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Gem knocks on Pearl’s door at sundown with blue pajamas, two bowls of soup, and a bright smile. “Pearl!”
“Gem,” Pearl calls back, mimicking Gem’s trademark tone. She opens the door, and Gem can’t help but laugh when she sees that Pearl is in her favorite star-print pajamas as well. Pearl grins. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Soup!” Gem sits down at Pearl’s kitchen table and takes a sip from one of the bowls. “New recipe. There’s kelp in the stock. I think it’s pretty good.”
“Glad to see some things never change.” Pearl sits down and takes the other bowl. Matchbox barks and leaps into Pearl’s lap. Mailbox follows and nudges against Gem’s foot until she leans down to pet him. Gem giggles. “You know, Xisuma said there might be new wolves in the next snapshot.”
“New wolves?” Pearl scratches Matchbox behind the ears.
“Yep! All sorts of new colors. You can expand your army this season.”
“It’s not an army,” Pearl laughs. “They wouldn’t hurt a fly.” As if to prove it, Tilly trots into the room, climbs on top of a chest, and curls up to feign sleep.
Gem bursts out laughing. “A pack, then. You can expand your pack.”
“I like that.” Pearl gently places Matchbox back on the ground. “Alright, you little nugget, let me eat my soup.” She takes a sip. “Oh my goodness, Gem, that is so good…”
Gem beams. “Why, thank you! Your experiments are always great. I thought I’d try my hand at making a recipe of my own. Can’t let you have all the fun.”
“Aw, that’s sweet, actually.” Pearl quickly finishes her bowl.
Gem finishes hers a moment later and sits down on Pearl’s fluffy rug. Pearl lies down next to her and ruffles her hair. Something shifts on Gem’s scalp, but Pearl doesn’t think anything of it. “I love your sailor theme this season. It’s adorable.”
“I think you mean a-door-able,” Gem says. She sits up. “Hey, wanna see a cool trick?”
Pearl sits up too. “Sure.”
Gem bites her tongue to hide her mischievous grin. Pearl doesn’t suspect a thing. “Alright, wait, I have to get oriented for this. Hold my antler real quick?”
“Okay,” Pearl says without a hint of suspicion. “Do you have to, like, line it up with the wall or something?”
“Something like that. Alright, just give me one second, I have to–“
Before Gem finishes her sentence, she yanks her head back and flops backwards onto the rug. Pearl is left holding a pair of disembodied antlers.
Pearl shrieks. Gem cackles. “Gotcha!”
“Is this…” Pearl doubles over laughing. “Gem, this is so unsettling, oh my goodness. Is this the whole reason you came over?”
“Pearl!” Gem says in mock offense. “How dare you suggest I’d have an ulterior motive for saying hello to my beautiful partner on this lovely evening?” She kisses Pearl on the forehead. “But yeah, no, that’s exactly why.”
Pearl grins and kisses Gem on the cheek. “You’re such a weirdo.”
Gem smiles. “Takes one to know one.”