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Catra drags Adora down one of the hallways, finding the first empty room she could and throwing them both in there, giving Adora privacy, and them both a chance to calm down.
Catra was so glad she decided to accept Adora’s invitation to be her date to the gala. At first she felt out of place in the immaculate suit that DT had put together for her, walking into an event surrounded by people of money that she couldn’t even dream of having, feeling like an impostor roaming the floor of the mansion’s grand hall.
But seeing Adora so uncomfortable as they walked into the building, and watching the muscles in Adora’s shoulders grow more and more tense as she interacted with the various smarmy brown-nosers and assholes who dismissed her accomplishments just because she was a woman, until eventually, one particularly shitty old man started going on about how Greyskull’s image had really gone downhill since her father passed, not so subtly hinting at the fact that it would have been better if her brother had stepped up to head the company.
Adora looked like she was about to break down, and Catra knew she was about to break the misogynistic scumbag’s face if she didn’t get both of them out of there.
Now here they were, alone in a dark room, which normally would probably get Catra extremely flustered, but right now she was too focused on Adora’s shuddering shoulders and wet, trembling breathing.
“It’s alright Adora, I’ve got you,” Catra soothed as she stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders.
“I’m sorry,” Adora choked out. “I must look so pathetic right now.”
“You do not, but that guy was absolutely a wrinkled old cunt.”
Adora let out a loud surprised laugh, shocked by hearing Catra say such vulgar language.
“Catra!” Adora tried to sound scandalized, but her smile and laughter rendered it ineffective.
Catra grinned, happy she could distract Adora from her sadness. “What, you know I’m right.”
Adora’s laugh died off, her breathing returning to normal, as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands.
“Yeah, you are,” she said, smiling a soft, genuine smile at Catra, and wow. What Catra wouldn’t give to see that everyday...
Smiling back, Catra glanced around the room, noting it seemed to be a lounge, with a few book shelves on the walls and a couple of couches and a table, leaving lots of free space…
“What say we take a break from people hmmm? And I think you owe me after dragging me around there.”
Adora smile dropped, a guilty look quickly replacing it. “I’m so sorry, this is your first gala and I just made you stand around while I talked-”
“So, dance with me.” Catra interrupts.
“Dance?” Adora said, taken by surprise by the sudden request.
“I didn’t add this to my resume, but I am a great dancer,” Catra smirked at Adora.
“Really? Did you take lessons?”
“Nope, just watched a lot of ‘Let’s Dance’.” She grins at the blonde.
Adora let’s out a laugh, and not just the light chuckle Catra has heard in the past, an amused sound but like she was still holding back. This was a full laugh, including snorting.
Holy shit that is too cute, why does my boss have to be so cute?
“Well I would love to see that, but… um,” Adora looked away nervously, surprising Catra, she didn’t even think Adora could look nervous with how well she carried herself.
“What is it?”
“I can’t… actually dance,” Adora mumbled, looking down at her feet.
Catra stared at her, taking her in. “Well can’t way I’m surprised.”
Adora looked up with a look both full of shock and indignation. “Wha-”
“It’s already been made pretty clear you don’t know how to relax, so I think it was a fair conclusion.”
Adora looked away, her facing turning a deep read as she grumbled under her breath.
“But don’t worry, I can teach you.”
Adora perked up at that, looking over at Catra.
“But none of that ballroom crap, we’re gonna have fun,” Catra said pulling out her phone and tapping into her music library. “I’m gonna show you one of my favourites, the Charleston!” She waved Adora over, pointing beside her.
A quick jazzy tune started playing, and Adora walked over to stand by Catra, both nervous to attempt dancing but excited to see what Catra could do, and to be taught by her.
“So with the Charleston, the steps are real simple, and once you get them down, you can just kind of improvise whatever you want. So even you’ll be able to catch on quick,” Catra said with a wink.
Adora’s face flushed again, and she hoped Catra would take as a sign of embarrassment.
Catra walked Adora through the steps, demonstrating it was like walking but with a bit more of a jaunt, while swinging her arms back and forth in time with the steps, right crossing with left leg and vice versa. At first Adora was really stiff, concentrated on trying to match the movements perfectly, but after a few run-throughs (and much teasing from Catra), she relaxed, swinging her arms in more exaggerated motions as she laughed, watching as Catra added some goofy arms swings and shimmies, encouraging Adora to do the same. And Adora did, and Catra couldn’t help but laugh. It was like watching a dad trying to do a dance they saw their kid doing.
(Catra knows Finn has been showing Adora all the dances that that Catra been watching with them on TikTok, so yeah, that’s exactly what it was.)
But at the same time, as she watched Adora spin around and swing her limbs wildly in the dim light of this random room, without a care in the world, Catra couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful.
Adora looked at Catra, a smile so genuine and blinding that Catra thought that all sunrises were now ruined for her, and said a soft “Thank you.”
Catra returned the smile. “Anytime Princess.”
And Catra had never meant anything more.