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Catra awoke to the late morning sun filtering through the curtains. She felt a jolt of anxiety through her grogginess, disoriented for a moment before realizing that she was in Bright Moon, safe with Adora. With Adora. It still felt too good to be true. After all this time, she was exactly where she wanted to be.
She stretched, uncurling from her place at the foot of the bed. When she and Adora began sharing a bed together again, after all that time apart and at each other’s throats, they fell back into their old rhythm. It was natural, even though their time in the Horde together felt like a lifetime ago.
Catra reached instinctively for Melog before remembering that he was probably with Swift Wind. The two of them had been spending a lot of time together in the early mornings before she awoke.
Adora was snoring softly, her head turned away. Catra used to poke fun at Adora for snoring, but really, she thought it was cute.
Catra watched Adora sleeping for a moment before sliding in next to her and wrapping her arms around her.
She kissed Adora on the cheek. “Hey, princess.”
Adora groaned, but gave Catra a sleepy smile when she opened her eyes. Catra felt the warmth of her gray-blue eyes more strongly than the bright, supernatural blue of She-Ra. “Hey.”
Adora kissed Catra, lasting a moment but still chaste. She rubbed her eyes. “What time is it?”
“Late. Probably.”
Adora sighed. “Well, we should probably get up, then.”
Catra buried her head in Adora’s shoulder. “Don’t wanna.”
“Catra…” Adora started to protest, but she was silenced by a kiss.
“Just stay for a minute.” Catra cajoled. Another kiss. “Please?”
Adora gave a deeper kiss back and smiled. “Okay.”
Catra couldn’t help but purr as she reciprocated. She kissed Adora hungrily, like it had been months instead of just moments ago when she last had. Adora kissed back with just as much enthusiasm. Catra felt a warmth and excitement in her body as she felt Adora moan softly beneath her touch. Then, without thinking, Catra pushed herself on top of Adora and began kissing her neck. The moans began in earnest then, and Catra’s body thrummed with arousal and adrenaline. This was farther than they had ever gone before. But Adora seemed to love it, evidenced by the urgency with which she pressed back against Catra and returned her kisses.
Then Catra made a leap of faith. Slowly, she moved one of her hands beneath Adora’s shirt, heart pounding in her ears. When her fingers finally met Adora’s breast, Adora gasped.
All at once, Catra panicked. She jumped away from Adora and fell off the bed.
“Catra? Are you—”
“I’m fine!” Catra shouted from the floor, more out of humiliation than anger. Then, more quietly, “I’m fine.” She got up and ran her hands through her still-too-short hair. Her face was hot. She couldn’t believe her utter failure. She turned away. “Let’s um—let’s go get breakfast. They’re probably clearing it away soon. I’ll meet you there.”
Catra jumped into her clothes, only slightly losing her balance, and practically ran out the door. As she left, she heard “Catra, wait—” but she couldn’t bear to face Adora.
***
Catra found Melog curled up on a high branch of their favorite tree in Bright Moon’s palace grounds. She scampered up and perched next to him. She scooted close and laid her head against his, closing her eyes.
What happened? he asked.
She jerked away. “Nothing,” she said, looking anywhere but at her companion.
Something happened with Adora, he said. You are unsettled in the way only she makes you feel. You know that I know this.
Catra sighed. “Yeah, okay, you’re right.” She breathed deeply, and her words came out all at once. “We…did some stuff that we hadn’t done before, and I pushed it, and I think I freaked her out and now I don’t know what to do.”
Melog cocked his head with a mew. Stuff? I do not understand. Please explain.
“Ugh.” Catra covered her face in her hands, ears back. She trusted Melog with her life, and he was the only being on Etheria she was as close to as she was to Adora, but there were some things she couldn’t share with him. “I can’t—I just—It’s Etherian stuff. Intimacy. Stuff. I don’t know, I—”
Suddenly, with a flash of pink sparkles, Glimmer appeared below the tree. “Catra! There you are! you missed breakfast! Adora’s looking for you.”
“Don’t come up—” Catra hissed, but before she could finish speaking, Glimmer was on the branch below her and Melog. Melog started to growl and turn red, but Catra gave him a calming pat.
“I don’t know what happened, but Adora’s really worried. You should go talk to her,” Glimmer said.
“I can’t.” Catra growled. She jumped down from the tree and started walking away, but Glimmer teleported in front of her.
“It’s Adora. She loves you. I’m sure it’ll be fine, whatever it is.”
Catra crossed her arms and looked away. A beat, and then out of a flash of desperation, something possessed her to ask, “Did you and Bow…are you…I mean, did you...”
Glimmer smirked. “Are you asking me for sex advice?”
Catra’s tail puffed and stood on end. “NO!” She turned away, and then quietly replied, “I mean…yes. Maybe.” She breathed deeply and smoothed her hair out of her face. “Yes.”
“Wow, asking me for help. You must be desperate,” Glimmer said with a triumphant grin. Seeing Catra’s despondent look, she asked more seriously, “Come walk with me?”
Catra nodded and followed Glimmer to the path that wove through the palace gardens. Catra regarded the blossoms with interest. She was still getting used to being around living plants after growing up in the Fright Zone and only spending time outside of it in the Crimson Waste and in space.
“So, tell me what happened,” Glimmer said.
Catra did her best to relate the story of that morning faithfully, balancing giving useful detail with protecting her ego and privacy.
“So wait, you actually fell out of bed?” Glimmer laughed.
Catra groaned and covered her face with her hands. “I know, it’s terrible.”
“I’m sure it’s okay, though,” Glimmer said. “It’s Adora. She’s pretty awkward herself, you know. It’s not the end of the world if you’re a little awkward, too.”
Catra looked up from the roses they were passing by and stopped. “So, you think it’s okay?”
Glimmer smiled. “Yeah, I do. You know, Bow and I had some issues at first, too. When he first went down on me I—”
“OKAY, TOO MUCH INFORMATION, SPARKLES,” Catra shouted, flattening her ears against her head.
“Okay, okay, sorry,” Glimmer said. She put one hand on Catra’s shoulder.
“Hey. Trust Adora. Like I said, she loves you, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she wants what you want.”
Catra gave Glimmer a small smile. “Thanks. I’ll go talk to her.”
“Great! I’ll go tell her that—”
“No, wait!”
Without thinking, Catra grabbed Glimmer to keep her from teleporting, forgetting that doing so would just take her with her. That is how she ended up face-to-face with Adora in their bedroom, clinging to Glimmer. Adora was sitting on the bed hugging a cushion, which she dropped in surprise.
The most awkward of awkward silences ensued.
“I’ll just…show myself out,” Glimmer said quietly, and backed out of the room, closing the door gently.
***
The silence stretched on.
Finally: “Hey—” Adora and Catra tried to say at once.
“Oh, you go,” said Adora nervously.
Catra swallowed. “I’m really sorry about earlier,” she said, not able to meet Adora’s gaze. “I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s okay! You didn’t do anything wrong,” Adora said. “It was, um,” she looked up at Catra, and said quietly, “It was…good.”
“Oh,” said Catra. “That’s…good.”
“Yeah,” Adora said. “So if you…ever want to try again…?”
“I do!” Catra said, perhaps too eagerly. “I do. Want to. If that’s okay.”
Adora exhaled. “Good. Come here,” she said, patting the space on the bed next to her. Catra complied, but kept a little space away from Adora.
“You want to know something stupid?” Catra asked quietly, ears flattened.
“Sure,” replied Adora. “But I bet it’s not, though.”
Catra sighed. “I’m afraid that I’ll scare you away. I spent so much time trying to hurt you and pushing you away when you were everything I wanted all along. I did so many bad things and hurt so many people. I’m afraid you’ll figure out that I’m a terrible person and leave. Sometimes I feel like I’m worthless, just like Shadow Weaver always said, and someday you’ll realize it, too. I can’t even make you feel good without messing it up.”
“Catra,” Adora said softly, putting a hand on Catra’s face and looking her straight in the eyes. “I’ll never leave you again. You’re everything I wanted, too. I know you did bad things, but I also know you’ve changed and you’re making up for it. Your love helped me save the universe. And of course Shadow Weaver was wrong about you. You’re worth everything to me. Nothing will ever change that.”
Catra felt hot tears run down her face. She touched Adora’s hand. “Promise?” she asked.
“Promise.” Adora leaned in and kissed her, and Catra hoped she’d never pull away.