And They Were Roomates: A Catradora Story

chapter 6

   Adora barely saw Catra at all for the next few days. Catra only returned to the room late at night and was gone before Adora woke up in the morning. They only bumped into one another once during the day that week. It was in between periods and, evidently, they had both forgotten the supplies needed for their next classes.

   When Adora had entered the dorm room to find Catra there, stuffing brick-like textbooks into her backpack, she had readied herself for the awkward conversation that was bound to happen eventually. Adora was slightly surprised when Catra wouldn't even make eye contact. She just hastily zipped up her bag and slunk out the door.

   It was especially strange because Catra always had some kind of snarky remark to make about Adora. It seemed like all the zing and fight had been sucked right out of her. Needless to say, Adora was still confused and nervous.

   Meanwhile, Catra was living in a state of horrified shock. After fleeing the crime scene of what she had begun to call "the incident," Catra had ended up in the catacombs beneath the school. The rest of the night was spent scratching the walls in a futile attempt to let her troubling emotions out.

   In the days after, Catra spent each day basically on autopilot. She ignored all the worried concerns of her kind-of-friends, Scorpia and Entrapta. Each night following the "incident" was spent replaying the horrible moment a secret Catra had been hiding for over two years was wrenched out of her mouth and put out in the open for display. Saying Catra was embarrassed would be the biggest understatement of the century.

   Eventually, the moment Catra had been dreading all week arrived. She had gotten up at five in the morning, much earlier than she would like, but necessary if she wanted to avoid Adora. Catra had gotten herself ready as quietly as possible in the small bathroom that adorned their shared dorm. However, she clearly was not quiet enough.

   As she opened the bathroom door back up to leave, her mouth stretched in a yawn, Catra froze. Adora was sitting cross-legged on her bed, facing the bathroom door. The way her tired eyes perked up when Catra came in made it obvious that she had been sitting in wait.

   Shit, thought Catra. Not knowing what to do, her eyes flitted around the room, avoiding contact with Adora's. Catra dug her nails into the side of her legs as she tended to do when she was nervous. "So....uh. Hey Adora?"

   "Hey, Catra." Catra wasn't sure how to respond so she stayed silent, her eyes cast downwards towards the floor.

   "I just- I'm sorry," Adora said, quickly in one breath. "It was really stupid how I freaked out on you about the whole dragon thing. You really saved my ass back there, that dragon would have cooked us all to a crisp! Just- yeah. Thanks."

   Catra's feet stepped slightly closer to Adora's bed, much to the dismay of her panicked brain. "Oh, uh, you're welcome, it was no big deal." Adora laughed incredulously.

   "No big deal? We almost got eaten by a dragon, Catra." Catra snickered lightly. She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder.

   Catra wanted nothing more than for things to go back to the way they had used to be between her and Adora, trading snarky comments and generally not engaging with each other beyond what was necessary. Well, there was one thing she wanted more than that. But that thing was absurd, impossible, and could never, would never happen. Catra could function, hopefully, with the second-best option.

   At that moment, Catra was planning on nodding at Adora and then walking out the door. Her plan was that afterward, things would go back to normal and the stifling elephant in the room would never need to be addressed. Of course, Adora had to go and screw that all up.

    Catra made it two feet away from the door before Adora intervened.

   "Catra, wait." Adora's head was tilted down slightly and she stared at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her messy morning hair hung in strands, framing her heart-shaped face. Morning sunlight was beginning to beam in through the window behind her, surrounding her blonde head in a golden, halo-like glow.

    Catra forgot how to breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest as she paused.

   "Um, Catra, about the other thing you said that night..." Catra grimaced, waiting for Adora to try and reject her gently like she had been imagining every day since it happened. She looked away from Adora and sighed.

    "No, it's fine. You don't have to try and spare my feelings or whatever. I already know you don't want me like that, it's fine. Let's just go back to how it was before." Catra turned around and reached for the doorknob, feeling the need to get out of this awkward situation immediately.

   "Wait, what? Catra, that's not what I was gonna say-" Adora jumped out of her bed and stepped to get closer to Catra.

   Catra whipped around in confusion. Her only stream of thought was maybemaybemaybemaybe, but even then she didn't want to let herself hope. Hope always ended in disappointment. Catra shook her head lightly and began to walk back towards the door.

   "Catra! No, I-I like you too, ok? I just didn't realize it until you said you, um, you loved me. But, um. Now I know. I like you, a lot." Adora looked kind of like a golden retriever at that moment, all big-eyed and hopeful. Catra was in a state of disbelief. She laughed and beamed at Adora.

   "Wow, no kidding?" Adora only smiled, slightly exasperated, and nodded.

   "Yeah."

   At that moment, Catra could not hold it in any longer. She rushed up, hooked her arms around the back of Adora's neck, and fitted their lips together in one fluid movement.

   "Hmmphh!" Adora noised in surprised at the sudden event. Catra was terrified that Adora would push her away and run out of the door, but, instead, after the initial shock, she rested her hands on Catra's waist and pulled her in closer. Catra melted into Adora, which was something she had been wanting to do for a very long time. Adora's hands wandered up to Catra's short hair. She weaved her fingers through and Catra's brain almost burst with bliss. Apparently, her first option was possible.