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The first night Catra spent in Bright Moon was the best either she or Adora had slept in months.
It was awkward at first, of course - Catra sank into the huge circular bed in their room like a rock into quicksand, and Adora pounced after her, crushing her in the pillowy mattress. Catra offered a small smile, nuzzled her nose into Adora’s shoulder and breathed in deeply, filling her lungs with the scent of citrus and sweat.
Whatever fancy soaps they had in Bright Moon layered over the familiar smell of Adora’s skin, making Catra’s stomach twinge at the unfamiliarity. The puzzle pieces of their bodies fit together like they’d never spent a night apart, muscle memory taking over as leg slipped over leg and calloused hands brushed scarred skin, but it still felt… wrong. Different.
Catra sighed, and Adora pushed herself up on her elbows to peer down at her.
“You okay Catra?” She asked softly. The anger Catra had found looking into Adora’s eyes during the war was gone, replaced only with love and concern.
“Yeah!” Catra replied quickly. Her eyes slipped away from Adora’s and her tail flicked nervously as she continued, correcting herself. “Well, no, not really. This is all just weird. I don’t know.”
“I'm sorry.” Adora shoved herself off of Catra, arms wrapped around her own waist as she knelt next to her former enemy.
“No,” Catra said before she could stop herself, her hand shooting out to clutch Adora’s wrist. She blushed and grimaced a bit, fighting the urge to clam up, or say something rude. “I didn’t mean you. I mean… this place. It’s weird. The bed is too soft and you smell different and I feel like I shouldn’t be here.”
“I know what you mean,” Adora said after a pause, letting Catra pull her back down to lie beside her. “Bright Moon is… really different from the Horde. It took me a while to get used to it too.”
“Really?”
“Are you kidding? Of course,” Adora reassured her. “I mean, look at this place. Look at this bed. And we have a freaking waterfall in our bedroom!”
“You know you can say fuck, Adora. It’s just us.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like to,” Adora replied. “Besides, if it becomes a habit it’ll end up slipping out around Frosta or something, and you know I’d never hear then end of it from Spinnerella if I taught Frosta to swear.”
“Psh, I’m sure Frosta already knows the big ‘F word.’” Catra made dramatic air quotes with her fingers as she said it. Then she gave her best puppy dog eyes and said, “Come on, just for me?”
Adora laughed at her. “Fine, fuck you. Happy?”
“Yeesh, can’t a girl settle in first? I’ve barely even gotten unpacked.”
“I didn’t mean -”
“I know, I know,” Catra cut Adora off and playfully shoved her. “Relax, Adora.”
“Wait, wasn’t I the one supposed to be telling you to relax?”
“Hmm, well, I guess I did. You successfully relaxed me.”
Adora reached over to touch Catra’s face, stroking her cheek and finally settling with her hand cupped behind Catra’s ear, a sweet smile playing at her lips. “Good.”
The two girls were silent for a bit. Adora gently scratched behind Catra’s ear with her fingertips and Catra allowed the soothing gesture to make her body relax, melting like putty under Adora’s touch. She closed her eyes and sighed a little as Adora continued her petting, hardly noticing when she started to purr. Adora noticed, though, and giggled a little. Catra’s eyes shot open.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Adora reassured her. “I just like it when you purr.”
“That’s gay.”
Adora hummed her agreement before returning her attention to gently stroking Catra’s hair. Catra was still holding her other hand, and she turned it over in her own, tracing over a small scar on Adora’s palm with one finger. They both had so many scars now, many of them from each other. It was easier not to talk about it. Her eyes wandered over Adora’s mostly bare body, taking it in, and Catra couldn’t help but wonder, more than a little bitterly, just how many of the marks upon it had been caused by her. Of course, she could pick out some of them she remembered - the eight long stripes down Adora’s back being the most prominent - but she knew there were far more than she could easily pick out.
“The room’s pretty nice, once you get used to it,” Adora said suddenly, breaking Catra out of her thoughts.
“Yeah, I guess,” Catra answered. “And we don’t have to share it with anybody, that’s new.”
“That was the weirdest part for me, too.” Adora said softly. “I hardly slept at all here my first night ‘cause it was so quiet and empty. I missed your snoring.”
“I do not snore. You snore!” Catra said indignantly, shoving Adora a little.
“Maybe I do, but you definitely do too.” Adora retorted. “And sometimes you kinda purr in your sleep too. It’s cute.”
“I’m not -” Catra stopped herself. “I mean, thank you.”
“Everything about you is cute.”
“Now you’re just rubbing it in.” Catra pouted, but softened when Adora cupped her face in her hand and pressed their foreheads together. “You really like me, huh?”
“Of course I do. I love you.”
“That’s embarrassing for you,” Catra teased, poking Adora in the ribs. Adora pulled back to look into Catra’s eyes, suddenly serious.
“I’m not embarrassed of you,” Adora said. Catra stared back at her, tears suddenly pricking the backs of her eyes. She’d only meant to be silly, but of course Adora had to get all serious and mushy about it.
“Maybe you should be.” Catra’s voice was barely above a whisper, her playful attitude gone, revealing the insecurity underneath.
“No,” Adora said simply. “That’s not up to you. You don’t get to decide what others think of you. I’ve seen how hard you’re trying to do better and fix things, and I know you, better than anyone else does, and I think you’re worth it.”
“...Promise?”
“Of course I promise.” Adora smiled gently and pressed a kiss to Catra’s forehead. Catra closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steadying herself. She exhaled in a long, shaky sigh and Adora shifted, moving down to kiss both of her cheeks before coming to rest with their lips millimeters apart, waiting.
Catra closed the distance in a heartbeat. The kiss said more than any words could. Adora’s lips were warm and soft against her own, and the hand that carefully combed through her hair was gentle, its movement filled with love.
They stayed locked together for what felt like a lifetime, anxieties melting away and being replaced by the familiar sensation of skin against skin. Catra slowly felt her body relax for the first time in years, as Adora’s strong hands caressed her, smoothing her ruffled fur and drawing the tension out of her muscles with soft, insistent strokes. She found herself purring again, and instead of trying to stop like she usually did, she let it happen, let Adora hear how happy she felt. For the first time in Catra’s memory, she felt completely at peace.