Warmth in Friendship
Peridot sat on a hill overlooking the vast landscape of the countryside, having left the others to stare into the night sky and think about the events of the past week. She huddled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees. The stars were bright tonight. It was quiet sans the faint sound of crickets. She looked up in the direction where Garnet had pointed out Homeworld's galaxy. A shiver coursed through her body, and she gave a sad audible sigh. What had she done? She had insulted Her Diamond right to her face! It felt awesome to have done that, but now she was in a big heap of trouble. If the Earth wasn't going to be destroyed by the cluster, it sure was going to be destroyed by Yellow Diamond now. Why didn't she think before she spoke? She groaned and placed her forehead onto her knees.
"Hey, Peridot! What are you doing?"
She froze for a moment from the sudden voice piercing the silent air. She raised her head to see Steven making his way toward her. He was wearing his new pink button-down shirt, and he was wearing that goofy gin that he always had on his face. It did not stay very long when he saw Peridot's downward position.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Steven asked as he pointed to a spot beside her. Peridot shook her head and laid her chin back down onto her knees. Steven sat beside her and looked into the night sky. "It's pretty tonight, huh?" Peridot didn't say anything in return. She was too preoccupied thinking about her betrayal.
"Hey, what's the matter? You've been sitting here for an hour like this." Peridot peered from the corner of her eyes to look at Steven. He just gave her a concerned look.
"You know what's funny, Steven? I'm going to die." She gave a small deadpan chuckle. In a more whispered town, she said again, "I'm going to die."
"What? You're not going to die, Peri…"
"You don't understand, Steven. I'm a traitorous clod. I've disrespected My Diamond; she is going to send crushers after me. No one ever talks to Yellow Diamond like that and survives. I realize now that I was dead as soon as I messaged her. She will never forgive me."
"Well, that doesn't matter now. You're part of us, and…"
"Maybe now, Steven, but for how long? See right there?" Peridot pointed at the Homeworld Galaxy. "She is right there, Steven. Thinking and plotting what to do with my crushed gem after she breaks me. That is my inevitable end. I'm probably going to end up becoming a smaller cluster." With a heightened pitch in her voice, she said, "I don't want to become a cluster, Steven!"
Steven furrowed his brow. This was a lot of deep stuff coming from the usually spunky gem. He placed his head on his hand as his elbow rested on his knee. He tried to make out where Peridot pointed earlier but turned his head when he heard a couple of sniffles coming from the green gem beside him.
Peridot looked at him with watery eyes. "But what's even worse is that I haven't doomed just me, I've doomed us all. Whoever Yellow Diamond sends to Earth to get me will probably kill you all as well. I finally make friends, and I'm getting them killed along with me." She gave a forced laugh.
Steven scooted a bit closer to Peridot, just enough for their arms to touch. Peridot blushed as she asked him what he was doing. She blushed even more when he placed him arms around her, giving her what Steven called a hug.
"It's okay. Don't worry, no is going to die or have their gem get crushed. We are getting stronger every day; and with you on our team, we'll know secrets about Homeworld. Don't cry, Peridot, we can take on whoever Homeworld sends. We'll even take on Yellow Diamond if she appears! You are one of us now, and The Crystal Gems take care of one another. Homeworld won't know hit them if we all work together."
Peridot relaxed a little bit. She lightly laid her head on top of Steven's as she decided to let him comfort her. It was strange having another creature care about your own problems and personal safety. She kind of liked it. It warmed her to know that she was not a forgotten puny peridot. Maybe his words actually had some meaning. The Crystal Gems were strong; two of them had fought in the rebellion. As long as a whole army didn't show up, there may be a possibility. She still didn't really have much hope, though.
"Hey, why's the Steve-man all hugging up on my Peridactyl?"
Steven and Peridot separated from their hug as they saw Amethyst looming over them.
"Aww, you guys didn't have to stop. I just came to figure out why you two were out here so long."
Peridot's blush became even greener. Steven jumped up and walked over to Amethyst. "Well, Peridot's kind of worried about Homeworld."
"Oh yeah? I'd be sending someone too if I'd been called a clod like that." Peridot's face dropped and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "Woah, hey, I was just joking. I'll punch whoever comes here back into space. They won't lay a finger on you." Amethyst helped Peridot to stand up, but kept the little green hand in her slightly bigger purple one.
With a bit of a higher spirit, Peridot let herself give a small smile. "Thanks, Amethyst. You too, Steven." Steven beamed the toothiest grin at her, and it made her smirk.
"Yeah, well, let's quit being mushy. Greg brought some more cake for us to eat."
Steven excitedly exclaimed, "Oh, boy!" and gabbed Amethysts hand to start running for the barn. Amethyst laughed and pulled Peridot along with them. Peridot finally broke a smile as she was led by Steven and Amethyst to the barn. She still wasn't sure if The Crystal Gems could defeat whomever Homeworld sent, but at least they would fight to protect her. And maybe she would also fight to protect them. And if she was to be crushed soon, at least she would have had someone that cared for her.
She repressed any other depressive thoughts for the night and took solace in the warmth of the friendships that she had made.
