Work Text:
Gem sat between Pearl’s legs on the wooden floor, her back resting against Pearl’s chest as she talked with her usual energy. Her hands moved animatedly as she jumped from topic to topic, voice bright and eager. Pearl listened at first, trying to follow along, but after a while her focus drifted.
She found herself watching the way Gem’s eyes brightened when she got carried away, the way her cardigan hung loose on one shoulder, the faint curve of a smile that appeared whenever she found her own train of thought amusing. Pearl’s chest felt warm in ways she was still getting used to.
“…I still can't believe that quaternion rotation was discovered just on a random walk—”
Pearl blinked, realizing she’d tuned out halfway through.
“Wait, hold on. How did we get from running PCR to talking about Sir William Rowan Hamilton?” she asked, trying to hide her amusement.
Almost by instinct, as soon as Gem heard the name, she started swaying and humming a tune before she laughed and waved her hand. “Ehh, I’m just ramblin’.”
Pearl laughed quietly, shaking her head as she ruffled Gem’s hair. “How do you even fit all this inside your head?”
Gem made a small, indignant “mreh” as Pearl mussed her hair, batting her hands away while giggling. “This is just how I am.”
Pearl hummed softly and leaned in, pressing a kiss to the top of Gem’s head. She murmured something tender against her hair, too soft to catch.
Gem relaxed back into her arms, smiling. “Love ya too.”
