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Garnet should have seen this coming. It was commen sense really. Gems were naturally resistant to cold yes, but the frigid temperatures of Antarctica could easily shatter a gem that didn't have an affinity for ice.
With Sapphire as a counterpart, Garnet had nothing to worry about. Add that with her inheritance of Ruby's high body temperature that caused the snow around her to melt before it could even touch her skin and she was invincible!
Pearl, on the other hand, was only keeping up with the taller gem through sheer willpower alone. A thick layer of frost was coating her gem and she was shivering violently despite her attempts to hide it. The Renegade really was too stubborn for her own good.
Garnet had been hesitant to let her come along in the first place, but Pearl was an expert when it came to tracking down corrupted gems and Garnet needed those skills to find the corrupted moonstone she was after. Future vision could only get her so far after all.
Even then she didn't have to accept. Honestly, Garnet had expected her to refuse. Since the Sardonyx incident, Pearl had taken to putting as much distance between Garnet and herself as possible. She no longer reached out for the taller gem when she felt upset or scared or lost. Pearl had stopped visiting Garnet in the boiler room at nights to chat and often rest after a long mission.
Garnet had missed Pearl. Angry as she had been at her betrayal, Pearl's absence seemed to sting far worse. It really was harder than it was worth to hate her. That Pearl had accepted her invitation had a small, selfish part of Garnet grinning exitedly.
They worked together quite well, really. Garnet's strength and her grace. When they fought together they weaved around the other easily. It was exhilarating.
But now, staring worriedly at the petite gem as she marched through the snow shakily, the snow going up to her thighs and the frost coating her gem slowly thickening into ice; Garnet knew the mission would have to wait. If the ice on Pearl's gem got much thicker, it would penitrate her gem and eventually shatter it. Garnet shivered and blinked hard to will away the horrifying vision.
She couldn't loose Pearl.
She couldn't!
Garnet loved her.
Jogging quickly back to Pearl who was just a few feet behind her (thanks to ruby her high body temperature easily melted the snow around her.
A quick check into the future told her that there was an empty cave just a half a mile away. Perfect. They could wait there for the snow to stop falling and for Pearl to warm up enough for garnet to get her to the nearest warp pad. Garnet could search for the moonstone some other day on her own.
"Pearl."
The thin gem looked up so quickly she stumbled and Garnet had to steady her.
"G-Garn..."
Pearl couldn't get out much more than the Taller gems name with her chattering teeth and fatigued brain.
"We need to get you out of this weather. There's a cave just ahead."
Pearl's eyes widened as she attempted to force a protest through her numb lips but she was so tired and her gem was so cold it hurt.
Before she could get a proper sentence out Garnet had picked her up bridal style and was marching determinedly in the direction of the cave. Internally, the dark gem marveled at how light Pearl was. Not to mention how small she looked in her arms.
At first Pearl had hissed in shock at the contact with Garnet's startling heat, but she quickly found herself burrowing herself into the fusions warmth as much as possible.
Garnet meanwhile, frowned in concern. Her best friend felt like a block of ice. She needed to get her to shelter and fast. Clutching Pearl more tightly, Garnet picked up her pace to a rapid jog, careful not to jostle the precious cargo in her arms.
Once they reached the cave Garnet set down a tired, half lucid Pearl who gave a small whimper at the separation from the only heat source she had. Garnet shushed her gently and reach out to hold her head in her hands so that she could examine her friend's gem.
Pearl gave a small sigh and leaned into the touch, her blue eyes fluttering closed. Garnet felt panic stap through her chest as she shook her awake carefully.
"Don't fall asleep on me yet. "
Pearl opened her eyes with a great deal of effort. A jolt of pain lanced through her gem as she registered the cold once more.
Pearl winced, tears pricking her eyes.
Garnet held Ruby's gem to Pearl's, melting the ice and feeling immensely relieved to see no scratches underneath the melting ice.
Once she was certain Pearl's Gem was safe and therefore in no immediate danger, Garnet pulled her best friend of six thousand years into her lap and all but wrapped herself around her. Once again Pearl burrowed her head into Garnet's chest, giving a small sigh as she did so. Garnet wrapped her arms around the slight gem and rocked her gently in an attempt to soothe her shivering.
"Sshh. You can rest now. you're safe."
Not needing any further encouragment, Pearls eyes fluttered closed and her breathing relaxed.
Garnet rested her chin on Pearl's head, her hand rising to stroke her peach colored hair.
"I've got you, love."
Garnet whispered to the sleeping gem in her arms.
Everything was going to be fine.
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Pearl awoke slowly to the sensation of careful fingers threading through her hair. she was resting on something warm and it was such a drastic change from the frigid cold she'd battled earlier that she couldn't help but snuggle into it with a content sigh.
A rich, familiar voice gave a chuckle that sent shivers down her spine and had her eyes snapping open.
Just what was she resting on?
Pearl lifted her head to come face to face with three beautiful, vivid eyes staring at her with a warm mixture of amusement and affection the smaller gem wasn't used to.
Garnet, of course.
Pearl felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment as she quickly attempted to get out of her friends lap only for Garnet to grab her by the shoulders and pull her back down gently.
"Careful," the fusion murmured gently "you're still weak"
Pearl scowled, her embarrassment forgotten at being called weak. Granted Garnet wasn't exactly wrong, her limbs were still numb and the cold air drifting in from the cave entrance wasn't helping.
pearl slumped in defeat.
"I'm sorry."
Garnet frowned.
"Don't be. I shouldn't have taken you out here in the first place. If anyone's going to apologize it's me."
Pearl opened her mouth to protest only for a pair of soft, plump lips to meet her own pale ones in a gentle kiss.
Pearl gasped and pulled away in shock at the contact, her blush coming back in full force.
"I'm sorry."
Garnet cursed internally at her impulsive actions. Of course Pearl wasnt interested in her like that. Just because Rose was gone didn't mean-
"Don't be." Pearl cut off her train of thought with her breathless reply. Before Garnet could process it Pearl had managed to stradle the taller gem and pull her into a kiss.
This time it was Garnet who was in shock. She sat motionless for several moments before melting into the kiss, her arms moved up to wrap around the lithe womans waist.
A syrupy warmth unlike anything Pearl had ever felt before filled her from gem to toe.
Needless to say, despite the fact that the storm had ended the two were held back for quite a while before they finally left the Cave. Garnet carrying her love bridle style while the latter continued to kiss her.
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tada!! I present to you lovely veiwers: my first ever Romantic story. I've never had any real interest in romance myself, so i had a hard time trying to convey all the emotions and stuff. But as a hardcore Pearlnet shipper i was determined to succeed!
I hope you all will be happy with some of the changes I've made to the story. Music really is the best motivation for writing!
Oh well.
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