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Sometimes, Catra just couldn’t believe it.
Scratch that.
Heh.
Often, Catra couldn’t believe it.
Resting in Adora’s room in Brightmoon Castle, still under renovations and repairs even a month after the destruction of the Horde and the erasure of Horde Prime, Catra found it hard to believe she was here.
In bed.
With Adora.
Adora, who rested so peacefully, a contented smile even as she slept, hair undone and splayed out about her like a halo of dim light even in the darkness.
Adora, who was She-Ra, part of the Best Friend Squad, saviour of the planet Etheria, victor over the Horde.
And her girlfriend.
Catra sniffled then, and sucked in a shaky breath as tears stung her eyes, feeling an overwhelming wave of emotion engulf her. It had been happening in the quiet moments they had since the final battle with Hordak Prime and his forces, where it felt like her chest would burst from everything she was feeling.
It was relief, fear, comfort, love, even anger, and sometimes it left her shaking and struggling to stand. After the third time, she had, with Melog’s comforting presence, gone to see Perfuma about it.
Perfuma had been quiet and had listened while Catra stroked Melog’s head, filling her in on the details in stuttering, hesitant sentences.
“You’re healing, bit by bit, not in body but in the heart,” she had explained. “We were all dealing with so much through such a chaotic time that we prioritized what was most important in order to get through it. So now that you have room to breath, everything you have locked up is now free.”
“Right, heart healing. Got it. How long before it’s done?”
“Catra,” Perfuma started, reaching out to take Catra’s hand and squeeze it. “There’s no set time on healing your heart. You and Adora grew up rough, and these last few months have been rougher still. It’ll take time.”
“Ugh, time…” Catra rolled her eyes. “Can’t I-“ The slight frown on Perfuma’s face stopped her, along with Melog’s nuzzling herself in under her hand, and she took a breath before letting it out slowly. “So… what do I do?”
“Well, you are always welcomed to join me and Scorpia in our meditation sessions!” Perfuma said. “But aside from that, simply let yourself feel these emotions, good and bad. Work through them, and not just by yourself. You have me, and Scorpia. And of course, your girlfriend.”
Catra blushed, a familiar note of irritation running through her before, unbidden, a smile curved her lips upwards.
“Talk with us, talk with her. Let us know when this is happening. Also, I have incense and breathing exercises!”
“I… alright.” Catra opened her mouth, looked into Perfuma’s face, and turned away. “Thank…” She turned back to face her dead on, her eyes darting from Perfuma’s to her cheek, the bed of flowers behind her on the castle grounds, and then back to her eyes. “Thank you.”
It was advice well heeded, and though it was tough to do (old habits dying hard and all that) Catra had opened up more to the others, to the best Friend Squad, and to her girlfriend.
And now, she simply let the emotions run through her, breathing slowly, letting the tears come to her, counting to four as she breathed in, as she held her breath, and then let it out. The emotions ran their course, lessening in intensity as the minutes flowed by, and when she opened her eyes, Adora was still there, resting so peacefully.
Catra couldn’t help herself, and kissed her on the cheek. Then the other one.
Then a gentle nip at the place where the collarbone met the neck, making Adora squirm and giggle and Catra couldn’t help herself any longer. Rapid fire kisses peppered Adora’s face and forehead and cheeks until she woke up in a fit of giggles, gazing sleepily up at her.
“Heyyyy….” She raised a hand up to cup the side of Catra’s face and she melted into it, purring softly before draping a leg over her and climbing into her lap.
Hands cupped Adora’s face, pulling her up as she dipped her head down and their lips met in a kiss that burned and soothed, shook and comforted, reassured and left her in awe.
Adora sat up easily, muscles flexing as she wrapped her arms about Catra and drew her closer still and god, she was so soft and warm for her and Catra didn’t care. She didn’t care because Adora was here and she could be soft and warm with her. Through it all, the battles they’d waged and the fighting they’d done, Adora had never given up on her and Catra was not going to waste a single second of it.
“Wow…” Adora panted hard, a glazed look in her eyes and a doopy grin on her face. “You know, I could get used to this being my new alarm clock.”
Catra laughed, and nuzzled her neck. “You dork, it’s not time to wake up yet.”
“Oh, so what brought this on?”
Catra pulled back, the thumb of one hand stroking Adora’s cheek, a smile of her own spreading on her face as she simply took in the sight of her and Adora waited patiently.
“I… I needed to reassure myself you’re here. You’re here and we won and I just love you so much.” Tears came again, and Adora wiped them away, her own eyes growing wet.
“We did,” agreed Adora, and this time she drew her girlfriend in for a kiss, warm and heavy and comforting as the blankets they slept under.
The kiss lasted as long as the last, and when they finally parted for breath, Catra purred and bumped their foreheads together.
“So, what’s on the agenda for today?”
Adora hummed thoughtfully. “Another meeting of the Princesses. We’re going to figure out how to help the remnants of the Horde with the Fright Zone, as well as those Hordak clones who want to stay with Hordak himself. Scorpia and Perfuma are going to be going there, offering what advice they can. Plus, Mermista needs help with the rebuilding of her kingdom still. Entrapta is working on updating Darla’s systems before we go on our space voyage, something about increasing the efficiency of the crystals it uses. Oh! And there’s going to be a party too, minor, just us and the princesses.”
Catra drew back and shook her head. “You know I’m really disappointed. Nowhere in there did I hear anything about the mandated Girlfriend Cuddling Sessions. I’m going to have to have a word with the Queen about this.”
Adora gasped. “Oh no, you’re right! I’ll have to fix that right away,” she said, her face such a sincere mask of determination that it wasn’t long before Catra’s mock look of disappointment cracked and dissolved into giggles.
Adora wasn’t too far behind, and Catra dropped down alongside her, her chest heaving as their giggles died down. Adora smiled at her, and it drew a smile in return before Catra put her hand in Adora’s and linked fingers.
“You are such a sap,” Catra said.
“Yeah, but I’m your sap.”
Catra was quiet for a moment before cuddling close and drawing the blankets back up over them. “And I’m yours,” was her quiet reply before they settled back down to sleep.
Five Hours Later…
“Come on, you two, you’re going to be late for breakfast! And then the meeting!” Glimmer said as she opened the door.
“Sorry Glimmer, but I can’t come into work today. I have a Catra on my lap. It's in the rules.”
Glimmer let out an exasperated groan, face twisting as she struggled to keep a smile off her face. “What rule is that?”
“Catra Rules. Sorry, can’t help it.”
“You two are so sickeningly sweet.”
Catra raised her head up and stuck her tongue out. “Jealous, Sparkles?”
“Do NOT make me get Netossa’s water bottle, because I will.”
“Noooo!!!” Catra flopped boundlessly over a laughing Adora. “She-Ra, save me from the Evil Queen who is here to banish us!”