A few weeks later brought Christmas round. Most of Catra's class were fucking off back home to the obligatory festive dinner or going skiing in the Kingdom of Snows. Scorpia was going to Petunia (Perfuma)'s family back in Plumeria, a forestry kind of place just outside of the Whispering Woods precinct for the first time. They'd been a couple since Easter of first year, so just over a year and a half together. Scorpia's moms were travelling for work over Christmas, so they agreed to meet Perfuma's parents. Bow was heading home to the Whispering Woods, and Glimmer was off to her mom's in Bright Moon.

That just left Catra and Adora in the dorms. Sure, there were a few stragglers, but most of them were going home or staying with friends. Catra, and Adora for that matter, were both orphans as far as she knew. Well, Catra knew Adora was an orphan. She'd read Randor and Marlena's names on the military war stone just outside of Bright Moon castle. She also knew both of them were only children, Randor's parents having died when he was young, and Marlena's mom, Razz, died when Adora was a few months old.

Catra also remembered having to nurse Adora through the rough and unforgiving clutches of grief when her twin brother was shot down in service a little under three years ago.

Catra assumed she was an orphan: why wouldn't you if you were in an orphanage? So she had nobody to go home to, and neither did Adora. Which left her with the awkward task of trying to maintain civility in the dorm. Catra graduated in the June, but Adora was only in her first year, which meant once June hit, Catra was done. Done with her and done with Eternia Univeristy. She'd be pissing off to the hometown of her grandmother, Half Moon. It was small enough to not have an airport but large enough to have an architecture company, one that'd already offered her a job upon graduation.

Why were things awkward between her and Adora?
Simple.

Catra hated war.
She asked Adora not to join the army.
She begged Adora not to enlist.
She pleaded with Adora to stay at home with her in Fright Zone City.

Adora enlisted in August.
She told Catra on September tenth.
She shipped out on September eighteenth.
She didn't come home for three years, one month and fifteen days.

Catra glanced to the side of the couch, feeling her anger slip away. Adora was watching some crappy sports coverage on the tv, curled up underneath some knitted red blanket. Key word being was. She was dozing softly, head resting on the armrest. Catra couldn't break her gaze as she continued to brood. It's not that Adora didn't try to reach her. She'd tried calling, then texting, then Whatsapping her, then social media messaging (granted not for long, but even so), then emailing and finally letters.

Catra had read her letters and emails and texts, but never answered them.
Cruel? Yes. Necessary? Also yes.

Look, everything Adora wanted, she got. She was the only one in Sheila's home who was allowed to watch TV on the big screen once she'd finished her chores and homework. When Lonnie finished her homework and chores, she'd be granted early bed - which meant she could watch some crappy show on her phone, so long as it was pre-approved by Sheila. When Catra finished her homework and chores, she was only given the chores Lonnie and Adora had failed to do properly. If Adora wanted to visit Adam, Sheila would take her.

If Catra or Lonnie wanted to go to the library, she'd snarl at them and throw them a five-dollar bill to split for the bus fare.

Adora's letters and emails were usually the same. Blathering on about how much she missed her and life back in FZ City, a few jokes about fighting for her life more in the canteen line than the real battlefield, a couple of pictures of her with her squad, maybe a sly video of her taking the piss out of some woman named Marabelle, who would then proceed to chase Adora to the barracks threatening lavatory duty, then the both of them get caught by some woman called Hope, who'd glare at them both and cut the camera.

Catra tried to make her lip curl at the sight of the blonde vet asleep under the red blanket, but she couldn't muster the hatred. Instead, she turned her rage to Reddit and got ready to argue with grown men.

In hindsight, Catra should've known something was wrong. She'd picked up more work over the Christmas break, in at the club as a bartender from nine at night to three in the morning, come home and nap until midday, then work in a cafe from one till six from Thursday until Sunday.

When she wasn't working, she was sleeping or showering. So she didn't really notice the distinct lack of one Adora over the course of seven days. Catra, granted was away pretty much from two on Thursday to nine am on Monday. But in the days she was there, she'd seen Adora twice, if that. Both times she looked unwell. Maybe she'd picked up a bug? Catra passed it off for the first week. But the car she'd driven to college with wasn't there when she left for work on the second Friday and didn't return until sometime between two and six on Sunday.

After Christmas Day had passed, the club reduced her hours to nine to one instead, so Catra was back in her dorm more. She liked being alone, usually. She could lounge around in her underwear, eat what she wanted, watch what she wanted, sleep when she wanted, and have sex whenever she wanted. It was great. But the problem was she wasn't alone.

She had a roommate.
And that roommate just so happened to be her former best friend.

Sure, they'd seen each other naked before. Jesus, they'd showered together so Sheila didn't make the water cold for Catra. They'd also slept in the same bed together, Christ, they'd helped bandage up so many wounds caused by assholes at school or Sheila's own hands.

She cast another look down the hall to the room next to hers. Catra knew she should check on Adora, make sure she hadn't died in her sleep or some shit, but she was still so angry with her. Sighing angrily, she pulled out her phone.

Me - 10:38: I'm in a dilemma and I need your help.

Lonnie - 10:40: What?

Me - 10:40: Remember Adora? The bitch that left me?

Lonnie - 10:42: Yh, obviously. Y?

Me - 10:42: Right, well, she's in my dorm, yeah? But she's
not actually left her room, from what I've seen, in at least
three days.

Lonnie - 10:43: Wait, she's in ure dorm? LMAO

Me - 10:43: Leonora.

Lonnie - 10:43: I will stab you.

Me - 10:43: Uh huh.

Lonnie - 10:45: Don't be a pussy. Knock on her door then.
Adora's Adora. Three years wouldn't've changed much.
She wouldn't hurt you… unfortunately.

Me - 10:45: No, like she's being really weird. She
disappeared for two days as well. She's literally not
left her room. Not even for food… unless she's
waited till I've left.

Me - 10:47: Also, asshole.

Lonnie - 10:50: Flexing my psychology degree rn.

Me - 10:50:

Lonnie - 10:50:
Lonnie - 10:51: She could just need space. She's a vet, right?
Now she's fought in the war?

Me - 10:51: That makes her sound old and grey.
But yh, I guess so.

Lonnie - 10:52: Veterans more often than not have some issues
readjusting to civilian life for several months, sometimes years,
after a long posting. How long was gone again?

Me - 10:52: Like… three years, I think.

Lonnie - 10:53: Chances are then she's just having some
trouble with adjusting. Do you know when she came
home?

Me - 10:54: Idk. The first time I saw her was on campus.
So idk how long she was back for before that. Probably
not long bc she said she'd served three years, and she was
posted in September.

Lonnie - 10:54: If it's bothering u, check on her.

Me - 10:54: Right, and get stabbed by a war vet. Great idea.

Lonnie - 10:58: Don't get my hopes up.

Tossing her phone onto the couch cushion next to her, Catra huffed as she stood. She groaned under her breath as she walked towards the end of the hall, past Bow's empty bedroom and past Scorpia's. She raised her hand to the door and knocked once, twice, three times. Adora was quiet for a few moments, only broken by a barely audible sigh. "Yeah?" Came through. Catra took that as her cue to enter, so she pushed open the door. "I thought you had the flu," She commented by the doorframe. Adora shifted on her bed, bunking further up. She gestured. "Sit, if you want. I'm only doing coursework," Catra hesitated slightly. Adora rolled her eyes. "Relax, I'm not that traumatised yet,"

Catra snorted awkwardly as she moved to sit down on the edge. "Shift your leg," She said, swiping to flick at it. Adora hummed. "I have," She said over her laptop. Catra raised her eyebrows. "If you don't move 'em, I'll sit on 'em," She warned. Adora rolled her eyes. "I've moved. There's room for you," She said, kicking under the quilt to prove her point. Catra hummed. "Fine," She dropped down onto the bed, sitting against the wall, her legs extended over Adora's.

She frowned. "Wait," She looked at the bed. "Have I eaten some of Perfuma's brownies?" She looked at her hands. "Hm?" Adora mumbled. "You. I should be sitting on your right leg right now," She patted the mattress. "But I'm sat on the mattress," She jabbed Adora's left leg with her finger, electing a disgruntled huff. Adora finally looked up, blinking in awareness. "Oh! That's because I've not got it on," Catra hesitated. "Um... sorry? You- you've not got what on?" Adora gestured to the wardrobe. "My leg," She said. "Open it, you'll see,"

"I'm not gonna look at your leg, Adora. I've definitely had some of 'Fuma's brownies," Catra rubbed her face. Adora giggled as she kicked Catra's legs. "No, seriously! I wear a prosthetic leg," She said. Catra, her curiosity piqued, got off the bed and ventured to the wardrobe. There, inside, were two prosthetic legs. "Well, shit, you weren't kidding," Catra crouched to look at them. "You can pick it up, ya know," Catra yelped as Adora's hand rested on her shoulder for stability. She hopped to the side, leaning against the wall. "They're pretty robust. They're not gonna break if you touch 'em,"

Catra wrinkled her nose, reaching out to poke it. "Oh," She said, somewhat disappointed. "It's plastic," She deadpanned. Adora chuckled. "What, did you think it was human flesh?" She began to laugh, hopping over to her bed, using various things to help her balance. Catra watched with a small frown, something thick and unfamiliar settling in her heart as the blonde eased back into her bed, this time without the blanket on. "How come you never told me?" Catra asked quietly. Adora inhaled in breath and held it for a moment. Catra stayed on the floor. "I dunno... it just never came up," Catra wasn't the best at understanding when to stop in conversations, not because she was autistic or anything, but just because she didn't always think before she spoke.

Hence: "I'd think a missing leg is a pretty easy conversation opener,"

Adora's eyebrows rose into her hairline. Catra peered at the prosthetic again. "Is it above or below?" She asked. Upon silence, she glanced over her shoulder. "Hello?" Adora shook her head, exhaling softly. "Below. I still have my knee," She pulled a weird red sock further up her leg. Catra finally moved from the ground and to the bed. "How'd you lose it?" She asked softly. Adora hesitated, tucking the right leg under her left, hiding it from Catra's view. "If you don't wanna tell me, don't. I'm not gonna force you to,"

Adora shook her head. "No. My therapist says talking about it is healthy," She took a breath. "Um... it's actually one of three really bad injuries. This was just the one that got me discharged," She gestured to the leg. "I can't exactly run without a fucking leg, can I?" Despite the chuckle, Catra could hear, and feel, the disgust in her voice. Catra opted to stay quiet, waiting for Adora to open up on her own.

"The first one was when I was hit in the kidney," She lifted her shirt to display a tiny scar. "Some jackass swung at me after dinner one night. Bruised the fucker so bad it needed taking out," Catra felt a memory bubble to the surface. Oh... Sergeant Mara called about that a few months after Adora was posted. Catra assumed it was because of war itself. "The second was a bullet in my shoulder," Adora gestured to her back. "Can't show it 'cus I'm sat down. But I was shot by the enemy and it fucked the nerves in my shoulder blade and my entire left arm," She flexed her fingers. Catra tried not to look at her biceps in the compression shirt. "What does that mean?" Catra said around her thick swallow. Adora stared at her hand in contemplation before letting it drop with a soft smile. "Means I have chronic pain in my arm and shoulder for the rest of my life,"

Oh.

Catra wrinkled her nose. "That's shitty," She eventually said. Adora hummed. "Then this," She gestured to the red socked knee. "How'd you do it?" Catra asked. Adora's face twisted slightly, gaze falling into her lap. "Well, you've gotta have a cool story at least," Catra picked at her fingers. "Oh yeah?" Adora hummed, looking up through her eyelashes. Catra hummed back. "There's no point in telling people you've lost your leg because of some crappy infection!" She scoffed. "You've gotta tell 'em you lost it because you had to choose between your leg and a bus of orphans or some shit,"

The comment didn't make much sense, but it made Adora laugh.

"I mean... the commander of the enemy sliced open the back of my knee?" She shrugged. "Fuck, really? Can I see?" Catra covered her mouth. "I'm so sorry..." She whispered. Adora snorted. "I mean... you can if you want. It's only a small scar, so there's not much to see," Slowly, Adora lowered the red sock and displayed the knee. Catra's finger ghosted near the wound, but not touching it. "Wow," She muttered at the thick white scar. Adora hummed to herself lowly as she lowered her leg and put the red sock on. "Why do you cover it? Does it get cold easily?" Catra asked. The blonde shook her head. "No. It just hurts sometimes. The red thing is a compression sock," She explained. "It's supposed to help with swelling and pain, but I have my doubts,"

Catra finally pulled her gaze away and settled it out of the window instead. She knew she should try and make amends, or at least do something, but she physically couldn't get the words out, despite her brain screaming at her. Eventually, though, Adora reached across the table. "Listen, not that you're not a ray of pure sunshine," She began. "But I need to take my pills," She rattled a bottle. Catra could see an excuse when she was given one. Yet, she continued. "OK?" Adora frowned. Catra rolled her eyes. "Listen, I know an excuse when I see one, but you just have to tell me straight up. I'm not being funny, we share a wall,"

Adora frowned deeper. "I've literally heard you being eaten out against it," Catra deadpanned. Adora's face went bright red as she ducked. "I wasn't aware a triple orgasm was a thing," Catra continued. Adora groaned. "Shut up, Catra. Seriously!"

"And you didn't strike me as a bottom either,"

She only batted away the pillow with a high chuckle, throwing over her shoulder as she left: "I'll have to remember that!"