Come on, come on, come-

"Oofff!" Orange Diamond grunted as the large grey fist ducked under her crossed arms and crashed into her gut, flinging her up and off her feet, knocking her backwards. Gravity took effect a moment later and she landed on her butt, falling back and sprawling out on the floor, her eyes wide and dazed.

"Three." Topaz J2 called, her arms crossed as she stood behind her partner, a cocky smirk on her face.

Topaz's partner, G9, grinned, her deadly fast fists resting on her hips as the two of them stared at their sparring partner, "We win, my Diamond."

Orange comically groaned louder as she sat up, her head falling back rather dramatically, so she was facing towards the ceiling with her mouth wide open and her eyes still closed, earning chuckles from the Topazes, "Thistime."

"And the last time." J2 added.

G9 cocked her head to turn her grin at her as they continued their banter, "And the time before that."

"And-"

A loud voice, hoarse and scratchy,like she had come out of her hole screaming orders, which could have been perfectly plausible, broke their banter and drew their attention, breaking the lighthearted mood, "What are you doing!?"

The livid Iris Agate glared between the three of them, looking as if she was mere seconds from exploding. Despite being shorter than the Topazes and Orange, she was still incredibly intimidating, and managed to pull everyone's attention with her mere presence.

Orange rolled her neck, her legs crossing as she leaned forward to rest her elbows on her legs, being courteous enough to look up at Iris as she spoke, "Urgh. Iris, come on. You don't have to yell."

Iris' eyes widened as she bared her teeth in a snarl, and Orange wouldn't believe she could look angrier if she hadn't witnessed it herself before. "Yell? I haven't even begun to yell!" Iris held out a hand in J2 and G9's direction, "What was that?"

"Me...getting punched by a Topaz?" Orange answered sheepishly, sitting up a little straighter under the Agate's cool, pale eyes.

"Exactly!" Iris hand swung towards her, pointing a finger accusingly at the youngest Diamond, "You're too slow!"

Orange's face fell into a blank look, which she knew would make Iris angrier, but she could hardly stop herself from pushing her buttons. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

"What am I supposed to do with you? You're built like a quartz soldier, but you have all the grace of lumbering slate." Iris sighed, her hand moving up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she shook her head, "And now you're going to be going off and you're going to slack in your training. I'm going to have to start all over again!"

Orange took her time getting up off the ground, raising an eyebrow at Iris Agate, "Do you talk to all the Diamonds you know like this?"

"I don't see a Diamond here, only a whiney polished pebble."

Orange had to fight back a laugh at the haughty look on Iris' face, and responded in an even tone, "You know, you're taking that free reign to say whatever quite far."

Iris paused, her shoulders tense as she met Orange's eyes, her annoyed sneer dropping into a somewhat neutral frown. "Would you prefer I stop?"

"No, no." Orange waved her off, "where would the fun in that be?"

"Good." And that wide eyed angry look was back, "Then the Polished Pebble better get up and start again!"

Orange rolled her eyes, "Ugh. Iris, you are a personal slave driver."

"Only because you slack off. And don't roll your eyes at me!"

The Diamond walked over to the Topazes, bumping a friendly fist to G9, who grinned as all three turned back to Iris. Orange swept a hand through her bangs, her lips pursed slightly at the accusation, "I'm not slacking. I'm a lot faster than I was."

Iris acknowledged this with a nod, "Except, it doesn't matter how quick you are when you can't keep it up for long. Your endurance is lacking, and while you could punch holes in granite, your strength matters little when you can't use your abilities and your opponent is better trained than you."

"So I need to work on endurance more." Orange agreed, "I'll keep training while I'm away."

Iris sighed, laying a hand over her chest, "But it won't be mytraining. Who will push you to do your best without me?"

"I'll just imagine you yelling, and threatening me, how about that?"

Iris pale eyes narrowed at the youngest diamond, "Excuse me?"

"I'm joking! I'm joking." Orange held up her hands in a show of peace as she laughed, settling down after a moment and becoming a little more serious, though the smile never left her lips as she addressed her trainer, "Really, Iris. I'll be gone for two months, if that. To Yellow and Blue Diamond's colonies and then I'll be back. You'll hardly even know I'm gone."

"Of course I'll know you're gone." Iris pursed her lips, one hand wrapping around her chest and being used to support the other as she rested it on top, a finger tapping at her lower lip as a thoughtful expression crossed her face, "When you get back, I'll have a whole knew schedule for you." Her face lit up, looking much more enthusiastic about it than her three companions, "It'll be perfect. You'll be spending an extra hour with me until I'm satisfied you are where you're suppose to be."

"I'm going to die." Orange's lips pulled into a grimace as she spoke under her breath.

"What was that?" Iris eyes zeroed in on Orange again, who jumped slightly at her intense look.

"I said I can't wait!" The diamond chuckled awkwardly, "Right, G9? Sounds like great fun, huh?" Orange patted her arm, who looked far more uncomfortable under Iris' stare than Orange, nodding her head in forced agreement.

"Fun..."

Iris harrumphed, folding her arms behind her back, somehow looking much more intimidating than when she had been waving her hands around. Her features pinched into that natural Agate sneer of disapproval, "That's what I thought you said. Now stop running your mouth, and start-"

"I'm going, I'm going!" Orange grumbled in mock reluctance, beginning the slow jog around the large open oval structure that they used for training, calling over her shoulder in a joking whine, "J2! Save me!"

"No, that's okay." J2 leaned on her counterpart's shoulder as they watched Orange Diamond jogging, struggling to look at them over her shoulder and almost running into a thick white pillar, which had them devolving into snickers.

G9 nearly fell backwards as she leaned back against her partner, laughing and waving off their sparring partner, "We'll wait here."

Iris Agate startled them both when she marched up to them, pointing a finger in Orange's direction, "What are you talking about? You go too!"

Both G9 and J2 stepped back, jaws tensing at her closeness.

"What?" J2 stuttered, pushing against G9 to use her as a shield against the Agate when they both looked down at her.

G9 pushed against her counterpart's hands, grunting at the effort as Iris leaned forward, narrowing her eyes at both of them."But-"

"You're her training partners!" Iris barked, making them both jump, "If she's running, you better be running too!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"We're going!" G9 was the first to pull away, making J2 almost stumble into Iris before she pivoted, twisting her weight and stumbling after her as they both ran to catch up with the Diamond, who turned to look at them, a large grin splitting her face.

"Ha ha!" Orange cackled, making sure to keep ahead of the Topazes, "That's what you get!"

"We weren't made for this!" G9 complained, huffing loudly as her partner caught up with her.

"Of course we were, don't be an idiot!" J2 punched her in the back of the arm, glaring at her when she turned to look at her, rubbing her shoulder as her eyebrows turned up in distress.

"Maybe you were!" G9 pushed her.

J2 pushed back, passing her counterpart in their run and taking the middle between Orange and her. "You've spent too much time in the palace guard!"

Orange slowed just enough for the two to catch up, joining in their not so quiet arguing. "How angry do you think Iris would be if we just took a left, and split?" Orange huffed, eyeing the exit ahead of them.

"Not worth it!" J2 grunted.

"No!" G9 cried, shaking her head so quickly, Orange questioned how she wasn't dizzy after, "I'd rather keep running for the rest of my life."

"Good point." Orange agreed, offering the two struggling topazes a grin and raised eyebrow, "I mean, we have to stop at some point, right?"

More than an hour later, and a lot more work than Orange had planned to do that day, the Diamond rested on her hands and knees, not quite sure she was ever going to get her breathing back to normal. G9 and J2 were collapsed on the ground around her, breathing incredibly heavy and groaning.

"Urrrrg." Orange groaned, as she flopped onto her stomach, ignoring Iris Agate who stood in front of all of them, an eyebrow raised at their dramatic behavior. "You are trying to kill me. Just get your whip and end it already, Iris." Orange reached forward, grabbing onto her trainer's booted foot, "Don't be so cruel."

Iris kicked her hand off, rolling her eyes, "Stop complaining."

"I'll stop complaining when I'm dead." Orange rolled over, blowing air from her mouth to move the bangs that stuck to her forehead to look up at Iris and meet her eyes.

"Tempting." Iris smirked, "You make it very tempting."

"Oh, oh. Topaz, my beautiful topazes." Orange reached out to J2, who looked over at her to watch as she flopped an arm over her eyes, "You must move on without me."

"'Kay!" G9 yelled, "Maybe we'll get a diamond that doesn't like to do exercise."

Orange sat up, playfully glaring at her, "Yeah? Maybe when this is all over, I'll give you to Yellow Diamond. I hear she likes to make her troops train through war maneuvers every other month."

"Urg!" J2 groaned loudly, all three heads turning to look at her, "why not Blue Diamond? I hear she's very understanding!"

"No! Pink Diamond!" G9 countered, "So much kinder."

Iris Agate rolled her eyes, clapping her hands and making the two topazes jump more out of habit than actual command, "alright! Get up you lazy pebbles! We're done for the day."

"Oh, you wonderful, amazing, dazzling Agate! Thank you!" Orange cheered from her laying position, the two Topazes tossing their arms up to join her.

"Yeah yeah." Iris waved her off, watching J2 and G9 helping each other up first before offering a hand each to Orange and pulling her up in one fluid motion. The three made one large hug circle between them, a end of the workout tradition she had become used to witnessing and gladly not being apart of.

"J2, G9, You're dismissed. Orange Diamond, a moment of your time, if you please."

All three turned to look at her inquisitively before turning back to each other. Orange was the first to offer them a wave before they could even voice their question, obviously waiting for her to agree before they decided. Iris Agate may have run their little training ring under White Diamond's orders, but she had no delusions that it was Orange Diamond who held the authority here, and she was gracious enough to hand it over to her, and listen to everything she said. An honor she handled delicately, and with great respect for the gem she had been given to, a respect she had been begrudging to give at first. Now, looking at the spent gem in front of her as she waited for her two partners to depart far enough before turning to her, she could not be more greatful for the chance she had been given to serve Homeworld's newest Diamond.

Orange turned to Iris, her enthusiastic smile dropping slightly into a more serious expression as she met Iris' eyes, her own silently asking her what was going on even as she asked, "Iris? Is everything okay?"

"I simply wished to wish you well before you left, My Diamond."

Orange's seriousness dropped for a delightfully wide smile, contagious enough that it had Iris returning it with a small one of her own.

"That's really kind of you, Iris! Thank you."

"You have been working really hard. You have come very far in the short time that we have known one another. Much more than I thought you would after witnessing your first day."

"Yeah, I guess so." Orange blushed, scratching at her cheek in embarrassment, "But you really know how to keep me motivated."

"You mean yelling and threatening you?"

"Ah!" Orange's eyes widened before she laughed at seeing Iris' teasing smirk, "you know I'm joking about that, right Iris?"

"I'm sure. But, my Diamond?"

"Hmm?"

Iris reached out, startling Orange when she held both of her shoulders, giving her an intense stare. "Good work. I'm so proud of you. I look forward to your return, my Diamond. Have some fun while you're gone, you look like you need it."

Orange eyes shimmered, before she surprised Iris by wrapping her arms around her and lifting her off the ground in a hug. "Thank you Iris!"

Iris patted at her arm, "Okay, Okay! Put me down! Put me down! This has turned too sappy!"

"You're just a big romantic at heart, and you know it." Orange laughed hardily, jostling the smaller gem in her arms.

"Absolutely not!" Iris flushed in embrassed, smacking Orange's arm until she set her down.

"Aww. Okay, okay. I'm done teasing." Orange chuckled as Iris moved about setting her clothes back in order, her cheeks still burning as she glared at every little crease Orange had caused in her tunic. Orange offered her a hand in a show of goodbye, "I'll see you when I get back, Iris."

Iris stopped to look up and acknowledge her with a nod of affirmation. "Goodbye, my Diamond."

--------------

Orange closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the cool glass against her back as the soft hum of Pearl's voice filled the small space between them, the not quite words of her song soothing, quieting her mind, and relaxing her body as she focused on the notes, instead of the weariness of her limbs.

Ever since she and Pearl had that long dance in White's palace, things had felt...different between them. Not a bad different, just more...intense. She looked forward to time with Pearl, as always, and Pearl seemed quite content to spend the time with her. Orange didn't feel the need to talk about what was transpiring between them, simply enjoying whatever change was happening. Pearl didn't seem too interested in talking it over either, so it was left at the back of their minds, a subject neither wished to breach currently, and instead simply went about their daily routines in preferred ignorance.

Since her little adventure to the Palace, Orange had made sure to make time for Pearl and herself. She missed having her friend to talk to, or just to sit with. She loved J2 and G9, and Iris, and she considered them friends, as much as she considered 5PX and 7PX friends, but they weren't Pearl. None of them knew her like Pearl, none of them could quite compare, or manage to bring out the sense of peace like Pearl did. Orange didn't feel like she had to live up to any set standard, she didn't even have to be Orange Diamond with Pearl. She just was, and that was so, so nice. To just exist, to be. She wasn't Orange Diamond, and she wasn't White's Pearl, they were just two gems, no expectations of the Empire outside, just friends enjoying the silence and companionship the other brought.

Orange cracked open her eyes, watching Pearl as she sat beside her, body turned to face the window properly, legs crossed and hands messing absentmindedly with one of the gifts the youngest diamond had been given from Blue Diamond. It was a small orb, the outside base structure was crystalline in nature, a frosted opaque color, that allowed it's middle to shine through, its color changing based on what angle the light of the room hit it from. Blue had explained that it was an old gem object that she had once used to keep Orange calm as a very young child, keeping her attention on the light that seemed to radiate from within rather than on the absence of Pink Diamond. Orange did not remember the object, or having fits without Pink, but she found it charming all the same now, keeping it with the other gifts she kept here in her personal space.

Pearl flipped the orb, the light catching it again, the gentle beams changing from yellow and transitioning into greens and blues. Orange studied the way the light cast Pearl in a multitude of colors, a far cry from her monochrome color scheme. Orange had to turn her eyes away when the unyielding hardness of the glass started to bother her back, twisting in her spot to find a new position and accidentally knocking into the glass as she leaned on it in a new position. The back of Orange's head knocking into the glass pulled Pearl's attention, her pale eyes glancing up to the diamond and her song stopping abruptly.

Orange offered her a small smile as her eyes silently questioned if she was alright, "just getting comfortable."

Pearl nodded, but her eyes didn't go back to the orb, instead turning to look out at the night sky. They had long since past their time for sunset watching and had simply been sitting together, small talk picking up when it came, but mostly just silence and good company, and the odd object in her stash being explored by her companion. Apparently a lot of them were things a Pearl would never be allowed to see or even hold, ancient and valuable, or simply too far above her rank to even be near unless they were getting it for their owner. Orange had let her have free reign of her things, and Pearl had treated it like she had offered her a rare treasure.

But now Orange realized their quiet time would be coming to an end when the sun rised, and Pearl would have to go. She should have gone hours ago, and Orange should have already been resting, but neither had really wanted to part just yet. The young gem also noted the way the silence had turned from comfortable to uneasy, and Orange looked at Pearl, reading the way her shoulders where tense, her spine strained to sit up perfectly straight, her fingers the only thing really remaining loose, as not to crush the delicate orb between them.

"Pearl?" Orange asked quietly, but her friend did not turn to look at her. She waited, giving Pearl time to decide to ask what obviously seemed to be bouncing around in her head.

She was rewarded for her patience when Pearl's quiet voice asked, "You're leaving tomorrow, for Blue Diamond's colony, right?"

"Yeah." Orange confirmed with a nod, her hair bunching up behind her head as she refused to move it as she did, "I'll spend three weeks or so with her, then I'll be going to see Yellow." Orange paused, before adding, feeling a need to continue to fill their new, tenser silence, "I was going to go to Yellow first, but she had to push things back. Apparently something happened on one of her colonies that she had to see to personally."

"I'll miss you." Pearl turned to her, offering her a small smile. "It will be odd without you here."

"I'll miss you too." Orange's eyebrows bunched up even as she returned her small smile, "I could..." Orange eyes flicked away from Pearl's curious gaze, as she proposed, "you know, you could always call me when I'm gone."

"You mean use the Diamond's communicator?" Pearl said, her tone light but she could not hide the note of admonishment at the suggestion, "Orange, That wouldn't be right."

"You're right." The younger gem ducked her head, her cheeks warming in embarrassment, "Sorry, it was a stupid idea....I'm just..."

Pearl reached out, sliding her hand half way between them to rest on the floor facing palm up, a silent offering of comfort that Orange could choose to take. The movement caught Orange's attention, her eyes flicking to her open hand then to Pearl, who was watching her, then back to her hand. Taking a breath to calm her nerves, she reached over the remaining distance, grasping Pearl's hand, feeling grounded in the physical contact. Pearl smiled after she had given Orange another moment to breath, "We have been separated for much longer before, but it's different now."

"It is, isn't it?" She slumped against the glass, her skin making a cringing screech sound as she slid down it. "We've been through a lot, and the thought of being away from here is weird."

Pearl nodded in agreement, "We spend a lot of time together. I will have to find something to fill my time with now."

"I..." Orange paused, her eyes widening as she turned to her friend, her eyebrows scrunching up in her sudden distressing realization, "I've never thought....have I taken you away from doing things you want to do, to spend your time with me?"

Pearl chuckled, squeezing Orange's hand in familiar comfort, "Do not look so concerned. Of course I have given up time doing things I used to, but a lot of those things....they involved me being alone. I am not so upset to give up some of that time for you."

Orange's eyes flicked to the floor, looking rather ashamed, dispite Pearl's words, "We spend a lot of time doing things I want..." The young diamond was quiet a long moment before she sat up, pulling away from the glass and turning on her spot to face Pearl more directly, her gaze become a little more serious than Pearl had been expecting. "when I get back, would you show me things you like to do? I mean, I know you like to dance, but is there other things?"

Pearl turned slightly to face Orange as well, releasing her hand now that Orange had seemed to calm down, "I would be glad to show you."

"I'm sorry I've never asked before."

"Don't be." Pearl waved her off gently, "You're asking now, that is what is important. Most would not think to ask at all."

Orange nodded in acceptance, turning to look at the city. It wasn't quite time for dawn, but the dark night sky was still lit by the artificial lights of the spires and towers, the spot light around the throne room casting the most light around their area of the city, illuminating a lot of the buildings in reflected blue-white light. In the far distance of the horizon, a small crack of pink light began to break the dark skyline, "Time for me to leave is coming so quickly. I'm almost dreading the sun coming up."

Pearl turned to watch the sky with her, her voice was calm and quiet, soothing, "Everything will be fine. You don't need to be afraid."

Orange didn't know if she needed the voiced comfort, but she appreciated it all the same. "I'm not afraid, i'm just..." Orange trailed off, unsure exactly what it was that was making her anxious for morning to come. After a split moment to debate, Orange turned to Pearl, "Let's go to the palace."

"Orange?" Pearl turned to look at her in question.

"To the main room. Let's go there, and just..."

"Okay." Pearl agreed, starting to get up, careful of the fragile object in her hand, before Orange stood up quicker, making the effort to meet her and offer her hand in assistance. Pearl smiled as she took it, holding the orb away from them with the other so it wasn't accidentally jostled from her grasp.

"Okay?" Orange echoed.

Pearl walked back to Orange's shelves, placing the orb back onto the triangular stand she had taken it from, turning back to Orange who had walked to the middle of the room to wait for her. "White Diamond does not go there anymore. We won't be caught."

Pearl was quiet for a moment, and Orange could see she was debating speaking her next words, and Orange's breath was knocked from her when Pearl looked up at her, the worry in her eyes a startling change for Orange. "I worry what will happen, sometimes, if she finds out." Pearl voiced, slow in her walk to join Orange where she waited for her.

Orange crossed the remaining space, reaching out to grab Pearl's hands, "It will be okay." Orange stared into Pearl's eyes, her own fears falling into the back of her mind at witnessing Pearl's own quietly voiced one's. "I won't let her do anything to you."

"You can't promise that, Orange." Pearl chided, her chin tucking slightly against her chest as she looked down.

"Why can't I?" Orange challenged, her serious tone bringing Pearl's attention back to her, surprised by the subtle passion burning behind her eyes, "Out of everyone, you know she will listen to me."

"You will talk White Diamond down from punishment?" Her tone was slightly teasing, easing the tense moment into something a little more manageable for herself, because she didn't believe she could handle the direction it was heading.

"I'll do whatever I have to." Orange grinned, but her eyes never quite lightened with her happier tone, "Remember? I said I'd fight for you."

Pearl chuckled at the reminder of the words of a much younger version of the gem before, spoken so casually, but meaning more to her at that time than she would have known, "I have missed that."

"What?" Orange blinked, all pretense of seriousness dropping from her face so suddenly, it was almost a surprise for Pearl, but the return of her normally innocent curiousness wasn't unwelcome.

"Your confidence. It..." Pearl paused, her cheeks dusting a slightly darker tinge of grey than its normal white parlor, "I am not so afraid when you seem so sure."

Orange brought her hands up, her grasp firm and reassuring around her own, "I'm already strong and I'll only get stronger. I'll keep you safe." Orange's seriousness returned, that sharpness and warning it brought to her normally soft features was a reminder to Pearl that no matter how she acted with her, Orange was a Diamond, the most powerful gem type of them. Her words were law, and she had the power to back up a lot of her claims, though her unspoken challenge to also fight White Diamond was more than even Pearl was willing to believe possible. "You don't have to worry with me."

"I don't need protecting." Pearl responded, her eyes falling closed as whatever moment had been building faded as she pulled away, and Orange didn't attempt to stop her, which she was thankful for.

"I know you don't. But it doesn't mean I would allow you to be hurt because of me. I wont let it happen. Orange said, her eyes never leaving Pearl even as her hands fell to her sides while Pearl's wrapped around herself, like a guard between them.

"You can't change everything." Pearl told her, wincing as she realized how callous her words may have come across. Looking up, she was surprised to see Orange standing with her chin raised, that same determined look in her eyes she had all those nights ago, her shoulders squared and her stance in that of a starting position of their dance.

"I know." Orange offered her a small smile, "Dance with me? Before I have to go."

"Here?" Pearl looked around, surprised. They had never taken their dancing to Orange's room. It wasn't small by any means, but it certainly wasn't the large, open layout of the palace.

"Yes. Here. Before we run out of time."

Pearl hesitated only a moment before reaching out, unfurling from herself and allowing Orange to take the lead, pulling her into their most familiar starting position.

The younger gem waited, allowing Pearl to give her a nod before starting their movement, leading Pearl into a dance that allowed her to forget for the moment everything around them and everything that was happening. It was simply the soft moments between them, the fluid steps and timed twirls, and the warmth she had become used to from Orange that other gems didn't have. Pearl didn't know if that came from her abilities or her partly organic nature, but it was a comfort, something to lull her into the familiar contentment she always fell into when she was alone with her. She almost felt like she was vivid again, colored and whole, breathing life into a being she hadn't been in a long, long time.

The spell was only broken when Orange stopped abruptly, her larger foot resting awkwardly over Pearl's, being pulled away before she even fully realized what had happened.

"Arg." Orange grunted, looking at her apologeticly, "I'm sorry. I still falter with that step."

"It's alright." Pearl's eyes fell closed, taking a breath and grounding herself, pulled back to the present and offered a smile to Orange, because she knew how quickly she could slide into a vicious cycle of frustration as she worked herself up while being overly critical of herself, and really, Pearl wasn't bothered by the mistake. "It didn't hurt. Let's starts again. This time don't think too much about it."

Orange blushed, sheepishly questioning, "You can tell?"

Pearl chuckled, "You get this little line," she reached up before she could stop to really think about the action, rubbing gently at the small line that had formed between her eyebrows, "just here. You look very serious."

Her voice was quieter than Pearl had anticipated, "I don't want to mess this up."

"You won't." she reassured, gently guiding Orange into a new starting position before giving back the lead to her, "Relax. You're not being judged here."

Orange took a deep breath, her eyes falling closed, not realizing Pearl was watching her the entire time before she blinked them open again, her eyes sharp once more, "Okay. Let's start again."

This time Pearl was fully aware of their steps, of Orange's closeness, of every touch and slide of hands. Of the way the much larger gem moved, grace defying her size, the poise she didn't believe she had, but was most certainly there when she wasn't overthinking every little thing. Pearl smiled, going unnoticed as Orange ran through their well practiced dance. She enjoyed this time more than she probably should, not that she really should be alone with the young diamond to begin with, but it was a pleasant, mostly innocent taboo, one she did not ever wish to give up. The friendship and trust she had built up with Orange was more than worth the potiential threat of her own Diamond finding out. A risk she was willing to take, despite her fears. It was only when they were slowing, Orange's feet chasing after hers in a languid pace as their dance had devolved from their intense routine to just slow dancing, that Pearl spoke, breaking the tense atmosphere that had settled over them ever since they had begun their dance, "Please be safe, while you're away."

"I will." Orange's seriousness had fallen away into her kinder demeanor, the one Pearl had become accustomed to, and the sweet Orange Diamond she had become familiarized to being herself with. "When I get back, we should go watch a sunrise from the palace balcony. We haven't had the chance to do that yet."

"I look forward to it." Pearl smiled at the suggestion, and the promise of another long night when they were finally back together. She could only imagine the stories Orange would have for her when she returned.

"I'll bring you something back." Orange continued, tilting her chin down to look at her, and Pearl looked up to meet her gaze.

"You don't have to do that."

"I don't," Orange agreed, "but I want to."

"Please, nothing thats alive." Pearl shuttered.

"Hahah!" Orange laughed hardily, pulling Pearl away from thoughts she no longer wished to dwell on, "Okay. I'll make sure it's something you'll love, though. I like to think I know you pretty well."

Pearl smiled despite herself, "You do."

-------------

Author: I'm back baby! Welcome to the 3rd season of Stars & Diamonds!

Had a mostly relaxing time away, but I'm ready to be back and updating. Thanks to everyone who's left comments while i was away, and also thanks to everyone who got in contact and followed me on tumblr. You all are awesome.