Aw yeah, Pearlapis Week is upon us! And I finally contributed something from my lazy ass. Now then, to start things off, the first prompt is Beginnings and/or Crystal Gem Lapis. Since I still have little to no knowledge of the history between these two gems, I'll be going with Crystal Gem Lapis. Also, there's something I'd like to personally try; each prompt will have a song, courtesy of a record player and a bag of vinyl discs that are just left behind for pure convenience in the Steven Universe…universe. The songs will start when the star (*) symbol appears. For this one, it's Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed." This takes place like a year after the whole White Diamond debacle. Steven's ok, Lapis, Peridot, hell even Jasper's ok, everyone's ok. Anyway, here we go!

Crystal Gem Lapis: I'm Amazed

Inside a house on the beach of Beach City, a young boy and his father are investigating a rather perplexing predicament…

"Uh, Dad? These discs don't have any labels on 'em. Like, there's no song list or anything."

"What? Lemme have a look, Steven."

Steven handed over the vinyl disc to his dad. The first thing he noticed was the center of the disc lacking a sticker. Next, he saw that the disc was specked with dots of various colors and sizes. Greg swept his hand across the disc, assuming them to be dust. Oddly, they were not. The father looked closer at the vinyl and saw that they were part of an image. Some dots were closer together in groups while the rest were scattered apart. He moved the disc for a farther point of view.

Hmm… It kinda looks like the stars in space.

"Steven," Greg asked, "where exactly did you get these discs, anyway?"

The boy replies, "Oh, I found them in a bag along with a record player by the cliffside earlier. I think somebody forgot about them or just left them there."

While the father and son were looking at vinyl discs, two Gems were sitting on the couch inspecting the record player Steven mentioned. Lapis Lazuli was holding the contraption for a closer look while Pearl was merely staring at it.

By the time Steven escaped from White Diamond and figured out a way to uncorrupt gems and get back home, Lapis and Peridot already reformed themselves to include stars into their outfits, properly declaring themselves once again to be Crystal Gems. In that same year, Lapis and Peridot rekindled their friendship, creating and re-creating new and previous meep-morps.

Lapis later found a friend in Pearl after talking about their past. Well, it was less of a talk and more like a heated argument. Mostly on Lapis' side. Pearl was nothing but apologetic. Their friendship grew into something more meaningful through all the missions and spare time they had, whether with Steven and the rest of the Gems, or just the two of them. They especially connected during combat training.

Pearl soon thought aloud, "Who would leave a record player out there in the middle of the night?"

Lapis turned the knob labeled POWER/VOLUME. With a click, a flash of a red light and a little humming noise from the built-in speakers, the player was on.

The couple were startled.

"Odd…" Lapis said, "Steven, does this thing come with a power cord or something?"

Steven felt through the bag for anything resembling a power adapter. When he felt nothing, he answered, "No. Wait, it's on?"

"Yes," Pearl responded. "Maybe it's one of those things that has a built-in battery of some sorts. Right, Greg?"

"I'm not sure about that. Some of the record players I had all came with their own power plug. I don't think I heard of one with its own battery."

While they were talking, the water gem examined the player further. She checked for anything unusual. Things that just drop in out of nowhere tend to be suspicious. When she found nothing, she set it back down on the living room table, turned to Steven and asked, "Steven, why don't you try playing a disc? Just to see if the player works good."

Steven smiled, "Sure! High time I found new songs anyway. I mean look at these discs." He held up a disc from the bag. "They might be from a new artist or a new band! Come on, guys. Waddya say? Let's go on a musical mystery tour!"

Lapis and Pearl looked at each other then at Greg, who scratched his head in pondering. After a few seconds of thought he finally gave an answer, "Well, why not? I got nothing else to do." Steven quickly turned his head towards the two gems, a smile plastered on his face. "Pearl? Lapis?"

The couple leaned towards each other to whisper a few words.

"Pearl come on. We could do something a little different. You might actually like whatever songs are in the bag," Lapis begged.

"B-but Lapis, you know I'm not exactly… intrigued by music. Well, besides singing."

"Hey, expand your musical tastes! All you like are classical and jazz. Besides, you owe me for that Star-forsaken movie we saw last week."

"Oh please. I thought it was pretty good."

"It was pretty bad, Pearl, and I love you enough to tell you that. Come on, please~?"

Pearl looked into her girlfriend's pleading eyes. She turned her head to see Steven giving the same exact look. She sighed.

How could I resist?

"I guess I don't really mind."

With the disc in his hand and an exciting grin on his face, the boy went over to sit down between Pearl and Lapis and was about to place it on the platter of the player. Before he could, he asked the gems a question.

"Ok, wanna guess what genre this'll play? Whoever guesses wrong must wear my Groucho glasses for the rest of the week! From the look on this disc, I'm guessing new age!"

Lapis immediately went along with the bet after she thought back to what kind of glasses Steven was referring to. She eyed Pearl deviously, already picturing the glasses on her pale face. Ok, the nose of the glasses would have to go somehow. It'll still be hilarious with the moustache.

"Alright!" Lapis excitedly exclaimed, "I'm in! Lemme have a look at the disc." She examined it closely. The stellar dots scattered on the disc reminded her of the galaxies and nebulas she saw on her travels. She had a genre in mind.

"I say folk."

Pearl reached for the disc, asking, "If I may, Lapis." The blue gem handed it to her. She focused the disc under the light and, with a keen eye, began to scan the groove lines for any pauses. How many songs do you have, the Gem wondered. Finding no significant indents or breaks, Pearl concluded that this side has only one song. She flipped the disc and scanned the other side only to find it's the exact same linings as before.

Her examination complete, the pale gem gave her best guess.

"I would say classical for certain."

She gave the disc back to Steven, who then eagerly placed it on the platter. Moving the needle, he expected the disc to start spinning.

It didn't.

Usually, the record would spin when the needle was just above it. The boy then moved the needle back and forth.

Nothing.

He quickly checked if the player was still on as well as the knob being at the right volume.

It was.

Confused, he placed the needle back to its original spot. "Maybe…" Steven wondered, "…the spinner's broken… or something." Lapis carefully removed the disc and spun the platter to hear and feel for any abnormalities. She placed the vinyl back and stated, "It should work. Nothing wrong from what I could find."

Pearl picked the needle and hung it over the vinyl. Much to the shock of everyone in the room, the disc started to spin.

"Well look at that," Greg declared, "Lapis fixed it. Alright, let's see what's in this vinyl, Pearl."

The gem shrugged and slowly lowered the needle to the outer edge of the disc. All four of them then waited for a sound.

(*)

A piano faded in within the first few seconds followed by a single quiet note of an organ.

Steven was immediately dismayed. He lost the bet.

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time

Or maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pulled me outta time

Hung me on a line

Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you

Lapis and Pearl both knew they lost the bet as well, but that wasn't important now.

Maybe I'm a man and maybe I'm a lonely man

Who's in the middle of something

That he doesn't really understand

Greg began to think that he's heard of this song before but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Maybe I'm a man and maybe you're the only woman

Who could ever help me

Baby, won't you help me understand

Ohhhh~

As the song went into a guitar solo followed by a repeat of the chorus, Steven took some time to sit back and think about the bet he made. Surprisingly, Greg voiced out his son's thoughts with a smile. "Welp, it ain't classical, folk, and definitely not new age." The rocker tried to hold back a laugh as he rasped out, "Ma-maybe I'll go see if-if there's more of those glasses! You'll have to wear them too, Steven!" Greg then made his way towards the closet to begin rummaging through boxes to find pairs of Groucho glasses. Steven yelled, "Hey! If I wear them, you gotta wear them too, dad!"

While they were busy looking through the closet, neither of them noticed that Pearl and Lapis were still seated on the couch. The bet was the last thing on their minds. They were focused intensely to the song being played. A new verse was coming…

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time

Maybe I'm afraid of the way I leave you

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you help me sing my song

Right me when I'm wrong

Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you

As the song began to close out with instrumentals of the verses and the chorus, the couple slowly looked towards each other. Midnight blue met Sky blue.

Entranced by one another, their bodies moved closer. Lapis cupped Pearl's cheek as she leaned in slowly for a kiss. Eyes closed for the intimate act soon to come.

Lips met as soon as the final guitar solo began. It seemed like it was only them in the universe, with the music taking them away.

The kiss lasted until Greg and Steven returned, with the former sating, "I think the music's getting to them a bit… too much, Steven."

(*)

Wide-eyed, the gems quickly separated. Their sights went to what Steven was holding in his hands.

"Guess what, guys!?" the boy exclaimed.

He found more pairs of Groucho glasses.

The next day…

The rest of the Crystal Gems along with Connie and all gathered around the small table. They were witnessing something that was perplexing for some and absolutely hilarious for Amethyst and Peridot.

Steven wore his glasses and a grin as he called out, "Alright, everyone. Until the end of this week, Pearl and Lapis are to be respectively referred to as Earl and Bob!" The mentioned couple stood next to each other, right behind the gem child. Greg wore the same pair as he sat on the stool in the kitchen.

Pearl and Lapis were both holding back snickers and giggles. How can they not laugh after seeing each other wearing these ridiculous things over their faces!?

Lapis broke first, bellowing a loud laugh followed by a snort. That small noise quickly got to Pearl, who cracked a smile and a laugh.

"You look hysterical, Bob!"

"You're not so bad yourself, Earl!"

Soon enough, Garnet chuckled while Amethyst and Peridot held their stomachs while rolling along the floor.

All Jasper and Bismuth did was a simple awkward smile.

Connie found herself smiling and chuckling at Steven's face. "Steven," she said, "those glasses are classic!" Greg joined in, "They really are!"

The whole house was filled with laughter and exhilaration. Unknown to them, amidst the sound of cheer, a vocal, melodious message rang from the record player. It was turned off.

Please flip me over~

Author's notes: And that's about it for day one of the Pearlapis bomb! As of this fic, it's the longest I wrote in a while. Damn, I'm outta touch with writing. Need more practice.

Unfortunately, the following stories for the week will be short.

Can't wait to see what everyone else has to offer to the bomb!

Peace!