(Alternate) Steven Universe x Corrupt gem reader Insert

part 15: now we're all buds!

that evening you were doing your usual activity of drawing on the ground, while amethyst and Steven showed spinel around the temple. you knew it was gonna be a while, as there was many twists and turns all around the temple. so many secrets in a place so small.

as you moved to your next piece of paper, a thin, too familiar shadow loomed over your paper. "h-hello, there." despite the soft, warm tone the voice gave, a ball of ice formed in your chest just by the familiarity of it. you just stiffened, still gripping a pink crayon tightly in your large paw while staring down at your piece of paper, trying everything in your power to keep your fur flat. what did I do now?

a small hand suddenly fell upon your withers, making you instinctively flinch in surprise. "don't worry... it's nothing bad..." pearl reassured softly. "In fact.. I've... come to..." she hesitates slightly. "apologize." your eyes widen in shock. apologize..? you look up at her in surprise, eye squinted suspiciously. she smiles weakly at your acknowledgement, however suspicious you may be. "may I sit?" you stared a bit more, unconsciously nodding. pearl nods once and carefully takes a seat beside you, so close her arm barely grazing the fine layer of fur on yours.

more tense silence passes over you both as you just stared down awkwardly at yourselves; pearl at her lap and you at your fist, containing the crayon. "It... has..." pearl suddenly spoke up. "come to my attention that I've been... unnecessarily... hostile towards you." you didn't reply verbally. you just chuffed in response. "but... it's just that... I wasn't used to having a... corrupt gem with a... mind... quite like yours." you chuffed again, but much louder, not sure if you should take it as an insult or not. she didn't seem to notice as she continued on. "I mean... you're able to understand English, open doors and operate things without trying breaking them, and from what I've heard, you're even starting to SPEAK in English as well. n-not to mention..." she then offers a smile; the first genuinely friendly smile she's given you the entire time you've been living there as she held up something. Hey... that's my..!

In her hand... was a drawing that you recently created; one of you, Steven, spinel and centi all holding hands around that beautiful pink gem, surrounded by rose petals.

"you're quite a talented artist.." she looked back down to her lap again, looking rather guilty again. "I just... wasn't used to it. I didn't think I could trust a gem with corruption to bare such a wit... I mean... you saw what happened with..." she hesitated again, wincing slightly. "centipeedle... and I thought it might happen with you... eventually.." you stiffened at the mention of centi, clutching your crayon tightly in your fist. you remembered. like it was yesterday... the mere sight of garnet's gauntlets caused something to snap in her mind, and thus she had lost herself to her nerves and reverted back to her furious feral side...

...and it was too late when her consciousness came back to her...

pearl must have sensed your tension, because she laid a small hand on your fist. the warmth of the tiny hand caused you to relax your grip. "my point is... I underestimated you. and I.." she takes a breath. "I'm.. sorry, (name)."

you look up at her, eyes wide in surprise. she... called me by my name..? "you truly are a gem that gives hope for other gems lost in corruption..." she grins softly, closing her eyes into a peaceful, dreamlike state. "and rose..." a bluish tint suddenly enlightens her cheeks. "...she truly would've loved you for that..."

Silence over came the two of you as you mulled over the gem's words.

"..pearl."

"mm? ye-- EEP!?"

pearl yelped as you suddenly wrapped your massive forearms around her, pulling her up into a gentle bear hug. "(name) forgives pearl." You murmured softly. "pearl just worried about safety of boy steven. pearl a good gem." she's in a stiff state of surprise for a brief moment before letting herself sink into your fluff, wrapping her nimble arms around your broad shoulders, resting her cheek against your fluffy neck.

She chuckles softly. "You... you really are a ray of hope, aren't you?" she whispered out loud to no one in particular. you smiled happily at this and tightened your hug slightly.

Hope...

I give hope..

finally, you both broke away from the hug and just sat with each other in a content silence. you just laid on your belly, a low purr emanating in your throat while pearl sat against your fluffy mane covered chest, smiling softly to herself. "so... (name)." she suddenly speaks up, earning a deep hum of acknowledgement from you. "do you... want to know how tea tastes?" you look at her in bewilderment.

"...Tea?"
~~~~~~

"where's amethyst and spinel?" garnet asked, walking up to steven who was currently peeking from the corner of the warp room. he didn't reply. puzzled, garnet walked closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Steven-" Steven suddenly held up his hand for a moment to stop her, effectively pausing her speech, before pointing to the living room. garnet looked up to the direction of his finger. "Ah."

pearl was sitting on a pillow, leaning back against your thick furred side, reading, while you drew your pictures, while periodically taking a sip of the warm (brand) tea she had brewed for you. "very nice, (name). I love the details in this one!" she pointed to a group photo of the crystal gems you had drawn, tracing a finger along the roses and stars that lined it. pride swelled in your chest at these words and you purred happily to yourself. "thank you, pearl." you replied warmly, sipping your tea. pearl hummed to herself and leaned back against you, shutting her eyes, allowing herself to sink deeper into your warm fur, before looking back down at her book.

"I knew she'd come around! now we're all buds!" garnet smiled and ruffled the boy's hair. "that, we are."