Chapter Text
Five years. It’s been five years since Lapis left. After that me and Yvette had a talk about what I wanted to do for the future. I still played piano but only when Yvette asked me if I wanted to. All the album plans, press conferences, and recitals they all stopped. Yana seemed to distance herself from me after that day and not asking me… well anything really. It took a good year or so to kind of talk to each other again, but it wasn’t the same as before. In the end I release one album but not with my name. I went under the name Gem and release a collection of all the songs I’ve ever played with Lapis. It was a lot of paperwork with all the copyright law on each song that we played together. Once it was released it was a huge success with people constantly asking who was Gem and when would they release more or when was there a concert. Every now and then when I felt up to it I would release a single that always hit the top charts. Yvette would always say nothing of my involvement with Gem, so throughout the rest of my highschool years I was able to be a normal kid again. I ended up being friends with a girl with long lavender hair named Amethyst, a tall short cut orange haired girl named Pearl, and a quiet afro hair girl named Garnet. It was nice to hang out with them even though they were all huge fans of Gem and would sometimes go off squealing about them, well mostly Pearl and Amethyst. Now that we were nineteen the three of them formed a band calling themselves the Crystal Gems. They had a few gigs here and there and were actually decent, but I thought everything was decent or alright now a days. All music, rock, pop, classical, jazz, they all sounded like something was missing since Lapis left. The only time that the music would dance and sing again was when I thought back to when I played with Lapis. So here I am sitting in a car with the three of them as they invited me out to a club that they were playing in tonight.
“Come on Peri we even got a special guest coming out tonight,” Amethyst said.
“Yeah our friend cross country got accepted to the same university as you here. She flew in last night and is joining us on stage tonight,” Pearl said as she was driving. I was sitting in the back with Amethyst while Garnet was in shotgun.
“I don’t know I was going to hang out with Jasper tonight,” I said, as we drove to my house. “Besides I gotta get ready for move in day at school.”
“It’ll be fine knowing you, you probably have everything packed already,” Amethyst said as they pulled into my driveway. Just as I got out Jasper had also pulled into the driveway. “Yo Jasper wanna watch us on stage tonight,” Amethyst shouted.
“Cool I’m down,” Jasper said excitedly.
“There you go problem solved,” Amethyst said.
“We’ll see you tonight Peridot,” Ganet said holding out a fist bump for me. I bumped her and waved goodbye and walk into the house with Jasper.
“Sweet time to get ready,” Jasper said as she went up to her room passing Yana along the way.
“Ready for what?” Yana asked.
“Me and Jasper are gonna watch watch my friend's gig tonight,” I said as I took a seat down on the couch. Yana gave me the side eye as I said that.
“I see,” Yana said as she went off to her practice room. I figured that there was still a couple of hours before me and Jasper would have to head out so I walked into my practice room with now also had a keytar, drumset, guitar, and a few other percussion instruments. I sat down at my piano and started playing one of my friends songs We are the Crystal Gems . I closed my eyes and imagined myself with my friends and Lapis standing on the beach playing and laughing together. As the music plays and harmonized with our laughter. I ended up playing quite a bit until Jasper came in and tapped my shoulder.
“Ready?” She asked. I nodded and we got up and started to head out the door and saw Yana all dressed up by the door. “Oh yeah Yana’s coming along to.”
“Really?” I asked. Yana was never the type to go to clubs like this.
“I figured it would be a good expansion on my musical horizons,” she said. As she walked towards the car. I looked down at my clothes and which was an unbuttoned black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows and a white beater and black jeans along with my necklace that Lapis gave me. I grabbed my green puffy vest and headed towards the car and as in the back. The ride to the club was short and easy since Amethyst had put my name on a list to get us in quickly which was pretty lucky since it looked like it was going to rain soon. Once we were Jasper immediately went to the dance floor while I made my way to the bar. I felt a tug on the back of my vest looking to see Yana looking around like a lost puppy.
“Come on,” I said as I took her hand and guided her to the bar. I waved over at the bartender who made his way over. “What do you want?” I asked Yana.
“Umm something easy to drink?” she more asked then said. It was pretty funny to see Yana so shy and unsure of herself. She usually carried an air of confidence around her.
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked.
“I’ll take a Corona and one screwdriver,” I said. The bartender nodded and quickly pulled out the drinks and handed them to me. I gave Yana the screwdriver as I took the beer. “I’m gonna go greet my friends.” I began to walk off when another tug came from the back of my vest.
“Actually Peridot I need to talk to you,” Yana said. I set myself back leaning against the bar.
“What?” I asked. It’s been a while since me and Yana actually talk. Most of the time we only talked when we had to.
“Peridot, do you remember before mom adopted you? How we meet?” she asked. I thought back to when we were younger and I still had my parents.
“Yeah it was after one of my piano competitions. You were backstage freaking out how your pianist didn’t show,” I said.
“Yeah and you offered to play with me for my portion of the competition. We were the only ones that had two kids playing. Everybody else had an adult accompany them,” she giggled. “We used to play together. And then your parents…”
“Yeah. I know,” I said as I sipped my beer looking out to the crowd.
“When we used to play together you we’re always so happy and it was so great playing with you then. I want to play with you again Peridot,” Yana said look at me holding my hand.
“I don’t know Yana,” I said as I took my hand back looking down at my beer. Yana started listing off reasons why it would be a good idea to play together again. I looked back out to the crowd when I saw it. A very familiar tuffle of blue hair.
“We wouldn’t even have to play in public just-”
“I’m sorry Yana I have to go,” I said as I rushed into the dance floor. I heard Yana call out to me but I know I saw her. Even if she was across the country that had to be her. The music from the DJ died and I bumped into Jasper on the dance floor.
“Hey where’s Yana?” Jasper asked.
“I saw her,” I said.
“Yeah where?” Jasper asked again. A long guitar riff was coming out from backstage.
“No I saw Lapis,” I said. Jasper’s eyes nearly popped out. Jasper quickly looked around.
“She’s not here Per,” Jasper said. Just then the lights flashed and out came my friends with Pearl on the bass, Amethyst on the drums, Garnet singing and their younger friend Steven on guitar.
“Good evening we are the Crystal gems and tonight we will be joined by none other than our good friend Lapis Lazuli,” Garnet said into the mic. My heart stopped for a second as I saw her step out from behind the curtain.
“Peridot,” I heard someone call out and grab my arm, but my gaze was fixated on the one on stage. Her hair was still blue but now had an undercut to it. She was definitely taller and more beautiful than I remembered. She was in a long blue skirt that reminded me of the time we first met and a crop top with a leather jacket over it. The tugging on my arm continued. I took a peek and saw Yana looking at me with fear in her eye as her gaze went up to Lapis. Once Lapis started playing her eyes closed and the whole room changed as a new sound took over the room. A sound coming from Lapis violin. Her playing now was even more perfect than before. The whole audience was entranced by the dancing violinist that took over the stage. She would twirl and spin across the stage and I closed my eyes and listened. The melody started so happy and sweet as I saw a younger Lapis and me playing back on our dock together, but slowly as I saw the sun setting around us the music Lapis to tears. Back to when we said goodbye. I saw and older Lapis watching the two younger versions of ourselves. I walked up to the older Lapis as I put my hand on her shoulder where she turned to face me. I opened my eyes and saw two beautiful blue eyes staring back at me as I held onto my necklace as the last note played. I could see the shock in her eyes as a smile appeared on her face as the crowd roared throughout the club. But our moment was short lived as I felt someone grab my face and kiss me. I was shocked to see Yana’s lips against mine, as I quickly pushed her away and looked back at Lapis. Her look of shock remained but her smile was gone. I could see something coming into her eyes, pain. Lapis ran off stage, and I tried to follow when Yana held onto my arm.
“Let me go!” I screamed.
“No Peridot I won’t lose to her again,” Yana screamed. As tears were starting to form in Yana’s eyes. I pulled my arm away from Yana who looked at me with pleading eyes begging me not to go.
“I was always her’s,” I said as I ran off towards the stage. Amethyst and the others we still on stage playing some of their other songs. I ducked backstage and looked around I saw the back door just close as I rushed over and ran out the door into the pouring rain. I could hear a faint sobbing just past the dumpster. “Lapis?” I slowly walked the dumpster and saw her curled up on top of a stool the staff uses on their breaks. She quickly wiped her face and looked at me again. “You’re really here.”
“Hi,” she said. Her beautiful eyes were now red and a little puffy and she was drenched to the bone shivering. “Sorry but … umm do I know you?” That kinda stung.
“You don’t remember?” I asked as I clutched my necklace.
“I just want to be sure. You’re forgetting I’ve never actually seen you before,” she said as she sniffled and gave me a soft smile. I took off my necklace and placed it in her hand.
“This proof enough?” I asked. She gasped as she looked down at the necklace and brushed her hand over it and closed her eyes. A smile come onto her face as she looked up to me. She was about to hug me but stopped herself and her smile slightly deflated.
“It’s really you Peridot. It’s so good to see you finally. How have you been? You know, I haven’t heard much of your music lately. What no more recitals and press conferences? Or are you too busy being Gem to have music under your name? ” Lapis asked as she held her hands behind her back. She turned away from me as I heard her barely say. “Or maybe to busy with your girlfriend I’m guessing.” she turned back to face me again and I could tell that it wasn’t the rain that made her face wet.
“Lapis,” I said as I reached out for her hand. She pulled back and turned away from me again.
“I mean I shouldn’t be surprised that you have a girlfriend. With how nice and funny you always were, or how you would always know what to do to make people feel better,” she said as she waved her hand around as she talked. “Always a sweet talker.” Once she had turned to face me all I could see was the hurt in her eyes.
“No that’s not what happened,” I said as I grabbed Lapis’s hand and put it on my face. “That wasn’t my girlfriend. That was … t-that’s my sister.” Lapis face changed to one of uncomfort.
“Your sister?” She asked.
“Yes… Wait no that sounds bad. We’re not sister exactly. Well we are according to law, but we aren’t related. We just grew up and live in the same house together and her mom is my mom. No wait that still doesn’t sound right.” Oh god I need to stop rambling. I looked at Lapis who just looked straight up confused. I took in a deep breath, I need to try this again.
“I was adopted remember, and who you saw was my adopted sister,” I said. “She’s not my girlfriend.” Lapis’s other hand drift up and cupped face with both her hands as she rested her forehead on mine and closed her eyes.
“No one then?” she asked as her fingers traced around my face.
“Just a violinist I met by a lake when I was a kid,” I said. Her fingers stopped at my lips as she let out a small giggle.
“You’re exactly how I remember you,” she said as she opened her eyes and pulled me in.