I'm Here

Warmth

"Angelites are ranked close to sapphires because of their rarity you know," Adventurine points out. Angelite however shakes his head.

"I'm less than most angelites too...I'm not even supposed to exist this long, the only reason I haven't been shattered is because of Blue Diamond."

"Why would you think that? You can't be less than other angelites," Adventurine says, trying to understand.

Angelite looks away, eyes dimmer than their usual brightness as he shivers yet again, "I...I feel cold, all the time. B-being a member of Bl-lue Diamond's court means I'm supposed to love the c-c-cold. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either I just...tolerate it."

Adventurine's eyes widen, "so that's why you always tremble and stutter?" He asks.

Angelite nods, "I c-c-can't sing e-either, I've never tried it but I've always k-known somehow that I couldn't. Blue Diamond confirmed it when I met him, saying my voice can shatter gems instead of sooth them."

"So you are defective..." Adventurine realizes. Angelite nods silently, "if Blue Diamond knows this, why hasn't he had you shattered?"

"I don't know," Angelite replies with a tired sigh, "sometimes I wish he would though; the gaspeites already know Blue Diamond has a defective gem, just not who it is. It's really stressful."

"I can imagine," Adventurine frowns in thought. Red Diamond already seems suspicious, but with the nosy gaspeites suspicious as well it isn't a matter of if Angelite will be shattered, but when. "That's why Blue Diamond ordered me to protect you then."

"That's the bases of it," Angelite agrees. A wry grin crosses his face after as he says, "you don't have to though, now that you know I wouldn't blame you for turning me in or demanding that you be moved."

Adventurine quirks a brow at that, "now why would I want to do that?"

Angelite waves a hand, "a defective is lower than any other gem, regardless of what it is; it would be beneath you to keep an eye on me after this and we both know it."

Adventurine hums, "that may be, but remember that Blue Diamond himself has ordered me to keep you safe, no matter the cost. Unless he releases me I will continue to do my job. Besides,"

Angelite glances over to find Adventurine smiling at him, "Blue Diamond has kept you for a reason, and you are much too different compared to other gems to be thrown away so easily; I happen to like it, it stirs up the collection."

Angelite's mouth drops, eyes wide as if the green gem had suddenly turned a different color, "you...I...how could you-" he shakes his head in exasperation, "you're unbelievable..."

"That would be a compliment to me," Adventurine smirks, eyes twinkling and his prism field brightening to a golden yellow, "Home World needs to accept that not everybody needs to fit into a certain mold, I would've been shattered many years ago if I followed the same reckless stereo type of my kin."

Angelite barks a laugh, surprising himself, "how do you know you aren't following it now with that kind of thinking?" He teases.

Adventurine shrugs, "then I'm becoming old and am not meant for this world for much longer after all."

Both gems begin laughing and lightly teasing each other, finding themselves talking and chatting amicably afterwards. When they quiet down to a contented silence, Angelite gets twitchy again and Adventurine asks him what's wrong.

"C-can you..." he bites his lip, unable to meet the snow heads eyes as his face darkens with a blush once more, "can you...hold me, like you did earlier?"

Adventurine blinks in surprise at the question and his own face stains into a dark green. Angelite waves his arms as embarrassment floods him, "y-you don't have t-t-to if that makes you uncomfortable! It's just you did it earlier and-" 'you felt so warm...'

For all of Angelite's existence he had always felt cold. Blue Diamond tried to help before, but he was too big and could only hold the smaller gem loosely in his hand so he wouldn't crush Angelite's physical form. He couldn't risk the other gems finding out about his condition, plus the fact that gems just don't...act that way around each other. It just wasn't done.

So Adventurine hugging him when he did, even if he never realized he was doing it, was quite a surprise for everyone, especially Angelite. Not because of the action, not completely anyway, but it was the first time he had felt warmth. Adventurine's prism field had enveloped him and Angelite felt safe, much safer than he ever had in his life even with Blue Diamond's protection; as if nothing could worry him and that everything was perfectly fine.

Adventurine still looks uncomfortable right now though, so Angelite sighs, shaking his head with a wave of his hand, "forget it, I shouldn't have-huh?"

Adventurine pulls the younger gem close to him before he can even finish his sentence, wrapping strong arms around him. He still feels tense, but Angelite can't pull away as he looks over at the white haired gem who was trying to hide his blush, "Adventurine?"

Adventurine shakes his head, gazing over Angelite's shoulder as he tightens his hold, "I-it's fine. I'm not normally supposed to do this but...you said you were cold right?"

Angelite's eyes widen in realization and he hesitantly hugs the other back, "y-yeah..." 'this...this must be what sunlight feels like...right?' He relaxes into the embrace with a small exhale, his eyes drooping when he feels that warmth once more, the golds and oranges of Adventurine's prism field encompassing him like a strong yet gentle blanket 'it...feels nice,' he sees an unfamiliar color out of the corner of his eye, a color that Angelite could only describe as a very washed out red hiding under the other colors like a shy and timid animal. But he passes it off as nothing for the moment, content to enjoy the other more prominent colors of happiness, pride and dark blue calm.

They stay like that for what seems like hours, allowing themselves to be blissfully unaware of the outside world, at least for now.