Templeschool

24. Falling Apart

AN: Okay, since I can't figure out how to get a strikethrough to show on here, all flashbacks will be marked with italics and underline.

"How did she escape?" Steven cried out as Peridot danced in victory. She sneered at him, reaching her claw arm into the barn to grab the rest of the truck.

"Fools! Your invisible rotary shield was no match for me; once I applied logic! Now, to do this RIGHT!" The truck sailed through the air. Garnet wrapped a hand around Steven's waist and jumped out of the way. Steven gasped in horror as he noticed that Twoie just stood there watching Peridot. He had to snap him out of it.

"Twoie!" The young man jumped, eyes widening as he finally saw the danger. He lunged out of the way just in time for the truck to land where he was initially standing.

"Are you all okay?" Pearl shouted as she and Amethyst ran up to Garnet and Steven. Peridot noticed the communicator in her hands. She ran forward and extended a robotic arm at her, making Pearl flinch. She raised her hands to shield herself.

That was all Peridot needed to snatch the communicator from her hand. "See? None of you know what you're doing!" She took off into the open fields. Pearl stared at her hands in horror at the realization she had essentially handed over the communicator.

"This is all your fault!" She rounded on Twoie. "If you hadn't let her take the communicator, then she wouldn't be getting away with it right now! She's going to contact the Diamonds! We're doomed!" Twoie clenched his fists and turned his head away.

Amethyst ignored them and shape-shifted into a helicopter. "Not yet, P! Everyone, get in!" Pearl and Garnet stepped into the aircraft, but Steven didn't notice as he scolded himself. "Stupid Peridot. Stupid giant robot! Why, oh, why did I encourage her?"

"It's not your fault, Steven. It's mine." Twoie narrowed his eyes in the direction that Peridot had run off in.

The younger boy glared at him. "Why didn't you stop me from having the robot competition? She wouldn't have been able to get the communicator without it! Why did you let her bring it back from the moon? Why didn't you warn us that she would use the robot?" He brushed his hands through his hair. "I stuck up for you when the gems started that stupid fight. I told them they should've talked to you. But now, it's you who should've talked to us!"

Twoie felt his cheeks flush pink. Steven didn't back off, though. The young man clenched his fists. "You're right! I should've given you more warning! There's a lot I should've done, and I'm sorry! I'm trying my hardest to make things better without changing too much, but did you ever think that maybe I don't talk to you guys for a reason?" Surprise flickered across Steven's face. Before he could try to get Twoie to clarify, Garnet's hand wrapped around them and dragged them into the helicopter.

"Argue later! We need to stop Peridot from contacting the Diamonds. Step on it, Amethyst!" The purple gem grinned as jetted into the sky. It was easy for her to track down the giant green robot. She bee-lined for it as quickly as she could. The inside of the helicopter was crowded, with all four of them trying to fit. Twoie was standing with his feet pressed against the bench and his back to the exterior.

"What did you mean by that? Why don't you want to talk to us?" Steven quietly asked him. The gems stared at the older brother in a mix of curiosity and anger. Twoie gritted his teeth. Of course, they would blame him for this. They always blamed him without ever getting the full story.

"Maybe because the last time I tried to talk to you guys, I was thrown through the front door? Because every time I tried to talk to you guys, I got yelled at and condescended, and I'm sick of it?" His cheeks glowed even brighter as he continued. "Maybe because I am still scared to be around you because I have this stupid fear that you're going to attack me again. Because you two," he pointed at Garnet and Pearl, "still don't trust me!"