Amethyst sat on the couch in the temple with her legs and arms crossed, staring at the screen door. As she waited, she thought about what she was possibly going to say to Pearl.
Hey, Sweet P. Amethyst thought. I think Peridot's really cute and I wanna add her to our little circle. That cool? Great. Amethyst could just imagine what Pearl would say.
You are not dating that little green shit!
Of course that's not what Pearl would actually say, but it brought a smile to Amethyst's face making Pearl swear in her head.
More minutes pass, and Amethyst starts shaking her leg in impatience. Normally, she'd have no problem waiting for someone, to talk to them, but Pearl was usually so punctual. Pearl should have been home minutes ago, and Amethyst was getting pissed.
"Screw it." Amethyst stood from the couch and made her way to the door. Reaching out for the handle, Amethyst barely grazed it with her fingers before she heard voices from the outside. Since it was a screen door, one could see straight through, and hear fairly clearly through it as well. Amethyst saw Pearl, Peridot, and Lapis walking on the beach toward the house. Amethyst thought of two things she could do. She could exit the house and get the whole thing over with, or she could pretend to be asleep. Considering it would be rude to force Peridot and Lapis to wait outside while she and Pearl talked, Amethyst decided on the former option.
Putting on a straight face, messing up her hair by shaking her head, Amethyst took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping outside.
"Do you think Garnet will approve?" Peridot asked Pearl as they walked toward the house. Pearl shrugged.
"I don't know, honestly. Garnet's very loving to us, despite being the embodiment of love between Ruby and Sapphire. She cares for us, makes sure we're emotionally stable, and we do the same to her. I don't know if she'd be so protective of Amethyst as to turn you down, though. I doubt it, but you never know with her."
"I'll try not to keep my hopes up, then." Peridot said. That was the logical thing to do in this situation. Peridot had already gotten Pearl's permission, but even if she did get Garnet's, she still had a final obstacle; Amethyst. The green gem was only one third of the way through to her goal. Though, when she looked back at Lapis, who smiled in support, Peridot couldn't help but feel a sense of ease. Even if Amethyst didn't accept her, they could still be great friends. With Lapis, Peridot was content.
"That's mature of you." Pearl commented, reaching the steps up to the temple. "I should have followed your example when Rose was still with us."
"But you have Amethyst and Garnet now, don't you?" Lapis asked.
"Oh yes." Pearl paused on the stairs, turning to face the other two gems. "I love them both dearly. But don't think I'm using them to replace Rose. She's gone. Amethyst and Garnet are themselves, and I couldn't ask for anything more."
"You're such a sap, girl." Pearl turned back to the house to see that Amethyst had come outside, leaning beside the door to the house with her arms crossed.
"O-oh, you heard that?" Pearl asked, her face becoming a light blue, scratching her cheek. "I was just, um.."
Amethyst chuckled and came toward Pearl, taking her hands. With a light tug, Amethyst pulled Pearl forward enough so that she could give her a light kiss. "It's cool, babe." Amethyst reassured, pulling away. "We love you too."
As Peridot watched this interaction, she grew a bit uncomfortable. Of course she enjoyed the fact that Amethyst and Pearl had each other, as well as Garnet. And she had already come to the conclusion that no matter what happened, she wouldn't let it get to her. But the reason she felt so uncomfortable now, holding onto her own arm, was that she didn't know.
Peridot felt Lapis' hand on her shoulder, and that little bit of contact helped calm her down. She was just about to find out if Amethyst was willing to date her or not. The unknown wasn't going to matter anymore.
"Actually.." Amethyst started, averting her eyes from Pearl's for a second. She shot a quick glance to Peridot, then to Pearl again. "..I wanted to talk to you about something." At Pearl's confused look, Amethyst continued. "Privately."
"Oh.." Pearl wondered what could possibly be wrong. Worried, she nodded, turning to look at Peridot and Lapis. "Can you two wait inside?"
"Of course." Lapis nodded in understanding. When Peridot froze, trying her hardest not to look at Amethyst, Lapis had to drag her by the hand into the house. "Come on, Peri."
Amethyst waited until the door had closed behind Peridot and Lapis. Amethyst also tried to not look at Peridot, in case she were to get cold feet and not ask Pearl what she needed to. Taking a deep breath, Amethyst started. "Okay, so..."
"We're not breaking up, are we?" Pearl interrupted. Amethyst almost cringed at the very thought of leaving one of her girlfriends.
"No no no, Pearl!" Amethyst practically jumped in Pearl's arms, leaving small kisses all over her face. "I love you so much, don't you ever think I'll leave you."
"Hehe, alright Amethyst!" Pearl replied in delight when Amethyst wouldn't stop kissing her. When Amethyst pulled away, Pearl giggled and returned the gesture, placing a small peck to Amethyst's cheek. "Then tell me what you really want to talk about."
"Alright, but don't freak out." Amethyst said, and Pearl nodded. "I already talked to Garnet about this too, and she's okay with it, but I wanted to talk to you before I really do anything."
Pearl arched her eyebrow. "Amethyst, what are you getting at?"
Amethyst paused, taking another deep breath. "I think I like Peridot."
"What do you think they're talking about?" Peridot asked Lapis, who sat on the couch. Peridot paced in front of the blue gem, trying to make sense of the whole situation. "Why would it need to be private? Are they having trouble with their relationship? I don't want to come between them of they are, I just want to know if Amethyst wants to date me too! I hope everything's okay between them, I would feel so terrible for them, even if it didn't have anything to do with me, what do you think?" Peridot asked again, coming to a stop in front of Lapis, facing her. The water gem almost found Peridot's predicament to be comedic.
Lapis sighed and crossed her arms. "What I think is that you need to calm down. They've known each other for thousands of years. I'm pretty sure that whatever Amethyst wants to talk to Pearl about, it isn't breaking up."
"Yes.." Peridot put her hands together, trying to calm herself. "Yes, you're right. That's not what's happening. They're fine. They're relationship is fine. Our relationship is fine." She paused. "..right?"
"Yeah Peri." Lapis confirmed. "You don't have to worry about us."
"Are you sure?"
"Well constantly asking if I'm sure after the thousands of times I've said yes is pissing me off a bit." Lapis said, inspecting her nails with a smile. "But yeah, I'm sure."
"..sorry." Peridot apologized. Lapis opened her mouth to criticize her girlfriend again, intent on saying there was no need for an apology, but she held her tongue when Peridot climbed onto the couch with her. Peridot grabbed Lapis' arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. Sighing, she curled up and allowed herself to rest in Lapis' hold. "And thank you."
"About time." Lapis grinned, closing her eyes. She kicked her feet up on the coffee table, sighing. "And just so you know, in case everything does go well with Amethyst? I call first kiss."
"What?" Peridot asked, her face a dark shade of green. On any normal human, the green shade would mean they were sick. On Peridot, however, it meant embarrassment and surprise.
Lapis didn't get a chance to repeat herself in a teasing voice. At that moment, Amethyst and Pearl came into the house.
Peridot, thinking that Amethyst still had no idea about her relationship with Lapis, wanted to panic. What if Amethyst was put off by her cuddling up to the blue gem so closely? What if, seeing that Peridot was already in a relationship, Amethyst rejected her outright if she were to ask Amethyst out then and there? But no, that couldn't be right.. Amethyst was already in a polyamorous relationship, she wouldn't use that as an excuse to not date Peridot. So Peridot, although she was screaming on the inside, decided to play it cool while still snuggling next to Lapis.
"H-hey Amethyst!" Peridot greeted, far too much of a shrill in her voice. "Did you talk about everything you needed to?"
"Sure did." Amethyst replied, crossing her arms. She didn't seem surprised to see Lapis and Peridot in such a position. Pearl had a giddy smile on her face, and made her way passed Amethyst to the temple door.
"Well if you girls need me, I'll be in my room." And then Pearl disappeared behind her door. Lapis and Peridot looked confused as to why the pristine gem would act so gaily, but Amethyst smiled knowingly.
"So.." Amethyst started, placing her hands behind her head as she stood in front of Lapis and Peridot. "Looks like you guys are a thing."
"Yup." Lapis confirmed. Peridot blushed and averted her eyes from Amethyst. Lapis wasn't going to let Peridot back out of it this easily. "Peri has something to ask you, though."
"I do not!" Peridot immediately argued, giving Lapis a look of anger. The blue gem just thought that made Peridot even cuter.
"You don't?" Amethyst asked, moving her hand placement to her hips. Peridot turned to Amethyst.
"W-well I do! But I wanted to talk to Garnet about it first."
"I'm pretty sure I know what you wanna ask her." Amethyst said. She moved forward and sat on the other side of Peridot, though at a respectable distance. She placed a gentle hand on Peridot's shoulder. "Pearl told me everything, Peri."
"Oh." Peridot felt betrayed. She had told Pearl in confidence, assuming Pearl would wait until everything had actually been settled between Peridot and Amethyst before blabbing her mouth.
"Why would she tell you that?" Peridot was surprised that Lapis' voice was the one to call out in anger. Peridot looked at her girlfriend, and she was practically seething. "Peridot asked Pearl for permission to date you. If she told you everything, then she told you that Peri was gonna ask Garnet too. So why on this forsaken planet would Pearl tell you about what Peri's felt so scared about?"
"Because I mentioned it first?" Amethyst replied, a sheepish smile on her face. That stopped Lapis' rant, and even left her jaw to hang open. Peridot, however, seemed eager to jump at her chance.
"What do you mean?"
"I like you too, you dork!" Amethyst exclaimed, pushing Peridot's shoulder. The green gem was surprised that Amethyst was actually blushing. Amethyst sighed, leaning back into the couch. "I'd already talked to Garnet about it, and that's why I wanted to talk to Pearl. I mean, I just love them both so much, I didn't wanna hurt either of them. When Pearl told me that you asked her permission for the same thing, aw man Peri, I got butterflies."
"Not... actual butterflies, though." Peridot stated, more for her sake. Amethyst chuckled and shook her head.
"Nah Peri, the good kind. Like, what you probably felt when you got together with Lapis. Such a strange feeling, all warm and fuzzy, and your head gets all cloudy. I dunno when I started feeling like that, but I do, and... I'd like to try it out. Us."
This had gone easier than Peridot expected. Just a few minutes ago, she was prepared for rejection and disappointment, expected it even, but here she was; being confessed to by the one she was going to confess to herself. It was so surreal. But, was Amethyst okay with this?
"And you're fine with me and Lapis?" Peridot asked.
"Of course I am." Amethyst answered with no hesitation. "I'm in a relationship with two different people already, it can't get any stranger than that." She then looked at Lapis. "I mean, I'd love to get in on this, but what's your take? I'm not opposed to getting to know you better too, maybe make this thing a three way instead of just sharing Miss Green Bean."
"Oh, I don't know about that." Lapis chuckled out. She had been sitting there, quietly observing the conversation. She was surprised with herself. Not once did she feel a bit of jealousy. Before, when Peridot just talked about it, yes. Lapis felt a little jealous at the thought of sharing Peridot. But now that it was actually happening, she felt... calm. "I'm still a little mad at you for keeping me trapped all those years."
"Hey we didn't know you were... you know, alive!" Amethyst defended herself. "Your gem was pretty cracked, we thought you were a goner."
"I guess I could have tried communicating with you." Lapis admitted. "But I was pretty scared."
"I feel you, girl." Amethyst said, crossing her legs. "I was by myself for a while. I came out of the ground after the war, so I can't really say anything significant."
Lapis nodded, waving her hand in the air as if to brush away the awkwardness between them. "C'est la vie."
"Well, it seems like you two are getting along already." Peridot spoke from between the other two gems.
"Oh, Peridot!" Lapis exclaimed. "When did you get here?"
The look that Peridot gave Lapis could have killed... if Lapis didn't think it was so cute, that is. Peridot's attention was turned back to Amethyst when the purple gem spoke, however.
"So are we a thing now?"
Peridot wanted to say yes. She wanted to confirm that she and Amethyst were indeed a 'thing'. But she wanted to do it in such a way that would leave Amethyst breathless. But before she could do that, she had to do something else. Peridot turned to Lapis and, shifting her position so that she was standing on the couch on her knees, kissed the blue gem.
Lapis' eyes widened and she let out a muffled yell of surprise. It was far from perfect, far from being any sort of talented, but Peridot's lips were on hers. As quickly as it had come, Peridot left Lapis' personal space just as quickly.
"Sorry." Lapis heard Peridot say. "You said you wanted the first kiss."
Then Peridot left Lapis' field of view. The blue gem could only imagine that Peridot was signing hers and Amethyst's new relationship with a kiss, and by the sounds of laughter, it was going well. The reason Lapis didn't pay attention to any of this was that she still felt the electricity from her lips run throughout her body. She practically froze, using every bit of her energy to relive that kiss, again and again inside of her head.
Needless to say, she quite liked it.
Author's Note:
I hope you guys like this chapter. Peridot finally tells Amethyst how she feels, sort of. And Lapis got a big surprise.
Be on the lookout for the next chapter of Dirty Ambitions.
As always, so long for now.