Chapter Text
Living in the palace was everything Spinel had ever wanted and more. After six-thousand years of solitude a gem certainly needed her healthy dosage of love and affection - and Spinel never thought she’d grow tired of it. This kind of thing was what she was made for. But, if she had to be honest...in the quiet moments, when the shadows and vines crept in, Spinel wondered. She wondered and pondered and thought, but never quite came to a conclusion.
If this was what she was made for, why did she always feel so tired? Spinel would lay in Pink’s room at the end of the day and feel herself deflate like an old balloon, worn and roughed up from a day full of play. Don’t get her wrong, the Diamonds were nothing but kind - but being doted upon second after second, hour after hour - day after day? Spinel just wanted to slow down, to take a break, but she feared if she was just a bit too boring for just a bit too long she’s become annoying and the Diamonds would le av e and she’d be a lon e again and-
You get the point.
Pink’s room suddenly rattled with an otherworldly voice, White Diamond’s footsteps shaking the palace’s walls. The pebbles scrambled for cover. “Spinel? Spinel, dearie, Steven is here...”
Steven? Why would Steven be here - and why would he want to see Spinel? There was no time to consider this further and White’s face abruptly appeared in Pi- Spinel’s doorway.
“He says he wants to check in on you. That boy fiiinally visits, and he can barely spare his Auntie the time!” White moaned melodramatically.
“She can’t get out if you’re blocking the doorway, White.” Yellow huffed. Spinel could imagine the stern look on her face, tempered by amusement. A bolt of fondness struck Spinel’s gem - followed quickly by guilt for thinking of them poorly so shortly ago when they were doing all this for her and-
Steven squeezed past white, darting in to escape any grasping and ginormous hands. “Spinel!”
“S-Steven?” She blinked, finally stepping forwards. “Why- Why are you here?”
“I wanted to check in on you!” He affirmed, his tone almost...confused? “Are you liking it here? I was worried with the Diamonds and Pink-“
Spinel flinched.
“But...mostly I just wanted to know how you’re feeling?” Steven offered with a shrug.
“I’m feeling...fine?” Spinel copied his gesture, avoiding his eyes. “How’s earth?”
“Earth is good.”
Spinel wanted to shrink in on herself. The weight of his gaze on her was enough to make a gem crack, what did he want? There was no way he really just wanted to know how she was doing - not after what she’d done.
Steven’s voice interrupted her thoughts again. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
”I’m...tired, Steven.” Spinel admitted, shoulders slumping. Her hands wrung each other behind her back, foot shifting ever so slightly.
Steven opened his mouth, looking like he was about to spout questions - too many questions, she didn’t want to have to explain this right now - but then, he shut it.
“Do you want to come back to Earth? It doesn’t have to be forever, you can just call it a vacation, or something.”
Spinel stared. Steven stared back. Spinel stared some more, jaw working as the gears in her mind clinked and whirred almost enough for Steven to hear. Why would he- why would he even consider bringing her, allowing her back? Was this a trap? Would she arrive and then- No! This was Steven, not Pink- Pink Diamond. A shudder ran through her limbs despite every effort.
“Would you?” Steven prompted again.
“I think...I think so.”
And that’s how Spinel ended up back on the no-where planet the Crystal Gems so lovingly called Earth.
“Wait, seriously?” Was the first thing anyone said upon Spinel’s return. The Amethyst has been more curious than outraged - but the latter was still there.
“I know most of your friends have tried to kill you at one point, but do you really want her in the house after she almost destroyed the entire planet?”
“Peridot tried to activate the cluster, and Lapis tried to steal the ocean.” Pearl pointed out, but even she looked skeptical. Spinel already wanted to retreat to her gem. Had Steven really not even cleared it with his guardians before bringing her here? Or was this part of the plan?
“Guys! Just hear me out,” Steven begged, “Would you want to be stuck up there with the Diamonds?”
Amethyst and Pearl grimaced. Garnet only continued to look thoughtful, one thumb raised to her lip; her other hand hugging her midsection. Spinel felt a spark of hope - hadn’t they been friends, or at least friendly, during the reset? She doubted Garnet still felt such amnesty towards her now, but it was better than nothing.
“I think she should stay.” Garnet cut in, her words final and imploring. Pearl shot her a considering glance, but Amethyst remained unconvinced. She had seen the most of Spinel’s damage, and would probably be the hardest to win over but if Spinel didn’t then she’d be cast away again and alone or drowning in her thoughts or-
A hand on her shoulder gave Spinel just enough of a startle to pull her from her inner panic. She seemed to be doing a lot of that.
“Hey, it’s alright.” Steven soothed. Spinel was unsure if he was speaking to her or the gems across from them. Possibly both. “Can’t you see she’s nervous?”
”Can’t she speak for herself?” Amethyst shot back, moving forwards. Spinel shut her eyes tightly, fighting off nervous tears.
“Amethyst!” Pearl absconded, reaching for Amethyst’s arm. The purple gem waved her off, coming to a stop in front of a downtrodden and most certainly Not trembling Spinel with fire in her eyes.
“Steven trusts you, so I’ll give you a chance, but if you hurt him I’ll show you what the Crystal Gems are made of.” Amethyst jabbed a finger at Spinel’s chest, narrowly missing her perfectly cut gem. With that, the purple gem retreated her room to do who knows what.
“Should we...” Pearl started.
“No,” Steven sighed, hand finally slipping off Spinel’s shoulder. “Give her some time to cool off. I’ll go show Spinel around.”
For what felt like the billionth time that day, Spinel felt like she was going to fall to pieces at the slightest breeze. Just her being there was enough to set one of Steven’s friends off- she wasn’t good enough, as usual. Here she was, thinking she could just barge in with no problems.
The phantom feeling of vines creeping around her feet, weighing her down indefinitely, began to writhe at the edge of her awareness.
“No, you should stay here.” Garnet began, walking forwards and placing one of her palms on Spinel’s head, ruffling her hair gently. “I’ll show her around. You be here, for Amethyst.”
“Are you sure?” Steven looked like he was on the verge of laughing - was her face really that red?! But he also looked...stressed.
“Just move along! You all promised the house to me today, Sheena is coming over later.” Pearl fussed, making shooing motions with her hands. Right, Steven hand told her about Sheena on their way back - she was a woman with Pink hair, curiously unnatural to humans. Apparently they’d been calling her Mystery Girl until Pearl finally worked up the nerve to call the number she’d been handed, just like Sheena from some song Steven’s dad apparently spoke very highly of.
”Let’s go, then.” Garnet beckoned, walking out of the screen door without any further notice. Spinel looked to Steven for confirmation. He nodded, giving her a thumbs up and an easy smile. Spinel smiled - though it appeared more pained than anything - and she swallowed what little of her nerves she could and ran after Garnet.
The gem in question was waiting for her at the bottom of the steps, visor glinting knowingly.
“I’m taking you to the lighthouse first.” Garnet announced. From what Spinel understood, Garnet was blunt, and a gem of few words - not as wild and naive as she had been when Spinel spent time with her as their younger selves.
Halfway up the hill Spinel realized she had spaced out. Garnet payed no mind.
This was the hill she’d punctured her drill with.
“Steven put a lot of effort into regrowing everything.” Garnet shared, her gait unfaltering as Spinel’s steps stuttered over what was apparently freshly healed grass.
“I-“
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me. Let me show you something.” Garnet beckoned, holding out her hand. Spinel moved to take it, but hesitated. After a moment, she grasped the fusion’s wrist. Spinel was pulled forwards and then spun around all in one swift movement, and suddenly all of Beach City was filling up her gaze.
“This is the place we’ve fought to protect since the beginning. Not just this city, but the earth as well. I cannot explain why Rose left you behind - she made many mistakes, but I’d like you to understand why this place means so much to us.” Garnet began. Spinel couldn’t look away from the bustling town, but shivers ran over her skin like racing ants.
“What do you see?”
“I see people.” Spinel replied, looking up at Garnet. The fusion brought up her free hand to push Spinel’s cheek back towards the town without looking down at her.
“Look closer.” Garnet compelled.
“There’s also...animals? And plants, the beach.” Spinel offered, curious and unsure. The waves shifting sand behind them created a subtle melody around them in time with the wind brushing through flower petals, and birds chirping over the sea. Noise- Spinel hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it. The garden was ever so quiet. The palace had been as well.
“What are they doing?”
“I don’t know!” Spinel huffed, frustration itching at her temples. “They’re just walking around and talking. They’re all so busy.”
“But do you know what else they’re doing?” Garnet asked, her hand falling from Spinel’s head. She almost missed the contact. Almost.
“What?”
“Changing. They’re changing and growing with every second. That’s what made us think the creatures on this planet were so amazing - the ability to change. But they’re not the only ones, Gems, Gems can change too.” Garnet continued, raising the hand that wasn’t still wrapped around Spinel’s wrist to gesture at their surroundings in a wide, sweeping motion. Spinel barely repressed a flinch.
Finally, Garnet looked at her. “Spinel. Do you want to change?”
“I’m not sure I can.” Spinel grumbled, face heating up. Like she’d told Steven, it seemed when Spinel changed, she changed for the worse.
“Would you try, if you could?” Garnet employed.
Spinel hugged herself. “I think so.”