About halfway through the day, Peridot's hair was unruly again. The building the conference took place in was cold, the air conditioning on blast. It wasn't humid at all, but their hair retaliated anyway.

They were in the restroom playing with it, wondering what Amethyst was doing, when a tall woman walked out of the stall and washed her hands beside them, talking to a friend.

Peridot almost ignored the conversation as they often did but the woman's voice was uncannily familiar. They found themselves taking quick, curious glances towards her, attempting to discern who exactly she was, if she was anyone Peridot knew.

She was tall. Long legs balanced on a pair of white pumps. She was wearing a pink pantsuit with pale yellow pinstripes. She was powdering her pale skin paler, chattering away with a woman dressed similarly, though the other woman was not quite as tall. Both women were talking about work matters: the presentation the taller woman was about to give, and did she want to go to lunch later?

Peridot did not recognize her, save for the voice. Then she chuckled, rolling her eyes and gesturing animatedly with her fingers and that caused Peridot to pause completely, thinking: it couldn't be!

This woman with wrinkles in the corners of bright blue eyes, with a 'I need to speak to a manager' soccer-mom haircut. This woman, who had to be twice their age and obviously carried a high position within the company.

This woman sounded like Amethyst's roommate, like…

"Thorn…?"

The very same woman who played competitive games with them as of a few months.

The woman responded, blinking, looking to Peridot, bewildered. Her mouth opened to ask something, likely how Peridot knew her, but the woman by her side intercepted, jovially taking her by the arm and leading her away.

"You're going to be late for your presentation, Pearl!"

"…Right."

She did turn in Peridot's direction again, before she was completely led out of sight.

X

It was disorienting to listen to Thorn's– Pearl's– voice give a work presentation. Peridot related that voice to in-game battle tactics, accompanied by Bismuth's boisterous tone flecked with camaraderie.

While she spoke, her voice was passionate, though less harried than it was in-game, and she was talking about company policy and end of the year goals rather than yelling for someone to take out a sniper.

Peridot was still trying to accept this other side of the woman. She wasn't as young as Peridot had imagined her, even though they knew she was their senior. It wasn't that she looked old; it was how she carried herself so confidently with all her years.

She was past fifty, they knew that. Amethyst had told them. She didn't look it but she certainly sounded it. Peridot wondered how a soccer mom type like Pearl had developed an interest in gaming.

When Pearl finished her presentation, it was time for lunch and Peridot realized they had spent the entire hour trying to figure Pearl out than listening to her speech.

It probably wasn't anything important.

They hefted their bookbag over their shoulder and left the conference room, texting one-handed.

[I'm free.]

[Where r u?]

Peridot glanced at the plaque labeling the room they had just walked out of and texted a reply. Amethyst was there in ten minutes. Peridot asked what she had been up to and hoped they hadn't made her wait long.

"No big deal. I just hung out and caught some Pokemon."

"Catch anything good?"

"There was a Dratini in the fountain courtyard."

"Nice."

They made a detour to the fountain courtyard, hoping the Dratini spawn was still there for Peridot to catch for themself. It was. Pearl was there too.

"Amethyst?"

Pearl was surprised, turning completely from her friend, the same woman Peridot had seen her chatting with in the restroom.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Amethyst replied, not answering. She looked Pearl up and down and her eyes widened, apparently recognizing Pearl's work dress. "Dude. You two work for the same place?!"

Pearl found Peridot from the corner of her eye. "Oh, yes, it appears we do… Who is your friend, Amethyst?"

"Peridot." They extended their hand and Pearl caught it, shaking it twice.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Pearl and this is Jan. We were just about to go to lunch. Would you like to join us?"

"Only if you're all going to Aqua Mexican."

Pearl pulled a face. "Didn't you eat there yesterday?"

"Peri has to try the local eats."

"Well, if I didn't have to do another presentation, I would go. Try not to eat too many beans, Peridot." She winked, waving over her shoulder as she left, her briefcase swinging against her hip.

Peridot tried to take Pearl's advice but Amethyst was pushy, explaining that there wasn't any point ordering Mexican food if you weren't going to order extra black beans, extra refried beans, and some chili on top of the Mega Nachos.

"If you're gonna do it, do it right."

And she was right– it was not only the heftiest plate of nachos Peridot had eaten, but also the best. They were sorry that they couldn't finish it all and wondered how Amethyst was able to eat her plate plus half of Peridot's.

Over the meal, Peridot asked about Pearl.

"How did an old fogey like her get into competitive gaming?"

"Aw, she's not that old." Still, Amethyst laughed. "Pearl has always been a nerd, working on computers and junk. She only started playing games when she met Rose, least that's what Garnet told me."

"She's not what I expected."

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know," Peridot admitted. Someone cooler, that was for sure. Not someone who looked like she could be their boss or mother.

They didn't have much time together after finishing their food, but they spent the last ten minutes of Peridot's lunch in the courtyard near the fountain and sat on a wooden bench, talking.

"We wrap up in two hours," Peridot said.

"That's cool, I'll be around."

They frowned. They felt bad for making Amethyst loiter around and wait, but she insisted it was fine and more interesting than staying at home and loafing around. How wandering a conference center and its adjoining hotel could be interesting, Peridot was skeptical, but Amethyst waved her phone as if reading their thoughts.

During the rest of the two hours Peridot imagined that Amethyst was trekking the hallways and the streets nearby, looking for Pokemon. Or maybe she was in the hotel lobby watching a movie.

Peridot did not consider the possibility that Amethyst was waiting for them in their hotel room, forgetting they had given her the spare room key.

"Oh," Peridot gasped, surprised, the color coming back to their face. Amethyst hadn't answered their texts and they thought she had ditched them after all. But she hadn't. She had fallen asleep on Peridot's bed.

She rolled over. "Hey, come lay down with me." It was so casual, as if they hadn't just met this morning.

Peridot stepped closer, and when their knees knocked against the edge of the mattress, Amethyst pulled them by the front of their shirt into the tangle of covers.

No sooner had Amethyst pulled them in, she had fallen back asleep. Peridot struggled to relax, conscious of the closeness, but they were jetlagged and Amethyst was warm. In time they settled down, resting their chin on her shoulder. Amethyst's snore whistled against their ear.

They slept a little. It was a deep sleep.