Chapter Text
Adora plays with a loose thread in the seat she’s on, idly wondering how Shimmer hasn’t spotted it and replaced it. Not much escapes her notice. She looks up at her sister, once again feeling awkward around her.
"How've you been, Mara?" She offers weakly. Mara looks around at the Alliance safe house—a high-security mansion, all plush pillows and fancy rugs. It’s nothing like the spartan environment they were used to.
Mara shrugs, her face calmly disinterested. "I'm alright. This place has all kinds of stuff, and I’m used to living in a compound." Adora winces at the characterization.
"Is there anything you want? Food or I don’t know, something to do?" Adora prompts, feeling particularly helpless in the face of all this distance from her sister.
Mara gives Adora an incredulous look. "What like contraband?"
She rolls her eyes. "This isn't a prison or the compound, there isn't any contraband. You can have things you want Mar." Adora reminds her with a stern voice.
"This not being a prison is debatable 'Dora." Mara leans back on the couch and sighs. "I'll think about if there is anything I want." She concedes. She stays quiet for a moment before tentatively looking up at Adora. "It feels weird. I can't believe I was being controlled by Light Hope for so long."
Adora inhales sharply. They haven’t talked about this yet. "I can't imagine Mar." She whispers.
She really can’t imagine it. Light Hope at one time had been like a mentor, a mother to her. To think that she could do something so evil punches Adora in the gut. To know how many terrible things Light Hope was capable of sends Adora’s skin crawling. And then to be vulnerable, helpless to all of that. Adora shakes her head.
Mara places her hands on her knees, leaning forward. "I'm scared she'll find another way to control me. Or the same way. Who knows? None of us know how she did it in the first place." She stares blankly ahead as if seeing a ghost.
Adora reaches her hand and places it on top of Mara’s on her knee. "I know we don't have all the answers right now Mar, but I won't let it happen to you. No matter what." Adora says resolutely.
Mara gives her a tired smile with a squeeze of her hand. "I know kid. We’ll have each other's back from now on." The we didn’t before stays silent but present between them.
"What have you been able to remember so far? You know from...before." Adora tries to ask as delicately as she can.
Mara shakes her head, pressing her lips together. "Not that much honestly. It's easier to remember things that are most recent? Some of it is coming back. Entrapta thinks that most of it should come back with time." Mara looks up at Adora hesitantly.
"What?" She asks with a furrowed brow.
"I don't know that I want to remember the things I did," Mara confesses. "I remember attacking you," Mara whispers.
Adora sighs, reaching out to lift Mara’s chin so she meets her eyes. "Oh, Mar. It's okay." She soothes.
Mara shakes, dropping Adora’s hand. "I was so angry. Why was I so angry?" She blinks back tears.
"It wasn't you. Would you attack me now?" Adora asks. Mara's horrified expression is a clear answer. "See. I attacked you knowing full well who you were. I didn't go back for you for years." Adora's stomach rolls with the guilt.
"I was a villain Adora. I betrayed you in the worst way when you thought I was on your side. I kidnapped the woman you loved in the name of the Grayskull mission of all things. That's not on you." Mara's tone is sure as she puts her hand atop Adora's.
They are sitting next to each other now, knees knocking together as they try to make sense of it all.
"If you don't think it's on me when I had full control of my senses, then it can't be on you either." Adora points out.
Mara’s eyes twinkle, a real smile making an appearance for the first time since Adora arrived." You're right, kid. You've gotten smarter since we last hung out."
She shoves Mara with her shoulder in retaliation. "I want to be sisters again. We can put the past behind us. But we can't do that if we both hold on to it Mar." Adora tries to convince herself as much as Mara.
"You're right. Let's both do our best then yeah?" Mara proposes.
"Yeah." Everything was quiet for a moment. Adora clears her throat. "In the name of sisterly news sharing, Cat and I moved in together." Adora's tone is bright.
"Oh, good for you! How’d that go?" Mara looks genuinely delighted as she clasps her hands together.
Adora scoffs. "How do you think? I have super strength. Moving is easy." Adora gives Mara a cocky smirk, the type that would usually end in them competing over something.
Mara rolls her eyes. "Ugh kid, I meant living together, how’s it treating you?"
"It's awesome. Catra and I, we’ve known each other for a long time I know it’s kind of soon but we decided it was time." Having Catra in her home every night was a blessing she never imagined. "I mean I'm just constantly blown away that I get to wake up every morning with the most amazing woman I know." Adora sighs dreamily thinking of her girlfriend.
"Also, your teenage superhero crush." Mara waggles her eyebrows.
Adora glares at her sister. "Mar, you cannot tell her about my Wildcat poster I will die of embarrassment." Adora holds her stare to show her sister she means business.
"It was your favorite contraband in the compound! How can I not tell her!" Mara teases with a charming smile.
Adora sighs but she ends up smiling. This felt more like them than anything in the last few weeks has.
"You're the worst." Adora laughs as she says it, punching Mara’s arm. "I'll be back to see you," Adora vows.
Mara smiles widely, her mood significantly improved. "I know kid, you always keep your promises."
Her eyes flicker down in shame, many things still unsaid between them.
The moment Adora steps out of the safe house she calls Shimmer. "Please let me take her home." Adora urges without saying hello.
Shimmer groans. Adora tends to agree with the sentiment. This is an argument they’ve been revisiting for weeks now.
"Adora, I'm sorry, but until we know for sure she isn't a threat I can't let Mara leave." Adora can hear Shimmer breathing deeply through her nose.
"I'll be watching her every step of the way!" Adora tries to convince her as she pleads her case.
"That's not going to be helpful if Light Hope manages to re-establish whatever mind control she had over Mara." Shimmer points out. Adora continues pacing as she walks to the nearest bus stop as she listens. "Look, you shouldn't be your sister's guard dog, it isn't healthy for either of you. Entrapta will probably have a full workup done soon she already took all the samples she needed from the sword and Mara." Shimmer explains to Adora for what must be the fifth time this week.
Adora lets out a frustrated whine. "I just—she was a prisoner in her own mind for so long, I want to give her a chance to actually be free." Adora could feel her voice on the edge of breaking.
"And we will. I don't want to keep someone who is innocent locked up. But we have to vet her. Make sure the mind control isn't an issue anymore. Give me another week." Shimmer requests.
"Fine. But that's it. Next week Mara goes free." She clenches her jaw as she says it, her frustration boiling over.
Shimmer hums her approval. "In the meantime, feel free to visit Mara as much as you want. I'll be visiting her too." She adds.
Even with those assurances, Adora can’t help but feel like a traitor with every step she takes leading her away from her sister.
Adora feels out of sorts when she goes back to her new apartment. She lays down atop her mattress staring up at the ceiling. What kind of person is she, failing to see that her sister wasn’t herself? And now, letting her stay in the safe house indefinitely. Maybe Mara’s right and it’s no better than a jail cell.
She can hear Cat shuffling about in the kitchen. She probably got in from work while Adora sat there steeping in her own guilt. She longs to go give her a kiss hello but thinks better of it. She’ll probably find a way to mess that up too.
She startles when she suddenly hears Catra's voice from the bedroom door. "Babe, did you use the last of the parsley?" Catra sticks her head into the bedroom looking at Adora with suspicious eyes.
She shakes her head, not bothering to move from the bed. "I would never touch your precious fresh herbs because I still value being alive." Adora tries for a halfhearted tease.
Catra studies Adora closely as she walks into their bedroom. She sighs dramatically. "Oh no, you have that face." She puts her finger on Adora's furrowed brow, smoothing it.
"What face? I don't have a face." Adora immediately denies it, turning her head so that Catra’s finger trails down her eyebrow.
Catra smiles at her softly. "Well, you definitely have a face gorgeous." Catra places a quick kiss on Adora's cheek. Adora can't help but smile at her. "And you’re overthinking something," Catra states plaintively. "Is it about seeing Mara earlier today?"
"Yeah," Adora admits, still laying on her back and looking up as she sighs.
"Want to talk about it?" She offers, soft and sympathetic. Adora turns her head to look at Catra standing off one side of the bed.
"Not particularly but I guess it's probably a good thing, right? To talk about it?" She asks uncertainly.
Catra sits next to her, pulling Adora’s head into her lap. "No 'Dor, it’s up to you.” She runs her fingers through Adora’s hair, loosening her ponytail. “If you wanna talk it through it’s good with me but we can also sit here together."
For a long moment, Adora sits there letting Catra slowly pull the hairband from her hair and smooth her fingers through her scalp. Without even realizing it, her eyes close and her shoulders relax as she nuzzles into Catra’s lap. Even though they’ve been dating for a while now, she’s still not used to being taken care of like this.
She cracks one eye open, watching Catra look down at her fondly. "I want to talk to you about it." She says.
Catra nods, stopping her hands and moving them out of Adora’s hair. "What happened today?"
"Nothing in particular. It's just so weird talking to her you know? Trying to reframe her in my mind as not a bad guy."
Catra hums in understanding. "Yeah, I mean I can't imagine what I would do if Shadow wasn't responsible for all the terrible shit she did to me."
"Exactly. Like—this last time wasn't the first time we fought. I have this because of her." Adora points to a long, jagged scar over her shoulder blade. "Am I supposed to just not be angry because it isn't her fault?" She presses her lips together. "But I also feel so guilty. Like I should have taken one look at her and known there was no way she would have betrayed me. I should’ve had faith in her."
Catra shakes her head, her hand reaching out to brush Adora’s cheek. "That's not your fault 'Dor. You had to make a split-second decision to get out of the compound. You were practically a kid."
"I know but so was she. We were both young and now she doesn't remember five years of her life and I never did anything to try to save her." She says helplessly. She failed Mara, there’s no avoiding that.
"If you just lay in your guilt, it doesn't get any better." Catra sent her a self-deprecating smile. "Trust me I know all about feeling guilty."
Adora sits up pressing her forehead to Catra’s. "I told her we moved in together." She whispers it like a secret, a smile on the edge of her lips.
Catra presses a soft kiss to her lips. "Oh yeah, how’d she take that news?"
"She teased me like any big sister would." Adora sighs longingly. "It actually felt very nice."
"I'm glad you got a piece of normal back in that moment then. I'm sure it'll happen little by little." Catra pulls her close again and holds her.
Adora all but melts into her arms. "Yeah, I sure hope so. Sometimes it's so awkward being there alone with her."
"Do you want me to come visit her with you?" She quietly suggests.
Adora backs up to take in Catra’s face, trying to tell if she’s serious. "I'd really like that actually."
"Okay, then we will do that." She says easily as if she isn’t handing Adora a lifeline. She presses close and kisses her girlfriend, never wanting to let go.
"You're amazing you know that?" Adora tells her.
Catra smirks her eyes twinkling. "Some might even call me super." She responds with a waggle of her eyebrows.
Adora groans leaning her head forward onto Catra's shoulder. That’s such an Adora joke, she can’t believe Catra said it. To be honest, she feels kind of jealous that she didn’t think of it first.
"Nope, I take it back. You're the worst." Adora pouts.
She rolls her eyes, getting close enough to kiss but far enough that Adora would have to close the distance between them. "You don't mean that." She taunts.
Adora kisses her fully, pulling Catra’s bottom lip between her own. "No, I really don’t." Adora agrees before gently pushing Catra down so that she could better appreciate her girlfriend.
The next time she goes to the safe hose with Catra in tow she has a much better feeling about the whole visit.
"Hey Mar, I brought a guest. Figured you were tired of only seeing my ugly face." Adora cracks.
"I don't know about ugly." Catra murmurs poking Adora's cheek.
She stops short of the table where Mara is sitting. Mara and Catra both stare at each other, almost testing the air. Adora realizes this is the first time Mara and Catra have spoken since Mara kidnapped her. Maybe this isn't a good idea.
Catra breaks the silence first. "Hey, Mara." She says casually as she sits down across from her.
Mara's eyes bore into Catra. "I owe you an apology. I don't remember everything I've done, but I know I was an ass to you. And that I kidnapped you. So, I'm sorry." She finishes lamely while biting her lip.
Catra looks taken aback by the apology. She looks down at the table between her and Mara. "Thank you, but I don't expect you to apologize for things you did or said while you weren't in control of your own body." Catra rolled her eyes. "As far as kidnappings go, I've had worse." She jokes.
Mara doesn’t, eyes still serious. "Doesn't make me feel less awful about it."
"That's alright, we all feel terrible about some shit or another." Catra tries to hold on to her blasé tone. She stares Mara down. "You're important to 'Dora so you're important to me. Clean slate."
She holds out her hand for Mara to shake. Mara grabs it with both hands, squeezing at the end of the shake. Adora's heart swells as she looks between her sister and girlfriend.
"So, what is there to do in this box? Any idea when Shimmer will spring you from your bonds?" Catra asks as she looks around the posh living room.
"It's not a prison Catra! It's a safe house!" Adora insists.
Catra and Mara look at each other and then burst out laughing. "You are too easy 'Dor. Was she always like this?" Catra directs the question at Mara.
Mara nods vigorously, grinning widely. "Oh yeah, gullible as they come. You know I convinced her that she had an invisible twin brother?" She says conversationally. "She made us put a plate out for him for dinner three nights in a row until I could convince her that it was a joke."
Catra grabs her sides as she laughs. She looks up at Adora's burning ears. “You have to tell me everything." She insists, a mischievous smirk on her face.
"Oh, don't worry I intend to." Mara flashes a bright grin.
"Anyways." Adora buts in, trying to disrupt this new dynamic blooming between her girlfriend and sister. "Shimmer told me no matter what we can get you out of here next week. And I'm going to hold her to it." Adora finishes firmly.
Mara eyes her sister warily. "Are you sure that's best?"
She looks back at her sister, baffled by her hesitance. "Why wouldn't it be? Mara, you deserve freedom, you haven't done anything wrong—" Mara opened her mouth to interrupt "—anything you consciously chose anyways."
"She's scared," Catra says flatly. Adora looks up to find Catra staring at Mara, who looks sheepish. "Am I right?"
"I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed," Mara admits. “I didn’t realize how different everything is.”
Adora thinks back to when she first got out of the Squadron and it clicks for her. "I remember how weird everything felt when I first made it out. I didn't know much about being normal. I still don’t." She stares at Mara, hoping that she believes Adora. "But I know that having people helps. And you have me, Mara. We can figure it out."
"One step at a time." Catra echoes the sentiment, reaching out and holding Adora’s hand.
Mara nods although she still looks unsure. "Okay. I guess I need to see more of what the big deal about the outside world is anyways."
Adora slaps a hand over Mara’s shoulder. "That's the spirit."
"Whenever Shimmer lets you leave this hellhole, you’re coming over for dinner at our place." Mara looks speechless. Catra leans forward a bit, a threatening gleam in her eye. "This isn't a request or an invitation. You don't get to feel like you don't deserve to have dinner with your sister. You’re going to have dinner with us. We are family."
Mara's eyes shine gratefully. Meanwhile, Adora thinks she might swallow her own tongue hearing Catra refer to them as a family. There’s nothing she wants more.
"Seems like I don't have much of a choice then." Mara laughs as she stands from the table.
Catra hums in approval. "That's right you don't big gal."
"We have to go," Adora says regretfully.
Mara rolls her eyes. "Yeah, you've been here forever. Cutting into my TV time." She teases.
She gets up and hugs Adora. Adora holds her back.
Mara wheezes. "Your super strength." She reminds and Adora lets her go as if she were burned.
"Sorry sorry!" She chants bouncing on her heels, embarrassed.
"You always do that." Catra laughs at the exchange between the sisters.
"Oh, she tries to squeeze the life out of you too?" Mara quirks an eyebrow.
Catra shoots Adora a sultry look. "In more ways than one."
Mara immediately scrunches her nose, looking like she smelled something putrid. "Eww, that's my little sister."
"You asked." Catra reminds with a cackle.
They say their goodbyes and walk out of the safe house. Catra interlaces their fingers as they walk. Adora pulls her other arm over her shoulder, pulling her even closer. She can barely believe how much easier it is to do things when she has Catra by her side.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" Adora asks, looking down at Catra.
"Yes, but you could stand to say it more." She teases, leaning her head on Adora’s shoulder.
Adora hugs Catra tightly to her, mindful to not use her full strength this time.
Adora still feels so exposed walking around Alliance headquarters without her mask and suit. She knows Catra feels the same, her eyes darting about as if expecting something to pop out of the shadows.
"It's nice not be in spandex all the time I guess?" Adora tries to look at the bright side. Catra gives her a small smile and nudges her shoulder with her own. She then looks Adora up and down with a smirk.
"I don't know, the spandex had advantages." Her eyes lingering on Adora’s butt.
"Catra!" Adora hisses, looking around to see if anyone else heard her.
"You really are too easy 'Dor." Catra teases as she walks by.
Adora takes her chance, wrapping her arms around Catra for a moment as she ducks her lips to her ear. "I thought that’s what you liked about me."
Catra squeaks, shoving an elbow back into Adora’s gut, a blush on her cheeks. Adora grins. Worth it.
Any contentment Adora’s feeling dies when she walks into the Alliance meeting room. Mara’s waiting there for them, dread all over her face.
"Hey, Mar." Adora walks right up to her sister.
Mara stays sitting. "Heroes get nice digs I see." Mara tries to make light of the situation, but she sounds nervous. Her eyes kept scanning the room. It makes sense, even if she doesn’t remember it, she’s opposed everyone in this room in a battle at least once.
All the Alliance members still have their memories intact. Most of them stare at Mara with stony faces. Some—Perfuma, Scorpia, and Seahawk come to mind—just look curious.
"It'll be fine. This bunch all have a short memory you'll see." Adora whispers encouragingly.
She eyes the hostile faces with a raised eyebrow. "I hope so, otherwise I’m not sure I’ll be making it back out of this room.”
Before she can respond, Catra tugs on her hand, gesturing for Adora to sit next to Mara. Catra sits to her other side, closer than usual.
Shimmer clears her throat. "We’re meeting because we still have to deal with the fallout of our rescue of Catra and Mara."
Her eyes flicker to Catra when she says her name and she shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Adora reaches out and takes her hand under the table. Catra still feels vulnerable at times when her identity is mentioned so freely.
"How have we not found Light Hope yet?" Mermista groans, cutting to the unsaid problem. Adora silently agrees. They’ve turned the compound upside down and there’s just no trace of her.
"That’s definitely one of the issues. We’re hoping to get a lead on her soon." Shimmer gives Adora sidelong glance. "Another is Mara and the Sword of Power. The fact that someone could be controlled that way is concerning, to say the least."
Mara's eyes flicker down, hands hidden under the table.
"Entrapta can you tell us what you've learned about the Sword of Power and Mara so far?" Glimmer asks.
"Okay so, it’s fascinating how the swords work! I'm so disappointed Adora hasn't let me tinker with hers."
Adora tries to keep her face from twitching into a grimace. She swears she can hear Catra chuckle beside her.
Entrapta pulls up a diagram on her tablet, showing it to everyone. "The First Ones' swords build a psychic connection with their users, almost like a bond. The swords can sense intentions and can help the user magnify their natural abilities." Adora's eyes widen. She has never heard anything like that.
Entrapta carries on, unbothered. "Essentially, the connection between the Sword of Power and Mara was corroded and inverted, so instead of Mara's thoughts and intention being channeled through the bond, whatever directives were placed in the sword were being channeled through Mara," Entrapta explains, practically bouncing in her seat. "My theory is the longer someone has wielded the sword, the stronger the bond. I suspect that Mara had a very deep connection with the Sword of Power even before it was infected."
Everyone stays silent as all the information sinks in.
"It also explains why Catra and Adora weren't infected when they touched the sword before it was smashed," Entrapta adds, not really sensing the somber mood of the meeting.
"So anyone with a First Ones' sword could be infected and controlled like that?" Catra asks in a horrified voice. Adora feels her hairs stand on end.
"That's very likely yes." Entrapta hums as she frantically searches her notes for something.
Slowly, all the Alliance members turn to look at Adora. A shudder runs through her as she thinks about what that means for her.
"Mara, can you remember how your sword became infected?" Glimmer asks urgently.
She shakes her head helplessly. "No, I have no idea. I think I can pinpoint when it happened though because it's probably when I start drawing a blank on my memories." Mara looks at Adora. "It was right before we were going to make our escape attempt. Everything draws a blank for me there."
"What makes sense is that Light Hope found out we were going to escape, and she decided to corrupt your sword to keep you." Adora points out. "But if she had the ability to corrupt the sword, why would she do it to just you? And how would Light Hope even know to corrupt a First Ones' swords?" Adora wonders aloud with a furrowed brow.
Entrapta pipes in. "Oh, that's easy! She's clearly working with Prime!" The entire Alliance freezes, staring at Entrapta. She is too excited to notice. "The first thing I noticed about the sword is it works similar to Prime's hive mind tech! The sword and its handler are like a microcosm of a hive mind. The biggest difference is that the sword’s not really sentient as far as I can tell."
“That doesn’t make sense, the First One swords should be older than anything of Prime’s,” Arrow mutters under his breath.
Entrapta makes a noise of disagreement. "From my research, it's clear that Prime based his hivemind tech on the mechanics of the First One swords, the original hive mind if you will. Not the other way around."
"So Light Hope and Prime have been working together for as long as Prime has had his clones?" Arrow clarifies breathlessly.
Entrapta nods. "Most likely yes."
"We need to find them. If Light Hope and Prime have worked together before then she might be with him now." Adora points out. This is the breakthrough that they’d been looking for.
"We don't find Prime darling. Prime always finds us, the little snotty brat." Double Trouble reminds her. They had no idea where Prime’s headquarters was, he’s the villain they knew the least about.
Adora deflates. Not even Catra’s clutched hand in hers can make her feel better. She looks over at Mara.
“We are going to get to the bottom of this.” She promises.
By the time they get back home, Adora’s never felt so defeated. They are no closer to finding Light Hope and how had they missed that she was working with Prime? How much more did they just not know?
"’Dor did you buy milk?" Catra’s looking into the fridge again as if the milk is hiding from her somewhere.
Adora slaps her hand onto her forehead. "Cat I'm sorry, I forgot. I'll drop by tomorrow."
"We should talk about the meeting," Catra says softly.
Adora sighs exasperatedly. "What’s there to talk about Catra?” She demands. “Light Hope is somehow working with Prime of all people, the Sword of Power is lost forever, Mara’s still stuck in that safe house till Entrapta can prove she isn't a danger to anyone, and we still have no idea what Light Hope and Prime are planning."
"It all sucks," Catra states plainly.
"I feel like I've been such a wreck lately." Adora groans running a hand over her face.
"I mean you've been through a lot, Dor. And the sword thing is huge." Catra averts her gaze and Adora feels like there is something she hasn't told her.
"What are you saying?" She asks carefully, taking a step closer to Catra.
Catra gently puts her hands on Adora’s shoulders, looking up at her with naked fear. "Can we let you anywhere near Light Hope or Prime knowing they could potentially infect your sword?" She voices her concern.
She rolls her shoulders, knocking one of Catra’s hands off of her as she turns. "What other options do we have Catra?"
Catra comes around, not letting Adora hide. "You could sit it out when the time comes." The thought hasn't crossed Adora's mind. She sits back stunned for a moment.
"How could I sit it out? Light Hope is my problem." Adora’s baffled by the suggestion.
Catra shakes her head. "No. She’s the Alliance's problem and she will be a bigger problem if she can control you." She says forcefully. “C’mon everyone in that room was thinking it, Adora.”
She shakes her head taking a step back. "We don't even know that—"
"That's the point, Adora! We don't know!" Catra yells, chest heaving. She takes a deep breath, evening out her tone. "Look I get it. If this was Shadow, I would lose my shit at the thought of not being involved but is it worth the risk?"
This is nonsense. Of course, it was worth the risk. There’s no way Adora is letting Catra within a square mile of Light Hope without her. They would find a way to manage the problem and they’d fight together like they always do.
Catra must have seen the answer on Adora’s face. "Adora, you need to work on letting the people who love you take care of you. Let me take care of you." She whispers reaching for her.
Adora shakes her head. "We don't even know where Light Hope or Prime is, this is a moot point right now." Adora doesn't want to have this discussion. It isn’t going to end well.
"Will you at least think of letting us take care of this without you?" Catra pleads, taking another step closer.
Adora allows it, wrapping her arms loosely around Catra. "Sure. I'll think about it." Adora can't imagine a world in which she allows Catra to go face Light Hope without her. Catra is just going to have to accept it when the time comes.
Adora’s bouncing into the safe house with Shimmer, excited to finally have some good news for her sister. Mara raises an eyebrow when she spots Adora.
"Hey, kid do you have ants in your pants?" Mara teases.
Shimmer speaks instead. "Entrapta verified that you’re no longer under the sword’s influence." Mara looks between her two visitors. Shimmer continues. "She thinks even if they put the sword of power together again shattering it disrupted the mechanism that controlled you." Mara's shoulders drop in relief with a smile to match. "So, you've been cleared as safe, and you can reintegrate into society."
"I'm here as your ride!" Adora offers helpfully.
Mara rolls her eyes. "I don't have to live with the two lovebirds, do I?" She asks half-jokingly, eyeing Glimmer with some nerves.
"I wouldn't recommend it. I thought that getting them together would make the flirting less obnoxious but somehow it's worse." Shimmer scrunches her face in disgust.
"Hey! Catra sat in my lap because you were making fun of us it's your fault if anything." Shimmer is just never going to let go of that incident. She should’ve known that antagonizing Catra is a fool’s errand.
Mara waves her off. "Whatever. You and your girlfriend are gross and it's not news."
Adora is about to protest when Glimmer cuts in unexpectedly. "I was wondering if you would be interested in joining the Alliance?" She asks, looking straight at Mara with a determined look.
Adora recognizes that look. It’s the same look she received when Shimmer told her she was a good fit to be a superhero.
"Me?" Mara asks, dumbstruck.
Shimmer smiles softly. "I mean we already have one Grayskull Squadron defector, why not add another." She teases.
Mara is frozen for a moment before nodding slowly. "Thank you for trusting me with it I'm honored. I'll consider it."
As Adora and Mara slip out of the safe house, Adora punches her shoulder. "That's a big deal. Not everyone gets an invite like that you know?" She says excitedly.
To think, she and Mara could fight on the same side again. She knows it won’t be easy. To start, Mara has to gain the trust of all of the Alliance members and get into the swing of living in Bright Moon. But Mara is one of the brightest people Adora knows—she’s sure that her sister is up to the task.
"I know. It's just a lot right now. I'm going to have to think on it." Mara says hesitantly.
Adora nods. No one’s a bigger hero than Mara. She’ll come around. "Of course, let me know if you have questions."
Mara kicks a rock on the sidewalk, eyes looking up at the streetlights and the passing cars. "So, where are you taking me? I'm really not up for staying up all night hearing my little sister get laid." She teases.
"Mara!" She can feel her cheeks warm, so she hides her face. She looks out between her fingers. "I'm taking you to a hotel in my neighborhood. I'll help you set up an identity so you can go apartment hunting soon. Shimmer already said the Alliance is willing to help us with that regardless of whether you join or not."
The baked fear on Mara’s face made Adora’s heart hurt. "Baby steps Mar. Together." She reminds her.
Mara gives her a soft smile, "You got it squirt."
Mara looks too at home taking a bite of food and then continuing her litany of stories with Catra as her captive audience."So, when Adora was teeny tiny she used to—"
"Mara you can't tell Cat that!!" Adora isn't even sure which story Mara is about to launch into but the gleam in her eye spells bad news.
"Why not? I thought we said no more secrets babe." She points out. Catra’s chomping at the bit for Mara to say more.
"Anyways, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted—" Mara throws a glance at Adora "—Adora here had this little stuffed unicorn named Swift Wind, and she used to run around the compound pretending he could fly."
"He was an alicorn, he had wings." Adora huffs. She couldn’t let the error stand.
Mara rolls her eyes at the correction. "Okay alicorn whatever—the point being she launches it up on one of Swift Wind's flights, and it gets stuck in a tree, right?" Mara pauses relishing the power of storytelling. "So, what does Adora do? She uproots this huge tree and shakes Swift Wind down. When she drops the tree, the compound goes on red alert, everyone thought there was an earthquake or an attack." Mara lets out a full belly laugh. "Nope! Just this kid tearing up the surface of the earth." She takes a bite out of her bread and pauses for a moment. "That's how we found out that Adora has super strength." Mara finishes, a self-satisfied grin on her face.
Catra laughs loudly. "You better hope this story never gets to Perfuma or she’s going to kick your ass for being a malicious tree murder."
Adora rolls her eyes but lets Catra have her fun. Then everything goes wrong.
"Also! Adora definitely had a hidden Wildcat poster in her room!" Mara blurts out before Adora can tackle her.
"Mara I will murder you! You promised you wouldn't say!" She whines pathetically hiding her face in her hands. There is no coming back from this.
Mara tsks as she takes a drink of water. "You've had your chance kid, now I'm on the good side, can't hurt me without getting in trouble with Shimmer."
Catra had been frozen for a moment but slowly starts to thaw. Her cheeks are kind of red but Adora’s more concerned with her evil grin. "A Wildcat poster? ‘Dor I'm going to make fun of you forever, I hope you know this."
She does know. Catra is going to be insufferable. "Mara you've ruined my relationship."
"So ‘Dor do you want to go shopping for a replacement poster? I'm sure we can find one you like." Mara goads with a laugh.
"We should bring Mara around for dinner all the time," Catra adds with a cheeky smile. "Also is that why you are so obsessed with Swift Wind from the clinic?"
Adora tilts her head in confusion. "... there was never a Swift Wind in the clinic, Cat. I made him up for when I had to duck out on Alliance business."
Catra gapes at Adora looking genuinely betrayed. "Dor!!! You should have said!"
She holds her hands up in surrender. "Sorry I forgot!! It's a lot to sift through."
"I know. Damn. Your favorite horse is a lie. Wow." She processes, biting her bottom lip.
She kisses Catra softly. “I am sorry. I know we’ve talked about it but it’s okay to be upset sometimes about the lies even if we have forgiven each other.” She reminds gently. She doesn’t want Cat mad at her but she doesn’t want her shoving it down either.
“No no, I’m not mad I’m just wrapping my head around it.” She explains, responding with an enthusiastic kiss.
Mara pretends to retch loudly. Adora throws a napkin at her while Catra laughs.
Adora loves her family.
Mara and Adora sit on the back porch after Catra makes some excuse to give the sisters some time alone. They look out at the stars and it feels like the nights when they would sneak out of the compound to look up at the stars.
"So, when are you going to pop the question?" Mara asks suddenly.
Adora chokes on her own spit."Mara!"
Mara laughs loudly, holding her stomach. "What? I see the way you look at Catra, there’s no way you aren't imagining whisking her off onto a ranch with like three horses and ten kids." Adora blushes furiously at the mental image she definitely has never had. Nope.
"We've only been dating for like eight months and we just moved in together a few weeks ago." Adora points out.
Mara sends her an incredulous look. "You know I get visits from Shimmer right? I know all about this multi-year pining fiasco you two have actively participating in."
"Ugh Shimmer." It’s a curse and a lament. Can she have no secrets anymore?
"Yeah, she really seems like the wronged party here, I mean the things she had to keep to herself—like graduation? Oh, man—"
Adora interrupts. "I don't want to hear about Shimmer's take about my love life when all she does is moon over Arrow." She says scathingly. They all might act like she and Catra are the oblivious ones, but she’s seen the way those two dance around each other.
"How the tables have turned! So, Shimmer has a superhero crush too? Seems like a good bonding opportunity 'Dora." Mara teases.
"Ugh, you're so annoying!" Adora bumps Mara, mindful not to do it too hard.
Mara laughs her eyes warm as she puts a hand on Adora’s shoulder. "I know."
Adora sighs, really contemplating Mara’s question. "Look—I love Catra with all that I am. I have no doubt that one day, if Catra wants it—” She trails off, worried saying the words would root them in her heart. “But we’ve just started to be completely honest with each other recently. I'm not asking her to marry me until we feel out our relationship."
She wants Catra for forever. So much could have already gone wrong, and they are finally on the same page. Adora isn’t taking it for granted. She isn’t going to rush into it.
"That all sounds very sensible. Reasonable even." Mara says approvingly, but the curious look she gives Adora tells a different story. "Is that what you want?"
"If I had my way, I'd marry her tomorrow.” The words make their way out of Adora without her approval. That doesn’t make them any less true. “But I'm willing to wait to make sure it's right."
Mara smiles and nudges Adora. "That's romantic ‘Dor." She sing songs.
Adora rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Mar."
They enjoy the quiet for a few moments longer before Mara breaks it. "I've decided to turn down Shimmer's offer."
"You don't want to join the Alliance." Adora echoes in shock.
Mara sighs, looking down at her hands. "You know when I kidnapped Catra? I remember telling her not to make a home with you because you were raised to be a weapon." Adora flinches. Mara looks her in the eyes, absolutely miserable. "It was a cruel thing to say but it was true. I was raised a weapon too, Adora. I want to find something that fulfills me outside of fighting. I know that it works for you and maybe someday it will for me too but—"
She struggles for a moment, her breathing getting heavier.
"I want to do something else you know?" She admits quietly, hunched over herself on the back porch.
Adora wraps Mara into a hug. "Mara, I support you no matter what.” Privately, she’ll mourn not having Mara on the Alliance but she’ll support her sister first. “Do you know what you want to do?"
She smiles timidly. "I have no clue. But I guess that's the fun of it right?" She asks as if Adora has the answer.
Adora looks at her for a moment. "Honestly? That sounds anxiety-inducing."
"That's how we are different, kid." Mara laughs, still hugging her back.
"I'm proud of you. For doing what you think is best for you, even if it's scary." Adora says, meaning it. "I hope you find what you are looking for Mar."
"Me too kid, me too." As they stare at the stars together, a piece of the relationship they lost falls into place.