[ Gem is flying over Pearl’s base, headed back from gathering materials, when she gets a definitely-not-slightly-evil idea. Pearl, unfortunately, is not outside at the moment, so Gem continues back to her own base, stopping by the bridge first to deposit her materials. ]
[ Gem busies herself with random tasks, occasionally checking the server chat and debating starting a fire just to get Pearl over here. The impulses win out, and she flies back over to Pearl’s base, finding an empty clearing before setting one small, teensy-tiny fire. Now, she waits. ]
- @gems-mailbox
[ Sure enough, Pearl’s antennae are quick to pick up on the smell of smoke. She rushes outside with a water bucket, immediately tossing it on the fire. ]
[ It spots Gem nearby, flint and steel still in hand, and sputters. ]
Gem! My grass! You can't be doing that to a lady's grass!
[ It eyes her warily, expecting her to try and go for another block. ]
[ Gem’s eyes light up as Pearl rushes over, and she just giggles, stowing her flint and steel away in her inventory. ]
I made sure nothing important burned down!
[ She debates the best way to do this for a moment, before just going for it, attacking Pearl with a hug and doing her best to reach up to scritch gently between Pearl’s antennae. ]
Wha–
[ Pearl slumps to her knees, partially because Gem is climbing her like a tree, partially because that feels so good that her body decided to go limp. ]
[ Its antennae flatten to either side to make way for Gem’s hand. Any thoughts it had drain out of its head like a sieve. ]
...
Oh! …Pearl? You okay?
[ Gem pauses her head scritches, afraid she’s done something to hurt Pearl. She carefully detaches herself, kneeling down in front of the other. ]
Nonono I'm fine you don't have to stop, [ Pearl stammers, still a little breathless. Whatever deep and doggish part of her brain lies waiting liked that very much. ]
Oh– Alright then!
[ Gem giggles a little bit as she resumes her motions, gently scratching at Pearl’s scalp. ]
[ She feels a small smile spreading over her own face as she continues to pet Pearl, and she shifts positions, moving to be more next to Pearl, rather than in front of her. ]
[ Pearl finds itself melting into Gem’s side, abdomen twitching like a stumpy wagging tail. Its face feels warm, blushing salmon-pink. ]
[ That feeling deep in Pearl says, I wanna be a good dog! ]
[ ...That's weird and embarrassing and she stiffens up slightly as she shoves that feeling down, despite how good the scritches feel. ]
[ Gem feels Pearl stiffen underneath her and stops again, pulling back and looking at it. ]
Pearl? Is everything alright?
[ She can’t tell if Pearl is liking it, or what’s going on. ]
Yeah no I'm fine I'm fine really I'm. Just. My brain is just being weird. [ Which Gem will understand. She knows Pearl has trouble with her thoughts turning on her, sometimes. ]
I'm sorry. I do like it.
[ Really, she does. ]
[ Gem wraps Pearl up in a tight hug, rubbing her hand up and down its arm. ]
It’s okay, you don’t have to apologize. You never have to apologize for that.
[ Pearl finds itself nuzzling its head into Gem’s hand. Her embrace is warm and soft. It's getting worried over nothing, Gem even says it's okay. ]
...Okay.
There you go, it’s all good, you’re okay.
[ Gem goes back to gently petting Pearl’s hair, fingers slipping through the soft strands as she continues to murmur soft reassurances. Her own tail moves side-to-side in a slow wagging motion, occasionally bumping against Pearl. ]
Mmm. [ Pearl lets her head empty once more, closing her eyes as she continues to press her head into Gem’s hand. Her abdomen twitches side to side, scuffing scale dust across the grass. ]
[ ...It suddenly wants to lick her hand, and that feels even more weird and embarrassing and just gross than before. Who does that? Why does it want that? It's not a dog. It bites its lip, combating the impulse. ]
Don’t bite your lip, Pearl, you’re gonna hurt yourself!
[ Gem gently scratches at Pearl’s scalp, not wanting to pause her motions and upset it. ]
You’re okay, it’s okay. I’m not upset, I swear. I just don’t want you getting hurt.
My brain's being so weird all of a sudden and it won't shut up, [ Pearl complains. She opens her eyes again, glancing up at Gem. Maybe complaining to her would help, but what if she made Gem uncomfortable or something? ]
[ Then again, the last time it said anything about this to her, she didn’t seem upset, did she? ]
It's that wanting to be a dog feeling that I told you about once, it comes back when you do this sort of thing, but it came back stronger and weirder and– I don't want to make you uncomfortable–
Aw, Pearl, you’re not making me uncomfortable. What matters to me is that you’re comfortable, and I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.
[ Gem presses a gentle kiss to Pearl’s forehead, continuing to give it head pats. She thinks back to the conversation Pearl is referring to, lets it replay in her mind. ]
Do you want me to— I can— [ She stumbles over her words, trying to figure out how best to phrase it. ] Is there anything specific you want me to do that would help?
[ Somehow, Pearl didn't expect Gem to ask her what she wanted her to do. It takes a moment for her to process, what does she want from Gem? ]
Can you... keep givin' me scritches like that... and talk to me like a doggie? Please?
[ It's weird it's weird but it wants to know if it's possible to satisfy the feeling. If it really feels better. ]
Of course! Who’s a good Pearlie? You, that’s right!
[ Gem immediately starts talking to it like she would to Tilly or any of Pearl’s other dogs, scratching gently between her antennae like they’re ears. ]
Such a good Pearlie!
[ Oh. Yeah. That feels good and right. ]
I'm good...
[ Pearl blushes, leaning hard into Gem’s hand. As her abdomen wags-twitches, she swears she can feel a tail wagging in its place. Paws where her hands rest upon the grass, floppy ears where her antennae fold out of the way. It's strange, but... not a bad feeling, exactly? It's nice. Feels right. ]
So good! The best, even.
[ Gem’s own tail wags happily behind her as she continues to pet Pearl’s head, a low purr rumbling from her chest. ]
[ Pearl leans into Gem’s chest, nuzzling its head against her. Its mouth hangs open a little, panting lightly. She puts a hand up on Gem’s knee, fingers curled inwards. ]
[ Good good good good this is all good. ]
[ Gem hugs Pearl closer to her, purring again. She places her hand on top of Pearl’s, rubbing her thumb in soothing circles over it. ]
Such a good Pearlie, eeeverything’s gonna be okay. I promise.
[ Pearl basks in Gem's warmth, other hand coming up to the same knee. She lets her tongue find its way out of her mouth a little. ]
It's really okay? If I'm– like this?
[ Part of it is still scared that Gem is going to change her mind, that at any moment she'll decide that something's wrong with Pearl and leave it. Part of it feels like there's something wrong with it. But it tries to summon all of Gem's sweet words to silence that part. ]
[ Gem squeezes Pearl’s hand reassuringly. ]
It’s okay, Pearl. I promise.
[ She wraps her other arm around Pearl’s shoulders, rubbing up and down its arm. ]
Okay...
[ Pearl lets out a long, contented sigh, in the manner that dogs do when they're at rest. She lets Gem pet her for a minute longer. ]
...do you want to go back to the station? It's comfier than muddy grass...
Oh– [ The grass is kind of muddy now that she thinks about it. ]
We can totally go back to the station, yeah!
[ Gem waits for Pearl to get up first before getting up herself, her tail still wagging slightly. She grabs Pearl’s hand, holding it tightly. ]
Lead the way! [ Is the station in clear view? Yes. This is just more fun. ]
[ Pearl holds Gem’s hand just as tight, looking back at her every few seconds as it leads her across the field and past the newly erected training tower. Its mouth hangs open just a little, panting, its antennae perked up. ]
It's not, like, a permanent bedroom yet, but I arranged a bit of my stuff into a nest up where the bedroom will go. Better 'n sleeping in the fire trucks.
[ They're outside the station now, and it pulls open a back door, nodding for her to come in. ]
[ Gem looks up at the tall tower as they pass it, and then at all the new additions to Pearl’s base as they walk through. ]
Someone’s been busy adding to her base, [ she teases, before following Pearl through the back door to the station. ] It looks really good though! It’s all coming together nicely.
Yeah, Impy needs training so I got the idea to make a training tower and then a bunch of ideas for little infrastructure bits popped out at me... [ Pearl admits sheepishly. She's a bit of a workaholic, alright. ]
I promise it hasn't all been work on the base. I've also been testing firefighting techniques. Y'know, like how you let me hit you with that fire resistance arrow and then you complained that I nearly killed you? [ A teasing blep as she leads Gem up the stairs to the barracks, past Jose and Hose B (whom she gives pats on the back to in greeting). ] Oh, and I helped Zed ride a zombie piglin.
You did nearly kill me!
[ Gem sticks her tongue out at Pearl in retaliation, similarly patting Jose and Hose B as she passes them. ]
But you got Zed to ride a zombie piglin? Impressive. How many times did he die?
None! Surprisingly! Can't say the same for the piglin though, we had to do the experiment over again.
[ It leads Gem over to a corner where it's got a small pile of pillows and blankets. No stuffed animals or anything yet, it hasn't got around to bringing some over from where Grian dropped them off in Gem's bridge. All the same, it's definitely comfortable enough to sleep in, with ample space to the sides for Pearl’s wings. ]
[ She yawns, stretching. Was she more tense than she realized? ]
[ Pearl’s yawn causes Gem to yawn in turn, and she covers her mouth with one hand politely. ]
[ The nest in the corner looks rather comfy, and she says as such, turning to Pearl and making puppy-dog eyes at her. ]
Nest cuddles?
[ And Pearl doesn't need to be asked twice, dragging Gem down into the nest in the blink of an eye. ]
Mmm. Hi.
[ It nuzzles its forehead against hers, soft. ]
[ Gem purrs again, her ears relaxing and flopping somewhat to the side. ]
Hi…
[ The nest is really comfy. Even if it doesn’t have Pearl’s stuffed animals and stuff. ]
[ She drapes her tail over the both of them, rubbing one hand up and down Pearl’s back in an imitation of the pets she was giving it earlier. ]
[ Pearl lets her leg kick a little in response, snuggling closer to Gem. Her hands find their way to Gem's shoulders, clinging to her. ]
[ Wordlessly, gently, it presses a small kiss to her cheek. Then it pulls its head back, watching her face to see her smile. Its tongue lolls from its mouth a little. ]
[ Gem purrs louder, a smile spreading across her face, accompanied by a light flush. She presses a soft kiss to Pearl’s forehead in return. ]
[ She continues to rub Pearl’s back, careful to avoid its wings. ]
[ Pearl blushes in turn, stretching out and letting her muscles relax against Gem’s hand. ]
...Can you do it again? Talk to me?
[ It doesn't want that to be over, it liked that, actually– ]
Yeah! Who’s my good Pearlie? Who’s a good Pearl?
[ She presses another kiss to Pearl’s forehead. ]
So good. Everything’s gonna be all okay.
[ Pearl kicks her leg again, abdomen twitching in sheer delight. Maybe she feels kind of silly, but she trusts Gem with this, and here in her arms, she feels like a very happy dog. ]
[ So it barks softly, to tell Gem as much, and holds her tighter, nuzzling against her shoulder. ]
[ Gem barks back, the sound a little higher-pitched and sharper than Pearl’s, her tail twitching happily. She devolves into a giggle, smoothing her hand over Pearl’s hair. ]
[ She holds Pearl tighter, soaking up her warmth and her presence. ]
