5
Pearl was both extremely confused and concerned for Gem at the finding of… Well, antlers planted on her head, but she really couldn’t dwell on his own confusion for too long. Gem was panicking, her breathing spiked and eyes wide, a clear sign she genuinely doesn’t know what's happening to her.
Pearl walks up next to Gem and sits down, his arm coming up to rub Gem's back in soft small circles, “Just breathe Gem…we’ll figure out” Pearl mutters, his voice calming yet, unsure.
Gem’s breathing calms just a small bit as she curls into Pearl's chest, a few tears streaming down her face and being soaked into Pearl's T-shirt.
“It’s alright Gem,” Pearl runs her hand through Gem’s hair, softly shushing any small sobs from Gem, “Do you want to lay down with me, we can talk” Pearl asks, keeping her voice steady, even if she’s just as panicked, she needs to make sure Gem is calm so she’ll talk to her.
Gem gives a small shaky nod, clinging onto the fabric of Pearl’s shirt like a lifeline, and she isn’t going to take that away from her, so she lifts Gem up in her arms, and walks out of the bathroom.
Pearl takes Gem to his room and settles into the bed with her, Gem sitting comfortably (as Pearl presumes at least) in his lap. Bringing his hand back up to run through Gem’s hair, he lets Gem take her time to calm down and relax
He pulls Gem slightly closer, ensuring that she feels safe.
“I-I’m sorry…” Gem mutters, tears streaming down her face still as she backs away to meet Pearl’s eyes. Her beautiful emerald eyes looking dull and tired, It made his heart shatter.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about, you haven’t done anything wrong” Pearl whispers soothingly, his hand reaching up to wipe Gem’s tears away.
“But I'm a fucking freak of nature…” Gem cried, burying her face back into Pearl's shoulder, letting the tears soak back in again.
“Gem… You’re not a freak of nature… I refuse to believe that whatever this means, that you’re not human…because you are, Gem.”
“I’m not human, Pearl… You know I'm not, you can see it, Pearl.” He can’t help the way his eyes trail back to Gem’s antlers, grown in jagged shapes, that just rubs in that fact. He’s quick to bring his eyes back to hers.
“Hey, Hey… Listen to me,” Pearl takes a deep breath, calming her nerves as she works herself up to speak, “Being human doesn’t mean being the same as everyone else… There are so many people that aren’t 100% the same as others in so many ways, and it just adds to the fact they are human… Just like you, deer antlers or not, you’re human…”
Gem shakes in her arms, sobs choking out as she grips onto her tighter… Pearl didn’t care, as long as Gem felt safe, as long as she understood she was just as human as everyone else.
As long as she understood that, she could sob into Pearl's shoulder and grip onto her so tightly it hurts for as long as she needs.
“Tell me when you’re ready to talk… You have all the time in the world though, okay?” Pearl whispers, stroking Gem’s hair out of her face.
He hates seeing Gem like this.
Gem, whose usually a beam of sunshine.
Now crying in his arms because she sees herself as a monster.
It makes Pearl's heart melt, he’d do all he can to keep her from feeling like this ever again.
“Pearl…?”
She snaps out of her thoughts, dragged out by the quiet voice.
“Yes Gem?”
“I think I’m ready to talk.”