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If there was something Pearl had come to love during her time on Earth, it was books. Oh, how she loved to read. Much of her time was spent thumbing through vast volumes, consuming every titbit of information on her interests that she could, along with that intoxicating new book scent. Despite how little humans truly knew about the subject of the universe, their writings on space were her particular favourite.
Today’s selection was an unusual one, though. Pearl sat at the counter, nose buried within the tome on sweet treats, of all things. She didn’t care for eating and everyone knew it, but she took pride in knowing what was good and particularly what Steven might like. She wondered why it was that she found the idea so repulsive. After all, Amethyst delighted in the activity and it seemed this feeling was shared amongst Quartz gems. Pearl thought of a few choice times Jasper had enjoyed tasting new things. She shuffled in her seat.
The door chimed and as if summoned, Jasper entered and walked towards her. Pearl smiled warmly from behind her book, then set it down on the counter as the tall Quartz passed her on her way to the fridge. She grabbed a can of soda from inside, which Pearl noticed looked comically small in her big, brutish hand.
“Hey, nerd.” Jasper exclaimed, teasingly. Pearl rolled her eyes, then stood, dancing playfully to the front of the counter.
“I see you’ve been learning new words from Amethyst again.” She said dryly, leaning her chin against her palm. “It’s just a shame you both must speak so loudly.”
Jasper laughed thickly as she went over to the couch and took a seat. It sank under her weight –her large frame did take up most of it – and Pearl’s heart fluttered, lips twitching into a smile. Everything was small when compared with Jasper; the soda, the couch, even Pearl seemed so much smaller when Jasper held her close, as had become a frequent occurrence. Jasper reclined, one arm draped along the back of the couch, and shrugged her shoulders.
“Yeah, I mean this isn’t the first time you’ve complained about my volume.” She flashed a toothy smile. “You usually only mention it when you think the others can hear us, though.”
Pearl slipped against the counter, taken by surprise. “Oh, Jasper!” She said, flushed at the cheeks. Their eyes met as they laughed and Jasper nodded her head, gesturing for Pearl to join her. Though there was just enough space for Pearl to sit comfortably by Jasper’s side, she chose instead to lie herself across Jasper’s lap, making sure to wrap herself gently in the swell of soft hair falling around her.
“We’ve come an awfully long way, haven’t we?” Pearl sighed, cracking her book open to a random page. She traced circles idly on Jasper’s thigh, making her hum deeply. “You know, you’ve done so well.”
“It hasn’t been easy.” Jasper admitted. She took a drink, contemplating what to say next. It had been a turbulent journey from whichever angle it was viewed. From the moment she emerged, hardship had been there waiting and, even if she only counted the events that had occurred since her return to Earth, there was plenty to complain about.
The truth was, though, that everything had changed. Following her freedom from corruption, Jasper had taken important steps toward healing, both physically and figuratively. She had come to terms very well with life on Earth, after learning to accept help from the other Gems, of course. That in itself had been one of the biggest challenges. Garnet’s existence as a fusion, compared to her own experience of being Malachite, had been a particularly difficult pill to swallow. Hard as it was to admit to herself, Jasper had been left fearful on the subject of fusion. Garnet encouraged her to open up and, tentatively, in time, she had.
Understanding Steven, as himself instead of as Rose, had likewise been a confusing but rewarding task. Thankfully Steven was as forgiving as Jasper was tall, so he had made her feel aglow with pride and positivity when she had correctly used his name for the first time.
Truly, the past few months had been a hard-hitting lesson for Jasper. When her Homeworld ideals were first challenged, Jasper acted with anger and confusion. Her gut reaction had been to fight it all, to lash out and isolate herself until unexpectedly, Pearl had dared to contest Jasper’s attitude. Pearl had been there through it all. A beacon in Jasper’s darkness, she had encouraged her to ask questions, adapt, and ultimately move on.
A gentle touch on her cheek brought Jasper back into focus. Pearl looked up, eyes searching, concerned over the pained expression she saw.
“Is something wrong?” Pearl said, barely a whisper.
Jasper’s features seemed to soften, scooping Pearl up into her arms and holding her close.
“No, no,” Her voice trembled with a swirl of emotions. “I have you to thank, for helping me get here, is all.”
Pearl hummed softly and nestled into the crook of Jasper’s neck, planting small ticklish kisses as they embraced. Jasper’s face grew hot and she grinned.
“Ah, c’mere.” She growled playfully, lifting Pearl’s chin and planting a firm kiss onto her gem, making them both blush.
At first, Pearl’s know-it-all nature had been frustrating. Jasper was used to treating pearls as objects and certainly the idea of respecting them as equals was foreign, but Jasper wasn’t stupid. Pearl was many things; Strong, brave, at all times kind and incredibly intelligent, but among those things, a possession she was not. They had butted heads in the beginning but, in the face of it all, Pearl had become an important part of Jasper’s growth and their respect for each other had blossomed over time into a powerful relationship.
“You know,” Pearl whispered. “You’ve helped me too.” Jasper‘s breath hitched as Pearl leaned up, pressing their lips together. She held Pearl around the waist and lifted her so her legs straddled Jasper’s and they embraced for a moment, Pearl running her fingers through the Quartz warrior’s luxurious hair.
“I used to spend so much time thinking of the past.” Another kiss. She pushed Jasper gently into the back of the couch, resting their foreheads together. “Now all I look to is the future.”