Garnet and Pearl laid together in the white gem's room, making sure to keep their voices low so they wouldn't wake the others. Garnet rested behind her, her arms wrapped protectively around her, their hands entwined at Pearl's abdomen. Their lips connected and broke apart in a series of short, gentle, heartfelt kisses, their love and passion for each other growing with each additional embrace.
"I think I'm ready to go public, Garnet." Pearl declared between kisses.
"We don't have to. I don't want you to feel rushed." Garnet reassured her. "But, if it's what you truly want-"
"It is." Pearl affirmed.
"It's settled then." A smile stretched across her lips, her gaze into Pearl's eyes deepening.
"I love you." The white gem whispered.
Her words were reciprocated with a final kiss.
Peridot sat up and rubbed her eyes, confused at the empty tent surrounding her. Where had Julianna gone? She quickly pulled on her clothes and wandered out, flinching as the sun stung her eyes. She made her way down the beach, storming across the sand. She suspected the Crystal Gems had had something to do with her disappearance, and she was determined to get her back.
"Give me back my girlfriend, you Crystal Clods!" She pounded on the door.
Steven came to answer it. "What are you talking about, Peridot?"
"Julianna was with me last night. And now she's gone. You had to have done something."
"She hasn't been here. Pearl and Garnet were just out looking for her."
She gave him a menacing look, then turned and left.
The sun was high in the sky, beating it's noon rays down upon the landscape. The city was at it's busiest, everyone rushing to get to where they needed to be. Cellphones, for once, were put away, the daylight creating screen glares no one wanted to put up with. Their attention was focused on something else, or rather, someone. They whispered and stared, fingers pointed in their direction.
"Aw, they're so cute together!"
"What's going on? Are they a couple?"
"Ugh. Disgusting."
Garnet and Pearl walked down the sidewalk, hand in hand, heads held high. The people's words just floated by, not a care in the world as they focused on their mission. They scanned the crowd for their runaway teammate, their searches holding no result. The outer boundaries of Beach City came into view as they continued on their way, still unaffected by their stares and whispered words.
"Are you okay, Pearl?" Garnet asked, waiting until they were out of earshot. She'd heard mostly negative comments from the people, each word raising her growing concerns for her lover.
"Yes, I'm fine.. How about you?" She looked up at her, ocean eyes shimmering in concern and worry.
"Don't worry about me, Pearl. I can handle it." She gently leaned down and kissed the top of her head, earning a few expressions of joy from the people.
Pearl smiled faintly, light blue blush tinting her cheeks. "I love you." She whispered, wrapping her arms around the taller gem's neck.
"I love you too." Garnet replied, curling her arms around her waist. Their embrace only lasted a moment, but it was warm and true nonetheless.
"We should go.." Pearl murmured, bringing her arms away from Garnet. She hated to break their touch, but there was a mission to complete.
"You're right." She paid no heed to the crowd as she pulled her arms away, taking her hand again. Together they headed towards the mountains, the isolation, high altitude and cool air a perfect hiding place for a runaway. A soft wind blew through the air, rustling their hair, slight goosebumps forming on the surface of their skin.
"Julianna!" Pearl shouted, her voice echoing across the area, bouncing back towards them. No response was heard, so she tried again. "Julianna!" Her outreach was met again with reverberating silence. She ceased her shouting, not trying again for several minutes, until they were further ways up the mountain. "Julianna!" She crossed the fingers of her free hand in hope.
A faint cry came echoing back, in a different voice. "Go away!" It cried, desperation cutting at the edges of the sound. "I'm not here!"
Slowly, they made their way up the mountain, which was more of a hill with its relatively low height.
"Julianna..." Garnet let go of Pearl's hand and carefully approached her. "It's okay. We just want to help you."
"No, don't. I don't deserve it." She looked down to the ground in shame, the wind blowing through the wisps of her hair, sprinkling the grass with her tears.
"Of course you do." Pearl assured her. "Peridot manipulated you. We wouldn't hold that against you." She kept her tone gentle and soft, not wanting to scare her off.
"I-I still agreed to.." Her voice floated away in a gust of wind.
"It's not your fault, Julianna." Garnet spoke. "Amethyst cares about you. Whatever you did, she'll forgive you."
"I slept with Peridot.." She confessed, her face heating up with shame.
"We know." Garnet responded. "It's alright. You can come back with us. Start over again. Forget Peridot completely. You deserve someone better than her."
Julianna stared at them for a moment, her heart pounding. She really did want to leave Peridot, but wasn't strong enough on her own.
"We won't let her hurt you anymore." Pearl stepped closer to her, looking into her eyes. "You're safe with us."
"Okay." She whispered, her voice faint, hoarse from the tears.
They began the journey to the temple.
Night had fallen on the horizon, all traces of the sun gone. Only a sliver of a moon and twinkling stars lit the world, their illumination hardly enough to suffice.
Julianna and Amethyst laid together in the purple gem's room, the pale light floating in through the open window, the curtains fluttering in the soft Cherylze.
"I'm sorry..." Julianna whispered.
"Don't be. It's alright." Amethyst affectionately ran her fingers gently through Julianna's hair, her crying eased into gentle hiccups. "Peridot can't hurt you anymore. I promise."
Her eyelashes fluttered, her breathing softening, diaphragm dully aching. Sleep enticed her, her pain floating away in her unconsciousness. Her cries were mostly gone, except for an occasional shaky breath, which eventually evened out and made it's leave, giving her much needed peace of mind.