video games

(Original notes: Fake teaser: Lapis will one-hit KO you with her falcon punch.)

Originally written June 23rd, 2015. Y'gotta love gems who love the video games.

Steven grabbed the video game console from the cabinets and began plugging its cords into the television. On the new top bunk, Lapis stared down at him, dangling her legs back and forth as she looked curious. Since they had some time after dinner to play, he decided that they could play the video game that his dad had got for him in a trade with Onion's dad. Somewhere Peridot was still running from the three other gems for wasting pizza, but if they all got back early enough, he hoped they could join them, too. Super Smash Bros. allowed up to four people to play.

At least he had Lapis to play with this time. Lately the other gems and Connie were too busy to play with him, and it wasn't as fun playing a fighting game with only one real player. She seemed interested too, finally hopping off her bed when the start-up screen began blinking. "So, Steven, I know I agreed to play this video game with you, but why do we have to fight each other again?" she asked.

"To have fun!"

Lapis just blinked. Steven didn't need her to say anything to understand what she was thinking. "Oh! Oh, we're not really fighting each other! Well, we are…but…we're not getting hurt! Well, we are…but…our characters come back to life again! Uh. It's supposed to be fun?"

"As long as we're not really hurting each other. So what do we do?"

Relieved that Lapis understood him, Steven let out a small sigh and grinned. "Well, first we have to pick out our characters. There are sixteen characters to choose from. I'm usually Jigglypuff. He's the pink one with the big, blue eyes."

"Oh, it's cute. So I can pick any of the other characters?"

"Yeah! Just use these buttons to go up and down, and you can select. No rush. Just take your time."

While Lapis grew adjusted to the video game controls and took her time in searching through the characters, they could hear the front door slam. Seconds later Amethyst popped into the room, making her way to sink into Steven's bed, facefirst. When she turned around, Steven offered her the third control. "Hey, Amethyst. Wanna play Smash with us?"

"Nah. I think the chase wore me out." Amethyst stretched out her arms and turned into a kitten, rolling a full 360 before meowing. "It was funny chasing Peridot for a while, but it got boring fast. Pearl and Garnet are still going at it. Dunno why, though. Throwing down pizza isn't that big a deal, and I got her piece."

Steven's eyes lowered. "They're not too mad at her, are they?"

"What, do you think they're gonna knock her off the cliff for punishment or something?"

"What?!"

"Relax, Steven. They're just in the heat of the moment. Now give me a belly rub, you dork."

He sighed and rubbed Amethyst's belly, allowing her to dig her claws into his skin. Lapis threw down her controller with a smirk on her face, the screen settling onto a tall man with a helmet over his head. "Steven, you think Captain Falcon's a fighter?"

"I don't see why not. I think he suits you."

Amethyst placed her paws over Steven's hand, glancing at Lapis. "Whoooo~a. You gonna destroy Steven in Smash?"

"…isn't that the point?"

"Duh. And don't go easy on him just 'cause he's a giant pink furry, either. We bite."

Seconds later the door slammed again, and Peridot could be heard muttering loudly as she made her way to the bedroom doorway. "-can't believe they're making me eat the broccoli. I thought they supported earth morals, but noooo, when it comes to my green comrades, I have no choices but to make sacrifices! Well, they can't make me eat them. I refuse. I have earth rights now!"

She stopped, looking at Steven from a moment before frowning. "Steven. What are you doing now?"

"Me and Lapis are about to play Smash. It's a video game. Wanna play with us?"

"Video game? Did you say video game?" Suddenly Peridot stepped forward, looking either very disinterested or very suspicious. Or both…probably both. "We had video games in Homeworld. They were highly sophisticated simulations, meant to strengthen our best skills. Is this like a simulation, Steven?"

"I'unno. We're fighting for fun."

"Ah. A combat simulation, then." Steven didn't mean to look surprised, but he was definitely thrown off-guard when she took the third control from him. He still couldn't read her expression, either. "I'm not the best fighter, but I will show off my superior skills by fighting the both of you with the puniest human I can find. Yes…this one will do. Ness. I will fight your giant rabbit and angry bird man with this Ness. Prepare yourselves."

"Whoooooo~a, Peridot, you talk so much for someone who got grouuun~deeeed."

"Somehow I think you're making fun of me, but you are not a part of this battle, so I will let that slide. Let us begin this combat simulation, Steven, Lapis."

The three of them sat side by side in front of the television, Steven between Lapis and Peridot, Amethyst curled up by his feet, watching. As they began the first game, he noticed that besides the broccoli incident, this was probably the first time Peridot was happy about something. She kept yelling at Ness on the screen, and then she kept yelling at Lapis's character, Captain Falcon, but Steven thought that he almost saw a faint smile tug on the corners of her face. She seemed into Smash.

Or maybe he just imagined her smiling. By the time the fifth or sixth round came about, he had to take a break, not being able to keep up with them anymore. Lapis seemed to be taking a thousand years' worth of aggression onto creating a full-scale battle with Ness (she had won four games thus far), and Peridot was screaming a bunch of alien words at anyone who would listen to her. Maybe she was good at other video games on her home planet, but she…honestly wasn't that good at Smash. Or maybe it was just Ness. She didn't keep the little guy in one place for too long, and that was probably a bad thing, as it hindered their attacks.

Finally Garnet came in, ignoring the two battling gems as she looked down at Steven. "Steven, it's almost time for bed. Why aren't you playing your video game with them?"

"Oh, it's kinda hard with three people…gems. I wanted to take a break anyway." That was when the idea popped into his head, and he jumped up, knocking Amethyst out of her catnap. "Hey, Garnet, why don't you join us? We can have a team battle, two on two." He raised up his eyebrows. "You could be Kirby."

"Is that the one who eats everything?"

"Yeah!"

"Hmmm…..okay. But then you gotta go to bed."

"Yeah!"

Lapis and Peridot ended their round with an angry finish, Lapis winning again, and then Garnet joined them as they picked teams. Steven was on Garnet's team as the two pink fighters, and Lapis was on Peridot's team. Garnet hadn't played too many video games since the incident at Funland that almost killed him and Pearl and Amethyst, but when she played she was always pretty focused. He was sure they'd make a great team.

He was right as hours passed and they kept playing again and again until Peridot threw her controller across the room in frustration and pointed at Lapis. "You! I thought you were good at this!" she hissed.

"I'm putting all of my effort into this!" Lapis snapped back. "Why don't you put any amount of effort into this?!"

"What?! Steven. Switch with me. You can have Lapis."

"Don't make Steven switch if he doesn't want to!"

"You just want to drag me down as a sore loser! Steven…please switch. No!."

"I'm not switching Steven out," Garnet denied, turning her head to Peridot. "We're the Pink Fighting Buddies. And don't damage the equipment."

"…sorry….please?"

"No."

Finally Pearl came in, looking at the clock with a gasp. "Steven, what are you still doing up? It's past midnight!"

Steven yawned, finally becoming aware that he was feeling pretty sleepy. Garnet stood up and unplugged the television with one yank of her wrist, causing the screen to turn black. "Sorry. We were playing video games." Turning to Steven she smiled. "Okay, Steven. Brush your teeth and put on your PJs and go to bed. We won't make you floss tonight."

"But flossing's good for all of his teeth. That string's supposed to make them minty fresh," Pearl countered, crossing her arms. "But it is pretty late. Okay, Steven. No flossing tonight, but you make sure to floss twice tomorrow."

"Okay. Night, Peridot. Night, Lapis."

He followed Pearl to the bathroom, ignoring Peridot arguing with Garnet over the video game. As he followed through his nighttime routine, he honestly couldn't remember much of anything after that, the sudden feeling of exhaustion overwhelming him as he struggled to keep his eyelids open. It had been a long day, but it had also been a fun one, and they made progress. Peridot didn't hate everything anymore…he thought. And Lapis was up again, and he was glad they could have fun together, too.

His yawns growing louder, he was grateful when Pearl led him back to bed and tucked him in, kissing him on the forehead with a final 'good night'. Tonight he was sure to have good dreams. His dreams were usually so vivid and fun, and sometimes they involved Lion driving, but he guessed that was okay because it was a dream? And he could've sworn that in this round of dreaming there was loud noises and loud shouting, but he couldn't really tell amongst the roaring ocean waves and Cookie Cat and Lion and Connie and everyone else in his dream.

He was happy.