Pearl's too hot. Covertly claim her consent.

You swallow. "Sorry Pearl."

"Oh no you don't," says Pearl, taking a step forward.

"I claim your consent, as well as what you remember about it and your feelings toward it," you say.

Pearl tries to clamp her hand over your mouth. "I'll fucking kill you, stop!"

Wrestling with her (she's alarmingly strong), you finish saying your piece. "Forget I claimed them!"

Pearl's struggles cease, panic being replaced with confusion. "What...?"

"Pearl, you remember I've always owned your consent, that I've always been good with it, and that you've always been comfortable with me having it," you say quickly. "Your whole life, any time before you've ever done anything sexual like kissing a boy or touching yourself, you've always checked with me first to get your consent. Asking always feels right and makes you feel safe - the idea you wouldn't ask has always felt weird and wrong."

"Uh. What are you doing to me?" asks Pearl, dizzy at all the changes you're making to her.

"It's okay, forget everything I told you just now," you say.

Pearl goes still, her mind clear again.

You continue. "I implicitly have your consent, Pearl. It feels normal, good, and right whenever I choose to use it. You'll feel safe and in control when I use it. You'll feel unconcerned when I use it. You'll feel just the same as yourself, like me using it is your own decision." You unhand her and take a step back. "Now forget I said all this or that we fought."

Pearl sways on her feet. Then she blinks and becomes her usual sharp self.

"What's that dumb, smug look on your face supposed to mean?" asks Pearl, sounding annoyed. "This isn't a joke. Using your powers to get a girlfriend - that'd practically be ****, Chase. God, you were thinking about it, weren't you!"

You play innocent, hands up. "Hey, I'd never do anything like that to anyone, unless I had their consent," you say.

Pearl freezes at the mention of consent. "Hey, wait. My consent isn't a toy," she says.

You take the plunge, and step closer to Pearl. You put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you saying you wouldn't consent to this?"

Pearl seems conflicted, but then puts her hands on your chest and gently pushes you away. "No, but... this isn't a game. I'm serious. Things could get out of hand fast."

"And that's a bad thing?" you ask, reaching up and stroking her cheek. Her skin is so soft.

Pearl sighs. It takes all her willpower not to lean into your hand. "Chase. You're my friend."

"I am," you say. "But that's okay, we're best friends. And I want you. You can go ahead and accept that for tonight, you consent."

A shiver runs through Pearl's body, from head to toe. "Woah. That felt... huh." Now she leans into your hand, her eyes closing. She touches your chest, and her brow furrows in thought. "You never used my consent for yourself before..."

"No I haven't," you say, putting your other hand on Pearl's bare hip. Her skin is warm and smooth. The curve of her feels just right. The weight of her feels right. "Is that all right?"

Pearl seems a little lost, but in a good way. She strokes your chest, experimentally. "No, yeah. I thought it'd be weird but... being here with you feels good," she says. "I'm not actually really sure what I was so afraid of before. We trust each other. We know each other. Why wouldn't we... yknow? And why wouldn't you? You've got my consent. You always have."

There's a strange eagerness in her tone of voice. The excitement of discovery.

"What do you mean?" you ask, moving your other hand to her hip as well.

Pearl shakes her head, the tips of her black hair tickling your chin. "We're finally using my consent together," she says, with a smirk. "Took you long enough."

Before you can reply, Pearl leans in and kisses you full on the mouth.

With your hands on Pearl's bare hips, and her hands on your chest, the kissing quickly builds out of control.