Pearl loved Garnet more than anything else, and she knew how to take into what she did and didn’t say into account. For instance, she wouldn’t say that she loved Pearl. She had never gotten an ‘I love you’ from her unless she had said it first. However, she other ways of showing the fact that she loved her.
Little snippets, moments stolen together, would be her proof. It could be a kiss to her gem after a successful mission, letting her hold onto her for whatever reason that Pearl might need, helping her with whatever task that was currently occupying the smaller gem, or simply sitting next to her on the couch. Sometimes, they had moments together on missions alone, when time wasn’t too pressing, that she’d pull her to the side and kiss her deeply, but she never pushed too far. Never beyond her boundaries.
There was once, they had gotten close, but she had panicked. Freaked, because that was just gross and Garnet had understood. She had never pushed her to do more than she was comfortable with, never did anything to hurt her, and that’s how Pearl knew she loved her. There didn’t need to be a direct 'I love you’ from her lips, the little actions were enough. Each little kiss made her feel so much more special. Each little bit of support she offered, or comfort she provided, was just Garnet’s way of showing she loved her.
Pearl had her own ways as well. She’d sit a little closer than necessary, or laugh at her rare jokes, or go along with her when it wasn’t really necessary, or pick flowers sometimes with Steven and give them to Garnet when Amethyst wasn’t around, because the younger gem didn’t understand how Pearl could love Garnet and Garnet could love Pearl too because wasn’t Garnet just too smaller gems fused who loved each other? Amethyst did try really hard to understand, but she hadn’t grown up with that knowledge, and neither of them ever tried to force it on her.
That was probably why it had taken so long for them to get to the point of even saying that they loved each other. Rose had insisted for centuries that they give a relationship a try, and maybe they had been tempted from time to time, but never really tried it. They were busy for too long back then fighting for their lives, and then they had found Amethyst. She consumed so much time just teaching her gem ways and customs and stopping her from doing animalistic things that the possibility had faded away for years. It hadn’t been until Rose… Until Steven had been born that the possibility of the relationship even resurfaced.
Pearl was glad it had though. Without Steven’s encouragement, she wouldn’t have had the courage to tell Garnet that she actually was wanting to try it, as long as Garnet was up for it. She wouldn’t have told her that she was okay with kissing and maybe a few touches but never anything beyond that because it was absolutely repulsive. She wouldn’t have had the will to kiss her first to show that she wasn’t just saying it.
Without Steven, she wouldn’t have Garnet.
Pearl was at her happiest now, without Rose, but with Steven and Garnet and Amethyst as they searched for a relic lost from the past. When Steven wasn’t paying attention because Amethyst was chasing him around with some simply disgusting mass she had found, Garnet was quick to bend over and kiss her gem before either noticed. It brought a warm blush to her cheeks and she stepped just a little closer to the taller gem. She loved Garnet, and Garnet loved her. And, even without saying it, she wouldn’t have it any other way.