Author's Note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIRAMCG! You wonderful, ridiculous nerd. Have some happy(ish) Bismuth!

oOoOo

Moving On

Garnet

Time was Garnet kept an Eye out for Bismuth. Protected her. But things have changed. Now Garnet protects her family from the threat Bismuth might pose.

She hates it. Hates the friendship they've lost.

The bad futures are dwindling, or so it seems. But there are blind spots in her visions, and she is terrified Bismuth might exploit one.

She won't , part of her thinks. Bismuth apologized. Bismuth promised.

Garnet wishes she could believe her. Once, she would have trusted her completely. Like she trusted Rose.

Maybe eventually she'll regain that trust. But for now, they can only move forward.

Pearl

Bismuth is only free for a couple days when she gives Pearl a freshly made sword.

Pearl returns it. "I hardly need it."

She doesn't need excess weaponry when she can summon her own. She doesn't needed scripted jokes. She doesn't need to reminisce about battles long past.

She's moving on, and she doesn't need Bismuth acting like nothing happened.

Especially after what she did- and what she would have done.

Pearl gets on with her life, and ignores Bismuth's longing gaze.

"Can I help?" Bismuth eventually asks, as Pearl cleans Steven's dishes.

"... Alright," Pearl relents, with a small smile.

Amethyst

Amethyst's always hated 'awkward'. Her reaction to that kinda thing's always been to just ignore it as much as possible.

She's the first one to invite Bismuth out, "Just to hang."

Bismuth takes up the offer with the most relieved sounding laugh Amethyst's ever heard.

They try different food, explore different places, listen to different music. Sometimes they dance. Doesn't go any further than that, but Amethyst thinks she wouldn't mind if it did, one day. And why shouldn't it? Sure, Bis nearly killed Steven, but so has most of their friends.

But for now, they're both happy just chilling.

Steven

When Bismuth's around, Steven's palms get sweaty. His heart pounds, his skin feels hot. Sulphur seems to burn in his nose. Remembers her angry, pleading, sword through her stomach.

He's being stupid. Selfish. Why can't he just forget about that and move on?

"Hey… Steven? Do you want me to leave?"

He jumps.

"Huh? What- no, of course not!"

Bismuth's frowning, but her expression is gentle. "It's okay. You're scared of me. I don't blame ya."

Steven looks away.

"It's fine, Steven. I'll go."

It's tempting. But no. He wants to make things right.

"Instead… Maybe we could just… talk?"

Bismuth

Yelling, exhaustion, blisters, whippings. Homeworld had hurt Bismuth, and she'd wanted to hurt them back.

Then Rose had hurt her too- with rejection, with abandonment, with lies. Again Bismuth felt the burning desire for hurt her back.

All she'd accomplished was hurting herself, and worse, those completely innocent.

There are still questions there. About prevention and justice alike.

But first, it's time for healing.

She wants to make it up to the others. Help them laugh. Help them smile. Help them feel strong and safe.

For so long, Bismuth live was a war. Now she has a chance for peace.