Chapter Text
Peridot stood silently on the moonlit beach, watching the blue figure from a distance as she played with the water, the waves gently lapping her feet.
Between getting poofed and saving Steven from homeworld, she hadn’t really gotten a chance to talk to Lapis since her return. She walked over to the blue gem nervously. She wanted to make up so badly, but she didn’t know what to say.
Peridot cleared her throat “Umm… Hi Lapis.”
“Oh!” Lapis turned around, her eyes sparkling “Hey Peridot!”
The water floating between her hands fell, rejoining the ocean with a tiny splash.
“I just wanted to… uhhh… talk, because ever since you came back we’ve been so busy we haven’t gotten the chance to.” Peridot said quickly
“Sure.” Lapis shrugged, sitting down, gazing up at the clear starry night “What do y wanna talk about?”
Peridot sat down next to her, mind going blank. What was she supposed to say?!?
“You weren’t planning on leaving again!” Peridot blurted, her hands going to cover her mouth.
That was stupid.
“No, of course not!” Lapis said “I only… left originally because I was scared. But there’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. The Diamonds won’t hurt us, heck, Steven is a Diamond, can you believe that?”
“I know, right!” Peridot exclaimed “It’s crazy, it’s- it’s unbelievable!”
Lapis laughed before her face changed to a somber expression “Did Steven tell you I couldn’t even go farther than the moon base? I just couldn’t bring myself to leave, not knowing everything that was going on.”
Peridot looked down at the water. Water always made her sad after Lapis had left, but now she was right beside her and Peridot still felt upset.
“You know, when you were… gone, Pumpkin kept looking for you… and Steven was really sad too.” Peridot muttered
Lapis stood back up and sighed “I’m glad I’m back. I like it here.”
Without even thinking, Peridot jumped up and hugged Lapis tight. She was really here.
“And I guess I- I missed you too.” Peridot sniffled, her face wet “Please don’t ever leave me again!”
She could feel arms wrapping around her in a hug as Lapis’s voice soothed her “I won’t. I missed you too, Peridot.”
Peridot shut her eyes and began to sob, only pausing when there was a bright flash behind her eyelids.
She opened her eyes. She felt strange, almost like she was taller, and it was only when she looked down at her turquoise hands- all four of them- did she realize what had happened.
“Oh my stars I’m so sor-” she exclaimed, pausing midsentence
It didn’t sound like her voice, but it was.
She instinctively took two steps backwards as memories flashed through her mind. They were her memories… but they also weren’t hers.
Six eyes
Fighting
Gotta keep her- keep him safe from her
Turquoise skin
Pain, oh the pain
Six limbs
Failing as she overpowers
As the images and the powerful emotions from a time she’d rather forget flooded her mind, one of her hands moved closer and closer to her face.
She knew it was impossible.
She had to check anyway.
Part of her expected to feel the rough, sharp edges of Jasper’s gem where her hand touched her face. Instead, she felt the soft, smooth curve of her nose.
“We’re not Malachite.” she said softly, before her voice became more firm “I’m not Malachite.”
She began to laugh softly, filled with joy as she took off, water wings sprouting from her back.
“I’m- I’m okay.” she said to herself
She danced and flew in the sky under the stars, the breeze whipping away her tears as she cried them, laughing because the world was bright and beautiful and safe and amazing.
And then she crash landed on the beach.
Just as suddenly as she came into existence, she disappeared from it, leaving Peridot and Lapis lying on the cool, wet sand. They glanced at each other, Peridot spitting sand out of her mouth, and burst into laughter.
“Is that- is that what fusion is like?!?” Peridot exclaimed “No wonder those crystal clods are so obsessed with it!”
“It isn’t always like that.” Lapis muttered
Right. The memory of Malachite sprung to Peridot’s mind. It wasn’t her memory, she knew that… but it felt like hers.
“WOAH!” a voice came from above “That was so cool!”
Peridot jumped as she looked up to see a familiar figure with dark curly hair and the red and yellow star shirt float down from the sky.
“STEVEN!” she exclaimed, startled “How long have you been watching us?!?”
“Long enough to see you guys fuse!” Steven said, stars in his eyes “I knew you guys could do it! What was it like? Was it-”
“Steven, it’s the middle of the night, shouldn’t you be sleeping?” Lapis pointed out
“Yeah! How did you even know we were going to fuse?!” Peridot added
Steven turned towards the house, and Peridot noticed Garnet sitting on the porch with a huge grin on her face, giving them a thumbs up.
“Of course.” she muttered, narrowing her eyes
Lapis laughed a little, covering her mouth.
“Are you guys gonna do that again?” Steven asked, quivering with excitement
Peridot glanced at Lapis. She didn’t know if it was lingering effects from the fusion (was that even a thing? She’d have to do some research) or something else but she somehow knew exactly what Lapis was thinking.
“Maybe another time.” Peridot said, glancing wistfully at Lapis, who nodded. For today, that was enough.
They had all the time in the world to figure this out, but for now, Peridot was happy just to be with Lapis.
Together once more on the beach, looking at the same stars.