"Hey Catra!"

It was the fifth time Catra heard her name called. This time it was down the corridor that led to her room. Catra put her hand on the doorframe and closed her eyes and fought the idea of leaving Scorpia alone in the hall again. Scorpia was just going to persist anyway. Catra sighed as she opened her eyes again, almost a grunt. She took a needed breath before turning to face the woman walking briskly toward her, "I told you before Scorpia," it was the third Thursday of the month, "I'm not into Karaoke, okay?"

"Come on Wildcat, it'll be-" she was quickly cut off.

"It's not. It'll never be fun," she waved a hand at her. And then she watched Scorpia's claws come together. "Don't you dare Scorpia!" Scorpia's head slowly angled downwards but her eyes remained on Catra's. Catra's eye twitched with irritation, "I'm warning you!"

Within but a moment of Scorpia wetting her eyes and jutting her bottom lip forward and a cracked voice that said, "Please? Just this one time?" did Catra cave.

Catra gave another stressed grunt, "Scorpia," her voice raised slightly, "If I do this and I hate it, you won't ask me again?"

Scorpia kept her hands together but spoke with her normal voice, "I swear, if you really don't have fun, as hard as that is to believe…, because come on…," Scorpia rolled her eyes in disbelief that was ever possible on Karaoke night, "I will never ask you to join Super Pal Trio for any night out ever again!" Scorpia's heart almost broke having uttered those words.

Catra took a very deep breath, pursed her lips tightly, and finally spoke the word, "Fine."

Scorpia, with a sudden jolting lunge, lifted Catra into a near bone-crushing, celebratory hug, "YAY!"

~oO0Oo~

Scorpia pulled the skiff up to the bar. Thunderous base boomed throughout the lot and Catra was already groaning at how unnecessary it was since there was hardly anyone there. She pulled on her black leather coat and kept her head down between her popped collar as she followed Scorpia and Entrapta into the bar. She was surprised Entrapta even had the time or care to join. But, then again, Scorpia always had her ways. Catra's ears pulled back as the speakers at the door were playing generic party music so loud it was almost nauseating. It wasn't until they encountered the hostess did she relax her shoulders.

Entrapta was already swaying to the music and even made Catra smirk a little. It was too bad it didn't last long. She caught a glimpse of Adora turning as if she forgot something and it was at that very moment they made eye contact. She couldn't hide, that would be too awkward. It was already too late. All she could do was offer a hateful frown. It only hardened more when she also saw Bow and Glimmer. "I think we should go, Scorpia," was uttered from Catra's mouth.

Scorpia was confused a moment before she quickly took a scan of the room. A brief moment to assess and she finally saw the reason. This was her only time she was able to get Catra out of the Fright Zone. This was such a rare moment and she wasn't going to let some old conflict get in her way. "Catra, no," she quickly disagreed, "we're not letting them ruin OUR night. We need to relax. Besides, I've been really looking forward to this." Scorpia could see the discomfort bubbling inside Catra. She had to give it one more try, "You won't see them as soon as we're in our room, okay?" It was only a beat before Catra grunted her agreement. Scorpia offered her a light smile, thankful Catra was still willing to give that night a try. As Scorpia was handed the keycard, however, Adora approached them.

Things immediately became tense. Adora's brows furrowed lightly and her eyes narrowed directly at Catra. She only assumed the worst and went on with her accusations, "What are you doing here, Catra? Come to stalk us?"

Scorpia tried to jump in but she took too long with her disappointed eye-roll and was cut off by Catra before she could even start. Catra scoffed with a disgusted huff, "Like I give a damn about what you guys do!"

Adora was still suspicious. She'd never known Catra to go out. Back when they were together Catra always told her that it was a dumb idea and wanted no part in it. It just wasn't her thing. There had to be another reason. A brief narrowing of her eyes again and she warned them, "I'll be watching you, so don't try anything."

How dare she propose any threats toward her. Catra snapped, "Pff, you can watch THIS," she thrusted a hand with a stiff middle finger toward Adora and turned with an emphasized roll of her eyes. She stuffed her hands in her coat and walked down a hallway until Adora was no longer visible.

Adora scoffed and shook her head in response, "Whatever!" She stuffed her hands in her gray jeans and walked back to her friends.

Absolutely disappointed how the start of their night was going, Scorpia shouted towards Adora and her friends, "We just wanted to have a fun night!" She huffed her displeasure and went after Catra. Entrapta, on the other hand, was completely unaffected. She was lost in her dance to the generic music playing over her.

Scorpia found Catra leaning against a wall near the bathroom hallway. Apparently the direction she headed was a dead end and coming back out wasn't an option. Scorpia spent a couple minutes convincing Catra. She reminded her that as soon as they were in that room, she'd never see Adora and it would just be them. She reiterated that Catra just needed to let loose and let the music guide her. Catra groaned at how corny she was acting but maybe that was one of things she actually liked about Scorpia. She reluctantly agreed to head back. Scorpia did, afterall, pay for the two hours already.

As the two of them headed back they tugged on Entrapta's arms to get her to follow. They followed the hostess, armed with menus, down a stairway to yet another hallway filled with closed rooms. A waitress carrying drinks had been the only body in front of them that slowed their pace. As the waitress opened the door to one room, the hostess guided them to an adjacent one. As they walked in, the adjacent room's door was wide enough to freeze Catra in her place. Adora was there. And again, they locked eyes unintentionally. Catra snapped her head away and stormed into the room that was designated to them. She sat in the corner and folded her arms. All she could think about was how terrible Scorpia's idea was to bring her that night.

What luck, Scorpia thought. She could only hope that was the end of it. Only going up from there. Scorpia liked the room. Red pleather couches hugged the walls and a large monitor hung in a corner. Beneath it was a large dial that pulsed rainbow light and allowed them to choose a song from the large library of music offered. Five wireless microphones were on the table in the center of the room, each with their own colored ring. Entrapta immediately picked up two for herself and began spinning the dial to look at everything that the library had to offer.

Scorpia took the menus from the hostess and offered one to Catra, "It's just us now." She tried to console her the best she could. She just wanted her wildcat to smile! Instead, another heavy sigh came but she took the menu anyway. Catra lost her appetite, but a drink she could definitely do. There was small touch device on the table where they could put in their orders. With a few clicks on the screen, Scorpia's account was quickly draining. But it didn't matter! Scorpia was determined to give Catra a good night.

Within several minutes and Entrapta getting over excited with a few songs she enjoyed, they received their drinks and small appetizers. The next thing she saw was Catra downing her drink. Part of her only saw the value of the drink quickly being consumed. Catra was irritated, the drink was mostly ice and asked for another without it. Scorpia was reluctant but complied with just one more. Another few blips and boops and her drink was on her way. Scorpia chuckled nervously and thought to find a more cheerful song to get the night going.

Catra did her best to avoid singing. With a bit of trickery, she convinced Scorpia to sing one for her, she encouraged her and Entrapta to sing a duet, she kept putting off her turn. Catra was miserable. She just wanted to eat up the two hours so they could go home. Every time the music ended, she could hear Adora and her friends laughing in the other room. How dare they enjoy themselves. Adora wasn't thinking about her, she thought, and it hurt.

Except, Adora was. A pit in her stomach kept thinking Catra was going to do something like set the building on fire or kick down their door if she were to let her guard down. But she pushed through her suspicions for her friends. They wanted to have a good time and she tried her best to make it happen. Adora sung beautifully, and it was this song the bled through the walls that made Catra cringe.

"...I got the horses in the back

Horse tack is attached

Hat is-"

Bow couldn't help but interrupt, "I'M TELLING SWIFT WIND!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Adora shouted back with a laugh. Glimmer had to think a moment why before she started wheezing and holding her sides.

Catra hated it. Her new friends were idiots. How could she possibly like them. Catra's thoughts were interrupted with a nudge. Scorpia knew what Catra was doing, "One song. That's all I ask." She offered a mic towards Catra. She hated to see her sulk. It pained her to look at such a unhappy face.

Catra looked away a moment, "We go home after?"

"If you don't want to do another after, we'll go home." Those words broke her heart. She couldn't believe Catra wouldn't want to continue after one song. But a promise is a promise.

Catra took the microphone with some irritation and got up. She went to the dial and spun it hard Fate would decide the song and she would be out of there within a few short minutes. She turns around and doesn't see what the dial eventually lands on and only turns back to the monitor when she hears the countdown beeps uttered. As soon as she saw the title, her heart sank. Shit. It was embarrassing. It hurt. She knew it too well and now she knew Scorpia and Entrapta wouldn't allow her to chance the song. She grumbled under her breath. Fine. FINE! FUCK ADORA! It was a practiced song she sang when she knew she was completely alone.

She gripped the microphone tightly and she wanted Adora to hear her. She wanted to hear how much better she was than her dumb friends. She projected her voice loudly. Scorpia was already blown away by Catra's voice, "WHAT IS LOVE!? OOWHAOOWHAooooh OOWHAOOWHAooooh OOWHAOOWHAooooh WHAT IS LOVE!?" The sounds of the beat had Catra's foot stomping. "WHAT IS LOVE!? BABY DON'T HURT ME, DON'T HURT ME, NO MORE!"

Glimmer finished her song in the next room and Adora could hear Catra's singing bleeding through the walls. Ever so faint, she could hear, "baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me…" Adora couldn't believe it. She tells Bow not to start yet. Adora approaches the wall and leans her ear near it, "I don't know why you're not fair," continues through and Adora left her room to see it with her own eyes. She peeks through the window as Catra sung her heart out, "OOWHAOOWHAooooh OOWHAOOWHAooooh WHAT IS LOVE!?"

The briefest pause in the lyrics let Catra open her eyes and she catches Adora's reflection on the monitor. A moment to frown before she turns around, facing Adora through the window, "I GIVE YOU MY LOVE, BUT YOU DON'T CARE! SO WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG!? GIMME A SIGN!" The song continues as she stares at Adora. Tears begin to pool in Catra's eyes. Scorpia looked in the same direction and was surprised to see Adora behind the door. Catra's voice tightened a beat but she forced herself to push through it. She doesn't need the words on the screen. She knows every word of it by heart. "DON'T HURT ME! DON'T HURT ME!" Every lyric directed at Adora.

Somehow Catra was able to pour more of herself into that song stunning both Scorpia and Entrapta, "I WANT NO OTHER, NO OTHER LOVER! THIS OUR LIFE, OUR TIME! WE ARE TOGETHER! I NEED YOU FOREVER! IS IT LOVE!?

Catra concludes the song a bit softer while her throat tightens more and more. "Don't hurt me, don't hurt me," as she pulled the mic away from her lips, "What is love?" She stood there a moment before she dropped the mic on the floor. She just glares at Adora, waiting for her to make the next move.

Adora is completely beside herself. Positively speechless but she was still compelled to knock on the door to be let in. Scorpia, without hesitation, opens the door for her with tears of her own having watched what she believed to be such a beautiful moment. Adora's face cringes as she contain cries. She runs up to Catra but she again can't move when she's just a breath away from Catra's face. Adora raises a tightened fist and bumps Catra's shoulder like a hammer. She frowns hard and all her tears fall. Two hands now, she hits Catra who only allows it until she's completely embraced by Adora's tightened hug.

There was nothing left for Catra to do. She wrapped her own arms around Adora as tightly as she received. She hated Adora. She loved her. All the pain she bottled was released into that embrace. Scorpia and Entrapta carefully leave the room to give them privacy. They met up with Adora's friends and agreed to chip in to hold the room a bit longer so they could talk. While they let them work out the kinks in their relationship, they enjoyed drinks and food together as the night went on. Were all their issues resolved? No, but it's one hell of a start.

This is kind of my first draft. I want to clean up some of it and add some more environment details but for now, this is a more formal story of my posts found on my Twitter account :)

I'm VERY tempted to continue this into another chapter where Catra comes out and her turtleneck barely covers a hickey on her neck. Entraptra notices it first and draws attention to it while Scorpia get's overly concerned, "DID SHE HURT YOU! I SWEAR I'LL..." etc.

Please fav if you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!