One-Shots | Steven Universe: Past

Sun and Moon (Greg/Pearl)

"So . . . are you . . . a mechanic?"

        Greg laughed. "Nah, but I like to think I am. I only wash cars."

        Upon Steven's eager suggestion, Greg and Pearl had been left alone in the house to talk further. Empire City had been a major turnaround, but after all the hullabaloo on Homeworld, Steven insisted they all take some time to cool down. He'd ordered a pizza for Greg before going out mini-golfing with Garnet and Amethyst.

        "Excuse me for pointing this out, but you don't seem to get many customers," Pearl said doubtfully. "How do you pay for your living costs?"

        "Weeelll . . . I do get child benefit payments. And Amethyst sometimes drops me cash."

        "You do realise . . . that's not hers, right?"

        Greg rubbed his head sheepishly. "Oh. . . whoops."

        Pearl sighed. "Rose used to pull her up on that all the time . . . but she never stopped taking things from humans. Memorabilia, I suppose."

        Greg was silent for a moment. He knew Rose was a precarious topic. "Do you . . . ever miss her?"

        "Rose?" Pearl's eyes were sad. "Of course I do . . . I was with her from . . . almost from the beginning. I helped her escape, I helped lead the rebellion, I fought by her side, we stayed together for thousands of years . . . and then she just. . ."

        When she locked eyes with Greg, she turned away. ". . . I'm sorry."

        "No! No," he sputtered. "It's— It's fine. . . I miss her too. And I bet Garnet and Amethyst do sometimes."

        "Hmm. . ." She hummed, and her gaze drifted to the painting hanging over the door. She gave an unexpected laugh. "You know, Steven once asked me if she was blind."

        Greg was surprised. "Who? Rose?"

        "Yes." She shot him a small smile. "He said he'd only ever seen her in pictures with her eyes closed."

        "Ah . . . yes." He laughed. "I wondered why she always did that."

        "It was because of her eyes," Pearl said softly. When Greg turned to face her, he found she was staring into space. "Motionless human photographs always managed to capture the diamonds. She didn't want anyone to find out, so of course she just . . . found a way to hide it."

        Greg gave a nervous smile. "She was . . . really good at keeping secrets. When we had Steven I realised just how little I knew about her."

        A calm silence hung in the air. Pearl still looked open — comfortable, even — so Greg chanced another question.

        "Do you . . . ever wish that you could have Rose back?"

        Pearl looked at him and frowned. "What do you mean?"

        "I— well, I mean—" he felt his neck flush. "Just, y'know . . . if it meant Steven—"

        "No."

        She cut him off so suddenly he jumped. She gave him a sympathetic smile.

        "No, I don't. I . . . I used to, at the start. But now  . . . I love Steven. I'd never trade him in for anyone else."

        When he smiled, he felt his eyes sting. ". . . Me too."

        Pearl thought for a moment before speaking. She dipped her head. "I'm sorry I was so cold to you in the beginning. I was . . . just so jealous. You were a human she'd just met, and . . . it hurt, I suppose. But that doesn't excuse my rudeness."