Catra just mutely nods back.

---

"This planet is simply marvelous!" The group hears you laugh out after being greeted by the village leader. "They look almost just like you Catra." Bow comments as they watch your tall figure move around as you play with the kids of the village and let them climb all over you. "Y/n!" You hear someone call your name and turn to see the village leader standing with a group of people and... Catra. They watch as you freeze and let your mouth fall open in shock. You set the kids down and encourage them to go play together. You walk towards the group with a smile. You go down the line of friends shaking their hands and introducing yourself, ignoring their looks of surprise, before finally reaching Catra. "Wow..." You breathe out in absolute awe. You can feel your eyes get misty the longer you stare at her. "You look so much like mom." You say with a watery laugh that completely sets Catra off.

"Who are you?" She asks as she pushes her finger into your chest making you take a step back. "What? Catra, I'm your sibling. I thought the similarities would make that clear." She glares at you and you can feel the whole village watching the interaction. "Just because we look similar doesn't mean anything." You move quickly and grab her right hand and hold it up next to your left one, both birthmarks showing.

You watch as Catra freezes. Her face and body come to a complete stop as her eyes flicker between the identical birthmarks and your face. "I know you must have questions and I do too. But I have spent the last 8 years going all across the galaxy looking for you and right now all I want is a hug... Please?" You get out as you let go of Catra's hand only for her to push you away one last time and storm into a temporary tent that had been set up for the best friend squad.

You take a second to take a breath before following after her. "I wouldn't follow after her, she needs time to cool down." A blonde, Adora, said to you as she placed a hand on your should to stop you. "I've dealt with people with anger issues before." You say as you brush her hand off. "I know how to handle this." You say and walk towards the tent again, not giving anyone a chance to stop you.

---

"You can't hide away in here sister." You say as you enter the tent, dodging a pillow that was thrown at your head. "Don't call me that." She mumbled angrily. "And why not, you are my sister are you not? I mean everyone saw the birth mark." Catra stands up angrily. "If you were my sister, you would have spent longer than 8 years looking for me! And how can you even compare me to this "mom" that I know absolutely nothing about!? Where are they anyways, huh? Where's great old mom and dad that I have spent the last 25 years not knowing about!" She unloads onto you and your feel your heartbreak at how disheveled she looked. You shouldn't have assumed everything would be smiles and laughs when the two of you first met.

"26." "Huh?" "You're... We're 26. Our birthday was 2 days ago." "So I don't even know my own birthday!" Catra explodes. "Get out." She says suddenly and quietly. "What?" "I said get out." She repeats and you shake your head at her. "I'm not leaving." You watch as Catra's hair stand up. "I am giving you one last warning, get out now or I will do something I might not regret." You cross your arms and stare her down. "I have spent the last 8 years planet hopping with my family looking for you. I. Am. Not. Leaving."

Catra jumps at you suddenly, attempting to scratch, hit, kick, do anything to make you leave the tent. Instead of doing what she wanted, you just wrapped her in a tight hug and sat on the ground. You stay like that for a while, her trying to hold back sobs and angry tears before finally letting go and you just rubbing circles on her back to try and calm her down. "Why?" Is all she says after almost an hour of being in that position. "Why what?" "Why now?" You let out a sad sigh at her question. "Mom and Dad are dead, killed by the Horde Prime and his followers when I was 10." You can feel Catra flinch at how blunt you were and the fact that she had worked for the Horde only a few years ago. "You had already been missing for 8 years at that point, multiple search teams being sent out but none could find you." You squeeze Catra tighter as you feel yourself relive all the grief that you carried for the past 16 years.

"I managed to get most of our people off the planet and to our sister planet before the Horde completely destroyed everything. Got everyone situated on that planet, met the love of my life, renounced my claim to any throne, and finally I started looking for you." It's silent for a few minutes as Catra absorbed everything you said. "So..." You asked as you wiped your tears off your face. "What about you?"

You and Catra spent the rest of the night and next day sharing stories about your childhood and how differently but similar the two of you had grown up. You even got to tease her about Adora and the fact that you were, technically, her older sister by 2 minutes. You were also very excited when you got to show Catra around the ship you had taken to get to Etheria.

---

"So I am guessing everything went well?" Lena asked over the radio after you finally called her about coming to Etheria. "It was a little rocky at the beginning but we smoothed things over... She's great Lena, you guys are gonna love each other." You say with a giant smile on your face as you look at Catra who was relaxing in the copilot seat next to you.

[catradoramma]

how about a fic of Adora noticing being the jealous one after noticing other women give Catra attention.

i have been getting prompts like this since Mine, and honestly, hell yea. i deadass started working on this in 2019 and well. its finally finished. this is who i am folks. thanks so much to @kittens-and-foxes, @magicchalkdust, and lunatica (ao3) for the prompts! prompts are still open! i’m just a slave to writers block. evidently

Oh, How the Turntables

|  Rated: T  |  Words: 2,604  |  Chapter: 1/1  |

Adora was not a jealous person. She was confident with where she was in her life and always had been. Trying her best and being proud of that was something that was basically sewn into her DNA.

Adora was not jealous. Never had been, and never would be.

She wasn’t jealous.

She was just…a little upset.

Or how Adora handles being jealous. A significantly less fun sequel to Mine. 

| ao3 | buy me a kofi |

Adora was not a jealous person. She was confident with where she was in her life and always had been. Trying her best and being proud of that was something that was basically sewn into her DNA.

Adora was not jealous. Never had been, and never would be.

She wasn’t jealous.

She was just…a little upset.

It wasn’t really that big of a deal. Honestly it wasn’t a big deal at all. In fact it wasn’t even a deal at all. Catra was just making friends. Which Adora, for the record, was extremely happy about.

Catra was making friends with some of the people in the Royal Guard at Bright Moon and it was awesome! People were accepting her! And, like, treating her with respect like she obviously deserves as a literal war hero! So naturally, Adora was happy to hear this. Adora was enthused!

Obviously, okay?

It’s just that Catra had recently become closer with a few of her friends in the Royal Guard which meant they were out all day training and running drills, and then out all night getting drinks and singing bar shanties or whatever soldiers did together. Adora was so glad that Catra was fitting in and being accepted. That goes without saying.

But.

Adora also really, really, really missed her girlfriend.

Like.

Adora missed her a lot.

As simple as that.

Although, it didn’t help that one of Catra’s new friends was the totally smart, pretty and badass Captain Kassandra. And it also didn’t help that Captain Kassandra was definitely Catra’s best friend in the guard which meant Catra and Captain Kassandra were spending the majority of their days together.

Alone.

And it’s not like Adora thought anything would happen! Catra would never cheat, okay? She wouldn’t! She just might...you know. Realize that Captain Kassandra was so, so much better, and smarter, and stronger, and prettier, and cooler than Adora.

And Catra might want to break up.

Which Adora definitely didn’t want.

— . —

“Hey, Catra?” Adora called as she was pulling her hair up into a ponytail.

“Yeah?” Catra called from the closet where she was trying to decide between two identical burgundy sports bras.

“I was, uh,” Adora paused as she grabbed her hair tie with her teeth off her wrist. “I was thinking that it might be fun if we went out tonight? Go into town and grab dinner or something? Have a little date?” She asked with a tentative smile as she finished tying off her hair.

Catra turned to face her properly, lowering both sports bras. “Tonight?” She asked, not sounding excited like Adora had thought she’d be.

The lack of enthusiasm made Adora a little nervous. She licked her lips and continued. “Yeah. We’ve both been really busy lately, and I finally have a night off from--you know--She-Ra stuff. So I was, you know, just wondering if we could, I don’t know. Go on a date,” Adora bumbled, her nerves getting to her the longer she went without an answer.

“Shit, tonight?” Catra asked, her shoulders slumping alongside Adora’s heart. “I can’t. I have a game tonight.”

“Wait, you have a what tonight?” Adora asked, immediately confused.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I meant to tell you. Me and the Guard started up a Softball team. Bright Moon Royal Guard against Entrapta’s Robot Army,” Catra explained, a little smile curling up her lips which Adora knew meant that Catra had really been enjoying playing Softball.

Adora was, admittedly, a little hurt by the fact that Catra hadn’t even thought to tell her about this. Adora was always super supportive of everything Catra did and would have loved the opportunity to cheer her on in a very literal and vocal way.

But, Adora supposed, she had been really busy with She-Ra stuff lately so it made sense that Catra forgot to mention things. Especially when they really only saw each other at dinner and when they got in and out of bed everyday.  

Adora pushed down her hurt feelings and pressed on. “Alright, well. When’s the game? I’ll come and maybe we could grab a bite or something after,” she suggested.

Catra winced. “After games, C.K. usually buys everyone a burger,” Catra explained. C.K. So we’re calling Captain Kassandra C.K. now. Adora suddenly craved physical violence.

Catra continued, not noticing Adora’s mounting frustration. “It’s like--I don’t know--a team bonding thing,” Catra explained with a shrug. “You could come to the game though! I’ll hit a homer for you,” she added, sending Adora a deliciously wicked grin that Adora couldn’t even enjoy due to the slowly mounting rage within her.

Adora took a deep breath, suppressing the anger for the time being, and forced a smile. “That sounds awesome, babe. I’ll….be there for the game then.”

Catra grinned at that and darted over to press a kiss to Adora’s cheek. “I’ll look for you in the stands,” she said, practically glowing with happiness, and just like that, all of Adora’s rage and jealousy melted away. This was something Catra enjoyed. Having friends and maintaining them was important to Catra. So it was important to Adora.

Adora turned and stole a proper kiss from Catra. “Leave your alternate jersey for me and I’ll wear it,” she suggested with a soft smile.

Catra nodded eagerly before she disappeared back into the closet. She came back out wearing one of Adora’s white and blue sports bras, and, honestly, that made everything a little better.

— . —

Adora had no idea how Softball worked, but Gods, was she becoming a fan quickly. Everything from the tight white pants Catra wore, to the slashed up cap she wore to let her ears through was doing things for Adora. Adora was pretty sure she was actually learning less about Softball the longer she spent in the stands. Probably because she was happily staring at Catra’s ass instead of the game.

The whole experience probably would have been a net positive if it wasn’t for what happened at the very end of the game. Catra must’ve hit a particularly impressive ball (Adora wasn't exactly paying attention to the ball or where it was going as much as she was focusing on where the hitter was going and doing) because as she dashed around the diamond, everyone around her was cheering and freaking out. The Bright Mood Guard left the make-shift dugout and ran onto the pitch. They swarmed Catra as she passed home. They all wrapped her in a hug before Captain Kassandra tossed her up into the air and then sat Catra on her shoulder.

Jealousy burned inside of Adora. That was Adora’s move! Adora was absolutely the only one allowed to toss Catra into the air and catch her on her shoulder! Why the hell was someone else doing that?! Was this a common thing? Did Captain Kassandra toss Catra all the time?

Adora was about three seconds away from going full-on beast mode on the Captain. The only thing that stopped her was the way Catra pulled her cap off in celebration, waving it excitedly in Adora’s direction. The elation on Catra’s face—the pure joy that was clear from whatever game-winning hit she’d made—was entirely enough to cool Adora’s temper.

Catra looked radiant out there. And she deserved to be praised like that. She deserved to be celebrated and loved by her friends. Adora wanted that for Catra so badly, and if it wasn’t for the ugly jealous monster that was living rent free inside of her for whatever reason, Adora was sure she’d 100% be just as happy as Catra was in that moment.

So, with her mind made up, Adora grinned and waved back. She cupped her hands around her mouth and cheered loudly. She made a heart with her hands and held it up above her head for Catra to see. Catra must’ve seen it because she blushed a little darker and bit her lip in a way that made Adora’s blood burn in a very different way.

If only Adora wouldn’t have to go home alone after the game.

— . —

Adora decided to wait up for Catra. She wanted to show Catra exactly how proud of her game-winning home-run she was. Adora lit candles around their room while she waited, and even changed into some of the more frilly underwear she owned for nights exactly like this. She kept Catra’s jersey on, though, and made herself comfortable in bed to wait.

And wait.

And wait.

Adora waited long after the sun went down behind the back hills, long after the candles burned down to nubs, and long after the lacey bra she wore became too uncomfortable to continue wearing. Adora didn’t want to admit defeat, but eventually the mood was lost, and she could barely keep her eyes open.

It was with a new level of bitterness, and a little heartbreak, that Adora cleaned up the candles, slipped into pyjamas, and put Catra’s jersey away. This time when Adora curled up into bed, she didn’t wait. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

If the smell of candle smoke was still in the air when Catra got back, then so what.

— . —

Adora felt very off for the rest of that week. She hadn’t even heard Catra come in that night, and when she woke up, Catra was curled up into a ball on her own side of the bed. Something about not even waking up in Catra’s arms left a sour taste in her mouth.

Adora knew, logically, that Catra hadn’t made her any promises to come back early that night. She had said that she’d be out with the team, and Adora had agreed to that. It was just that...after a game like that, the first one Adora had gone to, shouldn’t Catra have wanted to come home and celebrate with Adora? Shouldn’t she have at least come back at a decent hour? Catra had only said that she’d be getting dinner with her team. Did getting burgers really take that long?

What else had Catra been doing out there?

That thought alone was enough to leave Adora in a horrible mood for the rest of the week.

She destroyed many straw filled dummies, and snapped at anyone who so much as thought about asking her what was wrong, including Catra.

Especially Catra.

Adora hadn’t been in this bad of a mood since the war--since the time she hadn’t slept for weeks at a time.

And the worst part? Adora knew she was being unreasonable. She knew she was being dramatic and was definitely blowing things out of proportion. It was just that—

The jealous little monster that lived in her mind rent free was slowly taking over.

— . —

Adora was lounging in the bath, trying to make herself feel better though aggressive self-care, when she heard Catra come in. It was already late into the evening. Adora would usually be in bed this time of night, and Adora was beginning to think (unreasonably) that Catra was coming back late on purpose.

“Adora?” Catra called as she noticed the bed was empty. She sounded a little afraid and suddenly Adora was just tired. And sad. And frustrated. She was so, so frustrated with herself and this stupid situation. She didn’t want to be upset at Catra anymore.

“In here!” Adore called back as she moved her hands a little anxiously through the bubbles still floating on the surface.

Catra appeared in the doorway and smiled tentatively. She looked concerned and tired.

“Hey,” Adora said softly.

“Hey,” Catra repeated, her voice just as soft.

“How was your night?” Adora asked. “I missed you at dinner.”

Catra’s shoulders dropped a little and she nodded. She stepped into the bathroom and sat down on the floor right next to the tub, her knees pulled up to her chest as she looked at Adora. Catra looked small like that. Small and afraid.

“Missed you too,” Catra said back, her voice just above a whisper.

Adora bit her lip a little anxiously and had to look away. She couldn’t look at Catra knowing she was the one who made her feel uncertain like this. But...wasn’t it because Adora herself felt uncertain that this whole thing had happened?

Adora pulled in a deep breath and forced herself to look back at Catra. “I’m sorry I’ve been...rough this week,” she said.

Catra leaned her head onto the side of the tub. “Are you gonna tell me what I did?” Catra asked, her voice soft and non-judgemental.

“Catra you didn’t...do anything,” Adora said. “And...well. That’s the problem. I feel like we never see each other anymore. I feel like we don’t talk.”

Catra straightened up, her shoulders coming up in a defensive stance. It was clear she was afraid of what else was coming from this conversation. Adora reached out and placed her hand on top of one of Catra’s knee.

“I just really miss you Catra. All the time, even when I wake up next to you,” Adora admitted.

“I’m sorry,” Catra said immediately, her ears pressing back flat onto her head. “I…”

“Hey, no, I should have said something—” Adora said but Catra cut her off, her eyes wide in realization.

“Oh my gods,” Catra breathed. “You did say something. You wanted—and I totally just brushed you off to hang out with the Guard. Adora—” Catra spoke frantically, and it was Adora who cut her off this time.

“Catra, hey, no,” Adora said as she moved closer. “No, you didn’t brush me off. You just. You’ve never had a really solid group of friends before. Of course you got caught up. I like that you have these people who like you and want to hang out with you. I’ve been so busy lately and I’ve been so thankful that you’ve found these people to keep you company when I can’t,” Adora said honestly.

“It’s just that...I’m not used to having to share your attention. And it’s...it’s making me feel a little insecure—which I hate. I don’t want to be jealous of your friends. I don’t want to keep you away from them,” she admitted, looking at her hands now, ashamed of how she was feeling.

Catra reached out and threaded their fingers. “Adora…” she breathed softly as she squeezed Adora’s hand. “You should have said something, dummy,” she said affectionately, reaching out with her free hand to smooth Adora’s hair back and turn her face up.

“I’ve only been spending so much time with those idiots because I’ve been wanting to give you space to relax,” Catra admitted. “I thought that having me around, wanting your attention after you’d had to listen to people bitch and complain all day would just cause you more stress.” She leaned forward some more to press a kiss to Adora’s lips softly. “I’ve been missing you too, Adora.”

Adora let out a sigh of relief, and then a sound that was halfway between a laugh and a sob. She shot forward and wrapped her arms around Catra in a hug, holding her tight. “You’re sure you’re not unhappy with me? You wouldn’t rather be with C.K.?” Adora asked, finally voicing her deepest concerns.

“What?” Catra asked softly as she held Adora tighter, seemingly undisturbed by the fact that she was getting soaked by the bath. “Adora, Captain Kass is married. To a man. And besides that, I don’t want anyone but you. You make me happier than anything.”

Adora let out another sigh of relief. “Oh, I’m so glad,” she breathed as she pressed her face into Catra’s neck.

— . —

That little jealous monster was finally evicted.

[pennamesmith]

For Want of a Skeletor

Entrapta hosts a Princess Alliance meeting at the Crypto Castle and absolutely nothing goes wrong. More Skeletor stories!

*

The lights were on late in Dryl. 

Stars shone outside the windows. Entrapta sat hunched over her desk, studying datapads and readouts. A polite cough from the laboratory door caused her to look up from her work.

“Oh! I’m sorry Hordak, did I wake you?”

Her partner stepped softly into the room and shook his head. “Imp did. You know how he gets when either of us take too long to come to bed.” 

Hordak crossed the cluttered floor and joined Entrapta at the desk. He was holding Imp in his arms, and the smaller, winged clone whined plaintively when he saw her. Entrapta kept her screens on, but leaned gratefully into Hordak’s side and curled a tendril of hair around his waist. She yawned, despite herself. 

“I know. I just want to make sure I get everything right before the other princesses come over tomorrow.” She glanced back at the data, nervously tapping her fingertips together. “I’ve never hosted an Alliance meeting before! And this rescue will be our biggest mission since… well, you know. I don’t want to mess anything up.”

Hordak smiled. “Your diligence is admirable. But I also seem to recall someone telling me that imperfections are beautiful.”

Entrapta stuck out her tongue. “No fair.” 

“I’m afraid the science is sound. Come to bed, my dear.” 

The scientist scoffed, but she did not protest when Hordak gathered her up in his arms. She wrapped more of her hair around him, and Imp settled sleepily in the resulting nest. Entrapta could already feel herself drifting. 

“You will be a shining star tomorrow,” Hordak promised, as he carried his family back to rest. 

“Tomorrow,” echoed Imp.

*

The next day saw the Crypto Castle’s largest meeting room filled with princesses, dignitaries, and other honorary Alliance members. While Scorpia and Perfuma admired the tiny refreshments laid out for everyone, Mermista split her time between groaning at Sea Hawk’s boasts and trying every available chair to find the most comfortable one. Glimmer and Bow stepped uneasily around the edges of the room, watching carefully for anything that might be a trap, and Frosta followed their lead. Netossa and Spinnerella tried their best to find a chair Swift Wind could sit in. 

Adora and Catra, wearing increasingly baffled expressions, were conversing with two domestic-looking robots who sat at the head of the table next to Entrapta. One was tall and skinny, and the other wore a welded-on handlebar mustache. 

“Entrapta has parents?” Catra was asking, her face a galaxy of disbelief. 

“Adopted, technically. Or adapted,” the skinnier bot explained. “We’re Entrapta’s parental units. She built us when she was six. You must have seen the painting in the foyer.” 

“Yeah, we’ve been here pretty much the whole time,” the mustachioed model added. “You kids sure made a racket during your last few visits. What was that all about?” 

“Uh,” Adora faltered. 

To her immense relief, Hordak swept into the room at that very moment, flanked by Imp, Emily, and the reprogrammed Horde drone Entrapta had dubbed ‘Skeletor.’ 

“Welcome, everyone,” Hordak boomed, bringing the gathering to a respectful hush. 

“Witless fools! I’m in charge now! And if you know what’s good for you you’ll do as I say!” Skeletor shouted. 

Hordak scowled and shooed the fussing robot away from the table. “Pay no mind to that one,” he grumbled once he’d regained the floor. “Now then. Please allow me the honor of introducing the unparalleled mind who has made this operation possible, Princess Entrapta.” 

“Thank you all for coming!” Entrapta started, while everyone took their seats. “I know you’re all excited about what we’re planning, but there’s still a lot of preparation to do before we can take off. As the chief science officers for this mission, it’s vital that Hordak and I gather as much data on your abilities as possible! Interdimensional travel is severely unpredictable and —” 

“Hold on,” Mermista interrupted. “Exactly how high are the chances of us getting mutated by cosmic space energy or whatever? Because I only want cool mutations, not gross ones.” 

“Maybe thirty, thirty-five percent?” Entrapta guessed. She shrugged. “A lot of this is theoretical. You guys will be like my guinea pigs! By which I mean the small robotic animals in the castle I protect and care for. And experiment on, sometimes.” 

She laughed heartily. Glimmer and Bow shared a nervous glance. Perfuma turned slightly green. 

Entrapta regained her composure and pointed back to the display board. “Ahem. Anyway, the good news is we already know some things about where we’re going! Probably.” She shuffled her notes, gaining confidence as she spoke.

“Before Adora found the Sword of Protection, historians debated ancient records of She-Ra. Some claimed she was called ‘Her-Ra’ and fought for the ‘Power of Grayskull.’ But I theorize that what those archaeologists actually uncovered was evidence of —”

“I have a question!” Frosta yelled. “Will there be hunky guys in the other dimension? I’m asking for a friend.”

“It’s funny you mention that, actually,” Entrapta replied. “Listen, just let me finish and…” 

Unfortunately, anxious impatience had already gripped the assembled Alliance members. They clamored with questions, all talking at the same time. Entrapta shrank back in her seat and pulled her welding mask down, seeming to reach for something under the table. 

Hordak stood up. Just as it looked like he was about to do something violent, a loud alarm sounded and the lights in the room flashed red. 

“Uh-oh.” Entrapta glanced around at the assembled company. “Um, get ready to tuck and roll everybody!”

“Get ready to what?” Mermista cried out, but it was already too late. Multiple trap doors swung open across the meeting room floor, and with flailing limbs and startled shouts the guests were sent tumbling down chutes in every direction. In moments they had all vanished.

“I always feel so much better after doing something bad!” Skeletor cackled. “Now we begin phase two!” 

*

Adora and Catra, who had clung to each other as they fell, landed with a bump in a darkened, underground space. As soon as they arrived, bright lights flickered to life and a huge screen lit up against the wall. 

Entrapta’s face appeared on the monitor, larger than life. “Oh good! You’re alive,” she chirped when she saw the other two. 

Adora clambered to her feet. “Entrapta! What’s going on?” 

The scientist glanced away. “Well, I guess Skeletor didn’t like that we were ignoring him. So he stole my map of the castle and activated the security systems! Which means we’re all lost in the labyrinth until I can catch him. Isn’t that great?” 

“It’s something,” Catra groaned, rubbing her head. 

“Exactly! Now, without my map I can’t come find you. But if you can make it through the traps, the hallway you’re in should take you back to the meeting room. Then you’ll be safe until I can fix things!” 

The screen dimmed again before Catra or Adora could protest. Left with few other options, they turned to get a good look at whatever dangers lay ahead. 

They were standing at one end of a long corridor. Square blocks floated along its length, suspended in midair with anti-gravitational tech. An interrogative punctuation mark flashed on one, while a squat robot with painted-on angry eyebrows shambled slowly back and forth beneath it. 

Catra took it all in. “You have got to be kidding.” 

Adora had already drawn her sword and begun to venture forward. Catra was about to follow her, when something made her ears flick. A suspicious frown crossed her face.

“Hey, Adora!” Catra called. “Listen!” 

“What?” 

Catra pressed her ear to the wall. “There! Do you hear that?” 

“Obviously not,” Adora huffed. “Now stop dawdling, the first puzzle looks pretty easy.” 

Catra stayed where she was. “Hold on a second. This part of the castle feels familiar. I remember walking through here back when, uh, back when it was still Horde territory.” She coughed awkwardly, and then reached up to tilt the frame of a big-eyed kitten painting. “Look!” 

Something clicked and the wall slid open, revealing a new passageway. Distinctive laughter could be heard coming from the other end of it. A purple neon sign reading “Secret Entrance!!!” buzzed to life. 

Adora sighed and rolled her eyes. 

“One time Entrapta had me and Scorpia over for a life-size Snakemen and Ladders game that got a little out of hand,” Catra explained as they entered the tunnel. At the far end there was a brightly lit office; inside, it was filled with laboratory equipment, video monitors, and a humble but dignified desk. 

Hordak was sitting at the desk, in what appeared to be a smaller version of his old Fright Zone throne. It swiveled. Entrapta was sitting on the desk, and she waved as the other couple entered. 

“Myaah! Sleep gas and stun-rays only, my evil minions!” muttered Skeletor, who was busy working the video monitors. On closer inspection, Adora realized that each of them showed some of the other princesses as they traversed the castle labyrinth. 

“Welcome to mission control!” Entrapta sang, spreading her arms wide. “Hordak didn’t think you’d find us, but I had a hypothesis you might.” 

“It was a ruse!” Adora gasped, scandalized. “You’re not lost at all!” 

“You really need to hang out with Entrapta more if that still surprises you,” Catra observed. She looked at the monitors. “Ah, are they gonna be okay?” 

“Better than!” Entrapta sprang off the desk, hanging by her hair as she showed off multiple datapads. “Everyone was getting a little… distracted upstairs, so I just decided to speed things up a teensy bit! The princesses using their powers to escape the maze will let me get all the readings we need, and then we can have a nice little party! I had the baker make tiny cakes.” 

“I made sure Hordak’s doomberry pie was especially tasty!” Skeletor piped up. 

“And it’s all perfectly safe!” Entrapta promised. Discreetly, a ribbon of hair reached out to push a blinking button. On the monitors, Mermista and Sea Hawk were rescued from a robot shark attack by a convenient change of the currents. 

“This is hilarious,” Catra laughed, looking more closely. On one of the screens, Swift Wind was gleefully running loop-de-loops along a curving racetrack. “I think they’re actually having fun in there. Can we stay and watch?” 

“I’m afraid not,” Hordak said. She-Ra’s — and your — assessment is the most important of all. But we’d love to have you over to the castle for dinner soon. Shall we say eight o’clock next week?” 

“That sounds nice!” Adora chimed, before Catra could stop her. 

“Splendid. I’ll cook,” Hordak concluded. Then he pressed a button on his desk, and a trapdoor sent the younger women plummeting through the floor. 

Catra and Adora yelped in surprise, only for their fall to be cut short by an enormous pile of pillows on the level below. They struggled to their feet. Another corridor stretched away in front of them, filled with further challenges. Floating gold coins, each about four feet tall, indicated a pathway. 

“Try not to have too much fun,” Hordak called good-naturedly as the trapdoor slid shut. 

“Use the warp zone! It’s faster!” Entrapta added. 

“Have a nice trip down!” said Skeletor. 

*

Hordak settled back in his chair (it had soft armrests, and a cushion for lumbar support) and watched his partner at work. Entrapta flitted from screen to screen, taking notes and making adjustments. On one display, Bow and Glimmer had met up with Netossa and Spinnerella while navigating a cage minefield. On another, Frosta was making an ice bridge to help Perfuma and Scorpia cross a slow-moving spike trap. 

“I’m sorry you had to use your backup plan. They really are utter fools if they ever doubted your genius,” Hordak mused. 

“Different people have different strengths and weaknesses,” Entrapta replied, without looking up from her work. “And a good scientist collaborates whenever they can! Even if that requires a little creativity sometimes.” 

Hordak nodded. “Fair enough. Nevertheless, I would not blame you if you wished to have nothing more to do with the Princess Alliance. Even their attempts to help you can seem… insensitive. You’re not obligated to forgive that.” 

Skeletor looked up from his control panel and shook a fist. “Don’t you get awfully tired of being a hero all the time? Don’t you ever feel like doing something evil?” 

“They’re trying to be good friends,” Entrapta defended. “And so am I. And if I really did need their help, maybe things would be different. But I’ve got it all under control!” 

She vaulted across the room, flipping switches and turning dials along the way. On the monitors, Perfuma’s fall from a tall platform was gently broken by a sudden anti-gravitational field. 

“Besides, forgiveness isn’t always about the person being forgiven. It’s also about taking back potential energy that was lost.” 

“Did you learn that in my brother’s therapy group?” Hordak asked. 

Entrapta smirked. “Actually, he got it from me.” 

A pleasant ding sounded and Entrapta clapped her hair. “Hooray, everyone made it back! I’ll calculate the high scores and then we can continue the social experiment!” 

“You astonish me every day,” Hordak purred as he rose to follow her. Entrapta put out her hand, and he took it. 

“Wait for me!” Skeletor cried out. “You might get lost by yourself!” 

*

One week later, a much smaller gathering of royals met in Dryl. 

Catra and Adora sat together in one of the Crypto Castle’s least intimidating dining rooms, listening with barely-contained delight as Entrapta’s parental units thoroughly embarrassed their former boss. 

“...And so I said to him, ‘I have charging ports Hordak, can you download raw data offa me?’ Ha! Oh, you shoulda seen his face!” 

Hordak slouched in his chair. “I do not think we need to bore our guests with the details of this particular story,” he protested, feebly. 

“Oh, I’m not bored at all! I want to hear everything,” Catra said. She leaned forward, grinning. “So, was this before or after you hooked him up to the lie detector?” 

Entrapta giggled, and gave Hordak a gentle pat on the shoulder as she reached for another helping of his tiny quiche. All things considered, the night was going surprisingly well. 

It was exactly what Entrapta wanted. 

After dinner, wheeled bots carted away the leftovers and dirty dishes. Hordak poured coffee for himself and Adora, and the parental units retired to wherever it was they lived in the cavernous castle. Entrapta, lost in thought as usual, felt a familiar feline presence approach her. 

“Thank you,” Catra said, sincerely. “Not just for this. For everything. For being so nice all the time. For making this mission happen. It means a lot to me.” 

Entrapta smiled softly. “To me, too. Everyone makes mistakes. It would be a shame not to learn from them when we can.” 

“Did you say something?” Skeletor squawked, suddenly materializing in the doorway. 

Entrapta, unbothered, immediately produced a datapad. “Oh we’re just talking about the big rescue mission! Actually, you should probably take a look at my data, Skeletor. I haven’t told you much yet, and we might need you!” She held the blinking screen out happily. 

Skeletor looked at the datapad. At first he seemed confused; then he boggled as he registered the information in front of him. “Eternia?” he gasped in disbelief. “Grayskull?” 

His voice rose to a fevered pitch. “He-Man!”

For once, Skeletor had no words. He shrieked incomprehensibly instead, fists shaking. 

Hordak chuckled. “It’ll be just like the old days!” 

Skeletor screamed. 

[darkmasterofcupcakes]

Makes for Good Practice

Summary:  Glimmer and Bow babysit Finn for Catra and Adora....And start to wonder if maybe the kid is more closely related to Catra than any of them originally expected. Originally done for the 2020 Glimbow Week Countdown Prompt “Babysitting”.

-----

“I still can’t believe those two had a kid before us,” Bow marveled aloud to Glimmer as they watched the scruffy-looking magicat child gather up their toys for the game they’d been developing.

Finn had only been at Bright Moon for a few months, but it seemed like they’d already more than made themselves comfortable. It was quite the stark contrast from when Catra and Adora had first brought the child in from the forest. The couple could hardly believe there was a time when Finn had insisted on hiding under the furniture, only being coaxed out by the promise of food; now they seemed to all but demand attention unless they had their mind on something else.

Glimmer smirked a little at her husband’s words. “Yeah, well,” she began, leaning back slightly in the cushioned chair she was sitting in. “They did kinda cheat, so I don’t know if we should really count it.”

Considering how competitive their friends could be, Glimmer almost had to wonder if it really was a coincidence that the two of them had found Finn mere weeks after learning that she and Bow were expecting their first child. But, she decided not to think much of it, mostly because the kid was pretty cute – not surprising considering they were basically just a giant kitten, acting even more like one than Catra tended to.

Bow couldn’t help but grin at Glimmer’s comment, and was about to open his mouth to respond, but instead the only thing that came out of his mouth was a yelp of surprise as he ducked his head to avoid being smacked by one of the toys their charge was haphazardly tossing about.

“Finn!” Glimmer scolded as the six-year-old darted over to grab the toy they’d accidentally launched at Bow’s head.

One of Finn’s ears twitched before the turned to face the Queen, their expression so innocent that literally anyone who had any common sense would be able to tell it was absolutely fake. And if the expression didn’t give it away, their tone of voice when they spoke definitely did.

“Yes, Auntie Glimmer?” Finn asked, practically purring as they spoke, tilting their head to the side as though to try and make themselves seem all the more childlike and innocent. Glimmer wasn’t going to call for it.

“Finn, you can’t just throw stuff around like that. You could really hurt someone,” she told the child, trying to find the rest amount of firmness for her tone of voice.

The blank look on the child’s face made her seriously wonder if maybe she hadn’t been firm enough. In her defense, it wasn’t as though she’d had much practice in this area; she hadn’t even been expecting to have to do anything like this for at least a couple of years.

Finn’s blank expression quickly morphed into one of indignation, their light blue eyes narrowing into slits and their tail flicking back and forth in clear signs of anger, most likely an anger that stemmed from being scolded.

“S’not like I threw it at him on purpose, Aunt Glimmer,” Finn practically growled. “And he didn’t get hit anyway, so doesn’t matter even if I did.”

Glimmer was genuinely torn between being frustrated at the response…and being just as amused by it. Of course her friends would take in a kid like this, one who seemed to dislike authority almost as much as they despised being forced to take an actual bath instead of simply liking themselves clean. It probably didn’t help that – most definitely the result of wanting to avoiding being anything like the woman who had raised them – neither Adora nor especially Catra had actually done much in the way of the disciplinary part of childrearing in the months since Finn had come to stay with them.

And Glimmer understood why they were worried about going too far, she really did. But, times like this made her wish that maybe she’d understood that being put in a time out was probably not gonna make their kid think they were horrible people and hate them forever?

She couldn’t help but let out a frustrated groan – which came out sounding a bit more like a growl than she’d want to admit, considering who she was dealing with. The groan soon gave way to a small gasp as she quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Whoever called this morning sickness should be questioned what they thought ‘morning’ meant…as should whoever wrote in all those books that it should start to fade once she was out of the first trimester.

“Are you okay?” Bow asked, momentarily distracting her from both the talk she’d been trying to have with Finn, as well as the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied once she felt confident enough that she could speak without gagging. “I’m fine.”

The nausea had sapped away what little energy she had for arguing with Finn, so she just gave her charge a warning look and told them to be more careful with their toys….or else she’d ground them herself; she had the guards to help her enforce it, if it came to that.

Finn grumbled under their breath but gave a begrudging nod, tail still flicking back and forth in anger as they stomped off to continue their game. Once they were left alone again, Glimmer flopped down next to her husband, leaning her body against his as she asked, “Why did we agree to watch them again?”

The feeling of Bow’s fingers running through her hair got her to feel considerably better, even though she was still fairly tired; though at this point, she wasn’t entirely sure if the exhaustion was the result of the kid the young couple was watching over…or the one that she had currently developing inside her belly.

“Because we’re good friends who wanted to do a favor for Adora and Catra,” Bow replied, still stroking her hair with one hand, while the other arm wrapped around her, his hand resting on her stomach, which was just beginning to grow. Glimmer rolled her eyes.

“Oh, right,” she said, leaning back into him a little more. “Kinda forgot that being a good friend can sort of suck a bit.”

A small chuckle escaped from Bow’s lips and Glimmer was suddenly hit by a strong sense of realization. Considering their past, if there was anyone who knew exactly what she was talking about with friendship sometimes being a pain, it was him.

She muttered an apology, worried that perhaps she’d brought back some painful memories with what she’d said, but Bow simply wrapped his arm a little tighter around her; she figured that meant he wasn’t too upset by it.

There was a sudden crashing sound coming from nearby, and without even thinking, Glimmer immediately teleported over to the origin – completely forgetting that Bow was still holding onto her, meaning that she ended up dragging him along for the ride. She also forgot that teleporting tended to make her nauseous, and found herself doubling over, struggling to keep the crackers she’d eaten earlier down, while Bow held onto her to help her stay on her feet. Glimmer was still trying to focus on settling her stomach her attention was pulled away by the sound of her husband’s voice.

“Finn?” Bow asked, the tone of his voice making it very apparent he was struggling not to raise his voice too much. “What are you doing with that? Actually, never mind why you have it – just put it down, right now.”

Now somewhat confused and more or less recovered from the nausea, Glimmer looked up to see exactly what Bow was so worked up about. What she saw upon lifting up her head made her almost start choking on nothing, just out of pure shock; there, perched on the kitchen counter, was Finn, holding a knife that was almost as long as their whole forearm in one of their hands.

How they’d gotten their hands on the knife was a question that briefly passed through her mind, but it was gone just as quickly. How they got it wasn’t the main issue – getting it away from them was. After all, she still felt like she was unprepared for parenthood, but even she knew they a kid that young shouldn’t be anywhere near a knife that big, much less actually be wielding it like Finn was currently doing.

Unfortunately – but probably not surprisingly – it didn’t seem like the young one was listening to the demands of their “uncle”. Rather than handing over the knife, Finn simply plopped down so that their bottom was resting on the counter, their legs dangling over the edge. As they swung their feet back and forth, they looked at the two adults with an undoubtedly defiant expression clear as day on their face.

“Why should I?” they asked, and the tone in their voice made Glimmer realize just why her mom had always gotten on her case about the tone she used when they had argued during her younger years.

If she had made her mom feel like how Finn was making her feel right now…Well, she didn’t have time to think about that at the moment; the more important issue was getting the knife away from Finn before they managed to find a way to chop their own tail off.

The kid may have been getting on her nerves, but the last thing Glimmer wanted was for them to get hurt, especially that badly.

“Finn…” she began with a sigh, despite trying not to make it too clear just how tired she already was. “What do you even want with a knife? If you just think it’s cool, I’ll give you something else to play with that’s just as good – probably better, actually, since it won’t make you have to worry about cutting yourself by playing with it.”

That seemed to get the kitten’s attention. They didn’t let go of the knife just yet, but they did look intrigued as they looked at the Queen; the fact that they hopped off the counter with a gleam in their eyes was an even better sign.

“Really?” Finn was practically purring as they started to step closer to Glimmer, tail flicking back and forth in what they’d learned from the years with Catra was a sign of excitement. “What is it?”

The next sound out of the child’s mouth was an outraged yowl, let out in response to Glimmer simply reaching out and snatching the knife out of their hand.

Before they could say anything else, Glimmer teleported away, reappearing a moment later without the knife and with a noticeably flushed face, mumbling something under her breath.

Without even looking, she knew Bow would be looking concerned, but that wasn’t where her attention was focused at the moment. Instead, the first thing she did was look at a positively fuming Finn.

The child was clearly hoping that their angry look would be enough to make Glimmer feel sorry for what she had done, or maybe even afraid of what they might do in response to having “their” knife taken away. Unfortunately for Finn, Glimmer was well past the point of caring that they were upset, if she ever had reached that point at all.

Instead, she simply walked over to where they were standing, looking them straight in the eye with an expression that probably would have given her mother a case of déjà vu had she been around to witness it.

“Listen,” she began, her tone making it clear that she wasn’t going to let the kid argue with her. “I get that you want to find something to play with, and I can even get wanting to check out some kind of weapon…But, if you think we’re just going to let you wave a knife around, you better thing again.”

Finn opened their mouth to say something, but ultimately seemed to decide against it. Instead, they just grumbled something under their breath, and walked over to Bow, barely even giving Glimmer a glance as they walked past her. Once the cat-child was standing in front of the King, they tiled their head up to look him in the eyes, tail flicking slightly back and forth as they said, “I want a snack.”

The brief glance they’d given Glimmer as they approached Bow had already felt a little bit like a challenge, and their tone as they made their request just proved it in her eyes. There was a part of her that wanted to speak up, to call the kid out on how much of a brat they were being right now, but she didn’t say anything.

Glimmer had plenty of faith in Bow to know how to respond to what Finn was really asking for; they may have said they wanted a snack, but she could tell what they were really looking for – proof that they could get at least one of the adults to give into their demands, whatever they were and whether or not they were deserved.

There was a moment of tense silence in which both the child and the Queen awaited an answer from the archer-turned-King, who briefly glanced at his wife before turning his eyes back to their charge.

“Sorry, Finn, but it’s almost time for dinner – if we let you have a snack now, you’re not going to eat any of it,” he explained, sounding like he was somewhat apologetic…but also that he wasn’t going to step down. Which Glimmer had to admit she was thankful for – she really didn’t need to have Bow turned against her right now.

Finn’s cheeks puffed out in anger, making the sitters briefly wonder if they were trying to hold their breath in an attempt to break at least one of them. Once they seemed to realize that it wasn’t going to work, they released the breath in a combination of a huff and a hiss.

“Fine, but I’m not gonna like whatever we gotta eat,” the young cat-person proclaimed, their ears twitching slightly as they made their way out of the kitchen, heading back to the direction of the living area.

As they left, Bow and Glimmer both let out a small sigh of relief before sharing a look that clearly said, “I think we can live with that.”

Still, they did follow after Finn, if only to keep an eye on them. Despite the earlier issues, it didn’t take long before the child seemed to have forgiven their sitters, and was practically demanding Glimmer and Bow take part in whatever game of pretend they had come up with in the past fifteen minutes. Which was a pretty good way to describe the game, since the whole time they were playing, Finn would periodically change or add something new to the rules or the storyline, seemingly completely out of the blue; though they always seemed to think the sudden changes made perfect sense.

The game went on for a while, until the chefs came to announce that dinner was served, at which point the three of them went to eat, though not without a bit of complaint from Finn, who had tried to insist on finishing the game beforehand.

Until they learned that the main course was roasted waterfowl, at which point they immediately tossed away their toys and darted towards the dining room, not even glancing back when Bow told them to slow down a bit. And despite their earlier insistence that they wouldn’t like the meal, Finn not only devoured every bit of food on the plate, but they also asked for seconds.

They almost asked for thirds as well; it was only the reminder that dessert was still on the table that prevented them from doing so. Still, between the two servings of the main course and quite a bit of dessert, the child ended up being quite drowsy from a full stomach by the time they finally decided they were done.

In fact, Finn had already started to nod off when Glimmer had finished her last piece of the mixed-fruit pie the kitchen staff had prepared for the night’s dessert; and seemed to be fully asleep by the time the table had been cleared off and the staff had been dismissed for the night.

“You know, when they’re asleep like this, it’s almost easy to forget the whole knife-stealing thing,” Glimmer commented with a slight smirk, looking down at Finn, curled into a ball against Bow’s side; the Queen herself was snuggled tightly against the other.

Bow let out a small chuckle at the comment.

“At least now we know that we’ll be able to handle this little one,” he replied, moving slightly – and carefully, so as not to disturb the sleeping child – to place his hand gently on Glimmer’s belly.

Glimmer couldn’t help but laugh a little at the comment, though she did mumble an agreement to the statement, even as she found herself starting to get a little sleepy as well. Not that anyone could blame her – taking care of Finn for the past few hours had been kind of exhausting, not to mention she was typically falling asleep earlier lately even without that being a factor. The fact that she felt so comfortable snuggling up with her husband on the sofa really wasn’t helping matters, either.

“Wake me up when Adora and Catra get back, okay?” she requested through a yawn, allowing her head to rest upon Bow’s shoulder.

She was already starting to fall asleep when he responded, but figured he was most likely agreeing to do just that. So, after letting out another yawn, Glimmer snuggled up closer to Bow, feeling secure and content as she felt herself drift off to sleep after the eventful day they’d had.

[catracorner962]

Beautiful Children Ch. 2

Warning this chapter contains a flashback with both Adora and Catra being abused physically, emotionally and mentally! If you do not want to read this feel free to skip the all italicized flashbacks. Sections are broken up by "---" marks at the center. Skip these sections if that abuse is not something you want to read. Adora's flashback starts with "E...everyone accounted for?" and Catra's starts with "Catra bit her tail, stifling a sob."

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“Let me get this straight,” Glimmer rubbed her temples. “Catra found a baby? And no one on this ship has claimed it as there’s?”

Adora nodded, holding the little infant to her. It has ceased crying and finally slept in the poorly made swaddle Bow had fashioned for it.

“Not one person?” The queen demanded.

“Honey,” Bow consoled from his place in the captain’s chair. He put the ship on auto-pilot and put an arm on his wife’s shoulder. Glimmer relaxed a little under this touch but eyed Adora sharply.

“And where is she now?”

“Who?”

“Catra!” Glimmer suppressed a hiss of irritation.

“Oh, she’s….she’s helping Perfuma and Frosta make people comfortable.” Adora couldn’t help a swell of pride in her chest.

“She is?!” Bow visibly gushed, “that’s sooo...cute!”

“Bow! Can we get back to the matter at hand?”

Bow nodded, regaining his composure though he glanced at Adora, beaming.

“You found a baby, and it doesn't belong to anyone here?”

Adora glanced down at the sleeping thing, baby, kitten, kit? What were baby magicats called? It’s little mouth puckered, sucking on nothing but hope for some milk. Her chest warmed, watching it sleep and gurgle. She held the kitten closer to her.

“No, I went around and asked twice. So did Catra, it doesn’t have any parents.”

“It’s parent’s mustive….” Bow’s look of joy diminished for a moment, “must’ve died in the bombs or…” he didn’t finish the sentence but Adora knew, her stomach churning with disgust.

They could’ve been chipped by the Brotherhood, we could’ve killed them….

Her fingers tightened around the blanket that held the baby.

“...and Catra said it’s a magicat? Like her?”

Glimmer asked more quietly, coming around to peer at the sleeping infant. Her face turned up in the slightest of smiles.

“She didn’t but it must be. It’s got ears and tail just like her.”

Glimmer reached out, touching one hand to its smooth cheek. A little too hollow for what should be a pudgy baby, but still adorable.

“How old do you think it is?” Bow asked, leaning over Glimmer to get a better look. Adora shrugged, adjusting the baby in her arms. It stirred, all three of them holding a collective breath. They watched in suspense, as it’s face scrunched up,  brows furrowing. A short little mewl escaped it’s mouth before it settled back down, snorting a little and finally falling to silence.

It’s so cute, so precious. Poor thing.

She leaned down and placed a kiss upon its forehead, inhaling the smell of the battlefield and still somehow fresh life. Destruction and birth. Adora shuttered. Looking down at that new face, so oblivious to everything around it, content in sleep. Thick blonde eyelashes, pink little lips, perfect small brows, each finger curled into a little fist, it’s...

“Catra! There you are, get in here!”

Adora looked up, sucked from a daydream.

“We got any more food in this joint?” Catra glanced at Adora and made a beeline for one of the storage units in the cockpit.

“Catra,” Glimmer raced after her, grabbing her by the shoulders all but dragging her over. “This baby is it? Is it like you? A magicat? What do they eat, how old is it?”

Catra blinked, face drawn. Her eyes flicked from Adora, to the baby and back to Glimmer. She glared, folding her arms across her chest.

“There weren’t exactly any other magicats in the Horde!”

Adora watched her visibly flinch and moved to stand beside her wife. Holding the baby with one arm and putting a hand to the small of Catra’s back with the other. She stiffened but didn’t shy away.

“I just thought, since you are one….” Glimmer pressed, leaning closer to an ever flustered Catra,

“You would know! What they drink, how much sleep they need, how long they stay with their parents after birth?”

“Fuck should I know Sparkles?!” Catra’s tail bristled, “my parents abandoned me when I was a baby! Dumped me outside the Fright Zone in a fucking box.  They didn’t want me and I don’t want anything to do with them!  I don’t know shit about magicats and I honestly don’t fucking care alright?! Now where do you keep the extra food, we have people out there who need it!”

This baby needs someone to take care of it… . Adora thought

Glimmer stumbled backward, Catra’s ears pinned to the side of her head as she strode forward rummaging.

“It’s, it’s okay,” Adora began slowly, swaying from side to side as the baby slept. “We just...we’re trying to get more information so we can take care of it,” she reasoned, smiling looking at the little thing sleeping in her arms.

Catra stood stick straight, ears pricking up.

“Take care of it?”

Bow looked between them,

“What...what else are we supposed to do?” Glimmer asked quietly.

“Take it back to Etheria!” Adora announced.

“Leave it there!” Catra huffed.

Bow, Glimmer, and Adora snapped around, eyes wide. Adora swallowed her shocked gasp, adjusting the baby to lay against her chest, instinctively closer. Bow’s eyes nearly bulged from his head. Glimmer’s lips only tightened. Though the ship moved gracefully through the sky, everything else seemed to go still.

“.....L...leave it there?” Adora recovered lamley.

“But we already took off,” Bow offered, nervous, “we can’t turn around and leave it there on an abandoned planet.”

“Are you crazy?” Glimmer demanded deadpan. Catra snorted, pulling out tins of perishable food from the storage cabinet. They could be put into the re-hydrater in the kitchen and served in no time.

“We’ll find the nearest habitable planet and leave it there.”

Before Adora could retort the magicat turned on her nimble heel, arms full of food and punched the door lock with her elbow, all without sparing a glance at the little baby in her wife’s arms.

They exchanged a look after the door slid shut.

“Well….whatever we do with it, we better figure out fast. We’ll be back in Brightmoon by this time tomorrow,” Bow answered reviewing the flight map.

Adora mustered a nod, her heart sinking with pity at the little baby smooshed against her. It’s warmth radiated, the feel of it’s small form against her’s. Fluffy and light, so….trusting and pure somehow. Innocent.

She kissed the top of its golden head again, relishing in the touch. She closed her eyes,

Calm.

Serenity.

“Adora?...Adora! Earth to Adora!”

“AAAhh!” Adora screamed, Glimmer manifested before her surrounded by pink bubbly magic. She instantly bit her tongue, looking down at the peaceful baby. It’s face scrunched up once more, it’s little mouth turning to a frown.

“Shhh, shhh, it’s okay! It’s…”

“Ehhh! Ahhh! Ahhh!”

“Oh no, no, no it’s okay, shhhh,” she attempted to soothe, rubbing circles on its back and swaying to and fro.

“I was going to ask what you think we should do,” Glimmer began, even as Adora started to pace the small cockpit.

“I don’t know,” she mumbled, walking rhythmically, feeling the baby’s tiny body expand each time it let out a pitiful wail. She should feel it’s lungs working overtime, it’s stubby tail twitched.

“Shhh you’re alright. You were having such a good sleep!” She cooed, patting its back.

“Adora?”

“Hmm?”

“I need to get out there and help the others,” Adora could sense the lack of patience ebbing at the queen’s voice. She may have larger duties to attend to, other priorities but Adora could only think of one thing at the moment. The thing that cried into her ear, the thing with little fingers grasping at her skin.

“I know, it’s...it’s okay, I can take care of the baby. You go see how everyone else is doing.”

Glimmer bit the inside of her cheek before she could verbalize any rebuke.

Probably something about SheRa and babysitting duty, Adora guessed.

“I need to go assist the others. Once it’s asleep come find me. We have lots of people we have to figure out where they are going once we get to Brightmoon and make sure they have all necessities. And we will want to question some of them about the brotherhood. Just...just come find me as soon as it’s asleep okay?”

Adora nodded,

Hope it takes a while, that way  I can spend more time with them,  she thought fondly, continuing to rub circles over it’s back. Her hands knew the repetitive motion well. Catra continued to get nightmares at least three times a week.

Glimmer stared at her a few more seconds before shrugging and going over to give Bow a quick kiss. The door opened, then slid shut again, and Adora was left with the small kitten.

---

“E...everyone accounted for?” Adora wheezed, rubbing the bruise on her left cheek. Rogelio growled, nodding from where crouched, rubbings his tail.

“I...I think so,” Kyle panted, he moved mechanically on his hands and knees, wincing as he picked up his staff and collapsed it into his holster.

Adora looked around the area, scanning the large circular room for any splattering of blood or broken equipment. A large black screen loomed down over them from the right side wall. Even without Hordak’s impossing image, Adora’s stomach tied in knots. He didn’t need to be on the screen in order to see them.

We failed, she sniffed, fighting tears. She rubbed them away with the back of her hand, the skin red and hot.

Probably burnt.

She fought another round of tears.

No.  Don’t cry. Shut up. Who else is left, who else is hurt? You are not what’s important right now.

Adora swallowed the tight lump in her throat.

“Catra? You okay?”

“Hmmmph fine,” the younger girl answered, she licked at her right forearm. Face stuck in a scowl.

“Lonnie?”

Adora crouched down to see under the metal beams.

“Lonnie you okay? I saw you really took that last hit hard!”

She held her breath, anxiety hinging on the other girl’s answer.

“I’m okay.”

Adora deflated with relief, watching Lonnie limp out from behind one of the metal beams.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Must’ve banged my ankle.”

Adora glanced down at the cadet’s red boot. It wasn’t falling off, her limp wasn’t that bad.

“Okay. Just take it easy I guess.”

Lonnie eyed her with quiet resolve but nodded and slunk over to Rogelio.

“Adora! Get up!”

Adora sprang from her bed that evening, heart hammering in her chest, body suddenly drenched in a cold sweat.

Two vacant white eyes, soulless and blank stood over her.

“Sh...Shadow Weaver!”

“Shh! Do not wake the other cadet’s. Come with me now.”

Adora nodded, still shaking. Rising from her bed. She spared a look over her shoulder. The top bunk still appeared to be occupied.

Good Catra’s still asleep.

It wouldn’t be the first time Shadow Weaver had woken her at some immeasurable hour only for her to find Catra restrained in the Black Garnet chamber to teach the two of them “a lesson.” Adora put a hand to her chest, trying to calm her heart as Shadow Weaver led her down the empty echoing halls of the Fright Zone.

“Umm...Shadow Weaver... where are we going?”

“Shhh! Did I permit you to speak?”

The sorceress demanded without turning towards her. Adora sunk her head low. Allowing her golden hair to hide her face.

“No ma’am.”

The sorceress nodded, motioning for Adora to come with her as they rode down one of the many elevator shafts. Adora stood silent, straight.

Don’t ask questions.

Only speak when spoken to.

Follow orders, don’t disobey.

You’ll be punished.

Or more accurately, Catra would be punished.

The elevator stopped, Shadow Weaver exited, gesturing for her to follow. With dragging feet Adora continued down the lengthy hall. The red emergency lights cast an eerie glow. Illuminating the walls.

“Infirmary,” with an arrow pointing further down the corridor.

Who’s in the…?

They stopped, Adora craned her neck to see through the glass window, into the sick bays.

“Who is that?” Shadow Weaver pointed one grey finger at one of the beds.

Adora jumped up, trying to see, then gasped.

Lonnie?!

“Who is that cadet speak quickly!

Shadow Weaver demanded, leaning forward. Shadows rippled from her robes.

“Lonnie! It’s Lonnie! Is...is she okay?”

“I don’t know cadet, you tell me! She was in your training exercise this morning.”

“I ...I know!” Adora spluttered, ringing her hands through a lock of hair. “She...she was! She took the last hit from one of the bots! I asked her if she was okay but….”

A shadow leapt from the sorceresses robes, Adora shrieked, flinching as it zipped toward her, through her fingers and into the strand of hair she fiddled with. It sizzled and smoked, a fowl stench filling Adora’s nose.

‘Don’t play with your hair!” Shadow Weaver thundered, “look at me! Lonnie is in your squad! You were in charge of the drill. She is hurt.”

“I...I know!” Adora’s voice cracked, tears pressing at her eyes. She wrung her fingers together watching nervously as the shadow drifted through the piece of hair, pulling it back, against her head. She pinched her eyes shut in discomfort at the tense yank of her scalp.

“Adora!”

Shadow Weaver crouched over her.

“I...I asked her if she was okay! I asked her if it hurt! She said it would be fine!”

“And you took her word for it?”

“Y...yes!” Adora broke down in sobs.

“Why didn’t you bring her straight here?”

“I….” she looked up, over at where Lonnie lay asleep on a cot. “I didn’t know,” she whined, tears streaming down her face.

“She had to be bright here on stretcher, after waking some other cadets earlier. Crying in pain Adora and now she’s out of commission for a week while the leg heals. A week!”

“I...I’m..s...s...sorry!”

Adora’s chest cracked with guilt.

Poor Lonnie. She was in so much pain! She should’ve told me! I should’ve helped her! I should’ve made her get it looked at!

“Lonnie is in your squad. You protect people in your squad Adora. That is the job of a leader. Protecting people and making sure they are not harmed. You must always look after those in your care. Who’s fault is this?”

“M...mine,” Adora whimpered. A hot runny line of snot snaking from her nose.  “Louder cadet!” Shadow Weaver snarled. Her shadows rising around her.

“Mine!” Adora shrank back against the wall. “It’s my fault Shadow Weaver! I should’ve kept a better watch on her, I should’ve made her show me the wound. I...I should’ve protected her more!”

“Very good Adora,” the shadows dissipated.

“While Lonnie’s out you will take over her latrine duty for the next week.”

Adora knew better than to show objection on her face. She only sniffled, pulling up her shirt to wipe her nose, wishing she could bury her face inside it forever.

“Y...es Shadow Weaver.”

“And?” The sorceress asked.

Adora drew a shaky breath, finally managing to meet those gaping eyes.

“Th...thank you Shadow Weaver. For teaching me. For this lesson. I’ll...I’ll be better.”

“Indeed you will.”

The sorceress took off down the hall once more. Leaving Adora in the black cold hall. She watched Lonnie sleep until she too dozed off, curling up on the metal floor.

I’ll be better.

I’ll be better at protecting.

Protecting Lonnie….

Protecting Catra

---

“Thank you Shera, thank the stars!” Adora grinned awkwardly at the woman, helping her sister to wrap the elder in a blanket.

“We’ll be on Etheria soon.”

The woman nodded eagerly, but the exhaustion was not lost on Adora.

She parted ways with the family giving a nice pat on the shoulder and moving along down the rows of people now displaced from their town. The baby had finally gone back to sleep, after walking herself dizzy.

“Adora!” Glimmer’s sharp voice found her through the throngs of people.

“Glimmer hey! Sorry the baby took longer to get down than I thought.”

The queen smirked,

“They usually do. But you should go rest for the night you look beat. We can...we can talk infant stuff tomorrow before we land.”

“That’s okay!’ She waved Shera’s glowing, gauntlet hand. “I can do more! I haven’t finished passing out the blankets! And… and people are wanting to know where they can make a new home once on Etheria! That family over there…” she gestured to a family of five, “they lost their house and their shlooping business! We’ll need to help them get back on their feet! I need to find out what shlooping is!”

“Adora,” Glimmer  “it can wait. We have plenty of volunteers to help with supplies and there is a whole team already in Brightmoon working on helping people once they arrive. Please rest. You need to rest.”

She’s right. Once I transform back I’ll be exhausted, her mind whispered to her. She learned the hard way that while Shera could heal herself no problem, the Adora of afterward still felt fatigued and sore.

“You sure?”

“Yes,” Glimmer gave her a grateful sigh. “Please go rest. I’ll see you in the morning.” Adora nodded, leaning down to give her friend a tight hug. One large hand rubbing her back.

“It’s been a hard day for you too! You should also rest! If you need me to be on flying duty so you an Bow can get some time together…”

“That’s what autopilot is for,” Glimmer gave her a knowing wink, slowly withdrawing from the embrace.

“Goodnight, Adora.”

“Goodnight Glimmer.”

---

Adora slipped into the room with practiced stealth, holding her breath at the sliding door as it closed. She turned, taking in her and Catra’s tiny room on the ship. A storage compartment, galley bathroom off the side one plain table where Adora placed her sword and one large cot. If by large you meant barely enough for two women. She sighed, breathing out the day, her body rippling with the transformation from glorious warrior woman to…

Just Adora.

She straightened, closing her eyes and rolled her neck through the dulling ache in her joints. It was inevitable now everything she changed back to herself. But it was worth it of course.

Adora changed, quiet as could be. Tip toeing around the confined space to pull off her jacket and into her simple nightwear, a white little gown that Bow got for her last New Moon Day. She let her hair fall down, cascading around her shoulders in straight blonde locks and edged towards the bed, smiling. Cramped as it was, the little room did offer a perfect view of the stars before them. The entire ceiling and one of the walls made of pure glass. The eternal stream of stars glistened against the purple black of the universe, bathing their room in a cool tranquil shade of deep indigo shadows.

Catra rustled from her place on the bed, eyes slits of glowing gold and blue in the night.

“Sorry! Did I wake you? I tried…”

Adora crouched over her, the woman only smiled sleepily shifting beneath her. Adora shivered feeling Catra’s tail wrap around her leg.

“Mmmm no love,” Catra rasped through half conscious daze. Adora couldn’t help but feel her heart skip a beat. Of course she treasured every moment with Catra but this….these sleepy half-awake moments might be her favorite.

She’s so soft when she’s sleepy.

Most people only knew Catra as prickly at best and outright aggressive at worst. Even towards Bow and Glimmer Catra retained her aloof pessimism but here, cloaked in darkness, she was always able to reveal the truer deeper parts of herself. A part of her only Adora was privy to. The Catra that purred, the Catra who sang to her, the Catra who could be so vulnerable and soft and even sometimes romantic. Only in the darkness, only in secret, only with her.

Been that way since we were kids. Just the two of us huddled up in my bunk terrified of being caught. Risking it all the same.

Of course except the night we did get caught….

Adora’s stomach tightened at the memory, her hands clutched at the sheets, she bit her lip.

You should’ve thrown the blanket over her, lay down on top of her the second you heard footsteps! You should’ve pushed her off like every other close call! If you’d been more alert Shadow Weaver wouldn’t have caught you. She would’ve dragged Catra by her hair to the Black Garnet Chamber and…

“You gonna kiss me or what?”

Catra’s low voice purred, carrying Adora from that terrible night. She obliged, leaning down to kiss her on the lips. Warm and smooth, her breath full and humming. Adora almost fell on top of her, though by the way she purred, it’s not like Catra would probably mind. Adora kissed her again, this time longer, running her fingers through the brunette’s hair.

“Mmm you smell nice, like Shera,” Catra murmured, planting more sweet delicate kisses on her lips.

“That’s why you married me isn’t it?” Adora whispered, returning her kisses. She let her hips drop lazily against Catra’s. Her wife let out a hitching gasp, one hand coming up to caress Adora’s cheek. She drew back only slightly, breath whispering across Adora’s lips.

“I married you for power. Being Shera’s wife? You can’t get any higher up then that.”

Adora giggled, her fingers carding through the messy brown hair towards Catra’s ears.

“Are you sure?” She teased, allowing her hips to roll over the other woman’s. The scratchy gray blanket easily gave with the weight and Adora raised her brow as Catra let out a loud satisfied humm, her heavy lidded eyes closing.

“Mmmsure.”

Adora’s smile widened,

I could watch her like this forever.

She kissed Catra once more, this time deeper, breathing her in. Tasting her.

Close your eyes, relax, un-tense your shoulders. Let this calm you. Let her make you happy just the way she is.

Adora sighed into another kiss, undulating her hips again. This pulling a husky moan from Catra who tightened her grip on Adora’s shoulders. Her claws retracted, thankfully.

“Don’t start something you don’t intend to finish,” Catra breathed, planting kisses all along Adora’s jaw.

“Oh I fully intend to. Finish that is. Get it?”

Catra rolled her eyes, but her back arched upward hips thrusting into Adora’s. She kissed her fervently, lips tracing over the mark of the Heart of Etheria. Adora groaned, inpatient. She carelessly tossed the flimsy blanket to the ground and leaned over Catra, her hair creating a golden curtain around  their faces. She thrust again, their hips bumping through thin nightclothes. The arm that wound through Catra’s hair now reached downward, running over the contours of her wife’s lithe sides, over her jut of her hip bones to the slight  bulge of her stomach and lower.

“A...Adora,” Catra whimpered, kissing at her neck her fingers clutching to Adora’s back.

“I….I...should go check on the baby,”

“What?” She felt Catra stiffen against her.

“I think I heard it crying,” Adora protested, withdrawing her hand from it’s position right above the line of her wife’s pajama pants.

“I have better hearing than you,” Catra grumbled, ears pinned backward to her skull. “I would know if it was crying. It’s not crying. Even if it is, who cares?”

“Who cares?” Adora cried, gaze turning fierce. “Catra it’s alone and abandoned on this ship with no family. No parents! What if it needs something? What if it’s in danger?”

“Who cares? I care! We’re all alone on this ship, finally! What if I need fucking, what if my labito is in danger?!”

“I….I just need to check real quick I promise!”

Catra changed tactics, sitting up and kissing at Adora’s chest, at her breasts through her slim nightgown. Hands coming up to rub circles over her sides.

“There are plenty of people on this ship,” Catra’s voice fell back to it’s lazy slow rasp. “Let Bow or Sparkles or any of the other princesses or volunteers take care of it.” She kissed Adora’s sternum, nibbling a little at the silk gown.

Glimmer and Bow probably moved it from the cockpit where I laid it down to sleep. Who knows where they put it? Bow wouldn’t endanger the baby. He’d put them somewhere safe. But where? It could be crying right now. From all the way across the ship tucked into some compartment? Even Catra’s hearing isn’t that good!

“We’ve been fighting and going for days. You’ve been taking care of all these people. Let me take care of you now okay?” Catra asked softly, she held Adora’s face with her hands, fingers carefully rubbing into her wife’s temples.

“I  just need to see the baby and make sure they are okay!”

Adora tossed her head from Catra’s grip.  

“Adora!”

Her pupils narrowed to tiny slits in the dark.

“No Catra. We found it, it’s our responsibility.”

“No it’s not! What are you….”

Adora jumped from the bed, getting her jacket.

“Adora it can wait! Please! There are other people who can…’

“No it can’t! I have to do this. Just...stay here!  I”ll be back soon. Then we can do whatever you want.”

Adora punched the door key, dashing down the dark corridor.

---

Catra bit her tail, stifling a sob.

Can’t wake Adora. Not again.

In a fog of half-consciousness the little magicat’s tears ran down her face. Her little bum ached against the shabby cot. Long worn from years of use and reuse. She shivered, her thin coat of fur doing little against the dank bone chill of the Fright Zone barracks.

She heaved for breath,

It was just a dream. A...a nightmare...it...it’s okay.

She let go of her tail, laying down carefully and stuffing her face into the fraying pillow. Her body trembled with chill, her head stuffy from sleepiness combined with her snotty cries. Her eyes burning.

Don’t wake Adora.

Shadow Weaver will get mad.

Go back to sleep.

Go back to sleep.

Her belly squirmed with hunger. That relentless pain, combined with her nightmare of Beast Island had awoken her.

Catra heaved for more air, choking through the wracking sobs. She kneaded at her own tummy.

Don’t cry. Hold your breath. Don’t cry! Don’t…

“Catra!”

“AAAAHmmmmph!”

The magicat’s alarmed scream cut short as a tendril of shadow magic sealed her lips shut.

“Do not wake the other cadets. Come with me.”

Catra let out a whimper, scaling down her bed. Adora slept soundly beneath her.

Good, she won’t wake up and try to be the hero.

The magicat followed Shadow Weaver from the sleeping quarters down the halls to the Black Garnet Chamber. Despite the spell, silent tears streamed from Catra’s eyes. Her fur bristling.

She’s going to hurt me, she’s going to hurt me. She heard me crying and she’s going to hurt me or say I can’t eat for another day.

No, no, no no, no no.

They stepped into the harrowed chamber, the door slamming shut.

“If I take that binding spell off of you will you continue your yapping?”

She shook her head furiously, gasping as the shadow removed itself from her mouth. She heaved for air, tears trickling.

“I said quiet!” Shadow Weaver snarled, seizing Catra’s skinny arm in a vice grip, forcing her to her knees.

“Why were you causing such a fuss?!”

Catra opened her mouth and let out a wail.

“Answer me!” Red electric magic pulsed in the sorceresses palm.

“I….I had a bad d...dream!” Catra managed through her tears. “I was on Beas...beast...beast...beast island and...the...there were phookas...and and and…”

The fingers around her wrist tightened, sharp nails digging in.

“Ow! I had a nightmare! And...and ...and I woke up...it was cold and dark! AndI was hungry and ...th...thirsty! I ...was thirst…”

The smack cracked, worse than magic across her face. The back of Shadow Weaver’s hand burning through her cheeks and over her nose in a swift sharp pain.

“Ahhhhhhh!!” Catra shrieked, hands flying to her face, covering her throbbing nose.

No blood...n...not this time…

“You were thirsty so you began to cry waking the others?”

“I didn’t!” Catra tried, little fists balling. How quickly hurt hardened to rage.

“You could have! Hear me now you little brat you are to keep silent. Especially at night. Some of the cadets among you have potential and they cannot achieve that if they do not get their rest. If you are restless and awake at night keep it to yourself.”

“I was thirsty and hungry!”

Shadow Weaver’s magic crackled close to Catra’s aching  face. Sending a fresh round of tears flooding her eyes. She pinched them shut, trying to keep them from leaking out into the sorceress’s view.

“Then starve! Do you think I care what happens to you at night or otherwise? You lost your meal privileges for keeping Adora from her chores. You will keep your needs and wants to yourself because they do not matter. This is an army not a nursery. Your malcontent is selfish and no one’s problem but your own. Be silent. Do you understand me?”

“Mhm,” Catra sniffled refusing to meet her gaze.

“Speak up you little wretch. Or I will make you speak.”

Panic fluttered through Catra’s heaving chest.

“N...no! I...I won’t I promise! I won’t cry at night. I’ll….I’ll be quiet...I’ll be good.”

The sorceress turned, casting a cold glare over her shoulder.

“We’ll see about that. Now get back to the barracks. And don’t even think about scratching the walls on your way. Or I’ll have you de-clawed again.”

Ice formed in Catra’s gut. She clutched her right hand to her chest, tucking it in so Shadow Weaver couldn’t see the still healing claws protruding at her fingertips. Her chest pricked with the agony of that particular ordeal.

“I...I won’t! I won’t!”

“Good. Then get out of my sight.”

Catra sprang forward, dashing on all fours out of the chamber. She hurried back to the barracks. Creeping quietly past the rows of bunk beds.

Good, Adora’s still asleep.

Catra noted the little blonde girl. She’d kicked her blankets off  in her slumber. The magicat climbed up to her bed, pushing her sore face into the scratchy pillow. Trying to calm herself.

“Pst, Catra. You awake?”

Oh no.

“I’m fine, Adora go back to bed!”

As usual her friend would not be deterred.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I thought I saw Shadow Weaver leave with you.”

“I’m fine idiot just go to sleep!”

Please, please go back to bed, she’ll hurt me again if you don’t keep quiet. please . Please just sleep.

“Catra are you really, really sure?”

The magicat didn’t answer again. Nor did she ever answer from then on whenever Adora climbed up to her bunk to ask if she was okay after another midnight beating. She learned how to lick her wounds in silence. Rub her tummy without scratching through her shirt, swallow her parched throat without coughing. Stealth was one of her more animalistic qualities by nature. From that night forward Catra learned to cry so no one, not even Adora could hear her.

---

The baby was safe.

Adora found them sleeping soundly where Glimmer had tucked them against one of the corners of the main sleeping areas. Swaddled in a lilac purple blanket. Adora crept among the sleeping refugees only to nearly sob in relief upon seeing the little thing. It’s lips sucked soundlessly for milk that wasn’t there. It’s tiny tail curled as much as it could around its stomach. Adora had undone the swaddle blanket, to redo it herself.

Glimmer might have tied it too tightly. Not that she can’t take care of babies, of course she can. But I better check, just to make sure they are comfortable.

Sure enough the little kitten did not make a peep.

Adora reached forward, holding them in her arms, tucking them against her chest. Unable to resist the urge.

They look like Catra when she was a kitten.

Adora recalled fondly. That day, in hindsight was one of the happiest days of her life. When a little box was brought to the nursery and inside huddled a very emaciated little kitten. Angry and hissing. So adorable.

But from day one Shadow Weaver hated her. I...I couldn’t stop that hurt. I couldn’t protect her.

“But I can protect you,” she whispered into one silken ear. “I’m going to take care of you.” She rocked the baby back and forth. Their small fresh breath tickling her chest. Their weight just right in her arms. Adora hummed gently, swaying and bobbing to soothe them.

“When we get back to Etheria I’m going to keep you..”

The magikit gurgled in response. It’s eyes opening a sliver of pale blue in the moonlight. Adora felt her heart melt. She gazed, smitten down at the perfect bundle. She kissed their cheek, infant fir still a fuzzy coating over their skin. Adora breathed it in, sighing.  There was nothing else in the universe at this moment. Nothing so absolutely perfect. Nothing so treasured as the kitten she held. Overwhelming, terrifying and all consuming with devotion.

I can do this. I can protect them. I can care for them. I can be there for them. Be what they need. And Catra, she’ll make a great mother too. She just needs to get used to it. This...this is something I can do. Not a battle for Shera to win. Something for me, Adora to do. Something I have to do and this time, I  finally want to do. 

Something glowed, Adora glanced down, mouth parting in astonishment. The Heart of Etheria still etched into her chest glowed with blue light.

She shivered, spine threatening to melt, the sensation of Finn’s  little fingers carefully grabbed at the mark as if to pull it from her skin. She watched their eyes widen in fascination, gleaming brilliant blue with the light. They flexed tiny fingers, pressing into her chest at the mark of the Heart.

Adora laughed, giddy, lifting them up over her face.   “I’m going take care of you Finn,” the name bubbling to the front of her mind as she kissed them all over.

“I promise.”

[nozomijoestar]

I used to have this story exclusively on my Ao3 but since I deleted that last December its taken me months to feel any rhythm of comfort uploading writing online again be it original or not; so I’m finally planning to reupload stuff I saved that isn’t already tagged here

Originally written under ‘Start and Start Again’ for She-Ra Fluff Bang 2020 and my first standalone novella length thing at 10k

-

The journey of Catra’s ever changing life begins with one step forward

It started as a bump on her stomach. A mild thing no bigger than her fist. Yet it stuck out the way the crown piece of a treasure hoard shines. Catra stumbled backwards; gripped the sink to keep her balance. She stared deeper into the full length mirror. The bump remained, had it gotten taller in this light? It was smooth to the touch or rather as smooth as fur could be. The softness of her was something to take great pride in. Anyone who assumed her messy were proven dead wrong. Now wasn't the time for petty thinking however.  

Catra sank to the floor still clutching her stomach. She felt it join as part of her, this new thing, and if she strained her ears she just knew it had a heartbeat. A child. Adora's- no their child. She has to swallow to not shout 'Holy Shit!!!' at the top of her lungs. Instead it makes her bite her lip until blood trickles. Catra winces then recovers; she stands and runs water to splash on her face. The woman staring back in the vanity mirror is smiling under the wet bangs sticking to her forehead; smiling like an idiot now disheveled. She pivots and bolts out the bathroom yelling.

"Hey Adora! Adora come over here!"

"Catra? What's going on this early?"

She dashed around the sofa through the living room to find Adora rubbing her eyes and slinking out of bed. She heard her mumble already about waking ahead of schedule; it made her try not to roll her eyes. Of course she'd fixate on that right out of sleep. Before she let her get in another word Catra stopped in front of her. She grabbed Adora's hand and pressed it to her stomach. A lopsided grin was all she could muster for a reply. It took a few seconds, then Adora's eyes went wide. She saw her stare at the bump with such reverence Catra felt tears fall.

"You're...we're..."

"I know."

Adora pulled her down into a hug so tight Catra had to tap her to ease it.

"I'm gonna be a parent...Catra you're gonna be a parent! It's, it's real. It's actually happening."

"Told ya it'd work out."

Then Adora sucked in a huge breath and went rigid gawking at the ground.

"Oh my god I'm gonna be someone's mom. I dunno the first thing about babies! Catra who do we even ask-"

"Um, all of Bright Moon and our friends? They already know we're trying did'ja think they'd ditch us now?"

"No! No of course not. It's just this is actually happening. What if I mess it up already and something goes wrong o-or they come and don't like me- can babies think their mom is lame before they're born? What if-"

"Adora. Do you still want a baby?"

"Yes. More than anything. Sorry I know I'm being-"

"Hey. That's all you need; someone like you is gonna do fine. So stop or you'll give yourself a heart attack before the kid's even here."

Catra sat beside her and rubbed circles on her back. A sigh filled the room when Adora leaned her head on Catra's shoulder. She planted a kiss in her hair and wrapped an arm around her.

"...I wouldn't have my kid with someone I knew'd be shit at it. Or to me. You're you Adora, I didn't choose anyone else."

"I know I know. We're nothing like Sha-"

For an instant something stops Adora as if she's been gagged. Her eyes go wide again haunted by the sinister. She tries speaking only to make a strangled sound. They exchanged a look of understanding no one should have. A look of indescribable pain. Shared pain. Adora strains to start a third time when Catra finishes it.

"Nothing like Shadow Weaver. And we never will be. You can kill me if I do."

"I wouldn't go that far but...me too."

Wordlessly she let Adora slide against her and rest on her chest. Catra purred as she traced her claws along Adora's arm. Her tail coiled around Adora's waist when she bent to kiss her cheek. A hum is all she gets in reply; its more than enough.

"We're better people now, aren't we?" She asks.

"We'll always be better if we try. You're right I shouldn't be so hard on myself. Catra?"

She saw the eyes staring up fill with worry like it held the same value as water. Like it was something born in Adora's hands and for all their years since childhood it may well have been. Like it paired perfect with the tension stiffening her face. A face that deserved only to finally be soft forever. Catra whispered already knowing she wouldn't cure anything. It was too late of course; shame was her birthright too.

"I'm happy. I'm so happy right now I can't put it into words even for you. But that doesn't change what I've done. Who I was before this, before this version of us...back when we woke up everyday wondering if that'd be the last time."

"Catra no."

"I hurt you, Adora. I keep saying it because it's never going away ok? I hurt you, I hurt Sparkles and Arrow-Boy, Scorpia...Entrapta. The entire damn planet can bite me in the ass someday and I'd understand. The Horde destroyed. This being the happiest time of my life doesn't erase that."

"Catra-"

"What if I get frustrated and relapse? What if it's not even something I do it runs in families and I'm ruining them right now by being their mother because being a failure is just destiny?!"

"Enough."

The hands holding her head were firm as Adora moved to tangle them in her hair. She lowered her fully onto her lap; let herself purr with a breath in. Her eyes closed, tears fell. Adora's thumb wiped them away. It was so gentle Catra couldn't help a sob. She let everything pour out, let herself be wracked by hiccups; not one received judgement. She sat raw, bare in a place where dignity came innate not earned and knew herself still the invader. The conqueror. An aide to desolation.

The knotted feeling in her throat overpowered the new life under Adora's touch. Her stomach tingled at the caress; did their child want to scold her too?

In the end Adora's voice, that better half, guided her to reason.

"You're allowed to feel bad, remember? Like Perfuma said? I cant stop you no matter how much it hurts to hear. You're allowed to have bad days; but you're not allowed to give up. And you're not allowed to stop improving."

She let herself be pushed gently onto their bed; settled into the wholeness of their bodies resting together like they were made for nothing else. Adora is warm, her chest is safe, and her blonde hair falls across Catra better than a curtain. She purrs and purrs in her arms unable to stop, to entertain the thought for stopping. Hands wander the length of her then settle on her hips. Adora's thumb circles her fur until she wraps her tail along that forearm. They kiss and by god Catra will never get over the bliss it brings.  How do you get over a free fall?

In silence she lets herself be tucked further against her; their legs entangle just as a feeling indescribable bursts from deep within. Something Catra knows she's understood for as long as she could remember that refuses to emerge in glimpses anymore. Only Adora can hope to know it in equal measure. She wants to wish that more than she's ever wanted at all. She swallows before meeting Adora's eyes. Adora has the briefest second for confusion when Catra's impulse strikes in her softest voice.

"It's like you know me better than I know myself."

Adora's face went wide then slid into the chuckle they know means contentment.

"Because you let me in."

And let her in she continued to do. For every day she grew bigger not a feasible moment did she spend alone. If she hungered the kitchen stocks ran dry, when she rested Bright Moon went still. Whenever she yowled or groaned there came Adora to massage her, Bow to shoo away prying eyes, Glimmer to order so many extra pillows for their room she thought there'd finally be something to suffocate her worse than herself.

She sat at the center of the castle gardens in the sun. Seven months had turned the seasons hot into mild into cold that'd kept her tucked in Adora's embrace, now turned again another leaf into Spring. Her back ached under a pressure fanning up her spine and centered on her swollen belly. Catra stifled a groan. Adora sat slumped over the table sound asleep opposite her. The gentle snores rumbling from her chest punctuated the bird calls like a bad note cutting a song. Catra laughed as soft as possible. Maybe their kid would pick it up from the get-go.

The ice in her drink clinked as she sipped. That's when she heard another step through the grass. She glanced at a hedge over her glass brim.

"Quit screwing around before someone else sees you."

"Ohhh Kitten you still don't know the meaning of fun do you?"

"Shhh. Adora's asleep. Thought you'd be quieter too. Must be sooo hard going soft."

A guard emerged from the shadows in white armor. The crescent standard of Bright Moon on the chest liquified then twisted into darkness. It bent and spread until a new figure emerged. Double Trouble shook out the unshaven half of their blond undercut. They stretched into a saunter across the paving stones.

Their high heels made that grating 'click clack' noise she'd once waited for in the Fright Zone. On reflex she glanced at Adora; she was still asleep, now drooling. The nasal pitch Double Trouble called a voice went lower even as their words dripped sass. Catra wished it'd never change, if you dragged the thought out of her.

"I'm surprised you've kept that tongue of yours looking like that. What a nasty little bite from an expecting mother."

"Oh really? What a tired act from a spy about to be washed out in peacetime. Hey don't sit there!"

"No darling you made the bed now lie in it for that one. This table is more than enough for a party."

They smirked at each other and knew there was nothing to forgive. Double Trouble gave Adora a once over look; their eyes lingered on Catra's stomach. They crossed their legs and arms with that flair Catra secretly imitated in the mirror. She went back to drinking.

"Seems like you two tied the knot finally. So sorry I had to miss that event, the stage called me. Color me not shocked to have seen this coming a mile away."

"...What's that mean?"

"It means darling there are countless women throughout the universe who'd kill for your position. Wife of She-Ra and now adding to this little litter you two are starting? Honey you're the most envied yet admired woman anywhere."

"Yeah well I'll believe it when I see it. That many people couldn't like me unless there was something to take."

"Dear, would you look at me?"

She did and found them filing their nails. Typical. They continued.

"Are we friends?"

A pause. Catra twiddled her thumbs. They looked her dead in the eyes now.

"Yeah."

"And her over there, what is she to you?"

"I...Adora is part of my everything."

"Why?"

"What'd you mean why?"

She stopped herself and startled; her eyes widened toward something distant, somewhere within. There from her memory stood Adora, begging her to turn rebel, Adora catching her before a drop to certain death, Adora laughing as they held hands like children again through dark tunnels. Adora overturning an empire millions strong to save her on nothing more than her heart. Adora crying always crying but never stopping.

Foolish and lovely Adora who promised her in infinite ways she was worth it.

Double Trouble grinned into a sound of contentment. They put their filer away and stared expectantly but not without care.

"I take it you know. Now tell me this and be honest- what about Glimmer and Bow? What about all these other princesses and their kingdoms? How do they treat you?"

"They're...they're kind to me. Every time we were off planet letting Adora do her thing, seeing people hold magic for the first time...putting up with my crap before this baby and...helping."

"Oh dearest me that sounds like dare I say, friendship!"' They gasped in mock surprise and laid a hand on their chest.

Catra shot them a scowl; it didn't last.

"Shut up before Adora gets up and misses another hour of sleep. Do you have any idea how she's been? I don't think she's even running on anything anymore like, everyday."

"Taking care of you I'd assume. Go on am I right?" Double Trouble asked (with a wiggle of their eyebrows of course) as if they were on the verge of a delicious secret. For all Catra knew they probably did and could eat those.

"Don't read my damn mind." She replied resting her chin on her palm.

"Darling, Catra, enough moping. Having to kick you in the rear like this when you of all people are making kittens is a bad look. Times have changed; you're not that hollow eyed puppet I knocked sense into back with the Horde. Be free, live a little, throw your kid wild birthday parties. And for the love of theatre get some better stylists for the two of you. I won't stand for a child who's moms aren't looking fabulous."

The whirlwind of gestures their hands made came to a stop. They stared yet again with that expectation bearing down on her. Catra read their eyes. It came from a good place; a place deep, deep past the snark. A veil of doubt that'd anchored in her fell away. Everyone had been kind no- was being kind. The cruelest thing they could do was throw a pregnant woman out to fend for herself and that was seven months too late. 'Or early. Weren't you found in a box? Weren't you out with the trash once time was up?'

She shuddered. No, it wasn't like that anymore, it had no right to be. No power over her; no power over her family. Catra grit her teeth and fangs flashed. She wouldn't let it. Without thinking a growl rumbled through her. Double Trouble clicked their tongue.

"Stress is extra bad for you right now Kitten. Just try to keep stepping out of that head of yours and see what's around for a change."

At last they stood and made to leave; Catra almost reached to stop them, then thought better. What more was there to add? They'd seen her for an open book. Instead she swallowed hard. The voice that called out to them bled sincerity.

"Thank you."

"Pay me back by making good choices darling."

Two weeks later she wriggles her toes on a beach in Mystacor. The sky shifts from twilight to orange dusk. She just knows she's counted the exact same number of clouds the past hour. The air is so clean it's her only barrier from passing out; every breath jolts energy beneath her aches. Adora's footsteps are easy to read when her ears perk. She wraps her tail around her at the feel of them sitting together.

Adora hums before reaching to stroke her belly. The kiss on her cheek is simple yet her blood dances in excitement. Their fingers lace together on the sand. It grounds them. Catra knows Bow is carrying something by the slightest drag in his gait; Glimmer (if you asked her Catra still had the right to call her Sparkles, Queen shit and everything aside) followed behind. The four of them were a crowd that made anything happen.

As if on cue the baby kicked. Whatever the others blathered about faded from her mind into white noise. Beside her time stopped for Adora too; this kid was already making them predictable. The wonder Catra watched spread across her face stayed fresh as ever. Glimmer and Bow went silent. She felt their eyes trace over, heard their breath hitch. She smiled.

"Can I feel it this time?"

"Glimmer you always ask that. Save room for Uncle Bow, who just so happens to have something I know they'll love!"

"My Aunt helped." Glimmer added behind a hand though Bow could hear her.

"Yes she did but only the clothes; these were all me. See for yourselves."

He revealed a set of dolls from a sack. Each were handwoven and stitched so well if she didn't know Bow she'd guess a machine's handiwork. Her breath hitched. Their likenesses were posed under his movements as Glimmer clapped with a giggle. Adora gasped, covered her mouth while her eyes watered. Big ol' softie her Adora was; yet she fought her own tears. The doll with her face wore a grin between cockiness and charm. The smarmy, ruthless, torn glare of her past self morphed on the silk in her minds eye. Its fangs were bared and its sneer cruel.

Catra shuddered and recoiled until she nearly toppled onto the sand. Her bug eyed stare at the thing matched her heaving chest. Nausea that chased a prickling sensation washed over her like a wave; a force of nature. Several deep breaths gave her some composure but the world continued to blur in a haze. Her heartbeat thrummed in her throat and hearing faded and-

And then Adora filled her vision; Adora held her tight until finally she went still. She felt her cheek cupped and fingers massaging through her hair. Though it had regrown thick as a mane despite reaching her shoulders Adora's nails found her scalp. Of course they would; she purred into the embrace and bit her lip to swallow a cry.

'Just try to keep stepping out of that head of yours and see what's around for a change.'

She blinked; the world popped back into place. They stared at her with faces on a scale from terror to worry; as if there were much difference. Bow's pleas about what was wrong stopped the instant her eyes dared linger on her doll again. He looked down and understood; away it went into the sack.

It wasn't the sentiment that upset her. He knew why. Words returned slow when he took her hand.

"I love it Bow, thanks, really; it's sweet of you. I'm sorry I...y'know. Need to keep working on myself."

"Hey don't apologize for that it's alright. I should be the one saying sorry; I didn't think it was still this bad for you."

"Whatever keeps bugging you we're here ok? No shaming, Horde Scum." Glimmer added with a smile that continued to forgive her more than Catra deserved in her opinion.

But if her own words couldn't be trusted, had she been shown forgiveness after all?

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Adora, always there to cut to the point. She found her voice.

"When I saw myself it's like realizing my kid's gonna idolize me. They're gonna grow up having me everywhere if I'm really with them or not. They might even say they wanna be like their mom. Makes a feeling come over me...who I was tries to tell me they'll find nothing to be proud of."

"Oh Catra. We can't not let you feel that way but what matters is you've changed. You keep changing everyday; look at you now! You're committed to motherhood for one, you and Adora are amazing together, you helped me with so much paperwork- c'mon Bow tell her."

Glimmer nudged Bow until he nudged back; he gave Catra a stare that pierced her doubts. She'd rarely seen anyone who captured the sensation of light poking through clouds. He deserved to be called a sun. She swallowed hard again. God, this baby had her emotional.

"You've come a long way. We chose and keep choosing to help. I know it's hard but don't let whats in your head overpower that. We care. You're not gonna go back to being who you were. If you do, we'd stop you because we want to."

"But, everything with Angella-"

Fuck she mentioned it. Why? She just had to bring it up didn't she? 'Do you enjoy shooting yourself in the foot?...' A squeeze on her arm brought her mind to a halt. Damn, Adora may as well have a license in reading her mood. Glimmer sighed from a deep breath. She watched her face knit into something between grief and acceptance.

Everyone went silent, hinged themselves on whatever Glimmer said next. When she spoke her voice came thoughtful yet blunt.

"My mother is gone. Because of you or not she's not here and wallowing in anger and self pity isn't going to bring her back. I'm sure if she saw me still doing it she'd be upset. I've had the years I needed for that; the Catra in front of me isn't the same who pulled the switch."

Glimmer put a hand on Catra's shoulder and smiled when it was welcome. Their eyes met and she saw Bow nod. Glimmer continued in her queenly voice this time; gone were any hints she spent hours practicing, her mother's strength rang clear.

"Don't discredit our choice to forgive. Trust us to stay honest with you and care. Trust yourself like I know you can. Now, let's rate how cheesy my Aunt's baby clothes look!"

Catra's senses returned as if popping back into existence. Just like that they jumped into the next discussion, the next joke, the next tease. She sat with no one but herself to blame; no one but herself for guilt to feast on. Was that it? Was she still trapped in time? How simple it'd been to get an answer for once, yet beside it came more than she understood. The baby kicked again. She sighed and touched her stomach.

"Sorry you've got an overthinking Mama kid."

Adora nudged her. She turned to find that contagious smile to reel her in.

"Hey they're right y'know. Everything is gonna be ok, I promise."

Promises sacred as they were didn't lessen the pain. Her vision blurred at another stab of pain, another push as her entire body pulsed. Her lower back had it the worst; every ounce of pain coursed from that white hot center until Catra was sure she'd been reduced to jelly, if she could ever see straight again. Another scream tore her throat. Her body arched.

The hiss Adora shot out as Catra's claws dug into her hand registered faintly. She could hear Entrapta babbling some science jargon. Scorpia's frantic voice came beside Entrapta's assembly of rumbling tech no doubt worried over everything; that still didn't help an entire baby kicking out of her. Didn't anyone get that? Now wasn't the time for anything other than whatever got this tiny person out.

Catra screamed and shook and writhed and no matter how many times Entrapta said push it blurred together. She let her head loll sideways in exhaustion. Adora stared at her seized by panic that could do nothing but watch, and hated it. It scratched at the unfocused rage gathering around her like storm clouds. Whatever she said fell hazy on Catra's ears because not a moment behind Catra yelled,

"Next time you're doing this; when this is over I'm kicking your ass AdorAHHGGUUHHH!!!"

Several deep breaths and pushes later a wail robbed anything she could say. Every voice stopped, every head turned and every ear strained. It came again. A high pitched wail echoed through the room. A baby's first cry. There was no time then; no past nor future only the moments for each cry hurled into the world. She watched a shape writhe in Entrapta's arms at the foot of the bed. A flash of metal later and the umbilical cord was cut.  

Everything remained a blur...then Entrapta handed her a squirming bundle. The baby rested against her easier than breathing. It was just, so right; one of the most right things Catra ever knew. Their fur matched her tan orange down to the slightly darker stripes. The hair is all Catra; she'd recognize that messy brown anywhere. It's when they blink at her for the first time, that's when Adora's blue eyes stare back.

Their hands are curled into fists and they fuss under her gaze. They blink once, twice, Catra finds herself counting everything. A purr deep enough to rattle them took her by surprise. At last her claws retracted from Adora's skin; she cradled their child between measured breaths. The instant she's released Adora doesn't waste a second coming closer.

They look at each other then their child then back again. Tears are the first thing they feel together followed by Adora's lopsided grin.

"Still wanna kick my ass?"

"Shut up and get in here dummy."

Catra's voice is hoarse but that doesn't lessen the spark in their kiss. Fingers tangle in Catra's sweaty hair and she's breathless when they pull away. There's a moment of silence until Entrapta gets the drop on them. Of course she does, she's Entrapta. They can spy the glint off her tape recorder.

"Just to confirm the baby is healthy at seven pounds eight ounces, a length of twenty centimeters, tail included, and a sex of male. Now the real question is have either of you chosen a name?"

The thick tendril of Entrapta's hair holding her recorder wiggles closer. Catra snarled on impulse and fought to not snap her teeth too.

"Don't hold that thing so close to Finn's face. The sound or whatever's gonna hurt his ears."

"Finn? You want to call him Finn? I thought you still weren't sure about any names." Adora said with the slightest confusion.

"Yeah I was but...I dunno it just feels right. Doesn't he look like a Finn? Hey Scorpia come over here! Does he or does he not look like a Finn?"

If it was possible for scorpions to move like they wanted to break the sound barrier without actually doing so, that was how Scorpia rushed over. Honestly Catra would laugh if she weren't cradling her son as if guarding her trove. Those enormous pincers are enough to shadow Finn's head as he attempts to swat one. Instead Adora gave him a finger to cling on. The tears streaking from Scorpia's eyes dripped waterfalls down her chin.

"Wildcat you're asking me what he looks like? Oh of course he's a Finn, look at that handsome little face and that tiny nose! And his hair! Catra that one is all you oh that stuff is gonna break so many combs I tell ya. He's even got his claws already; you guys have a mama's boy on your hands gosh. I remember when Flora hatched, ah good times..."

"Scorpia..."

"Huh? Oh sorry Wildcat yeah he's definitely a Finn! What'd ya think Adora? Entrapta?"  

"Hmm...Baby Log Day, well day of birth. Catra has asked me if her newborn resembles a 'Finn'. As the only knowledge I'm aware of regarding this relates to fish, I will say yes. Fish and their fins are something cats enjoy and thus it is logical."

The line of stares fixed on her made Entrapta press her recorder.

"Addendum, it is also very cool."

"Adora?" Catra called.

Every stare turned toward her awaiting a verdict. Finn gurgled and squirmed when she met his stare. There fell a moment of purest silence.

"Yeah. Finn is a good name. We'll get him ready to propel through life."

There was an echoing 'thwack' when Catra smacked Adora's hair poof; Adora's giggling poured out even as Glimmer, Bow, and every Princess they knew finally appeared. Catra's bed was rushed by a crowd acting like they'd never seen an infant. Then again, no one had seen anyone of Catra's race all her life. Not that she'd asked around.

"I'm so sorry we couldn't come sooner! The meeting ran into overtime but we're here now. Where's the baby?"

Glimmer moved through the parting crowd as she spoke; her body radiated energy while her eyes scanned around. She and Bow must've shared the same mind because they were the first to study Finn. Their jaws dropped.

"So. Darned. Cute. Those ears." Bow said. His eyes practically sparkled with joy.

Glimmer looked at Catra, then Adora with a face that fought a hold on restraint.

"You guys can hold him. Just don't crowd his space." Catra said smiling.

Those were the words that released whatever collective breath everyone held. Finn was passed around the room leaving praise and awe in his wake. Everyone had their own opinions; so much so that the buzz of their chatting built Catra's headache right as Finn was finally returned. Frosta was yelling about how to shape a commemorative ice sculpture; Perfuma created several bouquets now burying Adora. Bow, Entrapta, and Scorpia stood putting their heads together discussing proper baby nutrition over the next year.

When she checked Finn his face grew red then wrinkled and that's when it hit. A full strength wail. The kind of cry to break noise into silence and validate Catra's agitation. Something resembling peace slid over the tension settling in the air. Adora managed to roll out of the flowers before looking at Catra. A nod in response is all she needs to wrangle everyone away. When the door closes for the last time only the three of them remain.

Finn continued crying though nowhere as intense. Catra took a deep breath, then she held the infant face down, tucked his arms across his chest, and finished by holding his bottom. She had to give herself credit; not a single mistake, Perfuma may as well have done it for her. The cries quieted immediately and ceased when she gently rocked him. In a minute he lay snuggled on her chest. Sleep made his eyes fight to stay open though he soon lost.

"He curls up just like you."

"Yeah. We'll see if he keeps the whole castle awake with your snoring." Catra replied chuckling.

Adora is beside her in seconds with that lopsided grin. The bed gets crowded bearing the three of them but it'll manage.

"I'm not an awful snorer ok; everyone's gonna survive when they sleep. They've done it this long."

"So you admit it's a problem."

"No! Anyway that's not important look at his chubby cheeks. That's all him."

"Babe, I think that's something every baby has. Did you forget all seven of Scorpia's kids, or even Bow and Glimmer's daughter?"

"Of course not but you're not looking at them. We made those. They're perfect and adorable as much as the rest of him."

Adora stroked Finn's hair and nestled against Catra's side. Together they yawned then laughed.

"Tired?"

"I gave birth Adora of course I am."

"Heh, sorry. Nighty night you two."

She's long learned Adora's penchant for sleeping hard enough to make the dead jealous. How exactly she can turn it on and off yet thrash restlessly, still waking up then tackling an entire day? After years Catra might never know and, some days, didn't care to anymore. It simply was. That was Adora, always rushing to do everything, solve every problem, take every blow. No matter how much their loved ones- no matter how many times Catra told her otherwise some piece stayed. It was like an infection molded into Adora's skin.

God did Catra still hate it. If Finn inherited that...

Her body ached worse than getting dragged by rope. She would know; Glimmer had been the one pulling after all.  In those days of war and violence whipped into a storm this feeling was nothing new. Yet it was. Now there came a new tired setting on her bones. The tired from achieving something bigger than herself yet selfish in origin. Well, maybe the selfish part hadn't changed.

Maybe she really can be good not just do good. Adora began to snore as Catra let sleep claim her.

When Finn turns one year old Catra has settled into the race of parenthood. There's feeding time, nap time, diaper changing, the once a week checkups, and making a fool of herself so Finn laughs. One day passes with the funneled energy of several; no longer can she rise with the sun into a cage of rumination. Finn dictates her snapping awake on whims as random as the harried sleep itself.

She can't mope she just can't, he won't let her. He needs her and for the first time even beyond Adora, Catra accepts it. Not hesitating or doubting or anything else. Not the painstaking slip and climb over struggle after struggle until she and Adora were finally level. Finn right now is only a creature of needs; without her...she doesn't want to think further. There is finally someone for whom she can only give at the very beginning. The stress is worth it, it's not about her faults.

Perfuma notices of course. The way she walks ever eager into their meetings, even with eye-bags, stands far more confident than the hesitation that made her drag her feet. From the stares she gets now it's as if persecution and guilt lie only in her shadow. At least, that's what she thinks Perfuma means when one meeting she says,

"You look radiant Catra! Have you been keeping up with your personal letters?"

The morning light shines behind Perfuma making her hair resemble a glow. Combined with her chipper voice and pristine skincare (Seriously how did she keep up with seven kids at her heels?) Catra would be getting a headache right now. The old her would think Perfuma above her wielding such composure, such carefree grace. The her of the present instead replies weary but smiling.  

"I have. For real this time too. No more skipping days."

"Oh lovely, I'm glad you're coming around. Self reflection and forgiveness can be so liberating; never forget you're allowing yourself space and patience. Walk with me."

She's heard those words enough to make her head spin, but now they land in her heart. A warmth seeps in the way she thinks Perfuma always intended. If she had to reflect now as they pass Scorpia's gardens, she wouldn't call messy hair, tired eyes, and what might be clothes from two days ago radiant. Perfuma probably wasn't being literal.

The trails of Perfuma's green shawl (Seemingly more fluttery today than usual; like butterfly wings if she had to compare) stop inside a wide room. Catra knows which pillow to sit on and in seconds Perfuma is across her. Their eyes meet then close before performing a basic breathing exercise. One breath in and Catra gathers her worries, one pause, on the exhale her body relaxes.

Her eyes open and find Perfuma doing the same. The ear to ear smile on her face still unnerves Catra like a pinprick; it's strange to be so happy in a world built on entropy. Catra's allowed that hesitation, right? No she's being an idiot again; she's seen Perfuma a mess, back when Scorpia and all her people contorted under Horde Prime's marching orders, under the chips once burrowed in their flesh.

Regardless she'd never given up then. She hadn't been Catra running away the minute she projected doubt on Adora. She shook her head and sighed. This was getting nowhere. Of course for her part Perfuma sat in silence, waiting for as much time as Catra needed. She smiled shyly at that.

"Sorry got lost in reflecting I guess."

"It's alright Catra that's what we're here for. Do you want to share your thoughts?"

"I think you already know after this long." Catra licked her lips nervously.

"I don't mind listening."

A long pause. She read nothing but openness in Perfuma's eyes.

"You know I've said before I was jealous of you, unnerved even. How could anyone stay so happy when the world hurts? Well now I think I understand. There's no point in dwelling on my pain. Sure I can feel it, acknowledge it, but it'll pass again. Letting it control me when it's something I'll carry forever is exhausting. All I've done then is hurt myself when for once no one else wants to. That's what Finn's made me  realize."

She finished with a sigh and slackened shoulders; a woman spent at last of a pointless barrier. Isolation was no longer a badge of honor; it never had been. Perfuma wore genuine surprise like she'd heard something profound, not Catra stating the obvious. When Perfuma next spoke the words poured out afraid to stop. Afraid, Catra senses, that Catra will bolt away in embarrassment.  

"I'm proud of you that's the most you've shared all at once yet. And it sounds like it truly means self-love. You're allowing vulnerability and have accepted a truth. We are all works in progress."

"Thanks. I guess I have." The tears flowing down Catra's face make her voice wobble.

"Would you like a hug?"

With a nod Catra opened her arms and wept into Perfuma's dress; she wept the choked yet earnest sobs of a child. She felt a hand pat her hair.

"What happened when you were a child, it's not your fault."

There comes a pause where Catra stiffens then pulls back but not away. Her watery eyes glisten under the light while the rest of her trembles. Her lips quiver wanting to fight a new sob on instinct; it makes her teeth grit. None of it is hostile, Catra stares at Perfuma who again brings down the axe on the final barrier tainting her heart. Despite herself the words are out; Shadow Weaver installed that defense mechanism in her, denial.

"It is...it is."

"It's not your fault."

"But it is! I deserved it because I couldn't fight back!"

"It's not your fault."

"It...I...did."

Catra's face scrunched under the weight of the lie. She gets a solemn head shake in response. The sick sensation in her chest crumbles and her body feels no stronger than jelly. This time she clings back in Perfuma's embrace. She wails. Perfuma's reassurance pierces the scared girl inside gentle as sunshine.

"It's not your fault."

When the flood within her passes they mulled over tea. The silence now settled almost as comfortable as being with Adora. If Catra thought harder on it though, maybe silences themselves didn't need Adora to be good. Maybe the truth is Adora isn't the only bond to believe in; the others have waited on Catra long enough. She feels a pang of guilt at that. It flickers then dies when she hears the question,

"How are you and Finn? You mentioned him earlier."

"Kinda speaks for itself just looking at me y'think? But uh, sorry. It's been great; busy every second and sometimes I wanna tear my hair out but...in the end I really do like being a mom. It's not just about loving Finn and having him with Adora either. It's also like...I dunno..."

"Like starting over; a second chance?"

"Yeah...yeah I think it is." Catra smiled.

"The advice I can give for that is don't forget you're still guiding him. Parenting with compassion and trust will help you both, but he must find himself and make his choices."

She had nothing to add other than slight alarm. Then the weight behind the words settled, planted seeds in her thoughts. She stared out the window drinking her tea; her mind drifted and for once the peace of it wasn't strange.

When Finn is two years old he shivers in her arms. The storm sent another sheet of rain beating against the castle. Grey covers the window glass and another lightening flash dimly illuminates the room. In the span of a blink it's gone; Finn  mewled stuffing part of Catra's shirt in his mouth. Her hand ran through his hair. That seemed to relax his hold.

He looked up at her with Adora's wide blue eyes and for an instant Catra remembers being six, Adora's blanket her only comfort on nights like this.

"It's a thunderstorm Finn. I know it sounds scary but it'll pass ok? It always has before. You were too little to remember."

"Where's Mommy?"

She hears the fear getting ahold of him; she answers a touch too fast. It takes everything in her hoping he didn't notice.

"With Auntie Glimmer remember? They're meeting about adult stuff. We have to wait."

"I want her here."

"I know Finn, I know. She's coming. You're ok with me. Nothing bad will happen. Mommy's coming soon."

He nodded and though he whimpered he concentrated on Catra alone. At the next roar of thunder however he stiffened with his tail gone frizzy. The door opened bringing a stripe of light and Adora's unmistakable silhouette. Immediately Finn sprang out of Catra's arms to tackle Adora's legs. Catra hears her gasp then laugh softly as she kneels.

"Mommy! Be She-Ra!"

"Hey there to you too Finn. Why do you want She-Ra out?"

"Make bad sounds go away."

"It's the weather, I don't control that. Weren't you safe with Mama? Look she's waiting for us and I bet she stayed the whole time."

"But I want Mama and Mommy..."

Catra left bed and kneeled beside Adora. She ruffled Finn's hair; his tears were gone with a swipe of her thumb. Adora held his hands smiling while Catra went on.

"It's ok to be scared. We won't leave you not ever."

"Even when one of us isn't here with you, remember we love you. Think real hard about us when you're scared and all the bad stuff will go away."

Finn sniffled, swallowed, fumbled to speak those words they knew were sacred.

"You promise?"

"Yes." They reply together.

More thunder cracks the air signaling another swell of hissing rain. She watched as he froze squeezing his eyes shut. His hands balled into fists; he didn't flinch or cry when the storm gentled again. Now he stood trembling but no less brave. The warmth spreading through Catra was mirrored in the indescribable pride on Adora's face. She reached for her hand and it was held.

"Like that?" Finn asked, staring at them as if everything hinges on this moment.

"Just like that."

Catra kisses his forehead; it's no time at all until they hug him close. His heartbeat calms under their embrace and she purrs; it's always as hard as the day he was born. The purr she feels back widens her eyes then-

"Mama why're you crying?"

"She's happy you did it, right Catra?"

"Yeah...I'm happy Finn."

She shivers at Adora's kiss on her cheek. The touch of her breath tickling when she whispers almost makes Catra purr, for a reason neither can say aloud. She wraps her tail around Adora's wrist and listens.

"I'll get him to bed ok. Won't be long."

Catra mumbles her reply against her lips,

"I know."

They kiss and though it's a second before Adora pulls away, Catra knows peace.

At three years old Finn runs through the halls whooping and hollering. The stuffed bear glides through the air in his grasp. She knows Mr. Snuggles will need a wash when the day's done. Cupping her hands around her mouth she gently calls after.

"Don't run so fast you'll trip. Watch where you're going."

"Yeah Mama I know!"

Of course the thud she expected comes not an instant later. Even if he landed on carpet her blood pounds in panic; she sprints light on her feet toward his side. No second is wasted righting him from laying flat on his belly. She checks his arms, his legs, his face, the back of his head is fine too. He holds his wrist looking down ashamed.

"My head hurts."

"It's alright we'll get some medicine before seeing Mommy. Next time watch out ok? I might not have been here to help."

He nodded but still won't meet her eyes. Her expression falls. She sits with her hand giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze; her tail twitched nervously. Finn is silent. Far more than if he acted up or felt too embarrassed. The air itself feels heavier as if to breathe means starting a count down before down becomes up and left is right. Her voice shakes ever so slightly. Was this because of her?

"Finn? What's wrong? Does it hurt real bad?"

"Auncle Dee Tee told me something that made me feel funny. Flora and Angella said boys get hurt a lot when they play. B-But I like girl games with them too! When I fell I remembered what Auncle Dee Tee said."

"That's just silly there aren't 'boy' and 'girl' games. Just games. What'd Auncle say?"

"They said that too. They said nobody has to be a girl or boy if they don't want to. They said a big word like 'nuhncun-foming' I think."

She hears footsteps round the corner, a walk she could pick out anywhere. Adora stops then assesses; she wastes no time coming to them. Immediately her face is knit in worry and concentration. Catra knows that look better than herself. The look of a soldier, of years honed as a commanding officer, the look her fantasies once replicated dreaming of their conquest of Etheria...it's never appeared serene as it does now.

It reminds her not for the last time she's not alone.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt Finn? I knew I heard something bump on my way over."

"He tripped and fell but it's not serious. I checked already. He just has a headache."

"Good. C'mon let's go get medi-"

"Adora wait. He had something important he was saying. Finn? Can you tell Mommy what you told me?"

His expression finally lights up again; courage gathered when he stands straighter and stares at them firm.

"When I fell I remembered what Auncle told me. They said some people don't feel like they're just a boy or girl. My girl friends said boys fall a lot playing; I like their girl stuff where we don't fall a lot too! I wanna...I wanna be like Auncle. Auncle sounds like me."

They sat and the silence turned to awe. They glanced at one another then at Finn, who stood in utmost seriousness. Double Trouble's words floated to the surface of Catra's memories. She had to step outside her own head right? Well this time the world did it well enough for her. Adora as usual is the first to make a move.

"What do you want us to call you?"

"I'm Finn! I don't wanna be a boy or a girl I wanna be both! I wanna do everything I like as me. Can I be 'nunhcuhnfoming' too?"

To their surprise they chuckle as Finn looks on, conviction dropping into worry. Catra grinned and pulled Finn into a hug.

"You can be whatever you want kid including nonconforming. We're not gonna say no to anything like that."

"Do you want us to still call you 'He'?" Adora said in a tone that announces she's not worrying herself sick for once.

"Nuh uh! Auncle uses 'They'."

"Then that's what we'll use too. Thanks for telling us Finn."

Finn, they, beam from ear to ear. They picked up and dusted off Mr. Snuggles holding him close. They purr echoing through the hall; by instinct Catra joins in while Adora plants kisses all over Finn's cheeks.

"Does your head still hurt?"

"A little..."

"Let's go make it better then."

Finn is four when their troublemaking streak starts to shine. They let Adora chase them through the back gardens at a sprint. It's an unspoken dare to crown who's faster and watching from the sidelines, Catra doesn't need to guess it's Finn. Like what she imagined of any child of hers Finn scampers up a tree next. They wave a toy and blow a raspberry down at Adora who's panting for dear life. Her poor fool never stood a chance.

Adora stands hunched over, her finger raised to call a time out. She's still gathering her breath when Catra hears her force out words as she walks toward them both.

"Ok give Mommy a break for...five minutes...or forever. Ugh."

"You're too slow so I win!"

They watch as Finn sticks their tongue out again. Catra kneels to pat Adora's shoulder. She plants a kiss in her hair and grins.

"Hate to say it but I told you they'd beat you. Give it up Adora."

"I'll never...understand...how you two...do it...so unfair."

"Only She-Ra can win a race with me Mommy. If you're She-Ra it's really hard to keep up."

Still wheezing Adora glanced at Catra in defeat. A shrug is all she gets in response. Finn sits on a branch above them swinging their legs, the embodiment of confidence. Then they do something that throws off even Catra; they hang from their perch by the tail. Upside down Finn pays no heed to their gaping Mama and instead teases Adora with another raspberry. She falls on her ass yelping.

A choked giggle left Catra before rising to laughter. By the time she's full on snorting she rolls in the grass; upside down Adora scowls at them both but it's all in fun. The way she sees her blush makes her nerves go fluttery. She doesn't need to be told when their eyes meet and Catra knows it's mutual. Before anything can come of it Finn lands on the ground effortlessly.

She watches them tug Adora's sleeve; the fake modesty and flattering lilt they're piling on too thick gives them away. The fact that they can hold the performance this well is far more a Catra thing than Adora. She feels hesitant pride bubble within her. Could she have that knowing where it came from?

"Mommy my toy got stuck up there, can She-Ra get it? Because she's faster and stuff."

"Finn I can't keep transforming all week."

"Pleeease? It's the last day today; you said I could ask sometimes."

"Damnni-uh I mean I remember. Fine but only because you asked nicely."

Catra doesn't need to be an Entrapta-level genius to hear the unspoken, 'And because I totally lost too.' Finn definitely  hears it by the satisfaction in their grin. With a resigned sigh Adora straightened and stretched out a hand. From the bottom of her lungs she bellowed,

"For the Honor of Greyskull!"

A blinding light engulfed Adora from the outline of a golden sword. Catra still had no idea where it always came from. It was of course magic however; you never had to question that kind of thing. She figured that was why it felt comforting, familiar, compared to hard numbers. Most of all, she muses as the light dims, magic embodies everything Adora has been long before the sword.

The light leaves dissolving into rainbow trails. They outline She-Ra's massive form towering at eight feet. Her arms are almost as thick as the tree branches themselves when she begins to climb. Finn watched with their jaw hanging and eyes wide. Their fists rest against their teeth as if every transformation will be the last each time; the anticipation mixed with joy is almost palpable when it infects Catra.

She nudges them while Adora gets tangled in leaves. Finn's rapture breaks and they flash her a knowing smile.

"You love being sneaky huh?"

"She-Ra is cool!"

They look up together and find Adora fumbling not to fall. Though She-Ra carries a noble poise Adora is very much the one nervously sweating. Catra grinned.

"She's very cool."

Adora successfully lands without a scratch; the toy rocket is the size of a river stone in She-Ra's large hand. In an instant  it's back to scale when She-Ra is dismissed, a gold afterglow outlining Adora. It hits Catra then that Finn has grown at level with Adora's waist. When did that happen over the years?

"One missing toy rescued from an evil tree. It won't be eating any more any time soon."

"Thanks Mommy. No more She-Ra for a little bit."

"Right. Mommy needs breaks just like She-Ra does too."

Catra takes Adora's hand and wraps her tail around her. Her purr is soft though outmatched by the gentle kiss she gives her wife. She glanced at Finn who waits expectantly; the toy is already forgotten in favor of another game. Catra chuckles.

"Ok Finn you've had enough of bossing Mommy. This time I'll race you home."

"Loser has to give up dessert!"

"Sure kid. Ready set go!"

Like a bullet Catra sprints down the low hill; she barely hears Finn's call above the wind. In seconds they're right behind and she finds herself laughing carefree into the dusk.

Finn is five when their fur becomes their first taste of responsibility. Their tail is a mess of frizz most mornings; their thick hair resembles a mop fighting against every tame comb they own. Catra does her best to guide them, but she hasn't been five in twenty years. The memories since remain dark and pressed under the claws of greater horrors. Had she ever had time to brush herself seriously then? Not a relevant question; this isn't the time for self grieving.

Finn fusses, tries again, then scowls. They look at her with a plea in their eyes. Catra blinks then finds them slumping shoulders and lips quivering. Their hair seems messier than before for every wrong stroke. It takes her longer than she'd like to notice the budding tears.

"Hey it's ok we'll keep trying. It's hard at first but you can do it."

"Bet it's easy for you Mama."

"Why's that?"

"Because you never get messy. Your hair is always pretty."

Catra beckons and they come within her reach. She wipes their tears, smoothes their tangles best she can. They stare into her eyes with that intensity only they can muster.

"I used to be worse than you. When I was your age I had no one helping me."

"Not even Mommy?"

Catra laughed quiet and gentle, always gentle.

"She tried but she was as small as you. And we know Mommy doesn't look the same; she didn't know how. Do you know how old I was when I learned to keep my hair pretty? Really got good at it?"

Finn shook their head. She could sense the sadness give way to curiosity, to a rising hope.

"I was already a grown up. Wayyy bigger than you y'know? If it took me so long there's no rush. You keep trying until it works ok."

"Ok..."

"Let's start over. Just watch me first."

Time passes in a haze enough for her to learn Finn took after her old temper; step by patient step her hands once drenched in the blood of another life calm them to retry. They break for lunch and laugh together, their mistakes now harmless behind them. This, Catra has learned, is completion.

Princess Prom makes everyone nervous and excited equally. She watches Finn, taller than most other ten year olds, adjust their tie. She smiles remembering how many they'd tried on that morning without complaint. How when the right one came along they'd strutted prideful for her and Adora's opinion. They fidget flexing their hand and rocking on their heels. She can't blame them; the announcer's droning speech packs more formality than Catra thought was possible.

Put simply, it's boring, and they both fight a yawn. Adora doesn't notice them tap their feet together, one leading the other following, until another six minutes that pass like hours. She shushes them but when another minute crawls by she joins in. The three of them form a jagged rhythm while holding back giggles.

When the solemnity is done away with and the dance floor opens they lose Finn to their friends. She sends them off with a cheek kiss and Adora's blessing to have fun, then they're alone. They whisk themselves to the snack bar; she watches Adora gorge on tiny food like she's taken Entrapta's appetite for herself. Smirking as she leans against the table she knows Adora can feel her gaze.

"Alright Princess charge your battery any more and I'll dance by myself."

"Noa faish wahit fo me!" Adora forced out through a mouthful.

"Hey easy there. What's that translate to?"

Adora swallows hard and snorts at her.

"I said no fair wait for me. Now you're getting payback."

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try."

Before she can register it a cupcake is smashed into her mouth. She can hear Adora laughing even when Catra serves one back in retaliation. By the time they've wasted three cupcakes they don't hear Scorpia saunter over. They nearly tumble face first into her serving tray.

"Whoa slow down guys! Party just started to get so worked up. You two sure love having fun."

"Sorry Scorpia didn't see you there. Catra wants to hurry and dance; I want to savor what Entrapta had prepared tonight."

Catra stuck out her tongue and laughed when Adora elbowed her side in jest. When they look over Scorpia has forgone food entirely. She stares at them, her eyes glistening from would be tears.

"You guys are just adorable did you know that?"

"You remind us all the time." Catra replied and wrapped an arm around Adora.

"Actually uh, on second thought, I've got icing down my dress. Excuse me ladies."

Adora gives her a peck of a kiss before disappearing. Catra watched her go spellbound by the soft lights cast on everyone. Adora's outline is dreamlike, Catra can hear her breath hitch. Then far too suddenly she's gone. It's funny, she no longer feels the pain that once tore through her fast as lightening. Maybe parting no longer means goodbye. She knows she always knew.

"Y'know Wildcat I gotta say I've never seen you look this happy. Well happier than that time in the Crimson Wastes. Oh or when Finn was born. It's nice."

"Heh. We're in the same boat then. I can't even tell when it started."

"Wanna know how I can tell this time?"

The intensity in Scorpia's tone made Catra straighten. She stopped trying to eat another cupcake and met her gaze.

"It's the eyes. They're so clear these days. They're empty, not in a bad way. Like...it's like you can take on anything. You've got resolve but it's not angry."

"Calm?"

"Yeah. Calm and whole. That's some strength even I don't think I have yet. Your eyes can see through anything."

"Geez way to praise a girl. I think I get it though. Adora's been saying something similar. Glimmer, Bow, Perfuma...everyone brings it up somehow. They act like I'm supposed to know just haven't told them." Catra smiles around a bite of her snack. It was achingly sweet yet she closed her eyes and tasted the love put in.

"Of course they see it too. Every truly strong person is kind."

Catra's eyes widen. For a moment she moves as if to speak then instead smiles, content. Her heart feels light as a feather.

She spots Adora returning through the crowd. Everyone parts reverently for the savior of the galaxy; to Catra it's another homecoming. They don't need the titles or praise; at last having each other, having themselves, is enough.

Scorpia takes her leave just as Adora emerges. The teasing look she wore before is replaced by excitement; the kind that simply is because it can be. Without prompting she offered Catra her hand. She's seen this scene countless times in as many settings. She takes it.

"Ready for that dance I owe you?"

It happens in an instant; Catra reads her eyes. They're calm, resolved, kind. Her reflection stares back within their clarity. She smiles. She hopes Finn will have those eyes someday.

"Always am."

[heart-waves]

royal duties

Word Count: 880

Genre: Fluff, so much fluff

Pairings: Kitsen/Glimmer/Catra/Adora, mentions of Glimmer/Bow

A/N: i was tired and soft, so here is a tired and soft fic. rbs appreciated <3

Glimmer (Queen Glimmer, as her still-new servants and still-newer subjects insisted on calling her) had responsibilities. Of course she did, as she was a ruler - fortunately or not, depending on who you asked. Many - most, actually, most of her friends and family was proud of her. Happy for her. Hopeful of how she would rule her little part of the world.

But to do that she needed to address her numerous responsibilities. Big or small, though she admitted to herself that she quite preferred the smaller tasks over the larger ones.

Normally she had little trouble with gritting her teeth and dealing with what she needed to deal with.

Today, though...

"Glimmerrr..." A pale pink tail curled around her wrist. Small whines came from one of her companions, a low purr hidden just under their breath. "Don't go."

Today - well, last night, technically - Glimmer had found time to spend with her more-than-friends (minus Bow, but he promised with a quick kiss to her cheek that he'd be back later, and Bow always kept his promises). It was a very nice evening, even if they were only cuddling and chatting, and Glimmer felt very strongly that it would be a memory she'd carry with her always.

But it was morning now, even if the sun hadn't yet peaked over the trees she could see from the window, and she had things to do. "Kitsen..."

"Please? It's not even," they paused, yawning in a way that perked their whiskers up and their ears down, and oh dear that was very cute, "S'not even sunrise yet."

Glimmer allowed herself a moment of weakness despite her knowledge that her catfriend (both, in fact) had a talent for getting what they wanted, and gently reached a hand to their ears. "I've got things I need to do, kitten." She never quite got over the way their ears perked at such a light touch, the way they'd always lean into her hand even without thinking, so open and wanting of touch even after their time in the Horde.

"Yeah," Kitsen said, and never one to back down so quickly continued, "And staying with us can be one of them."

Glimmer opened her mouth to placate her ever-affectionate partner, before another's hum sounded just behind her. She started, but didn't give the apparently-awake Catra her usual startled squeak. It was too early and any inch she gave would be enough for her partners to convince Glimmer of the joys of sleeping in.

"Gonna have to side with Kit here, Sparkles."

"If you're trying to woo me, I don't think using that - stupid nickname is gonna do you any favors."

"Oh please, you love me."

"Yeah. Doesn't mean I love your genius naming abilities."

"They are genius, thank you very much." Nearby, a vaguely blonde and muscular shape started to stirr under one of the blankets. "Hey, Adora. Need you to wake up for me, princess."

"Oh, don't drag her into this too," Glimmer growled, annoyance and affection equal parts in her voice. She was somewhat aware of Kitsen reaching behind and around her to grab Catra's hand. Their tail was still around her wrist, and Glimmer pretended to not think of tugging it off.

"Wha's happen'n?" Adora mumbled, always so eloquent in the early hours. Catra reached the paw not being held to brush a stray golden hair out of her eyes.

"Need ya to convince Sparkles here that we're more important than all that monarchy nonsense. She can stay a little longer, right Adora?"

"Nonsense? It's literally-" Adora cut Glimmer's oncoming whisper-rant by strategically falling over onto her. Glimmer might've thought she'd fallen back asleep if it wasn't for the quiet night air. Adora was definitely the snorer of their little group.

"Glimmer's got- you have.. royal duties, 'nd all that.." Adora grumbled - a spark of relief and slight disappointment barely reached Glimmer before she continued. "But it can wait for a few minutes.. please, Glim'?"

Glimmer's resolve was not melting away, in her very correct and professional opinion. But... She could feel the twitch of Kitsen's whiskers on her back, Adora's soft gaze now looking up at her (she had easily mastered the ancient art of puppy-eyes and Glimmer continued to face the consequences), and she could feel Catra now nuzzling into her shoulder and her tail reaching to join Kitsen's and oh, she felt so very sleepy.

"I don't- I have..." Glimmer trailed, suddenly losing her words. Her hand was still on Kitsen, and absentmindedly she noticed their purring.

"Bow'll miss you," Catra said, quiet yet persuasive next to her. "He'll be back soon, and you'll be off on work, and he'll miss you." She moved her face from her shoulder in favor of placing her head atop it, and Glimmer very much hoped the sly cat couldn't feel the warmth in her cheeks. "So will I. So will we."

Catra can probably see her blush even in the dark, Glimmer realized in the back of her mind. She felt warm and even more cozy, and she really did savor her time with them, and...

"Just until sunrise?" Kitsen asked. And... a queen couldn't disappoint her most loyal subjects, could she?

"Maybe even a few minutes after."

[n7punk]

Hi Fendt! I am amazed how quickly you manage to write 10 to 20k in a very short period of time, and how your plots seem so well thought-through. I was wondering if you could tell me / us a bit about how you go about when you write and come up with plots?

ok this is such a hard but interesting question? i really struggled trying to figure out how my process works but here’s some basics i came up with. i also am just a fast typist so just knowing your way around a keyboard helps. but as for plot:

i very rarely consciously write the plot of a fic. i really just suddenly have the characters doing things in my head while i am going about my life and i watch. i said ‘catcher’ started as a dream but i was (probably) conscious - i was just lying in bed in the morning and i watched the whole fic play out in my head before i opened my eyes. it changed a lot when i actually went to write it, but that’s where the worldbuilding for a fic often starts. from that initial scene ill think “well why is it like that, how did we get here, where would it go next” and further details fill themselves in. Like the initial spark is there and everything else comes into focus as my mind spins out on minuet details.

the random scene that comes upon me becomes the starting point of the fic (at least for writing its plot, the scene could be located anywhere in the timeline), then i go to write, and no joke it is like i get possessed. i OFTEN look at what i wrote and think “who wrote this i could never come up with that.” because i dont know where it comes from, i live with a constant fear of my writing turning terrible if the ghost suddenly leaves me. whenever i try to “force” a plot point or storyline (aka try to write a specific thing and not just let it flow naturally) i usually find it stilted and have to rewrite it multiple times or even cut it. 

i do consciously put in foreshadowing based on the overarching plot (for the most part, see my notes on catcher) and parallels/call-backs based on what i have previously written, but for the most part i just let it flow. ill have the idea of “catra and adora at a cafe, talking with glimbow” and then i just sit in front of a word doc and stuff happens.

when i outline a scene, it usually is a one or two sentence summary with maybe some back and forth dialogue that has come to me. sometimes i have a couple sentences worth of description of events but i never write any final lines except maybe for dialogue in an outline. i only outline a few of my scenes tho. usually i just let the characters do their thing.

sorry i know NONE of that is helpful but i think my general advice would be close your eyes and just focus on the characters? then they start interacting, then plot happens (if there is any lmao) and then i open my eyes and actually work on the word doc. i spend a good percentage of my writing time sitting on my couch with my eyes closed or starting into space. that only really works if you do character-based writing tho.

also NEVER be afraid to go up a few lines/paragraphs in your writing to the last point you were happy with, hitting enter a few times, and starting to write the next part over from scratch, maybe with entirely different events! if you like what you wrote the first time better, its still there a few lines below, and you can even repurpose individual lines and plot elements from it, but you have the chance to do better on something you are unhappy with! i do this all the time and i always like the final result better, even if i have to try to write a section five times. i also often move scenes around because i like them but maybe i have a better idea for what should go right there.

[catrasredemption-moved]

Loved the encounter with Double Trouble. But now I wanna see a fic where Catra brings them down a few pegs and/or kicks their ass. No wait fuck that, I wanna see Catra bring 'em down a few pegs AND beat their ass in. Of course, that would either require Catra to be further along in a point in her life where she's more grounded, or it would mean DT's hounding goes into far harsher territory, maybe even beyond focusing squarely on Catra to get a response. Or hell, maybe both of those at once too.

((Okay, this turned into more of a sequel to the last one, sorry, but I really just wanted to show Catra standing up for herself in the aftermath))

Double Trouble perked up slightly when someone stepped in front of their cell. They practically grinned when they saw Catra.

“Ooooooh, Kitten. So nice of you to come visit. Love the hair, by the way, it fits you.” They stood, shifting into Catra the way they had know her - hair long and smoothed back, face still framed by the mask, sleeve on her right arm. She twitched slightly at seeing herself, but otherwise didn’t react. “Not that this isn’t also cute,” they continued in her voice. “But it never really seemed to fit you. Just another part of the big bad villain image, right?”

Catra unfolded her arms, revealing a set of keys. Double Trouble changed back, tilting their head. “Are you here to let me out?”

“No. I’m here to make sure these two don’t murder you.”

Two more people stepped into view behind Catra - Glimmer and Adora. Double Trouble raised an eyebrow, looking between them for a moment. “I don’t understand.”

“See, while you were having your fun, you also accidentally pissed off two of the most powerful women in Etheria. Turns out using one’s dead mother to torture the other’s girlfriend isn’t the brightest move you’ve ever made. In fact, it’s safe to say you supremely fucked up.”

She unlocked the cell, letting herself and walking right up to Double Trouble, cornering them the way they had cornered her only a few days ago. “The first time you tried to fuck with me? I’ll admit, you nailed it perfectly. And I’m sure you know that too. But there’s a difference, and I don’t just mean my hairstyle. You caught me at a time when I had nobody left in my life who cared about me. But a lot’s changed in the last few months, you know? I have friends. People who care about me. People who don’t like it when their friends are upset. People with short tempers who tend to get violent when their friends are upset.”

Double Trouble looked back at Glimmer and Adora, then to Catra again. For once, they were speechless. 

“So, here’s the deal. Mermista is gonna let you out of this cell eventually, and once you’re out wandering the world again, there isn’t much I can do to protect you from the queen of Bright Moon or the actual savior of the universe. And Glimmer fights dirty - watch out for the short ones, you know? Your chances of surviving with both of them out for your head are very slim.

“But there’s something you can do to help yourself, which I know is what you’re all about. Take a step back. Maybe retire from the whole mercenary business. Work a little bit more on that theater career of yours. Live a nice, quiet life, and don’t come within a hundred feet of any of us ever again. Or I suppose you can take your chances. You’re smart, after all. Maybe you can outsmart all of us. I would think very long and hard before you do that, though. You don’t know where we have friends, or how fast Glimmer can get somewhere if she hears about you causing trouble again.”

Catra twirled the key ring carelessly on her finger, smiling. “So. What’s it gonna be?”

“I, uh...” Double Trouble blinked a few times, properly rattled. “I suppose I could go back to the Crimson Waste. Bring a little culture to the wasteland.”

“Good call.” Catra clasped her hands behind her back. “We’ll probably drop in to visit. Huntara’s a very good friend of ours. Can’t wait to see how you’re doing in a few months.”

She turned, letting her tail swish and hit Double Trouble in the face before she walked out, re-locking the cell behind her.

“Aaaaaaaaaaand scene.” * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Catra was leaning on Adora as they reappeared in throne room, all three women giggling madly. “Did you guys have fun?” Mermista asked dryly, holding a hand out for the key. Catra gave it to her, still laughing.

“Did you see their face?”

“That was amazing,” Glimmer said, grinning. “Next time we need to interrogate a prisoner, I’m borrowing you.”

“Feel better?” Adora asked, arm still around Catra’s shoulders. She looked up at the blonde, smiling, and got up on her tiptoes to kiss her.

“Yeah. I think I do.”

“Ugh, if you’re going to be cute, get out of my palace,” Mermista groaned, turning to walk away. Glimmer looked back at her friends.

“Back to Bright Moon for cake and to fill Bow in?”

“Definitely.”

[hellofromthe-otter-slide]

Something Like Happily Ever After

Wow, two personal posts in one day.

Hello everyone. That time has come. It has officially reached the point where I’m finally deciding to end up Beast Island series, and what a better last chapter than Catra and Adora adopting a kid?

Seriously though. Writing this series has been so much fun, and I really loved it so much. Thank you to everyone who has read it and reread it. The first one recently hit over 1,000 kudos on AO3, and really, I think that’s insane.

If you want to know more about the universe, slip into my asks and let me know. Also, if you want to know more about Danai (the kid introduced in this final chapter), do the same, because I have a lot of notes written about Danai, so keep me entertained why I finish off the semester and over Christmas break by asking me things.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It’s very long.

Read on AO3.

~

Word reaches the Princess Alliance quickly, but not quick enough.

Previous Horde soldiers, the ones who refused rehabilitation and evaded Mystacor’s trials, attacked a village deep in the Meadowlands. They were quick, and they left the Horde’s symbol painted on burning buildings and in the town square.

By the time the Alliance arrived, the soldiers were already gone.

Catra stands on the outskirts of the village, and she wants to move forward, to help the rest of the Alliance, but she’s stuck to the spot. She tries not to see Thaymor, tries not to hear the screams of civilians, tries not to remember every awful thing she did before getting sent to Beast Island, but everything comes crashing down on her and she’s frozen.

“Hey,” Adora says softly, coming up next to her but keeping her space, “I know this is hard—”

“You think?” Catra hisses, anger coming out to cover the sadness and fear that she’s trying to push down, “Adora, I thought this was over.”

“We all did,” Catra watches Adora reach out and then decide not to, “Bow and Glimmer are looking around the village to see if they can find them. They can’t have gone far, based on—”

Adora trails off, but Catra knows what Adora’s going to say.

Based on the fact that the fires are still going. Based on the freshness of the bodies found.

“Any survivors?”

Adora looks down and away. “None yet.”

“Catra!”

It’s Scorpia, and she sounds like she’s deep in the village.

Catra runs without thinking, the idea that Scorpia might be hurt, that one of the soldiers stuck around, waiting for his chance to take out someone in the Princess Alliance playing itself on repeat.

When she gets to Scorpia, there’s no fight. Scorpia is completely okay, squatting in front of something.

There’s a bit of movement, and Catra realizes it’s not something, it’s someone.

Before Catra calls out to the rest of the Alliance, she sees a soft, feline tail wrap around the figure and ears twitching in a short mane.

“She’s a Magicat,” Catra whispers, “How did a Magicat, let alone a Magicat child, make it all the way out to the Meadowlands?”

“I don’t know,” Scorpia says, trying to move closer, but the little Magicat cowers further against the wall, “I tried talking to her, but she’s so scared, and I think I’m not helping.”

Catra looks around them and realizes that besides Adora, who ran after Catra when Scorpia called, the rest of the Alliance is still trying to find survivors or find the soldiers.

“Let me try,” Catra suggests, putting a hand on Scorpia’s shoulder, “Go wait over there with Adora.”

Scorpia nods and smiles, “You got it, Wildcat.”

Then it’s just Catra and the kitten by themselves.

Catra sits, making sure to keep a few feet away. “Hi,” she says, her voice soft, “I’m Princess Catra.”

The kitten peeks up over her arms and tail, and Catra smiles.

“The woman over here before was Scorpia,” Catra continues, hoping that the more she talks, the more the Magicat will warm up to her, “She may seem big and scary, but she’s actually the nicest person I know. She’ll tell you she gives the best hugs, and it’s true, but you can’t tell anyone I admitted that.”

The kitten looks around Catra to Adora and Scorpia standing a few feet away then furtively around the entire village. “Are you with them?” the kitten asks, looking at Catra with so much fear.

“We’re not,” Catra promises, “You see the blonde woman over there?” She points to Adora. “That’s She-Ra. We’re here to help.”

“Everything is already gone.”

Those words hit Catra like a cannon, and she fights down the sadness and anger and reality that she did this to villages one upon a time.

I’m not that person, Catra thinks, Not anymore. She chants that over and over and over again until regret and self-hatred stop bubbling up.

“You’re still here,” Catra says.

“I hid,” the kitten admits, and she slowly unfurls herself.

“You must be very good at hiding.”

“Daddy says I’m the best,” the kitten whispers, “He can never find me when we play Hide-n-Seek.”

Catra stands and offers the kitten her hand, but the kitten flinches away.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Catra tells her softly, “You’re safe with me.”

The kitten looks up at Catra with wide, scared eyes, and Catra hopes her smile is reassuring.

“You promise?” the kitten asks, and Catra sees herself, alone and afraid and asking Adora the same thing.

“I promise.”

Catra reaches out her hand again, and this time the kitten takes it, crawling into Catra’s arms.

“Can you tell me your name?” Catra whispers, holding her close.

“Danai,” the kitten whispers, tears starting to fall from her eyes.

“Alright, Danai,” Catra starts walking over to Adora and Scorpia, “Let’s get you out of here, okay?”

~*~

Catra is still holding Danai when she returns to Half Moon, the small Magicat refusing to leave her arms. Even when Adora offers to take her, Danai’s grip only tightens, and Catra assures Adora that she’s alright.

“I need to get C’yra,” Catra whispers as they walk up the castle steps, a sound-asleep Danai on her hip, “She’ll want to know that there might be Magicats out there that we don’t know about.”

“Wouldn’t they have returned?” Adora asks, keeping a hand on Catra’s back to keep her steady, “It seems strange that they wouldn’t after you took Half Moon back.”

“Maybe they didn’t want to,” Catra suggests, her tail wrapping loosely around Adora’s wrist as Adora holds the palace door’s open for her, “Maybe they were afraid after the invasion.”

C’yra’s standing in front of the doors to the throne room, Felix right behind her, and they rush over to Catra and Adora as they come in.

“The village?” Felix asks, looking to Adora for an answer.

“Completely destroyed,” Adora whispers, “No survivors besides her.” She points to Danai in Catra’s arms.

“And the people who did it?” C’yra asks.

“Found about a mile away at an encampment,” Catra answers, “They’re on their way to Mystacor now to stand trial.”

Felix brushes a few stray pieces of hair from Danai’s face. “She’s a Magicat,” he whispers to C’yra, “Didn’t we call for all Magicats to return to Half Moon before the invasion?”

“Just because we sent out the call doesn’t mean that everyone returned,” C’yra says, “I don’t know how they avoided the Horde’s forces, though.”

“This village was deep in the Meadowlands,” Catra says, adjusting Danai a bit as she starts to slip, “I don’t think Hordak ever bothered invading the Meadowlands.”

“He didn’t find any use for it,” Adora adds on, “Barely anyone lives out there, and there’s not a princess or a runestone anywhere nearby.”

C’yra and Felix both nod, and when Felix tries taking Danai from Catra, Danai grips into Catra’s hair and shoulders.

“She hasn’t let go of me since we found her,” Catra explains, “I don’t think she feels safe anywhere else.”

“You need sleep, kitten,” C’yra says, “You look exhausted.”

“Why don’t we bring a cot into our room?” Adora suggests, running a few fingers through Catra’s hair, “You can put her down and promise her that we’re just a few feet away.”

Catra smiles and nods, “That’s not a bad idea.”

“We’ll go grab one and bring it to your room,” Felix says, and then he and C’yra go off into the palace while Adora and Catra slowly make their way further into the castle.

“How are you feeling?” Adora asks, her hand going back to rest against the small of Catra’s back.

“My back hurts,” Catra complains, “I’m not strong enough to carry around a small child all day.”

Adora laughs softly, “At the very least, we’re almost to our bed.”

Catra groans, “But we’re not there right now.”

Adora pushes open the door to their room, and Catra practically runs inside and sits down, a sigh pushing past her lips as she lays back. Danai moves so that her face isn’t buried in the bed, and she snuggles just a bit into Catra.

“Do you think she latched onto you because you’re a Magicat?” Adora asks, sitting on the bed and letting Catra rest her head in Adora’s lap.

“I don’t know,” Catra says, closing her eyes as Adora starts running her fingers through Catra’s hair, “I expected her to say something about how I was like her, but I think everything was just too overwhelming and scary at the time.”

Adora hums, and her hands move down to Catra’s shoulders, her thumbs pressing into Catra muscles, and Catra holds in a groan at how good it feels.

They’re silent until C’yra and Felix knock on their door. Adora opens it to see C’yra holding a folded-up cot and Felix holding what Catra can only assume is every spare blanket and pillow in the whole castle.

Catra pushes herself up and rolls her eyes at her father. “Where did you even find all of those?”

“He checked every linen closet in the palace,” C’yra says while unfolding the cot.

“I just wanted her to be comfortable,” Felix starts placing pillows and unfolding blankets, “After the day she’s had, it’s the least I can do.”

“That’s very thoughtful,” Adora says, a sweet comparison to C’yra and Catra’s sarcasm.

Catra stands up and tries detaching Danai from her, but Danai whimpers and digs her claws in.

“Hey,” Catra whispers to her, ignoring the biting pain coming from Danai’s nails, “I’m just putting you down so we can get you into bed, okay?”

Danai wakes up, and her eyes are wide as she surveys the room. “Where am I?” she asks, tears welling up in her eyes.

Catra kneels down and Danai sets her feet on the ground but Catra doesn’t pull away.

“We’re in Half Moon,” Catra explains, “This is my home.” Catra points to Adora, and Adora smiles warmly, “You remember She-Ra, right?” Danai nods just so. “When she’s not She-Ra, her name is Adora, and she lives here with me too.”

Danai looks past Adora and sees C’yra and Felix standing behind her. “Who are they?” she asks, moving closer to Catra to feel some sort of safety and security.

“Those are my parents,” Catra says softly, smiling as she pushes a piece of Danai’s mane from her face, “That’s Queen C’yra and King Felix.”

Both smile, and Felix waves.

“They look like me,” Danai says, “And so do you.”

Catra nods. “We’re Magicats, just like you.”

“Nobody besides Mommy and Daddy look like me,” Danai says.

“Half Moon is full of people who look just like you,” Catra wipes a few stray tears from Danai’s short, coarse fur, “And C’yra and Felix are queen and king of the Magicats.”

“And you’re the princess,” Danai remembers, her grip on Catra letting up.

Catra smiles, “That’s right, kitten. I am. Now, come on,” Catra pulls back one of the blankets Felix put on the cot, “Let’s get some sleep, okay?”

Danai’s eyes go wide and she hesitates, but Catra grabs her face gently, her thumbs brushing away more tears as they fall.

“You’re safe,” Catra promises, “We’re somewhere safe, and I’m just a few feet away, okay?”

Danai nods.

“Okay,” Catra whispers, letting Danai go to push back the blanket again.

Danai gets into the cot, and Catra pulls the blankets up to her chin and tucks her in.

“Remember,” Catra says, “I’m just right over there if you need me.”

Danai nods again, and her eyes start to close, the stress and fear finally catching up to her and making her tired.

Catra runs her fingers through Danai’s hair before standing up, her muscles protesting.

“You two get some sleep too,” C’yra says, and it comes off like a command, “We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Night, Mom,” Catra says, already collapsing into her bed, “Night, Dad.”

“Night, love,” Felix says, and he closes the door as quietly as he can behind himself and C’yra.

Adora kicks off her boots and climbs into bed too, and Catra immediately snuggles into Adora’s waiting arms.

“It’s been a long day,” Catra says, her eyes closing as Adora starts rubbing up and down her back.

“That an understatement,” Adora presses a kiss to the tip of Catra’s nose, “How are you?”

“You already asked that,” Catra says, biting back a groan when Adora finds a knot and presses in.

“Well, you already complained about your back,” Adora’s fingers find another tight spot and work it out, “But I was referring to what happened back at the village.”

“Can’t we talk about this tomorrow?” Catra groans, burying her face in Adora’s neck.

“I would say yes if I thought you actually would.”

Catra pushes up off the bed, her back protesting. “I can’t be the only one who saw that village and had a bad reaction. I’m just the only one who froze.” Despite being quiet, her words are harsh, and she closes her eyes for just a moment and takes a few deep breaths to calm herself down. “It’s just,” Catra opens her eyes to see Adora looking up at her with such open caring that it’s almost overwhelming, “It’s been years since anything like this has happened.”

“Why did you freeze?”

The question is gentle, and one of Adora’s hands slides up Catra’s back and around her shoulder to cup Catra’s face.

“Because all I could see was Thaymor,” Catra looks away, refusing to meet Adora’s eyes, “All I could think about were all of the villages that I helped destroy.”

“You’re not that person anymore, Catra.”

“That doesn’t mean I can just forget that I was,” Catra retorts, “These past few years don’t make up for all of the awful things that I did, all of the things I probably would’ve kept doing if Hordak never sent me to Beast Island.”

Adora doesn’t say anything at first. She uses a finger under Catra’s chin to bring Catra’s eyes back to her own. Blue eyes meet mismatched, and Adora smiles softly.

“I’m not telling you to forget,” Adora says, her thumb coming up to run along Catra’s ear, “We can’t change the past, but you’re not that person anymore. I don’t know what you would’ve become if Hordak never sent you to Beast Island, but we can’t get caught up in What Ifs. I know who you are now, and that’s what’s most important.”

“And who am I now?”

Adora breathes out the softest laugh, her hand moving from Catra’s ear to tug playfully at the hair right behind it. “Now you’re fishing.”

Catra smiles, “I think I deserve the compliments.”

“How about I save those for the morning?” Adora suggests with an eye roll, “I’m so tired I may fall asleep mid-paragraph.”

Catra lies back down on top of Adora. “I guess I do want my compliments to be delivered without pause.”

She feels Adora’s smile against her temple. “Goodnight, Catra.”

“Night,” Catra mumbles out against Adora’s neck.

~*~

Catra and Adora are back at She-Ra’s temple, Adora barely hanging onto the cliff by some of the green webbing, Catra holding the Sword of Protection.

Adora’s asking, begging, for Catra’s help, but Catra just runs her finger along the bright blue blade.

“This thing wouldn’t work for me if I tried, would it?” Catra asks, going on and on about Shadow Weaver and being second best. “Every hero needs a sidekick, right?” she ends, crouching down to be able to see Adora better.

The Sword of Protection glides through the green webbing like butter, and Adora falls, just barely catching herself, before Catra throws the sword down into the abyss threatening to swallow Adora whole.

“Bye, Adora,” she says, her voice devoid of any kind of emotion, “I really am going to miss you.”

She leaves to Adora calling her name and begging her to come back, but she doesn’t care.

She’s finally defeated Adora. She’s finally won. Adora is—

Catra sits up, her breathing heavy and tears burning the back of her eyes.

She wants to run. She wants to leave the room and go find the tallest tree she can, because she starts feeling trapped inside her room, but just as she’s about to get out of bed, small, bright eyes look up at her from the cot.

“You should be asleep,” Catra says softly, trying hard not to sound harsh as her breathing starts to calm down.

“I had a nightmare,” Danai’s voice is small and soft and scared.

“Yeah?”

Danai nods.

“Me too,” Catra admits.

“What was yours about?” Danai asks, clutching the blanket up under her chin.

“Something bad I did a very long time ago,” Catra answers, pushing her hair up and away from her face, grabbing for a hair tie on her bedside table to keep it up.

“How do you make it better?”

Catra stands up and offers her hand to Danai, and she scrambles out of bed to take it.

“I’ll show you.”

When they get to the door, Catra feels a tug and turns to see Danai stopped.

“What about Adora?” Danai asks.

Catra smiles, “She’ll know where to find us. I promise.”

Danai glances back at Adora before turning around and letting Catra lead her out of the room.

The halls of the palace are quiet, and Catra picks Danai up as they walk out into the empty square.

Danai looks around at everything, alert eyes taking in everything she can. Her fingers dig into Catra’s shoulder as she reads the signs over every stall, and Catra wonders if she’ll start asking questions, but Danai stays silent, and Catra can see her tail flicking nervously.

They leave the city, and when they get out to the Whispering Woods, Danai hides her face against Catra’s neck, her body as close to Catra’s body as physically possible.

They reach the base of the tree that Catra loves, the one with thick branches that reach higher than the rest, and Catra tries coaxing Danai to let go.

Danai looks up the tree, and before she can curl back into Catra, Catra says, “I won’t let you fall.”

“You promise?” Danai asks, her voice small, and Catra smiles.

“I promise,” Catra says, and she helps Danai to climb the first few branches. She makes sure to stay just under Danai as they climb so she can catch her if Danai makes any wrong steps, but Danai’s steps are sure, her little claws digging into the bark to pull herself up.

Catra reaches her favorite branch, thick enough to bear her weight and high enough that she can see Etheria’s moons lighting up the treetops. Once Catra settles herself with her back against the trunk, Danai climbs into her lap and looks up.

“This is nice,” Danai whispers, playing with Catra’s fingers absentmindedly.

“Is it helping?” Catra asks, setting her chin on Danai’s head and watching the leaves shift in the breeze.

Danai nods, and her ears twitch at the small sounds of the woods, but her eyes never leave the sky. It’s the calmest and most childlike that Catra has seen her act all day.

“Do you want to talk about your nightmare?”

Danai freezes, her nails digging into Catra’s skin.

Catra bites her tongue to deal with the sting of sharp nails, and she acts like nothing has changed.

“I never really like talking about it either,” Catra says, hoping the words will help the anxiety subside, “Adora and I are really bad about it, actually. I like to come here, and Adora likes to train, but we have really good friends who are there for us whenever we want to talk.”

The stinging of nails in Catra’s skin goes away.

“You don’t talk to each other?”

Catra breathes out a laugh. “We didn’t used to, but we got better at it.”

Tiny fingers go back to playing with Catra’s own. “It’s quiet here.”

“Only animals and bugs live in the Whispering Woods,” Catra says, her ears twitching to the rustling of leaves a few feet away, “Was your village loud?”

“It was noisy, but it wasn’t bad.” Danai’s voice is soft and small, and Catra wonders if she’s remembering her village and what happened to it today.

Without actively realizing it, Catra holds onto her tighter.

“Do you like the quiet here?”

Danai nods sleepily, and Catra can feel her starting to fall asleep in her arms. Every time Danai’s chin dipped down, though, she startled herself back awake, and Catra knows why she doesn’t want to sleep.

If she sleeps, she dreams, and Danai’s nightmare tonight probably wasn’t the last after what she went through.

“Hey,” Catra says softly, “You’re safe here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I don’t want to see it again,” Danai whimpers.

“I know, kitten,” Catra moves Danai so that she’s more comfortable, “I can’t promise you won’t have another nightmare, but I will be right here when you wake up.”

Sleep seems to be winning over Danai’s fear and she falls asleep against Catra among the treetops of the Whispering Woods.

Adora finds them right as the sun peaks over the horizon, Etheria’s sky the pale purple and blue of morning. Adora looks up from the base of the tree, and Catra looks down at her and smiles, her fingers running through Danai’s tangled hair.

~*~

Catra is sure she’s going to murder Hakim. She probably would’ve already done it if C’yra, Felix, and Adora weren’t in the room, but her mother and girlfriend flank her on either side, Adora’s hand resting right above her knee.

“She’s not just some child who lost her parents,” Catra says, each word sounding more and more like a growl, “She witnessed the slaughter of her entire village, her parents included, and she’s the only one who survived. She’s barely comfortable being here, let alone living with someone completely new and strange.”

“It’s not that simple, Princess Catra,” Hakim says, his voice annoyingly formal and emotionless, “There’s custom to think about, and you’re already breaking the tradition by engaging in a relationship with Adora and foregoing the bonding ceremony.”

Catra goes to get up so that she can swipe at him, but C’yra puts a hand on her shoulder.

“Hakim, this is not the time to discuss custom, especially laws overturned by the council years ago,” C’yra says calmly, “There’s a young girl who’s traumatized, and the only person she feels safe around is Catra, so there’s no question about whether or not she’ll be staying at the palace.”

“Maybe her Highness should consider adoption,” Hakim suggests, “That would solve this problem.” He says it casually, like it isn’t something that would completely change Catra and Adora’s life.

Adora grabs Catra’s hand and squeezes, and it’s like Adora can read her mind and sense how overwhelmed Hakim’s suggestion makes her feel.

C’yra looks over at the two of them, and Catra can feel Felix’s gaze on her from his spot behind them.

“Maybe we should give Adora and Catra a moment,” Felix suggests, already going over to the door and opening it.

It looks like Hakim wants to argue, but C’yra stands and motions him out of her office, leaving Catra and Adora all alone.

Adora turns in her seat to face Catra, and her hands immediately come up to cup Catra’s face.

“I—” Catra’s hands come up to wrap around Adora’s wrists, “I don’t—how are we supposed to make that decision right now?”

“It is a little sudden.”

“A little?!”

“Okay, so a bit more than a little,” Adora starts running her thumbs over Catra’s cheeks.

“She’s only been here a few weeks. This is the first time since we brought her back to Half Moon that she felt safe enough that we could leave her with Felicity.”

“I know.”

“Do you even want a kid?”

“It’s not something I’ve ever really thought about.”

Catra sighs. “Neither have I. Honestly, I thought I would never feel comfortable enough to have one.”

“Do you feel comfortable now?”

“Do you?” Catra snaps, her nails digging into her thighs.

“Hey,” Adora grabs Catra’s hand, the other still against her cheek, “I know this is a lot to decide right now.”

“I just—” Catra closes her eyes and tries to focus, “What if I’m awful? I was around Shadow Weaver for eighteen years. What if I end up like her?”

“You won’t,” Adora insists, “And I won’t either. We are not Shadow Weaver, Catra.”

“How are you so sure?” Catra opens her eyes and brings a hand up to Adora’s back, her fingers tracing over scars she left behind, “I did so many awful things, and I was like her for so long.”

Adora brings Catra hand up to her mouth, lips brushing against the inside of Catra’s wrist. “I’m sure because you realized that what you did was wrong. Even in her last moments, Shadow Weaver believed everything she did, everything she did to us, was right.”

Catra can almost hear whispers of the things Shadow Weaver told her in Bright Moon’s prison, the soft, manipulative assurances that the Princess Alliance would get rid of her as soon as she fulfilled her purpose to them.

Now, so many years removed, she knows Shadow Weaver never cared about her. If Shadow Weaver even knew how to care about another person, that person was Adora, and Shadow Weavers’ caring wasn’t anything like C’yra or Angella. It had strings and expectations that were impossible to fill.

“She’s already gone through so much,” Catra says softly, “I don’t want her to go through anything else.”

“She’s safe here,” Adora promises, “Even if we don’t adopt her, she’s not going anywhere. She’ll be right here with us.”

“What do you think?”

“I think we should.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Adora smiles, “She’s already grown close to you, and she seems to be comfortable around me, and even though having a kid is scary, I think I’m ready if you are.”

“How are you so calm about this?”

“I don’t know,” Adora shrugs, “I guess I just thought about that fact that Half Moon got invaded, and they took you and raised you, and a portal pulled me through to Etheria, and in those circumstances, we were at the will of whoever found us. Of all of the people who could’ve found Danai, it was us, and I figured we’d be better parents than the people who raised us.”

“So, your logic is that we would be better than a bunch of commanding officers and an abusive sorceress who viewed you as nothing more than a means to an end and me as your annoying pet that she only kept around because of you.”

“When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous.”

Catra laughs, some of the tension and stress leaving her body. “It is a little ridiculous.”

“Am I wrong?”

“No,” Catra smiles, her hand squeezing Adora’s, “You’re not.”

“So,” Adora leans forward and kisses Catra softly, “Do you think we should?”

Catra thinks it over, and even though this is never something she thought she would want or something she was never really sure she could have, she can’t deny that finding a new home for Danai among the Magicats makes something uneasy grow in her. She knows her people, and she knows Danai would be safe and loved, but Danai has been with them for the past few weeks. She’s slept in their room and come to Catra when she’s had a nightmare, and Catra isn’t sure she wants Danai to be anywhere but with them.

“Well, when you give me an argument that good, I don’t think I can say no.”

~*~

Danai cracks the door open and looks in.

It’s the first night she’s in her own room, the first night she’s more than a few feet away from Catra and Adora, and she’s nervous.

She had a nightmare, the same nightmare she keeps having since her village was attacked, and climbing into Catra and Adora’s bed was easy when she was in the same room, but now that’s she’s right next door, she isn’t sure she’s allowed to anymore.

She sees shifting from the bed, and Adora pushes herself up a bit, an easy smile on her lips.

“You can come in,” Adora says softly, getting up so that she can grab Danai from the doorway.

Danai lets Adora pick her up and cuddle her close, and she snuggles in closer as Adora nudges the door closed and brings her to the bed.

Adora lays down, and she lets Danai stay where she is, her arms coming around to hug Danai close.

“I’m sorry,” Danai murmurs, her face pushed into the crook of Adora’s neck, and even though this isn’t the first time Adora has let her cuddle like this, she still thinks about how weird it is to cuddle into someone and just find skin.

“Why are you sorry?”

“I didn’t know if I was allowed to come in here.”

“How come?”

“Because I’m in the other room now.”

Adora squeezes her just a little bit tighter, and it reminds Danai of her daddy’s hugs.

“You’re always allowed in here,” Adora promises.

Danai closes her eyes again, and she feels the bed shift a bit, the blankets rustling, before there’s a comforting hand running up and down her back.

“Hey kitten,” Catra says, her voice rough and soft, “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Danai shift just enough so that she can turn her head and face Catra. “Adora said I could come in.”

Catra smiles, “Of course you can. Did you have a nightmare again?”

Danai nods.

“Anything we can do to help?” Adora asks.

“Don’t leave,” Danai says, her eyes starting to close, and she isn’t sure Adora and Catra understand what she’s asking. She doesn’t want them to leave right now, but she also doesn’t ever want them to leave. She feels safe with them, and she doesn’t want to lose that feeling again.

“We’re right here,” Catra says.

“And we’re not going anywhere,” Adora adds.

Danai starts to drift off, and she’s barely awake when Catra and Adora start a whispered conversation.

“We should probably ask her tomorrow,” Adora suggests, her hand coming up to run through Danai’s hair.

“I know,” Catra whispers, “I’m just scared she won’t want us.”

“Me too, but we won’t know until we talk to her about it.”

“You just love being right,” Catra says, sarcasm dripping through her words, “Ten years of being She-Ra really boosted your ego.”

“Like being the Magicat princess hasn’t boosted yours.”

“It’s very unfair that you have a good comeback when Danai is asleep on top of you and I can’t shove you without possibly waking her up.”

“That was my evil plan all along.”

Catra laughs, squeaky and soft, and moves closer to press a light kiss to Adora’s shoulder.

“Tomorrow then?” Adora asks.

“Tomorrow.”

~*~

Danai is sitting in the room that Adora and Catra told her is hers now, playing with the few toys C’yra and Felix could find. The room is silent besides the soft clacking as she builds with blocks, but she can hear Catra and Adora down the hall.

She wonders what they’re talking about, but even with her hearing, she can only pick up words here and there before Catra and Adora are in the doorway to her bedroom.

“Hey, kitten,” Catra says, coming over to sit across from Danai and her blocks, Adora sitting down beside her, “Can we talk to you about something?”

Danai nods, her hand holding the block coming up to her chest and clutching it close.

“It’s nothing bad,” Adora says quickly, noticing Danai’s shift in mood, “We just wanted your opinion on something.”

“What?” Danai asks, her voice soft and scared, the corner of the block digging into her hand.

“We wanted to know if you like it here,” Catra says, her hand coming up to unfurl Danai’s clenched hand, taking the block and placing it back with the others, and Adora opens her arms to offer for Danai to climb into her lap, and Danai takes the offer without question.

Adora wraps her arms around Danai tight, and Catra wraps her tail around Danai’s wrist.

Danai thinks about it, about the past few weeks here, and even though it’s been overwhelming, even though Half Moon seems so big and scary, even though she misses her little village with her mommy and daddy always there and the quiet of the Meadowlands, she feels safe whenever she’s with Catra and Adora.

“I like being with you two,” Danai says, sinking into the comfort.

“We like being with you, too,” Adora squeezes Danai lightly.

“We were thinking you could stay with us for a while,” Catra suggests, her voice soft and reassuring, “If you wanted.”

“Really?”

Danai looks up at Adora, and Adora nods. “Really.”

“Okay,” Danai says, and even though it comes out soft and still a little anxious, she’s so happy that Catra and Adora wants her.

They aren’t leaving me, Danai thinks as Catra picks up one of the blocks and offers to play with Danai, They don’t want to leave.

She stays in Adora’s lap, but Catra helps her build a tower out of the blocks, and when it’s built tall and wobbling, Catra suggests that Danai knock it over so they can start again, and Danai does, the blocks falling over Catra and Adora’s feet, the two of them laughing.

I hope they never leave, Danai thinks, building the tower up again.

~*~

Catra makes her way through the library, scholars waving and bowing as she makes her way back to Felix’s usual spot deep in the history section, and when she makes it to the end of the aisle that opens up to the table, she stops.

Catra is a strong person. She’s the princess of the Magicats, and even though it’s from a time she’s not particularly proud of, she climbed the ranks of the Horde to be Hordak’s second-in-command. There aren’t many people she can’t best in combat, and she’s well known among the Magicats for her strength and skill, and yet the scene in front of her almost has her sinking to her knees with how cute it is.

Felix has Danai in his lap, and while he reads, Danai is coloring quietly, and Catra can see her tail swaying happily behind her.

For just a moment, Catra imagines it’s her there, imagines a life where the Horde never invaded Half Moon and she was never taken. She imagines having memories of spending time with Felix like this in the library, sitting on his lap while reading or drawing or doing anything else kids raised outside of the barracks do in their free time.

Danai stretches a little too far reaching for a crayon, and Felix has to put a quick arm around her to catch her before she can fall, and she smiles up at him in thanks, Felix returning the smile, and when she looks back down to her drawing, she catches Catra standing in the opening of the aisles.

Her eyes light up, and Felix releases her as she starts to squirm, his laugh quiet as she hits the floor and rushes over to Catra.

Catra picks her up without thinking, the ghosts of maybe-memories dissolving quickly. “Well, hi there, kitten,” Catra says through a laugh, “I didn’t mean to interrupt your fun.”

“I have to admit,” Felix gets up, a stack of papers offered to Catra, “She might be a better reading partner than you.”

“If I had known I would be dethroned so quickly, I would’ve had someone else watch her,” Catra says sarcastically, but there isn’t any bite to it, and Danai giggles softly.

Catra takes the offered papers, some revised trade agreement that C’yra wanted Felix to read through to catch anything in the fine print, and asks, “I’m assuming she wasn’t any trouble then?”

“Not at all,” Felix assures Catra, “We just sat and read and colored.” He says the second part to Danai, and Danai turns to Catra and nods along.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Of course,” Felix ruffled Danai’s bangs, making them even messier than they already are, and Danai giggles and curls into Catra to try and get away, “I’m happy to watch her whenever you need me to.”

“And did you have fun with Felix?” Catra asks Danai, “Hopefully, he didn’t force you to read anything too boring.”

Danai nods quickly, and Felix smiles.

“You’re never too young to begin your studies,” Felix jokes, turning to go back to his table, and Danai watches him, her fingers starting to play with the clasp keeping Catra’s cape draped over the one shoulder.

“Everything okay, kitten?” Catra asks Danai quietly, the fidgeting telling her that Danai has something on her mind.

She’s not expecting a response, but Danai stops messing with the clasp and asks, “Can you please let me down?”

“Of course.”

Catra does, and Danai runs back to Felix, climbing up onto the bench and throwing her arms around him, and Catra sees Felix’s eyes go wide in surprise before he pulls Danai into a crushing hug, one that Danai doesn’t seem to mind.

Danai whispers something to Felix when she pulls back, and Felix laughs and says something back, his pinkie coming up between them.

Catra sees Danai’s head tilt and her eyebrows come together in confusion, and she watches Felix explain to Danai what a pinkie promise is, bringing Danai’s pinkie to wrap around his to seal the promise.

Danai says one last thing before bouncing off of the bench and running to Catra, taking Catra’s hand and attempting to pull her out of the library.

Catra waves to Felix as she lets Danai pulls her down the aisle, Felix’s laugh following them as they leave.

~*~

Just as she’s passing by the kitchens, Catra hears her name, and she stops and looks in through the cracked door.

It’s Adora, her hair half up and an apron thrown over her casual clothes, and Danai is sat on the counter beside her, some flour dusting her dark hair. Danai is stirring, and she looks up at Adora with a small smile and asks, “Do you think Catra will like these?”

“I know a secret,” Adora says, and she leans in to whisper to Danai even though, as far as she knows, no one is around to hear.

“What?” Danai whispers, but Catra can see her tail flicking with excitement.

“These are Catra’s favorite snacks,” Adora whispers, “And she especially loves them right before she has to have a meeting with the council.”

Catra hides a smile behind her hand, and she moves to hides herself behind the door when Adora leans up, but when she looks around the doorjamb, she sees Adora smiling at her and she knows she’s been caught.

Adora doesn’t give her away, though. She hands Danai the next ingredient and lets Danai add it to the filling and stir it in.

“I’ve never had these before,” Danai says, passing the bowl of filling over to Adora, and Adora starts scooping it out into the waiting dough rounds, closing them up like Pisica taught her.

“Well, as I’ve learned, the best thing about cooking is trying the food before you give it to someone else,” Adora says, putting some filling on a round and showing Danai how to close it up, “We’ll have to eat a few before we bring them to Catra to make sure they’re just right.”

Danai looks excited, her fingers trying to mirror Adora’s movement to close the empanada.

“Mommy and Daddy used to cook a lot,” Danai says as she starts another, and Catra sees Adora’s eyes going wide, and she’s sure she doesn’t look too different hidden where Danai can’t see her.

Danai hasn’t talked about her life out in the Meadowlands at all since Catra and Adora brought her to Half Moon. If she talks at all, she prefers asking questions about everything new around her, but this is the first time Danai has said anything about her life before.

“Did they?” Adora asks, focusing on the empanada in front of her to try and stay casual.

Danai nods, her tongue poking out past her teeth as she tries crimping the dough closed.

“Catra and I didn’t grow up cooking,” Adora says, moving onto a new round of dough, “Where we grew up, they thought there were more important things to learn. I didn’t even know food could be so good until I got to Bright Moon.”

Catra remembers the ration bars that the Fright Zone tried to pass off as a meal. She knows she had a favorite, but everything she remembers seems so bland in comparison to every meal she’s had since being dropped off on Beast Island.

She remembers which bar was Adora’s favorite though. The gray ones, which she somehow argued tasted the best, but Catra can’t even remember if they tasted different at all.

“But you cook now.” Danai shows her work to Adora, and Adora smiles and brushes the stray flour out of Danai’s hair, giving Danai a thumbs up to know she did a good job.

“I do,” Adora says through a laugh, “But to be honest, I’m not all that good at it, and I can really only cook a few things. Catra’s really good at it though, but she only likes to cook for special occasions.”

“Why did you learn to cook these?”

“They’re Catra’s favorite,” Adora puts a steadying hand on Danai’s back when Danai leans over a bit too far and starts to slide off the counter, “A few years ago, I asked Pisica to teach me how to make them for our anniversary.”

Danai finishes another, and Adora turns on the burner under the oil.

“I like cooking,” Danai says, stopping her work to watch Adora drop one of the empanadas into the oil to start frying.

“It’s fun,” Adora agrees, and Catra smiles when Adora suggests, “We can ask Pisica to teach you a few things if you want.”

Danai smiles and nods, and as they start frying up the rest of the empanadas, Catra sneaks away before she’s late to spar with C’yra.

Later, just as Catra is about to follow C’yra into the council’s quarters, she feels a tug at her formal cloak and looks down to find Danai holding a plate of empanadas, the one on top a little strange and lop-sided looking.

“Well, hi there, kitten,” Catra crouches down, “How did you know that empanadas are my favorite?”

“Adora told me.” Danai bounces on the pads of her toes.

“We made them together,” Adora says, and Catra looks up to see Adora smirking at her.

“These look delicious, so I’m assuming Danai did all the work,” Catra snarks, taking the empanada on top and biting into it, the filling still warm and incredibly sweet.

“Well, most of it,” Adora crosses her arms, and she shrugs, “I have to say, her crimping work in impeccable.”

Catra looks down at the empanada she’s holding, and she nods and says, “A master on her first try.”

Danai smiles bright, and Catra finishes the empanada and brushes Danai’s bangs out of her eyes.

“Catra,” C’yra says from behind her, and when Catra turns around, C’yra is smiling, but she nods her heads towards the room, “The council is waiting.”

“Can I take these, kitten?” Catra asks, pointing down at the plate, “I’ll need something sweet to get me through this meeting.”

Danai nods and hands the plate to Catra, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Catra stands, and Adora comes and places a kiss right under Catra’s ears, whispering, “Next time, you should join us.”

Catra smirks and shrugs. “Who was I to interrupt mastery?”

Adora laughs, and she picks Danai up. “Have fun in your council meeting.”

Catra rolls her eyes, “I always do.”

~*~

C’yra’s office is suspiciously quiet when Adora knocks. Usually she can hear Catra and C’yra bickering on the other side, their banter going back and forth easily without any bite to their words, but when she hears C’yra softly tell her to come in, all she finds is C’yra at her desk, Danai curled up into her and asleep on C’yra’s shoulder.

“Catra’s out on the training fields with Cassandra,” C’yra explains quietly so that she doesn’t wake Danai up.

Adora nods, “I know they’ve had to skip the past few weeks.”

“Well, you know,” C’yra glances down to Danai, and Adora sees that Danai has her fingers fisted into C’yra’s formal shirt, “Things have been a bit busy.”

“That’s an understatement,” Adora says, then gestures to Danai, “I can take her from you if you want.”

“Oh, please,” C’yra breathes out, “I really don’t mind, but I’m not as young as I used to be and my back is incredibly stiff.”

C’yra tries to pull Danai away, but Danai just grips harder and cuddles further into C’yra.

Adora breathes out a laugh at C’yra’s expression and says, “Here, let me.”

She comes over and unwraps Danai’s hands from C’yra’s shirt, being gentle as she lifts Danai up and lets Danai cuddle into her instead.

“You’re good at that,” C’yra comments, standing up so that she can stretch out her back, and Adora hears a string of soft pops.

“Catra and I have had to do it a lot,” Adora says, readjusting Danai on her hip into a more comfortable position, “She hasn’t been sleeping a lot at night lately, so she just falls asleep whenever she’s comfortable.”

“Catra told me that she’s trying to spend the night in her own room.”

Adora sighs, “We can’t figure out why.”

“My guess?” C’yra says, “She doesn’t want to feel like a burden on you two.”

“She isn’t,” Adora says quickly.

“I know,” C’yra laughs softly, “You don’t need to assure me.”

“Sorry,” Adora sighs again, “I just don’t know what to do.”

C’yra sits back down behind her desk. “I don’t know if there’s anything you can do,” she says, “If there’s anything I learned after we found Catra on Beast Island, it’s that sometimes you need to let someone process something on their own in their own way.”

Adora takes a seat across from C’yra, Danai shifting until she settles again with a sigh. “She’s just so young,” Adora says, “I don’t want her to feel like she has to suffer alone.”

“Based on how comfortable she is with you and Catra, I doubt she thinks that,” C’yra says, motioning to Danai fast asleep in Adora’s arms, “Just hold her close when you can and remind her that you’re there if she ever needs you. That’s all any parent can do.”

“Thanks, C’yra.”

C’yra smiles, and it reminds Adora of the smiles she sees whenever C’yra watches Catra, like she’s never been happier than in this moment. “Of course, Adora.”

“I’m going to try and get her to take a nap in her bed.”

“Best of luck unlatching her from you,” C’yra says with a smirk that’s so much like Catra’s.

“I may just take a nap with her,” Adora says through a soft laugh, “It would be easier.”

“Well, hopefully I’ll see you at dinner unless you’re trapped underneath the world’s cutest trap.”

Adora gets up to leave, and when she gets to the door, she turns around to see that smile again, and Adora smiles too.

~*~

“I’m not getting on that thing.”

Swift Wind huffs, “I am not a thing, Catra.”

“Oh yes, I apologize,” Catra says sarcastically, “I will not be riding your magical talking horse to Bright Moon.”

“I am not Adora’s,” Swift Wind bats Catra with one of his wings, “We are partners.”

“Knock it off, you two,” Adora says, her voice tired. She shifts just so, adjusting Danai on her hip.

Danai looks between Catra and Swift Wind with wide, curious eyes.

“I don’t like flying,” Catra says to Adora, “You know I don’t like flying.”

“Well, it’s not like I like feeling your claws dig into my fur so we’re even.”

“Guys,” Adora says, exasperated, then turns to Catra, “It’s quicker to fly than to walk, and Glimmer might just kill me if we get there late.”

Catra rolls her eyes. “Because I care so much about that.”

Adora sighs. “Danai,” she says, and Danai’s gaze fixes on Adora, “Would you rather walk or fly?”

Danai looks over at Swift Wind, and he smiles.

“Fly,” Danai says quietly, but Catra can see the excitement in her eyes.

“The leader has spoken,” Adora says, passing Danai over to Catra so that she can climb onto Swift Wind’s back.

“You know, kid,” Catra says, lifting Danai up so Adora can take her back, “I feel a bit betrayed.”

Danai smiles as Adora settles her right behind Swift Wind’s wings, and it melts some of Catra’s nervous energy, because she’s sure that in all of the time Danai has spent in Half Moon, she’s never seen Danai this excited.

The nervousness comes back when Adora offers her a hand.

“You grip your claws into Adora, got it?” Swift Wind says, angling his head back to jab it at Catra.

Just for good measure, Catra grips with her claws to get herself comfortable behind Adora, and Swift Wind bucks once to get Catra back before Adora is telling them both to stop.

Catra wraps her arms around Adora, her claws completely sheathed.

As they take off, Catra can hear Danai talking softly to Adora, her excitement raising even more when they’re in the air. She points to the trees below, and Catra sees Adora wrap a tight, secure arm around Danai’s waist so she won’t accidentally throw herself off.

As the Whispering Woods starts to thin out and disappear into the lake that surrounds Bright Moon’s castle, Danai’s eyes go wide, and she looks back at Catra and Adora with wide, excited eyes.

Swift Wind lands right before the castle doors, his wings stretching out and pulling back in as he comes to a stop.

Glimmer and Bow are stood outside, each with a firm hand on their daughter’s shoulder to stop the inevitable onslaught.

Catra gets down from Swift Wind and takes Danai from Adora, holding her close and offering Adora a hand, which Adora completely ignores. She swings off of Swift Wind with a confidence that has Catra rolling her eyes, and she smirks at Catra when she lands solidly on her feet.

“Show off.”

“No insulting each other in front of Danai,” Adora says like they made that an actual rule, and Catra rolls her eyes with a fond smile.

And then Adora is knocked back a few steps, arms wrapping around her waist and an excited shout of, “Aunt Adora!”

“We held her off as long as we could,” Glimmer says with a sigh, but she’s smiling as Hina rounds on Catra and stops herself when she sees Danai gripping Catra as tightly as her little hands will allow.

“Hi,” Hina says happily, offering Danai her hand, but Danai hides her face in Catra’s shoulder, her little claws digging into Catra’s back.

Hina’s smile drops, and Bow comes up behind her and ruffles her hair just so, a few wayward sparkles falling from messy curls. “We talked about this, love,” Bow says gently, “Danai is a bit shy, so too much energy might scare her a bit.”

“Right,” Hina nods, and Catra and Adora both smile at each other, “Calm and cool.”

Catra jostles Danai, and Danai looks up at her with wide, terrified eyes.

“Come on, kitten,” Catra says softly, “Let’s introduce you to everyone.”

Adora puts a hand on Danai’s back, and Danai looks over her shoulder to see Adora smiling at her. “They’re really nice,” Adora promises, “Bow and Glimmer have been my friends for years, and Hina is so excited to get to play with you.”

Danai looks down at Hina, and Catra can see just how much Hina is holding back. She’s bouncing on the balls of her feet and her tiny little wings, not big enough yet to even pull her off of the ground, are fluttering.

Hina reminds Adora of Glimmer when they were teenagers, a small ball of energy waiting to be released, but Hina also has Bow’s restraint and thoughtful nature keeping her calm for the time being.

Danai quietly asks Catra to be let down, but she still stands close to Catra and Adora, her fingers fisted into Adora’s pants.

Hina offers Danai a hand. “Do you like coloring?”

Danai looks up at Catra and Adora, and Adora smiles and whispers, “It’s okay.”

“We can also do whatever you want to do,” Hina says softly, a thoughtfulness that mirrors Bow’s pushing through the excitement of a new friend.

Danai takes Hina’s hand, and Hina’s smile grows brighter than the Moon Stone, and she leads Danai into the castle, talking about a mile a minute.

The adults follow Hina and Danai into the family’s living quarters, and Hina leads Danai over to a small, child-sized table in the corner covered in toys and coloring books.

“That wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be,” Bow says as he pulls out Glimmer’s chair.

“It honestly went far smoother than I was expecting,” Catra throws herself down into a chair, earning a glare from Glimmer, “She’s been so hesitant around anyone that isn’t me or Adora.”

“She’s warmed up to C’yra and Felix too,” Adora sits and takes Catra’s hand, running her thumb over Catra’s knuckles, “They have watched her a few times, and Danai seems to really like spending time in the library.”

“Felix is thrilled,” Catra rolls her eyes.

“She seems to like being around Hina,” Glimmer nods over to Hina and Danai in the corner, Hina offering Danai one of the crayons, and even though her movements are hesitant, Danai takes it, “I was afraid Hina might be a bit too much for her.”

“Luckily she takes after Arrow Boy in thoughtfulness,” Catra snarks, and Glimmer looks like she’s about to lob a fistful of sparkles in Catra’s face, but Adora cuts in before she can.

“Speaking of,” Adora says quickly, squeezing Catra’s hand in a way that tells Catra to knock it off, “How are you two handling Hina’s powers?”

Bow groans and drops his face into his hands and Glimmer just laughs lightly, her hand coming up to rub Bow’s back.

“So you’re handling it well,” Catra says through a short laugh.

“She just disappears!” Bow’s voice is shrill but quiet enough that it doesn’t pull the attention of the kids, “I’ll be serving her lunch, and I’ll turn around to grab a glass, and then she’s just gone!”

Glimmer laughs and Adora gives Bow a few sympathetic pats.

“She’s started using it to get out of lessons,” Glimmer adds on, and Catra notes that Glimmer seems to find it more amusing than worrying, “I can’t tell you how many times her tutors have complained over the last few weeks.”

“You seem remarkable calm, Sparkles,” Catra comments.

“Well, as my mother informed me, this is payback for raising me,” Glimmer says with an eye roll.

“What did I do then?” Bow asks, his voice raising even more, and this time, it’s enough to draw the attention of Danai and Hina in the corner, and Hina’s head tilts in curiosity and confusion while Danai looks to Catra and Adora to make sure everything is okay.

“Daddy?” Hina asks, getting up and coming over to Bow.

Danai follows after and climbs into Adora’s lap, her eyes watching Bow.

“I’m fine, sweetie,” Bow promises before pulling Hina into his lap.

“You seemed upset,” Hina looks over to Glimmer, “Is he upset?”

“He’s just being dramatic,” Glimmer assures Hina, a hand coming up to push a piece of messy hair out of Hina’s face.

Bow glares at Glimmer over Hina’s head, and Glimmer just gives him a sweet smile in response.

Adora feels a tug at her sleeve, and she looks down to see Danai tugging on her jacket sleeve, her eyes still on Bow.

“Is everything okay?” Adora asks softly, pulling Catra’s attention to the two of them.

“Is he okay?” Danai asks, her voice filled with worry.

Adora smiles, and Catra brushes Danai’s bangs from her face. “Yeah, kitten,” Catra says, a soft smile on her lips, “Bow is just fine.”

“You promise?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” Adora suggests.

Danai looks between Adora and Catra and then turns back to Bow, and Bow is watching her with a soft, gentle expression. He doesn’t say anything, and Hina smiles wide at her new friend, and Danai curls her claws in Adora’s jacket sleeve before asking, “Are you okay?”

“I am,” Bow nods, and Hina smiles up at him, “We were just talking about adult things that are a bit stressful.”

“That’s boring,” Hina says bluntly, and Glimmer and Catra snort, Bow looking scandalized and Adora hiding a smile behind Danai.

“You’re right,” Catra tells Hina, “It’s incredibly boring. Everything we talk about is absolutely awful. Can I join you and Danai instead?”

Hina’s eyes light up, and she starts squirming in Bow’s arms. “Will you really join us, Aunt Catra?” Hina asks excitedly, then quickly repeats, “Please,” over and over, and Catra thinks that this would’ve been overwhelming in another life when she was a different person, but who she is now laughs and gets up, moving around Adora to grab Hina from Bow and throw Hina over her shoulder.

Hina squeals, and Catra jostles her lightly.

“I’m stealing your kid,” Catra calls over her shoulder to Bow and Glimmer, and Hina’s laughs.

As Catra gets to the door, she turns around and asks Danai, “You wanna come with, kitten?”

Danai looks over at Catra and then up at Adora, and she shakes her head no, curling closer into Adora and closing her eyes.

Catra never really expected Danai to come along, and she can already see Danai falling asleep, so she waves to Adora before leaving the living area.

“If she has even a scratch on her, I’m throwing you into the prison!” Glimmer calls after them, and Catra’s faint voice replies, “I would love to see you try.”

“Admit it,” Adora says, absentmindedly running her fingers through Danai’s hair and over her back, “You love when Catra plays with Hina because Hina always comes back completely spent.”

“It is easier to get her in bed whenever you and Catra are here,” Glimmer admits, and then she smiles as Danai starts to purr softly, “It doesn’t look like you and Catra really have that problem.”

Adora looks down to see Danai completely passed out, and she can’t say she’s surprised. Danai doesn’t sleep much when she isn’t cuddled in between Catra and Adora, and she’s been trying to stay in her own room and sleep alone lately, so she’s been waking up exhausted.

With all of the excitement of the day, Adora is more surprised it took Danai this long to climb into either her or Catra’s lap and fall asleep.

“It’s all been a lot,” Adora says, and she hopes it encompasses everything, not just a day spent in Bright Moon with friends.

Bow’s eyes are glistening slightly, and he looks like he might combust. “She’s just so cute,” he says like the amount of cuteness causes him pain, “I mean, I’ve seen the kittens in Half Moon, but Danai is purring and it’s probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Adora breathes out a laugh. “Between her and Catra, I don’t even notice it anymore.”

“I might die from how cute that is.”

“I think we might’ve broke him,” Glimmer deadpans.

“It’s not really difficult,” Adora adds on, and Bow’s overflowing-with-cute face turns into a glare.

“Not all of us live in an entire city of Magicats who have probably the cutest offspring of anyone on Etheria.”

“We have a kid, you know,” Glimmer says, “A very cute kid who takes after you a lot more than she takes after me.”

“I can think Hina is the cutest child alive while also admitting that Danai has the cutest little purr I’ve ever heard in my life,” Bow reasons, “Hina doesn’t purr, so it’s perfectly valid.”

Glimmer and Adora laugh, and Danai makes a little squeak in protest at all the noise and buries her face as far in Adora’s chest as physically possible, her ear resting right over Adora’s heartbeat.

“How has everything really been?” Glimmer asks softly.

“Honestly?” Adora takes a deep breath, “It’s been really hard. I mean, some things were easy. Asking Danai to stay with us in Half Moon was incredibly easy, but I’m starting to feel like Hakim does not like Catra and me together and is trying to throw a wrench in every part of our lives, because I swear he’s opposed us every step of the way, and I don’t know if that’s just me being paranoid, or if it’s really happening.”

“What do you mean?” Bow reaches out and puts a comforting hand on Adora’s shoulder.

“It’s just,” Adora looks down at Danai to give herself a chance to gather her thoughts, “I don’t know whether I’m just overthinking it. First, there was the issue that Catra is the Magicat princess and I’m not a Magicat, so I wasn’t a suitable choice for the binding ceremony, and then we decided not to do the binding ceremony, and that was an issue. And then, with Danai, despite C’yra and Felix both deciding Danai would stay with us regardless, Hakim pushed us into adopting her, and it was fine. Catra and I both decided it was the best choice for her, but we had to decide on the spot.”

Adora’s ramble leaves her breathless, and she feels that tight feeling in her chest that she got so used to when she was younger, and she wishes Catra was here, because Catra’s presence is the easiest thing to use to ground herself, but Catra is off with Hina and none the wiser.

Danai is here, though, her fingers fisted into Adora’s shirt and her purrs rumbling, quieter than Catra’s but still loud enough to vibrate into Adora, and she closes her eyes and hugs Danai closer.

“Hey,” Adora opens her eyes to see Glimmer right in front of her, and Adora feels like they’re teenagers again, a younger Glimmer crouched down in front of a recently-defected Adora as she talks Adora through a panic attack that were a lot more frequent back then.

“It’s not paranoia,” Glimmer assures Adora, and when Adora looks to Bow for some kind of confirmation, he nods and smiles.

“It seems like he’s just trapped in tradition,” Glimmer continues, “And sadly, to him, you’re the thing that breaks that.” Glimmer grabs Adora’s hand and squeezes. “It doesn’t matter, though. Catra chose you, and she keeps choosing you and this life you two have together every day, and I’m pretty sure she would brutally murder Hakim before she let him get in between you two.”

“And the Magicats keep choosing you too,” Bow adds on, the hand that’s on Adora’s shoulder running gently over Adora’s arm, “C’yra and Felix would never let outdated traditions get in the way of your happiness with Catra, and from what I can tell, most of the Magicats support the pull from tradition.”

Adora wants to believe them, and she really tries to, but there’s still that nagging voice in the back of her head that sounds like someone she wishes she could just forget.

Oh Adora, the voice whispers to her, Isn’t is clear that you’ve exhausted your use? What are you without She-Ra and a war to fight? How is it that you’ve let Catra pull ahead of you? You need to do better.

It’s quiet, so quiet, but still just there enough to cast doubts and shadows over Bow and Glimmer’s comfort and assurances.

“I just don’t think I’m enough,” Adora says, quiet enough that she can pretend for just a moment that she’s saying her worries into an empty room and not to her two best friends, “For Catra, as She-Ra,” she paused, running her fingers through Danai’s soft, messy hair, “And I’m worried that because I’m not enough, I’m going to end up like her and ruin Danai in the same way she ruined me.”

Adora tries to remember the confidence she had when she promised Catra they wouldn’t be like Shadow Weaver, that they could raise Danai feeling loved and enough, but it’s disappeared in the face of anxieties she thought she had already pressed down deep enough to be forgotten.

“You are enough,” Glimmer says like it’s not even question, “You are enough for Catra, and enough as She-Ra, and most importantly, you, Adora, are enough, and you want to know how I know you won’t end up like Shadow Weaver?”

Adora waits for Glimmer to continue, and luckily, Glimmer understands that Adora doesn’t really know what to say in response.

“I know you won’t be like her, because you’re worried about becoming her,” Glimmer says with a confidence Adora doesn’t feel, “You’re looking at how you were raised and correcting, and I know Catra is doing the same. And I won’t pretend like you won’t make mistakes. Bow and I have made plenty, but making mistakes and fixing them is sort of what being a parent is about.”

“And you learn from those mistakes,” Bow continues, “And sometimes the mistakes can be big, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn and heal from them. I mean, remember how my dads didn’t know I was in the Rebellion?”

“And my mom’s overprotectiveness?” Glimmer adds on with a laugh.

“And neither of us resent our parents for either,” Bow finishes, “We worked through it and came out on the other side stronger.”

Adora doesn’t know what to say. Bow and Glimmer are making good points, and logically it all makes sense. She was there when Bow’s dads learned that Bow had been lying to them, and she saw how they were happy that Bow found a place he belonged, even if they were upset that Bow didn’t feel like he could be himself around them. And she watched Angella become more and more comfortable with Glimmer taking a bigger role in the war before Hordak’s defeat, and even now, even as they’re seeing an era of peace, Angella struggles with Glimmer going out and facing the insurgents who have kept popping up throughout the years, but she never stops Glimmer and never tries to keep her from a fight.

Adora takes a deep breath and feels the tightness in her chest start to ebb away. It’s not completely gone, and she knows it’ll take a few more deep breaths to really go away, but she feels better. She feels less anxious.

Shadow Weaver’s voice is just a murmur now.

“You’ll do just fine,” Glimmer says, “And if you ever need help, you have so many people willing to offer, okay?”

Adora nods.

“Okay,” Glimmer squeezes Adora’s hand one more time before going back to her seat, and the conversation starts up again like nothing happened. They fall into easy conversation about their lives, and Adora thinks that they’ve gotten a bit boring since Hordak’s defeat. Day to day used to be visiting villages and stopping Horde forces, but now their lives are meetings and peace and quiet, and Adora thinks that she prefers this.

Sometimes, she misses the excitement, and she misses having a reason to turn into She-Ra. The Sword of Protection has become more of an accessory since the war ended, resting as a bracelet on Adora’s wrist just in case She-Ra is ever needed, but there aren’t as many threats anymore.

Adora should mind. Being She-Ra was such a big part of her identity for so long, but as they reminisce about a time right after they had all met, Bow telling the story with exaggerated gestures and sound effects, Adora doesn’t mind.

She-Ra was incredibly important to her for a long time, but now, she’s more than happy just being Adora.

Midway through Bow retelling the story about some adventure he and Sea Hawk went on, Catra comes back with Hina cradled against her shoulder, Hina’s eyes barely staying open despite her attempts to stay awake.

“I think I might’ve tired her out,” Catra says in greeting, jostling Hina on her shoulder, and Hina groans in protest.

“I’m not tired,” Hina barely gets out, her eyes closed despite her claim.

Glimmer breathes out a laugh, getting up to take Hina from Catra. “Whatever you say, love.”

Hina curls into Glimmer, taking a deep breath and letting out a soft sigh.

“We should probably get her to bed,” Bow says, getting up to follow Glimmer.

Catra sees Danai still fast asleep against Adora and says, “Yeah, we should probably get back to Half Moon too.”

“Hopefully we can get her to sleep in her bed for a bit,” Adora agrees, getting up and keeping a strong arm around Danai to keep Danai against her chest.

“I guess our crazy, wild night are all over,” Catra jokes, and Glimmer rolls her eyes.

“When did we ever have any crazy, wild nights, Catra?” Glimmer deadpans.

“Oh, I was referring to me and Bow,” Catra takes Danai from Adora and heads back out where she knows Swift Wind is waiting, “We had some fun times.”

“Remember the Kingdom of Snows?” Bow asks, leaning into the joke, “I’m pretty sure Frosta banned us for a year.”

“Right,” Catra pretends to remember, “It took some groveling and more than a few gifts for her to even think about allowing us to enter her kingdom ever again.”

“Okay, you two,” Glimmer stopped them, “Catra, get out of my castle and my kingdom. Adora, it was lovely seeing you. Thank you for reminding me why you’re the only friend I can stand.”

“Tell Angella we said hi,” Adora says, giving Glimmer a quick hug and pressing a kiss to Hina’s crown.

“And give our condolences to Felix and C’yra for having that as a daughter,” Glimmer says in good-bye.

Catra sticks out her tongue at Glimmer as Bow opens the castle’s front doors for her, and Swift Wind swoops down when he sees them walking out.

Adora swings up onto Swift Wind’s back easily, saying something before reaching out for Danai so Catra could get up, and as soon as they’re all secure, Swift Wind takes off for Half Moon.

~*~

“Stop twitching,” Adora says through a laugh, her hand coming up to keep Catra’s hand still, “You’re the one who trusted Scorpia and Entrapta to watch over Danai when Glimmer called us.”

“It’s not Scorpia that I’m worried about,” Catra says as they make their way up to Dryl’s doors, “I’m just worried Entrapta tried to do some weird experiment on her, or some robots went rogue and started tearing up the castle, Danai included.”

“Oh, come on,” Adora presses the button for the buzzer at the front door to let Entrapta know they’re here, “That was one time.”

“Not helping, Adora,” Catra says through gritted teeth.

“Plus, that was due to a virus in some First Ones technology, so Danai is completely safe.”

Catra glares at Adora, but Adora just smiles and holds the door open for Catra as Entrapta lets them in.

They wait in the courtyard, and Catra crosses her arms and taps her toes against the stone, her tail flicking.

“Would you stop that?” Adora bats Catra’s tail away as it flicks against her thigh, “These are our friends, you know.”

“Nothing seems out of the ordinary,” Catra comments, looking around the courtyard and seeing everything in the same place as it was in when they dropped Danai off earlier.

“You’re worrying too much.”

“And you’re not worrying enough,” Catra turns on Adora, “Entrapta is my friend, but I wouldn’t exactly call all of her experiments ethical. It’s why we became friends in the first place.”

Adora crosses her arms and smirks. “You’re so cute when you’re morally gray.”

“Stop that,” Catra shoves her hand against Adora’s face, but Adora just laughs and tries to grab Catra’s wrists to get her to stop.

“Fascinating,” Catra hears from the direction of the castle, and the telltale click on a recorder being pressed, “Log, Day 563 of observing relationship behavior. Adora and Catra seem to find some form of enjoyment from shoving each other. How gratification is reached has yet to be seen.”

Catra groans and Adora laughs, letting Catra go, and when they turn, Danai is running over to them, crashing into Catra’s legs and then Adora’s.

“Wildcat!”

It’s the only warning Catra gets before Scorpia scoops her up into a tight hug, and even though Catra’s come to really enjoy Scorpia’s hugs, she still fights them, even if it is halfhearted.

“We literally saw each other hours ago, Scorp,” Catra pushes against Scorpia’s shoulders.

“But it was only for a few moments,” Scorpia holds on tighter, and Catra’s sure she hears her spine crack, “I didn’t really get a chance to say hello.”

Catra groans and goes slack. “Hello, Scorpia.”

Scorpia’s eyes light up, and she goes straight into a retelling of her day. Catra hears giggling from behind her, and she turns her head to see Adora and Danai giggling at her expense.

Oddly, she doesn’t really mind.

“Hey, Scorp?”

Scorpia stops mid-sentence and goes, “Yeah?”

“Can you let me down?”

“Oh, of course, Wildcat!” Scorpia lets Catra go, and Catra lands on her feet and brushes out the wrinkles in her clothes.

“Please tell me that you didn’t allow Entrapta to experiment on my kid,” Catra comments, turning to see that Adora and Entrapta are deep in conversation.

“Actually, when Danai wasn’t cuddled up with me, she was following Entrapta around and asking to help,” Scorpia reaches for her commpad and taps a few things before pulling up pictures of Danai and Entrapta working on whatever experiment that caught Entrapta’s attention, “There was something incredibly endearing about it, though I’m pretty sure Entrapta did all of the talking.”

Catra smiles and tries to hide it. “Yeah, she’s not much of a talker.”

“But she’s so cuddly,” Scorpia says, one of her claws coming up to her cheeks and her eyes sparkling, “It’s like having a version of you that doesn’t fight my hugs.”

“Scorp—”

“Oh no, I know it’s all just an act at this point,” Scorpia stops Catra’s explanation, and Catra’s smile turns soft, “Danai just climbed into my lap, though, and she didn’t seem to mind my claws or all of the spikes.”

“I’m pretty sure she would fall asleep on a bed of nails,” Catra comments, and when she looks closer at the pictures Scorpia took, she sees Danai smiling up at Entrapta mid-explanation, her hands moving wildly, and then there’s another of Danai hard at work, Entrapta watching over her carefully.

“Entrapta didn’t let her do anything too dangerous,” Scorpia promises Catra.

“No, I know,” Catra flips to the next picture, one of Entrapta teaching Danai how to use one of her many tools, “It’s just unexpected, but I guess it makes sense.”

When Catra sees Scorpia’s brows come together in confusion, she says, “Danai’s favorite place in Half Moon is the library, so it makes sense that she saw Nerd Princess and wanted to know more.”

Catra feels a hand on her back, and she turns around to find Adora behind her, Danai still listening to Entrapta.

“So, it seems like Danai and Entrapta got along really well,” Adora says with a smug smile.

“Shut up,” Catra growls, elbowing into Adora’s stomach.

“What, did Scorpia not tell you?” Adora dodges the next elbow, throwing Catra a little off balance, “Danai wasn’t experimented on at all. In fact, she enjoyed helping Entrapta with her many experiments that I heard all about.”

“Adora—” Catra grits out in warning, but Adora’s smug smile stays firmly in place.

“It looks like there was nothing for you to worry about,” Adora teases, her hands coming to rest on Catra’s hips, and Catra turns quickly to tackle Adora to the ground, and Adora just laughs while Catra shoves the heel of her hand against Adora’s cheek.

There’s a click, and then, “Continue log, day 563. Catra has tackled Adora to the ground, and there seems to be no aggression behind the action. Adora is laughing as though she receives some form of enjoyment from it.”

Adora tips her head back, and Catra looks up to see Danai and Entrapta looking down at them, Entrapta with her recorder held up for her to talk into and Danai looking down at them with confusion.

“Hi, Dany,” Adora says with a laugh, “This is how Catra shows affection.”

“Adora claims that Catra shows her affection through these means,” Entrapta says into her recorder, “This is supported by the fact that Catra fights Scorpia when a hug is administered and that I have seen her tackle Glimmer and Bow, people she claims to be friends with.”

“Entrapta,” Catra growls in warning, but Entrapta isn’t put off by it at all.

“It is possible that this is how all Magicats show affection, but without solid data on Magicats as a whole, that will remain a hypothesis until more data can be collected.”

“Are you done?” Catra pushes herself up and offers Adora her hand to help Adora up too.

Entrapta puts a finger up, says, “End log,” and clicks the recorder off.

“Thank you,” Catra says through a sigh.

“You and Adora have provided excellent data in my experiment concerning couples’ behavior,” Entrapta is excited, and Catra’s sure it’s just because she’s talking about one of her experiments.

“Good, I’m glad,” Catra says, trying very hard to keep the sarcasm out of her voice, but she can’t keep the grumble of, “I love having my love life analyzed,” in.

Adora laughs, and Scorpia throws an arm around Catra’s shoulders. “I love getting the Super Pal Trio altogether!” Scorpia says enthusiastically, and Entrapta claps her hands while Catra groans and lets Scorpia squish her even closer.

Danai looks between all of them, watching Scorpia hug Catra and Catra pretend not to enjoy it. She watches Entrapta clap and talk excitedly and Adora stand back and let the group of friends have their moment, and she’s curious, because she’s only ever seen Catra and Adora around Half Moon or with Bow and Glimmer.

Here, around Scorpia and Entrapta, Catra is different, and Danai wonders if it’s because Catra is away from the Magicats, or if it’s because these friends seem to be Catra’s first, unlike Bow and Glimmer seeming to be Adora’s.

Scorpia lets Catra go, and even though she brushes her clothes off and makes some grumbled comment about personal space, Danai sees a rare soft smile from Catra.

Then Catra looks at her, and the soft smile stays, and Catra says, “You ready to go, kitten?”

Danai smiles, and she doesn’t say anything, but she does run to Scorpia and wrap her arms around Scorpia’s waist, and Scorpia doesn’t waste any time in wrapping Danai up in the tightest, best hug she’s ever had. It makes her remember something Catra said to her the first day they met.

“She’ll tell you she gives the best hugs,” Catra said to her, her voice soft in an attempt to make Danai feel comfortable, “And it’s true, but you can’t tell anyone I admitted that.”

“Catra said you gave the best hugs,” Danai whispers, but she knows Scorpia hears her, because Scorpia squeezes her just a bit tighter.

“Do you agree?”

Danai looks up and when Scorpia looks down, she nods.

Scorpia smiles wide. “Well, thank you, mini Wildcat,” Scorpia says, and then her brows come together and she says, “Small Wildcat? Maybe Wildkitten.”

“Wildkitten is the best option, because a kitten is a smaller version of a cat,” Entrapta pipes in.

Danai pulls away from Scorpia’s hug, and Entrapta smiles at her, one of her ponytails coming up to pat Danai on the head.

“Thank you for the help, small lab assistant,” Entrapta says, continuing to pat Danai’s head, and Danai smiles. “With a few more years of practice, you would make an excellent, regular-sized lab assistant,” Entrapta says, and Danai takes it as the compliment it is.

“Come on, kitten,” Catra calls to Danai, and Danai runs over and lets Catra lift her up and hold her close.

Catra and Adora say goodbye to Scorpia and Entrapta, and as they leave Dryl, Adora says, “Did you have fun today, Dany?”

Danai looks over Catra shoulder to Dryl’s castle and looks back at Adora and nods a yes.

~*~

Half Moon always calms down around twilight. It’s like every busy Magicat immediately stops, and the entire city goes quiet. All of the venders who sell in the square outside of the palace pack up, and even though there’s the stray Magicat here and there who find themselves out in the light of magic lamps, almost everyone finds a reason to be home.

Catra loves twilight, because it’s when her duties as a princess go away, and she has an hour or two of her own before she sits down to dinner with Adora, C’yra, Felix, and now Danai.

Usually she hides herself away in the Whispering Woods, climbing a tree and watching as the sky darkens. The small creatures of the Whispering Woods always seem to wake up around twilight, and there’s buzzing and chirping as the forest comes to life.

It’s relaxing in a way that reminds Catra of Beast Island, of the dead silence that fell over the island at night. No bustling cities, no princesses. Just the Magicats and the creatures in the forests around them.

Just as she’s about to head out of the castle, Etheria’s moon casting an orange glow over everything, Catra hears the soft pad of running feet.

Danai comes running down the hallway, sliding just a little as she rounds the corner and stops right in front of Catra.

“Can I come?” Danai asks, soft and unsure.

“Did you tell Adora, C’yra, and Felix you were coming to ask me?” Catra starts looking around, almost expecting Adora to come rushing around the corner wondering where Danai is, her eyes completely panicked.

Danai nods. “I told Adora, and she said if I hurried, I could find you here.”

Catra smiles and offers a hand. “Come on then, kitten.”

Danai doesn’t ask to be held, and she rushes out into the square with more confidence than Catra has seen since they brought her to Half Moon. She waves at Pisica as Pisica closes her stand, and Pisica smiles and waves back, shouting something about a cooking lesson next week. Catra watches Danai smile and give Pisica a thumbs up, and she sees Pisica laugh as she closes up.

A few of the other venders wave to Catra and Danai as well. The fisherman, Indra, stops Catra to ask something, and when Danai stops too, he smiles at her and offers her a bow, and Danai giggles.

They make their way out through the square and into the Whispering Woods, Catra going to her usual tree and helping Danai up onto the first sturdy branch.

They climb until their can see the sky through the leaves, and Danai snuggles into Catra and looks up at the sky burning a bright orange.

It reminds her of her first night in Half Moon, woken up from a nightmare and scared at everything new around her. She remembers watching Catra startle awake too, and Catra bringing her to this spot and making her feel safe again, just like Catra did in her village.

It was only a few months ago, but Danai feels like she’s been in Half Moon longer. She can remember the Meadowlands and her mommy and daddy, and it hurts when she does, but when it starts to hurt, Catra and Adora, or C’yra and Felix, or one of the many people Catra and Adora surround themselves with always seem to be there for her.

It’s nice, Danai thinks, Feeling so safe.

Catra curls her tail around Danai’s ankle, and Danai watches a bird take off from another tree, black and dark blue against the sky.

“Did you do this with C’yra?” Danai asks, suddenly curious.

“No,” Catra answers, her voice a little sad, “When I was your age, I didn’t live here in Half Moon.”

“How come?”

Catra sighs and wonders how she’s supposed to explain what happened to her. “Because some really awful people came and took me away,” she says, hoping it’s enough, “They made me live with them.”

“Mean people?”

Catra rests her head on Danai’s and closes her eyes. “Yeah,” she whispers, “Really mean people.”

“Were you alone?” Danai wiggles, and Catra leans back so that Danai can turn to look at her.

“Not really,” Catra reaches out and runs a few fingers through Danai’s hair, “Adora was there. That’s how we met, actually.”

“Where the mean people took you?”

“Yeah,” Catra says, “They took her too.”

“Where is Adora from?” Danai asks, and Catra’s surprised that Danai is asking so many questions. She’s usually so quiet, but she’s so curious right now, talking more than Catra is used to, but she loves that Danai feels comfortable enough right now to just be a curious kid.

“Really far away,” Catra smiles, “You should ask her, though. She’ll be able to explain a whole lot better than I can.”

Danai nods and turns to settle back against Catra again, her tail wrapping itself around Catra’s thigh.

“Do you ever miss that place?” Danai asks, her voice soft.

“Never,” Catra says, and even as Danai’s questions make her think of the previous Fright Zone, there’s no nostalgia, “It was a bad place, and I already have everything that was good from it here with me.”

“Like Adora?”

“And Scorpia and Entrapta too,” Catra adds on, “Those two were all I really had for a very long time, and even though I wasn’t the best person, and they had every reason to leave, they stuck by me. Scorpia even came to my rescue when I really needed her.”

Danai perks up and turns, “Scorpia saved you?”

Catra breathes out a laugh. “A story for another time,” she says, “Plus, Scorpia tells it better than me. I’m pretty sure there’s even sound effects.”

The orange of the sky burns out as dark blue and black creeps around the edges, and the luminescent bugs of the Whispering Woods flicker to life. One sweeps down and lands on Danai’s nose, and she looks at it with wide, curious eyes.

“If you offer it your finger, it’ll crawl onto it,” Catra says, and Danai does just that.

The luminescent bug crawls from Danai’s nose to her finger and down her hand, stopping in her palm and fluttering its wings out.

“They’re pretty,” Danai whispers as the bug flashes pale light before lifting off into the woods.

“I know,” Catra whispers too, because anything louder seems out of place in this moment, “There’s a lot of things in the Whispering Woods that glow.”

“Why?”

“That’s a question for Felix or Entrapta. I just know what I see.”

The bugs continue to fly around them, and every now and then, Danai offers her hand to one nearby, the bug taking just a moment to rest and flicker its light before flying off again.

There’s no more orange left in the sky, the only light coming from the bugs around them and the pale glow of the moons over the treetops.

“Come on, kitten,” Catra says quietly, nudging Danai gently, “If we don’t get back for dinner, the food will get cold.”

“Can we do this again?”

Catra smiles and starts helping Danai climb down. “Whenever you want.”

~*~

Catra strips down to her underclothes, leaving her pants and shirt and cape scattered across the room, before flopping into bed.

Adora laughs, and Catra just groans in response.

“Long day?” Adora asks while digging through their drawers for a shirt and shorts.

“No talking,” Catra mumbles into the pillow, and Adora can barely make out what she says.

Catra feels something soft hit her back, and she turns to glare at Adora.

Adora just smirks. “I’m sorry. I can’t understand you through the pillow.”

“I swear to you, Sparkles doesn’t know when to stop talking,” Catra turns onto her back, the shirt that Adora threw at her getting trapped underneath her, “I’m just in Bright Moon for the day to do my job as Half Moon’s princess, and all she wants to do is talk my ear off about finding tutors and training Hina so that she stop freaking Bow out every two seconds.”

“Well, we do have a kid now too,” Adora pulls the shirt from under Catra, “As I understand it, their children tend to be the main talking point for people with kids.”

Catra watches Adora shrug out of her jacket and drap it over the desk chair, and she’s too tired to even remind Adora to hang it up.

“She asked me what we’re doing for Danai’s education,” Catra groans.

“We should probably think about that.” Adora pulls her shirt over her head and throws it into the laundry basket before pulling the soft sleep shirt on.

“I’ll ask C’yra about it tomorrow,” Catra says dismissively, “I think Danai’s finally comfortable enough that we can start thinking about those things.”

And Catra’s right. Over the months since that day in the Meadowlands, Danai has slowly but surely found her footing in Half Moon. Every other week, she joins Pisica in her stall to learn how to cook, and they have spent most weekends over in Bright Moon so that Danai and Hina can see each other.

Every few weeks, Danai goes to Dryl for the day to help Entrapta on pre-approved experiments, and she’s covered with motor oil and grease when Catra and Adora pick her up, but she spends the entire way back to Half Moon talking excitedly about whatever project Entrapta let her help with.

It’s not all okay. Once or twice a month, Danai still slips into bed with Catra and Adora, tears clumping the fur right under her eyes, and there’s a lot of things that still startle her, but she’s comfortable enough now that schooling isn’t completely out of the question as a next step.

Adora gets finished changing, and when she gets into bed, she looks down at Catra with a smile.

“What?” Catra asks, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Remember when we thought we wouldn’t be good at this?”

Catra shrugs. “It made sense at the time. Everything was so sudden.”

“Well, we haven’t completely messed up yet.”

“You lost her in the castle a few weeks ago,” Catra says, smirking up at Adora.

“Yes, because she has your horrible habit of disappearing when something upsets her,” Adora defends herself, “I haven’t learned her spots yet.”

“But you will.”

“Yeah,” Adora smiles, “I will.”

Catra’s smirk softens into a smile, and Adora’s eyes go a bite wide before she asks, “What?”

“I’m just happy,” Catra answers in a moment of vulnerability that are getting more and more common as she gets older, “And I never really I would have all of this. I thought I was just doomed to become a foot soldier in Hordak’s army and die on the battlefield for a cause I never believed in, and yet somehow, I’m here. With you. And we have a kid. And I just never thought I would ever be here.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling,” Adora’s fingers come up to brush over the short, soft fur behind Catra’s ear, “It’s a bit crazy, isn’t it?”

“Unexpected, for sure,” Catra breathes out, her eyes closing and purrs rumble through her chest.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything on Etheria though,” Adora whispers, settling down and letting Catra roll over to lay across her chest.

“Yeah,” Catra says, Adora’s heartbeat thrumming in her eyes and Adora’s fingers continuing to run through her hair, “Me either.”

[youarejesting]

Limited Edition.7 Shattered

[FULL MASTERLIST] [Limited Edition Master list]

Beta: N/A Rating: All audiences Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Fluffy Fluff, Adventure. Pairing: Bts x Friend!Reader Words: 1.4K

Summary: It is your first time buying proper merchandise, there are new chibi figurines and the first person to order will recieve a limited edition set. But what happens when BTS have gone missing without a trace and a few days later you receive your package. The box says congratulations, you open to find your limited edition figures, they look so lifelike. OH WAIT! it’s cause they are.

Announcement: the new TINY TAN video is adorable!!!

“Finally you are out, we are starving?” Taehyung whined. 

“Sorry, I will get your ingredients” selecting one of the ziplock bags from the freezer you looked at the tiny portions, handing it over to Yoongi. 

Seokjin asked, “why are you crying?”

“I called Mr. Kang Jungho and he said they aren’t coming for you, he admitted he did this?”

Yoongi who had touched your hand in concern and empathy backed away in disgust. 

“You don’t have to lie, I get it your favorite Kpop group living with you acting friendly and cuddly” he sighed “honestly I thought you were cool and we could hang out without it being weird.”

“What’s going on?” Namjoon asked, looking at  Yoongi in confusion. 

“She is a sasaeng, Kang warned us in his email that she might try to keep us forever and lie to us about not being contacted or that the company had given up on us.”

They all seemed to realize something and stepped back. You pressed your lips together muting your denial. Pleading your case against Mr. Kang would only make things worse. 

You nodded “okay” you walked out leaving the room, taking a collection of snacks and water. Jacket and keys in hand, you left the house shutting and locking the doors behind you. You went out to the mall and scolded yourself for thinking about buying them things you thought they would like.

The bitter feeling didn’t pass, you stayed out later than you should have and when you came back, they were asleep. Lifting the house you took it to your roommate’s room, she was away visiting family so you were able to leave them on her desk.

You left them more water and food and walked away shutting the door. You wouldn’t disturb them, not when they don’t want anything to do with you. Taking a deep breath you laid down in your bed, sending emails to the BIGHIT.

They were all being declined, you had obviously been blocked from messaging the company. One day past and you entered the room with more food to hear them on the phone with Mr. Kang.

“It makes sense that she is lying I am doing everything I can to get you back”

“Well BIGHIT is a big company send a private Jet, I will have them at the airport in a heartbeat, Mr. Kang,” You scoffed “Wouldn’t want them to be with a crazy Sasaeng, would we?”

“Of course, we will have a Jet ready for them by tomorrow,” Mr. Kang said “I can see this is taking a toll on your mental health”

“Sure, great. What time, what terminal, what airport?” You sneered “Get it done.”

You stormed out to your room and sat on the bed, you were trying to hold it together but the tears were so hot. With a soft sigh, you went to the kitchen bench and sat on the tiles with a pint of ice cream that you demolished listening to ‘We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal’.

Something about the way they said ‘We are not seven with you’, made you feel like they actually cared about you. Clearly you had thought wrong. You didn’t notice that Jungkook had stepped left the room and was watching you sob grotesquely. Turning off the song and throwing the headphones you were packing up wiping your eyes as your phone began to ring.

“What do you want?’ You snapped into the phone putting it on speaker.

“The boys said you had put them in another room, they don’t trust you now do they?” You could hear the amusement in his voice. “Take them to the airport, I will tell them, you canceled the tickets, or don’t take them. Either way, you are the bad guy”

“Listen, you know I don’t care if they hate me I am going to get them back to Korea and when we expose you, you will be fired” you threatened

“Try your best I have blocked all your calls to the company so you won’t be able to contact anyone” you placed the dishes in the drying rack. 

“You can’t hide the truth forever” you shouted as the phone beeped, he had hung up. You turned only to see Jungkook’s retreating figure. The young and now tiny man thought he was stealthy but you were very observant. 

“Jungkook?” The way your voice called sounded full of defeat made you cringe. Jungkook’s face appeared around the corner looking guilty. His hair fell in its usual coconut-like shape. 

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to listen to your conversation.” He said and you heard a small sneeze. Walking slowly around the counter to see the entire group of young men shuffling in ᵗᶦⁿʸ.

Hoseok looked devastated eyes watering which set off Jimin and even Jungkook’s eyes spilled over helpless to his hyungs emotions. You wanted to coo, at the sight of the boys running towards you their eyes misted and little arms outstretched the pressed their faces into your knee and spluttering their apologies.

“Seems I was wrong and I am sorry?” Yoongi tried to act cool and it made you smile. 

“We are so sorry?” Hoseok whined and you sniffed wiping your eyes from the emotional moment. 

“Hey it’s okay, imma get you home and to your correct size” you sighed scooping them up into your arms and carrying them to their little house. 

“Can we have some hot water?” You nodded moving their house back to your room. 

The boys were feeling quite upset by the recent events, they felt betrayed and guilty for hurting you. That night you heard the door to their home open and you turned blinking tiredly. “What’s wrong?”

Taehyung has a blanket in his hand and a sad expression, you blinked concerned. “Can I sleep beside you?” Taehyung asked and you hummed reaching your hand out, he climbed on and you placed him on the pillow beside you. 

You held your hand there and he cuddled against it tired. 

Without the boy's knowledge you were trying to get accepted for a loan to get the boys back to Korea, the thing is you were not exactly rich and your job was a YouTuber live streamer. 

Thankfully your tiny tan videos were gaining a lot of popularity so you decided to ask them, “hey would you be interested in recreating a music video?”

It was a bit of a stretch but perhaps you could get enough revenue to go over seas. They agreed dancing, rapping and singing adorably for the camera. People praised your cgi animation skills. 

By two months you had just enough to get to Korea but you needed a little more, the boys did interviews and mukbangs and they continued practicing some new songs for when they were normal again. 

You got approved for a loan and was ecstatic, taking the time to pack and look at the boys. You took their house and had the boys in your jacket. 

You had to go through a metal detector. And put your things in a tray. You took the tray and sat on a near by chair unbuckling your heels. While the boys ran stealthily under the line of chairs to the other side where you went through and took a seat to put on your shoes again. 

You got onto the plane and was in first class in a private pod where the boys could run around freely. They shared your inflight meal and slept on your lap half the way. 

Namjoon has secretly gotten in contact with Adora and was hoping everything went well, and that she would turn up to collect them. 

“When you arrived she was there with a sign with your name on it” she looked confused and lead you to a hire car. 

“You haven’t happened to have seen the boys have you, it was strange to have them contact me and still be in hiding, and it’s such a strange request”

“Well we thank you for going to all this trouble it is really important” You breathed blushing talking with Adora was super intimidating. She was so pretty and elegant and you felt so plain beside her.

Shuffling your scuffed boots looking at her pristinely shined kitten heels. “Alright, I don’t know why the boys are in hiding, or why Namjoon messaged me wanting for me to take you to the figurine factory. But I won’t question it, as long as it gets them to come home.”

“Thank you very much!” You said nervously, “it really will help them return”

Tags:  @victory0461 @gqmf-bangtanmama​ @simplymemyself​ (please make sure your tag option is selected in your settings)

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[cheetahsprints]

What You Needed to Hear

                                                            *

Summary: A late night visitor gives Catra a new perspective.

Rating: T (for mild suggestive themes)

Word Count: ~1.9k

Pairings: Catra/Adora, Minor Implied Glimmer/Bow

Additional Info: Catra’s POV, In-universe, Canon Compliant (ish), post-season 5, timey wimey magic wagic, camping, vague circumstances, fluff, mild angst, established relationship<3

If you like this, check out: Soulswap

                                                           *

It still feels like a dream that she expects to wake up from any moment. Adora leans on her as she laughs at some inside joke between her, Glimmer, and Bow. She pauses and shoots an anxious look at Catra. She merely smirks and glides her hand along Adora’s back to stroke her neck. The campfire crackles between them all, brushing Adora’s face with a flattering light. She’s long past her silly jealousy over Adora’s friends, because she has something with Adora they will never be privileged to have.

“Let’s hope the blanket monster isn’t stalking tonight,” Catra murmurs. Adora snorts and turns pink.

Glimmer gives Bow a questioning look, and he shrugs. They don’t ask. Catra rolls the memory in her mind - they’d been very young. She doesn’t quite remember what age. Adora was thrashing in her sleep, and she had kicked Catra, waking her up. In retaliation, Catra draped a blanket over her shoulders. She had called to Adora in a ghostly voice. As soon as she opened her eyes, Catra had stalked toward her, swaying from side to side.

Adora had released a blood-curdling scream that woke everyone up and made Shadow Weaver appear as though from thin air. They’d been harshly reprimanded, but it became a little joke Catra would occasionally use to cheer her up. It still amazed her how despite all the bad that truly happened during their days in the Horde, they could share somewhat fond memories. 

Catra floats on the gentleness of the evening as idle conversation continues. She occasionally joins in with insight, but it’s mostly smart remarks - which serve another purpose of making Adora chuckle. It’s the kind of continuous moment that makes her take a mental step back to appreciate it all. 

“Catra,” Adora says. Across from them, Glimmer has curled against Bow, and they’ve nodded off a bit. Bow is still semi-alert, Catra can tell by the way his muscles are tensed. 

“Hmm?” Catra turns and realizes Adora is staring at her. Catra swallows thickly, captivated by steel blue eyes. “What are looking at, dummy?”

“Just you. I like looking at you.”

Catra feels herself flush. She starts to look down, but Adora softly grasps her chin. “Don’t do that.”

“What do you want from me? To thank you for - for -” Catra trails off, wincing at the harshness of her tone. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. You’re not used to it. But you don’t need to hide, got it?”

“Got it.”

Adora asks, “By the way why do you call me that? I know it isn’t to be mean. Dummy, I mean.”

“You’re my dummy,” Catra answers with a slight purr. “It’s an ironic endearment, I do think you tend to be a doofus, but in a good way.”

“Do - do you want me to call you anything aside from just your name?” Adora bites her lip. “I feel weird, not having something cute to call you, but I can’t think of anything clever. What am I supposed to call you? Smarty?”

Catra rolls her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. I like the sound of my name when you say it. But you can call me whatever... sweetie, darling, dearest, butt-head, sneezy, fuzzy pants - er - just not kitten. Coming from you anything else’s fine.”

“Sweetie...” The word is mumbled by Adora, who combs her fingers through Catra’s hair - it’s grown out a bit but still short - and settles her hands to cup behind Catra’s twitching ears. An anticipatory shiver travels up her spine.

Adora kisses her. Catra is jolted for a second before she relaxes and melts into the gesture. Despite being the one to initiate - well - everything - she continues to be taken aback by reciprocation. Catra deepens the kiss, and soon the fire isn’t the only thing that’s heated. Adora’s hand is trailing down her stomach, the other tightly gripping her thigh, when there’s a crashing noise and a pained grunt. Adora jerks away from her, glancing around wildly. Catra growls at the interruption. Her hearing keener, she adjusts an ear to pick up on a rustling noise. She whirls toward the sound.

“What’s the idea? Whoever you are, come out and face us coward,” Catra calls into the woods. A form materializes in the shadows. Catra can’t hold in a whimper. “Sh - Shadow -”

Adora - She Ra - steps in front of her, sword at the ready. Then, a familiar face appears - or rather mostly appears. Catra rubs her eyes - is she actually asleep? It’s her, but it’s not her. This façade has long hair, Horde garb, and half of her face and body are wrong - like some kind of glitch, like she’s being consumed by a void of space.

Hazy, contorted memories tickle the back of her mind. Glitch-Catra gazes at them with wide eyes. She whispers, “Where am I? What’s going on?”

Even her voice is distorted. Bow and Glimmer have woken up, and they’ve taken stances beside Adora. However, Adora relaxes. The She Ra persona disappears as Adora holds up placating hands. Glitch-Catra narrows her eyes and bares her teeth.

Glimmer questions, “What - what is this?!”

“My best guess would be a left over effect of the portal - it’s possible that during that time the Catra of the past briefly traveled forward in time before being yanked back. It was warping time and space, after all,” Bow states.

 “You!” Glitch-Catra points at Adora. “What have you done to me?!”

Glitch-Catra makes to leap at her. Even though Adora is perfectly capable of defending herself, Catra jumps in front of her. She rests her right hand on Adora’s right shoulder and pushes her slightly back. Her other hand is unfurled menacingly, claws glinting in the moonlight.

“Don’t even think about it,” Catra hisses.

Glitch-Catra blinks at her. “Wh - you’re protecting her?”

Glimmer steps forward, hand aglow. Bow notches an arrow. Glitch-Catra’s ears and tail stand on end as she looks back and forth between them. Catra shakes her head. “Stand down, I’ll deal with this.”

To her shock, they listen. They vanish from her peripheral vision, presumably behind Adora now. Somehow, she has gained their trust and respect. Glitch-Catra looks around, and then she stares at her right arm and flexes the darkened fingers. 

She rasps, “I - the portal. I really messed up didn’t I? Entrapta was right. I don’t know what’s wrong with me - what was I thinking?”

Having this reminder of her mistakes in front of her makes her insides painfully clench. She can’t help glancing back at Adora. Adora gently pushes her arm down and stands beside her. Catra takes a deep breath and slowly walks forward. Her hand is briefly caught by Adora’s and squeezed. Glitch-Catra raises her arms, claws out, as though to defend herself as Catra approaches.

“I won’t hurt you.”

“What... what about her?” Glitch-Catra peers over Catra’s shoulder, then their eyes meet again. Catra doesn’t answer. A memory, as sharp as a diamond and as frail as glass, pierces her mind. It’s disorienting, but she knows what she has to do. 

She wraps her arms around Glitch-Catra’s shoulders and pulls her close. The memory overlaps with the present. Catra murmurs, “It’s okay, Catra. It’s all going to be okay. You’ll be okay. You’re not alone.”

She holds her past self tight and rocks her side to side a little. She poured all the love that the Horde, that Shadow Weaver, and most importantly herself never gave or truly showed her into those words. She can remember how it sounded to hear them herself. She can picture it, the way her eyes had widened, then closed - the tears that seeped into the shoulder of her - her then future self. She can picture her past self looking up to see Adora’s face, and the reassuring smile that graces her countenance.

Catra pulls away. She resumes her place at Adora’s side. Adora slips her hand into Catra’s and intertwines their fingers. Catra quietly sighs and wraps her tail around Adora’s leg. Glitch-Catra’s eyes slowly travel to a stop at their interlocked hands. Her mouth falls open slightly - at the time Catra had thought it was some kind of portal-induced fever dream. She’d written it off and gone after Adora in a state of uncontrollable rage and confusion. Seeing her past self, how angry and lost she looked, it gives her a swell of emotion.

Yet, even thinking it was a dream, it was part of what gave her the courage - to try to make everything right, to confess her feelings. The trees behind Glitch-Catra and the ground beneath her seems to warp. Then, she’s gone. Catra collapses into Adora and nuzzles her collarbone. She distantly hears the other two exchanging whispers, probably about what just occurred.

“I’m proud of you,” Adora says, kissing her forehead as she brings her free hand up to cup Catra’s jaw.

“Uh, for what?”

“Being kind to yourself.”

Catra scoffs. “It was destined. I was in her place once. This is kind of paradoxical if you think about it too hard... And - and you know I’m sorry right? I can’t believe I almost destroyed the whole world being a petty bi-”

Adora strokes her jaw. “Like you said, it’s okay. Or it will be - because you’re changing, you’re improving, and you’re not isolating yourself by pushing everyone - including your own conscience - away.” 

Catra releases a shaky breath. She realizes she had begun to tear up. 

“Maybe it was a dream the first time. Maybe you made it real,” Adora continues, “I think you told yourself what you needed to hear, what you wanted so desperately to hear... not from anyone else, but you needed to validate yourself.”

“Don’t be such a sap,” Catra remarks, but she’s grinning. “It was definitely just the way you smiled at me.”

“Catra.”

“Okay, okay, you’re kind of right! Just don’t let it go to your head.”

“Hmm... that’s not really the head I’m thinking of,” Adora whispers, lips brushing her ear. Catra’s tail unravels and twitches behind her. She cackles at that.

After a while, the fire is put out. Bow takes first watch, climbing up a nearby boulder because he knows better than to be in earshot. Catra wastes no time crawling into Adora’s sleeping bag beneath their tent, warm bodies pressing together and mouths fervently re-discovering each other. Hopefully, she can exhaust Adora enough that she won’t get kicked tonight.

When the sun rises, it brings the end of Catra’s shift. She sways on the spot for a moment before going to rouse everyone else. Her and Adora’s activities went on longer than expected, then Catra made the mistake of staying awake to look at Adora sleeping and think about the future. Once Adora is next to her, Catra goes limp. Adora catches her before she hits the ground.

Chuckling, Adora says, “Was your shift really that tiring? You look like you fought a battalion by yourself.”

“Haven’t slept, brain wouldn’t shut up,” Catra grumbles. “Carry me.”

“What, no -”

“Carryyy meee.”

“But Glimmer is going to teleport us to -”

“Please.” Catra opens her eyes to give Adora the most pleading look she can muster. She flicks Adora’s leg with her tail. “I won’t ask for anything else the rest of the day.”

“Oh, fine, but only because I love you.”

“Mmm... love you too.” Catra catches Adora’s smile before she closes her eyes again, and she smiles back. She doubts she’ll ever get tired of hearing that. There’s a flash of light past Catra’s closed eyelids, and she feels herself adjusted into a bridal carry. Gonna marry her, is the last thought Catra has before she loses consciousness in the security of Adora’s hold.