Catherine wondered, sometimes, what her friends meant by their comments.

Shamir had an arm around her as they watched a shitty dating show. One of those ones where you hate everyone on it and can't wait to see them ruin each other's lives. Shamir was surprisingly the one who got her into them. When Catherine couldn't believe Shamir watched the crap, she'd said, "It's nice to unwind after a shitty day and remember that your life isn't dramatic."

But back to the arm around her.

Catherine had never thought it was weird. She and Shamir had known each other for years. Years. Like, they'd met in highschool chemistry, freshman year. Catherine had sat next to her and told her she liked Shamir's black shirt that said 'pain' in bold white letters.

The rest was history. They became friends. They were the type to just click.

Back to the arm.

Claude and Byleth had come over for dinner, finally finding time in their busy schedules to do so. He'd come still wearing an expensive suit and Byleth from the school she taught at. They had eye sex the entire dinner and were definitely undressing each other with their eyes. Shamir drank an entire bottle of wine while Catherine tried to engage them in conversation.

Dorks as they were, Catherine couldn't help but smile at them. They were so in love, so caught up in their own world since their wedding. Not like they weren't before, but those rings on their fingers suited them. Catherine had gone with Shamir to the wedding, of course.

The arm.

It was warm.

Catherine really liked it when Shamir put her arm around her. It was comfortable, like they fit. She liked Shamir's slow breathing, something so subtle that it was like she wasn't there unless you paid attention to it.

Claude had asked her, as they were leaving, when they were going to get married. Catherine had told them they weren't dating. Claude said he'd heard better jokes from Lorenz.

Catherine didn't really get it. Why did everyone ask if they were dating? The wedding was full of it, Hilda at the forefront with Marianne in tow. Catherine's coworkers, too. She was a personal trainer and whenever Shamir picked her up, they asked if they would shower together. Catherine told them that they had once when their water was about to be shut off. Her coworkers hadn't let that one go yet.

Shamir was just Shamir. Perfect, elegant, Shamir. Catherine leaned into Shamir's shoulder more. She was comfy.

Hilda had asked if she could be her maid of honor. Catherine had floundered, but Hilda told her that since Shamir was her roommate and best friend, that the role defaulted to her.

That was another thing. Catherine and Shamir had been roommates since college. They tried living apart for their first year at Garreg Mach, but they hated their roommates so much that they resolved to live together after. They still did and will.

If she was being honest, Catherine couldn't help but admit that Shamir was very attractive. Catherine didn't have preference when it came to gender, but she did feel that everyone paled in comparison to Shamir. Hilda had taken her to a gay bar (before she met Marianne) and Catherine had just been bored.

She'd left early, and she and Shamir watched a slasher horror movie. Shamir liked to play big and tough, but she let down her guard enough around Catherine to show that it had scared her. Catherine liked seeing that vulnerability.

She'd told Claude that, once. He'd stared at her for a long time before calling her an idiot.

Shamir wondered, sometimes, what their friends meant by their comments.

Just at dinner, Byleth had pulled her aside and asked her if anything had developed between her and Catherine. Shamir had been confused.

Catherine held her hand as they watched their trashy dating show. She played with the calluses on her hand. Shamir doubted that the woman even realized she was doing it.

Years and years ago, when they had first met, she'd asked her where they came from. Shamir told her about her archery. Catherine had been so excited.

Now Shamir was a professional, the kind that won medals and competitions and even had a sponsorship. Gone were the days she worked as a cashier at a bakery. Life was good. Catherine had been the source of encouragement to pursue the goal of professional athlete.

It certainly helped to have Catherine's access to a gym where she could work out without distraction.

But back to Byleth.

She'd grabbed Shamir by the shoulders and shaken her, telling her she was fed up.

She told Shamir that Catherine loved her. And that Shamir loved her.

Byleth had ranted about never seeing anyone who was such a couple without kissing. For some reason, Shamir had admitted that she and Catherine had made out a few times. After all, neither of them had any prospects when it came to dating. Neither looked for it.

Byleth had most likely blown a fuse when she heard that. She asked if they fucked.

Shamir chose not to answer that one.

So here Shamir and Catherine sat on their couch, Shamir pulling the blonde closer to her and the other playing with her hands. It was comfortable as she barely paid attention to the TV.

Marianne had told her once, just after she met Hilda, that the pink haired woman made her feel safe. At ease. Calm. Shamir thought that could describe what Catherine made her feel.

Catherine woke up, having fallen asleep on Shamir. It was Saturday, thankfully. So she nuzzled into Shamir, resting her head over her heart. The steady beating lulled her back to sleep.

Shamir woke up to Catherine shifting and falling back to sleep. She ran a hand through Catherine's hair. It was soft and Catherine gave a sleepy hum of contentment.

They both woke up to a text from Byleth telling them to hurry up and date.

It had prompted an awkward laugh from them, each harboring a thought that maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

A text from Claude later said that he wanted to do a couple's massage with them.

Hilda sent that she needed sex tips from her fellow gay couple.

Marianne asked if they wanted her to take pictures of them together as practice for her new hobby.

Shamir and Catherine had trouble meeting each other's eyes, their minds filled with the time they slept together. And the other time they did. And the other time. And how good it had all felt.

Catherine settled on how right it felt lying next to Shamir in their apartment's only bed.

Shamir thought about Catherine cheering her on at every competition.

"Shamir—"

"Catherine—"

They both stopped, letting the other continue.

Catherine took a step forward, closing all distance between them.

"Do you think…they're onto something?"

Shamir said nothing, staring into Catherine's eyes.

"They might be."

They said nothing. Catherine slowly grabbed one of Shamir's hands. Shamir wrapped her other around Catherine and pulled her closer.

The kiss, it wasn't like their fooling around for affection. It was another thing entirely, Catherine moaning as she felt Shamir's lips. As she felt love.

They broke apart for mere moments before losing themselves to each other again.

Byleth asked them, later, if they were bothered to lose so much time where they weren't dating when they could have been.

Shamir, surprisingly, answered: "We've always been together and we always will be."

And that was that.

Author Notes: Just a small little thing as I procrastinate on homework and Emails and Holidays. Plus I realized I had not written any Cathmir and that is unacceptable.