Work Text:
The sun was setting into the ocean in a brilliant display as another day in Beach city came to an end. Pearl was watching from the kitchen window as she waited for the water in her tea kettle to boil. There was a silent serenity about the scene that gave Pearl a sense of inner peace for the moment.
The quiet was broken with the gooey sound of Amethyst’s door of the temple opening and the sound of the gem’s boots hitting the wooden floor. Pearl braced for the sound of the raucous voice to call out to her, but it never came. She also noticed the rhythm of the footsteps were slower and unevenly paced. Something was amiss.
Pearl turned around and walked over to the doorway, “Amethyst?”
Amethyst was bent over slightly, one arm resting on the couch arm, the other clutching at her stomach. Almost as if…
Pearl’s eyes widened realizing what was likely about to happen. She wasted no time in grabbing a large mixing bowl and walked quickly over to the violet gem and placed it in front of her. The pale gem looked away as a loud retching sound filled the room.
Amethyst lifted her head up, panting lightly as a drop of sweat dripped down her face. ”Ugh… thanks, P…”
Pearl let out a sigh, “What did you try to eat this time? A 10-year-old cheesecake?”
Amethyst looked at Pearl with a weak, sheepish grin, “It was only a 2-year-old-“
"I don’t even want to know," Pearl cut her off, "Just take the couch."
Amethyst didn’t need any second bidding and flopped sluggishly onto the couch with a groan. She clutched at her stomach and curled up on her side.
"You should know by now not to consume food far past its expiration date, you brought this on yourself," Pearl scolded.
Amethyst moaned slightly and avoided Pearl’s judgmental glare.
The tea kettle whistled, taking Pearl’s attention away from her ill teammate. She walked briskly back into the kitchen and turned off the heat. Daintily she picked up the kettle and poured the precise amount of water needed into her cup already prepared with a tea bag.
Pearl put the kettle down softly. She looked down at it, glanced back toward the couch, then looked back down at the kettle and sighed softly. Her frustration melted into sympathy as she reached into the cupboard for a mug that didn’t belong to her and a tea bag of chamomile tea. She poured steaming water into the mug to brew the chamomile. Grabbing the honey she stirred in an amount that was too sweet for her own taste.
With a cup held in one hand and a mug in the other, Pearl returned to the living room and sat on the couch next to Amethyst.
"Here,"
Amethyst looked up to see Pearl offering her a mug. She reached lazily for it.
"No, come on you have to sit up to drink it,"
The violet gem pushed herself into a sitting position, slowly but with a lot of effort and grunting.
Pearl handed over the mug, “It’s chamomile, it should help calm your stomach down.”
Amethyst brought the mug to her lips quickly, “Careful, it’s-” she recoiled sharply, sticking her scalded tongue out, “…hot.”
"Can’t even tell when a drink is too hot to consume…" Pearl muttered under her breath.
Amethyst slumped grumpily, brows furrowing, “Sorry I’m so hopeless, P.”
Pearl looked away and sipped quietly at her tea wishing she hadn’t said the thought aloud. She sighed, “I didn’t mean it like that…”
Amethyst let out a huff. Her eyes shut tightly and she abruptly brought her free hand to her stomach and let out an annoyed groan.
Whatever frustration Pearl held toward Amethyst faded as she saw her in pain. She placed a comforting hand gently on her fellow gem’s back and lightly rubbed it. Amethyst’s tense face relaxed.
Pearl smiled sweetly and blew lightly at the steam rising from Amethyst’s mug. ”It should be cool enough now.”
Amethyst brought the mug up to her lips, more cautiously this time, and took a small sip.
"Mmm, you know how I like it, nice and sweet," she paused and then more quietly added, "Just like you when you want to be…"
Pearl blushed pale blue at the surprising words coming from her teammate. Her hand hadn’t left Amethyst’s back and rather than leaving it moved to her shoulder and wrapped around it slightly. Amethyst edged a bit closer to Pearl and leaned her head on the pale gem’s shoulder and let out a contented sigh.
The two remained on the couch for a time and enjoyed the peace Amethyst has previously broken.