Baby steps

Are we out of the woods? Are we in the clear yet? | Next Fic | 3/4

When Adora woke, she woke up already miserable. Her entire being burned with a horrid sting. It was as if she'd been in a shower that was too hot - leaving her skin tingling unpleasantly afterwards. The muffled sounds from the room made themselves slowly known. The lights burned her eyes through the shut lids. Her throat burned something chronic, she was cold but hot, but not too hot, but still too cold.

In other words; she was utterly miserable.

She woke briefly when the room was in pitch blackness. Catra was purring softly by her chest, long asleep in dreamland. Adora didn't have it in her heart to wake her, so she rolled onto her good side and fell back asleep. Waking up had been... an ordeal. Immediately, her stomach rested in her throat. Her arms were alight in goosebumps. The feeling was well known. As she slowly sat up, wincing as her infected side pounded ruthlessly, she was relieved to see nobody was with her. Sure, Adora would've loved to have seen a familiar face and smell a certain smell (forestry vanilla) but she hated being sick in front of people. She hated showing weakness.

That had only gotten worse after she had Violet. All throughout her pregnancy, thanks to that stupid Hypersuper Gravity shit, or whatever it was called. Looking back on it, Adora can't remember a space of more than three days where she wasn't being violently sick for hours upon end. Even after being away from the Horde for over three years, and being sick a handful of times, she still hid when she could.

Or disappeared on a mission... or sometimes lied about seeing Light Hope or Razz and hiding in the tallest tower of the Bright Moon castle.

Neither of which she was strong enough for. Jesus. As Adora swung her feet out of the bed, warm soles touching cold marble, she may not even have the strength to pee. She shook her head and braced her arms stiffly on the side table. Her legs shook a little, but not as much as she thought. Adora stood straight and began to walk slowly to the bathroom. In times like this (read the ONLY time) she was glad to have the bathroom pretty much on hand. Glimmer had called it an "en suite"

It sure as hell beat wondering down the winding cold halls of the Horde barracks late at night. Her legs flew into goosebumps as the cold marble floor finally settled into her bones. She shuddered, rolling her shoulders and neck. Adora wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. She really should've brought a blanket... no. She was too far. Plus, she was only peeing!

The door provided relief. With each en suite, Glimmer stated, came a heated floor. As Adora sat down, she rubbed her face harshly. The floor warmed her feet to no extent, somewhat dimming the goosebumps. She knew they'd come back the second she left the bathroom. Maybe she could curl up and sleep in here? The floor was warmer than her bed, and, she wouldn't be overexerting herself!

Her stomach suddenly twisted violently, forcing her head over the sink, barely catching herself. Her side pounded, though not as much as before, as she vomited. She wiped her mouth with a shudder, swallowing thickly. She finished up, washed her hands, and began the trek back to the bed. As if by default, she moved to check Violet's crib by the foot of her bed. "Morning baby," She cooed, expecting to see a fist swinging for her jaw, or a foot for that matter.

Neither happened. Adora rubbed her eyes a little too hard, rechecking the crib.

Oh right.

She'd dropped Vi off with Razz before Prime... and had yet to get her back. Adroa shuffled over to the large window, the strength starting to rebuild in her legs a little. It wasn't daytime yet, but it was past dawn.

Adora took a shaky breath in.

She began to pull her nightshirt off, gasping quickly as her arms lifted higher and higher, stretching her side. Adora began to unravel the bandage, breathing heavily. She could feel the sheen of sweat on her head and the nauseating twisting of her stomach. She gently dabbed the bleeding area clean and replaced the white bandage, sighing in exhaustion when blood immediately marred the pristine colouring. She tugged her jacket on over the top of her sports bra, the brief energy she'd woken up with, gone. Besides, she was only getting Violet from Razz. She wasn't going to any meetings.

Adora grabbed her staff from the side of her wardrobe and used it as an extender, helping to keep as much of her balance as she could sans using her right side. She began to hobble out of her room, trying to move as quietly as possible. She only looked back once.

~

When Adora finally made it to Razz's, she knew her time was running out. Her legs had begun to quake dangerously, her ears only heard the blood pounding in her head, and her eyes barely saw blurry outlines. In short: She was about thirty seconds away from passing out on the ground. Maybe the woods were taking some magic back? The last time she'd run to the woods, she'd passed out.

Though, to be fair, that was immediately after she'd killed Prime... so her energy might not have been the best anyway. Nevertheless, she approached the crazy woman's house and knocked on the door. "Razz? It's me," She called softly. Her voice wouldn't climb above a whisper, even if she commanded it to. The door flew open, revealing Razz in all her glory. Violet was sat on the ground, babbling at her hands. Adora felt tears begin to fall. Violet's head shot up in recognition. She began to babble frantically, slapping the ground with her hands. Razz stood in the doorway. "Oh, hello, Adora. I was wondering when you would be home," She said with a cackle. Adora swayed by the doorframe, barely catching herself on the staff. "Here. She is like my Mara," Razz unceremoniously dropped Vi into Adora's waiting arms. "Very chatty," She bopped her on the nose, cackling as Violet reached for her finger. Razz's eyes flicked up and down Adora's body. "You should get home, Adora. Madam Razz needs to clean, and you need to rest," The crazy woman spoke.

Adora could only nod, bringing Violet's head into her neck, and hugging her tightly. "If I get better," Adora croaked. "Madam Razz does not do IF's, Adora. She does WHEN's," Razz interrupted. Adora shifted slightly. "When I get better," She amended. Razz smacked her calf with the back of her broom. "I'll bring her back. And some cake from Bright Moon," She said. Razz narrowed her eyes. "Pie," She said. Adora rolled her eyes softly, barely missing a broom to the head. "Fine. I will bring pie," She conceded. Razz only hummed as she turned away. "I will be expecting pie, Mara!"

~

Catra liked to pride herself on her general "togetherness" in tough situations. She could usually keep her cool and a level head when something went wrong long enough to find a solution and then panic about it in privacy afterwards. It took a lot for her to lose her head. Shadow Weaver's abandonment when she left her for Adora was one instance. Another was seeing Adora's face after the portal - the utter and pure hatred in her cool gentle blue eyes... every time Catra thought of her glare, she'd shudder in fear.

So Catra doesn't break down easily. She didn't break when Adora left, she didn't break when Shadow Weaver died, she didn't when Prime kidnapped her, and she didn't when she held Adora's dying body. Not immediately, anyway.

But as she sat there, clutching Adora's rapidly paling hand, and watching her heartbeat grow weaker and weaker on the monitor?

Yeah, that made her break down.