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No matter how long it’s been since the Horde was defeated, Adora would never get used to relaxing. She was, however, starting to enjoy it. She even started looking forward to the beach days with the Best Friend Squad.
Usually, she’d be avoiding sand in her toes and salt water in her mouth, but she didn’t mind it anymore. Not when it meant she was finally safe.
A knock sounded on the (not her bedroom door, because it belonged to both her and Catra (the latter of which was still sleeping)) bedroom door.
“Your Queen demands a beach day, Princess Adora!” Came Glimmer’s voice from the hallway.
Adora opened the door with a flourish. “Why, of course, Your Majesty! Whatever you say goes.”
Glimmer smiled and gave her a high five. She peered around Adora and into the room. “Is Catra coming? She is invited.”
Adora looked back to view the sleeping figure on her bed. “Yeah, she got ready a while ago, told me to just let her sleep until it was time to leave. I’ll go wake her up, we’ll meet you and Bow in the foyer in a couple of minutes!”
Glimmer nodded and left with a wave.
Adora made her way over to the bed and reached out a hand to wake her sleeping girlfriend. The sleeping girlfriend in question darted her hand out from underneath the sheets before Adora could make contact. She grasped her shoulder. Adora saw her eyes gleam.
“Stop it. There’s no time.” Adora hissed.
Catra smirked. “Are you sure? You could just tell them I took a bit of time waking up?”
Adora glared at her. “Seriously?”
“I’m one-hundred-percent serious.”
It didn’t take much convincing for Adora to acquiesce. In truth, she forgot almost all her arguments when Catra kissed her.
—
Adora entered the foyer with Catra close behind her. “Sorry we’re so late! Someone—” she elbowed Catra lightly “—took a while to wake up!”
“Guilty.” Catra purred.
Glimmer waved them off. “Oh, it’s fine. I only managed to wrangle Bow here a couple of minutes ago anyway. He was being super indecisive about what swimmers he was going to wear.”
“Hey!” Bow protested. “You try and pick between the heart trunks and the arrow trunks, then you’ll see why I was being so indecisive!”
Adora glanced down to look at what Bow was wearing. A beachy-looking button up (undone) over trunks decorated with hearts being pierced by arrows.
“Good choice.” She praised. Bow smiled.
Glimmer rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Whatever, let’s just leave before the tide comes in.”
—
When they arrived at the beach, Bow immediately shed his overshirt and dived into the ocean. Glimmer followed soon after, shedding the outer layers of her clothes to reveal a purple (obviously) bikini.
Adora took Catra’s hand. “Wanna come in, or lounge for a bit first?”
“I’ll lounge. I’m still not totally trusting of water, you know…” Catra scowled, slinking off to curl up underneath the beach umbrella.
Adora smiled at the sight. Catra looked so much like a cat when she did that. Adora shook her head back into focus and began removing her own outer layers of clothing so she could jump into the ocean with her bikini.
“Wait— Adora, can you go grab the volleyball from my bag?” Bow asked before Adora could get fully into the water.
“Oh, yeah sure!” She turned around to exit the water, but was stopped by an exclamation from Bow.
“Woah! What happened to your back, dude?” Bow yelped.
Adora turned around. “What do you mean?”
He squeaked. “There are scratches all over it.”
“Oh, you mean those scars?” Adora asked, tilting her head. Bow shook his.
“No, these are like, tiny and red. They look new.” Oh. Adora knew what he was talking about.
Glimmer splashed over to them. “What are you guys talking about?”
Bow pointed to Adora. “Show her your back.”
“Um… Yeah, I think I… fell in a thorn bush, or something. Maybe.” Adora turned around.
Glimmer let out a snort. “A thorn bush?”
Oh, she definitely knows.
Adora turned back around to glare at her. “Yes. A thorn bush.”
Bow (rightfully) didn’t look convinced. He swam closer, inspecting. “Odd markings for a thorn bush. It looks like you would’ve been dragged across it. And lightly, because it doesn’t look like any blood was drawn. And also pretty recently, these are very fresh.”
He frowned. “Are those some on your shoulders as well?”
Adora chuckled nervously. “Well, that’s the only reason I can think of! I’ll go get the volleyball now!”
“Wait—”
She was already out of the water.
Catra poked her head up when she noticed Adora. “Hey, you good?”
Adora glared at her. She turned around and pointed to her back. “Seriously?”
“What, do they hurt?” Catra asked, not getting it. “You didn’t seem to mind it before.”
Adora turned back around, spluttering. “Shut up! I just— Bow’s asking questions. He’s worried. How do I explain this to him?!”
Catra shrugged. “You could tell the truth about all the hot lesbian s—”
Adora cut her off. “Nuh-uh, you could not pay me to utter those words to him.”
“Then I’ll do it!” Catra said happily, motioning to get up.
Adora pushed her (very lightly) back down. “Nope. No way. That might be even worse.”
Catra sighed. “Then you’re on your own, compadre.”
“Next time, I’m going to scratch all over your back, and you’re going to have to explain it to Scorpia.” Adora walked away.
“Eh, you’re not serious.” Catra called after her.
Adora stilled. “I am one-hundred-percent serious.”
—
“Took you a while to find that volleyball, hey?” Bow laughed softly, catching the ball that Adora threw to him.
Adora nodded. “Yup, it was basically buried under everything else.”
Adora heard some splashing behind her, followed by Bow’s voice. “Oh, hey Catra!”
“Hey, Bow.” Catra swam up behind Adora and hooked her arms over her shoulders. Quieter, “Hey, Adora.”
“Are you gonna join us in volleyball?” Bow asked, motioning for Glimmer to come join them.
Catra shook her head. “I can’t. My claws are too sharp, I’d puncture the ball.” She, still holding on to Adora’s shoulders, extended the claws in question.
Bow seemed happy with that answer. And then his eyes widened. “Your claws—”
His eyes darted around Adora’s shoulders. “They match with the—”
He blushed deeply. “Oh. Oh.”
Adora looked away. Catra purred smugly.
“What an… interesting… thorn bush.” Bow muttered. He swam away to join Glimmer, who was too distracted by the sparkling fish to join them when he waved her over earlier.
When he was gone, Adora whacked Catra’s leg lightly. “Did you have to do that?”
“Do what? You told me not to say anything, so I didn’t!”
Adora quirked an eyebrow. “Seriously?”
Catra smirked. “One-hundred-percent serious.”