Lapidot one-shots

.:+ I'm fine, are you? +:. ❌

TW(?): hella lot of angst

Peridot groaned and sat up, her head spinning with unrealistic illusions. Everything was a fuzzy green and yellow blur at first, but after she blinked a few times, she could truly see her surroundings. She was sitting on something cold and sleek, and a soft droned humming fizzled in the air, ringing in her ears.

Peridot stood. Unsteady and feeling weak, she lucidly looked around. She was in a small, shiny lime green capsule, sealed tight and encasing her from all sides. Squares of thin metal were hammered or nailed together, with loose bolts jutting like blunt thorns. It was clear to see that wherever she was was worn, with rusted walls, and even hints of organic plant matter bloomed from the crevices.

One end was a rippling yellow wall of light, blazing brightly into her still adjusting eyes. Suddenly, an invisible and painful struck her, and then knew where she was.

She took a step back, stunned and frightened. She didn't remember anything of how she would've gotten here, but she did remember that Lapis was with her. Shaken with fear, she got down to her knees and pounded on the metal wall with her fists. "Lazuli?! Lapis?!" She cried, her chest pounding alongside the thuds of her hands. There was muffled shuffling, then a sharp yet gentle voice.

"Peridot, is that you?!?" The familiar tone rang out, strained with clear light fear. Peridot pressed herself against the wall, the wall that seemingly separated her and Lapis. "Yes, yes it's me, are you ok?!" She asked, beginning to tremble from her racing adrenaline. "I'm fine, I'm fine, are you?"

Peridot felt herself choke up as she held back sobs, struggling to form proper words. "I'm-I'm ok, I'm good, I'm just a little scared." She lied and forced a laugh, a horrible attempt to lighten such a drastic and serious situation. She heard a stammering sigh of built up relief in response through the wall. "Thank the stars.." Lapis whispered hastily, suddenly at ease with Peridot's claim of safety. Tripping over her own words, Peridot began to exclaim: "I know where we are, we're-"

"Prisoners."

Lapis finished her sentence with a cold, monotone growl. "We're.. prisoners.." she echoed, defeated by the truth. Peridot slowly turned and slumped her back against the wall, dreadful memories seizing her thoughts. Her mind went off.

She had never been a prisoner before, but Lazuli had, and Peridot had been her captor. It was her fault for her fusion, her fault for the crash, her fault for dragging her back to earth. She never thought once about how she felt, or ever cared in general. She had referred to her as "the informant", pressing her for answers like everyone else had. Peridot recalled her blank, lost gaze the day she boarded her on the ship back to earth, with her ocean eyes dull and her hair unkempt. She didn't resist, she didn't panic, she didn't even plead; she only stared and accepted her fate.

Peridots eyes filled with tears as she crumpled closer to the ground and pressed against the corner, tucking her knees close as she started to cry. Lapis heard her at once.

"Peri..?" She hushed, using her little pet name as she tapped on the wall. Peridot wanted to respond, but she couldn't find the words. She only started to cry harder. "Hey, hey, calm down.." Lapis murmured, shushing her through the barrier. "It'll be ok! We'll get out-"

"It-it's not that." Peridot muttered miserably, sniffing and rubbing the spilling tears from her eyes with the heel of her hand.

Still overcome with free flowing tears, she began. "I-I was just thinking about when.. when I used you.. and let you suffer, and-" It was Lapis' turn to interrupt her, cutting Peridot off before she descended further into denial.

Lapis knelt in the other cell besides Peridot, racing for reassurance. "That was in the past. You're a better gem now, both of us are! You don't need to worry about that now. Please, just calm down, please.."

Peridot could only whimper in response, as Lapis attempted to soothe her. No matter how many times Lapis insisted it was in the past, Peridot couldn't help the fact that it still Happened. Burrowing her face into her knees as she wept, hugging them close as she gave a painful, drawn out sigh.

It was silent for a few, and all she could hear was the light barrier wall as it crackled with energy; and Peridot's distress. Then, there was a loud zapping sort of sound, followed by a grimace from Lazuli. Peridot looked up, concerned and startled.

"Lazuli, what are you doing?" She asked through the wall, except she was only answered with another buzz and an angry hiss as Lapis' form dissipated from the contact to the yellow wall.

"We're the same, except, you don't have to be alone."

"Lazuli, stop! You're gonna poof!" Peridot knocked frantically on the metal sheet again, returning to her knees as she listened through for her. She did it again.

"Lazuli-" She went for it again.

"Art? That sounds ridiculous!"

"Lapis-"

"No, I just really like that show."

She heard her stand up on the other side, breathing heavily from another failed attempt. There was a short, two foot steps or so, then the thumps of running as Lapis charged at the screen for the final time. A powerful and invisible force collided with her, and Peridot toppled backwards and hit her head on the other side. She could hear Lapis' cries of agony, the sound of her form fizzing in and out of existence rattling the ground. She took a deep breath.

"Earth is our home now, isn't it worth fighting for?"

"Lapis- stop! I don't want to lose you again!"

Then there was a heavy thud as Lapis collapsed on the ship ground, followed by a shuddering breath, then silence.

"I'm not getting caught in another war."

Peridot's eyes widened as she lowered her voice, breaking down into more sobs, crawling forward and scratching frantically at the metal barrier.

"Lapis.. stop, please, please just stop.." She pleaded and hardly managed to voice, taking both hands off of the barrier and using them to claw at her face.

"Stop, stop, please, just stop.." She doubled over onto her hands.

There was a soft shoom noise. Peridot hardly had time to look up before she was smothered by a familiar embrace and brought in close. The blue water gem was down on her knees and shaking, clinging onto Peridot's clothing as she held tightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.." Lapis cooed, nuzzling into Peridot's neck as she too began to tear up, exhausted and overcome with emotion.

With an instant cry of relief from Peridot, she threw her arms around Lapis and nudged her way to her chest, grasping her shirt from behind and sniffing violently, making nothing but incoherent noises. Lapis moved her head a top of hers and rocked her, rubbing her hand along the her back, doing her best to soothe the hysterical green gem.

Peridot didn't know what to say, or do. How had she gotten out? Lapis had obviously just risked her gem to free them both, the exact opposite of her cruel past's ending.

Lapis lifted her own head up, her blue eyes bubbling with tears as she cupped both hands around Peridot's face and looked her deeply in the eyes. "You're safe, it's ok, I'm right here, ok?" Lapis murmured, and without warning, suddenly closed her eyes and leaned in, gingerly locking her lips with Peridot's.

She allowed herself to relax at last and closed her eyes, melting with pure comfort as her face went up in flames, wrapping her arms around her neck. Lapis hesitantly pulled away and smiled, smudging a stray tear in the corner of Peridot's eye as they both blushed.

Lapis stood and brought Peridot to her feet as well, the poor gem still refusing to let go. Lapis slowly unhooked both of Peridot's hands and held them in her own, bending down to give her a reassuring kiss to her gem, letting go of one hand to stroke her hair softly.

Finally toned down, Peridot stepped away, still holding one of her hands as they started their trek to freedom, safely pressed side by side.