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Volleyball could hear the rustling from above her, three holes up in an all too familiar cubby. She started climbing, biting back a curse as she slipped a bit. It had been a while since she'd done this, a couple of revolutions of Homeworld certainly; in Earth terms? She wasn't sure, but she made her way up anyway, dragging herself up into the space above. It was still strewn with numerous blankets in various states of faded disrepair, and stood in the middle of it was Pearl.
"Hey," Volleyball called softly and Pearl turned, her tense gasp exhaled as she realised who it was.
Pearl held up a blanket. There were a few neatly folded piles already laying on the floor around her. "I didn't expect them to still be here," her hands trailed over the tattered edges and patches of dark mould that had taken hold.
"I left them in case we came back."
They never did.
It was quiet, Pearl unreadable as Volleyball approached.
"Pearl, what happened?" Volleyball asked. Pearl looked at her. For a moment she thought she was crying tears of pink, echoes of that past Pearl still couldn't see, but she shook herself off- it was just her own reflection, caught in a teardrop. "You disappeared."
"I just needed some space."
"Here?" Volleyball said instinctively, surprise taking the words from her, Pearl almost flinching away. "It's okay! We were just worried. No one knew where you'd gone." Volleyball seemed to realise she'd gone wrong. "I'm sorry. You needed space. We just… we thought something might have happened is all. Uh I can go, head back. Tell them you're okay but you just need space, they'll be fine with that, don't even have to say where, just give you enough time to do…" Volleyball flustered, waving her hands. Pearl stayed silent. "Right. Okay. I'll be going now." She retreated to the entrance.
"unless… you want to talk about it?" Pearl didn't answer, still caught in her own thoughts. Volleyball looked at the cubby again, pulling some of the less disagreeable blankets into a pile and sitting down, inviting Pearl to join her. "Like old times." Pearl looked, and after a moment came and sat beside her, still pensive. Volleyball could barely hold back the well of relief within herself. "So what is it? Bad memories?"
Pearl shook her head. "Despite everything that happened, and sometimes because of it," she scooped her hand around Volleyball's- she had become so much a part of her life after everything that had happened and the two of them had rarely been apart since, "I have so many good memories. I know they will always outweigh the bad ones. Always." Pearl smiled, that smile that filled Volleyball with such happy warmth. "But some days it just feels…" she sighed, letting go and waving at the tired blankets again, plucking one up that was strewn with holes, picking out, tracing and half poking through each one in turn. "I know. I know they meant well, that they had my best interests at heart, and I'm okay with that. I'm okay with what happened. I forgive them. It's just… sometimes what happened, it still hurts. It's still there and some days, however much I try I just can't put it away. Days I can't do it without being cold and bitter and harsh however much I remind myself it's not their fault, that they don't deserve it I'm still…" Pearl shifted.
"Hurting."
"I don't want to be." Pearl huffed again. "It isn't right. It isn't fair on them. They don't deserve me in their face being grumpy and angry and bitter- I know that. I've made that mistake before. I needed to get away."
"You needed space," Volleyball sunk her head on Pearl's chest.
"Yes." She could feel Pearl tracing round her hair buns, whispering touches against the delicate swirls. "I just needed some time to myself to think it through, try and get my head straight."
"Mm. Uh-huh." Volleyball sat up slowly, pushing Pearl's hand away, fixing her with a look. "You came and got distracted folding blankets!"
"They were messy!"
Volleyball giggled. "You are so predictable!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
Pearl's brow furrowed, pouting as she screwed her face up in ridiculous concentration, and after a few moments black text appeared on her cheeks once more. 'Traitor'. Volleyball let out a mock gasp and playfully punched her on the shoulder. "Hey!"
Pearl relented, letting her tug at her arm and they flopped back against the wall entwined together in an all too familiar embrace. They stayed like that, neither wanting to be the first to pull away.
Pearl spoke,"It's getting harder." The markings had once flared up at the slightest insecurities, but now they came less and less. After months and months of recovery, trying to restore her memories, slowly rebuilding her confidence and getting back on track they had become more and more rare. Not gone, but it would take some upsetting her to draw them out again.
Volleyball smiled, snuggling closer. "Good."
Good.