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“I still can’t believe Xisuma is letting you stay here,” Pearl says, “given that you’re a mortal and all. But I’m glad he is.”
Gem looks up at her, cheeks ruddy from the cold, a smile growing on her lips. “Yeah, me too! I don’t know how long this arrangement is gonna continue, but I’m having fun with it so far.”
“Well, it had better last forever,” Pearl huffs, “because I’m not giving you up for anything. Not after all we went through to get here.”
“Thanks, Pearl,” Gem responds, her frizzy orange hair tied back in a loose braid, freckles bright against the red of her cheeks. “You’re the best.”
“And don’t I know it,” Pearl brags, pressing a hand dramatically to her chest. Despite her bravado, the compliment from Gem does, admittedly, make Pearl’s heart skip a beat. Which is stupid, obviously! It was just a passing comment, with no real meaning behind it. But then, it’s not Pearl’s fault if she gets flustered at an extremely attractive girl telling her she’s the best. That’s just human sense, honestly. “How’s your marshmallow coming along?”
The entirety of Camp Hermit is gathered around the massive color-changing fire at the middle of the amphitheater. Snow floats down slowly from the cloud-dappled sky, piling up in drifts that go up to Pearl’s knees in some places- it had been quite the trek to get here. Around the fire, however, the snow has melted in what is almost a perfect ten-foot diameter circle. Pearl and Gem are sitting on a temporary circle of wooden benches, and although there are several other campers gathered around, the only person in Pearl’s eyes has to be Gem.
It’s like tunnel vision, the way that, despite the magical sight of a color-changing fire right in front of her, the only thing Pearl can focus on is Gem. The shorter girl’s pretty face is lit by the ever-changing color of the flames, a comforting purple currently painting her features, making her look refined, mysterious, and hot as fuck. Gem’s cute button of a nose is flushed in the cold, and she’s bundled into a green puffer coat, knitted blue beanie resting on her orange curls. Her face is round and soft as she stares down at her marshmallow, eyebrows wrinkled cutely as she turns it, making certain that it’s the perfect shade of golden brown.
Pearl wants to grab her waist and kiss her until neither of them can breathe.
“Oh!” Gem says in surprise as, suddenly, her entire marshmallow goes up in flames. She pulls it out of the fire, frowning as she blows it out, the crackling black exterior a far throw from the soft color she’d been trying for. “Damn it.”
Pearl glances down at her own marshmallow. Somehow, she’s managed to avoid setting it completely on fire, and although the outside of it is bubbling and warping, it’s not scorched or burned in any way. In fact, Pearl would go so far as to call it the perfect marshmallow. If there were anyone else sitting beside her right now, Pearl would never consider doing anything with this marshmallow other than eating it. But right now, the person beside her is Gem. And, after everything Gem’s done for her, Pearl thinks this is the least she can do in return.
“Here,” Pearl offers, pulling her marshmallow away from the fire and holding out the end of the roasting stick to Gem. “Wanna swap?”
Gem balks, looking down at the perfection of Pearl’s marshmallow and shaking her head vigorously. “Oh, I couldn’t-”
“Yeah, you could,” Pearl answers with a chuckle, taking Gem’s own marshmallow rod from unresisting hands and replacing it with her own. “There ya go! Everything’s fine and dandy now, isn’t it.”
Gem stares down at the marshmallow below her, and then turns to Pearl, full lips quirked up into an infectious smile. Pearl struggles not to stare at them too much. “Thank you, Pearl. That was really sweet of you.”
“Well, you know.” Pearl glances away, suddenly bashful. “Ol’ Pearlo’s always got your back, hasn’t she?”
“She does,” Gem confirms. And then, before Pearl can realize what’s happening, Gem leans to the side, her head plopping down onto Pearl’s shoulder as she begins to chew a sticky bite of Pearl’s perfectly toasted marshmallow. “Pearl, this is top-tier roasting. Incredible job.”
Pearl feels hot, and it’s not because of the fire burning away in front of her.
“Thanks,” she says, because she doesn’t know what else she’s supposed to say. Gem hums in response, head not moving from its rest on Pearl’s shoulder. Slowly, cautiously, Pearl drops her own head to rest atop Gem’s.
Pearl inhales deeply, sighing contentedly, a quiet smile drifting across her face. Gem smells like pine forests and smoke, tangerines and the crisp scent of cold air. Pearl’s arm moves to wrap around Gem’s waist, and much to her surprise, Gem only nestles closer, until their bodies are touching in more places than not and Pearl can feel Gem’s body heat through both of their coats. It’s a wonderful feeling, and she can hardly believe her luck; the fact that after all the weeks of travel together, Gem is finally this close .
It’s incredible.
Pearl wouldn’t mind the opportunity to get used to this.