Work Text:
PART I: WINTER
CHAPTER ONE
To say Catra had complicated feelings towards her foster-sister Adora would be an understatement. The two sisters, while not blood related, were both brought up in the same house by the same woman; a monstrous person who went by the name Shadow Weaver. Shadow Weaver took separate approaches in her manipulative guidance towards Adora and Catra. With Adora, a loving and affectionate approach was taken. With Catra, fear and punishment were a mainstay.
From an early age, these obviously separate treatments caused Catra to resent Adora whom Catra believed stole all of Shadow Weaver’s affection. But Adora’s kind and courageous demeanor, her determination to be friends with Catra rather than just co-wards, was endearing to Catra. No matter how many times Catra would lash out at Adora—either physically or verbally—Adora would still want to be her friend and closest confidante. Because of Adora’s determination and kind heart, the two orphans became incredibly close growing up. They each made a pact to look out for one another forever and ever. Adora was Catra’s only comfort when faced with the brutal abuse of her foster parent and vice versa.
Despite the mutual support they provided one another, there was still that lingering resentment that Catra harbored towards Adora. Any time Adora excelled in her sports teams or got glowing recommendations from her coaches, Shadow Weaver would shower her with praise and rewards while harshly berating Catra for not being as good as Adora. And in those moments Catra hated Adora. It was this exact hatred that prompted their last fight when Adora had decided to leave home to pursue a college degree. The cutting words Catra hissed in Adora’s direction had seemed to really wound Adora and they hadn’t talked since.
Catra closed her eyes and violently shook her head to dispel the memory. It was a grey November morning and she had just finished getting ready in her room in preparation for opening the family business. It had been six months since both Adora and Catra graduated and three months since Adora left for college, effectively leaving Catra behind. Catra hadn’t forgiven Adora for this decision. While Adora was able to flee her old life and escape her abusive guardian through the help of an athletic scholarship, Catra had no choice but to stay at home helping Shadow Weaver with the family Herbology Shoppe. Shadow Weaver, with her favorite daughter gone, had doubled down on the mental and verbal abuse, blaming Catra for Adora’s absence. Catra didn’t know how much longer she could stand it for.
Catra’s phone dinged, alerting her that Adora had recently added to her Instagram story. It was a picture of her surrounded by her two new college friends eating frozen yogurt with the caption “BEST FRIENDS SQUAD.” Really Adora, she thought mockingly, frozen yogurt in November? Her throat seized and her grip on the phone tightened. She angrily closed out of the app and threw her phone on the bed. How could Adora do this to her, they were supposed to be there for one another no matter what. Childhood promises meant nothing now because Catra had been replaced by two privileged college students and was left with nothing.
“CATRA!” An angry voice bellowed from downstairs. Catra flinched. Shadow Weaver, she thought grimly. She glanced at the clock. 9:03 A.M. She was three minutes late.
“Coming!” Catra yelled back. Casting one last disdainful look at her phone, Catra left her bedroom, slamming the door shut.
Shadow Weaver was waiting for her downstairs in the storefront. “Where have you been,” she hissed, “there are already customers outside of the shoppe and you’re letting them down with your pathetic work ethic.”
“I’m sorry Shadow Weaver, I got caught up with…getting ready this morning. It won’t happen again,” Catra promised.
Shadow Weaver gripped Catra’s forearm harshly and pressed the store keys into her hands so hard that tears sprang to the corners of her eyes. “It better not or there will be consequences.” Shadow Weaver tightened her grip, digging the keys further into the flesh of Catra’s palm until they broke the skin. Catra bit the inside of her lip to keep from wincing. “Adora would never behave this way. Now go open the shop to the customers you’ve kept waiting before I decide to relieve you of your position here once and for all.” She finally let go of Catra’s palm and Catra immediately scrambled over to the front door of the shop and opened the front door with shaking hands. Putting on her best false smile she welcomed the customers in, curling her injured hand behind her back.