Art Credit: [Anonymous] (Pinterest)
Prompt: Fluff
AU where Catra is on Adora's side
Adora is plagued with another nightmare of Shadow Weaver. Catra takes notice and fluff ensues.
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The blonde yelped, hot sweat trickling down her brow like raindrops on a window. She shot up into a sitting position in her bed, the heaps of covers she was under suddenly vacating her vicinity and leaving her at the cold's will. She shivered.
Adora. . .
Shadow Weaver's voice taunted her even in her own dreams—the only escape from the cold reality entrapping her. She thought she was through of all that pain when she escaped to the Whispering Woods to find her sword. She thought it was all over and done with when Catra was kicked out and later found by the rebellion.
But no. She still haunts her favorite pupil through fragile dreams. It hurt and gave her more than a few panic attacks over a week. Glimmer tried to help her once, but it was no use. Adora had decided sleep was only for the weak, and she was strong for evading her night terrors.
She had slept this night because she was far too tired to function the night before. She regretted listening to Bow this time. This dream was especially terrible—a dream about Shadow Weaver's punishments towards Catra. She had watched helplessly as Catra was dunked in her worst fear: water. The screams of agony and the later breathless perish was far too much for her handle.
She doubled over in the darkness of her room, her hands covering her teary eyes as her heart throbbed in hurt. She could remember all those painful moments she had from the Fright Zone that she would rather forget. Her thoughts swirled around her, pulling her deeper and deeper into sorrow like a black hole. On and on and on and on until all that was left was her—knock.
Adora shunned the door. She turned her back on it, afraid of who had heard her babish, pitiful cries, and wrapped herself in as many blankets as she thought possible. Whoever it was should just leave.
"Coming in," the person behind the door said. At least they were polite about it, Adora thought as she heard the automatic door swish open.
A bit of light from the hallway flowed into the pitch black room. The blonde felt herself shudder at how cold the room's aura suddenly was. It was dark, and she liked it that way when she was on the verge of brooding, but now it was lighter. Her eyes squinted, but she didn't dare turn to meet the person in the doorway—not that she needed to turn anyway; the person could be identified by her voice alone.
"Adora?" Catra asked, in a very hazy and groggy voice. She cleared her throat. "Why aren't you sleeping?"
Adora could hear the brunette yawn, and she took that as good of a time as any to steal a glance behind her. Sure enough, Catra was standing at the foot of the bed, a blanket draped over her messy hair like a bridal veil. Bruise-like bags were formed under her eyes, showing just how sleepless she truly was. Her eyes were half-lidded, and she didn't seem fully aware of what she was really doing.
"Go away, Catra," Adora groaned. Of course, the feline-like girl was far too observant, even while drowsy. She blinked away the sleep from her eyes, noticing her friend's puffy, red-rimmed eyes.
In a moment of mindless brilliance, Catra said, "You look like a trash panda just bit your face."
Adora laughed out loud, sniffling and wiping any remaining tears from her eyelids. "Thanks."
Catra was abnormally soft at this time of night. She sat herself a few inches from Adora on the bed, her left hand rubbing Adora's shoulder. "Is something bothering you, Adora?"
Adora shook her head. "It's nothing."
Catra cursed. "Yeah, right! The Adora I know doesn't box all night and then cry." She noticed her tone had fallen too harsh by the blonde's flinch, so she tried to soften up again: "Whatever it is, you know you can tell me."
Adora sighed, pivoting her body to face the brunette. "I don't really want to talk about it, Catra. It'll just make you upset."
Catra scoffed. "Adora, a lot of things can make me upset, but I doubt what you're worried about is something worth worrying about. Besides, you just need to sleep on it."
"What if it's something that occurs while sleeping?" Adora fidgeted with the corner of her blanket.
"Like a nightmare?"
Adora nodded, receiving a hum from Catra.
"What was the nightmare about?" Catra inquired, tilting her head to the side. She looked like a tiny kitten in Adora's eyes.
Adora shrugged. "Just something that happened back at the Horde. It's really nothing."
"Ugh, quit talking like this isn't a big deal! You're someone I love a lot more than you think, and you think hiding your pain isn't going to hurt me? Do you not trust me anymore?"
"I do trust you!" Adora retorted, silencing the catgirl. "I just don't want you to have another panic attack because of what Shadow Weaver did to you!"
Catra's eyes widened. "That was what you dreamed about. Seriously, Adora? I'm fine!"
Adora couldn't hold it in anymore. The dam was cracking, and all it needed to break was warmth. When her face fell into Catra's chest, she couldn't stifle her sobs any longer. "You're so reckless, Catra!" she cried. "E-Ever since you came to the rebellion, y-you've done t-terribly stupid things! You think I don't worry about you? Bullcrap! I love you, Catra!"
Catra blushed as she wrapped her arms around Adora's figure, her claws brushing through Adora's luscious blonde hair. "J-Just, do what I did. Forget about Shadow Weaver. She can't hurt us here."
Adora yawned. Emotions were tiring. She nodded, nuzzling Catra's breast. It was so warm and full of life, unlike Shadow Weaver's clammy grasp.
"I should probably leave you to sleep," Catra trailed off, her eyes looking up towards the ceiling to dodge Adora's gaze.
"No," Adora rasped, "stay."
Catra felt Adora's hug tighten around her body as the tears subsided. How could she leave such a broken beauty like this? She nodded, prodding Adora to lie on her side so they could cuddle in a rare show of affection.
The blanket was soon the shield between the pair and the menacing darkness. Their arms were wrapped around each other's torso, pulling each other toward the other like a magnet. They were glued together.
For once, Catra could sleep a full night's rest. She always slept with Adora when they were with the Horde, but, once Adora left, she was all alone. Even with the rebellion, she assessed that Adora preferred to be alone. So, she endured many sleepless nights at her insomnia's hand. It was only when she heard Adora's cries that she knew Adora needed her too.
Adora felt relieved. After her betrayal to the Horde, she was sure Catra would never forgive her. These past weeks after finding a delirious Catra banned from the Fright Zone just seemed to prove her hypothesis. Catra was distant, almost reluctant to even be on the princesses' side. However, she was listening. It warmed Adora's heart to know that even after all they have been through, they still cared for each other.
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A/N: And this concludes our kickoff 2019 week. I hope you enjoyed, even if this didn't have as many kisses as you might have hoped. I plan on doing some more one-shots, or maybe even a Catradora story sometime in the future.
Have a great 2019!
- ChibiEmme
