The Beginning of Us (Catradora)

I promise

Adora didn't want to go back to sleep alone, and, apparently, neither did Catra. The two former Horde soldiers headed together to Adora's room, where they decided to share the bed. Just like old times.

This time Adora found it much easier to relax and close her eyes. Faint images of portals and broken swords flashed behind her eyelids, but she shook them away. The blue-eyed girl had just started to drift to sleep when she heard a sharp breath from beside her causing her to sat up alarmed. Her girlfriend was shivering violently, her tense. Her eyebrows were drawn together, and tears were trying to escape her eyes. Adora's chest tightened, it was painful to see her like this.

"Catra," Adora tried waking her up, but it almost seemed like she made things worse. Catra started thrashing around while tears flowed down her cheeks, staining her beautiful face.

Adora was panicking, she didn't know what to do. Sure, Catra had nightmares back in the Horde, but none seemed so intense. She had to do something to stop her before she hurt herself. Adora pulled Catra's wrists away from her body and pinned them to the bed.

"CATRA, WAKE UP!"

Finally, her eyes fluttered open, and Adora let out a breath she didn't know was holding.

Catra was awake, but everything was too blurry. She blinked a couple times before a face came into focus. Adora was staring right at her, her face filled with worry.

Catra didn't recognize where she was, but she was with Adora, and that was enough for her.

"I- I'm sorry..." Catra's throat was burning, "I'm so sorry." She heard in her head Shadow Weaver's voice calling her weak, pathetic, but that didn't stop a sob from escaping her throat.

"Hey, it's okay, it was just a dream. You are safe. Everything is fine", soothed Adora and embraced the girl she cared so much for. Adora's hold was light as if she was afraid that putting too much pressure would hurt Catra accidentally. It seemed, though, Catra didn't share the same fears because she latched herself onto Adora like her life depended on it. Her nails were making contact with Adora's skin, almost pricking it, yet the blonde didn't mind. They stayed like this for a while, until Catra calmed down. That was when Adora noticed it.

"Catra, you're bleeding! Stay here, I'm gonna go get-" Adora was about to get up, but Catra stopped her.

"No!" Adora froze and blinked in surprise. "Please, stay." Adora's eyes softened. It was hard to refuse Catra when she looked so vulnerable.

"I'm sorry, Catra, but it's for your own good. I promise I'll be right back. I'm never leaving you again." Catra nodded reluctantly. That was all the confirmation Adora needed. Slowly she broke the hug, and Catra immediately missed the warmth and safety it provided. Adora gave her girlfriend a short kiss on the forehead and exited the room.

Adora wasn't lying; she came back soon enough, holding a pair of bandages and other medical looking stuff struggling not to drop anything. If Catra wasn't still shaken up, she would have laughed at Adora's antics.

"I raided the hospital wing. I'm sure no one will mind." Catra didn't think the few scratches on her skin would require that much attention, but she was willing to let Adora take care of her. "Okay, now hold still." Catra did as she was told, but she couldn't help but tense up when a cloth touched the back of her neck.

"The scratches don't look deep. I don't think we'll need the bandages." Adora paused, hesitant to ask what was on her mind. "You know the chip is not there anymore, right?"

Catra's first instinct was to yell that 'of course she knew that' but she held back. Instead, she took a deep breath and said: "Yes, it's just that the dream felt so real."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Catra wasn't sure she did. She had to try, though. "I was back on Horde Prime's ship. I was hurting you. I..." Catra was afraid to continue.

"I know you didn't mean it Catra, you were controlled by Prime..." Adora wanted to make her see that those days were in the past. That they were safe now, but Catra interrupted her again.

"That's the problem! All I've done is hurt the people I care about. I've hurt you, Adora. More times than I can count. Was I mind-controlled then? What... what if I do it again?" Catra clenched her fists to stop her hands from shaking and blinked back the tears that had begun to blur her vision. She wasn't in the mood to cry for a second time.

"You aren't going to hurt me, Catra. I know you won't. Please, look at me." Adora hugged Catra from behind and turned her face slowly. Catra's cheeks were still wet, and her chest went up and down faster than usual.

They held each other's gaze while Adora's lips were drawn to that same hopeful stupid smile Catra loved so much. Τhe softness of the mattress caused it to sink under her knees, but not enough to alarm her. So different from the concrete hard beds in the Horde.

Catra turned to face Adora. She needed to know that she was indeed there.

Adora was one of the few people who knew what Catra had been through and what she had done. What mattered was that she made the decision to be a better person every day. "I trust you. I hope you can see that we need you here, I need you. So please, try to forgive yourself because I already have."

The gap between them disappeared as their foreheads met softly. At that moment, Catra felt vulnerable, but at the same time, stronger than ever before.

"I will try, Adora. I promise", it seemed impossible, but Catra held Adora even closer.

"For you."

A/N

This time Catra is the one to make a promise and I really hope she keeps it

Btw I wanted to say thank you to the people who have voted so far. I really appreciate it :)