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

Alternate Ending #2: Strengthened Bonds and Loosened Minds

(I was originally going to put the OST up there, but this harp version of Pearl's Room is just too good not to share it!)

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The soothing melody repeated itself once more, an interlude of silence allowing you and the Gem some time before you settled yourselves back into another dancing position.

You held onto Pearl's hand, a faint heat making its appearance over the back of your neck and ears as her fingers interlocked firmly with yours.

She directed you towards the makeshift dance-floor, the lustrous and pink glow of your (tone) skin becoming brighter the moment she began to lead you left and right across the sandy terrains resting below your feet.

Though attempting to fuse with the Gem before you was out of question, she still appreciated sharing these moments with you. She made sure to immerse herself into each of her movements with as much as passion and emotion as she could muster, wanting to make your day as bright as the current glow of your skin.

After discovering the corruption residing in your body, Steven and the rest of his companions insisted that the most adequate decision to take was of you staying at Beach City. Traveling back to your hometown wasn't exactly the best idea, seeing as folks living there weren't used to seeing as many unusual things as the residents of Beach City did.

For that reason, you ended up renting an apartment near Steven's home, thinking it would be the best action to take now that you would be in for a longer stay.

Your stay had been peaceful and thrilling. You'd managed to meet up again with Sadie and 'Hotel Guy' every once in a while, and your new boss had been kind enough to offer you another photography job that could benefit your current situation better. The days had gone by about as smoothly as a sturdy sailboat navigating on calm waters.

In contrast to those peaceful weeks, these past seven days had been long and stressful ones, with you almost being taken captive by yet another restless Ruby during one of your everyday walks back to your apartment, and witnessing Steven's recent return after his unforeseen absence from Beach City, having been taken away by a small, but persistent Gem referred to as Aquamarine and her supposed assistant named Topaz.

You'd dealt with the Ruby by yourself, and were able to come out of the situation alive and well without having to go through the same procedures taken for the angered Eyeball from many months ago.

However, realizing you couldn't be there for Steven when Aquamarine had been running around asking for her "dad" proved to be a downer for you. Every time your clouded mind decided to overthink and look back to that day, you ended up with a gloomy expression and a persistent headache. Your mind could only think about the 'what ifs', even though Steven was already back and managed to find a way back to Homeworld with the help of his pet Lion's mane.

Luckily, your current dance with Pearl served as a momentary distraction from all the commotion and unfortunate events that'd been going around recently.

Her movements were firm and precise, each step she took more purposeful than the previous one. Twirling you around once — then twice — she came to a graceful halt and placed her hands over each side of your waist, lifting and sweeping you so expertly off your feet that it made you question her strengths.

With an amused chuckle on her part and a cheerful laugh on yours, she set you back down on the sand, letting go of her hold over your waist once your feet gained some stability over the ground.

Meeting briefly with her eyes, you were quick to look away once noticing the emotion behind them. Her eyes were bright with happiness, and — from the brief moment you'd met with her staring — you could see how much this calm, almost placid moment helped with bringing peace between the two of you.