friendship

(Original notes: nothing relevant)

Originally written June 21st, 2015 on tumblr. I wrote this before Peridot and Lapis actually had their redemption arc, so looking back at this over a year later, it's fun to see the differences between what I wrote and what crewniverse developed. I'm still thinking of adding new chapters maybe, and I wouldn't change my universe but probably add more of the deeper details to blend better.

Idk I just remember what I wrote for this was really fun. So, I hope you kids are in for a fun ride as well. c:

Steven couldn't help but constantly shift his gaze between his bedroom to the couch. It had only been about a week since he and the other gems had defused Malachite and picked up a relatively remorseful Peridot along the way, but tensions were still high. Jasper was still nowhere to be found, Lapis was still recovering, and Peridot…Peridot was rather difficult.

Well, it couldn't be helped. Earlier in the week, Garnet reminded him that it would take some time for either of their new comrades to trust them, but he wanted to try and be friends with Peridot. If she could stop doing bad things, then he was sure they could be friends! Only…she seemed to hate everything.

Well, that was okay, too. He was sure that she'd stop hating everything eventually…maybe. Hoping to change her mind, he walked over to the couch and sat next to her. "Hi, Peridot!"

Ever grim-faced, Peridot took one look at him and sharpened her frown. "Oh…it's you. Steven. What do you want?"

"Whatcha thinkin' about?"

"Hmmm? I'm thinking about how Jasper will kill us all if she decides to track us down."

"Oh." Steven's smile dropped. Even though he only had a glimpse of Jasper's personality, he was still pretty terrified of seeing an angry buff gem. But one of them had to be brave; if he was brave, maybe Peridot would feel a little more comfortable. "Yeah, Jasper's pretty scary. But you're with us now! We'll protect you!"

"Scary? You don't even know what kind of atrocities Jasper has committed, but you wouldn't understand even if I told you about them. I wouldn't expect you to understand. You live in such a naive, primitive world…I suppose it would be best to keep you in the dark."

"Thanks?"

Peridot huffed, crossing her arms. "I don't know why Lapis is so willing to embrace this Earth culture. For one thing, she'd heal a lot faster if she just went back into her original state. But no, she always has to be so difficult and decide to rest in one of you human nests instead. And sleep ! It's so illogical! Why would you want to waste time sleeping when there's so much work to be done?" Sighing, the green gem glanced at the bedroom with disapproval before suddenly jabbing Steven in the chest with one of her fingers. "And another thing, Steven. If I'm supposed to indulge in this human concept called friendship, why does that one keep watching us? You already told them I'm not a criminal."

"Well…"

"Well, what?"

They both shifted their attention to the kitchen, where Pearl was glaring in their direction, the rest of her face buried in a newspaper. Garnet wasn't too worried since Lion was around and Steven was a bigger boy, and Amethyst was also confident that Steven could take care of himself, but Pearl made it very clear on the first day that she didn't trust either of their new boarders. With Lapis she was pretty on the fence, but she had even made it clearer that she did not trust Peridot. At all. In fact, for the first three days, she was pretty insistent on jailing her.

But Steven didn't really want to reaffirm that idea, either. Friendship had to start somewhere. "Well, Pearl is just protective. She'll warm up to you eventually."

"Absolutely not, Steven!"

Steven let out a nervous chuckle. Peridot looked even grimmer. Quickly, he waved his hands and looked away from the kitchen. "You don't need to worry, Peridot. Really. Everyone makes mistakes. My dad has this saying, 'If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs!' Yeah, you made some mistakes and you're a hot dog, but you can make yourself taste good! I believe in you!"

"I don't understand, Steven. What's a hot dog? And are you implying that I am edible and that you want to eat me? I thought most of humankind had outgrown cannibalism a long time ago. Really, you're making Earth culture sound so barbaric."

By now Pearl had stomped over to them, a finger already pointing in the air, and before Steven knew it she and Peridot were arguing…again. Why wasn't it easier to fix mistakes? Yes, he knew that Peridot had done a lot of bad things in her past…but hadn't the other Crystal Gems been involved in dark things, too? Pearl and Garnet and Amethyst…and they turned out okay now. His mom wouldn't let them stay bad forever. And if Rose were alive too, he was sure she wouldn't let Lapis and Peridot stay bad forever, either.

He wished he could make everyone feel better. He didn't like to see them argue.

"It's not like I asked to be here!" Peridot was shouting, her hands flailing around in the air. "You three and Steven just think you can do anything and save the world and everything will be so happy and carefree and peaceful! Well, you know, before I met you gems I had a promising future in Homeworld! I was going to make so many droids and build so many spaceships, and we were going to conquer this dumb, primitive planet, but you just had to stop us!"

"Of course we had to stop you!" Pearl shouted back. "You think we're going to just allow Homeworld to conquer another planet and kill and enslave everything in sight?! I don't want you here, either! Steven's still just a boy, and he doesn't understand how long we've been fighting against you!"

"Well, why don't you make him into not a boy?! He'll get you killed one day! He'll…he'll get me killed, too, if I stay any longer-"

"Will you shut UP, Peridot?!"

Everyone stopped as Lapis limped into the living room, water wings thrashing from her back. Steven jumped from his seat, putting a hand on her wrist. "Lapis! You should still be in bed!" he cried.

"I'm fine, Steven." Turning to Peridot she pointed a finger at her, then to Pearl. "You two! You keep having the same argument over and over, but Steven's shown us that friendship can save us over and over again! I don't quite understand it myself, but I'll learn! So, you two, be friends faster! Let's go, Steven."

Pearl and Peridot were speechless. Steven looked between them, then at Lapis. "Go? Go where? Shouldn't…shouldn't we calm them down or something?"

"Outside. Let's go, Steven."

Lifting him into the crook of her arm, Lapis made her way to the exit, slamming the door behind them. On the top of the roof was Amethyst, who was laughing with half-crushed chips in her mouth. "Awww, man, what were they fighting about now?" she asked, chuckling. "Hey, Lapis, if you're gonna take Steven out for a walk, be sure to have him home by supper! I think Garnet's bringing home pizza."

"Uh, sure."

As Steven was carried off towards the beach, he hoped Pearl and Peridot wouldn't hurt each other while they were gone. He hoped Peridot would feel more at ease eventually. She still said some pretty hateful things, but that still didn't make her a bad gem. She just needed time. They all did.

He also hoped he and Lapis would be back before Garnet. If she was bringing back pizza, it would be best to eat it warm.