Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pearl had finally done it. She had made it into the exclusive Yellow Dormitory after spending three years at Homeworld University. This was one of the best dormitories on the entire campus, complete with multiple common areas sporting wide screen tv's, a shared kitchen and dining room, full cleaning staff, and many other amenities which one could scarcely get in the cheaper dorms.

The dorm was headed up by the smart and sophisticated Yvette Diamond, one of the four Diamond sisters who ran the school. The other three had their own dorms as well, each was highly exclusive and was called by a color. The only way anyone made it into these dorms was with money or by being one of the best students on campus. Certainly Pearl had the smarts but despite applying every semester she had been rejected each time.

Her golden window of opportunity finally presented itself when her twin sister, Amber, had taken up a position as Yvette's assistant. After months of begging and pleading Amber took pity on her and pushed her application through. And so here Pearl was signing into the dormitory checklist and getting her keys. She had to contain her excitement as she walked to the west wing where her room was located.

The only unfortunate part about these dorms was that the students were still required to share their space with another resident. Some were lucky and ended up without any roommates but Pearl was not one of them. She took a deep breath once she reached her room and used the key to open it. She walked in and looked around. The room was large and had two full beds with actual mattresses, the walls of this room were painted a soothing blue and there enough space to move around without getting in her roommate's way which, considering she did yoga, was a blessing. The bathroom was on the left side next to a closet for her roommate.

The roommate in question was a large black woman with a full head of curly black hair that was done up in an afro. She had her back turned to Pearl and was unpacking her clothes into her dresser. As Pearl looked the woman over she noticed her rather generous curves which were only accentuated by the clothes she wore. She found herself blushing as her gaze lingered on the girl's derriere. She took a moment to calm herself down and determine how to introduce herself. After she was ready she cleared her throat to get the others attention.

"Hello. I'm Pearl Demer, your new roommate." She was trying to be as friendly as possible. She would probably be spending the next two years with this woman and she wanted to get off to a good start.

The woman stopped what she was doing and suddenly turned around to look at Pearl directly. As beautiful as she had been from the back she was even more so from the front. Of course her curves were distracting but Pearl was more or less used to them. The woman wore matching rings on each hand, a sapphire on her right hand and a ruby on her left, she also had a pair of reflective sunglasses pushed up on top of her head, but the most striking feature about her were her mismatched eyes. The right one was a deep auburn and the left one was a dark blue, they were still as amazing as the first time Pearl had seen them.

The woman stood there with an expression of slight surprise as she looked Pearl over. "Pearl? What are you doing here?" She spoke with a British accent, the result of growing up in England when very young.

"I, you, we..." She could swear her brain was malfunctioning. "This is my room, I'm here to get moved in. Garnet, you got accepted into Yellow dorm too?"

Garnet nodded. "Yeah, I received the notice a week ago. I was going to surprise you all after I got moved in. But I suppose that's not going to happen now." She looked around before turning her attention back to Pearl. "Surprise."

Pearl felt a little awkward. She had known Garnet since high school after the girl had moved into her town and started attending her school. The two had quickly become friends and shared many interesting adventures with Rose and Amethyst, all of them had even ended up coming to the same college.

Pearl would have been lying if she said that she didn't have a thing for Garnet, even when she had been in a relationship with Rose she had developed feelings for Garnet. She had never admitted this to her of course and now they were going to be sharing a room, and a bathroom, and seeing each other all the time and sleeping in the same room, close to each other, and maybe touching and... Pearl's brain overheated and she stood there trying to get her systems back online.

Garnet noticed and walked over, waving a hand in front of Pearl's face. "Pearl? Are you okay?"

Pearl blinked her eyes a few times and looked at Garnet. "Um, I'm... So I guess we're roommates huh?" She smiled even though she was screaming on the inside.

Garnet nodded. "Yeah, do you need any help unpacking? I'm just about done unpacking my own things and I can help you if you need it."

Pearl shook her head. "No, no, I'll be alright, thank you though. I'm going to go and get the rest of my bags from the car, I'll be back soon." She dropped the bags she had brought onto her bed and practically sprinted out of the door, trying to get away as quickly as she could.

She was roommates with Garnet Fire, she was roommates with the woman she had been crushing on for nearly six years of her life, she was going to die.

Garnet stared at the door for a few moments after Pearl left. She finally sat down on her bed and grabbed a pillow. She pressed it against her face and flopped down onto the mattress, screaming into the soft object. She couldn't believe it! She had been put into the same room with Pearl Demer, the most amazing, graceful, spectacular woman she had ever met! She could feel her heart beating at about a thousand times a minute and felt like jumping for joy, and like curling up in a hole and dying.

Garnet had developed a crush for Pearl when they were both in highschool but had never asked her out because she was in a relationship with Rose, then after that she was too busy with school, then it had just been one thing after the other, but now... There was nothing stopping her, save herself. She dreaded asking Pearl out because she was afraid of what she might say. She was afraid of being rejected.

Garnet didn't know what to do right now. She got up and worked on putting the rest of her clothes away. Maybe if she could stop her mind racing and just focus on this everything would become clear. She proceeded with taking her things out of the box and putting them in the dresser. Soon enough she had reached the bottom of the box but she was surprised to discover not clothes at the bottom but her magic eyeball.

She lifted the little novelty from the box and turned it over in her hands. She had used this toy in the past to try and get answers. It worked most of the time, but nothing was ever set in stone. Still I wouldn't hurt to try. She lifted the object to her face and whispered.

"If I ask Pearl out, will she say yes?" She shook the object a few times and then turned it over to see her answer. The message displayed in the lens read "Answer unclear, try again later". Garnet got a little annoyed and was about to shake it again when Pearl walked back in with three boxes on a cart. Garnet quickly tossed the ball into her sock drawer and closed it before the other saw.

"I’m back with the rest of my things." Pearl said, smiling a bit. She started putting her items away, taking the time to organize her half of the room as she liked.

Garnet turned away and tried to focus on getting the last of her things organized. She pulled out her phone next and saw that her moms had texted her to ask how the new dorm was. She chuckled and responded with how it was so far. Her mothers did like to keep tabs on her, but she was grateful for it.

She put her phone away and picked up her syllabus. She read over it to make certain it had the classes she actually wanted and then put it away. She had a few hours to kill before it was time for dinner and she was thinking about going around and checking out all the amenities afforded to her now that she was in this dorm. But first she wanted to be certain the other was alright. She looked over to Pearl.

"I'm finished, would you like some help with your things?"

Pearl looked at Garnet, a light blush coloring her features. "Me? No, I'm perfectly alright, just need to get everything organized and tidy. Do whatever you like."

Garnet knew that offering help was probably a lost cause. For as long as she had known Pearl the girl had always been obsessed with cleanliness and symmetry. She wouldn't let Garnet help her, she would just mess it up.

"Alright, I'm going to go and check out the dorm. Text me if you need anything." She walked to the door and gave a short wave before leaving.

Pearl took a few deep breaths once Garnet had left. Her heart was pounding and she was certain the other had heard it. She finished dusting the things on her side of the room and started to unload her luggage. She made certain that everything fit perfectly and was pleasantly organized. She put her clothes away, arranged her desk, put her books onto her desk along with their matching bookends, and finally put a ballet poster on her wall, making certain it was straight before stepping back. She stood there and looked over her side of the room with her hand on her chin. She scanned with sharp eyes to ensure it was all perfect. Once satisfied she nodded to herself and walked to her desk.

She considered what to do now. She looked at her phone and saw it was only an hour until dinner. Dinner for that night was being held in the dorm's communal dining room. It was an opportunity for Pearl to meet the rest of her dorm, even Yvette would be there, as would Pearl's sister. She took a breath to keep herself calm and decided to spend the time making herself more presentable.

She grabbed a change of clothes and went into the bathroom to take a shower. She wanted to be ready for dinner and ensure she made a good impression.

Garnet returned after walking around the dorm, it was smaller than she had expected, but it was a higher quality than what she was used to. She had met a couple of other residents and spoken with them briefly, one had even tried hitting on her. She walked into her room and stopped upon hearing the shower running. She determined Pearl was trying to look her best for their first dinner in the dorm. Garnet decided to get ready too.

She used her handheld mirror to fix her makeup, ran her comb through her hair, and pulled on a stylish jacket. She sat in her chair and played a game on her phone while she waited for Pearl to come out.

Pearl emerged eventually. She had done up her short hair and redone her makeup. She had also changed into a light blue dress that matched her eye color and was wearing a pretty golden clock necklace.

Garnet thought she looked lovely. Pearl really knew how to make herself even more beautiful and Garnet felt her heart skip a beat when she looked at the pale young woman.

Pearl looked at Garnet as she walked out and smiled softly. "How was your walk around the dorm?" She asked.

Garnet looked at her. "It went well, met some people, saw the amenities. It's a good sized dorm, lots of open spaces, nice gardens. There's a gym too, in the basement."

Pearl was surprised by that. "Really?" She hummed in thought. "You'll have to show me later."

Garnet nodded and stood up. "Are you ready to head down?"

Pearl used a personal mirror to check her appearance once more. "Just about." She made some minor adjustments to her hair and then grabbed a small purse and organized the items she thought she might need for the night inside before putting it over her shoulder. "Now I'm ready."

Garnet went and opened the door for her. Pearl thanked her and walked out with Garnet following closely after. The two of them walked down to the dining room and sat beside each other at the long table which had already been set with plates, silverware, and plates of rolls. There were a couple of others there as well, most notable were a pair of large twins who had flat top haircuts and were listening to music on shared ear buds and a smaller girl with an eye patch over her left eye who seemed upset about something.

Garnet and Pearl sat next to each other at the table. More and more people started to come out and sit at the table until only a handful of seats were left empty. Then she arrived. Yvette was an imposing woman to say the least. She stood at nearly six feet seven inches in heels and was wearing a full golden brown suit with a white shirt and patterned tie. She had a small tie clip with a beautiful yellow diamond on it. Her hair was spiked up and she had a stern face.

She was followed by a thin pale woman who could have been mistaken for pearl if not for her blonde hair and office clothes. The woman was carrying a tablet with her tucked under her arm and seemed to be emulating the woman she followed, adopting a stern face and strong walk.

Pearl had to hold back her laughter as she watched her sister, Amber Demer, approaching the table. Amber had always been the type of person who latched onto the strongest woman she could find and practically became a mini version of them, even in high school she had done this kind of thing. Pearl finally calmed down and took on a neutral expression as Yvette reached the table and stood in front of her chair with her hands behind her back.

"Hello and welcome to Yellow Dorm. Congratulations to you for making the cut and being counted among some of the best students in this school. I am Yvette Diamond, the leader of this dorm, and one of the women who runs this school." She looked around at the group. "By making it in here you have proven you deserve to belong, but make no mistake, if you at any point prove yourself unworthy of being in this dorm or this school I will not hesitate to throw you out faster than you can say "Supreme Authority"." She smiled coldly. "Now, let us eat before the food gets cold." She clapped her hands and the chefs emerged from the kitchen with plates of food, setting them down before each person before retreating back into the kitchen.

Everybody began to eat as Yvette and Amber took their seats. Small conversations broke out along the table. Garnet turned to the girl next to her.
"Hello, I'm Garnet Fire, it's nice to meet you."

The woman looked at Garnet and smiles. "Hello, I'm Yana Zircon. I'm a law student." She took Garnet's hand and shook it formally. "Are you new to the dorms?"

Garnet nodded. "Yes, I and my roommate moved in today." She looked at Pearl and moved so Yana could get a look at her.

Yana gave a short wave. "Hello, Yana Zircon, a pleasure to meet you."

Pearl smiled. "Pearl Demer. It's very nice to meet you as well."

Yana paused and looked Pearl over. "Hold on, have I seen you somewhere before?" She pulled out a pair of glasses from her purse and put them on, then she looked Pearl over again, more carefully.

Pearl blushed lightly. "Well it's possible you've met one of my sisters, we all share a very similar face." She cleared her throat and pointed to amber. "For example my sister amber differs from me only in the color of her hair."

Yana lowered the glasses and looked at Amber, then at pearl. She looked between the two a few times. "You're Amber's sister?" She sounded surprised.

Pearl nodded. "Yes, do you know her?"

Yana chuckled and put a hand over her mouth. "Amber? Oh absolutely! She's a self-important little busybody who likes to act like she owns this dorm. She goes around with that tablet like she's some kind of safety inspector and checks things off." She had to stifle another laugh.

Pearl covered her mouth to stop her own laughs but her delicate shoulders started shaking, giving her away. "Oh my goodness! She used to do the same thing at home!" She struggled to keep her voice down.

Garnet smiled as she watched the two and started to eat. She liked the food, it was delicious, and much better quality than the food she could get at the school's food court. The others at the table were enjoying it too, many had already finished their first plate and were speaking softly with those around them. The two large women were engaged in some sort of personal conversation between themselves, the small angry looking girl with the eye patch had been joined by a couple other women who could have been her sisters and was grunting along as they talked. The few other residents all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Desert was served shortly and then dinner was over. Yvette stood again and clapped her hands to get everybody's attention again.

"Thank you all for joining us for dinner. We hope you enjoyed it and that you will take this time to get to know each other. I have important business to attend to this evening but my assistant Amber will remain in my place. If you have any questions or complaints direct them towards her. Goodnight." She left, returning to her office and leaving them alone to do what they would.

Everyone rose and started to mingle, some slipped away before anyone could speak with them while others spoke with each other, learning about their new neighbors. Pearl took the opportunity to approach her sister while everybody was busy. She intended to thank her properly for helping her to get into the dorm. Amber watched her approaching somewhat wearily.

Pearl smiled as she stopped before her sister. "Hello Amber. You're looking well."

Amber nodded and lifted her nose a bit. "Yes, so are you Pearl. Is there something I can help you with?"

Pearl shook her head. "No, I just wanted to come over and thank you for helping me to get into the dorm. It was very nice of you."

Amber blushed lightly and fiddled with the tablet she was holding. "It was the least I could do, you are my sister after all..."

Pearl smiled and nodded. "Thank you regardless. How is it by the way? Being the assistant of Yvette Diamond?"

Amber cleared her throat. "It's very exciting, and also very tiring. She expects one hundred percent all the time. I struggled at first but I'm learning and getting better. She almost complimented me the other day." She gave an awkward smile. "It was wonderful."

Pearl nodded. "I see. Well I'm going to head back to my room I think. It's been a long day and I need my rest. I'll see you again soon." She turned and looked for her roommate. She spotted Garnet talking to Peridot Olivine, a rather intelligent computer science student who was also clumsy and awkward. She had been in Yellow Dorm since her sophomore year and had always taken it as a source of pride. Pearl was annoyed by her sometimes but she could tolerate her, mostly for Amethyst's sake.

Pearl made her way over to the two in time to hear the end of their conversation.

"-and so I put together a detailed chart explaining how Percy and Pierre are conclusively the best for each other. Amethyst was quite impressed if I do say so myself." She stood there proudly while Garnet just nodded and gave her a thumbs up in approval.

Pearl cleared her throat. "Hello Peridot." She hoped this wouldn't turn into some lengthy conversation about aliens or tv shows, or aliens in tv shows.

Peridot looked at her. "Pearl, I see you finally made it into Yellow Dorm." She snickered. "Only took you three years."

Pearl felt her eye twitch and groaned. "Oh shush, I'm in that's all that matters."

Peridot held out her hand to Pearl. "I know, and I wanted to extend to you a welcome!"

Pearl was surprised but she took Peridot's hand and shook it. Peridot was smiling broadly, feeling proud of herself.

"Just remember, if you need anything I'm in room 8 in the east wing." She looked at Garnet and gave her a thumbs up to which the large woman nodded her approval. "I'll see you both tomorrow!" She headed towards her dorm, the prosthetic legs she wore squeaked softly as she moved.

Pearl looked at Garnet. "Are you ready to return to our room or did you want to stay and talk a bit more?"

Garnet looked Pearl over, studying her briefly before nodding. "If you'd like to go back to our room I'd be fine with that."

Pearl sighed in relief and started back to their room. She wanted to lay down and get some sleep for the next day. Maybe she could even get a full eight hours. That would be wonderful.

They reached their room quickly and changed into their pajamas. Pearl wore a blue night gown while Garnet slipped into a pair of pajama pants and an old t-shirt with a star on it. They laid down and went to sleep after wishing each other a good night.

Pearl slept well that night and even had a pleasant dream of being a professional ballerina performing on the stage for thousands of adoring fans. But she was awoken abruptly by a knock at her door and groaned as she lifted her head to squint at it. The knock came again and she stumbled out of bed to answer it, checking the clock and seeing it was six in the morning. She hoped there was a good reason for this. She made her way to the door and pulled it open, expecting her sister or Peridot, or something else that would be familiar.

The person standing on the opposite side of the door was a large woman with dark skin etched with patches of white. She was wearing a pair of torn up jeans, a tank-top, and a jacket. She smelled of alcohol and looked like she was about ready to fall over. She looked Pearl over quickly and leaned against the door frame, supporting herself.

"You're not my roommate..." She sounded puzzled until she looked at the door number and squinted, trying to read it out properly. "Does that say 14 or 18?"

Pearl was very confused and a little annoyed. "It's 14... Who are you?"

The girl leaned closer, far too close for Pearl's liking which caused the young woman to blush. "I'm Jasper." She smiled at Pearl now that she got a good look at her. "What's your name cutie?"

Pearl's blush darkened and she had to take a moment to compose herself before speaking. "I'm Pearl."

Jasper smirked. "I'll be seeing you around Pearl." She stood back. "Sleep well." She turned and walked down a few doors, stopping at the right one this time and knocking.

Pearl closed her door and shook her head, trying to make sense of what had happened. She could feel her heart beating faster but attributed it to her surprise and returned to her bed. She laid down and slipped back into a light sleep, hoping she would she able to get through the day without any more surprises.

Chapter Text

Pearl carefully organized her notes and put them back into her folder. She stood and left her calculus class, heading out across the campus. She was due to spend some time with her friends at a diner in the nearby town. They had agreed to meet there for dinner and to talk about how their first week of the semester had gone.

Pearl wanted to drop by her room first so she could freshen up before heading over. She was also hoping that she would run into Garnet. After living with her crush for a week she was flustered to say the least. Garnet had no qualms about wearing loose-fitting jerseys and gym shorts when studying or reading and Pearl had found it rather distracting when she was trying to study herself. Of course she was certain the other hadn't noticed her looking, probably.

Garnet was also surprisingly conversational when she wanted to be. Pearl and her had stayed up a few nights already just talking about little things like classes and their childhoods. Garnet had this adorable giggle that made her shoulders shake and Pearl felt a warm feeling in her chest whenever the other did it.

Pearl snapped herself out of her thoughts as she approached her dorm and entered. She had to get ready, had to look nice. She walked down the hall towards her room but stopped when she noticed a large woman with dark skin decorated with patches of white standing outside of her door. She had a hand raised as if she was meaning to knock but she seemed to be hesitating. She quickly stuck her hand in her pocket after a moment and her head sunk between her shoulders as she turned and started back towards her own room.

She stopped when she noticed Pearl standing in the hallway and blushed lightly. "Pearl! I um, I was just... Hi." She lifted her head and pulled her hands out of her pockets before walking closer.

Pearl looked up at her. This woman seemed familiar to her but she couldn’t immediately determine where she knew her from. As she drew closer Pearl was suddenly reminded of a stranger who had woken her up during the previous week. "You're that woman who was outside my door on the first night." She tapped her lip in thought. "Was your name Janice?"

She gave a hearty chuckle. "No, it's Jasper." She smiled. "I um, well I wanted to apologize for that. I was a bit drunk and I mistook your door for mine."

Pearl shook her head. "It's perfectly alright. Those kinds of things happen I'm sure." She took a few steps forward. "I do need to get to my room though."

Jasper didn't move. "Well the thing is, I um, I wanted to make it up to you."

Pearl stopped. "Oh? Well there's no need to worry about it, it was an honest mistake." She walked forward, “now if you don't mind-"

Jasper moved to block her path. "Wait, please."

Pearl paused and looked up at her. She could tell she would never get to her door until she dealt with Jasper. She sighed and checked the clock necklace she wore. She was running short on time. "Alright, fine, but can we discuss this in my room? I have to get ready."

Jasper nodded and moved. Pearl walked past her and opened her door. She walked in and looked around. The room was empty, Garnet's bag was gone too. She must have left to take care of something before heading to the diner.

She looked back at Jasper. The large woman walked into the room and closed the door. She looked around, taking in the room. "Wow, it's really tidy."

Pearl nodded. "I should hope so, I work hard to keep it clean." She walked to her desk and grabbed her makeup kit. "So what did you have in mind to repay me?" She then walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open so the other could talk to her while she did her hair and makeup.

Jasper cleared her throat. "Well I know a good night's sleep can't be regained once lost and that a college student needs sleep more than anything."

Pearl nodded. "Mm-hm, go on." She carefully did her makeup, making sure everything was perfect.

"But I don't know how to repay sleep so I thought I might try something else. So I wanted to invite you out to dinner and buy your meal for you. We can go tonight if you like! What do you think?"

Pearl was a bit surprised by the others offer. She was finishing up her makeup. "Well if you really insist we could do that sometime, but I'm afraid that tonight I'm going out with my friends." She finished her makeup and moved on to her hair.

"Oh! Well if you want I could come along and I could buy your meal for you tonight instead." Jasper suggested.

Pearl froze. She hadn't even been remotely suggesting that. She finished combing her hair and applied some perfume. "You don't have to, I told you it's perfectly alright."

Jasper shook her head. "No it's not. I bothered you and I need to make up for it." She wasn't going to let this go.

Pearl could tell that the other wasn't going to give up on this. She sighed and nodded, walking out of the restroom. "Alright, since you're so insistent I'll allow you to accompany me to meet my friends and buy my dinner but that will be all."

Jasper nodded and smiled. "That's all I ask."

Pearl grabbed a small blue purse and put her things in it. "Very well, let's get going."

Jasper opened the door for her. "After you."

Pearl sighed. This was going to be a long night. She stepped out and Jasper followed. They left the dorm and walked through the campus and into the nearby town.

"So Pearl, what is your major?" Jasper asked.

Pearl looked at her. "I'm a communications major."

Jasper nodded. "That sounds interesting."

Pearl nodded. "It is, I greatly enjoy it. What do you study?"

"Kinesiology with a minor in Athletic Training."

Pearl didn't understand what she said. "Kinda what?"

"Kinesiology, the scientific study of human movement. It's really fascinating stuff." Jasper insisted. "Though it is a lot of work."

Pearl processed that. "I see. So you study the body?"

"Basically. How to make it stronger, better, how it moves, all that stuff."

"I see. Here's the diner." They finally reached it. Jasper quickly grabbed the door. "After you."

Pearl walked in, thanking her as she entered. Jasper followed. Pearl looked around and quickly spotted the pink mane of hair that belonged to Rose Quartz. Rose was sitting with Amethyst, Garnet, and surprisingly Peridot. They were laughing and enjoying what looked like milkshakes. Pearl walked over and smiled at the group. "Hello, sorry I'm late." She gestured to her guest. "This is Jasper."

Jasper waved and then froze. She had locked eyes with Amethyst and seemed to grow uncomfortable. "Hi Amethyst..."

Amethyst smiled. "Hey Jasper!"

Pearl was confused and looked between the two. "You know each other?"

Amethyst nodded. "Yep! We're family." She hopped out of the booth and stood beside Jasper with an arm around her waist as that was the highest she could reach on the impressive woman. "Can't you see the resemblance?"

Jasper sighed and crossed her arms. "We're cousins."

Amethyst smiled up at her. "We sure are!" She chuckled and got back in the booth.

Pearl cleared her throat. "Yes, well Jasper is joining me tonight." She looked at the group to see how they reacted. Most everyone seemed indifferent to it. Garnet was of course impossible to read behind her sunglasses and Rose was all smiles. Amethyst and Peridot were absorbed in conversation and flirting again in seconds.

Pearl carefully sat down. "Did you order a milkshake for me as well?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah, Vanilla, neat and normal, just how you like it."

Pearl nodded and smiled as Jasper sat beside her. "Wonderful."

Garnet looked at the large woman and clenched her hand under the table. Who was this woman? She had never met her before and now this stranger was showing up with Pearl like a... Like a girlfriend...

That idea scared her. Was Pearl dating this woman, she was admittedly very pretty and seemed to fit some of the things Garnet thought that Pearl found attractive. She wanted to ask, but she had to try and be nonchalant about it. She took a brief sip of her milkshake and waited for the waitress to bring one for Pearl and get an order for one from Jasper before speaking.

"So Jasper, how do you know Pearl?"

Jasper blushed lightly at the question and rubbed the back of her head. "Well um, it's kind of a funny story."

Pearl looked at Jasper. "Funny might be a strong word." Garnet noticed that. Pearl seemed a bit annoyed with the woman, maybe their arriving together really was just a coincidence.

"Well I knocked on her door in the middle of the night about a week ago."

Garnet was surprised. "Knocked on her door?" How had she not heard?

Jasper nodded. "Yes, I had been out drinking and when I returned I misread the room numbers and mistook her door for mine."

"Why didn't I hear this?" Garnet asked.

"You were sound asleep, and it was very early in the morning. I tried to be quiet as well, I didn't want to wake you." Pearl explained.

Jasper was very confused and looked between the two, waiting for an explanation.

Pearl turned towards her. "Oh sorry, Garnet is my roommate." She gestured towards Garnet.

Jasper's eyes widened I'm realization. "Oh! That makes sense." She looked at Garnet. "Nice to meet you."

Garnet nodded. "Um nice to meet you too... So is that why you're with Pearl?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to buy her dinner to make it up to her."

Pearl nodded. "Yes, and hopefully you won't knock on my door in the middle of the night again."

"I'll try not to."

Garnet let out a breath, relaxing in the knowledge that the two weren’t out on a date. The waitress brought Jasper's milkshake next and took their orders. Garnet got the chicken parmesan sub. Pearl got the salad, Amethyst got the Philly steak sub with extras, Peridot ordered pancakes and sausage, Rose ordered a Panini with soup, and Jasper got a cheeseburger and fries.

After the waitress left conversation broke out at the table. Rose, as usual, took the lead.

"So, how was everybody's first week of school?"

Amethyst spoke up first. "It was okay, kinda boring."

Peridot raised her nose, as she often did, and spoke in a nasally tone. "I found it very fulfilling. I've already learned three things I did not already know and I'm quite excited to continue learning. I am also studying rather diligently to ensure my grades do not drop."

"By which she means she stays up half the night reading her textbooks," Amethyst interjected. "Peri why do you have to spend so many nights studying? It's only the start of the year. Wouldn't you rather be cuddling with me?" To emphasize her point Amethyst wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's midsection and nuzzled her head against her shoulder.

Peridot's entire face turned red and she became flustered. "I, I'm just making sure I'm prepared!" Her voice cracked when she spoke.

Pearl notably rolled her eyes and looked away.

Garnet knew Pearl had mixed feelings about Amethyst and Peridot's relationship. She had stated that she wasn't certain how those two could stay together since they seemed so different. Garnet had tried to explain that there was more to them than what Pearl saw but Pearl didn't seem to get it. Garnet sometimes wished Pearl would be more open minded but she knew that it would never happen unless somebody helped her. She sighed without realizing it and attracted Rose's attention.

While the rest of the table continued to talk about their weeks Rose leaned over and whispered to her. "Is everything okay Garnet?"

Garnet looked at her. "It's fine, I'm just thinking."

Rose looked at the table. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Garnet looked at her. As long as Garnet had known her Rose had been a confidant of sorts, someone she could rely on when she needed someone to talk to. She just didn't want to discuss this now. "Maybe later."

Rose nodded and smiled in understanding. "Alright." She touched Garnet's hand in a show of friendship before looking back to the table.

"Hey Jasp! Tell us about your week." Amethyst insisted, smiling at the larger girl.

Jasper seemed surprised someone was talking to her. "Oh, it was um, it was alright."

Amethyst leaned forward. "Come on cus, spill."

Jasper hesitated. "Well um, it was kind of fun. I made the football team again, we're starting practice next week."

Amethyst raised a hand out towards Jasper. "That's awesome!"

Jasper carefully gave her a high-five. "Yeah, um, I'm learning a lot too."

Rose nodded. "You seem to be a very diligent student Jasper."

Jasper shrugged. "I just do what I can."

Their food arrived and they all started eating. The conversation slowed down a bit but they kept talking about their experiences and what they would be doing in the coming weeks.

Soon enough they had finished eating. They all paid and left, walking down the street together. Rose split off from the group partway through the walk, heading towards Pink Dorm. But the rest continued towards Yellow Dorm. Peridot invited Amethyst back to her room on the way so they could watch a show together. Peridot didn't currently have a roommate so she could invite Amethyst over whenever she liked.

Jasper seemed to fall a bit behind the group. She felt as though she didn’t really belong among them, the only people she actually knew were Amethyst and Pearl and she barely knew Pearl. She did manage to get into a conversation with Amethyst about some of the local sports teams but they soon reached Yellow Dorm and went inside.

Peridot and Amethyst went to her room, intending to be alone for the rest of the night. They seemed rather excited and said their goodbyes before leaving the group.

The other three went down the hall and walked to Pearl and Garnet's room. Garnet entered while Pearl stayed outside with Jasper for a few moments.

"So I'm happy we could do this and I hope you've forgiven me now." Jasper stated, looking at Pearl.

"I forgave you before, but thank you all the same." She looked up at the tall woman. "Is there something else?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah, I was wondering if you'd like to do this again."

Pearl hesitated. "I don't think so, I have much too much work to do."

"Oh, you're sure? It doesn't have to be food, we could go shopping or see a movie or something else."

Pearl glanced at the door to her room and then looked back to Jasper. "I'll think about it."

Jasper smiled. "Great!" A thought occurred to her. "Why don't I give you my number so you can text or call me?" She suggested, pulling out her phone.

Pearl nodded and pulled her phone from her purse. "Alright." They exchanged numbers before Jasper wished her goodnight and returned to her own room.

Pearl sighed and entered her room, setting her purse on her desk and sitting down in her chair. "I know that Jasper means well but I must say, that was a bit exhausting." She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to relieve some of the stress of the day.

Garnet walked over and leaned against the desk. "Pearl, are you okay?"

Pearl looked up at Garnet. "Yes, I suppose so I just..." She sighed. "I wasn't expecting Jasper to come with me to dinner."

"See doesn't seem that bad."

"She’s not, though she is a bit pushy." She blushed lightly. "Although I suppose she was just being honest about trying to make it up to me."

Garnet kept watching her. "What's really bothering you?" Garnet had known her too long. She could tell there was something else on Pearl's mind.

Pearl sighed heavily and looked at Garnet. "I wanted to spend tonight with you and Rose and Amethyst, even Peridot... I feel as if I was robbed of that. I think that college is forcing our group to drift apart. We aren't like we used to be, we rarely see each other aside from chance passing on campus and we have to organize little get-togethers like these so we can actually have a conversation."

Garnet reached a hand out and touched Pearl's shoulder. "It's college, everybody is just busy." She gave a reassuring smile. "Besides, we have each other."

Pearl looked up at Garnet, her blush growing. She began to form a word on her lips but she hesitated before she said it.

Garnet took on a neutral expression. "You know you can say anything you want to me Pearl."

Pearl looked down. "How did you feel? Seeing me with Jasper tonight?"

Garnet hadn't expected that question. "How did I feel? What do you mean?" She was a bit nervous about answering that.

"Exactly what I said. What did it make you feel to see me arrive with another woman, one you had never seen before?"

Garnet hesitated. "I felt..."

Pearl watched her, waiting for the others answer.

"I felt confusion. I wasn't sure who she was, and I was a bit worried."

Pearl looked away again. She hadn't gotten the answer she had wanted. She put a hand on the desk and tapped a finger against it as she thought. "Do you remember when we were in high school and I wanted to ask out Rose but I had no idea how? I went to you for advice and you told me to be myself and to be direct." She looked at Garnet.

Garnet nodded. She did indeed remember that, it was one of their first serious discussions. "I remember."

"Good.” She took a breath before continuing. “Garnet, do you like me?"

Garnet started, a blush decorating her features as she looked at Pearl in surprise. Her mouth grew dry. She cleared her throat. "Of course I like you, you're one of my best friends."
Pearl scowled. "That's not what I meant." She adopted a softer expression and touched Garnet's hand. "I'm asking if you want to date me."

Garnet only blushed more and a shiver ran up her body. She had to stop herself from freaking out. "I..." She didn't know how to answer, should she tell Pearl the entire truth, just come up with some excuse? Maybe she could move to Venezuela and live as a goat farmer or something.

Pearl sighed and pulled her hand away. She pushed her chair back and stood up. "Fine, don't answer. I'm going to sleep." She stated, waiting for Garnet to move.

Garnet sat there dumbly for a few seconds before realizing she needed to move. She shot up, moving out of Pearl's way. She stood straight, facing away. "If..." She took a deep breath. "If I said I did, what would you do?" She waited, hoping Pearl was still listening.

Pearl embraced her from behind, wrapping her arms around Garnet's waist and pressing herself up against her back.

Garnet nearly jumped out of her skin but she soon relaxed and looked over her shoulder at the shorter woman.

Pearl looked up at her. "C-can you please say it? So I know."

Garnet slowly turned around, not pulling from the others embrace but instead moving she could embrace her in return. "Pearl, I like you as more than just a friend."

Pearl smiled and then reached up and cupped Garnet's cheeks. She stood on her tiptoes and pulled Garnet's face down, planting a loving kiss on her lips.

Chapter Text

Pearl laid in her bed, looking up at the dark skinned woman with the mismatched eyes who hovered just over her. Garnet smiled seductively and leaned down, her face mere inches from Pearl's now. Pearl could feel her face turning red as she looked at the woman, barely able to say anything. Garnet pressed her lips to Pearls and kissed her sensually, hungrily. Pearl melted into the kiss. Garnet finally pulled away and opened her mouth to speak but before she could an ungodly beeping met Pearl's ears, waking her from the dream.

Pearl shot up in her bed, gripping her sheets to her chest and taking deep breaths, her face burned with her blush. She looked at her beeping clock to see that it was 8:30 in the morning. She had to get up and get ready, she had class soon. She carefully got up and went to the bathroom, showering and changing her clothes. She emerged and got her items together for the day.

Her mind began to wander back to the dream, Garnet leaning over her, how close she had been. It had been two days since the two had shared a kiss and they hadn't been able to address it since then. Unfortunately their schedules had interrupted their time together and they hadn't run into each other on campus. The good news was that unless something happened they would be able to talk that night, maybe even do more. Pearl touched her lips and her blush only got worse. She smacked her cheeks, pulling herself back to reality.
She had a class to attend. She left the room and swiftly went to her class, trying to keep her mind off of Garnet, the kiss, and the dream. She was failing on all accounts. She hoped that Garnet was thinking about her too. She also hoped that she would be ready for their conversation that night and that she would be able to tell Garnet how she really felt and what she really wanted.

Garnet nearly walked into the door frame as she left the classroom. She was so busy going over what had happened two nights ago that she pay attention to where she was going. She stopped herself though and quickly stepped to the side, walking out of the room and towards her next destination. As she walked she kept replaying it in her mind.

After the kiss Pearl had pulled back and looked at her with a face so red that Garnet swore all her blood had gone to her cheeks. Pearl then very slowly pulled away and looked down, as if she had done something wrong. Garnet just stood there uselessly, her brain burned out from the fact that Pearl had actually kissed her.

When Garnet had finally reacted it was to apologize. "I'm sorry, I liked that a lot!" She could swear her heart had been beating a million times a minute.

Pearl looked up at her shyly and smiled. She seemed like she wanted to say something but she stopped herself and just hugged Garnet, holding the other close.

Garnet had hesitantly returned the hug but when Pearl pulled back she released her.

Pearl looked at her again and spoke. "I would like to talk about this tomorrow, please."

Garnet had agreed, not even processing that she had an early class in the morning or that Pearl had a late class that same day. They had ended up unintentionally avoiding each other and today wasn't any better. She hoped that by some miracle she would be able to actually have a conversation with Pearl that night.

Garnet went to one of the small on-campus shops and bought a little sandwich, just something to tie her over until lunch. She was absorbed in her thoughts and didn't notice the large woman with pink hair calling to her until she walked over and waved a hand in front of her face.

Garnet jumped and looked at Rose. "Rose!" She put a hand over her heart and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. "Please don't do that."

Rose smiled at her. "Im sorry, I tried calling to you but you didn't respond. Is it a slow morning for you?"

Garnet looked down at the sandwich in her hands and sighed. "Yeah, I suppose you could say that..."

Rose laid a gentle hand on Garnet's shoulder. "Would you like to talk about it?" She was offering to help in whatever way she could. Garnet couldn't help but leap at the opportunity. She quickly checked her phone for the time and nodded.

"Yes please." After they bought their things the two went outside and found a bench to sit on and speak with each other.

Rose began to drink some juice she had bought. "So, what's on your mind?"

Garnet looked at her. "Two nights ago Pearl did something." She couldn't help but blush as she thought of it.

Rose wore a confused expression as she listened. "Did something? Can you be more specific please?"

Garnet took a deep breath. "She, she kissed me." She couldn't believe she had said it. She looked at Rose, expecting anger or maybe even jealousy as Rose had been Pearl's girlfriend once upon a time, but she instead saw only a smile.

Rose held the sides of her face with a big smile stretched across her lips "Garnet! That's wonderful!"

Garnet was confused. "You're not angry?"

Rose shook her head and began to giggle. "Why would I be angry?"

"W-well it's just that you and Pearl used to be together so I thought that you might not be happy about me moving in on her."

"Oh my dear, I and Pearl haven't been together for years now. In fact I'm happy she's moved on." She took Garnet's hands in her own. "And I'm even happier it could be with you."

Garnet looked at their hands. "You are? I'm, that is..." She found herself smiling. "Thank you."

Rose nodded. "So when are you making it official?"

Garnet flushed and gulped. "Well the thing is we haven't actually talked since that night."

Rose seemed confused again. "Why not?"

"Our schedules yesterday made it so that we didn't see each other. Then I missed her this morning because of an early class. But I should be able to see her tonight! With any luck."

Rose reached a hand up and touched Garnet's cheek. She kept smiling happily as she looked at her. "I'm so happy for you." She pulled her hands back. "Garnet, as somebody who dated Pearl I would like to give you one piece of advice, for the moment at least."

Garnet nodded. "What is it?"

"Let her start. Let her tell you everything she wants to say and then tell her how you feel."

Garnet found herself smiling and letting out a little laugh. "I'll do my best."

The two stood and Garnet began to eat her sandwich as they headed towards their next classes, speaking of other small things on the way.

Pearl entered the dorm and collected her lunch, it was beef stroganoff today with broccoli and mixed fruit. The dorm offered meals every day, the price for them was even included in the bill. Of course the students couldn’t always make it back to the dorm to gather a meal but when they could there was always one prepared. Pearl walked out into the dining area and looked along the table for a place to sit. Then she spotted Peridot sitting alone. Normally Amethyst would have been with the girl but Pearl knew that her friend had class now.

Pearl considered simply leaving her alone but then a thought occurred to her. This could be an opportunity to get to know the girl better. Garnet had suggested she try that anyways so Pearl walked over to the girl and cleared her throat.

Peridot looked up from the book she was reading to look at Pearl and blinked. "Oh Pearl, good afternoon."

Pearl nodded. "Good afternoon, may I sit down here?" She gestured to the seat.

Peridot looked from her to the seat then back to her. She pushed her glasses back up her nose and nodded. "Go right ahead." She raised a fork full of food to her mouth and slowly chewed as she went back to reading. She took a drink to wash down her food as she read.

Pearl sat and took a few bites of food. She glanced at Peridot as she ate, hoping the other would speak with her. She determined that she would have to start the conversation after a few moments. "You and Amethyst seem to be doing well."

Peridot looked up. "We are," she went right back to reading however, not bothering to extend the conversation.

Pearl tried not to be annoyed. "Yes. She has been visiting you quite a lot lately, it's almost impossible to stop her from talking about you."

Peridot finally understood that she wasn't going to be able to continue reading and closed the book after marking her page. "Well can you blame her? She loves me, and I love her." She stated without a shred of doubt.

Pearl wasn't convinced. "Yes, so I've noticed... We've never really talked you and I."

Peridot shook her head. "No, though I don't think that was entirely by accident."

Pearl sighed. "You're not wrong." To be honest she had avoided getting to know the other but she was willing to at least try.

Peridot ate a bit more before responding. "So what is it you want to talk about Pearl?"

Pearl hesitated. "I just want to get to know you." She was trying to be honest.

Peridot nodded. "Alright, I'm 19 years old, five foot three inches, my measurements are," she was cut off by pearl.

"No, that's not what I meant." She sighed. "I'll try to be more direct. Why do you like Amethyst?"

"First, I love her. Second, I'm not entirely certain." She chuckled softly, tapping her fork against the side of her plate. "It's kind of hard to explain. I'm a person of logic and science and yet what I feel for her... It's like..." She was reaching, trying to find the words that could describe it.

Pearl spoke for her, thinking she understood. "It's like whenever you see her your entire life becomes a little brighter, like simply being close to her makes you feel better, like touching her takes your breath away."

Peridot looked at her. "And yet you feel like if you say the wrong thing it'll ruin everything, if you push too hard you'll run into a wall, like,"

They spoke at the same time, "falling forever and not knowing when you'll stop."

Pearl stared at Peridot for a bit before clearing her throat. "Yes, well." Perhaps she had misjudged Peridot before. "I'm glad you and Amethyst are doing well."

Peridot nodded and cleared her throat. "Yes." She opened her book and started reading again.

Pearl picked at her food, taking small bites and glancing at Peridot occasionally.

Peridot spoke eventually, not looking up from the book. "Ballet."

Pearl looked at her in confusion.

Peridot looked up. "I heard you like ballet."

Pearl smiled and nodded. She then began to tell Peridot about ballet. The conversation soon shifted to music and then to books. The two started laughing as they made jokes about the subjects, but soon they had to go to their classes. They wished each other goodbye and went off to prepare for the rest of the day.

Garnet returned to the dorm after a long day of classes and went into her room. She sat at her desk and turned on her computer. She started typing away, doing the work for an assignment that was due in a few days. She kept checking the clock on her computer and glancing at the door. She was waiting for Pearl to come back.

She had spent most of the day thinking about what she would say to Pearl when she finally got her chance. But now that she was ready she had to wait for the other to come so she could actually talk to her. It was nerve wracking for her to wait, uncertain of how the other would react. She liked her didn't she? Garnet knew she did, it was just difficult to understand why.

She finally took a deep breath and took a moment to think. She sat there, going over what would happen in her mind, what she would say, how she would tell Pearl what she felt. The door to her room opened a moment later and Pearl walked in.

Pearl was tired after a long day but she wasn't going to settle down and rest until after she had her talk with Garnet. She walked into the room and Garnet stood up, facing her. She looked calm and collected as ever. Pearl didn't know how the other managed to always be so composed.

Garnet looked calm on the outside but inside she was nervous as could be. She watched Pearl enter and suddenly wished she had been wearing her sunglasses so the other wouldn't be able to read her expression, but that would have been weird, wearing sunglasses indoors. She crossed her arms, trying to remain relaxed.

"Howdy." She pointed a finger gun at Pearl and "pulled" the trigger.

"Bang." Why did I do that?!

Pearl paused and looked at Garnet with a blush. "Um hello Garnet." She felt a bit like giggling at how cute the other was but she restrained herself, causing her shoulders to tremble a bit.

"We can finally talk." Garnet commented.

Pearl nodded. "Yes, um, can we sit down?"

Garnet nodded and sat back down in her chair, sitting straight. Pearl set her bag down on her desk then pulled her chair out and turned it around so she could sit and face Garnet.

"So Garnet," she had been trying to come up with what she would say for most of the day but now that she was here she wasn't certain where to start. "I wanted to talk about that kiss."

Garnet blushed lightly and nodded. "Yeah, I do too. Would you like to start?"

Pearl nodded and took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have just kissed you without asking first."

Garnet blushed and then chuckled. "Please, don't be sorry about that."

Pearl's blush only grew and she continued. "That aside I want to ask you the same question I asked before." She looked at her. "Do you like me?"

"Yes, absolutely. I wanted to tell you before but I was afraid. I didn't know how you felt about me and I thought if I told you how I felt you would reject me." She answered without hesitation now.

Pearl looked at her and smiled. "I thought the same about you. It was difficult for me to work up the courage to ask you but I'm glad I did."

Garnet looked at Pearl. "Pearl, do you want to be my girlfriend?"

Pearl's blush darkened more. "Do I?" She seemed to be asking herself more than Garnet. She sat there pondering that question. She certainly did but she was worried.

Garnet sat patiently and waited for Pearl's answer. She hoped it would be yes.

Pearl finally organized her thoughts. "I think I would like to try, but I'm afraid that when you get to know me better you won't want to be with me anymore..."

Garnet stood and moved to stand before Pearl. When Pearl looked up at her Garnet knelt and hugged the thin woman, causing her to let out a squawk in surprise. "Pearl, I've known you for years, if I didn't like you I wouldn't even ask you."

Pearl hesitated before hugging back, leaning her head against the others shoulder, she was warm and smelled nice. Pearl relaxed into the hug and closed her eyes.
Garnet slowly pulled back and looked at the other. "So do you want to be my girlfriend?"

Pearl smiled and nodded. "Yeah, yeah I would." She cupped Garnet's cheeks and lifted her head. "Can I kiss you?"

Garnet blushed so darkly that Pearl could actually feel her hands getting warm from the heat Garnet's cheeks were giving off. Garnet did her best to nod and closed her eyes, puckering her lips in preparation to receive the others kiss.

Pearl smiled at how cute the other was and gently pressed her lips to the other's, kissing her lovingly. As the kiss continued Garnet moved her hands up and gently rubbed them over Pearl's shoulders, up her neck, and across her cheeks.

Pearl pulled back after a few moments and gazed into Garnet's eyes. She kissed Garnet's forehead and then smiled. "Garnet, thank you."

Garnet was a bit confused and ended up smiling. "For what?"

"For being honest with me." She slowly stood up. "We should get some rest."

Garnet stood up and looked down at Pearl now. "Yeah."

Pearl smiled and wrapped her arms around Garnet's shoulders, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her again. Garnet easily melted into the kiss as she pulled the other close. Pearl let out soft noises indicating she was enjoying this. They pulled back to breath, looking at each other again.

"We should stop before this goes any further." Garnet stated.

Pearl blushed and nodded. She slowly pulled away and stepped back. "You're right, I'm, I'm sorry."

Garnet shook her head. "It's okay, maybe we can do that, just not tonight, not until you're sure."

Pearl nodded. She was grateful to the other for understanding. Garnet was so thoughtful. "Good night Garnet." She wanted to throw herself back into the others arms and kiss her until her lips hurt but she knew where that would lead and she didn't want that yet. She went into the bathroom and changed into her night gown then laid down in her bed and tried to fall asleep.

Garnet stayed up a bit to work. She was trying to get her heart to stop beating do fast. She wanted Pearl in so many ways but she wasn't going to make her do anything she didn't want, and Garnet wasn't sure she wanted it either. She still felt a great sense of achievement over actually being able to tell Pearl how she felt and she wanted to explore this new relationship with her.

Garnet sat at her desk and worked until it was time to sleep. She was excited for the next day and she took a moment to look at Pearl one more time before turning off her light and falling asleep.

Chapter Text

Peridot smiled as she ran her fingers through Amethyst's hair. Her girlfriend was curled up against her with her head resting on Peridot’s lap. They were on a couch in her dorm, watching a series on Notflix. This was a regular date for them, and Peridot loved to share these little intimate moments with Amethyst.

Amethyst sat up slowly and stretched, letting out a soft noise as she did. She leaned back once done and looked at Peridot. “Hey, did you hear about Garnet and Pearl getting together?”

Peridot nodded. “Yes, Pearl and I spoke on the day she became Garnet’s girlfriend. She was very open with her feelings.” Peridot hesitantly leaned her head against Amethyst’s shoulder, sighing softly. “I think they honestly love each other, or at least Pearl loves Garnet.”

Amethyst chuckled and nodded, wrapping an arm around Peridot and kissing the top of her head. “Yeah. You should've seen the two of them in high school, it was like two gay birds trying to act like they didn’t like each other.”

Peridot snorted. “That sounds funny. I’m sorry I missed it.”

Amethyst nodded. “Yeah. Hey have you heard about Rose and this Greg guy? Apparently he's some kind of a musician.”

Peridot shook her head. “No, I wasn’t aware that Rose was seeing anybody. Have you met him?”

“Nah, Rose just told me about him. She's pretty smitten with him too. And from what I hear he’s really cool.” She reached her hand up and ran her fingers through Peridot’s hair. “I’m gonna meet him on Friday after one of his shows. Do you want to come with me?” She asked, hoping the other would say yes. She loved spending time with her, especially outside of the dorms and the school.

Peridot wanted to say yes but she just didn't know what her next weekend would be like. She could have a mountain of homework or some project that she didn’t know about yet by then. “I can’t promise anything right now… I don’t know what sorts of projects I might be assigned between now and then.”

Amethyst sighed softly and wrapped both arms around Peridot, pulling the other against her. “But P!” She whined.

Peridot flailed her arms. “Ah! Stop that!” She started laughing when Amethyst began to kiss her neck. “Amethyst!”

Amethyst let up but put her head on the other's shoulder and gave her the puppy dog eyes. “Please~!”

Peridot blushed and sighed. “Alright, I’ll try to find time, but I can’t be out too late, and you have to buy me dinner. Okay?”

Amethyst kissed Peridot's cheek. “Awesome! I love you P!” She nuzzled her, smiling happily.

Peridot was blushing darkly as she looked at the other and patted her head. “I love you too.” She yawned softly. “Do you want to go to bed?”

Amethyst smirked. “Oh? You want me to take care of you tonight?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Certainly not!” Peridot squeaked, blushing.

Amethyst laughed. “Just kidding P, no need to be so uptight.” She kissed her cheek again then slowly stood up. She bent down and put her arms under Peridot, lifting the girl from the couch. Peridot had taken off her prosthetics before they had started the movie and so she needed a bit of help getting around since she didn’t have any feet.

Peridot wrapped her arms around Amethyst's neck and curled up against her. Amethyst carried her to the bed and laid her down. She then turned off the tv, put Peridot's prosthetics by the bed, and laid down. “You comfortable?”

Peridot nodded. “Yes. Are you certain you can stay tonight?”

Amethyst pulled the covers over herself and Peridot and moved closer to the other, putting an arm around her. “Yeah, we can do whatever you want.” She smiled at the other.

Peridot smiled back and kissed Amethyst on the lips. “Good night you clod.”

Amethyst kissed her again. “You too nerd.” They curled up and fell asleep after a little bit.

-

Rose took hold of Greg’s hand as they moved through the dimly lit streets of the campus. She smiled at the smaller man.
He looked up at her and smiled back. “I really like your campus Rose. Maybe I’ll stick around here for a while.”

Rose chuckled. “Oh will you Mr. Universe? I don’t want to keep you from your tour.”

Greg blushed a bit and rubbed the back of his head. “I mean, I could pick up some work here, maybe even um…” He looked away.

“What?” Rose asked, wondering what he wanted to tell her. He always tried to act so cool when he was around her, but she loved that about him.

He looked at her. “I could live around here. Then I could see you all the time.” He blushed lightly. “If you would like that.” He stood there, waiting for her answer.

Rose looked at him in surprise, stopping in the middle of the path. She suddenly hugged him, lifting him into the air and spinning him around. “Yes! I would love for you to do that!”

Greg yelped softly when she picked him up but soon began to laugh. He was so happy that she liked his idea.

She blushed after a moment and set him back on his feet. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!” She was very strong and sometimes she didn’t realize just how strong she was.

Greg chuckled and shook his head. “It's ok!” He held up his hands in an effort to show he was fine as well as to try and calm her down. “I love how strong you are.” He smiled.

Rose blushed and giggled, then something occurred to her. “Wait, if you stay here…” She frowned at him. “But what about your plan to go to the city and make it big? I thought you were going to try and make it in the music industry?”

Greg smiled and rubbed her arms tenderly. “Rose, I know I had a plan, but plans change, especially after I met you.” He lifted her hand up and kissed the back of it.

Rose smiled and giggled, putting her other hand against her cheek. “Stop it, you’re making me blush!”

Greg smiled. “I love it when you blush.” He kissed her cheek.

She blushed and looked at him with wide eyes. “You love me?”

Greg froze and looked at her. He smiled for a second before a look of fear went across his face. “I…” His voice cracked. “I um…” He wasn’t sure what to say, his brain just kind of stopped working.

Rose ran her fingers through his hair and smiled at him. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it.” She kissed the top of his head. “I know you love me.”

Greg’s face was red. He smiled though and gripped her hands. He then hugged her and kissed her on the lips.

She kissed back and then pulled away and smiled at him. She didn’t realize she was lifting him off the ground for a few moments and once she did she set him down. “So um, it’s a nice night…”

“Yeah, it’s really beautiful…” He kept looking at her.

Rose looked back at him. “So did you hear about my friends Pearl and Garnet getting together?”

“No. What’s going on with them?” Greg asked, walking down the sidewalk with Rose while holding her hand.

“They’re in love, it’s a wonderful thing. I can’t wait for you to meet them, officially. But they’re still in the early stages of their relationship and…”

Greg looked at her. “What is it?”

“Well, this might be a little awkward but I used to date Pearl back when we were in high school.” She looked away expecting some sort of fireworks over this revelation.

Greg rubbed her arm. “Why would it be awkward? We all dated somebody in high school.”

Rose looked at him in surprise. “You mean you don’t have a problem with it?”

Greg shook his head. “No, I like you no matter what.” He hugged her and kissed her cheek.

She giggled again. She really truly loved this man. “Well so the awkward part is that I know a lot about Pearl and so I’m a little worried about what she might do because she’s a little…”

“Crazy?” Greg asked, hoping that was the right adjective.

She nodded. “Yeah, that’s about the right way to describe her. It’s not that she’s insane, it’s more that she’s a little much, at times.”

Greg nodded. “Well if you’ve dealt with her before then that means you can help this new girl this um, Garnet was it?”

Rose nodded. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right.” She smiled and kept walking with him. “Hey, would you like to get some coffee?”

Greg nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that a lot.” They went to the nearest coffee shop and sat down to talk some more.

-

Jasper stumbled out of the frat house and began to walk down the street when a guy ran up behind her.

“Jasper! Jasp! Hey!” He grabbed her arm and she turned, frowning at him.

She pulled her arm out of his grip. “What do you want Kevin?”

Kevin smiled. “I was wondering if you wanted to dance with me.” He made finger-guns and winked. “The Kevin likes what he sees.”

Jasper rolled her eyes. “Well The Jasper is going home to sleep. So bye.” She turned and started to move again but Kevin grabbed her arms.

“Babe hold on!” Kevin exclaimed.

Jasper spun and grabbed his arm, pulling his hand off of her and growling at him as she lifted him off the ground by the arm. “You touch me again and I’ll break this arm. Got it?”

Kevin seemed to shrink into his scarf. He nodded and whimpered a little. “Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

“Good.” She dropped him, causing him to stumble and fall on his behind. She then turned and headed home, stumbling a few times when she started to get tired. She had gone through a few rough days since she had gone with Pearl to the diner. She had developed a small crush on the girl after first seeing her but after the diner she could tell that it was pointless to try and pursue her. So she had been going to parties to try and get over her and maybe find somebody more interesting.

All that had happened as a result of all her drinking and coming home at ungodly hours was that her roommate had finally become fed up with her and had moved out. Now Jasper was expecting a new roommate, one who was transferring from the Blue Dorm. Her new roommate was supposed to be some kind of architect student. Jasper didn’t really care, this new person would probably just move out too after they spent a little time with her.

Jasper finally reached her dorm and went inside. She put a hand on the wall to keep herself steady as she moved down the hall. She stopped outside her room and looked down at the room Pearl was in longingly. She could knock on the door, pretend she was more drunk than she was, maybe spend a second or two talking to her would make things better, maybe um… She hit herself over the head. She was too drunk and wasn’t thinking clearly. She sighed and fumbled with her key, pulling it out and struggling to open the door. She groaned and dropped the key by accident.

She knelt down to retrieve her key and while she was doing so the door opened. Jasper looked forward and saw a pair of long lovely legs. She followed them up and saw a dark skinned woman with a head of died blue hair. She had her arms crossed and a tired look on her face.

“Can I help you?” She asked, obviously grumpy.

Jasper stood up and looked at the number by the door. “Okay this is definitely my room…” She looked at the woman for a moment before something occurred to her. “Are you um…” she snapped her fingers while trying to remember. “You must be my new roommate! What’s your name?”

She tilted her head. “I’m Lapis, Lapis Lazuli. You’re Jasper?” She gestured to her.

Jasper nodded. “Yeah, um, I’ve been out all day, sorry I missed you moving in.” She rubbed the back of her head. “So um, can I come in now?”

Lapis looked at her and nodded. “Yeah, alright.” She stepped aside. “Not to be rude but you are drunk right?”

Jasper chuckled. “Yeah, I am,” she kicked off her shoes and pulled off her coat. “Sorry for waking you up by the way.”

“You didn’t. I was awake.”

Jasper looked at her in surprise then looked at her alarm clock. It was just a little after three in the morning. She looked back at Lapis and frowned. “You got insomnia or something?”

“Yeah, it sucks.” She sighed and sat down on her bed. “So um, you party like this often?”

Jasper shook her head. “No, mostly just on weekends and special occasions.” She laid down and sighed.

“Alright. Do you want to go to sleep?” Lapis asked, uncertain of what to make of the other.

“I don’t necessarily want to but I’m going to.” She smiled. “It was nice to meet you though, can’t wait to do it again tomorrow.”

Lapis nodded. “Yeah, um, okay.” She stepped over and took Jasper’s hand, shaking it. “Thanks.”

Jasper shook her hand in return and nodded. “Alright, good night.” She turned off the lights then curled up and started to fall asleep.

Lapis looked at her for a few seconds before laying down and opening the book she was reading. She glanced at Jasper and felt herself grow a little weak when she saw the size of her biceps. She blushed and went back to her book, trying to focus on it and not on how big and strong her new roommate was, there would be time for that later. Lapis ended up falling asleep at some point, the book over her face as she began to snore softly.

Chapter Text

Greg was talented, his music resonated throughout the building, creating a nice ambiance that some people ended up rocking to when they weren’t bowling or shooting pool. Some people even came over to the stage and dropped a couple of bucks into his tip jar. Greg just kept smiling the entire time, playing his guitar and singing his heart out. Even Pearl had to admit he was impressive.

She was sitting in the lane closest to the stage with the rest of her friends. They had come to see Greg and also to bowl. While everybody was chatting and taking turns at the lanes Rose was watching Greg with a look on her face that Pearl knew all too well. She was trying not to think about what that look meant, but she couldn’t help this feeling of jealousy in her heart.

Pearl looked at her feet and rubbed them against each other, trying to keep her mind off of those two. She thought that she shouldn’t be jealous of Rose, their relationship had ended years ago and she was moving on. She had just gotten a new girlfriend after all, she should be focused on that. But try as she might she couldn’t help but to think that she was the one who deserved to be with Rose, not this unemployed, shaggy, poor excuse for a man.

She became absorbed in her thoughts and started mumbling to herself. She was interrupted when Garnet tapped on her leg.

“Pearl, it's your turn.”

Pearl looked up at her. “My turn? For what?”

Garnet chuckled. “To bowl.” She turned the other's head so she was looking at the bowling lane. Some of the others were looking at her.

Pearl blushed and stood up quickly. “Right!” She quickly went over to the rack and picked up her ball. She then stepped to the lane and took a position, raising the ball in front of her and directing her focus towards the game. She took a deep breath, focusing on her form. She moved forward, swinging her arm back. But as she began to swing it forward again, her concentration was broken by a particularly loud note that tore through the air.

Pearl stumbled and let go of the ball too early. It rolled at an odd angle and knocked down the leftmost pin before disappearing beneath the lane. Pearl stared down the lane for a few moments before standing up straight and stomping back through the area where her friends were sitting. She ignored them as they called to her and made her way over to the stage where Greg was playing. She put her hands on her hips and glared up at him.

Greg noticed her after a bit and ended his song. He hoped down from the stage and went to her, smiling like a fool. “Hey! You’re Rose's friend right? Did you have a request?” He played a cord or two to show off.

Pearl nodded. “Yes, I do. Stop messing up my throws!”

Greg looked at her in surprise and tilted his head. “Your throws?” He didn’t understand.

Pearl only became more infuriated by his seeming lack of understanding at what he had done. “Yes! You messed me up and I missed!” She gestured to the lane and the standing pins at its end.

Greg looked at the lane and finally realized what she was talking about. “Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t realize I was messing you up. Is there some way I can make it up to you?”

He seemed genuinely sorry but Pearl wasn’t convinced. She huffed. “Just be quieter, some of us are trying to enjoy ourselves.” She turned and walked back to the lane, leaving behind a confused Greg.

Pearl ignored the looks from her friends and grabbed her ball from where it had come back up on the rack. She threw it down the lane and managed to pick up the spare. She sighed and sat down by Garnet again, crossing her arms.

Garnet frowned and leaned over, gently tapping Pearl's leg. “Pearl, are you okay?” She asked, concern apparent in her tone.

Pearl moved her leg away and huffed. “I’m fine. Just peachy.”

Garnet’s frown deepened but she didn’t press the issue. She knew something was bothering Pearl and she decided to let her have some time to cool down. Pearl would talk to her when she was ready. Garnet got up and took her turn at the bowl, getting a spare easily. She sat back down and looked at the scoreboard. She and Rose had the top scores with only about ten points between them. Pearl was in the middle and Peridot and Amethyst were in the bottom but they weren't really there to bowl anyways.

Peridot had actually brought some homework with her and was working on it between her turns while Amethyst made sure she was fed and helped her out a little with the work. Amethyst was actually quite good when she tried, and she rarely tried harder than with her girlfriend.

Garnet looked over at the stage where Rose's new boyfriend was finishing up his act. He ended with a small fanfare of noise and thanked the crowd and bowling alley before packing up his equipment and hopping down off the stage. He hurried over to Rose who clapped for him as he came close. Garnet managed to overhear their conversation from her seat.

“That was wonderful Greg! You really are an amazing musician!”

Greg smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Thanks Rose, too bad not everybody else thought so.”

Rose patted his head. “They obviously have bad taste. Oh! Sorry, I should introduce you to my friends. That's half the reason I came here tonight.”

Greg smiled up at her. “And what was the other half?”

Rose blushed lightly and looked around to make sure nobody was watching before leaning down and kissing him. The kiss was short but tender and they both pulled away with blushes and smiles. “That.”

Greg was really happy and he took hold of her hand. They walked over to the group and stood before them. Everybody turned to them.

Rose smiled. “Alright everybody, this is Greg Universe, my boyfriend. He's a musician as you all have heard.”

Amethyst was the first to come up to Greg. “Yo! I’m Amethyst, but most of my friends call me Ames or Amy. Nice to meet ya dude!” She held a fist out to him.

Greg smiled and bumped his fist against hers. “Nice to meet you Amethyst. I’m sure you and I will make the best of friends.”

Amethyst chuckled and looked at Peridot who had followed her over. Amethyst stepped aside and Peridot moved forward, holding out a hand on a stiff arm.

“Hello, my name is Peridot Olivine. It's nice to make your acquaintance and I look forward to ‘hanging out’ in the future.”

Greg smiled and shook her hand. “It's nice to meet you too Peridot.”

She stepped back. Rose looked over at Garnet and Pearl. Garnet got up first and went to Greg, holding a hand out to him. “I’m Garnet. It’s nice to meet you.”

Greg shook her hand. “Likewise. I’m happy to meet you too.”

Garnet looked back at Pearl who just stared back at her for a long moment before reluctantly standing and walking over. Garnet pulled back and put an arm around Pearl's shoulders. “This is Pearl, my girlfriend.”

Pearl and Greg looked at each other for a few moments, the awkward silence filled the air as everybody waited to see what would happen. Greg moved first extending his hand out to Pearl. “Listen, I’m sorry I messed you up earlier. I can have a problem with not judging the right amount of sound at times. Why don’t we start over?”

Pearl grimaced and stared at his hand for a moment before slowly grabbing it. “Alright. I’m Pearl.”

Greg nodded. “Greg Universe, nice to properly meet you.”

Pearl pulled her hand back and folded her arms. “Right, why don’t we finish our game?” She suggested to the group.

Rose nodded. “Yes, good idea.”

Greg smiled. “Since I’m not in the game how about I go and get everybody something to eat?”

Amethyst smiled. “That'd be awesome dude!”

Everybody gave Greg their order and some money. He went and got the food while everybody else continued to play their game. After her turn Garnet grabbed Pearl’s arm and announced that they were going to the bathroom. Pearl reluctantly went with her. Once they were alone Garnet turned to Pearl and crossed her arms.

“Alright we're alone now. So do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Garnet asked, waiting for Pearl to talk to her.

Pearl looked away, a very light blush coloring her cheeks. “Rose has a boyfriend.”

Garnet nodded. “And this is bothering you?”

Pearl nodded, rubbing her arms together. “I thought I was over her.” She sniffed. “So why do I feel this way?” She looked to Garnet for answers, her eyes red and threatening to spill tears.

Garnet placed her hands on Pearl's shoulders, briefly distracting her. “Pearl, you’re just not used to this. You’ve never seen Rose with anybody else, so you’re not sure how to react.” She touched Pearl’s cheek. “It's okay.”

Pearl hugged Garnet and hid her face in her girlfriend's shoulder. She shook a little as she let a few tears out. She grabbed at the back of Garnet's jacket, trying to calm down.

Garnet wasn’t sure what Pearl was doing at first but she quickly adapted and wrapped her arms around her. She began to stroke her fingers through Pearl's hair, trying to help her to relax. She was as patient and understanding as Pearl needed her to be. Once Pearl started to relax a bit Garnet pulled back a little and looked at her face.

“Do you want to head back to the lane?” She asked, letting Pearl decide what they would do.

Pearl nodded. “Yes, we should finish our game.” She gripped Garnet’s arm. “But I want to talk more when we're alone. Is that alright?”

Garnet nodded. “Yes, it’s alright.” She placed a quick kiss on Pearl’s lips. “I love you.”

Pearl blushed and smiled. “I love you too.” She held onto Garnet's arm and leaned her head against the taller woman’s shoulder as they walked back, feeling better, but still conflicted. They sat down as soon as they reached the lane again.

Rose smiled at them. “So Garnet, how is the field of therapy these days?”

Garnet smiled. “It's good, people still have lots of problems and need lots of help.”

Rose nodded. “And your classes?”

“They’re going well. I’ve been keeping up with homework and making sure not to strain myself too much. How about you?”

“I’ve been keeping up with classes of course, but things in the area of botany are constantly growing.” She smiled at the joke.

Garnet chuckled. “Yeah, I’ll bet they are.”

Pearl interjected suddenly. “What about you and Greg?”

Rose looked at Pearl. “Well I really like Greg, a lot more than I thought I would when we first started dating. He's funny, sweet, and he really cares about me.” She giggled, “of course his music is equally important to him. He's already written me a couple of songs.”

Pearl blushed and grabbed onto Garnet's hand, trying to draw strength from her. “I see.” She took a breath then smiled. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

Garnet watched Pearl out of the corner of her eye. She could tell that Pearl was struggling to act normally.

Greg arrived with the food and smiled. “Alright. I’ve got nachos, hotdogs, pizza slices, a pretzel, and one box of fruity-gooeys.” He spent time distributing the food throughout the group, though most of it ended up with Amethyst, and once he was done he sat down with Rose. He smiled and leaned against her, looking small in comparison to the large woman. “So what are we talking about?”

Rose smiled. “We were discussing your music career.”

Greg nodded. “Oh yeah? Good things I hope.”

Garnet nodded. “Yes, you're very talented as we understand. Do you write a lot of music?”

Greg nodded. “Yeah, whenever I’m inspired to do so.”

Rose put an arm around him. “And what inspires you Mr. Universe?” She asked, her voice slightly suggestive.

Greg blushed lightly and smiled. “Well all kinds of things, birds, trees, beautiful women.” He looked at her when he mentioned the last one.

Rose blushed lightly and pulled him into a hug. “I’ll bet you’d like to write a song right now wouldn’t you?”

Greg chuckled. “Maybe~” He smiled up at her.

Pearl gripped onto Garnet’s hand. She was shaking a little.

Garnet looked at her and quickly devised a plan. “Oh no!” She exclaimed, drawing the attention of everyone present. “I just remembered that I have a test tomorrow!”

Pearl looked at her in confusion. “You do?”

“Yes, I completely forgot. I better head back to the dorms and study. I don’t want to fail.” She hoped Pearl would pick up on what she was trying to do.

Rose hummed softly. “Well I’m sorry you can’t stay Garnet. But I wish you the best of luck on your test.”

Garnet stood. “Thank you.” She turned to Pearl. “Pearl, why don’t you come with me? You can quiz me to make sure I know everything.”

She knew that Pearl had figured it out when her expression changed from one of confusion to one of understanding. “Yes, that's a good idea.” She stood up and put her arm around Garnet's. “It was nice to meet you Greg.”

Garnet nodded. “Yes, very nice. We should get together and do something sometime.”

Greg nodded. “Sure, I’ll see you around.”

The couple left together, walking towards the campus. Garnet looked at Pearl but didn’t say anything. She wanted Pearl to talk to her when she was ready. They were about halfway through campus before Pearl finally broke the silence.

“She's so happy.”

Garnet looked at Pearl. “What about you? Aren't you happy?”

Pearl blushed and looked at Garnet. “Of course I am! It's just…” She was embarrassed and didn’t want to finish.

Garnet looked at her. “Just what?”

Pearl looked up at Garnet and frowned. “Okay, don’t hate me for saying this, but I’m not completely over Rose.” She closed her eyes and waited for the other to shout at her or something.

Garnet stopped and looked at Pearl seriously. She took a deep breath. “I see…” She wasn’t certain what to say.

Pearl slowly opened her eyes and looked at Garnet. When she determined the other wasn’t going to say anything else she lifted their hands, squeezing them. “I still love you.”

Garnet looked at Pearl and frowned. “I know, but you also love Rose don’t you?”

Pearls hands shook and she slowly nodded. “Yes.” She wasn’t going to lie to her, not now.

Garnet pulled her hands away and turned. “We'll continue this in the dorm.” Garnet needed time to think and process all of this. She walked towards the dorm, trying to organize her thoughts and figure out what to say.

Pearl frowned and followed Garnet. She was haunted by doubts and was sure the other hated her now. She wanted her relationship with Garnet to work but she didn’t know if she could just stop loving Rose. Her mind was reeling with what she could possibly do to make this right.

They reached their dorm before too long and went inside. Once they were in their room Garnet sat down on her bed and looked at Pearl. “Alright Pearl, I want to ask you a question and I want you to think long and hard about it before you answer.”

Pearl nodded and gulped. “Go on.” She clenched her hands.

“Why do you love Rose?”

Pearl blinked and looked at Garnet. She opened her mouth briefly then closed it. She moved and sat on her bed, opposite of Garnet and took time to think. Why did she love Rose? How could she give a simple answer? She loved everything about the woman, her confidence, her quirks, her smile, the way she walked, the way she held herself. Pearl looked at Garnet and opened her mouth to answer, but her voice caught in her throat.

What would happen if she told Garnet what she was thinking? She didn’t want to hurt Garnet. Garnet was strong, smart, confident, powerful, and so… perfect. Pearl looked her girlfriend over and she came to realize that was why she loved Garnet, and why she loved Rose. She spoke confidently, certain she knew how to answer now.

“I love Rose because she is just like you. She is perfect.”

Garnet blushed when she heard that and looked at Pearl with a very serious face. “Do you mean that?”

Pearl nodded. “I do. You’re both perfect, and I love you both.” She looked down. “I’m sorry, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but it is the truth.”

Garnet closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Dammit.”

Pearl blushed a bit and looked at her. “Garnet? What's wrong?”

Garnet chuckled. “I’m,” she took a deep breath, “I don’t know how to respond. I’m not sure if I should be angry or happy.”

Pearl fiddled with the hem of her shirt. “I’m sorry…” She felt like everything was falling apart.

Garnet looked at Pearl as she stood. She walked towards her. Once she was about a foot away she reached a hand out and touched Pearl's shoulder. “Pearl, I still love you.”

Pearl blushed and lunged at Garnet, sobbing softly as she hugged her stomach. “I love you too!”

Garnet smiled and put her arms around Pearl. “I don’t want to give up on us just because of this. Pearl, we have to talk to Rose about this. Maybe if we do we can work through it.”

Pearl froze and pulled her head back, looking up at Garnet. “Do you think she would really be okay with that?” She was afraid of facing Rose, it was part of why they hadn’t ever discussed their relationship after they had broken up.

Garnet nodded. “I’m sure she would.”

Pearl pressed her face against Garnet's stomach, enjoying the feeling of it against her cheek. She had to take a second to think before she pulled back again and responded. “Okay, I’ll do it, but I need you to help me.”

Garnet smiled and nodded. “Anything I can do to help is freely offered.” She was serious about this relationship. She had loved Pearl since high school, and now that they were finally together she wasn’t going to let one little thing ruin it.

Pearl still had her doubts about this. She was certain that when they met with Rose it would bring up bad memories, memories she didn’t want Garnet to know about. She hesitantly stood and pressed her lips to Garnet’s, kissing her briefly.

Garnet was a little surprised by the kiss but she returned it, enjoying having Pearl's lips pressed against hers. When Pearl pulled back Garnet couldn’t help but grin and run her fingers through Pearl’s hair. Pearl looked at her with an almost seductive expression and then spoke.

“Garnet, do you want me?”

Garnet’s hand froze and her smiled quickly disappeared. She lowered her arm and looked into Pearl's eyes, trying to determine what had brought this on. She pulled back slightly. “Pearl, you’re a little confused and very emotional right now. I don’t think we should do anything rash.” She wasn’t going to take advantage of her while she was vulnerable like she was now. They had also never done anything like that yet.

Pearl looked down. “Oh…”

Garnet touched Pearl's chin and lifted her face so she could look her in the eyes. “I promise we will, but I want both of us to be ready for that okay?”
Pearl slowly nodded her head but didn’t say anything.

Garnet smiled and patted her cheek. “Good, I’m gonna take a quick shower, you go to sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow. Okay?”

Pearl nodded and slowly turned around, laying down on her bed and curling up, not bothering to change into her pajamas. Garnet left her to shower, worrying about her girlfriend as she washed off the sweat from the bowling alley.

Pearl laid there for a few moments, taking deep breaths and trying to stay calm. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted into unconsciousness, her thoughts drifting to her past and her relationship with Rose. She dreaded what would happen when Garnet learned about why they had broken up. She knew that whatever did happen Garnet would never look at her in the same light again. A few tears hit Pearl’s pillow before she completely fell asleep, dreading what the future would bring.

Chapter Text

Pearl gripped onto the edge of the sink as she looked into the mirror. She was trying to stay calm despite how her heart was pounding and her mind was racing. She shook her head and closed her eyes. Today was the day that she and Garnet were going to go talk to Rose and tell her that Pearl still loved her. But it was also the day when Garnet would learn about what had happened between Pearl and Rose, why their relationship had ended. Pearl was having a panic attack as she tried not to think about how badly this entire situation could go.

She studied her own face, trying to distract herself but all she could think of was how her relationship with Rose had ended, about the knife, about the blood. She jumped suddenly as there was a knock on the bathroom door.

“Pearl? Are you okay in there?” Garnet called from the other side of the door, worried the other had slipped and hit her head or something.

Pearl looked towards the door. “I'm fine!” She quickly splashed water on her face to try and cool herself down. “I'll be right out!” She rushed through doing her hair and her makeup before pulling on the clothes she was going to wear. She slipped on a pale blue blouse and green yoga pants.

She was so nervous and she didn’t want to do this, but she knew she had to. She stepped out and looked at Garnet who was dressed in her classic reflective shades along with a purple halter top and jeans. Garnet was waiting patiently for her and smiled when she saw Pearl. “Hey Pearl, are you ready to go?”

Pearl nodded. “Yes, I think so.” She nervously fiddled with the edge of her blouse. “If you are?”

Garnet nodded and took hold of Pearl's hand. “Yeah.” She touched Pearl's cheek. “Pearl, you know that I'll love you no matter what don’t you?” She could tell the other was nervous about this meeting, it was obvious from how she kept looking down and how her hands were sweating.

Pearl looked at her reflection in Garnet's shades and nodded. “Yes, I know.” She wasn’t sure she believed it.

Garnet smiled and gave Pearl the briefest kiss. “Let's go.” They left together, heading to Rose's dorm.

-

Rose was hanging out in her room with Amethyst. Peridot had been unavailable to hang out this weekend because she had left to visit some family so Rose had invited Amethyst to hang out with her instead. They were playing a fighting game together and though Amethyst was winning Rose was enjoying herself.

Amethyst cheered as she defeated Rose again. “Aww yeah, the A-train wins again!” She pumped her fists into the air in celebration.

Rose giggled and clapped. “Well done Amethyst. You surprised me with that special move of yours.”

Amethyst smiled. “Well I am pretty good. I could show you how to do those special moves sometime if you want?” She liked playing with others and was always willing to teach them how to be better.

Rose nodded. “I'd like that, but you don’t have to.”

“I want to though, it makes it more fun if you can put up a fight, plus I think you’ll have more fun that way.“ She opened her mouth to continue but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Rose stood up and moved to answer the door. She was surprised to see Garnet and Pearl standing on the other side. “Oh, hello you two. What brings you here?”

Garnet looked at Pearl for a moment, waiting to see if she wanted to talk to Rose first. After a short pause she looked back at Rose. “We came to talk to you about something.”

Rose nodded. “I see.” She could tell that it was something serious. She stepped back. “Well come in.”

The two walked in, Amethyst smiled when she saw them. “Hey, it's the lovebirds!” She teased, but then she noticed their expressions. “Something up?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, they came over to talk.” She looked at them. “Is it okay if Amethyst stays?”

Pearl shook her head. “No, it's between us.” She didn’t mean to be rude but this talk was very personal, especially for her, and she wanted to keep it as private as possible.

Amethyst stood up. “Sounds real doom-and-gloom.” She got her game from the machine. “Why don’t I go visit my cousin Jay while you guys talk? You can call me back when you’re done Rose.” She walked past them and to the door. “Laters.”

Once the three were alone they all found a place to sit. Rose looked at the other two once she was comfortable. “So, what is this about?”

Pearl kept looking down, as if she was afraid to meet Rose's eyes, but she spoke. “It's about us, you and me, about how we broke up.”

Rose flinched and frowned at the memory. “What about it?”

Garnet waited for Pearl to continue but when she determined she wasn’t going to Garnet started talking. “Pearl is still in love with you.”

Pearl and Rose both blushed. Rose looked at Pearl. “Pearl, is this true?”

Pearl reluctantly nodded. “Yes, it is.” They both went silent, creating an awkward tension.

Garnet hated the tension so she broke the silence. “I and Pearl want to be together, but first we need to find closure over what happened. And I need to know that we can be together.”

Rose nodded. “I understand. Do you want me to tell it or would you like to?” She asked Pearl who just seemed to get smaller. Pearl was silent for too long before saying. “Go ahead.”

Rose took a breath. “Alright.” She began to tell the story.

“It was our junior year in high school, after that game we had with our school’s rivals. I and Pearl had been going out for a couple of years now and we were in an interesting place in our relationship. Well in any case we were out at a restaurant having dinner, it was just a normal night, but our server was… very attractive.” She blushed and seemed to consider before continuing.

“As he served us he started to flirt with us. Well I thought it was endearing, so I started to flirt back. But while I saw it as something harmless he and Pearl both thought I was serious. Long-story-short, he ended up leaving his number on our receipt. When I and Pearl got home there was a fight. Pearl accused me of not loving her anymore. She thought I wanted to leave her and go out with this waiter or someone else. I tried to explain that it was harmless, that I was just having a bit of fun with him. She didn’t see it that way, I don’t blame her for that. I left for a while to try and cool down so I could talk to her without my head being clouded with emotion. When I went back I found her with a knife, trying to cut herself, I grabbed it and tried to get it away from her. There was an accident.”

Rose pulled up her shirt to show a scar on her stomach. “The doctor said I was lucky, the blade hadn't hit any major arteries or organs. After that we broke up.” She looked at Pearl. “I forgave you for that Pearl, you know I did.”

Pearl looked away. “I thought you hated me, that you wanted me to die so you could be with someone else. I…” She covered her mouth and started to sob. “I’m sorry!” She pulled away from Garnet and hid her face in her hands, shaking as she sobbed.

Rose stood up and started to move towards her but she stopped and instead looked to Garnet. She knew her shoulder wasn’t the one for Pearl to cry on anymore. She smiled and hoped Garnet would understand.

Garnet put her arms around Pearl. “Hey, it's okay.”

Pearl looked up at her. “No!” She pushed Garnet away. “How can I love someone I almost killed? What if the same thing happens to you! I can't…” She froze and then wiped her eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Garnet hugged Pearl, pulling the smaller woman against her chest and rubbing her back tenderly. “I know you won't.”

Pearl kept sobbing for a bit but she eventually started to calm down. She pulled back a little and looked at Rose. “W-when I saw you and Greg together it just reminded me of then. I don’t mean to feel this way for you, but I do.” She sniffed. “God I'm a mess.” She nervously ran her fingers through her hair.

“No Pearl, I understand.” She smiled. She waited until Pearl was looking at her before continuing. “When you and Garnet started dating I went through something similar. I wanted to take you from Garnet and make you my girlfriend again. But I stopped and thought it through. I do still have feelings for you. But I know that we shouldn’t be together.”

Pearl blinked in surprised and tried to speak but the words wouldn't come to her. She just sort of stared at Rose before nodding and managing to choke out, “You're right.” She knew that she would never stop having feelings for Rose, but she knew they shouldn't be together, it wasn't healthy to have something like what they had before.

Garnet watched these two, not ready to add anything yet. This was their issue and they had to work it out.

Rose sighed. “Pearl, I know you can move on, but you have to figure out how to do that.” She looked at Garnet. “Luckily you'll have some help.”

Garnet nodded. “I'm here to help you through this Pearl.” She took the other’s hand in hers.

Pearl looked at Garnet and smiled, suddenly kissing her girlfriend lovingly and hugging her.

Garnet blushed and glanced at Rose who was smiling and giving her a thumbs up. Garnet decided to just enjoy the moment and so she kissed Pearl in return and held her close. When the other pulled away she smiled at her.

Pearl smiled back but she suddenly remembered where they were and her entire face turned red before she hid her face in her hands and whimpered. She couldn’t believe she had just done that in front of her former girlfriend.

Garnet chuckled and patted Pearl’s back, looking at Rose now. “Thank you Rose, for helping us with this. Now I better get Pearl home before she dies of embarrassment.”
Pearl weakly punched Garnet’s arm before going back to hiding her face. Garnet rubbed her arm and then put it around Pearl as they stood up.

Rose stood and walked to them, pulling both women into a friendly hug. “Thank you both for coming to speak to me about this.” She pulled back, keeping her hands on their shoulders. “I know that you can get through this together.” She smiled. “You’re both so wonderful.”

Garnet nodded and smiled at her. “Thank you Rose,” she said.

“We should leave. We’re sorry for interrupting your gaming with Amethyst,” Pearl stated, feeling relieved at how well this had all gone. But she was dreading the conversation she would have with Garnet when they got back to their dorm.

“It’s alright, Amethyst understands, and besides, you two needed to talk.” She pressed her hands together. “If you ever need anything else you know you can always come and talk to me.”

Garnet nodded. “We know.” She rubbed Pearl’s arm. “Come on, let’s go back.” She wanted to get back and talk a little more with Pearl.

Together they walked to the door and opened it. They said their goodbyes and left, walking out of the dorm and heading back to their own. They were quiet on the way, but they did glance at each other. Each was absorbed in their own thoughts, trying to decide what they wanted to talk about when they got back to their room.

Soon enough they had reached their dorm. They went inside and to their room and closed the door. From here they parted and turned towards each other.

“Garnet I,” Pearl spoke.

“We should probably,” Garnet said at the same time. They both paused and looked at each other, smiling. “You go first,” Garnet suggested, gesturing for Pearl to begin.

Pearl nodded. “Yes, well, I wanted to discuss what we spoke about with Rose.”

Garnet nodded and sat on her bed so she wouldn’t be looming over Pearl while they talked. “Go on.”

“Well that um, what happened, it was…” She froze up and seemed to shrink, putting her hand over her mouth. Garnet was about to stand and move over to her when she continued to speak. “I never meant for that to happen to her. And what I was going to do to myself, it… I was a different person then, too caught up in emotion and my own stupid…” A few tears fell from her eyes and she sniffed as she wiped her face. “The point is, that I’m not like that anymore, I would never hurt myself.” She practically launched onto Garnet, kneeling and hugging her stomach. “Please don’t leave me! I promise I’ll never hurt you! Please!”

Garnet smiled and began running her fingers through Pearl’s hair, soon lifting her face so the other would look at her. She leaned down and kissed her briefly. “Pearl, I love you. I love you more than you could possibly imagine.” She helped the other onto her lap and pulled her close, rubbing her back and still running her fingers through her hair. “I know you’re not the same as you were then. I know that things ended badly between you and Rose, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that you would never hurt me.”

Pearl began to relax as she cuddled up against Garnet. She still sobbed as the other tried to reassure her. Pearl looked up at her. “I love you too, but what if I do hurt you? What if…”

Garnet pulled Pearl closer, looking down at her. “What if? What if the world ends tomorrow? What if all the time we have left is tonight? What if we’re wasting it by talking about all these things that may never happen?” She smiled and kissed Pearl’s cheek. “We shouldn’t be wasting our time thinking about what could happen. Especially if it’s a future where we aren’t together. I love you Pearl, I trust you, and I know everything will be alright. I want you to feel the same way.”

Pearl looked at Garnet for a moment with a puzzled expression. Soon it turned to a smile and she kissed Garnet, causing the woman to fall back onto the bed, pulling Pearl with her until they were laying together on the bed. When they pulled from the kiss they were both smiling and laughing. Pearl laid her head on Garnet’s chest. “I feel safe with you, I feel like everything is going to be okay. My mind is just plagued with doubts about the future. I need time, time to just let these thoughts pass so that I may feel at ease.” She sighed. “I’m sorry about all of this.”

Garnet shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I want to help you out, that’s what you do in a relationship, you work together to help each other.”

Pearl smiled. “I don’t deserve you.”

Garnet sat up and stroked Pearl’s cheek tenderly. “Yes, you do.” She kissed her again. “If nothing else believe that you deserve me, just as I deserve you.”

Pearl felt a few tears roll down her cheeks as she smiled. She didn’t say anything, she simply cuddled against Garnet and closed her eyes, enjoying the other’s warmth and the soft thump of her heartbeat. She didn’t want to think right now, she just wanted to relax, forget about the awful past and the pain she had caused. She needed only this, only Garnet, only herself, only to rest and let her worries float away.

Garnet laid back down with Pearl. She had things to do, but they could wait, Pearl needed her now, and as long as Pearl needed her Garnet would be there to help. She idly ran her fingers through her love’s hair and rested, soon falling to sleep. Pearl joined her, dreaming of happy days with Garnet. Things were going to work out, one way or another, they would make it.