Chapter Text
“...and then she threw the car into the water!” Peridot broke down into boisterous laughter, met only with a thumbs up from Garnet. “Anyway, I should be getting back to the barn. Lapis is probably waiting for me.”
“Peridot,” Garnet said, “It seems like you and Lazuli care about each other very much.”
“Of course we do!” Peridot laughed again for emphasis. “We’re practically always together and getting along.”
“And you seem to trust each other as well.”
“Yeah. And?”
“Have you ever thought about fusing with her?”
Peridot coughed in surprise. “Oh my stars! Do you really think that I could do that?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“I told you, era two gems can't fuse.”
Garnet looked to her friend knowingly. “Yes, but I also know that the most important thing in fusion is love and trust. You may be surprised how far that can get you.”
Peridot looked about ready to burst. “You're right! I should go for it!”
---
“Hey! Hey, Lazuli!”
The barn door burst open. Peridot ran in with stars in her eyes, grinning ear to ear.
“Peridot? What is it?” Lapis was in her usual perch, watching her Canadian dramas on the second floor. “Did you get a recording of season four?”
“Better! Lapis, I’ve gotten my greatest idea yet! We should fuse!”
Lapis blushed for a moment, then frowned. “Oh. I'm sorry, Peridot. I- I can't.”
“What do you mean? Of course you can. I've seen you fused before.”
Lapis looked away. “That's exactly what I mean. Last time I fused, it wasn't healthy. It was grounded in hate and still haunts me. I can't just forget that in a day and fuse like nothing happened.”
“Yeah, but I'm not Jasper. You know I'm better than her. I wouldn’t hurt you.”
“I know, but--” Lapis hesitated. “This isn't easy for me either. I wish I could move on, but I can't right now. I'm sorry.”
“But...” Peridot’s eyes began to well up, “I love you!”
Lapis turned to face peridot again. “What was that?”
“I said I love you, Lapis.”
“How can you love me, Peridot? You hardly even know me!”
A moment of silence permeated the room.
“Maybe you're right. Maybe I don’t.” Peridot stormed out of the barn, hoping Lapis couldn't see her crying.
---
Steven came home to find a small green person crying in his bathroom.
“Oh. Hello, Steven.” Peridot attempted a smile. “Mind if I crash here for a while?”
“Uh... okay? You don’t have to stay in the bathroom, you know.”
“Of course I do. It’s practically my second home. Third, if you count the barn, but I don’t think I can anymore.”
“Did... Something happen? You seem really down.”
“Oh, nothing much. Just that the only person who I ever thought cared about me suddenly doesn’t!” Peridot stifled another sob. “And she even kept the dog!”
“Okay, I get the feeling you don’t want to talk right now. I’ll leave you alone, and if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
“Right. Whatever, Steven.”
As Steven left the bathroom, Peridot heard the warp pad go off outside. The crystal gems were back. She heard Steven talking.
“...yeah, she’s in really rough shape. Maybe you should talk to her, Garnet.”
The door opened, and in walked Garnet.
“Well? How did it go?”
“Terrible! Lazuli refused to even try it, and now I’m homeless!”
“She did?” Garnet looked confused. “But my future vision. I saw you fusing for the first time. What went wrong?”
“Maybe your future vision isn’t all that great! It should be called clod vision! Because it only works on clods!”
“Peridot, calm down. I’m sure that this isn’t as bad as you’re making it out to be. If you’d like, I could teach you some calming meditation techniques.”
“I don’t want your muddy cruddy meditation! I want you to get out of my room!”
Amethyst poked her head in. “Hold up, Garnet. I think I got this.”
Garnet left the room, and Amethyst closed the door behind her.
“Okay, Peri, what's wrong?”
“You know already. I wanted to fuse with Lapis, and then she said no and it hurts.”
“That's not what I mean. I'm asking why it's getting to you. Normally you don't let anything bother you. What's wrong?”
Peridot turned her eyes down. “I don't know. It just hurts so much. I really wasn't lying when I told her that I love her. But that didn't seem to matter.”
“Pear, I think I see your problem. You’re stuck on the idea that Lapis is the only one who cares about you, but she's not.”
Peridot looked up at Amethyst. “Really? Who else, then?”
Amethyst smiled. “I'll give you a hint. She's in this room.”
Peridot looked around, genuinely confused. “Who? The toilet?”
Amethyst’s smile soured. “Are you really this oblivious? Or are you just making fun of me again?” A tear fell from Amethyst’s eye. “I don't have to be here, you know. You can come and find me once you stop being such a fucking clod.” Amethyst stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
“Wait! Amethyst!” Peridot looked around at her now empty room. “What did I do?”
---
Steven knocked on the door. “Come on, Peridot. It's been three days. I get that you're sad, but I've had to go to the car wash whenever I needed the bathroom.”
“I'm not coming out, Steven. Clearly nobody wants me around.”
“You need to at least tell me what happened. Lapis and Amethyst have both been worried about you.”
“Tell them that if they want to talk, they can come to me.”
Amethyst spoke up, “Okay, Peridot. Start talking.”
Peridot yelped. “Amethyst! You're here? How long have you been listening?”
“Long enough. Come out here”
The door unlocked, and Peridot walked out, wiping tears from her face.
Steven looked at the two gems and started to walk away. “I'll tell Lapis that you're out.”
Amethyst smiled sadly. “That's better. Peri, I'm sorry I got so mad. I just... I couldn't say it and I wanted you to say it for me.”
“Say what? I still don’t get what you want.”
Amethyst hesitated.
“What?” Peridot asked again. “What is it that’s so important to tell me?”
Amethyst looked into Peridot’s eyes. “This.” She slung her arms around Peridot’s shoulders and pulled her in.
Peridot was blushing like crazy. “Oh. I get it now. Wow, thanks.” She leaned to kiss Amethyst.
“Come here, you.” Amethyst took Peridot by her hands and began to rock back and forth.
“Amethyst, are you trying to--”
Before she could finish her sentence, the room filled up with light. Standing there afterwards was someone completely different.
“You-- we-- I did it. This is... This is amazing.”
She was curvy, about as tall as Garnet, and covered in green and purple patches. Her hair was up in a tidy braid that frayed at the end. She only had two arms and two legs, but she had a pair of green eyes above her purple ones. On top of her jumpsuit she wore a tanktop and on her feet were a pair of tall boots.
“Sure, we're... I'm a bit rough around the edges, but look at us! It's perfect. Let's find Garnet.” The fusion cracked a smile. “She's gotta be the first to know that Fluorite is in town.”
Just as Fluorite was starting to work her new legs, she heard Lapis outside. “Peridot! Peridot, are you still in there?” Lapis pushed open the door. “Peridot, you were right. If you still want to, I'd love to fuse--” She stopped in her tracks. “Hold on. Who are you?”
“Lapis?” Fluorite snapped in half, leaving Amethyst and Peridot on the ground next to each other.
“Lapis!” Peridot got to her feet. “Lapis, I know this might look bad, but I can explain.”
“No, you don't have to explain anything. I'm leaving.” Lapis sprouted her wings and was gone.
“Lapis,” Peridot said to nobody but herself, “come back.”
---
Roll credits, listen to the tears of the audience, profit.