Chapter Text
Bright yellow screens beeped and flashed, data scrolling across them at an inhuman rate.
Reports and messages seemed to never stop flooding in. Gloved fingers tapped and swiped through the flashing lines of text nearly as quickly as they appeared. Typing replies and sending orders.
Things were as hectic as ever.
It seemed to Yellow Diamond that Era three would begin in just as busy a fashion as era two had begun, though on a much more jovial note of the return of 'Pink Diamond' rather than her shattering.
At the start of era two she had been consumed with finishing what had been begun on Earth, taking in the scattered remains of Pink's Court and consoling Blue as best she could all while dealing with her own grief and White’s seclusion.
She could honestly say this was less hectic than that, but the recent turn in the empire's direction was taxing nonetheless.
In an effort to cooperate with Steven they had agreed to cease all future colonization for the moment and instead focus on finding renewable resources to sustain the gem empire moving forward.
It was working far better than the three matriarchs had ever imagined, but the sudden shift after eons of status quo was proving troublesome in some areas.
Gems were exceedingly adaptable but change took time, even for them.
It seemed that every rotation there was a slew of new problems concerning the sudden changes in parameters. Kindergartens across multiple systems were being shut down and uprooted, battalions of gem soldiers were being rerouted from missions to exterminate the local organics to taming the terrain for construction projects instead.
As much as she was irked by all the new problems filling her control room recently there were certain changes she was happy to accommodate.
The pneumatic hiss of her control room doors opening heralded one such change.
"Hello, Yellow!" Blue Diamond glided into the room with a smile that lit up her once perpetually somber face.
It was almost impossible for Yellow not to smile in turn at the joy that radiated from her companion now, more so now than even before the beginning of era two.
“Blue.” She simply greeted, eyes turning back to her screens as new reports popped up, each flashing, vying for her attention. “Can I help you with something?” She asked distractedly, finger swiping at different messages as Blue stood beside her, looking down at the seated gem with a smile.
“Yes actually, you can,” the other answered, prompting Yellow to look away from her screens and look up at her counterpart quizzically.
“The construction has just finished on the solar energy converters in sector six, come, I wish for you to inspect them with me.” Blue explained with a smile and an excited eagerness lighting the depths of her cerulean eyes.
“Does such a task truly warrant two diamonds?” Yellow arched a brow at her fellow diamond, which only made Blue’s joyful smile morph into one of patient exasperation, the same face she often made when she would admonish Pink so long ago.
“Hardly,” She scoffed. “I simply would enjoy it more in your company. Besides…” she trailed off, long elegant fingers reached out and flicked Yellow’s flashing screens out of existence, causing the generals eyes to widen in surprise. “You’ve been in here for six rotations. Take a break and come with me.”
“These reports…” Yellow began, gesturing to the space her screens had once taken up.
“Can wait, just a little while. Please?” She smiled, eyes silently pleading and Yellow felt her usually unwavering resolve crumble to dust. Just as it always did when Blue looked at her that way.
“Very well.” She stood from her chair, arms folded behind her back, distinctly ignoring the pleased smile on Blue’s face as they walked out of her control room to the nearest warp pad. Their pearls, with a quick word from Blue stayed behind, awaiting their return.
A flash of bright light signaled their arrival at the energy bay in sector six, sending their subjects scrambling into stiff backed salutes when the light cleared revealing the two monarchs.
The head Peridot and Bismuth in charge of the project scrambled to the front, hands snapping into salute.
“My Diamonds,” They intoned.
“Show us the energy converters.” Yellow commanded.
“Of course, please, come this way.” They quickly ran ahead of the larger gem’s long strides as they approached the large metallic panels facing Homeworld’s nearest star.
“They were finished just a few cycles ago, my Diamond.” The peridot stopped, turning to look at Yellow, hands snapped back up in the diamond shaped salute.
“Are they working as intended?” Blue asked aloud as she looked up at the panels that would have towered over White Diamond were she present. They reached far above them, the large reflective plates meant to catch the radiation of the nearby stars blocked out the light, casting the two diamonds and all nearby gems in its shadow.
“Yes, my Diamond.” The Bismuth spoke up. “Everything is up and operational.” A screen popped up and Yellow took it from the burly gem, expanding it to better look at the diagnostics filling the screen.
“As you can see, My Diamond, the amount of raw energy collected is even more than what we normally would have gained in the same time frame as resource drilling on colonies.” The Peridot piped up.
“Not by a substantial amount, but still…” She trailed off, talking to herself as she scanned the data. “Yes, well done.” she affirmed with a nod. The two gems beamed proudly.
“That will be all.” Blue dismissed the two smaller gems with a flick of her wrist, who saluted again before scampering away with pleased smiles. “Well?” She turned to Yellow who was still scanning the screen of data.
“Everything seems to be working as I projected.” She gave a curt nod. “Yes, this should work well.” She decided.
“Good. White will be pleased.”
"Indeed. Everything seems to be in order here, I should return to my work…" she turned to go but was halted by Blue taking hold of her arm.
"Not yet, there's something else I wish to show you. Something I've been working on."
Yellow would be lying if she said she wasn't intrigued. Blue had worked on nothing for the last six-thousand years nearly.
She followed Blue back to the warp pad. A few moments later in a flash of light they were standing in an unfamiliar forest. Only the area around the warp pad and a trail leading through the towering trees had been cleared of vegetation.
“This way,” Blue was smiling excitedly as she led the way down the path and eventually out of the trees to a flat grassland.
A glance up at the darkening sky and its unfamiliar stars told her they were no longer on Homeworld. The north end of the Andromeda galaxy perhaps?
Blue glanced back and saw her scrutinizing the area,mouth twisted and nose wrinkled.
“This is Sauris Six, the last planet I began to colonize before we stopped everything.” She explained. Yellow hummed in acknowledgment.
Their earthquaking steps sent small creatures scattering through the tall grasses.
“Where are we going?” Yellow finally gave into her curiosity as she followed the azure gem.
“Were almost there.” Blue just smiled cryptically over her shoulder. A look that made the generals face heat up ever so slightly, luckily the burnt golden color was hidden by the bright light of this planets setting sun.
It was about then Yellow became suddenly aware of the sound of rushing water growing steadily louder.
They crested a hill and Blue stopped, gaze locked onto something below them. Yellow stopped at her side, looking down at whatever had captured her attention.
Below them was a lake, towering cliffs of deep gray stone enclosed the dark water on three sides. The last rays of light were stretching over the jagged peaks, coating the dark water below in a golden shimmer.
The sound of rushing water quickly brought Yellow’s eyes to the giant waterfall streaming over the cliffs across from them and falling into the lake below.
“Do you see that structure there?” Blue spoke up, pointing at a wall built across the top of the massive waterfall. “It's a Hydroelectric dam!” She smiled, seeming incredibly pleased. “A source of energy. It was Steven’s idea, really but it’s finally finished.” Blue clapped her hands together.
“How does it work?” Yellow asked, tapping her chin with a gloved finger, intrigued.
Blue pulled a schematic from her gem and held it out for yellow. Explaining that using Lapis Lazuli’s they could reroute rivers on any one of their planets with abundant water sources to make waterfalls and convert the movement to energy.
Yellow was impressed by the idea and it showed in the set of her face. Blue could tell.
“Like your solar converters these will take very little in the way of maintenance, gems we can easily spare.” She explained the lack of their subjects as they moved down the cliffs to the water's edge.
Little waves lapped at the sand and their feet as they moved along the shore, their steps shaking the ground and causing the water to ripple.
Blue stopped a little way from the waterfall so that it’s roaring waters did not drown out the sounds around them and sat gently on a large boulder. Yellow stopped beside her, still studying the schematics for the dam.
Blue couldn’t help but smile at the furrowed brows and twisted mouth that made up Yellows face when she was deeply concentrating. It was adorable, and she was the only one around to see it.
She made sure of that by sending all the gems who had been working on the project to finish the construction of a secondary dam elsewhere before she brought Yellow here.
She had initially chosen this plant for it’s lush resource filled landscape, now she was also quite glad for it’s calmness and remote nature. She looked up at Yellow, still studying the schematics.
The fast fading rays of light bounced off her armor, making the already golden gem shine.
To show her companion the completed dam was not the only reason Blue had brought her out here.
It had been over a year since they had begun implementing change on Homeworld, over a year since Steven had changed White’s mind and brought her out of her own head.
Over a year for Blue to think about what White had revealed to her.
“She’s so strong, but so weak when it comes to Blue.”
Blue had thought about those words many times since that day, it was obvious to her what White had meant, became more obvious everyday as she truly took notice of how her counterpart behaved towards her.
She had thought of confronting Yellow with this information many times, but what was she to say? Was she just to accuse her fellow diamond of harboring such intense and tender feelings for her and then walk away? No, she thought not.
She chose instead to wait and watch.
The more she observed Yellow the more things began to come to light that she had been blind to before.
Things like the delightfully wide grin that would spread across her usually severe face whenever Yellow managed to make her laugh or the way she could get away with nearly anything if she smiled prettily and ghosted her fingers over Yellow’s cheek, which would turn a spectacular golden color before she relented to whatever Blue desired with a huff or roll of her eyes.
Her comical obsession with the neatness of her control room was another thing Blue found oddly endearing.
Then one day out of the cosmos, it had broadsided her without warning.
They had been finishing work on some notes from a meeting with White when she’d happened to glance over to find Yellow staring intently at the screens, her finger tapping her chin in quiet contemplation. Face relaxed and unguarded.
Blue couldn't help but smile at the easy expression.
Perhaps sensing Blue’s stare she turned to meet her gaze with a questioning one and Blue found herself held captive by those glimmering, gilt eyes.
After a solid ten seconds of staring at each other wordlessly Blue had come to her senses and whipped her eyes back to her screen. She could feel her cheeks turning near violet and Yellow’s curious stare and it felt like the weight of a galaxy had fallen onto Blue Diamond’s head.
Without realizing it, her affections for Yellow had swelled into so much more. Into something she was afraid to give voice to.
Still unsure she had decided to consult Steven on her last visit to Earth, the young hybrid had been beside himself with joy when she admitted how she had been feeling.
The advice he offered was sound.
“Just tell Yellow how you feel.”
If simple.
His reassuring smile did little for her now as the two gems were alone out here with no one to see or hear them. She clasped her hands together, nerves flaring in anticipation.
“This is well done, Blue. I'll have to start my Bismuths’ on the construction of one of these dams on some of my own colonies as soon as we return…” Yellow’s voice broke Blue from her nervous thoughts. “Shall we go?” She turned to Blue, a brow cocked upwards in question.
“Not just yet.” She patted the space on the boulder beside her. “Have a seat.” She insisted. Yellow heaved a sigh.
“Blue, I have many things that require my attention… ” She started.
“I know.” Blue’s voice cut through Yellow’s words. “As do I, but please, Yellow. Just a few moments more. There is… something I must discuss with you.” Something in her face made Yellow walk over and sit gently on the stone besides Blue.
“What is it?” She asked and the tenderness of the question struck chords somewhere deep within Blues gem.
Her mouth suddenly felt dry but she managed to force out the words.
“When Steven tried to reason with White and she spread herself through us, do you… remember what she said, about you?” It was clear even before she had finished the question that Yellow knew exactly what she was talking about by the way her lips pursed and her form tensed.
She sprang off the rock and away from Blue, as if burned. Her gloved hands curled into tight fists, jaw tense. Blue frowned at her back.
She already knew this would not be an easy conversation. Where she excelled in expressing her emotions, Yellow had always struggled and been defensive. Now was no exception.
"What does that have to do with anything?" The stern diamond demanded, only looking at Blue over her shoulder.
"It’s what I wish to speak to you about..." She asserted, standing and following Yellow, but at a distance. She could feel the static building in the air around her aggravated partner. Yellow glared at her over her shoulder.
“There's nothing to talk about.” She growled, refusing to turn around and face her.
“I think these feelings you have for me are something we need to discuss…” Blue answered just as resolutely in the face of Yellow’s stubborn refusal.
“You would never have noticed if White hadn’t…!” She whipped around to face Blue but the admission trailed off as their eyes met. Shoulders untensed as she sighed “It doesn’t matter.” She finally finished, turning away from Blue.
“Of course it does!” Blue walked around the stone still figure, and laid a cool azure palm against a warm yellow cheek, forcing Yellow to look at her.
“Your feelings matter to me.” She asserted. “I... have been thinking about it ever since and have come to realize that I care deeply for you as well, Yellow…” She admitted, looking back into wide, gold eyes. “I won't apologize for the time I spent mourning Pink, as pointless as it was and blind as it made me, but I am sorry it took me so long to notice the way you felt.” Her fingers traced a sharp cheekbone.
A gloved hand reached up and covered Blues on her cheek. Her eyes slid closed as she held the cool hand to her face. The static in the air had vanished but the trepidation was obvious on Yellow’s face.
“It wasn’t Pink that kept you from seeing, Blue.” She said after a long moment, opening her eyes to face her fellow diamond, staring back at her perplexed. “... My feelings for you are far older than era two.” Cerulean eyes widened and Yellow sighed.
“I have always loved you, Blue.” She admitted at last, curling her fingers into the spaces between Blue’s. “When you first emerged I thought you were the most beautiful and radiant gem I had ever seen.” Both their faces warmed at the confession. “I can’t remember a time I haven’t loved you.” She admitted shyly but refused to break her gaze.
The admission shook Blue to her core. For that long Yellow had felt this way and she had never noticed? Was she that oblivious to the sole being she had lived in tandem with since her emergence? Fat tears began to roll down the well worn tracks of her cheeks.
“Yellow… I… I’m so sor-” She started but Yellow shook her head as she reached up and for the first time in many years wiped away the tears streaming down Blues face with her free hand.
“It was I who chose to never say anything. There is nothing for you to apologize for, Blue.” Yellow was adamant. Blue was quiet, staring back into eyes that were so familiar and yet so foreign. She had never seen such raw, unguarded emotion in Yellow’s face.
She pulled their still joined hands to her chest, nestled against her gem and held Yellow’s hand between both of hers. The burning gold on Yellows face could no longer be played off, as Sauris Six’s sun had fully set behind the mountains, casting both gems in the shadows of the planets twilight.
“Perhaps... era three can be the beginning of more than a change in the empire.” She smiled as Yellow wiped away the last of her tears.