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This year, Dia woke up just a little bit before everyone else. The scent of spring was in the air, with a few flowers popping up among the sleepy grass mixed with the dewy fragrance of not yet completely melted snow. The lustrous couldn’t feel the common shifts in temperature the same way the other living things could, but watching the snow shine as it began to melt and a few insects crawling about, it must be starting to warm. Dia slowly sits up, still hugging a fluffy white pillow to their chest, and glances around the room with lidded eyes. Their friends all looked so cute and peaceful as they slept, even, or especially, Bortz. Rutile and Jade, always one of the firsts to rise, were already beginning to stir occasionally but the rest of the group was still clinging to their last couple days of sleep. Dia couldn’t help smiling. They loved the cute and frilly pajamas Red Beryl made and kept up every year. Everyone always looked so beautiful…and they did in the spring and summer uniforms, too…
Thoughts of work began to chase the remaining sleepiness out of Diamond’s mind. Right, as the first to wake, and as a responsible diamond member, they should start getting the uniforms ready. The most colorful diamond didn’t mind mundane tasks like this, in fact they rather enjoyed them, because they took their mind off of battle and their inadequacies when it comes to keeping up with their partner. Dia stood and crept carefully out of the room, smiling softly at the sleeping faces of their comrades.
Rest well.
As Dia was pulling on the tie for their spring uniform, an excited idea burst across through the rest of their thoughts. Cinnabar would need their new uniform too, wouldn’t they? Rutile usually was the one to bring them their winter pajamas and then retrieve them while bringing in the new spring uniform, but this time, Dia was up even earlier. Although there was a chance that they had seen the red gem in their pajamas once while they were both very young, memories tend to blur over the centuries so Dia couldn’t imagine how wonderful the sight must be. Another bright smile lights up the earliest riser’s face. Alright! Dia didn’t get a chance to see their precious friend born in the same year very often already, so they’d bring Cinnabar their pajamas first and maybe even catch a glimpse of them all dolled up for winter! Cinnabar, after all, could never sleep for long…
The final patches of snow were twinkling in the grass, keeping the thirst of the incoming flora quenched and greeting the diamond that walked at an upbeat pace in their midst with their cool beauty. Winter’s lack of sunlight made the gems sleepy, so it was rare to see very much of the snow especially through a clear and awake state of mind. It was nice. The snow, also a form of crystal, glittered just as the gems did, and it made Dia feel as if they had thousands of tiny friends on the ground. Over the hills, across the beach, and through the fields, the lonely cliff near the ocean that Cinnabar normally stayed at when not on patrol finally came into view. The sight was always bittersweet, as it brought the sadness of knowing this is where their dear friend had been isolated to, but also the anticipation of seeing Cinnabar again.
Determination and a glowing excitement strengthened Dia’s body, allowing them to scale the jagged rock must faster than usual. Sliding around to the back, they slipped in quietly just in case Cinnabar had dozed off again.
The inside of the cave on the cliff wasn’t too large. It only took a minute of quiet steps in the darkness to reach the other mouth where it opened to show a front view the ocean, a beautiful and frightening place. But Dia barely recognized that the ocean was even there, because what had seized their attention was standing looking out at the water, not yet aware of Dia’s presence.
It was Cinnabar! The shining pools of liquid mercury that always floated near the deep crimson gem caught the light and reflected it around them, which then cut through the darkness of the cave and reflected off of Diamond. With sharp senses, the light caught Cinnabar’s attention and they whirled around to face the mysterious intruder.
“D-Dia?!”
The two were both equally shocked to see each other, although for different reasons. Cinnabar wasn’t expecting anyone to come this early, and certainly not Diamond. Diamond, on the other hand, was struggling to take in the sight of Cinnabar, who was in fact still wearing their winter pajamas. The frilly skirt bounced when they moved, and a ribbon was in their hair. There were a few mercury stains here and there, but the mercury was a part of Cinnabar and it, too, was beautiful. The cloth draped delicately around them, bringing back a sense of winter despite the oncoming spring. A faint blush was on their surprised face, and honestly, they were just so, so, so…
“Cuuuuute!” The swell of emotions bubbled out of Dia in a squeal. An urge to run and hug Cinnabar was rising within them like a fountain, but that would likely result in a terrible accident so they settled for scampering next to them instead. Cinnabar took a step back, but more out of embarrassment than trying to avoid them.
“Wh-wh-what are you doing here so early? And why…is it…you?” Cinnabar’s eyes darted back and forth from making contact with Dia’s and staring at the cave’s rocky floor.
Dia’s internal geyser of giddiness pushed them to gently hold both of Cinnabar’s hands so as to not break them, which led the extremely fashionable at the moment gem to meet their eyes again. “Because I wanted to see you, of course!” They grinned, and Cinnabar’s face reddened a little more. “I’m sad, you know? I don’t get to see you very often, even though I love you so much! Maybe that’s why I woke up so early this year. It was a chance!” Dia squeezes Cinnabar’s hands, still gently enough not to even crack them.
“Wh…” Cinnabar doesn’t pull away, though they could if they wanted to. “You shouldn’t be near me. If I hurt you, then…”
“I won’t get hurt.” Dia’s voice didn’t have even the tiniest shred of uncertainty within it. “Look! I’m holding your hands, and you aren’t poisoning me.” At this, Dia lets go and fixes their beloved with a serious expression. “But, you know…even if you did, it hurts a lot more, to not be able to see you. I miss you! We’re friends born in the same year, and yet I’m lucky to see you just once in a year. I don’t want that to be normal for us. I want to be able to see you more, and talk to you, and be with you!” Diamond’s expression softens, and they smile widely while still looking straight into Cinnabar’s eyes. “I really love you, Cinnabar.”
Cinnabar’s eyes widen, their mercury, always an extension of them, making surprised shapes in the air. Their face was red and they seemed to be tearing up a bit, but not in an unhappy way. “Why are you saying something so embarrassing…to someone like me…” The shy gem’s hands meet and begin to wring themselves with nervousness. “I can’t…really…do that kind of thing…I’m not good at it…”
“It’s okay.” This time, Dia does hug Cinnabar, in their patented Dia Hug that won’t break even Phosphophyllite when performed. Cinnabar sniffles a bit, carefully brushing mercury out of their eyes so it doesn’t get on Dia. Dia wouldn’t care even if it did. “You don’t have to force yourself. I just, want to be able to see you more. I don’t want you to be lonely.” Somehow, hugging Cinnabar feels warm, even though the gems don’t have body heat. “I’m lonely, too.”
“…Okay.” Fearful of hurting Dia as they’ve hurt others before, Cinnabar doesn’t return the hug but their not wriggling out of it was their own way of returning it. After a minute Dia pulls back and grins broadly.
“Here!” The spring uniform, their excuse for coming here, popped into Cinnabar’s line of sight. “It’s a bit of shame since you look so cute in your pajamas, but it’s okay since you’ll look super cute in these, too!”
“Cute, you say…” Cinnabar sighs and shakes their head, taking the uniform from the bubbly diamond. Their life, usually one of dark solitude, today, was now filled with rainbow colors shining so brightly it almost hurt to take it in. A part of them deep inside fearfully wanted to reject it in case it would get corrupted, but the warmth emanating from their friend comforted that fear.
A faint smile began to cross Cinnabar’s lips.