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Adora put her hand on the casket, expression unreadable. It was taking every ounce of self-control in Adora’s body not to break down in tears, ripping the grass at her feet away.
Everyone else had left an hour ago, the service wasn't that long anyways. There wasn't much to say, but at the same time there was so much to say. She would have hated people crying over her for so long anyways. It was better this way, no one to see all of Adora's walls break down. Crying for the woman she loved the most.
Adora held back another sob, life isn't fair, this isn't fair. What went wrong? How could no one have prevented this?
She didnt even get to say goodbye.
W hen does anyone ever get to say goodbye? No one is ever ready to.
“I don’t need you to protect me! I’ve been doing just fine on my own!”
“For god’s sake, just let me come with you, that part of town is sketchy and dangerous! I’m only trying to look out for you!”
‘I’m not some weakling, I can hold my own shit.”
She tried to push past Adora, when it became clear Adora wasn't going to let her through, she resorted to using words.
Adora sometimes wishes she used her fists more often, maybe she would have been able to prevent her from leaving that night. Why was she so weak? So stupid? How could she have let this happen?
Catra was always the stronger one out of the two.
“Adora, you can't be the hero in this story, I don’t need you, and I didn't need you before, so just leave me alone this time.” She moved to try again. Adora didn't budge from the door.
Anger started to take over again, it was always going to be their downfall. At least they could have fallen together.
“I’m not going to leave you alone again, not after losing you for 4 years.”
“If you left me for 4 years, you can do it again for 4 hours.” she growled.
Adora sighed, moving out of the way she stared at the carpet instead of Catra’s retreating form. Adora soon moved to the couch, opting to stay awake for when Catra came back.
Soon four hours turned to six, six into ten, then it was the next day. Days turned into a week and there was no sign of Catra.
Adora had already called the police by the third day. It wasn' like Catra to leave for so long. She would always come back after 10 hours.
.
.
.
Adora gripped the side of the casket a little harder, the next memory in this tragic tale bringing out all he rage inside of her.
.
.
.
The police found her body in a garbage bin near the outskirts of town, behind an old abandoned warehouse. She was bloody, oh my god so bloody. Adora was surprised her body still held a bit of her once shiny, olive complexion.
When she heard the news she broke down, desperately waiting for Catra to come out from behind the police officers laughing her high pitched, squeaky laugh Adora loved so much. She could hear her voice now, "You should see your face! It looks so stupid!"
Then they would argue about who has the stupider face and go to bed, wrapped in each others embrace.
But since when was the universe on their side?
Next thing Adora knows, she's standing in court, listening to the the man who...
S he couldn't say it, that would make it true, that Catra wasn't coming home in anything but a casket.
Adora listened to the man, Horde Prime people would call him, describe how he...
It was taking her all her strength not to close the distance between them and choke him slowly in her hands.
"I tied her body to a pole, but left her four feet off the ground. It was easier that way, you know? I had a better view of exactly where to stab. One must perfect the job, leave no room for mistakes."
Adora thought she was going to be sick, Glimmer and Bow's hands were squeezing hers supportively, keeping her grounded on this cruel planet, known as Earth.
"She screamed and cried, although I know she tried not to." He turned to look Adora straight in the eyes as he finished up his statement, "In the end she suffered, poor thing thought no one was coming for her. I guess she was right."
Adora couldn't take it any longer, she collapsed on the grass in front of Catra's coffin. Hours of tears that were held back spilled out now onto the grass, hand were punching the dirt patches beneath her.
"Why? I told you not to go! But you've never listened to anyone, much less to me!" She choked out, maybe their shared stubbornness was their downfall.
It wasn't fair, Catra was the fire in their relationship, the one that kept Adora going, the light in Adora's life she never thought would die. Catra was the amibitous one, the reckless, mischievous, stubborn one. She was studying to become a lawyer, daring anyone to try and win a fight with her.
They’ve had many fights, Catra would always win the majority of them, a satisfied, smug grin always on her face after.
Maybe Adora would've have won that fight with her that night, the one that cost Catra her life. Her firecracker Catra, always the stronger one between the two.
If only she used her fists instead of her words, at least the physical wounds heal.