(Author's Note; Sorry this chapter took so long. I've been having a rough and tumble time lately and I really didn't have any time to finish the story. But now I should be uploading chapters a bit more frequently. Thanks for your patience guys.)
Amethyst didn't need to sleep obviously. Her gem naturally provided any energy she needed to survive. But acting closer to human than her contemporaries it was well-known she enjoyed her down time. Just not nearly as often as she did now. Days had gone by since Hiddenite appeared and time only seemed to worsen Amethyst's depression. Garnet and Pearl were practically lost trying to figure out what had happened but Steven was acutely aware. He just wasn't quite sure how to approach such a delicate situation.
The day came when he decided it was time to bring it back up to her. While he had some experience in the matter, (what with his mother being the longtime love interest of his guardian Pearl and his father Greg) he had never dealt with a living love triangle. But seeing Amethyst so out of her game was more than a motivator for young Steven. He would find a resolution or at least fail trying. Garnet and Pearl were out of the house and there was no better time. Amethyst had passed out on the couch, her silky white hair draped over the arm, eyes closed staring at the ceiling.
Steven approached cautiously, searching for something to say. "Hey Amethyst...", he spoke. Amethyst opened her eyes briefly as she peered over to Steven. "Hey little man...", she said nonchalantly. Steven shuffled his feet a bit, "Mind moving your legs a bit so I can have a seat?" Amethyst sighed deeply and rolled her legs in. Steven plotzed onto the open cushion and slouched into the couch. The house remained quiet for a short time. Steven was beginning to sleep himself when his mind snapped back into action. He spoke quickly as he woke up, not realizing he was vocalizing the first thoughts that hit his head, "Oh yeah, Amethyst and Peridot!" Amethyst's head shot up at Steven. Steven scratched his hair nervously. "What exactly do you mean by that Steven?", Amethyst retorted.
Steven took a deep breath in, "You've been kind of withdrawn lately. Don't think we haven't noticed." Amethyst tried her best to bottle her emotions up, "Yeah, I'm tired. What's that got to do with me and Peri?" Steven moved to speak almost as soon as she finished, "I know the others haven't really noticed why but I do. I remember what happened at Funland the other day. I know that left an impression on you. When Lapis fused with her, I saw that look on your face. You were jealous, maybe even a bit resentful. Amethyst be honest with me, do you like Peridot?" Amethyst seemed a bit at a loss for words. Steven was always good at seeing through facades. It couldn't really be helped as much as she had hoped. "Steven, I..." Amethyst couldn't complete the thought.
She shot glances in every direction, as if to make sure that Steven's ears were the only pair within range. "I guess she's okay. I mean, she did kind of make the first move there and..." Steven gave Amethyst a look of slight disbelief. As if he knew she was holding something back. Amethyst looked as if she had the world to bear on her shoulders. "Okay! I admit it! I love her! I love everything about her! I love it when she tries to act smart! I love her happy-go-lucky attitude! She's so cute, and funny, and loveable..." Steven's eyes lit up for the briefest of moments before settling back down. Amethyst settled in as well. "Oh man, what am I supposed to do!? I mean, just look at the way Lapis looks at her! She's already fused with her! What chance do I have getting between them anyway?"
Steven put his hand on Amethyst's shoulder. "Amethyst, it's not easy having to deal with this, I know. But you aren't solving anything by sitting around and moping about it." Amethyst had tears running down her cheeks already, "Then what should I do!?" Steven shrugged, "Have you tried just being honest with her?" Amethyst paused herself before Steven continued, "I know you already came out to her with your feelings but I think you need to bring Lapis into the equation. Maybe all three of you can come to a solution!" Amethyst kicked up the dust on the floor, "Not with Lapis. Like that would ever wor-" She stopped herself. She had an idea, "Wait, I have the perfect idea. I'll be back later Steven!" And without another second she was diving for the warp pad. Steven had no time to react, he simply made a confused grunt before Amethyst's shape disappeared in a flash of light.
A few days before, Lapis and Peridot had returned to their barn. Veggie was quite happy to see their owners again and greeted them with a warm run around their legs. Walking into the barn they had realized just how much damage fusing inside the structure had initially caused, but that was certainly no difficult task for the great and loveable Peridot. She happily began the task of once again re-planning the barn's layout and fixing it up to the best of her ability. While Lapis was content to watch for the most part, she had a hand in much of the heavy lifting. Working in tandem seemed to suit them well. Too well in fact. They were still working on the barn when Amethyst arrived, and they had decided it would be easier to work as Hiddenite than separately. Not that this did Amethyst any favors upon arrival. She had a momentary doubt where she was ready to turn back, but she would press on ahead. She came this far, and she wasn't about to let a little fusion throw her off.
Hiddenite was busy affixing new shingles to the roof she had destabilized when she heard a voice from below, "Hiddenite!" She turned to see Amethyst staring back up at her. "Do you think I could see Peridot for a minute?" Hiddenite looked a bit discouraged, "Aw come on! I just got here! Can't I stay together for a bit? You can see her later." Amethyst reaffirmed her position a bit more forcefully now, "No! I really need to see her! Away from Lapis! It's important!" Seeing there was no way to win this argument, Hiddenite sat down quietly on the grass and unfused. Lapis and Peridot stood up from their fumbling to face Amethyst. Lapis looked at Amethyst irritated, "What's this about Amethyst?" Amethyst shot a half-glance at Peridot, "It's a matter that just concerns Peridot and the rest of the Crystal Gems. It's got nothing to do with you."
Lapis wasn't quite satisfied with her answer, "Peridot. What's going on?" Peridot had a terrible sinking feeling she knew exactly what Amethyst wanted from her. As much as she wanted so badly to run away, she knew she was running out of options. "I don't know Lapis..." Lapis tapped her foot impatiently, staring Peridot down with a disappointed stare, "Are you sure about that?" Peridot tried her best to look innocent, "I'm telling you Lapis I have no idea what's going on! Would I lie to you?" Lapis didn't want to let it go, but looking into her friend's affectionate eyes she decided that this was a lost cause. She'd just have to trust her on this. "Fine." Lapis said, "I'm just gonna keep re-tiling the roof. Don't take too long."
Amethyst wasted little time in pulling the small gem out of earshot. Peridot looked panicked, confused, angry, annoyed, and terrified all at once. "What the hell Amethyst!?" Amethyst grabbed her shoulders, "Perski, we need to talk about last week." Peridot nearly escaped Amethyst's grasp, "No! I gotta get back to-" Amethyst nabbed Peridot as she tried to scramble off to the barn "Oh no you don't! We need to talk and that's exactly what you're gonna do!" Peridot tried to struggle against her friend's crushing grip to no avail, "Lapis! Lapis help me I'm being kidnapped!" Amethyst closed her lips mid-sentence, "Shut it! I want to know right now what's going on."
Peridot wanted nothing more than to disappear. She knew she'd eventually have to face Amethyst again after what had happened atop the ferris wheel. In the haze that was Hiddenite she had let the whole thing slip her mind. She was so enamored now with Lapis, but seeing Amethyst brought back feelings she had tried so hard to keep away. She could hardly speak, "I, uhm... Amethyst I meant..." Amethyst blurted out, "Now Peridot! I'll make it simple for you. Was that kiss for real or was all that for show? Peridot stammered up a response, "No! It was real! But not in like the love you sort of- What I meant was not so much as..." Amethyst had her fill of Peridot's games. She wanted every answer yesterday. She grabbed Peridot's chest and pulled her in close. "Yes or no!?" Peridot scrunched her face up as tight as she could clench, "Yes..."
Amethyst dropped Peridot to the ground. Peridot stared up at Amethyst, who looked like she had a frustrated expression. Amethyst sighed, "So you like me then, huh Peri?" Flustered and shaking nervously, Peridot responded, "Yes. But, but me and Lapis..." Amethyst had her hands firmly fastened to her hips, "You and Lapis what?" "We already have something!" Peridot blurted out. Amethyst's face looked like it was moments away from boiling over. "I'm sorry Amethyst. But I like Lapis. And she likes me! We've got so much in common! And we find new ways to love each other every day!" Amethyst's eyes began to show hints of tears, "But then where does that leave me, huh!?"
Peridot felt horrible. She had inadvertently created a love triangle that was already spiraling out of control. And now she was at it's very core. Oh how she hated that thought. "I don't know... I'm sorry..." Amethyst put her hand to her face as if to hold back the tears, "You're sorry? You're sorry!? Gee, sorry for playing around with your emotions Amethyst! I've got the hots on for the big water mama back at the barn but I have no frickin' clue how to say no!" Peridot had reached her breaking point and she snapped accordingly, "It's hard for me to do that okay!? You looked so upset and so hurt! What did you want me to do!?" "Try being honest for once!", Amethyst retorted. "You want me to be honest? Fine! I like both of you! You're both so nice to me! You're sweet and funny and cute and, and...", Peridot paused.
Amethyst looked puzzled for a moment before Peridot finished, "And I'm sorry I started all this. I don't want to choose between you two. And if I have to choose, I don't want to lose the other as a friend!" Peridot's voice broke up at the thought of losing one of her dearest friends. Tears streamed down her face like rain. Amethyst seemed to calm down a bit. "I'm sorry for yelling Peri. I was just so confused. I should have seen this coming with both of you living together and all. If making you choose between us makes you that uncomfortable, I'll just leave it alone." Peridot held out her hand, "Wait! Can we still be kind of close friends? Like maybe not love like that but still sort of..." Amethyst rushed in for a hug. Peridot wrapped herself in Amethyst's warm embrace. She felt a wet kiss leave her neck.
Peridot's face was left completely flustered, "Amethyst, I..." Amethyst smiled cheekily, "Whatever you say Peri. Whatever you say." Amethyst walked away to find the warp pad back to the beach. Peridot wiped the kiss mark dry to hide it from Lapis' prying eyes. As she started her slow waltz back to the barn she let the thoughts roll through her head. She didn't like this one bit. There was no way she could get away with dating Lapis in public and Amethyst in secret. Right? Maybe she could she thought to herself. As she walked through the open door she found Lapis not on the roof but inside. A crumpled blue colored gift box lay on the floor with a smudged tag that read "For Lapis".
Lapis' gift from the other day. She had totally forgotten to give her the gift! It must have been crushed when they fused and buried under a pile of debris. Looking up she saw Lapis holding a large plush dolphin in her hands. Her eyes were wide with love and wonder. "Peri... Did you get this for me?" Peridot nodded blushing, "I wanted to er, give you something to help you when you felt sad like you were the other day. You know, for when I'm not there. You know, Mr. Alien was a big help for me sometimes, so I got you a dolphin. You know, because..." Lapis snickered, "Water's my thing." Peridot laughed, "Yeah! Water is your thing!" Lapis tossed the plush toy onto her hammock and picked Peridot up by the shoulders. Bringing her in for an embrace, she smooched her on the lips.
"Peri, I really do love you." Peridot laughed again nervously, "I love you too Lapis." The two embraced again and spent the rest of the day on top of each other. Neither would let the other out of their sight. It was a sweet and seemly sort of love they had developed for each other. A fond friendship grown into something blossoming with goodness. Peridot wondered to herself how long that would last. She didn't want to hurt anyone. But she knew eventually she would have to tell Lapis the truth. She would have to choose and she'd have to do it in a way that would suit everyone. For now though, she could keep lying. Lapis was happy, and Amethyst was too. As long as that was true, she could try to be happy. For everyone's sake, she had to be happy. So for the moment being, she pushed down her lingering fear, and focused on the here and now.