Chapter Text
The kitchen plates were a hodge-podge set of contributions by Greg, yard sale finds (Pearl still didn’t understand why they were called yard sales when they weren’t selling the yard) and strange decorative and commemorative pieces that they had collected over the years. Too many of the nice, matching plates had been lost to either Amethyst accidentally devouring them or something – someone in Ronaldo’s case – that they let into their house destroying them. For that reason Pearl opted to organize them by pattern first, and then by size. It was relaxing in a strange sort of way, making at least some part of the chaos that was life neat and orderly.
Pearl wondered if asking for a new set of plates and bowls was considered a personal enough gift that Steven would oblige that request the next time he insisted on buying her a present. Even with Greg’s massive riches – wisely invested, as per the Maheswaran’s suggestions – Steven had still become interested in making a little extra money on the side, taking odd jobs whenever he was bored, or there weren’t enough missions to occupy him. Steven loved buying gifts for other people and had insisted that the gems each pick a date for a birthday, even though the last time they had tried it had been a disaster. Peridot and Amethyst had leapt on the chance immediately, Garnet accepted the suggestion without question, though Pearl knew she was secretly very pleased. Pearl tried to keep up the façade of indifference, but it was very difficult when both Connie and Sheena insisted on getting involved too.
Steven always complained that she was hardest to shop for, though the first two years, she had gladly accepted a new tie and fancy chess set. ‘You’re supposed to ask for something for you!’ Steven had insisted. Not something lame, Amethyst had added, like paint for a new coat for the outside of the house or more laundry detergent, of all things. ‘It’s the one time of year you can just ask for whatever you want!’ Pearl mused on that, truly not knowing what else she could want. It was a dirty trick, but Pearl knew that Steven would begrudgingly get her dishes if she told him they were for her personally, and not just for the benefit of the entire household, even if she ended up using them the least.
As she started running out of plates Pearl really considered that plan, growling in frustration at the one plate in her hand that was impossible to categorize, not fitting anywhere size wise or pattern wise. It was supposed to be a relaxing activity and the mismatched plates were not helping sooth her frazzled mood.
“Let me get that for you,” Amethyst said smoothly, yanking the plate from her hand and swallowing it whole.
Pearl’s breath hitched hard, as she was startled from her introspection, Amethyst digging around into the fridge, and shoving whatever she could find into her mouth. Years ago Pearl would’ve been disgusted, but now she was only mildly grossed out, the feelings of familial affection trumping all the others.
“Thanks, Amethyst,” Pearl replied, with a small smile, as she returned to the dishes.
“You worry about enough things in that big ‘ol head of yours without some stupid plates getting you more worked up,” Amethyst chided, jumping to sit on the counter and poke Pearl on her nose.
Pearl smiled wanly. “My head’s not that big,” she muttered with mock offense.
Amethyst clearly missed the teasing lilt to her tone because she face palmed and groaned into her hand, dragging it down her face and clawing at her hair with the other. “I can’t say anything right today, can I?”
“It’s alright Amethyst, I understand –“
“Geezus, you’re not even gonna yell at me? Ugh. Even when I deserve it you’re the better gem than me. I’m sorry for the stupid shit I said today. It’s just,” Pearl looked like she was going to stop her, with some (admittedly correct) reassurances that she was just as good a gem as her, but stopped when Amethyst held up a hand. “It’s just that, until today I was in the same boat as Steven. You and Garnet were there, Pearl! Lapis was there! Peridot’s like a baby compared to me and even she knows more about the war than I ever did. How come you never told me stuff like this?”
“Rose, thought it was best if we didn’t burden you with things like that. You were free of the horror and pain of the war, which was something she could never have with Garnet and I. You and her had something special. So when she told me that she didn’t want you to know, I respected those wishes.”
“That’s dumb,” Amethyst pouted.
“Perhaps it was,” Pearl admitted, grabbing the plates again and this time ordering them by size first and then pattern.
“Seriously though what’s wrong?”
Pearl scoffed.
“I’m already, like, gonna have to kick some junk around and blast some music to feel cool again after all this mushy feelings crap. You might as well tell me.”
“I’m worried about Steven.”
“When are you not worried about Steven, P?”
“He’s a baby again. And you’re not with him.”
Amethyst looked incredulous. “Is this just because I can turn into a car seat? I’m sure he’s fine, Connie’s an excellent driver. Didn’t you help teach her? They probably went to the car wash and are jamming with Greg right now, and he’ll be back to normal before you know it.”
Pearl stopped her frantic organizing to lean against the counter, its hard edge poking into her back. She schooled the line of her mouth into a soft smile and took a few deep breaths. Pearl gazed out the beach house door, but was simply met with the empty night sky off the ocean.
“It’s not Connie I’m concerned about. Steven, Connie and even Stevonnie are all excellent drivers. It’s Lapis and Peridot I’m worried about.”
“Seriously? I mean, I know how Dotty can be, but Lapis would sooner cut off her own arm than let something happen to Steven,” Amethyst buzzed enthusiastically, scarfing down an entire can of soda.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Pearl grumbled, and Amethyst laughed with her about Lapis’ borderline obsessive behaviour.
“Where’s the three stooges at anyways? I mean I know we all sort of went our own way for some space, but they didn’t have anywhere to go to.”
“Walking the beach. Blue realized right after Connie, Lapis and Peridot went off to try and calm Steven down, that perhaps it would be best for them to disappear for a while. They made it here all on their own, and it sounds like Earth is safe enough still. They’ll be fine.” Pearl gave a dismissive wave, but it sounded like she wasn’t convinced.
“They will be. And so will Steven. You know how he is, nothing you told him is going to change how he sees you. Now stop worrying about it,” Amethyst commanded, jumping down from the counter and gathering her spoils in one arm.
“You know I can’t.
“Was worth a shot anyways.”
Amethyst was halfway to the Temple door when she stopped, her whole body tensing with a mischievous energy. When she turned around there was a sly, Cheshire grin plastered on her face. Pearl had the good sense to be terrified. Amethyst rushed back and grabbed Pearl’s face with her one free hand, tugging it down so they were eye level.
“Alright, so if any of you other pearls are seeing this with your weird mind thing or whatever you better listen up,” Amethyst started, talking to Pearl’s face as if she were a camera, or a picture. She smiled when she felt Pearl giggle. “I’m the only one allowed to pick on Pearl, okay? So if you come to Earth and you’re mean to her, I’ll have to beat you up, okay? And then my friend,” Amethyst quickly shapeshifted into her wrestling alter ego, “The PURPLE PUMA will beat you up too! Good talk, glad we’ve come to an understanding.”
With a flourish, Amethyst spun away, flashing a peace sign and sticking out her tongue as she walked back to her room. Pearl looked like she holding back a complete laughing fit. Amethyst thought that was completely unacceptable, so she shapeshifted into her Pearl impression again, and slapped her own rear for affect. “I’ll kick your asses you hear,” she yelled, with a fake chirrupy sweetness.
“Amethyst!” Pearl shrieked, an undercurrent of mirth tinging her scolding. She was across the room in a second, blushing and trying to push a hysterical Amethyst through the Temple door. When Amethyst shrunk back to normal and repeated the motion, Pearl finally laughed outright, shoving Amethyst good-naturedly against the Temple door.
“Made you laugh,” Amethyst crooned triumphantly, her door opening with a whoosh. She fell through and rolled easily back to standing, losing nothing in her arms. As the door closed, she winked at Pearl, shooting out a finger gun with her free hand.
“That you did,” Pearl conceded, smiling despite herself.
When the door opened again, a blast of heat rushing out to greet her, Pearl’s good feelings soured quickly. She’d have to talk to Garnet eventually, she knew, but there was no telling what was waiting for her inside the Burning Room. But if the door had opened, that mostly likely meant Garnet saw at least one future that they could all live with, so Pearl took a deep breath and plunged inside.
Garnet was sitting on the edge of the lava pool when Pearl walked into the Burning Room. Both of them stopped to awkwardly not make eye contact, Pearl fiddling with her sash and Garnet tapping a finger against her leg. Eventually Pearl made her way over to Garnet’s side, deliberately and precisely dusting off the stone edge of the pool and smoothly out the (non-existent) wrinkles in her shirt as she took a seat next to Garnet.
“So, I guess, I’m not you’re oldest friend,” Garnet started, trying to lighten the mood.
“You’re my oldest Earth friend,” Pearl assured her, and then feeling silly continued, “And besides if you add up Ruby’s and Sapphire’s ages then you’re older than even me. So you are my ‘oldest’ friend.”
Garnet nearly cracked a smile at that. “Sheena should’ve told you that it’s not nice to make fun of a girl’s age.”
“We haven’t gotten to that lesson yet, but I’ll be sure to let her know,” Pearl said, elbowing Garnet. Neither ended up laughing.
Both of them sat in silence for a full five minutes. Garnet crossed her arms over her chest, still angry and annoyed. Pearl cast worried glances at her, constantly pulling her hands back from automatically reaching for Garnet’s arm. Being strong for everyone was exhausting. Pearl wondered how Rose had done it every day. Wondered if she could do it every day. Taking a deep breath and gathering up the remaining patience she had, Pearl wrapped an arm around Garnet and hugged her.
“I’ve… suspected for a long time that Sapphire might’ve had a pearl of her own on Homeworld. She was Blue Diamond’s Sapphire; one of her best, for a very long time. It wasn’t unrealistic to think that she would’ve rewarded her.”
Except for the slightest tensing of her form, Garnet stayed as stoically still as always.
“If there was anything to forgive, I’ve done it a long time ago. We were different gems back then, Garnet.”
“I think about her, sometimes,” Garnet admitted abruptly, phasing off her visor to look Pearl properly in the eyes. It was disconcerting for both of them. “Not enough. Not as often as I should. It was decades, centuries during the war between thoughts of her. It was always you that triggered them.” Garnet saw the flash in Pearl’s eyes, the uncomfortable twist of realization and she scanned several futures quickly, looking for the best way to proceed. “Don’t misunderstand, Pearl. I didn’t become your friend out of some misguided quest for forgiveness, as though being nice to you would change the things Sapphire did on Homeworld. It could never change them. The truth doesn’t have multiple paths the way the future does.”
“Truthfully, I haven’t thought about her since Rose…. passed. We’ve been so busy. And you all needed that strength. I needed to put her away.”
“We’ll find her,” Pearl reassured Garnet, taking her hands in her own, and looking at her with such sincerity that Garnet thought she might be able to believe that. She certainly didn’t, but the future in regards to the gem that had once served one of her components was dark. For Pearl’s sake, she would pretend.
“They’re going to need a leader, and a friend, Pearl.”
“I know, and I don’t understand why they’ve chosen me.”
“You’re their Rose Quartz. You’re the reason they’re here and free. Not me, not Steven. You.”
Garnet stood, pulling Pearl to her feet with her, and twirled her so they were face to face. Pearl seemed taller, though Garnet knew that was an impossibility. Hooking her hands under Pearl’s arms she pulled the smaller gem to eye level and spun her around, throwing her into the air once, with a delighted whoop from both of them. And then Garnet broke a long held rule she had for herself and asked a question.
“Do you remember what you promised me?”
“O-of course, Garnet.”
“Good. You’ve kept it well,” and Garnet flashed Pearl a rare grin as she put her down. “And you’ll continue to keep it well.”
“Future vision?” Pearl asked, gathering a little bit of strength back from Garnet’s encouraging words.
“Don’t need it for this.”
Garnet grabbed Pearl by the shoulders, and twisted her around, hands flashing hot and cold into her shoulders. “Steven’s back.” Pearl stiffened even as Garnet pushed her forward. She tried to dig her heels into the stone floor, but Garnet was stronger, and made short work of the distance to the door. It opened with a soft whoosh that sounded suddenly ominous to Pearl. Garnet moved one hand to the small of Pearl’s back and pushed.
It was gentle, much too gentle to actually force her out the door. She’d have to choose. Have to be the leader that Steven and the other pearls needed. Take strength from those that love you, Pearl, Rose Quartz’s voice spoke to from somewhere in her memory, though she knew that Rose had never actually said that exact phrase. Pearl grounded herself in a simple ballet stance, and felt the tips of Garnet’s fingers splayed on her back, the last solid bit of connection between the two of them, the push incomplete, both of their muscles straining. Pearl chose, and the door whooshed closed behind her.
As always, Garnet’s timing had been impeccable. Whatever strength Pearl had gotten from her encouragement would’ve easily been dashed to pieces against the onslaught of naïve bluntness that was Peridot. The green gem was currently screaming as Lapis, who, having yet to grow tired of the joke, had grabbed her under the arms and hauled her bodily into the air, intent on carrying both of them off to the barn. Neither of them had wanted to leave the structure they had worked so hard to modify, but Steven had asked if they wanted to move in to be closer to the others two years ago and both had been torn for months. Until Garnet suggested what should’ve been obvious. The barn rested on top of the hill, just under the lighthouse, balanced precariously, a lot of sweat and hard work, and a little gem magic working together to make it stay, but still be generally inaccessible to nosy humans. They had a door in the Temple that bent space so it opened to the barn, but Lapis thought flying there herself was more fun. And the added bonus of making her lover scream was nice too.
Steven and Connie waved, getting only Lapis’ laughter and a string of made up expletives – most a variation of clod – from Peridot as reply. With that settled they slumped into the beach house, the screen door slamming roughly behind them. Steven let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair and Pearl thought that it was unfair for his broad shoulders to be carrying such stress. A moment of indecisiveness stilled her tongue and she considered turning around and marching right back into the Temple, but Steven looked up then, noticed her standing there and she had no choice but to cross the distance of the house.
“Hello,” Pearl said softly, unwilling to break the atmosphere of the house. She’d left the harsh light on above the stove, and it spilled through the house, casting everything else in sharp shadows. It was dark outside, with a warm breeze trickling through the screen door. The microwave flashed 2:46. It was both too late and too early, and far past Steven’s bedtime, even if he insisted he didn’t have one.
“Hey,” Steven replied in unison with Connie, who was hugging one of his arms hard, and trying to stifle a yawn. It was even farther past Connie’s bedtime, who enjoyed the strict structure of a schedule, but was always willing to break it for Steven.
“How did your drive go?” Pearl ventured, trying to find something to talk about.
“It was great, Connie drove down the mountain a few times until I calmed down enough to see dad. We jammed for a while, looked at the stars and talked.”
“He must’ve been… surprised.” Pearl bit her bottom lip, wondering what Steven had told his father. Despite the fact that they were friends now, there were certain things Pearl didn’t want Greg to know about her.
“He understood when I told him what happened. I didn’t tell him anything too personal, Pearl. It’s your story to tell,” Steven reassured her, touching her gently on the shoulder, guiding the three of them to the couch to continue their small talk.
Connie stumbled, half asleep, and fell easily onto the couch, resting her head on Steven’s lap when he sat down beside her. Her eyes were wide open though as Pearl gracefully sat down next to Steven, and she caught Pearl’s gaze and smiled at her through the darkness.
“Dad’s actually kind of excited. We haven’t had new family for a while. He wants to meet them, when they’re ready. Said not to hesitate and ask if we need any money at all. Shoved a few hundred dollar bills in my hand as I was leaving. Wouldn’t let me say no.” Steven blushed awkwardly. Being grown up and knowing the cost of things had made him self-conscious about taking money from his dad, even when Greg insisted.
Pearl hummed in reply, thinking about her response. “And how is he doing?” She was genuinely curious, they’d been so busy with one thing or another and she had suddenly realized that they hadn’t seen the man in almost six months.
“He’s doing great! Well his back is acting up, but he hired someone to help him at the car wash, so he doesn’t have to work so many days. I keep telling him he should retire early, since he has several people for guitar lessons now, and Water Witch is selling pretty good. Not here, surprisingly, but in Korea! He has a huge following there, fans send him postcards and everything! Ever since Peridot showed him how to self-publish his music on the internet he’s been taking off in different places all over the word. He has nearly two thousand followers on his channel, which is more than me! He’s working on another album, wants me to thank you, again, for the new sound table and recording equipment.”
Pearl laughed, interrupting, “He’s thanked me seventeen times already. I’ve counted.”
“He knows it was expensive,” Steven replied with a small shrug, bashful again.
“You both deserve nice things. It helps me feel better about the twenty odd years I treated him like dirt. And understanding birthdays now, well I know how important they are to humans. Sheena said that fifty is a big deal, so… big present.”
Steven’s mouth twisted. He wanted to say something about that deserving comment, wanted to remind Pearl that she deserved nice things too, and wasn’t her birthday coming up. Connie stopped him with a hand to his cheek, looking up at him until he relaxed again. She knew him too well. It wasn’t the time. “You know, you still haven’t told me where you got the money for that. I know you didn’t steal it, that’s an Amethyst thing.”
“I earned it,” Pearl said smoothly, offering the explanation surprisingly freely, although Steven supposed it was just another way for her to keep the small talk going, for both of them to skirt around what they really needed to say to each other. “There’s a mechanic's shop in Ocean town near Sheena’s apartment. Her friend works there and was very impressed with how well I fixed Sheena’s bike. I told him it was actually somewhat fun, after all it wasn’t as hard as building a rocket. He laughed and said I was welcome to pick up a shift or two if I wanted.”
“So that’s what you were doing that week you and Sheena stayed at her place,” Connie jumped in, and Pearl didn’t miss the innuendo laden tone she had.
“Among other things,” Pearl replied in an equally suggestive tone.
“Guys,” Steven whined. He did not want to think about what kind of things Pearl and Sheena got up to. Just like, he was certain, Pearl didn’t want to think about what he and Connie got up to. Mostly because he knew she’d probably have a conniption, like the time she’d caught them making out on the couch. Of course, he’d learned a few things he hadn’t wanted to about his guardian too – like the fact that she enjoyed getting her hair pulled. Steven shook his head, trying to scrub that mental image from his mind. Pearl and Connie laughed easily at that, and Steven wondered if he’d ever understand women, even though he was raised by three of them. When Amethyst teased Pearl like that, she got annoyed, but when Connie did it, Pearl played along, and Steven did not understand it at all.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence after that, Connie twirling a lock of Steven’s hair around her finger and Pearl content to watch them. Steven wore it long, like his father, but his tight curls often necessitated a ponytail or braid. The tips had started to bleed to a soft blond and then pink as he got older, though his roots remained sharply black, which relieved him.
“And Steven?” Pearl asked, small and questioning. She’d pulled her knees up to her chest again, as if that could somehow make it easier to say what she needed to. She was about to break the calm atmosphere of the house.
“Yes?”
“Are you okay?” Pearl wanted to know. There was stress etched into his features, even as they had relaxed against the couch, an agitation in his hands. His rapid, if involuntary, shapeshifting had clearly put a strain on his human body, and that was on top of the significant emotional distress she’d caused him.
Steven looked appalled, and scoffed. “Am I okay? Pearl, I made you spend several hours reliving some of the most traumatic moments of your life! Are you okay?”
“I am now.” It was honest, and Pearl hoped that she could express that to Steven without having to go even further into detail. She didn’t want to start crying again.
Steven leaned back against the couch, eyes rolled as back as possible so he could just see the ledge of the loft where his bed was. Pearl and Connie didn’t have to ask to know what he was thinking about.
“The diamonds?” Pearl gulped, afraid of what he might answer.
“I hate them.” Steven replied.
“More than Kevin?” Connie asked.
“Yes.”
“There’s nothing wrong with hate,” Pearl muttered, despite knowing Greg’s opinion about the matter. “Don’t let it control you.”
“I won’t. But I’m never letting the diamonds hurt my family again.” There was conviction in Steven’s voice, and a hardness in his eyes that Connie longed to smooth away. “Tomorrow I’m going to help you bury their bubbles so deep they’ll never be found by any gem or human, ever again.”
“Thank you,” Pearl breathed and felt some long ignored part of her relax for the first time in centuries.
“Where is the rest of our family anyways?” Steven asked.
Pearl’s heart swelled at his words. “Amethyst is in her room eating garbage, Garnet is thinking, Sheena’s in my room, and Pinky, Blue and Yellow are out,” Pearl listed, and Steven nodded at each one.
“Will they be back?”
“When the sun rises, I’m sure. They didn’t want to impose. I…. needed to be alone for a while after you left.”
“We all did.”
The three of them relaxed, and Pearl uncoiled herself, allowing her long legs to rest on the coffee table. For several minutes they enjoyed the warmth and silence of the summer night. Then Steven yawned hard and Connie followed quickly after. Pearl felt a strange tugging in her own fake lungs, embarrassed at her body’s pull to emulate the two humans.
“I think it’s time for bed, Steven,” Pearl suggested, rising slowly.
“Definitely.”
Connie followed the two of them, getting up, languid and unhurried.
“Are you staying the night Connie?” Pearl asked when the three of them reached the bottom of the stairs to Steven’s bed.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good, both of you are too fatigued to be driving safely.”
“Of course, ma’am.”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Pearl teased, winking at Connie
“Goodnight, ma’am,” Connie responded with slightly more
“Alright, I understand when I’m not wanted,” Pearl huffed, crossing her arms, and turning up her nose, but both of the humans knew she didn’t really mean it. “I’ll go.”
“No you don’t.” Connie yanked Pearl into a bony hug before she could escape and impressed Pearl again with her strength. “Goodnight, ma’am.”
“Goodnight, Connie.”
Pearl didn’t even get a second to catch her breath after Connie released her before Steven had pulled her into a hug. Even though they were close in height, Steven leaned backwards, lifting Pearl off the ground in the hug and squeezing her so tight with his gem strength she was almost worried. But she smiled when he finally put her down, disinclined to discourage his bear hugs.
“Goodnight, Pearl,” Steven said, as he helped drag Connie, who was losing her battle against sleep, up the stairs.
Pearl crossed the house easily, and opened the door to her room, eyes trained on her two children the whole way, wanting to make sure they actually made it to the bed. When she was satisfied that they had she turned to walk into her room, but not before replying, in a voice so quiet that Steven only just heard it, “Goodnight, Steven.”
The sound of her waterfalls soothed Pearl as she headed to the back corner of her room, a soft well-lit area, well sectioned off from even the tiniest drops of water from the falls. The hard stone floor was softened with a blue rug and a somewhat disorganized (Sheena tried her best, really she did) desk, with several stacks of paper and a laptop. In the corner was a bed with photos decorating the wall above it (these, at least, were placed in a symmetrical fashion) and brightly burning lamp beside it. Pearl’s heart did a treacherous flip when she saw that Sheena had, like always, waited up for her.
The scene was so domestic and quaint and perfect that Pearl’s heart ached in all the right ways. Sheena was reading a book, her square framed reading glasses perched on her nose, newly pinked hair (it had been green last time, and there were still a few lingering traces left) framing her face, in her pyjamas and half covered with the bed sheet, though her shirt was hanging on the headboard, and when she looked up at Pearl she smiled. And then threw a pillow at her.
“There’s nothing wrong with screaming into a pillow when you’ve had a stressful day, honey,” Sheena reminded her gently.
Pearl caught the pillow easily enough, not even tiredness stopping her gem reflexes. She was certain there were lines around her eyes and that she looked awful in the bright light coming from the lamp. The pillow creased hard between her fists and then Pearl pressed it against her face, flopped onto the bed and followed Sheena’s suggestion perfectly. It helped that she didn’t need to breath, and so took it upon herself to indulge in the longest, hardest scream she could manage. Halfway through screaming herself raw, she felt the bed shift and Sheena get up. Just as she was finishing she felt it shift again, as Sheena sat closer to her, and ran a hand through her short hair soothingly.
When Pearl was finished, she turned her head and grumbled. She was on her stomach and trying to see Sheena was awkward and made her neck ache. With a sigh, she rolled onto her back, bringing the pillow with her and hugging it to her chest.
“I got you something, Pixie Stick,” Sheena said, one hand continuing to stroke her hair and the other pulling out a small rectangular shaped gift, wrapped with shiny green paper and a neat bow.
Pearl was up like a shot. “I forgot again!”
“No, no, no,” Sheena soothed gently, placing the gift on the pillow in Pearl’s lap to take her hands. “You didn’t forget anything. It’s alright.”
Pearl’s understanding of time was rudimentary at best. Of course she understood days, weeks, months and years as a concept, but the incessant need to keep track of them baffled her, and if you asked on any given day she’d be unable to tell the exact day or month or numbered year. It wasn’t important for gems. But it was for humans. Humans liked dates. Even calendars didn’t seem to help, but Sheena had learned not be offended that she had to constantly remind Pearl when important dates were coming up.
“Then why?” Pearl asked, too tired to try and figure out a baffling human thing.
“Because you’ve had a hard day and I wanted to give you something nice. It was supposed to be for our anniversary in three months, but today seemed like a better day for it. Let me spoil you once in a while, okay?” Sheena whispered softly, kissing Pearl on the forehead, just below her gem, before leaning over to place her glasses on the bedside table.
Pearl didn’t object as she set to work removing the bow, peeling it slowly enough that it didn’t rip the paper. Once that was complete, she found the edge of the wrapping and slid a nail along it, cutting the flimsy tape and carefully removed the wrapping bit by bit. Sheena watched contentedly for a while, amused as always at Pearl’s meticulous insistence on not ruining the wrapping paper and removing it perfectly.
When Sheena leaned back against the pillows of their bed, Pearl stopped long enough to see her beckon her over, and she crawled her way into her girlfriend’s embrace, sighing as she relaxed into it. “Feet or back,” Sheena asked.
“Both? Please.”
“As you wish.”
“I never should’ve let Steven talk us into that movie.” Pearl rolled her eyes, and took a moment to phase away her socks and flats. Sheena whined a little, she enjoyed undressing Pearl herself.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t love it, I saw the way you sighed at the end. You’re dying to watch it again, I can tell,” Sheena teased, leaning over Pearl to pull one of her feet into her hands and work the tense muscles beneath.
Pearl stuck her tongue out at Sheena, who just laughed at the immature gesture, but retracted it quickly to bite back a groan. She didn’t understand how she could be so sore when she’d barely done anything. It wasn’t like she’d fought a gem monster or something actually strenuous. The second groan slipped out unbidden, as Sheena’s strong fingers rubbed away the stress of the day, her hands rounding up to Pearl’s ankles and then back down to the arches slowly.
“Mental stress can make you just as sore as physical stress can,” Sheena explained, knowing easily what Pearl was thinking as she gripped the half opened present, and tried to act like she wasn’t about to roll her eyes back and moan at the positive attention.
All of a sudden it was too much for Pearl, the gift, the massage, Sheena’s warm body wrapped around her, the total understanding from Garnet, Amethyst and Steven and the thought that she suddenly had a second chance to see her friends and her home again, and then she was picking at the gift, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Pearl resolutely refused to cry again.
That plan was quickly and summarily dashed the moment she got the wrapping paper all the way off the gift. As Pearl folded the paper neatly to store in her gem, a few of her tears fell on it, and Sheena stilled her hands out of concern. The tension snapped when Pearl giggled, and soon her eyes were pricking with tears of mirth instead.
“Connie’s going to be mad,” Pearl laughed, looking down at the final book in a series they both liked. It wasn’t supposed to be out for another six months and Connie was adamant about avoiding any sort of information about it, claiming that she wanted to go in fresh.
“You’ll just have to not tell her.”
“And lie to my favorite student? How could you even suggest that Sheena,” Pearl huffed, one hand to her chest as she hammed it up. “How did you even manage this?”
“It’s all about who you know babe,” Pearl practically felt Sheena wink when she said that, and thumbed the pages of the book lightly as she continued talking. “And I happen to know a friend who is sleeping with the editor and called in a favor. No big deal.”
“Thank you, it’s lovely,” Pearl said, sincerely, opening to the first page as Sheena switched to her other foot.
Pearl gave up trying to read when Sheena reached her toes and they tingled, slightly ticklish to Pearl’s absolute mortification. Sheena took the time make her laugh, kissing her neck and jaw as way of apology. When Pearl turned in Sheena’s lap to face her there was a predatory smirk on her face, and Sheena gulped. Before she realized what was happening Pearl had placed her book on top of Sheena’s and grabbed her by the shirt to pull her into a long, deeply satisfying kiss.
Before they parted for Sheena to breathe Pearl nipped her lower lip, teasing the piercing there. Sheena stared at her with half lidded eyes, pupils wide and a muzzy expression on her face. Even after five years, Pearl still had quite the effect on her. Winking, the dancer turned around again, and reached for her sash.
“You can do my back now,” she commanded teasingly.
“Oh, I can, can I?” Sheena shot back, when she had begun to regain control of her mind. Sluggishly she covered Pearl’s hands with her own, pulling the sash off herself and tossing it quickly away; it vanished into motes of light before it even hit the ground. This time Pearl raised her arms and obliged Sheena, letting her pull off her tunic herself. The human admired the plane of Pearl’s back, and her taut muscles as she arranged herself on her stomach, crossing her arms in front of her to support her head.
Sheena talked without expecting an answer as she worked on Pearl’s back, keeping her voice low and relaxing. Occasionally Pearl would sigh, or a moan would slip out, but she was otherwise content to let Sheena’s voice wash over her. Here and there she caught a snippet or two about the latest coding project Sheena was working on for her boss, but it mostly faded to white noise as she sank into the bed, finally relaxing for the first time that day.
“I think I’d like to sleep tonight,” Pearl growled through a particularly tight spot near her neck. “Can I wear your shirt?” This she sighed sweetly as the knot loosened and the muscles warmed under Sheena’s hands.
Sheena bit her lip against a sigh of her own, thanking whatever divine cosmic force had dropped this adorable alien into her life. “You’ll have to earn it,” she ventured tentatively.
When Pearl didn’t reply for a full minute Sheena was worried she had misjudged, and her hands slowed, ready to take back the suggestion. In a second she was flat on her back, Pearl having deftly flipped the two of them without warning. Sheena kissed her chastely, and then pressed their forwards together, muttering about the gem strength she often forgot Pearl had.
“As you wish,” Pearl said cheekily, leaning down to capture Sheena’s lips again, blushing to her ears.
Sheena was certain that Pearl was going to be the death of her one of these days.