A/N: So I've written several fanfics involving Jasper in the past two weeks and I feel guilty because she gets beat up on a lot. So I'm making a fic where Jasper gets a happy ending because she deserves one, dammit. No trigger warnings. Just pure fluff and happiness.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Lia stepped out of her squad car, pausing to grab her phone. It had been a busy shift by Beach City standards, with four traffic tickets and a dispatch for vandalism. As Lia climbed the stairs on her front porch, she turned her phone on and cycled through the messages she missed during her shift.
A text from her new friend Sheena, asking about the weekend...
Coupon from Fish Stew Pizza...
Text from Steven...
Lia recalled meeting the gem/human hybrid while responding to an accident involving his father Greg's van. An animal had collided with it, making it undrivable. As they waited for a tow truck, the "animal" attacked them: an orange and red gem beast with green and blue spikes.
...And Lia saw the kid create a transparent rose shield to protect them. While Steven protected them, Lia retrieved a can of bear mace from her squad car to drive the beast away. In the awkward drive back to Steven's home, Lia learned that the science fiction nightmare she experienced during her camping trip was headquartered in Beach City. Her head became one with the steering wheel after dropping Steven and Greg off...
O-O-O-O-O-O-O
"What does the kid want now..." Lia murmured to herself while unlocking the door. As she opened the door, she tapped the message thread and scrolled through it.
Steven: Call us if you see more corrupted gems!
You: Crash course on what's going on in this city? I can come by after work.
Steven: k, the guys want to meet you ne way
You: (Picture of the wolf-like gem beast that attacked them. Sitting in Lia's own backyard and mid-way through scratching its white mane.) This belong to you?
Steven: on our way. Sorry about that. U ok?
You: Just get it out of here. It's eating my rosebush.
You: (Picture of the same gem beast curled up by Lia's porch.) You ever hear of leashes?
Steven: omg sorry! On our way!
Today –
Steven: How do you know Jasper?
Lia stared at the last text for several long minutes before she heard footsteps on the porch. A large red hand clapped over Lia's mouth and an orange arm snaked around her chest, pinning her against a bigger, muscular body. Lia immediately started kicking and throwing elbows into the ribs behind her.
"Shh..." Jasper's voice rasped in Lia's ear. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Lia screamed behind Jasper's hand as the gem picked up the human and walked into the house. Once inside, Jasper gently kicked the door closed and continued carrying the struggling human into the living area.
"Stop struggling! I didn't come here to fight!"
Jasper yelled as Lia bit hard into her hand.
"I swear I will shoot you if you do not let me go," Lia growled.
"I missed you, too." Jasper set Lia on her feet and carefully stepped back from the human.
Lia spun around, a hand hovering over her gun holster. "You have exactly twenty seconds to tell me what you are doing here before I poof you again."
"Obviously, I came to see you."
"Why in the heavens would you think I would want to see you? You kidnapped me and held me prisoner!"
"I did, but..."
"But you've changed, right? You've seen the error of your ways and now you came to make amends so we'll live happily ever after." Lia's voice dripped sarcasm as she placed a hand on her hip.
"Well... I..." Jasper suddenly felt self-conscious because Lia spelled out her plan to the letter. She messaged the back of her neck as she scanned the room, looking everywhere that wasn't Lia. "It worked in the tiger and dragon movie Amethyst showed me..."
"Welcome to real life. You can't beat someone up, stick them in a cell, torture them, and expect all to be forgiven when you feel you're sorry enough."
Jasper noted she did all that to the Crystal Gems and they forgave her. Mostly. Eventually. She opened her mouth to state that fact, but one look at Lia's dark expression and she knew better.
"Forget it. You're right. This was stupid."
Jasper turned to leave. As Lia watched her duck out of the front door, a sudden wave of conflicted emotions hit her and she snarled in frustration.
"Get back in here!"
Lia grabbed Jasper's arm and guided her back into the living area. Jasper watched in bewilderment as Lia stomped around the house. First, Lia unholstered her weapons and put them in a lockbox. She followed with unpinning her deputy's badge and putting it on top. Jasper watched her disappear up a set of stairs and reappear ten minutes later wearing leggings, an oversized shirt and her hair loose. Lia stared at Jasper for a few moments, shook her head, and headed into the kitchen.
Jasper picked up the deputy's badge and examined it as Lia banged around in the kitchen. She turned to see Lia carrying a glass of amber liquid.
"You're with the Crystal Gems now?" Jasper held up the star-shaped badge.
"No. Sheriff's deputy." Lia flopped onto the couch and drank from her glass, enjoying the burning sensation of her fireball cocktail.
"What's a sheriff's deputy?"
"A law enforcement officer. I was a soldier before this gig."
"Oh." Jasper hid her smile as she put the badge down. A former soldier. Something they had in common aside from their time in the kindergarten...
"So what do you want?"
"To say I'm sorry." Jasper turned to Lia, who seemed unimpressed as she nursed her alcohol. She moved within reaching distance of Lia and dropped to her knees so they were eye-level with each other. "I can't change what I did to you. And you have every right to hate me for it."
"I'm sensing a 'but' here..." Lia criticized.
Jasper shook her head. "I was so focused on my mission that I refused to believe that you weren't a threat. I had to believe you were a spy or a scout for Rose. And when I couldn't tell myself that anymore, I kept you because... because..."
"Don't say you're in love with me," Lia scoffed.
"No, you... you... made me feel something I didn't know I could feel. I don't know if it was love, but I wanted more of it. And I thought..." Jasper paused, looking at her hands. "I hoped you felt it too."
Lia sighed heavily, waiting several minutes before answering. "I felt... something, yes. But you have to understand: My end was about survival. I was in an unfamiliar place and imprisoned by some alien being. I thought you were going to kill me if I didn't do what you wanted."
"Is that why..."
"Yes, that's why I poofed you and ran away when I had the chance." Lia took another long sip of her cocktail.
Jasper moved close enough to smell the spicy alcohol on Lia's breath. "You haven't... missed it? What we had in the cave?"
Lia didn't respond at first. While most of her knew that everything about the encounter in the canyon was wrong, a small part of her thrilled at the memory of the gem warrior seducing her. Long, thick fingers exploring her sex and drawing out a shuddering climax. The tingling sensation brought on by claws in her scalp and teeth on her neck. The feel of big arms securely wrapped around her and thick lips tenderly kissing hers.
Lia took another bracing sip of her cocktail. "I don't know."
"Lia, listen." Jasper leaned back on her haunches and ran her fingers through her hair. "I've done a lot of bad things since coming back to Earth. I know I have a lot of work to do to redeem myself. I'm just asking for a chance. I won't do anything you don't want me to do." Jasper reached for Lia's free hand and placed a gentle kiss on her wrist before placing the palm against her orange cheek. "Let me start over."
Lia let out a sharp breath as she took her hand back and drained the rest of her cocktail. She slammed the glass onto the side table and stared at the gem in front of her. Jasper hung her head when Lia finally got up and started to climb the stairs. When Lia noticed Jasper wasn't following, she stopped.
"We doing this or what?"
Jasper sprang to her feet, smiling. She quickly closed the distance and wrapped an arm around Lia's waist. Her other hand held the back of Lia's head and she bent forward with a greedy kiss, tasting fire on Lia's lips.
"Thank you," Jasper whispered.
Lia pushed Jasper off her and held her at arm's length. "We need to establish a few ground rules first..."
O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Jasper had never been inside a human's sleeping chamber before. While the room was largely barren, it looked mostly comfortable. Lia made a beeline for the large piece of furniture in the center of the room. It looked like a bigger version of the soft tablet Steven slept on at night, what he called a "bed". Lia collected a stuffed tiger from the center before sitting down and evaluating the gem warrior.
"So how are we doing this?"
Jasper sat beside Lia, feeling the mattress sink with her weight. "I don't know. I didn't think I'd get this far."
Lia looked down at the stuffed toy in her arms and set it on the nightstand. When she turned back to Jasper, she felt the gem's arms snake around her smaller frame. Large lips placed light kisses on her forehead, her eyes, her nose, her lips. When Jasper reached her lips, Lia found herself returning the kiss and her own arms wrapped around the gem's neck. The part of Lia that missed their lovemaking in the kindergarten came rocketing to the surface and Lia deepened the kiss.
They broke the kiss off long enough for Lia to strip off her shirt. As she stood, she resumed the kiss with Jasper and worked her leggings off. Upon feeling Jasper's claws on her bra, Lia reached behind her to unhook it and let Jasper pull it off her body.
When Jasper's hands moved to her panties, a sudden, unbidden flashback came to Lia's mind. Of the gem warrior threatening to leave her for dead. Of beating her. Of ignoring her pleas to stop while Jasper invaded her most intimate parts. The rational part of Lia's mind took over and her hands flew to cover her chest. She sat back down on the bed, staring at the floor.
"What happened?" Jasper kneeled on the floor in front of her and ran her fingers through the human's hair. "Lia, talk to me."
"Too soon. I don't think I..."
Jasper stopped Lia with a kiss on her forehead. "I understand."
Jasper stood up and moved over to the dresser by the wall. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and the human staring miserably at the floor behind her. Her eyes wandered up to the black silk scarf arranged along the top of the mirror. On impulse, she pulled it down and sat back down on the bed. Lia rolled her eyes upon seeing the scarf in Jasper's hand.
"Jasper..." Lia sighed. "Tying you up isn't going to..."
Jasper reached across Lia and grasped her hand, entwining her fingers with Lia's. "I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"
Lia didn't say anything further and nodded her assent. Jasper gave her a quick kiss before finding the middle of the scarf. Without letting go of Lia's hand, she looped the scarf around both her and Lia's wrists. As she looped it back around, Lia got the idea and helped Jasper loop and tie the scarf around their joined hands, finishing it in a loose knot. Jasper used their bound hands to pull Lia to her and kissed the top of her head.
"This is our new beginning," Jasper announced. "No jailer. No prisoner. No kindergarten. Just us. Here. If it's too much for you, all you have to do is untie it and I'll know. I can't say I won't stop trying. Jaspers are stubborn like that. But I'll know for tonight."
Lia responded by resuming their previous kiss. She plucked at Jasper's uniform and Jasper responded by phasing it off. This time, Lia didn't fight Jasper as the gem moved her panties off her hips. Jasper took her time exploring Lia's now-unmarred skin and thrilled as Lia's lips and free hand reacquainted themselves with hers. It didn't take long before both human and gem had found each other's flower and started a gentle, mutual exploration.
The sounds they made as they pumped each other was a symphony of pleasure. Both rolled their hips, enjoying the warmth from each other. Lia rested her head on Jasper's shoulder as their climax mounted. Her high-pitched moan matched Jasper's alto growl as both their bodies shuddered and spasmed.
Jasper collapsed against the headboard of the bed, with Lia falling comfortably on top of her. The fingers of Jasper's free hand started their habit of combing through Lia's hair, generating a happy sigh from the human. Jasper considered the scarf tying their hands together and reached for the knot. Lia shook her head, not raising it off Jasper's chest.
"Can we leave it on for a little longer?"
"Yes, my Lia." Jasper kissed the top of Lia's head. "And thank you for the new chance."
Lia responded with a happy sound, already drifting off due to the mix of alcohol and post-coital dopamine in her body. Jasper's body felt warm, comforting, and familiar. The circumstances of how they met could be unpacked in the morning, maybe over pancakes...
As Jasper listened to the human's steady breathing, she recalled the words Peridot said during their confrontation in the kindergarten: "Earth can set you free." Jasper undid the scarf to free her bound arm and wrapped both arms around Lia. She had found her freedom. And she would defend it and the planet on which she found it.