Chapter Text
She had barely managed to fit herself inside the smooth, hollow basin, head resting on one side and her and feet pushing up against the other. She needed this. She had spent so much time trapped in an infinite void, thrashing and screaming into the black abyss. She needed to feel limits to the world again. She needed to push against something and feel a resistance, to see the boundaries of reality once more.
"I never wanted you to see me like this."
Jasper traced a finger down the cool porcelain side of the bathtub, avoiding Peridot's anxious glances. Jasper hadn't expected to see her again. She hadn't expected to be shown mercy, nor had she expected to accept it. But here they were nonetheless.
"You thought I didn't know about your limb enhancers?"
"I thought it was easier to ignore."
Sunlight filtered in from a small window above the sink. Jasper could hear the low growl of the shore from outside.
They had changed too much.
After months of separation and individual torment , this was all they could show for it. This was all they could muster at being reunited. Jasper looked over to Peridot.
"Do you want to come up here?" Jasper asked.
"There's no room."
Jasper patted her chest. Peridot gave a cursory glance up out the window. Seagulls drifted along her line of vision, their high-pitched squeals echoing down. She'd spent enough time on Earth to recognize them, even if she didn't know their name. She walked over to Jasper and began to pull herself up the side of the tub. Jasper made no move to help her. It would only be an insult. When she finally came to rest on Jasper's chest, Peridot let out a long, tired huff.
Jasper rested a hand on Peridot's side.
"You're not weak for this, Peridot."
Peridot didn't answer.
"You did a lot better than I did."
At least Peridot hadn't seen her at her worst. She hadn't seen her with chains around her limbs as she clawed madly every which way, hoping some way was up, desperately struggling to break even a single link on her shackles and failing evey time. She didn't have to see her, unfused and defeated, accepting surrender at the hands of these Gems.
"You don't need me anymore." Jasper stated.
"I know." Peridot replied.
There was a knocking at the door.
"Peridot, is Jasper in there?" Pearl called. Peridot turned her face into Jasper's chest and groaned. Not her.
"Do you care if they know about us?" Jasper asked. Peridot shrugged.
"What are they going to do, demote us?"
The knocking had increased to a steady pounding.
"PERIDOT!"
"The door's unlocked!" Peridot yelled.
The door slammed open and Pearl froze in place, her eyes darting from Jasper to Peridot.
"Am I...interrupting something?" She asked haltingly.
"Yes." Peridot snapped. "Go away."
Pearl blushed and quietly shut the door after her.
"I can't believe that worked."
Jasper offered a hum in agreement.
They listened to the sound of the ocean filter in from outside.