Showers
“Do you need help?” Catra asks as Adora thinks about how she’s going to get changed into her sleeping clothes, the magicat standing at the end of the bed, ready to help in anyway she can, “Do you know what you want to wear? I can get it out for you.”
“Could you grab me a fresh pair of shorts and tshirt, please?” Adora requests.
“Sure.” Catra nods as she unzips the blonde’s bag and starts to rummage through it, the magicat looks up at the blonde, holding up a pair of shorts and a tshirt, “Will these do?”
“Yes, thank you.” Adora nods with a thankful smile.
“What about a change of underwear?” Catra asks as she stumbles upon them in Adora’s bag, the magicat turning her head to the blonde in question, “Did you want to try to shower or something? Sleeping out in the woods hasn’t been the… cleanest. And I know I feel a heap better after one.”
“I probably should.” Adora admits with a sigh and then realises something, “Where did you get a change of clothes? I didn’t see you with any bags or anything…”
Catra shrugs as she looks down at the black long sleeve shirt and a pair of dark brown cargo pants, “I don’t think you’d approve if I told you…”
“Told me what, exactly?” Adora furrows her brows with quirking one up.
“Told you that I ‘lifted’ them from a major retail store while I was boosting the 4WD.” Catra says looking away, not wanting to see the judging look that’s surely on Adora’s face.
“Wait… I thought you said you got the car from random teens…” Adora recalls.
“Uh… no.” Catra rubs the back of her neck, “That… that didn’t happen. I boosted the car from an airport long term parking lot…”
“You did?”
“Yeah.” Catra says and then grimaces as she waits to be told off for doing the wrong thing, except Adora just sits there and… thinks, the magicat not 100% sure about what exactly until the blonde speaks and it truly surprises her.
“Well, in that case, we’ll need to return it back to the lot when we’re done with it.” Adora says, “If possible, back in the same spot it was parked in.”
“Assuming that it’s still in one piece…” Catra mumbles before she looks back at Adora with a wry smile and says a little louder, “Sure. I can do that… but…”
“But what?”
“But… what if it’s… not in the best condition when we’re done with it?” Catra asks, the same wry smile on her face from before, “Considering Prime is after us… or me, specifically…”
“We can always get a hire car.” Adora suggests, “They don’t know us.”
“And… what makes you think I’m in any position to rent anything?” Catra crosses her arms over her chest.
“Not you, dummy.” Adora chuckles, “Glimmer or Bow could rent one.”
“No need.” Catra brushes the offer off, “We’ve got a ride.”
“It’s fine, I’d rather total a rental than some one’s private property.” Adora reassures, “They’ve rented cars before.”
“No, that’s… that’s not what I mean.” Catra frowns down at her feet, “Look… after tonight, I’m taking off.”
“What?”
“Well, that was the deal, wasn’t it?” Catra says, “I get you guys here, safe and sound.”
“We were all injured, Cat.” Adora points out.
“Safe and sound.” Catra repeats despite Adora’s argument, “I need to find out what happened to my friends. I need to make sure they’re safe.”
“You’re going to get caught.” Adora whispers out, fear in her voice, “Prime and his people are going to catch you if you go back to find them.”
“Probably.” The magicat nods in agreeance, “But, also… maybe not. He’s barely got his hands on me as it is.”
“Catra.” Adora’s voice is tainted in concern, “Please. Don’t go. It’s a trap and you know it is.”
“I know.” Catra confirms, “But I can’t leave my friends at his mercy.”
“Look.” Adora sits up with a wince, Catra quickly coming over to help her up, “Thank you.”
“No problems, princess.” Catra sits down on the bed next to Adora.
“Look.” Adora starts again, “We know where he’s planning to go next. Why not beat him at his own game?”
“I… I don’t understand.” Catra narrows her eyes forward, “I’m not a fighter. Far from it.”
“You are.” Adora corrects, “A little scrappy… but still, better than some of the trained fighters I’ve faced in tournaments.”
“I’m not even going to compete.” Catra says dumbfounded, “I’m not even entered into the comp.”
“But I am.” Adora points out, “And I’m going to nominate you to take my spot.”
“Yeah, no thanks.” Catra shakes her head, “I’m not going to fight in that rigged comp. I’m going to definitely get killed if I fight.”
“Not necessarily.” Adora says as she thinks about it, “If you compete, they’ll need to play by the rules.”
“They won’t play by the rules.” Catra flatly says and then repeats, “The whole thing is rigged.”
“Actually, it’s not.” Adora counters, “If it was rigged, then Prime wouldn’t need to pick his best fighter to enter. Would he?”
The magicat shrugs.
“The tournament…” Adora starts.
“Competition.” Catra corrects.
“Same thing.” The blonde glares lightly at the magicat for the interruption, “Back to what I was saying, the tournament is still official and as such it’s going to be run as per regulation with international judges.”
“And what makes you think they’ll let me fight in your place?” Catra asks, “It’d make more sense if you just pulled out and they have you forfeit your matches.”
“Yeah, this is one of the weird rules…” Adora says as she tries to remember something, “I think it’s like section 4 or section 5 of the rules that say that in the case of injury or the inability to compete, which let’s face, I’m not going to be able to… I’m allowed to put forward someone else to take my place.”
“That… that makes no sense.” Catra looks at the blonde quizzically, “At all.”
The blonde shrugs, “I didn’t make the rules.”
“I mean, what if you picked some random off the street to replace you?” Catra asks.
“Well, I wouldn’t do that to start with.” Adora rolls her eyes at the magicat.
“Uh huh.”
Adora chuckles, “I wouldn’t because the results still reflect on me.”
“Uh…”
“Essentially if you do badly… I’m going to lose a lot of points.” Adora explains, “And if you lose first round then I’m automatically downgraded and won’t get seeded at future tournaments for a year.”
“I have no idea what that means…” Catra scratches the back of her head.
“It means that for all future tournaments, I’m going to have to go through more qualifications before I get to the main draw.” Adora breathes out, “Basically I have to expend more energy on more rounds than being straight in the main draw with a ranking.”
“Sounds like it sucks more for the other qualifiers.” Catra says, “They won’t get the points to move up.”
“It just means they’re not good enough to move up yet.” Adora refutes, “Plus competing against me would be good practice for them, you don’t get better fighting easier opponents.”
“Cocky, aren’t we?” Catra quirks an eyebrow at the blonde, “What makes you think I’m even at your level?”
“Did you forget that you took out 7 people? While injured?” Adora reminds the magicat, “Or that you took out Prime, also while injured?”
“Yeah, but they weren’t exactly the best fighters.” Catra brings up, “Now you want me to compete with some of the best fighters in the world? You’re out of your mind, princess.”
“I’ve seen you fight, Catra.” Adora doubles down, “And… I think I might have a plan to get Prime off your back.”
“What’s that exactly?” Catra asks.
“If you compete, then you can’t be thieving.” Adora says with a smug smile on her face.
“He’ll think of a way around that.” Catra retorts.
“Well, I think my plan is going to work.” Adora crosses her arms over her chest, “Pass me my phone?”
Catra looks around, picking up the device and handing it over to Adora, “What are you doing?”
“What’s your last name?” Adora asks instead.
“What? Why?”
“Last name?” Adora repeats.
“I don’t have one.” The magicat admits, “It’s always just been just Catra.”
The blonde looks up from her phone, “Really?”
“Yeah, really.” The magicat replies with a slight frown, “We aren’t all fortunate enough to have anyone care enough to add a last name when we’re born.”
“I… I uh, I didn’t mean anything by that.” Adora stumbles out, “I was just asking…”
“Well, now you know.” Catra huffs out and deflates.
“Well, I think it’s kind of cool not to have one.” Adora says surprisingly, “Kind of like a superhero, you know? Just without the alter ego… which just makes you… uh… a superhero?”
Catra turns her head to the blonde perplexed, “You’re an idiot.”
Adora grins back, throwing a thumbs up at the magicat who can’t help the smile that breaks out of her, the blonde quickly going back to her phone and when she tries to save whatever she’s doing, her eyebrows furrow and she groans, “Okay, this thing is stupid. Apparently, you need a last name, or I can’t submit it.”
“What are you talking about?” Catra leans over to look at whatever is on Adora’s phone, the blonde quickly bringing it to her chest so the magicat can’t see, “What are you hiding from me?”
“Oh… nothing.” Adora smiles innocently back at the magicat.
“Uh huh…” Catra reaches over for the blonde’s phone, “Don’t make me claw you, princess.”
The blonde grins wider as she sees the magicat getting closer before squealing out, “Okay! Don’t claw me!” she shows Catra what’s on her screen and sighs, “I’m just changing the details for the tournament so you can take my place and then I can keep you safe.”
“I don’t need you to keep me safe.” Catra rolls her eyes, “I was doing… well, not great, but I would have gotten out of it… eventually…”
“Catra.” Adora’s voice stern, “I want to keep you safe. So, let me. Please.”
“How exactly am I going to be safe if you’re throwing me into a martial arts comp? I’m not exactly an expert in such things.” Catra says, “I’m just going to get beaten up by someone else before Prime gets me to steal something for him after.”
“Just… trust me on this, would you?” Adora pleads as she gives the magicat her saddest puppy dog eyes and a pout to match, “Please?”
“Stars… does that work on anyone?” Catra looks away.
“Well, hopefully… you?” Adora replies reaching out for Catra’s hand, “Please?”
“Ugh! Fine.” Catra gives in when she accidentally sees the look on the blonde’s face, rolling her eyes at Adora when the blonde smiles in victory, “If I get hurt, it’s on you.”
“Deal!”
“Also, I need to find out what happened to Delia.” Catra says seriously, “I need to know if she made it out and that’s she’s okay. As well as the rest of my camp.”
“I think Bow might be able to help you out with that.” Adora says after thinking for a moment, she taps on her phone a little more, “Okay, I’ve put a request in to switch you into my place in the tournament. Also, I hope you’re okay with using my last name…”
“What is your last name?” Catra asks.
“Grayskull.” Adora replies with a soft smile, “So… you’re going to be Catra Grayskull.”
“Fuck… sounds like you’re my wife or something.” Catra breathes out, feeling a little warm at the feeling of calling Adora her wife, “Not that it’s a bad thing or anything…”
Adora blushes upon hearing the word wife, clearing her throat as she continues on, trying to ignore the feeling in her stomach for now, “Like I was saying, Bow might be able to help you with finding out what happened to your friends.”
“How?”
“He’s got really smart friends.” Adora replies with a smile and then quickly taps something on her phone, “I’ve asked him to get in contact with one of his friends that’s really into… uh… illegal activity…”
“Hm…” Catra hums, “Sounds like my kind of friend.”
“She’s… Entrapta is more…” Adora waves her hand around in the air for a moment, “She’s kind of like an… ethical hacker…”
“Uh huh… sure.” Catra shrugs and then turns back to the blonde, “So, are you taking a shower?”
“I want to…” Adora admits, brushing back a few stray strands of hair back behind her ear, “But… I don’t think I can do it by myself…”
“Want me to get Sparkles in here to help you?” Catra offers.
“No. I don’t want to bother her.” Adora replies with a look of defeat, “They both looked so tired.”
“Okay. So… no Sparkles.” Catra gathers, the magicat straightens up a little at the next option, “Do you want me to help you?”
Adora turns away with a blush and a small nod, “If… if that’s not too weird…”
“It’s weird if you make it weird.” Catra says, nudging Adora’s shoulder, “I promise not to stare.”
Adora laughs, “I mean… I don’t mind if you look…”
The magicat grins, “You know what this means, right?”
“What?”
“I’m going to have to get into the shower with you.” Catra say and Adora turns bright red.
“So, how are we doing this?” Catra asks as she helps Adora into the bathroom after making sure there’s dry towels for the both of them, “What do you need me to do?”
Adora swallows down the lump in her throat, “I guess… I should undress?”
“Are you asking me? Or telling me?” Catra says without sounding sleazy, “I can turn around if you want.”
The blonde takes a deep breath in and out, “No, it’s fine.” The blonde moves Catra’s hands onto her waist, “Just make sure I don’t fall, okay?”
“Sure.” Catra replies with a nod, “I can close my eyes for the next part.”
“You’re making this weird.” Adora says as the magicat closes her eyes, “If you can’t see, I know we’re going to have an accident.”
“Okay! Okay!” Catra opens her eyes again and nods solemnly, “I won’t let you fall.”
“Thank you.” Adora smiles and with Catra holding her in place, the blonde reaches down to the hem of her shirt and pulls it up and over her head, her hands knocking against the magicat’s nose in the process, “Oh, shit! I’m so sorry!”
“It’s fine.” Catra replies shaking her head after the unexpected impact and makes sure to keep her eyes on the blonde’s face.
“Can you help me with my bra?” Adora asks as her face heats up.
The magicat doesn’t look down at the blonde’s chest, her hands blindly reaching behind Adora’s back for a clasp when she realises that Adora’s in a sports bra, “Can’t you reach that too?”
“I don’t want to whack you in the face again.” Adora replies biting her bottom lip sheepishly and then grabs onto Catra’s shoulders, “Also, I’m sorry if it’s really sweaty.”
“It’s fine.” Catra says between gritted teeth, her eyes focussed on the blonde’s forehead, her hands finding the bottom of the material and gently lifts the material up and over Adora’s breasts and then up and over her head, “There.” Catra hands the garment back to the blonde who rolls her eyes at the magicat, “Next?”
“Have you never seen another naked person before?” Adora quirks an eyebrow up at the magicat, Catra glaring back, “Because you’re making this weird.”
“Yes. I’ve seen another naked person before, princess.” Catra replies in a huff, “But it’s usually because I’m trying to… well… you know…”
“I definitely think I know.” Adora replies with a chuckle, earning her an eye roll from Catra, “Can you help me with my pants?”
“…yes?”
The blonde cups Catra’s cheeks, “Cat, I’m okay with you seeing me like this. And just because we will both probably be naked doesn’t mean we’re going to have sex.”
“I know that.” Catra says trying to turn her head.
The blonde holds Catra in place, “But… this doesn’t mean I don’t want to… with you… when my leg is better and all…”
Catra brings her eyes back to Adora’s, a thought comes to her mind, “If I win… do I get to win?”
“You want me as your trophy?” Adora asks amused, “Because I’m not some kind of sex object, Cat.”
“No. Not as a trophy, princess.” Catra replies, “As motivation not to lose. Motivation to win.”
“Well…” Adora wraps her arms around Catra’s neck, “If it means that you’ll be safe… then I am more than happy to be your… motivation.”
Catra’s eyes dart back to the blonde’s, “Yeah?”
“Yes.” Adora smiles as she brings her lips to Catra’s cheek, “If you win the first round, I’ll even kiss you on the lips.”
The magicat’s face breaks out in a grin, “Well… that’s some… motivation.”
“Good.” Adora leans back, satisfied, “Now, help me shower.”
“Yes, princess.” Catra replies as her fingers make their way to Adora’s pants and underwear, pulling them down swiftly and smoothly and then moving Adora so she’s able to use the wall to lean on, “Stay here for a sec while I get the water warmed up.”
Adora uses the wall to brace herself as she watches Catra get the shower ready, the magicat turning around with her hand outstretched, the blonde takes it and feels the water, “Mm… perfect.”
“I know.” Catra says staring at Adora, “Get under. I’ll help you.”
“But…” Adora starts and then stops in her tracks when Catra strips off completely before holding out her hand again, the blonde blushes furiously at seeing the stripes along Catra’s fur, with a deep breath, the blonde puts her hand in Catra’s, letting the magicat guide her into the shower, “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, Adora.” Catra says as the water wets Adora’s hair, “If I’m being inappropriate or whatever… just tell me.”
Adora simply nods as she pushes her wet hair out of her face with a smile.
“Stars… I feel so much better.” Adora declares as Catra dries the blonde’s air with the hair dryer, “Too bad my hair takes so long to dry…”
“At least it’s only your hair.” Catra remarks as she looks down at herself, “My fur is going to take forever to dry…”
“I can help you with that.” Adora offers, “After you do my hair, I can help you out with drying your fur.”
“This is going to be a long night.” Catra grumbles as she hears Adora’s phone ping with a new message, “Also, who is messaging you this late at night? Have you got a girlfriend or something that I don’t know about?”
Adora laughs out at that, “Stars no.”
“Then…?” Catra glances down at the blonde’s phone.
“Oh, hang on.” Adora grabs her phone and looks at it, “It’s Bow.”
“And why is Arrow’s texting you so late?” The magicat quirks an eyebrow up and then adds with a tease, “Or is he sexting you? Because I wouldn’t put it past you guys to be that close.”
“We are not sexting.” Adora rolls her eyes, “I am also not romantically involved with my best friends, because ew, no.”
“What does his text say then?” Catra asks as she turns off the hair dryer once she’s happy the blonde’s hair is adequately dried, “Why is he texting you so late?”
Adora unlocks her phone and reads the text before answering, “He said that Entrapta’s found something.”
“Yeah? What has your ethical hacker found?” Catra jests as she gets up from the bed and puts the hair dryer on the table.
Adora looks up at the magicat, an unreadable expression on her face until she bites her bottom lip and looks down at her lap and then back at her phone, “Here. Maybe… maybe you should read this.”
Catra takes the phone out of Adora’s hand a little confused, the magicat taps on the screen to light it back up to read the text. Her brows furrow as she looks back up at Adora once she’s read it, “Is this… Entrapta person sure?”
Adora nods, “I think so.”
“You think so?”
“We can call her.” Adora offers, holding her hand out for her phone.
Catra puts the phone in Adora’s hand, the blonde patting the spot next to her, “I’m still wet, princess.”
“Just grab a towel.” Adora says as Catra does just so and sits on the bed next to her, “I’ll put her on speaker so you can talk to her too, okay?”
“Okay.” Catra agrees.
Adora pulls up Entrapta’s contact and dials up the other woman. It takes roughly 3 rings before Entratpa answers.
“Adora! When did you get married?!” Entrapta asks in lieu of a greeting, “Congratulations are in order! Perhaps some tiny food and drinks when you decide to invite me your celebration… assuming you got married on a whim…”
“Entrapta. What are you talking about?” Adora asks thoroughly confused, “I didn’t get married.”
“Yes, you did.” Entrapta refutes, “Or else why would you swap yourself out of the tournament with your wife?”
“My wife?”
“Catra Grayskull.” Entrapta concludes, “She’s your wife, correct?”
“Wrong.” Catra cuts in, getting impatient with this line of questioning, “Listen, Traps, is it?”
“Hello! I’m Entrapta.” Entrapta corrects with a giddiness in her voice, “Though, Traps is also sufficient. I do love a nick name.”
“Great.” Catra says swiftly and then gets to the point, “What do you mean my friends have been taken? What happened to them?!”
“Oh.” Entrapta sounds taken aback, “You didn’t know?”
“No.” Catra growls out. “Know what?”
“This Prime character has taken them. All of them.” Entrapta says, “He wants to make a deal of sorts.”
“What kind of deal?” Catra asks cautiously.
“He wants you to steal something from the tournament in exchange for your friends.” Entrapta explains, “Though looking at his past… I don’t think you can trust him.”
“I know that.” Catra sighs, “But… what can I do? He’s got my friends.”
Entrapta hums in thought, “Oh, I forgot to mention, Delia is alive. But she’s not in good shape…”
Catra’s jaw clenches at the thought, “But she’s alive?”
“Yes.” Entrapta confirms, “Though, I have concerns she’s only being kept alive as a means for your cooperation…”
“Do you know where they are?” Catra grits out.
“Yes!” Entrapta confirms, “But I’m not letting you go after them alone like I know you plan to do.”
“You don’t know that.” Catra argues.
“If I know Adora, I don’t think she’ll want to be widowed so soon after being married…” Entrapta brings up as Adora pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head, “Anywho… go to the tournament with Adora and her friends. I’ll meet you there with reinforcements!”
And before Catra can retort, Entrapta has hung up.
The magicat throws her head back in exasperation as Adora pulls the magicat into her, wrapping her up in her arms, “We’ll get them back.”
“I hope so.” Catra deflates.
“We will.” Adora doubles down, “You’re not alone in this.”
Catra sighs, “My fur is still wet.”
“Grab the hair dryer.” Adora suggests, doing her best to take the magicat’s mind off Prime and her friends, “I’ll help you get dry.”
“Okay.” Catra nods, pushing herself out of Adora’s arms to grab the hair dryer once more, handing it to the blonde and turning around after pulling off her shirt, “Not too long on one spot, please.”
Adora nods and gets to work.
“Oh my stars…” Adora says under breath and then coos a little too loudly once she’s finished drying the magicat off.
Catra huffs out at the response, knowing damn well why the blonde is making that sound.
“You are so cute!” Adora can’t stop herself from saying as she takes in sight of Catra looking all… fluffly, “I have to get a photo of this!”
“Nope!” Catra quickly grabs Adora’s phone and puts it far away from the blonde who just sits there with a pout on her face as he crosses her arms over her chest.
“Not fair, Catra.” Adora grumbles out lightly.
“If you take a photo then I’m not cuddling with you tonight.” Catra threatens, much to Adora’s delight, “So?”
Adora makes grabby hands for the magicat, “Cuddles!”
The magicat rolls her eyes, “Let me just check the door is locked and turn off the light.”
“Okay. Hurry!” Adora grins, “You’re cutting into valuable cuddle time.”
“Dork.” Catra says fondly as she finally turns off the lights and gets into bed with Adora, “How’s your leg?”
“Sore. But it’s not too bad now.” Adora admits as she pulls Catra arms over her, letting the magicat hold her from the side, “Sleep well, Catra.”
“Goodnight, princess.” Catra yawns.