Barn Mates ~Lapidot Fluff & Angst

Chapter One ~ It Was Pointless

Just a quick warning: On mobile, it's too much effort to indent. Some chapters may be double-spaced, some may be indented. It just depends. Also, the first few chapters won't have much Lapidot. They are to build up the future

"Jasper."

Peridot let out a sigh of relief as the Roaming Eye disappeared from view. Yellow Diamond hadn't been looking for her. She had been looking for Jasper.

Steven laughed and ran in circles around the group of gems, suddenly stopping at Peridot. "See, it wasn't you they wanted after all!"

"Yeah, and that whole 'baseball game' was pointless," Lapis grumbled. She stormed away, clenching her fists.

Peridot and the others wordlessly watched her spread her wings and fly off.

"Give her some time, Peridot." Steven patted an upset Peridot on the shoulder.

"Yeah, P-dot, she warmed up to Steven," Amethyst said with a grin.

"Steven freed her from a mirror and healed her gem," Peridot grumbled. She marched away from the others and towards the barn. She didn't want to talk to Lapis. She wanted to be alone. Lapis had probably flown away anyway.

"After all I did to try to befriend her, we're right back to square one." Peridot noticed the clouds darkening overhead and huffed. That was probably Lapis's fault.

Pulling the barn doors open, Peridot scanned the barn to make sure it was Lapis-free and walked in. She climbed the loft and sat on the 'couch' to watch the 'TV,' as Steven called it. The 'TV' was like a big metal cube used for human entertainment, Peridot had discovered. She had also discovered that some human entertainment was actually quite interesting. Her most recent (and only) interest happened to be Camp Pining Hearts. She turned the TV on and started up the latest episode.

She was finding it hard to focus, though, as 'thunder' boomed and 'lightning' flashed rather close to the barn, too close for Peridot's liking.

"What a cloddy day," Peridot muttered as the TV screen turned gray, flickering with other colors, and made a loud and annoying sound. "It's all Lazuli's fault. Why does she have to be so angry all of the time?"

The storm reminded her of Lapis's description of being fused with Jasper, for some reason. Maybe because it was so wet and suffocating and overall a struggle, just like it must have been to be stuck with Jasper at the bottom of the ocean.

Peridot sighed, feeling somewhat sympathetic towards Lapis, and leaned back against the couch. She didn't have anything better to do than stare at the screen and wait for it to come back on. In the meantime, she could think about Lapis and how to get the blue gem to trust her.

"I've done everything Steven's told me, and even if Lazuli did kind of try to save my gem, she still hates me!" Frustrated, Peridot grabbed the 'remote' to the TV and chucked it across the barn.

Peridot heard a snort behind her, and she whirled around to find the slender blue gem staring at her, amused. Her face turned a bit darker shade of green. "Lazuli! I-"

Lapis crossed her arms. "You know, I've been here the whole time."

Peridot's face was suddenly on fire. "Well, I..."

"You're convinced this storm is my fault?"

Peridot covered her eyes. "Well, you looked pretty angry...? Well, I mean, you always look angry, but--"

Lapis clenched her fists suddenly, any trace of amusement leaving her face. "Do you have any idea what I went through?"

Peridot squeaked and scrambled away from Lapis. "I-I'm sorry!" Peridot fell over clumsily and cursed the Crystal Gems for taking her limb enhancers.

Lapis's face twitched momentarily, then she whirled around, glaring at the wall and thrumming her fingers against her crossed arms. "I don't hate you. Look, you did unforgivable things... But so have I. I don't blame you for following orders, but I don't forgive you, either. And this-" she waved her hand at the barn- "is too small to share with someone like you. I need space, silence, and calm. You're not really any of those things, albeit being small."

Peridot glared at the blue gem, who suddenly snorted and laughed.

Confused, Peridot waved her arms. "What's so funny?"

Lapis simply shook her head. "But..."

Peridot crossed her arms and moved back to the couch, a bit uneasy.

"I'm willing to give it a chance."

Peridot blinked, unsure what she meant, but then it clicked. Her eyes lit up like the moon. "Oh my stars." She grinned widely

"But if you blow this, I'm not coming back." Lapis looked away and blushed.

Peridot was suddenly very determined to get on Lapis's good side.