"Amethyst, could you please be a bit neater with those sequins? They're getting all tangled up in your hair," Pearl said as she cut small hearts out of pink paper.
"Sure beans, Pearl!" Amethyst threw a bag of sequins in the air, and they settled all over her face and lap. Pearl groaned, but continued working.
"What is all of this even for?" Peridot said, looking up from her job of. Her hair sparkled with them, and they glittered all over the room.
"We're decorating the house for Valentine's Day," Pearl answered. Peridot opened her mouth to ask what this 'Valentine's Day' was, but Pearl beat her to it. "Valentine's Day is a human holiday where people give chocolates and cards to their friends. Steven was out with Garnet right now delivering the cards we made earlier while you were at the barn with Lapis."
"Why would humans do such a thing? It seems like such a waste of time and effort."
"It's just a way that humans show affection or that they care about people." Pearl didn't exactly know how to explain it to a gem so new to Earth customs.
"So, like Percy and Pierre?" Peridot asked.
"Kind of," Garnet said as she walked in through the door, Steven in tow. "Except it's just cards and chocolates and such, at least until Steven gets older."
"Oh."
"How are the cards coming along?" Steven asked as Pearl continued to cut and sign cards while Amethyst glued sequins all over the front and back.
"They should be done within the next hour, Steven. Why, again, did we have to make a Valentine's Day card for everyone in beach city and all of the poofed gems in the basement and even one for the CLUSTER?!" Pearl asked, exasperated.
"You made a Valentine's Day card for the cluster?!" Peridot yelled, flopping about like a fish in surprise.
"I thought maybe if we sent it a Valentine's Day card for the cluster, it would stay all bubbled up! Also, I just want to make all those shattered gems happy." Steven blushed in embarrassment, realizing how silly the idea sounded.
"Steven, are you forgetting something?" Garnet smiled down on the half-gem.
"Oh yeah! I made some Valentine's Day cards for you guys too!" Steven pulled out 6 cards and started to hand them out. "First, Pearl's card!" He bounced over to her and gave her the card. It was light blue with white lacy fringe. A white heart on the front was covered in silver sequins, and in the center of the heart was a replica of Rose's gem.
"Steven," Pearl said, tears forming in her eyes, "it's beautiful…"
"Open it!" He said. She opened the card, and on the inside it said, 'Happy Valentines Day, Pearl!' On the other half of the card, a small paragraph had been written. Pearl began to read it aloud, saying,
"P.S. Mom made a video back when she was here with you guys, and she said that she would always be with me and watching my life through my eyes, and I just know she's proud of how far you've come. You're special to me, you're special to the gems, and you are the most precious gem in Mom's eyes." Tears started streaming down Pearls face. She quickly closed the card to protect it from the tears and hugged it against her chest. "Thank you, Steven," she said softly.
"You deserved it, Pearl," Steven responded. "Now, Garnet's turn!" He hopped over to Garnet and gave her the card. One half was sapphire blue with silver and blue sparkles that made it shine like a gem. The other half of the cover was red and had orange sequins that sparkled like fire. It was split similarly on the inside, the left side blue and the right side red. Each side said "Happy Valentines Day!" but was addressed to either Ruby or Sapphire. Garnet quickly read the card, then folded it and gave Steven a big bear hug. She kissed him on the forehead, and he saw a brief little flash of Ruby and Sapphire sitting together in Garnet's room, reading the card with happy tears. Garnet took off her visor and said, "Thank you, Steven." He blushed, then bounced over to Amethyst.
"Her card was decorated with purple, and again, different shades of sequins that made it shimmer and sparkle. Amethyst read over it quickly, then blushed and closed the card.
"What did it say?" Pearl asked. "Read it; I read mine aloud, even though it was personal," she blushed. Amethyst hugged the card tighter and said,
"My card, my rules, Pearl." Steven then gave one to Lion, who promptly stuffed the card inside his mane.
"I made one for Lapis, but she didn't come up from the barn."
"Indeed, the Lapis Lazuli gem did not seem interested in spending time with anyone, even me. I can take her card back to the barn when I head back if you want."
"Sure, Peridot! That'd be great!" Steven grabbed a green card from behind the dazzling blue one made for Lapis. The green card sparkled in the light, with yellow accents and a zigzag horizontally across that made the card look like Peridot's visor. At the top of the card was a replica of Peridot's gem, also reflecting the light in the room.
"Wow…" Peridot said in awestruck wonder… "It's… so beautiful…" She reached out tentatively to take the card. Steven gave it to her, and the green gem slowly opened the card. On the inside on the left side, it showed a picture of Steven and Peridot holding hands. His skills have improved greatly since he drew that card to make Lapis not despise me, she noted. The note on the righthand side was written neatly. Peridot began to read. Happy Valentines Day, Peridot! You've come so far since you first arrived on Earth; I'm so proud of you! When you first came, you hated all the gems and tried to kill us and what not. You tried to activate the cluster, which would have destroyed the Earth and everyone on it! Then, you moved in with us and began to see the value of all life on our planet! You even told Yellow Diamond to terminate the cluster and insulted her to her face! We stopped the cluster from emerging, and saved the world!
"Wow, Steven… Thanks."
"Did you read the note at the bottom?" Steven asked her.
"Huh, Oh, no, I didn't realize it was there." She looked down and focused on the small print. P.S. For Peridot to read only! Hey Peri, you remember what I said back when we thought we were going to die down there? When you asked for my last words? I do, and I want you to know that those words are still true. Peridot's breath caught in her throat. Oh my stars… Oh. My. Stars. OHMYSTARSOHMYSTARSOHMYSTAAAARRRRSSSS- She clutched the card with one hand and ran into the bathroom stumbling on the other 3 legs. She slammed the door, locked it, and curled up on top of the toilet. She closed her eyes and thought back to that moment. When all hope seemed lost, and the cluster would emerge and destroy the world, when she asked Steven for his last words. I love you, Peridot. That replayed in her head over and over, I love you, Peridot, I love you, Peridot, I love you, Peridot. She dared to read the last line of the card again. Those words are still true. The gem started hyperventilating. The words kept repeating in her head, faster and faster, more and more. Those words are still true-I love you, Peridot-Those words are still true-I love you, Peridot-THOSEWORDSARESTILLTRUEILOVEYOUPERIDOT- She collapsed on the tile floor, clutching her head, curled up tightly. It was maddening, this overflowing pool of emotion. It has to stop, I need it to stop, I can't freaking take this-
"Peridot!" Steven's worried call shocked Peridot out of this state of confusion and terror. "Peridot, are you okay?" Peridot slowed her breathing, and slowly answered after calming herself.
"I... really don't know…" She panted. "I… I have no clue…"
"I'm sorry, Peridot-"
"N-n-no, don't be!"
"-I came on too fast-"
"Steven, stop apologizing!"
"You weren't ready to hear that-" Before Steven could finish, Peridot quickly unlocked and opened the door, grabbed Steven's arm, closed the door, pulled him close and kissed him. When she released him, he just stood there, dumbstruck.
"I- I was ready to hear it, Steven, I just wasn't… I wasn't expecting you to still feel this way. I was just surprised, that's all."
"...Per… Peridot…" Steven breathed.
"Steven..?" Peridot asked, worry edging her voice.
"Meet me at the top of the temple, in front of the lighthouse, tonight when it gets dark. We can talk then."
"Okay…" As Steven left the bathroom, Peridot slowly reached up to her face and touched her lips. I.. I never thought… he would feel the same way…
Peridot was sitting on top of the lighthouse, waiting for Steven's arrival. The moon was rising higher and higher, but still no sign of Steven. Little did she know that Steven was waiting for her at the foot of the hill. To entertain herself, she would summon a light disk and flip it around, trying to get more dexterous with the frisbee-shaped weapon. While doing this, she noticed that through one end of the disk, it would work like a magnifying glass. She used this to try and figure out where Steven was. She soon found him, anxiously waiting at the hill. Realizing that they were both waiting for the other, Peridot quickly ran down the arms and legs of the temple and came around on the far side to meet Steven.
"Hi, Steven!" Peridot said cheerfully, although butterflies were fluttering all throughout the young gem's body.
"Hey, Peridot!" Steven responded. Peridot noticed that Steven was carrying a basket, but didn't take much note of it at the time. The two walked up the hill together, both keeping to their own thoughts. Once they reached the top, Steven opened the basket and pulled out a large, soft blanket which he then lay on the ground. He and Peridot sat down and looked at the night sky.
"It's a shame that the starlight is being blocked out," Steven said. "Sadly, Pearl would notice if I used the warp pad so we can't go anywhere else like Mask Island or something."
"We could go to the barn," Peridot says.
"True, it's not that far of a walk." So, the two set off for the barn.
Once the two arrived at the barn, they once again set the blanket down and sat. The wind was stronger here, and it chilled the air. Peridot shivered from the chill. Steven bent down and grabbed another blanket, throwing it over the two of them.
"So… about this morning…" Steven says awkwardly. "Why did that shock you so much? You sprinted into the bathroom and legitimately freaked."
"I-I was- wasn't expecting th-that, that's all," Peridot stutters with embarrassment.
"We both know that's not the whole story. Rain and thunder surprised you; you weren't expecting them, but you didn't freak like this." With that, Peridot starts stuttering and saying random gibberish as she tries to form words.
"I- uh, It was- no, um, a-"
"Yeah..?" Steven prompts.
"IT'S BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, STEVEN UNIVERSE, I ALWAYS HAVE!" Peridot blurts. Then the words and the tears just start flowing. "I was always just too scared to say it, afraid you wouldn't feel the same way. I thought, on the drill, that I was just going insane and imagined you saying 'I love you'. I wouldn't let myself believe it cause I didn't want to get my hopes up just to get my heart broken later on!" Peridot had tears streaming down her face, but then clogging up under her visor. Steven tentatively reached to her emerald face and removed the white mask. She stopped crying for a few seconds and looked over at Steven.
"I can see your beautiful face so much better now, Peridot," he says lovingly. He brings a hand up and brushes a piece of her hair out of Peridot's face. Peridot sniffles, and says,
"Wow, tha-" however, she's cut off when Steven leans in and kisses her. She freezes, completely rigid, until Steven leans back.
"Oh… Oh… Oh my stars…" Peridot breathes. She turns back at Steven and giggles. A giddy, almost drunken giggle "That was…"
"Incredible…" Steven finishes. Then the two start laughing again. Peridot lays down, her head in Steven's lap, as he slowly and softly strokes her yellow hair. Eventually, she starts to doze off on his lap.
"No sleeping yet!" Steven says. Peridot grumbles a muffled reply. "You haven't said 'it' yet, so you can't sleep." Peridot makes a confused grunt. "Think about it." Peridot pulls herself up off his lap and sits up straight. Turning to him, she leans forward and kisses him passionately.
"Doesn't that say 'it' just fine?"
"Fair enough," Steven laughs, and allows her to fall asleep on his lap once more.
