(Alternate) Steven Universe x Corrupt gem reader Insert

part 13: w-wha..?

keep your Brutish paws OFF this portrait!

I've told this THING no!

IT could be planning something for all we know!

pearl's voice kept replaying over and over in your head.

Amethyst! you shouldn't teach it these things!

she would scold.

it might be dormant now, but if we aren't careful, it could reawaken it's MONSTROUS instincts! then what will we do!?

you curled in on yourself as the words stung your chest, gripping it in the barbed vines of resentment. you suddenly started to growl in your throat. I... I'm not a monster.... you told yourself. pearl was just... saying that because I touched the portrait again... it was all in anger. you pushed yourself up, angrily scrubbing away the tears that endlessly poured from your eyes, grumbling to yourself angrily.

I. am NOT. a beast...

I am (name)... I am a crystal gem!

you snarled defiantly, digging your fingers into the dry ground.

she is wrong! wrong, wrong, wr-

you look down at the ground, and froze.

what stared back at you was the bulky, black outline of your shape in the dusty ground. the outlines of your messy mane were visible, sticking up in every which way, just barely hiding your impossibly massive, well muscled shoulders. on the head of this menacing silhouette were two (size) (curved/straight) horns. your mouth opened in revulsion.

this... beastly... image casted before you... was yours..?

you brought a paw up to rub at the base of a horn, the shadow following suit. oh it was... slowly, you brought your hand down and looked down at it.

it barely classified as a hand... it was a massive paw, fingers curved into large talons, ones that could send the largest of gems flying in a single swat. one that could crush a gemstone with a mere squeeze... you clenched your fist and eyes shut at the dawning dread and newfound solemnity filled your core. of course pearl can't trust you... who would want to?

you weren't a gem.

you were something that could kill with a snap of your jaws.

something to be feared...

something... to be poofed...

you let yourself fall into limply into the ground, wrapping your forearms around your head, releasing your grip on the tears you had held back and wailed loudly into your arms.

"H-Hello...?"

you froze, sniffling at a voice from behind you.

"U-Um... are... you okay...?"

you didn't reply. maybe you were just imagining it... you focused on trying to get your breathing steady and to silence your sniffles and whimpers. you felt a soft poke at your side, and you just whine in response, sniffling and chuffing.

"hey... d-don't be sad... u-um... whatever you are..." the voice came around to your front, and you were dimly aware of the sound of someone kneeling against the ground. you slowly raised your head to look at whoever dared to kneel before you.

"..hru..?"

is... that... a gem?

upon seeing they had your semi-full attention, you hear an audible gulp sound from them. internally you huffed. figures they'd fear me...