Author's Notes:

Another confession… I wrote this chapter along with the previous one… only a day after I posted the first chapter… Meaning I wrote all 3 chapters in a day, and 2 more the next day…

Wow… I can be really dedicated when I want to be.

Also, I won't post any chapters for around 7-10 days, maybe more. I'll be going on a vacation so I won't be touching my laptop, therefore I can't upload any chapters. So, umm... just a heads up, I guess.

Histories and Chemistries

V

Adora herself didn't understand it; why she was so willing to spend a couple of days a week tutoring her.

She never let it disrupt her other activities, of course - like her own studying or her being a princess. In fact, tutoring Catra made her feel more confident about herself, less stiff, funnier… she felt more like herself.

And she didn't just teach Catra in her tutoring lessons.

Sometimes they'd just talk.

Sometimes they'd play silly - an oddly fun - games Catra made up.

Sometimes Catra was the one teaching her - granted, a lot of the materials she taught was… wrong… but it was the thought that counted! Plus… Catra looked really cute when she was trying to teach… so focused… so determined… Adora just couldn't say anything, didn't want to make her sad.

The only thing she didn't like was how short these tutoring lessons were. But it wasn't as though either of them could do anything about it. Catra had duties of being part of The Horde, and she too with her being part of The Princesses.

These lessons didn't feel long enough even when they went on for a long time.

And everytime the clock told them it was time to part, either were happy.

Catra…

Something was different about her. Different from all of her other friends.

And Adora couldn't pinpoint why.

She always felt so weird being around her. It was like she was an entirely new person, a better person.

And Catra was always different when she was around her too.

She wasn't the aloof girl who didn't care about anything other than her own enjoyment.

No, she… she was Catra. The real Catra. The girl who was always cracking jokes - even if they weren't funny. The girl who was a little clumsy and a little excitable. The girl who'd always been there for her, even after she left The Horde.

Adora didn't know why Catra was so different and why she was drawn towards her, but… all she knew was that she enjoyed being close to the girl and that she wanted to get even closer to her.

Did she really need any other reason?

…

They were in one of their tutoring lessons when it happened.

Catra had seemed a little moodier and angrier than usual, but at first, Adora thought nothing of it. She probably had a bad day, maybe argued against another horde members or maybe she got detention.

But then she saw it;

Red and blue painting Catra's wrist.

Adora's heart dropped as well as her pen.

"What happened to your wrist?"

"Eh, nothing."

Catra tried to move it away so she couldn't see the damage, but then Adora touched the wrist and Catra let out a yelp, making her gasp and doubling her worry.

"It's not nothing," she urged, inspecting the bruise further.

Catra tried to chuckle that easygoing chuckle of hers, but it ended up coming out forced and stiff. "It sort of is, Adora."

Adora paled when she realized that this wasn't just any bruise…

On Catra's wrist was a hand mark.

"Who did this to you?!"

She stood up, her chair wobbling and falling loudly. Not that she cared.

Catra looked up at her, gritting her teeth. "Nobody, alright?"

Adora's eyes widened. She's… hiding something from me.

Which meant this was more serious than she initially thought.

Adora bit her lip, glancing at the girl.

She was distressed, worried. And only now did the blonde realized that her eyes were a little puffy, a little red. She's been crying.

Someone had done this to her.

Someone had hurt her and make her cry.

And it hurt Adora to know that.

"Catra, don't shut me off-"

"JUST DROP IT!"

A beat passed.

Then another.

And the room was silent, save for their heavy breathing.

Catra still wouldn't meet her eyes.

She was angry. Her teeth were bared, it looked like she had fangs. Her hands were curled into fists.

Adora wondered why she was angry… and… why she was channeling all of that energy to her…

Did she… did she do something wrong? Did she make her angry?

What did she do wrong?

Catra looked down as she stood up, her bangs covering her eyes, preventing Adora from seeing just what it was she was feeling.

"Drop it, okay?" Her voice was shaking. She looked like she was in so much pain. She looked like she was barely holding herself together.

Adora reached out, wanting her to share some of her pain, to not let her deal with this - whatever this was - alone.

"Cat…"

But the noirette took a step back, and after another shaky breath, she finally looked up.

And Catra was glaring at her.

"It'll heal. It's just a stupid bruise. And I'm fine. So quit worrying."

Her words were all lies.

Adora knew that.

Catra wasn't fine.

It wasn't just a stupid bruise.

Even if it would heal… did that really make it okay?

… But even if her words were lies, that didn't mean it didn't hurt her to hear it.

Adora looked towards the window, finding nothing. She began to feel her eyes watering and blinked them away in an instant.

Her mind was made up.

She grabbed her belongings.

"S-sorry, Adora… didn't mean to snap at you…"

"So why did you?" She was tired of this - whatever this was. Tired of wondering why Catra treated her the way she did. Tired of wondering what they were.

"You know I'd never want to hurt you, right?"

Adora froze, her hand inches away from the door handle.

Catra sounded so broken, so lost, so hurt.

She took a shuddering breath.

"And you did anyway. Congratulations, Catra. You're such a good friend."

And with that, she abandoned Catra along with the bond and trust and friendship they'd built the past few weeks, even if every fiber of her being told her how stupid she was being.

To be Continued

Author's Notes:

Yaiks… What a confrontation. But hey, it was bound to happen anyway. Catra's too emotional for her own good and Adora's patience has snapped.

I just hope the next chapter isn't as angsty as this one.

... Eh, it probably is ;)

See you all in... who knows when~