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Chapter Text

When Bow and Glimmer sit her down wearing twin somber expressions, Adora assumes this is going to be an intervention about the turkey.

“I know that I shouldn’t encourage Sea Hawk,” she says quickly. “But I’m the reason we were far enough away from the house that the fire didn’t cause any property damage!” Bow grimaces, and Glimmer’s disapproving look intensifies. “Okay, there's a small burn patch on the lawn, but the internet says that's actually good for the soil—”

“Adora, this isn't about the turkey,” Glimmer says. “Well, not directly. You haven't done something this reckless with Sea Hawk in years. It's clearly a cry for help.”

Adora frowns. She has always felt a certain camaraderie with Sea Hawk since they had come into the family around the same time. In Adora's case, she technically came back into the family, but she didn't really remember being a part of it as a toddler when her late mom, Mara, and her now adoptive mom, Hope, had been together. Regardless, she and Sea Hawk bonded early on over feeling unsure about their place and may have channeled their anxieties and need to prove themselves into some ill-advised adventures over the years.

But that wasn't what today was about! Adora just wanted to help Sea Hawk realize his long held dream of deep frying a turkey. She did a ton of research and she was confident they could pull it off safely. She remained confident right up until the Dragon's Daughter III started billowing flames and launched the smoking bird carcass ten feet into the air.

On second thought, the name of Sea Hawk's deep fryer probably should have given her pause.

“You've been really pushing yourself at work lately,” Glimmer continues. “I know that the Heart of Etheria project is your baby and there's no point in encouraging you to slow down once it kicks off at the start of the year. Which is all the more reason that you need to take a break now.”

“You're well prepared,” Bow agrees. “And you need rest.”

“I'm taking a few days off at the end of December,” Adora protests.

“That's barely any time,” Glimmer says. “Most of that will be spent doing family Christmas traditions, and you'll run yourself ragged making sure to have quality time with every single relative that's come in from out of town like you always do.” Adora tries to interject but Glimmer silences her with a hand. “I know you enjoy it and are trying to make up for lost time, but it's still not relaxing.”

Adora doesn't think it will help to point out that she hates relaxing. “I know it may seem like there is not much left to do for the Heart of Etheria project before it launches in January, but…look at what happened with the turkey today! I was so prepared. I had a battle plan. And then—whoosh! Flying bird!" She frowns. "But not the kind of bird that's supposed to fly. A flying fiery death bird!”

Adora might be a little drunk. She and Sea Hawk had an emotional funeral for the turkey that involved a lot of toasting.

“The Foundation has a very competent staff that can handle any last minute fires,” Glimmer says. “Which there won't be, because Sea Hawk has nothing to do with it, and because you’re very good at your job. I have been working with Flutterina to reassign your upcoming tasks and meetings and make sure you have nothing important scheduled for the last three weeks of December.”

“Three weeks?” Adora splutters. She can't believe her assistant would betray her like this.

“I think it's very generous of us to let you work for the next two weeks and tie up anything you absolutely can't bear to put on someone else,” Glimmer says, then rubs her hands together eagerly. “Besides, we need that time to make arrangements for your vacation! What do you want to do? Go to a nice relaxing spa? Maybe take a ski trip or something else athletic since you're allergic to resting?”

“Whoa whoa whoa—”

“Oh, horseback riding! That's perfect for you! I'm sure we can find you a ranch retreat with winter availability somewhere—”

“You can't force me to take a vacation!” Adora says.

Glimmer sighs. “Adora, you need this. When was the last time you took a break that wasn't just a constant parade of family time? When was the last time you got laid?”

Adora flushes. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“If you can't remember, it's been too long,” Glimmer says.

“I think what Glimmer is trying to say is that we're concerned about your well being,” Bow says. “You know the statistics on burn out in the non-profit and philanthropy sectors. You say you want to promote a healthy work culture for our staff, but that message is undercut if you don't model that same behavior.”

Adora tries to object again but is cut off.

“Adora, just think about it,” Glimmer says. “Close your eyes. Visualize your dream holiday and tell us what you see.”

Adora feels silly, but she reluctantly closes her eyes and follows Glimmer's instructions.

Visualize your dream holiday…

Her mind travels back in time. She's walking hand in hand with Catra between Douglass fir trees, snow crunching beneath her boots, a sweet and salty taste on her tongue.

“Thaymor,” Adora breathes.

Glimmer's brow furrows in confusion. “What's a Thaymor?”

Bow already has his phone out. “Looks like a small town in the Whispering Woods—maybe half an hour from where Adora grew up. Population just over two thousand. Known for...um, goats? And its Christmas tree farm.”

“We used to go there,” Adora blurts. “I mean—when Weaver was sober, and things were kind-of okay, she'd take us to the farm for the holidays. They had this, like, cranberry popcorn?”

“Of course your ideal vacation is flying across the country for a specific food item,” Glimmer teases, her tone fond.

Adora frowns. “It's stupid. Never mind. I just—before holidays with all of you, those were my only happy Christmas memories. Other than...” spending them with Catra.

She doesn't need to say it. They all know.

“It's not stupid, Adora,” Bow says gently.

“I'll have Flutterina look into it first thing Monday morning,” Glimmer says.

“She's supposed to be my assistant,” Adora grumbles.

Glimmer laughs.

*~*~*

When she receives an email from Flutterina on Monday with the subject “Thaymor” the drunken conversation comes flooding back. She rolls her eyes when she sees Glimmer CC’ed.

Given that the small town is hardly a tourist destination, several lodging options were still available for the holiday season, and Flutterina provided links to a few rental cabins she recommended based on her research. Local “attractions” (Flutterina had put it in judgmental quotes) were the farms Bow had mentioned, and the Whispering Woods hiking trails on the periphery of the town.

Thaymor apparently takes the holiday season very seriously: events she could attend during her stay include a gingerbread house contest, reindeer sleigh rides, some kind-of snowball melee fight, a meet and greet with Santa (okay, she was pretty sure Flutterina was mocking her by including that one), and a winter solstice ceremony featuring guided meditation.

Flutterina ended the email with the note: Are you sure this is what you want to do with your time off? I heard a spa was on the table.

Adora stares at the message, turning it over in her mind. This idea had essentially come from her drunken brain free associating, but it’s not like she had any better ideas. Well, other than Glimmer letting her out of this mandatory vacation nonsense and working like she originally planned. The end of the year is a very busy time in philanthropy! And, okay, that's mostly on the fundraising side, and her job technically slows down around the holidays. But that's what makes it such a great time for planning and getting organized for the year ahead!

Despite herself, she feels a spark in her chest when she reads the section of the email about the hiking trails through the Whispering Woods. Not all of her childhood was bad, and while even the good times could be painful to remember given how many of them revolved around someone who was no longer in her life, she definitely had a lot of happy memories exploring those woods. It would be nice to see them again after so many years away.

Plus, there were a lot of childhood holiday experiences she missed out on. Maybe going to a festive small town could heal some of those wounds.

Glimmer was right that she filled every second of the holidays with family bonding in part to make up for lost time, but it was also to try and fill the hole left by the one person who was always missing. Maybe this trip could be the final step in making peace with that.

Or maybe it will trigger a breakdown that had been building for nine years. At least that would teach Bow and Glimmer not to force her to take a vacation.

She gives Flutterina the go ahead to make the arrangements.

*~*~*

Adora leaves for Thaymor on a Sunday, grabbing brunch with Bow and Glimmer before heading to the airport. The cabin is a little smaller and more...rustic than it looked in the photos, but it's still charming. She unpacks a little, goes for a small grocery run to stock her kitchen with the basics she'll need for her two week stay, and then retires early after the long day of travel.

Adora wakes with the sunrise, and decides to go on a morning run through the Whispering Woods. The way the early light filters through the trees lends them an almost magical sparkle that's even more breathtaking than she remembers.

Afterwards she walks into town for a coffee and breakfast. She gets acquainted with the co-owner of the town’s diner/bakery after complimenting her undercut. Netossa convinces her to try one of the pastries prepared that morning by her wife, the other co-owner and lead baker, and it's a truly transcendent experience.

After breakfast, Adora explores Main Street, and even gets some gift shopping done. She's had Christmas presents picked out for months, of course. She has a whole spreadsheet for it. But there are always upcoming birthdays, and it's never too early to get started on shopping for next year. She also picks up some souvenirs she can bring back to prove to Bow and Glimmer that she vacationed successfully.

She has finished a lap around the entirety of Thaymor’s modest downtown by noon. She goes back to the cabin and prepares herself some lunch. After eating, she tries to start one of the books Bow insisted on packing for her, but she feels antsy.

It's less than a day in and she is already itching to get back to work. She brought her laptop with her, but she's pretty sure Glimmer had Flutterina temporarily locked her out of her foundation email and files. What is she supposed to do all week when she can't work and doesn't know anybody? It's a Monday, and none of the events from Flutterina's research are happening until later in the week.

Eventually she decides it's time to rip off the band-aid and go back to the place that inspired this trip in the first place.

*~*~*

It occurs to Adora when she arrives that it's probably strange to be going to a Christmas tree farm when she has no intention of buying a tree. She is leaving Thaymor a few days before Christmas. The family is holding off on decorating their tree until she returns. There is probably no rule against coming for some festive popcorn and to take a look around, but she suddenly feels nervous. There aren't many other cars in the parking lot—it's a weekday afternoon, after all, and most people are still at work or school—and so she will be even more noticeable as some weirdo loitering around trees she has no intention of purchasing.

She hesitates at the entrance for several minutes before hearing the shock of a familiar voice.

“Adora!?”

She turned to see a white man with delicate features and shaggy blonde hair approaching her, grinning wide.

“Kyle!” Adora says, stepping forward and throwing her arms around him. “What are you doing here?”

Last she had heard Kyle was studying environmental science in Salineas. Then again, that had been several years back when she was still in undergrad too. They had stayed in contact sporadically after Adora left Ms. Weaver's, but between living on opposite sides of the country and their busy school and work schedules, they eventually fell out of touch.

Adora thinks the fact that they probably reminded each other of the person they were missing most might have also been part of it.

“Rogelio has a job with the grounds crew here, and once I got my masters I applied for the research director position,” Kyle says after they pull apart.

“Rogelio's here?” Adora asks, breathless. “You found him?”

Kyle nods. Adora feels tears stinging in the corners of her eyes and throws her arms around him again.

“So, Catra didn't mention us, huh?” Kyle says with a chuckle.

Adora is glad they're hugging again and he can't see her face, because she is pretty sure all the blood has drained from it.

She has to have misheard him. Catra can't be here. She was a programmer who had been rising the ranks at Prime Corp until she disappeared off the face of the internet several years back. What would she possibly be doing in Thaymor?

It must be a mistake. Kyle found Rogelio, and against all odds they were both working here together at this Christmas tree farm from their shared childhood. So, now her brain is convinced that Catra is going to be here too and it's causing her to have an extremely vivid auditory hallucination.

“I can't believe she didn't mention that you were visiting,” Kyle says. “Lonnie is going to have a field day when I tell her. Do you want me to show you to her office?”

Adora finds herself nodding, though she wasn't sure why. “Her office” could mean anyone's office. He just mentioned Lonnie, maybe it was Lonnie's office. Lonnie was working as a public defender the last Adora heard, but her inexplicably working here on this Christmas tree farm is far more logical than Catra working here.

She follows Kyle through the farm as he talks about the research he is doing—something about forest restoration and studying the unique ecosystem of the Whispering Woods. It's probably very interesting, but Adora is having trouble focusing on it.

Far too quickly, they reach a small wooden building that looks more like a shed than an office. Kyle opens the door and Adora feels her heart stop.

The space is warm and cozy, containing two desks arranged in an L. Holiday decorations, photos, and children's drawings line the wooden walls. The desk to the right of the entrance is currently empty, but sitting at the desk directly in front of them, blue and golden eyes trained on a monitor, is Catra.

Her face has matured, and her mane is shorter and tamer than Adora has ever seen it, tapering off at her shoulders. She's wearing a maroon sweater vest over a white button up, with the two top buttons undone.

Even in the unflattering glow of the computer screen, she looks stunning.

“Hey, boss,” Kyle says cheerfully. “Look who I found at the entrance.”

Catra glances up, her entire body going rigid as soon as she registers Adora's presence.

Oblivious, Kyle turns back to Adora. “We should get dinner and catch up! This weekend Rogelio and I are supposed to head down to Seaworthy to see Lonnie, but I bet she'd switch and come up to see us if you're still going to be in town then.”

Adora nods numbly, holding her phone out to Kyle so he can input his new number while she shoots nervous glances over his shoulder at Catra. She still hasn't moved or spoken, and Adora is having trouble reading her. She doesn't seem angry at least, but maybe that will set in after the shock wears off.

“Alright, I'm going to head back to work,” Kyle says. He doesn't seem to have noticed that the pair of them are standing as stiff and frozen as a couple of snow women. “I'll text you!”

He steps out of the tiny building, the door closing behind him with a heavy thump.

Catra rises from her chair, then doesn't seem to know what to do next and stands awkwardly behind her desk. “Hey, Adora.”

Her raspy voice is a little deeper than in Adora's treasured memories, and her tone is so...soft. The way it used to sound late at night, when her defenses were stripped away and it was just the two of them.

(The way it used to sound when Catra still loved her.)

Adora bursts into tears.

Chapter Text

Catra has imagined her reunion with Adora many times. As a teenager, she fantasized about Adora groveling for her forgiveness and promising never to leave her again. Any crying would turn to tears of joy when Catra pulled her into a sweeping kiss straight out of the movies. On days where she was feeling more vindictive, she imagined Adora weeping from a broken heart after Catra rejected her.

As the years passed, she started imagining less dramatic re-encounters. They would meet by chance, Adora would see how wildly successful Catra had become and regret all of her choices.

When Catra's life crashed and burned and she started to realize she had been prioritizing all the wrong things, she began to look back on the situation with Adora differently. It had been years since they had spoken at that point, and that was all Catra's fault. She considered reaching out, but what good would that have done? The worst thing she could imagine was trying to apologize or reconnect, and being met with indifference. After all, Adora had probably moved on. Catra was always the one who had trouble letting anything go.

But now Adora is sobbing in her office, and that is definitely worse.

She scrambles out from behind her desk and crosses over to try and offer comfort, before stopping herself. Adora might not want her to get close. For all Catra knows, these are tears of rage.

Adora looks up in surprise at her sudden proximity. Teardrops cling to her eyelashes and only highlight the clear, striking pools of blue that jolt Catra right back to her adolescent yearning.

"I-I'm sorry," Adora finally manages to gasp out.

Catra snaps back to the present moment where she is definitely not a hopelessly lovestruck teenager and frowns. "Why are you sorry?"

"B-because I-I'm—" she gestures to her tear-soaked face.

"Don't apologize for having emotions," Catra says gently, then hesitates. "Would a hug help?"

Adora freezes, eyes boring into hers. At least the shock of Catra's words seems to have stopped the crying.

Catra immediately feels like an idiot. This stupid touchy feely small town has addled her brains. She saw Adora hurting and wanted to help, but Adora is probably hurting because of her. Of course she wouldn't want a hug from—

Slowly, like she's afraid any sudden moves might scare Catra off, Adora nods.

Catra takes a deep breath and closes the small gap between them. She wraps her arms around Adora's shoulders slowly to give her plenty of time to back out.

The embrace feels brand new and achingly familiar. Adora's face presses into her neck and Catra doesn't even care that her fur is getting wet.

Adora gasps, and Catra realizes she's started purring. It's just to soothe Adora, obviously. Adora clutches her closer, and her shoulders shake with renewed sobs. Catra just holds her through it, purring and nuzzling the side of her head.

After several moments, Adora's breathing evens out, and she pulls back until they're face to face. Without thinking, Catra reaches up and cradles her cheek with one hand, wiping the tear tracks away with her thumb.

Adora's eyes go wide at the gesture and they both freeze, faces dangerously close.

Adora pulls back sharply, leaving Catra cold. "Sorry, you-you need to work. I didn't mean to bother you—"

"You're not bothering me," Catra says.

Adora looks annoyed by that response for some reason, puffing herself up with a deep breath. "Well, you've made it clear you don't want to be a part of each other's lives. So, I'll just go and you'll never have to see me again."

Adora turns to the door, and Catra grabs her wrist in a panic. "Adora, please. Stay." Adora pauses, but doesn't say anything. "I understand if I'm way too late and you don't want to hear it, but I owe you an apology."

Adora takes a shaking breath and turns to face her. She pulls out of Catra's gentle grasp, hugging herself in an uncannily familiar self-soothing move. "Okay."

Catra desperately tries to remember the speech she's practiced in her head more times than she can count.

"I never should have cut you out of my life," she says. "You deserved better. I was angry and hurt and told myself that you broke our promise by leaving, but it was me. I broke my promise to you, and I broke us. I'm sorry."

There's a long moment of silence where Adora's expression is unnervingly unreadable before she speaks. "Okay."

Catra blinks. "…Okay?"

Adora rolls her eyes. "Yeah, okay. Are you waiting for me to say I forgive you?"

"That's not what I—"

"Because I do," Adora says. Despite the words, her tone is clipped. "I forgave you years ago, Catra. We were both young and stupid and could have handled things better. Even back when I was crying myself to sleep every night because you wouldn't talk to me, I understood why you were angry. I knew you better than I knew myself back then. I was hurt, but I would have taken you back in an instant. Even if you still thought I was wrong, or were just too proud to apologize. You were a part of me, and I missed you every day."

Catra's heart beats wildly in her chest. She's done a lot of her work on her self-loathing over the years, but it still feels like a small miracle to hear that Adora cared for her even at her very worst. "I missed you, too. Every day."

"But you chose this, Catra!" Adora snaps. "Every day between then and now. The only reason we're finally talking is because I wandered into your workplace on a random nostalgia kick."

Catra winces. "You're right. I-I've been a coward. I spent so long pushing you away. I was afraid that if I ever tried to reach out that I'd get the same treatment back, so I never gave you a choice. It was selfish."

Adora sniffs, some of the anger seeming to leak out of her. "So, what happens now?"

"Whatever you want," Catra says. "We can talk things out more if you want closure. We can catch up while you're in town and feel out trying to be in each other's lives again. Or you can walk away for good. I'll respect whatever you decide."

Adora is silent for a long time, and just when Catra doesn't think she can bear it any more, she opens her mouth. "I—"

Catra doesn't get to hear what she was planning to say however, because for the second time that afternoon her office door unexpectedly opens. A blonde ball of energy shoots inside, immediately attaching herself to Catra's knee.

The little girl turns to Adora, her stinger swaying. "Who are you?"

A huffing Scorpia appears in the doorway next. "Flora, you know you're not supposed to run ahead!"

Her jaw drops when she spots Adora, whose eyes are wide as hubcaps as they ping pong between Scorpia and Flora.

"Adora! Wow!" Scorpia says, shooting her an almost manic smile before turning to Catra. "Flora, honey, it looks like this is a bad time…"

"It's fine!" Adora says, plastering on her own far too wide smile. "I'm clearly the one interrupting! I really just came here for some popcorn. So…I'm gonna go!"

She darts out of the open exit.

"Adora, wait!" Catra calls. She tries to follow after her and nearly trips due to the extra weight on her leg. She looks down at the small child whom she dearly loves, but had completely forgotten about. "Please let go, little bug. I need to go talk to my friend."

The word is almost painfully inaccurate, but the dynamics at play here are probably a bit complex for a three-and-a-half year old. Flora pouts, but reluctantly releases her. Scorpia steps forward to try and collect her, which ends up blocking Catra's path and delaying her for another several intolerable seconds.

By the time she gets outside, there's no sign of a blonde pony tail.

"Adora!" she yells into the brisk air.

She does a small loop around the area. On the off chance Adora really was just fiending for the popcorn, she heads over to the concession stand. None of the staff has seen anyone matching Adora's description.

With a heavy sigh, she makes her way back to her office. It looks like Adora made her choice.

*~*~*

As soon as Adora gets back to the cabin, she texts 911 to the BFS chat and begins frantically throwing all of her things into her suitcase.

After a few moments, a video call lights up her phone. Adora answers, propping the phone up against the pillows of the bed. She launches into an account of her whole afternoon as she continues to pack.

"You're just leaving?" Bow says once she's finished.

"Of course I'm leaving!" Adora says. "She and Scorpia have a kid together. A whole ass child with Scorpia's stinger and Catra's adorable freckles. She bought a Christmas tree farm and is living in a domestic small town fairytale with the girl she started dating as soon as I left. If that's not a sign to get the hell out of here, what is?"

"Maybe this is a good thing!" Glimmer says. "You can finally move on after being hung up on her for a decade."

"I'm not hung up on her," Adora says.

"Riiight," Glimmer says. "That's why you're fleeing town after seeing her in a relationship with someone else."

"That's not what this is about!" Adora screeches.

She was jealous of Scorpia when she was younger, obviously. Even before she left, the fact that Scorpia could so openly crush on and flirt with Catra rankled her. Adora and Catra always had to be so careful due to their circumstances, even if they knew how they felt about each other. Then Adora agreed to move across the country with Hope, and Catra blocked her across all platforms. A few months later she found out from Scorpia's public Instagram that the two of them were dating.

But that was, as Glimmer points out, nearly a decade ago. It took a few years, but Adora did eventually move on. Due to her busy schedule, she has mostly dated casually and has yet to fall in love again. But she hasn't just been waiting around and pining for her high school almost-sweetheart.

While she hasn't been hung up on Catra in the way that Glimmer is implying, she has never stopped thinking about her. Before they were anything else, they were best friends. They were each other's rock in that terrible home, and Adora felt guilty for so long for abandoning Catra there. Adora was terrified of what might happen to her, or what she might do to herself as a result of her pain and rage. The posts about Catra and Scorpia hurt to look at, but Adora was ultimately grateful for them for letting her know that Catra was still alive and had some kind of support.

Once they were both adults, she gradually evolved from borderline-obsessive to only occasional cyberstalking. By the time Adora graduated college, she was down to sporadically checking in on Catra's LinkedIn profile, which showed her becoming just as successful as she always planned.

Then, inexplicably, Catra disappeared off the face of the internet entirely a few years back and Adora had a small breakdown. Not because of any lingering romantic feelings, but because for all she knew something terrible had happened to her first and best friend. Career success didn't necessarily mean someone had a good support system, and it couldn't erase the effects of a lifetime of trauma. Adora kicked herself for not trying harder to get in touch, especially once years had passed and the fires of anger may have finally cooled. She should have done more to make sure that Catra was okay.

Well, it turns out Catra is just fine and never needed her after all. She has a family, and her own business, and is back on friendly terms with Kyle, Rogelio, and Lonnie. Everyone besides Adora that she was remotely close to in high school is still in her life. Good for her!

Adora isn't going to stick around where she clearly isn't wanted.

"Maybe take a night to sleep on it," Bow advises. "You can always come home if you really need to. But even if you don't want to reconnect with her, it might be good to take her up on her offer to get closure."

"Closure is made up," Glimmer says. "Nothing good can come from getting cozy with your hot, taken ex. If you want to get 'closure' with her, at least wait until you have a hot girlfriend of your own to brag about."

"Glimmer's had a couple of glasses of wine tonight," Bow says. "Maybe take what she says with grain of salt."

"Take it with a whole margarita! You're on vacation!" Glimmer crows, as if this whole ordeal hasn’t proven Adora’s point that taking vacations is a terrible idea.

Eventually Adora does agree to sleep on it. Talking to her cousin and best friend has made her feel a little better. There are no flights out until the morning, anyway.

She tosses and turns all night. Even though it's been years since she was lulled to sleep by Catra's purrs, one afternoon of briefly experiencing them again has her feeling adrift without.

Chapter Text

Adora anxiously drums her gloved hands against the steering wheel. She nearly jumps out of her skin when Catra knocks on her window, despite it being what she was waiting for. Catra grins as she walks around and climbs into the passenger seat.

“I can’t believe you stole Principal Hordak's car!” she says, her tone breathless and her cheeks adorably pink from the cold.

“Merry Christmas?” Adora says.

They've been taking Shadow's car since they were twelve, but only out of necessity to get groceries when their guardian was on a bender. One time they stole a stranger's car, just to test out if the hot-wiring skills Adora had been teaching herself out of random car manuals and library books really worked. They drove it once around the block, and then left it back where they found it.

This car is much newer and the tricks Adora knows probably wouldn't have worked, but that doesn't matter when she knows exactly where in the office Hordak keeps his car keys. The office was empty when she went, but no one would have looked twice if they saw her there. She often helps out after school to give her something to do when Catra has to stay late, so they can still walk home together.

“It was just really unfair," Adora says, feeling nervous under Catra's gaze suddenly. “He shouldn't have given you detention for something so stupid on the last day before Christmas break. I figured we can drive out to the woods, ditch it, and hike back…Unless this is too much! We can just leave it here in this alley and walk home.”

“Are you kidding?” Catra says, her face breaking into a wide grin. “This is the coolest thing you've ever done. Let's take this baby out to the woods!”

*~*~*

Adora doesn't really believe the legends that the Whispering Woods move on their own. Even if the magic is real, it would have no reason to help them out. Regardless, they make weirdly good time getting back to town on foot. It's good news for making curfew, but part of Adora wishes the hike down had taken longer as they turn onto their block.

Alone time with Catra never feels long enough. She tries to ignore those kinds of thoughts, since she is pretty sure her best friend doesn't feel the same way about her. Catra has been more distant lately, and a lot of the little gestures of affection they have always shared have disappeared. Maybe they're just growing up and leaving the innocent cuddles and petting of childhood behind, but Adora fears the shift in behavior has another source. One of the seniors in Catra's AP Math class has an obvious crush on her. If Scorpia's flirting is obvious to Adora, then Catra has to be aware of it as well, even if she hasn't said anything about it.

Adora is trying not to focus on it. She has plenty of other things to occupy her mind, like committing grand theft auto to make her best friend smile.

"You have to admit, I won," Adora says. "There's no way your Christmas present is beating mine."

They have always gotten creative with gifts. They don't get spending money, and if they somehow manage to scrounge up cash for presents, there is always a risk of them being confiscated by Weaver. So, they usually do some kind of activity or gesture for the other person.

Catra has been hinting for weeks about how the present she got for Adora is going to blow anything Adora could get her out of the water. Obviously, Adora had to rise to the challenge.

"Nice try, princess," Catra says. "Mine is still going to crush yours."

Adora pouts. "Do I at least get a hint?"

Catra just gives her a small, mysterious smile. "You'll know when it's time."

They make it home and Adora drops the subject. She follows Catra inside, and is surprised when she makes an unexpected detour into Kyle's room. Lonnie is hanging out in there, so the door is open. Adora considers Kyle and Lonnie her friends, but Lonnie and Catra have a contentious relationship at best, and her relationship with Kyle isn't much better.

Catra wordlessly fishes into her backpack and then tosses a thick book out. It lands with a soft thud on Kyle's mattress.

Kyle looks down at it in disbelief, like he is expecting some kind of cruel prank. Lonnie, crossing her arms and giving Catra a hard look, seems to be thinking the same. Kyle has been in pretty low spirits since Rogelio was transferred out, and Lonnie's been acting extra protective ever since.

"How did you get your hands on that?" she says. "Even the book stores are sold out."

Adora realizes it's the latest book in Kyle's favorite fantasy series. It was just released this month, and the wait list at the library for it is nearly a year long. Kyle has been worried about getting spoiled at school.

"Douche on the robotics team was bragging about having three copies," Catra says with a shrug. "If he wanted to keep having three copies, he shouldn't have let this one stick so obviously out of his book bag."

"Thanks, Catra," Kyle says, looking genuinely touched.

Catra's ears pin back. "Merry Christmas or whatever."

She immediately turns and speeds out of the room. Adora quickly catches up and nudges Catra with her shoulder. "That was sweet."

Catra's tail lashes. "I'm not sweet. Did you miss the part where I'm framing him for theft? He's an idiot for falling for it."

Instead of shoving her back or pouncing in retaliation like she used to do, Catra steps to the side, moving out of reach as they walk down the hall.

Adora tries not to show the way it makes her heart fall.

*~*~*

When Catra emerges in her nicest black pants and a blazer, Adora's brain breaks a little. Today is the day she is supposed to be getting her present. Is Catra dressing up her present? Because it kind-of feels like it...

Catra smirks at her. "Ready to go, dummy?"

Adora manages to pull her jaw up off the floor and nod eagerly. As they head to the bus stop, her brain finally comes back online. "Wait. Why are you dressed up when you told me to wear sturdy clothes I could get dirty?"

"Because I'm not going to be getting dirty," Catra says with an infuriating grin. "Just you."

Adora tries to think about what that could possibly mean, while trying very hard not to think about the way Catra's voice oozed as she said getting dirty. She can't help but feel like she'll be disappointed if whatever activity Catra has planned doesn't involve both of them. Her favorite part of their Christmas traditions is spending time together.

Their destination requires taking two buses. They've never traveled this far away from their neighborhood by themselves before. When they finally reach their stop, Adora wonders if Catra is pulling some kind of prank. They're the only people exiting along the rural road. They start walking, passing farmhouses and stretches of empty land until—

"Horses!" Adora says, coming to a dead stop at the fence beside them. Even at a distance, the creatures look majestic, gray and white coats popping against the muddy brown of the winter pasture and dirt track.

"Merry Christmas," Catra says.

Catra definitely won, and Adora can't even be mad. She is pretty sure she's only ever seen a real horse up close once before, but it was before foster care and she is never sure if the fragmented memories she has of that time are accurate. It's one of the few memories Adora has with her mom, and she wants it to be real. But for all she knows, she's remembering some horse movie she liked to watch as a toddler.

Adora's excitement spills out in an excited gush. "How long can we stay and watch them? Do you think the owners will mind? Do you think they'll come closer? We should have brought treats!"

Now Catra's face turns cocky. "Do you think I brought you all this way just to look? I'm stealing you a horse."

Adora's jaw drops. "What? Catra, horses aren't like cars! We can't just take one out for a joy ride!"

"Wanna bet?" Catra says, a dangerous grin slowly crawling across her face.

Adora reaches out and grabs her, half-concerned she's about to hop the fence. "Catra, what are you talking about?"

Catra rolls her eyes. "Relax. I called around pretending to be a social worker looking for a place that would donate a riding lesson for a poor orphan whose only Christmas wish was to meet a horse. These people ate it up. I forged Weaver's signature on the guardian consent form, and I have a fake ID from Entrapta so good that it could probably get me into the pentagon. People are bad at guessing magicat ages, anyway. Just let me do all the talking at first."

Adora can't believe how much thought and effort Catra put into this. She wordlessly trails after her toward the entrance, not sure how much of the fluttering in her stomach is due to her potentially being moments away from a life long dream and how much is because of Catra.

Adora is nervous as they check in, though hopefully that just reads as excited and not complicit in a crime. Catra remains collected and professional, and before Adora knows it an instructor is meeting them at the desk and leading her out to the barn.

The woman patiently answers Adora's fire hose of questions and humors her by stopping to introduce her to every horse they pass on their way until they finally reach the stall of the horse Adora is going to ride. The only thing that is keeping Adora remotely calm is the instructor reminding her that horses are very attune to emotions, and too much exuberance might overwhelm them.

Her horse for the day is named Storm, and she has a beautiful copper coat. The instructor assures her Storm has a very mild temperament, but they still spend some time letting the horse get acclimated to Adora's presence. Adora gets to feed her apple slices from her palm, and she's pretty sure she has an out-of-body experience when she pets her velvety snout.

She hasn't even gotten in the saddle yet, and it's already the best day of her life.

*~*~*

Catra wasn't allowed in the barn due to her lack of proper footwear, so Adora meets her back in the reception area when she's finished.

"Good lesson, pr- Adora?" she corrects quickly.

"The best," Adora gushes, though she's sure it shows by how she's grinning ear to ear.

They thank the equestrian center staff again, and begin the trek home.

"I wish you could have come, too," Adora says, because it really is the only thing that would have made the afternoon better.

Catra rolls her eyes, but she's smiling fondly. "I don't find those beasts quite as enchanting as you do."

"Too bad," Adora says. "Because the only way you can possibly one-up this present next year is by going riding with me."

Is she already fantasizing about a romantic trail ride in a double saddle? Maybe. She knows it's delusional, but just this once she lets herself indulge a bit.

Catra snorts. "Even if I was willing to climb on the back of one of those things, that's probably going to have to wait until we're both eighteen."

The high Adora was experiencing falls a bit. Those kinds of casual references to their future plans used to make her feel warm, but lately she can't help but wonder if they're really going to happen.

Due to when their birthdays fall, Catra is a year ahead of her in school and a junior already, meaning there will be an inevitable period of separation between Catra's high school graduation and Adora aging out of foster care at eighteen. Beyond that, Catra seems ahead of Adora in every way. She's always gotten better grades, and her robotics team goes to nationals every year. Her old teammate Entrapta is a super genius who got snatched up by Prime Corp as soon as she graduated last spring. Based on her recommendation, Catra is already set up to have an internship with them this summer and will probably be able to take the same path after senior year.

The two of them have looked out for each other the entire time they've lived in Weaver's home, but Adora is starting to wonder if she'll really have anything to offer Catra once they leave it. Especially if Catra is already establishing herself in a lucrative career, and definitely if she has a girlfriend she'd probably rather live with instead.

"Do you like Scorpia?" she blurts out.

Catra stops in her tracks in surprise. "What? Where did that come from?"

Adora feels her face heat. "It's just—we never really talk about that kind of thing. And she obviously likes you."

Adora tries to keep the bitterness out of her tone, but fails.

Catra's expression is still confused. "Are you…jealous?"

Adora knows her blush darkens. "Pfft. Who, me? Jealous? I never said that."

"You are," Catra says, realization dawning on her features. Then she bursts out in delighted, high-pitched laughter.

Normally Adora loves that sound, but right now it's making her stomach sink. Catra wouldn't mock her for her feelings, right? They tease and goad each other all the time, but never about anything that really matters.

"Well, at least now you know what it's like," Catra says finally, wiping a tear of mirth away.

"What?" Adora says.

"Adora, half your team has crushes on you," Catra says. "Not to mention, like, every queer cheerleader."

Adora knows she can be a bit oblivious, but… "That can't be true."

"It definitely is," Catra says. She's better at covering the bitterness in her tone than Adora was, but Adora still picks it up.

Does it mean what Adora desperately wants it to?

"So…you don't like Scorpia?" Adora says, the question coming out embarrassingly hopeful.

Catra gives her a soft, sparkling look. "You're such an idiot."

Adora feels giddy, reaching out like she's imagined doing a hundred times before, cradling Catra's face in her hands and stepping closer until—

"Wait," Catra gasps, going rigid.

Adora pulls back, instantly ashamed. Of course she read this wrong, why would Catra want her? Catra's been putting distance between them for months and building a future she certainly doesn't need Adora for—

"Adora, I want to," Catra says, her voice cracking. "We just can't. Not yet. You know it's not allowed."

Adora blinks at her. "Catra…we've committed multiple felonies this week."

Catra shakes her head. "That's different. If we start this…we'll try to be careful, but all it takes is getting sloppy once. Look at what happened to Kyle and Rogelio."

A lot of things are clicking into place suddenly. The timeline of when Catra started pulling away, not to mention her uncharacteristic kindness toward Kyle lately. "That's why Rogelio's was moved? I-I didn't know."

Catra's mouth twists. "We're not supposed to, but…Weaver made sure I knew. She-she already suspects how I feel about you. If we get caught, she'll paint me as the instigator."

Weaver made sure I knew.

Adora's been so selfish. Catra has been carrying this alone and she had no idea. It's a miracle Catra hasn't gone running into the arms of Scorpia or literally anyone else whose affection wouldn't endanger her this way.

Catra hesitantly reaches out and squeezes her hand. "Two years isn't that much longer to wait…I've kind-of been wanting this my whole life."

She sounds nervous to admit it, and Adora squeezes back in reassurance even as her mind races. "Me too."

Adora has been suppressing her feelings for a long time, but she knows it's true. In the rare moments where she did let herself acknowledge them, she always thought that it would be pure bliss if Catra reciprocated. Instead, a shadow hangs over their fragile confessions. Part of Adora wonders if she's still being selfish by holding Catra back.

She shoves it down. If Catra wants them to be together, Adora will just have to trust her and be patient. She squeezes Catra's hand one more time and then drops it, taking a step back. "Well, I guess I know what I'm getting you for Christmas two years from now."

Catra rolls her eyes as they resume their walk to the bus stop. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Mistletoe," she says, waggling her eyebrows in an exaggerated way.

Catra shoves her shoulder, but she's blushing. "Dork."

Even with all of her anxieties about their future, Adora never suspected that would be their last Christmas together.

Chapter Text

Adora tosses and turns all night, long buried memories haunting her dreams. She gives up on going back to sleep when she wakes just before sunrise. She gets ready quickly, loading up her rental car with the luggage she packed up last night, and checks out of the cabin.

On her way to the airport, she makes a stop at the diner for a quick breakfast and coffee to hopefully perk her up for the rest of the drive. It's early enough that there is only one other patron inside.

Netossa takes her in with a raised eyebrow. "You look like death. I had you pegged for a morning person."

It's a pretty brusque way to talk to a customer, but the way she says it—and immediately walks over with a mug of coffee—seems almost caring.

Maybe someone installed a weakness to affectionate insults in Adora young.

"I had a rough night," Adora says, sipping from the steaming beverage gratefully.

"Partying hard on your vacation?" Netossa asks.

Adora snorts. "No. Just—bad memories keeping me up." It was mostly good memories, actually, but that was almost more painful.

"Sorry to hear that," Netossa says.

She doesn't walk away, continuing to stand by Adora's table expectantly. Adora has never done well with awkward pauses and immediately breaks.

"I ran into my ex that I was half convinced had died in a ditch somewhere, because even my cousin with a private investigator license couldn't find a trace of her online the last few years, but it turns out she actually bought the Christmas tree farm from our childhood and hired the other kids we grew up with to work there, and now I can obviously never speak to any of them again," she blurts out.

Netossa lowers her notepad a bit in surprise and Adora belatedly realizes that she was waiting for her order, not her life story.

This is getting more mortifying by the second and she's so glad she's leaving town and never has to see anyone that lives here ever again.

"Wait, is your ex Catra?" Netossa says.

Oh no. Of course they know each other. Stupid small towns!

"It was, um, before she was with Scorpia, obviously, and we didn't technically date, I mean, uh…can I please just get some banana pancakes and a side of extra crispy bacon?" Adora says, desperate for something to shove in her mouth that isn't her foot.

Netossa's brow is furrowed and she doesn't seem interested in writing Adora's order down anymore. "Right, I forgot those two used to date. It's hard to imagine Scorpia with anyone but Perfuma...Wait, weren't she and Catra a thing in high school? When were you two together? Fifth grade?"

"Maybe I don't need food after all," Adora says, fishing some bills out of her wallet and sliding out of the booth. She'll live with some subpar sustenance at the airport. "Thanks for the coffee, I'll just—"

"Sit your ass down," Netossa says, and Adora immediately obeys. "I'm going to make you a proper breakfast. You clearly need one. I might poison it if Catra tells me that you broke her heart, but it's going to be so delicious that you won't care. I'm merciful that way."

In retrospect, it's not at all surprising that this woman is friends with Catra.

"Please don't tell her I'm here," Adora says meekly.

Netossa gives her a long look and then shrugs. "Gossip is this town's lifeblood. I could have heard you were in town from anyone."

"Blame Kyle," Adora says automatically.

The woman cackles as she walks away, and Adora decides to interpret that as agreement. This booth has some kind of weird gravitational pull she's having trouble escaping. It could be that she's bone tired, but she's starting to suspect that Netossa's a witch.

She also seemed to imply that Catra and Scorpia hadn't dated since high school…But there's no reason to try and pick apart random diner owner's cryptic clues about Catra's personal life first thing in the morning. If Catra had wanted Adora to know about that, she could have reached out at literally any point in the last nine years. Sure, she offered to catch up and 'try to be in each other's lives again' yesterday, but that was clearly just a pity offer after Adora had a breakdown in her office. How fucking embarrassing.

Catra has moved on, and Adora needs to do the same.

*~*~*

It is way too early for Catra's phone to be buzzing off the hook. She slept like shit. Growling under her breath, she opens up her messages to see who she needs to murder for disturbing her.

Netossa

is the cute blonde in town really your kindergarten ex?

Scorpia

WILDCAT, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT BUT ADORA CHECKED OUT EARLY!! THIS COULD BE YOUR LAST CHANCE!!

Kyle

Scorpia says Adora's flying out this morning??

Maybe you can still catch her at the airport!

Lonnie

i knew you hadn't gotten the guts to invite her

go get your girl so kyle will let us sleep

do you want rogelio operating a chainsaw sleep deprived?

i'll sue you for creating a hazardous workplace with your lesbian stupidity

Netossa

i heard you're heading to the airport?

your girl's still at the diner

much more reasonable commute for a grand gesture

i'm def not already selling tickets

Catra stares at her phone, but the texts don't disappear and turn out to have been some vivid nightmare. She is going to burn this whole town to the ground.

After a few minutes of glaring at the ceiling, she rises and hastily gets dressed. Hopefully she's not too late to go make a fool of herself.

*~*~*

Catra waits on the sidewalk outside the diner, shivering despite her coat. This ambush is creepy enough without interrupting Adora's breakfast. Besides, the diner is a popular morning destination. There would definitely be an audience inside, even if Netossa wouldn't actually sell tickets. Probably.

It's early enough that she wasn't expecting many witnesses on the sidewalk, but she forgot about school. The street goes from dead to crowded seemingly in seconds, now filled with the worst possible audience for her impending humiliation: teenagers.

"Hey, Coach!" they say in chorus as they pass by in gaggles of two, three, five at a time to grab coffee to-go or a quick bite to eat.

Swarms of teenagers is one of the signs of the apocalypse, right? If she had any sense of self preservation she would just go home.

The door opens again, and Adora finally steps out.

Her eyes widen when she spots Catra, but she quickly ducks her head down to hurry past like she thinks that will turn her invisible.

"Adora, wait," Catra says, following quickly.

Adora hugs herself, and Catra doubts it's just from the cold. "You don't have to worry about me, Catra. I'm leaving town, and we'll stop running into each other."

"Adora, please, I know I fu—" she hesitates, "fudged up, but—"

Adora comes to a sudden halt, finally looking at her. "Did you just say 'fudged up'?"

Catra gestures wildly at the students milling around them. "There are children present!"

As if to prove her point, a middle schooler she vaguely recognizes walks by and cheerfully greets, "Good morning, coach!"

"Good morning," she says, giving the customary small town nod before turning back to where Adora is gaping at her.

"Can we please go somewhere private to talk?" Catra asks. "I'd rather not have this conversation end up on TikTok."

Adora blinks at her for a few more seconds and then nods toward a sleek car just ahead. She must have gotten here early to have snagged a spot so close to the entrance. Catra notices the bags under her eyes, and can't help but wonder if her actions cost both of them sleep last night.

The car beeps and it's lights flash as Adora unlocks it, circling around to enter the driver's side. Catra slides into the passenger seat.

It's a strangely familiar feeling, slipping into a car with Adora. Growing up it had always felt thrilling and almost intimate. This time feels risky in a very different way.

"I can, uh, grovel some more if you want me to, but...you never answered my question yesterday," Catra says.

"What?" Adora says.

"When I asked you what you wanted," Catra says.

"Why do you care?" Adora grumbles. "You haven't cared for the last nine years."

"I did care, I was just shit at showing it," Catra says. "I shouldn't have assumed you wouldn't want to hear from me, so no more assuming. What do you want, Adora?"

Adora is quiet for a long time. "I-I don't know. I spent so long wondering what your life was like and if you were okay. It hurts that you never reached out, but I guess…I still want to know. Are you…okay? Are you happy?"

Something inside Catra that was still bracing for anger or even hatred melts away. She can't believe she ever doubted Adora.

"It took a long time, but yeah," Catra says. "For the most part, I'm okay. And pretty happy with how my life turned out. What about you? Are you happy?"

Adora nods. "I love my family, and my friends, and my job…I am happy. Most of the time."

"That's good," Catra says. "You deserve it."

There's another long moment of silence and Catra wonders if this is it. If Adora has gotten the closure she needed, and is going to politely banish her from the car now so that she can drive to the airport.

"Okay, I have to ask," Adora blurts out. "How did you become a Christmas tree farmer?"

Catra chuckles. "It's kind-of a long story. The short version is that I hated working in tech, but it was good money. After I left I wound up staying with Scorpia and her wife while I figured out what I wanted to do next. They had just had Flora and really needed the extra help. Not a lot of people are willing to babysit venomous infants, for some reason. Then I heard the farm was going up for sale, and I don't know…babies are dangerous! They turn you into a total fucking sap. I couldn't imagine not taking Flora there every year to pick out a tree as she grew up. So, I sunk all of my savings into a terrible business investment like a sentimental idiot."

Adora is looking at her with sparkling eyes and something twists in Catra's stomach. "That's really sweet."

Adora definitely wouldn't think that if Catra told her the longer version of the story. "I'm not sweet. I had a quarter life crisis and I'm blaming it on a baby."

"But…it worked out? You like working on the farm?" Adora says.

Catra shrugs. "I like being the boss. And I like that whenever I feel frustrated by all the paperwork or an annoying customer, I can easily go hit something with an ax."

Adora snorts. Catra knows she's in trouble when she even finds that cute. She did when they were younger too, but she was in love with Adora then. There’s no excuse for it now. "Why were those kids calling you 'coach'?"

Catra groans. "Okay, here's the thing about Thaymor. Neighbors will just show up and do you a favor you never even asked for! Then you have to figure out how to get revenge, and the cycle keeps repeating. They call it 'being a community'. It's the worst. I am now caught in this vicious web and somehow wound up volunteering to coach robotics teams for the middle and high school."

Adora is full on laughing at her at this point. "I can't believe you're a small town farmer that volunteers with kids and says 'fudged up.'"

Catra's ears pin back, and she's grateful that she's sitting on her tail so it can't lash and give her away even more. "Shut the fuck up."

Adora wipes away a tear of laughter and Catra doesn't even mind being the subject of mockery if it means Adora is crying in a good way in her presence. Eventually the laughter fades and she gets a faraway look in her eye. "Everything turned out the way it was supposed to, I guess."

Catra swallows. "The story's not over yet. Not unless you want it to be."

Adora bites her lip. "I already checked out of my cabin."

Catra's heart is pounding. "I know the owner. You can check back in."

Adora looks confused now. "You know where I was staying?"

"I, uh, yeah," Catra says, belatedly realizing how creepy that is. "Small town, remember? Full disclosure, I also knew you were in the diner. I'm not here by accident."

"Did Netossa tell you?" Adora asks, looking almost hurt by the idea.

"Yeah, but only because Kyle's an idiot and told her I was going to try and intercept you at the airport," Catra says.

Adora's jaw drops. "Were you?"

Catra opens her mouth and then closes again. "I mean, probably not? I kind-of rushed over here on a wave of adrenaline. But if you had already left the town limits I like to think I would have had enough sense to try calling you instead. Kyle obviously would have given me your number…Fuck, sorry, I'm probably making this even creepier. I just didn't want you to leave thinking that I didn't care."

Adora rubs the back of her neck awkwardly, and the gesture is painfully familiar. "It was probably rash to, uh, flee town without hearing you out. I don't know, I spent so long worried something terrible had happened to you, so when it looked like everything in your life was going fine and you just hadn't bothered to ever get in contact…I felt pathetic for being the only one who was still hanging on. And it maybe reopened some old wounds from high school a bit."

Catra gives her a small smile. "Adora, I impulsively bought the Christmas tree farm from our childhood and willingly hired Kyle. I don't let the things I love go easily. I wouldn't have stayed angry at you for so long if I hadn't still been heartbroken underneath it. This morning I woke up to half the town and Lonnie texting me about you because they know how much you meant to me, and then I hunted you down through a treacherous flood of teenagers. You are definitely not the pathetic one in this situation."

Adora's smile turns cocky so fast Catra is getting whiplash in this parked car. "Aw, you like me. How embarrassing for you."

Catra feels hot and it's not even just from embarrassment. Adora is clearly a hazard to her health and she never should have sought her out. "I do not! I'm stalking you because I'm a serial killer and some blonde idiot from out of town is the perfect victim."

"Riiight," Adora says, still smirking.

"Being a Christmas tree farmer is the perfect cover," Catra doubles down. "No one questions it when I lead people out into the woods carrying a chainsaw."

"Well, I guess I'll take my chances," Adora says.

Catra feels her ears prick up further, standing at embarrassing attention. "Does that mean your staying?"

Adora shrugs, her smile turning a little shyer. "I came for the full Thaymor holiday experience. Maybe the neighborhood Christmas tree farmer could help me with that?"

Catra nods quickly, not caring how eager she seems. "Definitely."

Chapter Text

Once Adora is checked back into her cabin, she collapses onto the mattress. She is both completely exhausted, and a little wired from the morning's events. She considers calling Bow and Glimmer again to process, but they'll both be at work right now. For the first time since she arrived, no part of her wants to be there with them.

Adora still feels some lingering hurt that it took her showing up out of the blue for Catra to make an effort, but she seems genuine about wanting to reconnect. And Adora does want to get to know this grown up version of her best friend. She still kind-of can't believe Catra's a farmer. She agreed to visit her later for a tour of Whispering Woods Pines—and to finally actually get some of the cranberry popcorn—so maybe that will help it sink in.

It will be good to have a local to show her around, too. Her vacation itinerary was a little barren, and Catra assured her she could make sure she got everything Thaymor had to offer during the holidays. They're supposed to do more planning this afternoon. Really, this is all working out for the best.

So why is her stomach still fluttering with anxiety?

*~*~*

Catra meets here near the entrance of the farm and there's an awkward moment where Adora isn't sure how to greet her. Should she go in for a hug? As teenagers they'd be just as likely to greet each other with a headlock, but that's probably not the correct protocol here.

Does she want to hug Catra again? The last one was mostly fueled by shock and in retrospect was probably way too intimate for two people who were close once but are now basically strangers.

If Catra finds Adora coming to a halt in front of her and awkwardly freezing strange, she doesn't show it. "So, I'm guessing you want to start the tour at the concession stand?"

Adora nods eagerly. "Yes, please."

Something about the way Catra smiles at her answer feels more intimate than if they had hugged. Catra is already starting to walk away though, so Adora doesn't linger on the thought. Their destination isn't far from the entrance.

"I know you're eager for the popcorn, but I thought you might like a hot chocolate tasting first," Catra says.

"Ooh," Adora says, bouncing on her feet a little. Hot chocolate sounds amazing right now.

Catra looks pleased again, so one thing Adora is learning about her old friend already is that the soft, warm smiles that Adora always felt so proud to elicit in their teenage years aren't something she keeps as closely guarded anymore. That's a good sign, further evidence that Catra was being honest that she's reached a happy place in her life. It also means Adora needs to recalibrate her internal reaction to this look, because it's clearly not as rare and special as it feels.

Catra nods to the barista who starts filling a series of mini paper cups and setting them on a tray. "We sell six flavors—regular, dark, Mexican, peppermint, caramel, and the daily special. The barista's are encouraged to get creative with it. Well, within limits. One time someone made a fruitcake flavor. Obviously, we ran them out of town." She gestures at one of the cups, despite them all looking fairly identical to Adora. "Today's special is speculoos spice."

Adora picks up the cup Catra indicated and takes a sip. The flavor is festive and comforting, the spice blend warm on her tongue. "Yum. What exactly is speculoos spice?"

"It's like pumpkin spice—cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves—plus cardamom," Catra says.

"Catra won't let us do a pumpkin spice flavor," the purple-haired barista says, giving their boss a pointed look.

"That's because people are idiots, and they'll expect it to have pumpkin in it," Catra says rolling her eyes.

Adora grins at the exchange and then tries the rest of the flavors. She ultimately decides the caramel hot chocolate will pair best with the sweet and salty flavor of the popcorn.

The barista is serving someone else at that point, but instead of making her wait in a line of one, Catra just pops behind the counter and prepares her drink for her. "Do you want any toppings? We have regular and dairy free whipped cream, mini marshmallows, and a cinnamon stick or candy cane garnish."

Adora giggles. "Did you just call candy cane a garnish?"

Catra rolls her eyes, but her ears twitch the way they always used to when she was embarrassed. "I also know how to turn one into a shiv, so don't test me."

"I'll take the whipped cream now and a candy cane for later," Adora says. "How much do I owe you?"

"It's on the house," Catra says.

"But I want to support your business," Adora presses. "I'm already not buying a tree. Let me pay for something."

"Nope," Catra says, popping the 'p'. "Your money's no good here."

Adora glares at her as Catra hands over her items and then ferries her along to resume the tour. It's hard to stay mad for long when everything tastes so good, though.

They weave through the rows of pines and firs, and Catra explains the crops they grow for profit outside of the holiday season—mostly nuts and mushrooms that can easily be grown among the trees. There is also a section of the farm dedicated to research, where Kyle does most of his work in partnership with a local university ("if you want to know more, ask the nerd").

Catra leads her to some greenhouses overflowing with potted trees of various sizes. Catra explains that people can rent these trees, which will be returned and replanted at the end of the season. It allows the farm to start earning an income from trees as they grow, rather than making a one time profit after investing several years raising them to maturity.

"It's a good option for people in apartments or small living spaces, or who want to save a little money, or are just tree-huggers who don't think having 'a rotting corpse' in their living room is very festive," Catra says with a shrug.

Next to the greenhouse is a large barn full of rustic picnic tables that contrast with the array of stainless steel countertops and appliance near the back. "I had the solar panels and commercial kitchen installed a couple years ago, and we use it as an event space, mostly during the off season. Last summer someone booked a 'Christmas in July' themed wedding. It was a nightmare, but the money was good."

Catra keeps doing that throughout the tour—complaining about her job in a way that makes it clear how much she actually loves it.

"This is all incredible," Adora says. "You've clearly accomplished a lot in the short time since you've taken over."

Catra rolls her eyes like that will cover for the way her ears and tail flick at the praise. "Yeah, behold my mighty empire."

Adora bumps her with her shoulder before wondering if that's too familiar. "I mean it. I'm impressed."

"…Thanks," Catra says, quiet but genuine. "If you're done with your snacks, both the bag and cup can go in the compost, and you can wash up at the sink. We can't do the next part of the tour if you have sticky hands."

Adora is confused by that, but she polishes off the last dregs of popcorn and cleans up. Her mind unhelpfully supplies that Catra never let sticky substances near her fur, but the next part of the tour probably doesn't involve petting. Right?

Adora does her best to banish those thoughts as she towels off and then follows Catra out of the barn. Before long they reach a structure with wooden siding on one end and fencing along the rest. It resembles a really short batting cage. When she gets closer, she can see three distinct alleys with wooden targets at the end. They look similar to the targets at the archery range Bow took her to once, but the lanes seem too short for that too.

"What is this for?" Adora says.

Catra smirks, unlocking the cabinet along the wall to show an array of sharp, gleaming hatchets. "Ax throwing. Want to give it a try?"

*~*~*

After a short safety demonstration, Adora is ready for her first throw. Something about the thrill of it feels familiar, transporting her back to the feeling of being a teenager doing something forbidden with her best friend. That's not the case, obviously. Catra owns this range, and they're using axes specifically designed and intended for throwing. There are signs posted everywhere reminding people not to bring in any regular hatchets from the farm.

"Remember, ax throwing is about precision, not strength," Catra says. "This is not the time to show off your muscles."

Adora bites back the first comment that comes to mind. They probably aren't at the joke-flirting stage of friendship yet.

(Even back when they did have the kind of friendship, it was never really a joke.)

Catra backs up to give her plenty of space. Adora stares down at the target, trying to remember all of Catra's tips.

She swings the ax over her head and releases. There is something immediately satisfying about the way it spins through the air down the alley, but it misses the target completely.

"That's not the worst first throw I've seen," Catra says, snickering when Adora turns and pouts at her in response. "As long as you don't accidentally launch the ax backwards at me, I'm happy."

"Does that happen a lot?" Adora asks with alarm.

"No, the worst that usually happens is people dropping them," Catra says, walking over to the wall and handing her another ax. "That's why closed-toed shoes are required regardless of time of year. Still, better safe than sorry."

Adora misses two more throws.

"Wind up again but don't release yet, let me take a closer look at your stance," Catra says.

Adora feels nervous by Catra's sudden proximity, as if she'll somehow injure one of them just by holding the ax behind her head with two hands while Catra approaches from the side.

"Hmm," Catra says. "Keep your back straight but try to relax your shoulders a bit."

Adora takes a deep breath and attempts to do as she says.

"Good," Catra praises softly.

Adora spasms, but thankfully doesn't drop the sharp weapon or even draw Catra's attention since the magicat is already walking away again.

"Okay, you're clear to try again!"

Adora takes another deep breath and tries to clear her mind from…whatever just happened.

She swings and releases and…

Thwack.

"I did it!" Adora squeals, jumping up and down and turning to grin at Catra. Sure, the ax is nowhere near the bullseye or even in one the outer rings that are worth less points, but she hit the board!

Catra congratulates her and they switch places. She takes an ax from the wall, winds up one handed, and throws the blade in a smooth arc. It lands right in the bullseye.

Adora feels her blood pumping. With indignation, obviously.

"Okay— well— just wait until I get more practice!" she sputters.

Catra gives her a wide, overly innocent smile. "We're just having fun. You still remember how to do that, right?"

Adora rolls her eyes. "Yes."

"Speaking of," Catra says, swaggering over to the wall and picking up another ax. The fact that she pauses her sentence is the only sign that she even needs to focus, otherwise seeming completely casual as she makes another perfect throw, hitting the tiny blue spot in the corner of the board. Catra had explained earlier that that spot was called the killshot, worth even more points than a bullseye. Catra's tail sways with satisfaction behind her. Adora is pretty sure that shot killed her, specifically. "What exactly is on your holiday itinerary so far?"

For several seconds literally the only activity Adora can think of is coming back here every day to practice throwing axes. And to watch Catra do it some more. So that she can learn from her technique, obviously. "Um…The gingerbread building competition looked fun, though Netossa said people usually join in pairs or teams." Catra looks uncomfortable suddenly. "Not that I'm asking you to do it with me! I know you probably don't want to risk handling that much icing and gummy candies…But maybe you know someone who's still looking for a teammate?"

"I can't think of anyone," Catra says quickly. "So you should probably just forget about it. What else is on the list?"

Adora narrows her eyes. "What aren't you saying?"

Catra's ears pin back. "I…might be involved in the event."

"You're competing?" Adora says, surprised.

Catra mumbles her response, but it's still just loud enough for Adora to hear it. "I'm a judge."

Adora's mouth quirks. "You're the gingerbread judge?"

"I'm not the only one," Catra says, her tail lashing. "There's a panel. I already told you about the vicious web!"

"Aww, you care so much about this town," Adora teases.

"They will regret ever conscripting me into this!" Catra insists. "I'm going to be the mean Simon Cowell judge and make all the little old lady bakers cry."

"Well, now I definitely have to go so that I can see that," Adora says, grinning as she steps back up. "Show me how to throw one-handed?"

"Two-handed is easier for beginners," Catra says. Adora stares her down until she rolls her eyes. "Stubborn."

Catra steps up to her side. "Okay, stand straight with your feet shoulder length apart, and try to line your right foot up with the bullseye. You're going to use a motion similar to how you would throw a dart."

Adora watches closely as Catra demonstrates the motion. It looks less like darts and more like she's cracking a whip, but Adora is absolutely not allowing that train of thought to go any further. She focuses on her stance and tries to wind up the ax the way she's been shown. Suddenly she feels the warmth of Catra's hand guiding her arm even through several layers of clothing. "Keep your elbow straight."

"R-right. Got it," Adora says.

Catra heads back toward safety, and Adora attempts the throw. It misses the target by more than any of her other tosses so far.

Catra watches her smugly. Adora tries to think of a topic that will wipe the grin off her face. "Do you referee the snowball melee fight too?"

Catra's eyes bug out of her head. "How do you even know about that? That is not an officially sanctioned town event!"

"Oh, uh…my assistant sent me some details?" Adora says. "Now that I think about it, they were pretty sparse. Just that it happens every year after the first big snowfall?"

"I know we've been joking around, but you should absolutely stay away from that one," Catra says. "It gets way out of hand. Some of the high school teams use it to haze new students. I don't know how your assistant would even have found out about it except through news articles about past injuries and arrests...Are you sure she's not plotting your demise so she can take over the foundation?"

"That's…not how that works," Adora says with a frown. Maybe that suggestion was supposed to be a joke like the Santa thing? Or Flutterina really thought she needed a trip to the spa and was trying to deter her from going to Thaymor altogether? "Please tell me there isn't something terrible about the reindeer sleigh rides, I was really looking forward to that one."

Catra's expression softens again. Adora really needs to work on getting used to that look apparently. The stutter it keeps causing in her heart can't be healthy long-term. "The rides are perfectly safe. If you get to the farm early, you can sometimes give the reindeer treats. I'm supposed to take Flora next week…You could come with us if you want?"

"Really?" Adora says. "I wouldn't be…intruding?"

Catra shrugs. "I'll ask Flora first, but I'm sure she won't mind. She knows who you are, and she is definitely going to care more about the reindeer than either of us."

"She knows who I am?" Adora asks. She figures Catra or Scorpia gave the girl some kind of explanation after Adora ran out of the office the other day, but that probably wasn't the best first impression.

Catra blushes. "I mean, yeah, I've told her about you before. She knows we were best friends when we were kids."

Adora's chest feels like it's full of helium. She's spent so long thinking that Catra was staying away either because something was terribly wrong, or because she still hated her. She is not used to imagining Catra remembering her fondly, or talking about her with the new people in her life.

"I'd like to go with you," Adora says softly. "If it's okay with Flora, that is."

"I'll check with her," Catra says, and Adora thinks she catches her pupils dilating a little bit before she clears her throat. "Anything else you want to make sure is on agenda?"

Adora shakes her head. "No, other than that, I'm wide open. That's why I need your help."

"You don't need to have a full schedule on your vacation, you know," Catra says. "That kind-of defeats the point."

Why does everyone feel a need to critique her vacation skills? "I just don't want to miss out on anything."

Catra gives her a long look. "Well, I'll do my best to make sure that you don't."