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The first time Antarcticite hears Phosphophyllite's name it is winter. Of course it is, winter is all Antarcticite knows - has ever known. They wake slowly from their liquid state and even half-formed they can already tell that winter has come early this year. There are echoing sounds of gems running up and down the halls outside - hastily and sleepily preparing for a hibernation that they hadn't expected yet.
None of the gems running by their room seem to notice the winter gem's wakening and Antarc doesn't call out. The report of all that's happened during their summer sleep will come from Sensei later and Antarc knows with certainty that it'll be thorough. They have no need to call out to the others and, besides, they wouldn't know what to say.
They almost decide to settle back down in the water to await this half-freeze when a voice catches their attention. "Phos! Where are you? Phosphophyllite!!"
It takes Antarc a moment to place the voice - Jade their procurator and informal leader - but it's the other name that catches their attention. Has there been a new gem born?
Antarc finds themself already lifting their half-solid forearms to the side of the tub before they remember that they have no way of moving from this spot for awhile yet, and Jade's voice is already fading away into the distance. They settle back down to wait. Wait for the winter to come properly and to wait for that report.
-----
More than a few winters later, Phosphophyllite has already become infamous in Antarc's mind. The new gem, the baby, first to go to sleep and always the last to wake. Antarc had studied their sleeping face that first winter - searching for the personality, the kindness that Sensei promised was there, but all they came away with was that Phos snores (very slightly) and does not sleep walk (which was a bonus).
Antarc hears more later, from Sensei mostly and Rutile once, that Phos doesn't fit in anywhere. Two decades old and they have no place yet, no job. It isn't unheard of, but usually a gem shows some kind of inkling towards a purpose almost around the time they begin to completely master speech and Phos can talk - in their sleep at least.
Antarc watches them, in rare break moments when they sit with their fellows in the hibernation chamber, and imagines it. Thinks of the long springs and longer summers that Phos must spend lying on the grass in the sunlight doing nothing, finding nothing else to do.
Antarc smashes glaciers and they shovel snow and they think and determine that Phos probably just isn't trying hard enough.
----
A low hardness is hardly an excuse, Antarc decides. It's been centuries now, two almost, and Antarc has still never spoken to the youngest gem. Still never seen Phos awake. But as they sit solidifying at the start of another long early winter they decide that even with a hardness 1.5 less than Phos, Antarc could have, would have found something to do in the summer other than lying around.
It's an unnecessary thought, a selfish one, but Antarc knows in this half-liquid state there's nothing in their form to give them away. Even if there were anyone else around to see them, which there isn't. Thoughts are all they have until winter truly sets in.
Antarc starts to sink further down in the water when a voice echoes down the stone outside their doorway and gives them pause.
"Phos! Where are you off to? Phos!" Antarc's body nearly shudders with the with the déjà vu, though it's Rutile's voice this time and not Jade's, and with the odd feeling of being caught. They lift themself up on their forearms reflexively, to complete the old memory - and they freeze.
A gem stands at the opening to their chamber, fingers scraping at the side stone wall and mouth agape. And of course its Phosphophyllite. Antarc marvels for a moment at seeing them awake - they look smaller without the sleeping clothes and their eyes are the same minty color as their hair.
"You're awake!" Phos sputters needlessly and needlessly Antarc returns.
"So are you." There's an awkward pause where, if possible, Phos is even more shocked at Antarc's ability to speak and Antarc considers just going back to being liquid.
"I, uh, I come in here to hide sometimes uh- though it's your room ah. I guess. I've never seen you awake before!" Phos apparently feels the need to explain themself all in a gush and Antarc catches on their unfamiliar tones. Phos grabs sheepishly at the back of their head and Antarc catches on that too, looking. So many unnecessary words, Antarc gets half of them maybe and realizes a bit late that Phos expects an answer.
"I've never seen you awake either." The dumb words are out before Antarc can polish them through - how fast this gem talks! They're nothing like Sensei or Rutile - or any of the others. Phos takes Antarc's words as a joke and smiles. Grins almost.
"Guess not!" There's a beat and then a black gloved hand shoots out from the door and flicks Phos on the arm.
There's a Tink! that makes Antarc twitch and Phos yowl and suddenly Rutile is upon them both.
"Phos! Don't tell me you didn't hear me - where's those supplies I asked you to get! And what have I told you about going in others' rooms-" All at once Rutile notices Antarc watching the drama and stops.
"Antarcticite is awake." Phos announces belatedly, pouting and rubbing their arm.
"I can see that." Rutile returns dryly, nodding to Antarc. Antarc nods back, wholly appreciating this abrupt return to protocol. "You go get the things I asked for, Phos, and take them to Euclase - tell them where I'm at. And no detours this time!"
The doctor sends the young gem running and Phos leaves without a backward glance, sulking now. Antarc imagines the next time they see Phos the mint gem will be snoring lightly, not sleepwalking, and they almost miss it when Rutile asks, "How's your condition?".
Antarc is still half melted, that's obvious, but they allow a check up from the doctor and even appreciate the conversation after awhile. It keeps Antarc from thinking about the gem who just left and the other side of the world Antarc'll never see. One where Phos hides in their room. One where Antarc is awake and solid to see them.
----
It's been 300 years and when Antarc sees Phos hiding behind the pillar they haven't thought about that day in a very long time. They think of it again though, in the days that follow, trying to compare the only Phos they ever knew to the gem before them now.
Phosphophyllite is different. That much is obvious. Antarc can hardly say that they knew the youngest gem before - they can hardly say they know any of the other gems either - but even they can see the change in Phos. It isn't just the legs, those are something else altogether. It's something in Phos' makeup, something deep.
Antarc looks for the Phos who would go to sleep first and wake up last and they can't find anything but remnants. Antarc pulls at those - works the younger gem hard and accepts no complaints. And Phos does complain, but they don't stop. They don't go back to sleep and they don't give up. They listen when Antarc talks to them. They try hard.
Antarc thinks of the long summers Phos spent jobless and watches Phos try, sees them break in the attempt, and wonders if Phos just needed a second chance - or third or fourth. Antarc gives them that and in the meantime learns more about Phos in twenty days than they learnt about Sensei in the first century of their existence.
Phosphophyllite has trouble focusing. They're loud and outspoken with their ideas and unafraid to try new tactics. And they're risky. And Reckless. And they try again and again and they fail and Antarcticite watches and they see a Phos that calls to mind the first image of Phos that Antarc had ever gotten.
"No good? After they finally got to be born and everything..."
"Phosphophyllite is a kind, gentle gem."
And Antarc gives Phos winter, at the end of it all, knowing at the very least if Phos can't do it at first they won't stop trying.
In their final moments Antarc compares long lonely winters to long lonely summers and sees no difference.
They were both lonely. Winter, a job, is the least that Antarc can give to Phos.
"It's up to you now."