"So you're going off on a mission with Steven of Quartz, by yourselves?"
"Yes?" Peridot looked over her shoulder. "That is what I just said."
Peridot turned away from Cinnabar to the bathroom sink. A few months ago, she would've been ecstatic for the chance to meet a Gem like Commander Cinnabar. However, as it turned out, Cinnabar was far more like one of the Crystal Gems than most high ranking Homeworld Gems. So Peridot's interest in her had waned. She was far more concerned about the events of today.
Sitting on the edge of the porcelain sink was one of the books Peridot had 'procured' from Amethyst and Steven. It detailed many things, mostly methods by which human women applied makeup. To Peridot, it was mostly gibberish. The only information that was any use to her was how to fix one's hair.
"So where is Steven of Quartz at the moment?" Cinnabar asked, crossing her arms and looking out of the bathroom door. Peridot paused as she ran a brush through her hair.
"He's off with the human Greg, getting ready for the mission," she lied, fixing the splits in her triangular hair. Cinnabar raised a brow.
"Greg... yes, he was here the other day. Steven seems to have a connection with him."
Peridot paused again. She placed the comb on the counter before closing the book.
"Uh, Steven... connects with everyone," she passed on. "Makes him very useful for uh, diplomatic missions."
"Hm..." Cinnabar stood in thought. "Well, that's a bit disappointing. I was hoping to be able to do another lesson with him today."
"I'm sure you can occupy yourself for one day," Peridot assured. She looked over at a familiar object that sat at the corner of the sink: her scanner device. She picked it up and quickly absorbed what it told her. The update had finished and the results were ready. Peridot decided to wait till later to read them; until she was with Steven. She shoved the device into her hair, for safe keeping.
"You know, I've been so absorbed the past few days, I've completely forgotten. Weren't you supposed to get me a line of communication to Pink Diamond?" Cinnabar brought up, taking a step forward. Peridot's lips pursed.
"Uh, well, what do you think today's mission is for?" Peridot desperately tried to recollect how communications worked before the rebellion. "We're, uh, going to work on one of the local routers."
Cinnabar looked on at Peridot as a silence filled the bathroom.
"Well, good luck on your mission then," Cinnabar said, stepping away. Peridot mumbled out a thanks, turning back to the book. She began skimming through the pages one last time as her mind wandered.
She was going on a... date. Of course, Peridot knew what a date was. The demarcation of when something is. Like in her logs. But the word was different in this context. It was strange. She had spent the night before just trying to learn what it meant from the restricted material she had to work with.
Peridot flipped past a chapter detailing appropriate wardrobe. Useless to her as her clothing was a part of her projection. She fell back into thought.
Apparently, it was an event where two individuals interacted socially... and romantically. A warm shiver ran up her back. Peridot still wasn't used to saying or even thinking it. She, Peridot, a loyal and skilled technician for the Yellow Diamond administration was romantically engaged with a rebel from Earth.
Peridot heard the sound of the temple doors opening. She paid it no mind as she shut the book for the last time. Taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror, Peridot steeled herself. Who cares if she's violating the will of the Diamonds? Who cares that a few months ago she would've killed Steven given the chance? She's Peridot, damn it. She'll make her own decisions.
Peridot stepped out of the bathroom door, a confident smirk on her face.
"Ay, Peri!"
Peridot came to a violent stop as she met with the face of a familiar Gem. Amethyst leaned against the door frame, a wide grin on her face. Behind her was Cinnabar who was looking around the room absentmindedly.
"Hey, have you seen Steven?" She asked. "Pearl's got another mission for today."
"Uh, he's out." Peridot slipped past Amethyst and tried making her way to the front door. Amethyst raised an eyebrow as she began to follow the green Gem.
"Doing what?" Amethyst asked.
"N-nothing." Before Peridot could reach the front door, Amethyst slipped in front of her, blocking her escape.
"Girl, where you going?" She asked, crossing her arms. Peridot broke out in a sweat as she threw an answer together.
"Uh, nowhere?" She exclaimed. Amethyst rested her arms on her hips.
"Steven's off doing no thing, and you're going no where? Well, I'm no t buying it." She leaned forward. Peridot had to bend back to avoid hitting Amethyst.
"Y-you're not?" Peridot stuttered. Amethyst grinned. She began speaking in a hushed whisper.
"You two are going out aren't you?"
"What, nooo." Peridot tried passing off. Her lips pursed as her cheeks erupted with a lime blush.
"I knew it!" Amethyst put her hands on Peridot's shoulders as she kicked the door behind her open.
"Wait, what?" Peridot said as she was shoved out the door.
"Listen, I'll cover for Steven today, you go and have a good time, alright?" Amethyst explained, looking over her shoulder at Cinnabar.
"What're you—"
"And girl, you better be ready to tell me the details later," Amethyst said with a smug grin. "Go get 'em, tiger."
Peridot raised her finger up in protest. But before she could put in a word of objection, Amethyst slammed the door on her and ran inside. Peridot sighed in defeat. She better get going.
Steven stood in front of a dirty restroom mirror with an intense stare. His left hand gripped the edge of a sink whilst his right hand held an old hairbrush. With a look of determination, he ran the brush through his curly hair until it became smooth and flat. Steven smiled at his success.
Poof!
Steven sighed as his attempt at combed hair was thwarted once again. Every time he tried to control the curls of his dark hair, it just reverted to its original state. He could've sworn this used to be easier.
"Trouble taming the do?" A familiar voice called from behind. Steven turned and smiled. His father, Greg, was standing at the door. The two were currently in the restroom of the It's a Wash Car Wash.
"Yeah, kinda," Steven laughed, holding the brush out. Greg stepped forward and took it from his hands.
"Us Universe men have always struggled with controlling our voluminous hair." Greg ran his fingers over the bald part of his head before quickly moving to the hair on the back. "Let me help."
Greg got to work on Steven's hair, running the brush through the thick curls.
"Man, I can't believe my boy is already going on his first date. Feels like just yesterday we were celebrating your eighth birthday." Greg pulled back on Steven's hair.
"Daaaad," Steven whined in embarrassment. Greg chuckled.
"Sorry sport. Sometimes I just forget how old you are." Greg placed his spare hand on Steven's shoulder. "Spontaneous growth spurts sort of messes with my sense of time."
Steven and Greg broke into laughter as Greg continued combing Steven's hair back.
"I ever tell you about the first time I went out with your mother?" Greg said nonchalantly. Steven shook his head.
"I don't think so," Steven said, looking back. Greg straightened Steven's head before continuing.
"Well, I took her to Fish Stew Pizza and Kofi accidently dropped a soda on me. I thought I basically had struck out at that point, but Rose thought it was so funny, she dumped her own drink on herself."
"Hehe," Steven chuckled. Sarcastically, he said, "I guess it went well then?"
"Worse than I hoped, better than I expected," Greg said giving Steven a playful shove. "Let's just say you try to give that lucky girl a better time than I did Rose. Or lucky guy, ya know."
"It's a she, dad," Steven said with a laugh. Greg placed down the brush and put his hands on Steven's shoulder. He looked at him through the mirror.
"Whoever it is, have a good time. And don't worry if things go south." Greg's eyes met with Steven's in the mirror as the two smiled. Greg was unsuccessful at taming Steven's hair, leaving it in a slightly neater curly mess.
"Thanks, dad," Steven said, stepping away from the mirror. Greg grinned.
"You're welcome. Now, go get 'em, tiger."
Steven stood at the southern corner of Beach City, on the road next to the Big Donut. He was visibly anxious, waiting for Peridot to turn the corner of the cliff. He wanted to make a good impression. This was their first real date after all. But after a few minutes of complete silence, he began to grow bored.
Steven's mind drifted as he looked off into the distance. But rather than wandering to old favourites like Dogcopter or even Unfamiliar Familiar, he only had one topic on his mind: Peridot. Steven closed his eyes as his cheeks lit up with a warm blush. He pictured her coming down the beach side, skipping towards him. There was an elated grin on her face and her arms were outstretched. She was adorable. Her smile, her size, her everything. She was just so...
Cute!
Steven opened his eyes as he felt his hands become warm again. This wasn't going to work. In panic, Steven whipped his arms around in an attempt to cool them down. Moments later, however, Peridot came around the cliff face. Steven hid his hand behind his back. Hopefully, it'd cool in a bit. Steven began running to Peridot.
"Peridot!" He called, catching the attention of the green Gem. Peridot looked up and gained a small smile. The two met in the center of the beach. Steven lifted her up in a hug and spun her around. They laughed for a moment before Steven let her down.
"You look good," he said, noting the lack of splits in her hair. Peridot nervously scratched the side of her neck.
"Thanks," she replied, blushing. Her hand fell to her side. "So, what exactly do humans do on these 'dates?'"
"Well, I thought we could grab something to eat first." Steven pointed over to the store behind them. "I know you don't like donuts, but I wanted you to try something. You know, if you're okay with that."
"Pff, please. I can handle anything," Peridot said, rolling her eyes.
"Awesome!" Steven cheered. He offered out his hand. "I'm really excited for this, Peridot. Let's go."
The light green blush of Peridot's cheeks deepened as she looked at Steven's outstretched hand. She looked off to the side as she let her hand fall into his. Steven locked fingers with her before stepping closer.
"Ready?" He asked, giving her a confident smile. Peridot felt her heart melt.
"Sure~" She chimed. The two began walking, hand in hand, to the Big Donut.
Steven pushed open the front door, letting Peridot enter first. The bell on the door rung, catching the attention of the front desk. Sadie and Lars were at the back of the shop, though Lars seemed to be tuned out, looking at his phone in the corner.
"Hey, Steven," Sadie called out. "Haven't seen you in a few days."
"Yeah," Steven said sheepishly. He rubbed the back of his neck with his spare hand. "I've been dealing with a bit of a situation with the Gems. World saving stuff, ya know?"
Sadie laughed.
"Well, good luck with that." Sadie leaned over the edge of the counter. She did a once-over. "Whoa, Steven, you get taller or something? And—"
Sadie suddenly noticed that Steven was holding hands with Peridot. She smiled.
"Who's this?" She asked.
"Oh, this is Peridot. She's been staying with me and the Gems." Steven explained. Peridot grew stiff as she extended her open hand out.
"Greetings," she simply said. Sadie had a short chuckle before taking the little green hand.
"Hey there, the name's Sadie," she replied. The two parted. Sadie decided not to push the fact the two were holding hands any further. All that could be said was understood. "So, what can I get you two?"
"Just the regular for me," Steven answered. He smiled. "But something special for the lady."
"Pff, what a gentleman you are, Steven," Sadie said, getting off the edge of the counter. "What'll it be?"
"Salted caramel," he replied with a proud grin. Peridot contemplated Steven's request as Sadie turned away from them. There was that word again, salt. Steven had gotten her nuts with salt on them the other day. So this 'caramel' stuff would probably have it too. It'd be... oh, what was that word again? Zesty, that was it.
Sadie turned from the shelves of donuts, depositing one into a paper bag. She looked over the rows of sweets until her eyes landed on the salted caramel variety. They were all the way on the top shelf. She sighed before finally addressing the inattentive teen to her left.
"The step ladder is still broken, Lars. Can you get a caramel donut for Steven?" Sadie said, holding the paper bag. Lars groaned as he put away his phone.
"Ugh, I gotta do all the work around here," he said, standing up. Lars's eyes fell onto Steven and Peridot before he broke out into an awful smirk. Peridot didn't like the look he was giving them.
"Hey Lars," Steven said with a cheery grin. Lars paid no heed to Steven's height before opening his mouth.
"Pff, what's this, Steven? Getting a donut for your girlfriend? " He said, sarcastically. He snorted in laughter as Steven continued to smile.
"Lars, cut it out!" Sadie called, punching his side. Lars broke out into laughter as Peridot's flushed face confirmed his mocking. She tightened her grip on Steven. Angry, she wanted to jump onto the counter and punch this 'Lars.' Steven gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"Yup!" Steven replied, letting the teasing go over his head. Lars's nasally laughter came to an abrupt stop as Steven's response registered in his mind. The sound of Sadie's giggling came from behind him and caused him to flush in embarrassment. Steven stepped up to the counter. "So, can I have my donuts?"
Lars grumbled as he turned away, retrieving the tong for the donuts.
Meanwhile, Peridot was pursing her lips. What just happened? One moment this clod is teasing them, and with one word, he's collecting confectionaries. Was this some kind of tradition humans go through for nutrition? Humans were weird.
Lars deposited the salted caramel donut into the paper bag Sadie held before returning to his spot in the corner. Sadie handed the bag to Steven with a smile. He paid for the food and soon the two were off. As the door closed behind them, Peridot could hear the sounds of Lars and Sadie bickering.
As Steven dug into the paper bag, Peridot eyed him. He had a wondrous expression on his face. Were these 'dough-nuts' really that good? She thought, pursing her lips. Her mind went back to a few minutes ago.
"Why do you let that clod treat you that way?" She questioned. Steven pulled out the salted caramel donut before handing it to Peridot.
"Oh, that's just Lars, ya know? He gets a kick out of it," Steven replied, grabbing his own donut and tossing the paper bag into a trash can they passed. Peridot looked down at the sweet in her hand. It was brown and drenched in some kind of glaze. Embedded in what Peridot assumed to be caramel were salt crystals, similar to the ones on the nuts.
"Did you mean it?" She asked, holding the confectionary with hesitation. Steven looked up from his bitten donut.
"Mean what?" He replied. Peridot's cheeks flushed as she brought the donut up to her mouth. She paused.
"When he called me your... girlfriend." Peridot had done her fair share of research on the topic of relationships, so she wasn't totally ignorant of the meaning of such words. Steven smiled as he took another bite of his donut. He let go of Peridot's hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Peridot yelped.
"Of course I meant it, 'Dot!" He said, flashing her a smile. Peridot's eyes widened as she nodded in understanding. Steven returned to walking alongside his partner, though his hand was still wrapped around her shoulder. "Try your donut."
Peridot looked down at the sweet in her hand one last time before taking a slow bite. She chewed the food in her mouth, trying to recognize a familiar taste. After a few moments, she swallowed.
It was nice.
Somewhere on the northern end of the island of Florida was a thin forest. The trees of this forest were young and spaced far apart, allowing for easy travel. And easily traveled it was. Our party of five walked down a lightly worn path, the quiet crunch of leaves ringing out. Leading the group was Pearl, who was apprehensively holding her spear.
Behind her, strewn around without much order was Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, and Cinnabar. The latter of which stood just behind Pearl. She had a bored, almost somber expression. Today's mission was far less active than the one from a few days ago.
The sound of cracking twigs and the occasional scurrying of small animals filled the air as Cinnabar marched forward. Despite the lack of much quiet, every sound seemed to echo in her ears, highlighting the background silence. There was a presence she missed. And she quickly realized which.
"Things are... plainer, without Steven of Quartz."
All of the Gems paused for a moment, not expecting the comment. Pearl nodded as she continued. She let out a chuckle.
"Yes, Steven certainly has been the life of the group the past few years," she replied. Amethyst sped up to be in the view of the two.
"Yeah, even I run out of material after a while."
"Hm, few years indeed." Cinnabar pushed a low hanging branch out of her way. "To think, only thirteen cycles old. I had barely been deployed at that age."
The other Gems remained warily silent, not liking the topic drifting to Steven. Cinnabar ignored them and continue talking.
"I mean, if Steven of Quartz can do what he's done, after only thirteen cycles. Imagine what fifty cycles will do. 500 even!" Cinnabar noticed she had come to a stop, dragging the group behind. "Heh, sorry."
Cinnabar quickly began walking again, letting her mind drift. As she contemplated the idea of Steven after years of training, the Gems around her looked at each other in alarm. Pearl eyed Ruby and Sapphire, who returned her expression of concern. Though they remained silent, the message was clear: She was getting too close to Steven.
Despite the exchange that was going on, one member of the party remained unaware. Amethyst nudged up to Cinnabar's side, catching her attention.
"You think Steven is cool now? You haven't seen the half of it." Amethyst smirked as Pearl shot her a death stare. "Steven can heal things with his spit!"
"Oh, so Steven of Quartz is a Rose Quartz?" Cinnabar replied, turning her head to Amethyst. There was a slight stumble from Pearl, though she did not respond. Amethyst nodded, crossing her arms. Cinnabar chuckled, as she fell back into thought. "Has Steven met the Rose Quartz that used to lead this group?"
The group came to a jolting stop, barring Cinnabar who halted a few moments after. Pearl squeezed the spear in her hand, feeling it about to shatter. Amethyst looked away, her face growing cold and distant. Cinnabar turned to face Ruby and Sapphire who looked down at their feet in silence.
Cinnabar suddenly felt the blanketing quiet come over her. It became obvious that this was a sensitive topic for them. She needed to get off of it quickly. She just needed to think of something to say. Cinnabar stumbled over her words as she turned back to Pearl.
"Y-you know, it's funny." Cinnabar's cheeks went red. She blurted out the first thing that came to mind. " Pink Diamond also has some healing abilities."
The group did not talk for the rest of the
Steven and Peridot cut through Dewey Park, walking past the locations they had been only a few days prior. Though they didn't speak, they were both thinking the same thing. It was hard to imagine that this all started here. Peridot gripped Steven's arm as they passed the tree where they fed the squirrels.
Peridot didn't know where Steven was taking them, but she trusted him.
Steven, meanwhile, was sweating with nervousness. Peridot's arms were wrapped around his, making his Gem crackle and leaving his hands feeling hot. There was a storm of butterflies in his stomach. But despite all that, he would give anything to keep her there. Her touch was something magical.
Steven wanted to give off a nervous laugh, but he restrained himself. He needed to make a good impression. That was the golden word for today: impression. Steven and Peridot crossed the final road leading to their destination: Funland Amusement Park. Peridot's eyes narrowed as she read the sign.
"Amusement Park?" She questioned. Her eyes looked over the rides and booths that surrounded them. "Pff, is this what humans consider amusement?"
"Yeah!" Steven said with a face of glee. "I took Cinnabar here about a week ago, she loved it."
Peridot closed her mouth. Commander Cinnabar found this to be entertaining? She thought. Well, that must mean it has some value at the very least.
Peridot and Steven separated as they began to browse the aisles of booths and stands. Peridot's eyes glanced from attraction to attraction in rapid succession. Steven, however, knew exactly where they were going to go first. The sounds of dinging bells and squealing voices filled the air, unnerving Peridot. Steven, however, was feeling right at home. He came to a stop, reaching out to hold Peridot's hand. She stopped and turned.
The booth was wide and short, coloured haphazardly with blue and purple paint. Hanging from every crevice of the stand was oodles of stuffed animals and other prizes. Some were mildly damp. None were a particular interest to Peridot. There was a row of seats, each with a turret attached to the booth. Each had two buttons on their side. Directly in front of each turret was a target with a flaccid, deflated piece of rubber stuck to the top. Water dripped from each turret.
This was a water gun game, though Peridot wouldn't recognize it as such. Steven stepped up to the game, bringing Peridot in with him.
"What is this?" She questioned, approaching a water turret. An attentive attendant eyed the two before stepping forward.
"It's a game," Steven began, explaining. He gripped the turret next to Peridot. "Here, let me show you."
Steven handed the attendant some money before steadying his hold. After a moment, he pressed down on the two buttons on the side of the turret. High-pressure water shot out from the water gun's nozzle, straight into the center of the target. The rubber above the target began to inflate, revealing it to be a balloon. Peridot watched with curiosity.
The pressure of the water dipped, forcing Steven to realign his aim. He stumbled with it before getting it back on track. After about half a minute, the water stopped. The balloon at the top remained unpopped. Steven turned back to Peridot. "Fun, right?"
"Puh- lease, simple target practice? Even a pebble could succeed at such a rudimentary task," Peridot said as she gripped onto the water gun next to Steven. Steven rolled his eyes.
"It's not about success, Peridot," he warned before smiling. "It's about having fun!"
"I can have fun. I'm the best at having fun," Peridot sputtered, defending herself. "I'm the queen of having fun."
Steven chuckled. She was being cute. He paid the attendant for two more tries, as he took the spot next to Peridot. A few moments passed before they began.
Peridot hadn't realized how violently the turret shook. As soon as the water came out, she struggled to align her aim. After finally getting the hang of it, she looked over at Steven. Like before, he had gotten into position quickly and was now waiting for the change in pressure. He had a small smile on his face.
Peridot glanced at her target. Her balloon wasn't as large as Steven's. It wasn't even close. Those moments she spent realigning had ruined her attempt. Peridot looked back at Steven.
The juddering of the handles didn't even faze him. He just kept a strong, firm grip on the turret. Her mind began to wander. So strong...
The pressure of the water dropped, snapping Peridot out from her daydream. She turned away, her face growing hot, as she desperately tried to adjust her aim. Steven noticed she was struggling.
"Something wrong?" He asked, looking away from his target. Peridot pursed her lips as she straightened the turret. She turned away from him, lest she burn up in embarrassment.
"No, no. Completely fine," she lied. Peridot looked over the game again. She was even more behind now. Steven was close to filling the balloon, but not enough. There was no chance for them to win now. It was undeniable. But...
Steven frowned as he glanced at his target. He was nearly about to pop the balloon, he thought. But it seemed he was going to fall short. Ah well, at least he could give Peridot a second chance to—
Suddenly, another stream of water hit his target, providing the last bit he needed to pop the balloon. Surprised, Steven turned to the only place it could've come from. Peridot had wrenched her turret just enough to aim at his target. Steven smiled.
"Wow!" he said, "I didn't know you could do that."
"Pff," Peridot said, rolling her eyes. Despite her confident facade, she still said, "Me neither."
The attendant stood up from his seat behind the counter. His expression of pity quickly changed to surprise as he spotted the popped balloon above Steven's target. He scratched his head in confusion.
"Huh, I could've sworn these were meant to be rig—" The attendant shook his head. "Well, congrats kid. You're the first winner I've seen in... ever. Pick anything, it's yours."
"Really!" Steven said, stars in his eyes. His heart beated with excitement. He stopped himself short as he looked at Peridot, who was giving him a small smile. Her hands dropped from the turret handle. "Why don't you pick a prize, Peridot?"
"What? But I didn't—" Peridot paused, as she realized what Steven was doing. Being 'chivalrous' as the books put it. She took a breath. "Alright."
Peridot turned to look over the many prizes hanging above her. Stuffed animals and knickknacks adorned every corner of the booth. Many were damp and soggy, and if Peridot had a better sense of smell, dank. None, however, were any interest to her. Her eyes glanced over the back wall, where more prizes sat on ledges and shelves.
Peridot considered just telling Steven to pick something. Then, her eyes landed on it. It sat on the bottom shelf, tucked towards the back. It was bright yellow with a green highlight. It had a solid black tip and a little diamond on the bottom.
It reminded her of home. Peridot's arm shot out as she pointed at it.
"That, I want that," she quickly sputtered out. She turned to Steven. "Steven, if there's anything on this planet that you can get me, let it be that one. "
Steven and the attendant looked in confusion, trying to figure out what suddenly riled up Peridot. Sitting inconspicuously on the shelf in question was a shiny Phillips screwdriver. The attendant picked up the tool with a look of bewilderment.
"This? Missy, this is a screwdriver, not a pri—" The attendant looked up at Peridot, who was eying the screwdriver in his hand. There was an intense look on her face. The attendant pursed his lips. "Ah screw it, knock yourself out."
The attendant tossed the screwdriver, which Peridot swiped out of the air. She brought the bright yellow tool close to her chest as she let out a deep, jittery laugh. Steven snorted.
"Wow, Peridot. I've never seen you this excited," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Steven really didn't get what the big deal was. They had tons of screwdrivers at home. Ah well, he thought. If it made Peridot happy, that was good enough. Steven waved to the attendant. "Thanks, mister!"
Steven led his jittering girlfriend away from the booth, waving to the attendant. Peridot turned the screwdriver in her hands, looking at it from every angle. The shade of yellow was perfect , she thought. If she didn't know any better, she would've said it was standard issue from—
Peridot paused, causing Steven to come to a stop. Her mind finished the thought she was just having. The screwdriver, it looked like it was from... Yellow Diamond.
"Something wrong?" Steven asked. Peridot didn't reply as she gripped the tool. Was she missing Homeworld? Her Diamond? She was unsure of what to think. Why wouldn't she miss it? She thought. It was her home, where she worked under the diligent eye of Yellow Diamond. But...
Peridot put on a fake smile before she continued walking. Steven felt uneasy as he resumed alongside her. Assured that he wasn't worried, Peridot returned to her train of thought.
It made sense for her to miss Homeworld. She had lived her whole life there. So what if she was engaging in high treason with...
Steven.
Peridot placed a hand on her chest as she felt a knot develop in her torso. Her grip tightened as she tried to remember her time on Homeworld. She attempted to recall pleasant memories. Anything. But the only thing that came to mind was from Earth. What she remembered from Homeworld was far less pleasing.
She remembered stressful deadlines, her demanding supervisors, and most of all, complete isolation. In all her many years on Homeworld, she couldn't recall a single Gem she was pleased to see. And yet...
She still missed it.
Peridot wanted to break something. Why was she feeling so— so conflicted? This should be simple, it should be easy. Peridot thought Steven— no, she thought being with Steven would've been the end of it. So she wouldn't have to think about that anymore. So she could finally be happy. Yet, now—
"Hey, Peridot. Let me show you something." Steven said, pausing and offering his hand. Peridot's train of thought came to a stop as she looked up from the screwdriver in her grip. As soon as her eyes connected with Steven's, she felt the knot in her chest loosen. It was like the alarm ringing in her mind was silenced by a single look.
Steven's kind expression cleared away all those heavy thoughts. Peridot's heart melted as she took his hand. She was wrong. Being with Steven WAS going to be the end of it. She was going to be sure of that.
Peridot made a decision. Forget Homeworld, forget Yellow Diamond. As long as she had Steven, she was content.
Peridot smiled as Steven led her off.
Steven had taken Peridot to see a ball toss game called "Balls-Up." The two tried their best to win some prizes but quickly lost interest. Neither were particularly good shots. After that, the two walked from attraction to attraction, briefly enjoying themselves before leaving. They weren't really there for the park; they were just happy to be together. After a while, the two found themselves aimlessly walking through the park; they spoke with their hands intertwined.
"And you just traded an original replicator device for a piece of plastic?" Peridot questioned, not understanding his logic. Steven had described the time he traded for a Ranger Guy with Onion using Pearl's replicator. He rubbed the back of his neck as he laughed awkwardly.
"Hehe, yeah, it wasn't my best decision," he explained. "It was about the memory of the thing, ya know?"
Peridot gave him a look.
"Why didn't you just replicate the toy?" Peridot asked, raising her right hand. She realized she was still holding the screwdriver they'd won. Steven didn't answer her question and instead dodged it with another awkward laugh.
Rolling her eyes, Peridot brought the screwdriver up to her head and slipped it into her hair. Catching this, Steven gasped.
"Whoa! You can hide things in your hair?" he asked, stars in his eyes. Peridot raised a brow.
"You've seen Pearl store things larger than her whole head in her Gem. And me keeping this amazes you?"
"I can't help it. It's just so cool!" Steven patted the side of Peridot's hair. "What else do you have up there?"
"Not much; the earth tool you call a 'screwdriver,' a few pages of a book, my scan—" Peridot paused for a moment. Their hands disconnected as she pulled away. "Oh stars, how could I forget?"
"Forget what?" Steven asked as Peridot began rummaging through the confines of her hair. She remained silent, leaving Steven to just wait for an answer. He took note of the new expression, 'oh stars.'
Peridot pulled out a familiar device, spurring a reaction from Steven.
"Oh right, the scanner thingy."
"I staved off peaking at the results until I could see you," she said, flicking microswitches on the device. Steven returned to a patient silence. After a few tense moments of waiting, Peridot arrived at the results. Her eyes glanced over the words on the screen before her grip on the device tightened. She scowled, becoming visibly frustrated.
"What's wrong?" Steven asked, realizing Peridot was about to have an episode. He put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to pause. She took a deep breath. Running her fingers through her hair, Peridot began reading out the results.
"Diagnosis... Inconclusive. The device was unable to find anything wrong," she said, defeated. Steven frowned. He guessed a miracle answer was a bit too much to ask. Still, it wasn't so bad.
"Peridot," Steven began. He took her spare hand into his. "It's fine, don't beat yourself up about it."
"Easy for you to say," she replied, pulling her hand away, "I'm trying my best to help you, yet it keeps turning around to you helping me."
Steven paused.
"Peridot, you've helped me a ton. You helped me with the Gems yesterday. And you helped me win that water gun game too." Steven let a small smile grow on his face.
"Yeah, but—"
"But nothing, Peridot." Steven took both of her hands into his. She looked at him. "You're doing the best you can. And that's okay. Heck, it's better than okay. Just relax, alright?"
Peridot tried looking off to the side, but found her eyes returning to meet his. She sighed. She had to admit, he could really turn her mood around. Peridot had a small smile.
"Alright, fine. You win," she conceded.
"Hey, we both win," he replied. Peridot snorted with laughter. She let out a sharp laugh.
"Fine, where off to next, then?"
"I've got an idea," Steven said with a smile. He let go of one of Peridot's hands, keeping the other in a strong grip. He then took off, Peridot in tow. She stumbled for a moment, before keeping pace.
As Steven ran with Peridot in hand, he began to think. It seemed like more often than not, Peridot would break out in anger. Whenever there was even a little bit of stress, she'd become frustrated. It made sense that she'd be a little tense; she was dealing with a lot of new feelings and a completely new home. He'd be stressed too if he was in her position.
But still, all that meant was that Steven was going to have to work extra hard to help her, to make sure she was happy. He smirked. As if that wasn't what he already was going to do.
Steven's train of thought came to a stop as he slowed down. A crowd had formed on the dock, blocking their path through the amusement park. Steven was curious to what all the hubbub was about. Rising above the collection of heads was a wooden pole with a bell at the very top. There was writing all the way up the pole, though it was illegible at a distance. Suddenly, some kind of puck shot up the pole, nearly striking the bell. A cry of frustration rung out from the center of the crowd.
"What... is this?" Peridot asked, pausing. She squinted at the small letters on the pole. "Some kind of human ritual?"
"No idea," Steven replied. The crowd began to shift as some people left. "Looks fun though, let's check it out!"
Peridot didn't argue as Steven slipped the two through the moving crowd. The two found themselves in a clearing surrounding the pole the two saw earlier. Standing next to the pole was the enthusiastic face of Mr. Smiley. He walked around the attraction with an oversized mallet over his shoulder.
"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! And test your strength with Funland's latest and greatest attraction: The Brawn-atron!" He called out, eyeing the crowd. "Ring the bell and you can win a day-pass to every ride in Funland!"
"Oh, wow!" Steven said in awe. He put his hand on Peridot's shoulder. "We gotta try this."
"A test of strength?" Peridot said with a smirk. "Please, we Gems are many times stronger than your average human. It'd be pebble's play."
"Then you'll do great." Steven pushed Peridot forward, surprising her. "We'll try Mr. Smi—"
"And it looks like we got a volunteer!" Mr. Smiley called out. On the other end of the clearing, he held out the mallet. The crowd then parted, making way for a man. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a hardy looking face. He was bald from the neck up, except for a comical set of eyebrows and a mustache. This man gripped the mallet, showing up his collection of rippling muscles. A smaller shirt would've ripped.
Peridot gulped.
"I didn't realize humans came in such... Quartz-like proportions," she simply said as the man took position. Steven laughed at this comment, letting his hand fall off her shoulder. Peridot stood and watched as the man prepared his attempt.
He spat into his hands before regripping the mallet. He heaved it over his head and rested it on his shoulder. Taking a step back, the man readjusted his stance. Then he lifted the hammer off his back. He took a breath.
In one swift motion, he swung, striking the mallet on the pedal by the pole. The clanging of metal on metal rang out, surprising Peridot. The puck shot up the pole, easily clearing the first half. But as it made its way up the second half of the pole, it rapidly decelerated. The puck came to a stop at about three-fourths of the way up before falling back down to the ground.
The man looked up in shock as he stood the mallet on its head. He was not expecting that. Mr. Smiley took the hammer from his hand. Peridot, meanwhile, gulped. She told herself that she should be more confident now. As a Gem, she'd be stronger than that human. But Peridot had a sneaking suspicion that wasn't how this was going to turn out.
Steven, meanwhile, didn't sweat it. He took a step forward.
"Hey, Mr. Smiley! Can we have a try?" He called out. Harold Smiley turned from the man. He had some bills in his hand. The mallet was still leaning on his shoulder.
"Oh, hey! Looks like we have some young volunteers, for the Brawn-atron!" Mr. Smiley called out, hyping up the crowd. He stepped towards the two, keeping his face to the pack of people. He handed them the mallet. "Knock yourself out."
Steven took the heavy hammer into his hands, noting its weight. Mr. Smiley walked back to the pole to continue engaging the people. Peridot furrowed her brow.
"Steven, that man just threatened you," she said. Steven made a face for a moment before he realized what she was talking about.
"Oh, that's just a saying Peridot. It means try it." Steven held the mallet out. "Here, knock yourself out ."
Peridot had the mallet thrust into her hands, catching her off guard. She stumbled as the hammer plummeted to the ground, her arms still attached to it. She struggled for a moment before raising it.
"Oh my stars, Steven, I don't think I can do this."
"Sure you can, Peridot." Steven patted her back. "Just give it a try."
Peridot gulped before nodding. She walked up to the pole, the hammer dragging behind her. As she stopped at its base, she looked up. She could read the writing along its side. The man from earlier had just about reached the marking that said 'Strong as an Ox.' Peridot paused and wondered what an ox was. A howl from the crowd brought Peridot out from her train of thought. She quickly dragged the mallet through the air and over her shoulder. She stumbled back.
"You can do it, Peridot!" Steven called out. Peridot paused to look at him before smiling. Her grip tightened as she began to heave. Suddenly, the weight of the hammer gave away, as if it was moving with her hand, rather than by it. Peridot couldn't question this, however, as she brought the mallet down, striking the target.
She clenched her eyes as the sound rang out into the crowd. After a moment, she opened them. Just as Peridot did, she saw the puck come to a stop at just about a fourth the way up; It was about eye level. She pursed her lips as it plummeted back to the ground.
Steven wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting. Sure, Peridot wasn't exactly the strongest Gem around. But she was still a Gem. And he would've thought all that talk would've come up with something. Darn, he thought. He hoped Peridot wasn't too torn up about it.
Peridot walked away from the pole, the hammer angled on her shoulder. She wasn't sure why, but it felt lighter. She offered it to Steven.
"You try," she said neutrally. She wasn't that happy, but her pitiful attempt didn't really eat at her either. While disappointed, Peridot hadn't put too much of her ego on her strength.
Steven took the mallet, cursing himself. She wasn't happy, not in the slightest. This was meant to be a nice day out, not a 'put Peridot on the spot in front of a crowd' day out. He awkwardly stepped forward as Peridot retook her place beside him. He tried concentrating on the task ahead of him, but he was too nervous now. All Steven could think about was making it up to Peridot.
Peridot crossed her arms as Steven approached the pole. She couldn't help but smile as he made his way. Though she couldn't care either way, she was sure he would do good.
Steven stepped in front of the game, the mallet tightly grasped in his hands. He looked up its length, trying to get his mind off Peridot by reading the markings. But all he could note was that she had reached a level marked 'like a pebble.' There was irony there lost on Steven.
Mr. Smiley sighted Steven about to try before grinning. There was an opportunity here.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Let's take a look at our next challenger for the Brawn-atron!" Mr. Smiley called out. Steven flinched. "This young man, Steven Universe, is notorious for strange feats of strength, not like anything I've ever seen."
Mr. Smiley chuckled.
"I should know, he's certainly broken enough arcade machines to prove that," he said with a fat grin. Steven gave an awkward, nervous laugh as he looked back at Peridot. She gave him a strange look. Mr. Smiley backed into Steven and leaned down. He began to whisper. "Ay, Steven. Do me a favor, and do good on this. I wanna hype up the crowd."
Steven nodded as he tightened his grip on the hammer. He pushed all of his concerns to the back of his mind. He needed to concentrate. Unfortunately, clearing his head meant that one thing took the forefront. His hands began to feel hot as he thought of Peridot. Steven's face flushed as he raised the hammer above his head. His heart began to beat erratically as he was filled with nervousness.
Then, a call rung out.
"Good luck, Steven!" Peridot cheered, attempting to console her nervous partner. Steven felt his chest calm before he smiled. Her voice was something magical. His hands remained quite warm, however. With all the jitters out of his system, he was ready,
In one swift motion, Steven brought down the mallet. But, the distinct sting of metal on metal never rung out. It was instead masked by the loud and low sound of wood cracking. The puck shot up the pole, faster and with more force than Steven expected. In fact, it moved so fast, it never slowed to a stop. No, instead the puck came to a sudden and loud halt as it struck the bell at the very top of the pole.
Steven and practically everyone it the crowd gawked in surprise as the puck plummeted to the ground. A moment of silence filled the area, only broken by the screams of people on the nearby rollercoaster. This silence, however, was ended by a booming laughter.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Well, would you look at that! Steven's managed to hit the bell!" Mr. Smiley called out. The crowd let out a cheer, startling Steven as he stared at the ringing bell. He looked down at his hand and noticed the wooden handle of the hammer was cracked. He had swung down so hard he broke it.
Steven didn't notice, but the sign at the very top of the pole read "Tough as Diamonds!"
"Wha—" He began before being jerked to the side. Mr. Smiley had wrapped his arm around Steven's shoulder and swung him to face the crowd. In a daze, he felt Mr. Smiley shove something into his hand. Before Steven could say anything, Mr. Smiley let him go and pushed him back towards the crowd.
He paused and looked down at his hands. He was gripping a piece of plastic with a lanyard attached. It read 'Free day pass.' Steven turned to look at Mr. Smiley, who was dealing with an excited group of volunteers. The amusement park manager glanced at Steven before winking.
Realizing that Mr. Smiley didn't care to be paid for his attempt, Steven turned. Peridot was looking at him with her arms crossed. She had a sore look on her face. As soon as he finished turning, she lightened up before stepping forward.
"Told you," she immediately said. "Gems are much stronger than your average humans."
Steven got a hold of his senses before he let out a laugh. The last few minutes had been a daze. Peridot gave him a look. "Sorry, just didn't realize I could even do that."
"Why wouldn't you be?" she replied. "You're a Gem. This is pebble's play for us."
"Well, you couldn't do it." Steven winced, immediately regretting saying that. What a boneheaded reply, he thought. And right after he just showed her up massively. Darn his witty mouth. He fully expected her to get angry, maybe even storm off.
But as Steven clenched his eyes closed, Peridot didn't get angry. She didn't storm off either. Instead, she reached out and held onto his hand; the one not holding the lanyard.
"Come on, we've got better things to do than standing around here," she said. Steven paused for a moment, before following her light tug. He let out a silent sigh of relief. She hadn't noticed the comment. Or if she did, she just let it go. Either way, Steven felt he was in the clear.
But even as the two distanced themselves from the crowd, Steven felt a nervous knot remain in his chest. He wasn't doing a good job making things easier for her. Whether it be showing her up or saying what he said.
Steven took a breath before following Peridot's aimless march through the amusement park.
Some time had passed since Steven and Peridot had taken their attempts at the 'Brawn-atron.' Thus it was nearly the middle of the afternoon. The two had tried some more booths and rode some of the kiddie rides. Things were going nicely. But now it was time for something a bit harder.
They walked up to an attendant, their hands intertwined.
Steven and Peridot were approaching the ride known as 'The Appalachian,' a roller coaster. Steven paused to flash his day-pass before continuing on. It was so lucky for them to have gotten that. Now, all the rides of the amusement park were open to them. Steven smiled.
As the two walked up the steps. Peridot looked up. The screams of passengers rung out, surprising her. The roller coaster shook the platform beneath her feet.
"A speed pattern transportation circuit?" Peridot identified. Steven chuckled.
"And a roller coaster," he explained. "It's one of the funnest rides in funland. You gotta try it!"
"Hmm," she replied, thinking. The two walked up the steps, finding a lack of a line. It appeared that a group had just left. They came to a stop at the top of the stairs. An attendant stood by the track. She leaned back in a chair and eyed the young couple as they stepped onto the platform.
"Coaster just left, kiddos. You'll have to wait," the attendant called. Steven nodded before taking a step to the side. Peridot followed. The two settled by a short wall as they began to await the ride. Another vibration of the coaster shook the platform, startling Peridot. She yelped, prompting Steven to squeeze her hand.
"Nervous?"
"What, me? No," she lied. She put her free hand on her chest. "I'm a Peridot, what do I have to fear from a contraption humans consider fun ."
Steven gained a little smirk.
"You know, I was scared my first time. My dad brought me here when I was only eight years old."
"So?" Peridot replied, not understanding.
"Back then I was only as big as you," he explained. The coaster began nearing them, causing the platform to shake again. It was more violent this time, so Peridot latched onto Steven's arm in fear.
"O-oh." Peridot had to admit, she was nervous. The vibrations this 'roller coaster' let off were resonating with her Gem, sending shivers up her spine. How Steven was so calm befuddled her. Peridot took a deep breath as she resigned to waiting.
While Steven seemed relaxed, inside he was sweating. Not about the roller coaster, but about how he was acting. He was trying his very best to come off to Peridot well. He tried choosing his words carefully, but he still had slip ups. Did he make fun of her by mentioning her size? Steven thought. He didn't want to make her feel bad.
Steven glanced at Peridot with a bated breath. She had calmed and was now patiently waiting. Her eyes looked on at the rails of the coaster, a familiar analytical expression on her face. She seemed to be digesting the structure of the roller coaster. Steven turned away.
Gosh, she's so smart, he thought. It was crazy how smart she was. Sometimes, she'd go off on some passionate spiel, and Steven wouldn't even know half of what she was talking about. But she could talk about it so well he couldn't help but listen. That's something he loved about her, everything she said just sounded interesting.
Steven felt his cheeks grow warm.
Just then, the coaster came to a stop in front of the two. Steven hadn't even noticed it approach. People began pouring out of the coaster, prompting Peridot to tighten her grip on Steven. Humans passed them, emptying the platform in seconds. Steven, Peridot, and the attendant were all who were left. The attendant stood up.
"Alright, you two can hop in. Things have slowed down, so it might just be you in there," she said, prompting the two to step forward. Steven helped Peridot up into the first cart before taking the seat next to her. The attendant pushed down the lap bar, locking the two in. Peridot looked at Steven with worry.
"What?" Her hands gripped the metal. "What is this?"
"It's just for safety, Peridot. So you don't fly out," Steven tried explaining. Peridot gulped.
"You can be thrown out of this?!" Peridot's fingers nearly dented the metal bar in fear. Steven put a hand on her shoulder.
"Not if you have the bar," He explained. Peridot stopped.
"Oh." She sank into her seat in slight embarrassment. The ride hadn't even started and she was already overreacting. Get a hold of yourself, she thought. Do it, for Steven.
Steven glanced back as a few people stepped into the roller coaster. By and large, however, the train was basically empty. After several silent minutes, the female attendant stood up again. She had a slightly annoyed look on her face.
"Alright, you all know the rules. Hands and feet in the cart at all times. Safety bar down before we begin. Don't do anything you wouldn't do in front of a cop." The woman flicked a switch. "Enjoy the ride."
The cart lurched, catching Peridot off guard. The coaster began climbing forward, up the light incline of the track. Peridot craned her neck to see where the ride peaked; it was far steeper than the part they were on. She resisted the urge to gulp dramatically.
"Excited?" Steven asked, jittering in his seat. His hands gripped the safety bar in anticipation.
"Y-yeah," she said, lying through her teeth. The cart picked up speed. Oh my stars, she thought. This suspense was killing her. Why would humans put in such a slow and tense build up? This had to be some kind of torture device.
Peridot put away that thought as they began to slow down. They were nearly at the top of the first peak. Her mind was racing at a million kilometers a second. The moment they came to a stop, Peridot turned to look at Steven. For a second, she felt calm.
"AHHHH!" Rang out from the cart as the coaster plummeted. Steven threw his head back as he screamed in delight. The few other passengers joined in. Louder than any one voice, however, was the shrill shriek of Peridot.
"OH MY STARS, OH MY STARS, OH MY STARS, OH MY STARS!" She howled. In the seconds they plunged, Peridot saw her life flash before her eyes. And Peridot had lived a long life. Peridot lacked the vocabulary to express herself in those moments. Though, if she did, Steven would surely blush at the words.
"OH MY STARS, OH MY STARS, OH MY STAHHH!" The coaster took a sharp turn, throwing Peridot into Steven's side. Her words devolved into screams as she was left to the mercy of the ride.
Up and down, side to side. In every possible direction, the coaster swung. Steven had shut his eyes from the sheer wind at this point. Peridot, with her protective visor, however, had left them open. As the ride did a loop, she began feeling a new feeling. A feeling she had never felt before.
Peridot felt she was getting sick.
Just as the donut she had earlier seemed like it was about to come out the way it came in, the ride began to slow. Peridot's head shot around her, as she tried to understand what was going on. Steven was laughing as he turned to her.
"Having fun?" He yelled, talking over the sound of the coaster. Peridot snapped to attention. She was confused. How could Steven be so happy? How was he so brave?
"Fun?!" She screamed back, "How could I possibly—"
Peridot suddenly noticed that they were much higher than when they started. They were approaching a sheer drop.
"Oh, my sta—" She was cut off as the ride dipped in a nearly ninety degree plummet. Peridot felt her fingers bend the metal as she gripped it. Her life flashed before her again, this time including the several minutes of roller coaster she just experienced.
"OH MY STAAAAAAAARS," Peridot screamed, tearing her hands away from the bar of the cart, onto the only thing she considered safer: Steven's arm. As her arms wrapped around him, Peridot felt a calm come over her. She shut her eyes, intending to brave the rest of the ride like this. Even though the cart swung side to side, Peridot now didn't think for a second she was in danger. As long as she could feel Steven, she was safe. Her breathing calmed.
Steven, while surprised Peridot had held onto him, wasn't complaining. If that's what she needed to do to calm down, so be it. He just wanted her to be happy. He could feel her calming.
While Steven hollered in delight, Peridot's screams from earlier filled his head. 'Oh my stars' rung in his mind. Like an earworm, it weaved its way into his head. Steven, however, didn't mind; it was a fun thing to say.
The roller coaster took one last loopy-loop, eliciting a final scream from Peridot before it began to slow down.
"Is— Is it over?" She stammered, slowly opening her eyes. She peeked over the edge of the cart. They were still moving, but slowly now. They were approaching the beginning of the ride. Steven smiled.
"Yup, that's it," Steven replied. "Have fun?"
"Fun? I—" Peridot paused as she disconnected from Steven's arm. She sat straight and opened her mouth. She was calm if only a bit hysterical. Steven was giving her a small, hopeful smile. She couldn't help but feel her cheeks flush. Peridot certainly wasn't going to consent to doing it again. But...
She felt safe.
"Yes... I had... fun."
A few hours had passed since Steven and Peridot rode 'The Appalachian.' It was getting late now, as the sun seemed close to setting. The whole park was drenched in a deep layer of orange, casting a warm feeling on everything. It was like it was all ablaze, except less worrying.
And as long as there was any light out, the two were going to stay.
They walked through the amusement park, their fingers interlocked. Held in Steven's spare hand were two sticks of cotton candy. He had bought two for the both of them, but Peridot passed on trying more sweets. Oh well, Steven had thought. More for him. He was absentmindedly munching away at both in his hand. His mind went back to earlier today.
Peridot, meanwhile, allowed her eyes to wander from booth to booth. Her quick pace and analysis of her surroundings cooled into a lazy drift. She was okay with missing a few stands, it didn't bother as much now. Her hand tightened around Steven's as she gave a casual glance to her left.
Standing above Steven's shoulder was the tallest ride in the whole park. It stood taller than nearly every building in the whole city. In fact, only the nearby water tower seemed to dwarf it. Peridot watched as it slowly turned; She wasn't sure what it was called.
It was the only ride they hadn't tried. Peridot didn't press the issue, but it seemed that Steven was avoiding it like a plague. Why, however, was a question she couldn't answer. The two returned to silently enjoying each other's company.
Suddenly, as a strange silence began to take the park, a shrill cry shattered the calm. Steven and Peridot turned their heads straight ahead, to where they heard the call. A crowd of people that stood in front of them shook and moved.
"What the—"
The crowd suddenly parted, as something shot out towards the two. A dull yellow blur raced towards them. Peridot was about to yell in surprise when another voice cut in. An unexpected voice with an unexpected reaction.
"Oh stars!" Steven screamed in shock as he lunged towards Peridot. The cotton candy fell from his hand. The two dived to the side, narrowly avoiding collision with the blur. Peridot was more shocked about what she just heard than with her sudden meeting with the ground. Steven flipped to try and catch a glimpse of what just passed them. What he had said hadn't even registered with him.
Just before it turned out of sight, it slowed slightly, allowing Steven to see. He couldn't believe it, but it appeared to be Onion, without a shirt or his iconic hoodie. He had a deranged grin on his face. Seconds later, Mr. Smiley sprinted past the two.
"Get back here you vandal!" He called.
Steven couldn't help but let out a chuckle before turning back to Peridot. She was still lying on the ground, though she had a conniving grin. He extended his hand out to her.
"That Onion, he's always a card," he said trying to lighten the mood. Peridot took his hand and let out a devious giggle.
"You don't even know."
"Know what?" Steven said, a confused look on his face. He lifted Peridot up off the ground. His partner gripped his shoulders.
"You said oh my stars ," she began. "Well, a more colloquial version of the phrase, but oh my stars all the same."
Steven thought back to a few moments before his face flushed. He laughed awkwardly.
"Hehe, I guess I did. I had it on the mind from the roller coaster," he tried explaining. His hand rubbed the back of his neck. "I heard you say it so much, guess it was just a matter of time before I started, huh?"
"Yeah," Peridot said, trailing off. The two shared another silent moment before Steven offered his hand. Peridot smiled and took his whole arm into her hold. Steven felt his cheeks brighten up. He felt nervous as they began walking again. Still, it felt nice.
As they returned to mindlessly walking around, Steven's eyes caught the same sight Peridot had minutes ago: the Ferris Wheel. As the sun was approaching the horizon, the Ferris Wheel lit up to fight the coming darkness. It now stood out against the bright orange sky. Steven smiled as he noticed the colours the park was using today: Green and Pink.
Steven began walking the two of them towards the ride. The day-pass around his neck shook from side to side. It was still daytime, right? He hadn't exactly planned this (or anything really), but Steven knew exactly where they were going to go last: The Ferris Wheel.
After about five minutes of walking, the two arrived at the ride. The line was short, so the two took a spot and began chatting.
"So, it's called a Ferris Wheel?" Peridot asked, looking up. Steven nodded, pointing at one of the seats.
"Yup! We get up in one of those carts and it takes us all the way around," Steven explained. Though he seemed calm and collected, inside Steven was anxious. While today hadn't gone wrong to say, he felt liked he had messed up a lot. Little comments, small actions. He didn't want her to remember today because of those little things. He needed to end it in a big way.
Peridot, meanwhile, was trying to peel her eyes away from the ride they were slowly approaching. It was nearly fifty meters up. She tried steadying herself. Where did she gain this strange fear of heights? She's driven starships for the star's sake, why did a mere 150-foot drop scare her? She could easily survive a fall like that, as long as she didn't land on her Gem.
Peridot forced her eyes' focus onto Steven. Maybe it was the buildup. The tension of the wait, maybe that scared her? She couldn't answer that. At least Steven's cheery eyes could calm her. Those calm and collected eyes...
Peridot let out a small nervous laugh. Steven turned to her with an inquisitive look. She held her breath for a moment before responding. "Sorry, it's just— hearing you say oh stars is still getting to me. It's honestly the last thing I ever expected to hear from you."
Steven smiled as the two took a step forward through the line. "You should see how I feel, I actually said it!"
Steven had a small laugh, to which Peridot returned. She allowed her head to lean on Steven's shoulder. She didn't know why, it just felt natural. The two waited in silence for their turn, though never did they quite stop talking. Even though their mouths remained closed, there was talk. A shift in position here, a wayward glance there. A tightening of a grip was often all it took to speak volumes.
They didn't know it, but they spoke in actions.
Eventually, the two made it to the front of the line, ending their silent conversation. Peridot was apprehensive about entering the cart at first, but Steven's infallible cheer and encouragements got her to come on eventually. The cart was slightly different from the one Steven and Cinnabar had ridden days ago. Rather than a cup-like design, where the occupants sit facing the center, this was more like a bench, where the riders would face off into the distance, sitting next to one another.
"Up we go!" Steven called, as they began to ascend. He tried his best to sound confident, lest Peridot think him to be scared.
Peridot, while feigning bravery, wasn't even thinking of the heights. She was scared Steven would think she was scared. To her, he was obviously much braver.
As the two ascended, more nervous about how they appeared to the other than anything else, the sun descended towards the horizon. It'd be nightfall in only a few minutes.
"Really pretty up here, huh?" Steven said, looking off to the side, trying to make conversation. Peridot quickly nodded her head, in half-baked agreement.
"Uh, yes! The way the light reflects off the water is, uh, quite appealing," she said. It was the quickest reply she could think of. She hoped it didn't sound too unnatural.
Gosh, she sounds so smart, Steven thought. Sure, he knew what all those words meant, but she put them together so... smartly. Okay, that's not a word, Steven thought. Peridot could probably think of a better one, though.
The two rose higher and higher. Soon they could see the rooftops of all of Beach City to their left and the pink and orange water to their right. Peridot gripped onto Steven's arm as she began thinking about the day. She cringed, thinking about how horrible she believed she acted. She was angry at times, scared at others. Apprehensive to do most things. Peridot began to wonder if Steven was even enjoying this time with her around.
Steven felt like he had messed up. All day today, he did things like show her up or say mean stuff. He hadn't meant any of it, they were all just slips of the tongue. But it still felt like he had done wrong. The worst was the fact he couldn't help her better, whenever she felt angry or stressed. He began to wonder if Peridot was even having a good time with him.
While the two were off in their own little worlds, they missed the moment the sun dipped below the horizon. Just as they went over the top of the Ferris Wheel, the amusement park was cast into darkness.
"Oh wow, it's that late already?" Steven said as they descended. Peridot shifted as she allowed Steven's arm to go around her shoulder.
"Commander Cinnabar and the others are probably back by now," she noted, sounding a bit nervous. Steven looked off onto the beach.
"What do you say we head home after this?" Steven suggested, immediately regretting it. Peridot nodded, feeling the need to cringe. The two turned away from the other as they thought over what they had just agreed to.
Darn it, Steven thought. Now she thinks he wants to leave. He felt like pounding his head against the edge of the cart, but resisted in order to not concern Peridot. He thought again. Maybe...
Peridot squeezed her own hand as some sort of self-inflicted punishment. Why did she agree so quickly? Now he'll think she wants to leave. Who cares if the Gems are back? Amethyst was covering for them, she thought. What if...
The two passed the bottom of the wheel again as they began to arise. Silence filled the air between them, only broken by the sounds of the park below. Just as they were halfway to the top again, Steven looked at Peridot. He gave her a wide, if worried, smile.
"I hope you had fun today," he said, more apologizing than anything. Peridot's eyes shuffled down to his chest as her cheeks flushed a light green.
"Steven, I—" The cart ground to a halt as the Ferris Wheel sputtered and paused. Peridot panicked for a moment before looking over the edge. Her hand held onto Steven's. "What's going on!?"
"Don't worry, the Ferris Wheel breaks down sometimes. Mr. Smiley or someone will get it working soon," Steven explained, giving Peridot a reassuring squeeze.
"Oh." She calmed before sitting back in her seat, still holding onto Steven's hand. They shared a quiet moment. Steven thought to himself before taking a deep breath.
"Peridot, I wanna apologize."
"What?" Peridot immediately turned, dead confused.
"It's just that—" Steven looked at her. "I haven't been good to you today. I've said mean things, showed you up. Today was supposed to be special, and I've been acting like I was just having a fun day out."
Steven's face flushed a bright red as he poured his heart out for her. He tried giving the most sincere apology he could. Peridot looked at him as if he was crazy.
"What in the stars are you talking about, Steven?" Peridot responded, completely flabbergasted. She sat up in her seat and let go of Steven's hand. "You've done nothing but good all day. You were kind, and happy, and brave, and..."
Peridot began mumbling off as she remembered today.
"But I—"
"And if anyone should be apologizing, it should be me!" Peridot said, cutting him off. "I've gotten angry, and frustrated, and been distant and—"
"But that's my fault?"
"How in the world is that your fault, Steven?" Peridot replied, her voice tinged with regret. Steven blushed as he began twiddling his thumbs.
"Because I wasn't helping you enough?" He answered, red as a beat. Peridot's eyes softened as she heard his response. She scooted over to his side and tried giving him an awkward hug, which he resisted.
"What in the stars did I do to deserve you?" She said to herself. Steven shifted.
"Just being you," Steven answered, as he accepted her hug. The two sat in the tender embrace, waiting in silence. But despite the quiet, the two were very much talking. Through shifts and glances, through the subtle movements and wayward looks. They spoke without saying a word. They spoke through actions. After some time, Steven chuckled. "We've both been acting weird today, haven't we?"
Peridot snorted in laughter. "Call that the understatement of the century."
Steven snickered before letting out a sigh of content. He looked out across the calm ocean waters. "Well, even if it isn't what I expected, I'm glad I could spend time with you, Peridot."
Steven turned down to look at Peridot, but found his face inches from hers. The two could feel the heat of the other's breath, as a bright blush enveloped both of their cheeks.
"T-thanks!" Peridot stuttered before giving an awkward laugh. Steven didn't respond to this, as he found himself lost in Peridot's eyes. Those deep eyes, trapped behind the lime visor. He wondered what colour they truly were. He felt his nervousness from the day melt away.
"Peridot?"
"Yes?"
"I love you." Steven surprised Peridot as he leaned in, delivering a kiss to her unsuspecting lips. Shock turned to joy for Peridot as she melted in his arms, accepting the kiss. After a few moments, their Gems lit up with a bright light. They didn't even need to move. A flash consumed the cart.
And where two Gems lied, one Gem now sat, feeling the warmth coming from their hands and lips. Tourmaline opened their eyes.
"I love you, too~"
End of Chapter 10