Quick Note:
Remember, this is pure fiction. If this chapter offends anyone of a certain religious belief, I apologize. It's not my intent to insult or butcher any religious quotes or facts.
"Lapis..?"
Peridot was worried for the girl on the ceiling. Lapis was so scared, terrified even, of Father Gregory. What had she felt when he reached out for her? Did she feel pain? What could possibly hurt a demon? So many questions Peridot needed answered. But before she could ask them, she had to answer the question being asked of her by Pearl and the others.
"Peridot, are you okay?" Pearl asked, worry clear in her expression. Amethyst stood beside her, arm wrapped around Pearl's waist, and Greg stood on the other side of Amethyst, also worried for Peridot.
"Did Lapis hurt you?" Greg asked.
At the mention of her name, Lapis twitched. She wanted so badly to flee from this house, to get as far away from this priest as possible. But she knew she couldn't. Lapis knew that the punishment for running would be far worse than Greg could ever do to her. A priest was nothing but an ant compared to Satan himself.
Peridot wanted to cry. Seeing Lapis' position, the expressions on her face, it tore at Peridot's heart. Normally, seeing someone in such a state wouldn't move Peridot so. But with her heightened sense of sight, she saw every little detail in Lapis' despair and fear.
"No." Peridot answered Greg, staring up at Lapis. "You hurt her.."
"Well.." Pearl said, biting her lip. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"She's annoying, but she's not dangerous." Peridot sat up and put her hand to her forehead, propping herself up with her metal arm. "I want you to apologize to her."
"I.. don't know." Greg backed away from the couch, twiddling his thumbs uncomfortably. "Wouldn't apologizing to an servant of Hell be a sin?"
Peridot looked up to see that Lapis' gaze never left Greg's form. She watched him carefully, as if she were a mouse caught in a corner by a very hungry cat. Lapis didn't move an inch from her spot, afraid to even blink in the presence of this man that could... she didn't know what he could do. Lapis only knew that he was dangerous. Peridot didn't want the demon girl to feel so threatened, even despite everything else.
"Ask for forgiveness and ye shall be forgiven." Peridot quoted.
Greg nodded. Even if it wasn't word for word, Peridot was right. He sighed and clutched at the silver cross around his neck with both hands. "Forgive me Father." Greg whispered, then he looked up to the ceiling to where he assumed Lapis was, based off of Peridot's direction in which she was looking. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. It wasn't my intent. I was only trying to feel your spirit."
"Well I fucking felt yours." Lapis hissed in utter loathing. She knew Greg couldn't hear her, but she definitely felt a little better addressing her rage directly toward him.
But despite Lapis' rage, Peridot smiled at the hint of relief in the demon's eyes. Slowly, Lapis came down from the ceiling to sit on the couch beside Peridot. Unconsciously, she searched for Peridot's hand to hold for some sort of comfort. Neither of them even noticed that they could actually feel each other. They just let it happen, Peridot's hand on top of Lapis'. Their hands lay in such a way so that the others wouldn't be able to tell what was going on by seeing Peridot's hand.
"Thank you.." Peridot said to Greg. "Lapis appreciates it."
"Like Hell I do." Lapis spat out, placing her free hand behind her head as she leaned back into the couch. "Tell him his fat ass better not come near me anymore." Peridot ignored this request, despite thinking that Lapis was in the right.
Greg sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I really don't want to hurt anyone. I thought you wanted her exorcised."
"You thought." Peridot repeated. "So did Pearl and Amethyst. Did any of you think to actually ask me what I thought of my new roommate?"
"Well..." Pearl paused, rubbing her neck. Amethyst avoided making eye contact.
"Hey, in my defense, I was just called here." Greg said, earning a light slap to the shoulder from Pearl.
Peridot sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Okay, I get it. Normally, anyone would want to get rid of anything that has to do with the words "demon" and "haunting", but honestly, I don't."
As Peridot talked, Lapis couldn't help but smile. Hearing that she was actually wanted in the house.. it felt good.
"Yeah, Lapis has only been here for a little more than a day." Peridot continued. "And she does try to get me to kill myself. And she's one of the most annoying people I've ever met. And she's a servant of Hell. And I can't do anything to stop her if she wants to mess with me when I'm taking a shower or something. And-"
"Alright Peri, I think they get your point." Lapis interrupted.
"-and I feel like if she leaves, I'll be sad."
The group, including Lapis, looked at Peridot as if she had gone crazy. And honestly, Peridot felt as if she had. Sad? For not having a demon girl haunting them?
"I know how crazy it sounds." Peridot continued after letting everyone get their "you're fucking insane" looks in. "But I just can't get the feeling out of my head that, since Lapis came into my life, it's starting to get better."
Lapis chuckled nervously. "Well, I should probably leave then. I'm supposed to make you commit suicide, not bring you peace."
"There are a lot of things I have to think about." Peridot continued, ignoring Lapis. "But I do know that I want Lapis to stay. To keep haunting me, I guess. But I wanna thank you guys for considering me. Any normal person would wanna be free of their sins and demons as soon as possible, but we all know I'm not normal." She looked between Greg, Amethyst, and Pearl, smirking. "Well, two of you know I'm not normal. You'll probably learn soon enough, Father Gregory."
"Just call me Greg, kiddo." All matters of formality were out the window, as far as Greg was concerned. He sighed and backed up so that he could lean against the wall. This visit was tiring. "This is the first time I've had someone tell me they want to commune with something from Hell. At least, this is the first time someone's told me that who isn't in some sort of satanic cult."
"Hey, I can still start one." Peridot said with a smirk. "The Cult of Lazuli. Sounds good to me."
"Don't even joke about that." Pearl said, though she couldn't help but smile. She knew Peridot was just joking, after all. Amethyst, however, wanted to contribute to that joke.
"You know most cults need a virgin's blood, right? And by my count, you're the only virgin in here."
"Well I don't know about that." Peridot said, shooting a glance at Lapis. The demon girl was just enjoying the conversation until that moment. She flew up from the couch, floating in front of Peridot with her fists balled at her sides.
"Peri, don't you dare."
"Lapis is a virgin too." Lapis' face blew up in a blush, and she crossed her arms and turned away from Peridot, bringing herself back down to the couch. The blonde put a finger to her lips in thought. "But she is dead, so unless I wanna go grave robbing, my blood would have to do."
"I'm not surprised, honestly." Pearl stated, completely ignoring the joke about the cult now. "When I saw her body, she looked pretty young. I think she was seventeen?"
"Are you seventeen?" Peridot asked, turning to look at Lapis. "I mean, I guessed you were, but you never actually told me how old you are."
"I was seventeen when I died, yeah." Lapis confirmed with a chuckle. "Feels kinda weird saying stuff like that."
"Like what?"
"Like me being dead. I never really think about it, but it's weird. I was just alive two days ago, and I'm still here, but.. I'm not."
Meanwhile, while Lapis and Peridot are having their little conversation, Greg had come to stand beside Pearl and Amethyst again. "This is so weird.." He whispered to them.
"You're telling me." Amethyst whispered back, watching as Peridot talked to Lapis. To anyone else, the blonde teen might seem crazy.
"Sometimes I still think she's faking it, honestly." Pearl said.
Peridot turned her head from Lapis, having picked up Pearl's little comment with her heightened sense of hearing. "I heard that."
"I still don't believe you have super hearing." Amethyst stated nonchalantly, placing her hands on her hips.
"Super hearing?" Greg asked, and Pearl sighed.
"Before you arrived, Peridot informed me and Amethyst that not only does she have a demon, she's also met the Devil. Through their meeting, she-"
"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT YOU MET SATAN HIMSELF!?" Greg interrupted Pearl in the loudest yell she or Amethyst had ever heard from the man. Greg addressed this shout to Peridot, who's eyes were wide with surprise. Greg continued.
"How could you have possibly let the Devil into your home?!"
Peridot's surprise was replaced with anger and annoyance in a matter of seconds. "You think I let that bastard in my house?"
"That's the only way for him to enter." Greg explained. He grasped the silver cross hanging around his neck. "James 4:7."
"Submit yourselves therefore to God." Pearl quoted, crossing her arms. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. From the King James Version."
Peridot sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She was being given many reasons to be annoyed today. Then she stood from the couch, releasing Lapis' hand and using her metal arm to point an angry finger at Greg.
"Okay, you may think some little trinket and saying "away from me, demon" over and over again is gonna keep the devil away from me, but there's a lot more to it than that."
"But the bible says-"
"The bible doesn't mean shit to experience." Peridot spat, and Greg looked visibly offended. "I saw him. And surprise, he didn't look like the naked man with a goat's legs and head that's all over the internet. He wore a nice, red suit, had bright orange hair, and eyes so yellow that just looking in them made me feel as if I were falling into the fire they originated from. Do you even know why he paid a visit my house?"
Greg just shook his head, stunned into silence. Even Pearl and Amethyst watched Peridot's ranting in astonishment, and Lapis was practically frozen where she sat out of sheer surprise.
"He came to my house because he wanted to check up on Lapis. He literally wanted to see how his employee was doing her job. Given, his appearance did make me hallucinate a bit. I saw nothing but fire. My walls burst into flame, the very air turned to ash, and my skin started melting from my body. I had an asthma attack because of that."
"Why didn't you-" Pearl tried to interrupt, but Peridot cut her off.
"I didn't call you because I couldn't. That attack was the worst I've ever had in my life. I almost died. That's the impact Lucifer has on anyone he visits, whether it's to see them or one of his freaking minions. You wanna know the crazy part though? He saved me. He literally took my inhaler from my nightstand and placed it in my hand. Normally I'd owe him my life, right? My very soul? No. He saved my life because he was about to cause my death. Despite everything you know, he didn't try to weasel a deal with me, he didn't try to take me to Hell then and there. I honestly think he could have! The devil himself was in my room, I'm pretty fucking sure that God himself couldn't stop him from dragging me to Hell if he wanted to. But he didn't, because against all odds and belief, he's a pretty decent guy. Yeah, he's got demons roaming around, trying to get people to kill themselves or do other horrendous activities so that he can take their souls, but those are people that are leaning on the edge anyway! To be completely honest here, I was gonna blow my brains out when I turned twenty one anyway!"
"Woah there.." Amethyst barely even whispered.
"Oh Peri.." Pearl felt tears stinging her eyes, bringing her hands over her mouth. Greg just stood there, perplexed, unsure of what to say or do. And Lapis, she just slowly stood from the couch. Peridot clutched at her hair, tears threatening to fall. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to be angry, not after earlier today. But she was just saying these things, and she couldn't stop.
"I had this whole thing planned out. When I turned twenty one I was gonna buy a handgun, then get the heaviest, most expensive, most alcoholic drink I could afford, get drunk off my ass, and put a bullet through the back of my head."
"W-why.." Pearl started, timidly. "Why would you do such a thing?"
"I don't know.." Peridot answered truthfully. "I mean, my life sucks, but it's not like it's terrible. I have you, and Amethyst, and I love you both to death. I couldn't imagine living without you, but you guys have so many more friends. You're literally all I've got." Peridot sighed and straightened her posture, wiping her eyes with the palms of her hands as a child would. "That's.. I guess that's why I'm defending Lapis so much, and even Satan. I didn't let him in my life, he just waltzed in. You can't stop someone like him, you just can't. But he's not bad either."
"I.." Greg started, finally finding his voice. "I half agree with you. There's no controlling the devil. But being raised a devout Christian makes it difficult to believe that the devil is anything but evil."
"T-that's fine." Peridot said, smiling through her tears. "As long as you understand."
"But.. Killing yourself, Peri?" Amethyst asked. "How can you just, plan for something like that?"
"Like I said, I don't know. I really don't." Peridot answered. "You two are amazing to me. There's really no logic to how a person feels, I guess."
"But you won't do that... will you?" Pearl asked.
Peridot almost found it cute. Like somehow, confessing about her suicide plan to her friends will suddenly cure whatever is making Peridot feel this way. If only it were that simple.
"No.. Not for a while, at least. My plan was when I turn twenty one, remember?"
"But not tonight?" Amethyst asked, scared that Peridot's earlier outburst might have been some sort of trigger.
"No." Peridot answered with a genuine smile. "Not tonight. Trust me, if I ever do it, I'll call or text you. Maybe give you time to talk me out of it, or save me."
"That's good, at least." Amethyst said with a sigh. She shook her head, then grabbed Pearl's hand. "Let's go home, P. I think we're done here."
"What? No." Pearl seemed offended that Amethyst would even think of leaving Peridot in these circumstances. "Peridot needs us now more than ever!"
"Actually.. I just need some sleep." Peridot said. When Pearl looked Peridot over, the blonde did seem exhausted. Of course she'd be, though, after what she just went through. "I won't do anything stupid tonight. I promise."
"B-but.."
"Come on." Amethyst said, giving Pearl's arm a tug. "Peri's never lied to us before. Not even about little Smoky."
"I know.. I know." Pearl sighed and smiled gently at Peridot. "I trust you." Then she looked at Greg. "Father Gregory, it looks like your services weren't needed after all. Would you like to come over for tea?"
Peridot and Amethyst knew that Pearl wasn't really okay with this. She was being overly formal, the way she usually got when she was uncomfortable. But they knew Pearl would be okay. She always was.
"Oh, uh.. Of course." Greg stumbled over his words like before, and Peridot knew that this meant he was uncomfortable as well. Without another word to Peridot, Pearl, Amethyst, and Greg started making their way out of the house. Peridot closed the door behind them, and that was that. The conversation was over. There was nothing more to be said between Peridot and the other members of the living. Lapis, on the other hand..
"Who's Smoky?"
"Pearl and Amethyst's cat." Peridot answered. She started walking back to her room, intent on climbing into bed and taking a well needed nap. Or a coma, depending on if she decided to take one tylenol or two tonight. "Accidentally pressed down on her too hard while I pet her. She was a kitten then, broke a couple of her legs. She's well and good now, though, just can't jump too high or it hurts her."
"Oh. Okay."
Then silence. For the next few minutes, as Peridot prepared herself for bed, not a sound was made. Only rushing water when Peridot brushed her teeth. Only the rustling of clothes when Peridot undressed herself down to her underwear. Only the slight squeak of her mattress when Peridot climbed into her bed, pulling her blanket over her body. It was only when Peridot finally made herself comfortable that Lapis broke this silence.
"Hey Peri?"
"Hm?" Peridot responded, not bothering to lift her head from her pillow.
"Can I be your friend?"
"..I dunno. You are trying to get me to kill myself."
"Well, from what you said, sounds like I wasn't even needed."
"Guess not."
Another moment of silence passes. Peridot tries to enter the dream world she oh so loved, but somehow, she knew that Lapis would interrupt the silence again.
"Hey Peri?"
"Yes Lapis?"
"I just.." Lapis paused, and Peridot could bet that the demon girl was doing something with her hands out of being nervous. Why couldn't Lapis just spit it out? She's been so good at it before. What, a demon can't think of a few words they wanna speak? That should be easy for them, shouldn't they? Demons should be able to get their point across because they're heartless, moral less, monst-
"..thank you. For what you said back there. About me."
"Dunno why you're thanking me. I mostly talked about your boss."
"No, I mean before that." Lapis said with a chuckle. "About.. how you might be sadder if I leave. How I make your life better, in some fucked up way. Thank you."
After those words, silence fell once more. Lapis stayed quiet, though Peridot could feel her still in the room. Despite every fiber of her being screaming at her to just shut up and get some sleep, Peridot just couldn't let the day end like that.
"..you're welcome."
Author's Note:
I feel like this chapter got a little hectic in the middle, but I hope you guys like it, either way.
Anyway, be on the lookout for the next chapter of "Pearl's Rejuvenation." If anyone has any questions about any of my stories, or just wanna talk, feel free to message me.
As always, so long for now.