Work Text:
Pearl was thinking.
Gem had been different lately. She gave a lot more compliments for one, and they seemed more personal. Much more.
But that wasn’t really what troubled Pearl. No, what she was struggling with, was that she liked it. Now, anyone would like being complimented, but not like this.
She felt like she did with Karn.
But that couldn't be. She was straight, dating a guy even. She knew about bisexuality of course. How couldn't she, given Gem. Still, surely that wasn't her.
She had a partner. That was enough.
But there she was, on Tumblr, scrolling through a tag she was supposed to have blocked. That she had told the fans, had told Gem, she had blocked. Every day she told herself she'd stay away. She failed.
It was far too fascinating. Art, of her, with another woman. With Gem. People using their talent to create glimpses of a world where she could kiss Gem.
Because that was not this world. She could think about it sure, but she couldn't even bring herself to hope. She was still straight after all. This was just some kind of creepy obsession she didn't quite understand. And regardless, Gem wouldn't be interested, they were friends. Pearl was being weird for reading into her words too much.
And there was still Karn. No matter the tiny smirks he gave her whenever she ranted about Gem, the jokes he made about setting up a system to share Pearl with Gem. No matter the short moments of sincerity, later brushed off when Pearl reacted defensively. About the comments Gem was making. How he “didn't mind.”
That didn't matter. It was a joke. Gem didn't, couldn't, truly believe what she was saying. Karn was definitely teasing her, but he did that a lot. And she teased him in return. No matter that she herself only did it when she felt a grain of truth in what she was saying. Karn didn't have to operate in the same way.
But he did. That was part of what pulled them together, just how similar they were in some aspects.
Pearl leaned back in her chair, letting out a frustrated sigh. She couldn't handle this, these thoughts were starting to impact her more than she could bear. She treated Gem differently, and wasn't opening up to Karn like she usually would.
She would have to, wouldn't she? She would have to confront those thoughts, whether she liked it or not. And, well, getting Karn's help didn't seem like the worst thing in the world.
As Pearl stood up, finally resolute in her plans, she felt it wouldn't be all that hard to get Karn’s support in this matter.
Just a feeling.