AN: Hey all, Ventusblade here with chapter 21 of Garnet Rose: Another Side.
Jess: Hello there Ventusblade!
VB: S'up Jess, what are you doing here?
Jess: Talking to you, idiot.
VB: Um...alright then. Everyone, meet my editor Jess.
Jess: Hi Everyone! So, on behalf of fellow-fangirls and shippers alike, let me ask you this; when is there ever going to be some action between Garnet and Velvet?!
VB: ...Are you referring to "action" (as in a little somethin'-somethin') or action, as in them having a discussion like civilized human beings?
Jess: Take your pick. Something is better than the nothing you have right now...
VB: Geez, right for the jugular. Considering this is rated T, I'll go with action. There should be some this chapter if all went as planned.
Jess: *makes unintelligible fangirl noises*
VB: ...I'm not sure how to reply-
Jess: -Which is funny, because you should have been expecting it.
VB: ANYWAY, as fun as this little insight into how the two of us operate (which apparently isn't very well) is, we should move on to the chapter.
Jess: But I don't wanna go!
VB: And people wonder why it takes us so long to get anything done…
As always, a massive thank you goes out to Nape181, Petrol "Nobel" Oil, Ryan Roach, and of course the marvelous Jess.
Jess: Finally, the recognition I deserve :)
VB: *Bows* What the lady demands, the lady deserves. Well dear readers, I'm going to run now before she tries to smack me. See you at the end of the chapter!
(Velvet POV)
"Garnet, are you sure you're okay?"
The boy walking beside me stared straight ahead down the narrow hall of the dorm building, his mouth a tight thin line. "Yup," he replied, popping the p. "Never better." That brusque response was all I got.
He had been that way ever since our somewhat lackluster dust lesson. Even though I had tried to convince him that one perfect fireball was nothing to be ashamed of, he was having none of it. The fact that he had kept a tally of all his failed attempts, all forty-seven, had not helped my case.
Yeah, real convincing, Garnet. I refused to let the younger boy have his way and just drop it. "It's just that you seem kind of 'not okay'." My newly declared boyfriend ignored my comment, only slowing his brisk pace when we reached my room. He opened the door and stomped in, grimace still intact. "That could've gone better," I muttered, about to follow when three approaching figures caught my eye, two girls and one boy.
They were all wearing a uniform, but it wasn't the Beacon uniform. The blazers were solid black and the two girls wore black and grey plaid skirts while the lone boy donned a pair of black pants. The shorter of the two girls had dark skin and hazel eyes which contrasted with her striking cyan hair. Her bangs were cut short while the rest of her bright hair was shoulder length, save for two long ponytails hanging over her shoulders.
The boy's appearance was nothing remarkable; so much so that one could simply overlook him. His pale skin gave him an almost ghostly appearance, his grey hair doing nothing to liven his bland image.
The taller girl seemed to be slightly older than the other, a senior if I had to venture a guess. Her skin was pale, almost sickly, and contrasted with her ebony hair. Her hair was long, reaching the small of her back with the left side of her bangs covering her eye. Her visible eye was the color of smoldering embers, as if a strongly burning fire had recently died, and held a cold and calculating look. She noticed me staring at her and her group and smiled, her mouth turning up in a barely noticeable sneer and her eyes inspecting every aspect of me.
Quickly, I tore my eyes away from the trio. They must just be transfer students for the Vytal Festival. Still, I couldn't shake a nagging feeling about the group, the older girl in particular.
Our gazes had only met for a fraction of a second, but even that had been enough to make my skin crawl. The girl didn't seem outwardly menacing, but it was clear that she was not someone to trifle with. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the ridiculous notion. I'm probably just being paranoid. Casting one last sideways glance at the trio, I stepped into my room and shut the door behind me.
To my surprise, Garnet was nowhere to be seen. The only signs that he had ever stepped into the room were his favorite hoody laying on my bed, the soft sound of the shower running in the bathroom, and Garnet's muffled voice from behind the door.
So much for cornering him and getting him to spill it. Resigned to having to wait, I took a seat at my desk and pulled out my scroll, sifting through my unread messages, listening to Garnet sing over the gentle splashing of the shower.
"We'll live our lives, watching our backs, not knowing who to trust or fear-" The song he was singing was easily recognizable as Die. It was from that new rising star, Jeff Williams. You almost couldn't turn on the radio without hear one of his songs. Continuing to listen to Garnet, I was surprised at how good he sounded, his tone rich yet gravely. He wasn't "put this kid on a stage good", but I had never taken him to be terribly musical. I frowned, suddenly feeling like I didn't know Garnet as well as I thought. I shoved that troubling thought aside for the moment, straining my ears as the volume of Garnet's voice gradually fell. "-the hate just swallows all the love and then the truuuuth wiiiil diiisapeeear~" The last note trailed off weakly followed by a deafening crash a second later, causing me to jump.
For a moment the only sound in the dorm was the white noise of the shower and my own quietly breathing. "Are you alright in there?" I allowed a moment to pass, expecting to hear a grunt, sheepish apology, or some other type of response. There was none, only the gentle splashing of the running shower. "Garnet?" I called out anxiously.
No answer.
Quickly I got to my feet and made my way to the shut door, placing my hand on the handle. "If you don't say something in the next five seconds I'm coming in," I warned, worry sneaking into my voice. "Five, four, three, two-" The door swung open revealing Garnet with a light blue towel wrapped around his waist and his pile of sweaty workout attire tucked under his arm.
He stared at me, one eyebrow raised questioningly as if I was the one acting strange.
"What?"
The pent up breath in my chest released in one massive sigh and my grip on the door handle loosening from a death grip. Then came my secondary reaction. I folded my arms across my chest and scowled, trying to look imposing. "Don't 'what' me!" Garnet seemed unconcerned by my peevish outburst, brushing past me into the room. "What was that noise in there?"
Garnet shrugged dismissively, his back turned to me. "Nothing. I tripped." He started toward the door to the hall, but I slid past him to block his path.
"Sit." I commanded, pointing at my bed. With a tired sigh Garnet obliged, practically falling back onto the soft mattress. He completely exhausted, I realized. How had I missed that during the entire walk back? 'Because he was trying to hide it,' said the voice in the back of my mind. My eyebrow twinged in annoyance. "What did I say about pushing yourself too hard?"
"Uh…" Garnet sat there awkwardly, holding the pile of clothing on his lap. "Can we please have this conversation after I put some pants on?"
"No." That sounded a lot less creepy in my head. I shoved that thought aside, trying to not lose any momentum. "I told you not to deplete your aura too much, that it could exhaust you and be dangerous." The boy looked down at his hands resting in his lap, taking great interest in the towel wrapped around him. "You collapsed in the shower, didn't you? That's what the noise was."
Garnet met my gaze, his expression reflecting his lack of energy. "Velv, I'm fine," the boy tried to assure me. "Honestly." It was obvious he wasn't going to give in easily.
Right as I was about to give up inspiration struck. "Fine then, prove it. Show me your scroll." Garnet began fidgeting uncomfortably, confirming my victory.
"Why?" My boyfriend demanded indignantly, trying to hold onto his quickly disappearing advantage in our verbal battle.
"I want to see your aura gauge." I walked over to the bed and commandeered the pair of pants in Garnet's lap, taking his scroll out of the pocket as I ignored the boy's protests. "We can do this the hard way or you could talk to me. Garnet, I'm your girlfriend." My tone softened and I placed the scroll behind me on the small table next to my bed, staring into Garnet's metallic grey eyes. "This is what relationships are about, trying to help each other. The only way to do that is to talk." I lowered myself next to Garnet and placed his hand in mine, squeezing gently.
"Alright, you win," Garnet conceded, leaning in closer so that his bare shoulder pressed into mine. "I guess it's pretty obvious I pushed myself too hard," he mumbled with downcast eyes. "I-" the boy hesitated, warranting a slight nudge to make his continue. "I can't just take my time with getting a handle on my aura." The grip on my hand tightened and I felt the muscled pushed against my arm become rigid. "I can't lose control again. What if it happens when we're together?" Garnet shuddered.
He looks just like when I first met him, scared and helpless. "Garnet, that won't happen again. You-"
My boyfriend cut me off with a pained look. "Velv, it's happened twice already. You've seen what happens, I have no control when my aura takes over. There would be nothing to stop me from trying to kill you." Garnet closed his eyes and shuddered. "Just like the first time when I attacked my sister. I've hurt so many people I love; my mother, Leon, my sisters. I can't hurt you too."
A burst of affection overtook me and I wrapped my arms around the shaken boy, fingertips dancing across his well-toned back. "It'll be alright," I soothed. "We'll work through this together. Besides, I trust you." I pressed my forehead against Garnet's, once again staring into those beautiful grey orbs.
Garnet began moving his lips toward mine, his warm breath causing me to shudder. We were just centimeters away and I closed my eyes in preparation.
"Oh my, Velvet. Have you finally manage to seduce a boy?"
Garnet and I shot apart, the former falling off the back of the bed in his haste and hitting the floor with a loud thud. My face was on fire, both from the excitement of the intimate moment and embarrassment.
Standing in the door way was a girl, whom I immediately recognized. Everything about her screamed fashionable; her wavy dark brown hair that transitioned to red, her cocoa-colored shirt with accompanying brown corset, her brown pants with corresponding bullet studded belt, and especially her coffee brown beret and high-heeled leather boots. Resting on her shoulder was a black bag with gold studs, the girls' pride and joy.
"Coco!" I squealed, nearly forgetting my boyfriend who was still out of sight behind my bed. "What're you doing here? I thought you Yatsuhashi and Fox were going to school in Vacuo."
My old friend shrugged, readjusting her designer sunglasses she wore at all times. "It was getting stale there, so we're transferring here. Fox and Yatsuhashi are sorting out the details with the headmaster. Besides, we were worried about how our little Velvet would manage without us."
I huffed indignantly. "Hey, I held my own when we were a team back at Signal." At that moment Garnet reappeared from behind my bed, clad in the workout gear he had worn during our lesson. "Coco, this is my boyfriend, Garnet."
Garnet made his way to my side and shook Coco's hand, his face still bright crimson. "I'm Garnet Rose, nice to meet you." Coco pulled her glasses low on the bridge of her nose, inspecting the boy as if he were an interesting discovery. After a moment she nodded wisely and turned back to me, a suggestive grin on her lips.
"Velvet, I'm impressed. You managed to catch yourself a younger man." Her grin widened. "And from what I interrupted, you've done more than just catch him."
Garnet cleared his throat uncomfortably, shifting his weight from foot to foot. It took all of my willpower to force down the urge to laugh. The younger boy wanted to be anywhere else on the planet. I decided to help him out. "Garnet, didn't you have to meet up with your team?"
Thankfully Garnet took the hint. "Yes!" He replied a little too enthusiastically, which was not lost on Coco. "I need to talk to Ren about…that…thing." Really? You couldn't think of anything better? "Coco, it was nice to meet you." Without another word, Garnet stiffly walked to the door and excused himself.
Coco and I stared at each other before bursting out into laughter at the awkwardness of Garnet's demeanor. "Velvet, my dear," Coco said in between laughs. "We have a lot of catching up to do."
AN: And that brings the long awaited (and I mean REALLY long awaited) chapter 21 to a close. I'm so sorry this took so long, and while you're all probably sick and tired of hearing me apologize I still feel like I have to. All the school work I've been doing has been crushing me into the ground and given me very little time to write, trying to get into college will do that to you. But enough about my depressing school life.
We've finally seen Garnet and Velvet act like a real couple, not just two people who are a couple when it's convenient. I really want to make the dynamic between then realistic so I don't want their relationship to be perfect, relationships are supposed to require work and dedication from both parties. I hope this scene worked toward that end. Also, three cheers for Coco and the rest of team CFVY, who will be appearing very soon. Finally I apologize for the short chapter but there are two reasons for it.
1) The time between this and chapter 20 was too long as it was and I didn't want to make you guys wait even longer for me to get my act together. 2) TODAY IS THE 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF GARNET ROSE: ANOTHER SIDE! I cannot believe I have been write for a year now, and I have to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. You guys have helped me get better as a writer and gave me the support to keep doing this. You have no idea how much that means to me. Just to give you an idea of the magnitude of your support here are the stats for this story. Followers: 137, Favorites: 117, Views (the most mind-blowing thing I've ever seen): 39,315. You guys rock so hard! Now, for the reviews! There might be some repeats from last time, so sorry in advance.
IHaveNoIdea8: It's always nice to see a new username in the review section. Anyway, I hope you like the story so far!
ragglefraggle97: You better believe Garnet will dance with his team. However I really hope you don't burn down the world, I kind of like it how it is.
Wayw4rd: Glade you're loving the story. Yes, Velvet is a little bolder than in the show, but it would've been really hard to keep her so subdued just because the the very large roll she plays in this story. I hope you continue to like the story regardless of that inaccuracy.
Hazzamo: Yes, yes it did.
Nape181: I know I say this a lot, but I always mean it. Thanks for all your support and I can't wait to continue working with you.
Petrol "Nobel" Oil: I'll reply in a similar manner to your review. 1) Thank you. 2) I think Jaune's pretty interesting. 3) Yes, yes you do, but it's fine. You do you. 4) They're very soft. 5) I appreciate you keeping it PG-13. 6) Woah! 7) Numbers are pretty great. 8-10) Are those passages from the bible?
Guest: Yeah, Velvet would be 18, but I decided to make her a little younger to suit my purposes. Sorry about that.
OC Vaiden Talos: Ask and you shall receive (just it may take a while. Again, sorry about that).
trninjakiller: Everyone's entitled to their own opinion and I respect that. However, I really like Garnet's weapons, when I was a little kid I would pretend that my toy lightsaber could shoot stuff. Did anyone else do that? Also, I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean with the second part of your review. I'm not trying to be rude, I just honestly don't know what you're trying to say. If you can clarify I'd be happy to try to explain myself.
Wolf Repulsor: First of all, awesome name. Second, I'm really sorry about how long it took me to write this chapter (I also apologize if you're getting tired of hearing me apologize). But you should have read the first draft of this, it was awful. It was so bad that Jess, my editor, straight-up told me it was garbage. I thought it would be better to take extra time to write something I wouldn't be embarrassed of publishing instead of giving you guys something that barely qualified as writing. I hope the extra time was at least kinda worth it.
And that's all for right now. Again, you guys rock and I wish I could thank each of you individually. Without further ado; Read, Rate, and Review. Rinse and Repeat.
-Ventusblade