WHAT: Checking in on the parental situation and sharing good news! WHERE: Darla WHEN: This afternoon WARNINGS: Some suggestive language, otherwise nah STATUS: Complete
The past several days had been an emotional whirlwind, and Darla was full. Not that it felt cramped or anythingâthe spaceship was small in vessel standards but as a home, it was spacious. The spare rooms had been repurposed into guest rooms in their early Vallo days and Catra was thankful for that. It allowed them to be accommodating when surprises were tossed their way and holy shit had there been surprises. Three of them, to be exact.
Marlena. Teela. Randor.
Emotions were at an all-time high. Happiness, relief, heartache, tension, anxiety, remorse. The happy stuck out more than the others, but it was an easy situation to feel overwhelmed in. Awkwardness had creeped up on Catraâprobably from feeling more of like an outsider looking inâthough it didnât show. She could be charming, and chatty, and help push the conversation in another direction if she felt Adora tense up.
She made sure to be there for those exact scenarios. If Adora needed to step away, all she had to do was squeeze her hand three times and Catra would come up with an excuse of how she wasnât feeling her best since, yâknow, expecting. Sheâd whisk her away to decompress, count to twenty, and breathe. But as the days went on, she saw her wife settle in more comfortably with the idea of parents, and that gave Catra the cue to step back. Let the lost family bond without her hovering protectively. They needed to.
Catra could keep busy.
Today she had art class for an hour, and they had approached her about a teacher position for a new program they were starting up for children (classes, camps, aftercare), which wasâwhat? Cool. Minor panic moment, but cool, she did need something anyway and that wasâcool. File that for later. Melog was also dutifully at her side while she roamed the city for a few things (they were easier to bring than Clawdeen, who couldnât adjust her massive size into something smaller) for Adora. There was no special occasion. It was one of those just because things, and Catra felt like she could use a little spoiling.
Flowers, check. Super cool magical rainbow bath bombs, check. Teas from Scorpiaâs workplace that were a mix of holiday flavors, sleepy-time herbs and ones to help with anxiety, check. Macarons? Yep. Had this tea shop smelled so intense before, good fucking god? She didnât stay long, thankfully. They stopped at this cutesy little store nearby too since some house slippers caught her eye. They were dumb looking and soft.
She got Adora a pair and one herself so they could match.
By the time they got to Darla, her arms were full of stuff and she was pleasantly surprised to find out that the kitchen was, for once, void of people. Perfect. Whipping her hair into a messy bun, she found a little ornate basket they saved for whatever reason and began to arrange it all together. Fluffed up the flowers, strategically placed the slippers in front of them, bath bombs and teas and sleeves of macarons all neatly put together. A shame she didnât look as pretty as this gift basket - her hair had streaks of paint in it, same with her clothes (a thrifty flannel over a white tank top, the modest curve of belly poking out) and the bun she gave herself wasnât doing her any favors.
She didnât know if Adora was in their room but she went there anyway, thatâs where she wanted to put this basket so she knew it was for herâbut carrying it obstructed her view (she underestimated the height of these sunflowers, holy shit) and when the doors to their room slid open, she tripped over one of Spiritâs chew toys.
Catra caught herself, though!
âDamnit dog,â she cursed, and then a flower tickled her nose and made her sneeze. âCanâtâsee!â
December was turning out to be a big month for Adam and Adora.
First, there was Marlena, found by Adam and ushered to Darla to stay. That was strange. Not bad but unexpected, odd. Marlena was the mom Adora should have had but didnât know outside of Adamâs stories, and she didnât know how to handle her. But sheâd warmed up, had a breakthrough, and while she was still getting used to being a daughter and Marlena being her mom, she was better. She was making an effort, wanted to be around her, and she was savoring every moment she could get.
Topping that off with Teela returning, then Randor â her dad â popping in soon afterwards, and this month had been overwhelming. In a good way, probably one of the best ways.
She was quickly learning to adjust. It always took her a little longer when it came to big changes, but her time in Vallo had helped streamline that process a bit. It was weird to have a family now â a fuller, louder one because Catra had always been her family, and now it had just extended. She hoped she could keep them forever, but she tried not to hold on to that hope too tightly. Vallo gave and Vallo took away â they knew that very, very well. It was why she was pushing herself to go out with her parents, do things, be around and present, even to the point where her emergency squeezes of Catraâs hand had stopped.
But still. Every once in a while, she needed some room to breathe, and that was what had led her to taking a midday bubble bath while Adam and Teela took Randor and Marlena out somewhere. She was sure theyâd told her where, but she couldnât remember â maybe a movie or roller skating, had to be one of those.
She was dried and dressed, working on brushing through her hair when she heard her wife swearing and sneezing through the door. She dropped the brush, pulling through the damp locks with her fingers. The ensuite doors opened as she approached, and her concern morphed into amusement (and some heart eyes) when she saw her tiny wife holding an over-full basket of things that blocked her view, barely stabilized after tripping over a dog toy.
She stepped up before her, scooping the basket out of her arms and setting it on the bed behind them before she turned to clasp her shoulders and smile down at her. âHi, baby.â
Aw, shit. Catra blew some bangs away from her eyes to help her look less frazzled than what she felt. âHey Adora,â she purred, cheeks dusted with a little pink but overall, she looked smitten to see her. âI was going to present that to you with more grace and romance? Less tripping. Preferably no tripping.â
And maybe after scrubbing herself free of paint but oh well. This was fine, too.
Her arms circled her neck, and she pulled her in for one of those I missed you kisses. Firm, sweet, lingering. Bodies swaying from side to side, that kind of cute kiss. âHowâd this morning go?â
Adora grinned into the kiss, arms wrapping around Catraâs back and holding her close. She had been so consumed lately that, outside of bedtime, she hadnât had a lot of time and space just for her and Catra, like she was used to. She missed it, needed it.
âThe usual chaos,â she murmured, dropping her forehead down to rest against Catraâs. âBut the good kind. Adam and Teela took them out somewhere. Iâve been enjoying the quiet and missing you.â She pressed a kiss to Catraâs nose. âWas that basket for me?â
Catra could also go for some quality time. So she was a bit spoiled with having Adoraâs attention most of the time, sue her, but time proved that she was capable of sharing her wife. Adora was loved by many. This was the family she was stolen from and having the chance to be with them for once was⊠amazing. This was good for her, even if they both knew that it may not be a permanent gig. Vallo took as much as it gave.
âItâs for Adam, duh,â she joked, kissing her again and again, really pouring in the I missed you sentiment a bit extra if they had a moment now. âGot him and me matching slippers, check it out.â
Another kiss to her lips, and Catra pulled Adora to sit with her on the bed and present the packaged goods. âYouâve been busy and I know all of this is a good thingâbut I know you need time to step back every now and again so itâs just⊠you know, one of those self-care things, I guess. I wanted to make sure weâre stocked up on things for you when you need some of that time.â
Beyond the flowers, which she couldnât help but notice, Adora hadnât really taken note of what was in the basket when sheâd taken it from Catraâs hands. Sheâd just noticed it was packed to the brim and very obviously blocked her line of sight, so sheâd taken it off her hands. After that, her arms were full of a purring wife in need of attention, and thatâs where her focus had gone.
But she allowed herself to be pulled down to sit on the bed and her eyes lit up at the sight of the matching slippers her wife had mentioned. She laughed and pulled those out first. âThese are so cute! Youâre really gonna wear them?â Her eyebrows raised curiously. Her wife notoriously was not a huge fan of any sort of cat-themed household items, so that was a surprise.
Adora, on the other hand, loved them. She immediately pulled them out of the plastic wrapping and onto her feet, beaming at her. âI love them already. And the flowersâŠâ She plucked one of the sunflowers free and inhaled its scent, heart eyes out in full force as she gazed at Catra over the petals. âYouâre really, really sweet, wifey.â
Yep, she was wearing those god awful things. Catra wore shoes most of the time she went out into the cityâespecially when it was cold, the risk of snow was ever presentâso she freed herself from the boots she had fashioned for the day. Her own pair slipped on, and she tapped her feet into Adoraâs just to make a point. See? Matching!
âYouâre welcome,â she replied, with a typical fond roll of her eyes. âGotta keep up my end of the promise and look out for my wifey. Come get comfy with me?â
Catra peeled off the flannel to leave only the tank top, and she scooched to lean back towards the row of pillows nestled against the headboard of their bed. âHead here,â she instructed as she patted her lap. âIâll even massage your back later if you want.â
Could also be an excuse to run her hands around that firm, sexy back of hers since she was undoubtedly shameless, but she also really wanted to turn Adora into goop and keep her as relaxed as possible.
The basket was packed full of basically all of Adoraâs favorite things, and gods, her heart absolutely swelled at how much care Catra had taken to put together something nice for her. She never felt deserving, but she appreciated it â especially those macarons; she had every intention of emptying a sleeve before the rest of the family got home. But, for now, she scooped it up by the handle and crossed the room to place it on their dresser, well within their view and out of the reach of curious animals.
She returned to the bed at her wifeâs insistence, crawling up next to her and laying on her back, head on her lap. She nuzzled against the curve of her growing belly and placed a soft kiss there before looking up at her again.
âThank you.â She reached out to take one of her hands and brush a kiss across her knuckles. âI might take you up on the back massage later, but this is perfect right now. I missed you.â
Catra might be a slut for pets but so was Adora, in her own wayâso she went to work, that free hand stroking through her damp hair, claws always there to gently graze at her scalp. The movements were slow and methodical, thumb occasionally rubbing up against her temple.
âMissed you too, princess,â she smirked down, letting her fingers work a little therapeutic magic before continuing. âFeel like talking to me about how youâre doing, though? Any concerns? Anything bugging you?â
They often had those late-night talks in bed when sleep didnât always hit them right away. So much had been hashed out through those sessions; their insecurities and regrets, filling the gaps in stories when it came to their time apart. But ever since Marlenaâs arrival they had just been exhausted when the evening crept up, and Catra knew she needed to give Adora a moment to process before words could even be a thing.
âAnything you need?â Catra added, quiet, a little worried.
âI have you,â Adora replied, a playful smile curling her lips. âWhat more could I need?â
She was quiet for a moment after that, though, closing her eyes and letting herself enjoy the feeling of Catraâs claws scraping lightly against her head. It felt nice. If she could purr like her wife, she would be right now. There was something very soothing about it, the way tingles shot down her spine and reached the tips of her fingers and toes.
âIâm sort ofâŠtrying not to let anything bug me,â she admitted. It wasnât easy â her brain wasnât made to be calm, not after all these years of worries and anxieties â but she was truly making her best effort. âIâm scared theyâll disappear eventually. Having them here permanently, itâs too good to be true. And Teela⊠Sheâs already disappeared once. Whoâs to say it wonât happen again?â
Catra purred. It was low and muted, but enough for Adora to hear. Maybe she should have had her wife plop her head onto her chest insteadâthe vibrations could be soothing. She looked comfortable where she was at, though. There was no disturbing that. âIt might,â she replied, shoulders rising for a shrug. There was no reason to sugarcoat it. Theyâve been in Vallo long enough to have gotten attached, and to hurt when those attachments were taken away.
It wasnât long ago that she had told Kara she thought sheâd be used to people leaving by now. That was an ache she knew too well and, gods, she was tired of feeling it.
âBut trying not to let anything bug youâthatâs good, âDora,â Catra continued on, whispering. Her thumb ran along her brows with gentle pressure. âI know itâs hard. People come in and leave for good, or they leave for a little while only to come back and who knows whatâll happen. Best thing you can do while youâre here is enjoy them. Make memories. And youâve been doing that really well, you know.â
Adora had been so apprehensive around Marlena for the first few days, and that had finally melted away. She saw her wife actually bond with her mom. That was huge for both of them.
Adoraâs eyes fluttered open and she reached out to stroke up and down Catraâs forearm. âI love them,â she said. âI wishâŠâ She trailed off, searching for the right words, then corrected herself. âI donât wish things were different, that Iâd stayed with them, because if I hadâŠmaybe I wouldnât have you, and I canât imagine that. But I guess I hope Iâll get to meet them at home, in a sort of normal way, so I can keep them. So we can keep them.â
Having them here in Vallo was amazing, but it felt a little unreal with the possibility of a disappearance always looming. At home, at least they wouldnât be wiped from existence if they werenât around all the time. They would still be on another planet, maybe even contactable; she could easily imagine Entrapta and Hordak catching Etheria up with the universe theyâd been brought back to, finding ways to open a line of communication.
She was making memories now, but theyâd fade over time. She was scared of that. She was fairly certain her mom was plotting some kind of big family photo, though, so maybe theyâd be able to have evidence to hold onto â proof that their family had been here if they did disappear.
Oof. Those words hit a small insecurity she had refused to entertain; the thought of Adora genuinely wishing things had turned out differently, that she stayed in the right world with her rightful family. Itâd make sense for her to want that, wouldnât it? Marlena and Randor had their issues, though she knew for a fact theyâd have loved her unconditionally. They wouldnât have put her through the hell Shadow Weaver had. She would have had her twin to grow up with, and she might still have turned out to be She-Raâbut maybe she would have had an easier time with that, too.
They wouldnât have had one another. Catra would have stayed on Etheria, tucked away in Despondos, still a nobody.
âI think that could really happen,â she answered after a moment, clearing her throat and banishing that what if from her thoughts. âPretty sure that road trip to bring magic back to the universe is inevitable and itâs going to keep us busy for years. Weâll find them, and theyâll greet you with as much heartwarming sap as they did here. You and your brother might team up and save the universe from another threat a second time, who knows.â
Catra smiled wryly at the thought.
âGonna judge him so hard for that loincloth there, too.â
âHe always deserves to be judged for that,â Adora laughed. She hated that loincloth. Hated it. Even her first uniform, the one that had come pre-packaged with the First Onesâ sword, had shorts. She couldnât understand why He-Man came with a flowing, furry loincloth instead.
She shifted, pulling herself up out of Catraâs lap and leaning into the pillows beside her. She reached out and tugged her wife into her arms, then kissed the crown of her head. âYouâre right. Iâm just gonna focus on making the memories we can and having a good time. If they stay, great. If they donât, I have you and Finn and our twins-to-be, eventually.â
Her hand drifted down to her wifeâs belly, stroking slowly over her bellybutton. âHow are my babies today? How was art class?â
Catra didnât protest with the change of positions. She intended to pamper Adora with a good rubdown later, but she also knew she found comfort in holding her like thisâprotectively in her arms, close to her heart. âWeâre fine, dork,â she laughed, resting her head on her shoulder. âIt was good. Ummm.â
Her arm draped over her waist, and she molded herself against Adoraâs side to eliminate any gaps between them. No space allowed. âSo theyâre rolling out this childrenâs program?? Itâs a mix of aftercare and an art camp and just kid classes in general, anndddd⊠they asked me to help teach it? Itâs paid, full-time.â
Itâs funny. She didnât even work there. She was someone who had been attending classes there long-term, though, and while she didnât have a degree in literally anything, they assured her it wasnât anything complex. Finger paints and kiddy projects with construction paper, helping them practice coloring in the lines, what colors you could mix to make another one. âIf I do then I can take whatever adult classes I want for free, too. I told them Iâd take it.â
She might have, uh, ducked her head, weirdly kinda shy about it.
Catra may have been shy, but Adora immediately brightened. That was big news! She knew Catra loved her classes and the time sheâd spent learning at the studio, but being asked to teach was a very big deal â and something, in Adoraâs admittedly biased opinion, that she really deserved.
She beamed at her wife, dropping enthusiastic kisses all across the side of her face. âCatra! Thatâs amazing! Youâre gonna be so great at that!â She tipped Catraâs chin up with one hand, fingers splaying across her cheek as she leaned in to kiss her tenderly. âIâm so proud of you. Youâre gonna be the best teacher.â
âYou donât know that!â she retaliated, but it came out more of a petulant whine than anything as Adora peppered her face with love. That was nice, and her wife was stupid cute, and she needed to stop being cute before Catra fucking exploded. âI mean, it's a huge change from killing things with my hands! Coloring stuff with kids?? I canât believe thatâs an actual job.â
But it⊠was. Catra was going to do it. She was going to try, anyway.
âIf it doesnât work out and I get fired,â she grumbled, a blush on her cheeks again as she pinned her with a heatless glare, âyouâre doing all the working while I incubate your child and eat everything in our fridge.â
Kidding. Really. Sheâd just find something else. This was just uncharted territory, having some kind of position that didnât involve violence and weaponry. Instead she was expected to be some patient, nurturing figure to other peopleâs kids. It was intimidating. She was petrified about fucking it up.
Well, when it was put like that, Adora could see why Catra might be hesitant. But she knew her wife well enough to know that, hesitant or not, she was going to give it a shot. She needed something to occupy her time, and if it wasnât Defense, this was the best alternative Adora could imagine for her. It was something else that she loved, and that was important.
âIf it doesnât work out, Iâll happily work for both of us,â she agreed solemnly. âBut it is gonna work out because you love art, and youâre really, really good with kids.â Theyâd seen it now, not just with Finn but with Flora and Shimmer and a handful of their friendsâ little ones that had shown up during the second annual timeslip.
âMaybe Iâll even sit in on a class sometime,â she suggested with a sly little grin. âWe both know the only way Iâm going to make anything pretty is in kid-level art classes. And I canât think of anyone whoâd teach me better.â
Catra wanted to keep looking at Adora all grumpy-like. She really did. She tried. She couldnât. There was a smile she fought so hard against but, obviously, did not succeed. Wifey here was completely biased but the reassurance helped a lot, especially coming from her.
âThank you,â she expressed and for once in her life, there was no sass. No smart remark. No smug little smirk or even a roll of her eyes. It was tender, and genuine, and came with a slow blink of her eyes. Adora knew what that meant. She saw it a lot when they were children and Catra didnât know the right way to word what she felt; all the love and the trust she had for her best friend even back then.
Leaning in, she pressed a kiss to her nose.
âIâll start putting together a little art box for Finn. Itâs early, butâI can make art with their hands and feet after theyâre born,â she grinned. âI already looked up ideas.â
That slow blink never failed to make Adora feel amazing. She knew exactly what it meant, even before the words to properly explain it had come along. It was definitely a feline thing â sheâd seen the same from Ivy and Mermista, Alex and Lenaâs cat, a few times. But it never meant more to her than it did coming from Catra. It just cemented her determination never to let her down again; she never wanted to be in a place where Catra didnât look at her like that.
She hummed through the nose kiss and kissed her lips in return before she could pull away. She raised her eyebrows at the suggestion of an art box for Finn, the hand still resting on her wifeâs belly starting to rub in a slow circle.
âIs it those little clay casts?â she asked curiously. âI saw some that were, like, the whole tiny little hand.â
âYeah, thatâs oneâyou press their feet and hands into it, bake the clay, and it hardens,â Catra explained, switching the way she was leaning into Adora. More of her back was pushed against her side, and she was happy to let her hands roam. The growth of her stomach was subtle but it was enough for them to take notice, and know what it was.
She also freed her hair from that horrendous bun, and piled it over one shoulder so she could pluck at the paint that had gotten stuck in it. âYou can put paint on their hands and feet too and press it on canvas to make shapes? Hearts, flowers. And when theyâre able to sit up Iâm gonna do this thing where you likeâput paper on the floor, and some dallops of paint, and then plastic? They can press on it and smear it around without making a giant mess and itâs basically splatter baby art.â
That was just the start. Wait until they got a little older and they really got into fingerpaints.
âOh!â Catra lit up, blinking up at Adora with the same grin. âI looked up how to make edible play-dough, itâs a thing. Gonna try it with one of the first classes and Iâll probably end up doing it with Finn, too. When theyâre closer to one, obviously.â
Catra had a lot of ideas. She couldnât wait.
They both knew Adora was not in the last bit artistic or creative. She meant it when she said if she ever chose to take classes, starting with kindergarteners was probably going to be her best bet. It had always been Catra who drew anything more complex than stick figures. But she loved art â especially her wifeâs, of course. She appreciated it. And having artistic keepsakes their little one made when they arrived sounded amazing.
Even if she really had no idea what Catra was talking about, she supported every bit of it without question.
âI love hearing you talk about this stuff,â she murmured, nuzzling her nose against Catraâs cheek. âI canât wait to see you both caked with paints and clay and stickers and everything else you could ever want.â She stroked through Catraâs hair, fingernail scraping across a paint-covered strand. âLooks like youâve already gotten a head start.â
Those purrs were so loud now. Absolutely criminal. Catra snorted a giggle, eyes squeezing shut at the sensation of Adoraâs nose against her. She was running with the assumption that all this talk might confuse her but it was fine, like Adora saidâshe loved hearing about it anyway.
âI need to freshen up,â she sighed, then turned her head to smatter kisses on her wifeâs face. âYouâre going to have to stop holding me so I can get up and do that and change out of stained clothes, you know. You should also take a catnap with me. I can be your jetpack, if you want.â
Catra had been doing a lot of jetpacking lately. She didnât mind.
âThatâs the worst deal Iâve gotten all day,â Adora protested, tightening her grip around her wife and burying her face in her neck. She was very cozy, and she didnât care if Catra was covered in paint in the slightest. But she knew Catra wanted to get clean, so with a very dramatic, reluctant sigh, she kissed her and relaxed her grip. She wasnât going to let go entirely, but she could escape now.
âI kinda wanna big spoon you if thatâs okay?â She loved jetpacking, and sheâd been enjoying more than her fair share of it since her mom and dad had shown up in Vallo. But she liked holding Catra, too, feeling like the protector. It was silly, but sometimes, she needed that.
Aw, this was the worst having to untangle herself from Adoraâs arms. Catra was determined to make this a quick process. She gave Adora a lingering kiss to the cheek, rose from the bed, and promptly stripped down to nothing. Halfway done already.
âWow, being your little spoon is such a big responsibility but I think Iâm up for the task,â she shot back with playful sarcasm, heading towards the bathroom to wash her hands and wet her hair. Brushing through it did away with most of the paint. Later sheâd actually wash it. This would do fine for now. âIâm ready to be spooned, though. Iâm feeling better but I get worn out so easily lately??â
That was completely normal though. Her body was doing a lot even stationary.
After tossing her paint clothes into the hamper (so Adora wouldnât give her the stink eye), she grabbed some clean leggings and a t-shirt to throw on. Then she climbed back onto bed on all fours, tail up and the end curled into that little half-heart. âManhandle me into position while you still can, princess.â
âThe position that comes to mind doesnât involve these nice, clean clothes you just put on,â Adora informed her matter-of-factly, the smirk she wore nowhere near matching her tone. She reached out and snagged her wife around the hips, pulling her down on top of her and kissing her. âBut this works, too.â
She slipped her hands up Catraâs shirt, stroking up and down her back as she looked up into her eyes. âThank you for taking such good care of me lately,â she murmured. âI donât know if Iâve said that enough, with everything thatâs been going on around here.â
Goddamn. That was hot. There was this small, delighted squeal when Adora pulled her in but that kiss muffled it. Catra couldnât help but smile against her mouth. The nice, clean clothes could come off in the very near future.
âSaying itâs unnecessary, idiot,â she said fondly. Idiot was a term of endearment, their moment at the Heart had cemented that. âBut you know I donât mind. I want to. Thatâs what we do for each other, right?â
That smiley look faded into something more serious. Thoughtful. Catra traced the slope of her eyebrows, her cheeks, the shape of her ear. âAnd youâve been taking care of me, tooâwith my moods and nausea and everything. Making all the appointments and making sure I take all my dumb vitamins. So Iâve got you, and youâve got me.â
âIâve got you, and youâve got me,â Adora echoed softly. âAlways.â She kept her arms around Catra and gently turned them onto their sides â still facing each other, still cozied up, but without supporting her wifeâs weight on top of her. She closed her eyes and slowly breathed her in, contentment washing over her.
âI love you,â she whispered, when she opened her eyes again to meet blue and gold. âAnd I want you to know, youâre still the most important. If I had to choose between having my parents permanently and having you? No contest.â
Catra opened her mouth, then closed it.
Shit.
A few moments later, she made another attempt. âWas I that obvious?â she asked, ashamed to the point of not even being able to maintain eye contact. Her insecurity was this ugly thingâa flaw that often put her down a dangerous path, helped fuel the spite that led to some atrocious decisions. Catra tried not to let it get the best of her. Itâs why she didnât ask. Why she didnât say anything.
But Adora knew her too well, and it was both a blessing and a curse.
âI wasnât, likeâŠâ she chewed her lip with a fang, âobsessing over it or anything.â
Adora stroked Catraâs cheek, a knowing smile on her lips. She could be oblivious sometimes, she recognized that about herself. She had missed a lot of subtle things over the years, but that was another quirk sheâd been working to repair since her life has settled in Vallo. And Catra? There was no one in any world she knew better. These days, she rarely missed even the subtlest shifts in her wifeâs moods.
So, yes, sheâd recognized that Catra was worried with all that was going on. Not just about Adora and how she was feeling but about her own position in Adoraâs life. She thought it was understandable; sheâd probably be the same way if their positions were reversed. And Catra had already had to adjust so many times to Adora having other people she loved in her life, more than just her â Glimmer, Bow, Adam, the princesses, and now Randor and Marlena, her parents.
She wasnât the only one this had all been a lot for, she knew that and wanted to acknowledge it.
âYou were very smooth and under the radar,â Adora assured her softly. âI just know your brain, like you know mine. I know whatâs going on in there, no words needed. So, I want to make sure you know thereâs nothing to worry about. Itâs always you. I will always choose you.â
Catra took a deep breath, filling her cheeks for a few seconds. The look was a little funny. They deflated once she exhaled, and she blinked back up at her with pinched brows. âI know,â she admitted. âMy brainâs justâdumb sometimes, too.â
Times were easier now. Back then she had her claws in Adora, figuratively and literally, selfishly wanting her to stay because she was all she had. Catra didnât have anyone else, didnât let herself have anyone else. Now she had friends. Not just through Adora, but ones she had made for herself. That was really important.
But Adora was still her everything, even if she wasnât her only thing.
âIâm okay though.â Catra winced sheepishly. âIâve been better about⊠you know, stuff. I know where I stand in your life. And I am happy for you, I promise.â She took that hand stroking her cheek to kiss her palm. âI want you to spend all the time you can with them, and if you want me to tag along, say so. If you want it to be just you guys, tell me. Thatâs okay too. I get it.â
âIâll let you know,â Adora acquiesced. For the most part, Catra had always been with her. She was family, too, and Marlena and Randor had both taken to her quickly. But sheâd started taking morning walks with the puppies and her mom on her own, training in the art of swordsmanship with her dad some afternoons at the training grounds. She was choosing her times to be alone with them, but she wanted Catra to be involved in the family outings.
But if she and Adam chose to do a parents-and-kids outing at some point, they would. She knew Catra would understand that, but she appreciated the reassurance, anyway. It soothed the ever-lingering fear that Catra would feel shut out if she wasnât careful.
âRight now, I just wanna cuddle you and we can take that catnap,â she decided, thumb stroking across a smattering of freckles. âAnd maybe dirty things if everyoneâs still gone when we wake upâŠ?â She raised her eyebrows, eyes widening with hope.
Phew. Okay. Catra felt better. Who would have thought talking your feelings out could do that, right? The smile came back, and she muffled a squeaky laugh into Adoraâs neck when she dove right in to nuzzle it before assuming the proper little spoon position.
Back pressed to her chest, making sure Adoraâs arm went over her waist, an entanglement of limbs and a tail that wound itself around one of her wifeâs legs. âIâm wrecking you,â she announced, bringing one of her hands up to her mouth so she could kiss, and then to hold it tightly against her chest. âFamily or no family boarded on Darla, princess. Weâve got soundproof rooms. Iâve got needs. Once I rechargeââ Catra yawned widely sorry. âItâs⊠on.â