Peridot peeked out from the barn and saw the silhouette of Lapis in the moonlight, sitting motionless on a hay bale against the barn, her head down. She had been rather quiet since the Crystal Gems had left. After shapeshifting back into her original clothes, she had just put herself in that spot and hadn't moved.
Peridot tentatively walked over on sat down next to Lapis. After a few moments of debating, she decided to speak. "Thank you, for saving me from the tracking ship." Lapis didn't respond. "And, for helping them save me from the rubies. I know you don't really like them." Lapis shifted slightly.
"Don't mention it."
Peridot's hope sparked a little. "And, if you want to talk about, stuff, then I'll be here to listen." Lapis quickly turned her head.
"I'm not your informant anymore, Peridot!" she said sharply. Peridot jumped back a little.
"I didn't mean like that! I have just found that talking about how you feel can help. But if you would rather not, that is completely okay with me." she said calmly.
Lapis stared at Peridot for a moment, before turning her head back down. "Do you want to talk?" Peridot asked quietly. Lapis just shrugged. Peridot scooted back to her original spot. She looked up at the stars. "You can see Homeworld's galaxy from here." Lapis looked up, too.
"Yeah..." she almost whispered. After that Peridot was quiet, allowing Lapis to go on if she wished. Lapis blinked slowly. "After all that time wanting, I can never go back." she said. Peridot looked over at her, then looked down, her face sad. She nodded slightly. "I wanted it so bad," Lapis said. "freedom; to go home. And now I can't." Peridot nodded again, a small tear going down her face. "But then when I got out of prison, I was put back in prison." Lapis scowled. "Then I was fused with Jasper. More time of wanting to be free. Then when I got out, there was no where to go."
"I miss Homeworld sometimes, too." Peridot said quietly. "But I know that even if I found some way to go back, I couldn't."
Lapis turned her head. "Why did you do it, then?" she asked.
Peridot thought for a moment. "There is just so much on Earth worth protecting, worth fighting for." she explained. "And I had come to care for Steven, Amethyst, Garnet, and even Pearl. It surprises me, but I just couldn't watch them die."
Lapis returned her gaze to the sky. "Huh."
Peridot kept her gaze down. "I don't want to seem like I'm betraying them...but sometimes I just, miss Homeworld, and I don't know why. But I'm so much happier on Earth. I'm discovering things I never would've on Homeworld." Peridot said. "But I can't help missing it sometimes." Peridot felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and jumped slightly, startled. Lapis had never touched her so gently, and she wasn't expecting it at all.
"It'll be okay." Lapis said. Peridot looked back down. After a few moments she felt herself being pulled onto Lapis' lap.
Lapis carefully positioned Peridot comfortably on her lap and rested her head in Peridot's hair. She was unaware of how soft it was until now, and she rubbed the side of her face on it, her eyes closing. She had decided she would show Peridot how she cared for her, and if Peridot did not return her feelings, she would stop.
To say Peridot was a bit flustered would've been an understatement. She had no idea what had caused Lapis to do this, but she had to admit it was nice. Lapis' lap was warm and cozy, and her gentle hold was comforting. Peridot let herself fall into Lapis. She felt Lapis nuzzling her hair and blushed more, feeling her face grow warmer by the second, hoping Lapis couldn't see her face.
"What, what are you doing?" Peridot asked.
"Cuddling." Lapis said quietly.
"A-am I supposed to do something?"
"Relax." Lapis said.
Peridot stared off for a moment, shock still evident on her face. Relax. Peridot's body slowly but surely untightened and she leaned into Lapis. Peridot closed her eyes and sighed softly.
Lapis buried her face deeper into Peridot's hair, feeling the soft strands of blonde hair brush her face. Peridot's hair was so SOFT. She never realized how soft Peridot was, how warm she was. That cold image you got from Peridot before was whisked away when Peridot didn't have her limb enhancers. And Peridot was so...cute, and innocent. Lapis bit her lip and smiled slightly. Peridot sure wouldn't like that. Peridot wanted to be tough and intimidating, even though she was no where near either of those things. Peridot squirmed a little, making Lapis lift her head up from her cozy spot. "You okay?"
Peridot glanced upward. "Yes."
Lapis replaced her head before shifting to speak. "Are you blushing?" she asked teasingly.
"Of course not!" was the expected reply Lapis got.
"Are you sure?" she pressed on. "'Cause, I'm pretty sure you are."
Peridot felt her face heat up even more so. "I am very sure. Why are you so concerned?"
"Oh, I dunno." Lapis replied cheekily. She brought her hand up to feel Peridot's face. Warm, very warm. "You're blushing."
Peridot scoffed. "I. Am. Not. And you can't prove it." Peridot suddenly regretted her words. Of course she could!
"I don't need to prove it." Lapis mumbled as she nestled back into Peridot's hair.
"Lazuli?"
"Hm?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"I want to... comfort you, make you feel safe." Lapis said. "...Plus you're really cute when you're flustered."
Peridot furrowed her brow and grumbled. "I am not cute."
"...And Peridot?"
"Yes, Lazuli?"
"You're gonna have to call me Lapis if this is gonna work out."
"Okay, Lapis."