When She Stopped Picking Scabs
"Okay?" This was new. Adora was suspicious. Any moment now Catra would call her an idiot. Any moment. She narrowed her eyes at Catra and waited for that nonplussed expression to change. Something where her eyes would round their sockets and spit-laugh an insult.
They sat on the edge of the bed together. An invite to a party rested in Catra's hands. The torn envelope, with royal seal, rested in Adora's.
"I'm serious," she said, "I'm 40 and I need to forgive myself like you said," she sighed because Adora instantly started squirming with contained excitement, "Adora!"
"I'm sorry, go ahead," and yet she still held a toothy smile while she listened. The kind that said I'm trying to be patient but not really.
She grumbled another sigh. "I'm 40. It's not fair to you that I keep punishing myself when we can enjoy things together. So..., let's enjo- Adora! Why are you crying!? It wasn't even that deep!"
Adora leap-hugged her wife. Arms wrapped around brown-gray hair, still unbrushed, as she pinned Catra to the bed. "I'm not crying," she sniffled, "I've just been waiting for this."
She groaned a little to the tight hug, "I know." They were silent a moment and then Catra gave her a peck on the cheek. "Come on, we should get ready."
Adora vibrated with excitement, hand-sprung off Catra, and dashed to the closet giggling. And then she yelled, "Catra!"
"What? Wha- What's wrong?"
She poked her ahead around the door frame out of the closet with calm demeanor, "What should I wear? Should I go suit this time? Pants and shirt? Dress? Shorts?" Then she looked at Catra suggestively, "Skirt?" Suggesting what was a question of its own.
Catra flopped backwards into her pillows and let out an irritated groan, "This was a mistake."
"Okay! It's not a mistake but tone it down a notch, I'm just a year older. It's not that important."
Adora relaxed her shoulders a little and made her way to the edge of the bed. She sat somewhat in front of her. "Catra, you turning 40 or a million-"
Adora dismissed without skipping a beat, "-isn't important. It's you. It's not that you made it to some number. It's the day. Today would be less good without you. It's celebrating you."
"Forgiven. Loved. APPRECIATED! And I don't want to hear an adjective any different, okay?" Adora stared at her and waited for some form of an agreement. Catra grunted. That was enough she supposed.
That evening, they rode up to the Castle Bright Moon on Swift Wind, albeit slowly. Catra made sure they wouldn't fly. The last thing she needed was to vomit on her clothes just as they arrive.
Swifty was panting heavily to the tiresome, uphill stride to the castle. Who knew that flying took a lot less energy than walking? His front knees buckled suddenly forcing Adora and Catra to lean back hard to compensate for the imbalance. As Adora leaned forward slowly to check on him, he shot he head up and very nearly bashed Adora's head in. He shouted a big, "WOO! I DON'T KNOW HOW I DID THIS BEFORE I HAD WINGS! This is just AWFUL, Adora!" He shared a few more complaints before allowing them off his back.
Catra took an irritated slow breath in, straightened her clothes, and smoothed her lightly bristled tail outside the palace doors. Her nose flared a moment, "Oh good, I sure am glad I smell like a musty fowl."
"Hey, this wouldn't have been a problem if you let me fly. It's not my fault you have the tummy resistance of a small child who ate too much ice cream." He gasped for air, "WOO! I'm uh, just gonna take a breather over here, you guys go on ahead." He then slumped to the ground and muttered, "Please stop looking at me."
Catra snorted, "Alright, don't have to tell me twice." She received a jab from her dear wife. "Uh, fine. Thank you for the ride."
Good enough, Adora thought. It was Catra's birthday after all. And as Catra headed to the door dressed in black slacks and a light-gray blazer, patterned with branches of gold around the collar which seemed to travel down and line the seams of her pockets and the edges of the garment, Adora took a short moment to check on Swifty and affirm he wasn't about to keel over. With a pat and glow that washed over Swift Wind's head, Adora parted with a nod.
When Adora caught up with Catra before entering, Catra shook her head at her. "He's not taking care of himself. You gotta stop magic-ing him better all the time."
"Pff, it's fine. He's fine. Also, I have something to tell you." A raised brow and an encouraging jostle of Catra's head later: "I forgot to tell Glimmer we're coming." She faced the door and continued to walk into the palace.
And while Catra watched her wife, dressed in that black, knee-high and pleated skirt that delicately cinched a waist - and the red halter that exposed the still very toned muscles of her shoulders - she shook her head and lightly admonished Adora under her breath.
As they entered the halls lined with royal guards who stood with quiet rigidness, Catra stayed close to Adora as they headed to the ball room. Hip to hip and tail that brushed against Adora's thigh.
Adora turned to Catra, "Ready?"
Catra's jaw shifted a little. Uneasy. "i think you know the answer to that." Adora kissed her temple, it'll be fine. Remember, they are literally celebrating you.
Catra breathed a slow sigh, "I guess."
Adora pushed up the doors to find
A massive party for Catra. Mixed kingdoms and food and drinks.
A small gathering - BFS/SPT/Princess Alliance who've gotten to know Catra better
Absolutely empty
DANGER! FirstOne's infiltrated BrightMoon to try to get control of She-Ra again!
No one except Bow and Glimmer being very intimate and very exposed.
Voting ended onFeb 17, 2023
