It was the next morning and Steven went out to the barn to see how Peridot was doing. She seemed well. With her metal telekinetic ability, she had a watering can floating in the air. "Out of my own generosity, I've decided to give Lazuli the help she needs with the daily watering," she said. With minor strain and a dramatic grunt, Peridot tilted the watering can and dribbled out some water over a stalk of corn. She pouted and swayed her head at her own coolness and it made Steven giggle.
Overhead, though, a lake's worth of water drifted past them and to the crops. The mass then began to rain down gently over the entire field, including Peridot's single stalk of corn.
Peridot eyeballed the culprit behind her-Lapis Lazuli-low-down blue devil. The devil twiddled her fingers at Peridot pompously.
"That's fine," she said. "I don't care. I can still water the potted plants." She took her can and sauntered past Lapis with her nose in the air, to a gaggle of flowers and things around the barn's entrance.
Lapis looked at Steven and shrugged Peridot away.
After the watering was done, the three of them took a stroll through the crop field. Peridot remarked how much she missed the green and the moisture in the air and the smell, and that the only garden she could grow out in the desert would be made of pain trees and skeleton bushes. Lapis told her flat that she should move back in.
"I am, sort of, for the time being."
"Well," said Lapis, "you should visit more often. All this isn't going anywhere."
Peridot smiled. "No, it isn't."
When they said goodbye to Lapis, when it was about lunch time, Peridot requested to take the long way back, through Beach City.
On the way, Steven wasn't sure what to talk about because he just kept thinking about yesterday, so he just said the only other thing that popped into his head. "It's a nice day today. Not too hot, not too cold. And the wind feels nice."
"The wind does feel nice." Peridot looked up at the rocky hills near them by the road that overlooked Beach City. Her silence didn't make Steven uncomfortable and he suddenly felt inclined to talk on.
"The other day," he began, "me and my dad and Connie and Amethyst all went to this seafood place before we dropped Connie off at her house. I forget what the place was called, but it was pretty good. Pe King Harbor, or something, I dunno. Anyway, after we ate and dropped Connie off, on the way home Amethyst got really gassy! Prolly cuz she ate clam shells with her clams! We had to roll down the windows! And then dad was lettin' 'em go, too; he was so relieved! And so was I! It sure was some drive home!"
Peridot, while Steven was doubling over, was amused with him. "Human obsession with biological flatulence is particularly bewildering."
"It was so funny! I just hope that whatever Connie had didn't do the same to her. Otherwise, her parents might think she was trying to learn how to play the tuba!"
Steven and Peridot talked about other silly things, though it was mostly Steven talking about the others he loved. Along the way home, they had run into Sour Cream, who had never met Peridot before. He told her he really dug her hairstyle.
"It makes me wanna raaaaaave!" He gave them glow sticks as a parting gift.
Steven was particularly hungry by the time they got to the beach, but he took his time to stroll with Peridot.
"You don't appreciate what Earth has to offer until you give it the time of day." Steven was surprised at Peridot's sudden sincerity as she gazed out to the ocean, especially as they had just been talking about donuts and other pastries and French people.
Looking at the water and the beach and the sky as it moved and was one, like television couldn't recreate, Steven agreed with her.
Up the stairs, Steven swung open his door and, stomach empty, he shouted gleefully, "Amethyst! Ya eat any clams lately! Cuz I think I smell somethin'!"
Topaz was sitting on the couch.
Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet were standing in the living room with their arms crossed or akimbo; they had Topaz surrounded.
Topaz didn't have her back against the couch. She was sitting on the edge and grasping the cushion on either side. She lifted her head and looked at Steven, huffing like a boxer in between rounds. Then she looked next to him and straightened up.
Peridot wore that expression of being slapped in the face. "What's going on?"
"I was hoping you weren't coming home with Steven," stated Pearl woefully.
"Peridot," said Topaz.
"Don't talk. To me..." Peridot crossed into the living room and stood between Garnet and Pearl, the coffee table dividing Topaz from her.
"...Can we-"
"Stop," commanded Peridot-a new combatant had entered the ring, and sized up her opponent. She took her time to cross her arms and to lean her weight on one leg. Topaz's fingers dug into the couch.
"How dare you treat me like that," said Peridot.
"I-"
"Stop." Topaz, impeded, dropped her breath on the floor. "All I did was invite Steven over-actually, I had to lie to him to get him to come out there because of you-and you tossed him out like garbage. Then you did the same to me."
"I didn't-"
"Stop."
"-toss you out!"
Pearl shook her head. Steven, who didn't get much closer to everyone, could tell Amethyst wanted to say something by the way she muscled her cheeks, but she didn't.
Peridot jeered, "You may as well have..."
Lines burrowed into Topaz's face. Steven could tell she wanted to say something, but didn't. She palmed her forehead and her eyes.
"All that I do for you," continued Peridot, "and you tell me to leave? All that I've-"
"Can we go somewhere to talk?"
"-sacrificed just to be with you, and you tell me to get lost?! You want me to drop everything here and move in with you in the middle of nowhere? Ok, Topaz. You want me to cut off all interaction with everyone standing here now? Ok, Topaz. You want me to leave you alone? Ok, Topaz! What about what I want?"
Fettered to the couch, Topaz sighed.
"What was that? Were you about to say, 'what about what you want?' Is that it?"
Topaz shook her head abrasively.
"You need to value me, appreciate what I give you that no one else can. You need to give me the time of day to appreciate me." Topaz let her hand fall from her face and stared at Peridot. "What I give you without having to physically do anything. Who I am. What I've given up just to be with you. Don't think you can bully me just because I'm smaller than you. That you're stronger than me. I don't deserve that. I deserve your respect. I deserve happiness. And if you can't give me that... then I walk. I'm gone for good!"
Topaz looked sternly at Peridot. She was stiff as a board for a straight minute, and Peridot just let her stare.
Amethyst and Pearl were flummoxed. Steven had low blood sugar.
Then Peridot challenged Topaz. "See what happens..."
Suddenly Topaz stood up. She shoved the coffee table to the side, and Amethyst had to move out of its way. Pearl drew her spear and Garnet stepped in front of Peridot, stopping Topaz, who stared through her like she wasn't there.
Peridot did not falter one bit. She stood there like royalty, then dismissed her loyal guards with a wave of her hand. "Move out of the way." Garnet shared a glance with Pearl before doing so. Pearl lowered her spear from Topaz's neck.
Topaz closed the distance, and, high and mighty, Peridot stared her down. "Finally got something to say for yourself?"
Topaz took her time to get down on her knees. Queen Peridot crumbled, and a more familiar, servile Peridot took her place. "Well?!"
Topaz whispered to her, "Let's talk somewhere."
"Eh?..." To her side, Peridot noticed Garnet shaking her head. "N-no. If you have anything to say, you can say it in front of everyone."
Topaz clamped up and shuddered. Steven didn't feel sorry for her.
"If you don't have anything to say, then you can just-"
"I almost lost you again," whispered Topaz.
Everyone's lips parted. Peridot looked perplexed. "What did you say?" Steven didn't know how she couldn't have heard her.
"It was because of me. I drove you out. I... I'm trying... to be better. I want to be better... for you..."
It got so quiet that Steven could feel the sand falling off his sandals onto the floor. He could feel the tension in his joints, in his hands, his knees, his back. His stomach pinched him because he was hungry, and he felt he couldn't breathe unless it was through his mouth.
The atmosphere zeroed in on Peridot's response.
She said, "Look at me when you say that. Open your eyes." She said this sincerely, and Topaz shuddered again. Her brow dug so deep over her eyes it looked painful, and that pain filled her face.
And then she started to cry.
She didn't whimper, she didn't squeak, she didn't sob. But, there were rivers that spilled down her cheeks and onto her self and the floor. All her willpower seemed to try and suck them up back into her eyes.
Topaz lifted her head, facing Peridot, and opened her eyes. "I still can't see you..." Her words fumbled out of her mouth.
Peridot melted. "Oh, you precious thing." She took Topaz's head into her arms, and let her cry.
Amethyst looked away sourly. Pearl did the same without being so sour. Garnet just stood there with a hand on her hip. Steven didn't know what to do with himself or anything. He just looked around on the floor for something that wasn't there.
"Come back. I need you," Topaz quivered. "Whatever you need, I'll do it. You can come here whenever you want. Whenever you want..."
"Clod," said Peridot. "You weren't about to lose me. I just... wanted an apology... and to be appreciated."
Topaz nodded into Peridot's shoulder. "I'm sorry." Peridot melted. "I'm sorry."
Peridot ran her fingers through Topaz's hair.
Garnet stepped away and went outside. Slowly, but surely, the rest of the Crystal Gems followed her. Steven sidled onto the porch, where he found her looking out in the direction of the ocean breeze.
"Garnet?" he said.
"Let them be," was all she said.
Pearl was looking off her own way and Amethyst, when Steven met her gaze, shook her head.
As time went on, he tried to focus on the wind and the washing of the sea shore, but that was overshadowed by how empty he felt (and that wasn't just because he was starving). Steven couldn't find it in him to feel strongly about what he just saw, what was happening, what its effects will be, or even about who was involved. It was either that this turn of events happened so suddenly and unexpectedly, and so closely with other things, that he didn't know what to make of all of it, or it was that old thing where he didn't want to have an opinion about anything or anyone until he had the full picture-everyone's motives, feelings-what and why. Either way, Steven was adrift.
Eventually, Peridot came out onto the porch. She told everyone that she was going back with Topaz to the desert. She assured the Crystal Gems that she and Topaz would be ok. "I'll have to get a new power cable. She'd best be lucky all my applications autosave or I'd really let her have it," she chuckled.
Steven could only smile meekly. Peridot smiled back. She hugged him. "I'll have to say goodbye to Lapis, too, before I go." She made her way back inside to the warp pad with Topaz. Peridot waved one last goodbye, and then was gone.
"What just happened," exclaimed Amethyst. "Is Peridot crazy?!"
Pearl sighed, "I think Topaz is, though."
Garnet didn't say anything and just moved the coffee table back to where it belonged and sat down on the couch.
It was too mysterious and frustrating and awkward to be around so many different opinions in the moment, so Steven decided to leave.
Halfway out the door, Garnet called to him. "I'm just going for a walk," he said.
The screen door shut itself behind him. Steven had never seen Topaz cry more than a single tear before, and suddenly he felt sorry for her.
He almost left the bottom step before he remembered how hungry he was.
...