Breakfast is served in a timely fashion, almost as soon as Steven's stomach starts to growl. Instead of motor oil, Steven douses his scrambled eggs in a healthy dose of maple syrup. Amethyst herself smothers her eggs in motor oil, and syrup, all the while saying that Steven was missing out. Steven decides he will just stick with what he knows he can eat.
After that one incident involving killer waffles, the Gems try to eat breakfast more with Steven, so they are all present around the counter in the kitchen. Of course, Steven and the Gems were no longer comfortable making extravagant breakfasts anymore, at least involving waffles. A waffle every so often was ok. As soon as the eggs are deemed sufficiently covered, Amethyst starts eating, acting as if this is her first, and will be her last, meal. Pearl, as per usual, is cleaning up the dishes, checking on Steven every minute or so by glancing over her shoulder. Although Steven can tell that Pearl is disgusted by the almost lewd way Amethyst is shoveling food into her mouth, her displeasure is subtle enough that Amethyst doesn't notice. Garnet is holding a cup of coffee in both hands, but Steven is pretty sure that she has yet to take a sip from it. Despite the fact that it has been a while since she got the cup, the liquid contained in it still gives off steam.
Greg occasionally comes over as well, but today he is busy with the car wash. On the days he comes over he brings donuts so the Gems don't have to make breakfast. And despite how well they can protect and take care of danger, sometimes making food for Steven turns out a little… well, lets just say that there is a fire extinguisher conveniently located under the sink now.
Focusing on eating his eggs, he almost doesn't notice how intensely Garnet is looking at the bathroom door. Sometime before the Drill was finished, Steven noticed that Peridot and Garnet were on much better terms than before. He doesn't know how it happened, but he is glad it did. Peridot can use some friends and though he tries, he was relieved when she and Amethyst started getting along and then even more so when she warmed up to Garnet as well, considering her previous experiences with the fusion. Even Pearl likes Peridot a bit now. Anyway, since then, and especially with what happened with the Cluster and the other Rubies, Steven has noticed that Garnet seems almost protective of the smaller green gem.
Steven thinks it is cute how Peridot in turn looks up to the de facto leader of the Crystal Gems now. Though he knows that Peridot would never admit 'to any such mutual admiration with the perma-fusion'. She also hates being called cute, which he found out a bit painfully when he first let her out of her bubble. Never again, Steven vows silently to himself over his half-eaten eggs.
An ominous creak sounds, and Steven looks up to see that the bathroom door is slightly open. Garnet's stance has changed from relaxed vigilance to slightly more attentive. Pearl stops doing the dishes, though she is almost done, and even Amethyst looks up from chomping on the plate on which she had eaten her eggs.
Peridot glances out of the bathroom, curious about the ritual the Gems have every morning with Steven. Of course, once she sees that she has all of their attention, she wishes she can close the door again. Steven stops her though, when he calls out, "Hey Peridot! Do you want to join us? I know that breakfast is mostly over, but you can still have some of my eggs!"
Curious despite of herself, Peridot opens the door all the way and steps out, taking in the subtle way Garnet forces her stance to be more casual, and less obvious in the way she is watching Peridot. She feels a brief flash of irritation at this. Despite the fact that she helped take down the Cluster and built the drill that found it, and how she thought she was on better terms with Garnet, Garnet still does not seem to trust her completely. Pushing that aside, she instead basks in how genuinely excited Steven and Amethyst look at seeing her. Steven almost literally has stars in his eyes.
"Steven, you know I do not eat food. Once the process was explained to me, I found the entire thing… weird. No matter how 'incredible' both you and Amethyst claim it to be," Peridot states as she takes a seat. Pearl looks a little smug, so Peridot decides to say, "Not that I wouldn't object to eating at some point in the future, it sounds interesting, to say the least," sending a pointed look Pearl's way, "but just not right now, you know?"
"Totally Perisnot," Amethyst says, a wide grin breaking her face. "But when you do decide to try it, I want to get to dictate the terms. I know all the good stuff to eat."
While this will probably prove to be less than wise, Peridot agrees, "Of course. I need your culinary expertise just to get around the kitchen." This also elicits a laugh from both Steven and Amethyst, for some reason. Pearl of course now looks a bit irked, but not in the way she usually is with Peridot. More like the weary way one is from an argument that has gone on for a long time and is probably more of a routine than anything else. Garnet is silent and is still observing Peridot, which causes her smile to falter a bit.
"So does that mean you will just hang for a bit?" Steven interjects, disrupting Peridot's admittedly negative train of thought, and catching her off guard.
"W-What?" Peridot asks uncertainly, hoping she didn't just miss something important. Steven just gives her a reassuring smile, while Amethyst gives her a not so reassuring snort of laughter.
"If you aren't going to eat breakfast, and you don't want to stay in the bathroom, unless you do then that is totally ok," Steven beams, "but if not, Connie is coming over later and maybe we can hang out all together? I mean, you haven't met Connie yet but she is totally cool and I think you guys would both get along!" Steven says, giving Peridot a huge grin.
Peridot can feel the Gems watching her actions, and awaiting her response. She can feel both Garnet and Pearl staring at her from behind her, boring holes into her back. Even Amethyst's usually laid-back demeanor betrays a bit of interest in what Peridot is going to say. Right now, all she wants to do is hide back in the bathroom to escape their scrutiny. The tiniest tremor is visible in her extremities, and she tries to casually cross her arms to control the shaking and not draw attention to it.
Steven, damn his good gem, of course notices, and says, not at all unkindly, "Peridot, if you don't feel up to meeting Connie, you don't have to. I understand if you still need more time for yourself. I don't want to rush you getting to meet everyone in Beach City, they are all really nice and cool."
The shaking only seems to intensifies and Peridot feels her eyes start to sting in a way that is quickly becoming familiar to her since she first became the prisoner, and then friend, of Steven. Before she had had the excuse of the rain or mortal peril to explain it away, but now… now in front of all the Gems, without any reasonable explanation for the tightening of her throat, she finds herself about to fall apart.
Despite Steven's kind smile, she can only feel the Gems' accusatory and judgemental stares. Steven's face starts to waver in her vision, and Peridot realizes with dread what is happening. To the shout of "Peridot!" from Steven, Peridot races out of the house which Steven lives in and catapults over the railing, tumbling in the sand, before taking off at a run down the beach, hot liquid streaming from her eyes.
Author Note: Due to how many people want more of this story, I'll try to update every Monday. I might not be able to keep to this schedule all the time due to my summer job and classes, but I will do my best. I do not anticipate this story being more than a handful more chapters, but who knows. Sometimes these things have a way of getting away from an author. As always please leave a review telling me what you guys think, and if it is about any errors in my story (if the errors are not on purpose) I will try to fix them. Thanks for your support!