Archive of Our Own ^beta

Catra honestly had no clue how she got here. The past week’s events after the defeat of Horde Prime should have been victorious, exciting, but the damage done to Etheria had been even more horrible than any of them had realized. Great swaths of the forests had been leveled, houses and cities decimated, and the skeletons of Horde Prime’s towers remained watching over the carnage, somehow creepier in their silence. So, they hadn’t gotten that victory party yet, or the big space vacation that Adora had looked so excited about. Instead, they were in some small Etherian village that the Horde and then Horde Prime had almost entirely destroyed, trying to rebuild enough housing to get the war refugees back into their old homes. 

Catra’s back ached. For how good she was in a fight, she relied more heavily on her dexterity than her strength, and there was no way to dodge construction materials into place. Adora had been in She-Ra form all day, the added height and strength crucial to her job of repairing and building roofs. Glimmer was making quick work of all of her jobs, teaming up with Bow and using her sparkle powers to teleport in materials. Catra was pretty sure all of them were cheating. And no, she wasn’t bitter, she just preferred a fair war relief, thank you very much.

“Catra!” She-Ra’s voice shouldn’t be allowed to do that to her, darkening her cheeks and melting her bones at the same time.

“She-Ra.” Catra huffed, her claws scrabbling as the wood she was carrying slipped from her grasp, trying in vain not to drop it.

“Oh, here.” And just like that, She-Ra had scooped up the wood into the crook of one elbow, picking Catra up with the other hand to set her on her feet. Okay, this was really not fair. “There you go.”

“I don’t want your help,” Catra hissed, the hair on the back of her neck rising.

She-Ra immediately pulled away from her, hurt flashing on her face… and staying there. Shit.

“No, sorry, I’m just… I’m tired.” Catra sighed, raking a hand through her hair, her palm coming away sweaty. Gross.

“We could take a break if you want,” She-Ra offered, her face clearing slightly, but not enough for Catra’s guilt to be assuaged.

“Wouldn’t Glimmer get mad at us?” It was still odd to Catra how the actual Queen of Bright Moon just let her friends do whatever they wanted. 

“Well, no. And technically I’m the one in charge of the relief effort.” Right, because Catra was dating a goddamn princess.

Catra sighed again, “Okay, yeah, I could use a break.”

“Great. Come on, there’s a tent just through here where we can get out of the sun.”

As they walked, She-Ra shifted back into Adora. Gone was the otherworldly brilliance and towering height, replaced by a more than slightly sweaty nineteen year-old human girl, Catra’s sweaty nineteen year-old human girl.

“Ow,” Adora said, twisting her shoulders. “I think She-Ra pulled one of my muscles.”

Catra smirked, biting back the “good” that sat on the tip of her tongue. It was probably bad that she felt better knowing that Adora’s advantage had backfired, sort of. She should probably work on that after the anger issues.

They ducked into a tent, the same light purple ones that the people of Etheria had been living out of for months now. A table with a pitcher of water and a stack of cups sat untouched upon it. Apparently everyone else had also been too absorbed in their work for a break.

Catra leaned on the table as Adora poured them each a cup of water, her bare shoulder muscles rippling even with that small movement. It had been getting hotter in Etheria, almost like the climate was righting itself with the absence of the malicious Horde machinery, and Adora had started wearing a tank top this past week, her regular turtleneck shirt left at Bright Moon. Catra couldn’t say she was complaining.

“Hey, Adora,” Catra purred.

“Hey, Catra,” Adora shot back, before taking a big gulp of water. Only to splutter most of it out as Catra slid onto the table and hooked a leg around Adora, pulling her close. “Catra—”

Catra kissed her, wrapping her other leg around Adora’s waist to join the first. Whatever She-Ra’s voice did to her, Adora’s did tenfold, despite the fact that Catra was entirely aware they were the same thing.

Their mouths slid roughly against each other, the angle not quite right yet. Catra let one of her teeth catch on Adora’s bottom lip, digging in just enough for Adora to gasp in turn. Catra took that as an opportunity to lick into her mouth.

Adora, chest heaving, mouth now slightly pink, pulled back, staring deep into Catra’s eyes, “What… was that about?”

“It’s not fair,” Catra muttered, before diving back in to attack Adora’s mouth.

Adora kissed her back for a moment before pulling away again, her hands running up and down Catra’s back, “What’s not fair?”

Catra huffed, blowing a tuft of hair out of her face and scraping one of her claws just so across Adora’s bare skin, “Your dumb princess powers.” She wrapped Adora’s ponytail around her hand, giving it a rough tug that caused Adora to let out a small moan and bare her throat to Catra.

Catra trailed her other hand’s claws across the back of Adora’s neck as she ducked down and licked a stripe up the front. Adora made that small moaning sound again, louder this time, and Catra pulled again on her hair.

“You know it’s not, hah, it’s not a competi… oh, Catra, it’s not a competition.” Adora’s voice was breathless and Catra hid her smile in the skin of Adora’s neck, letting her teeth sink slightly into the skin there.

“Oh, Adora,” she felt Adora shiver at the way she said her name, “ everything is a competition.”

“Well, you’re, oh, you’re… hah, winning, ah,” Adora gasped, her hands scrabbling at Catra’s back to push her closer into Adora’s chest, “this one. You aren’t letting me finish my… oh.”

Catra snickered softly into her neck before pushing her head forward with the hand still grasping her ponytail, capturing her mouth yet again. Adora kissed back with all the ferocity of a princess of power, one of her hands coming around to tip Catra’s head back and deepen the kiss, fingers playing gently with the base of Catra’s ear.

A popping sound filled the tent and then, “Adora, there you are!”

Adora let out a shriek, and Catra leapt from her arms, landing on the table on all fours, hissing, her tail jagged and raised in warning behind her.

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry.” Fucking Princess Sparkles.

“It’s… it’s fine,” Adora mumbled, hurriedly trying to right her hair and avoid Glimmer's gaze, who for her part was flushed a dark pink.

“I mean they were kind of making out in a tent in the middle of… er, whatever this is.” Of course Arrow Boy was here, too. Because, why the hell not?

Catra tried her best to salvage her position, sitting up in a more crouched pose on the table, willing her tail to lower. She knew her face was burning a deep red but avoided thinking about it, opting to attempt a smirk instead, “Hey Bow, Glimmer.”

Adora spluttered, “No, no, you don’t get to act all cool.”

“Actually I do, Adora,” she put every ounce of her residual heat into her name, “I wasn’t the one getting—”

“Ah!” Glimmer yelled, plugging her ears, “Please stop.”

Bow also had turned a darker shade, “You know what Glimmer, maybe we should go.”

Catra didn’t have to fake her smirk now as Bow pushed Glimmer from the tent.

“You did that on purpose,” Adora shoved a finger at Catra, obviously fighting the pull at the corner of her mouth.

“Maybe. What are you going to do about it?” Catra lept from the table, landing smoothly on her feet.

Adora’s gaze dropped to Catra’s lips and her cheeks somehow turned pinker, “Not now…”

“Ugh,” Catra groaned, stalking to the tent’s flap, too. “Okay, fine. Let your loser friends kill the mood.”

“Hey! They’re your loser friends, too!”

And Catra couldn’t really argue with that.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Catra didn’t think she had ever been this bored. The council meeting was dragging on and on, she’d never heard any of these princesses be so picky before. Glimmer looked about ready to bite Perfuma’s head off when she insisted, for the fifteenth time, that her people would only accept organic and environmentally sourced food.

“I understand that your people usually have very strict dietary, uh, regulations, but we’re doing the best we can with the food available. Dividing it by population seems the most fair, and Plumeria is part of that.” Glimmer ground out, Catra spotted Bow nudging her foot with one of his own under the table.

“Well I don’t want your Horde food,” Perfuma turned her nose up, crossing her thin arms over her chest.

“It isn’t Horde food, it’s people food.”

“Trust me, there’s a difference,” Adora joked, Glimmer shot her a glare and Adora’s grin died.

Catra snickered into her elbow. With the rate this meeting had been going that would be the only entertaining thing to happen for the next hour. At least.

“Perfuma, maybe you could accept the food… you know, just in case we can’t get our own crops ready in time,” Scorpia offered, wincing apologetically through the whole sentence.

During one of their few breaks these past few weeks (it felt more like only days had gone by), Catra had taken the time to apologize to Scorpia. For real. It had ended with a certified Scorpia hug that Catra had tried really hard to hate. And Scorpia may have told her that she had been helping out Perfuma with her kingdom after her own wouldn’t accept her back, and that they were maybe, sort of together. Catra knew how hard it was for Scopria to stand up to someone, especially someone she cared about. Catra knew because she had exploited that weakness.

And Catra was only slightly surprised at how Perfuma wavered slightly, “But, Scorpia, you aren’t one of us. You don’t know… oh, no I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s okay, ‘Fuma. You did.”

Perfuma’s face pulled down, Catra was worried she might start crying. Her voice was more strained than it had been before, “We’re all a little tired, I’m sorry for any disrespect,” she looked directly at Glimmer, “to any of you.”

Micah stood up, hands braced on the table, “Why don’t we reconvene tomorrow? Each of your kingdoms have enough supplies for another day.”

“He’s right,” Glimmer said, standing up, too. “Please think about it, Perfuma.”

Perfuma glanced at Scorpia, “I will meditate on it tonight.”

Mermista and Frosta dragged themselves from their chairs, Spinnerella and Netossa quickly following their lead and leaving the council chamber. Entrapta, who hadn’t shown her face at all since she’d disappeared back to her castle with Hordak and Wrong Hordak in toe, and Sea Hawk, back in Salineas, missing from the group, left Perfuma and Scorpia the only non-Bright Moonians remaining.

Perfuma hesitated when she pushed herself from the table, looking to where Glimmer and Bow sat in the Queen and King’s chairs, Micah opting to take the position of an advisor. “I apologize for my behavior tonight, I promise I’ll think on your proposal.”

“I just… want what’s best for all of Etheria,” Glimmer sighed, Adora placed her hand over Glimmer’s on the table. 

“I know. Thank you, Queen Glimmer.”

Scorpia nodded at Catra as she left the room, guiding Perfuma out on her arm.

Catra heard a snippet of their conversation before they left earshot, her heart rising into her throat as Perfuma apologized again, as Scorpia insisted it was okay. Because of course Scorpia would.

Micah rested his hand on Glimmer’s head, smoothing her hair back. “I’m so proud of you, my daughter.”

Adora, Catra, and Bow averted their gaze as tears came to Glimmer’s eyes, “Thank you, dad.”

“Come on, let’s get dinner,” Bow said, tangling his fingers with Glimmer’s. “Adora, Catra, you want to come with us?”

Catra stood up from her chair, stretching in preparation to follow them, but Adora reached out, loosely wrapping her hand around Catra’s wrist. “In a minute.”

Bow glanced at Catra who shrugged, just as confused as he was. But the other three left the room with no more complaints, Bow trying to get Glimmer to abandon her idea of making dinner again.

The door slid shut and Catra turned to her girlfriend, who was now standing, too. Adora took one step forward, hand sliding up to cup the back of Catra’s head, “I’ve been wanting to do this for this entire stupid meeting.”

When she kissed her, Catra’s mouth fell open of its own accord. Her brain was full of what and why and don’t stop. She settled on the don’t stop part, not pulling away to ask any of her other questions.

Adora kissed like how she fought, fierce and forceful and just rough enough that Catra’s back arched into it. The tops of her thighs hit the back of the table but Adora didn’t push her onto it, it seemed like she was trying to get all of her as close as possible, and wouldn’t be parting from her for even a second.

Catra’s hands fumbled over Adora’s back and in Adora’s hair, claws catching at fabric and in tangled blonde strands. Adora made a rumbling sound deep in her throat and hiked one of Catra’s legs up, holding it in place where it was wrapped around her. Her tongue ran lightly over Catra’s teeth, Catra biting down just enough to elicit a soft growl from Adora.

Adora’s stance widened, and her thigh slipped fully between Catra’s legs. In this position it was slightly awkward, but Catra couldn’t help the way her hips involuntarily moved to push against Adora’s thigh, a mewling sound leaving her lips. And, shit, she was purring. Had probably been for a while, with the volume of it. Of all the undignified things Adora had made her done, purring in a rebel council room was probably up there on the list. Adora was smirking against her mouth even as one of her hands reached down to her ass and—

“Okay guys, I know I said I’d stop Glimmer from making dinner but she was very  persistent and— Oh my god I am so sorry.”

As the door flew open and Bow stepped into the council chamber, too caught up in his thoughts to immediately notice just what the other half of the Best Friend Squad had been getting up to, Adora went to push Catra away. Even as a very large, very loud part of her brain agreed with her that distance should probably have been the order of the day (night, whatever), Catra’s body refused to let go of 

Adora, instead hooking her claws into the fabric at Adora’s back so that, unless Adora shook her off, she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Hi, Bow,” Adora offered weakly, her voice still deep. She cleared it nervously.

“I had no idea, I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry.” Bow was spluttering. Of course he was spluttering. Why wouldn’t he be spluttering. Catra still had Adora’s thigh pinned with her own for God’s sake.

Catra’s face was nearly as red as Bow’s and Adora’s, muted only by the fact that this was the second time this had happened and yet they were all still just as surprised as in that tent at the village. Bow’s spluttering stopped, his eyes narrowing slightly. Uh oh.

“Hey, why were you guys making out in the council room?”

“Yeah, Adora, why were we making out in the council room?” It only mostly ruined Catra’s intended, well, cattiness by the way her voice cracked around the words ‘making out.’

“Um, do people really need a reason for everything they do?” Adora’s face was so red it exactly matched her jacket.

Bow flushed again but Catra could tell he was trying not to face palm or sigh too deeply. “You know what, I don’t even want to know. I came here to tell you that dinner’s ready, although it’s another different Glimmer special so… eat at your own risk. We’re in Glimmer’s room.”

“Right, er,” Adora lifted Catra’s arms slightly. Oh, right, the claws. Catra resheathed them, pulling them from Adora’s back and slipping away from her legs. Her body ached for their warmth already.

“Right behind you, Arrow Boy,” Catra snarked. Her voice still sounded slightly wet. Dammit.

As soon as Bow turned his back to them Catra could tell he was rolling his eyes, “Okay, Cat Lady. Please stop making out in public places.”

“What can I say,” Catra shrugged even though he wouldn’t see it, “I like the risk.”

An agonized groan came from Adora, “Please, stop.”

Bow and Catra laughed, an odd mixture of the pleasant, friendly man sound of Bow’s and Catra’s laugh that was still tinged with menace even though it could no longer be called evil. She could get used to this, whatever this easy feeling in her chest was. Eating dinner with her friends, going through inane meetings with other ones, making out with her girlfriend. Except she could do with less interruptions. Those were starting to get annoying.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Okay, Catra will admit that this time was entirely her fault.

They were in the forest training; Adora and Catra fighting each other with sticks and whatever other weapons they could think up, Bow constructing new arrows while Glimmer teleported them around.

Catra had just bounded back from a blow when the loud popping sound came and Glimmer and Bow burst back into the clearing, the latter screaming slightly as they fell a few feet to the floor. 

“We’re gonna go visit Perfuma, and make sure the food got delivered okay!” Glimmer called out, a smile lining her voice.

“Have fun!” Adora called back before jabbing her stick forward, Catra dodging it easily.

“But not too much fun without us!” Catra added, swiping her own stick and nearly tripping Adora into the ground.

“We will!” Glimmer and Bow chorused, before popping away again, a fine shower of glitter raining down on the clearing. Catra swore since she’d joined their little friend group she’d been absolutely covered in sparkles.

Adora lowered her weapon slightly after Glimmer and Bow left, looking at Catra with an odd expression.

“What.” Catra huffed, jabbing forward with one quick movement.

“Nothing,” Adora said as she lept to the side, landing heavily on her feet and nearly having to tuck into a roll from her poor footing.

“What.”  

“I like how you are with my friends. Ya know,” Adora gestured with her stick, nearly swiping Catra in the gut, “friendly.”

She swiped again and this time did catch Catra’s side, causing Catra to grunt out a quiet “ow.” That had definitely been on purpose, then.

“Jee, thanks, I’m glad the bar is so high,” Catra hissed.

She brought her stick up and very nearly slammed it into Adora’s shoulder, Adora ducking just in time for it to pass harmlessly over her head.

“You know you’re not exactly pleasant with some people.” Adora aimed a side kick at her, Catra dodged. This had always been their problem, they were too evenly matched in a fair fight.

“Is that what you want me to be? ‘Pleasant?’”

Catra used Adora’s lack of balance as she came out of her kick to launch into the air, pushing her to the ground with a well placed leap. Catra sat over her, one hand resting on her throat, the tips of her claws pressing into the skin just slightly.

“Is that what you want me to be, Adora?”

Adora’s breath caught, wisps of hair flew around her face and shone in the afternoon sun’s light. Catra leaned forward more until all she could see was the blue, blue, blue of Adora’s eyes, and the pink, pink, pink of her lips as she bit worriedly at them.

“You think I’m unpleasant?” Catra asked again, tongue darting out to lick over her lips.

Adora made a small breathy sound, her heart beating wildly beneath where Catra’s hand pinned her chest to the forest floor. 

“I can show you unpleasant.”

Adora was smiling as Catra leaned down to kiss her, Catra hissing into her lips. It was messy, their mouths sliding over each other, teeth clashing. But Catra’s whole excuse for this was being ‘unpleasant’ so it wasn’t entirely her fault. Catra wrapped her hand around Adora’s throat, digging her nails in just a little bit more. Not breaking the skin but deep enough that Adora remembered that she could if she wanted to. Adora made one of those little gaspy breaths below her.

Catra removed her other hand from Adora’s shoulder, dragging it up over Adora’s midriff and hiking her shirt up as she went. Adora’s abs were slick with sweat from their fighting, and Catra had to fight the urge to duck down and lick them. There was definitely something wrong with her. She chose to keep moving her hand up until it ran into the bottom of Adora’s sports bra, pushing Adora’s shirt up so that it was bunched up around her neck.

Catra licked into Adora’s mouth, pulling on her lips when they got caught between her teeth, as she worked her fingers under the band of Adora’s bra.

“Catra—” Adora moaned, and Catra pulled back enough to look at her. 

Adora lay on the forest floor, hair a messy halo around her head. Her chest heaved, skin shiny with sweat, and lips a deep pink color. Catra spotted a dot of blood coming from one of them. Whoops. Adora’s eyes were heavy lidded, her pupils blown wide as she stared up at Catra. Catra felt her own breath hitch at the sight.

“You’re so beautiful,” Catra purred, deep in her chest.

Adora’s mouth fell open, almost in awe. God. Shit. She was going to be the death of her. Fuck. She might start crying. No. That wasn’t the point of this.

Catra removed her hand from Adora’s neck to help her other one worm its way into her bra. It was stupid, Catra knew it was, to be in awe of this. She’d seen Adora naked more times than she could count in the Horde, and she wasn’t even close right now. But the expression on Adora’s face when Catra brushed the tips of her claws over her breasts, the sound of her breathing as it shuddered in her chest, the feeling of her skin beneath Catra’s hands. Catra didn’t think she’d ever be over it, ever be beyond just the sight of this, the sensation of this, tearing her apart in the best way possible.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Catra murmured, unable to stop herself. 

She pushed her fingers farther up Adora’s bra, letting her nails graze over Adora’s nipples. Adora writhed up into her. Catra couldn’t cry, Catra wouldn’t cry. 

Pop.

“Hi, guys, we’re back—”

“Oh my God—”

Catra leapt into the air, landing on all fours at least eight feet from Adora. Fucking hell.

“Why do you two keep doing this?!” Glimmer exclaimed, lifting her hands up to cover both Bow’s and her own eyes.

“Why do you keep interrupting?” Catra fired back, still hovering on the ground, tail spiky with alarm.

Adora just slapped her hands over her face, not even trying to fix her shirt and bra that was baring the bottoms of her breasts. A dark red blush ran from her chest to the tips of her ears.

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t know to avoid the public clearing where we had been training together. Did you guys even wait a minute until after we’d left to start— start— whatever this is?”

“Glimmer’s upset because some of Perfuma’s people still won’t eat our food,” Bow offered. 

Glimmer took the hand covering her eyes and slapped it over his mouth too. “No, I’m not! I’m upset because we can never find our friends when they’re not making out.”

Catra collected herself and stood up, Adora remained where she was with her hands hiding her face. “Well we’re done now, friend away.”

“We’re sorry,” Bow said, muffled by Glimmer’s hand.

“I’m not, it’s their fault!”

“I’m sorry,” Bow amended.

“I think I’m gonna go back to the castle to take a shower,” Adora said, just as muffled by her own hands.

“You do that, Adora,” Glimmer snarked.

“Glimmer—” Bow said warningly.

Glimmer huffed, then sighed, rolled her eyes, and then huffed again. Catra noted with a slight sardonic feeling that her and Bow had nearly matching mannerisms when they were annoyed. 

“Okay. Fine. Me and Bow are going to go on a picnic. You can come with us if you want.”

Catra’s gaze darted to Adora and then back to Bow and Glimmer. “Yeah, that sounds nice… thanks.”

“I’m gonna stick with the shower,” Adora said into her palms.

Glimmer huffed again. “Okay, come on, Catra.”

She let go of Bow’s face to grab his arm and reach for Catra’s, hauling them together into sparkle radius. 

“Bye, Adora,” Bow said, weakly.

“Bye,” from Adora’s hands.

Catra let herself look at Adora one last time as her vision became obscured with glitter, her face still red, her skin still glowing deliciously in the light. Catra noticed her own blush for the first time and quickly tried to tamp it down.

Picnic with Bow and Glimmer. Right. She could do that without thinking about Adora and Adora’s muscles and Adora’s mouth and Adora’s breasts. Oh, God, she couldn’t do this.

As they disappeared into thin air, Catra heard Glimmer mutter, “Adrenaline junkies, the both of you,” under her breath. And, well, she wasn’t wrong.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Catra hadn’t meant to fall asleep. The pool of sunlight had looked too appealing to pass up, and it also didn’t help that it was right on Adora’s bed that smelled exactly like Adora and was soft like Adora… and maybe the time had gotten away from her and her eyes had slipped shut. 

She woke up surrounded by warmth, warmer than she’d been in the sun to begin with. Catra kept her eyes closed, arching her back and stretching her hands above her head. She sat bolt upright when her hand connected with skin.

“Ow,” the skin said.

Catra immediately calmed down, she’d know that voice anywhere.

“Adora, why are you watching me sleep?”

Adora, who was leaning back on one arm above her, blushed, “Why are you sleeping in my bed?”

Catra huffed, raking a hand through her hair and trying to blink the sleep from her eyes. As soon as she’d realized there was no threat, the post-nap feeling had returned. She leaned back into Adora’s chest, smiling up at her. Usually she would only think that, not actually do it, but apparently sleepy Catra is nearly uninhibited Catra.

Adora took her free hand and ran it through Catra’s hair, stroking her ears, “I don’t actually mind… er, you sleeping in here, I mean. I really like it actually.”

Catra purred. Loudly. Goddamn she had to wake up now.

Adora’s eyes widened, sparkling, her eyebrows pushing up. “You’re so cute.”

“Shut up!” Catra pushed her hand into Adora’s face, her own turning red.

“You are!” Adora insisted, hooking her fingers around Catra’s wrist and pulling it away.

Catra let her hand drop far enough to see Adora’s face again. She really liked seeing Adora’s face.

“Am not.”

“You are,” Adora sing-songed slightly, stretching out the ‘a.’

Catra huffed, leaning farther back into Adora. “I’m obviously not going to win this argument.”

“No, you are not. Because I am correct. Bow agrees with me.”

“Bow is physically incapable of disagreeing with anybody.”

Adora laughed, “I seem to remember him being pretty vocal about his disagreement with the Horde.”

Catra groaned, “Can we not talk about that right now?”

“Yeah, okay, fine.” Adora paused, her hand moving back to Catra’s hair. “I really do like seeing you in my bed,” she said again.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Adora leaned down and pressed a kiss to Catra’s mouth. The angle was slightly awkward, Catra cushioned against Adora’s chest, Adora leaning down so that their faces were going in opposite directions. They made it work, though. They were going to make things work from now on. 

Catra smiled into the kiss before pushing herself down Adora’s chest, setting her head in her lap. She let her eyes slip shut again, folding her hands under her head into a pillow form. 

“Then you won’t mind if I fall asleep right here?”

“Well, no. But could I make one suggestion?”

Catra arched an eyebrow, her ears flicking as Adora scratched at one of them, “Sure.”

Adora shifted, causing Catra to be jostled from her lap, eliciting a hiss from her. She was quickly quieted as Adora laid down with her, pulling Catra to her chest and holding her there with one arm.

Adora kissed  the back of Catra’s neck, “I love you.”

Catra’s breath caught, like it did every time Adora said those words. “I love you too. So much.”

Adora stuck a finger in her face, “Hey, you don’t get to one up me.”

Catra considered, smiled, and then bit Adora’s finger, sucking it slightly into her mouth.

Adora made a choking sound, “Catra!”

Catra let go of Adora’s finger. “Yes, Adora?”

Adora spluttered. Catra twisted around, her face directly in front of Adora’s, their mouths inches from each other and foreheads resting together. The look in Adora’s eyes, the indignation and love and joy and… oh, well, the look in Adora’s eyes was absolutely beautiful. And then Adora’s gaze dropped down to Catra’s lips, stayed there, dropped lower, Catra smirked. In response, Adora rolled them, just slightly, so that Catra’s back was firmly planted on the mattress and Adora was on top of her, her legs straddling Catra’s waist, their foreheads still pressed together.

“Hey, Catra,” Adora said, in that way she did when she was both trying to imitate Catra’s mocking purr and sound sexy at the same time. Catra had to admit, it kind of worked.

“Adora,” Catra said, calmly. At least that’s what she told herself.

Adora kissed her again, and this time the angle was right. Perfect. Adora’s teeth sunk into Catra’s bottom lip and pulled just barely. 

“You’re so cute,” Adora repeated, kissing Catra’s nose, her cheeks, her forehead, her ears.

Catra was purring again, goddammit, she was apparently still not awake. Adora hummed, the sound vibrating with its proximity to Catra’s purr. She kissed her on the mouth again.

“I wanted to do this the whole time you were sleeping,” Adora murmured against her lips. “But I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Well, I’m awake now,” Catra said, the sound little more than air.

“Mmmh,” Adora hummed again, “that you are.”

And then Catra was gasping for real, her back arching, hands scrambling on Adora’s back. Because Adora’s hands had pushed her tank top (which she’d stolen from Adora’s closet) up and off, and Adora’s mouth was now on her breast.  

“This is okay, right?” They’d done this before, done more than this before, but Adora still asked every time.

“Yes,” Catra gasped, sinking her claws into Adora’s back, just barely stopping herself before drawing blood. “Yes, don’t, hah, stop.”

“You’re so beautiful, Catra.” Adora’s lips caressed the skin and fur between her breasts, whispering the words into her soul.

Catra closed her eyes, squeezing them tight. If she could live in this moment forever she’d be happy. No worries about things left undone, about how to pick up a planet that was nearly pushed to the edge of extinction, just Adora, and Adora’s mouth, and Adora’s hands, and Adora’s love holding her together and refusing to let go. With that thought Catra’s purring intensified, rumbling loud enough to shake them slightly.

“My gorgeous, strong Catra,” Adora murmured, her hands tracing over Catra’s ribs, drawing circles in the fur there.

When her fingers touched a particularly sensitive part of Catra’s side, she arched up even more, her hips jerking subconsciously. Adora laughed, low in her chest, the laugh that Catra knew was accompanied by that smirk. 

Adora reached down,  grasping Catra by the hips and holding them firmly to the mattress. “Oh, Catra, no. You’re going to have to work for it.”

Catra hissed, digging her claws into Adora’s skin, hard enough to draw tiny pinpricks of blood. She bucked her hips, trying to throw Adora’s hands off of her, but without any real force.

“Aw, it’s cute that you think you’re in charge here.” Adora’s teeth on her breast, Adora’s tongue in her mouth, Adora’s thigh pressed in between her legs.

Catra moaned.  

“I love you,” Adora pushed the words into Catra’s mouth.

And honestly she should have expected it by now, because when did they ever get some fucking peace in this godforsaken kingdom.

“Hey, Adora! I was wondering if you wanted to help decorate now— I am not looking.” She’d been too absorbed in the Adora-ness of it all to notice the popping sound ripping through the air of the bedroom. So she was taken entirely by surprise when Glimmer fell onto the bed directly beside them, her happy little smile quickly sliding into a look of horror at the sight before her.

Adora obviously hadn’t noticed either, because as soon as Glimmer appeared she launched herself onto Catra in a protective stance, her fists raised and body blocking Catra from whatever had shown up in Glimmer’s room. Catra gave herself a single breath to admire Adora’s turned back, the tears in her shirt, and the strength in her muscles as she shielded Catra. And then she was crossing her arms over her chest and sitting up too, because she didn’t need to be protected by a princess.

“Glimmer,” Adora spluttered, her fists dropping but her body staying rigid in front of Catra. Like she was trying to protect her modesty. How cute. Except for the fact that the sparkle princess had definitely already seen Catra’s entire chest.

“I’m gonna go now,” Glimmer said, her eyes shut. “I’m so sorry, this time was even in your room and—”

“Calm down, Sparkles, it’s fine.” It was not fine, but Catra was pretty sure there was no avoiding this kind of thing. At least not around a princess with teleportation powers and zero sense of personal space.

“I’m, I’m gonna go. You two have fun, uh, I’m leaving now. Bye!” A pop and she was gone again.

Adora turned to Catra, her face covered with a fine dusting of purple sparkles. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I don’t know!” Adora exclaimed, her hands automatically moving to Catra’s shoulders and smoothing down the fur there.

“Well, don’t. I’m sorry we got interrupted.” Adora kept rubbing her arms and Catra maybe, sort of, definitely started purring again.

“I am too… I mean we could still…” Adora trailed off, staring at Catra’s lips, and then turned towards the wall, face pink. “Actually, I can’t, sorry.”

Catra snickered, the little one that came from her nose, “Yeah, knowing your friend could pop in at any minute kinda ruins the mood.”

Adora threw herself back onto the bed, covering her face, which was now turning even more pink. “Ughhhhhhh,” she groaned.

Catra laid down next to her, wrapping herself around Adora and settling her head on her chest, “Mhmm.”

“I hate this stupid castle,” came muffled from above her.

Catra figured what the heck, she’d already made a spectacle of herself today, and licked a calming stripe into Adora’s skin, “No, you don’t.”

“You’re right,” Adora muttered, “I don’t.” Her hand found itself in Catra’s hair again, twining through the strands and over the ears.

Catra let her eyes slip shut, nestling her head just a bit more into Adora’s chest. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Catra let herself fall asleep, protected and safe, if not a little bit disappointed.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Bright Moon was having a ball. Not a Princess Prom, with all of the inane rules and regulations that Catra had so lovingly exploited the last time, but a ball with cake and decorations and fancy outfits and joy. Things in Etheria were finally calming down, settling back into a normal that none of those ruling had ever been alive to see but were so, so relieved to finally have. And, for the first time in her life, Catra had been happy, truly happy. She’d been able to spend time not plotting or fearing for her survival but relaxing with her girlfriend and her friends. It was incredible. She wanted it to be like this every day for the rest of her life.

And the ball itself was no different. Bright Moon castle’s staff, with the help of the legendary Queen Glimmer and Princess She-Ra of course, had transformed their grand gathering room into a cloth swathed fantasy. The traditional purples and pinks of their home kingdom were draped from the walls, with the greens of Plumeria, the blues of Salineas, the deep tones of Dryl, the reds for the Black Garnet, the icey colors for the Kingdom of Frosts, and every other color for every other nation mixed in as well. Some brilliant genius (Bow) had decided to put lights behind the fabric, painting the room with a rainbow glow. Catra, for her part, had spent nearly an entire day decorating the ceiling with lanterns, more swaths of cloth, and other trinkets to create the effect of a night sky full of stars, the stars they had so recently gotten back. 

Now, the hall was filled with princesses and citizens from all of the kingdoms, dressed in clothes from their most comfortable to their fanciest. All of the princesses, except for Entrapta, for their part, were dressed in finery. 

Catra had spotted Mermista begrudgingly leading Sea Hawk in a dance, wearing a saree of exquisite gold and glinting teal. Perfuma had entered on the arm of Scorpia, the pair wearing matching magenta gowns. Frosta was bullying Micah, the former dressed in a gown of palest, glittering blue and the latter in traditional sorcerer’s garb. Spinnerella and Netossa looked fabulous as always, each wearing dresses in the other’s shades.

Catra had felt a little underdressed when she’d seen them. Glimmer had convinced her to wear a simple maroon button up and black pants with some complicated golden belt-tie-thing that Catra hadn’t been able to figure out on her own. She was hoping that meant Adora would help her take them off later.

Currently, Catra was waiting for the rest of the Best Friends Squad, she’d only been allowed to poke her head into the ballroom before a guard had ushered her away. Apparently the leaders of the hosting kingdom had to make some sort of grand entrance blah blah blah. She had to be honest, she hadn’t really been paying attention. Catra had gotten too caught up in the fact that she was considered among those ruling Bright Moon.

Catra tapped her foot impatiently, her nails clacking against the marble floor— Glimmer had tried and failed to get her into a pair of shoes. She could hear the music in the ballroom, and for once in her life she could not wait to step out of the shadows and into the light and laughter of others.

She was about to leave to do just that, screw tradition, she thought this was supposed to be low key anyway, when someone— Glimmer— cleared their throat behind Catra.

She turned and gaped at the sight before her. Glimmer and Bow looked nice and all, in matching pinks and purples and golds and whites, still young but mature. Adora, though, was the one who caught her eye, which, well, figures. Even if she didn’t look absolutely stunning… Adora would always knock the breath out of her. 

But she did look stunning here. Catra’s pupils were probably alarmingly large as she took in Adora, wearing a white dress that hugged her torso before flaring into a layered, voluptuous skirt with slits up to either thigh. The top was shaped with a cut out on her chest, changing her usual turtleneck look into one that made Catra’s face turn pink. Whorls of golden metal ran over her chest, sketching out curves and glinting in the lights. She could see the hilt of She-Ra’s sword peeking out from the back of her dress. Adora’s hair spilled in waves over her shoulders, it had really gotten long in the few months or so where she hadn’t taken it out of the ponytail.

“You look amazing,” Catra breathed before she could stop herself. She tried not to be too embarrassed when she noticed Bow and Glimmer exchanging a shit eating grin.

Adora stepped forward, her dress’ fabric swishing, and took Catra’s jaw in one hand, “Says you.”

Catra blushed as Adora kissed her solidly on the mouth. She could hear Bow cooing behind them.

“Shall we?” Glimmer asked, stepping forward so that she stood beside them. 

Bow took her arm. Adora pulled away and took Catra’s.

“Let’s,” Catra said.

They stepped into the hall.

Catra didn’t think she’d smiled this much ever. After the roaring applause that had met their arrival (ah, that was why there were those traditions) she’d danced with Adora, with Glimmer, with Bow, with Entrapta, with Scorpia, so many dances that she’d lost count. It was thrilling, being this free. And even if a small voice in the back of her head, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Shadow Weaver, cautioned that it was all too good to last, too good to even be happening right now, to be happening to her, she allowed herself to revel in it. 

And if reveling meant spinning Adora, well, she didn’t want to stop.

Adora was laughing as she spun in Catra’s arms, and Catra’s chest was full, full, full, and then Adora was looking at her like that, like she was everything in the world, while they swayed in each other’s arms, and Catra leaned up those few inches to kiss her and everything was as it should be. 

Adora’s lips were slightly red from Catra’s lipstick, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling, Catra ached.

“They wouldn’t miss us for a few minutes, right?” Adora asked, her hands squeezing Catra’s hips.

“They better not.” Really, the ball had been going on for hours, even the legendary lesbians themselves wouldn’t be missed right away.

“Great. Come on, then,” Adora took her hand, pulling her through the crowd and to one of the many doors that led out of the ball.

Catra wasn’t allowed to miss the party, though, because Adora immediately slammed her into the wall, kissing her into it with enough force to cause Catra’s toes to curl.

“Oh, hey, Adora,” Catra said, trying to sound smooth while already out of breath as Adora pulled back, chest heaving.

“Catra. You’re so hot,” Adora mumbled before diving back in, hands going to Catra’s thighs.

Catra allowed Adora to lift her up, wrapping her legs around Adora’s middle as she did, pulling her further into the kiss by one well-placed tug on Adora’s hair that made her gasp into Catra’s mouth. Adora’s hands were braced on Catra’s thighs, squeezing them slightly. Catra pushed herself into the touch but all it succeeded in doing was buck her hips up into Adora’s. The angle was awkward and she had nearly no purchase, but Adora ground her hips down against Catra’s, the end result nothing more than an increase in each of their frustration levels.

Catra should probably be embarrassed about this, it wasn’t like they couldn’t wait until after the party and they spent nearly their entire days together, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care. They were making up for lost time, time that Catra had spent creating a list of all the things she wanted to do to Adora, and all of the things she wanted Adora to do to her.

Right now she was kissing Adora like she needed her to survive, she was kissing Adora like they were the last two people on Etheria and nothing else mattered, she was kissing Adora in a way that Horde Captain Catra from a few months ago would have had a raging fit about if she’d even so much as thought about it.

And then, because they were at a crowded party, because they were on Bright Moon, because Catra was starting to get comfortable, Bow and Glimmer had to interrupt them.

At least this time was interesting.

Catra’s ears first picked up on their giggling, on the shuffle of their footsteps. And then she heard the kissing. She pulled away from Adora enough to double check that it wasn’t just them, but, nope, they were definitely not the ones making those noises.

“We’re going to have company,” Catra said, her voice guttural, legs still wrapped around Adora’s waist, trying in vain to stop her hips from moving.

Adora dragged a hand through her hair, “Oh, God, okay. You want to, er, get down?”

Catra listened harder, the footsteps were getting closer, but they sounded familiar too. Ha. This should be fun. “Oh, I’m perfectly good up here,” Catra purred right into Adora’s face. 

Adora’s cheeks turned rosy, and then Bow and Glimmer were stumbling around the corner. Glimmer was hanging onto Bow’s neck, pulling him down so as to make the rather impressive job of sucking his face off easier. Both Catra and Adora watched, almost in wonder as Glimmer pushed Bow up against the wall opposite their’s, albeit closer to the party, and continued kissing him within an inch of his life. It was fascinating, really. From here Catra wasn’t sure whether Glimmer was actually a good kisser or just really, really enthusiastic, but nevertheless Bow seemed to be enjoying it, his body practically melting into her’s, his eyes tightly closed.

That is until he opened them and caught the flick of Catra’s tail, which had been unwrapping from around Adora, and let out an ear piercing scream.

Glimmer immediately teleported away, leaving Bow covered with glitter and pressed up against the wall in fear. Adora nearly dropped Catra at the suddenness of it all, but Catra wrapped her legs around Adora’s waist tighter. Fine then, she’d hold herself up if the princess of power was too startled to do it.

Two seconds later, Glimmer popped back into the room, her expression less terrified and more sheepish now.

“Hi, Adora, Catra. Sorry Bow.”

“Hi,” Adora responded dumbly.

“What were you two doing?” Catra asked, looking at Glimmer and then Bow over Adora’s shoulder. Her grin was pure menace.

“Nothing,” Bow squeaked.

“Yup, nothing,” Glimmer hastily agreed, her face flushing.

“Really?” Catra purred.

“Catra, stop it,” Adora said, the tone sending a thrill through Catra’s blood that immediately made her shut up. Okay, maybe she had a thing for being ordered around. She’d have to look into it at a later date. 

“Fine,” Catra said, finally unwinding from Adora and letting herself be put back onto her feet.

“This is awkward,” Adora said. Ever the observant one.

“Yes, very,” Glimmer agreed, her stressed expression finally breaking way to a more apologetic one.

“Come on Adora, we’ve got dancing to do,” Catra said, pulling Adora by the hand down the corridor. “Let’s let these two kids have fun.”

“I think I’m older than you,” Bow called after them.

“Whatever,” Catra shot back.

They made it out of the corridor, to the edge of the party, before Catra finally looked over at Adora. She was standing there a bit dumbfounded, a nasty part of Catra hissed ‘like usual,’ her face an absolute mess of Catra’s smeared red lipstick. Catra burst out laughing.

“What?!” Adora cried, her hands raising to her face in alarm.

Catra just kept laughing, her hands clutching her sides as she doubled over.

“Do I have something on my face?”

“Kinda,” Catra wheezed, “everywhere.”

“Oh no,” Adora groaned.

“It’s fine, no one will notice.” Everyone would notice. “And if they do, well then,” Catra wrapped a lock of Adora’s hair around her finger, “they’ll be even more jealous of you.”

Adora chuckled at that, her hands finding Catra’s waist, “Oh, really?”

“Yep.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I’m hot, babe. You said so yourself.”

Adora stared into her eyes, into her, and murmured, “That I did.”  

She kissed Catra for a long second, before Catra was pulling them both back onto the dance floor, washing them in a rainbow of lights. And they were both laughing about what had just happened, about what Glimmer and Bow might still be doing, and they were both happy, and Catra wanted to dance forever.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Nearly two weeks had passed since the ball, when Adora came barging into what was now officially their room, the door flying and hitting the wall as she stormed in.

Catra had been lounging on the bed, going over some of the inane castle details that she had begged Glimmer to let her help out with. Bow had teased her, of course, for caring, but she had been so bored. You don’t know how much war excitement you’re used to until it’s all over. Right now she was reading something about expected crop yield, whatever that meant, and making notes with a rather excellent red pen Entrapta had given her. She wasn’t entirely sure why Entrapta had given her the pen. The Best Friends Squad had been visiting Dryl, which was an entirely confusing and eventful trip in and of itself, and Entrapta had placed the pen in Catra’s hand without a word and then went back to prattling on about her latest experiments. Looking back on it, the whole affair was such an Entrapta moment that Catra had decided not to question the pen anymore and just use it to do her work instead. She should probably still have Bow check it for… cameras or something, it was Entrapta after all. 

“Catra, stop staring at your pen, pay attention to me!” Adora said, standing with her hands on her hips at the foot of the bed, her brow furrowed.

“What is it now?” Catra asked, putting her papers to the side. Something was up.

“I just talked to Glimmer and Bow.”

“Okay?”

“They’re taking the weekend off at Mystacor with Micah.”

“Good for them?”

“They’ll be gone from the castle.”

Catra felt her ear twitch. Deep breaths, Catra, “Okay I know you’re trying to hint at something but could you please just tell me?”

Adora was grinning now, the grin that said she had a plan and was hell bent on seeing it through. Catra felt slightly nervous. “Glimmer said that nothing short of another alien invasion is going to take them back to Bright Moon. So no poorly timed appearances from either of them.”

The nerves started to fade slightly, replaced now by a suspicion that Catra was having trouble not snorting at. “So… did you come marching in here to tell me your friends were gone… so that we could have sex?” If she was being honest, the last few words sounded a bit choked, but Catra only felt a little embarrassed by it.

“Well, when you put it like that… Okay, yeah, fine, I was.” Adora’s face was flushing, her confident stance sinking a little bit in embarrassment.

Catra tried really hard not to laugh. She may have failed. Instead of looking mad or affronted, Adora’s expression melted at Catra’s laughter, her eyes softening. She climbed onto the bed, moving herself forward on her knees to get to Catra’s eye level.

“I love your laugh,” she said, and it shouldn’t have made Catra feel so happy to hear that but it did.

Catra leaned up to kiss her, just once, on the mouth. 

When Adora pulled away she looked bashful again. “I mean, we don’t have to. And definitely not tonight, we have all weekend. And only if you want to, of course. I mean, I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything—”

Catra cut her off by grabbing her shoulders and tugging Adora down into another kiss. Adora, taken off guard, fell slightly onto Catra, catching herself on her forearms just before collapsing entirely onto her.

“I would love to have Glimmer-and-Bow-absent sex with you,” Catra said against Adora’s lips. 

Now it was Adora who was laughing, perhaps a bit breathlessly, resting her head on Catra’s shoulder. Catra petted a hand through her hair, working some of the day’s tangles out with her fingers. One claw snagged on a particularly nasty knot and Adora let out a gasp against Catra’s shoulder. Catra smirked.

“Hey, Adora,” she purred, letting the words rumble in her chest.

“Hey, Catra,” Adora responded. “You sure you don’t want to finish your paperwork first?”

Catra growled, “That can definitely wait.”

Adora laughed again, cutting herself off in yet another gasping sound as Catra tightened her grip on her hair, tugging with purpose this time. “Kiss me already,” Catra said, pulling Adora by the hair to her mouth.

“Yes, right away,” Adora breathed, and then she was kissing her.

Catra would never get tired of kissing Adora, of the push and pull of their lips, the way their teeth sometimes clashed. Catra lost track of time when they were kissing like this, lost track of where she was, who she was. Because none of that mattered, all of her emotions, all of her sensations were Adora, Adora, Adora. 

And then she was thrust back into her body as Adora’s hands grabbed ahold of her ears and rubbed them, in the way that Adora knew would cause her back to arch up off of the bed. Catra hissed halfheartedly, “Foul play.”

Adora moved her head away from Catra, causing her to immediately drag her back by the hair, Adora’s hips jerking down onto her, “Right, sure. Call me out.”

Catra stuck her tongue out. Adora bit it. Catra snorted. When Adora pulled back again, she lifted herself up, giving Catra a rather remarkable view of her chest.

Catra removed her hand from Adora’s hair, instead putting them on the hem of her shirt. “This is coming off now,” she hissed.

“So bossy,” Adora quipped, but reached down to grasp her hem too, lifting her shirt off with one quick movement before sitting back on her heels over Catra.

Catra hissed again, hands smoothing down Adora’s sides as she stared up at Adora, into her eyes, at her mouth, at her breasts still covered by a sports bra. Catra poked at Adora’s abs, a bit giddy. Adora smirked, it made Catra’s breath stop.

“This too?” Catra asked, ears flattening down as she trailed the tips of her claws just below Adora’s bra band.

Adora responded by taking off her bra, getting caught slightly in the straps as she got it over her head. Catra helped her get untangled, the pair giggling.

And then Catra was sitting up, Adora straddling her lap, hands resting on Catra’s hips, working her shirt up enough to touch the skin there. Catra used the moment to flip them so that she was now laying between Adora’s legs. 

She paused, should she? Yup, she was going for it. Catra licked a long stripe between Adora’s breasts, from the top of her navel to the base of her throat. Adora let out a guttural moan. Thank God, Catra had been wanting to do that forever.

She let herself touch Adora, tracing her nails across her breasts, dragging her hands all over Adora’s torso, mapping it out in her brain. The room was full of the sounds of skin, or Adora’s little noises, of Catra’s purring, of fabric sliding as their legs moved and tangled together.

“Oh, Catra,” Adora gasped as Catra pinched her nipple between two claws, careful not to break the skin.

Catra responded by licking the column of Adora’s throat, Adora’s other breast, sinking her teeth just barely into the skin. Adora moaned.

“Can I take these off?” Catra breathed into Adora’s skin, one hand moving to dip below the waistband of Adora’s pants.

“Please.”

Catra smiled, lifting herself from Adora long enough to work her pants off of her, pulling her underwear away too. She had to double check that she wasn’t drooling when she looked back at her. She was splayed out on the bed, legs spread and hands resting above her head. Her breasts gleamed in the lantern light, her skin glowing with a thin layer of sweat. Catra’s gaze dropped to the hair between her legs, what it covered. This wasn’t the first time she’d seen her naked, wasn’t even the first time she’d seen her naked in this context but… the sight of her still set her blood thrumming.

“Can I lick you?” Catra asked, throat tight, making her words sound thick.

“Yes, yes,” Adora arched off of the bed, into the air before Catra.

Fuck. Shit. She really was going to be the death of her. 

Catra leaned down and licked up her right thigh, letting her teeth drag along the skin. Adora shuddered. When she got to the space between Adora’s thighs, she let herself settle, lying down and easing both of Adora’s legs onto her shoulders. She breathed for a moment.

Adora’s hands found her hair, her shoulders, her fingers dragging on the skin, pulling her closer, “Catra, please.”

The first taste of her was heavenly, the second even better. Catra licked and licked, her brain going blissfully blank again until all she knew was Adora and Adora’s scent and Adora’s skin and Adora’s taste. Her thighs tightened on Catra’s shoulders and she let her hands grab them, digging her claws into the skin.

Adora was a mess, gasping, moaning, being so loud. Catra was glad no one was home. She pushed her tongue into Adora, who in turn scrambled at Catra’s shoulders. 

A few seconds later, Adora’s thighs clenched hard around Catra’s shoulders, enough of a reminder of all of the strength she still possessed. And then Adora was going boneless, Catra licking her through it until Adora gently pushed her head to the side to stop.

Catra laid there, her cheek resting on Adora’s now drenched mound, and breathed. She felt Adora’s hand stroke through her hair, heard Adora whispering, “My beautiful, gorgeous Catra. My amazing, wonderful Catra,” repeating like that in time with her pets to Catra’s head.

And then, “You’re still dressed.”

Catra let herself huff out a little laugh, “Yeah, I am.”

“Come here?” Adora asked.

 Catra, in a fog, obliged, lifting herself up to Adora’s chest. Adora kissed the crown of her head, the tips of her ears, as she lifted Catra’s shirt off her head, undid Catra’s bra. 

“Is this okay?”

“Yes,” Catra said, the breath still stolen from her as Adora rolled them over, back to their original position of Adora straddling her.

“Beautiful, wild Catra,” Adora whispered into the air between them before kissing her, kissing her, kissing her.

Adora’s hands moved up and down Catra’s sides, over her breasts. Catra arched up into them, a happy smile on her face and her purring nearly deafening but muffled by Adora’s mouth.

And, following that rhythm, that pattern, Adora trailed her fingers to Catra’s waistband. “Off?”

Catra lifted her hips, purring even more, “Yes. Off.” And then, more choked, “Please.”

Adora lovingly, gently— dare she say it— adoringly, undid her pants, pulled them from her and all the way down her legs.

“Oh, Catra,” Adora said, her voice tinged with a love so deep that it tugged on Catra’s heart. “You’re so, so, so gorgeous.”

Catra mewled.

And then Adora was pushing her underwear down too, lightly running her hands up and down Catra’s thighs, over her core. Catra held Adora’s gaze as she felt those fingers spread her, as the first finger entered her.

Adora was a goddess, her head just barely blocking out the lantern so that its warm glow illuminated her, made her hair look as if it were spun gold. Little wisps hung around her face, a whole clump had fallen out of her ponytail and was falling directly in front of her face. Her eyes were so blue and Catra let herself get lost in them, let herself get lost in Adora. And then her eyes were squeezing shut as Adora slid another finger into her, whispering to Catra, only Catra, the entire time.

Catra felt her back arch, her toes curl, as Adora crooked her fingers. She felt so warm, so safe in Adora’s arms, her mouth fell open in a gasp.

And then lightning was shooting through her blood, warm and crackling and strong. Adora stroked her through it, rested her forehead on Catra’s in that way of their’s, murmuring “I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you” over and over again as Catra quaked.

When she was done, her whole body feeling like jelly, Adora slid her fingers from her, laid down beside her, pulled Catra onto her chest. They would have to get up soon to clean each other, to put clothes on because no matter what Glimmer had promised there was always a chance with them.

“Thank God for Mystacor,” Catra muttered into the skin at Adora’s breast bone.

Adora laughed, tiredly but at ease. “I love you so much, Catra.”

“I love you too.”

And despite what she’d said before, how many other occasions she’d thought these exact words, Catra could have lived in this moment forever.