Eyes Closed
(Fic features lyrics from Eyes Closed by The Narrative)
Droplets of rain slid down the open mouth of the Gem's base as the sky cleared. Puddles gathered at the entrance reflecting the cloud's retreat. The sky was dark behind the clouds, the rain having lasted all day, and now stars shined faintly in their place.
Pearl huffed a quiet sigh through her nose. They had managed to get yet another corrupted gem bubbled, but at what cost?
The tall woman held her breath as a glowing ball of light grew next to her, Amethyst is regenerating I suppose. This wasn't uncommon, the short purple gem being poofed and having to regenerate. Took her time with this one… Pearl stood, her comfortable seat on a simple pillow forgotten as she prepared to greet the wilder girl back to the world. As the light grew brighter she saw her tell-tale form appearing. Pearl had been waiting patiently for her to regenerate, and in her task she had found herself alone. Rose had left with Greg in tow, promising a swift return with treats for Amethyst, and Garnet had opted for meditation. Pearl had waited, and watched the sun dip beneath the clouds, and saw the rain come and go. Yet she had yet to see Rose or Garnet. Rose is probably staying out with Greg tonight again… She couldn't help but be bitter, she just couldn't. Rose had promised her she'd return. And as the stars came out Pearl found herself with lost hope as her only companion. The ball of light had at this point had fallen to the floor below, and among the shards of crystal growing in their base rose Amethyst. She sported a wild grin as she spotted her tall companion. "Pearl!" She ran and jumped at the oblivious knight, toppling her to the floor in her excitement. "AGH! A-AMETHYST! PLEASE!" Pearl cried, embarrassed.
Amethyst rolled off of the flustered gem, sitting up beside her, palms planted firmly in front of her as she leaned towards her. "Aw, c'mon P! Didn't ya miss me?!" Pearl massaged her temples briefly, something she'd seen humans do when peeved. "Yes, I suppose I did, but did you really have to tackle me?" The kindergarten runt had long since stopped listening to Pearl rant, opting to instead scan the empty house. "Hey! Why are the lights off? Where is everybody?" Pearl stopped mid-sentence at that, wide eyes and flushed face turning to face the smaller gem. "W-Well…. Rose is…" "With Greg again?" Amethyst's sudden interjection startled Pearl yet again and she couldn't help giving a slightly downcast look towards the base entrance. "Yes…. And Garnet decided to retire into the temple for meditation…"
The purple gem leaned forwards further, her deep dark eyes looking up at Pearl. The taller woman couldn't help but think, her eyes are so dark, so deep, almost like Rose's….
"So… You're all alone here?" The tall knight jumped in her position on the floor, blush intensifying and painting her ears blue. "I-I suppose, but its fine." She blanched a little at Amethyst's taken back expression, she hadn't meant to sound so sharp and bitter. Pearl sighed quickly through her nose and tried again with, "Its fine, really Amethyst, I'm used to it… And someone had to be here to see you." Amethyst seemed contented with this and suddenly leapt to her feet, dragging Pearl along with her to the warp pad. "Well if we're alone here then let's do something fun until they get back!" Pearl didn't have the energy, or admittedly, the heart, to tell the exited girl that they'd probably be alone for the rest of the night. So instead, she opted for sitting down obediently, watching the exited meant-to-be soldier run around the base, apparently on a mad hunt for something.
After quite a few minutes of unsuccessful searching, Pearl was getting tired of waiting, "Amethyst," She began, fighting off the thousandth sigh of the day as she saw her shorter teammate turn towards her. "Please, at least tell me what you're looking for, I could help you." Amethyst huffed at this and returned to her stubborn search, running around out of sight behind a large collection of crystals near the wall. Pearl had assumed she had left, having a tantrum or whatnot, and she gathered herself up only to be jolted by a sudden shout of "AHA! I FOUND IT!" Amethyst ran back to her excitedly, a slightly old looking device in her arms. "Amethyst… What is that?" The girl stopped in front of her, bouncing in place lightly, clutching the large object as if her life depended on it. "It's Greg's radio thingy! Check it out P, its great!" She flipped open the back, and sent a little shock of purple energy into it, the large contraption lighting up in response. "That should give it enough juice for a while I think!" Pearl was ready to protest, having already heard plenty of Greg's "songs" for Rose, she was hardly a fan. Before she could interject, Amethyst saw her expression, face falling slightly. "Y-you don't wanna listen with me?"
Pearl crossed her arms defensively before herself, shooting a pointed and blue flushed glance at a far wall. "I'm sorry Amethyst, but I've heard plenty of Greg's little serenades." Her tone came out biting and quick, she didn't feel sorry for it this time, but she looked back, with a mix of anger and surprise as she heard Amethyst adjusting the volume. Static filled the cave, and echoed loudly around them as she picked up a signal. "What are you?!-"Amethyst looked up at her, eyes shining with a youthful determination. "C'mon P!" The static finally settled, and a soft melody started playing, reverberating off the walls with incredible sound as the song began. "This isn't Greg's stuff, he has all his CDs with him, so I took his music thingy and found out there's other music on it!" Pearl huffed indignantly, "I think you mean stations, Amethyst, you can pick them with it as well as play CDs you know." Amethyst simply stuck her tongue out, but Pearl noticed the faintest purple blush on her cheeks. Apparently she was embarrassed at her mistake. "Here, you'll get better signal if we move it..." Pearl fiddled with the buttons and knobs, and scooted the radio until it was in the perfect spot, the song coming in much clearer. "Here!" She smiled happily to herself, proud of her technological know-how and spared a slightly beaming smile down to the girl next to her. They sat down, one on either side of the radio as the song's intro finished, and the first lyrics began to come through.
The clouds hold…..
"Amethyst this is-" A warm finger reached over the box and pressed against her thin lips, effectively shushing her, Amethyst moved back whispering "Shhh, this is a good one I heard it once on here!"
Pearl settled back quietly, pouting and flushing slightly but continuing to listen nonetheless.
A storm over this road…..
Pearl's eyes darted surprised to the girl next to her, Amethyst bobbed her head along, fingers tapping softly against the warp pad as she listened. Unaware of Pearl's lingering gaze.
Why would Amethyst of all people like a song so…..
She watched her hair bob with her head, and found she was entranced by the strands of light lavender that strayed in the movement.
Amethyst had grown a bit since they found her, her hair had grown longer and she'd gotten curvier as time progressed, coming into her powers naturally. She was still wild that much was certain, but in this moment she seemed almost… Gentle….
And you're dreaming….
"Good song so far huh P?" Amethyst's dark eyes were locking her in place suddenly, and Pearl almost managed a reply before being shushed again. The shorter gem going back to listening to the soft tune.
Or at least you've got your eyes closed…..
Pearl stiffened, blush intensifying as she turned away, focusing on a random point and allowing herself to ease into the music now echoing freely among the cave walls.
And this dormant love you've built inside
Your stubborn ways
Well it's begging now, for air….
She felt a tight prick behind her eyes, she closed them tightly, willing the tears away as she fought with her conflicting feelings. She saw, in her mind's eye, Rose and Greg kissing softly in his van. She saw them getting cozy as the rain cleared, could practically hear her tinkling laughter as she promised to return.
Liesshe thought bitterly all lies…
She felt a hand grip hers and she turned, to be caught yet again off guard by that surprisingly deep gaze.
"Thinking 'bout Rose huh?"
Pearl wanted to tug her hand away, she almost did. But ice pierced her core as she heard her teammate whisper, her voice laced with its own sadness.
"She isn't coming back, is she?"
(Future)
The radio played a quiet tune as Pearl tucked Steven in, turning away as she made her way into the now completed house. She sat at the bar staring blankly at the portrait above the front door.
She jumped as she felt Amethyst's hand rest on the small of her back, not having expected her back so soon. "The little guy asleep?"
Pearl calmed a little, though she still stayed tense, as was a default for her now. "Yes, it took a few bottles but he's finally settled down."
Amethyst went slowly to the couch, plopping down and then raising up, scooting in surprise to the side when Pearl joined her. She allowed herself to sink into the cushions, felt the warmth of the house radiate through her tired being as she turned her head lazily down towards Amethyst.
"Why are you home?" She stated plainly, suddenly feeling her energy tap out as the quiet settled over them.
"Why not." Amethyst supplied simply. Looking up sideways through her bangs at the tired gem next to her.
"You and Garnet were on a mission, is it over?" Asked Pearl tiredly, leaning her head up to look at her more directly. "I told you I'd be fine with Steven."
Amethyst, feeling the slight heat of Pearl's gaze, leaned forward nonchalantly, elbows resting on her knees. "Yeah, but Garnet told me she wanted to take the clean-up on alone, so I came back."
Liar Pearl thought, she could practically see Garnet sending Amethyst home to check on their most frazzled companion, and she cringed to think how she must look now.
As she sat, contemplating the situation bitterly, she failed to notice Amethyst get up and retrieve the radio from near Steven's crib. She was only shaken from her thoughts when Amethyst plunked back down next to her, setting the radio down in between them and announcing, "I think he's asleep deep enough that we can use it now, huh?" Pearl blinked quickly in surprise, watching Amethyst shoot a familiar spark of purple light into the newer machine to turn it on. "You know, you could just plug it in and set it on the bar now, yes?" Amethyst grinned in a surprisingly soft way up at her and stated simply.
"This is more authentic, dontcha think P?" Pearl held back her shock, nostalgia flooding her as a familiar song started up.
"Geez it's been a while hasn't it? I thought this song would die out! Haha! I guess this generation has some good taste in music huh?"
Pearl sank back into the couch again, mind fogging as she looked blankly ahead, losing herself in her tiredness to the music and the memory tied to it.
A particular line pulled her back, focus sharpening slightly as she listened to the lyrics. Ones that had a slightly more bittersweet meaning than before.
Well it's begging now, for air….
She gazed sideways, lost in her forlorn thoughts as the speaker played the song out, lyrics matching her thoughts in an oddly fitting way.
….of the silent breath of change….
She felt her hands clench unconsciously in the couch cushions, and felt that familiar prick behind her eyes. Now more awful and insistent than ever.
Change, certainly I suppose she mused darkly, sharp hearing picking up the soft breathing of her new charge in the crib above on the loft.
She shifted and sniffed quietly, a hand reaching up to flick away a straying tear before it could truly escape, but found her hand stopped in mid-air.
Amethyst slowly retracted her hand from Pearl's, having been silently watching her battle with herself as the song continued. Lyrics flew by as they stared at each other. Pearl's eyes still welled with tears, but her gaze was wide and searching, locked in place by Amethyst's dark eyes.
"…..Pearl…" Amethyst whispered, not for the sake of Steven, but because it was all she could do to force her words out, gaze never faltering as she stared at the taller gem with deep concern.
As these waves crash against the highway cliffs
I'm so scared they'll flood me where I sit….
Well the roads they changed to waterways….
They never carry home…
Amethyst cleared her throat, finally breaking her gaze with Pearl and looked down at the floor, eye's scrunched in confusion as she wondered what to say, she knew she wasn't good at this, but she had to do-
"Amethyst…"
She looked back then, caught by those once bright blue eyes, now a tear filled dull blue. All the life sucked out of 'em, was she always hurting like this? Amethyst wondered.
You pull back, and you angle towards the window…..
"Amethyst." Pearl began again, a sob working its way up and out of her, jerking her shoulders slightly as she struggled to maintain her false calm.
Even as the tears began to fall, she still cupped her face in her larger lavender hand, steeling her resolve as an idea came to mind.
She wasn't the best singer in the world, but she'd never forgive herself if she didn't help Pearl somehow.
She sung out with the song, her voice slightly graveled from nerves, and shaky from fear of rejection.
"Now the rain is crashing down."
Pearl's tears, as if the mentioned rain, started to fall freer than before, choking sobs acting as thunder of sorts as she continued, flicking them away with the pad of her thumb as she sang louder.
"And oh my God, you're beautiful."
Pearl jolted in surprise, tears flying and landing haphazardly on her chest as Amethyst leaned in, gem glowing softly.
The once courageous knight, now turned spurned servant felt her own gem glow as she fell into those deep eyes. She felt herself stiffen one more time, tears falling the hardest they had yet down her stricken face as she whispered, voice strained from her internal battle, familiar words once spoken to her.
"She isn't coming back, is she?"
Lips crashed into hers, and she couldn't care less as they toppled over one another, the radio between them falling onto random cushions and baby toys on the floor.
It continued to play as they lost themselves in one another, gems glowing brightly as limbs meshed together and forms faded. A sobbing Opal clinging to herself tightly, hair a disheveled mess blanketing her in its white entirety. Her second set of arms, reaching up, a set of hands with slightly thicker fingers thumbing away tear after tear as they fell from the broken hearted fusion.
The song played on, energy finally giving out as it ended. The inconsolable fusion never ceasing her quiet crying even as it died out, determined to stay in place and listen to its end.
And I'm so unsighted, still I pray you'll hold back your escape...
Yeah we still got time
And in my mind these bends could be steered straight...
As these waves crash against the highway cliffs,
I'm so scared they'll flood me where I sit...
Well the roads, they change to waterways...
They never carry home
Well, I'm sorry for the things I had to say...
And I'm sorry I pushed your hand away
From the radio...
I pushed your hand away
From the radio...
I should have just let it go...