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“Why don’t we take a break,” Shaw said, clearly frustrated as he moved to follow Keiko.
May quickly turned on her heel and headed up the small incline until she reached a landing at the top. She needed… a moment. To say the least. Sure, she recently updated her definition for weird but what the hell was this? She definitely had not processed the whole falling down a hole (but not really falling, more entering) Shaw had said. May rolled her eyes. How can she even prove to herself that what’s happening right now is even real ?
Okay, so she was panicking a bit. She needed to calm down, focus on her breath. In and out. In and out. She needed something to ground her, something she can hold onto and say, yes this is real but you’re okay. Cate. Up until not that long ago, her only concern was finding Cate and making sure she was okay. The fear she had thinking that something might have happened to her, that she was gone…It was too much. That emotion, however intense it was, is what she clings to in this moment to help tether her to reality. Those feelings existed back home too, she tries to reason with herself, she’s here, you’re here, you’re both okay.
Another thought creeps into her mind... Should she question why she was feeling so intensely for Cate? And feeling…what exactly? It’s not the woman thing, plus anyone with eyes would be attracted to Cate, she’s gorgeous. Dark eyes, beautiful smile. She’s been with women before; it shouldn’t make her this nervous. But you haven’t been with Cate. Her inner voice suggests. Okay, point. Cate was more than just beautiful. She was caring and attentive. She was a constant where May hadn’t had one before. Always making sure she held May’s hand and kept her from floating away during the chaos. She hoped she could be even a fraction of the comf-
“Hey,” A quiet voice pulls her from her thoughts. May turns quickly where said beautiful woman is leaning against a tree and watching her shyly.
May stares wide eyed for a moment, cheeks heating up from the feeling of getting caught. Cate speaks again when she doesn’t get a response.
“You okay?” She says with so much concern in her voice, moving slowly towards May. Reaching out to lay a hand on her back. “I mean, I know you’re not okay okay, but are you hurt?”
Right - see this is exactly what she’s talking about. This is how these feelings had grown so thick and intense between them. The level of care she shows for her so naturally…She stuck with May, believing in her even when May gave her every possible reason not to. Cate was steadfast, uncompromising while standing up for herself. Even now, Cate’s father leaving her in the literal dust once again, only for her to be pulled into another world and meet her long-dead grandmother? Everything she was going through and still found a way to make sure May was okay. Shit. She’s got it bad.
“Yeah, no. I’m fine,” May chokes out, licking her lips and reaching to squeeze Cate’s hand on her arm. “You?”
“I’m okay, yeah,” She offered a soft smile. “I’m sorry if I interrupted, you seem like you might have come up here to have some time alone. I was just starting to feel a little like a third wheel with Keiko and Shaw so…I’ll just, yeah, I’ll go -”. She turns to leave.
May laughs lightly and tugs at Cate’s hand, “No, no. I mean yes - I did, but please, you can stay”.
There was a large rock on the edge of the clearing that overlooked the trees below. May pulled the both of them towards it to sit on. Their thighs touch as they squeeze onto it together. Both staring out into the open. It’s actually really beautiful, if she didn’t know what kind of creatures lurked in it. The hazy, blue and orange glow and strange electric crackle moving through the trees almost make it look like a painting. Almost.
“I’m sorry I left you with the post-war, monster nerds,” May whispers, leaning her shoulder and bumping into Cate.
Cate laughs, “That’s okay. It wasn’t so bad. I just wanted an excuse, I guess.” She says, looking down at her hands.
“Excuse for what?” May asks, genuinely curious.
“To come find you,” Cate says quietly, bringing her eyes to meet Mays.
May smiles and rolls her eyes, pulling Cate’s hand into her lap and rubbing at her chilled fingers. “You don’t need one,” She promises, meaning it. “How are you doing by the way? With the whole grandma coming back from the dead thing?” May holds her gaze.
Cate blows out a long huff of air. “I don’t really know what I think about that right now. We haven’t really…talked. Beyond that bit earlier. She seems a bit skittish around me, which I get, of course. I can’t imagine what’s going on in her head right now, you know?” May just hums, letting her continue. “I’ve caught her staring at me a couple of times, but I don’t think she’s ready to talk talk to me yet.” Cate says, thoughtful and a bit sad.
May nods silently, it must be hard for Cate to be reunited with someone like Keiko Randa and not be able to ask all the questions she knows are bubbling in Cate’s mind. She’ll get there, they both will. Keiko will love Cate. May smiles at that. She’s been through a lot, and she understands the priority is getting them home safely.
“You have her spirit,” May muses, looking out at the view and then turning back to Cate, cheekily, "and her cheekbones.”
Cate laughs and then sighs, leaning her head to rest on May’s shoulder, “Thank you.”
“For what?” May asks, leaning her head against Cates softly.
“You always seem to know what to say to help calm me down,” Cate says easily.
May recognizes this voice of Cate’s, having heard it a few times before. Laced with sincerity and emotion. May swallows. “I should be saying the same to you,” She winces, not her smoothest.
Cate considers it for a moment and then gives a curt not, “you’re welcome, then”.
They look at each other and laugh softly for a moment. This is one of the things May likes about Cate. How soft and honest she can be one moment and then funny in the next. Keeps her on her toes. And it makes May’s throat catch with an emotion she can’t really place. They’re quiet for a bit until Cate speaks again.
“What were you thinking about? Earlier?” Still leaning her head on May’s shoulder. May still playing with her fingers.
May freezes for a second. Unsure of where to go with that question. She could brush it off, say her family or the titans, say it wasn't the time…or... I mean they are stuck in some weird, netherworld where time is warped, surrounded by literal monsters, about to attempt a reverse yeet in some seventy-year-old death trap. There might not really be another time. Would May be okay with Cate not knowing? Never knowing? What if she’s read things wrong? Not the point, May. In the spirit of honesty…and with the push of impending disaster, May clears her throat and starts to search for the words.
“Well... I was thinking about you, actually,”.
“What about me?” May is grateful Cate keeps her head planted on her shoulder. She can’t look at her yet, she’d lose her nerve.
“Just this…you know, this thing we have between us,”. Eloquent, Corah. May closes her eyes and mouths a ‘ shit’.
She hears the quietest intake of breath and an airy, “oh…” leave Cate’s mouth and May starts to backtrack immediately.
“Sorry, you know what, never mind, we don’t ha-”
“Wait,” Cate says, sitting back and squeezing May’s hand. “Hold on, slow down. Look at me”.
May reluctantly brings her eyes down to meet Cate’s. Cate has a slight smile on her lips, eyes dark and so beautiful . May squeezes her hand back.
“Okay?” Cate asks.
“Okay.” May says, focusing on Cate’s voice and the warm hand tracing her fingers. Working wonders on May’s nerves.
“So…this thing between us…tell me about it?”
“ Cate, ” May protests, embarrassment crawling up her neck.
“I’m serious, May. I want to hear what you’re thinking, feeling. Please.” May nods.
May takes a deep breath, “Earlier, I was trying to process some…emotions. A lot of them that I’ve felt. And everything, just, kept coming back to you. How relieved I was when I found you. How I feel like if I let go of you, I might lose you again…and I can’t handle the thought of being away from you anymore.” May spills it all out in one or two breaths. “I like you, Cate. A lot”. She finishes quietly, staring back at their hands.
It was quiet. May giving Cate time to process her words and thinking of ways she could fling herself into a third unknown dimension. When she hears a small sniffle, her head shoots up. She sees Cate’s eyes welling with tears, one just spilling over onto her cheek when May makes eye contact.
“Cate…” She reaches for her face, wipes the tear away.
“It’s okay, I,” Cate breathes out, trying to steady herself. “I’m fine, really”.
“I made you cry!” May says back, worried she took a wrong step and racking her brain trying to find it.
“Hang on, you didn’t make me…” she pauses, “okay technically you did make me cry, but not in the way you’re thinking. Just hear me out, okay?” Cate says, pleading with her eyes.
“Cate, just never mind. We can forge-” May’s rant is cut off by Cate’s hands gripping both sides of her face and moving into her space…running her thumbs across May’s lips. A question lying in her eyes. May nods her head weakly and Cate wastes no time moving the rest of the way. Bringing her soft, cool lips to May’s own.
It’s tentative and slow, both just getting used to the feeling. Warmth. Spreading from her toes up her legs and leaving goosebumps down her arms. She sighs into the kiss, bringing her left hand around the back of Cate’s waist and the other to the back of her head, spreading her fingers out into Cate’s hair.
Cate hums at the movement, shifting her head to the side to deepen the kiss. May just barely feels Cate’s tongue run along her bottom lip, letting out a noise of approval she opens her mouth to allow access. After a few minutes, air becomes a necessity and May pulls back to rest her forehead on Cate’s. Both working to catch their breath and come down from the high.
“Okay,” May finally says, “I’m listening…”
Cate laughs and steals another quick peck on her lips before leaning back to look at her more fully. “I was going to say that I really, really like you too,” Cate breathes out. “And the tears, well sue me, it’s been a really intense… well everything and hearing you say that was like finally exhaling after holding my breath for weeks.” She shakes out.
May holds her gaze and smiles, “Poetic,”.
“Shut up,” Cate says back, wiping the last stray tear from her face. Looking up to May and leaning forward, burying her face in May’s neck, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. May mirrors her movement and squeezes Cate back. Bringing her hand to stroke the back of Cate’s head gently. Until they’re startled by a loud whistle.
“Hey lovebirds!” Shaw appears by the tree clapping his hands together, “Break is over. Time to go.” He turns and starts walking back to the clearing.
“Yeah, you’re one to talk, old man!” May calls after him.
They hear him laugh and yell a “yeah, yeah”. Cate laughs and kisses May’s neck as she moves out of her arms a bit. There are those goosebumps again…
“Finish this later?” Cate asks. And May can feel both of their heartstrings tighten at the hope of it all. May nods softly with a hum. She kisses Cate on the cheek before standing and pulling Cate with her.
“Let’s go home”.