Chapter Text
The two joining the mass of people on the dance floor was a breath of fresh air for themselves and those close enough to them to have noticed the declining shift from the past couple of weeks. The lingering resentment and longing from both of their faces was burned away, now replaced with the strong glow they both gave off as they walked arms linked and gleeful contentment.
Catra stood proudly, her quarter cuffed sleeves now linking her with everything she ever wanted. Adora, while slightly taller, still leaned into her as if Catra was helping keep her grounded. Her gray gown swayed around Catra’s ankles softly.
The soothing low strum of the string quintet made Adora stutter over her own breath when they slowed at the edge of the dance floor. Catra released her arm from their connection while keeping her other palm flat against the small of Adora’s back. The blonde glanced her clearing storm of blue-gray eyes to Catra’s offer of a hand and placed it in as the two moved together on the floor.
They had never been very experienced with dancing, the Horde was in no way the place to learn a skill like that.
Unless it was night. And unless it was in the quiet of their dorm room when the other cadets had long since fallen asleep in exhaustion from their drills.
Fleeting times were given when the giggling pair would scurry out of their bunks to bump into each other and laugh while trying to replicate dance moves they had overheard the older senior cadets talk about. It was difficult without music but they didn’t mind. Some nights Catra would hum loudly, clunky mismatched notes for them to spin and move their feet in motion with.
Many of the dances were so silly, coupled with the fact that they had never seen these movements themselves made them giddy to have a secret moment like that together. One night, Adora carefully grabbed Catra’s small hand and pulled her to the open floor past the storage crates and metal bunk frames.
“I want to try something,” she told Catra. She was ready to see another goofy looking display she must have learned but was torn from her expectation when she watched the focused intent of Adora’s youthful face fumble with her hands, finally deciding to place both on Catra’s lean shoulders and gently moving her thick hair out of the way so she wouldn’t get caught.
After a few moments of the girls flowing back and forth with each other, Catra finally cracked a fanged smile “What is this?” she asked, scoffing in her voice as she rested her arms on Adora’s ribs after receiving no direction from a determined Adora.
“It’s slow dancing” she revealed, parroting the words she wasn’t entirely certain were correct. Catra liked the brash quick movements of the other dances they learned. Especially if it was something they mirrored together, it made her feel like they were actually the same. Like her best friend wasn’t miles ahead of her in every way.
“Why is it so slow?”
“I don’t know, it’s in the name Catra” she rolled her eyes, now looking at Catra’s face that was partially hidden by the curtain of wild bangs on her forehead. She counted the freckles while they held, watching as her yellow and blue eyes softened when they looked at her. “I think I like it though,” Adora admitted, now leaning Catra in slightly wider movements as they made small circles around the flooring near their beds.
Catra fumbled. “Yeah, it’s okay” she resisted. She didn’t want to let go when it was finally time to turn in.
Later, another cadet would mention what they had seen to a training leader, who passed the information to Shadow Weaver. That same day, an irate woman donned in black and red would again take Catra privately to dole out punishment. The pain of the initial pricking while the tendrils inched searing energy into her before delivering their gut-wrenching shocks that made her feel like she was being ripped apart from the inside out brought screams from her.
Weaver didn’t want to hear about her disrupting anyone’s sleep again, especially not Adora’s.
Since that time they tried to slow dance, Adora had pulled at her. Wanting to try again but Catra would be too tired or tease Adora on how silly they looked. After being denied many times, the young girl just figured that Catra hated slow dancing. She wished she hadn’t ruined their secret by adding the extra layer and eventually would stop asking.
Finally, they were free to move in as big of motions as they wanted for as long as they could stand. The same arrangement of freckles dotted Catra’s face. Neither were ashamed or compelled to look away. She felt Catra’s arm tighten around her waist, bringing them closer together as they moved, gliding past the other pairs who slowly matched the serene flow of musical notes that pooled through the crowd. Bow and Glimmer had joined the floor, giving a smile to the pair that was received by Catra, giving a sly smile back.
The enchantment of the scene made Catra’s heart fumbled to think that just moments ago she had this same beauty in such a different way. She kissed Adora’s forehead who leaned in and rested her head on her upper torso. Reuniting felt like a welcomed return home. For every time in her life that she had lost, becoming a disappointment to herself or those around her, she would willingly go through it all again if it meant having this outcome. The one where she was granted the gift of having Adora with her in every form of herself. Not just the strong figurehead of a savior, but much more. She would see every vulnerable, messy, and gorgeous moment of her life. The same thing she had allowed Adora to see in her.
It was done with such ease that she couldn’t remember why they would ever think to tear from each other in the first place.
“What next?” Adora’s voice asked among the hightented pull of strings as the notes from the music piece raised. She didn’t move from her safe haven on Catra’s shoulder and chest. The warmth of her hand was pulled to her partner's mouth, who kissed the top of it before holding them back out from them to lead. She leaned a hushed mouth down by her ear.
“Round two if you’re up for it” Adora hushed her, glancing around to make sure the other dancers were too far and wrapped up in their own movements to have overheard. Her troubled face now looking to meet her love’s.
“You know what I mean” she pushed back. Logistically she knew that she could and would promise Catra all of these changes. She wanted them to have their happily ever after. The next time She-Ra was needed, she couldn’t just deny help.
Catra lifted her arms, allowing Adora to pass under the arch with a spin before returning to her.
“You worry too much,” she murmured quietly. The warrior tried not to be irked by her lack of concern with her question. She knew Catra had a different way of thinking than she did, it just so happened that much of Catra’s coping was joking, defection, and self-deprecation mixed with an angry sense of pride. Before she could argue more, Catra continued her thought.
“I’ll go with you when I can. We’ll see what can be delegated to other people. I just need to know that we are in this together.” Catra insisted, sadness peering through her words as if that was something she had been aching to say for a long time.
Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.
The lack of a solid plan should have been enough for Adora to crack again. With Catra she had the unspoken trust. She didn’t say things if she didn’t mean them, every detail of her was focused on Adora, focused on them and making everything work as it had before. Catra gently tucked a strand of golden hair that had fallen behind Adora’s ear. She left her fingertips there, holding a searching gaze with Adora and feeling like she wasn’t pulling enough oxygen.
The feeling of infinite faith felt comfortably held, secure with a shroud of rest finally found its way to Adora. The weeks and months worth of pressure that ached her muscles were granted a release, somehow Catra had the power to relieve her of those weights. She could easily read the look of Adora, that she had finally allowed herself to acknowledge her needs and recognize the serenity in her eyes. Catra pulled into one more kiss, lips softly meeting each other and allowing the women to become lost. There was no show behind it or need for frantic clawing anymore. The peaceful assurance was all she wanted, so that’s what Catra gave.