Being the new girl at her work place means absolutely no respect. No rights to the coffee machine or microwave, no important missions, she can't even schedule a good time at the office gym for practice. And that's not even counting all of the mocking she has heard while in the restroom.
But this is going to stop.
"I will take the challenge" Adora tells Bow, while taking bites out of her chicken sandwich. He chokes on his cupcake, taking a few breaths before finally being able to talk.
"Are you aware that it is literally impossible, right?".
"Yes, I have heard of how hard it is. But I'm sure I will manage" Adora could fell her cheeks getting red with embarrassment, wondering if, perhaps, they weren't exaggerating of how hard it really is. Bow looks at her for a few seconds, trying to find out if she is joking or not. Once he finds out she is serious, he gasp.
"Glimmer, please tell Adora of why this is a bad idea" Glimmer sat with her coffee, confused.
"What is a bad idea?".
"She wants to try the mission". Glimmer frowned, still not understanding.
"What mission are you talking about?".
"The Catra Mission. She wants to go. Tell her not to". Glimmer stared at her for a few seconds, also wondering if she was joking.
"Are you insane?" She started, her voice coming out in a squeak "You can't do this. No one can. She broke my hand! Is not worth it".
She waved her now just fine hand in front of Adora's face.
"You guys don't understand. This is the only way to gain respect and to have important missions. I am tired of desk duty. Yesterday, I had to rewrite two hundred pages of documents! I swear, if I read one more 'the suspect confessed' I am going to lose it! This is my only option".
"No, it is not" Glimmer insisted ". You can still wait a little longer. A few more months. Or at least until someone new shows up, and then you won't be the new girl anymore". Adora took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice down.
"Glimmer, I can fell my muscles dying every time I sit on that chair! I need some action".
"Is not that we are not understanding this. Is just that is not worth it to get hurt. I remember when I tried it, I got lucky and only left with some bruises, nothing that bad. But she could do worse with you" Bow insisted while doing the best puppy eyes he could do. Unfortunately, Adora was already convinced of what she was going to do. Apparently, Glimmer could see in her eyes that she was sure of this.
"If you want, you can go. But don't be surprised when you wake up in the hospital".
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Adora has always been an amazing student, always giving her best when a test came up. So this was nothing different. It was just a test. At least that's what she kept telling herself, in order of not losing her courage.
For the rest of the week, she studied Catarina like her life depended on it. Well, it kinda did.
She already knew from before that Catarina, or Catra, how she preferred, was the boss's daughter, a spoiled one. She ran away the first time she was presented with actual responsibility, decided that having fun was better than being an agent. They tried to cut her credit card, but she threatened to expose the agency to the public. Adora couldn't understand why she would do this. Being a secret agent was the best thing to happen to her. She worked hard for it. Catra had the chance to become one without even trying. This amazing job was handed to her for free, and she just chose not to do it. How can someone be so lazy? So irresponsible? All they had to do was catch the bad guys. They were assigned to cases that the police couldn't handle. They helped people. The salary was amazing and the felling of being able to help the community was even better.
Adora decided to look for more informations about Catra, anything that would help. She knew by listening to the others that just coming and trying to kidnap her was a terrible idea, unless your objetif was to be in a hospital bed. She checked her social midia, trying to filter all of the information she could find. The woman almost appeared normal, no civilian would be able to guess who she was.
Catra likes cats, unimportant.
Catra likes ice cream and sunsets, unimportant.
Catra spends most of her nights at the club, certainly useful.
Catra has two best friends, perhaps useful.
Catra likes punk and gothic bands, perhaps useful.
Adora passed a picture on Instagram that seamed unimportant, but something caught her eye, making her go back to that picture. Behind a smiling Catra, there was a lesbian flag on the wall.
Adora couldn't help but smile, an idea taking space in her head.
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"Are you sure you can manage?" Her boss asked for the second time. Why are people acting like this is so hard? Is just a woman. Adora had fought worse and stronger people before. She sure can catch a spoiled girl.
"Yes. I can. Tonight, I will call you after I catch her. You don't need to worry about it" Adora said, trying her best to show confidence. Shadow Weaver clicked her heels on the floor while waking in her direction, putting her hands on Adora's shoulders.
"Is just that, is been two years. Thirty people have tried and none succeeded. The last one is still trying to get better after the surgery. I'm afraid we trained her too well. I wouldn't want you to get hurt".
Adora bit her lip and then took a deep breath. She cannot be worst than Prime and Hordak, the most wanted serial killers. But decided to not tell her boss that. If they think that Catra is horrible to deal with, then she will let them.
"I have been warned about the dangers of this mission before. I know what I am dealing with. And I still accepted it. Again, you don't need to worry about it". Adora replied. Weaver took a deep breath, waking back to her table.
"Just make sure to bring her back. You can do whatever it takes you to accomplish that, as long as you bring her".
Adora nodded, thankful that she was allowed to do "whatever it takes", because she will definitely do it.
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The lights at the club where terrible for her eye sight. The song wasn't helping either, clouding her thoughts even further. Eyeing every women that passed by was getting awkward, but she needed to find her target. But before she could get any further, a hand softly touched her arm, calling her attention. She turned around, ready for a fight, not expecting to have the air leave her lungs so easily by the sight in front of her.
A woman, slightly shorter than her, brown skin, wavy long hair and eyes of different colors that seamed to absorb all the lights of the club. Dressed in a red dress that should be considered public threat, by causing heart attacks in whoever glanced her way.
Catarina.
"You look like you are lost" she said, her raspy voice sounding like a whisper between the loud music. It was enough to wake Adora from her shock. She hasn't seen a woman that pretty in a while, if ever. Adora smiled, she could almost taste her boss approval. Well, that and Catarina's vanilla perfume, that seamed to cringe to all of her senses.
"I am not anymore" Catarina smiled harder, her different eyes moved across her face like a storm.
"I don't see anyone with you. Mind if I join you on a dance?".
Adora let her hands gently touch Catarina's neck, careful to not call too much attention to her muscles. Once the girl notice how strong she is, she might realize her true intentions and where she works at. Catarina let her arms fall around Adora's waist, guiding her through the simple dance. Their eyes have not astrayed from each other since the meeting.
"It seams unpolite to dance with you while you don't even know my name. I'm Catra".
"Pamela" Adora answered, her lies carefully programmed with the intention of deceiving her. She needed to bring Catra to her mother. It doesn't matter that she is the most beautiful woman she ever saw. It doesn't matter that her voice causes little earthquakes in her stomach. It also doesn't matter that she is starting to regret her plans. Catarina smiled, her eyes searching her face, Adora wondered if she really is such a bad liar as her friends said.
"You don't look like a Pamela" she said. Adora's hands were starting to sweat, she better end this night before she gets caught on her lies. She imitated a chuckle, trying to sound normal.
"Tell that to my mother. But honestly, you are the first to ever tell me this" they danced some more, their bodies finding perfect ritmo together, as if rehearsed. One lock of Adora's hair fell on her face, but she was so focused on dancing that she didn't bother to fix it. Catarina pressed their bodies together, forehead touching, she guided Adora's hands to her waist and fixed the hair out of her face.
Against her will, she couldn't stop staring Catra's lips. Great, how could she not consider that she would be attracted to this beautiful brunette? How could she not be attracted? She was so focused on her plans that didn't even crossed her mind the thought that she is also a lesbian. She planed on seducing Catra, but completely overlooked the potentials failures of it. She needs to leave. Now. Probably before she end up on the brunette's bed. Her boss wouldn't like it. Also, it was her mission.
"How do you feel about leaving here?" Adora asked before her head became a fog. Catra smirked, her eyes becoming dangerous.
"Quite in a rush, aren't you?" She grabbed Adora's hand and guided her through the exit of the club "But lucky for you, so am I".
Now on the street, Adora pointed to her car, indicating that they would end the night at her place. She opened the door for Catra, her conflicted emotions floating around her. She was happy that everything was going according the plan, but what if she was someone else? A psychopath, perhaps? Catarina would be in danger, and going into a stranger's car was a naive thing to do.
Catra definitely needed to go back to her mother, it would be safer for her. She took a deep breath before getting to the driver's seat. The intense part comes now. Checking that Catarina had her seat bealt on, she started the car. The street was empty. Good, it needs to be quick.
Without a second to reconsider, she turned and kissed her. Catarina backed away, startled by how sudden it was. But then went back to kissing Adora. It started as an hesitant kiss, but soon it became heated. At this point, Adora was almost sitting in Catra's lap. While she was distracted by the kiss, Adora slowly crept her hand to the cup holder, getting the handcuffs she hid there. In one fast move, she locked Catra's hands to her car door. The kiss stopped, but they remained close, their breath mixing to the point that her head started to feel a stupor from breathing each other's air.
"What did you do?" Catarina asked in a whisper, too chocked for a better reaction.
"Taking you home" Adora fixed her posture on her seat, finally moving the car. She tried to focus on the street, the expression of betrayal on Catarina's face was too painful to stare at.
"You work for my mother" she concluded in a small voice. Adora wondered if she exagereted. Catra was a hard target, everybody said that. But did she really need to delude and kiss her? Now she can't go back, she need to finish this mission and hope that Catra forgives her in the future.
"Nothing personal. But the last guy that tried is still in the hospital. That was the only strategy I could come up with" Adora explained.
"Nothing personal? I thought we had a connection!" Catarina seemed genuinely offended.
"Connection? We talked for like five minutes. I don't see how this can have such a huge impact on you. You will be fine".
But I might not be fine once this was over, Adora thought.
Yes, it was just five minutes. But somehow, those five minutes would stay for a long time in the front of her head.
Catarina stared her, her expression indecipherable. They stopped at the red light. Adora sent a text to her boss, saying that the mission was complete and she could get the target at Adora's apartment.
"What is she offering you?" Catarina asked, almost as if afraid of the answer "Is it money? Or did she offered you a better position at the office?"
"Nothing" they were turning at Adora's street.
"Nothing?! You did this for nothing?".
"Well, not exactly nothing" Adora took a deep breath, trying to think of how explain this ". I am not really respected at my job. I am new. They do not give me any important task or mission. Since catching you was impossible, I decided to try. Do something that no one could. Respect is enough for me".
She parked her car at the building's garage. Preparing for what's to come, she left the car, turning around to Catra's door. Catarina was dragged out of the car since her wrists were still attached to her. Her face sour, ir was a surprise that she didn't attacked Adora yet. Cautiously, Adora opened one of the cuffs, freeing one of Catra's hand. She closed the door and turned the brunnete around, pressing her to the car and reattaching the cuffs behind her back. Her hands lingered on the woman for longer than necessary, gaining a chuckle from her.
"You want to touche me so bad to the point that you need to tie me up. What is wrong, Agent? Don't you have self control?". Adora was glad that Catarina couldn't see her face behind her back, because she was sure she was blushing, giving how burning her face was.
"Believe me, if I wanted to touch you, I would not need to tie you up. You would be begging for it" Adora has no idea where that came from. The brunette brought something inside her alive, someway. And that was not good. She was always in control of everything. She needed to be, otherwise her life would be chaotic. And right now, she needed her control more than never.
Catra laughed and let herself be dragged to the entry of Adora's building. The blonde pressed the buttons of the elevator to her floor.
"I must admit" Catra started ", when I saw you there at the club, looking so sweet and delicate, it would never occur to me that you are an agent. You really tricked me, I could be offended if I wasn't so impressed. I bet it took months for you to plan this. Changed everything about yourself just to call my attention". Adora could almost hear the satisfaction in Catarina's voice, as if someone paying that amount of attention to her was the best feeling ever.
"Actually, I decided to do this, like, two days ago. And I did ten minutes of research on your Instagram. All I had to do tonight was makeup and dress". Adora opened her apartment door. Catra didn't answer, too stunned to speak. Adora locked the door once they were inside, securing the key in her pocket.
"Sit there. Your mother will arrive soon. Do you want water?".
"Stop acting like you aren't ruining my life" Catarina mumbled. Adora couldn't resist the temptation of rolling her eyes and scoffing.
"Please, tell me how getting you, a nepobaby, a job is ruining your life".
"I hate that place". Catra sat in Adora's couch, taking of her high heels.
"Grow up. A lot of people hate their jobs, you are not special". In the back of her head, a small voice insisted that Catra was, in fact, special. As if knowing her would change something in her life. Her heart warmed a little, but Adora insisted to herself that the only thing that girl would change in her life is by making her succeed at her mission and getting respect. Catra scoffed, mocking her.
"Agents think they are everybody's dream job. News flash, I don't want to hold a gun and fight people all the time. I want a secure job. I want to wake up everyday without the dread of getting murdered. I want a job where people discuss without fist fights. Where the only thing they expect from me is paperwork".
"You do not look like someone who enjoys the calm life. I can see in your eyes, you are agitated" Adora changed the weight in her feet, starting to get uncertain of what she is doing.
"You think that this the only job where you can get this adrenaline? I felt more while watching law cases on the TV". Adora offered a glass of water, that Catra accepted even though she was frustrated.
"So you want to be a lawyer? You can still work with your mother but on the paperwork".
"Not really a lawyer. But anything else is better. I don't want to have anything to do with that place. Or with my mother. She is controlling, she saw me more as a weapon than a daughter".
"That is simply not true. She cares about you. Otherwise she wouldn't send agents after you to bring you back" Adora tried to make her see reason. Catra got up, angry.
"You have no idea how my mother is. She is not nice. I bet she said to everyone how spoiled I am, how she is a good mother offering her lazy stupid ungrateful daughter a job. But this is not true. I don't want to kill people. But she will make me do it anyway".
"Catra, you do not have to do anything you do not want. I will speak with her, try to make her see your point. But you need to come back" Adora tried to hold her arm, but Catra angrily ripped her hand away.
"You don't know her. She won't listen. I don't want to go" for the first moment of the night, Adora could see a slight sadness in her eyes, she looked vulnerable when she approached her, begging for Adora to listen. "Please, don't make me go".
Letting out a breath, Adora wondered if she should hear her boss or the girl that made her heart beat like a carnaval inside her chest. Never in her life something like this happened. She never felt so close to someone like she did now. But it could also be fake, Catra could be manipulating her into letting her go.
But why hasn't she fought? Why is Adora still standing without bruises? If Catarina was that strong and hard as everyone told her, why haven't she attacked her and went for the door? It surely wouldn't be hard to leave. But instead, she was here, pleading for demise.
Maybe she didn't though that Adora was worth the fight. Maybe she thought that manipulating her was easy. Adora chose to believe in that, because the idea of mutual interest was crazy. That drove her mad. She is a really capable agent! She won't be manipulated by a spoiled girl.
"You can solve your problem with her. I am just the messager". Catra ran her hands through her hair, frustrated. She looked at the floor for a while, submerged in thoughts.
"Will I see you again? After this? Or was I just a job?" She asked quietly, nothing more than a whisper, her cheeks were red and she looked embarrassed as if asking this was a big shame.
"I do not know. Maybe yes. Maybe not". Catra got up, so suddenly that Adora didn't have time to get out of the way. Catra's hands holded Adora's cheeks, her eyes fixating on her.
"Then I have no reason to come back" in one unexpected moviment, she brought her lips to Adora, the touch so soft she could back away if she wanted.
But Adora didn't. It was quite humiliating how quick her body succumbed to Catra's affection. The kiss was soft at first, tempting, almost as if recognizing each other's soul. And then, it got hungry and messy. They were fighting, lipstick smearing on their chins and cheeks, hair in disdain. Backing away, dropping furniture and starting havoc. The intense energy matched so perfectly that it surprised them. Adora didn't care anymore about Shadow Weaver, or about her job. All she cared about was in feeling her more. She wanted to be so close that they wouldn't be able to break apart, so mixed that their souls may be just one. Catra seemed to think the same thing, because she started to kiss her neck, leaving bruises on her path. Adora threw her head back, moaning shameless into the night. Fisting Catra's hair, she brought her face back, kissing her lips as if she was lost in the desert for weeks and Catarina was the only source of water. Starving, thirsty and wanting more than she was allowed too. But as soon as Catra tried to zip off her dress, there was a knock on the door.
They broke apart, scared by the sound because, for a minute, they forgot the world around them, too focused on each other.
"Your mother" Adora whispered. Catra looked at her, chocked and scared. Without thinking about the consequences of her actions, she said ". Behind that door on the right is a pantry, it has a door that leads to another hallway, connected to the cleaning room. You can leave the building by the door in there".
Catra kissed her again, and left following the path that Adora explained.
The knock become more insistent, and Adora had three seconds to fix her hair and clean her face on her forearm. Opening the door, she faced Shadow Weaver. The woman looked happy beyond words, and Adora dreaded what she was going to say once she find out that Catra was not there.
"So? Where is she? When you told me you were going to accept the mission, I knew I could trust you with it. You are such a promising young agent, I just knew that this mission was yours from the beginning". Adora could throw up right now. She felt nausea just like she always feels whenever she is going to disappoint someone.
"She left". Weaver stopped, unmoved for a while.
"What do you mean she left? You told me she was here. You called me" her voice was low and dangerous, Adora needed to be careful.
"She was" Adora pointed to Catra's high heels that were still on the floor of her living room ". But she... she knocked me out and left a few seconds before you arrived".
Weaver snarled, furious.
"How can you let her leave? You should have been more cautious about her!" she took a deep breath, lessening her rage but not making it disappear "The only reason I don't have you fired is because you were the closest to ever get her. This mission is still yours, make sure she doesn't scape next time".
"Yes, ma'am". Shadow Weaver left, and for the first time since she arrived, Adora felt relieved enough to fully breathe and analyze her situation.
She kissed Catra. She liked the kiss and liked the girl. She also disappointed her superior and ruined her mission. It will take a lot longer now to get respect at her job.
Adora licked her own lips, feeling the taste of Catra's grape lipgloss and couldn't help but think that it was worthit. So what that her job is in danger? At least she got to kiss the most gorgeous woman she ever had the pleasure to meet.
Striping her dress while she went to take a shower, she finally had the chance to take a look at herself in the mirror. Her lips were clean, the red lipstick she wore for the ocasion was nowhere to be seen. Her blond hair was a mess. But her neck...
Well, they did say that Catra tended to leave some bruises on her enemies. It was just a little bit different in her case.