Hidden in the Dark (Catdora) (GilmBow)

chapter 17

Catra blushed gently when Adora kissed her cheek and smiled watching her and Swiftwind leave the apartment. she turned back to cooking dinner humming softly, though the quiet was interrupted by a loud ringing. reaching for her phone she pushed accept without looking at the caller ID and regretted it when the cool tone of SHadow weaver echoed around the apartment. "hello Catra, i hope your doing good?" catra groaned softly hanging her head, but knowing better than to ignore it when her mother talks. "yes ma'am" "i hear you have a 'roommate' now, is that correct?" "yes mother, shes only here temporarily. shell be out soon in the next few weeks." "good. you dont need anyone to distract you." "from what! im not in school anymore, and i dont work all the time." "Catra. what did i tell you about talking back young lady." "ugh whatever mom, goodnight." she quickly ends the call and glares at her phone, almost daring it to ring again.

her mother called back three times, though she ignored every single one. eventually her mother just stopped calling and she finally sighed in relief, knowing full well her mother will kill her for ending the call early, and ignoring the rest of her calls. she turned to the food and huffed. her mother didn't seem to be the best, she was always super overbearing, and would always manipulate her into thinking she was doing something wrong. she was so happy to finally get away from her when she went off to collage and got her first place, but somehow she still had tendrils on catra and still controlled most of her life, including roommates and her work. whenever Shadoweaver caught wind of Catra having any roommates, she would always find ways to either scare them off, or make them leave. with her job, any small underpaid or any job that seemed to be no good to her mother, she would pull strings to get her fired.

she turned off the stove and leaned against the counter, hanging her head. she didn't despise her mother, all she wanted was to be respected and earn her love, but it made it so hard when she gaslighted and tricked catra at every turn. shadoweaver wasn't the greatest mother, and even Catra an accept that. More often than not her night were spent with Adora and her family, really feeling apart of the family with them over her own mother. when Adora had left for the military she still stayed with adoras parents and family, still being treated like a true member of the small family. though when they left, they didn't keep in contact, so she was in the same boat as adora, not knowing where her adoptive family had gone. she was just glad that a small part of that family was still with her.

she could hear hurried footsteps and panting coming from the hallway, and the jingle of a collar. as the door swung open she turned to greet the intruder. she took one glance to the door and smiled seeing the familiar form of her girlfriend. she pushed off the counter and started walking to greet her, but then saw the scratches and bite marks littering her arms, most of them on her right side. "hey! dinner is almost re- what in the world happened to you love?!" Adora had tear tracks trailing her cheeks, and tears in her eyes as she tried to explain through mumbles and arm gestures. Catra reached out and gently touched adoras shoulder, allowing her to pull Catra into a hug and relaxing into it as she took note of the shakiness of her arms and grip. Adora didn't let go for a long time, long after the shakiness of her arms and grip finally steadied. finally Adora uled away slowly and looked away. "can you explain again please love?"

"i-i was out at the dog park close to here... and the guy who chased me away was there with his dog... i dont know why he was so mad but he kept calling me ho-homeless scum... and sicked his dog on me... swiftwind with his friends chased the doberman away and we escaped.... b-but it was terrifying a-and...." as she retold her story the tears and shakiness came back, showing how bad this scared her, and it hurt Catra to see her like this. so she brought Adora into a hug again feeling her shirt turn damp from tears. Swiftwind nudged her leg softly and leaned against them adding his support. "can i wrap and clean your wounds honey? they will get infected if we dont okay?" Adora nodded softly and allowed herself to be pulled into the kitchen where Catra pulled out a First aid kit and started cleaning the bite and scratch marks from the doberman, pissed on the fact that a idiot would use a dog to hurt others.

adora just winced and whimpered softly as catra cleaned the wounds, letting her head rest against Catras shoulder where she slowly fell asleep. Catra smiled and finished bandaging off the last of the scratches and brought her into a hug softly. picking her up she heads to the bedroom and gently lays her partner down and puts a blanket over her partner. then getting into bed next to her girlfriend she pulled her into a cuddle and smiled whispering a quiet 'i love you' before falling asleep.