Steven Universe x corrupt gemling reader

~Settling in~

N-No! Stay back!

On instinct, you shrank back from the hands, skittering back into a plushe's tum with a feeble hiss of defense, and swat of your paw. At this, the hands stopped and the pearl peered in at you with kind blue eyes. "No no no. Calm down, it's okay. I won't hurt you." Despite the softness in her voice, you still remained pressed against against the plushe's abdomen, hunched over with your fur on end. Your eyes switched between the two hands hovering over you, growling lowly in your throat.

You didn't know much about this pearl yet. But what you did know was that she was that same gem that held the same weapon that caused your mother's downfall. How could you even have the slightest of trust in this gem?

"I-It's okay... Pearl's not gonna hurt you!" the boy spoke up, smiling reassuringly at you. The pearl nodded, offering a small smile. "It's just a brief inspection, little one." She assured, her voice sounding soft and sweet itself. "Just to get a better look at you and your condition."

You murmured, still remaining rigid, growling with the most intimidating glare you could muster. Pearl clicked her tongue, bitting her lip with a sheepish expression while steven frowned at how tensed you still were. "She's... really scared..." He muttered to himself. After exchanging a brief look with pearl, he offered you a half-smile. "Come on.. you gotta give her a chance," he gestured to his pale guardian, who offered you a weary grin. "She's... really sorry about poofing your mom... and she wants to help you two." You narrowed your eyes in skepticism. help, huh? "Just... trust me." steven chirped. "It'll be quick!"

You stared deeply at the child, whining lowly in your throat with hesitance. you scanned his features for any form of falsehood, but he looked as sincere as ever, if not more. You couldn't deny that while you were still on edge with his gem guardians, this child seemed pretty genuine with everything he says...

You switched your gazes from him to pearl, grumbling to yourself in contemplation. Well... he promised me I wouldn't get hurt before... so maybe he'll keep the pearl from hurting me as well...

Although you were reluctant, you decided to trust him again and relaxed yourself subtly, flattening the fur along your back with a huff through your nostrils. Steven smiled and looked up to pearl with approval, nodded in response as she reached in and gently picked you up under your forearms, making sure not to injure your midarms. "Okay... let's see.."

She holds you up to her face, her eyes looking over you with a lifted brow. "Mhm... Her form is bright and very stable... that's good..." She brushes a thumb across your cheek. "Maybe a little cold, but it's nothing more blankets and maybe a lamp couldn't fix..." She turns you around and holds you gently under your belly, running a hand down your back, humming in satisfaction at the feel of your soft (color) fur. "Her hair is in surprisingly good shape... clean and smooth, despite her previous living conditions..." You squirmed slightly in her grip, adjusting your position and sniffing at her fingers. She smelled sweet, like the bedding of your nest, with a faint flowery edge to it. It was surprisingly comforting... "And now..."

Humming quizzically to herself, she turned you around, looking you over, her eyes scanning you pensively as she ran her fingers through your mane apperantly searching for something. Of course, after about a minute, you start to squirm and squeak in impatient discomfort. "Easy now," Pearl coos, pausing her search, to give you a reassuring glance. "I'm just looking for your gemstone."

You paused in confusion, looking at her with a squinted eye. My what now?

"Ah, there it is." With a confused grumble, you watch the pearl with curious eyes as she brushes her finger gently over your small (color) (shape) (gemstone) gem on your (location). She squinted, running her fingers over the tiny gemstone, staring deeply at it. Then the faint glint of astonishment glimmered in her eyes. "Oh wow..." She muttered, prompting steven to lift his brow in curiosity, peering at the gemstone himself along with the others. "What? What's wrong, P?" Amethyst asks, peeking in herself, squinting at its small size. "Well... Nothing... in fact... it's in mint condition." She sounded quite surprised. "There's not even a scratch on it! It's perfectly shiny, like it's brand new!" You were confused at this reaction. Why wouldn't it be in good condition? After her surprise wore off, pearl frowned in sympathy, running a hand gently over the stone yet again. "She really did make an effort to keep this little one as cared for as possible..."

Garnet just watched as pearl stroked your back, while you just remained still in her grip, becoming more and more unaware of your surroundings as the exhaustion started to hit. "...and we'll make her mother's efforts don't go to waste." She spoke, her voice firm with resolve. Her teammates look up at her, pearl gently setting you back into the box, allowing you to resume your re-adjusting. "Not only do we need to keep earth save, but now we must make sure this gemling is safe until we can figure out a cure for her corruption and reunite her with her mother."

"Right. This shouldn't be too difficult." pearl stated, an air of confidence in her voice, as she crossed her arms. "We just need to be extra careful around her." amethyst laughed, pumping her fists into the air. "Alright! New teammate!" Steven happily clapped, excitedly shuffling in place. "This'll be great! Our very first crystal gem gemling!" Pearl watched as the two with a lifted brow and frowned slightly. "She isn't a toy, you two." She reminded sternly. "She requires just as much, if not more care than a human infant."

"Oh, Don't worry!" Steven affirmed still smiling. "I'll promise to take extra good care of (name)!" Pearl tipped her head to the side, puzzled at the sudden name. "(Name)?" Steven nodded, his smile softening slightly. "Well, yeah." He knelt down beside your box, gently stroking your back. "Remember her mom repeating that when we were fighting her?" Pearl and garnet exchanged sad glances between each other as he continued. "So... I figured we should keep calling her that... since her mom did." He then peeked into the box to peer at you, who was now curled up against the plushe's soft tum, in preparation for sleep. "You like us calling you (name), right?" Unaware of his question, you stretch your limbs, and give a loud, high-pitched yawn, letting yourself succumb to the clutches of sleep. Steven just giggled, smiling in satisfaction. "I'll take that as a yes."

The other gems peeked in, smiling at your small sleeping form as well. Even with corruption, to them, you were just absolutely adorable. Garnet stepped back, adjusting her visors. "Come on. we should let her sleep." Everyone nodded in agreement, and departed from the loft, with steven preparing for bed himself and the gems retiring to the temple doors.

"This... actually might actually be more beneficial to us than I thought." Pearl spoke, a cheery edge in her voice. "Not only could teach steven all of my knowledge about gemling care... but we might actually find a way to corruption more quickly with this gemling as well!" Garnet nodded, but remained cavalier. "But keep in mind, we now need to keep steven, earth AND this gemling safe now."

Amethyst shrugged in a casual, laid-back manner.

"I mean... how much harder could that be?"
~~~~~~~~~~

Let the oneshots and scenarios commence.