Red Jasper | Houseki No Kuni fanfic | Land of The Lustrous

iv. Big Brother

Birds chirping, sky's clear and the wind's travelled just the right speed for today. It seems that the possibilities for Lunarians to appear for today will be low.

Jasper didn't participate the daily patrol but instead stood by the bench at the medical bay with Rhodonite. The doctor is reading old reports of gems that he fixed and also some reports that the former doctors had written.

"Are you really not planning to go patrol today?" Rhod breaks the silent air between them.

Jasper shakes his head. "Not feeling like it. I've been thinking of ways to restore a captured gem. That's why I'm here to observe your works."

The doctor gave him a side eyes before resuming looking on the reports. "I see."

"I'm surprised you didn't laugh at me for saying such crap," the red said.
  "Everyone did?" Rhod said without looking at him.
  "No," the red answered.
  "Then I wouldn't too."

They grew silent again. Only the sound of grass rolling with the wind filled the blank. Rhod climbs down the ladder he was on earlier and resumed checking out the shelves containing tools for fixing his brothers.

Speaking of gems, Jasper wondered, had Sensei ever been broken? Or what if he wasn't actually a gem, but a completely different species that is similar to the snails on the shore?

But the thought quickly vanishes. He wasn't here to think about Sensei, but to think about bringing Spinel back. Jasper hasn't been able to arrive to any possible conclusion of his thinking.

A footstep began echoing louder. They both directed their gaze from where the sounds belongs.

A green figure, whom Jasper regconised  at the library he had been two days ago. Emerald. He came with a crack on his neck that travels up to his cheeks which reveals green speckles.

Rhodonite wasted no time to bring his tools to fix him up. He gestured the green to sit on the metal table.

"Fall down again?" Rhod asked, eventhough he knows the answer would be a half smile with a 'yeah'. And that's exactly the answer that Emerald gave with a slight pause before it.

"Senpai..!" Jasper stood up from his seat and approached Emerald.

His eyes lit up. "Oh, it's Jasper! Nice seeing you here. Are you not on a patrol today?" Emerald's eyes flinched a little when Rhodonite began piecing him like a puzzle.

"No..." Jasper replied weakly with furrowed brow.

"Is that so. You must be bored sitting here with Rhodonite, yeah? Do help him around if you can," the green said. His hand reaches out to pat Jasper's head, "What a good child you are."

Jasper blushes a little. Her heart began pounding the same way it did when Sensei would compliment him. "Not really, I'm here to uh...well, do a teeny bit of research.

"I see," the green tilted his head in amusement. He withdraws his hand back, "What research are you doing exactly?"

"Well, that...I think I need a few words with you," Jasper's gaze became sharper and more stern. "In private, I mean."

Emerald knew that the talk they're about to have is gonna be serious, so he excused himself for a privacy between them.

They both take a stroll on the grass outside. The slow wind that brushes against Jasper's face helps easing the jumbled thoughts in his mind. Perhaps, this is what he needed the most after spending overnight feeding his brain with too much stress.

"So, what is it that you're researching about?" Emerald took a few step ahead of him.

Jasper sighs heavily. To sort out all the theories and possibilities he had about bringing Spinel back is already a drag, but to bring it to words is another huge chunk of work he had to put into. But Jasper decides that this is no time to bring Emerald into circles, but instead to be straightforward.