"My Diamond." Connie smiled as he entered the room.

He held up his hand to cease her greeting and sat at his desk. He scribbled away for what felt like an hour before she wandered over to peek over his shoulder.

It was her.

She gasped quietly and he tensed, grabbing the paper and shoving it in the lowest drawer he had. She sensed his frustration and she quickly stepped away.

"Come here, I'm not going to hurt you." He wore an expression that made her feel like that might not be true, but she obeyed.

"I know."

"Tell me why..." He muttered something like a curse under his breath and sighed. Looking at his hair she could tell he had been running his fingers through it. "Tell me why I can't draw anything but you."

She was taken aback. He had drawn her before? She thought back to the weeks after the ball, how he would wake up in the evenings to sit at his desk.

One night when he had shot out of a deep sleep, he was panting and shaking so hard she had to carefully open her eyes enough to see just what he was doing.

Somehow to her disappointment he was just staring into the distance. She wanted to put a hand on his back to comfort him, but he was wildly aggressive about touch. Sometimes he would be okay with it, other times it sent him into a flying rage.

He would break things by how loud he would shout with surprise. He would punch holes in the walls, threaten to shatter any gem who retrieved him for important matters at those times.

She had almost seen him do it.

The look in that Jaspers eyes when it became shrouded in his glow, the way he walked up to her and watched as her body began to shake and shiver like an illusion, the things he told her he would do if he ever saw her again before releasing her... Connie had to turn away.

Even now she could feel the tremble from that memory in her mind. He was cruel, volatile and dangerous.

And yet when he was upset, she wanted nothing more than to hug him.

Even as she watched him go to his desk and draw until morning, watching his attempt to recreate whatever was in his mind obsessively as if the memory were already fading.

"Pet."

She blinked feeling stupid for thinking so much and tried to gather her thoughts. "Do you feel the need to, or is it just happening?"

He paused. "Both." It sounded like he was choking on the word.

As if he were afraid.

"Perhaps you find my presence to be a comfort, my Diamond." She wanted to tell herself this was a big moment. She wanted that to be the case. Another thought crossed her mind. "How do you draw me?"

His hand drifted to the bottom drawer, the very same drawer he forbade her to enter.

"Am I clothed?" She tried again, dreading the answer.

His hand stopped and he tilted his head at her. He had been looking at her like that a lot lately. As if trying to figure out every ingredient. "You could be unclothed at any time if I demand so."

Pins and needles filled her body. He didn't exactly answer the question, he just added a statement. It grated at her nerves, especially when accompanied with a smile. He almost looked charismatic.

"That's not an answer to my question." She wasn't angry, but she certainly wasn't pleased by the implication.

He opened the drawer and handed her a picture without looking.

The detail was incredible. From the beauty mark near her lip to the texture of her hair. She was standing next to him, laughing.

Her eyes found his. "What is this?"

He looked away first. "You."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

She circled around to the drawer and knelt.

His eyes were burning with emotion but he made no move to stop her.

Delicately she picked them up and sat them on the floor. She spread them out, tens of her likeness looking up at her. Some were blank expressions, others of her in her apron, some in her party dress. She felt it rising in her and she couldn't hold back. She started sobbing, she was confused, upset, euphoric. These were all incredible.

"I've upset you," Pink observed.

"Yes. No. I didn't know you looked at me like this." In fact, lately he'd been barely looking her way lately.

"Why?"

"You've given me the impression you don't like me if I'm honest, my Diamond." She wiped at her tears and breathed in a cleansing breath. She was overwhelmed by her emotions, they were heavy and confusing and even a little scary.

"What is your definition of 'like'?" She thought he was being facetious but he genuinely looked interested to see what she might say.

"W-well you told me you liked the way white looks against my skin. It's like that, but towards a person. You enjoy their company. They make you smile and you think of them often. You find them to often be involved in a good part of your day." It was hard to put it into words but she hoped he would understand.

"We Diamonds don't have time for that. We're important and have things to do," He said stiffly.

"Every sentient being feels. Even gems. Even you."

"I don't enjoy this sensation." His face darkened. "It won't leave me."

Ouch. "I'm sorry." She gathered up the pieces of paper and handed them back to him.

He shook his head. "Keep them."

She nodded. "Okay."

She stood awkwardly and tried to focus on the progress. He had admitted he liked her whether or not it was platonic but it didn't make her any less uneasy.

This was the most human she had seen him, and still it was like talking to an alien. "Would you like to draw me now?"

His brows furrowed. She wanted to sink into the floor. It was so random for her to ask but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Yes."

She pulled up a chair next to his desk and sat, facing him and closing her eyes. "It's an honor, Pink."

Instantly she heard him begin to draw. She had never been a live model, but it was kind of exhilarating being examined so throughly. Especially by him.

"Your face is changing color." He paused, trying to find the words. "You're blushing."

She opened her eyes. He had never mentioned when she had done it before now.

"It would be hard to miss if one weren't observing closely." He went back to his sketch and erased something before starting again.

"Paying close attention, huh?" She teased.

It was his turn to redden, a glow then overcoming it. "I need to pay close attention if I'm recreating you."

"I understand." She settled back down and stilled.

She felt an odd shift in their relationship and she didn't quite know how she wanted to feel about it. She wanted to be closer to this strange being. But her instincts told her otherwise, that she should stay away.