Title: your past so present you can feel your baby teeth

Rating: Teen

Full Summary: "This year has been the hardest of your whole life. So hard you cannot see a future, most days. The pain is bigger than anything up the whole horizon, no matter where you are. You feel unsafe, you feel unsaved. Your past so present you can feel your baby teeth. Sitting on the couch, you swear your feet don't reach the floor."
- "Angels of The Get-Through", by Andrew Gibson.

Adora left the Home a week after her eighteenth birthday in search of a life where she didn't have to hide who she was. But despite having braved a whole new world and built a life all of her own, she still has regrets. One of those regrets is leaving her best friend behind.

When Catra calls her on the burner phone hidden in her bag, Adora jumps at the prospect of a new beginning. But healing isn't easy, and Catra has demons of her own to conquer. She can't do it alone.

A story about growth, healing, and learning to live again after living your whole life in the shadows of an abusive cult.

Content Warning: Content warning for mentions of violence. This whole fic has a blanket content warning for abuse and cults.

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Two

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Catra's smile fades as she drops the phone from her ear. Gripping it tighter, she tries to ignore the way her hands shake—the only tell of her distress that she can't seem to hide from anyone. When that doesn't work, she shoves them in her pockets, hunching deeper into her oversized hoodie.

She'd bought it at the gift shop a few minutes ago for twenty-five dollars and ninety-nine cents. A waste of money, if you asked Catra. But it's warm and hides the tell-tale gray of her Church-issued pajama top, which makes it somewhat useful. It's a pleasant shade of lilac, she supposes, with blue lettering and the insignia of Bright Moon University on the front. She has her hood pulled up, two unruly braids hidden underneath the fabric. Hopefully, she looks just like any college student returning to the city.

With a barely-concealed sigh, she forces herself to sit down on an empty bench near the vending machines instead of obeying her body's desire to pace back and forth, which would definitely attract attention. She places her hands in her lap and then stares at them like they hold the answers to the mysteries of the universe. Her nails are chipped. She can't help but notice the tiny, dark-red specks of blood underneath her pointer finger. She must've gotten Octavia good, judging by the large amount of blood she'd had to wash off her hands in the bathroom of the train station back home.

Home. Now thatwas an interesting way to think of where she'd come from. She'd lived in that city her whole life, but hadn't seen much of it at all—most of her memories were of the foreboding gray walls keeping her separate from the world beyond them. Catra could count the times that she'd left the Home for anything other than trying to convince others to join the Church on one hand. They'd only really left for the occasional field trip, where they gave out pamphlets to unsuspecting visitors at the local library. Even the Church was on-site.

Tearing her eyes away from her still-trembling fingers, she casts a furtive glance towards the people departing the most recent train. There's a strong chance that she's been followed, or that she will be once Octavia comes to and tells Ms. Weaver that she's gone. But it's a few hours drive from the city she came from, so hopefully she has time.

She isn't sure how long she's been sitting there when her pocket vibrates.

"Hey," she says after taking a deep breath and willing the anxiety she knows is permeating from her being away. It comes out even, almost casual, but Addie knows her well, so maybe she can tell the difference.

"I'm here. Just got out of the Lyft. I told the driver to wait. Figured you didn't wanna stay too long. What are you wearing?"

"I'm wearing a purple hoodie with the college logo on it," Catra says, walking towards the double-doorway, "I'll meet you by the exit."

"Sounds good."

The cool winter air meets Catra as the automatic doors slide open. She squints a bit in the sunlight, still used to the artificial lighting of the station. She's not quite sure what she should be looking for—Addie said she'd look different. Catra wonders just how different someone who she's known her whole life can look.

There's a girl with blonde hair standing next to a blue car. Catra's never had great eyes, so she can't quite see her face from where she is. She wears a red jacket and cargo pants, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. The last time Catra saw Addie, she'd had short hair and been wearing men's clothes, but somehow Catra instinctively knows who she's looking at anyway.

"Addie?" she breathes into the receiver. The girl looks around at this, clunky old phone still held to her ear. Catra takes off her hood, displaying the wild locks escaping from her braids.

It's as though everything turns to slow motion. Addie looks in her direction and then freezes. Catra doesn't have to have good vision to know that she's smiling. They meet each other halfway.

"Catra," Addie says, and Catra almost starts crying then and there at the tenderness in her voice, "It's so good to see you."

As they hug, Catra buries her face in Addie's chest and takes in her scent. She smells more like home than the orphanage ever did. And that's when Catra knows she made the right decision.

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Author's Note:

Wow, an update! Amazing. Don't know when the next one will be. Hopefully soon.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed! Please review!

Much love,
Aster