Adora shrinks into herself more and more as Catra speaks. Each syllable from her mouth drips with the sort of vitriol Adora hasn't heard in a long, long time.
It's not like Catra no longer gets angry -- she always has, she always will. Sometimes her walls slam up before she can help it, and sometimes she has to run out on her own to cool off. That's fine. Adora knows her, Adora knows she's been trying, and has sworn to stay by her side through it at all.
But now Catra's stabbing every word into her vulnerable flesh like a dagger, and there is a coldness in her eyes that lets Adora know this isn't some sudden, uncontrolled flare-up -- it's a slow, boiling rage that's been simmering a while.
And Adora can't find what she did to cause it.
There's a moment where her expression cracks, revealing nothing but raw confusion and hurt underneath, as Adora wracks her brain for anything she's done wrong. It's always her first reaction when someone she loves is hurting, and she always finds something.
But all she's done today is meet her family. Feel excitement and joy over it. Try to have a nice dinner with them and with Catra, so they could all get to know one another-- so she could maybe, just maybe, put together the family she's barely even allowed herself to dream of.
For once in her life, Adora is certain she's not the one to blame.
"No." In the blink of an eye, her features have gone stone-cold, eyes flat and jaw rigid. She pulls her bandaged arm away, rises to her feet. "That's not fair, Catra."
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It's not like Catra no longer gets angry -- she always has, she always will. Sometimes her walls slam up before she can help it, and sometimes she has to run out on her own to cool off. That's fine. Adora knows her, Adora knows she's been trying, and has sworn to stay by her side through it at all.
But now Catra's stabbing every word into her vulnerable flesh like a dagger, and there is a coldness in her eyes that lets Adora know this isn't some sudden, uncontrolled flare-up -- it's a slow, boiling rage that's been simmering a while.
And Adora can't find what she did to cause it.
There's a moment where her expression cracks, revealing nothing but raw confusion and hurt underneath, as Adora wracks her brain for anything she's done wrong. It's always her first reaction when someone she loves is hurting, and she always finds something.
But all she's done today is meet her family. Feel excitement and joy over it. Try to have a nice dinner with them and with Catra, so they could all get to know one another-- so she could maybe, just maybe, put together the family she's barely even allowed herself to dream of.
For once in her life, Adora is certain she's not the one to blame.
"No." In the blink of an eye, her features have gone stone-cold, eyes flat and jaw rigid. She pulls her bandaged arm away, rises to her feet. "That's not fair, Catra."