A/N: Welcome to the Catralonnie chapter nobody asked for. :D

CONTENT WARNING for bullying, but tbh it's nothing too traumatic.

Buzzing lights and whirring machines grate at Catra's tender ears as she drags her feet down the hall. They flick in protest, a pained expression trying to push the scowl off her face, but she refuses to let it show. The other cadets will pounce on blood in the water, a vast amount of experience has made her certain of that. She managed to dart in and out of the mess hall this morning without attracting much attention, but there's no way she'll be able to avoid an ass kicking in a room designed for ass kicking.

Sergeant Cobalt tracked her down yesterday and told her to either get her ass to training or the infirmary by morning or he'd report her for dereliction of duty. Catra would rather be mocked for her weakness and failures than give people even more reason to mock her, so training it is.

Her stomach gurgles and aches as she trudges through these familiar halls that she hoped never to traverse again, not like this. Her shoulders shrug up and tail twitches as she nears the locker room. Her year's class has had that room since they were toddlers first learning how to fall safely and throw punches without breaking their wrists. The shelves and hooks in their lockers moved higher as they grew but the room mostly stayed the same, just got more crowded as more 'orphans' were found. When they graduate into the regular ranks the year they turn twenty, it'll go to a new class of toddlers.

Catra frowns at the door in passing. A few of her best memories were made in that room, but those were all with Adora and they're bittersweet to remember now. Mostly it was bad memories, anyway. She tries not to think about them as she continues toward the training rooms, but she can't really help it…

Catra was the last one out of the showers that day. Oftentimes she was first out thanks to her distaste for water, unless her hair was getting ratty and Adora made her stay and wash it. But whenever she'd recently taken a beating she did her best to dawdle and get in just as everyone was leaving. Her fur was thin and short enough in places for her cuts and bruises to show, and while everyone had bruises from their daily combat training, sometimes Catra's were obviously acquired elsewhere. She didn't want anyone to see the proof of how weak she was, how Shadow Weaver had made her her personal punching bag. The proof of her degradation would only mark her an easy target, lead more cadets to pick on her.

Thankfully that day she'd had a great excuse to dawdle, a bloody nose that she had to stop first. She got it a few minutes before training ended, when she gloated a little too hard after beating Lonnie in a wrestling match. Adora had managed to step in before it got really ugly, but not before they each got a few punches in. She'd been closer to Lonnie and had grabbed her from behind, and Catra had barely refrained from taking a cheap shot at her defenseless and extremely annoying squadmate.

Just Catra's luck, the nosebleed restarted in the shower and delayed her even more, so the locker room was mostly empty by the time she finished. She was just opening her locker when someone snatched the towel right off her body, leaving her naked and dripping in a room of about a dozen cadets.

"Hey!" she yelped, spinning and trying to grab the towel back, but she was an instant too late. Lonnie was already holding it pointedly out of her reach, taunting Catra with her eyes. Claws baring on instinct, Catra snarled, "What the fuck, Lonnie?"

"What?" Lonnie cackled, pointedly raking her eyes over Catra's body. "Not like you have anything to hide."

A few snickers from around the room made Catra's eyes flick about. It's not like the cadets didn't see each other naked all the time anyway, but the indignity of it all was too much. Especially given her self-consciousness over the bruising and her lack of… assets.

"Give it back!" Catra demanded. She was tempted to lunge for the towel but didn't want to step away from the lockers and expose her bruises. If Lonnie had seen anything she didn't say, thankfully. Not that she'd care.

"Give it back!" another girl echoed high-pitched from somewhere in the room, sparking a round of giggles that made Catra curl in on herself, tail lashing behind her.

Lonnie chuckled lowly. "Or what? You'll sic Adora on me?" She glowered at Catra through the shiner she'd given her, already swelling and beginning to bruise. "She's the only reason anyone puts up with you and all your bullshit, you know. Being her pet sure has its perks."

Rogelio let out a warning snarl from down the bank of lockers and Lonnie quickly put her hands up. "Ah, shit! Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

Of course Lonnie apologized to Rogelio, not Catra. Rogelio and her got along, always had. Catra snatched the towel back while Lonnie was distracted and quickly wrapped it back around her shoulders, prompting another glaring contest.

Ears twitching irritably and beginning to flatten against her head, Catra snarked, "Whatever, Lonnie. You're just jealous."

Lonnie scoffed. "Jealous of you? Bitch, please. I don't need some meathead watching my back to survive in this place. Really, I'm sorry for you. What's it like to be so pathetic?" Tipping her head, she leaned in menacingly. "You better keep Adora happy, 'cause if she ditches you, ain't no one else coming to save you."

"I don't need saving," Catra shot back, shoving Lonnie out of her space. "I can take care of myself."

"I'll believe that when I see it." Lonnie feigned deep thought for a moment, humming to herself before remarking, "So, never, I guess."

Taking a moment to smirk and stare Catra down, Lonnie finally turned and sauntered out of the room. Kyle let out a sigh of relief as soon as the door closed behind her, and Rogelio caught Catra's eye and gave her a sympathetic shrug. Even back then, Catra couldn't stand sympathy.

"What are you creeps looking at?" snapped Catra, pulling the towel even tighter around her body. "Do I need to put a 'No Boys Allowed' sign on my junk?"

Catra was more perceptive than most, she'd noticed the way Kyle and Rogelio looked (and didn't look) at each other, but that didn't mean they couldn't swing both ways. Not that they'd be into her, anyway, not in a million years. Lizard hybrids were the second-most common species in the Horde, but she was the only cat hybrid, the kitty with no titties. Well, they'd come in somewhat since that dickhead called her that a couple years back, but she wasn't busty or burly like Lonnie and Adora. There was nothing to lust after.

The joke garnered a bit of laughter from the others still in the room, which made Catra's ears prick up a little and her posture straighten. Kyle's nervous cringe brought a vicious grin to her face and she added, "Or maybe just 'No Pussies'?"

She was considering saying more when Rogelio huffed and turned his back on her, blocking Kyle from her view and leaving her smile to fall. Turning back to her locker, she frowned to herself and pulled out a clean uniform.

Catra slips into the training facilities at the last minute, when everyone is gathered to begin but still chatting amongst themselves. Swallowing her nerves, she quietly rounds the group of cadets and sidles up to her old squad.

"Hey, guys," she greets them, crossing her arms and flashing a smile brimming with confidence she doesn't feel.

"Well, look who's back," Lonnie comments neutrally. She squints at Catra's black eye but doesn't ask about it, which Catra appreciates.

"Nice to have you back, Catra," Kyle says with a weak smile, weight on his back foot, clearly on his guard. It makes Catra grin. At least someone's still afraid of her.

"Hey, Kyle," she purrs, reaching up to drag a claw along his jaw. When he gulps her smile grows wider. "I've missed your pretty face. Would be a shame if something happened to it, hm?" Rogelio growls and Catra raises an eyebrow. "Chill, big guy, I'm just teasing. Wouldn't dare destroy your boyfriend's best asset."

Rogelio chuckles, which is really more of a huffing sound, before emitting a series of clicks and grunts that make the girls cringe and Kyle turn beet red.

"Hel!" he gasps, smacking his boyfriend's snout.

"Gross, dude," Lonnie protests. "I mean, we've all seen it, but I don't want to think about it."

Rogelio slings an arm around Kyle's shoulder and speaks directly into his ear.

"Please," huffs Kyle, "you said 'for a human.' That is not a compliment."

"How would you know, Kyle?" teases Lonnie. "You get a wide variety of lizard cock?"

"Do you?" he shoots back.

Catra rolls her eyes, head shaking in disgust. All this talk of naked boys is making her miss Adora. Not like 'miss her' miss her, just miss her because she would be similarly disgusted, and even more embarrassed.

"I'm disowning you freaks," mutters Catra.

"Already tried that," Lonnie remarks flatly. "Didn't really take, did it?"

Catra's lips curl back in a snarl and her fists clench. She's just leaning in to give Lonnie a piece of her mind (and maybe her fists) when a banging sound from up front interrupts them.

"At attention, cadets!" Octavia barks into the crowd.

Catra's stomach drops, gurgling in her bowels. Having to respond to that is the worst feeling in the world. Two months of giving orders, and now she's right back here. And of course their trainer today is Octavia, since apparently the entire universe is determined to shit on her right now. Thankfully Octavia directs nothing more than a glare at Catra - for now - before instructing them to pair off for sparring with staffs.

Kyle and Rogelio immediately exchange a look and head for one of the weapons racks while Catra pointedly avoids eye contact with everyone, banking for once on being the outcast. An odd number of cadets would probably be too much to hope for, but she's feeling sluggish and foggy as well as antisocial. She probably should have opted for the infirmary, truth be told. She's just starting to wonder if she got lucky when someone bumps shoulders with her, and she looks up to find Lonnie extending a staff in offering.

"Looks like it's you and me, huh?" Lonnie's grin says it all. She finally has an excuse to beat on Catra for lording power over her for the last couple months. Not that Catra doesn't deserve it, but she wishes they could have this showdown when she wasn't feeling out of sorts. She glances around the room to find all the other cadets paired off, and anyone else looking her way is eyeing her with disdain, anyway. Lonnie might actually be her best option, and that's pathetic.

"Guess it is," grumbles Catra, snatching the staff and getting set in a defensive stance. Lonnie continues to grin, relishing the moment, but her ensuing attack is decidedly lacking in speed or force. Catra raises an eyebrow after batting away a few weak swings. "Going easy on me?"

Lonnie smirks and gives her a little shrug. "Figure you'd be out of practice, cushy officer's life and all."

"Joke's on you, dipshit," snorts Catra. "Haven't done much of this, but Scorpia's been working me hard in the boxing ring."

"Scorpia." Lonnie hums. "She's the really buff one with the white hair, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason," she says nonchalantly, averting her eyes for a split second before remembering she's in a combat situation. Catra may fight dirty, but the lapse surprises her and she doesn't even think to take advantage. "She seems tough but nice," Lonnie remarks, and unless Catra's mistaken there's a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. Lonnie shrugs it off before she can be sure. "Probably a good teacher."

"Yeah, she is," Catra muses, almost losing focus for a second.

Lonnie kindly returns the favor and doesn't strike. Less kindly, she begins an interrogation. "So, how've you been?"

Snorting into an attack combo, Catra snarks, "Since when do you care how I'm doing?"

Lonnie squints, holding her off. "You're my squadmate. Of course I care."

"You didn't care all those times you picked on me when we were kids," snaps Catra.

"I mean, I picked on you sometimes, sure," Lonnie says, eyebrows knitting, "but I stepped in to help when bigger kids tried to beat you up, or don't you remember? We stick together, we always have."

Catra scoffs. "Right."

Mouth sharpening into a snarl, Lonnie shoves her staff up against Catra's, forcing her to push back in defense. Catra grimaces as that pounding starts up in her head again.

"You're no better, you know, with that 'Cadet Lonnie' shit you pulled when you got promoted," retorts Lonnie. "Even before, you always picked on Adora and called her dumb and stuff. You were the only one who could get away with it."

"That was just teasing," scoffs Catra. "We were best friends, she didn't care."

Lonnie's eyes narrow and she demands, "How do you know?"

"I-" Catra's forehead scrunches as she considers this. "I mean, she never said anything."

"Of course she didn't," snorts Lonnie. She comes in on the attack again, harder this time, and manages to land a few blows. Catra can't help but notice, however, that she's targeting all her strikes to the body. None to the head.

"Look, that's how things are around here," Lonnie finally says. "We all do what we have to do to feel like we're not the scum of the earth. Doesn't mean we don't care about each other. I'd protect Kyle with my life, wouldn't you?"

"I mean, I guess," admits Catra. Wary of all this mushy bullshit, she tacks on, "He needs it, so."

That makes Lonnie grin. "Right?" Suddenly she snorts as the irony dawns on her. "See?"

"Yeah," Catra mutters with a shrug, "I guess."

Holding her gaze intently, Lonnie repeats, "So, how are you?" When Catra raises an eyebrow she rolls her eyes and spells out, "Your reflexes are slow, your balance is off, and it hurts you to push too hard. I've had concussions too, Catra."

"So what?"

"So I wanna know if whoever hurt you is someone I can beat up," Lonnie answers matter-of-factly.

Catra pauses mid-strike, face suddenly darkening. "Fuck you, Lonnie, I don't need a bodyguard," she spits. "I can take care of myself."

"I know," Lonnie assures her with a smile that appears genuine. It throws Catra for a loop, but she doesn't have long to think before Lonnie's coming at her again, hard.

After a few moments of fending off attacks, Catra mutters, "No."

Lonnie blinks. "No, what?"

"No, he's not," clarifies Catra.

Lonnie grunts into a perturbed frown, deep creases forming in her brow. "'Kay, well, I ain't gonna pry. Just know I've got your back if any of these assholes try to give you a second impact," she says, gesturing at the other cadets. "Can't let your brains get scrambled when you've got no brawn."

"Fuck off, Lonnie," Catra chuckles, jabbing at her adversary's torso. "I'll kick your ass."

And she does, concussion be damned.

***o***

It's late afternoon by the time Catra makes it back to Scorpia's room, and her head is pounding. Getting some exercise was nice, but she no doubt overdid it. All she wants to do is collapse and sleep for the rest of the day, but when the door opens she finds Scorpia lounging on the bed, reading some kind of tactical guide.

"Oh, Scorpia," she greets her in surprise, doing her best to hide her disappointment. "Didn't think you'd be here." She really didn't. The big lug seems to be allergic to alone time and spends most of her time training cadets or hanging out in Entrapta's lab.

"Hey, Wildcat." Scorpia smiles and gives her a small wave. "How was training?"

"Uh, fine, I guess." Catra shrugs. "Tiring. Not used to so much in one day anymore." Lonnie was right about her being out of practice in that sense, at least. Her endurance has taken a hit, or maybe that's just the concussion. Probably not, though, if she's being honest.

"Oh, well you can rest here if you need," Scorpia offers, sitting up and patting the mattress. "One of Entrapta's new bots was having some kind of existential crisis and attacked us. Decided I needed a break from the chaos, but I can go back if you need some quiet."

"I mean, if you could for a bit, that'd be helpful," Catra admits, frowning to herself. "But this is the last time you'll have to work around me. I'm moving back to the barracks tonight." When Scorpia gives her a questioning look, she shrugs. "My squad's there. Besides, it's time I gave you your room back. I can take care of myself, and it's not fair you have to keep crashing in the lab."

"Oh." Scorpia's cheeks turn pink as she scratches the back of her head, the start of a smirk pulling at her lips. "Well, I wasn't in any rush."

"Wait…" Catra's eyes narrow. "You and Entrapta? That's actually happening?"

"Yeah." Scorpia chuckles, smiling fondly. "Turns out being kicked out of my own bed was a blessing in disguise."

"I didn't kick you out, you kicked yourself out," says Catra. "That's good, though. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." Scorpia's eyes flick from side to side and she asks, "Hey, can you…?" She points at the table, confusing Catra for a second until she spots the sound blocker box among Scorpia's things.

"Oh, yeah." Catra walks over and presses the power button before turning to Scorpia, leaning back against the table with her arms folded expectantly.

Peering up at her curiously, Scorpia asks, "Is it true, what you told her about the princesses thinking she was dead?"

Catra cocks a challenging eyebrow. "Callin' me a liar?"

"No, no, not at all. Just surprised me. I didn't think they'd care." Scorpia's lips purse. "Makes sense they'd leave her, getting the others back was more important."

"Yeah, well," snorts Catra. "Turns out princesses are full of surprises."

"You're telling me," cracks Scorpia. Catra smirks lewdly and Scorpia really blushes this time. It's cute. "Not just that. I, uh, I actually talked her into leaving. She said we can take Emily out on a tech-gathering mission and just not come back, shack up in Dryl instead."

The blood drains from Catra's head and for a second she could swear she's falling, falling, falling. Her nails dig into the metal underside of the table, holding her steady as this latest blow sinks in. The first concrete thought she can manage is that, once again, she's orchestrated her own undoing. She encouraged Scorpia and Entrapta to get closer without her so Scorpia would give her a little more space, admittedly. But this is too much space. She never intended to make herself expendable. Gods, she's such an idiot.

Though she tries not to show any emotion, Catra's ears betray her by flattening against her skull, tail flicking behind her in distress. There's a distinct sour undertone in her voice as she glares at the floor and asks, "Good for you. When do you leave?"

"Catra, it's not like that," Scorpia assures her steadily. "We're not leaving without you."

Catra's head snaps up. "What?"

"Either all of us go, or none of us go," reiterates Scorpia. Standing from the bed, she approaches cautiously. "Look, I meant what I said the other day. I won't leave you guys behind. Especially not you, not after how Hordak treated you. And if we left he'd definitely assume you knew, take it out on you. I'm not leaving you here to suffer the consequences of my betrayal."

Before Catra realizes what she's doing, she's thrown her arms around Scorpia. Upon coming to her senses she blushes hard, absolutely mortified at the display of weakness. But she knows that at this point awkwardly disentangling herself and pretending it didn't happen would only serve to embarrass her further. Better to act like she meant to do it all along. So she goes all in and squeezes, resting her head on Scorpia's sizable bust. For such a pointy, chitinous being, she's actually quite comfy.

Scorpia gasps. "W-Wildcat, are you really-"

Catra slaps a hand over her mouth. "Shh. Don't make it weird."

"Okay," comes Scorpia's muffled voice.

Satisfied at that, Catra slides her arm around Scorpia again and locks her hands together. They can barely reach each other behind the hulking woman's back. When Scorpia's arms wrap around Catra gently she sighs, letting her eyes fall shut. Good. Scorpia's learning.

Impressively, Scorpia lasts at least five seconds before her excitement gets the better of her. Giving a hearty squeeze that knocks the breath from Catra's lungs, she squeals, "So, does this mean you're coming?"

"I…" Pulling away, Catra wraps her arms around herself and stares down at her tapping foot. Her thoughts and emotions are all jumbled, especially after that weird interaction with Lonnie. Her throbbing brain can't make heads or tails of any of it.

"I need to think," she finally answers, eyes unwittingly pleading for patience and understanding. "I'm not ready."

"Okay," Scorpia assures her without delay. "We'll wait for you."

Catra releases a breath she didn't know she was holding, a grateful smile crossing her face. "Thanks, Scorp."

Scorpia beams at the nickname. Reaching out to nudge Catra's shoulder, she says, "Okay, well, I'll let you get some rest. And you can go back to the barracks if you want, but you know you're always welcome here, and in the lab. Don't be a stranger."

Smirking playfully, Catra declares, "Wouldn't dream of it."

Scorpia heads for the hallway, turning off the lights and giving a farewell wave on the way out. "Sleep well, boss."

When the door shuts behind her Catra flops facedown on the mattress, groaning in relief. Her nostrils flood with the safe, comforting scent of the most loyal friend she's ever had, and within moments the tension in her muscles melts away. Tears leak from her eyes, wetting the pillow, but they're not the tears she's used to, born of frustration and rage and deep sorrow. These are tears of relief, tears of contentment, tears of joy.

Tears of happiness.

A/N: I am, as a matter of fact, capable of writing fluff. So there.

Fun fact: This chapter's alternate title was "Squad Goals".