Team Catradora

46 -Intervention

"Didn't you know that already?"

Adora laughed, a hand running through her hair. The curls knotted through her fingers. "I should have known. What have we gotten oursleves into?"

"Hey," said Glimmer. She appeared from behind, water bottle still in hand. "I heard yelling. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know." Adora shook her head. "We might break up."

"No."

"Yes."

"Oh, god." She turned to Catra, arms crossed. "If you hurt her-"

"Enough." Adora shoved an arm between Glimmer and Catra. For once, she felt like the queen, not Glimmer, not Angella. It was weird, but not unwelcome. "Nothing's happened. We're having an argument, that's all."

"Ten you wouldn't be breaking up! What are you arguing about?"

"We think we want different things." Catra's hands balled into fists.  

"You want each other."

"Wow, so blunt." Catra scratched her head, and took the drink from Glimmer. She sipped, and quickly spat it out. "Water. Ew. I was expecting something hard, with the way you're acting."

"I'm not drunk." She shook her head. "Just having fun. And a little shocked, honestly. I thought everything was great between you two. Bow! Come over here, we need an intervention." She waved Bow over. "Why are you guys fighting?"

Adora and Catra exchanged looks, then sighed. "Let's go."

...

They sat in the back Glimmer's car. It wasn't smart, given how the backseat was made for two, maybe three people. Definitely not four people, but they all squeezed on, their shoulders touching. 

The air was chill tonight, and everyone, even in their coats, hugged their arms tightly. The heater sputtered, barely touching their toes. Glimmer sipped her water periodically, squeezing the cup tightly. 

Adora swung her feet. "So...this is awkward."

"It isn't if you just tell us what's up," Glimmer said. "We want to help."

Bow looked at the both of them, and shrugged. "What's going on? We're here for you both."

"Right," Catra said. Her eyes shot daggers at them.

Adora was the first to speak after a long stretch of silence. "I think I might want to be with Catra."

"Okay." Bow frowned. "Is that it?"

"Yeah." Catra frowned right back. "You know we're not exclusive, right?"

"Wait, you've been seeing other people?" Bow put his hand over his face. "How did I not know you guys were dating other people behind our backs?!"

"I don't know," Catra said. "Isn't it kinda like you pretended you guys weren't dating behind Adora's back?" 

Bow stuttered. 

"Hey," Adora said. She reached past Catra, and patted Bow's shoulder. "We could have seen people, I guess, if we wanted, but I didn't. She's messing with you."

"Right." Catra shoved her hands in her pocket. "I didn't either."

Glimmer said, "and you went to prom together."

"Yeah."

"And you met Adora's mom."

"Yeah."

"And you don't see other people, even though you could." Glimmer didn't need an answer to that. She raised her hand when Catra tried to speak, silencing her. "Catra, let's just forget I'm Adora's sister for a moment. I think it's pretty clear you have feelings for-"

"Stop."

"What?"

Catra shook her head. "Labels are...they don't work for me. I thought you got that."

"I do." Glimmer rested her head on Bow's shoulder, and sighed. "But it's not what Adora wants. Besides, I got over my fears. And it was worth it. Things feel a lot less stressed. Maybe you guys could try being tentative  girlfriends-"

"No." Catra said. "Stop. This is something I want to think about, I promise. But I don't wanna think right now. Can we put this on pause? I...I still want to have fun tonight."

Glimmer raised an eyebrow. "You mean-"

"Not that!" Adora blushed again. How she could do it, when she was so cold, and suddenly her cheeks felt hot, she had no idea. "Oh, god, no. Not when we're so...so uncertain."

"What's more certain than sex?"

"Glimmer!" Bow buried his face in his hands ,but he couldn't help but laugh. "You're so blunt."

"You're just figuring this out now?" Catra shivered, and immediately Adora linked her arms with hers. 

"Let's go in." 

"What?"

"I...I get it. For tonight, let's pause this. After, we'll figure it out." It hurt to say that, but it was true. Adora closed her eyes and tried to swallow the tightness in her throat away. They went back in, and danced. 

They danced until their legs felt too tired, because they didn't want to talk. Instead, all they did was hold each other. The safeness she had originally felt, in Catra's arms, had ebbed into longing, and no matter how close Adora was to her, she couldn't get it back. 

At her doorstep, they both stood, hands in pockets. Adora forced a smile. "So, this is it."

"For now."

Adora cracked a smile. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Me too." Catra frowned. "We'll talk about this later, I promise. But for now...we just need space."

"Right, right." The pang returned, and suddenly Adora wanted to say it. She loved Catra. But instead, she swallowed her tight throat, and held a hand out. Catra took it. "Well, I don't want to end tonight on a sad note. It was really romantic, despite everything."

"I'm glad I came." She smiled. "Thank you."

Adora leaned in, and their lips met. Her face felt warm, her lips soft. Against her better judgement, Adora pulled away, her throat tightening. "So, uh, this is it, then?"

"I guess so." Catra unclapsed her hand. "See you around."

"See you." She stepped inside, and forced herself not to look out the window. 

She wanted to believe in them, in their relationship, but right now it was hard. Space was hard. But right now, it was what they had. 

Adora went to her bedroom, and tried not to think about how much space they had between them, right now. 

  She played video games instead.