#because then most of my lapidot was from the angst week

[dottyistired]

okay time for some dotty backstory. if you've been on my blog for all this you get a veteran's discount.

i am mabel at heart, i love shipping and will ship any two characters. i don't care if it's a healthy, positive relationship or a fucking disaster, if i see an interesting story between two characters, i'm there for it. but the ones that i find most interesting, my otps...i have not had the most luck with. i bet on losing ships. from my plucky beginnings in the mlp fandom, to my horrid experience in the voltron fandom...the less i say about THAT the better.

a ship becoming Endgame is not very important to me, in fact i ship many things i'd never want to see in canon, but it hurts doubly so to be snubbed by canon, and be scrounging for table scraps and batting away hate anons in fan space.

there have been a few times i've shipped the fandom juggernaut, like wrightworth or komahina, but they already were long before i joined their respective fandoms. they didn't feel like they were mine. i was never a successful Early Investor.

i started shipping billford as a joke in my head summer 2015, before the last mabelcorn episode that actually showed their backstory, because i figured the author of the journals and the series' main antagonist would have had some history, and it seemed like it had more potential for a dark, interesting, adult story than billdip, the gf fandom's biggest pair. but i didn't expect anything from canon.

and then the last mabelcorn happened. and then the finale with the bondage shit and piano serenade. and the journal. each one was like a punch to the solar plexus in the best way. i NEVER thought we'd get so much bait. but like...it's not Real real, right? some people in fandom joked about it, but plenty others were vehement in hating it, and it was never the number one thing being talked about. i was quiet about my enjoyment of it, would like posts about it but not reblog, or reblog without tagging the ship name, because i was 16 and terrified of being Cringe. i drifted away from the fandom and found other interests. i raised my eyebrows a bit at some of the things alex hirsch was saying in the big 2023 fan interview about their relationship, but again...skepticles.

and then i was vindicated harder than i could have ever imagined with the new book. not only by all the canon romantic language used, the angst, the compelling depiction of abuse, but by the fandom. it's not just A ship, it is the ship, not just in gf fandom but across the website. it has topped the tumblr ship rankings for two weeks, only behind poolverine, a blockbuster mcu ship.

they used the divorce gif as the post footer. i must be in bill cipher's lotus eater machine. i am having such a fucking ball you can't even imagine.

the only comparable situation i can think of, where i was an almost-prophet, was when i started crackshipping amethyst and peridot steven universe shortly after s2 started, and then we got all that interaction between them. but ultimately, lapidot won over in the court of public opinion, albeit neither ship actually became canon.

this, to me, is like if amedot got a whole lore-heavy canon story about their relationship and became the number one ship in the whole SU fandom. my little joke ship has gone full rags-to-riches. this is my roman empire.

sorry i'm back in my 2015 triangle yaoi phase i will NOT shut up

[especdreamy]

i remember one day i was having a rly hard time and u had posted some lapidot art that just made me so happy ? like it felt so comforting and ive seen u as a comforting person and artist ever since. can’t remember the art piece sadly but now all your art is comfort to me

I KNOW ITS U, AIDEN! and AAAA I have so much lapidot art on my blog, maybe I'd be able to find the one you mean! Since it must have been...before new years at least.

[experimentaldragonfire-fics]

experimentaldragonfire’s SU Fic Rec List

Stuck at home? Running out of stuff to read? I figured I’d put together a semi-comprehensive series of fanfic recommendations so that all the hours I’ve spent on AO3 over the years can be considered at least vaguely useful. A lot of these are quite old, so if you’ve only read more recent fics, you might find something that you haven’t seen here!

Please feel free to add your own links and recommendations--I personally would love more reading material! This list will focus on SU fics, but I’ll probably make more for other fandoms going forward if anyone’s interested. Bear in mind that, as I’ve mentioned, since many (most) of these were written a while ago, they might not represent exactly how the plot of the show progressed (though they now provide a pretty interesting look at the older fanfic tropes/theories!)

Also, upfront: most of these, when ships do appear, are Lapidot or PearlRose--clearly, I’m very narrowly-focused on what I read. And if one of your fics is on here and you want to be tagged, let me know and I will do so!

Steven Universe Fic Recs

General (None or canonical/background/multiple ships):

histories by avulle (T, F/F, Gen)

“Pearl (pearl) is born in what would have been the year 100,492 BCE. (She is not older than the entire human race—but only just.)”

An introspective look at the Crystal Gems through the years, written in a style that’s practically poetic and absolutely gorgeous.

Inferior Blue by hTeDruknenPotaT (M, Gen)

"Your name is Lapis Lazuli. Lapis is a fun thing to name your child when your last name is Lazuli, and when your name is Lapis Lazuli, blue seem like a nice color to dye your hair. It's fortunate that blue is your favorite color, that you manage not to despise it after all the blue you've been surrounded by all your life."

Lapis Lazuli meets a strange young boy who helps to heal the scars of her past.

The first time I read this fic, I stayed up until 5AM and cried into my pillow through the final chapters. And it continued to make me cry every time I reread it. Massive angst warning, but if you can handle fics that are beautiful but tragic, this is for you.

capacity by broken_halleluiah (G, F/F)

After a routine council meeting, Pink Diamond insists on repairing a broken piece of equipment. The result is far more than she bargained for.

A fic speculating on the nature of Pearls in Homeworld society, written well before we got to see any of that in canon. As such, it isn’t entirely in-line with later canon, but is still entirely worth reading.

Breaking Down by PTlikesTea (M, multi)

Rose's world view is shattered by a black market pearl and the realization that everything she knows about them is wrong.

An extensively long series of shorter mostly-self-contained stories exploring a version of Homeworld society where Pearls are considered as little more than disposable property. Major warnings for Pretty Much Everything--definitely keep an eye on the tags--but this is an iconic series of works, started in 2015 and predating many of the later revelations about canon Homeworld. 

A Gem and Her Pearl (Rose) by Potential Violet (G, gen)

Blue Diamond forces Rose Quartz to get a pearl, changing Rose's life, the pearl's life and the course of Gem history. All relationships begin somewhere, this is the beginning of Rose and Pearl's.

Another take on Rose and Pearl’s meeting, and the status of Pearls in Homeworld society (there’s a bit of a theme here with these recommendations). Again, predates most canon revelations regarding the topics, and predates all of the canon information about the Diamonds.

Pearl, Interrupted by AceyEnn (E, multi)

In August, Steven Quartz Universe was born.

In August, Rose Quartz died in childbirth.

In December, Pearl decides she can't handle any of it.

Or: Pearl Tries To Kill Herself And Ends Up In A Therapy Group Run By Her Best Friend's Mom (Well, One Of Her Moms).

Human AU focusing on Pearl dealing with Rose's death--or rather, not dealing with Rose’s death. Major content warnings for suicide attempts, self-harm, etc (please read the tags), but overall a very well-written story. Still updating, despite being first posted in 2016! 

Lapidot:

in which Peridot is Not At All Surprised by the sudden appearance of a new waiter by gaySpaceRock_exe (G, F/F)

Peridot meets the new waiter at her regular restaurant and immediately falls head-first in love. 

Cute and fluffy, what more do you need in a fic? 

Homesick by DrPaine (G, F/F)

An encounter at the Galaxy Warp.

Short oneshot predating the Peridemption/Barn Arc, can be read as friendship rather than romantic. 

Observation by DrPaine (G, F/F)

Peridot is a technician, meant to catch every detail. Not something she’s very fond of, but making yourself aware of your surroundings can be helpful, when you’re slipping into troublesome thoughts.

Incomplete but very much an introspective look at Peri’s character as perceived back in 2015-ish. Not as much focused on romance as on concepts of identity and anxiety. 

Of Stage Lights and Stage Fright by AcrylicPaint (M, F/F)

All Lapis wanted was to participate in the local production, but there was a minor element she hadn't taken into consideration when she agreed to take the leading role, and that was; dealing with the cute techie's constant staring.

That, and the fact she was beginning to stare too.

Human theatre AU, and an excellent completed multichapter fic. I remember that when I first read this, I was in high school and part of the musical, so it was a very topical read--and now it’s the height of nostalgia. 

No Regrets by Raptor_Red (E, F/F)

No Regrets, or, the story of how Peridot tried to romance the blue-haired tattoo artist from the parlor across the street

A personal favorite! The writing in this fic is just so nice to read, and though I’m not usually a fan of tattoo artist AUs, this one really managed to make the whole concept make sense within the story. I can’t count how many times I’ve read this fic. Please read this.

12 O’Clock at Your Local King Soopers by InsomniacArrest (T, F/F)

Lapis works late night shifts, Peridot is somebody's overworked assistant, they both need more sleep and better people skills: the grocery store story.

Is it a Lapidot fic rec list if I don’t include 12KS? Probably the most iconic fic for this pairing, with good reason. Also, consider this a recommendation for literally everything IA has ever written--there are too many good fics to name them all individually, otherwise they’d comprise half of this entire list.

Of Meteors and Minimal Speech by Waypaststrange (moonbeatblues)(F/F)

In which things at the barn settle down, nobody speaks much, and strange lights appear in the sky.

Vaguely fluffy oneshot, very cute!!

Awkward Office Encounters by SilverEyedRukia (T, F/F) 

Due to a broken down air conditioner on a scorching hot day the computers' overheated systems need fixing. Luckily for everyone a blonde technician is up for the job, but unbeknowst to them the IT nerd turns out to be someone they didn't expect her to be, especially not Lapis who kind of asked her out on a date already.

Human workplace AU, starts off relatively comedic but gets into Emotional Territory towards the end.

Camp Pining Hearts by kamanzi (M, F/F)

Peridot and Jasper return to summer camp after their freshmen year of college--this time, as counselors. Peridot is disappointed to learn that nothing is quite the same, especially her relationship with her best friend. Whose fault is this? She blames Jasper's girlfriend.

“‘Let’s go back next year and be counselors,’ she said. ‘It’ll be fun,’ she said.”

Human summer camp counselors AU that’s definitely long enough to use up some stuck-at-home-self-isolating time.

A Week by teamchaosprez  (E, F/F)

Who knew that a single night of drunken sex could push Peridot and Lapis from being roommates with a mutual crush to regularly fucking and maybe - just maybe - eventually becoming girlfriends and standing up to the homophobia surrounding both of their family lives.

A human college AU focusing a lot on working through interpersonal relationships and coming to terms with emotions

Set Me Free by cym70 (T, F/F) 

Being roommates gives Lapis and Peridot a lot of time to get to know each other and, despite their rocky history, they might just be able to make something entirely new.

A friends-to-lovers fic, post-Barn Mates. Very sweet!

Waltz of the Nian by QuickYoke (T, F/F)

Lapis doesn't understand fusion at heart, but she does know she's an unideal partner for it.

 Lapis' relationship with fusion, and also Peridot. A fic that basically encapsulates the ideal of profound prose that makes you feel things, even if you don’t precisely know how or why.

Pushing by Like Hearts by mautadite (T, F/F)

“Sounds like you’re really counting on that road trip magic.”

(Peridot and Lapis do Midway City, and Empire City, and Plateau Ville, and all the places in between.)

Canonverse road trip, because every rec list needs a ���the characters go on a long journey together and find themselves, and each other” fic. And because this fic made me feel so many emotions.

A thousand years (F/F)

I have died a thousand years, waiting for you.

 Childhood friends-to-adult-lovers human AU, one of the fic tropes that always just punches me in the face with feelings.

[twxntrash]

So anyone remember that Lapidot fluffy/angst peice I wrote a while back, Handful of Kisses?

I’ve updated it and kinda changed it a bit to use for a Mixed Media project in one of my classes. Of course I had to remove the names and shit and cut some stuff out, but here’s the version I’ve made for my class.

The number of kisses that we had shared could be counted on hand, and that was okay.

From the start, from when I had first set eyes on her, there had been something about her that I wanted to know. She was beautiful, she was absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful.

I saw her for the first time at lunch on the first day of school. She had been sitting with her own group of friends as I lurked at a table in the corner with my own friend. She was a rather short woman with untamable, fluffy blonde hair, and would nod, shake her head or giggle at what her friends said. When she spoke, she was loud and full of gestures and movements equally as loud, as though she put everything she had behind her every word.

I watched her the whole time. I watched her for weeks after that, unable to bring myself to approach her.

Eventually, with enough prodding and encouragement from my own friend, I came to the table, to her. She greeted me with a smile and someone asked if I wanted to join them. I returned the greeting with a smile, shaking my head at the offer and wordlessly held out a piece of paper with my number on it. The pink tone her cheeks took assured me that she was like me, and she stammered a string of incoherent words in her flustered state. I had smiled, she was so cute and I turned on my heels to walk away.

That night, she called. I hadn’t expected her too, but was immensely happy that she had. We spoke, held a conversation for the first time and I found myself enjoying the rather sarcastic humor this girl had. We talked and agreed to meet up for brunch that weekend.

When I had come that morning at ten, I saw that she was already there, sitting at a booth by the window. As soon as those green eyes locked onto my own blue ones, she practically jumped from her seat, waving me down and drawing far too much attention to herself in her excited and loud mannerism. It was adorable. I could feel something warm erupting inside my chest and spreading across my whole body.

I took a seat across from her and we got some coffee. I had mine black and she dumped enough sugar and cream to kill a horse in hers. I had learned that she didn’t like bitter flavors, though she was highly addicted to caffeine. I myself wasn’t much of a coffee person, and just stirred the cup quietly, not drinking it, but finding the warmth of the cup in my hands and the smell of the brew to be soothing.

We talked. I found out her name, something I hadn’t actually known until then. She had a lovely name.

For the rest of our high school year, we had a light, almost innocent relationship. We never did much in terms of physicality, besides hand holding, hugs and cuddling on the couch while we watched movies and cheesy TV shows. Most people were surprised that we were together, because we weren’t as intimate as the relationships they were familiar with. But, that was fine. We weren’t an intimate pair, neither comfortable with it, and we were perfectly content with what we already had.

For all of high school, we never once kissed.

Our first kiss was on graduation day. We threw our caps in the air out on the large football field outside of the school, everyone was cheering and everyone was happy. I saw her through the mass of students between us. Our eyes locked and we began moving towards each other, meeting in the middle of the crowd. My arms were around her waist, hers around my shoulders.

Our lips met for the first time in the three years of being together. We were in love.

Summer came, we were busy with work, but still found time to be with each other. We were always by one another when we were free from work. Summer came. Summer passed. She moved on to college and I began to seriously pursue art. I began doing commissions online, putting up paintings to local art shows and selling them when I could. Eventually I moved out of my parent’s house and followed her to her new city where she attended college, got an apartment close to campus.

She moved in during her second year, though she practically lived with me her entire first year, college regulations wouldn’t let her move off campus as a freshman. I did what I could to support her. I stayed up with her during the stressful all-nighters and helped her with review sessions, anything I could do to help her out. She in return would offer me support during my years of art, sometimes coming home with new paints or brushes to surprise me with.

Years passed and I still remembered that day fondly. The day that we graduated high school and the day that we shared our first kiss. I still loved her, loved her more and more with each passing day, more than words could ever hope to describe. We didn’t need to kiss every chance we got to show just how madly in love we were. We showed it through the simple but meaningful words we exchanged, the looks gave and actions we took. We didn’t need a kiss to prove love existed between us. We knew we were in love, that’s what mattered.

She graduated from college and got herself a job working with computers and programs. Technical stuff I could never understand, and I gained more traction as a professional artist, gaining more buyers and more followers. We made friends in town, maintained a few of our friends from school. Though we would lose contact with some of them, it was okay. So long as we had each other. We would always have each other.

We were twenty-six when I proposed and she accepted. There were tears shed, laughter shared and we held onto one another the entire night, not daring to let go lest the dream shatter and reality return. We shared our second kiss under the blanket of a starry night sky.

Her mother insisted on paying for most of the wedding, we had a period tension with her on who would wear a dress. We settled for both wearing one. The engagement lasted a year and a half, we took our time finding the perfect location, the perfect theme, the perfect everything, and if it wasn’t perfect, that was fine. We weren’t in a rush, and the engagement could have lasted much longer if our family hadn’t kept us on track.

We settled for a wedding on a beach. I always wanted to get married by the ocean and she was happy to oblige.

We were married, the day was beautiful and everything had gone right. As we stared into each other’s eyes, we could tell the love between us was as strong as ever. We shared a kiss when we were cued to do so and sparks danced between us like our very first kiss. I butted my head against her, laughing and feeling as weightless as I held her close, feeling her warmth against me. I loved her so much, we loved each other so much that the entire world had vanished and it just her and me.

Years rolled by, we eventually moved out of the city and bought a nice little house outside of the city. It was peaceful, quiet, and away from the noise and distraction of the city, offering us a privacy to be who we were without the prying eyes of the rest of the world. Our friends grew up, got married and had children of their own. They’d ask when we’d have our own children, if we’d adopt, if we’d do a donor. But we were content without one. We had a dog named Pumpkin and we loved him as though he were our own child.

We never kissed, we never touched one another in the same way that other couples always did. We never felt the need to, never felt the desire to. We were happy how things were, satisfied with what our relationship gave and offered.

Our next kiss didn’t come for many years, not until she was on her death bed. I was at her side, her hands held in my own and watched as the woman soundly slept. Her face, once round and smooth, had become a home for wrinkles, and her blonde hair had greyed. Her hands, wrinkly, boney, were always shaking. Even though she was sick, was dying, she was as breathtakingly beautiful as the day I had first seen her. Through teary eyes, I still saw her beauty and warmth, still saw all of what had made me fall in love with her.  My heart still swelled with love for her.

Slowly, she stirred. She saw me and she smiled, her face full of warmth, joy and a pure, innocent light of untainted love. She pushed herself up slightly, wheezing as she tried to breathe. Her lungs were failing, her body failing. The doctors said there was nothing they could do, that if she had been younger then there could have been a chance, but she was too old now.

It was fine. We got to have a long and happy life together, almost sixty years since we first fell in love. We were fine if our story was coming to an end.

Looking into her eyes, they still shined and sparkled. She didn’t say anything and neither did I as I smiled back. I leaned down and gently, lovingly, kissed her goodbye.

It was our last kiss. She died just a few days later. Peacefully and smiling.

All our time together, all the memories we had made, to me, they were as pure as light and brought warmth even on the coldest days. I regarded all our time together fondly as I laid on my own death bed just two years later. My friends and family surrounding me, telling me how much they loved me and how much I meant to them all.  I smiled and nodded, though my mind was full of thoughts of the love of my life. I thought of her vivid green eyes and bright smile. I thought of how soft she felt and how well she fit in my arms whenever I held her.

My eyes grew heavy; my breathing grew slower. It was getting harder to hear those around me. But, I could hear her laughter instead, more clearly than ever before. A light, beautiful laughter, my name being called. A genuine joy in the voice that I had always loved.

I thought of her lips on my own that day as I closed my eyes and went to join her, to give her one more kiss.

[furashuban]

We don’t have to do this if you are not ready

my first contribution to @lapidot-anniversary-week with the prompt “Fusion”

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10982736

Summary:  After realizing Steven got abducted by Homeworld gems, Lapis and Peridot learn how to fuse into a new gem in order to save him. But they need to take some time into getting used to their new form, ultimately leading to some consequences in the end.

(a little pinch of angst and dark stuff in the middle/climax.)

@jenhedgehog

It was nightfall, but a rather dark and roseate nightfall all over Beach City and the countryside this time around. The two blue and green gems had their usual day-to-day to basis in the barn with Camp Pining Hearts and random farm activities, And in the end they were in their farm waiting for more stars to wish upon. Despite the scenery being sort of cloudy and making it hard to search for stars now, the ambiance was still adequate, and Lapis and Pumpkin were settled while gazing aloft. Meanwhile, Peridot had her thoughts wandered and paced around shakenly with her paint can stilts that Steven gave her months ago.

“You don’t have to keep wearing those paint cans on your feet all day.” Lapis says.

“I just want to. They make me feel taller.” Peridot answers while still marching. If one were to ask how long she had her stilts on; 3 days.

She was discerning something vital to her from the looks of it. But it was obvious for the blue gem to know what it was. “You’re not pretending to be a fusion again are you?”

Peridot falters to answer Lapis back, but she halts and finally goes to rest beside her.

“I can’t help it Lapis.” she says facilely. “Steven and the others once told me about their backstories when they first fused a while back. And I’ve analyzed certain depictions of their connection that made them fused in the first place throughout the week.”

The short gem starts counting them down with her fingers. “There’s Garnet being true love, Steven and Connie’s fusion being a first relationship, Pearl and Amethyst’s with connection, Pearl and Garnet’s for betrayal…” she pauses for split second. “…and then there’s us.”

Lapis glances at her keenly. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…when WE fuse, eventually.” She runs her hand through her triangle mane and faces down. “It’s because I knew, well I thought, that we’d be somewhat destined to fuse one day, and I kept overthinking what our connection would represent once we fuse.” Lapis covertly wanted to chuckle. But she felt like she had one reason not to.

“But then you told me your story with Jasper…” Peridot’s tone sinks to guiltiness. “And I did not want to bring it up because I was sure that it would…”

“…remind me of her?” she completes her sentence.

Peridot bites her lip. “Yes…”

“Oh.”

Any reminisce of Jasper and Malachite was something Lapis and Peridot definitely hated and tried avoiding. The memories of being changed up underwater and struggling to be kept whole had irrefutably brought a lot of bad thoughts to the blue gem. And both amending and moving on from the instances was a painful stretch back in the barn.

Peridot on the other hand couldn’t handle seeing Lapis anguished and lamenting from her memoirs of being a forced fusion, unable to cheer her up once their tear drops poured down. But that was all a LONG time ago, not since Lapis’ very last encounter with her. And there was nothing in their home that could prompt it again.

The conversation stops clumsily and pure silence was next perceived. Lapis and Peridot unwantedly frowned from their talk, trying to gaze back upwards at the obscure grimy sky and watched the dusk clouds invade the whole firmament. None of them knew how to continue their little discussion or start a new one at this point. So there’d better be something bright in the sky soon.

“I hope I didn’t say too much…” Peridot over contemplates.

“I hope Peridot and I don’t overthink this.” Lapis also contemplates.

Out of nowhere, something dim flashes into the sky and stuns the two gems and Pumpkin. And whatever it was, it seemed somehow discrete to Peridot.

“Well, that did not look normal…” she says inquired. “What the heck was that?”  

The blue gem gapes afar to where the entity propelled. “It looked like it came from Beach City.” She says. “You think maybe Steven and the gems had something to do with it?”

“Hmm, Definitely. Maybe we should visit.” Peridot answers. “Also, I’m pretty sure that looked like a gem ship taking off, and I could’ve sworn our last guest stole our last ship…”. Lapis nods.

They hoisted up from the tractor, and Lapis quickly triggers her water wings and lets Peridot and Pumpkin ascent her back. They were ready for a brief departure, and then they took off to Beach City.

They stopped by the temple before long and saw what they did not expect see. The Crystal Gems and Connie were in the living room, drenched and inactive with uneasy expressions, as well as hefty tear drops running down their faces. They were asked why they showed up (in the most opportune time, too), hence they answered back by asking what had befallen in town currently, moreover asking where was Steven’s presence.

It took a while for any of them to answer as they gawked at one another perturbed. But then Pearl decided to break the abysmal news to them. “How do I put it this way…” her fingers intersected and hesitated to retort. “You see…There were gems from Homeworld that came for a task. And Steven just gave himself up to the Diamonds….Just to save us.”

Lapis and Peridot were in vast disbelief. “HOMEWORLD GEMS??” they both loudly questioned.

All of them faintly nod. “It’s kind of hard to believe, but yeah. And they were the worst ones we’ve seen…” Connie says.

Steven was the two gems’ closest friend they ever had. There was no way an instant so unforeseen could happen just like that. “W-why could have we been there in time to help him?” Lapis asks just as anxious.

“What did they look like this time?” Peridot also asks.

Garnet suddenly halts them. “That’s enough…” she says strict but easy. “We don’t have time for questions. All we need to know is that those gems were sent by the Diamonds, and Steven is in grave trouble.” She takes her visors off hastily. “And we need to rescue him fast.”

“Um, how the heck are we going to save him WHEN HE’S IN SPACE?!” Amethyst angrily comments.

The only way the Crystal Gems would able to go to space by the help of the Ruby ship and Lion. But those options would be useless at this point, and the chances of coming up with a plan to go to Homeworld was 1 over a hundred…Unless they have acquired the chance out of a miracle.

“…Wait, I have an idea.” Lapis calls everyone’s attention. “I could just fly to Homeworld and rescue him myself. I’ve done that before anyway.” At first that sounded pretty clever. But Garnet arbitrates with the idea.

“No.” she simply says. “Flying to Homeworld on your own is too dangerous and will take too long to succeed. You are going to need someone to come with you if you are going to do a task like that.”

And swiftly, Peridot raises her hand. “What if I did?” she asks. “If Lapis can’t fly there single-handedly, then I should be the one to join her.”

Garnet took some time to think. It was true that the two gems would be a great duo for a task like this when it came to emotional and mental worth. But that wasn’t plentiful. They needed to be resilient enough to quickly fly across space. “Hmm. I have a better idea.” Garnet says and puts her visors back on.

She paces to Lapis and Peridot. “You two must ‘fuse’” she declares.

Immediately, the two gems were dumbfounded and stridently probed the notion of them actually fusing. “Fusion is the only way you two could get to Homeworld sooner and safer.” Garnet informs. “And besides, I think it’s about time anyway…” She was indeed precise.

Peridot gapes at Lapis who had her expression looking apprehensive. “Lapis, what do you think?” she asks fretful. “We don’t have to do it if you are not ready to fuse again….”

“No, it’s okay.” Lapis replies assured. “If that’s the only way we’re going to save Steven, then I’m doing it.”

It was settled then. Garnet undertook to keep an eye on them and make sure their fusion dance was successful. She ambled with Pumpkin, Lapis and Peridot out of the temple and in to the shore to commence trying their own fusion dance on the sand, where the ambiance was restful and the room was wide. The blue and green gems we’re a little tense, but also resolute to make this work.

Garnet addressed them on how their fusion dance would be able to work. It would pretty simple for them since their bond was already so close, and while they dance, they have to be completely I sync. The two gems nodded. Their proximity was remote so they could spiral up to each other and meet, then colliding with each other by any way they choose to. And hopefully pretty soon, they become their fusion!

Their gems lustrously glowed into blue and green. Almost immediately, their arms and feet were waving and swinging, classily but shoddy, and impending closer with their distinct ballets. Their dances were chastely mediocre, and seemingly they were rushing it. But the dance will still work somehow. As they twirled and skulked tryingly and on average, they bump in to each other unexpectedly, and Lapis catches Peridot before she falls out of her balance.

Both of them locked their gaze at each other by a mishap. Their pupils amplified, feeling a sizable spur on their mind and core. This is how the fusion dance shall conclude. Lapis gently conveys Peridot closer to her face, both of them were glossily blushing as they emanated closer. Their eyes close lightly, until in the end, the two gems caressed each other softly.

Literally in a flash, the physical form of the two gems faded into light after the kiss. Pumpkin began barking loud and inquisitive. Garnet on the other hand had her arms folded and watched the whole thing, patient as she witnessed them glowing and shifting into a newer grander gem. The illumination abruptly breaks, and the outcome was an entirely new gem.

Garnet grins while looking high up at the firsthand fusion. “How does it feel?” she asks her.

“Um…I…don’t know.” A soft, high pitch and fissured voice was heard. Or in other words, Lapis and Peridot’s voice mashed together.

The fusion of Lapis and Peridot was hugely tall and innate with 4 arms just like Opal, also wearing visors similar to Sugilite’s. 4 eyes were beneath her visors with the colors of her pupils being ocean blue and electric green. And her outfit was factually a mishmash of the two gems’ clothes; Peridot’s tights and socks and Lapis’ skirt, only with a few color blends and some alterations. Lastly, her hair was still formed like a triangle only laxer and cottony, and dyed yellow but bluer.

“Wait, Lapis where are you?” the fusion panics a little coming from Peridot. “I-I don’t think I–––“

“Calm down…” Garnet tranquilly says. “Take a look at yourself for one moment.”

The cyan colored fusion glances down and guises at her four arms. “Oh, whoa..” She utters. She turns and kneels to the sinuous water behind her and stares at the reflection, the image of a new gem that looked too much like Lapis and Peridot merged together.

“Did it actually work?” she asks feeling her face. “This is…weird but also…good?” There was a combined feeling of confusion and excitement escalating, but it was definitely a time she wanted to exult and jump out of ecstasy.

“All you need now is a name.” Garnet suggests.

She still stared at her reflection. “Hmm…La…Larimar.” She advocates. A gem shaded in light blue just like her. “That should work.”

After taking time to gawp at her replication, she rises up and takes a deep breath, then brusquely bringing out her enormous water wings. “Okay, I have time to have fun later. Now I have to rescue Steven.”

“Wait a second, Larimar.” Garnet stops them before taking off. “I know I said we had to be quick, but perhaps you need to take some time to go around with this new form. For all we know, you could lose focus and unfuse in the middle of flying.” Larimar looks below at Garnet and tries to inquire about the rescue mission.

“It doesn’t have to be long.” She says. “One day is all you need to get used to your new form, and then you could rescue Steven.”

“…Okay then.” She settles. “Are you sure we––I need this?”

Garnet holds her visors off a little and reveals her third eye. “Trust me.” She winks at her. The red-purple gem then leaves the prospect and heads back to the temple. What she plans on saying to the Crystal gems about Larimar is yet to happen.

It was completely dusk but still pretty early. The new fusion was just about on her own and wondering what she must do first as an entirely new and taller gem. Pumpkin stubs his paws on her foot trying to call her attention. She stoops down and chuckles tenderly, petting the vegetable pet very softly with her finger. “You know it’s still us, don’t you.” She utters.

Larimar wanders out of the temple precinct and commenced having a conversation with herself.

“I’ve never felt so tall before.” She expresses. “But yet I feel so normal about it. Does it always feel so lightheaded the first time fusing?”

“I guess from my experience, it sorta does.” The tone of her voice variates depending on which one of them were trying to speak.

They stop and see the Boardwalk just a few inches away. The whole town was also pretty pleasant in a fresh evening perspective. Suddenly, depraved chuckling and shrieking was perceived out of nowhere. It didn’t seem to coming from the area. More like it was scruffily in her head, and it was so familiar in a bad way.

“No, stop.” Larimar whispers, shutting her eyes and 2 of her fists clinching, possibly coming from Lapis.

“What was that?”

“It-it was nothing, I hope. Let’s just try to find something to do tonight.”

They walk all the way to Funland that was surprisingly still open due to overtime. “I’ve never tried rollercoasters before.” She says. “But since we’re now tall, I guess that should be the first thing we do.” Regardless of them being a little gigantic and some passersby dazed at a giant woman in boardwalk, they’d try it anyway.

But something halts them before they could enter. The ocean was in high tides, and the sound of crashing water was amplifying all of a sudden. Larimar gasps heavily. And instead of hearing crying again, she began seeing visions…

The Boardwalk was gone in a blink of an eye. Peridot and Lapis were teleported in a dark and wet place, separately familiar and unfamiliar. Lapis’s eyes enlarged and gaped around the entire fracturing place.

“Oh no, this isn’t right…” she utters. “What am I doing here?! This is different now!”

She looks down and grasps something she didn’t notice. Her arms were bound with chains made of water, and they were pulling down hard and forcefully. She struggles to pull herself up and release her limbs of the cuffs. But the wrench was too vigorous to handle, thus she was pulled down underwater and shrieks in fear.

Peridot perceived her getting hauled in her own different viewpoint. “LAPIS!” she exclaims startled. This was very odd, and by all means unsettling. The scene shifts to merely pitch black. The green gem could see Lapis just inches away and so she approaches (or hovers) to her.

“Lapis, are you okay?! What just happened?!” she tries to get her attention. The blue gem never turns or responds to her. Apparently she didn’t know that her partner was with her at all.

Bruises and marks were beheld all over Lapis’ body. She was gawping around very keenly and frail, as if something was coming after her. Unexpectedly, she turns back, and Jasper rushes up to her and grabs her by the neck firmly. Her presence startles the two gems and damages them.

The scene changes yet again to the light blue water. “JUST GIVE UP ALREADY!” Jasper exclaims to Lapis. She too was in pain, exhaustion, and covered in bruises. “Stop trying to hold us back! I’m in control now!”

Lapis groans chokingly as she forces Jaspers grip off of her. Her water wings were brought out instantly and kick the strong orange gem by the chest. “NO!” she yells and scuffles to glide away.

Meanwhile back in reality, Larimar was repeating the disputes shouted by Peridot and Lapis, especially the actions they were undertaking. Thus, Larimar’s water wings surge and fly kicks the ferries wheel, causing it to reel off and rampage. The cyan fusion proceeded to recklessly abolish everything in the boardwalk out of anger, also terrifying residences in confusion and fright.

More alarming visions of Lapis being tormented were changing every second. There were more chains fastening onto Lapis and making her fall, more water suffocating her incongruously as she continued, and more hits being inflicted by Jasper as she tried to take control of the ‘fusion’. Lapis was lying down beat on the ocean-like floor and incapable of getting up, only to be picked up gradually again by another worn out gem.

“So…” Jasper’s looming stare still intimidates. “…are you just gonna keep getting dragged around until we one of us gives up?!”

“If I have to…” Lapis says with a teardrop running down the side of her eye.

This was all very puzzling. Why was Jasper there? Why is everything fluctuating like a slide show? And why is Peridot only able to watch her partner suffer instead of helping her?

“I guess you really are pathetic…” Jasper chuckles and drops her tersely. Peridot runs to her one more time and bends down at the trampled blue gem.

“Lapis, come on, get up!” Peridot says anxiously. “You’re hurt badly. I…I could have helped with whatever is going on right now.” She then wholly kneels down and cries over the blue gem. “This is all wrong. We’re fused together right now. Why is this happening??”

That’s when it struck her. It was being ‘fused’ that was causing all of this. Lapis completely passes out soon, and Larimar unfuses shortly. The two gems fall to the ground feeling faint and a little tired. They were back to being separate gems, but they came back with a distressing result.

They saw half of Funland and the boardwalk demolished and isolated. It was obvious that it had something to do with their fusion even if they had no memory of doing so. But they did recall something else that they both wish never occurred. Peridot glances at Lapis who gazed at the scene guilty and regretful from the look of her face. She walks up to her again, this time she was finally noticed.

“Laz.” She tugs her arm and looks back at her. “That wasn’t Malachite, was it?”

Lapis sighs severely and avoids answering her. “I’m sorry…” She shuns and hastily flies back to the barn. Peridot definitely knew what she saw. And she needed to amend what hurt her and her partner at once.  

A few long minutes passed, and Peridot along with Pumpkin rushed to the barn to find Lapis gloomily coiled in the dark and sobbing inaudibly. Her presence was immediately predicted, and she strides gently towards the anguished gem and sits beside her. “That didn’t go well as we thought it would, huh.” She utters. “

“I wish you hadn’t seen any of that…” Lapis says. “…That was what I had to go through as a fusion, well at least half of what I went through anyway.” She wipes the last tear drops off her face. “It was stupid of me to think that I was ready to fuse again. But I didn’t think I was going to have to relive my suffering again once I did.”

Peridot’s core ached just as much as Lapis trying to explain everything. All this time, she knew her history with Malachite was an eternal and throbbing trap, but when she got to see how painful I actually was, she realized how strong it was just to pop out in THEIR fusion.

“Now you’ve seen what Malachite was inside…torture…and you probably don’t want us fusing ever again…”

She was wrong. Peridot still wanted to fuse. The green gem scuttles in front of Lapis and embraces her warmly, hopefully comforting her and slowly taking the pain away. “I know what I witnessed was dreadful, but that doesn’t mean it will happen again.” She says shakily.

“How do you know what…?” Lapis counters.

“It’s just like what Garnet said; we need time to get around with our new form. I can help you take the memories away for good once we’re done.”

Lapis holds back another tear drop. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

Lapis rises slightly and hugs back Peridot tighter and heartfelt. The two gems had their eyes close one more time, feeling their tender and deep embrace and syncing their emotions of affection and distress. They both uttered “I love you” before suddenly glowing into bright light and merging themselves into one again.  

Larimar was fused the second time inside the barn and crawled out. The moon was up, and there were a lot of stars to go stargazing tonight. She sat down next to Pumpkin and looked high up at Homeworld’s galaxy.

“I have one day to get the hang of this, and then save Steven.” She says. It turns out their connection might have represented something at all once they fused; moving on.