Anything We Want || Catradora

one

"Your room is really nice." Adora blurts from her seat on the edge of her crush's bed.

In truth, this was probably a long time coming. They've been friends for what feels like forever, but just before they moved to college something had shifted between them. Adora had thrown herself an 18th birthday at a hotel and invited Catra, along with too many people she really didn't know very well. It had actually turned out to be pretty fucking horrible, save for the twenty minutes she'd spent cuddling with Catra on one of the beds while the rest of the guests had abandoned them to hang out by the hotel pool.

On the car ride to take Catra back home, she had reached across the middle console to grab Adora's free hand; her face full of indecipherable turmoil. All Adora did was smile and keep driving, but Catra brought their clasped hands up to her lips and pressed a grazing kiss to the girl's thumb. Adora has long since theorized that that was the moment she'd fallen for her.

Now, here, sitting inches away from Catra, it feels like she's spiralling into the fiery depths of unrequited hell.

"Oh, thanks! I'm sorry it's such a mess," Catra says with a little smile. It kind of makes Adora's heart flip into her throat because it's been so many months since she's seen her face.

"No worries!" She smiles back. "So... Which internship did you say you want to apply for?" Adora already knew which one Catra had her eye on since they'd talked about it over the phone before she transferred, but she'd never been quick on her feet in these types of situations. She was more of a 'stare longingly and flirt over text' kind of girl.

"Strategic Marketing, nothing exciting. I figured I'd start off with something I have a little experience in," Catra says, stretching out on the bed. Adora carefully averts her eyes from the sliver of skin that shows as her shirt rides up.

"Well, that makes sense. I'm just gonna do a work-study so I can stop leeching off Glimmer's parents for money." Adora fiddles with the frayed knee-holes in her jeans as she speaks. The giggle that Catra lets out helps ease the anxiety that had built up in Adora's stomach. It's admittedly difficult for her to not be a nervous wreck in the middle of the room of the literal Girl Of Her Dreams.

If it were up to Adora, she'd be smooth-talking and sauve enough to charm the pants off of any girl willing to give her a chance. And Adora is almost completely certain that Catra is at least a little bit into her. She knows it isn't super common for strictly platonic friends to unironically call each other things like 'hottie' or 'babe' or "accidentally" send each other scantily clad photos; much less actually admit to having more-than-friendly thoughts about one another.

So, yeah, Catra is probably likes Adora back. A little bit.

The problem lies in the fact that they're both too awkward and, frankly, gay, to initiate anything outside of their texting. Catra suddenly inviting Adora over to her dorm room was as anxiety-inducing as it was genuinely exciting. Catra had even told her she didn't really enjoy having people in her personal space like this, so it could only mean a small number of things.

"I'm sure Mister and Missus Sparkles don't mind having another daughter to spend their millions on," Catra says, rolling over to get a better view of Adora on her ugly shag carpet rug. "They can definitely fucking afford it." Glimmer's mom had just been elected as the new mayor of their city and her dad was one of the most successful veterinarians in the state. And they both treated Adora as one of their own, so Catra is definitely right, but Adora just shrugs. She has always appreciated everything they do for her, she just can't imagine leaning on them forever.

Catra rolls her eyes, knowing grin seeping into her expression. "You are such a good girl, Adora, I admire that. But don't you ever wanna do something fun?" As she poses the question, she rights herself and stands up so she's towering over Adora.

"W- Uh," Adora tries to keep her attention on Catra's face and not her gorgeous legs or the hands on her perfectly curved hips. "I've done fun th- I do fun things!" She glares up at Catra with mock-annoyance as she looks down at Adora with a challenge written across her face. It never failed to amaze Adora how quickly they could fall back into their old dynamic, as if barely any time had passed since their childhood.

"Name one."

"I went hiking with Bow and his dads just last month!"

Catra wraps her arms around her stomach and fake gags. "That's your idea of fun? Have you ever done anything that an authority figure wouldn't approve of?"