Chapter Text
When was the last time she even visited Pearl?
It feels so long ago now. Sitting in her car, Garnet was texting Amy, just to inform her about her whereabouts. And maybe asking her to bring her some Wendy's as well if she's able to. Pearl usually wouldn't have any food out. And Garnet's only eaten breakfast today.
Getting out her car, Garnet walked up to the steps to Pearl's apartment building. Recalling where her room was, she began to make her way up the stairwell. She would've used the elevator although it seemed to be out of order. She'll ask Pearl about it later if she knows anything about it.
One knock. And two, and then the door swung open.
There, stood strawberry blonde woman, who stood a few inches shorter than Garnet herself, and a significantly bigger nose than average— which Amy always makes fun of, playfully. Today, her thin frame was obscured by a sweater. It has been rather chilly for the upcoming fall, Garnet mulled.
Pearl smiled at the sight of the woman whose grown so much taller since she last saw her. "Garnet, welcome!" She gestured for her to come in.
Garnet walked in, seeing that the place was neat and tidy. Just how Pearl always likes everything around her. There also was teapot sitting idly on the coffee table, and well, Garnet could absolutely go for a cup of one.
"Thank you for having me," Garnet said monotonously, shrugging off her jacket and placing it on the backseat of a chair, "Sorry if I've troubled you at all.”
"Oh, Garnet, I'm always happy to see you no matter what. Now come sit and tell Auntie Pearl what's possibly bothering you," Pearl went to sit down on her couch, patting the seat next to her waiting for Garnet to come. The junior admires the place a little bit more before sitting down. Pearl has done a lovely work of keeping up with her plants, still flourishing as usual.
Pearl starts pouring them both cups of tea and handed Garnets hers first. Garnet circles her finger around the rim of the steaming teacup, silently wondering to herself what to start with or even how to tell Pearl— Should she talk about how Bluebird ended up in the same school as her? Or maybe something else…
Would Pearl even want to hear about some random kid in her college? Likely not, she thought. Which now her unprepared with a conversation. She had the impression Pearl would be the one asking questions and catching up, with how much she usually likes to talk and info-dump for certain topics. Garnet supposed that with how long they haven't seen each other, maybe Pearl would be a bit nosy about anything that happened in her goddaughter's life.
Garnet suddenly felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Turning to look at Pearl, who had a comforting smile on her face, she reassured her.
"You can tell me anything that's bothering you. Even if you think I wouldn't want to listen to it. Or, you could tell me anything at all, I'd still listen." How'd she know?… Was it written all over Garnets face and she was making it that obvious? Or, rather, maybe Pearl had grown familiar to Garnet's way of constant thinking, vague silence, and unspoken words at the tip of her tongue.
Pearl lifted up her cup. "And, to add, this is a judgment free zone. So no matter what it is you tell me, I won't tell anyone else. So, go on." She took a small sip, it was still pretty hot so she tried not rushing into drinking it. "Even if its something silly. If it's upsetting you it's important!"
Garnet sighed, running her hand through her thick afro. She obviously felt safe around Pearl but this was so stupid that it didn't even feel like it deserved a mention, but if she insists.
"I don't remember if I mentioned it before to you, but do you remember Beatrice?"
A beat of vague silence, Garnet goes to add a detail before she forgets, "They go by Bluebird now."
Pearl thought about it for a second to try and recall the name. A small flicker of recognition in her eyes, "Oh, that dumb bully that was with you in middle school. Which followed you over into high school?… What about it—"
It only took Pearl a few minutes to connect the dots.
"Noooo..."
"Yeeeeahh... " Garnet should've known Pearl would immediately get it. Garnet finally took a sip of her tea before it would start getting cold, because unlike her mother. she enjoys hot tea. (Sorry Sapph!)
"Did they see you? What happened? I need deeeetails Garnet!" Pearl rapid-fired, grabbing her at the arm and shook her as if the information could pour out.
"Okay, okay." Garnet let out a small giggle, and Pearl stopped shaking her and went to drink some more of her tea. "Well he did see me… Which ended up being a total nightmare." In the corner of her vision, she could see Pearl frowning. "She kept following me around everywhere and berating me about every aspect of my life. It was… Rather exhausting."
Garnet slumped back on the couch, going to take another sip. Pearl grimaced slightly, "What's wrong with them?"
"I don't know," She grumbled. Pearl placed a pale finger on her chin, thinking to herself for a bit. She suddenly got an intriguing thought.
"This may be a stupid question, but do you think it's… one of those cases where they bully you because they like you? I mean considering your shared history, it seems almost likely," Pearl let out a little evil snicker afterwards, while Garnet quietly waited until she put her cup down onto the coffee table, before headshotting Pearl with a pillow.
"Ack—" The pillow hit directly at her forehead, before bouncing off and landing at their feet.
"Shut up," Garnet sneered, picking the pillow off the ground. "I would rather be dismembered and sewn to others than have them like me in any capacity."
Pearl was still giggling as she sat up properly, fixing her hair. "Sorry, sorry, it just seemed like a possible option. Could you blame me for questioning it?"
Garnet sighed, "No… But still. I don't even want to think about the possibility." She hugged the pillow and leaned back onto the couch again. Now questioning it herself.
What if Bluebird liked her? Then what? She hopes not. It'll be such an inconvenience to have someone like that like her.
She's no stranger to having people fall for her. Most of the time Garnet couldn't get herself to care about it. Merely rejecting and brushing them off, telling them to find someone else. Some needing more insistence than others. But this one is different.
"And what's so wrong about having someone to like you? It should build up your confidence when someone has feelings for you! Especially since you're such an amazing person, Garnet. You're so confident, beautiful, ambitious… Always standing up for what's right—" Pearl basically went on a little rant about Garnets best qualities.
It definitely made Garnet blush a bit in embarrassment, she appreciates it all, but come on, Pearl! "Okay okay I get it!" It felt tremendously embarrassing, having someone compliment you this much. Garnet just wanted to sink into the couch. She already gets enough smothering from her own parents.
"Oh, hahah! Sorry Garnet guess I got a little carried away…" Pearl put a hand on her cheek before sipping her tea cup that's almost empty. "But what I mean is, everyone would want to fall in love with someone as amazing as you!"
"There's nothing wrong with someone having a crush on me. But it'll just be so weird and awkward if that was the case there because like all they had to do was talk to me. Not torment me." Garnet scoffed at the absurdity. Any sort of normal person would've just admitted to her.
"Well I completely understand, but maybe some people just don't understand how love is supposed to be shown. You know how to because your parents showed you their way of gentle and caring love, but, maybe he might've not have had… much positive love in their life to learn from."
What was the thing people always talked about in bullying ads? That the aggressor only bullies because they themselves have a bad home life and they're only a product of the way they were treated? Something along those lines, Garnet remembered taking a class on child psychology that delved deeper into the mindset. Certainly interesting.
"Just consider that, but that doesn't mean put up with her torment in the slightest either! Even if on the off chance they do like you. Always stand up to them and show her who's boss, okay?" Pearl reassured.
"... Okay." Garnet gripped onto the pillow tighter.
Suddenly, someone knocked at the door— It could be anyone but Garnet can only assume it's Amy coming back from Wendy's.
"Oh I'll go get that!" Pearl stood up and went to open the door with a soft smile.
And Garnet was left alone with her thoughts. What if what Pearl said was true? Maybe it would make Garnet look at Bluebird in different light. But even if it was, did she have it in her to forgive him for the years of bullying and torment? Not particularly… Likely never.
Garnet looked over at the open front door, breaking herself away from her thoughts. She could already make out the short person in front of Pearl before they even walked in.
"Oh, Amy! I didn't expect you to come by? What's with the sudden visit, you aren't trying to drop out are you?" Pearl was so ready to scold Amy if she was trying to drop out already, and she was also holding a paper bag in her right hand. Pearl can smell the grease wafting off it so she guessed it was food most likely. Typical.
"Yo P. And jeez what a welcome." Amy rolled her eyes.
"Sorry I was just surprised, I assumed it was for something bad."
"Nah Garnet told me to come over and bring food. Well technically, she just told me where she was and asked me if I could bring food over if I was able to." Pearl nodded and moved out of the doorway so Amy can get in.
And then the purple haired girl descended into the apartment after Pearl let her in— and she was holding the Wendy's Garnet had asked for. She only just now realised how much she was starving.
Garnet finished her tea, "Thanks for coming, and bringing food." Amy plopped the bag on the table as Pearl cleaned up the tray of tea. (Of course not before asking Amy if she wanted a cup, to which she just shook her head.)
"No problem G," Amy plumped down on the couch, Pearl obviously unhappy with how careless Amy was sitting when she came back. But for now didn't pay any mind.
"Soo Garnet why'd you ask me if I could bring food?" She went to open the Wendy's bag, passing Garnet her food and then tried to give Pearl one as well— Which she denied but Amy kept being persistent.
"I was hungry. And while yes Pearl has great cooking skills," Garnet opened the box that had her burger, already starting to eat.
"Aww thank youu!"
"It just didn't feel right to come over and ask her to cook. And you were getting food anyways."
"Ohhh." Amy hummed, scarfing down her burger.
"You 100% could ask me to cook next time don't be so shy Garnet! But nonetheless I'm glad you invited Amy." Amy in question tried one last time to give Pearl the box but she still refused.
"Liar." Amy mumbled as she went to sit back down, putting Pearls meal to the side for her to eat later.
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you." Garnet drank from her soda, she wanted to say something about Amy trying to make Pearl eat but she ended up finally stopping. Honestly that girl never knows when to give up.
"Oh yeah! You guys won't believe who I saw at Wendy's," she grumbled.
"Who."
"Who?"
Amy ate a fry, "My dumb half-sister! Ughh." Pearl gasped whilst Garnet only quietly twitched, her sunglasses obscuring any sort of change in emotion from her eyes. But, if Amy was pissed about it too something stupid must have happened too.
"Well, was it just her?" Pearl put her hands on her lap. And Garnet subtly chewed into her food.
"Nah, with her ex which I… think? Is still her ex, and someone from one of my classes was also with them." Amy tried to recall the kids name but it honestly wasn't that important.
Pearl scoffed a little. "I wonder how long those two are gonna be exes this time before they start smacking faces again," Pearl giggled.
"Riiight?" Amy giggled as well. Garnet has heard about Amy's half-sister only briefly in the past and a little bit about this on and off relationship of hers. But she wasn't that deeply indulged to laugh at the joke.
"How bad could it possibly be?" Garnet questioned, eating more of her meal. The two responded almost immediately.
"Terrrible!"
"Genuine HOT shit dude."
Both Pearl and Amy snickered at them replying at the same time. It really is that fucking bad.
"Why don't they break up for good then?"
"Thats what I'm SAYING!" Amy groaned, having her hands shoot out from her sides, covered in grease and almost touching Pearl's sweater.
"Well, their relationship is quite complicated and none of us really know the full story about it, so we cant properly judge but I also agree that they should breakup as well. If they do choose to pursue a relationship again, we can't really stop them from being with one another."
Garnet just nodded along with what Pearl said, it did honestly make some sense.
"Oh blah blah blah Pearl," Amy rolled her eyes, "After the 3rd breakup I think they should've stopped there!"
Pearl placed a hand on her forehead and sighing really loudly.
"How about instead of commenting on others relations, you tell us what exactly happened there with you and her?" Pearl hoped that'll give her something else to talk about, and also she was curious about it.
Garnet was also a little nosy about it as well, calmly wiping her hands with a napkin. Amy stared at the two of them before realising.
"Oooh right!" Amy sat up properly getting ready to just recap what happened at the restaurant, clearing her throat. For a split second her racked her memory of the encounter, "Okay So—"