Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 31: Cracked

Pearl paused, glancing over the growing pile of tiny pills on top of the sterile metal plate that was used to keep any impurities from damaging the younger gem's tablets. There were at least enough there that Pearl could surmise that the guards had delivered the required tablets at least four separate times while she had been unable to, all of them untouched, with the exception of three, one of which she could spot on the floor beside the table. "My Diamond, it has been advised that you don't skip these supplements. You run the risk of-"

"I don't care." Orange cut in, her voice low and gravelly from disuse.

"My clarity?" she turned her head in Orange's direction, surprise clear on her face. Orange was sat on the floor at the end of her bed, using it to prop her back up on.

"I'm not interested in taking them." Orange made no attempt to look at her, or even acknowledge her physically.

"My...Orange, may I still call you that?" Pearl questioned as she moved towards where she sat, body facing her, but head still turned away from her, eyes looking but not really seeing outside the window she faced.

She shrugged. "Sure."

Pearl knelt beside Orange on the tiles, placing the tray she had brought with her beside them on the floor, "Please...you need to take these." she motioned towards the tablets, "They help you remain stable."

"If I was a real Diamond, I wouldn't need them." Orange finally looked at her, and Pearl could clearly see the exhaustion on Orange's face, the alarming lack of shine to her eyes, and gem, even in the light. "I wouldn't need White's instructions on how to control my powers, and I wouldn't be such a disappointment. Maybe it's better if i just didn't-"

Orange was cut off as Pearl's hand made contact with the side of her face, the loud smack echoing in the quiet room. They both remained frozen, Orange blinking in surprise as Pearl's face morphed from anger to shock to horror, her hand flying up to her mouth as she realized what she has done.

"I-I oh my stars, i am so sorry! My Diamond, please forgive me, I didn't- I don't know what came over me-" Pearl leaned forward, hand going up to cup Orange's jaw to inspect the prominent mark she had left.

Orange grabbed Pearl's hand, holding it away from her face before she could fuss over it more. "It's alright." Orange looked Pearl in the eyes, her expression betraying nothing.

"You're-"

"Fine." She reassured, "You didn't hurt me."

"But your cheek..." Pearl's eyes flicked back and forth between the mark on her face and Orange's eyes.

"It's nothing. I'm not upset, so don't look so..." Orange's eyebrows knitted together, her lips dropping into a small frown, "Please don't look at me like your scared."

"I'm sorry, My Diamond," She quickly amend, "Orange." Pearl waited until Orange let go of her hand, her hand lingering in the air a moment before falling into her lap with the other. She glanced at the small tray she had brought over with her and set aside, "Please take these."

"Why? What's the point?"

"Because..." Pearl's voice only faltered for a moment before she forced herself to say, "because if you don't, you could die."

"That doesn't sound like such a bad thing." Orange's lips curved into a sombre smile as she looked away from Pearl's alarmed expression, "I won't be such a burden then."

"You are not a burden!"

"I am." Orange nodded, as if confirming her own words, turning to look at Pearl from the corners of her eyes, "I'm a burden on the other Diamonds."