Let Me Out

A Steven Universe One-shot

A/N: Okay so I'm writing this partially to get into a writing mood and partially because I'm having a lot of feelings at the moment I need to get out. This is a character study of sorts on Lapis Lazuli and her time in the mirror. Also, see if you can guess who was making all the requests to the mirror.

I'm Lapis Lazuli...

Where am I? I don't remember what just happened. What is this place? My eyes slowly blink open as I sit up, every muscle in my physical form sore and my gem burning in the agony of being cracked. I give my limbs an experimental stretch, holding back a squeak in pain. Okay, okay, that was a bad idea. I'm in pretty rough shape.

I look around. My image is reflected back at me in every direction my vision meets. I can see that my eyes aren't the way they used to be. White, completely lacking pupils...

Mirrors, it appears...

The endless image is giving me a headache. I grit my teeth and squeeze my eyes shut, letting my tired mind relax a moment before looking around again. There is one wall that isn't just reflecting my own image back at me, much to my relief. A pattern of lines and triangles makes up a frame around the glass, and I stand slowly and walk over to it.

My entire being hurts. This was an awful idea.

I press my forehead against the glass, looking out and trying to see anything through the heavily tinted wall. Much squinting later, I find that someone is holding whatever it is I'm trapped inside. My hand reaches out to settle beside my face.

Whoever it is, they look stoic. Unaffected. Like they don't even know I'm in here. Is the glass one-sided?

"Hey!" I try, reaching my sore arm upwards to wave and try to get their attention, wincing. "Hey, can you hear me?"

Something moves behind me. When I turn, I see that my little room has gotten smaller. My heart leaps into my throat.

Am I being punished?

I do remember someone forcing me to the ground and stepping on my gem, effectively cracking it and causing me all this godforsaken chronic pain. But I don't remember doing anything particularly wrong.

I'm... scared. I don't want to be trapped here. Do they even know I'm still alive?

A little bit frantically, I hit the glass, completely ignoring the pain that threatens to completely tear off my limbs. "HEY! I'M IN HERE! I'M IN HERE, LET ME OUT! HELP ME!" No response, not even a glance. I close my fists and start pounding on the wall desperately. "LET ME OUT LET ME OUT LET ME OUT! PLEASE! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE!"

There's still no response from the gem carrying me. I'm scared. I'm so, so scared. My prison feels like it keeps getting smaller. I'm hyperventilating, and I feel cold, and tears are welling up in my eyes. I start to bang on the glass once again. "LET ME OUT! I'M LAPIS LAZULI! LAPISLAPISLAPIS!"

Sobs are now wracking my tiny frame. I hadn't even noticed. I slowly sink to the ground, my face still pressed against the glass and one hand still feebly smacking the wall.

"Please..." I whisper, my voice hoarse and my gem pulsing a little. I'm going to have to retreat soon. But I can't. I have to keep fighting, keep trying to get out. I can't give up. Not now.

"Please, I'm scared, I want to go home... let me out... let me out..." My sobs are decreasing to whimpers as I collapse completely to the cold glass ground. The pain is numbing. I'm losing strength. I'm going to retreat into my gem soon.

I let out one more quiet "please" as I disappear.

….. and you can't...

"Show me the battle in the strawberry fields."

"Show me the Kindergarten."

"Show me the galaxy warp."

"Show me the coastal battlefields."

"Show me home."

"Show me home."

"Show me home."

"Show me Rose Quartz."

"Show me Rose."

"Show me her. One more time."

…. keep me trapped here...

The requests stop with time. Loneliness sets in. I have nothing else to do, and so I sleep. I sleep and sleep and sleep. For years, I'm in a comatose state as I rest my imprisonment away. Sometimes, I wake up and wonder if I'll ever get out.

I begin to think I won't.

And I cry myself to sleep again.

Years of hopelessness. Years of despair.

It turns into anger.

And then I hear a new voice.

He helps me.

He sets me free.

I'm free.

I am free.

I'm free and I'm coming home.

….. ANYMORE!