Chapter Text
“How much work is it to change your name?”
Entrapta glanced up from her laptop, taking in Catra, lying face down in between the couch and the coffee table. From her spot at the kitchen counter, she had an excellent vantage point to watch Scorpia reach down from the couch and gently pat the back of Catra’s head.
“Oh buddy, it’s a process measured in weeks and months, and that was with Perfuma having help with Etheria’s LGBTQ name change group-thingy… Plus, even if you did change your name, you’re still a hard face to forget.”
Catra scooted to her side, curling up entirely beneath the coffee table. “Ugh, and my stupid eyes , you’re right, a name change wouldn’t fool her. Ok, what if I shave all my hair off, and start wearing sunglasses indoors? I’d look completely different, and she’ll never notice me, never see me, and we’ll just... never talk.”
Entrapta glanced back at her laptop screen, she was in the middle of collating graduation rates of Bright Moon University with how much time each student actually spent studying. But this conversation sounded more and more like it might be important. With a small huff, she closed her laptop, and swiveled in her chair to fully face her two roommates.
Scorpia had moved to sit on the ground next to the coffee table, leaned back against the couch. “Wildcat, I haven’t heard you talk about this girl before, like ever . What’s really going on here?”
There was a pause, and then Catra let out a large sigh that morphed into a groan.
“Ugh, she just- We grew up together. And we were close. Like, close , and… Think of the worst way a friendship could end, in your head, and then multiply that by a million. I didn’t think I’d ever see her again, and then here she is, half-way across the continent at my student union building…”
Catra slid out from underneath the coffee table, and flung herself dramatically to the side, landing with her head on Scorpia’s outstretched legs. One of her hands was pressed against her forehead, the very picture of overwrought dismay. “Maybe I should just switch colleges, move to a different country. That’d solve the -”
“No.”
It wasn’t until Catra sat up and blinked at her that Entrapta realized she’d spoken at all. She glanced away from her roommates, towards her closed laptop, and then back to the coffee table next to them.
“...You can’t move away, you’re on the lease for the apartment, and if you break a lease you have to pay a fine and I know you don’t have that much money in your savings account. The probability of finding someone to rent out your room is slim, seeing as we’re already four months into the school year, and this is a students-only apartment building. And beyond that the probability drops even further when you take into account needing to find someone to take your room who is also acceptable to Scorpia and myself.”
Entrapta paused for a moment, brow furrowed. “I know I’m not the most… courteous roommate. I keep odd hours, I yell when I get excited… And I’m not good with new people. So even if you did find someone who I deemed acceptable, they would have to find me acceptable, and having them constantly around the apartment would disrupt my studying patterns. No, you can’t move away. I need you. At least until the end of the school year, but I’ve actually already been looking into housing situations for junior year…”
Glancing up, Entrapta saw that Scorpia was now standing at the edge of the linoleum of the kitchen, arms outstretched and eyes looking remarkably close to tears.
“‘Trapta, can I hug you?”
Scorpia’s voice sounded emotionally distressed, and it had been a few days since their last physical contact…
Entrapta nodded, and Scorpia surged forward, embracing her in a giant bear hug. To Entrapta’s surprise, Catra was directly behind Scorpia, an unreadable expression on her face. When she saw Entrapta looking at her, it shifted into a somewhat rueful smile.
“Alright Entrapta, I won’t move across the country.”
Without a warning, Scorpia’s right arm shot out, and dragged Catra into what was now a group hug. As she muttered something about not being asked before being hugged, Scorpia’s voice overtook her’s.
“I just love you guys so much ! Super Pal Trio” for LIFE !”
Eventually Entrapta was able to extricate herself from the group hug, and return to her laptop. All this data she’d gathered wasn’t going to analyze itself, and she was curious who at the university studied the least.