Love Like You (A Pearl x Reader) (Sequel to 'SEN')

Act 10: Her Confession

Even though you had tried to avoid Pearl's gaze at all costs, she was able to catch your staring at one point and didn't stall on heading to your direction after having done so.

After she returned back outside with a full watering can and a pair of gardening gloves, she finished watering the remaining of the flora surrounding her home, and – midway through plucking some wilted leaves from one of the nearby, potted plants – she was able to notice you.

She immediately went down the flight of stairs and stood before you, a hint of blue tinting her pale cheeks as she prepared herself to say something and break the silence growing between the two of you.

"I. . . I have a confession to make, (Y/N)." She began to speak, fumbling with the rim of one of her gloves as she tried to face your curious visage. "We've known each other for a while now, and I've been meaning to ask you something ever since you arrive here a few days ago. Do you have a moment to hear me out?"

"Sure!" You assured her, later looking towards the direction where Garnet was previously standing at, only to have her look at you with a broad grin and direct a thumbs up at you. "What's the matter, Pearl?"

"Now that the complication with these moss flowers has surfaced upon us, I would like to request something of you – if you trust me, of course."

You assented slowly at her words, not exactly sure on how you could respond to them, but wanting to let her know you were trusting of her presence and intentions.

"What I mean to ask is. . ." She trailed off for a minute, placing a slightly hesitant hand over the back of her neck as she faced the direction of the beach, averting from your gaze as she spoke her next words. "For means of finding out the reason for that moss flower erupting when trying to fuse with you. . . I would like to ask for your permission to attempt that with you – just to see if this can truly be a risk to us, as well."

She took a brief pause, glancing quickly at Garnet's direction before finally facing with your eyes.

"(Y/N), I most sincerely believe we can rely on you with this newfound matter, as you have been staying by our side ever since your first visit here." Pearl added afterwards, carefully reaching out for your hand and smiling as a hint of warmth made itself more noticeable over her eyes. "We trust you can become part of this investigation."

"What do you say, (Y/N)?" Garnet chimed in, her previously broad grin now replaced with a small and expectant smirk. "Do you want to be part of our investigation?"

You stared at Garnet with a lost expression, taken aback by the sudden confessions both women had made to you. With careful observation, you noticed how they were standing in patient wait for a response, yet your doubts and surging worries were making you unable to think properly over the situation in hand.

Clouded with all sorts of thoughts and uncertainties, you made sure to think over the matter one final time before speaking up.

"I can't accept this. . ." You uttered, believing it was most prudent to decline the offers they'd made.

Aside from you barely knowing much about the Gems and their origins, there was also the fact that they were noticeably different from human beings, and – for that circumstance – you didn't want to intervene too much into Pearl or anyone else's life; having met Pearl in the first place was already enough for you, and you didn't any to come off as intrusive. You felt it wasn't adequate for you to take participation in such an important procedure as fusion, nor that it was good for Pearl's safety. If the pink-tinted gemstone that'd attempted to fuse with you had such an astounding reaction, you didn't want to imagine how it would be for her instead.

Snapping away from your thoughts, you looked down at the hand interlocked with Pearl's and began to hesitate. Though a part of you was keen on fusing with her, you still weren't sure if this was the best option to take, at the given moment.

"I can't. . . I can't do this." You began to loosen yourself from Pearl's hold, your heart aching the moment her hand briefly stopped yours from leaving. With a reluctant, tight, and lopsided smile, you apologized for the refusal, and tried to explain – both to her and Garnet – the reasons for your decision.

They, however, forbid you from doing any further explanation other than for you saying 'no'. They assured you it wasn't of much dwelling or frustrating over, and that you were welcome to try again the very moment you felt more confident over this.

"If you don't want to, that's more than fine." Garnet explained, straightening out her posture and facing you with her three, round eyes. "It's your face right now that worries us more." She stepped closer to you as Pearl moved aside to make space for her. Then, a frown took over her previous smirk, and she carefully reached out for your face, holding it by your cheeks with the help of her fingertips. "You look strange. You look. . ."

"Sad?" The nasally voice belonging to Peridot broke through Garnet's dialogue, her usual concern made present on each of her words.

All three of you turned towards the location of her voice, startled by her sudden presence, yet settling down once seeing the preoccupied expression she carried over her features.

Looking towards the green Gem's direction, Garnet nodded firmly, her eyes narrowing as she faced you again. "Something like that."

The three-eyed Gem let go of your face with caution and later proceeded to center her attention on Peridot. She walked over to her side, questioning over the particular matters, reasons, and purpose for her sudden arrival.

"It's about the moss flowers research." She answered, her typically cheery visage becoming stern as she pulled out a tablet and began to swipe her green digit across the screen with haste, though tense expression managed to relax once her eyes came across her target. She clicked on the document she'd been searching for, then presented it towards you and the other two women standing in an anticipated wait next to you.

It was what appeared to be a screenshot of an exhaustive essay and analysis centering on those flowers.

~ ~ ⭐️ ~ ~

Quick Author's Note:

Updates will be out each Sunday from here on!

There's 2 chapters and an epilogue left, so I look forward to maintaining a stable updating schedule until then.

Hope you enjoyed, and be seeing you! :-)