Peridot has only ever wanted to find friends, and Lapis has only ever wanted to escape hers. Stuck in the bad part of town, they find each other, but not in the way you'd expect. Not many people hope to find the love of their life hiding in a dumpster, preparing to mug them. No one's perfect, and especially not these two. But when Peridot finds Lapis injured, she holds the thief's life in her hands. Will she save her, turn her in, or let her die?

Tropes I plan to break: All of them. Examples: Peridot being a complete computer nerd who plays 10 video games a day and cries/gets angry when she loses, the "bad" one of the two smoking/drinking frequently because it's "cool," extreme anger issues in one (usually Lapis,) and Lapis being horribly uneducated compared to Peridot. Of course there's more, but I can't list them all.

Side note: Lapis is a girl by birth and identifies as a girl in this fic. Her pronouns change twice, from non-binary to male, and then from male to female. Please do not scream at me saying that Lapis is a girl (again.) Thanks fam.

Also side note: The characters' views are most definitely not mine all the time. I wrote them corresponding to their personality. If you find some completely horrendous, please don't scream hate at me. I might not even agree. It might be before their arc. Thanks again. Enjoy the fic.

Peridot:

If I'd known I would be aggressively pepper spraying a thug with poor color coordination, I probably wouldn't have worn high heels to my job interview.

I should probably explain.

My name is Peridot. What's my last name, you ask? I don't use it, and I don't plan on ever doing so again. That much I can promise for sure.

I just moved to the city from far away. I don't miss my old home… but I still have some feelings, regrets, anxieties. One anxiety, for example, is my concern that I moved into a tiny two room apartment on the border of the bad part of town, just so I could be close to a job that I haven't even interviewed for yet and don't want.

I don't think I thought this through very much. Or at all. Maybe it's because my feelings are so mixed up? Then again, they always have been. Too mixed up for me to focus in school even though I was smart; too jumbled for me to turn in college applications on time, and too scrambled to figure out what to do with the rest of my life.

So, naturally, having done mediocrely in school, and with no college or job experience, I turned to my second natural talent after academics: music. I couldn't sing to save my life, but my friend Steven had gotten me hooked on ukulele and guitar, which lead into synth and piano.

The job I was applying for today was at a radio station. I would fix equipment, being naturally good at tech, and act as a backup DJ if needed. If anyone came into record, I could help with that as well. It wasn't the job I wanted, but it was in the music and tech industry, and it was all I had. Or wanted to have, at least.

As I walked through the bad part of town to the radio station for my interview, I nervously glanced from side to side, peering down both the darkest alleyways and the brightest streets, searching for any sign of trouble. I had my pepper spray ready in my hoodie pocket in case any trouble appeared.

I probably shouldn't have worn an old, lime green hoodie to an official interview, but it calmed me, being from a time before my life became screwed up… to this extent. My ripped jeans, however, were just to look 'tough.' I had a feeling bright orange athletic short shorts wouldn't give off the same intimidating vibe.

After walking five blocks, I started quietly humming to myself for comfort. I was really in the bad part of town now. I took a deep breath, attempting to calm my nerves before the big moment.

Nothing could've steeled me for what came next.

A teenager agilely jumped out from a dumpster in the nearest alley. They were dressed in a black hoodie with the hood up, black skinny jeans, and black skater shoes. The lower bit of their face was covered in a black bandana, but it still didn't cover their icy blue eyes. Their skin was tan, and a single lock of brown hair fell just over the bridge of their nose, covering a few splotches of freckles. In their hand was a short silver knife, a worn leather grip wrapped around the handle.

I held my hands up. "P- Please, don't hurt me," I stuttered pathetically, my eyes trained on my attacker's face but not quite meeting their icy blue gaze.

"Money. Jewelry. The works," my assailant growled in a husky voice.

My eyes flitted up to theirs, and I noticed that they were round and wide. This person was afraid. I could use that.

My hands slowly went down to my hoodie pocket. "O- Okay…" I stammered, stalling. "I have a few dollars, but it's not much."

I reached into the pocket, grabbed my pepper spray, and pushed down on the trigger. I waved it in streaks in front of me, blindly hitting what I could; their clothes, their skin, and even those chilling eyes.

"My eyes! I can't see!" They cried, stumbling backwards blindly.

I sprinted down towards the radio station without looking back.

oO0Oo

That went well, I think to myself as I walk out of the radio station. I'd be lucky to get the job at this point, after what just happened.

As I walked down the dingy streets, now after the sun had fallen, I kept my pepper spray in plain sight this time, and no one seemed to come my way.

I cautiously approached the alley where I'd been jumped. As I did, I heard sounds. But this time, I heard someone sobbing. I rushed to the entrance, and found a person curled up against a wall, head in their knees, crying their heart out.

I slowly put my pepper spray away and walked over.

"Are you okay?" I murmured, putting my hand on their shoulder.

They jumped, and when I looked at their face, I gasped, and pinned them to the wall.

"It's you! You're the dude who tried to mug me earlier!" I exclaimed, my mouth drawing back into a snarl.

They looked in my general direction, their eyes unfocused. "You're the one who blinded me!" they yelled. "I still can't see anything but blurry shapes!"

"Oh, what a pity," I said mockingly, pinning them tighter against the wall with my hand.

"It's all your fault! My gang just kicked me out of the base for the next week, and I have no way to walk around, get food, or stop the bleeding! I'll die out here!"

I glare at her suspiciously. "What bleeding?"

They flinch. "What? I didn't… What bleeding?"

I look them up and down. I notice their hand covering their stomach. I grab their wrist and tear it away. Their hand comes away bright red and sticky. A large gash has been ripped in their hoodie, and I notice a deep crimson streak just below the rib cage.

I furiously bring my gaze back up to meet theirs. "What happened? I'm pretty sure this wasn't the pepper spray!"

"Thanks for the info, Sherlock," they scornfully reply. "Next time I need someone to solve a mystery, I'll call you up."

I roll my eyes. "Sarcastic brat," I mutter.

They tear their hand back. "Whatever. It's none of your business anyway."

I shove them away, and they hit the brick wall with a thud. "Fine. Have fun bleeding your life out onto the streets. See if I care," I call, turning around.

I feel their hand graze my calf, and I angrily whip around.

"Wait," they call. "Take me with you!"

"Why should I?" I demand, looking down at them with contempt.

"Because it's your fault I got stabbed in the first place!" she yells.

"How is this my fault?" I exclaim. "I defended myself with pepper spray!"

"My gang saw what happened. They- They thought I was weak because I couldn't defeat you, even with a knife. The leader, Jasper, hit me with my own weapon to show me… how it should've been done. Because I was blind, I couldn't defend myself," they desperately explain.

I pause for a moment, taking in their words. Then I sigh. "What's your name?"

They blink. "I don't like to use it much… but it's Lapis. Lapis Lazuli."

"Well, Lapis, you'd better be thanking your lucky stars, because I'm going to take you to the hospital," I reply.

Lapis breathes out in relief. "Really?"

"Yeah. It's only about ten blocks past my house. We'll pass my apartment on the way there."

"Thank you so much," Lapis says, slumping down on the ground in relief. "But how will I even get there? I can't see where I'm going."

I pause. "I'll guide you," I answer.

They offer their hand out, and I take it, pulling them up off the ground. I guide Lapis out of the alley, hand in hand, and we start to walk towards the hospital.

oO0Oo

After the third block, it begins to rain.

"Can you walk a little faster?" I mutter, pulling my hood up.

"Not if I want to keep any blood at all. If I move too much, the scratch opens up," Lapis replies. "Besides, I like this kind of weather."

I glance up at the sky, and a water droplet hits me in the eye. I blink rapidly. "You like this?"

"For sure," they answer, smiling.

"Should I call you Drizzle now?" I mutter. "You know, because it's drizzling."

"Better that than my birth name," they reply simply. "And you don't need to spell it out for me, I know what this type of weather is called."

"I thought you were a street rat."

"Doesn't mean I'm ignorant. I'm just as smart as anyone," Lapis hotly rebukes.

I shrug. "Fair enough."

They suddenly clutches their stomach. "Hey, how far are we?"

I shrug. "Another ten blocks. Why?"

In response, they collapse on the ground.

oO0Oo

So, I could either walk ten blocks to the hospital, or half a block to my apartment. Seems like a simple choice, right?

I wish.

If I took Lapis to the hospital, they might not even make it that far. But if they went to my apartment, they could steal anything and leave.

Of course, I could just leave them here to die.

But I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did.

So I carefully scooped Lapis up in my arms and began to head towards my apartment. I'd have to trust them. And if they weren't trustworthy…

As I walked up six flights of stairs to my apartment, I caught a whiff of Lapis's… cologne? Perfume? It smelled like the ocean and sand, and the calming sea breeze that lazily wafted across the dunes after a storm.

Since Lapis was wearing a mask, I couldn't tell their gender, but I'd been assuming that they were a boy. I mean, come on, husky voice, flat chest, short hair – or at least bangs – he had to be a guy.

But then again, I'd never liked any guys either.

I turned away, instead focusing on the next flight of stairs. All I could see of Lapis was their – his? – eyes and nose. Maybe tomorrow I'd see his face. I mean, how could I low key like someone without even seeing below their nose?

I hoped he was dead ugly. Maybe then the fluttering feeling in my chest would stop every time I looked down at his face. I liked girls, not guys. This criminal wasn't going to make me question my sexuality again, right?

oO0Oo

Laying Lapis down on the bed, I rushed into my bathroom, grabbing the only medical supplies I had: an ace bandage, some band aids, and a bottle of aspirin. It wasn't much, but it was enough. It had to be.

Looking down at the boy, I stared at his torso. I physically could not work around his hoodie, but it felt wrong to take off his shirt.

I blinked. Lapis was literally dying on my bed. I had no time to waste. Guys took their shirts off all the time. I'm sure Lapis wouldn't grudge me if I did it to save his life, right?

Slowly peeling off his hoodie, I found a dark blue tank top underneath. It completely ruined his all black aesthetic. Talk about a fashion no. If you're going to have the emo mood board, you've got to commit.

Tearing off the mismatched blue tank top, I gasped. Underneath Lapis's tank top wasn't a bare chest.

It was a binder.

Lapis was a girl.