Chapter Text
“Stop. Stop it.”
“Stop what?” Pearl looks down at her, and Gem starts scowling.
Pearl can see that it doesn't reach her eyes though. Those are mischievous Gem eyes.
“That!” Gem points at her with a huff, “Being so damn tall!”
“Ohhh,” Pearl starts smirking, just a little, “Sorry, can't help you there, mate. This Pearlo only comes in one size, you'll have to trade out for a different model.”
Gem rolls her eyes at that perfectly good joke, “No, this is my favourite Pearlo. Fix it.”
“What, you wanna bring me down to your level? Maybe you should just grow, hm?”
Gem doesn't respond, just takes a step closer to Pearl.
She places both her hands on Pearl's shoulders, and she's so close now that Pearl doesn't even notice she's being pushed down until–
“Ow!” Pearl winces as she drops onto her knees. A little warning would've been nice.
She looks up at Gem, opening her mouth to complain, but- Oh. Wow. This is, uh…
She's more than a little speechless as she stares up at Gem's smug face, smirking down at her.
So high above her.
Is Gem blushing, or is that just the lighting?
(Or wishful thinking.)
“See? You look much better down there.”
Pearl swallows, and she has to avoid looking anywhere other than straight into Gem's eyes. Or at her lips. Her smirk, that is! Which just happens to be on her lips.
“You… Uh…”
Gem’s hands are still on her shoulders, and she can almost imagine them moving into her hair and-
“Okay I’m bored again,” Gem takes a step back, shooting a glance at something behind Pearl, “You have my permission to return to being tall. For now.”
She uses Gem's outstretched hand to silently pull herself back up onto shaky legs, not trusting herself to reply anything coherent.
Gem looks past her again, a little sheepish, and Pearl turns to follow her gaze.
Oh. Karn is staring right at them.
His smile looks teasing, even from here, but she feels her stomach drop a little.
He's already chuckling as she makes her walk of shame over.
“It looks like you were having fun over there, hmm?”
Pearl brings a hand up to cover her face, and confirms that she is blushing hard.
“I… Well, maybe, yeah, but-” she wraps her arms around Karn, leaning down to bury her burning face in his shoulder, “I'm really sorry.”
He chuckles, “Don't know what you're apologising for! Clearly just two gals, chilling at a charity event… Five inches apart, was it?”
Pearl chuckles weakly, still stuck in her own head, “But I shouldn't have… I keep thinking about…”
“Y'know, you really don't need your roommate’s approval to admit you like her,” his voice is light, poking fun at her, but it doesn't help the tightness in her chest.
“But I need my partner's approval so I'm not really really guilty about it.”
“Technically you only need my approval to actually go after her. So?”
He raises an eyebrow, and Pearl kinda feels like she's being tested.
But it's about honesty, right?
“...I think I want to.”
“Well, there you go!”
Pearl blinks, a few tears gathering in the corner of her eyes, and asks with a wobbly smile, “That's it?”
“Sure! And now you just need to ask her if she's okay sharing you. With whatever game you sink all your time into perfecting next, that is.”
She slaps his arm lightly, rolling her eyes at the way he clutches it like he was shot, “So… you're fine with this? Totally? Just… are you completely sure?”
Karn nods, and his smile is so soft that she wants to kiss it off his face.
She settles for bringing him into another hug.
After they separate, Pearl turns back around.
She can't see Gem anywhere.
Oh well, she probably just wandered off to bother someone else.
They can talk another time.