Disclaimer - I do not own Steven Universe. I just enjoyed playing with all the kickass and adorable gems populating this Universe~ =D
~Pearl and Peri~
Lightning crashed and thunder rumbled loudly across the sky, causing an eerie light show to flash throughout the quiet home of the Crystal Gems.
Peridot sat quietly in a corner of the kitchen with her knees drawn up under her chin, and her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. She sat as close to the fridge as she could, as if the tall machine could act as a kind of silent guardian for her, against the frightening power of the electrical storm raging outside.
The Steven...no...Steven...had already explained and shown her how rain was just water falling harmlessly from the sky, but Steven was not here right now to help her not be afraid. When he or even the other Crystal clo...Crystal Gems...weren't around she felt...lesser...smaller than she already unfortunately was...and yes...scared.
She hated it.
She hated feeling weaker than them...less able to handle all of the challenges this stinking planet kept shoving into her face. She just wanted to feel...not weak anymore...not scared...not so small...
"Peridot? What are you doing out here by yourself, sitting alone in the dark?" a slightly-lilting, musical voice spoke up somewhere near Peridot, causing the small gem to quickly dash the tears from her eyes that had formed, as dainty feet came to stand beside her, and a slight frame stooped down to look curiously at her.
"What does it look like I'm doing, you clo...you Pear...oh jank it all...Pearl! I am merely attempting to analyze this raaiiinn business, from the relative safety and comfort of this spot. The Steven...Steven...has explained this liquid falling from the sky, however...the loud clashing and too-bright lights that accompany said liquid are...disconcerting," Peridot said in as huffy and obnoxious a voice as she could muster, even as her small body desperately tried not to quake as another bright flash, and rumbling crash filled the night sky.
Pearl tilted her head and continued to look curiously at the small, slightly-shaking gem squished as far into the corner of the kitchen as she could get, before she tentatively asked, "Peridot...are you by any chance...scared of the thunderstorm going on right now?"
Peridot affected the most affronted look on her face that she could muster, even as the dim kitchen lit up again with another lightning strike.
"N-n-n-no...whatever gave you such a ridiculous idea. Of course I'm not scared."
Pearl gave Peridot a look that clearly said she did not believe the smaller gem, but she wasn't going to push her on the obvious lie.
"Well, if you're sure, then I'll just leave you to...whatever it is you're doing. I just like to make a quick check of everything at night...take a quick peek at Steven to make sure that he's sleeping peacefully. I haven't forgotten how you 'kidnapped' him that one time. Just because we kind of trust you to not run off into the night...and especially a night like this...which is why you aren't on that leash...doesn't mean that I don't want to keep making sure that everything here at night is alright." Pearl finished up speaking with a semi-stern look for Peridot, who responded with a slight scowl.
If nothing else, Pearl had helped the smaller gem temporarily forget about her fright with the storm while she was talking, which unfortunately all flooded back into Peridot's tiny frame, as Pearl rose slowly back up to her feet to leave.
"Wait! You can't just leave! I...uh...haven't...uh...finished telling you about how I'm analyzing this...thunderstorm as you call it! Don't you want to hear everything that I've learned?!" Peridot cried out with such a level of desperation, that it stopped Pearl in her tracks, and caused the taller gem to look back down at the once-again shaking gem below her.
Pearl's motherly instincts instantly kicked in and a small, sympathetic smile slowly crossed her lips.
"Tell you what, Peridot...why don't you tell me all about your 'analysis' in my room? I'm sure that I'll be absolutely fascinated to hear everything that you've come up with."
A small, tentative smile tugged up the edges of Peridot's lips, before she quickly schooled her expression back into one of mild boredom.
"But of course that's a good idea, and one that I can get behind. Now let's get moving. No dawdling now. We have much to discuss," Peridot stated in as imperious a voice as she could make, even as her small hand reached out to tentatively brush against Pearl's, as she moved to walk passed the taller gem.
Pearl hid her smile as she allowed Peridot's small fingers to lightly grasp hers, in an imitation of the time Steven had confided in her of how he'd gotten Peridot to hold his hand as well.
The storm continued to rage outside, but inside within the safety and comfort of one Gem's room, two Gems began to explore the bonds of friendship.