👑 || Queen of Hearts

b l o o m i n g

Months had transpired since Spinel's heartfelt confession, and in that time things had changed. They had changed. With each passing day, their love grew ever stronger, and Earth ever healthier. Soon, Spinel would have the freedom to spend the entirety of her days in Pink's room, with occasional visits to Steven and the Gems. The mere thought of it excited her, and she returned every night with a sense of pride in her heart. She was happy; really, truly happy, for she was loved, not only by Pink, but by Steven, and her friends, and...

The Diamonds.

Spinel had forgotten that they, too, were eager for the planet's restoration to meet its conclusion. After months of postponement, their long-awaited ball would finally see the light of day, serving as a solution to their own predicament. For ages, they'd attempted to coax Spinel out of Pink's room, hoping to bond with her as they'd promised they would. The Diamonds merely wanted to assure her that they'd changed, and were ready to receive her love in return. Unbeknownst to them, Spinel had changed too. And she wasn't so willing to forgive...

👑💕👑

That day started same as any other: Spinel bid Pink Pearl farewell as she headed out to assist with the final touches on the cleanup, and after one last kiss, she was off. The pearl waved longingly as she saw her lover through the door, and when it finally closed, a sense of emptiness fell over the room. She couldn't quite explain it, as even now she still had the pebbles to occupy her. Nevertheless, Spinel's leaving always left a pit of sorts in her heart, and it remained so until she returned hours later. Then things were lovely again. Then she was whole.

As she turned her attention to the pebbles, who were starting to emerge from their assorted nooks and crannies to accommodate her, the feeling seemed to fester and blossom. Like a virus. Before she knew it, the sensation spread to her physical being, feeling most prominent on the left side of her face. She was about to put a hand to her cracked eye, but the sudden reopening of the door stole her focus away from the matter. For a moment, the hole vanished, replaced by a rush of euphoria, of longing...

But it was only Yellow Pearl, come to deliver an invitation to a Gem who had left minutes prior.

"Spinel, dear, the Diamonds told me to—Pink!"

Upon seeing the pearl, she halted in her tracks, awkwardly rubbing her neck. Cordially, Pink beckoned her over, signaling that there was no tension between them; no grudges held. She wasn't a Diamond, after all.

Relieved, Yellow joined her on the floor, where a few pebbles had circled and were now humming a song completely unfamiliar to her. Something about an infirmary, "blues", and long white tables. Though she couldn't derive any meaning from it, she enjoyed the melody nonetheless. It was new to her for sure, but maybe that's what she liked about it.

Pink lifted a pebble from the ground and lovingly stroked its head. Yellow followed suit as best she could, and as the song came to an end, Pink giggled.

"It's Spinel's favorite. She sings it all the time, and I suppose they fell in love with it, too."

Yellow raised an eyebrow. "Spinel sings?" To herself, she added, "Funny, I never thought her the type..."

"You should really see her dance. It's hysterical, and also strangely impressive." At this, the two of them laughed. Then, out of nowhere, Yellow began to cry.

"Hey, are you alright?" asked Pink, setting a hand gently on her friend's shoulder. Yellow nodded, wiping away tears as more only welled in her eyes.

"I'm fine, dear. I missed you, you know. Blue and I...we always wanted to come back...to see you again..." She chuckled softly to herself, which only served to produce more sobs. Unsure of how best to respond, Pink wrapped the distraught pearl in a hug.