Adora awoke to a loud buzzing coming from her phone. She grabbed it and missed the first time, groggy from lack of sleep. She grumbled and tried again, this time succeeding. She answered her phone to a man letting her know he had just dropped off 10 large packages in front of The Heart. Adora practically jumped out of bed.

"My easels! Sorry, thank you very much," Adora squealed and heard the guy say something about shrieking in his ear but then she hung up, too excited to stay in bed any longer. She peeked at the clock that read 7am and decided that she was apparently going into work early today.

Adora biked to work, feeling the nip in the air on her cheeks. She noticed some very large clouds rolling in and was thankful for her large cozy waterproof jacket for keeping her warm in November weather. She did not thank the clouds when it started to downpour on her as she pulled up to the store. The packages were thankfully under the awning but Adora's mouth still hung open at the look of them. They were massive and each weighed what felt like 50 pounds. Adora groaned as she started to pull a package inside and realized she'd have to get each of them all the way to the back, up the stairs, and into the art room before even setting them up. She huffed and rolled up her sleeves, hoping to ignite her inner warrior woman as she got to work.

She pulled and tugged and finally managed to get most of them inside when her phone pinged. Catra had sent her a text. It was a photo of her in bed looking exhausted with her hair everywhere. The timestamp read 7:40am. The text below it read "Can't sleep. Hair too big. I assume you are awake."

Adora responded with a photo of her in front of all of her packages, lugging them into the store. Catra responded "You're a crazy person." Followed by "Need some help?"

By the time Catra arrived, Adora had managed to pull all of the packages to the back, and Catra made a comment about waiting for the muscle to arrive to do the hard part. Adora would have swatted her but her arms were too tired.

"You're soaked," Adora commented. Catra laughed. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail to avoid the major frizz but with the torrential downpour outside, there was only so much that could be done. She combed her nails through it, taming it down. Adora tried to tame her own hair as well, realizing she probably didn't look too attractive right now. She was in her work uniform of black tight pants and a white tee with a flannel on top. Catra didn't seem to notice. She, per usual, looked amazing in tight ripped red pants and a black v neck. Adora tried not to stare at her as Catra rolled up her sleeves. Catra noticed her looking and gave her a side eye. Adora shook her head at her.

"Alright. Let's do this," Catra rubbed her palms together, smirking at Adora and grabbing one side. Adora followed suit and grabbed the other. The pair lugged the package up the stairs and then dragged it into the art room. Adora turned the lights on and gasped. It had been months since she had come up here and she had forgotten how many art pieces had been shoved away into this room. There were sculptures, ceramics, and paintings of all sizes along the walls. An old art desk was shoved into the corner and was covered with notepads, journals, pencils, etc. The place looked like a disaster.

"Oh wow," Catra noted, stepping into the room behind Adora. Adora tried to push her back out but Catra swatted her away like a fly. "Oh WOW." Catra wandered deeper into the room and gazed at a sculpture made completely out of New York City trash. It was an abstract person, ungendered, with a plastic bag around their throat. It looked like they were reaching for it, trying to pull it away from their neck, but couldn't remove it. They're ribs were displayed through tinfoil and plastic containers and the mouth hung open in a gasp. Catra studied it, her mouth sightly open in awe. Adora stressed in the corner but allowed her friend time to look around. After all, no one saw this stuff anymore and she wasn't ashamed of her end work.

Catra moved to a pile of strange art pieces further on. They were all somewhat similar and looked like paintings of blue and black and pink but with strange carvings throughout. The carvings looked like an abstract maze of some sort with lines and circles all connecting and disconnecting, creating a network of design across the piece of wood. As Catra went through them, she pulled out one that caught her eye. Adora smiled at her choice.

"Can you tell what it is?" She asked softly, moving over to peek over Catra's shoulder. Catra eyed her and turned her attention back to the art.

"It looks kind of like… a heart," She said and Adora nodded. Catra shook a fist in victory. "What's the design?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not sure. It came to me in a dream once," Adora said, chewing nervously on her lip but continuing, "I dreamt I was an 8 foot tall warrior princess who was sent to save the world." She waited for Catra to laugh at her, but she didn't. Instead, she was listening intently, looking intrigued. Catra turned her shoulders, so they were facing each other straight on and Adora realized just how close they were standing. She took a step back. "Yeah, I can see it," Catra smiled, unphased.

Adora rubbing absently at her neck. She tried to calm her nerves and wondered why she had nerves to calm in the first place. "Yeah?" She asked lamely, "You think I could be a warrior princess?"

"I do." Catra strolled towards her, closing the gap Adora had made. Adora took in intake of breath and kept talking.

"So, these carvings just came to me. They meant something in the dream. They were a language or maybe a technology… I'm not sure but it was way beyond anything I could comprehend so I created them through… this."

"Impressive," Catra noted, although her eyes were no longer on the art. She set the piece back down, maintaining eye contact. Adora absently fixed her hair. She was startlingly aware of how alone they were and felt her face flush. Catra seemed to notice. She tilted her head questioningly and Adora swallowed.

"Are you alright?" Catra asked. Adora nodded. "You seem… nervous." Catra slipped her hands into her pockets. Her feet hadn't moved and yet Catra seemed to be leaning towards her. Adora raised her eyebrows back to the other and grabbed hold of the desk she had backed herself into. She leaned casually into it and gave Catra a smile.

"Maybe I'm just nervous you'll break something," Adora shrugged. Catra nodded, still smirking. She took a step. It was only a step, but the movement made Adora's jaw slacken. She watched as Catra took a hand from her pocket and lightly tucked a stray hair back behind Adora's ear. Adora didn't move a muscle but felt her mouth open slightly at the touch.

"Is that it then?" Catra whispered, gently scratching at the back of her friend's ear and letting her fingers linger at the bottom of Adora's hair. Her hands felt warm and soft to the touch despite her guitar calluses. Adora opened her mouth but felt no words come out. She was fully leaning into the desk behind her with Catra standing tall, her eyes intent on Adora's.

"Adora," She whispered. Adora looked up at her, grateful that she wasn't standing. She didn't trust herself on her feet right now. Catra's eyes were light blue in one and practically yellow in the other. Adora felt mesmerized in them. Catra used two fingers to raise Adora's chin, lifting her eyes up. Out of the corner of her eye, Adora saw Catra pull the other hand from her pocket and hesitantly reach for Adora's waist. Adora was sure the only sound either of them could hear was her heart racing in her chest.

"Catra," Adora breathed. Catra froze, looking for the no she must have been expecting but she didn't move her hands. Adora stayed silent for another moment, but she didn't move, didn't push Catra away. In fact, she knew what she wanted in this moment. What she had wanted for quite a while. She felt the anxiety in her chest rest slightly. Adora smiled and lifted her own palm to Catra's cheek. Catra looked surprised but welcomed the touch. She closed her eyes for a moment and Adora heard her swallow. Seeing Catra nervous, made Adora's feel lighter. Less alone.

It was Adora who pulled Catra to her, but Catra came of her own accord, welcoming even the slightest of tugs from the other. Adora raised her mouth and Catra leaned in, meeting her lips. It was a gentle kiss at first, soft and firm. Then Adora opened up to her, wrapping her hands around Catra's waist and Catra accepted the invitation. She pressed into Adora and Adora heard an involuntary moan escape her lips. Catra smiled at the sound, pulling her lips away for just a moment before wrapping her fingers through Adora's hair and pulling them back to each other. The pair met more aggressively this time, their mouths fighting each other with more passion than Adora knew she had. Catra reached down and wrapped her hands around Adora's legs, pulling her up so she was fully seated on the desk with Catra's hips between her legs. Adora's hands were wrapped up in Catra's hair and it was all mouths and hands and devouring each other.

Catra finally unglued her mouth from Adora's but only to kiss at her chin and her cheek. Adora closed her eyes, feeling the lightest of touches from the other's mouth as she trailed down her neck. Catra stopped and pulled back to look at Adora. Adora saw the same expression on Catra's face that she was feeling inside. An emotion of pure want. "Adora I," Catra started, but just then a sound came from below. From someone entering the store. Catra's face dropped.

Neither of them moved, still holding each other. Catra didn't look like she was ever going to move but finally she released herself from Adora, letting the other stand up and refocusing her attention on fixing her hair. Adora found she missed her touch already. She wanted to pull her back but stopped herself. Catra give her a small smile and nodded to the door. Adora sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, shoving it back into its messy ponytail before opening the door and walking out to peer down at the main level.

Angella was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking at the packages. "Oh Adora! Thank god. I was wondering who had brought these in. How long have you… oh," Angella stopped short at the sight of Catra slinking into view behind Adora. Adora hoped they're messy appearance would be mistaken for early mornings and torrential rain. Angella looked back and forth between them but said nothing.

"Hi Angella," Catra said coolly. She pushed in front of Adora and slunk down the stairs, offering a hand. Angella ignored her hand and instead pulled her a big hug, catching Catra by surprise. Adora beamed at the two of them.

"Catra," Angella said, pulling away but keeping her hands on Catra's shoulders, "It's been too long." Catra nodded, blushing slightly. Adora knew firsthand that Catra had never been much of a parent person. She wasn't automatically very kind or warm and her experience with parents was having one walk out, the other die, just to live under the roof of a strangers until she turned 17 and promptly emancipated. Angella though, wasn't so easily escapable. She looked over Catra and then turned back to Adora, her brows furrowed.

"What are you two up to?"

"Oh, I just came to help Adora move these packages upstairs," Catra explained. All three of them looked down at all the packages still waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Adora tried not to grimace.

"Mhm," Angella nodded.

"Anyway, is that the time? Oh wow, I gotta go. Unfortunate. Big day at work," Catra nodded a little too much, looking at her phone. Angella raised her eyebrows but didn't fight her, just nodded.

"Adora? I'll um… I'll see ya," Catra said, turning to look up at her. Adora tried to give her a normal smile and saw that Catra was giving her a genuine smile back. The butterflies returned to her stomach.

"Yeah," She nodded.

"Oh," Catra turned to the packages. She quickly grabbed two and pulled them up the stairs, on her own, with very minimal effort. She leaned them against the door and gave a quick wink to Adora. Adora stared at her open mouthed. "That'll help a bit," Catra smirked. She gave Angella a smile as she walked promptly to the door, only turning around once she was outside to take a quick glance at Adora before she disappeared around the corner.

Angella thankfully didn't push any questions on Adora as they got the rest of the packages upstairs and started setting them up. Adora focused on getting her own art cleaned up around the room but found her mind wandering back to the desk. She blushed despite herself and got back to work, still feeling butterflies taking over her stomach.