Chapter Text
Catra had never been to Bright Moon. I mean, sure, she was there with the Horde during the Battle of Bright Moon and stuff, but she was never actually in there, you know? This was her first time seeing the castle in all its splendor, and never would she have imagined that she would enjoy it. Not too long ago, the thought of ever stepping foot into anything princess-related would have made her sick, so to be there—with the queen herself—as a guest of honor was strange to say the least.
Despite her excitement and wonder towards everything she was seeing, she couldn’t help but to let her mind wander off to places she would like to avoid. Everything she saw was a reminder of all the wrongs she had done, every person the group crossed paths with seemed to look at her with disdain, bringing back to the forefront of her mind the terrible actions she had committed against them, and the guilt that just kept on accumulating and accumulating ever since her “talk” with Double Trouble.
At one point, her thoughts drowned out Adora’s enthusiastic voice, and she started running on auto-pilot, not very sure where she was going or aware of what was happening around her.
Eventually they came to a stop, and her best friend’s—lover? Girlfriend? She wasn’t very sure where her relationship with Adora stood as of now—voice echoed throughout the room they were on, startling Catra.
“So, what are you thinking of the tour so far?” Adora turns towards the cat and notices her expression. “Hey, is everything okay?” The concern in her voice was palpable, making Glimmer and Bow turn their attention from whatever they were talking about to the new addition of their group.
“Sorry, I just-“ Catra’s speech gets interrupted by the tears flowing from her eyes. “I just-“ The girl starts bawling out, and Adora gives her friends a look, one they immediately comprehend and give the two childhood companions some space.
“Hey, shhh, it’s okay, you’re okay.” The blonde says in a soft voice, attempting to calm the other girl down while taking her into her arms and squeezing as tight as she could, in a gesture that spoke more than a thousand words ever could.
They stand there for a few minutes, neither of them wanting to break the comfortable silence that had settled, holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it. They had been apart for so long, that sometimes they had moments like this, where they just stood for a while, arms around each other, not wanting to ever let go. It still felt surreal that they were reunited, that everything was at last starting to be right.
“I just-“ Catra restarts after finally managing to gather her voice. “I don’t understand this. Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what? What do you mean?”
“Just…this. After everything I’ve made you and your friends go through, why are you accepting me so easily into your lives and…into your home…as if nothing happened? I just…I don’t get it.” Catra didn’t consider herself worthy of any of the affection and love she had been getting. In her eyes, she was still the same horrible person who had hurt Adora, Glimmer, Bow, and pretty much everyone on Etheria. During the war with Horde Prime, she had managed to ignore those feelings for a while, focusing instead on what really mattered at the time, and letting herself be loved for the very first time she could remember. But now that there was no pressing matter on their minds—at least for the time being, as soon they would have to start working towards the reparation of the planet and helping civilians get back on their feet—it was all coming back to her.
“Because I love you, Catra.” Adora says earnestly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, getting a surprised look from the other girl. “And I know you’ve done a lot of wrong stuff, we all do, but we believe in you. I believe in you. You’ve changed, and you’re trying to fix what you have broken, and that’s what truly matters.” Catra gulps, the tears threatening to escape again. “No matter what happens or how much you mess up, I got your back. Always. I’ll always look out for you. I want you to be well, Catra. You’ve suffered enough already.”
Those words played with the strings of the girl’s heart. She wasn’t used yet to having people telling her how much she meant to them, even just being on the receiving end of love was an alien concept to her. Her eyes gleam, wet from the overload of emotions she was feeling. “I’m so sorry. I regret everything I did so much. I would take it all back if I could.” She says in a small voice. As much as she had improved already, apologies and thank you’s were still hard to profess.
“I know you would, I know you would.” Adora comforts the cat, running her hand across her back in a reassuring manner, letting her know that she was safe there, that it would all be alright. “Don’t burden yourself with these thoughts so much, okay? It’s important that you recognize your mistakes and reflect on them, but don’t be too hard on yourself. The past is the past, all that you can do now is try to make it right with the people you’ve hurt. And you’re doing a great job at it.” Catra’s lips turn upwards to form the tinniest of smiles. “We’re all here for you, you know that right? You’re not alone.” She gives the girl a little peck on the nose, making her giggle gleefully.
“Gosh, since when are you so sappy. Being around all these princesses really changed you huh.”
“Oh please, as if you don’t love it.” It was Adora’s turn to laugh. “And it’s happening to you too, just you wait and see.”
“Hm, maybe you’re right.” She pauses, taking a long look at the woman in front of her, who seemed to be waiting for her to finish what she was saying. Classic Adora. “I do love it.”
They smile at each other, so bright they put the sun to shame, touching foreheads together, in a gesture they had grown fond of for the past few days.
“I still can’t believe this is real.”
“Yeah, me neither. It all feels like a dream. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.” The warrior cleans her friend’s face with her hands, wiping all remnants of tears.
“I love you, Adora. I truly do.”
“I love you too, Catra.” The two share a loving glance before kissing for the first time since they left the heart of Etheria. Unlike the other one, this kiss was slow, allowing them to actually feel their lips moving together in sync—they were so giddy and dizzy on the previous time, that it had been hard to even assimilate properly what was happening. Now, they weren’t in a rush, they had all the time in the world. Or so they thought.
The sound of someone clearing their throat made them separate hastily, both still a bit breathless. “Huhhh, you guys haven’t forgotten that we’re here, right?” Bow’s voice was heard, the teasing tone notable when he spoke.
“What, arrow boy, are we bothering you?” Catra retorts back, shooting him a smirk, and reconnecting her lips with Adora’s, who just let herself be kissed again, too happy to complain.
“UGH, you guys are so disgusting. Please save that for later, for when we’re not around to see.” Unlike Bow, who outright constantly gushed over Catra and Adora’s new relationship, Glimmer always tried to seem fed up of their non-stop PDA, but it was hard to keep the façade when seeing her friends so happy, after years of yearning and obsessing over each other.
“Oh, c’mon Glimmer. They’ve spent their whole lives pining for each other, let them have this.”
Their lips separate once again, neither of them surviving the urge to laugh along with their friends.
“Yeah, you’re right Bow. We have.” Catra says lightly while looking directly at Adora’s eyes with a smile on her face, lacing their fingers together.
“Now let’s go, we’re not done with this tour just yet. You still haven’t seen our room!” Adora pulls her ex-friend-turned-lover’s hand, signaling to her friends to start moving as well.
“Wait, what do you mean our room? Catra’s not staying with you!”
“Yeah she is, where else would she be staying?” Adora seemed genuinely confused.
“We have plenty of spare bedrooms in the castle, I want her to have one of her own. And I’m sure she’d like some privacy, no?” Glimmer looked at Catra, trying to find any sign of agreement on her mismatched eyes.
“I mean, it’s not like we had any back in the Horde. Staying with Adora would suit me just fine.” Catra shrugs. She never felt the need to have a room of her own before—more like the opposite, she hated the feeling of loneliness she had after moving to her Force Captain bedroom—why would she start now?
“See? It’s settled then.”
“But that’s exactly why she should have a room of her own-“
The two continue bickering back and forth while Bow just observes and quietly laughs to himself. Catra lets herself fall back behind the group, smiling at the people she now called friends. Friends. And to think that just a few months ago she was trying to kill them. Hmpf, who would’ve imagined, Catra being friends with princesses.
“Maybe you’re not so bad after all.” She says to herself in a whisper.
To be this loved and appreciated was still very new to Catra. It was something she was learning how to deal with, and sometimes it felt too good to be true. How could it be that, despite everything that happened, they still accepted her with open arms, eagerly taking her as one of their own? It was strange. And although she wouldn’t say it out loud—it was a topic that her therapy sessions with Perfuma hadn’t covered yet—she felt thankful. Thankful to Glimmer, to Bow, to the princesses, and especially thankful to Adora. It puzzled her how the blonde never gave up on her. But she decided to take her Adora’s advice, and just let herself go for a moment. After all, this was her first time seeing the Bright Moon castle, she’d have plenty of time later to sulk around.
“Hey Catra, you coming?” She hears Bow calling out to her, noticing how far behind she was from the group.
“Oh sorry, I got distracted for a moment.” She runs to catch up with her friends, wrapping her fingers around Adora’s, who was still too caught up bickering with Glimmer—it was mostly one-sided though—to even notice.
And in that moment, surrounded by her people, all seemed to fall into place, and she wished it would always be like this.