Can You Spare a Gem? ( STEVEN UNIVERSE FUTURE / SPINEL FANFIC )

New Episode - SU-129 (starring Peridot)

It's Sunday morning in Beach City and it's about time for Peridot to practice her singing. So get your earplugs ready. 

"I think I'll treat the world to some real music," Peridot says as she prepares an instrumental on her cassette player. She clears her throat, then inhales, preparing to sing when suddenly she gets a call on her iPad. 

"Goddamnit, what now," she mutters. 

It's Steven. She accepts the call begrudgingly. 

"Goodmorning, Peridot!" He smiles from behind the screen, "wanna go into town?"

"Steven I'm busy-"

"That's great! I'll be right over." 

"Wait, no-" 

But Steven already ended the call. 

Peridot worries that Steven might be hard of hearing because he never seems to understand what she says. Or maybe he is suffering from psychosis, caused by all the stress from constantly having to maintain the wellbeing of every gem in Beach City; there are a lot of them now. 

Either way, she doesn't have time to think about that right now; Peridot needs to get back to her singing rehearsal. 

She rewinds the tape, then presses the play button and listens to the intro, awaiting her cue. She nods the rhythm, then inhales in preparation-

Someone knocks at the door of her green crystal apartment. "I wonder who that could be..." Peridot says to herself sardonically. 

Steven and Connie are waiting outside the door. 

"Ready to go?" Steven asks. 

"No, I'm not ready to go," Peridot slams the door on them and marches back to her cassette, muttering irritatedly. 

"Looks like she doesn't want to come with us," Connie says. 

"No, Connie," Steven refutes, "she's just not ready."

Connie shrugs unsure but goes along with it. 

Peridot sits down cross-legged on the floor and resets the tape for the third time this morning... Until she hears another knock. 

She answers the door. 

"Ready to go?" Steven grins, excited.

Peridot frowns, her mouth curved into an upside-down V. "No." She slams the door again and waits a few seconds before deciding it's safe to stomp back to her cassette. Before she sits down, Steven knocks again.

Peridot growls like a peeved cat. She stomps back to the front door and swings it open, ready to cuss Steven out. 

"How about now?" He says quickly before Peridot could. She splutters in disbelief at the gall of this gem. 

"No!" She finally screeches, before slamming the door. She didn't even get the chance to walk away before Steven knocked again. Peridot didn't know whether it was folly or fear that made her answer it. 

"Now?" Steven asked.

"No!" Peridot screeched again, desperateness creeping into her voice. She bangs the door shut quickly. Steven knocks again. She foolishly answers it.

"Now?"

"No!" Peridot cries, closing it on him again. There is a blissful silence... of course, it can't last. 

Another knock. Peridot feels a primal fear catch in her throat; something so foreign she didn't know gems were capable of experiencing - something she never wants to feel again... so she opened the door. 

"Now?" Steven asks. Peridot never realised one word could inflict so much pain and confusion. She can't answer him, so she shuts the door. 

When will I be ready? Peridot asked herself, stumbling away from the door, grabbing at her triangle-shaped hair. When will he leave me alone? 

Peridot breathes deeply, then shakily approaches the door one final time - she slowly turns the knob and pushes it open... no-one's there. She sobs in relief, sinking to the ground. 

Peridot falls onto her side and clutches her knees, trying to recover from that terrible existential experience. She closes her eyes and rocks herself gently. A few of her neighbouring gems see Peridot huddling on her doorstep and consider going over to see if she was okay, but they decide not to because they're lazy. 

Peridot feels a tap on her shoulder. Fear shocks through her small green body. What?!

Steven and Connie stand behind her. "Ready yet?" Steven asks.