Work Text:
214-724-6269: That’s some WAP.
Adora nodded as she sent the text, the line in her head delivered with absolute sincerity. Glimmer hated how much she loved that song and it made sense in the context of their current Discord voice chat. Her best friend would get that text, sigh, possibly contemplate why she kept such a lesbian himbo like Adora in her life willingly, and then they’d all laugh. But as the minutes ticked on, Glimmer chattering away like normal with a few peeps and murmurs from the rest of the crew, Adora began to get nervous. There was no way that her bestie would not acknowledge the message in some way and Glimmer was very quick to check her texts. “Uh, Glim. Can you repeat your new number for me one more time?”
“I knew I should have just typed it out- here.”
Adora heard keys click clacking for a few seconds; it was amazing how someone so small could type so ferociously. She read the digits from the chat screen, comparing them in the new text thread. She knew no peace with herself after. 214-724-SIX TWO NINE SIX. No. Just… No? “Oh fuck me. I mixed up the two digits at the very end and shit !”
“Eh, who hasn’t sent a text by mistake. Not a big deal, Adora!” Bow cheerfully soothed. “I’m sure whoever gets it will understand.”
Mermista’s snicker cut in. “The digits at the end, Gray? What do you have on your mind tonight?”
Adora pointedly ignored her friend; sixty nine, ha ha, so funny. Not. Almost made the whole thing worse somehow. She cleared her throat and replied, directing it towards Bow who was at least trying to be helpful. “Well, um, yes that’s true. But I sort of… the text said, ‘That’s some WAP.’”
Amidst the chorus of laughter at her admission, Adora pulled up the text thread to this poor rando, fingers hovering over her phone’s keyboard. Should she apologize? She should definitely apologize. Just explain herself, apologize, and move on. But instead, she found herself deleting the message from her list of texts and just hoping and praying that the person would do the same. Weird messages came through all the time, right? ‘You’ve won an Amazon raffle!’ or magic pills for weight loss and dick growth (Adora had even gotten one that claimed to do both with the addition of fuller, thicker hair- nice to know the bots were trying to capitalize on her hair envy). No sense in letting it ruin her night with her friends.
And she didn’t, really! Adora was able to brush her gaffe to the side, relieved when ten minutes had gone by and she hadn’t heard anything from the victim of her number flopping. She was so relaxed and at ease as the night continued that when her phone did buzz, Adora didn’t think twice about checking it. She and the gang often jumped platforms as they talked and used whatever was most convenient to share content at the time. Someone was probably just sending her a meme or a Buzzfeed quiz or-...
A GIF of some macaroni in a pot being stirred slowly and sensually greeted Adora as she checked her newly received message. It was from the person she’d mistakenly texted. Oh, fuck. “G-guys, I’ll be, um, right back.” Glimmer gave a huff of protest as she’d again been in the middle of a story about her week, but Adora disconnected before she had to explain anything. She needed to focus, because it was definitely time to apologize.
512-537-2426: I am so, so sorry. I sent this to the wrong number and did not mean to interrupt your night.
512-537-2426: Seriously so sorry!!!
214-742-6269: it’s cool. I’m a fan 😏
Adora heaved a sigh of relief. She certainly didn’t mean to bug this person, especially with such provocative material! But they at least weren’t cursing her out for it and that GIF had actually been kind of funny. She’d be sure to laugh about it the moment she wasn’t about to expire from her embarrassment. Biting her lip, Adora considered the situation. Not like it really mattered in the slightest , but did this person mean a fan of the song or…? That smirk emoji just raised so many questions. She decided to test the waters a little with her own (highly unnecessary) response.
512-537-2426: me too! 🌈
214-742-6269: 👍🏼
As another minute ticked on, no further reply given beyond that thumbs up, Adora got her answer. Just a music fan, totally cool, it was always fun to run into another queer out there in the world even if just for a moment, but she’d bothered this person enough and you really can’t make assumptions and-...
214-742-6269: 🌈✌️
Oh. A wild gay had appeared after all.
Adora didn’t call back into the chat with her friends. It was pretty late and while she had a whole lot of nothing going on tomorrow, might as well pass into unconsciousness for a few hours to get to it even faster. She had wanted to send something else to the rando queer, but really, what else was there to say? WAP and a couple rainbow emojis just about covered the modern gay’s experience. So imagine her surprise when she woke up to another text from this person, this time a picture of a bucket and a mop. Adora blinked at the cleaning supplies before the connection dawned on her. Wow… this person was really into that song.
It was a little strange, particularly for two complete strangers, but Adora just rolled with it. And continued to roll with it as the messages continued. They were tentative at first, like the “🤣🤣🤣” she sent in regards to the bucket and mop pic, and the exchanges weren’t particularly frequent… At the start. With every little back and forth, Adora found herself checking, and hoping, for messages more and more often. Maybe sending a little more herself each time she replied.
Catra, as she learned the mystery gay was named, kept things interesting by testing out Adora’s musical tastes overall. It was usually by some obscure GIF, though complete the lyrics or who’s that by? wasn’t unheard of. The songs were all over the place, but whatever Catra was testing for, Adora seemed to be acing. Three weeks after her slip up the pair were texting every day. It wasn’t all just music related either, even if they hadn’t shared too much personal information beyond names and pronouns with one another.
It was so amazing that the pronoun question was automatic and natural nowadays. Adora had no real desire to go by anything other than she/her, but also it was so freeing and affirming that she could if she ever wanted to. Catra was they/them and was just... the coolest person Adora had ever talked to. Even when the text was just a random thought or a brief overview of what they’d be getting into during their day, Adora was absolutely enthralled any time their name flashed on her screen. Her weekly screen time reports were astronomical, but so long as Catra was inside her nightmare rectangle, Adora had no plans on changing her habits.
Her friends noticed the increased amount of time she was spending on her phone, but thankfully didn’t make a thing of it. Glimmer was a little huffy that here and there Adora was late to the gang’s normal chat times, but after the customary amount of ribbing and teasing from her friends for not being on time to something they’d been doing in some way, shape, or form for years, the group all moved on to more interesting things. And Adora would always get together with them in person whenever the chance arose. Life was about balance, right? So what if she was also contemplating an Apple Watch so she could quickly peek at messages during her work day and make sure to never miss a single text so long as she was awake. It was also great for her exercise routine! The fitbit she had was fine, but…
Anyway, Catra was proving to be a great friend and though they hadn’t discussed it at length, Adora at least suspected they generally lived in the same area as one another. A matching area code with Glimmer was a good clue if anything, though really with cell phones, who knew… They were both at least in the same time zone and Adora could definitely work with that. Y’know. Since their friendship was going so well and all.
It became pretty commonplace for Adora’s evenings after work to be spent just texting back and forth with this person, not about anything consequential and usually music related, though a whole new realm was opened the night that Catra shared an entire playlist with her. Adora didn’t know half the shit on there, but now that they were following one another on some form of social media? Just one more way they became linked. She wouldn’t mind at least one or two others... But she was happy to wait and see what would happen.
A couple weeks after following one another on Spotify, Adora found an excuse to make a playlist for just about everything. How she hadn’t really done that before, save for her Hip Hop Jams Workout list, was beyond her at this point. Even mundane things like Saturday Morning Cleaning or Grocery Trek deserved a soundtrack. She found that Catra’s lists were always much better, more cohesive, almost telling a story even if you listened on shuffle… But Adora was learning and dove into her weekly discovery with relish. Still, she couldn’t ignore the draw towards the more indulgent, peppy bops that she’d been listening to for years on end. They made up the bulk of her chores lists just to make certain she stayed in good spirits while having to adult.
Catra: what are you listening to rn
She paused her cleaning, the jaunty music fading to the background as she read the question. Fairly commonplace for them, usually as a precursor to a song swap or five. Unfortunately this time... Adora was caught. Crap. Maybe she had been dancing around as she dusted, living her best life, but it wasn’t anything anyone else really needed to know about.
WAP Girl: Some song that came up on my weekly discovery. Real Thing by Stars
Whew, saved herself. Adora had pulled up her weekly suggestions and just fired off the first song listed there. Out of guilt she turned it on, pleased to find it was actually pretty enjoyable.
Catra: liar. You are now, but that’s not what you were listening to before.
A screenshot of Catra’s Spotify account from their desktop illustrated the truth, clearly showing what all their followers were playing. Technology was a bastard. Sure, can’t see who likes your playlists, but the browser felt the need to display exactly what she was listening to?!
Before Adora could formulate a response or at least apologize for fibbing over something so silly, another text came through.
Catra: Boom, boom, boom, boom I want you in my room…?
WAP Girl: yeah, fuck.
WAP Girl: It’s just really catchy?
Catra: of course.
Thirty seconds later, Adora’s heart stopped, the Swiffer duster tumbling from her hands and any chance of finishing her chores today along with it.
Catra: and here I was hoping it was an invitation.
After the incident with The VengaBoys, Adora earned herself a new nickname. She was dubbed the Princess of Power Pop, eventually shortened to just princess. Out of respect for the humble beginnings of their friendship, Catra vowed that she would remain “WAP Girl” in their phone until the day they died. Or just whenever they got really bored with it. But every time her friend threw out a princess her direction, Adora’s head sorta went floppy. Another call back to their humble beginnings- she was a fan to say the least.
Catra: call me when you want, call me when you need, call me...
WAP Girl: Monterro (Call Me By Your Name) by lil Nas
Catra: Very good princess, but also so, so not the point.
The… point? It had been a normal Saturday for them; Adora was done cleaning and with her errands and had asked what Catra was up to. They took a while to respond, but eventually the pair’s norm of general bullshitting, plus music trivia started up again. Catra had mentioned that they were home for the rest of the night, and was feeling a little bored and restless, but Adora didn’t think anything of it. So what was this point that she was supposedly missing?
Catra: Let me try something a little more your speed.
Adora gripped her phone, just willing the next message to come in. It likely took less than 15 seconds, but with as wound up as she was… A fairly recognizable brunette pop star began dancing around, singing silently as the words to her most well known tune flashed across her screen. Hah, yeah, definitely her speed. Adora loved all kinds of music, but bubblegum pop? It just hit so good.
WAP Girl: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen.
Catra: Uhuh. Seeing a pattern yet?
Call Me By Your Name, Call Me Maybe… Oh.
Catra: I’ve got one more, but I’ll hold on to it just in case.
After nearly a minute of second guessing herself, Adora finally opened up her contacts, fingers trembling as she pressed the call button. She wasn’t reading this wrong, right? Catra had been leading her here? She wasn’t about to weird out this new, but very important to her, person and ruin the friendship they’d been cultivating over the past month or so by adding their voices?
The call was answered on the first ring, but Adora was quick to break the norm. She gulped out, “H-hello? Catra?” Then held her breath, finally giving the person on the other end of the line a chance to speak. It seemed like they should probably participate.
After a few seconds a warm rasp greeted her, followed by a squeaky laugh. “Yeah. You sound just like I pictured. Hey, princess .”
Adora sputtered on her orange juice as she glanced at her phone. Of course. Of course Catra would choose now to send her a picture for the first time. They’d been talking on the phone for a while now in addition to their relentless texting, staying up together until all hours of the night, whispering about whatever, and Catra knew she was going out to brunch with her not-forgotten-nor-any-less-loved! friends. But of course. Of course this was the morning Catra chose to do a face reveal. Little shit.
Her cheeks were flaming as she slammed the phone down into her lap after only the tiniest of glances at the image she longed to spend hours pouring over, managing to flip her spoon to the floor in the process.
Perfuma paused her story at the jerk and clatter, quirking her eyebrows and tilting her head to the side. “Everything okay, Adora?”
“Umm, yeah. Yeah! Just heh, dropped my spoon. Okay, be right back!” The blonde ducked under the table to grab the utensil and sneak a better peak. Just a quick little indulge to get it out of her system- Oh, she should not have looked .
Catra was gorgeous, from their short brown hair ruffled into a messy pompadour, complete with crisp undercut, to the warm chocolate colored vest they had paired with a white button up. They were absolutely killing Adora with how their tight navy slacks were and with the immaculate tie in the exact same color as the pants… A weird hiccuping sound burbled from her throat when Adora registered that Catra’s eyes were two different colors, one as cerulean as the Caribbean sea and the other as golden as the sunrise above it. Stars above. Good thing it was a Sunday morning, because Adora was pretty sure she just saw god while tucked under this stupid table.
Entirely flummoxed on what to do with this development of her life, Adora continued to stare at the picture until Glimmer’s head appeared under the table across from her. “Okay, weirdo. What are you doing down there?”
“Uh, uh, nothing! Be right up!” No one bought her story of not being able to find the spoon she dropped, especially since Glimmer had caught her sputtering incoherently at her phone, but at least they all had the courtesy to let it drop. They’d all been surprisingly chill the few times she’d mentioned her friend Catra in passing, never prying for more information than what was offered, though quite a few eyebrows were raised in her direction at the way Adora’s voice always went up a few octaves whenever said friend was mentioned. It helped that Adora would be the first to say that she kept much of Catra all to herself, at least at this point, even if just about every little thing in her day made her think of them… The gang would all want to know every last detail and well, until today, they hadn’t even shared any pictures of themselves with the other! There was nothing to tell?
Adora lasted officially twenty seconds before excusing herself from brunch in a most rambling manner, giving several conflicting excuses for why she was leaving the table for an unspecified amount of time. Her friends just blinked and let her go. Bow gently shook his head and laid his hand on Glimmer’s arm as she opened her mouth to call out after the fleeing blonde. Glimmer sullenly stabbed at her pancake, chewing swiftly and swallowing with barely concealed frustration. “I’m being good. Patient. Just like we all agreed. But she better tell us what’s up soon. We don’t come back to visit all that often and here she is, running off in the middle of breakfast!”
“She will- in her own time.” Bow promised. After another short sigh, Glimmer agreed, casting a fond look at her bestie trying to politely, but insistently, make her way through the small crowd of people attempting to pay the bills at the front register. He chuckled at the sight as well, Adora tapping her foot before finally sidling through the other patrons and scurrying out the front door. “Besides, we all know it’s this Catra person.”
The table all murmured their agreement. They might not have many details, but it was clear by the way Adora’s whole presence brightened to a luminous glow whenever they were brought up… Catra meant something to her.
Sinking down in the driver’s seat of her car, Adora focused on breathing. Just breathe. Remember to breathe and the rest was easy. Catra still stared at her, that curious little half-smile with just a glint of sharp teeth peeking out, taunting her. They’d talked on the phone often enough that she could hear that raspy greeting through the image… “Hey, Adora.” Ugh, if Catra ever found out that she had hidden under a diner table to gawk at her picture…
In light of the fact that it had been several minutes since Catra sent the picture and she was positively paralyzed, Adora did the only thing she could think of.
She sent a thumbs up emoji. And immediately hated her life’s decisions.
Instantly those three dots indicating that Catra was replying showed up on screen.
Catra: Just a thumbs up? Really? Hmm.
Catra: Guess I need to try harder.
Adora released a sound that was a cross between a groan and plea. She was really testing the range of her vocal cords this morning. Okay, focus. What was the protocol when an amazingly hot person sent you a picture at 11 AM on a Sunday with no context or explanation given? Should she send one back? Adora glanced down at herself and grimaced. Sundays were for comfy clothes; hair pulled back into a messy pony, leggings, and an oversized sweater. Not really the Thirst Trap vibe that she was ready to share at this time. Not when Catra was that fucking sexy. Damn them. Also, don’t stop ever, please.
WAP Girl: No! You look really good. Like really, really good. Amazing. Just so…
Was she leading the conversation on by adding that last part? Absolutely, but if Catra bit (oh, god please let them bite…) and asked about it, then they wanted to continue the conversation, right?
Catra: So what, Adora?
WAP Girl: Hot. You look amazingly hot.
Adora typed out the response and then threw her phone into the backseat. She ran her hands over her thighs a few times, eye twitching as she wallowed in her own continually questionable decision making skills. Within seconds she was diving into her backseat, scrambling to pick up her phone from the floor, both to see if Catra had responded and to do some damage control regardless of whether they had. A weird mixture of sharp disappointment and absolute relief shot through her stomach when Adora saw that Catra hadn’t yet replied.
WAP Girl: What’s the occasion?
There, some chill. Catra hadn’t shared anything noteworthy about their day while they talked last night, but they also hadn’t shared that they’d be sending her a goddamned picture today either. Life was just full of beautiful, heart attack inducing surprises.
Catra: Occasion? You don’t need an occasion to look good.
Catra: And I always look good.
The second picture they sent her- Catra full on smirking into the camera, lounging in a leather recliner while wearing that same damn outfit that literally had brought Adora to her knees, the bright late morning sunlight framing them while sipping from a champagne flute of all things, was proof of just that.
It had been over a week since Catra sent those delicious pictures of themself. Adora almost asked if she could set it as her lockscreen before realizing that was a super, super creepy thing to request of your friend, no matter how close you’d become. Sure, Glimmer and Bow's smiling face had been there for years, but it was just… Different with Catra.
In fact, Adora had to limit herself to looking at the pictures only once a day, tucking it inside a folder inside another folder so it wouldn’t be accidentally seen by anyone else. Catra deserved their privacy; they had trusted Adora with those images! She wanted nothing more than to repay that level of trust with a shot of her own for them, but despite her best efforts, she had yet to find a suitable return photo. Her smile always looked goofy no matter what she did, her clothes either felt too tight or like she was wearing a potato sack, and don’t even get her started on whatever the hell her hair poof was up to...
Catra hadn’t asked for a picture, hadn’t mentioned one had been sent at all really, nor had any others arrived since that Sunday. But Adora would be lying if she said she hadn’t spent copious amounts of time looking up selfie tips, playing with the lighting in her bathroom (poor background, but it was on a dimmer switch), and now had even gone so far as to rally the whole squad for a shopping trek. Good thing Glimmer and Bow were in town for Bow’s family reunion. It had been a huge, week-long affair of family goodness, not including the extra time they would stay with Lance and George, but they still had the strength and stamina to respond to her pleas… Truly the Best Friend Squad.
It wasn’t necessarily a guise that Adora cited that she needed help finding something cute to wear for the annual Spring Soirée on Sunday, the other reason everyone not immediately in the area had returned home, because that did need to happen. The outfit would just serve a second purpose, landing on the screen of a certain someone’s phone, hopefully catching them just as unaware as they had done to her at brunch. She marched into the first store with the thought of “jeans and a cute top” firmly in mind, but after the seventh store, Adora was convinced that such an outfit was the stuff of legends. Probably because it was vague as hell.
“This?” Bow held up another shirt, even his patience in this quest growing thin. Only he and Glimmer remained, the others all begging off for just a small break to grab a snack and rest their feet with promises they’d return soon. Sea Hawk had texted that he would be there within the hour, ready to find Adora the perfect outfit for the celebration of this most beautiful season, as they had done for years! Maybe it started as a “Summer break’s here!” party in high school, evolved to a “We survived finals week!” bash in college, but even though they were all more or less adults, the tradition was kept alive and well as a seasonal soirée. It was going to be held at a winery this year at the sensible time of 2 PM so they’d all have a chance to decompress before work the next day and finer attire was encouraged but… Still a total rager! They were only in their mid-twenties; hardly a pack of elder gays.
Adora shook her head immediately. It was fine; looser fitting, a relatively attractive floral print on a dark background, and would definitely keep her cool in the late May heat, but it wasn’t it . Glimmer popped up then with a moderately cut cream top and unlined navy jacket to go with it which was closer, however, Adora still turned it down. Maybe she was just doomed to send Catra an eyes-half-closed while rocking her favorite crop top sweatshirt picture since apparently looking cute wasn’t a possibility in this lifetime. At least in photos. Adora was pretty sure that if she ever got to meet them face to face she might stand a chance, assuming that she didn’t faint in their presence first. But they also hadn’t discussed that yet, at least not seriously, so no need to buy smelling salts today either.
They were all on the verge of giving up entirely when Sea Hawk rushed into the store, possibly after doing a few laps around the whole mall first in search of his party. He took one look at his good friend Adora and rushed off, some unparalleled fashion sixth sense leading the way. He seemed to be on his way towards the dresses which, huh. Adora hadn’t really considered that, she wasn’t opposed, but…
Hawk only had one dress to show Adora, physically scooting her towards the dressing rooms to see the results of his mastery over clothing. She protested immediately, digging her heels into the floor to stop her momentum. Sea Hawk immediately let up, turning the blonde around so they were face to face. With a warm smile, the man said with the quiet, appealing to your soul voice he seldom unleashed on unwitting passengers, “Just give it a try, hmm? Adventcha?”
And of course it was perfect. Never anything she would pick for herself in a million years, only because it came across as rather plain-looking at first glance. But the white sundress fell just above the knee, was tighter across the bodice, though flowed pleasantly near the bottom. It accentuated some of her best features (she was weirdly proud of her collarbone?) and the thin straps would allow her to show off all the time she spent on the lat pulldown and rowing machines at the gym. As Adora stepped out of the dressing room, peering around for her friends so they could give their approval, Sea Hawk wordlessly handed her a red cardigan to pair with it once the cooler night air had settled in. The man knew clothes, that was for sure.
The day of the Soirée arrived, the weather just as celebratory as Adora and her group of friends were bound to be. She had mentioned to Catra during their good morning texts that she was going to be busy this afternoon, but was purposely not providing details. After getting dressed, amazed and pleased that she had a use for the bright red pumps with white polka dots that she’d purchased years ago in a rare moment of consumer fever, she popped into her bathroom to try for just one last shot for Catra. She only tripped once on the way; the tiny wedge heel was not too ambitious, no matter what Mermista said!
One shot turned into about fifty, her brow furrowing more and more with each snap, growing more put-out by the second. Apparently clothes made the man, but the poor lesbian still couldn’t manage a decent picture of herself… And shit. Bow and Glimmer were here, no chance to do much with her hair. It would have to stay down for the afternoon.
She felt better when she had a glass of wine in her hand, the sweetness pushing away the bitter disappointment of being entirely unphotogenic. Adora focused on her friends, catching up with them and sharing a few things about her own life. There wasn’t a ton to report, well, at least anything she felt like talking about. She and Catra seemed to maybe, just maybe, be on a path to something, though she tried to not get too lost in what exactly that might be. It was better to focus on what was real; they were obviously comfortable with one another, as wrapped up in each other’s lives as one could be through a phone, and Adora was correct in her original suspicion that they were both in the same general area. The elation she felt when Catra finally mentioned the name of the city they lived in- just a few hours away, even closer than Glimmer and Bow! was unmatched. She was always down to travel, but a short as drive as possible to see her friend was vastly preferable. If it ever happened. If.
Anyway, she had nothing interesting to say except for a few amusing work stories, but her friends had plenty to share, particularly as yet another bottle was passed around. Adora indulged in just another half glass, already knowing her cheeks were as pink as the rosé in her glass. Bow was driving and sticking to bubbly water, but getting a little sloshed on a Sunday afternoon wasn’t quite her deal anymore.
Glimmer, the unofficial-official record keeper of all their events, was covertly snapping away. She was a master at sneak shots, so quick with her phone that the rest of the group barely registered her sniping by this point. Adora was listening to a happy Bow tell some story about one of the kids he worked with, and a mighty laugh-snort was unleashed as he reached the peak of the tale. She relaxed back in her chair, giggles dying down as she sipped from her glass. This was perfect. The weather was pristine, the setting extraordinary, and she glanced around the table at all the chattering people she had loved for most of her life. The fact they still took the time to gather together at least once a year, even when some had spread a little further out than the others… She couldn’t ask for better friends.
“Oh, my god that is a great picture of you, bae!” Glimmer exclaimed as she reviewed her candid shot, bouncing in her chair. She certainly wasn’t afraid to praise her own artistic talents. “Damn, I’m good. That is so going on insta!”
Adora perked up, no longer placidly lounging in her chair. Glimmer was rather discerning about what made it on to her social media accounts. She had an image to cultivate. “Oh? C-can I see?” Adora tried to keep the excitement out of her voice, truly intent to just be present with her friends right now. The matter of a picture for Catra had been set aside in her mind, a problem for future Adora. But also if the solution was handed to her by the whims of fate…
Bow very quickly leaned over to view the image on his girlfriend’s phone. He looked, then with impossibly soft doe eyes, he turned back to Adora seated across from him. “You look beautiful, Adora. Truly.”
She flushed, curiosity intensifying. Bow was a good boy, very free with his compliments. But something in his face made Adora believe that maybe it actually was a good shot. Before she could ask to see it for herself, the phone was passed to Perfuma, seated next to Bow, and snatched by Mermista after ‘Fuma had spent too long cooing over it. Okay, the device was at least on her side of the table now. Progress.
The dark haired woman raised an eyebrow as she regarded the image, almost immediately passing it to Sea Hawk who had been trying to crowd closer to view it with her. “Uughh, back off , Hawk.” Not exactly a glowing review, but you can’t please everyone…
As Sea Hawk gasped over it, waxing eloquently, pointing out every last detail that he found pleasing, Mermista adjusted the lapels of her suit jacket, taking a long draw from her beer. With a side-eyed glance, she smirked, “Definitely a shot for your dating profile. Y’know. Just in case you ever like, try that mess again.”
Adora’s stomach was flip flopping by that point. Please, Sea Hawk, yes the lake and the hills in the background were very pretty, but she needed to see for herself. Clearing her throat of any nerves, Adora called out, “Hey, Hawk? Mind if I, uh, see it? It is of me…”
The exuberant man was happy to oblige the request, pouring compliments out as it was finally passed to her. Adora was the last one to see, which was a little unfair if you asked her, but-...
Oh.
Oh.
The natural backdrop was a pleasant enhancement to the blonde subject, with her rosy cheeks and wide smile. Glimmer had caught her as the sun shone down on the wineglass in her hand, the contents sparkling. Adora’s eyes were soft, startlingly blue, as this moment of her life was captured. The arm that was leaning on the table showed off the results of her never ending fight for definition and demonstrated just how many pushups in a row she could- and would, do. Her shoulders were strong and set, her hair falling in gentle waves around them. Maybe the strands were thanking her for not being confined to a ponytail for an entire afternoon. Though she had long since removed the cardigan, feeling far too flushed in the heat of the high afternoon, the light material of the white dress kept her from appearing even remotely overheated. It was weird to describe skin as looking “creamy”, but not even any of the weird blemishes on her skin that normally stood out to her dampened Adora’s opinion of the picture. What was most stunning overall was that she looked happy in the still, genuinely so.
She handed Glimmer back her phone, taking a long draw from her glass of ice water. That was it. That was the picture she wanted to send Catra. Clearing her throat, Adora asked lightly, “Uh, Glim, could you send that to me? Heh, it would make a great new profile picture…”
Glimmer nodded at the request, but Sea Hawk’s attempts to get closer to his lovely Mermista were finally being granted. The pair were cuddling, relatively oblivious to the rest of the table, and it was a moment that she simply needed to catch proof of, if anything to show Mermmy that she really did love the fool the next time he did something to piss her off.
Adora’s fingers were tapping against her glass, though her smile screamed patience. It was cute as hell and the picture wasn’t going anywhere… Nor should she really be texting her other friend while hanging out with the gang. She tuned into Perfuma talking about a new woman that had just started coming to her same studio, with her amazingly positive energy and who gave the most fantastic hugs… Adora personally thought the fact that a couple of yoga students were on a hugging basis was a little interesting, but they’d all agreed to more or less stay out of one another’s personal lives unless real red flags were ever raised. Or if advice and insight were ever specifically asked for. They had all pretty much dated each other at one point or another over the years, and had managed to keep strong friendships going in spite of any previous entanglements, but it was still best to not dig too deeply, especially if things seemed romantic in any way. And from the way Perfuma’s eyes lit up about this woman’s stances… Yeah, best to just smile and nod along.
Mermista was back to sitting on her own after sending Sea Hawk to fetch them another couple beers, Perfuma had finished raving about her classmate, and Glimmer’s phone had magically disappeared again. Adora gave a large smile to her oldest, most dear friend, gently reminding her that Adora still was awaiting her text. “Don’t forget to send me that shot!”
The short woman nodded emphatically, downing the last few drops in her cup. Upon realizing it was empty, she stared at it accusingly, the umbrage doubled when the carafe was just as dry. “Sure thing, boo. Lemme just go grab another bottle first.”
More drinks secured, Adora declined a refill. She was in a pleasant state of being and truly didn’t need to have any extra trouble getting motivated come Monday morning. Mondays were Catra’s day to sleep in; their first weekly meeting wasn’t scheduled until a most generous 10 AM that day, so Adora was on her own in the morning. Things just went a little better when she could gripe to Catra first thing. Or just got to wake up and immediately greet them.
“Glimmer. Please, the picture?” At the thought of Catra, Adora couldn’t help but ask just once more. Her bestie was back to the table, drink refilled, and no other super cute moments needed to be captured at the moment. “I’m not above begging you...” She tried to turn that last part into a total joke, but everyone looked away at the small whine that had laced her request, suddenly finding anything else to be interested in.
Glimmer blinked, miraculously not visibly cringing at the awkwardness of the moment. “Sure, uhh, texting you now.”
Adora felt the gentle buzz on her wrist a few moments later, alerting her to a new message. Even though she knew it was Glimmer finally sending her The Picture, the blonde still looked, the tiniest trace of disappointment flickering in her stomach when it wasn’t Catra’s name on her watch. She pushed it aside, refilling a quarter of her glass. Adora would send it as soon as she got home tonight.
The last bottle was polished off, many hugs and reminders that their next hangout was only weeks away, even if it was virtual, and Bow dropped Adora back at her apartment. She stayed in the car a few extra minutes making certain to tell the pair how much she missed them, but how she knew they were only a drive up the highway. They returned the same sentiments to her and the Squad parted ways until the next visit.
To her credit, Adora actually managed to shuck off her heels and flop onto her couch before sending the picture. She had considered about seventeen times sending it on the way home, but Glimmer and Bow really didn’t need to be around for it. The deed was done now, so all she had to do was wait and-... Oh, barely a ten second turnaround. Nice.
Catra: Very nice, princess. You’re just as gorgeous as i always figured. Only missing one thing…
WAP Girl: ?
That punctuation mark was the only response Adora was able to muster, from the shock of being called gorgeous by Catra and yet being terrified to find out what she was missing. The fact it was so apparent that Catra was about to call it out to her? Fuck, what could it be; this was The Picture, it had to be!
Catra: me next to you.
They sent the third picture that Adora would be sure to tuck away into her private folder (that wasn’t too weird, right?). It was of Catra seated on a balcony, presumably at their apartment. Adora could see that they were wearing a charcoal gray button up, a looser fit than the white collared shirt from a week ago. This time the top most buttons were undone, the tiniest hint of caramel skin showing. Adora had to guess that this counted as casual attire, at least for Catra. They had a thick novel laying against their chest and even though no teeth were visible in their smile, she still sucked in a breath and audibly whimpered at the sight of such handsomeness. And Catra’s words…
Adora was glad to no longer be in public as she hyperventilated on her couch, fingers visibly trembling, mind blissfully melted into a puddle of happy chemicals and jolting anxiety. She couldn’t answer, at least not yet, but okay. Maybe at the next talk with the gang, Adora sorta-maybe-kinda would have some personal news to share. Because she was reasonably assured that Catra was flirting with her… and she really didn’t mind.
Their calls weren’t scheduled, but a talk before turning in for the night had become pretty standard, commonplace enough that they broke a Cardinal Rule of this decade’s etiquette in that neither one checked in first via text before initiating the call. Adora wouldn’t say she had Catra’s schedule memorized , that would be weird, but she had a strong understanding of what their day to day looked like. Probably because they shared it with one another nearly every night, pushing off bedtime and the need for sleep later and later with every call…
It was Friday night and after having a wonderful time with the gang for their biweekly Discord chat, Adora just wasn’t quite ready for sleep yet. But Catra’s soft, still kind of scratchy voice, was a lullaby. And a total stimulant. Look, Adora wanted to talk to them, that was the point. And ever since they had exchanged photos, sometimes the calls would be over FaceTime, exactly what she was trying for tonight. It was almost like she was right there with Catra… Almost.
“Hey, Adora.” Catra’s gentle rasp greeted her, just like normal. But what was definitely not normal was that she seemed to be looking down at Catra as their heterochromatic gaze peered back up at her. The shape of a satin cased pillow behind Catra’s head was just barely discernible in the low light. There was no question, however. They were in bed. Laying down, probably spread out just like in all of Adora’s dirtiest daydreams...
“Calling so late?” Their voice was low; a siren call away from Adora’s fantasies, pulling her back to real life. Real life that was actually happening. Right now. For real.
Adora licked her lips, possibly also drooled a little, with the sole purpose of responding. Unfortunately, she was rendered incapable of speech upon seeing most of Catra’s upper chest and collarbone on full view for her. Their black A line tank, even though it had to be cut lower on purpose, covered up any true impropriety, but Adora had not been expecting to greet them in this particular position.
Of course, that was exactly what Catra had been counting on. The brunette averted their eyes for just a moment, a spark of victory so clear in them, as they fought back a most satisfied smile. “Good thing I’m already in bed.”
“Uhuh.” Wow. She made a recognizable sound.
It took a while for actual conversation to arise, mostly since Adora’s tongue was hanging out of her mouth for the majority of the night. But Adora’s heart stuttered just as wildly when Catra, seconds away from sleep completely overtaking them, whispered “Goodnight, princess. Miss you…” as much as seeing new, bare flesh earlier. A path to somewhere...
Adora had a plan. It was a little particular and kinda circumstantial, but all the best plans in life were (or so she told herself as a soothing technique). The FaceTime calls in bed had continued almost every night since the first; more often than not she woke up in the middle of the night to their call having ended, but the logs showed just how long Catra had stayed on the line even after Adora had drifted off. It probably should be creepy. It really wasn’t.
So, yes, she had a plan and even though it largely consisted of her just carrying about her business as usual and waiting , it still felt like action was being taken. Now if she could just control some of her jitters, maybe breath at regular intervals, and not want to crawl into the deepest part of the planet to wait this out for a few centuries, she’d be golden!
Catra: all right you’ve been listening to the same three songs on repeat for the past hour. There’s fixation and then there’s just being annoying. What gives?
Adora sighed in relief. Finally . She loved these songs to pieces, but hearing them on an endless loop had been... taxing. That “Hey-hey you-you, I could be your girlfriend” from her teen years was going to be stuck in her head for the next six months. Damn you, stupid addictive pop song.
She knew Catra was working this morning, a selfie of them in those delectable wire rimmed glasses, all set up in front of their desktop with a plethora of spreadsheets pulled up on the multiple screens behind them was sent the moment Adora greeted them with “good morning :)”. Adora had yet to really figure out what Catra did for a living, but the sight of them in those glasses made her want to spread her sheets… Especially since they were also clad in an ash gray suit with a dark red tie, hair slicked back into a professional, but oh so attractive quiff. So dapper for a weekend, even a working one. Yeah, Adora couldn’t bear the thought of pushing things off any longer. It was happening today. Hopefully.
Anway, now that they’d finally made some remark about the saccharine songs Adora knew they couldn’t resist teasing her over, she fired off the reply she had spent all morning perfecting. 1D, Avril, and the Spice Girls were just Phase One of the plan; time to initiate Phase Two: The Final Phase, Please Don’t Crash and Burn. She never said it was a long plan.
WAP Girl: oh you know. Just making some suggestions.
WAP Girl: There’s definitely an invitation or two in there as well...
Her phone rang immediately.
“Suggestions, hmm? What kind of suggestions, Adora?”
Ah, the first flaw of the plan. Adora really should have realized that while receiving a call from Catra was the desired result, their voice would completely disable any amount of bravado she had managed to talk herself into. Because Catra was just… Wow . The sight of them in that suit was firmly imprinted on her brain as she worked to organize her thoughts.
“Um, errr, I…You see, heh...” Thank goodness humankind had developed the power of speech so such eloquence could one day be uttered. “S-suggestions like, uhh…”
Catra, smooth as ever, snuck back into the conversation. They were as steady as could be, almost as if Adora hadn’t just garbled at them for a while. “You don’t say? Well, I’ve got an invitation for you…” Adora could hear the smirk in their low voice. Thank goodness someone here was lucid and functioning. “How do you feel about taking a little road trip? Soon .”
Three hours away was perfectly acceptable for a day trip, especially one that might turn into a weekend getaway
After Adora had regained most of her major cognitive functioning, the pair had discussed some of those suggestions at greater length. They were both amenable to the ideas presented and looking forward to when Adora would be able to step away to take Catra up on their invitation to meet face to face. Due to conflicting schedules and a need for them both to request an extra day or two off work, it couldn’t happen for a few weeks yet, but the pair continued on as usual. They still talked every night, were the first person they greeted in the mornings, and the one they turned to in the light of any frustrations or celebrations throughout the day. It was all so wonderful, downright enthralling, but as the weekend they were set to meet up crept ever closer, a marked difference with how they behaved towards one another appeared. Now that intentions had been made known, it proved to be a very, very pleasant difference.
“Catra,” Adora breathed into her phone, staring at the newest crop of pictures that had been sent. She knew her breathing was heavy, possibly bordering on creepy, but each shot was increasingly more revealing, finally ending on just an image of Catra’s chest, their plum colored button up completely undone, black lace of their bra clearly visible. One finger was crooked in the ‘Come hither’ motion and though Adora couldn’t see the person’s face, she just knew Catra was smirking at her. Fuck. Just fuck. Maybe it was a good thing that they had ignored her request to FaceTime, because if this were happening in real time…
“Yes, princess?” The reply was measured, controlled, but there was an air of genuine delight in it. They were toying with her entirely, knew exactly what this series of pictures of them slowly undressing would do to her, but Adora really wanted to be played with. Catra murmured absently, “Oh, almost forgot. One more to send.”
A new jolt zinged down her stomach as Adora poured over the new expanse of skin on her screen. Catra was down to only suspenders and their pinstripe black and white slacks. One strap of the suspenders was hanging down around their hips, thumbs hooked in the waistband of their pants and pulling down so just the smallest glimpse of red lace that perfectly matched the now discarded bra was visible. Adora’s hands were shaking so hard that she had to lay the phone down on the mattress so she could examine the picture clearly. She was laying on her stomach, breathing into her arm as she fought to maintain some semblance of control over herself. But it was so hard. She wanted to kiss every freckle across their chest, run her tongue over their curves, slip her hands down their pants… Adora gasped, hand caught wandering. She jerked it away from herself, shoving it under her pillow for good measure. Hold it together, Gray . Boundaries.
Catra gave a happy, though pointed, hum of approval. “Mmm, you liked that one I take it?”
Screwing her eyes shut tight, Adora nodded her affirmation though no one was there to see. Liked it? Of course she did! A preview of good things yet to come… After some time, she exhaled. “You’re so fucking sexy. I-I can’t wait to...to...” Adora’s mind whirled and her mouth clamped shut as all the ways to end that sentence bombarded her all at once.
“... To what? ” Catra asked, unable to keep the hunger from their voice.
Adora found herself biting her lip, holding back the moan that wanted to escape as she thought of all the things she wanted to do to this person. “Kiss you…”
“Mmmm, I like that start. Kiss me where?”
“E-everywhere.” Adora was quick to reply, though she knew that wouldn’t suffice as an answer on its own. Even though it was so hard to think, to focus on anything other than the growing insistence between her legs, she could not ignore Catra’s question. They needed to know. “Your mouth, your jaw, down your neck… I want m-my hands all over you.”
There was a slight rustle of fabric on the other end before Catra’s voice returned. “Keep talking. Be specific.”
And Adora tried. Oh, how she tried to adequately articulate all the finer points of what she wanted to do to Catra, with Catra, some of which they would hopefully be doing in less than two weeks time… They hadn’t quite ever gotten this detailed with one another, not over text or while on the phone, but Catra had asked for specifics. Adora wasn’t in this just to sleep with them, truly before what was happening right now that had seemed like a distant, lofty whisper of a dream. But her normal pull of just meeting this person, maybe giving them a hug, a peck on the cheek, spending time face to face with them, was firmly set to the backburner for the moment. The more she tried to speak, to describe just how good it would feel to flick her tongue against the ample chest that had been so quickly seared into her mind’s eye while rolling her fingers down low, hearing them gasp and beg for more... the further back those other, less risque urges were pushed. She just wanted so, so badly .
She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the pictures Catra had sent her, especially the latest one they almost “forgot”. Before her brain could catch up and weigh in on the situation, Adora found herself whispering, “Can I use these?”
“Use them how, princess?” Catra’s own voice was just as strained, their collected resolve earlier a thing of the past. They had mainly just listened, though noises of approval and the occasional exhale of “yes, that” was peppered in along the way to provide encouragement. Adora didn’t need much; she was certain she had never been this turned on in her life.
“T-to get off…” Adora admitted. She squeezed her thighs together as her stomach clenched. Her hand was still firmly ensconced below her pillow, but she was gripping the material wildly, just holding on and waiting for permission. The burn was so distracting, there was no chance Adora would just be able to ignore the pulse of her desire for Catra anymore. In a rational world, she would end the call, take care of what needed done, and then maybe if she could face them again tonight without dying of embarrassment, Adora would call them back. But at the low groan her reply had earned from the person on the other end, what was rational was also impossible.
The words left her lips, Adora couldn’t deny that, but they still made her feel a bit like the biggest perv on the planet. Okay, yes, maybe they’d made it clear before this kind of stuff started that they were interested in one another in this manner. And perhaps it was only nine days, 16 hours, and 8 minutes before they’d get a chance to meet face to face to hopefully pursue that joint interest with all the things Adora had indicated she wanted to do to Catra… But there had to be a line somewhere and Adora couldn’t help but worry she was crossing it.
A satisfied, rumbling moan quickly turned into a small, devilish chuckle. There was the sound of more shifting and then Catra spoke. “Why do you think I sent them? Let me hear you…”
The day was here. It was a struggle to arrive, testing the absolute limits of Adora’s patience. She’d finally broken down and called for an emergency chat with the gang a few nights before she was set to travel and explained everything. They were all super supportive and obviously had already pieced together that something had been going on with her. There was a ton of amusement at the fact Catra was the person Adora had mistakenly texted all those months ago… But quickly it turned to coos and unbridled excitement. She had been expecting to get a few cautionary tales about meeting up with strangers, but to her surprise most everyone agreed that it was not much different than a blind date or following through on a Tinder match. Actually, even better since the pair had taken so long to get here. Catra had become an irrefutable part of Adora’s life and now she was finally getting the chance to actually meet this amazing person. All thanks to some scatterbrained number flopping. Life really was something else.
Their encouragement bolstered her resolve considerably, so she actually slept a few hours the night before and felt generally relaxed even as she got ready. Maybe it was a little lazy that she opted to wear the same dress that she’d worn to the winery, but Adora figured that Catra really hadn’t seen it and the last thing she wanted to do was fret more about clothes. Not to put too fine a point on it, but Adora wanted to spend her long weekend in the least amount of clothing possible. That little strappy thing had arrived yesterday though, just in time, so she wasn’t going into this without at least something new to wear...
About an hour out from her destination, a sprawling city park where they could meet in relative privacy before grabbing a bite to eat and then just go from there, the nerves began to creep in. This was happening, truly. Months of talking, laughing, of growing more and more assured every day that Catra was simply the best part of her day and soon she would finally get to throw her arms around this person and just hold them close. It was incredible and overwhelming and easily the most exciting thing she’d ever done in her life. FaceTime couldn’t hold a candle to actual touch, even with as much fun as they’d been having with it recently. Catra liked to angle the screen so Adora could see their hand moving underneath the waistband of their pants, and really understand just how sincere Catra was when they moaned out that they wished it was Adora’s hand instead… And now she was going to meet this person. WAP indeed.
The recollections of their most private moments together to date just ate up the remaining miles and before Adora knew it, she was pulling into the urban park’s lot. Even before she could fish out her phone to text them, she saw Catra emerge from a small, impossibly slick black car. They were dressed in a tight rust orange button up with black chinos. Their hair was not done up into their normal quiff, but was down, more relaxed and just as attractive as ever. Their hands were in their pockets as they strolled towards Adora’s small SUV, how Catra just intrinsically knew she had arrived…
Adora breathed in deeply before stashing the small clutch she’d brought into the center console and scrambling out of the car.
“Hey, Adora.” Catra peered over their aviators as they greeted her, corner of their mouth ticking up as the two approached one another. They left a sizable gap between them, Adora just barely two steps away from her car and Catra lounging near the trunk.
“Hi.” Adora’s voice was small, she couldn’t swallow, Catra was here, it was them, they were together in the same space, breathing in the same air. She was motionless in this parking lot, instincts telling her to both flee from and run towards the source of all the recent goodness and bliss in her life. She was probably blinking a little too much, her stockstill posture erring on the side of unsettling, but eventually Adora released a tiny bit of her tension, breathing out, “It’s you.”
Catra gave a low chuckle at that, fully removing their sunglasses and tucking them to rest in the collar of her shirt. They gave a long, slow appraisal of the blonde before it was capped off with another smile. “Yeah, it’s me.” Catra stepped forward, closing the distance between them and pulling Adora in a tight hug. The spicy scent of their cologne filled Adora’s senses and it was only the warm press of their arms folding around her that kept Adora from melting to the ground. “And it’s you.” Catra’s breath was so warm against her ear.
The hug was long, so much able to be conveyed through the simple embrace. Adora was certain that she could spend the whole next four days just like this, with Catra holding her quietly, the pair just existing together. Eventually though, Catra pulled away just a few millimeters and asked if Adora was ready to walk a little. She quickly agreed, a happy noise filtering from her chest when Catra locked their hands together, leading her towards the start of the trail.
It was an easy, well maintained and paved path, with plenty of open lawn space on either side for families to enjoy or people wanting to escape the bustle of downtown to relax in. Since it was such a gorgeous day, bright and balmy, the grounds were rather busy, but to Adora there was only Catra’s hand in her own and them ambling along at their own pace. There wasn’t much need to talk or to try and fill in the peaceful silence around them. Catra made comments here and there, pointing out the significance of that statue or what lofty organization donated that particular fountain, but by and large they remained quiet as they walked together.
Eventually Catra pulled them towards a lone bench near the placid lake at the park’s center to rest for a moment. Adora curled against her side, laying her head against Catra’s shoulder, their fingers still linked together. She gave a happy hum as they sat which only increased tenfold when she felt Catra’s lips press lightly against the top of her head. Dreamy… Just positively dreamy.
They remained on the bench for a good long while, conversation now stoked and blazing between them. It was just as easy as if they were on the phone together Adora was thrilled and relieved to find; she’d had some reservations that perhaps it would be odd to make the switch to speaking in person. But it was still very much her Catra talking, Adora just had the added benefit of being able to snuggle up against them and maybe, just maybe, feel a hint of those soft lips she’d been dreaming of for months on end.
“You hungry yet, princess?” Adora nodded, too dazed and blissed to speak. Catra’s small chuckle reverberated in Adora’s ear as she was pressed tight against their chest. It was the best noise she’d ever heard. “All right, good. The bistro is just a little bit further ahead. I have a standing reservation, but they can deal if I’m a little late. No rush.”
A standing reservation at a restaurant located in the middle of the city’s largest park? It was these kinds of things that would be so exciting to learn about one Catra Weaver over the time they spent together, however long Adora was granted with them. Hopefully more than just this long weekend. They had left it that Adora would for certain come in today, Friday, but since she lived relatively close, there would be no pressure to stay the whole weekend for any reason. Adora made certain to pack a bag for the entire time. There was very little doubt in her mind that she wouldn’t be returning home as late as possible on Monday, maybe even very early Tuesday morning. But Catra had her comfort at the forefront of their mind which was just so unbelievably sweet.
They stood from the bench and began to walk once more before Adora stopped midway, looking back towards the parking lot and her car. “Oh! Um, my purse, wallet, I left it…”
Catra snorted, giving her hand a squeeze. “Like you’re really going to need your wallet this weekend.”
Adora melted on the spot, Catra able to pull her along the trail without resistance. She wouldn’t let that stand the whole time they were together, but for now...
Within twenty minutes they were seated on a patio at a table tucked far away from any others with a beautiful view of the same body of water they’d just strolled next to on their way here. Screen dividers with adjustable shades surrounded the area they’d been seated in so that they could control the level of privacy as they dined. Adora was fiddling with her menu, trying to hone in on which of the undoubtedly decadent dishes she’d partake in, and not make it too obvious that she was far more interested in marveling at the handsome person across from her than anything the bistro or park had to offer.
Catra languidly sipped from the glass of sparkling water that had been waiting for them as they were seated, looking out over the lake and giving Adora a chance to decide her meal. Chef Ro already had Catra’s sea bass resting before it would be pan seared and prepared for them, the benefits of having a long standing reservation. The high afternoon had really warmed up and though their walk here was leisurely, Catra had the sleeves of their button up rolled to just under their prominent biceps. Adora’s stomach gave a funny quiver at the peek of their tattoo; she really needed to make sure to inspect and admire that while they were together this weekend, along with every other part of their body.
Adora’s thoughts were interrupted as they turned to regard her, a curious look on their face. Their normally cool, collected demeanor was temporarily displaced, only given away at the tiniest furrow of their brow. “A quick bite here and then back to mine? To, ah, drop your car off. If you want to stay the whole weekend, that is.”
Adora almost laughed in response, only able to hold back when she registered any amount of uncertainty on Catra’s part. She reached over and lay her hand over top of theirs, running her thumb along it. “I’m not sure that was ever really in question. If you’ll have me.”
“Okay.” Catra exhaled, then turned their smile full force, capturing Adora’s hand in their own. They moved back to their casual lounge. “Of course I will, princess. All part of the invitation, yes? The food here is really quite excellent; order whatever you’d like. We’ll figure out what to do with our evening after we get you settled at the apartment.”
The blonde nodded and her eyes glazed over the menu. Like she could really focus on elegant food when after eating she’d be headed back to Catra’s apartment… for the whole weekend… finally able to follow up on some of the suggestions and invitations they’d been ardently planning for weeks now...
Barely peeking up the menu, Adora remarked in what she hoped was a most casual tone. “Or um, we haven’t quite ordered yet so we could just… go now?” The final words were a bare squeak. What was she doing? Catra said this place had excellent food, and it looked so nice , far fancier than any place she was used to. They’d barely settled in and yet what treatment they were already receiving! Not having to wait more than a minute at the front, immediately escorted towards a completely private table. And here she was, trying to hustle them out of here for… for… reasons ?
After a half a moment’s pause, Catra stood, pulling their wallet out and tossing a few bills down for the server. For one terrifying second Adora thought that she’d gravely offended this person with her impatience and haste to leave what was clearly a date, their first date, until Catra extended their hand out to help Adora from her chair. “You coming?”
