♡Worth The Wait♡ Spinel x Gem reader (Gender Neutral!!)

~part 26: an indirect threat~

"NOOOOOOOOO!!"

Your voice rang out across the ruined forest as you saw the massive branch land atop pink pearl and your beloved carrier with a sickening thump that rang in your ears. Your eyes were huge and you felt the burn of tears as they began to well up in your eyes.

"No.."

Please, no...

You felt rooted to your spot, your terror freezing your entire body. Everything but the branch faded from your vision as your breathing became ragged. Tears were threatening to spill over your cheeks.

Movement beneath the branch caused your breath to get caught in your throat. You watched as pink pearl stood up from the wooden mass, trembling slightly as she looked down at the massive piece of lumber, as if she couldn't believe her luck. Truthfully, you couldn't believe it either. She then looked down to where spinel was crouching, the look of worry crossing her face before she calmly knelt down.

What is it?

Why is she so calm??

Is spinel okay!?

In a burst of hope filled adrenaline, you broke out of your deer-in-headlights trance and raced toward the fallen branch, not realizing that you were running on all-fours the whole way there. When you got up to the duo, a deep groan escaped your throat.

Spinel... she was okay.

Shaken and silent, but by diamond's luck, the branch's limbs were wide enough apart to spare both spinel and pearl a destabilizing crush. You stared down at the carrier in a stupor of disbelief and relief. Spinel... you frowned at how... scared she looked.

She was curled in on herself with her arms over her head, in a trembling ball of whimpering fear. Pink pearl lightly tapped back with a finger, and slowly, she curled herself, shaking as terrified magenta eyes darted back and forth as short panicked breaths escaped her mouth.

She looked so scared.

So uncharacteristically scared.

When her eyes finally met up with yours. Her lip quivered, as she pressed her head into your chest, whimpering softly as she was shaking too hard to speak. Spinel...

"Guys! Are you okay??"

Your face crumbled and your pupils shrank as that familiar voice sounded from your side, followed by rapid footsteps steadily approaching.

Oh no...

You look over to see that Steven... was coming closer..

He's close...

T o o  c l o s e ....

As soon as he was close enough, he put on a smile as soon as he saw spinel and pink pearl unscathed. "Volleyball! Spinel! Thank goodness you're both okay!" Pink pearl gave a small smile to the boy, though she was still visibly shaken. "Y-Yeah. By the stars luck, it barely nicked us!" She replied, shakily but cheerfully. When Steven cast his attention to spinel, she whimpered, pressing herself deeper into your chest while wrapping her arms around your broad shoulders, clinging to them as if her gem depended on it.

And in some ways...

It did.

"S-Spinel... I.. I'm sorry about that..."

he reaches for her.

he's going to touch her..

"I-I didn't mean to.. honest!" He claimed feebly. "I-It just came out! I promise, I won't let it happen again! Just let me help you-"