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“Grian was right,” Gem commented pridefully, gazing up at the cobblestone scaffolding left behind by the pitiful siege. “We are the healthiest, most talented, and handsomest team on the server.”
Pearl chuckled from beside her, “Are you calling Grian handsome?”
“No, that’s not his contribution,” Gem said, “I’d say health and talent are, but after today, a little bit less on the health.” Pearl had to stifle a laugh from Gem’s blunt delivery.
“Ah, so you’re taking this as a chance to call yourself handsome, I see,” Pearl teased, nudging Gem’s shoulder with her own.
“I wasn’t talking about me,” Gem corrected, casually pulling her communicator out of her pocket, “But I’m flattered you think I’m handsome.”
With one tap, Gem teleported herself back to the Hermitcraft server, leaving a blushing, sputtering Pearl in her wake.
The first sound Pearl heard after emerging from the noodles of Pearldle was trapdoors being flipped.
“Hi Gem!” Pearl yelled up the stairs.
The only response she received was more trapdoor flicking. Fifteen whole seconds of it before Gem finally descended the stairs and strolled right up to Pearl.
“Hi Pearl,” Gem greeted, bumping their foreheads together. “I’ve missed you.”
“I just saw you yesterday.” Pearl tucked a strand of the sailor’s unruly hair behind her ear. “But I’ve missed you too, handsome.”
Gem leaned away, taken aback. A mischievous grin blossomed on the postmaster’s face, as Gem stared at her in silence. Pearl could practically see the gears spinning in her head.
“What?” Gem finally questioned, barely above a whisper.
“Yesterday, you said you were flattered that I think you’re handsome, so why not say it more often?” Pearl said, not hiding her enjoyment of Gem’s reaction in the slightest.
“Yeah, but that was a joke!” Gem’s cheeks grew flushed. “And I was calling you handsome!”
“Well if the Villys are the handsomest team on the server, odds are, more than one of us are handsome. And you said that wasn’t Grian’s contribution.” Pearl’s grin morphed into a smirk. “Plus, you do seem to be enjoying this, handsome.”
Gem was stunned for just a brief second before regaining her composure. “Well I have a handsome woman flirting with me, of course I like it.”
Pearl felt her own cheeks warm up. She could tell this was going to become an ongoing thing between them.