She's never before seen Pearl take to a human custom so quickly and so eagerly.
Rose covers her mouth as a giggle bubbles up in her throat – fond, pleased amusement at the sight greeting her; an overwhelming burst of relief and joy at the unlikely reality of their shared existence and continued survival, even though it's been millennia since… then; a wild, heady mixture of things, suddenly set off by the endlessly devoted Gem before her fervently immersing herself in a newly found way of expressing and understanding her own feelings.
Pearl looks up at her from her strictly and precisely angled bow, questioning confusion on her face bordering on slight hurt, and Rose is reminded that laughter is still not something Pearl associates with particularly good things. "My liege?"
"Oh, nothing to worry about," Rose assures her, tone deliberately airy, "I'm just, well, happy. It's lovely to see you so at ease, and comfortable being… you."
It might not be exactly according to prescribed courtly rules, but Pearl is already flustered enough, so Rose takes her hand and presses a kiss to its back, then gently pulls her forward. "I want this for you, always. My champion."
Pearl relaxes into the familiar embrace with a pleased sigh, at first, but soon snaps back to alertness. She makes a very feeble attempt to disentangle herself from Rose, failing even though the hold on her isn't particularly firm at all. "N-no, you're supposed to give me a favour, and then I-"
"A favour?"
"Yes. A… a handkerchief, perhaps – something I can carry with me, t-to…"
Pearl's face is quite blue and quite close to Rose's, and Rose happily draws even closer, openly marvelling at how the usually countless words on Pearl's lips simply dry up at this proximity, even as her throat keeps working, futilely trying to forge onwards.
"A favour, then," she whispers, and Pearl shivers at the sound, "for my valiant knight."
It is the gentlest press of lips at first, and Pearl melts into it, almost greedily. Rose smiles into the kiss, and enjoys the honest simplicity of the gesture and the moment they find themselves in, her thoughts all heading in the direction of a Who could have dreamed-?.
They break apart, foreheads resting against one another. Pearl's gem is warm, almost glowing.
"Good?"
Pearl's answer is a pleased hum.
"Good."
—
"Oh, my." Rose is gazing at her, openly appreciative in a way that likely borders of scandalous for current human mores. "That is a lovely look on you, Pearl. You cut quite the dashing figure."
It's been thousands and thousands of Earth years, and that flirtatious tone still makes Pearl's insides do strange things. But she's prepared, this time, and she can sweet-talk, too. "Nothing could match your radiance and splendour, Rose. But it is my duty to try to live up to the lofty standards you set," she flawlessly executes a trim, courtly bow, adorning it with a flourish that makes Rose giggle - a sound that makes it quite impossible not to smile - and offers her hand. "Shall we?"
Rose takes it, as is proper and expected, according to the protocol Pearl studied meticulously - or, a thought rises, unbidden, and Pearl can't help but wonder: perhaps she simply does it because she wants to. The sudden little notion is pleasant. And some of it Rose must be able to read on her face, because her smile softens as her arms come around Pearl's proffered one.
The Hofburg is a glittering, buzzing mess, and Pearl would feel dizzy if it weren't for the anchoring presence at her side as they make their way down the grand staircase to the ballroom, the sound of their names being announced melding with the music and the chatter of the crowd.
Fingers ghost over her high, lacy collar and the precise curls that brush her jaw as the two of them join the grand waltz that is just starting, almost as if it were timed just for them. Pearl thinks of trying to hold onto the quickly scattering remnants of some vague idea that she was supposed to lead this dance, but the next spin Rose sends them into drives home the futility of this effort. She feels the very familiar beginnings of a tingle around her gem, and she bites her lip as Rose laughs sweetly. "Oh, careful. We wouldn't want to fuse, would we? What would the dear Herr Bürgermeister think, if a stranger were to suddenly take the place of his two guests of honour?"
Laughter spills forth from Rose's wondrous lips again – quite possibly the most spellbinding and dangerous giggle humanity has ever had the privilege of hearing, and Pearl is suddenly acutely aware of the gazes of so many who would like to be in her place right now.
Many have been in Rose's arms, but nobody ever quite like this, like her. She knows this to be true with a fierce certainty that has comforted her through patches of near-neglect and beaten down the nagging fear of being replaced, time and again.
"Oh, yes," Pearl hums thoughtfully, then allows just the slightest bitter, biting twist into her words, "and Fräulein Bauer would undoubtedly be shocked, as well. Is she getting a dance from you tonight?"
"Mmm, no, Pearl. Tonight," Rose somehow manages to lean even closer, breath tickling Pearl's cheek, "tonight is just for you."
The dances continue, but Pearl finds herself sadly aware that both the players and the other guests are all merely human, easily worn out and tired, and that the night is bound to end far sooner than she would ever want it to.
—
1988 is a pleasantly calm year for them, the way Pearl sees it. Amethyst calls it boring, and insists Greg go on tour to promote his non-existent new album, taking them all with him. Garnet predicts a calamity befalling Beach City should they leave, and so the matter is closed.
Pearl's relief is immense.
The man has already inserted himself into almost every aspect of their lives – spending entire days on the road with him in his frankly disgusting vehicle would be going intolerably too far. Though, perhaps… perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad: after all, it would have meant entire days at Rose's side again, too.
The waiting – for the other one to leave, or die, or fade in whatever way, or for Rose to finally lose interest – has never felt quite this hard. Pearl heaves a long-suffering sigh, and moves to start unpacking the several bags of various consumables she was tasked with acquiring, both for Amethyst and for… Greg, for when he 'stays over'. The task is soothing, at least, with just the right amount of repetition and organising involved.
I'll dance with you in Vienna…
"But you already have."
Pearl jumps at the voice, suddenly made aware both that her careless humming had been done out loud, and that she had an audience. Rose is standing on the warp pad, and Pearl completely failed to notice her warping in – a rather unlikely occurrence, so her distraction is obviously worse than expected. "I-it's just a song I heard while going to the city to get Amethyst her… food… items… it's really nothing-"
"I know the song," Rose offers, once Pearl has trailed off.
"Oh?"
Of course she does, Pearl almost berates herself: Rose has always kept up to date on all of humanity's achievements, be they leaps of scientific progress, revolutions in artistic endeavour, or a change in the repertoire of the local busker. She also knows how to read Pearl's mood perfectly – small surprise, after the countless years together, or, well, mostly together, and isn't that just the crux of the problem – because she offers a smile that is almost contrite.
"Do you know the rest of it?" Rose asks, stepping off the warp pad.
Pearl does. She also knows her face is burning bright blue as she thinks of the continuation, and Rose is coming closer, smile widening all the while, and oh, she's missed this, and missed her so very much-
There is a warmth at her back, gentle yet insistent hands on her hips leading her into a spin, and a familiar mouth at her ear spilling a melodic whisper with a now audible smile. "I want you, I want you, I want you..."
Pearl relaxes into the routine by the time Rose reaches the second verse, and lets herself slowly lean and fall backwards into a pair of arms that somehow still always, always catch her. Rose twirls them both around, then around again, spins Pearl out, then pulls her back in with a practiced tug. They melt into each other, and Rainbow Quartz carries on the dance in a steady three-quarter measure.