Chapter Text
Curled up in a hammock in the farthest corner of Adora’s yard was the birth of a plan. A plan that would change their lives. Something necessary, crucial, and utterly benevolent to the two girls who held each other close. This day was the last straw and a catalyst to a dream they’ve had since the first day of 7th grade. Seven years since then and six days from now, would mark their last day. Last, not as in death, but as in rebirth. A new beginning.
Adora was a planner, a thorough one who thought of everything with multiple contingencies, and Catra was excellent at looking for flaws, thinking outside the box and finding weak structures to reinforce strategies for strong execution. The two were a match of strength and power that many have failed to beat over the years. Whether in sports, projects, or board games; they were always stronger together. A pair that knew the other better than themselves. A day they knew was coming was imminent and they were quick to get to work.
Six days from now would be the day they have been training for since the winter break of freshman year.
They were going to run away.
“We can do this,” Catra whispered against Adora’s lips. She had to keep reinforcing the words with kisses to quell Adora’s incessant doubt and worry for the unknown. “We have planned and prepared for months, Adora. If there is anyone who could do this, it would be us.”
Adora is still sniffling a bit from what happened earlier in the kitchen of her home just half an hour prior. Her father is a misguided man. One that didn’t get out of his recliner a lot unless it was to work on the house, get a drink, or play poker with his old war buddies. His focus was always on projects and creation rather than raising a child. Never to make food or hit the grocery store or to care for his only kid. She was an afterthought.
Today he had more energy and actually acknowledged her. Enough motivation and focus to corner Adora and spit in her face with words strong enough to destroy every last ounce of self esteem she had left. When Catra came over, sneaking in through her bedroom window, Adora was listless in the shower. She knew something was wrong when she didn’t reply to her texts.
Her hair was still damp where they were wrapped around each other in the hammock. Adora sighs as Catra strokes her cheek, relaxing at the soft touch from such a jagged day.
“Catra?”
“Yeah, baby?”
She swallows. “Is this the right thing to do?” Catra holds her closer and purrs when Adora’s breathing speeds up. Always the one to worry about doing something wrong.
“It’s the only thing we can do,” she assures. “If we tell anyone, our parents find out and take it out on us. We have no evidence. Even if they did believe us, we get put in the system and deal with court battles until we are 21. That’s so much stress that we can avoid.”
Etherian laws give the parents every opportunity to have custody of their kids, especially single parent households. And with the lack of evidence the two have from their abusers, the girls will end up back with the family. The Crimson Wastes is packed with orphans from the terror that takes over this part of the world. Facilities can’t afford to hold more kids, and it doesn’t help with how old the two are. Other countries set you free and independent at 17 but not in the wastes. The schooling systems take longer and because of the constant weather disasters and military threats, they have to put every kid through military training at age 20. Neither of them want to fight a war they never started.
Catra turns 19 soon and Adora isn’t 19 for another 3 months. That’s nearly 2 and a half years left with their parents and only a year until boot camps start. And that’s too long of a chance with how dire Catra’s situation is. As a magicat, her physical wounds are impossible to see because of her fur and thus hard to collect evidence of abuse.
The thought infuriates Adora. She can’t lose Catra. Not when she has to protect the one she loves more than anything.
Catra sees the change in Adora’s mind. The blonde gets that look.
“We leave in 6 days.”