Catra holds out much longer than expected. It's not so much an indication of strength as of stubbornness. It's almost impressive, until she stops, and sways, and falls. Entrapta barely manages to catch her before she hits the floor.
Making excuses to keep her from leaving the lab had been the right call. Catra's condition has been getting visibly worse all morning, but the passing out is unexpected. If she hadn't pushed herself so hard it likely wouldn't have happened. If she had actually admitted that she wasn't feeling well, maybe Entrapta would've been prompted to treat her earlier.
Catra wakes up confused and uncooperative, as should have been expected. Her face is pale and her breathing is unsteady. She mumbles in a way that makes her complaints difficult to understand. She’s upset about having been brought to her room and about the brightness of the light, which really isn't very bright at all. Entrapta doesn't bother trying to check her eyes, as she otherwise might have. There's nothing to diagnose, after all.
It's not long before Catra valiantly attempts to remove herself from the bed. Entrapta sees what's likely to happen next, even before Catra freezes up, her hand clasped over her mouth. She has Catra hold the tub as she throws up into it. She almost hadn't thought to bring it, hoping Catra wouldn't have need for it, but at least her preparedness has paid off. Entrapta silently pulls Catra's hair back into a ponytail for her, which she wraps and holds closed with a strand of her own. She drapes Catra's blanket over her shaking shoulders.
Catra throws up another two times over the next half hour. Wordless frustration comes off her in waves, soon ebbing into fatigue. When enough time has passed that Entrapta doubts there will be a fourth, she hands her a cup of water and some tissues.
Catra glares at her with bleary, questioning eyes.
'You can wash your mouth out,' Entrapta explains. 'I'll get you some fresh water to drink after that. You're definitely dehydrated.'
Catra does as she's told.
'Longest I've ever heard you shut up,' she mutters as she hands the tub and cup back to Entrapta. Her voice is rough and quiet, as though worn down.
Entrapta doesn't say anything to that, instead focusing on trying to tuck Catra back into bed. She regrets her silence, seeing Catra's frown.
'You don't have to be here if you don't want to be,' Catra says, not meeting her eyes.
'I do want to be here.'
'No you don't. It's gross. I'm… sorry you had to see that.' Her hands ball into fists around the blanket. 'I… appreciate it, but… I can take care of myself.'
'You shouldn't have to,' she says. 'I want to look after you. It's important.'
Catra huffs.
'It doesn't bother me, Catra. It's natural for the body to attempt to expel toxins when -''
'Yeah, alright.' She looks a little less uncomfortable, though. Maybe.
Entrapta turns for the door.
'Where are you going?'
Entrapta looks back to see Catra sitting straight up again, shoulders tense.
'To… get you more water?' she says. 'Like I said I would. And to wash this out and get you the… some medicine.'
'Oh.' Catra settles awkwardly back into the bed. She turns over, hiding her face. 'Well. Don't tell anyone I'm sick. Please.'
She doesn’t see anyone, and so she doesn't tell anyone that Catra is "sick". It’s not actually something she wants to discuss.
She can't be gone long, but exhaustion seems to have set in when she gets back. Catra’s eyes are half closed and her breathing is weak. A thin layer of sweat gleams on her face, and her blanket looks to have been kicked off and unsuccessfully pulled back.
'Catra?' Entrapta sits on the edge of the bed. She removes her gloves and replaces the blanket.
Catra makes a sweet little mumble that Entrapta wishes she could have recorded. She holds the glass out to her.
'Water,' she says, when Catra only gazes blankly at it.
Catra nods, but still makes no move to take the glass, instead shuffling down further under the blanket.
Entrapta hesitates. She moves closer, now kneeling on the bed. Catra's energy must have finally bottomed out.
'I'm going to sit you up,' she says, because she feels that she should say something. She's starting to think she should've given Catra the injection as soon as she passed out. She hadn't intended for her to pass out in the first place. She hadn't intended for her to throw up.
Catra doesn't respond. Entrapta wraps her hair around her, carefully pulling her into a sitting position. Catra's head lolls to the side, and she looks at her with unfocused eyes. Entrapta wonders whether she'll die if she leaves her now.
'Catra…' Entrapta places a hand at the back of her head, supporting her into taking a sip from the cup.
Catra's tongue flicks out. She swallows. Entrapta watches water trickle down her chin, making a mental note to pay closer attention to Catra's unusual drinking method next time she has the chance.
She puts the cup away on the floor and wipes Catra's face with her sleeve. She's warm. Feverish.
'You're…' Catra pauses to breathe. '...Acting weird.'
Entrapta cups her warm cheek with her bare hand. 'Shh,' she says.
Catra frowns at her, but presses her face into her palm. 'Usually you'd be… taking notes or something. You're… too quiet.’
'I'm trying to focus on you right now.' She absently touches her thumb to the bridge of Catra's nose. 'Try not to talk too much.'
'Why are you making that face? Am I dying or something?'
Entrapta makes a conscious effort to relax her brow.
'Entrapta?'
'Not if you take your medicine.'
Catra blinks at her. She puts her hand over Entrapta's on her cheek, looking away.
'I have to give you an injection.'
Catra groans into Entrapta’s palm. It’s an odd sensation, and one that makes her pull away.
‘I don’t want it,’ Catra mumbles, pulling the blanket over her head.
‘Um.’ Entrapta wipes her hand on her thigh. ‘You don’t really have a choice.’
‘Yeah.’
Entrapta allows her a few seconds, but is acutely aware of the wasted time. She's already late administering the medicine. At least an hour has passed since the time she had planned. Her own fault; She should have done it even earlier than that, but she hadn't expected Catra to last as long as she had, forcing a worse reaction. That failure had only delayed her further.
'Alright,' Catra says suddenly, pulling the blanket back down. 'Get it over with.' She doesn't look as ready as she sounds.
Entrapta fishes the syringe box from her pocket anyway and begins to prepare the needle. She removes the blanket further, leaving Catra looking cold and unusually vulnerable. She doesn't ask her to sit up. If Catra is bad with injections, lying down might be easiest for her.
Catra screws her nose up at the acrid smell of the alcohol swab as Entrapta tears it open, and flinches at the touch of it against her arm. Entrapta feels a nervousness begin to well in her chest.
'Catra, you're really tense,' she says, squeezing her arm. 'You need to relax.'
Catra only tenses more. She looks up at her nervously, then slowly and purposefully tilts her head away from her, baring her neck.
'Make me,' she says.
It takes Entrapta a moment to understand what she's suggesting. It's… not a bad idea, but…
'I thought you didn't like it last time,' she says uncertainly.
'Might've liked it better if you'd warned me first.'
'Oh.' She looks down at the syringe in her hand. 'So I can scruff you?'
'It'll make it easier, right?'
'It will make it less painful.'
Entrapta touches her hand experimentally to the base of Catra's neck. Sweat has glued stands of her hair against her nape. It’s an awkward angle, but manageable.
'Okay.' Entrapta glances at Catra’s anxious expression and pauses. ‘...Can you count down from three for me?’
‘Th-three…’ Catra swallows. ‘Two. One.’
Entrapta grips the skin below Catra’s nape with calculated firmness, watching as Catra’s body goes limp and her eyes glaze over. Her hand twitches.
The injection goes without a hitch. Looking between the empty syringe and Catra's limp body, Entrapta releases a breath she hadn’t noticed she was holding. Now that she thinks about it, this really hasn't gone as planned. This might have been a bad idea to start with. But the antidote has been administered now. It will work. Definitely.
She lets go of Catra’s neck, quickly clips the syringe, and puts it away. She has Catra hold a tissue to the injection site. Catra gives her an unhappy look as she pulls the blanket back up over her shoulders. Entrapta smiles at her.
‘Good girl.’ She presses a kiss to Catra’s cheek.
‘...Now what?’ Catra says.
‘You need to rest.’
‘And I’ll get better?’
‘I promise.’
Catra looks doubtful. ‘My head hurts.’
‘Do you want some more water?’
‘No…’
‘Do you want to take a nap?’
She shakes her head, but her eyes are cloudy and unfocused and her breathing is evening out. She’ll probably fall asleep soon even if she tries not to. Entrapta stands, stuffing her things into her pockets.
‘I’ll come back to check on you in an hour,’ she says.
‘Wait.’
Entrapta stops, looking down at Catra's hand, snagged on her overalls. When she looks up, Catra's eyes are wide and fearful.
'Please don't go.'
Entrapta glances at the door. Catra's grip tightens. It feels… some way or another.
'Okay,' she says.
Catra's relief is visible as she sinks back down into the bed. Even just sitting up must have been tiring. She looks sideways at Entrapta as though worried she might leave after all.
Entrapta hovers for a moment, uncertain. It isn't very professional of her to stay, but... she has a responsibility as Catra's girlfriend.
She invites herself into the bed. It's nothing they haven't done before, but somehow, with Catra so sedated, it feels different. Catra rubs her cheek against her arm, then moves up to rest her head on Entrapta's chest. Entrapta puts her arm around her.
'Thanks, princess,' Catra mumbles, her eyes drifting shut.
Her sleep is almost immediate, as far as Entrapta can tell, and unusually still and silent. The warmth of her skin and her slow, hot breath against Entrapta's chest serve as reassurance that Catra is okay, and is going to be okay for the foreseeable future. Hopefully. She hopes Catra doesn't realise how close it had gotten this time. She hopes Catra won't think about it too much at all.
She'll chide herself for falling asleep later, she knows, but for now she lets it happen. She has full confidence in her antidote. She wouldn't have gotten this far if she didn't.
Catra is… different, after that. Entrapta sees her more often. She visits her without purpose. She smiles more readily, and develops a habit of bumping her cheek or forehead against Entrapta's arm as greeting. Entrapta even manages to coax a purr out of her, once or twice.
She tenses the next time Catra mentions her "illness", long after she's fully recovered. Catra has been thinking about it too much, for it to come up now out of nowhere.
But Catra's thoughts are… soft. Uncharacteristically so. She expresses, somewhat awkwardly, gratitude. She gives a little smile that Entrapta has never seen on her before.
Entrapta doesn't understand it. Catra has been well for days - weeks, almost. She had already thanked her, at the time. "I… appreciate it". "Thanks".
It's only when she considers Catra's change in behaviour that a hint of guilt strikes, right at the place where a sense of innocent responsibility had previously been protecting her. She understands it. Catra is expressing her trust. It's easy to imagine Catra's perspective on the event. Entrapta had seen her at her most vulnerable, and had accepted her, and had helped her.
She doubts Catra would feel the same if she knew that Entrapta had been the one to induce that vulnerability in the first place.
But it's not like Catra was ever actually in danger of dying. It was only a regular dose, and the poison itself was very slow-acting. Or it would have been, if Catra hadn't pushed herself so hard and made it worse. Even then, it would've taken her hours before she had actually died, and she probably would've been unconscious long before it started to get painful. Not that any of that mattered, because Entrapta had already known from the start that her antidote would work. She had already tested it extensively. The field testing was only a formality, for her records.
She wouldn't do it again.
But it had gone well, all things considered. Sure, she had made a few errors of judgement, but overall, she had gotten what she needed. As well as some unexpected added benefits. Catra's emerging displays of trust were very much appreciated.
And… actually, Catra had been kind of… cute. She hadn't ever seen her so pliant and needy before. And it was… nice. Being relied upon. Being needed.
A different, less intense poison, maybe. Small, regular doses - Easy to pass off as a mild, ongoing illness. She would have to time it right and manage it well, so that it wouldn't cause a lapse in Catra's ability that could prove fatal. Perhaps something in a pill form this time, since Catra didn't like the injection. Effects such as fatigue and confusion. Nothing too unpleasant. Just enough to keep her a little dazed. She has the perfect drug in mind.
It's not the type of experiment she would usually be interested in. It's not really an experiment at all. But the last attempt taught her a lot, and it seems to have taught Catra a lot, too. Further research could be beneficial for them both. An opportunity to help Catra open up to her. To teach her that she's safe with her. That she would never do anything to hurt her.
It's just an idea.