Welcome to Earth
Fandom: Steven Universe
Ship: Ruby/Sapphire
Word Count: 471
Warnings: None
Ruby sighed as she leaned against the wall between her two sister gems. They had been waiting on the boarding deck for their charge for some time, and it was becoming very boring. She had grown antsy and so had her fellow rubies. They were fidgeting and looking around for something interesting to stare at for the next however long it would be before they took off. She glanced at the gem to her right and pushed away from the wall.
She supposed there was one way to pass the time. A sinister grin took over her face as she gave each ruby a punch to the arm before swiftly ducking around behind one’s back. The other rubies looked around for their assailant but saw only each other.
“What’s the big idea?” one growled, punching the other exactly where Ruby had before.
Ruby snickered as the other winced. With a yell the assaulted ruby retaliated and the two tumbled into an all out scuffle. Before Ruby knew it, she had been dragged into the fight as well. She just laughed and her amusement spread to the other two until the fight turned into a playful wrestling match. As she slipped out of a headlock and stumbled back from the group, Ruby found herself facing a beautiful blue gem.
Ruby felt her cheeks heating up as she stared, rooted to the spot. The elegant gem was smiling at the writhing pile of red limbs and a hand raised to her lips as she stifled a laugh. As her hand passed between them, Ruby realized just how close they were. She stumbled backwards, slapping the closest gem to get her attention. The other two rubies gasped when they noticed the Sapphire and scrambled to stand at attention.
“S-sorry,” Ruby stuttered, conforming to the other rubies’ stances.
“Don’t be,” Sapphire replied. “Thank you for waiting so patiently.”
“Of course!” Ruby replied, eyes following her as she passed them by.
She had never guarded a member of Blue Diamond’s court before, but the idea of a Sapphire thanking her for anything seemed unnatural. The other two rubies didn’t appear to be phased by it. Maybe it was just a formality the gems of higher society said without meaning. They fell into formation and the other rubies took a place at each side of Sapphire silently. Ruby’s steps had faltered just a little, leaving her with the rear, but she didn’t mind. It would give her time to collect herself again. She watched Sapphire’s hair sway as they boarded the ship, trying to match the expression of her peers.
“And, please, don’t blame yourself.”
Sapphire’s voice wafted back to her low and sad. Ruby’s eyebrows raised and her mouth opened, but Sapphire didn’t look back. It made so little sense, Ruby wondered if she’d imagined it.