Aftershock Chapter 19, a she-ra and the princesses of power fanfic

I'm guessing maybe only two more, including this one, plus an epilogue of sorts left! I'm also right at the end of my second year at UNI, so coursework is really kicking my ass. Sorry for the lack of updates. Also, I was re-reading this (as one does for the ultimate cringe), and I realised my times are SHODDY bc I have a SHIT memory. So, here, for clarification.

~7.5 months pregnant~

"So, your dad caught me on the way out today," Catra began as she clawed through Adora's soft hair. She sighed lightly, uncurling from the fetal position. "Why? What'd he want?" Catra's ear flicked, picking up the sound of Violet squealing as Glimmer threw her in the air, teleporting beneath her to catch her. Obviously, Bow was beneath her with his net arrow at the ready. "Anyone home?" Adora poked Catra's thigh. "Oh, just the usual," Catra finally dismissed. Adora lifted her head to raise an eyebrow. Catra rolled her eyes. "The standard: I don't trust you bullshit," She said. Adora sighed heavily, attempting to push herself upright. "Wait, where are you going?" Catra asked. Adora hummed under her breath, finally sitting up around the near-eight-month baby bump. "I told them to stop," She slid off the bed with a grumble. "What are you doing?" Catra asked, swinging her legs out of the large bed. "To my dad. He needs to stop this. It's making you uncomfortable," Adora attempted a powerful stride, but the massive watermelon on her front somewhat reduced the effect.

Catra rubbed her forehead. "Adora, it's fine. He's just worried about you," She tried. Her wife wasn't interested. "Seriously, just stay here. It's not worth it. They probably fought the Horde longer than we did," She quirked her lips. "Definitely longer than I did," Adora shot a glare her way. "Hey, I'm allowed to make self-deprecation jokes," She chuckled. Adora grumbled, her face pinching into a tight grimace. "Another one?" Catra clucked her tongue as she meandered over. The blonde leaned against the wall with a level exhale. "Yup," She tipped her head back. "Keep doing the breaths. You'll be fine," Catra squeezed her shoulder briefly as she turned to the window. "Vi likes it here, I think," She mused out loud.

"She can like Brightmoon as much," Adora ground out. Catra puffed, thinking how to best step around this topic. "Well," She trailed out. The blonde whined quietly. "That sound usually means something I'm not gonna like," She tipped her head to glance over. Catra hummed. "Probably not," She conceded. She turned fully, swinging an arm around her wife's shoulders and guiding her back to the bed. "Maia said you have to rest in between them, remember?" She stated. Adora rolled her eyes. "I would if they were real. They're those stupid fake contractions,"

Catra shook her head. Adora sunk into the pillows, the fight she'd previously had gone. Braxton Hicks really take it out of you. The magicat slowly walked to the large window and sunk onto the seat by the side: a window seat, Marlena had said. It was nice. Catra was going to get one back in their home when they went home.
if they ever went home.

When she glanced down into the courtyard, Catra smiled. Violet was chasing a stubby-legged redhead around, threatening to tickle her if she caught her. Glimmer and Bow were watching from the side, talking to Adam if Catra remembered rightly (she did, if only for annoyance purposes), the younger of the twins. She cracked open the window, whistling down at Vi. She looked around frantically, recognising the whistle. The toddler, Freya, noticed her first, pointing and laughing. Violet turned around next with a wide grin. "Hi, mom!" She waved. Catra waved back. "Is mommy otay?" She called. Catra stuck her thumb up. "She's fine, Vi-Vi. Mommy's going for a sleep, then she'll see you at dinner!" Violet laughed. "Dat's not twue! Mommy never sleeps in the day!"

Adam laughed loudly, striding over to under the window. "What's wrong with her anyway? Sleeping away the ugliness?!" Catra rolled her eyes. Despite being married now, she and Adora bickered like siblings when they were young. Truth be told, they still do. It would appear that despite being apart for twenty-one years, the stereotypical age-old fight between siblings didn't fade.

Truth be told, Catra wasn't sure if it'd ever end.

Truth be further told, she wasn't sure if she even WANTED it to end.

"Well, someone had to take the brunt!" Catra turned, quirking an eyebrow. "You're supposed to be resting," She chastised. Adora flapped her hand dismissively, crawling onto the window seat with a shit-eating grin. "Fate wasn't cruel enough to bless me with the brains as well as the looks. They had to leave you something, and it wasn't the smarts!" Adam narrowed his eyes. "Those are all Teela!" She finished with a sarcastic wave. Glimmer's high-pitched cackle rang across the courtyard. "I was fine being an only child, you know?" Adam called up, frowning deeply. Adora shrugged. "Technically, I was the only child first, seeing as I was born first!"

Catra snorted. Adam raged. "Ugh! You're so annoying!" He yelled. Adora shrugged. "Just making up on twenty-one lost years. So, strap in dear brother,"

Catra groaned loudly as she dropped onto the large bed. "That good, huh?" Adora snorted, bunking over. "Ugh, clones are the worst," She moaned. Adora scoffed. "Would you rather be here instead? I'll take the clones, you take the contractions," Catra hummed. "Deal," She twisted onto her side, putting her palm onto her wife's watermelon sized stomach. "That bad?" She asked quietly. Catra shrugged. "Yes and no. It's just fucking laborious. I just wanna stay in my house, play with the kids, and fuck my wife. Is that so hard?" She whined. Adora's eyebrows stuttered. "Well, that was candid," Catra shrugged. "Been honest since the day I was born,"

She knew the look was coming before it did. "Whatever," She mumbled. Adora hummed lightly, her face creasing into a frown as she exhaled quietly. "Are you still getting them?" Catra asked quietly, a bolt of anxiety shooting through her body. Maia had said that the Braxton Hicks shouldn't last longer than two or three days in a consistent run. "Yeah," The blonde groaned, curling inwards on herself. "God, I know they said the second would hurt more than the first, but shit," She uncurled slightly. "I wish I could help," Catra gently placed a kiss onto Adora's collarbone. She sighed heavily, but softly. "There is something you could probably do," Adora glanced up with a suggestive look. Catra played dumb. "Oh? And what's that?" Adora tipped her head back as Catra continued pressing gentle kisses onto her collarbone and neck. "I've heard that oxytocin helps with pain relief," She inhaled sharply as Catra found her sensitive spot. It was just above her left collarbone, tucked into the dip by her neck.

"And how do you get the oxytocin?" Catra played along. Adora hummed. "Lots of things. Breastfeeding, making out, orgasms," She inclined her neck further to the right with a soft hum. "Well you can't do the first one yet, we're doing the second," Catra moved down, sucking tightly just above Adora's left breast. "And I can absolutely help with the last,"

...

The following afternoon, Catra was in a horrific mood. Even now, nearly six years after the war, five and a half since Catra switched sides, the universe was still punishing her for her "misdemeanours" as Marlena had put with a wince. Overnight, while everyone slept peacefully (read, Adora had fake contractions, Violet snored like a freight train and Catra prowled the halls), the clones broke into the ship, completely and utterly wrecking it.

"WHAT!?" Catra screamed, yelling angrily into the air, kicking a few dust collections. "We discovered the noise at around four am. Upon inspection, we found the ship like this," Teela gestured to the ship, face impassive. "Darla!" A blur of purple whizzed by, slipping through the clutches of the guards. Entrapta wailed as she fell to her knees. "Oh, what did they do to you?" She sobbed, stroking the side of the ship tenderly. Bow hesitated in rubbing her shoulder, grunting when she launched into his midsection, bawling about her "baby girl"

"How are we supposed to get home!?" Catra hissed to nobody in particular. "You don't, not yet," Teela answered. "Currently, we thiink your departure will put you at greater risk than if you stay here, without the Royal Guard's protection," Catra scoffed, gesturing to the ruined ship. "Yeah, because they've helped us so much," She lashed out. Teela's eyes narrowed slightly. "We cannot be around 24/7 to guard you, the castle, your... entourage, your transportation and most importantly, our monarch's," Catra's fur fluffed up as she stepped closer. "You got a problem with my "entourage,"?" She hissed. Teela remained cool. "Not at all. I was merely stating a fact by their powers. You were all on the front lines for several years, yet, you require protection," Teela cast a brief look to her left. Catra followed her gaze, sighing angrily when she spotted Adora, carrying Violet on her shoulders. "I understand guarding those two, as even if Adora has no desire to stay here on Eternia, she is still the heir to the throne, and Crown Princess, and Violet is her successor. They receive the same protection as Queen Marlena, King Randor, Adam and my Freya,"

Catra rolled her eyes. "She's not Crown Princess, because she's not staying here to be crowned," She crossed her arms. "Mom!" Violet called, already on the ground running. Catra didn't fail to notice the lag that Adora had. She took a deep breath. "Even so. Until she formally announces her abdication, she will be treated as such," Teela stood up a little straighter as Randor walked over. "At ease, Teela," He waved his hand, turning to Catra. His eyes slid to Adora's form slightly, lingering as he spoke. "I am sorry that your transportation has been damaged," His eyes locked onto Catra's. "I will have my best team of mechanics and engeneers on it as soon as possible," He folded his arms behind his back, his eyes drifting over the top of Catra's head. "Though, it seems as though your... friend... has already begun the repairs," She turned, scoffing softly. "Yeah, that's the last you'll see of her untli the ship-"

"DARLA!"

"-Darla," Catra corrected loud enough for Entrapta to hear. "Is fixed. How long are we talking?" She yelled. "According to my calculations, the ship will be fixed and able to be flown innnnnnnnn... seven weeks! Six if the weather stays good and the clones leave me alone!" Catra pinched her brow. "But Adora's due in six weeks!" She spoke as evenly as she could. Entrapta froze momentarily. "If I pull all-nighters and have seven assistants, I might be able to get the estimated time of competion down to four weeks..." Catra hummed and began to pace. "I am aware you wished for Adora to be back on Etheria when she had the baby," Catra sucked her teeth as Randor began talking behind her. "But we have perfectly adequate facilities here. Adora herself was born within the castle walls," Catra hummed as she paced quicker, doing the exersices that Razz had suggested. For a batshit crazy woman, she knew how to keep Catra in line with her anger.

"What's going on? Why do you look like you're ready to fight someone?" Great. "Because I am ready to fight someone," Catra huffed. "I just don't know who yet," Adora's eyes flicked to her dad. "Dad, what's going on?" She asked, voice harder. Violet hugged her legs tightly. "Wha happened?" She asked quietly, tugging on Catra's tail. Catra extended her arms, letting her clamber up. While Adora talked to her dad, Catra pointed to the ship. "You see our ship?" She asked. Violet nodded. "Yeah, well, some mean guys broke it. Like when Merlea broke your doll once," Violet blinked. "But dat was an akidant," She said. Catra nodded. "Yeah, but this wasn't. The bad guys don't want us to leave. They want to fight us," She explained. Violet groaned, throwing her head back. "I want to go home," She whined. Catra hummed softly, pulling the back of her red/blonde head into the crook of her neck. "I know, baby. I wanna go home too,"

..~..~..~..~..~..~..~..

Shorter than usual (I think), but the next 2 chapters more than make up for it.