"Pink! I see you brought your Connie." White smiled down at him but the irritation in her voice was evident. "I hope you're enjoying her service, I taught her well, though she's no Pearl."

Connie's face flushed in embarrassment and she tried not to focus on the blatant insult.

"Tell me Connie, has he been treating you well? No... incidents?"

She was floored. She didn't know what to say. It wasn't like it was her first time meeting her by any means, but she hadn't spoken to her directly very often. And to ask her to slander her Diamond in front of anyone? White had audacity. "Yes," She stammered out a meek reply before a wave of the hand silenced her.

"Well if there are any problems, you know where to find me, given that you can get there without getting lost."

Blue Diamond looked ready to come to her defense, but a single look made her keep quiet about the ordeal. She did flash Connie a welcoming smile though. She liked Blue.

"Hello, White. Yellow and Blue." Pink nodded to them and they smiled.

"Have you been working on your next ball? It's that time again."

Pink looked bewildered. "I didn't know– Yes, White. I'll get that done as soon as possible."

She clasped her hands and stood. Connie had to avert her eyes further down to the floor, White was so stunningly bright at times. "Good, good. I'm sure tomorrow is a reasonable deadline, yes?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Connie could see him clench his fist so hard it began to tremble. "Yes. Of course," He said tensely.

"How are your Zoomans, Pink? I'm sure you're just thrilled with them." Blue seemed rather eager about it, perhaps it was her idea.

"Yes, I'm enjoying having something to do for once," He gritted out.

"Isn't it just wonderful, Pink?" White exclaimed. "Ties to your humanity, right within your reach at any time. After all, we mustn't forget you're human, too. Have you eaten today? Cleaned up? I don't want your human habits causing you to neglect your duties." The way she said it made Pink begin to glow and her eyes narrowed.

"Why do you do that?" Pink exploded.

"Pink, your temper!" Yellow snapped. "Its unbecoming of a Diamond to behave in such a way."

"She's purposely being condescending, she's undermining me and I'm so sick of it!" The ground under him cracked slightly at this, the walls shook at his outburst.

Connie tried to look around without moving too much and saw there were older, deeper breaks in the floor that were in the process of being repaired.

"Well, I'm not sure what you mean but if you're going to have another one of your tantrums the tower is free."

Immediately she watched the fire in his eyes dim and fizzle out, replaced by an unmistakable expression of fear and loathing. "I don't have tantrums, you provoke me."

"Control yourselves! Can't you go a minute without fighting?"

White dramatically dabbed at her eyes with a single finger. "You've been so hostile lately! You were such a sweet young boy, and now you can't seem to help yourself from throwing these fits!" She was obviously faking it, from the tears to the shaky, hurt voice.

Blue turned to Pink and sighed. "Steven, you can have until the day after tomorrow to plan your ball. I'm sure everything will be splendid. I'm so proud of you."

Connie started. His name was Steven? His entire body glowed bright pink now, she could see the fury rolling off of him in waves.

"That will be all, Pink Diamond. Pearl, see to it that you escort him out." Whites Pearl came forward and floated toward the entrance.

As they passed she saluted with a simple, "Goodbye, Pink."

He stormed past and Connie followed behind him far enough away not to provoke him further.

White had been ceaselessly condescending toward him, Connie could see why he was angry. White often spoke regarded her as if she were stupid and minorly disgusting, but she had been treated like that most of her life by her parents so it was nothing new. Even still she found her nerves grated at the encounter. She had no idea what a ball was, assuming it wasn't like one in the fairytales, but she assumed it couldn't be planned in two days without the quality suffering.

"She always does this," He seethed, slamming his hand on the control pad.

Upon entering a room he slammed his fist into the wall and made her jump back in fear against the door. She was told of his wild, unpredictable temper many times by the other Pearls, and the horror story that had happened to Whites Pearl.

"She always does this," He repeated. "She treats me like I'm an idiot, and then gives me ridiculous deadlines for stupid balls that do nothing but prove her right! And dismissing me like a Pearl!" He scoffed.

She wanted to say something but now he was on a roll.

"She undermines me because I'm half human, as if I haven't showed multiple times that I don't have power that rivals all of them! She treats me like I don't know what I'm doing, and then she punishes me for saying otherwise!"

His shoulders heaved and he shoved over a chair in his way. "She then has my old Pearl escort me out, rubbing salt in the wound because she loves to see me hurt. She loves to rub it in and make me feel worse than I already do." His voice cracked a bit. Tears were forming in his eyes and Connie relaxed a bit, edging toward him.

"Would you like a hug, my Diamond?" She spread her arms invitingly.

"A hug?" He said quietly.

"Y-yes."

"And what exactly will a hug do to help? You probably think I'm an idiot too, I know she trained you as another instrument of torture." He sounded so bitter, so tired and alone in his mind. She wanted to help so badly, she wanted him to stop spiraling.

"Go make me something to eat. I want time to myself for once without her staring at me. Without her watching me," He said quietly.

"My Diamond, if I may–"

"You may not! Go make me something to eat or I'll have you replaced or better yet, thrown in with the Zoomans. You forget your place." Even with all the anger behind it, she felt the threat was half hearted but nevertheless she left him to be by himself.

He tried to hold it in before she left, the door sliding shut just barely shutting off his roar of anger.

Pebbles crawled from everywhere, readjusting pictures and filling the fractures.

After all he had done, after all he had accomplished she still treated him like a human child. They stuck him with these Zoomans he wasn't even allowed to visit or communicate with. He was to sit and watch, she said. Watch what he could have instead of this dreadful life constantly begging for just the tiniest shred of kindness his way and now he had been demoted to a human for a companion.

His pet.

He gritted his teeth as new tears fell. She was beautiful, she had even given him a bit of laughter. But she was outspoken and he knew in due time she would see what dreadful things could come of such behavior. He tried to keep his cool around White, but he had barely slept last night with his pet so close to him.

He felt those urges, that primal need for connection he craved. He briefly thought about pulling a wandering gem into his room and taking out his anger on them like he found himself doing more often lately. Blue had pulled aside and scolded him for it, saying he had to take care of it himself. She cracked under pressure though when he scoffed and reminded her his human affairs were none of her business. They agreed he would be more stealthy. Neither of them wanted to imagine what White would do if she found out, but he imagined it would be cruel and unusual like always.

His mind wandered back to his pet, with less than pure thoughts. Another way she was torturing him without even knowing. He did know that he made her tremble, his closeness from yesterday made it so. He had longed to tease her more, but he was afraid he'd break her.

"My Diamond." His pet reentered with his meal and he felt his stomach grumble with excitement.

"Bring it here." She did and he looked at it with confusion. "What is this?"

"It's vindaloo. It's kind of like a soup or a stew of sorts. It's good for you."

He took the tray from her skeptically. He hadn't realized she might cook him something he had never had before. It smelled ethnic and heavy, with green things floating on top. "What are those?"

"Cilantro. Oh," Her eyes widened as if she had made a mistake. "I don't suppose you've ever had anything spicy before. You might not like it, though I did tone it down since I don't typically like spice either." She pulled a spoon out of her apron. "Try some."

As he took his first bite, he chewed thoughtfully. All of the flavors were bold and brash, and it indeed leave his mouth feeling hot. "Does it go away? The burn?" She nodded.

"If it's too terrible, I can always make get you a glass of milk or you something else."

Pink declined with a quick shake of his head. "That won't be necessary."

He found himself going for a second bite, this time savoring it. It was incredible. And nothing like anything on Homeworld. It made him want smile. It was something only the Earth could offer.

She giggled and pulled out a cloth to dab at his chin. "Do you like it?"

Her eyes absolutely sparkled with glee. He decided he would have her cook most of his meals now since it seemed to make her happy. He also liked the way she looked in an apron, the red streaks and bit of food stuck to it from cooking made her more human. "It's very good. Well done."

She blushed and curtsied quickly to hide it, but he saw and it made him grin subconsciously. "Thank you, my Diamond."

He finished the rest of his meal and closed his eyes, feeling genuinely satisfied for the first time in... He thought back as far as he could, but there wasn't any feeling that had come close to this.

"Have you eaten? I know humans need to eat often, I only eat a meal a day at times." He wanted to make sure he was taking care of her. He wanted her to smile like this more.

"I had my fill while making it, my Diamond."

"Next time, you'll eat here. With me." He stated. He didn't like when he couldn't watch her, when she wasn't near.

"Whatever you like, my Diamond."

"Can you sing, Pet?"

"Yes, I took voice lessons in high school."

"Sing me something."

She started to sing a gentle song and his gem lit to life at the sound of it. It was so gentle and comforting, it gave him brief flashes of night skies and swaying trees blown by a breeze.

She sang about lands of enchantment and gardens of shadows and finding way through pain and sorrow. It was beautiful, striking even.

"Follow sweet children
I'll show thee the way
Through all the pain
And the sorrows
Weep not poor children
For life is this way
Murdering beauty and passions
Hush now dear children
It must be this way
Too weary of life
And deceptions
Rest now my children
For soon we'll away
Into the calm and the quiet."

When she finished the song she smiled nervously. "That's one of my favorites."

"It was very good. Thank you." She nodded and absentmindedly reached out to brush her fingers across his face.

He seized up in fear, touch a sensation he was not used to unless it was torture but this was comforting. "You forget yourself."

"You were crying," She whispered.

He reached up and touched his face, finding it warm and damp. He cried often out of fury or fear or terror, but never from something like this. They felt cathartic in a way. Comforting even. "I'm sorry." He could smell the spices on her skin she was so close.

"Don't apologize. You don't need to. I'm happy to have moved you."

He frowned. "You didn't move me, you sang to me."

Her face turned slightly humorous. "No, not physically. It's a term that means it made you feel something. Hopefully something good."

"It was fine, thank you." He encased her hand with his. "I enjoy your company, Pet. It would disappoint me to know you were just another one of my Aunts pawns." He said that with a tone of menacing and he watched her face travel through emotions. She was thinking again, trying to say the right thing.

She was afraid of his wrath. She should be.

She squeezed his hand. "I am my own human, I wouldn't take orders like that from anyone. I don't intend to hurt people directly with my actions."

He wanted to smile at her, she was so charming. Instead he pushed her away and stood.

"I have a lot of work to do for the ball, you are to help me with any details."

"Yes, my Diamond. Let's get to it."

"Get to what?" He asked. She was full of strange, unfinished sounding phrases.

"Never mind, let's plan for the ball."

Lurkerbelow
FilippoMasiero2