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“Feeling possessive?” Catra couldn’t help the dumb smile from flickering across her face as she rolled her eyes. Adora smirked back as she squeezed her hand firmly, seeming to double down on her promise to celebrate their victory as a couple in front of everyone. Not like she could say no to Adora right now. It was so unfair how the sunset made Adora glow like a golden goddess without even transforming.
“Awww, I thought you loved me.” Adora’s fake pout was so bad it made Catra laugh despite her growing unease. It still felt weird being on the inside of Castle Bright Moon. She had seen it from the outside plenty of times, obviously, and had read and reread Entrapta’s blueprints of the castle at least a hundred times. Exactly none of that had prepared her for this– the decadent halls that would have made her angry not too long ago, the half-deafening noise of people celebrating She-Ra’s victory over Horde Prime, the way people’s eyebrows furled when they saw her at first, right before they turned their full attention to Adora.
“You seriously feel unloved right now?” Catra tried to bat away yet another starstruck Bright Moon celebrant’s hand from reaching out to touch Adora’s shoulder. “Watch it, she’s not an attraction!”
“What were you saying earlier?” Adora’s smugness was as intoxicating as it was utterly insufferable. She squeezed Catra’s hand again as she sidestepped another awed couple, letting a beam of sunlight arc directly into Catra’s eyes.
“I’m going to–” Catra tried to blink away the sudden radiance. When her eyes finally adjusted, Adora’s head was surrounded by a flickering green halo; her eyes now pools of sickening green. The noise around her rose to a deadly cacophony as she felt the familiar weight of a chip implanted in the back of her neck. She instinctively crouched, trying to fight back the growing nausea as Adora grasped her hand in fear.
“Catra?!” The pressure in her hand jolted Catra into a panic. She had to run, to get away from the noise that was filling her body with frenzied vibrations. Adrenaline flooded her body as she yanked her hand away. She leapt behind a nearby pillar, claws digging into the smooth stone to steady herself. It wasn’t working. Her lungs couldn’t get enough air. The nausea was getting worse by the second. Don’t vomit. She thought as her stomach heaved. Nothing’s actually happening?
“Catra?” The sound of Adora’s voice shot through her head like a thunderbolt. Following the sound of her voice, Catra glanced up to see Adora’s hand hovering over her shoulder. Blue eyes, not green. “What’s going on? Talk to me!”
“I’m sorry I—” Catra’s body couldn’t relax. It took everything in her not to swipe at Adora, so she settled for digging her claws deeper into the pillar. An unwanted tear formed in her eye. Her brain was screaming at her, telling her that if she lost her grip now, she’d never get back up again. “I—I don’t know what’s happening to me.”
“It’s ok, Catra. You—” Adora’s hand shot back as Catra’s almost batted it away in a manic frenzy.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!” Her balance was getting worse as she felt herself falling, trying desperately to hold onto the pillar with one hand. “Don’t you dare take her from me again!”
“Catra, he’s gone.” She blinked hard, the green light still dancing behind her eyelids. When she finally opened her eyes, the green halo around Adora was gone, dissipating into red and yellow sparks. Catra tried to nod before the tension spread to her neck, tightening around it like an all-too-familiar grip.
“He can’t hurt us anymore.” Adora’s hand reached forward ever so slightly before flitting back to her side. Catra’s heart broke as she watched the conflict on Adora’s face rage in real time. “We’re safe.”
Safe. That was a word; one too alien on her tongue to even consider saying out loud. Catra forced herself to take a nervous, painful breath despite her panicking ribs.
“Promise?” She whispered.
“Promise.” Adora hugged her with a pained gentleness that made Catra sob. Why couldn’t she be normal? She had literally watched Adora walk down Horde Prime before turning him into golden light or whatever magic crap She-Ra did to him. She knew he was gone. And here she was, sobbing like an idiot in public as Adora tried to pry her claws out of the pillar. She could feel her entire body all at once, down to the difference in heartbeat rhythm between her wrist and Adora’s grip.
“Let’s get out of here.” Catra nodded in her chest as she led her through the crowd. In her heightened state, she could sense the crowd parting for them, their gazes turning away in pity. She forced herself to stare at Adora’s hand clasped in her own as they walked, trying to trust that she was safe so long as Adora’s hand was in view. She felt both too light and so heavy at once, like her soul was trying to flee from her sinking body. The world blurred in her peripherals as they both walked like that.
Before she registered the change, she found herself sitting on a soft, purple bed. The noise was almost gone, muffled behind a closed set of doors. Adora was still by her side. Both of their hands were clammy from the extended contact.
“Sorry…” Catra could barely keep her eyes open now. Her vision was blurry with exhaustion. How much time had passed? The adrenaline that had coursed through her body was long gone now, replaced by a deep weariness she felt in her bones.
“Hey, what happened out there?” Adora’s hand drifted away from Catra’s, lingering next to her thigh. “I’ve never seen you do that before.”
“First time for everything, I guess.” Catra winced at the sound of her voice, all phlegm and raggedy. “Sorry, I don’t know what that was either. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that.”
Adora’s head nestled into Catra’s shoulder as she nodded, her ponytail brushing against Catra’s side. “I’m just glad you’re ok now.” Catra’s lip curled into a half-smile as she imagined Adora’s head on her shoulder, eyes closed and looking like a hopeless romantic. Such an idiot. She closed her eyes at the thought. How did you never lose your earnestness after everything?
“I’m ok. Just tired.” Catra giggled softly as she felt Adora gently push her down onto the bed. “Heyyy, not right now. Kind of a bad time.”
“That’s not what I—!” Catra’s giggle grew louder as she let Adora’s voice ring throughout her body. She could practically see the way Adora spluttered in her mind’s eye. “I would never!”
“Adoraaaaa, I knooow you want to get with thisss.” She halfheartedly wiggled her hips, opening her eyes just in time to see the perfect expression of concern buried in outrage on Adora’s face. The sunlight on her face was dimmer now, more ruddy red than perfect gold. Utterly unfair.
Adora’s indignant huff made her feel better than it had any right to. “I’m tucking you in now, asshole!”
“Nooooo…” Catra couldn’t help but purr sleepily as Adora grabbed a nearby blanket and tucked it under Catra’s body in the most frustrated way possible.
“I’m staying with you.” Catra frowned, forgetting for a moment she was trying to be Etheria’s sleepiest seductress.
“Adora, I’m ok.” She hoped she was right. “There’s a party downstairs for you. They probably have a big cake with your face on it; you need to be there.”
“But what about you?” Catra winced, grateful she had shut her eyes when she did.
“I’ll be fine, ok?” The silence between them felt uneasy. She couldn’t tell if Adora was going to fight her about this yet, and she wasn’t sure whether she wanted her to or not.
“Will you be good to join us later?”
Catra shrugged. “No clue.”
“I don’t really want to leave you alone after all that.”
“It’s ok, I promise; I’m not going to freak out again.” Catra fought down the wave of frustration, deciding that she definitely did not want Adora to fight her about this. The idea that Adora had to baby her made her skin crawl. “Besides, Melog’s finished stealing from the kitchen, so I won’t be alone for long.”
“Wh—How do you..? You know what? Never mind.” Catra felt the mattress shift as Adora stood. Adora’s lips pressed into her forehead, causing Catra to purr. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you, Catra. But I trust you.”
“I love you too…” Catra still couldn’t get over that she could say that now. She was rewarded with another forehead kiss. The door swished open, then closed as Catra lay in the near-perfect stillness. The muffled sounds of the party downstairs played at her ears as she drifted into welcoming, color-free darkness.
“Hello?”
The voice wasn’t Adora’s, wasn’t even close. Catra bolted upright, eyes snapping open, then immediately tearing up from the residual drowsiness. Her hand darted to the back of her neck as she tried to get her bearings in time again. How long had she been out?
“Woooahhh, easy there, young lady.” Catra brushed the sleep out of her eyes as she blinked hard. Standing in the door was Micah of all people. He was still dressed in his party attire, his greying hair tied back in a loose ponytail. His dark eyes searched Catra’s face as fragrant steam caught the moonlight in front of his face. In his hands, he carried a large plate absolutely heaped with steaming food that violently reminded Catra how hungry she was.
“What are you doing here?” Catra looked down on instinct. The blanket Adora had given her was torn in several places. Her jaw clenched; she had really liked this blanket, mostly because it still had lingering remnants of Adora’s scent.
“To check up on you, of course.” Micah eased towards the side of the bed, setting down the plate before taking a few steps back. “Adora said you wouldn’t like it if she left the party to check on you herself, so she asked me to do so instead.”
“Idiot.” Catra fumed about how Adora had clocked her reaction so easily, then realized what she said. “Not you, not you! I’m talking about Adora, that she’s a—”
“I understand.” Micah’s voice was tinged with amusement. Catra fumed. Micah was definitely not as smug as Adora could be, but he had a way of gentle teasing that made Catra want to roll her eyes all the way around. Glimmer had called it dad humor.
“I’m not hungry.” Catra’s stomach audibly growled as she forced herself to maintain eye contact with Micah. Micah raised an eyebrow.
“Of course not.” Micah walked towards the darkened window, graciously turning his back to her. Catra’s gaze followed him, surprising herself with the nightfall outside. Had she really slept through the entire dinner?
“Sorry you brought up food for nothing.” Her mouth was watering, screaming at her to take the opportunity. Micah showed no signs of turning back to face her as he looked out at the Whispering Woods.
“A shame, it’s really quite good. You can imagine how much love and care was put into the food after you and Adora saved Etheria.”
Catra blinked, then snatched a soft-feeling piece of food and shoved it into her mouth. Her body relaxed as the warm bread passed her lips. Fuck, bread was so good.
“Adora saved Etheria.” She forced the bread into her cheek as she spoke. “She’s the hero.”
“Forgive me, I had to learn later that Adora took the Failsafe into herself.” The memory made Catra shudder as she reluctantly took the plate and started eating like a rabid animal. In fairness, Micah hadn’t lied: it was really good, a mix of fresh vegetables and bread and pasta with enough meat to round out the edges. She still was getting used to eating real food since Adora rescued her from Horde Prime’s flagship. She couldn’t believe people just ate like this their whole lives while she had subsisted off of ration bars and questionable contraband in the Fright Zone.
“You should allow yourself to take more credit, you know.” Micah’s face turned to peer over his shoulder towards the corner of the room. Catra’s ear shot up. Melog was watching Micah invisibly with unblinking eyes from the corner, tail flicking to and fro in idle curiosity. If Catra didn’t know better, she thought she saw Micah looking at Melog before turning his attention back to the night sky.
“Credit for what? Almost destroying Etheria and putting Adora in danger a thousand times?” Catra couldn’t keep the snark out of her voice even as she shoved the last piece of meat into her mouth.
“You should really chew more.”
“What?”
“Nothing, just musing to myself.” Catra set down her plate in annoyance. Asshole.
“To answer your question, Adora saved Etheria precisely because you saved Adora.”
“She told you??” Catra felt her face flush with humiliation. Why the hell would Adora tell Micah that information at her own celebration party?
“Believe me, Adora doesn’t stop talking when she’s had a little.” Micah chuckled. “Mystacor sent some of their vintage for the celebration tonight. I probably shouldn’t have accepted it, but it is a very hard gift to turn down.”
“Are you drunk?” Catra got up gingerly, feeling her bones protest as she walked to the window. “I mean, you’re like a hundred years old, so it’s fine if you are.”
“Two hundred years old, young lady.”
“Whatever.”
“And no, I’m not drunk.” Micah stepped to the side, letting Catra see the view outside. “Better than the view from the Fright Zone, isn’t it?”
Catra’s snarky retort vanished as she took in the night sky. It wasn’t as vast as being out in space, but the brilliance of the twinkling lights made the whole landscape below almost as bright as day. The universe was so bright, so full of twinkling beams of light from distant star systems. The moon, true to the name, shone pale, silvery light into the room as it climbed over a cloud. There was magic in the light. Or maybe that was just the very powerful sorcerer standing next to her. Hard to tell, and she wasn’t about to actually look at Micah, especially while he was being so cryptic.
“It’s beautiful.” Catra stared up at the moon.
“It is.” Micah touched the glass with a delicate finger, tracing between stars. “It’s difficult to know what to do in the face of perfection, isn’t it? When all is right in the world, what else can you do but take it in?”
All is right in the world. The words rang in her head as she jolted out of her stargazing stupor.
“I’m sorry.” Catra stepped away. “You must hate my guts.”
“And why is that?”
“Because your wife is gone because of me.” Catra slapped her hand over her mouth as she said it. What was she doing?
“It’s true.” Micah slowly blinked, still not looking at her. Moonlight coalesced around a forming tear in his eye. “And yet, you saved my daughter and the rest of Etheria from total destruction; a fate you yourself almost wrought once. Strange, isn’t it?”
He might as well have slapped her. Catra wanted to shrink into a tiny ball. Why did it feel like he was staring at her when he clearly wasn’t??
“How are you so calm?!” Catra didn’t mean to yell. “What is wrong with you?”
“We’ve both suffered enough, don’t you think?” Micah finally turned to face her. “We carry scars from each other’s pasts. For example, it doesn’t escape me that, had I acted differently, you may never have known who Shadow Weaver was.”
“You—”
“And if I hadn’t been sent to Beast Island, I might have been able to make you see reason where Adora couldn’t.” Micah’s jaw tightened. “And maybe, if you had chosen love instead of the Horde, my family would still be together.”
Catra’s anger rose to try and drown out her growing sadness and guilt. The feeling was familiar; she knew how to be angry, especially with other angry people. Especially when they were still trying to be nice for some reason. “So you do hate me. Got it.”
“I don’t—” Micah’s lip quivered in a way that almost diffused Catra’s anger. Almost. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“Right. So complicated that you came to my room bringing delicious food that I won’t eat. Which you did to cover for Adora trying to let me keep my pride?”
“Believe me, I don’t care about your pride.” Catra’s ears flicked, sensing the opportunity in his strained voice
“Well, you checked up on me; you delivered your food. Sounds like you don’t need to be here anymore.” Catra’s snark felt natural as ever, but the old joy of infuriating someone didn’t feel the same. Maybe if she tried a little harder– “Unless you’re just lying about why you actually came here.”
“I came here because I accept you, Catra.” Catra’s next barb died in her throat. It didn’t make any sense. Was he baiting her? As Micah cleared his throat, she realized with rapturous guilt that he was being absolutely sincere.
“I know you have suffered greatly at the hands of the Horde, of Horde Prime.” The sorcerer turned his back to her once again, wiping his eyes with a dinner napkin. “Can we agree to be good to each other, now that they’re gone?”
What an evil question. Her anger was gone now; only the overwhelming guilt remained, mixing with the moonlight. How the hell can I say no to that?
“I—yes, I’d like that.”
Micah nodded, then walked back to the door. “I suppose you won’t need me to take your plate, as you aren’t hungry.”
Catra smiled as she wiped away a stray tear. He was actually keeping up the pretense that he didn’t know. Weirdo. “Yeah, totally not necessary.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy your very cold food.”
“At least it’s not bugs.”
Micah stopped in the doorway. His head slumped as he rubbed his temple. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Literally never.”
“They are very high in protein…” He muttered to himself as he closed the door, leaving Catra alone with the moon.
Catra turned back to the window, once again surprised by the vastness. She couldn’t believe that she had been out there, an infinitesimal speck on a ship that had swum through the inky darkness between the stars. She thought about Adora’s promise to bring magic back to the universe. It was completely absurd, of course. There were so many worlds to find, let alone exhume magic into. She wondered if they could start with Krytis. If nothing else, she wanted Melog to see their planet restored to life before they all got old. The thought of Melog prowling through the grass of a renewed Krytis filled her with contentment. They had to start there. Then–
“Heyyyyy Catra.” Catra almost touched the ceiling as the door creaked on its hinges. Before she knew it, Adora was leaning into her like a falling tree, looking out the window with her. “Woaaaahhhhh, so pretty!”
“They are.” Catra could smell the wine on Adora’s breath as she struggled to hold her aloft.
“Not as pretty as youuuuu thoughhhh…” Adora nuzzled against her neck. “Hey! Did Micah ever check on you?”
“Yeah, he did.”
“He’s soooo niiiice.” Adora threw her arms in the air, almost smacking Catra. “Flooor tiiiime!..”
“Nope!” Catra scrambled to catch her fall. She was almost all deadweight, slumping over her arms like a rag doll. “Adora, how much did you have?”
“Liiike,” Adora paused, counting haphazardly with her fingers. “Two… glasses?”
“Lightweight.” Catra couldn’t help herself.
“Nuh uhhhh!” Adora looked up at her with complete earnestness. “I’m, like, soooo strong, Catra! I could pick up all three of you right now!”
“Like this?” Catra swooped in to pick her up bridal style. It took almost all her effort, but it was worth the shocked expression on Adora’s face. Adora’s hand came to rest across Catra’s cheek.
“I love you so much, Catra.” Adora tried to cover her face with her other hand as she giggled. “Like, love love you.”
Catra felt strength surge back into her arms as she carried Adora to bed. She was never going to get over hearing Adora say that, even if she wished she said it sober.
“Well, I love love you too.” Adora gasped so dramatically that Catra wasn’t sure if she was aware that she was teasing her.
“I kneeew it!” Adora’s look of triumph was too good to leave unkissed. Catra set Adora down on the bed, then wrapped her in a new blanket as Adora cooed.
“Cuuuddle meeeee.” Adora curled up invitingly. “The mighty She-Ra demands it!”
“You’re so drunk right now.” Catra laughed as she snuggled next to Adora, wrapping her arms and legs around her like a backpack. The way Adora’s entire body relaxed at her touch made her melt into a puddle.
“Mmmm, this is niiiii–” Adora interrupted herself with the loudest snore Catra had ever heard. Her body shook with barely contained laughter as she lightly scratched Adora’s back under the blanket. She felt like she could exist in this moment forever, even as her eyelids grew heavy and her breath melded with Adora’s.
Catra shook her head, feeling the omnipresence gripping her entire being from the back of her neck. The grip hurt like hell, her blood stinging with pinprick electricity in her veins as she felt his words burst past her lips.
“But you have already hurt me.”
She tried to shake her head in defiance, but it was hopeless. The feeling of her body being forced to stand up gave her vertigo. The ruthlessly enforced calmness flooded her sense of touch, making her body move in a way that felt alien to her.
A moment, little sister. Catra wretched internally as she heard Prime’s thoughts in her own voice. I require your eyes to see her now.
Catra felt her eyes open, but saw nothing but glaring white light. Prime could regift her senses at will, letting Catra feel the cold, metal floor beneath her while cruelly blocking her vision and smell. Despite this, Catra knew who he was talking to as she felt her lips moving again:
“Prime has set me free of that pain; the pain you caused. He will set us all free forever. A world of peace without end.”
Catra felt herself sinking lower into her own mind as Prime cut off her hearing, leaving her in desperate silence. She was supposed to be a fighter, a clever one, and yet here she was: utterly helpless as Prime puppeteered her body and mind. Struggle was useless, but Catra knew with what little mind she had left that she couldn’t stop fighting it.
You wish to see her? She almost gasped in small relief as the grip loosened slightly, allowing her at last to see again. Let it never be said that I am ungenerous with my servants.
Her vision and hearing returned all at once. The sight of Adora looking at her, with desperate worry and pain, hurt worse than the grip sinking its claws deeper into her body and mind, forcing her to remember all the pain Adora had caused her in startling detail. The violation of her memories being examined almost made her give up. Soon, there would be nowhere left to hide in her mind, and Prime would push her out into the light.
She felt his— her body walk to the edge of the platform, her heels slipping past the edge. She knew what was about to happen, but when she looked at Adora, she knew in her bones that her childhood friend was going to let her fall. Why wouldn’t she? Catra had made her life miserable for years now. Saving Glimmer was barely a drop in the bucket. The realization struck her hard: she couldn’t tell the difference between her thoughts and Prime’s thoughts anymore.
Catra felt Adora grab her, pulling her from the edge into her arms. She almost sobbed, then felt her claws dig into Adora’s back. All she could see was light; all she could smell was blood.
“Owwww...”
“ADORA!!” Catra’s eyes snapped open, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. Through her bleary vision, she saw the silvery, lavender walls of her bedchamber in Bright Moon. The heat of Adora’s body softly drifted into her chest. She gasped as she felt the wetness in her claws. She sprang back, claws retracting as Adora sat up, then rolled over in pain.
“Catra, wha..?” The sight of Adora’s blood dripping from several punctures in her back was too much to bear. Catra’s heart fell into her stomach as she scampered to the corner of the room, finding a pocket of shadow away from the moonlight. Shame clawed at her as the adrenaline arced through her body. You don’t even have to be awake to hurt her, do you?
“I’m sorry!!” Catra curled into a ball, trying to trust that the wall corner at her back would hold her as she babbled. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m—“
Adora sat up groggily, swaying slightly as she reached for her back. Catra couldn’t stand the thought of her seeing her like this. She shut her eyes as she rocked back and forth, hands and tail wrapped around her knees. She hated that she was actually crying. Here she was, free of Horde Prime, sharing a room with Adora in Bright Moon as they prepared to bring magic back to the universe. She was accepted, loved, even. And she had still managed to literally stab the love of her life in the back. She was a monster, and the thought of that truth squeezed the air out of her lungs.
The sound of someone sitting next to her cut through the blood rushing through her ears. She felt a blanket delicately wrapped around her shoulders. She normally hated the feeling of being smothered, but right now, it felt ok; good even.
“Bad dream?” Catra nodded slowly, eyes still clamped shut in shame. She could smell the wine of Adora’s breath, but her voice sounded more sleepy than drunk.
“I’m sorry, Adora.” The sting of apologizing still felt new. She missed the way she used to just push Adora away, shutting her and everyone else out at risk of being clawed. Being vulnerable like this felt like she was asking Adora to leave her all over again. “I didn’t mean to—“
“Can I hold you?” Catra shook her head violently. She knew in her bones that if Adora held her now, she would unravel completely.
“Ok, I’ll give you space.” Golden light bloomed past her eyelids. The air smelled of wild blossoms as Catra could smell the scent of Adora’s wounds fade, leaving her with the smell of Adora’s blood on her fingers.
“Adora,” Catra couldn’t stop the words from spilling out. “Why don’t you hate me?”
A sleepy sigh filled Catra’s ears. “I couldn’t hate you if I tried, Catra. And believe me, I tried.”
Catra couldn’t help but snort at that. “S-sorry, that was ugly.”
“What are you talking about?” Adora’s voice was starting to lose its sleepy quality.
“Nothing.” Catra took a deep breath as she touched the back of her neck. No chip, no pain. Even the bumpy skin had almost completely healed. Her eyes slowly opened to see Adora watching her blearily. Even half-asleep and confused, Adora still made her stupid heart skip a beat. Her tight grey sleep shirt did nothing to hide her athletic physique, which definitely wasn’t helping all of the feelings swirling around Catra’s body. Ugh.
“You sure?” Adora’s hair was messy for once. The thought of running her fingers through Adora’s bed-head almost made her get up before the guilt smacked her down again.
“I’m sure.” Catra tried to sound as certain as she could.
“I’m going back to bed.” Adora stood. “If you promise to not use me as a scratchpost again, I’d love for you to join me.”
“I didn’t mean—“ Catra’s eyes narrowed, an embarrassed smirk crossing her face despite the raging sea of emotions. “You’re an idiot.”
Adora chuckled softly, making Catra’s heart leap like an idiot. Stars, she was a mess. “Love you too, Wildcat.” Great, Adora had been talking to Scorpia. Or had she come up with that on her own? She couldn’t decide which possibility was more embarrassing.
Another annoyingly perfect thing about Adora was her ability to sleep as soon as she hit the bed. She had always been able to sleep anywhere when they had trained together in the Fright Zone, and that talent had clearly survived the years since. The rise and fall of her chest by moonlight was soothing to behold. Feeling guilty for staring at her sleeping chest, Catra glanced to the corner of the room, where Melog was ambling towards her lazily.
“Hey Mel-” Melog interrupted her by headbutting her knee. “Rude. What do you want?”
Melog let out a soft, telepathic yowl before headbutting her again, then hopping on the bed at Adora’s feet.
Catra’s jaw clenched. “I know, I know. Not yet.” She felt the wave of anxiety rise in her chest again, not quite reaching her neck this time. “I’ll be there in a sec.”
The distance between them felt impossibly far as Catra’s breathing eventually slowed. She wished she could just walk to the bed, lie down next to Adora, kiss her goodnight, and fall asleep by her side. That sounded nice. Instead, she remained sitting in the corner like a creep, waiting for her nerve to cross the impossible distance to return.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Catra shakily stood, keeping the blanket tightly wrapped around her as she crossed the divide one pained step at a time. She crawled onto the bed, careful not to make too much noise as she leaned over to kiss Adora’s forehead.
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She whispered, tearing up again as she felt the truth of the words pass through her body.
Adora snored in response, causing Catra to giggle softly. Keeping her hands tightly wrapped to her sides with the blanket, she snuggled close to Adora. She still couldn’t believe how warm Adora was, even through the blanket.
“I want to get better; I just...” The words felt hollow in the still night air as she closed her eyes, letting the moonlight wash over both of them.