WHAT: Adora brings home cute pregnancy shirts and has a night alone with Catra WHERE: Darla WHEN: Tonight WARNINGS: Pregnancy talk, some sexy stuff implicated but ultimately fade to black STATUS: Complete
Replenishing shirts was a very regular errand on Adoraâs to-do list. She went through more than most people went through in years because of her very particular interest (kink, Catra always called it) in being clawed during their more intimate moments. Shirt after shirt had been torn off her by claws that could tear through metal. The ones she cared about most stayed in the closet during sexy times, for a longer lifespan, and thankfully, their local Wal-Mart was chock-full of cheap t-shirts and tank tops she didnât mind being destroyed.
That was where sheâd Waypointed to after her patrol shift that day - on her own, planning to make it a quick run so she could get home to her wife. Catra was well into her second trimester now and had officially been benched - more by her own choosing than by Adoraâs. Sheâd been willing to let her continue as long as she was comfortable, but that comfort hadnât stuck around very long. She was being extra cautious, wanting to do this whole thing right, and Adora was thankful for it. She knew she was probably a tad overprotective in general, but it was nice to not have that kicked into overdrive while out on a shift.
She missed her partner, though, no matter how worthwhile her absence may be. Catra had insisted that she keep an earpiece in so she could check in and alternate taking Clawdeen and Melog with her on shifts, but it still wasnât quite the same. Sheâd adjusted as best as she could.
She may have been at the store a bit longer than necessary. She came home with two of their reusable shopping bags filled to the brim and already grinning in this trying-to-be-sneaky kind of way that would fool absolutely no one, especially not someone who knew her as well as Catra. But she had come home with stuff for her, and she couldnât wait to see the look on her face.
As soon as she stepped into the living room, the silence settled over her. She knew theyâd be alone tonight, it was why sheâd taken her time at the store. Her parents were off on some sort of excursion she wasnât clear on (they had been sketchy on the details). Adam and Teela were out as well â at Castle Grayskull, she suspected, taking some time for themselves since her return.
She found Catra on the couch, alone and enjoying the peace, and sat down to kiss her, hand immediately splaying out across the bump. âHi. Howâre my babies feeling?â
It was a still small bump, but a bump nonetheless - couldnât really be mistaken for being bloated anymore, and with Catra having always been on the small side the swell of her stomach had become obvious. One night she fell asleep thinking she looked mostly normal (maybe with a food baby instead of an actual), and the next she put on a shirt and saw a side view reflection and then there was that. A very obvious bump.
She didnât think Adora could look at her more starry-eyed since they found out. Catra was wrong. It would be annoying if she didnât find it cute.
There was always a hand on it now, though - whether it was hers or her own, a constant reminder that this was happening and holy fuck. So many things had changed already since they found out, and it was going to be adjustment after adjustment going forward and it was anxiety-inducing but also - exciting??? Now that the nausea had mostly ebbed and she wasnât, like, crying if she didnât have a nap (hormones werenât going away soon and Adora handled everything like a champ, she was hashtag blessed) she found herself enjoying the whole process more.
Even if one downside was that she had to step down from patrol and be away from Adora when things could get dicey.
âFine,â was what Catra replied with a scratchy, squeaky little yawn - sheâd woken up from a light doze not long ago and hadnât budged. Her hair was a bit frazzled and fluffy, and her clothes were leggings and an off-the-shoulder shirt with some splotches of acrylic paint. She had done things today, and that included the job sheâd taken up running a little paints class for kids at the art studio. It was safe. It was fun. Tiny people, however, were exhausting. âTell me that those bags are filled with pudding cups?â she yawned again, leaning towards Adora and flopping like a lazy housecat. âIâd kill a bitch for a pudding cup right now.â
âNo killing bitches necessary,â Adora proclaimed. In one of her more observant moments, she had realized just how fast the pudding cups had been going (possibly because of their full spaceship, but she suspected it was Catra crushing through them on her own), and sheâd made a note for herself. She was doing her very best to be a good provider and get everything she could possibly be craving. So, while one bag was full of new wardrobe options, the other was filled with various foods she knew Catra had been interested in lately.
She reached into the blue tote bag at her feet and pulled out two packs of different flavored pudding packs for Catra to choose between. âWhich one do you want? Iâll go grab you a spoon, too!â
There was a very indignant noise made at the mere sensation of Adora shifting. Not that it was anything drastic that separated them - just, yâknow. Dramatics. Catra missed her; missed the routine theyâve made for themselves, the sheer mundanity of strolling the forest together for those just in case Vallo hiccups. So she was a smidge more clingy now, sue her. âMmm,â she purred, rubbing her cheek into Adoraâs arm (had to make sure she smelled like her, obviously) with a smitten smile. âButterscotch.â
Her appetite had picked up again. Snacking was abnormally frequent now, and she had preferences that just sat better than others. It didnât surprise her in the least that Adora noticed - and took notes, hyper aware of every change and quirk. Going to the store and making sure they were stocked up was sweet and sexy and -
Wait. There was a lot of shit in those bags. Blinking, she straightened her posture so she wasnât leaning into her wife as much and quirked a curious brow. âWhatâs the rest of this though??â
âIâll show you when I get back,â Adora told her, handing over a butterscotch pudding cup. The rest was returned to the food bag, which she slung across her arm to take with her into the kitchen. The clothes bag was nudged out of Catraâs reach with her foot as she walked away. She knew there was a small chance Catra would get up out of sheer curiosity, but she was counting on the higher chance that she was too comfy to do much moving.
She returned just two minutes later with a spoon in one hand, which she promptly handed over to her wife. Then she grabbed the bag and pulled it up onto her lap. âSo, I wanted to buy more shirts since youâre always destroying mine, but I found some really cute ones that I donât want destroyed. Some for me, and some for you. And I want you to promise me you wonât get all judgey.â
Alright, she supposed she could relinquish Adora for a few moments if it meant that sheâd be the one retrieving the spoon - which she had offered to do, anyway. Catra had little interest in moving. She was also being good and not digging around inside the bags to suss out what the everloving hell her wife even bought. Suspicions were had, though.
By the time she returned to the couch the foil lid was pulled off the pudding cup, and she was licking the splotches of butterscotch that were stuck on the bottom. It was tasty. Not a drop was to be wasted. âYou have a claw kink,â she argued heatlessly against the comment of shirt destruction, sinking back into the couch. Whatever, she had pudding, and thereâd been a spoonful of it in her mouth while Adora continued on.
Adora got herself clothes. Got her clothes. Oh boy. The sudden influx of purchases hadnât been that surprising. The morning after her birthday sheâd woken up after several glorious hours of sleep to Adora bringing in six month supply of prenatal vitamins (plus additional multi-vitamins), lollipops that were said to ward off morning sickness (which really should be just âany time of the day sicknessâ), some weird teas (non-caffeinated ones, also meant to help with nausea), and a proud announcement that she had already set up doctorâs appointments. It was a miracle she didnât have a whole nursery set up that morning with how excited sheâd been.
None of it bothered her. It was sweet. Catra might be doing the heavy lifting in regards to incubating a mass of cells that would come out of her as a whole ass baby (shit, she had to go through childbirth??) but this was Adoraâs pregnancy too. This happened because of her stupid lesbian magic that could be turned into the most powerful strap in the universe. Let her be excited.
âWill withhold my judgment and destruction because you asked so nicely though, youâre welcome,â Catra winked. âNow show me and pass me another pudding.â
Was she done with the first cup? Oops, she was. Next.
Adora sighed; she had no one to blame but herself, though. She should have known better than to think one pudding cup would hold Catra over when sheâd been craving it. She smiled at her wife, fondly exasperated, and set the bag aside to head back to the kitchen. Only a few seconds later, she returned with the remainder of the four pack, a little cooler now from their brief stay in the refrigerator, and handed one over. This time, the others sat on the coffee table.
âOkay, so, theyâre kind of cutesy, but give them a chance.â There were actually a few she thought were, yes, kind of cheesy but also snarky enough that Catra would accept them without much protest. That included the black tank top she held out for her wifeâs approval first. âWhat do you think?â
In her defense the pudding cups were small. Like, it took three full spoons to even finish one, so?? Donât judge her. Anyway, Catra began the process of gracefully annihilating the second one as Adora began to present her with clothes. Their tastes in fashion could be, uh, very different sometimes so she was mentally bracing herself for an onslaught of awful patterns but that one was⊠hmm. Hmmmm.
Pudding set aside, she snagged the hem of her own shirt and pulled it off, the camisole top meant to also work as bra support coming with it. âGimme,â was her response to that - and she just snatched it from Adoraâs hands and slipped it on. Comfy, stretchy, and funny. It worked.
Definitely made that bump a lot more obvious now that she wasnât wearing anything loose.
âApproved,â Catra grinned, returning back to her snack. âI also canât wait to see who's gonna get more pissy about unwarranted stomach touches - you or me.â
Adora grinned right back, pleased Catra approved of her first choice. She hadnât expected her to put it on right away, but just as sheâd hoped, it looked good on her. She always looked good in black, and the text totally fit her vibe. That was a good first step, starting out on a high. Hopefully, she wouldnât screw it up from here on out, but she had a good feeling.
âI think itâs gonna be equal,â she chuckled. She wouldnât allow anyone to put their hands on her wife uninvited, but at least she wouldnât be the one being touched by virtual strangers. It seemed like an inevitability - pregnant bellies were apparently irresistible (which she could attest to, actually) - but she wouldnât hesitate to put a stop to it quickly. And without hitting anyone, probably.
âOkay, what about this one?â She held up a t-shirt this time, a little bit baggy so it would fit as she got further along, brows raised expectantly.
Second cup was done, now onto the third - a nice, small heap of trash was piling up on the end table and Catra had no fucking regrets. Apparently she was munchy. Pudding had calcium anyway so this was healthy, you couldnât convince her otherwise. âI like it,â she nodded after dragging the spoon out of her mouth. âItâs cute. Plus, yâknow, true.â
Sometimes it still felt surreal. Pissing on sticks was one thing - having to go to the doctor to get poked and prodded (my god, was it really necessary for someone else other than Adora to look at her vagina) and then having that gooey shit slathered over her stomach to see what was in there? That was wild. âYouâre two for two now. Iâm impressed.â
Cutesy t-shirts with sayings usually werenât her style but she did like these. She was going to need clothing to accommodate her growing belly - her current wardrobe wasnât really meant for the maternity look.
Two for two! Adora was proud of herself; she was on a roll here. Her fashion tastes differed from Catraâs - a lot, actually - so it was always a hit-or-miss situation. But Catraâs wardrobe was going to have to expand a bit, too, at least while she was pregnant. All the tight shirts and leggings with fashionable tears werenât going to fit her too well after a while. She was trying to make sure she got some fun choices out of it, and so far, she seemed to be succeeding.
The next shirt she pulled out of the bag was one for her, and she grinned when she saw it - pink across the middle with burgundy three-quarter length sleeves and white lettering that read âIâm A Proud Cat Mamaâ. The first M was even drawn to look like a big white cat hugging a pink baby cat. Those sparkly eyes she got when she looked at Catra? Definitely out in full force for this shirt.
âIsnât this cute?â she cooed, holding it out for Catra to take a look. Cheesy, yes, and probably not technically meant for this particular purpose, but she loved it, that much was clear.
Itâs a good thing her mouth was occupied with another spoonful of butterscotch, otherwise her immediate response would have been a succinct YIKES at this one. Instead her eyes widened in - shock? Horror, maybe? Dread? All of the above???
A few seconds passed as she tried to, uh, gather herself for this one.
âYeah â nope,â she protested with a violent shake of her head. Catra even began to deliberately scoot away from Adora and the offending t-shirt. âNot wearing it. I love you, Iâll die for you, Iâll ruin my twat to push out your bigheaded offspring but I am not wearing that.â
Adora smirked. While she wouldnât say her introduction of this shirt was purposeful, she enjoyed the reaction it got out of Catra instead of being offended by it. She knew this was exactly the opposite of a thing Catra would wear. The other two - sheâd been pretty sure theyâd go over well because she knew her wife, and that carried through here, too.
But it was still funny to see the very visceral fuck no sort of reaction it got. It was different from the typical sighs and eye rolls that came with the appearance of Adoraâs Hawaiian shirts. Eventually, Adora had a feeling sheâd get to that point with this shirt, too.
âWho said it was for you?â Adora asked with a raised brow, pressing the shirt to her chest to clarify that hint. âItâs cute, admit it.â
Catraâs eyes narrowed into this scrutinizing look, and her ears pinned back in a way that expressed suspicion and - oh my god, Adora, you fucking troll.
âYouâre such an ass,â she retorted with a non-threatening hiss, grabbed one of the accent pillows off the couch and tossed it at her as vengeance. She should have known, really, but it was nice to see that Adora knew better than to expect her to wear that thing. âItâll look fine on you. I mean, Iâve said this a million times before but you can wear a potato sack and somehow that would still be devastatingly attractive.â
She shoved the last bit of pudding into her mouth with an annoyed grumble because seriously. Seriously.
There was absolutely some smugness in the smile Adora wore in response to that little hiss. She was rarely able to pull one over on her wife; this one may not have been intentional, but it still counted. She tossed the shirt back in the bag, dropped the bag to the floor, and plucked the empty pudding cup and spoon out of her hands, tossing them onto the end table to pick up later.
She leaned over Catra, stretching out across the length of her body, and stole a kiss. âDid I mention I missed you today? Because I did, a lot. Melogâs probably sick of my pouting.â Catraâs alien companion had gone home at her insistence while she stopped off at the store. She didnât mind having the extra escort on patrol, but she could go to the store just fine without supervision.
âThey are,â she confirmed, shameless. Melog wasnât far - she felt their presence still, lurking around the parameters of Darla as if they were scouting for trouble. There was none to actually worry about but, well, turns out their protective streak had skyrocketed too and while they understood Catraâs worry about Adora patrolling without a consistent partner they also did not want to leave her side. It was sweet.
Catra was a big girl, though. She would refrain from making impulsive and absolutely dumb decisions in the name of this pregnancy - hence stepping down from the Defense Team for a while. Sheâd go back eventually.
Until then, sheâd keep missing Adora like fucking burning. Thatâs why she got over being trolled quickly; why she grabbed the collar of Adoraâs shirt to reel her in closer, why she kissed her fully, deeply. Licking into her mouth, purring like a rolling thundercloud, tail possessively snaking around her - all signs of a very needy wife. âMissed you too, dummy,â she whispered before kissing again, breathless with noses brushing. âI donât think thatâs gonna get easier any time soon.â
Did she go back to making out with her wife? Absolutely.
Adora couldnât help it. Since the day they joined Defense, lucked into being assigned on the same team, she and Catra had always been together. She loved Leon and didnât mind taking shifts with him, but she missed her wife. There was no one she was more in-tune with, and on the occasion anything major happened, they fought together seamlessly. It was an ease she was going to miss until Catra decided to come back - if she did at all.
Those were decisions that would be made much later, though, and instead of dwelling, she let herself fall into Catraâs mouth against hers. That tail around her waist kept her close, kept her smiling into a few more slow kisses.
âWeâll figure it out,â she murmured, breaking the kiss to lean her forehead against Catraâs. She lifted a hand to stroke her cheek, meeting those mismatched eyes. Gods, she loved her so much. Being apart from her was never easy, never would be, but this they could handle. It wasnât anything like before.
âDid you have fun with the kids today?â she asked, genuinely curious. She knew Catra had started working with some of the little ones at her art studio. Probably a good idea - good practice for when Finn came along.
Mmm, this was happiness. The simple, physical intimacy of the moment - foreheads touching, cheek leaning into her wifeâs hand, the smallest curl of a smile. Catra almost looked sleepy again but she was comfortable, buzzing with content purrs.
âI did,â she replied quietly, turning her head to kiss Adoraâs fingers - her palm, too. âThereâs a lot of them and it gets hectic and loud, but theyâre fun. Makes the time pass by quickly.â
Thankfully she wasnât the only one herding the kids. There were two other staff members in the class, and it was loosely structured to accommodate all the play time the little ones craved. âLots of them flock to me,â she smirked. âItâs the ears, tail - oh! One tripped and conked their chin on the floor, turns out my purring makes them feel better.â
âAwww,â Adora chuckled. âThatâs really sweet, babe.â It was little moments like that when Adora was absolutely sure Catra was going to be the best mom. Sheâd already proven she would be, a long time ago, but these extra boosts she got - the kids flocking to her, being able to soothe them by purring - she knew it helped put some of her fears at ease.
âDo you think thatâs what you wanna keep doing? After Finn comes?â They had been born and raised as soldiers so, when they were still fresh here, Defense had made the most practical sense. But they had been here almost two years, and Catra especially had really branched out and found other things she liked - art was high on that list.
Catra still felt skittish around tiny people - but maybe she also didnât express that in a way that was noticeable? Which was good, probably. She didnât want to act like she had no clue what the hell she was even doing even if, yâknow, she didnât. Fake it âtil you make it, or something.
âUhhh, I donât know?â Valid question there, wifey. She hadnât thought much of what sheâd do after Finn was here. Wrapping her mind around the fact that this was actually happening had kept her occupied - all the weeks passing, what size of fruit they were according to the dumb app on her phone. âI just figured Iâd⊠go back on defense? With you?â
That didnât sound as certain as she hoped. The space between her brows wrinkled. Catra couldnât fathom not being by Adoraâs side. Itâs how they were, always; having each otherâs back, fighting together in a way that didnât even require communication. It had all been going so seamlessly.
And now - well. The bump between them would continue to grow and grow, changing everything.
So if they were having this conversation then it was worth making Adora think about it too. âWhat about you? Are you gonna want to keep up patrol shifts once theyâre here?â
Adora shifted them both so they were lying on their sides to keep them more comfortable while they were doing more than just make out. She really had intended to save this conversation for another time, but now that they were here, it was worth talking about. Maybe they wouldnât make any decisions, but theyâd lay all the cards out on the table.
âIâll probably take a leave right after for a while, butâŠâ She slipped her hand over the side of Catraâs neck. She shrugged one shoulder, lips pressed together in a tight smile. âI feel like I owe it to Vallo to stay on Defense. Itâs our home now, and I want to protect it.â And she didnât know what else she could do. She had been a soldier as long as she could remember - her whole life was fighting. What else could she do?
âYou should do what you really want to do, though,â she encouraged Catra with a soft smile. She had her oblivious moments, but sheâd seen the way Catraâs brow furrowed, sensed that little bit of uncertainty in her voice. âYou can do anything.â
It wasnât difficult to make this new position work; they had years of experience fitting in tight spaces together throughout the years, tangled limbs and flushed bodies - baby bump pressed up into her, too. Catra didnât think sheâd mind. âSo can you,â she retorted, hands flattened together and tucked underneath her cheek.
But there was a lot to consider, and all the things she thought she knew for sure about didnât seem so concrete anymore. âWe do gotta talk about, like - daycare,â Catra added with a frown. âRight? If weâre both working then some⊠strangers look after our kid??â
The more the words came out of her mouth, the less she liked it and that was written all over her face. âThanks, I hate it.â
Adora let out a soft laugh, pressing a kiss to her wifeâs forehead. âWell, we donât have to do it.â She wasnât all that keen on the idea either, if it wasnât necessary. She was more trusting than Catra by far, but finding someone to take care of their kid was a different matter. It was going to be a task, but if they both wanted to work, it would be a necessary one. Unless one of them decided not to work which wasâŠhard to imagine. But the option was there, so why not voice it?
âYou can stay home for as long as you want after,â she offered. âIf you want.â She didnât know if Catra would want that, but it seemed like a possibly sensible route since she would be the one giving birth. She figured their opinions would probably change between now and when Finn actually came, too. It was months away still, and there was still so much that could change. Vallo was always fluctuating, throwing curveballs at them from every direction.
Catra let out a mrrrrrp at the kiss, thinking. There was no immediate rejection of the idea which meant it was being considered - though it was also difficult to picture, a scenario she never thought to conjure in her mind. Ex-Horde Commander turned housewife? Couldnât be her. This had to be some alternate universe or something.
But⊠maybe.
âIâll have to see how things go,â she shrugged gently, shifting on the couch to drape a leg over Adoraâs waist - a typical position for them, laying down or standing (while Adora had her lifted in her arms, of course). âI like being out there with you. I like knowing whatâs happening around you. I like having the chance to protect you.â A hand slipped out from under her cheek and gravitated towards her face, tracing the slope of her dark brows - tucking fly away hairs behind her ear. âI hate the idea of being away once something happens, because itâs always going to happen.â
But on the flipside? One of them would be with Finn. That was important, too. They always looked out for another - and now, there was someone else coming along that took priority. âWhat if something happens and,â she paused to blink, lashes suddenly a little wet (she was getting emotional, fucking hormones), âyou donât⊠I donât know, you donât come back, or⊠whatever.â
Cool. Catra was getting upset over a hypothetical scenario now. How many more months did she have left of this?
It was hard for Adora to picture Catra as a housewife, too. But she liked the idea of her being a stay-at-home mom, she couldnât deny that. She liked thinking that Catra and Finn would be tucked away on Darla, where not much Vallo madness could touch them. One of the many bonuses to turning a vehicle that had actually journeyed through space into a home was that it was built from some tough material and their shields were top-notch. It would take a hell of a lot of force for anything to get in here uninvited.
Her leg slipped between both of Catraâs, curling in even closer and nudging their noses together. The sectional was thankfully a little wider than most and supported both of them well, but squishing together was always going to be one of Adoraâs favorite things. Now, with her wifeâs belly pressing up against her, creating just a tiny bit of extra space between them, she loved it even more. She got to wrap her two most important people in her arms and feel content.
Lately, the tears were more anticipated than theyâd ever been. Adora was generally the more likely of the two to tear up for one reason or another. Seeing Catra get a little vulnerable, even if it was borne out of fear, was a rarity. âI like you with me, too, babe,â she assured her wife gently, her thumb stroking slowly down the curve of that sharp jaw. âI like having you there with me, but I promise you, nothingâs going to happen to me. I will always come back to you.â
That was another one of those big promises she probably shouldnât be making. It wasnât a guarantee in Vallo - no matter how secure they felt, there was always that drop of doubt, of fear, that any minute now, one of them could be taken away. Or both of them. They could disappear in a heartbeat, leaving Vallo without a trace that theyâd ever existed.
Still, she said it and she was standing by it. As long as she was here and had the power (the regular willpower type and the Power of Grayskull type), she would use all of it to make sure she came home to Catra. âItâs gonna be okay. I love you,â she assured her, pressing a kiss to her lips. âAnd maybe I can find something else to do, I guess. I donât know what butâŠsomething.â
âI love you too,â she answered back, wobbly voice and lips and - ugh. Catra felt stupid. She always did when this happened, the hormonal tearing up thing that she had zero control over but at least this time it felt warranted. Having Finn was going to be amazing (while positively petrified of the idea she also had no regrets), but some of these changes were just going to be so hard. She was fine though, and this was totally fucking fine, and no tears fell so that was a victory and she was going to stop getting sniffly damnit.
A shaky breath exhaled, the kiss was finally reciprocated. Soft, lingering, and absolutely grounding. Catra needed that. âI wonât tell you to stop doing what you want,â she replied after a moment of gathering her thoughts. âHeroics and running into danger for the safety of others is your thing. And if you figure out something else to do then you know Iâll support you with whatever - as long as you always come back to us after whatever it happens to be. It wonât just be me anymore.â
For the sake of emphasis she took one of Adoraâs hands and placed it on the slight curve of her stomach for the very, ah, obvious reminder. Nothing could be felt yet from the outside, and she hadnât felt anything yet from the inside but it was only a matter of time. Soon.
Adoraâs breath hitched and her eyes dropped to their hands covering the curve of Catraâs belly. Okay, yeah, there were the tears, welling in her eyes when she lifted them to meet Catraâs gaze again. The hand on her neck remained there, but the one on her belly clenched into the fabric of that shiny new tank top sheâd put on; she put it there, she got to touch it. The thought made her smile again, nodding earnestly against her wifeâs forehead.
âI wonât let either of you down,â she whispered sincerely, her brow furrowed with determination. âButâŠIâll think of other things, too. Things that arenât going to be as risky. I know I probably make it âtil at least forty, but Iâd like to make it longer than that. Especially if thereâs more to come.â
A big grin split her face at that, teasing but truly excited, too. Her future selfâs promise of eventual twins never left her brain, even though they knew little to nothing about those twins - not like they knew Finn, knew their mannerisms and their personality and their favorite things from their timeslip visit. But she knew if things played out right, theyâd have those twins and she was already excited.
âYouâre so hot when youâre forty,â she snort-giggled, pushing their noses together to close the gap between their mouths for kisses (several enthusiastic ones, all of them with a noisey muah). Catra preferred a more upbeat tone for their conversation. There was always an underlying anxiety about something happening to Adora - whether it was out there during one of Valloâs more violent hiccups, to one day waking up alone just to see her name spelled out on the disappearance list. It was in her nature to expect the worst but she did her best to shove it down, focus on the now.
But ever since they discovered they were expecting all those hypotheticals swirled her mind with a more stubborn consistency - because now, there was so much more to lose. This was a kind of vulnerability sheâd never felt before. It scared her right to the bone, tightened her chest to the point of pain, made her never want to move from this spot ever.
So that leg tightened around her hip, doing its best to draw her closer but that was impossible unless she wanted them to fuse into one being. âThank you for the shirts,â she grinned despite the dark spiral her brain had gone through, the traitorous bastard. Her hand went up to rest right over the Failsafe scar, and she could feel the light and rhythmic beat of her heart against her palm. This was her new self-soothing technique. âAnd I canât wait to see you in that totally dorky one, either. Youâll make it look sexy.â
âIâve got some more dorky ones youâll like,â Adora responded with a grin. âAnd lots of cute ones for you, if you want them. Thereâs a lot more, but I decided to prioritize kisses. Think thatâs a pretty solid choice.â She was still indulging in those kisses, too, smattering them across Catraâs chin and jaw and diving into her neck for a few seconds at a time. She needed that lightness after theyâd dipped their toes into darker waters. All of those things were concerns, of course, and needed to be talked about, but they would be chipped away at over time. It was better that way.
Her hand covered Catraâs on her chest, the other still stroking the bump between them as she leaned in to kiss her lips again. âWhen do we start feeling them kicking, again?â she asked, for what was easily the hundredth time. She was a little overeager, and although she was diligently following along with the app theyâd found, maybe there was some excited-little-kid part of her brain that thought asking would make it happen sooner? Who knows.
Catra was purring again, and her tail was doing these quick, happy little swishes - different from the slow, languid flicks of annoyance. Fuck yeah were kisses a priority. They made her feel a lot better, lighter, and a little more sure of everything. She chased her lips, clumsy and uncoordinated and it didnât matter where her mouth landed anyway. Could be her chin, nose, cheek, whatever. Regardless, she was kissing Adora in some way and that was satisfying enough.
âSoon on my end,â she laughed squeakily. âItâs supposed to feel like little flutters at first here and there. You probably wonât feel anything until the next month or two?â That could also be a hit or a miss, but naturally as time progressed theyâd both feel Finn more regularly. Then eventually theyâd see movement from the outside and that might be horrifying? All part of the process, though. âOnce I feel something for the first time youâll be the first to know. And if youâre not around when I start feeling it from the outside Iâll just track you down so you can stop what youâre doing and pay attention to me.â
She was serious.
A month or two felt like forever at this point. Adoraâs bottom lip jutted out briefly, but it was quickly replaced by a laugh and a smile. Oh, she knew Catra meant what she was saying. She completely believed her wife would come to get her if she was out at work when she felt the baby start moving. She would track her down and there wasnât much that would stand in her way. It seemedâŠmaybe not the smartest choice, depending on the situation.
âMaybe just call me,â she suggested instead, âand Iâll come right home or to the studio or wherever you are.â She leaned in for another kiss, sealing their lips together for a long, lingering few moments. âDonât want you gettinâ hurt,â she mumbled into those soft lips. âJust in case.â
Call her? Instead of just - showing up in the midst of possible chaos? Well, didnât that sound reasonable. Catraâs pout was cut anyway thanks to that kiss, the one that had her melt and feel like fucking goo, the vibration of purrs kicking up a notch in intensity.
âFine,â she groused, fangs snagging Adoraâs bottom lip. It was a love bite. âI guess that makes sense. Probably means I should stop coming up with wild excuses in my head to crash a patrol shift just to see you even if itâs to bring you food.â Which she had been thinking about doing. Her wife had to eat, Catra could bring her stuff and they could have lunch together or something - but those patrol shifts were unpredictable, and the forest wasnât exactly the pinnacle of safety when it came to Vallo. âGuess Iâll just keep missing and pining for you when weâre at work. Rude.â
Ohhh food. Yeah, that was a tempting offer. She usually stopped off somewhere or brought lunch with her, but she did miss doing those things with Catra. Being on patrol without her never stopped feeling weird. It was a weight off her shoulders, though, knowing Catra was tucked away here from any potential dangers.
âHow âbout I just start coming home for lunch,â Adora offered. âMight have to bring Leon sometimes so he doesnât feel left out, but we can spend the hour together. Then you can have a midday check-in and it wonât feel like Iâm gone quite as long, you know? Less pining.â
That had perked her ears up. Catra propped herself up by an elbow, hair still mussed from her midday doze. Messy hair was always weirdly stylish on her - gave off that wild vibe, topped off by gleaming feline eyes. âI could make stuff for us too, or have it ordered,â she smirked, tracing a black claw along the scars running down her jaw. âOr, you know - just sit pretty if you want me for lunch.â
The suggestion went both ways, okay - let her be a shit and flirt with her wife. A little lunch break fun couldnât hurt.
âUnless, youâre notâŠâ Catra gestured vaguely towards her bump. âInto this.â
Adoraâs mouth instantly turned down into a frown and her brows furrowed together again. Had she done something to make Catra think she wasnât attracted to her all of a sudden? If anything, she thought sheâd proven the exact opposite. She constantly had her hands on the bump, spent plenty of time kissing and lavishing that area with attention. There was some sort of primal pleasure in seeing her like this, actually, knowing that was her baby in there. She may not be doing the heavy lifting from here on out, but sheâd played a big part in making it happen.
âIâm very, very into this,â she assured Catra firmly. And to solidify that sentiment, she flipped them, putting Catra on her back again and hovering over her. She pushed the silky black fabric up over her belly and dropped down to press kisses across soft fur. She straightened up to take down her hair, then grabbed onto her wifeâs legs to wind them around her waist, pressing into her very intimately. If she was a guy, there would be very solid proof of how attracted she was to Catra in this state. âNeed me to show you how much?â
Catra gulped, because, like - okay, this was stupidly attractive, and sheâd been joking anyway! Mostly. She swore it was mostly a joke. Sometimes her self-deprecating humor tied into underlying insecurities, and maybe this was one of them because body changes were weird. This was new territory, shut up.
âI know you are now,â she said, voice taking a higher, scratchier pitch at the kisses to her stomach - how Adora situated her legs around her waist, putting them in a position that was five seconds away from ruining her. âItâs just - itâs going to get bigger and bigger and get in the way of things! I canât blame you if itâs not going to do it for you.â
Her ears were pinned back and her cheeks were getting rosy and, uh, she definitely wanted Adora to play the game of âshow and tellâ but she needed to let out that little blurt, is all.
âŠ
It was really hot in here and she felt stupid now. Catra groaned and covered her face.
âYou always do it for me,â Adora asserted calmly, reaching down to stroke those pinned back ears. Maybe Catra had been trying to joke this whole thing off, but she couldnât let her think those things for another second regardless. She pressed a kiss to the back of one hand before prying them gently away from her wifeâs face. âYouâll be getting bigger because youâre growing our baby, Catra. I think thatâs really beautiful, and youâre beautiful, and nothingâs gonna change that.â
She could only imagine sheâd be feeling the same if their positions were reversed. Theyâd been made to be very aware of their bodies since they were kids, meant to stay lean and in-shape so they could, one day, go out into the field as Horde soldiers. She couldnât think of a single cadet sheâd known that wasnât stressed at the thought. Even now, though they werenât modest by any means, insecurities happened. She was sure sheâd be a little weirded out if she was the pregnant one and her body was changing in ways she had no control over.
âPlus, I meanââ Adora was the one blushing this time, face warming from her ears all the way down to her neck, but she didnât try to hide it. Instead, she laced their fingers together and shrugged. âItâs kinda hot, seeing you like this and knowingâŠI did that.â
Oh no. Adora was killing her. Or would just - be the death of her, since Catra may have a thing about being told how much she was wanted. Probably something rooted to her abandonment issues or something; she tried not to think about it too hard but the reassurances made her gooey. Did she have bones? It didnât feel like she had bones. Her ears slowly flicked upwards, and she may have been dragging her eyes down to follow the path of all that flustered coloring. She knew well how far that blush could go.
Catraâs tongue slid across her fangs, ravenous.
âItâs hot,â she promised her, squeezing her hands because sheâd been thinking the same thing and wasnât sure if she was shameless enough to admit it. Now she was. That heat was concentrated elsewhere, and she brought Adoraâs fingers to her lips for kisses as she rolled her hips into her wifeâs to prove a point. âI like that you did it. Perks of being married to the most powerful woman of our universe.â
That fact was hot, too. Her Adora - who was often clumsy and did too many finger guns in the mirror and was sometimes too oblivious - could obliterate dictators and revive planets in one breath. Add âknocking up her wife with a magical strapâ to that list.
Well, Adora wouldnât say she was the most powerful person in their universe, especially if Teela existed somewhere out there (because, seriously, even just the small flexes of the Sorceressâs power theyâd seen during her time in Vallo were impressive), but she wouldnât protest. And sheâd take the compliment because she was powerful, and she didnât know anyone else whoâd knocked up their partner with a magical sword, so that was pretty unique.
Really, she didnât have it in her to do any protesting with Catraâs hips rolling against her like that, anyway. She barely had it in her to produce coherent noises; her eyes flashed and darkened, and she didnât waste any time even trying to speak. Instead, she leaned down and kissed Catra deeply - it was immediately searing hot, not the soft, tender things she usually liked to start with to work up to the heavier stuff. She was beyond the need for warm-up, and she had a feeling when she peeled off those leggings of Catraâs, she wouldnât be alone.