Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Hey! Catra! A bunch of us are going to watch horror movies at my place after work on Halloween! You should come with!" Scorpia says. 

Not again. Catra is not getting roped into one of these stupid group hangouts again. "Uh, that's really nice but my girlfriend actually needs me to drive her to work right around then. It's a long commute." Catra mentally high-fives herself. 

"Aw, okay." Scorpia's face falls. "Next time. Next time." 

"Sure." says Catra. The important thing is that she doesn't get demoted. She can't go running around doing pointless things when she still has a bunch of write-ups to do for the Krevolin Horst case by the end of the month. She needs to impress Hordak so she can replace Lina. Neither of those things leave time for "hanging out" with Scorpia and her friends. 

"We'll miss you." says Scorpia. She's so earnest that Catra could puke. "Tell you what, I'll save you a plate of sugar cookies!" 

"Yeah. I'll see you around." Catra says before Scorpia can try to reschedule or something. Her shift is over in like five minutes anyway.

By the time Catra gets home Lina has already left her a message. "Catra, it's Lina. I noticed you left a few minutes early today. Are you really giving your best effort? We can't afford to lose the Krevolin Horst case. Your behavior reflects on me, you know. I cannot keep reminding you of these things. I am not your foster mother anymore, Catra. I am your direct superior. If you don't shape up I'm going to have to start acting like it. I have to go. Don't let me down." 

Catra tosses the phone onto her bed and collapses into her pillow with a muffled scream. She needs to replace that woman as soon as possible. 

Chapter Text

"Hey!" Scorpia says at the end of the next day. "I know you can't make it to the Halloween party but all of us are going out for happy hour at Crimson tonight! You should come! It's quiz night!" 

"Uh..." It worked last time. May as well use it again. "Sorry. My girlfriend needs me to drive her. Again. Can't be helped." 

"Aw, okay." Scorpia says. "Let me know if your plans change!" 

"Sure." Catra says. "Good luck with quiz night." 

"Oh I don't need it." Scorpia says, trying for a casual lean against the cubical wall and almost faceplanting on the floor. "I'm the reigning champ." 

"Seriously?" 

"Yeah! Entrapta and I are a team!" 

"Entrapta and you are a team?" Catra tries to keep some of the skepticism from her voice. Entrapta is a genius with way too much obscure knowledge. Scorpia is...not that. 

"Yeah! Ever since she started here, remember?" 

"Huh. Well, congrats in advance." Catra says. 

Chapter Text

They all post pictures of the halloween party on their stories. Catra glances at them halfheartedly as she works, going over documents with a highlighter until midnight. When she finally gets too tired to keep working, there are still updates coming from the party. They seem pretty happy without her there. Not a surprise. Idiots. Slackers. They don't even notice that they've left her to do all the work. They're too caught up in their stupid costumes.  Scorpia has a weird costume with some giant foam claws or something, and in every picture she's spilling a drink or crushing a cup in her hands. All that for a costume Catra can't even decipher. Idiot. 

DT is there, dressed as a...lizard, maybe? What are they even doing there? They're a consultant! 

Octavia is in a typically over-elaborate sea-monster costume, probably thinking how much better she is than everyone else. 

Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio have matching storm-trooper costumes, or they tried to, but Kyle's is cheap foam three sizes too small. 

It looks like a stupid party. Catra is glad she missed it. They'd probably just annoy her anyway. And someone has to keep this firm together. 

"Hey, Catra!" Entrapta calls "A bunch of us are going to hang out at the park for lunch! Come on!" 

Oh, man. This is going to be tricky. 

"Thanks!" Catra says "But, uh, Lunch is the only time my girlfriend is free to call! She's on a trip for the next few days, so..."

"Okay!" Entrapta jumps up to hit the door-frame on her way out. Well, good to see this meant so much to her. Catra rolls her eyes. That settles it. This imaginary person is the best girlfriend Catra has ever had. And hey, look at that. Pretend-girl hasn't stood her up or left her for someone "nicer" either and it's been almost two months now! A new record! Maybe this is the woman of her dreams. They should have gotten together years ago! Catra laughs quietly at her own thoughts and gets back to work. 

Chapter Text

"Listen up!" Hordak basically growls at the office "Friday is the company holiday party. You still have to come into work. You have one plus-one. We won't be working. We'll be holiday-ing. This is not optional. I wish it was." He stalks back into his office and closes the door behind him. 

Most of the idiots around the office look happy for some reason. Scorpia and Entrapta are whispering between each-other quietly. 

Lina is, as always, unreadable, between the reconstructive surgery and the scar tissue on her face. 

"Catra! We can finally meet your girlfriend!" Scorpia says.

Lonnie snorts "Get real, Scorpia. We all know Catra just made that up so you'd stop hitting on her." 

Catra bristles. "I did not!"

"Yeah!" Scorpia says "Catra is my friend! We don't lie to each-other like that!" 

Rogelio and Kyle exchange a look but don't say anything. 

"Okay," Lonnie throws their hands up in mock-surrender. "Whatever you say. I guess we'll find out at the holiday party." 

"I guess you will!" Catra says. Wait. What is she talking about? Oh no. 

Chapter Text

She can figure this out. She'll show them all. She'll prove Lonnie wrong. Catra can't wait to see their faces when she shows up with-shit who is she going to show up with? Lonnie keeps smirking at her for the rest of the day like they think they've already won. She has the urge to just snap and tell them "This isn't over, you smug little shit." but that would just raise their suspicion. She's gonna show them. She'll show everyone. Somehow. She'll find someone. Catra refuses to embarrass herself in front of these people. They'll take any chance to laugh at her anyway. Well she's not gonna give it to them. She'll show up with some...some bombshell and then she'll be the one laughing at them for underestimating her. For assuming, what, that she's not capable of a relationship? Jerks. They'll see. The party isn't until Friday. There's still plenty of time for her to make this work. It's not like she has any other options.