Blooming Blue [Pearl x Fem reader]

Avoidance ends here

The waves rolled onto the shore, threatening to touch your toes. You pulled your  feet closer to you chest, digging them into the wet sand as your hand dragged a pencil across a sketch pad, adding hatch marks to rough sketches of seagulls that floated amongst the waves.

The four of you had returned from Empire City two days ago and the memories were still ever-fresh in your mind. When your  eyes were closed for than more than a second, your  mind seemed to raced back to the sensation of a hand covering your mouth or the sleek edges of the attacker's weapon. Your throat can't help but tighten as  you try not to think about what could have happen.

"Y/n?" You focused your eyes on the sketch pad, the once graceful lines had now turn shaky. Slowly you lifted your head up towards  Steven who called out to you. Your lips curved into a smile, but it never reached the eyes.

"Oh hey Steven." You waved softly, cocking a glance up at the boy.

Steven eyed you for a moment, there's the slightest pause in his movements. You swallowed hard as you can't help but feel like you're being examined. "Whatcha drawing?" He peaked over your shoulder, his eyes widening at the sight of birds. "Wow! Can I see?"

You repressed the urge of biting the inside of her cheek and passed the sketch book carefully over to the preteen. "Sure."

Steven flipped through, his eyes glancing over sketches of random characters, portraits, landscapes and animals. "You drew all of these?"

"Most of them. Theres a few doodles my friend did in there when I was back home. " You explained softly and watched him. Soon enough you pushed yourself up onto your feet, dusting the sand off your jeans. "What's up?"

Steven gently flipped the sketch book closed and held it back out to his cousin to take. "Me and Amethyst  are going to go to the big doughnut and then Funland. You wanna join us?" There's stars in his eyes which makes it all the harder for you to sigh with a shake of the head.

"Sorry bud, I told your dad I would help him at the wash again." It was a lie, but it was the perfect coverup from letting Steven see you in a state you didn't want him to see you in. "Which I should head there now..." You mumbled, slipping on sandals and reading the time on one of Steven's old watches. The material was a bit bulky, with the theme of the watch being Cookie-Cat. It no doubt looked as if it did not come straight out of a Cookie-Cat package like some sort added prize for a child, but at least it still could give the time.

"Oh... okay?"

You reached over and patted Steven's head with a smile. "Have fun, and make sure you put on sunscreen." You slightly lectured and gave a gentle tap to Steven's forehead. "You're still A Bit red from yesterday."

Steven gave a dismissal wave in response. "Nothing but a little sunburnt." You couldn't help but  roll your eyes. "But I'll make sure to put some on." He beamed. "You know, you sound like Pearl."

You nodded silently, not sure how to respond. You and Pearl still hadn't spoken to one another and it was because of your own avoidance.

It wasn't like it was Pearl's fault that you had gotten mugged. You simply had unfortunately been in the wrong area at the wrong time, and that was partly due to both of your and her own mess of emotions. If you hadn't had ran off, you wouldn't have face such consequences, and yet it wasn't your fault either. Greg had tried to assure her that, even Pearl had.

Yet it didn't matter, the ride back to the hotel had been mainly silence with your mind still trying to convince you otherwise. How you were weak, foolish and how like with most things, it was your fault.