Distance

(Silly Human Rituals)

Summary: Pearl stumbles upon a gift from Rose and they talk about the fusion who just joined their rebellion. The distance between them begins to ever so slowly shrink, the promise of what the future holds enough to keep both gems hopeful.

A/N: Another fluffy Pearl/Rose that's been sitting on my phone waiting for some polish before posting. Takes place before Kissing, specifically the night Garnet joins Pearl and Rose, though it does take place in the same continuity/series as Kissing (which I've taken to calling Silly Human Rituals, even if not all stories will actually revolve around a human ritual). The instalments/oneshots will be sporadically updated and take place all over the timeline, meaning they will not be uploaded in order because I'm not writing them in order.

Disclaimer: I do not own Steven Universe or anything associated with Steven Universe.

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It was an overwhelming want to see her Pearl that found Rose wandering the extensive network of caves and tunnels late into the night, the quartz having an unusually hard time finding the wayward Pearl. The lithe gem wasn't to be found in her usual places – or by Rose's side - and so Rose was at a momentary loss. About to turn around and restart her search, an idea floated to the forefront of her mind and caused her to pause. It was a long shot, yet the more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

She was in the middle of constructing a new room, the entrance hidden in an offshoot of a seldom used passage. It was unlikely that anyone had stumbled across it, however she had designed the room with Pearl in mind and so, in a way, it made perfect sense that Pearl would be there. It was a bit of a walk from her current position, but by the time she reached the entrance Rose was completely convinced that she would find Pearl within.

Pushing aside the hanging vines acting as a privacy barrier, she stepped silently into the room and paused, a smile flittering across her face at the sight before her. Pearl was sitting by the cave's focal point, a small pool of water towards the back. The pool was being continuously fed by a small stream of water trickling down the cavern wall, the faint sound nearly musical and soothing in its consistency.

Despite wanting to join the other gem, Rose took a moment to gaze at the picture she was presented with instead. Pearl sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, her chin resting lightly on top. She had one arm wrapped around her legs and the other draped at her side, her long fingers dancing lightly across the surface of the water. Pearl was seemingly mesmerized by the resultant ripples, her expression one of serene awe, and in that moment Rose was unequivocally captivated.

Stress she hadn't even been aware of melted from Rose; her posture relaxed considerably, and her gaze softened the longer she gazed in affection at Pearl. Finally, Rose couldn't stand the distance anymore and silently strode into the room. She made no sound as she moved, yet as she lowered herself into a sitting position beside Pearl, Pearl did not start in surprise. As if she had known Rose was there all along, Pearl simply tilted her head slightly to acknowledge Rose's presence whilst continuing to stare at the patterns her fingers made.

"Do you like it?" Rose asked quietly, not wanting to ruin the silence yet undeniably curious. She herself wore a content expression while she waited for an answer, wiggling her toes in the spongy moss she had encouraged to grow until it stretched from wall to wall in a sort of living pillow.

"I've never noticed this room before," Pearl responded almost absently, voice low and serene.

Rose knew from the slight furrow across the younger gem's brow that Pearl was trying to remember ever passing the entrance to the room- trying to find a logical explanation as to why she had never been there before despite having the rest of the extensive sanctuary mentally and physically mapped out. Instead of coming right out and saying why and when it came about, however, Rose was curious to see if Pearl would come to the right conclusion herself and so decided to drop a hint instead.

"I remember the wistfulness that crossed your face when we camped by that waterfall during the beryl extraction. I know you enjoy the sight and sound of flowing water." Rose ruminated slightly, Pearl's then expression of joy and wonder at one of Earth's natural phenomena forever burned into her mind. She always took note of what caused her Pearl enjoyment, and doubly so when it could be found on Earth. Rose was no fool; she realized that Pearl wasn't as taken as she was with the planet, and so took every chance she could to share in the joy and wonder of the world around them.

"That was some time ago," Pearl murmured, her face scrunched up cutely in an almost wary sort of confusion as she finally broke her gaze away from the water to meet Rose's eyes.

Rose felt a smile of fond amusement begin to play at the corner of her lips. She suspected that Pearl was beginning to reach the right conclusion, but instead of embracing it she would undoubtedly attempt to deny it to herself. And so Rose tried again, dropping another more obvious hint.

"You used to love the fountain in the conservatory. It's where I always knew to find you when you couldn't be found." Rose's voice softened slightly at broaching what was still a sensitive subject for the both of them, yet she knew the admission was needed to cut through Pearl's denial brought on by her overwhelmingly low sense of self-worth.

Pearl, who had turned to gaze at the water once more when Rose first began to speak, whipped her head around and stared at the pink gem. Eyes wide with shock, Pearl began to splutter. "D-did you… I mean, no, you couldn't have…"

Rose knew the exact moment Pearl realized what she was hinting at, and viewed her reaction with equal parts amusement and sorrow. Amusement because she did so love flustering her Pearl, and sorrow because Pearl still had such a hard time believing that she was worthy of simple things like kindness and surprises. It was woefully a foreign concept to Pearl, that Rose enjoyed doing those things for her and that she deserved them just as much as any other gem.

Just because they were fighting for their right to be their own gems didn't immediately erase countless years of ingrained Homeworld ideologies, and Rose knew it would take time and effort before Pearl truly started believing in her own self-worth beyond surface statements and reassurances. She had made a silent vow some time ago to do whatever was in her power to help Pearl adjust- to show the smaller gem that Pearl was just as worthy as Rose herself.

It was one vow she was determined not to break.

"Yes, my Pearl?" Rose spoke softly, gently prompting Pearl to finish her sentence - to dare to voice her thoughts aloud. "Did I what?"

Pearl fidgeted slightly and averted her gaze. "I-I wouldn't want to presume," she finally murmured, voice faint.

"Please do," Rose requested earnestly, gently taking Pearl's free hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Pearl bit her lip and waffled between what Rose wanted and what she was made to believe from the moment she was created. Conflicted, Pearl's soft blue eyes flickered up and connected with Rose's own coal orbs. It was the unguarded genuine quality of Rose's expression that finally tipped the scales in Pearl's mind, and so she gathered the dregs of her courage.

Pearl licked her dry lips. Her words, when she finally forced them into existence, were so quiet they were nearly inaudible. "Did you make this cave, for… um… for me?"

"Yes," Rose stated simply, a gentle yet proud smile transforming her face. She gave Pearl's hand another gentle squeeze before reluctantly releasing it. "Yes, my terrifying renegade Pearl." Rose lightly teased the younger gem, using the words the fusion had spluttered out earlier when she admitted that Pearl made her nervous – much to Rose's amusement and Pearl's embarrassment. "I made it for you. Do you like it?"

Pearl resolutely ignored the blush she knew with certainty had overtaken her face - and was certainly only made more pronounced at Rose's soft coo of delight - and instead busied herself by intently giving the room a thorough inspection. She had spent some time looking at her surroundings when she first stumbled across the cave, but with the knowledge that Rose had designed it specifically for her- well Pearl couldn't help but view the room in an entirely new light.

The cavern wasn't particularly large, despite its vaulted ceiling; it was small without inducing feelings of being boxed in or restrained. The high ceiling was draped with a multitude of flowering vines, the many plants overlapping and swirling around each other with their flowers of soft blue and purple on clear display, while the hard ground was covered with a thick carpet of soft and spongy moss in a vibrant shade of emerald green. Thick and vivacious rose bushes grew along the cavern walls, the pink and red flowers in various stages of bloom bathing the room in a comfortingly familiar scent that Pearl couldn't help but get lost in for a long moment.

Those aspects on their own would be enough for Pearl to confidently say that she adored the room, however Rose had gone one step further and Pearl actually felt her bottom lip tremble slightly at the thought of Rose putting so much time and effort into a gift for her. For Pearl. She turned her head slightly and covertly wiped at the corner of her eye before clearing her throat and continuing her inspection.

The bioluminescent plants of varying colors Rose had taken to growing throughout the complex as a subterranean light source were on full display and tastefully woven throughout the other vegetation. Beautiful on its own, the light's appeal was boosted significantly when refracted off of the naturally occurring Earth crystals jutting out in varying intervals along the cavern walls.

Pearl's favorite part of the room, however, had to be the pond before her. The serenity the constant musical trickle of water evoked within her was only outmatched by the vision that was the sparkling crystals at the bottom of the pool reflecting the lights. It caused the whole pool to glow, each ripple in the water's surface bending and twisting different hues together as the colors twirled and dipped in a mesmerizing dance. The sight had captured her attention almost immediately upon entering the cave, and served to begrudgingly remind Pearl that despite her many misgivings, there was beauty to be found on Earth.

Even if, in a roundabout way, the beauty could be contributed to Rose and not the planet itself. Or, Pearl thought, perhaps it was the other way around; perhaps there was only beauty to be found on Earth because Rose was there. Rose was, after all, the pinnacle of beauty.

It took a certain amount of willpower for Pearl to tear her gaze from the pool once more – and her mind from the subject of Rose's overwhelming amount of redeeming qualities - and finish her mental appraisal. After careful consideration, she would best describe the room as cozy, soothing, and enchanting. That Rose would design such a delightful place with Pearl specifically in mind…

"I love it," Pearl whispered honestly, her voice slightly thick with emotion.

The gratitude and wonder was plain to see on Pearl's face, and Rose felt elation warring with an overwhelming amount of affection within her. "I'm glad," Rose smiled softly. She had known that Pearl would like the room – and not just because she was the one gifting it to Pearl – but nonetheless Rose felt a great deal of relief at the younger gem's honest pleasure.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a long while, though Rose could feel that there was still something troubling Pearl. The quartz had an inkling as to what the issue was, but she was loath to force Pearl into divulging her problems; Rose knew that with a little patience and her continued support, Pearl would open up about what was troubling her on her own volition. And so, not wanting to burst the bubble of calm and comfort that had settled around them in the silence, yet wanting – perhaps selfishly – to draw Pearl's attention away from the rippling water and onto her - onto a conversation of untold possibilities - Rose opened her mouth and spoke the first thing that came to mind.

"So what do you think about our newest member?" Rose asked randomly, though once the thought was out there she realized that she was genuinely curious about Pearl's opinion on the matter.

Pearl tilted her head in thought as she raised her hand, letting gravity pull the droplets downwards to drip one by one back into the pool. "The fusion, you mean?"

Rose lifted a brow in amusement. "Unless another gem has defected and joined the us today without my knowledge, then yes, I do believe I mean the fusion," Rose gently teased, laughter audible in her voice.

Pearl's cheeks colored once more, her skin turning light blue in embarrassment. Shaking off the last of the water, she wiped the leftover moisture on her yellow shorts. Her hands waffled slightly in the air, inching closer to Rose before being resolutely jerked back. Pearl folded her hands together and held them tightly in her lap in an attempt to keep them under control- it took a great deal of effort, considering how very much she wanted nothing more than to latch on to Rose.

"I… haven't seen enough of her to fully assess her abilities," Pearl started hesitantly, before slowly warming to the subject. "It's obvious that she has yet to gain full control of her fine motor functions, though I suspect that issue will rectify itself with some time and practice." Pearl chewed her lip in thought. "Regarding her potential combat capabilities, I haven't the slightest clue, though from what I know of fusions in general, they are typically the sum of their parts; stronger, faster, and with better reflexes than their components have individually. Though logically with training she would be competent at worst, I suspect that she may surpass my expectations. We shall simply have to wait and see when we test her - once she has had sufficient time to get used to her body, of course."

Rose bit back a chuckle, her hand covering the amused smile on her lips yet doing nothing to conceal her sparkling eyes. Clearing her throat, she hummed in agreement. "Very true, though not quite the answer I was looking for."

Pearl blinked inquisitively, her head tilted slightly in confusion. "What do you mean?"

The chuckle ultimately escaped in the form of light breezy laughter, Pearl's adorably bemused expression breaking her composure. Of course, that just made Pearl's confusion more pronounced, and Rose reigned in her amusement with difficulty to favor Pearl with an extremely fond look. "While your tactical appraisal is always appreciated, I was referring to a more personal opinion rather than a professional one."

"Oh." Pearl blinked, before her face flushed. "Oh! Oh, of course. I-hmm… what did you want to know?"

"Hm…" Rose hummed and leaned back until she was lying down and staring upwards. The vines remained dark despite the light, yet it gave the almost glowing flowers the appearance of floating. She quite liked the effect it made, and patted the spot next to her in invitation. Rose waited for Pearl to hesitantly settle down next to her – she was somewhat disappointed at the polite space left between their bodies, though it wouldn't do to rush Pearl and so she attempted to ignore it – before elaborating. "How do you – personally – feel about her?"

"I-I don't know…?" Pearl replied haltingly, though she was aware that Rose wasn't satisfied with her response. Sighing through her nose, she attempted to gather her thoughts into a more acceptable answer. "I suppose I'm… curious?"

"Oh?" Rose asked inquisitively, curious herself at Pearl's statement. Not that she had thought Pearl of all gems would hold the fusion's existence against her, but that her Pearl was curious was very intriguing to Rose. "Go on."

"I wasn't aware that a fusion between different gems was a viable possibility," Pearl responded finally, before murmuring. "Not to mention a stable one." Pearl thought about it for a long moment before she sighed and gave a half-shrug. "I knew just like every gem knew that it was taboo to even attempt the process, and that the result would be nothing more than an abomination- but I never thought it would actually work."

"I don't know of any instances of it happening personally myself," Rose admitted. What she didn't mention were the rumors floating around the upper quarter a few centuries ago that involved a pair of shattered gems, and the hushed whispers of fusion that followed briefly before they were snuffed out. They were silent for a moment, before Rose spoke again. "Do you still view it that way?"

Pearl's brow furrowed in slight confusion before smoothing out as she understood the underlying question. "No, I don't suppose I do. She – that is, the fusion – seems like a pleasant enough gem. Gemling? She acts like one, anyway, despite the age of her components. It's an odd concept, I suppose, however she's not hurting anyone and she – they? – she seems perfectly happy the way she is. Who am I to tell her differently? To be perfectly honest, I'm glad she found us. The alternative… isn't a pleasant thought."

Rose gazed tenderly at the gem next to her. "I am very proud of you, my Pearl. Of course it is only fair that she be allowed to choose her own existence, despite the many biases and prejudices gemkind may harbor."

Pearl flushed with pride at the praise. Averting her gaze in embarrassment, she mumbled, "I'm only saying what any decent gem would."

"And I wish there were more decent gems like you," Rose smiled softly.

Pearl shrugged awkwardly. She adored the attention, but at the same time she… didn't know what to do with it. Which meant it was time for either a tactical retreat or a deflection. Since she was actually quite comfortable… "What about you? What do you think about her?"

"Much the same as you," Rose saw the confliction play across Pearl's face and allowed her to change the subject. Pushing would only get her so far. "I am, however, curious as to how it feels."

"What do you mean?" Pearl asked inquisitively.

"Think about it," Rose prompted, intently studying Pearl's reaction out of the corner of her eye. "How wonderful must it feel that Ruby and Sapphire would rather remain fused than the alternative."

"I suppose it must feel…" Pearl murmured thoughtfully. "Hmm… I wonder…" Rose had to strain her hearing to catch Pearl's next words, but in her opinion it was well worth the trouble. "Perhaps someday…"

Rose didn't bring attention to Pearl's admission, though her gem did warm slightly in delight – or was it anticipation? Either way, she was looking forward to that day.

Not having much more to say, the two gems let the conversation die out, content to let the comforting silence blanket them once more as they gazed up at the glowing flowers. Catching movement out of the corner of her eye, Rose saw one of Pearl's hands move only for the other to grasp it tightly. All too aware of the space between them, she decided to take a chance.

Slowly, as if she were dealing with a skittish animal, Rose moved her hand until it brushed ever-so lightly against Pearl's clasped hands. Feeling more than seeing the other gem freeze, Rose waited, doing nothing more than keeping the light contact. Time passed, and Pearl slowly relaxed once more, their hands a constant point of comforting contact between them.

The movement was so slight that at first Rose thought she'd imagined it. It happened again, though, a few minutes later, and that time Rose was certain she wasn't imagining things.

Pearl's hand had moved.

It was nothing more than a small twitch in her direction, but it was progress and Rose could hardly keep the elated smile from her face. Instead of making a big deal out of it, however, she simply inched her own hand until it rested loosely beneath Pearl's, her fingers splayed open invitingly.

Rose didn't count the minutes or hours as they passed; the time that elapsed seemed both exceedingly long and altogether too short. She did take note, however, that sometime during the silence Pearl's hand had moved. Elegantly long fingers had twined with her own, and the time that elapsed after the fact seemed altogether… more. More bright, more joyful, more comforting, more promising; simply... more.

And Rose was accepting of the distance still left between them, of the careful line that had yet to be properly breached. She was content with the carefully loaded looks and fleeting touches. She was more than happy with holding Pearl's hand; not only was it enjoyable and a step in the right direction, but was also a symbol of how far they had come.

So when morning finally came and they had to return to their duties, Rose held on until Pearl indicated that she was ready to let go. Rose reluctantly acquiesced, though she wasn't worried. That night found them in the same position. And the next. And the next.

And if Rose took note that with every night that passed the distance between them shrunk, even if only by a minuscule amount? Well by the look of Pearl's blue-stained cheeks she was well aware of the minute changes as well.

And on the nights where progress seemed to halt or reverse by whatever amount, Rose kept one thought at the forefront of her mind, and it brought her enough comfort to see the distance slowly begin to close again.

Perhaps someday…

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A/N: This was kind of an experiment in that I wanted to be extra descriptive and try to paint a clear picture when describing the cave. The Earth flashback scenes in The Answer were beautifully depicted and the inspiration for this story.