You know how whenever you experience a serious utterly life-changing event, it feels like your entire state of being just comes to a standstill?
And yet time and the world around you keeps trickling onward at its sedate, nonchalant pace as if nothing of note really happened and it just leaves you disoriented?
Xana, staring at the oscillating fan above her with while strewn across her bed in a helpless position, was feeling exactly that.
It had only been a couple of days since the second anniversary of her friendship with Spinel, as well as the consequent confession of their stronger feelings for each other. The rest of their special day together had gone by much too quickly for their liking, lazing about in Spinel's room talking idly about inconsequential things and enjoying lots of cuddles in the meantime (as well as a smooch here and there; Xana had a feeling that the gem was quickly growing very fond of them), until it was time for the human woman to head back to Earth to get some rest.
Wow. The novelty of that statement wasn't going to wear off for a while, she knew.
Their farewell was a little more drawn-out and clingy than usual too; Neither of them had wanted the day to end, even though Xana had been starting to yawn every few minutes by the time they were wrapping up. Her new bouncy beau took the liberty of walking the tall woman home, half out of wanting to keep her safe and half out of not wanting to leave her side just yet. They eventually managed to tear themselves apart after hugging on the front porch for another ten minutes, but it had been a reluctant (and admittedly even a bit tearful) goodbye, and even after that, Xana had asked her to call her when she made it back to Homeworld so she knew the gem made it back home safe, and they had gotten so side-tracked by their consequent conversation that it didn't end until the organic being could no longer keep her eyes open and fell asleep on the call.
And then?
Radio silence.
To be fair though, there was silence on both sides. Upon waking up the next morning, Xana had been left wondering if any of yesterday's events had actually happened, flushed red and spluttering for a good few hours at just how bold she had been the day before.
'Had it all been a dream? I'm never that forward!'
And well, out of the embarrassment and confusion, Xana just hadn't made the attempt to contact Spinel after the fact; She had pretty much just camped out on her bed with wild thoughts leaving her discombobulated and indisposed.
It had been quiet on Spinel's end as well, and Xana had an inkling as to why-She was probably overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with herself now, just like the human herself. The same question that the woman was thinking to herself was probably on the Gem's mind too.
Where do we go from here?
And so here the woman was, lying on her bed two days after the fact, listless and wondering what the hell she should do now.
'More-than-Friend isn't a moniker that could last all that long... I need to decide on what I should call her now. She wouldn't mind, would she? After all, she calls me by so many nicknames herself...' She mused, rolling onto her stomach and pillowing her face into her crossed arms. 'But maybe it'd be too soon for that? We didn't even really discuss what this means for us now... Gah.' Xana buried her head further into her comforter, damning her absent-mindedness. She had been so caught up in all of the emotions that it had just completely slipped her mind!
Groaning at the stupidity that had landed her in her current situation, she moped into her covers with a deep sigh. 'How to move past this... We gotta talk sometime, we can't just leave this up in the air...'
Ruminating a few more seconds on her plight, the woman curled into a ball with a weak moan of despair. "Dammit. I bet Spinel's waaay better off than I am right now..."
Spinel was, in fact, not better off.
Instead, to say the gem was in an overactive daze would be a gross understatement.
The pink slinky was having immense trouble sitting still, even more than usual. She was literally bouncing off the walls of her room and slithering a path through her mountain of cushions in an irritable hyperactive cycle that started all the way from the beginning every few minutes.
And why was she wound up tighter than a piano wire? Oh, about the same reason she usually was these days.
It seemed like more and more of her thoughts were tuned in her favorite human's general direction lately... She had hoped that maybe her overly plentiful thoughts about Xana would lessen at least a little now that they had confessed to each other.
Haha, yeah right.
Homeworld didn't experience solar and lunar cycles like Earth did, but she had learned to know them and distinguish between the two to know when not to call or just show up unannounced in case it was nighttime and Xana was sleeping; because of that, she knew just how much time had passed for Xana.
Two days.
Two. Days.
Now, normally, Spinel wouldn't normally freak out about a two-day quiet period between the two of them (that much). This was because she learned early on that giving friends space every once in a while was a good and healthy thing to do, even if she didn't like doing it all too much. But after what happened, she had kinda sorta maybe assumed that would change a bit... That being in a romantic relationship maybe meant that being around each other almost every day wouldn't be too out of the question?
But instead, there was dead air.
Maybe she was mistaken? She didn't know much about romance, so maybe it wasn't much different from their previous bestie relationship? She could deal with that, but she had the hopes from all of the hugs and... k-kisses they exchanged the other day that there would be some changes. The gem wasn't really keen on the idea of being deprived of something as nice as kissing after just being introduced to it...
Spinel had no clue how humans were even able to get anything done when kissing was a thing, as a matter of fact. Why would anyone want to do anything else? All she could think about was how warm and soft Xana's lips felt against hers, the heated buzzing and crackling electricity that surged throughout every single one of her filaments to the point where she felt she'd burst. It had felt so nice; Who in the universe could deny themselves such an experience? Especially when someone like Xana was the one sharing it with them.
And speaking of said woman, the jester had no idea she could be so alluring when it came to something she wanted. The Gem could feel her hair spike up every time she imagined Xana staring at her gem the other day, expression sly and portraying a quiet sultry deviousness. Pretty plump lips crooked up in smug amusement, eyes sparkling with desire for her of all people...
Those cobalt pools of passion just made her want to melt into putty-
"ACK!" Too taken by her infatuated rumination, she hadn't noticed a pillow she had originally disturbed in an earlier pass, it clipped the edge of her foot as she bounced past it again; being knocked off balance she went tumbling forward, rolling across the cushy surfaces with a squeal before crashing into a stop against her communicator stand with her legs dangling over her head.
'Ouch...' She groaned pitifully, her eyes rolling around in their sockets in a dizzily as she limply folded over herself. 'M'really out of it right now.' Spinel thought to herself, flopping over onto her side with a squeak and a 'pomf'.
She really had no idea what to do with herself right now.
So their relationship had evolved. That was great!
Only now, she had no idea where that left the two of them... Relationship-wise. What changes would there be? Would they be around each other more? Less? Were the previous hugs and kisses a one-time thing, like a ritual to begin a romantic relationship? Would they still be able to hang out? Could they still joke and laugh together?
What was going to happen next?
There had been so many instances where the two had proven they wanted to be more than just chums, pals, amigos, or whatever else you'd like to call friendship. Now that they were there? What else could she do besides wish she'd held her human for longer, and even tighter?
"If I c'n think that..."
'Then why can't I put it inta words?'
...
"Dammit, Muffin..." She muttered, curling into the fetal position upon her cushion pile. "Why do I always get like this when yer involved...?"
Sulking in her unorthodox position for a moment or two, the reflective glimmering surface of the floating ceramic brick atop her communicator stand caught her eye, her gaze flickering over it anxiously before she bit her lip.
Spinel... Could always call first, couldn't she? Xana had given her permission a long time ago to call her whenever she wanted (other than during nighttime), and she definitely wanted to hear from her right now... It couldn't be past one pm in Beach City currently, so her human was definitely up and about by now. Maybe that was what she was waiting for? Xana was funny like that sometimes, always wanting to make sure she wasn't being too pushy or insistent and letting others accept things at their own pace.
Besides, Xana was a human of her word! She said she wanted to be with Spinel, so she had to have meant it! Any doubts the gem could think of were just her insecurities talking, she knew.
"I can do it... S'easy thing ta do, no sweat!" Cartwheeling into a kneeling position, she shimmied closer to her communication stand and stretched upwards to peek over the edge, staring hard at the holographic hub flickering to life at her near proximity. "Now ta jus'... Do it..."
Xana continued to roll over her mattress in her indecision, her grumbling getting louder and louder by the second before she threw her hands up in exasperation, growling out her stress.
This was stupid! She managed to get her feelings out on the table just two days ago, so why was it so hard to call up her interest now?!
Rolling out of bed to come into an awkward crouch on the floor, she crawled over towards her Gem-Tech Communicator (styled like a purple flower; Bismuth and Peridot really knew her well) and knelt before the stand, peeking up at the little floating device and the keyboard before it. Her eyes stared daggers at the upside-down heart insignia glowing almost mockingly at her, and pouted just a bit.
'C'mon, all it would take is just one touch... It's easy!'
Her hand reached out to hover over the holographic button.
...
...
' Would it be desperate to call now? What if she needs more time?'
...
...
"It's not easy!" She shouted to her ceiling with a grimace, gripping at her bunched curls with both hands as she flopped back to the floor. "Whyyyyyyyyy~?!"
A gloved hand hovered over a glowing violet button.
Her finger poked out.
Curled in.
Poked out.
Curled back in.
Nnnnngh, her gem glowed like a disco ball with each hesitant action.
Just press the damn button already.
"What if I'm jus' bein' a burden...?" Spinel whimpered, clenching her hand into a fist as she felt her resolve waver. "What if 'm bein' too possessive? I don't wanna scare 'er away..."
Ya know ya wanna see her.
Ya gonna keep her waitin'?
...
"mmmmMMMMMAGH THIS IS STUPID!" Throwing her head back with an agonized shout, she flailed her arms wildly as she growled. "FER THA LOVE O-"
Boop!
"...Eh?" Freezing at the unexpected sound, vibrant pink eyes flashing down to spy that in her manic flailing she had accidentally smashed her fist against a very specific button and causing the spade-shaped holographic base to separate and expand, acquiring a pink-tinted transparent screen. "Eh?"
"Calling Xana, My Flower~." A robotic voice chittered out almost mockingly in time with the subsequent paling of Spinel's face.
Oh.
Shit.
"Spinel, My Heart, is calling~!"
Xana practically jumped out of her skin as the cheerful monotone of the alien technology system blared throughout her house, wide eyes whipping over to spot the contact picture that she had set for Spinel's line forming on the holographic screen that had grown to its rather large size.
What?!
"She's... She's calling me?" Xana murmured, almost in disbelief as she rolled up from her hopeless recline on the floor into a sitting position. Staring in silence for a handful of seconds, she could feel her anxiety building. "H-Holy shit, she's calling me. Does she want to talk?" She asked herself before promptly smacking herself upside the head.
"Well, no fucking duh Xana, that's what calling is meant for, you dumbass-"
"Miss Xana, would you like to accept the call?" The call system's avatar asked with patient grace, snapping Xana out of her scolding daze.
'...And here I am, panicking instead of answering. Don't let it go to voicemail, you idiot!'
"Uh, y-yeah, accept the call!" She shouted over at the communicator and immediately blushing soon after as she realized her strange position on the floor would probably be called into question as soon as Spinel answered.
"Understood. Connecting now..."
"Eep!" Without further ado, Xana hopped up and scurried off to get her nearest chair to drag it up to the communicator stand, barely managing to sit in it and look like she wasn't a complete spaz by the time the video call connected.
Stars, she hoped she didn't look as stupid as she felt.
...Ring, ring...
...Ring, ring...
"What's taking her so long...?"
...Ring, ring...
"Maybe she's not home? But the communication system s'linked to her phone-thingy... Even if she couldn't answer, she would have done that texting thing by now, wouldn't she?"
...Ring, ring...
Spinel could feel her face slowly dropping into an expression of worry as the longer the robotic chimes rang hollowly throughout her room.
Did... Xana not want to talk to her? Maybe she freaked her out?
...What if she was distracted?
W-What if she was hurt?!
What if-
Ring, ri-Click!
"Call connected! Hello Xana!"
Oh, thank the Stars!
"Babydoll!" Those beautiful eyes are what caught Spinel's attention first; wild and bright, she could feel her gem leaping for joy within her chest the longer she stared.
The second thing she noticed was the rather harried position the young woman was gathered atop the chair she knew was placed in the human's personal room. The little alien blinked in confusion, her brow furrowing momentarily before she had to hold back a snicker.
She had been panicking too, hadn't she?
"H-Heyyyyy sweetpea~!" The human chirped out as she tried to look as nonchalant as possible and failing quite miserably. "Eheh... H-How ya been...?"
Yup, totally panicking. That made the gem feel a bit better about her current situation.
Spinel waved in greeting as her responding smirk crawled right onto those pink cheeks. "Heya, Muffin! I'm... O-Okay. Been missin' you though... A lot." The indiscriminate honesty that the magenta jester had managed to just blurt out like it was nothing promptly summoned a splash of color to bleed over her nose and cheeks, but she powered through the embarrassment nonetheless; seeing just how flattered Xana was at the mild slip made it completely worth it. "How 'bout yerself? Ya seem flustered!~"
"N-No, I don't..." The chocolate-skinned woman murmured petulantly in reply, quickly fixing herself in her seat and twiddling her fingers shyly as she glanced to the floor. That smirk was knowing and alongside how much it was making her heart pound just to see it again, it also threw her off-kilter. "...O-Okay, maybe I am... Just a little. I just... uh. I missed you too." She confessed quietly, reaching up to rub the back of her neck. "A-A lot."
The comedian felt something inside her Gem flutter excitedly at that, her body leaning against the lip of the stand as a goofy lovesick smile wibbled over her face. "...Yeah~?"
"Uh-huh...~" Xana demured as she glanced away, reaching up to swipe an errant curly lock of hair behind her ear before looking back up. She blinked in surprise before her expression brightened with a red blush. "Oh...! You, uh... You kept the hairstyle I gave you?"
"Huh? Oh-" One of her hands looped up to brush gently against a stubborn cluster of strands that just refused to follow the flow of the rest of her hair-do. "...I, yeah! S'weird not havin' my usual pigtails but, uh, I didn't wanna ruin your work on it by takin' it out?" Spinel shrugged helplessly, a nervous smile warping her expression. "S'already startin' ta get a little wild though."
"Hehe, yeah, I noticed~." Shit, she did? "Makes sense to have your hair up with all of the activity you usually do. But that's alright!" The woman giggled as she gave a shrug in return. "I can just put it back to normal when you next visit."
Something, and Spinel still wasn't sure what exactly, swelled with glee inside her form at the phrase. She felt her blush deepen as she clasped her hands together, eyes staring hopefully at Xana's image. "When I... next visit?"
"...Oh, uh, y'know..." The organic being mumbled, glancing away timidly. "If you're still up to doing that, I mean..."
"O-Of course I am!" Spinel was quick to assure, waving her hands rapidly. "Why... W-Why wouldn't I be?"
Biting her lower lip a bit awkwardly, Xana lifted a finger to twirl a stray dark curl around it in a coy manner, unknowing of the pretty picture she made. "W-Well, heh... Funny thing is, I was trying to give you some space after everything that's happened, to give you time to process everything, and uh... well, I didn't know what would be a good time to contact you without looking clingy? Which is why I had just stayed so quiet, I guess..." Peeking up at the screen, she felt her cheeks heat up even more upon seeing the knowing and understanding expression on her new beau's face. "H-Heh, I'm glad you... y'know. Called me."
"Ohhh, suga'..." The gem had to hold back a whimper at just how relieved Xana's words made her feel. She'd be cracked if she said that her call was technically an accident though. "You ain't evah' botherin' me! Hell, I was more concerned that you didn't wanna talk ta me. I-I wanted ta call ya sooner but I didn't want ta... ya know." Spinel's feet clicked together as she thought of a way to phrase her next words. "...Same thang as you really..."
Staring at each other for a very long moment in silence, the two of them promptly burst into laughter at their combined silliness, nearly brought to the point of tears.
"Golly~!" The entertainer snorted in hilarity, wrapping her noodle arms several times around herself with a loud wheeze. "We're jus' a bunch o' jingle-brained dames, ain't we?!"
"T-There's definitely something to be said about having good communication!" The human woman replied amidst a cackle, slapping a hand over her face and shaking her head in exasperation. "O-Oh gosh... We're gonna have to work on that."
"Y-Yeah~..." Spinel snickered as she peeked up at the femme through a cracked eye, feeling her worry abate with the knowledge that nothing between them had changed (other than the obvious), they were just a couple of dorks that were incredibly afraid of scaring off their most cherished person.
Loud giggling wafted throughout the air for a little while longer before petering off into a comfortable silence; one much more relaxing than the kind they had been stewing in for the past couple of days. They released deep sighs in unison, their eyes flickering up to make warm contact once more.
"...Hey."
"Yeah, doll...?" The responding smile that came to Xana's lips was shy as she glanced down at her intertwined hands before looking back up at the Gem.
"So... Our anniversary was more than I could have ever hoped for, aaaand I really really enjoyed myself with you." She began, unaware of the wide hopeful look taking residence on the little alien's face. "But we left a lot of things unresolved with all of the emotion we went through... And, well, uh, listen, I'd really like to see you again. Y-Y'know, in person, sooo..." She squirmed in her seat, mumbling a little. "Do... Do ya maybe wanna come over? Today? We can... A-Actually talk everything through and... stuff."
"I'D LOVE T- A-Ah..." Realizing she had practically shouted her assent and surprised them both, Spinel reeled herself in quickly with a quiet clearing of her throat and snapping back into a position a little less... manic, "Ahem... I mean, I'd love tooo~." Despite her best efforts though, she continued to bounce excitedly in place, being the lovesick slinky that she was. Her shining pink irises betrayed her chill demeanor and all Xana could see was a cuddle bunny who just wanted to see her love.
'So precious~...'
Xana's bashful look gave way to an excited grin as she practically bounced in place too, nibbling on her lower lip as she clasped her hands together. "Really? Perfect!"
"S-Swell, heh!"
"Amazing!"
"Awes'me!"
"G-Great! Then, I, uh... I'll see you when you get here? H... H-How long do you think you'll take to get ready?"
"Pfff, I'll be there quick as a flash!" Like Spinel was going to let anything else keep her from her new squeeze. "Shouldn't be more than a few minutes, sugar cube."
"Awesome! I'll get some things ready for your visit then!" Giggling a bit anxiously, the human moved to get up from her chair before freezing, seeming to hesitate for a moment before clearing her throat. "Uh, Spinny?"
Pausing in her own shift away from the communicator, the pink slinky glanced back at the hologram curiously. "Yeah? S'up doll?"
Before she could think about the action and regret it, Xana puckered her lips and blew a kiss towards her screen with a blushy face and a wink. "L-Love you!" She chirped and quickly ending the call before she could get a response, patting at her heated cheeks with a somewhat wired laugh.
"O-Oh gosh... I-I can get ready quickly at least." The woman murmured as she began buzzing around her room for something suitable to wear. It didn't have to be anything fancy, it wasn't like this was a date or anything... Gosh, did she even have any date clothes? She never thought she'd ever go on one, so probably not- What was she going to do whenever they actually decided to go on a date?! "Not much to do, just need to pick up a little, maybe take a shower... Oh, I haven't eaten yet, I need to do that too..."
...
Skidding to a stop, she frowned.
"Fuck, I have so much to do..."
Staring at the screen flashing the words 'End of Call' in big bright letters with a dropped jaw, Spinel started to spew several jets of whistling steam as a bright magenta flushed across every inch of her face. "hhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-!"
Within the nearby throne room, several gems that were milling about and minding their own business were shocked out of their peaceful state by a sudden yell.
"XANA, THAT WAS ILLEGAL!"
A multitude of surprised heads turned in the direction of one of the side halls curiously as a pink blur zoomed from it and out the room, the sheer force of speed causing wind to whip at a few gems' hair and even knock over Yellow Pearl who had been passing by with a report in hand.
...
"...What's a Xana?" A Lemon Jade asked her touring group, confused as to what just happened.
"No clue." A Peridot answered with a shrug. "Probably an Earth thing."
While a fan of hot showers of the particularly long variety, today Xana felt it necessary to cut her normal soak a bit short; nyooming about her room for something to wear. A blur of anxious energy, she zipped back and forth throughout her house every which way picking errant things off the floor and tossing them into the places they actually belonged.
The four robonoid-roombas she had (courtesy of Peri and Pearl, the sweet neat freaks) were quite the help too, considering that in her harried state, she was having a tendency of missing a few spots and dropping objects here and there.
Several glances at the clock told her it had been about twenty minutes since that fated call earlier... Maybe Spinel had gotten a bit sidetracked? She liked being helpful; maybe she saw someone in need on her way and stopped to lend a hand.
'Stop worrying.' The woman shook her head furiously, busying herself by putting away some books. 'She'll be here. Just be patient.'
Finishing her frantic cleaning up, Xana started making hot chocolate (her favorite drink always managed to calm her down), taking out some snacks from the fridge and fixing up a food tray, needing a bit of help from her little robonoid buddies because she was barely able to focus on just one thing for more than twenty seconds and was liable to spill or drop something.
She hoped Spinel liked the snacks; she had been trading a few recipes with Lars recently and the elastic pink bean adored sweets. "Spinny's coming, Spinny's coming, Spinnyspinnyspinnyspinnyyyyy's comiiiiiiiing, better have all of her favorite stuff readyyyyy-"
The tall woman froze in her flittering about the kitchen as sharp rapid knocking echoed from her mudroom, the sound insistent and reminiscent of the sound a woodpecker could make. Perking up as her security system promptly announced the awaited arrival, her face brightened as her anxiety kicked up two whole notches. "Miss Xana, Spinel has arrived. Shall she be let in?"
"Y-Yes! Please, open the door for her!" She squeaked out as she lifted the food tray and quickly shuffled over to the table in front of her couch to set it down, making sure the little cakes and lollipops she had set aside didn't fall off.
"Understood. Welcome, Spinel. Make yourself at home."
"Thanks, Oracle!" Came a shaky reply, and Xana had to hold back a loud squeal. Here, she's here! "X-Xanaaa? My sweet ray of smiling sunshine, h-heheh~."
"Ah, I-I'm in the living room Spinel!"
Twirling around as she heard footsteps approach her from behind, her face broke out in a bright smile as she spotted her beau shuffling nervously in the doorway holding a couple of items in her arms. Even so, she held out her arms wide in invitation. "Spins~!"
And hook, line, and sinker, Spinel's apprehensive expression was pushed into nonexistence by the responding expression of relieved delight; immediately dropping whatever she was holding, she launched herself across the room and tackle-hugged the human with all her pent-up energy.
A happy squeal left Xana as she was suddenly knocked off balance, gasping before tumbling right onto the couch behind her with loud, elated laughter. Her arms wrapped tightly around Spinel as she buried her face into her hair, damn near whimpering as something deep inside her sang happily at having her slinky in her arms again.
Speaking of said slinky, she was nuzzling quite excitedly into Xana's neck an- was she purring? That was so cute! "Xanaaaaaaa~!" Spinel whined happily as her arms and legs practically plastered the woman's form to her own with how tightly wound they were around her body. She inhaled deeply, feeling herself relax at the familiar scent of cinnamon and vanilla washing over her senses. "My sweet sweet cinnamon roll... I freakin' missed ya!"
"I missed you too! I'm so happy to see you!" Just as excited herself, however, the human female rubbed her cheek fondly against the top of the gem's head, sighing with immense relief. "My silly lil' bunny~..." She giggled as Spinel promptly squeaked with glee and wiggled even closer (if that was even possible).
They stayed wrapped up in each other like that for a long while, soft sighs and happy giggles being exchanged as they continued to cling to each other like they were their long lost teddy bear.
Speaking of teddy bears-
"Meep!"
"Mm...?" Sleepily blinking open her eyes, Xana felt herself clutch tighter to Spinel as she looked over the edge of the couch and looked towards the floor, making a sound of confusion as two robonoids were waiting to be acknowledged, one holding a pink teddy bunny and the other holding a nice-looking bouquet in suspended animation out to her. She gasped with glee. "Honey, did you bring me gifts~? You didn't have to!"
Spinel also blinked in slight confusion, as if unaware of what her human was talking about, before looking over as well; to which her hair spiked up in realization as the gem started cursing herself mentally. She couldn't believe she forgot! "O-Oh, yeah! Rocks, uh-" Reluctantly unwinding her arms from around her soft squishy beloved, she reached out towards the stuffed animal first and held it up for Xana to peruse, "H-Here. I hope it's tha right kind of soft?"
Xana shot her a surprised glance. "Y-You remembered that about me?"
"'Course I do! I try ta remember everythin' about ya, especially when it comes ta makin' you feel comfortable around me," Spinel murmured, holding back the urge to rub the back of her neck as she gave a sheepish smile before lightly shaking the stuffed animal to redirect her human's attention, "Ya like bunnies, right?"
"Y-Yeah, for sure!" Cautiously reaching out for the toy, the woman brushed her fingertips experimentally against the artificial fur before fully taking it into her grasp with a smile. "It's perfect~." She pressed it against her face, sighing happily. "Thank you so much."
Flashing a bright smile in return (and trying to stave off the jealousy from seeing a facsimile of one of her favorite animals get affection from Xana; like honestly Spinel?), she took advantage of Xana's lapse in attention and grabbed the bouquet next, sitting up so she could hold the bundle of flowers in full view. It didn't really click for her that she was essentially straddling her human now. "I gotcha flowers too!"
Just as she had hoped, those lovely azure eyes landed right back on her, sparkling brilliantly with excitement at seeing the blooms. "Oh goodness, you spoil me~!"
"Ya deserve ta be spoiled sweetheart; s'a job I don't mind pickin' up th' slack for, either." Feeling a vague sort of triumph at seeing the stuffed toy being put to the side, for now, she bounced eagerly in place as Xana moved to sit up, taking the lovely bouquet into her grasp with a grin. Taking stock of the rather interesting variety of blooms (Ambrosia, Asters, Purple Lilacs, Lily-of-the-Valley, Pear Blossoms, and Blackthorn buds), the tall woman could feel her heart melting into goo as their meanings floated into her mind with ease.
Gosh, this was just the sweetest thing-
"...Wait a minute." The wild-haired woman murmured with a furrowed brow before pointing a confused look over at a curious-looking alien. "Did you even know that gift-giving was a thing couples did on Earth? I never told you that."
Said alien promptly froze in place, an expression of 'Caught!' flitting over her features before she started giggling nervously. "...Recently I did?"
"... Aaaand how recent is 'recently'?"
"Oh, well, uh, heh! F-Funny story that..." Looking away to avoid seeing the suspicious narrowing of the dark-skinned human's eyes, Spinel rubbed at the back of her neck with a timid grin. "I suppose you could say that on mah way ta yer house, I was a bit... Waylaid? And due to universal intervention, I found myself in possession of new knowledge and went to get a few things I knew you'd love!" Flashing cheesy jazz-hands at the end of her babble, she shrugged with a 'please believe me' look on her face. "T-Tada~!"
Staring blankly at the goofy little comedian, the young woman glanced back down at the flowers and studied them for a little while before returning a raised brow to the pink being before her. "Garnet?"
"...Garnet." Spinel admitted with a shameful hang of her head, releasing a deep sigh much to Xana's amusement. "She practically scared the hardlight outta me too-I woulda been here way sooner, but as soon as I warped ta Little Homeworld, I was thrown over her shoulda' an' carried off! And by tha' time I realized what was happenin', we were already near Funland!" The gem threw her hands up in the air with a huff, causing the blue-eyed human to snicker. "I was about ready ta read 'er th' riot act, but then she told me about th' giftin' ritual you humans did fer yer loved ones outta tha' blue at times and thought if it made ya happy, why not?"
"Heh, I have a feeling Garnet has been waiting for this day for a while."
"Yer telllin' me. She was cheesin' like crazy, the rabid shipper she is. I swear, she's worse than Peridot at times." Spinel rolled her eyes at the memory, but couldn't help but smile as well. "She steered me in th' right direction an' all, but I still picked everythin' out mahself! Ah, well-I guess the flower lady and Garnet helped me pick tha' specific flowers I'd wanted after I let it slip that you knew about a language for plants... Wanted to make it," Here she rolled her hands around in circles, trying to find the right word for what she wanted to say, "Meanin'ful for ya."
"And meaningful it most definitely is, sweetpea~." Xana cooed, brushing her fingertips over several silky soft petals of her bouquet. If the meaning 'It was Fate to experience First Love with you, My trusted Friend' wasn't the most charming thing she had ever gotten in bouquet form, she didn't know what was. "I love them and the message. I'll definitely be planting these in my garden for sentimental purposes-I don't think I have these specimens in my collection yet anyway, so that's even more of a win!" Smiling wide at the mollified look on Spinel's face, the human turned back to the robonoids still waiting at the foot of the couch and handed them her new gifts. "Could you take the stuffed bunny and put it on my bed? And could you take these to the greenhouse to be planted?" With cute beeps, they scurried off with a purpose. "Thanks, lil' buddies~."
"It's still hilarious to me just how attached you are to robots, of all things."
"Don't you judge me, they're precious babies that deserve affection and I will love them forever." The human sniffed haughtily as Spinel rolled her eyes once again, smirking.
"Whateva' ya say, doll." Chuckling a little bit in unison, the two fell into a brief silence as they stared at each other, feeling the levity of their current situation slowly fading away.
Ah, awkwardness, you basic bitch.
"...So."
"Sooooo..."
"Soooo, uh," Thinking quickly before too much of her anxiety kicked in, Xana pointed at the magenta jester's wild-looking hair, "Ya want me to fix your hair for you now?"
"Oh, um," Spinel raised a hand to her spiky locks, nearly having forgotten about it with all of the excitement, "Yes, please."
"Okay! Lemme just go get a brush an-" Before Xana could even think to move, the gem quickly reached to her gem and with a flash of light, the brush that the human had so graciously given to her a few days ago was silently being offered to her by a pink gloved hand.
...
Spinel flushed a bright pink as a shit-eating grin spread across her human's face.
"...You're so cute~."
"Shuddup." She grumbled in embarrassment, slipping off the young woman's lap and turning her back to her as the gem jabbed a thumb at her hair. "Jus' start brushin' toots."
"Heehee, whatever you say~!" With one last snicker, she took the brush into her grasp and started to undo the braid she had made before; smoothing the locks of hair over with her fingers before taking the tool to the silky saturated strands. "...How's your day been so far? Have the Diamonds come back from their tour yet?"
"Nah, not yet. Usually, I get antsy when they're gone too long, but I was a bit, uh... preoccupied." Spinel would rather shatter herself than let anyone know just how fucking hyper she had been about half an hour ago. Anxiety was no joke. "P-Plus, they call me whenever they miss me! And send selfies! They're obnoxious enough ta keep me company in their absence, hehe."
Giving a snort, Xana attempted to seem stern though the smirk on her face broke the façade quite clearly. "Spinny~! D'aww, the poor Diamonds, they'd probably cry hearing that." She snickered, blowing an errant curl out of her face while trying to figure out how exactly Spinel's pigtails worked. Every time she tried to put the hair up, it would just fall back down with a mocking limpness. There hadn't been any hair ties the other day, so what the fuck? "Do you call me obnoxious when I'm not around too~?"
"'Course not! S'an insult on mah honor even insinuatin' otherwise!" The little comedian opposed with a playful tone of outrage, hitting her fists against her legs for emphasis. "I call ya sweet bugaboo, precious honey cakes, thicc snickerdoodle that I'd slurp like a noodle, sweetheart O' mine... An' a whole lot more!" She proclaimed proudly, pointing her little nose in the air with a self-important harrumph. "I got a whole nickname library when it comes ta you!"
"...One of those nicknames seemed out of place..." Xana murmured to herself, her blush blowing up once again. "...And suggestive..."
"What wazzat, suga'?"
"N-Nothing." The human waved off, putting all her focus into trying to muscle the stubborn hair into the desired hairstyle, yet failing spectacularly with every try. Eventually, she just dropped her hands with a sound of frustration. "Yo, how in the name of the stars do you get your hair to stay up with no rubber bands or anything?!"
"Eh? Oh, here, lemme just-" With an ease that only offended the young woman more, Spinel's large hands gripped at her mane and in less than ten seconds flat, placed them in her signature pigtails. "There. Easy."
"...I'm sorry, but what the fuck?"
"I don't really question it, dollface. S'jus' how it be." The pink entertainer shrugged nonchalantly, turning around to face the human completely again.
"...I don't know why I'm even surprised." Xana deadpanned, not even reacting to the loud snickering her monotoned words gained. "Gems seem to ignore physics on a daily basis anyway, why do I even question anything anymore?"
"Heehee, all jokes aside, toots... I think we both know yer stallin' a bit here." Flinching a bit at Spinel's knowing look, she blinked as the gem raised her hand and poked her nose with a comforting smile. "Now, how about ya tell me what's on yer mind, and we work through it t'gether, okay?"
Huffing at the boop, she wrinkled her nose before settling back against cushions of her furniture. "Well... I wanted to talk about... Us." She began, fiddling with her fingers. "I really really really like you a lot, and wanna do right by you, ya see... Me being human, and you being a gem is gonna present some challenges ahead eventually, and I'm totally willing to stick by you through it all. We've already been through so much together, right? So, I guess I wanted to... Get rid of any uncertainties you might have. Lay it all out on the table, as it were." Humming softly, she peeked up at an attentive Spinel through her lashes, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. "I'll tell you anything you wanna know about what we... are now. Ask me anything. Do you have any questions about this, or concerns, or...?"
"...Well, lessee." Frowning thoughtfully, the hyper pink dynamo tapped at her jaw with a finger. "Um. I guess there's one question that's been on my mind fer the past couple'a days? Now that we're 'in love'... What does that mean for our friendship?" She asked curiously, a bit of worry settling within her rosy eyes. "Does it jus' come ta an end? Now that we're doin' somethin' different?"
"Not if we don't want it to be," Xana replied with a shake of her head, "Do you want it to be?"
"Not really..."
"Great. Cause I don't either."
"Really? Ya don't?"
"Nope. You were my best friend first, silly~. That's not gonna change just cause we're girlfriends now." Pausing for a moment, a conflicted look appeared on the dark-skinned woman's face. "Well, I'm your girlfriend. I know Gems use female pronouns because it's easier, but should I call you something different because you technically don't have a sex?"
"I'm sure I'd love anythin' you'd decide ta call me, but you can use girlfriend if ya wanna." Spinel responded with a giggling shrug, tickled pink at the sheer lengths Xana would go to just to keep from offending her. Literally the cutest thing ever.
"Ooh, mkay. Cool." Xana sighed, placated. "I'll probably shake it up from time to time though. Anyway, think of this more as an... upgrade to our friendship! We can still do what we usually do together, only there are a few more perks to it now."
"Yeah? Like what?"
"Oh, w-well, we can hold hands, cuddle a whole lot more, and even go on dates." At the responding look of confusion, the human chuckled and shook her head. Right, gotta be thorough in her explanations. "It's a lot like hangouts, but it's normally just you and your partner by yourselves doing cute romantic couple stuff together."
"Stuff like kissin'?"
"Y-Yes, stuff like that." The organic being murmured with a blush, nibbling a bit more on her lip as she watched Spinel's hand reach out for hers and take it into her grasp.
"...That sounds nice. I think I'd like doin' that."
"I think so too~." Xana agreed, letting her fingers intertwine with the gem's and returning the subsequent shy smile she got as a result. "Now, question. How much do you know about romantic relationships?"
"Very very little. Anythin' I might know comes from Garnet and that Fluorite fusion, and uh, I have a feelin' they aren't tha most average examples o' that sorta thing?"
"Lmao, nope, not even close." The human woman replied with a soft cackle. "Garnet is Pragma, and Fluorite is what you would call a polyamorous relationship. Meaning that multiple people are in romantic relationships with each other. The majority of romantic relationships are just between two people."
"Hm... I don't think I could be polyamorous, then. I mean," Lifting her free hand to gesture two the both of them, Spinel grinned a bit sheepishly, "This is soooo much ta figure out already."
"Heh, neither could I. I'm perfectly happy with just you." Smiling wide as the little gem glanced down at their laps with a squeak and a blush, Xana couldn't help but sigh happily. "Besides, I'm Demiromantic anyway."
Spinel was hoping sooner or later she wouldn't be confused about every single new term involving this situation. "What's that mean?"
"I don't feel romantic attraction towards anyone without a very strong bond of friendship first."
"Oh! Mmkay, that makes sense..."
"Do you know what dating is?"
"I ain't got a single clue."
"Hehe, okay, so, dating is like a relationship status. It's a courtship period, which is what those in a romantic relationship do before committing to each other forever. It's like a... trial-run to see if the participants can handle being so close to each other for long periods of time before deciding to get married." The curly-haired woman watched as the pink alien cocked her head to the side in thought.
"Ya mean that thing I heard that Ruby and Sapphire are?"
"Uh-huh."
"..." Xana could practically see the gears turning in the magenta jester's head. "Soooo, we're 'dating' now?"
"Yup~!"
"Aaaaaand how long does a courtship period last before the marriage thing?"
"Depends on the couple and when they're ready for that commitment? Though there are periods of time a bit more socially acceptable than others in human eyes. Two to three years of dating before a proposal tends to be the norm, but it can be shorter or longer. Some couples don't ever get officially married at all, because of all the legal hassle it could cause if they decide to break up after the fact."
"Break up?"
"Stop their romantic relationship and go their separate ways."
"Mm..." Spinel felt herself frown at the thought of something causing her and Xana to split up for good and shook her head to get rid of the painful feeling it wrought. "Well, I'm in it fer tha' long haul, sweetheart-I don't plan on evah' leavin' you."
Feeling her expression melt into something she was sure was incredibly mushy and embarrassing, the cobalt-eyed woman opened her arms once again in invitation and smiled wide as her little gem scrambled back onto her lap, gladly snuggling deep into the human's warm and cushy embrace. "The feeling is mutual, lovely~."
A comfortable silence rested between the two of them as they enjoyed being in each other's arms (honestly, fuck touch-starvation) before another concern came to Xana's mind.
"So, this next question is pretty important for me and I need you to answer as truthfully as possible, okay?" Coming to attention, Spinel lifted her head to look her human in the eye, returning her serious look. "What do you think a romantic relationship is? And what do you feel like you need in order for it to be a good one?"
"Oh, w-well..." Glancing away in thought, the gem furrowed her brow as she tried to piece together words in her mind in a way that meant something significant. "I guess... It's whateva' we decide it to be; a wild ride of emotions, silent or spoken. What feels right ta us is what we should do. It's somethin' we can talk about... Cherish... Even if it'll nevah' be perfect and that's totally fine. And if somethin' goes wrong, we c'n talk and work through it ta'gether and come out stronger on tha' other side."
Nodding slowly in understanding (and even a bit of admiration) in her eyes, the tall human hummed in approval. "Good. For me, a good romantic relationship is something you can feel comfortable in, no matter what. A relationship where you never feel afraid to share your thoughts with the other, no matter if it's good or bad. Something where... Your trust with the other is something you're confident in because you know they'd never hurt you knowingly."
"...I can keep doin' that~." Spinel murmured happily, resting her head on Xana's shoulder and sighing in content. "Anythin' else?"
"What are your physical needs in a romantic relationship? Do you need me to change anything at all?" Blinking curiously in response, Spinel's expression shifted thoughtfully as Xana tilted her head to the side. "What do you need for me to do better to keep you satisfied?"
"...I don't think there's anythin' you could do any better? I mean, if we're gonna cuddle more and hold hands and stuff now, I think I'll be A-OK." Grinning wide and giggling at the starry-eyes look she was being given, she paused before coughing a bit subconsciously into a fist. "O-Oh, uh, actually..."
"Mm?" The human hummed in question, raising a brow. "What's up hon?"
"...I like the kissin'. I wanna do that a lot with ya."
...
'I've made a terrible mistake.' Spinel thought regretfully as she warily watched Xana's expression slowly grow smugger and smugger.
"Oho~?" Came the coquettish tone as the woman smirked to herself. "How interesting~."
"Don't ya even start."
Trying her best to keep from snickering, Xana reached up to gently pet the gem on her head, cooing. "C'mon, ya can't blame me; you're becoming addicted to kisses already~! Should I be worried?"
With an 'I can't believe you're doing this to me right now' sort of expression, Spinel hissed sibilantly as she gently swat away the offending hand with a bratty pout. "Oh, come off it-You like 'em just as much as I do, and don't ya say otherwise!"
"I never said I didn't! However, between the two of us, I am more familiar with the concept of restraint." The woman returned with a cavalier tone, using her rejected hand to tweak the gem's nose. "Maybe I should cut back on 'em for your health~..."
A rather huffy pout puffed up Spinel's cheeks as dismay flooded her expression. Her vivid eyes glared, bold and demanding, though Xana could easily catch hints of soft pleading swimming amongst the brasher emotions. "Xanaaaaaaa, nooooooo...!"
Her smile widening the longer they stared each other down, Xana hummed as she glanced away with a cheeky expression. "Well... I suppoooose I could be persuaded to comply~..."
"Bet if I nipped ya once o' twice you would..." Spinel muttered petulantly under her breath but due to their close proximity, her words were definitely heard.
Experiencing a full-body twitch, the human woman placed a hand to her mouth in a joking 'debonair' sort of way, looking back at the pink slinky while fluttering her lashes. "My oh my, so presumptuous~!"
Magenta eyes sharpened with defiance and desire. "Humor me.~"
"Good thing I'm rather talented at that, hm~?" She giggled in reply, leaning in to nuzzle her beau's face with a smile. "But back to less suggestive matters... Anything else?"
"Jus' be you sweetheart. That's all I need." Spinel huffed, but melted back into Xana's embrace and nuzzled back with nothing more than a soft grumble. "And if yer feelin' down an' need yer space, jus' gimme a heads-up? So I don't... panic."
"Of course. Anything else you'd like to ask?"
"Mmm... Nope!" The small jester shook her head in dissent. "But I totally reserve th' right to ask about otha' things later if I want ta."
"That's fine." Grinning as relief finally let her mind ease from its past anxiety, Xana sighed and wrapped her arms around Spinel's thin waist. "So, now that we've talked all of that out... What would you like to do today?"
She got a playful eyebrow wiggle in response. "Depends on what you feel needs ta be done."
Snickering, the human woman shook her head. "I'm completely free today... But, you know what? I don't feel like going outside." She chuckled softly, reaching out for the nearby blanket she always had hanging over the back of her couch. "How about we stay in and enjoy each other's company? You know... Enjoy the newly bonded feeling?"
"Yes please!" The little entertainer squeaked with excitement, "Howzabout a few games an' sweets? You get first pick."
"Heh, you're too kind~." Xana cooed with a smile, reaching out towards the sweets tray and picking up a pink lollipop to hold out to the gem. "I've made quite the spread- Help yourself. I made some of your favorites, I know how much you like lollipops."
"Pink Berry Blitz~?"
"Strawberry and Raspberry swirled together, just how you like it~."
"Hell yea!" Eagerly swiping the sugar stick from those slender fingers, Spinel quickly unwrapped the treat and popped it into her mouth. "Mmn~! Thank ya kindly!"
"You're welcome." Xana hummed proudly, before reaching out to take a brookie bite and pop it into her mouth. "I also made a few cakes, some chocolate-covered strawberries, and some hot chocolate!"
Picking up a purple cupcake with a red cherry on top, the frosting quickly found it's way on Spinel's cheek as she took a bite. "I swear ya could open up one o' those bakery shop thingies."
"D'aww, you charmer~." She responded, giggling, swiping the frosting off Spinel's cheek with a finger and licking it off, humming with enjoyment. "Mm~! I'm glad I make my own frosting! Certain colors of store-bought frosting have that weird after-taste that I'm not a fan of."
"Bleh!" A pink tongue did a blep in minor disgust, trying not to be too flustered by her human's mindless action. "At least make it taste as good as it looks. Like you and your cupcakes!"
Blepping back in amusement, Xana chuckled with a blush. "I am not food, sugarpea."
"Oh right, yer a banquet," She booped the human's chocolate button nose with a giggle, "Pardon my rudeness!~"
Squeaking indignantly, Xana gently nipped at the encroaching finger before pouting as she looked at the gem through her long lashes. "How are you so good at flirting? You just figured out what romance was two days ago!"
"Who can say~?" The gem sang out as she gave a shrug, her smirk way too smug for the innocent action. "Gotta say though, I kinda like this game when it's reversed~."
"Well fuck." The woman muttered, looking playfully dismayed. "I'm doomed. I'll be permanently cherry red before the week is up, I can feel it..."
"Cherry ain't such a bad flavor." The spoiled gem purred out before promptly curling up on her human's lap, swiping up a mug and sipping at the hot chocolate with innocently blinking eyes. "Mmm.~"
Gawking with a bright blush before narrowing her eyes at the sneaky, fauxly innocent Gem she had curled up on her lap like a kitten who knew they were too cute to get mad at, Xana rose a brow as she threw her arms up to hang over the back of her couch. "Whatcha want, ya lil' imp?"
"Whatever do ya mean, Dolly~?"
"I mean, what's yer game?" The tall woman demanded as she reached out to take the other mug into her grasp, leering over the lip of the ceramic cup with deep flustered suspicion. "What're you tryin' to accomplish here?"
"I'm afraid I have no clue what'cher talkin' about; I'm just a Gem enjoyin' her sweetheart's company~!" Smiling innocuously at the doubtful look being shot her way, devilish intent flashed through her eyes as Xana reluctantly went for a sip of the sweet liquid. "Although..." Licking at her sharp canines, her eyes scrolled over to give Xana a very obvious once over, taking another long sip from her mug. "When ya said hot chocolate, I thought you meant yerself~."
Pink irises expanded into intense glittering orbs as she watched Xana choke on her hot chocolate in shock, a deep red flush spreading across her dark cheeks. Spinel was loving the fact she had the ability to get sweet revenge and fluster her shy lady back. In the back of her mind, she thanked Garnet profusely; she had definitely known what she was talking about when it came to flirting.
"Ohhhh, dollface, look at ya! Tsk, tsk, tsk, ya made such a mess~." Spinel chuckled deeply to herself as the woman shakily reached out for a couple of napkins to dab at the droplets that had spilled onto her sweatshirt. "Here, I'll help ya clean up!"
"N-No no, it's okay. I got it-"
"Oh no, I insist." Taking both mugs and setting them down on the table, the pink dynamo wrapped her arms several times around Xana's soft voluptuous form, eyes falling hooded as she placed a gentle hand against her cute reddened face. "Can't 'ave anythin' goin' ta waste, now can we~?"
"...I-I..." Seizing up in surprise as it suddenly clicked she was, in fact, the bottom in this current situation, ultramarine eyes stayed laser-focused on the swirling magenta pools pinning the human in place and swallowed harshly as thin lips brushed against the human's own. "I-I, uh-Mmn~...!"
Before she could even form a sincere protest (fat chance of that, honestly), Spinel leaned in and kissed her; and the feeling was so encompassing and enticing that any possible dispute in her mind vanished into thin air.
"Open fer me, toots~," Came the insistent murmur against her lips, and with a soft sighing moan her human did just that.
'I... Can't... Think...' Was the only passing thought Xana could conjure before her mind fried out as the unassuming gem holding her possessively did something absolutely fantastic with her teeth and the human's lower lip that had her legs becoming as useful as jello. She knew for a fact that if she had been standing, she would have collapsed at that very moment.
Spinel didn't pull away until the woman against her was gasping for breath. Running her tongue slowly over a canine, the wily entertainer watched with immense satisfaction at her human's clearly dazed state, arrogant pride and vindication lining every shift of her toothy smirk.
But, like her sweetheart had so happily teased her about earlier, the gem was definitely becoming addicted to the warm, plush sensation of Xana's lips on hers; she wanted more.
"Mmm... May 'ave missed a spot o' two." The deepening accent of Spinel's voice caused the woman to shudder involuntarily, a thrill of yearning skittering down her spine. "Bettah' make a second pass jus' ta make sure~."
Through soft pants and hazy wild eyes, the cocoa-skinned femme couldn't help but mutter with fond exasperation. "...Y-You're so... Greedy~..."
With one last smirk and a dark chuckle, the gem only spoke one last sentence before melding their lips back together.
"Only fer you, Suga', only fer you~."