“We are never ever ever. Getting back together. Hmm hm hmmm hm hmmm hmmm talk to my friends, talk to me.” Gem hums bopping her head the music coming from her comm. She needed something to make organizing this storage system bearable and music was the first idea she had.
“Okay all nether wart organized. Now to just–”
“Ugh, Etho,” Gem groans, not bothering to look at the man, “I’ve already told you, those things are cute, but I don’t need them for my storage. It’s just a small one.”
“I swear if he just placed one and left, I’ll–” Gem stops upon turning around. Much to her surprise, before her stood a very familiar, albeit now angry, copper golem.
“Oh my Notch.” The red-head breathes before laughing as she rushes and scoops up her favorite Australian.
“Boop Boo-Boo-Boooop.” Pearl beeps trying to push out of Gem’s arms before inevitably resigning herself to the red head’s affection, ignoring the heat now coating her face plates.
“You are adorable! I haven’t seen you like this since I was a blaze hybrid!” Gem coos, finally loosening her grip some.
“Why do you have your robot noises though?” Gem’s eyes widen, “Or did your voice switch to it when you morphed?”
“Bee-Bee-Beep boop.” Pearl bleeps, trying to pry her way out of Gem’s hold again. She scans the storage before spotting a redstone chest. She points to it, looking up at the Canadian.
Gem sets her down, biting back a smile as she watches her little copper golem scurry over to the chest and retrieve a redstone torch that she shows to Gem. The red-head can’t hold back a giggle as she grants permission for Pearl to use it.
“-op” Pearl beeps, shoving the torch in her mouth like a three-year-old. Gem cups her face, doing her best to hold in all the teases and coos she wanted to say.
“Om nom nom.” Pearl swallows before taking a breath, “Whew, honestly, it’s bad enough that my magpie form gives me enough flashback to Wild Life. Geez.” Gem giggles again for Pearl to turn to her.
“What you giggling at, huh?”
“Just the fact you’re technically shorter than me now.” Gem’s grin widens before she spots a slight bluish green tint on Pearl’s shoulder cuff. “Have you not waxed yet?”
“Huh?” Gem nods to the spot for Pearl to see it, “Oh. No, but I’m sure X will have this fixed before I need it, and I always have my axe on me.”
“Pearrrrrl, X left for the snapshot world this morning. He won’t be back again for three days. You’re gonna need wax. You don’t want a repeat of that one time do you?” She huffs for Pearl to cringe, “We were lucky Owen was still a copper golem at the time.”
Pearl ducks her head recalling the day in New life. She had woken up completely oxidized one morning, unable to move anything. Joints, neck, limbs– she couldn’t even open her eyes. Fortunately, Owen was able to receive her S.O.S. and find her.
“It took me, Shelby, and Katherine all day to scrape off all the oxidized bits, and I know it was torture for you.” Gem says turning from a chest, some beeswax in hand. “Now c’mon, the sooner we do this the safer you’ll be.”
“N-now wait a minute, Gem! We can talk about this!” Pearl sputters, quickly backing away as Gem advances with the horrible substance.
“We can,” Gem says grabbing Pearl as she turns to run. “while I make sure you can’t rust.”
She sits on her floor, wrestling a protesting Pearl into her lap before she begins rubbing the wax onto Pearl’s head pieces, focusing her attention on the joints. Pearl tries desperately to pry her way out of the now taller girl’s hold.
“No, Gem! C’mon plehease not– Eep!” Pearl squeaks before falling into giggles as her shoulders scrunch. “Gehehehehehehem!”
“C’mon Pearly.” Gem giggles, catching Pearl’s wrist as it flings up.
“No! Stahahahahahahap!” The golem laughs feeling her arm getting stretched and the wax getting applied to it. She twists around only to be pinned to Gem’s wooden floorboards. The evil dragoness giving the golem an all too familiar tongue-in-teeth smile.
“Awww, does my little copper golem have the giggle wiggles?” She teases making Pearl scrunch her eyes as her body squirmed more.
“Noohohohoho! Nohoho teheheheheasihihihihng! Gem!” Pearl begs as the Canadian starts on her side.
“I can’t believe you’re still this ticklish even as a copper golem. You’d think you wouldn’t have any nerves.”
“Ghehehehehehehem! Please! Beep bee-beep boop!” She bleeps, struggling to get her wrist free. Meanwhile, debating whether to grab Gem’s other hand or not.
“Pleeease make sure to get your belly?” She asks, tracing the beeswax up to it before going in circles. “Well, if you really want me to.”
“Nahahahah! Beep Bop Bop!”
“Awww, aren’t you adorable!?”
“Stahahahahp! Dohohohn’t cahahall me cuttttte! Boop beep boop!”
“I didn’t call you cute. I called you adorable. There’s a difference.” Gem states matter-of-factly. She grabs Pearl’s other arm, starting the wax coating on it.
“I dohohon’t cahahahare! I ahahaham nahahahat!”
“Oh yes you are! Just look at you! All giggly and squirmy, and obviously I love that pretty smile.”
“Gehehehehehm nohohohohoho! Beep beep bloop!”
“C’mon now, I’m nearly done with this top bit. Just gotta do the waste plate and legs before making sure those feet plates are clean enough for this. If not I’ll need a brush.”
“Theres nohohoh nehehehed for thahahahat!” Pearl insists, her head shaking wildly. However her voice falls onto deaf ears.
Gem continues her torment, smearing the wax onto Pearl waste before scrubbing at the legs, focusing her attention on the knee panels. Finally, she grabbed a hold of Pearl’s ankles.
“Gem! Gem! Plehehease.” Pearl giggles, attempting to crawl backwards to get out of Gem’s hold. The red head smears some wax around the ankle before looking at the base of her foot. She grimaces.
“Did you walk to my base!? These things are filthy! Looks like I’m gonna need a brush after all.” She turns, reaching into a chest to bring out the feathered torture device.
“Gem no, Gem no! Nohohot the brush-sh!” Pearl sputters, as Gem pulls her back towards her.
“We can’t use water, Pearl, and the wax won’t work if you’ve got all this dust on you.”
“Just use a piece of leather! Or wool! Or– or something!”
“Why?” Gem smirks, waving the brush teasingly at her, “Scared this brush is gonna make you giggle?” Pearl cups her hands over her mouth, turning away
“Ah ah ah!” Gem gently takes her wrists pulling them away, “I wanna see that smile.” Pearl whines, trying to grip the floorboards.
“Now, answer my question. Why you so scared of the brushy brushy brush?” Gem teases, dusting over Pearl’s stomach for the golem to cover her eyes.
“Well, if you can’t give me a reason.” She pauses, dusting down her legs and to the tips of the Aussie’s feet plates. Pearl tries her best to hold back her giggles.
“Behehehcausssse it’s nahat fahahair!”
“Ooooh, I know, but it’s more fun this way.”
“You mean more fun for yoohohohohohohu! Nahahahaha!” Pearl screams as Gem starts getting the bottom plates. The Canadian being sure the feathers made their ways into the treds. Pearl kept her eyes hidden, pleads and giggles pouring from her mouth simultaneously.
“Gotta hold still Pearly. Or else this will take us all day.” Gem teases before catching Pearl’s other leg.
“Don’t you dare try to kick me, Pearlescentmoon.” She scolds before pinning the golem’s legs under her knees. She plucks a feather from the brush.
“Gem wait! Gem wait! I’m sorrehehehehy! BAhahahahaha!”
“You’re gonna think you’re sorry when I’m done with you.” Gem says brushing both feet. The two go on like this Gem swapping the bush and the feather every now and then, even threatening to bring out a whole new brush, until finally both feet were clean.
“I hope you learnt that lesson. Now,” Gem sets her tools down before retrieving another piece of beeswax from the chests making Pearl gulp.
“G– Gem– Gem please.” Pearl eyeing the dreaded substance, “You know– I– I’m too sensitive.”
“Yes but you have to be able to walk though. The rain will damage you more if you get caught out in it, and considering you’ll be walking back home. . .” Gem takes a deep breath, breaking the new beeswax in half, “I’m gonna have to do it heavy.”
“No. Gem. Please no! Have mercihihihihihihihi!” Pearl arches her back, feeling the beeswax being scrubbed against her plates. Beeps, pleads, and laughter erupted from her as she felt the wax making her more sensitive to the scrubbing.
“It’s for your own good, Pearly. Besides,” Gem smirks down at the wiggling golem, “Wouldn’t want my favorite little copper golem getting caught in the rain now would I? Why if anything happened to you, I would miss that adorable smile of yours, not to mention how tick- tick- ticklish you are.”
“Gehehehehem! No! Nahat thahahahahaht! Bloop bleep bleep beep boop!”
“Yes this Pearly! You need it. Even though it's triggering my cuteness agression.” Gem grins, making the wax go into the treds.
“Awww, what's wrong? Is my Australian a bit Tick-tick-ticklish.”
“GEHEHEHEHM!” Pearl shrieks, her laughter growing silent.
“Yes my favorite little Pearly? Hm? What? Can’t handle a eensy weensy bit of tickling? You know I’m barely touching you. Awww, such a cute little guy! My cute little Pearly pop all giggly. Loving all the tick-tick-tickles.”
Gem immediately pulls away, dropping the beeswax. Pearl finally takes in a huge breath of air,
“Soorrey!” Gem pauses, “Are you alright!?” She lays a gentle hand on Pearl's leg.
“Y-y-yeah.” Pearl breathes, her head lulling back and forth. She takes in another deep breath, “The– the bu– bubblesh.” Gem nods. Every hermit already knew Pearl was ticklish but only a few knew she could actually laugh herself into suffocation mode if things get too intense.
“Soorey. I forgot the silent laugh tends to be the sign to let up. You sure you’re okay?” The red-head gently pulls her best friend up and into her lap. Pearl nods, continuing to take deep breaths, listening to Gem’s heartbeat.
“Yeah– I’m– I’m good. Knew you’d– pull away at the first– d-damage tick.” She swallows, “Still not– as bad as the time . . . I saw Skizz’s– T-Tazzy devil.” Gem pets her head piece, chuckling.
“I still can’t believe you laughed yourself to death. Genuinely freaked out Tango and Skizz.”
“What about Griba?” Pearl looks up at her.
“He was too busy loosing his birdseed to care about anything else.” She states for the two to laugh. They stay there a moment more, Gem slowly stroking Pearl’s arm.
“You sure you’re alright? Didn’t overheat or anything?” The red-head asks, cupping the golem’s face and turning it to look at her. Pearl gives a smile before nodding.
“I’m fine. I’ve had worse than that many times. I mean you remember the Secret life sleepover.” She shivers for Gem to chuckle.
“Anyways,” Pearl climbs out of her lap for Gem to spot something. “I guess since I’m here, I could help ya with this storage system, huh?”
“Um, yeah, if you want. But, um, there’s something else we gotta do first.” The Canadian states for the golem to tilt her head to the side.
“And what would that be?”
“Well . . .” Gem bites her lip, furrowing her brows, “I didn’t get your back.” Pearl twists an arm around to feel the plate.