Work Text:
“What do you mean you don’t know how old you are?” Glimmer shouted as she flipped over on her bed. Her, Adora, Bow, and Catra were hanging out in her room with the two ex soldiers sparring again while the normal two entertained themselves reading magazines, an activity neither Adora or Catra ever learned to enjoy.
“What’s the number on you last birthday cake?” Bow now listening into the conversation.
Catra’s ears flicked confused, “birthday cake? Like the chocolate stuff?” she asked from on top of Adora leaning to sit on the latter’s thighs.
“Oh, the stuff we stole when we were little?” she remembered the time they found an incredibly sweet and soft bread thing in the kitchen when the two of them were still causing trouble in the Fright Zone.
Bow was just about the cry for his poor friends when Glimmer shot a hand over his mouth. “Oh I just remembered that me and Bow have to go talk to my mom. We’ll be right back, why don’t you guys just stay here kay?” she pushed Bow out of the room closing the door quickly listening to make sure the others weren’t trying to follow, and sure enough the sound of wrestling and laughing ensured.
“Wait when did your mom want to talk to us?” he whispered, not knowing what’s going on.
“Bow, they have no idea what a birthday is! We have to do something about this!” She hissed trying to keep the others from hearing.
Not fighting being dragged by the arm down the hall he followed along, “Well why don’t we just tell them? I mean we’ve already taught Adora a lot of stuff, it’s not that hard.” his voice confused about why she didn’t think of doing that in the first place.
“Don’t you get it Bow? We have to throw them a birthday party!” She yelled now a safe distance away from her room and thus the mentioned friends.
“How would we even know what to do for them? We don't even know when they want their birthdays to be. What if we get it wrong?"
That made Glimmer stop, she hadn't really thought about when their birthdays would be, and she didn't want to just choose a random day for them it had to be something special for them. "We'll think of something, Bow." She sighed knowing this wasn't as easy as she originally thought it would be.
"What do you mean when we would want a birthday? You mean like on Friday?" Adora quirked a brow at the bizarre question.
"No not tomorrow, like if there was a day you remember when you were little that made you really happy?" Glimmer tried correcting hers.
Adora thought about it and that seemingly made things worse. The only times she could recall being happy as a kid were her and Catra doing things that ended up getting them in trouble. "Glimmer I don't think we can just pick a day. We don't really-"
"It was snowing." Catra said staring at the floor.
"Snowing?" It was Glimmer's turn to be confused now.
"The first day I met Adora it was the first day it was snowing that year… Shadow Weaver had left me outside at night for disrespecting her, I was so cold it felt like I was going to freeze to death. I tried curling up on the air vent outside the barracks window.." She whispered not bothering to look up from the floor. A comforting hand worked its way into hers giving it a firm squeeze. "Then the window opened up and someone pulled me inside. I couldn't even move and this small little girl carried me to her bed and wrapped me up in her blankets." Tears were slowly rolling down her cheeks mating her fur, Glimmer trying to hide the fact that she was wiping away her own tears. “That was the day she really saved my life.”
Catra wiped her tears and looked up at them, "and the first day I met this goofy dork." She gave a small tired smile and nudged Adora with her shoulder trying to shake off the heavy mood.
Bow listening in as quiet as he could with tears actively spilling out. “Aww Catra!” He said before lunging at her and Adora by proxy, wrapping his arms around both of them.
The feline only okay with the contact for a few brief moments before then deciding to try wiggling her way out. “Bow let go!” She grunted while pushing against him, but the addition of Adora and Glimmer joining in the group hug made escape impossible.
“It’s such a happy sad story.” He cried in response, clearly no intent to let go like she demanded. So instead she took it with a grain of salt and accepted their affection relaxing ever so slightly whilst leaning into Adora.
Now it was late in the year with the temperature the lowest it’s been all year, with the wind blowing the cold air around freely. Catra and Adora sat together on the rail outside their waterfall balcony staring up at the dark cloudy sky. “Do you think it will really snow tonight?” Catra asked still gazing intently at the dark cotton balls.
“Glimmer said it definitely will, besides I’m freezing so it has to right?” She smirked as she snuggled closer to Catra under their shared blanket. Glimmer and Bow had been acting strange and distant all week, not so much as to be cold or rude but like they were always hiding something from them. At first Adora thought it was because ‘ Christmas ’ was coming, but the castle staff was already setting up decorations and the three of them already explain to Catra what this next holiday was about.
“Hey you guys!” a voice shouted from the door as the princess poked her head in. “There’s something you guys need to come see in the open ball! It’s really cool!” she said before ducking back out of the room.
The ex soldiers exchange a weird look before spinning around on the rail to head in. “I wonder what she’s all hyper about.” Catra smirked more than asked. However they got to the door and their friend was nowhere to be seen. “Oh pft, she couldn’t even wait for us?” she scoffed as she looked around the empty hallway.
“She must really be excited, come on let’s go check it out.” Adora shrugged off the weird behavior as they headed for the downstairs courtyard. It was usually used for special occasions if the weather was nice, but on a cold night like tonight she didn’t know why it would even be used.
When they got there they pushed open the door to see the courtyard was dark, but weird decorations were all around and there was something-
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” A chorus of shouts timed with the lights coming to life started the two into screaming and holding onto each other for dear life. They looked around at all the different faces, their friends front and center surrounded by dozens and dozens of people from the kingdom.
"What- what is this?" Adora and Catra were looking around completely shocked by everything around them; the sparkling decorations, the tempting table of food, and all the happy and cheering faces.
"We wanted you guys to have a special day all for you, so we planned everything for your surprise birthday." Glimmer explained coming up and hugging them tightly.
Catra groaned under being squeezed, "but why today?" She asked just before she got her answer. A little frozen spec flitted down landing in her nose. "Snow… you remembered?" She looked at the princess her voice filled with an emotion she couldn't possibly describe.
"Of course we did, we wanted your guys birthday to be special for both of you." Glimmer smiled stepping back to talk to her clearly, "now come on, let's have some fun!" She pulled them along right into the fray of the party.
Both girls had been to parties by now, aside from princess prom, and we're thoroughly enjoy this very special day. Catra happily wearing a 'birthday girl' crown with an even bigger smile at all the excitement and celebration for just her and Adora. They played their share of party games with their other princess friends and even some of their squad from the Horde had showed up later adding to the fun.
However the big highlight for the girls came when the piñatas came out, the large blue Gorda had pictures of Shadow Weaver taped on them. At first that set an off mood for all of the ex soldiers who suffered under her their whole life, but once Bow handed Catra the stick all bets were off. The only one bummed out about not getting a swing at the piñatas was Lonnie, all the others were either too encouraging or terrified by the violent display to care.
"You guys ready for presents?" Bow asked with a wide toothy smile.
"Wait, I thought that was only for Christmas?" Catra asked as the now broken stick was pried from her grip. Soon the two of them found themselves seated the a stack of boxes and letters between them, "wow" Catra gasped at all the different colors and patterns before her.
Together they worked their way through the pile putting their gifts together behind them. There were a few very memorable ones; from Sea Hawk a signed picture of himself, Frosta had gotten them both ice skates to enjoy during the season. Mermista and Perfuma both giving them beautiful orbs embound with their magic that resembled magical glass planets.
Glimmer and Bow choosing to save theirs for when the four of them were alone, having both wanted to give them a pile of presents on their own they left it in the girls' room. However Catra got a few added gifts from her squad members; Scorpia had given her a small booklet of pictures she drew herself, all of which Catra with her various friends doing various things.
Lonnie however wasn't going to give up a chance for a free shot at the feline. When Catra opened her last gift she froze at the sight of a rubber mouse just absolutely taunting her. Instincts kicked into overdrive and she nearly bit through her tongue to stop from pouncing on the toy. "Pft like I would care for this" she tossed it box and all into the pile denying her tail flicking wildly behind her even as she kept a close eye on the box.
"I'm really glad you had such an amazing day, Catra." Adora said snuggled into the feline. "I saw how happy you were to get that mouse."
Catra could just feel that grin on the back of her head. "You just won't let that go, I can't believe you told her!" She flipped around to face the blonde who just stared at her with content, "but yeah… today was really great."
"You wanna know what my favorite part of today was?" Adora muttered into the mess of hair. "Getting to spend it all with you." She whispered and pressed a light kiss against Catra's forehead.
Peering up at her favorite person Catra snaked her arms around Adora to pull her close steadily closing the distance until their lips met in a gentle tender kiss. "Thank you Adora, for being the best thing that ever happened to me." She whispered before nuzzling into the crook of Adora's neck the warmth and comfort sending both to sleep with blissful smiles pulling at their lips.