Chapter Text
Adora’s eyes began to sting as she read the email for the millionth time. She had been successful in putting Finn down to bed and prepping their clothes for tomorrow. A grand achievement for any parent of a rambunctious four year old. But she couldn’t help reading the intro email over and over again.
Welcome Potential Etheria Prep Parents!
Drop-off will be at our main gymnasium at 8 am sharp! You and your spouse will be asked to go to your designated classroom to be interviewed…
Adora wanted to throw up. She hadn’t experienced much insecurity about being a single parent until now. She was a good mom. She knew that even if there were days she faltered like a normal human being. Finn was a surprise but they were welcomed and loved just the same. No one could say Finn wasn’t surrounded by people who loved them even if that didn’t include a second parent. Adora hadn’t thought much about it when applying to Etheria Prep. It was one of the most inclusive and developed schools in the county. Adora wanted to give Finn the best chance they could have. They were a smart and kind child who she loved to pieces. She just couldn’t help the sinking feeling of seeing those words strung together. You and your spouse. Maybe it didn’t mean anything, maybe it was an unfortunate choice of words that preyed on a part of Adora she had buried deep down.
Adora was interrupted by the pinging of her cell phone. She glanced down at the text that appeared on her screen already knowing who it would be
Catra 😈: Still freaking out about tomorrow?
Adora👽: Yes 🙃
Leave it to Catra to have some sort of cosmic wave link whenever Adora was panicking. That’s what happens when you’ve been best friends for almost a decade. Catra had been through most of the highs and lows of Adora’s life. They met in English class at fifteen and have been best friends ever since. More or less. There was one big fight they had when they started college. Adora had been struggling with her growing feelings for Catra as well as her sexuality in general. Her journey had a rough start. She had pushed it all down and with it, she had pushed Catra out of the picture.
When she found out she was pregnant during their senior year of college, Catra was the first person she called. They hadn’t spoken in over a year but Catra called her when she saw the mass text Adora left. Catra picked her up and didn’t ask any questions. Just let her cry and apologize all night in her passenger seat. Catra had said she was still angry, but that she was here for Adora if she wanted her to be. It made Adora realize how much she valued Catra’s friendship and was terrified to jeopardize it ever again.
Catra was in the delivery room when Finn was born. She was there when Adora came out as a lesbian a year later. Hell, she was there when Finn took their first steps! She even recorded the moment with Adora nearly in tears with excitement. She was always there when she needed her, and this would be no different.
Adora’s phone buzzed consistently with Catra’s picture appearing on her screen. A picture Adora had taken of Catra making a goofy face with Finn on her shoulders. Adora answered the Facetime call.
“Hi,” Adora said extra quietly.
“Dor, your child is asleep. You should be asleep too,” Catra said, seeing the bags under Adora’s eyes and her blonde hair in a slightly disheveled ponytail.
“How did you know—“
“You never answer the phone that quietly unless Finn is asleep, you’re a human megaphone normally,”
“Hey!” Adora clamped a hand on her mouth realizing she nearly could have woken Finn up. She glared at the screen and dropped her hand. “Rude,”
“Hey it's true and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Catra smiled and Adora’s heart melted a bit. “Now what’s the problem?”
Adora sighed, “The email says welcome parents as in plural. I’m already going to stick out as a younger mom. Now I’m going to stick out as the single young mom. And there is nothing wrong with that, but what if they judge me? Then Finn doesn’t get into the only school I could see them loving because of me and…”
“Woah woah breathe, Adora,” Catra said. “First of all, fuck anyone that judges you at that school. Second, that’s not going to happen because you and Finn are amazing and they’re going to see they are a perfect fit for that school,”
“But Cat-“
“But nothing, Adora. Please, is there anything I can do or say that’ll make it less stressful for you?”
Adora looked away and suddenly felt like a teenager again. “Come with us?”
Catra’s eyes widened in surprise, “You want me to come to the interview?”
“Just for the drop-off?” Adora said quickly. She would love to have Catra there for the whole thing but that was asking too much. “I’ll feel better if you’re there when Finn leaves me to go play with the other kids,”
Catra sighed and Adora knew she was already going to agree. “Okay, I’ll come with you to drop off, what time?”
Adora winced knowing the fact Catra was not a morning person. The woman could sleep all day and become permanently nocturnal if her job allowed it. “… 8 am, so you would come to my house around 7:30-7:45?”
Adora could tell her best friend was trying not to sigh. “I will need coffee upfront as payment,”
Adora’s eyes lit up, “Thank you, thank you thank you,” she whispered. Catra couldn’t help but grin back.
“Mama?” A little voice said from the hallway. The nearly five-year-old stood in the archway with one hand gripping their blanket. The other held their beloved squishmallow cat named Melog. They had on a striped pink and green pj top mismatched with blue airplane pj bottoms from another set. “Who you talking to?” They said with a big yawn.
“It’s Catra, we were just saying goodnight because we have a big day tomorrow,” Adora said as Finn joined her on the couch. They leaned over putting their face way too close to the camera. “Hi Cat ruh,” Finn said sleepily.
Catra laughed, “Hey sleepy head, guess who’s coming to drop off tomorrow?”
“Me!” Finn said confidently.
“Well yes you but someone’s gotta drive you there kiddo,” Catra said “And your mama asked me to take you there so we’ll be driving in my car tomorrow,”
“Cool, I like your car. Its uh big and uh sometimes…” Finn trailed off, starting to fall back asleep on Adora’s hip. She wrapped her arm around them and pushed the stray blonde hairs away from their face.
“They’re ecstatic I can tell,” Catra joked.
“They will be in the morning once they’re fully awake,” Adora whispered. “Thank you I really appreciate it,”
“No big deal Adora, happy to do it, I’ll see you tomorrow. Get some sleep, you’re going to do great, we’ve got this,”
Adora said her goodbyes and hung up the phone. She picked Finn up as their little arms wrapped themselves around her neck. “We’ve got this,” she whispered to herself before putting Finn back to bed.
****
Catra pulled up to Adora’s house at 7:40 am. Her brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she picked out a red collared shirt and a pair of dark jeans that looked nice. She even put on some gold earrings and rings to match. She had no idea what compelled her to dress for the occasion since this was strictly sweatpants hours and she would only be there for drop off. But she figured she should look somewhat put together when entering the school with Adora and Finn. She was taken aback when Adora had asked her to come but emotional support was breadcrumbs compared to everything Adora had done for her.
They looked out for one another. Catra wasn’t the best at making friends in high school, but Adora had welcomed her with open arms. That’s why it hurt so much when Adora started withdrawing from their freshman year of college. She hadn’t known what she had done to make the blonde so distant, but when she received that mass text their senior year, Catra came running. It took a year and a half apart but seeing Adora in her passenger seat after all this time was all it took to know she was a goner.
She was in love with her best friend and she missed her terribly. So after months of repairing their friendship, Catra decided to make it a priority. Adora had Finn to worry about, and she was recently out. She didn’t need any more big changes like Catra confessing her love to her. Catra would blame it on bad timing but now Finn was turning five. Adora had been out for three years, there was no excuse except for Catra’s fear of having Adora run away again. Only this time it would be her and Finn, and Catra wasn’t sure she could handle that double heartbreak. What she could handle was being there for them in any other way possible.
Catra walked up the pathway to Adora’s house and didn’t bother knocking on the door. She opened the unlocked door and saw toys decorating the floor.
“Finn! Catra’s going to be here any minute!” Adora called from the kitchen.
“I can’t find my other shoe!” Finn whined entering the room and their eyes lit up when they saw Catra standing in the doorway.
“Cat ruh!!” Finn yelled, clutching Catra’s knees with all the force a child could muster.
“Woah bud, careful you’re going to be able to lift me by the time you're ten,” Catra said looking down at those round blue eyes. God the kid was looking more and more like Adora every day.
Adora practically stumbled into the room, her hair was down and she wore a red cardigan with dark jeans. Shit their outfits matched, Catra realized but it made something in her heart flutter. Adora didn’t seem to notice as she gave her an exhausted smile. “Sorry we’re running a little late, Finn—“
“I lost… my shoe!” Finn yelled the statement pointing down at their socked foot as evidence that they were indeed missing a shoe.
“Have any ideas where it could be?” Catra asked Adora. Adora shook her head, “We’ve been looking for it all morning,”
“Alright, looks like this is a job for Investigator Catra,” Catra said, picking up Finn who responded with a cheer. This was a fun familiar game Catra had invented when looking for items. Finn was a bit forgetful and would easily lose things all the time. Paired with Catra’s love for Law and Order, the game was quickly formed. She placed Finn on the couch and paced back and forth dramatically as if she were in a courtroom room. “Alright witness, where was the last place you had the shoe,”
Finn was silent, which Catra had learned over the years was their equivalent to an “I have no idea”.
After a few beats, Catra continued. “You don’t say, now…what were you doing this morning before getting ready?”
Finn thought for a couple of moments, “I ate Cheerios and mama told me to get ready. No cartoons though cause we…we don’t have time today,”
“That is a case for a different time,” Catra smirked. “So you were at the breakfast table you went to your room. Did Mama have your clothes laid out for you?”
“Yes! But I don’t like the shorts anymore. I picked ones that had fish on it,” Finn pointed down at their blue and yellow fish capris.
“Today does seem like a fishy day,” Catra said, making Finn smile proudly. “Ok, I think I’ve heard enough. I would like to take everyone to the scene of the crime,” Catra waved them on as they went to Finn’s room. “Adora, could you please check my client’s shorts and pants drawer please?”
Adora rolled her eyes and smiled as she went to the colorful pastel drawers that their friend Glimmer had painted for Finn. The third drawer down she found something that wasn’t supposed to be there. A neon green child-size tennis shoe.
“My shoe! Case closed!” Finn said the signature phrase Catra had taught them followed by a series of incoherent words and giggles.
Adora mouthed another thank you to Catra. “Alright little bean, let’s get your car seat all set, and then we gotta head out,”
Finn ran out of the room to get the rest of their stuff together. Adora brought in Catra for a welcoming hug. “I owe you big time,”
“Nothing we can’t handle,” Catra said, wrapping her arms around her middle. “Now where’s my promised coffee?”
****
They pulled up to the school on time. Subarus and Prius lined the entire parking lot as Catra pulled in in her own Subaru nicknamed “the spaceship '' according to Finn.
Adora unbuckled them from their car seat and they began walking to the school gym. Catra felt a small sticky hand latch onto her as she looked down and saw Finn babbling away while their other hand was latched to Adora’s.
“Can I swing?” Finn asked, waving Adora and Catra’s arms by their hands.
“Maybe when we come back? We have to find the gym,” Adora said, looking around for the gymnasium. They were in some sort of courtyard. The doors were decorated with kid decor: spaceships, jungle theme, aquariums you name it. Catra noticed a few parents and kids heading to the left and began following them. The gym was in the smaller size but was brightly decorated like all the rest. Three big flags hung at the back: the U.S. flag, the State flag, and a Gay Pride flag. It was the first time either of them had seen a pride flag at a school that wasn’t a college. There were four tables with an office administrator sitting at each along with a line of adults waiting to see their classroom/interview assignment times.
“So far so good,” Adora said, sharing a look with Catra. She looked down at Finn who was looking at some kids playing with a bouncy ball in the right corner.
“Do you want to go play with them?” Adora asked.
Finn looked up and shyly nodded their head. “What if they don’t like me?”
Adora’s heart broke, it looked like she wasn’t the only one nervous about being perceived today. She leaned down and gave her kid a big hug. “I’m sure they are going to love you, Finn. Just be nice and have fun.”
Finn shook their head and went over to play with some of the other kids.
“Do I have to tell you that now?” Catra asked. Adora gave her a playful push, “Very funny. Seriously, thank you for coming. I feel a lot better when you’re here,”
Catra felt her cheeks warm, she turned her head slightly away. Adora’s blunt sincerity always had this damn effect on her. “No big deal,”
“Alright parents and grown-ups! Let’s line up by last name and you will get your classroom assignment and your interviewer!” A woman called overhead on the gym speaker.
“Well I guess that’s my signal,” Catra said. Her feet stayed planted in place as she saw Adora cracking her knuckles. “Or…I could stay,”
“No, you’re right,” Adora said flashing her a quick smile. “I’ll be fine,”
Catra nodded she reached out for Adora’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “They’re going to love you, trust me.”
Adora smiled, a real one this time. “Thank you,” she squeezed back lingering longer than necessary. They finally parted their hands and were about to say goodbye…
“You two are adorable! Which kid is yours?” A voice said crashing into their bubble. They looked up to see a woman and her husband. The man, who had commented, was tall and had a mustache that flicked up at the ends. His partner had brown skin and darker eyes with a nose ring and teal-colored hair.
“Oh, they are right over there, blonde hair. Their name is Finn,” Adora said, pointing with the hand that was previously in Catra’s.
The new couple glanced over and their eyes lit up. “Looks like our kids might be friends.” The woman said pointing at the girl with long dark pigtails who was handing the ball to Finn. “That’s Pearl, our daughter with the Ariel shirt,”
“Cute, Finn loved that movie. I’m Adora and this is Catra“
“Sea Hawk’s the name and this is my wife Mermista,”
“You guys have a sweet kid,” Mermista said, noticing how Finn was sharing the ball with a kid who hadn’t received a turn yet.
The realization finally hit Adora on the head. They thought Catra and her were a couple. “Oh they're — well actually—it's just we’re not,” Adora stumbled feeling suddenly embarrassed. She clammed up not knowing what to say. Her head was telling her to tell the truth that she was here alone and Catra was here as moral support, but saying the words out loud made her want to hide. They would think she couldn’t do this on her own. That she needed to drag her best friend along because she wasn’t—
Catra slowly reached for Adora’s hand again this time interlocking their fingers. The relief was instantaneous, as Catra stroked her thumb. “What I think Adora is trying to say is thank you. Finn definitely takes after Adora,” Catra gave her a wink watching the breath return to Adora’s body. Adora’s eyes widened, turning her head toward Catra, hoping Sea Hawk and Mermista wouldn’t seem to notice her shock.
“Well, it was nice to meet you both! Good luck with your interview!” Sea Hawk said.
“Same to you!” Adora replied. The couple left leaving Adora and Catra waiting in line still holding hands.
“What was that?” Adora asked, trying to ignore how warm her cheeks were getting.
“You were spiraling, so I improvised,” Catra shrugged.
“What if we both get into the school and they ask about-“
“Just say it was a misunderstanding,”
Adora stared at her dumbfounded. She raised their interlocked hands, “How is this a misunderstanding?” She shook their hands for dramatic effect.
Catra smirked at the way Adora’s brows knitted together in an exasperated frown. “We’re close?”
Adora released Catra’s hand and crossed her arms, a small smile was trying not to escape. “Can you be serious for two seconds?”
“Afraid not, anyway I believe I was making my exit,” Catra said,
“What? But they’ll see you leaving,”
“Adora…” She would stay if Adora simply asked. She didn’t have any meetings scheduled for the day but that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be any walk-ins, waiting at her door. She’d have to call out if she was going to stay the whole day.
“No you’re right, we agreed you would come for drop off. I’m sorry,” Adora replied. She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes, “I really appreciate you for doing this, I’ll text you how it went when I’m done,”
“Do you want me to stay?” Catra asked. “Do you really care about what these parents think or..” Tell me you want me to stay.
“I…” Adora could feel the bricks of explanation and logistics blocking her airway.
She won’t know what you want if you don’t say it.
“I’ll be okay, you’re right. I don’t care what they think, Adora finally said. ”Just thank you for…everything,”
Catra’s heart was going to be annihilated, but she was already in too deep. Five years too deep. “Of course, I’m just a call away, okay?”
Adora nodded and hugged her. It instantly calmed her down but watching Catra leave made her feel empty once again. She got into her place in line which happened to be right behind Sea Hawk.
“Ah I see you too have a hard-working wife,” Sea Hawk said. Adora was about object when he patted her on the back. “Me too, Mermista wanted to be here for drop off. She’s a marine biologist so she works crazy hours. What about your Catra?”
‘Her Catra.’
The words rang in Adora’s head, as she fumbled with a truthful explanation. “She’s uh High School Guidance Counselor,”
“Of course! I could see that!” Seahawk agreed enthusiastically. “She seems great with Finn!”
“She is,” Adora let herself play into the fantasy a little more. “She helped them find their shoes today, it’s the only reason we got here on time,”
“I sent Pearl out with two different pairs of shoes for a birthday party because I couldn’t find where she hid the other,” Sea Hawk chuckled. “It cracked up Mermista when we got home but luckily we were able to find them…two weeks later,”
Adora laughed, knowing all too well. It felt good to be able to talk to another parent. This wasn’t so bad, and Finn was living it up in the gymnasium.
“Hey, I know we haven’t made it into the school yet, but you and Catra should come over for dinner sometime!” Seahawk said. “Kids can have a playdate maybe and honestly Mermista and I need friends who are not just our 5-year-old,” Sea Hawk joked.
“Oh!” Adora gaped trying to think of a reason to decline the invitation without being rude. “I uh sure! Catra can be pretty busy but I’ll ask for her schedule,” Adora found herself saying.
“Great! Well here are our socials, I hope both our kids get in, this program is amazing! And it would be nice for Pearl to have a friendly face on her first day,”
“Of course!” Adora smiled weakly.
Catra was going to kill her.
****