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It was early, ridiculously early. The Day Moon had only just begun to rise, washing the sky with blues and purples and hushing the stars a good night. Brightmoon sat, quiet, still, the birds had just begun to awake and the morning shift guards fell into place. In a small corner, at the bottom of a tall building overlooking the great lake was a medium sized room with wall sized windows and even larger mirrors. The Brightmoon Public Gym was open 24/7 to all residents, but for now the room only held two.
Adora laid on her back, flexing her arms as she pushed the weights up off their stands and held them. Bow counted off, one two three four five, each count she raised and lowered her arms while inhaling and exhaling deep and loud breaths. After ten reps, she placed the bar back and stood triumphantly
.
"200 pounds! I told you I could do it, beat that light weight" she gloated as she punched Bow's shoulder.
"Hey, some on now, it's not a competition" he laughed and sat on the bench "but I bet I can last even longer."
Adora smirked, her competitive spirit flaring. A few months after Prime's defeat, Adora's PTSD had reached a boiling point and she was given a proper therapist to work through her own insecurities and trauma. They had suggested an outlet for her emotions, and Bow had offered for her to join him in his morning workouts. They soon became completely insufferable gym buddies, annoying their girlfriends to death with talk of "gains" and protein diets and alarms set before the morning moon. Adora had never been happier.
"Okay, let's see if you've got it in you to beat the savior of the universe arrow boy."
He chuckled at the light hearted insult and laid back across the bench, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Adora grabbed her jacket (which she had removed for the lifts) and slid her arms down the sleeves. Bow, now psyched up, grabbed the bar, before being halted by the sound of fabric ripping.
He looked up from his reclined state to see Adora, standing as still as a deer and eyes wide in fear. Quickly she removed the jacket and held it out in front of her. The armpit seams on both sides had ripped apart, leaving the sleeves dangling by barely a thread.
Bow laughed, "another casualty of your monster biceps." Yet Adora did not laugh at his joke, instead she continued to stare blankly at the outerwear.
Suddenly she collapsed onto the floor, sitting on the hard stone and pulling her legs tightly to her chest, curling into herself. She clutched the jacked desperately, like it could slip from her grasp at any second.
Immediately Bow shot to the floor beside her, hugging her tight and repeating reassurances.
"It's alright. You're safe. I'm here. You're okay."
He gently caressed her back, not loosening his hug around her, as Adora began to lightly sob.
"It's okay. Let it out. Pay attention to my voice."
Adora's breathing slowed, her muscles began to relax, and slowly she lifted her head from her knees.
"I'm sorry" she said weakly.
"There's nothing to be sorry about" he replied.
She sat for a few minutes longer, leaning into his embrace, before beginning to unfurl and signaling him to let go. He helped her up and sat her down on the weight bench, holding her hand as he sat next to her.
"Want to hit the showers early today? We can go annoy the chefs before they're done with breakfast" he joked.
She let out a dry chuckle, her thumbs running over the ripped seams of her jacket. Finally her words left her mouth in a solemn and quiet note. "It's really over, isn't it."
Bow hesitated, not wanting to flair up another episode, before squeezing her hand and responding with a reassuring "yes, it's over, you don't have to fight anymore."
She sighed, "I got this jacket when I was 17, right after we graduated to senior cadets… only a few months before I left."
She paused, Bow gave her a look of sympathy.
"Back then" she started, "fighting was my whole life. My whole existence, the reason I was alive on Etheria. It was all so easy. This jacket has been with me through all of it, almost four years now, and I just… it's really over."
"We can get it fixed" Bow offered, but for some reason it didn't make Adora feel all that better. Seeing this, Bow tried his next option, "want to call Catra?"
"No, she's probably still asleep, I don't want to bother her."
"Adora" he said firmly, tone alone asking her to just be a little selfish.
She hesitates before relenting, "ok."
Bow let's go of her hand and reaches into his gym bag, pulling out a slightly chipped trackerpad. With a couple presses to the touch screen, the device buzzes until the image of a very groggy Catra flashes across the screen. Out from the speakers comes the harsh tone of the sleepy cat,"what do you want Bow."
"I'm going to take Adora up to you, ok." He tilts the screen to Adora, who gives a small smile and a wave to her lover.
"Is everything ok" she asks, slightly more alert.
"She's fine, she just needs some cuddles from her girlfriend."
Catra rolls her eyes, but even in the darkness of their room Adora can see the warmth behind them. "Whatever, I'll get dressed" she says as the screen flickers black.
Bow walks Adora out of the gym and through the hallways of Brightmoon, it's a quiet and awkward stroll but a nonjudgmental one. Adora has had far worse attacks, some right in front of the people she was meant to be a role model too. Bow meanwhile was always understanding, always helpful, and in truth the person she most felt comfortable with when these things occurred.
They reached Adora's room and hugged, Bow holding on for a bit longer than he probably should.
"Thank you" was all she could mutter, his eyes filled with love and he squeezed her even tighter before finally relenting.
"Breakfast is in an hour, remember, if you don't come I won't send anyone but you deserve some good food."
Adora smiled, nodded, then slipped into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She clutched her jacket slightly tighter.
Catra was sitting on the bed, apparently already showered and donning her signature body suit instead of the expected PJs. She patted the bed next to her, and Adora thoughtless strode across the room to join her. Catra wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and Adora leaned into the touch, head resting on a furry shoulder.
"Did it happen again?" Catra finally asked.
"Yeah," Adora replied, "my jacket got ripped and I… I don't know, it's stupid."
"No of course it isn't, I don't think I've seen a single day go by without you wearing that old thing. It obviously means a lot to you." She said it with a snark to her voice, as if it was obvious.
"It's not that. I mean, I do like the jacket, it's just that…" she hesitated, not sure how to put it into words, "the uniform, it gave me a purpose. But the war is over, my purpose is fulfilled, and… the uniform is broken."
Catra contemplated on that. Looking down, she noticed her clawed hand absentmindedly toying with the loose threads dangling from the torn seam. Grasping the jacket in her hand, she yanked it out of Adora's arms.
"Hey, HEY!" Adora gasped as Catra effortlessly tore the sleeves off completely, leaving frayed edges in their place. Adora reached for her ruined clothing, but Catra stuck out her tongue as she swung it out of reach.
"Why'd you do that?! Give it back!" Adora launched forward, but was easily dodged by the cat as she stood triumphantly before her. Catra slipped her arms through the holes and buckled the belt around her waist.
Adora sat, perplexed. It looked good, while it was ever so slightly too large she had tightened it enough to fit her frame, her shoulders peeking out behind the fringe.
"How do I look? Don't answer, I know I wear it better."
Adora laughed, but her brain still wasn't computing. "Why do you want to wear it though?"
Catra blushed, "ah… y'know?"
Adora really didn't, and her face showed it clearly.
Catra groaned, "you're such an idiot. Look, if you really need a purpose, how about…" she paused, "how about me? You're done with the whole save the world stuff, but you still need to be my girlfriend."
Adora felt a warm, wonderful feeling fill her being as she looked at Catra squirming under her own sentimentality. "Wow" she said, "that was really sappy."
"Shut up!" Catra shouted, pushing her palm against Adora's face in a desperate attempt to avert her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be supporting my efforts to be more vulnerable or something?"
Adora laughed, a happy laugh that washed her earlier sadness away like it was nothing. "Thank you" she said, pulling Catra down onto her lap and into a hug.
Catra giggled, "dummy, I only did this so that you'll have to wear something else for once."
"Wanna help me pick something out?" Adora smiled into Catra's shoulder, enjoying every moment of the embrace.
"You'd definitely look good with a boob window, very glad this jacket is low enough not to hide mine. Oh, also a hip window! Or maybe a crop top…"
Adora laughed and lifted Catra off of her, "maybe after breakfast, I'm starving."
Catra snuggled deep into Adora's arms, "ok, if you're feeling better."
Adora beamed at the touch, "I love you so much."
Catra pecked her on the cheek, "I love you more."